Over the Falls

Chapter 17

Wirt's branches twisted and spiraled, his face went pale, and his eyes were too much for Bill to look directly into. The ground beneath his feet began to rise, making Wirt another four or five inches taller than Bill.

"YOU WOULDN'T WANT TO SEE ME AS A BEAST," Wirt bellowed. "MAYBE I ALREADY AM, WOULDN'T YOU LIKE THAT?!" Wirt punched Bill upside the head, making the demon stumble and hold his face. Wirt jumped and landed on top of him.

Bill struggled to get out from under Wirt's body, but Wirt had him pinned.

"WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT ANYTHING?!" Wirt yelled at Bill. "YOU'VE DONE NOTHING TO HELP ME IN THIS! IF I KILL GREG, IT'LL BE YOUR FAULT!"

Bill couldn't take it. His eyes were on fire with light. "ENOUGH," he hissed at Wirt. Though Bill was in Dipper's human body, and humans had no special ability, Bill found that his magic carried through with his command, at least a little of it. Wirt stood up.

"My fault? Killing Greg will be my fault? The only reason I haven't been able to help you is I'm stuck in my vessel. Without a body, I'm two-dimensional." Bill's words were hard.

Wirt looked like he might cry. No, he was crying. His face was still cold, full of anger and hatred, but tears were streaming down his cheeks.

Bill stared at him, eyes narrowed and fists clenched. Wirt stared back until his eyes stung. He closed them.

"So you don't have any magic... at all... while in this state..." Wirt breathed out harshly, like he might blow up again.

"I have magic you couldn't even begin to imagine," Bill spat, his chin held up higher now. "You have no idea what it's like being me. You are a beast, that won't change without me, and you know it. I am in a human's form, and that's how I'm going to stay. If you tell me one more time to give this body back, we're done, and I'm giving up on you." He stared at Wirt for a response.

Wirt's head was slightly lower, but his eyes cut daggers up at Bill. "Am I supposed to say 'deal'?"

"If you intend to keep that deal, yes."

Wirt dried his eyes angrily, but the tears still hadn't stopped. "Then deal."