Little Dipper

What Could Be Behind Nightmare Number 1?

Ford opened his eyes to find himself in his lab, thirty years ago. In front of him with the portal, silent and cold ever since McGucket had accidentally gone inside and came out spouting gibberish. Ford felt betrayed, his ears burning with the memory of Bill's last words to him before he checked out for a bit. He felt...desperate.

He left the lab and went outside, holding his head. He'd been having a terrible headache ever since finding out Bill Cipher was a...was NOT a muse, he didn't know WHAT he was. A demon? Demons made duels, right?

He had to warn people. No, he had to hide the Journals, destroy the portal. He stepped outside, in need of some fresh air, and stopped when he noticed a red-cloaked figure standing in the treeline. He know that robe... "...Fiddleford?" He asked.

The figure approached him, pulling something from his sleeve. "You've gone far enough, Stanford. You'll doom us all if you keep up this way. You and your crazy invention, your desires, your...your DEALS. You have NO idea what that...that THING has put me through." He raised what looked like a sci-fi gun to Stanford's head.

"Whoa, calm down! I understand that you're upset, and you have good reason to be! B-But, I'm going to fix things, I swear!" Ford stepped back.

"It's too late for that! You've already done too much! I'll have to erase your memories of that project and that creature, and hopefully destroy him with them!"

"Fiddleford!" Ford pleaded.

"I'm not sure what the effects will be...this is a prototype. But, you're the perfect subject for testing this out." Fiddleford started to pull the trigger.

And then Ford felt himself take a backseat in his mind. Bill had returned, and he wasn't happy. He grabbed Fiddleford's arm roughly and threw him to the ground, a sickening crack reaching Ford's ears. "Noo! Please, no! Don't hurt him!"

Bill paused, seeming to take in his plea, and then raised his foot up to smash the gun. "Get out of here, Fids. Be grateful to Stanford, he just saved your life."

Fiddleford slowly got up, holding his obviously-broken arm, and fled for the woods again. Bill kicked the pieces of the gun and then turned back to the house. "What were you thinking, you idiot?" Bill asked as he walked inside. "You thought it would be safe out there? With that guy losing it?"

"No, no, please, don't do this, let me out." Ford begged.

"Pft, as if. The portal is just about done, I just need to make a few more adjustments." Bill laughed. "Don't worry, Fordsy. You'll get your body back...when I'm done with it. It might not be in one piece, though."

No...Ford frowned, confused. He was SURE that this was the part where Bill said "Try not to get yourself killed, I still need you". This had to be a nightmare...and suddenly everything came rushing back to him. He was actually thirty years older. This WAS a nightmare, beyond a door in Keyhole's mind. Bill was his ally. He had to fight the nightmare, or be trapped forever!

"I'm not going to let you do this." He said firmly. "It's my mind, and I'm taking it back!"

"Try it." Bill goaded him.

Ford pushed against the walls of his mind, fighting to keep hold of his knowledge of the fact it was just a dream . As long as he held onto that, as long as he kept his grasp on reality, he could escape. He kept pushing and pushing for control as Bill laughed and taunted his efforts, saying it was pointless. It wasn't pointless. He had to get out. He had to...GET. OUT!

He felt the nightmare's grip on him loosen and then the world faded away, leaving him facing a dark creature with tendrils. He pulled out his gun and fired on it, right between the eyes. It let out an ungodly screech and then he was falling...falling...falling backwards until he hit blue floor and stared up at blue ceiling.

He took a moment to collect his thoughts and slowly sat up. "I'm out? I won? I won!" He got up and looked around. "Stanley? Bill?" He noticed the other door was open and ran through it.

He just left door three, and the next door was open. He kept count as he passed through, looking around to see if any other nightmares had been triggered. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Stan!

Stan was standing in front of an open door, darkness inside it. But, that meant that the one inside was...

"Bill was pulled in?" He asked, walking up to him.

Stan nodded grimly. "Just a few moments ago."

"...Do you think...it's about... that ?" Ford asked.

Stan shrugged. "I dunno." He looked to the side, where their "host" was apparently waiting for Bill. Of course, they needed Bill to finish Keyhole's game. Pyronica would disqualify them if Bill didn't come out, traumatized and in despair. Truly, Hell hath no fury as a woman scorned.