Chapter 31 "The Chase; Lie"
Third Person's POV
It was dawn already. The ambush was finished, the winners are Alice and her partner. Yet, until now, with a deep regret on her heart. Dipper, or Alice, is still mourning for what she did to Lotte, or the Queen of Hearts. She once knew Lotte as a friend, but she was betrayed, played and now killed by Dipper's own hands.
Dipper's knees are soaked in the dried blood so as her hands. Her eyes are very swollen, because of the sour tears she had. There we're no tears to be cried at.
While Bill, well, he just stayed next to her. Not close to her but close enough to see how she is doing. It was a very heavy feeling for him, seeing Dipper cry all night non-stop and he has nothing to do but to stare and wont care about a thing. Although deep inside, he really do cares.
Then suddenly, Dipper, woobly, stood up. Her legs feels so numb since she was sitting under them for the whole night. Her pants are dirtied, so as her hands.
"Pine Tree?" Bill says, he approached her and saw how her eyes are now. Dead. Nothing. The gaze that can just make you freeze without knowing anything.
"Lets go. We still have to find the Rabbit and finish this." Dipper says, she turned to face him. And for the first time ever.
Bill was never afraid to see the look on her eyes.
Dead. No color of liveliness anymore. How it was so swollen, like it was freshly punched or what. Add up when she smiled normally, how nothing changed after all. Also add up the smear of blood on her cheek. It was clear that she was forcing herself to be okay and that is not good.
Bill swallowed, this looks kinds of turned him on but it wasn't the face that he knew to Dipper. He hesitantly lift up his hand and put it on the bloody cheek, her eyes widen by that and slapped the hand away. His eyes widen, surprised.
"Dont touch me." Dipper muttered, her smile remained but there was venom on her voice.
"Why wont I?" Bill asked back. He is not gonna end this Chase if she's like this. First reason is that Mabel will question him and he had no choice but to tell her everything. Second reason is that this isn't the Pine Tree he knows. And he could tell what made her like that.
Dipper, raised an eyebrow, confused to what he is saying. "What the hell, man? I just dont want your glove to get dirty." She says. As she used the back of her hand to wipe the blood, brushing her wrist on the cut on her neck, she winced.
Bill was rolling his eye of earlier but when he saw she winced, he noticed there was a cut. Thinking over. He pulled out his glove, revealing his hand. Dipper blinked, looking at him. "What?" She says.
He shrugs and lightly touched the cut from her neck. Dipper winced, glaring at the man. "That hurt!" She hissed. He ignored her protests and just healed it, he smiles as usual. "You know.. You might wont believe me but that Lotte isn't dead." He says.
Dipper froze. Eyes turned into a doodle circles, mouth wide open. She's so shock, surprised and doubting that as if, Mabel just found the love of her life and decided to marry him and will make 10 babies and will run away together on Mars.
"Pine Tree?" Bill sweatdropped, reading her thoughts.
"I'm not playing games here, you damn triangle!" Dipper shouted, grabbing him from the arms since that is only where she can grab him. He blinks. "What do you mean she isn't!? I saw her die infront of me, bastard! Are your brain got eaten by doritos or something!?" She exclaimed, guilt running to her veins. Remembering the look of Lotte by that scene, over and over.
Bill got angry but he didnt let himself though, he understands Dipper's feelings and he got through with this a bunch of times.
"Yeesh. Calm down. You stabbed her on the stomache and not on the heart yeah?" Bill stated, hinting a point. But Dipper was still confused. "It means she might be dead in this Mind Scape but she's alive on the ground." He added.
"What are you saying!?"
"I'm saying, she's alive. She might be somewhere she knows with the Beast. They still have a connection though, but goodness where they are? How would I know." He says.
Rush of relief swarmed on her, she lets go of Bill, stepping back. As a small but true smile formed on her lips, her eyes glowed in happiness and relief. Almost unbelievable. "A-Are you serious..?" She whispered.
"I wont be tell you this if I wasn't serious.." Bill muttered, getting embarrassed by the face Dipper is making.
