Today's the day of the play, how am I going to help Dipper if he keeps avoiding me? He's been dodging me all day, looking away when we're in the same proximity and sneaking out of the room if he walks into the one I'm in. 'Bill must have spooked him or said something last night during his dream, besides what I already know...I've got to get to the bottom of it or I won't be able to help Dip.'
Before I enter the kitchen this morning, I hear Dipper shuffle around and see him push Mabel out into the hallway, so I quickly duck behind a wall and peer over to spy on them. "Mabel, listen, last night I had a dream with Bill in it," he explains with his hands out.
'Why isn't he coming to me?!'
Mabel makes a triangle shape with her fingers and holds it up to her eye, "Wait, hold up, the triangle guy?"
"He said he'd give me the code to the laptop if I gave him something. Like I'd actually trust Bill, right?" Dipper laughs and crosses his arms, looking unsure about himself. I narrow my eyes and step out to make my presence known.
"Bill again, huh? What'd he want this time?" I ask, trying to ignore Dipper's now even more sullen face as he tries to avoid eye contact. "Well?" I motion to him, as Mabel stands there awkwardly, not sure what to do.
Smiling, she cuts in, "Don't worry, bro. Today's the day that the mystery triplets are back in action. We'll help you crack that code. I've just got to hand off my puppet stuff to my production crew." She puts her arm around me.
"Hey, Dip, why do you keep avoiding eye contact with me all of a sudden?!" I snap at him. I don't want to play this game any longer, I'm getting very impatient!
"No reason... Production crew?" he says to me, then addresses Mabel.
"Yeah! They're outside right now, I gotta hand them the stuff... uh, why don't you two stay here and work out whatever this," she moves her hands in a circle around us, "is and I'll be back!"
"Wait- Mabel!" Dipper reaches out but she's already long gone. I sidestep and block the door.
"Spill," I haphazardly growl.
"There's nothing TO spill! I had a bad dream last night, and you tried to get me to talk then, too! I don't want to talk about it!"
"Okay, yes, I'm sorry for putting you on the spot like this, but ever since then, you've been ignoring me and avoiding eye contact! Was it something Bill said? Did he do something to you!?" 'Does me being here change what Bill does?!'
"No! He didn't do anything...he might have said some things...but that's besides the point! I gotta crack this code, that's the only thing I want to focus on right now." He leaves as I stand there, eyebrows furrowed.
~~Time Skip brought to you by: EA Sports; It's in the game. (I asked my dad for a time skip and he blurted this out, lol)~~
After that happened, I munch on a light snack, daydreaming with my hand on my cheek and peering out the window. A puppet gets thrown comically in my view before landing on the ground. It makes it funny because there's no one around so it seems like it came out of nowhere. 'But that's not the case...' I stand up harshly, the chair flings out from under me, and run outside, looking to the left to see Mabel and her friends sitting near a box of sock puppets, talking and moving their arms wildly.
"Mabel!" I yell, running up to them.
"Macie! Gabe came by and, oh my gosh, we have to step up our game!" Again, she moves her arms wildly.
"Didn't you tell Dipper you'd help him with the laptop?" I sigh with disappointment.
"Well, yeah, but I told him to just ask you and have you help and he stomped away all upset after I tickled him with a puppet."
'That would make anyone upset...unless you like that kind of stuff...'
"Mabel! For some reason Dipper can't even look me in the eye, he wanted your help, not mine."
"W-well, I really need to do this...the laptop can wait and Gabe can't..." she pouts.
'Ugh! Gotta go find Dipper!'
"Fine, Mabel, choose a boy over your brother. I gotta go." I leave, not seeing her face full of sadness and guilt.
I dart through the front door and trip up the stairs, barging into the large empty room in the attic. Stopped, and panting, I see Dipper standing up and looking up to something that's not there, Bill. "Macie?" Dipper narrows his eyes like he thinks I'm not really here.
