Nightmare kind of Dream

Punishment

While the demon sibling trio argued on the other side of the room me and Dipper sat in the sitting room, eating more cake. It was silent between us on the thin line of tension and relaxing.

"So," Dipper began, placing his plate on the coffee table. "Tell me about this dimension." His bored gaze bore it's way through my skull.

"Is much different than yours?" I asked.

"Apparently so if you're a pet and I'm not." he stated rather bluntly that it almost hurt.

I forced a smile and a nervous chuckle. "Is that so?" I murmured. "Then I suppose you don't have a niece and your sister isn't dead."

He stiffened, staring into his tea cup. "Then it's not all that different."

I stared at him curiously. "Oh?" I questioned.

"Yea." he scoffed with a light hearted smirk. "Mabel thought it was a smart idea to date a fish-man from the lake. She would disappear for days at a time." His expression darkened as he spoke in a hollow tone. "Mabel and I didn't get along but that didn't mean we didn't at least get concerned for one another. So when she came back one evening she declared that she was pregnant, then died during labor. The father didn't want his daughter and left without so much as a look to the child."

I lowered my cup, mouth agape at that. It wasn't like that when Marmibelle was born but then again he lives in a reverse dimension.

Dipper looked back up at me. "How did your niece fare?"

I shrugged slightly. "Her father took her for the first five years, then things got rough underwater with the demon invasion so he brought her to me. I've been looking after her ever since." I explained. "But he does help support her upbringing, on calm days he would have come up and taken her to collect stones that could be used in trading for materials, he would also bring up something to use as food."

"And now she can't see him?" Dipper questioned calmly.

My shoulders slumped low at the realization. I've been worried about keeping Bill satisfied enough that he wouldn't hurt her and my uncles that I completely forgot about Mermando. He could be dead or worried that me and Marmibelle are dead.

I hung my head shamefully. "No she can't." I answered. "With me bound by the contract with Bill, we were brought here under his protection."

"Contract?" Dipper pried. "I thought Bill only did deals."

I ran a hand through my hair with a faint chuckle. "Too many loopholes apparently was the issue."

The conversation ended when Bill abruptly burst into flames, literally. He looked furious.
Me and Dipper looked back at the demon trio.
Tad stared at his brother unfazed by his temper while Will hid behind him.

"I do believe that is your cue to call him down." Dipper stated getting up from the sofa.

I sighed and finished my drink before following him towards the three.
I was about to approach Bill when Tad blocked my way with an arm.

"Don't bother, you are being removed from his 'protection'." the demon explained.

Bill started yelling in whatever language demons speak, his voice was distorted and echoed throughout the room.
Tad replied to whatever he said in a rational tone.

I was getting irritated with being treated like an object and not having my say in this.
I shoved Tad's hand out of the way and stepped toward Bill.

"Calm down asshole. You're someteen thousand years old so grow up already." I shouted at the blonde.
His fire died in an instant, running a hand through his hair showing he was calm. I turned to Tad.
"I appreciate the concern Tad but I made this contract with him so he would terminate the contract with my niece so forcing to end my contract would mean restarting one that shouldn't happen."