Whats on her head anyways?
***
Dipper's POV
Lotte is alive.
She is fucking alive.
I let out a silent laugh, I shooked my head. "Good then.." I looked up again, a smirk formed in my little lips.
"We better move fast now. No time for having breakfast!" I exclaimed, was about to run when Bill suddenly grabbed my wrist. I shrieked for a moment, surprised by the sudden grab the force was pushed on me.
"Wait!" I looked at him, skeptical. "You're not even curious? How she isn't dead?" He questioned.
I dont really care actually. As long Lotte is alive. Wont that be enough? I smiled warily, although I know the reason, the explanation of it. I took a breath in.
"She didn't die because I didnt stabbed her on the heart. You questioned me that did I stabbed her in the heart, obviously I answered no. So it will be goddamn obvious that it must be her heart. If not I think it will be the head but that wont connect anything. This isn't just in a Mind Scape, this is a real dimension where whoever it is made this game."
I ended my theory. There was a silence between us, it isn't heavy, akward or something. Just plain silence. His eye is wide up, mouth parted. I smiled warily, having no idea whats wrong.
"You.." He started to speak up, he cleared his throat. "You thought all of that?" He muttered.
I nodded. "Yeah? Its so obvious, Bill. Anyways, we should really get going now." I repeated. God. He is so slow today.
Then, I noticed. His lips formed a smirk, and a gaze that sending me shivers at the back. He is really keeping an eye on me, literally.
And I was too afraid to ask what does he want.
***
Third Person's POV
Dipper looked around, hands at her back. A thin frown on her lips. Eyes that is scanning around their surroundings. Her mind is set to find the Rabbit as soon as possible. But she still hasn't found any clues where to found her, nor not a slight to see her demon.
"It depends." Bill suddenly says.
Dipper halted, looking over him. "What are you saying?" She asks.
"For the Queen of Hearts, if you kill her on the heart, she'll die. For the Mad Hatter, if you kill him on the head, he'll die. And also, for the White Rabbit.." He paused, thinking where the area it is. He held his chin, thinking very hard. Even making his eyebrow stitched together.
Dipper smiled. She never thought the two of them will be in this kind of thing together. He who knows she is weak and a huge coward, still now. Still let the honor be with her, to be his human. And also helping her at any possible way, that was so different from back then. Maybe he is just playing with her? He might ge bored thats why he is doing this.
"Ah!" Bill exclaimed, remembered. Then, realizing what he had just thought. He frowned in disappointment. This made Dipper curious. "Bill?" She says his name.
"Unfortunately, for the White Rabbit, his weak spot is unknown. It was never known actually." He says, explaining.
Dipper sighed. She thought about that too. She crossed her arms over her chest. "We really cant do anything about it. So, just leave it be." She says, shrugging.
Bill turned worried, annoyingly curious to be exact. How can she shrug like that? Knowing that she doesn't know the weak spot means she wont know where she can only hurt the Rabbit. Something made different that way of thinking of her's.
Dipper stared at him. And she knew he's troubled. She tilt her head, smile is still there. "Something wrong, Bill?" She says.
He smirked, clicking his smug personality. "There's nothing wrong, of course!" He laughed as always.
"I've been with you for awhile, Bill. Something is wrong. I could tell that you're lying." She sighed heavily, she skips infront of him. She checked on him, his eye, his lips, nose, hair. She nods. "Will you tell me?" She asks.
"I dont have to tell you anything, Pine Tree." Bill snarled.
In her inner conscious, she was hurt by that words. Dipper's smile disappeared and turned into a sad frown. She guessed that it was only fair though. She still remember it. Dont Trust Anyone. Yet she trusted this dream demon. How ironic. "Is that so.." She mutters.
Dipper walked far away from him, before looking at him, straight in the eye. She doesn't look wasted at all, thanks to Bill healing her always. There was a playful gaze on Dipper's eyes, as if all of this Line Up and Chase are all fun and games.
