Nobody Forgets Bill Cipher

The People I Care About

     Dipper shortly returns, Ford in tow. Every member of the Society previously sitting at the dining table rises as the two enter.
     "Stanford Pines," Sil says bluntly, "I've heard much about you. I am pleased to be face to face at last."
     "Who are you?" Ford questions, looking at each of the people in turn. I suddenly remember that Dipper never answered my question about speaking with Ford. Does he know everything I believe? Does the Society? If he knows, will he inform them? Is it safe to inform them? I have so many questions I can't answer...
"My Name is Sil Houette, and these are my comrades: Mac Abre, Terri Fying, Dan Gerous, and Omi Nous." Sil points to each person in turn. Mac nods in greeting, Dan grins, Omi's mouth twitches with an annoyed snarl, and Terri glares at Ford. Stanford has to take a double take after glancing at Terri.
"Don't take her lightly," Sil warns. "We've trained her so that she has the ability to kill you in five different ways in the blink of an eye."
"Isn't that... illegal?" Dipper asks skeptically.
"Well, in a few cases, yes. However, allmost all of our targets are in the category of the supernatural, so, no," Sil replies, expression never appearing on her face. "For example, Bill Cipher, you were once classified as one of our targets. Our agents were never able to carry through your destruction. Thankfully, we received word that a Stanley Pines, with the aid of many others, were able to complete it... well, at least up until this point, at which you are not a threat." She turns to Ford. "I found it interesting that you, someone who we worked a case for, were in relation to this legendary-like hero character; at least I assume you are in relation?"
     Dipper is almost turning blue in the struggle not to laugh. "Legendary-like hero?" he chokes out. "I mean, I guess he was in the moment, but have you met Stan?"
     "Not intentionally, no, I do not believe I have. Do you find this with humor?" Sil asks seriously. I can hardly keep from laughing myself at her formal word choice.
     "What's with all the racket?" a gruff voice sounds from around the corner. Stan walks into the kitchen rubbing his eyes. I guess he just woke up. He stops in his tracks when he sees the group of unfamiliar people standing in the room. He looks, startled, from me to Dipper to his twin and so on. "Uhhh... did I walk in on something important?"
Dan takes a double take, looking between Stan and Ford. "Woah, are you Stanley Pines?"
     Stan glances at his brother, then at Dan. "Um, yeah?" The entire group then turns to stare at him.
"Ah," Sil remarks with a nod of greeting. "I am pleased to make your acquaintance. Now," she turns back to me, "we have many things to discuss, Bill Cipher. If you would please escort us to a more private place?"
"Uh, about that," I start carefully. "Actually, I guess we can, but it'd probably be best to erase my mind of it afterwards due to some recent complications." I see Ford ponder for a moment; Dipper must have told him what's going on.
     Sil gives me a hard stare. "We would not want you to do that, even though we have no care at all for your well-being. We need you to realize that none of our help is for you at all. The only reason we are on this case is because you have put other people in danger through your henchmaniacs. You have dragged many of the residents of Gravity Falls into this, including the ones you call your friends, such as the Pines and Ramirez families, along with others. Our help is to save them, and if it ends up saving you in the process, so be it. But, in this mindset, I do not believe you need to worry about your henchmaniacs finding that you have been speaking with us. This is what this is about, right?"
     "Yes," I answer carefully, "and I suppose you're right."
     "If we disclose none of our top-secret information, what advantage would they be given?" Sil asks rhetorically. "Besides, all your henchmaniacs want is to cause you harm. Their end goal is to hurt anyone you are close to to hurt you and to kill you. They would only care about us if we stopped them from doing so. We have not done so yet."
     "Plus, they're dumb enough that even if they did know you were working to stop them, they wouldn't care because you're not stopping them in the moment," I realize, catching on to Sil's logic. "Well, they will know we had this conversation when they read my mind, won't they? Don't you think... just to be safe... as soon as we're done talking, you can erase my mind? Please? They said if I told anyone about their haunting my dreams, they would do the same to the people I care about. Like Mabel, Yule... I can't let that happen, even if I have been slipping around directly telling anyone. My henchmaniacs would do it anyway, just to see me suffer."
     "If they would do it anyway, what would be the point in erasing your mind?" Mac asks me, crossing his arms, deep in thought.
"I don't know," I realize in despair, my face falling. "Whatever I do, they'll do it to hurt me anyway. There's no point in any of this!" I stagger back in shock. What am I going to do? "What do I do?!" I ask everyone, though it comes out as a shout.
I feel a hand on my shoulder- Mabel must've heard the commotion and came to see what was going on. I'm glad that Soos and Melody and the baby are out of the house for the day. I don't want them to have to deal with any of this as well. Though, because my memories of them exist, my Henchmaniacs will know to hurt them, and everyone else I love with them.
Wait. That's it... "If I don't remember who I love, my henchmaniacs will have no reason to hurt them, even if those demons do find a way to this dimension," I tell everyone, especially directing what I say to the Society of the All-Seeing. If they don't care about me and only want to keep everyone else safe, this is the perfect plan-
"No!" Mabel cries out, her voice breaking. "I know you guys probably don't care anything about Bill," she guesses about the Society, because, yes, she hadn't heard the beginning of our conversation, "but I do. He is more important to me than my own safety, so I can't let anyone, including himself, erase his mind, okay?" Her grip on my arm tightens as she looks to Dipper: she needs some backup on this.
"I agree with my sister," Dipper says, not even catching Mabel's hint for him to say something- this is all him. "Bill has saved our lives before, and he's no longer the person he used to be. He has risked his life for us, and we will do the same for him. The only thing that can stand in the way of that is the safety my own family and my girlfriend. And she and my family are with me in making sure this one," he points to me, "stays alive. No mind erasing necessary, you hear? If you disagree with us, it's your choice whether or not to stick to your case, but that's what I believe and I will not waver in what I care about."
Woah... this kid has a stunning way with words. And to think... they both really care this much about me. "Are you sure about this, guys?" I ask them, my voice wavering in uncertainty.
"Absolutely!" Mabel exclaims. "It's time to show those dream demons who's boss!"