And Bill noticed that. How she changed rapidly depending on the air of the place. How she was excited at first, then nervous, then now looking all frightening, as if the all humanity are just right under her palm. And can smash them into bits.
A fast breeze passed by them. The sun was up, it is not identified if it was the middle of the day or still the morning. But the breeze was dry, warm. It bites at Dipper's cold neck and cheeks.
"Let's continue lying to each other. I wonder. Say everything to me, manipulate me. Lie to me. I wont care. You are a demon, an all-knowing demon." Dipper says, not even flickering an eye.
Well, Bill is surprised by that. He sweatdropped, confused. Whats with this suddenly? Just a moment she was really in a hurry to search for the Rabbit now this? "W-What are you saying, Pine Tree?" He questions.
Dipper sighed, pulling out her cap from her head and dropping it on the ground. She unties her ponytail, her hair bounces at her back. She looks different when her hair is down, almost looked like Mabel. But their eyes are different. Her's are almost like pointed, cat-like eyes. For Mabel is like doe kinds. You can say who is innocent or not.
"Lie to me. Tell me everything. And I'll only think of it as a lie. Thats for me too. Hurry now, there is seriously something bothering you and I want to help by pulling it out from you." She explained.
Bill swallowed. Uneasy about this but he didnt made it look like it. He run his hand on his hair, narrowing his eye on her. She was serious, and he has to be too, now isn't it?
There was always bothering. Why? Why is it her? Nothing special from her, right? Then, why is it always her? He is a demon and yet, this feelings he has for her is different. Not playful nor hatred. It was something different. Something that you say like. But why is it her? He definitely met other girls more charming than her, but why is it you? And now, he can just say it here. End it here now also. Be a loser for once. Be rejected.
Bill clenched his fists, he looked up to Dipper, her gaze and his clashed together. He wondered, will he able to see those eyes back then? Filled with hatred, annoyance. Instead of passion, playfulness. He hates that.
He breathed in, not wasting a breath of this.
"I like you, Pine Tree"
He never felt anything like that. His chest was beating so loud, as if he's inside a drum. He was nervous, although he knows she'll think of this a lie. And he wanted to be rejected now, this feelings are not fitted for him and he knows she wont feel the same. I mean, who would ever be? He is the one who almost killed her and her family back then, and he knows how deep her hatred to him. Just thinking about it wants to make him kill himself.
As for Dipper, her eyes widen. She was surprised. But no blush or beating of her heart came. As if everything was on silence. She can only see him and nothing else, repeating those words over and over. But she knows it was a lie. This is a game. It must have mean 'I hate you'. And thought make her stomache churn.
She moved her hand on her stomache, she's already feeling it though. Will she say it now too? It might be the last chance. She wouldn't know, she might die here now. She sighed and smiled warily.
"I like you too, Bill."
And there was that finishing blow. Bill felt his human heart, break into pieces. All he heard is the real meaning of those words. She lied, remember? Although it was the truth. He was officially rejected. And now, he has to move on as they call it. But will he survive it though?
Bill smiled wide, laughing his ass off. Eventhough he is laughing, he wanted to cry but of course, as a demon, he has an ego and a pride to stand up for.
Dipper was surprised by that sudden laugh but she knows, she got rejected too. She grins and soon, laughed with him. Although she wanted to throw a tantrum right here at this second.
They are both fucking dense idiots.
After a fit of laughter, the two stopped. Wheezing in air. Bill was the first one to be fine, he smiles as usual. "Lets better be going now!" He says, marching off. Lying that he's in a good mood.
Dipper giggled, following his pace, walking beside him. "Any idea where the Rabbit will be?" She questioned.
"I'm not all-knowing as I can be, Pine Tree!"
"I knew it!"
They shared a pained, lie laugh once again.
But both if them didnt knew that a pair is already following the Alice and her partner.
"Both of them are idiots."
***
Ces: ....
Inner Conscious: She apologizes to what she had done and right now, you are probably frustrated. Please comment to what you are now feeling about this chapter. Thank you.
Words: 2514