"Dipper, don't! Look, I don't know what Bill's told you, but whatever it is they're lies! I know he's here, too, and I'm sorry Mabel turned you away. There's nothing you can do about the clean sweep of the computer either, you need to let it go!" The world around seems to fade as the colors turn grey. A floating triangle becomes present, and he has an angry look on his face.
"Now listen here, Ring. I'm in the middle of something and I'd appreciate it if you'd stay out of this!" Bill booms.
"Dipper," I peer past the demon and to my brother, "what did he tell you!?"
"Fine, he told me that you know things, he was confused at first because you weren't on his zodiac, or whatever, and then you showed up before we went into Stan's mind. He said I couldn't trust you. I thought it was stupid at first...but the more I thought about it...the more it starts to make sense!"
"What!? You would believe that coming from him!?" I gesture to the smug shape that's floating right above me.
"Of course Pinetree would listen to me, I'm about to give him the code to the laptop!" Bill slings an arm around the boy, making him visibly uncomfortable.
"R-right..." Dipper stutters.
I glare at the boy, "Dipper so help me if you shake his hand!"
"Macie! What other choice do I have! The laptop is about to self-erase and I need to know who the author is, even if I have to give away one of Mabel's puppets! Bill showed me that Mabel takes me for granted and I'm always sacrificing for her! Well now it's her turn, not like she'd miss one puppet anyway..."
"That's not true, Dipper! Trust me, Bill is going to-"
"Trust you. TRUST YOU!? You've only been lying to us all summer!" He cuts me off and I take a step back, face full of hurt and confusion on both of our features. "I've kept track, written down things, remembering when you say things to yourself, mumbling even, and Mabel's written stuff down, too! You seem to know a lot about what's going to happen. I don't think I can trust you if you can't trust us." Dipper finishes and reaches out for Bill's open palm, still angry, but satisfied with his argument.
Everything seems to go in slow motion as, on instinct, I lunge forward to prevent Dipper from taking Bill's hand. 'Why can't I get there sooner!' Their hands touch as Bill holds on tight, saying their dialogue as well.
"Eenie meenie mynie...YOU!" Right as Bill said that, I thought I was too late, but I grabbed hold of both their hands at the last second and a burst of white light erupts, knocking me back.
I sit up, groaning and rubbing my head, except my hand goes right through it. 'Wha-what?' I inspect my hands. Normal... I touch my head again. My hand goes through. Now that is definitely not normal! Standing up frantically, I inspect my body. 'What the heck!?' My feet are normal but my shins and up from there are, like, invisible, translucent even. Looking at my hands, they're normal, but half my arm is the same translucent look as my legs. Everything above my waist is the same as my shins.
"What did you do with my body!" Dipper's shrill shriek breaks me out of my own little freakout, as I see him hovering in the air nearby. 'Wait...why can I see him!?' My stomach grows nauseous with the fear of not knowing what's happening, or what will happen.
"Sorry, kid, you're MY puppet now! AHAHAHAH!" Bill laughs, crushing the laptop beneath his feet with Dipper's body. "Oh? What's this? Looks like little 'ol Ring here got herself caught in between!" Bipper inspects me, circling around as Dipper looks on in horror.
"I'm what?!" I ask, my eyes trained on his.
"In between!" he says like it's an obvious thing I should know. "When you touched our hands as I was making my deal, you got caught in the middle of it! I took Pinetree's body and yours! Well, not really, you're in the dreamscape like him, but not exactly, if you know what I mean, hahaha!"
"It sounds like you don't even know what happened!" I start to get irritated.
"Eh, well, it's complicated, and I'm not gonna explain it cuz I'm busy right now!" he falls backwards down the stairs.
Dipper and I stand, or float, where we are, staring in horror at what Bill just did. "So, now may not be the best time...buuuut, I told you so!" I point at him angrily, yet satisfied.
"M-Macie! Now is definitely NOT the time! We have to stop Bill! H-how did you know, why did you come up here, why didn't-"
"Dude! Calm down, I don't have time to answer your stupid questions right now! Plus, I don't know how to stop Bill!" 'Okay, so, I kinda do but I don't know what to do about myself so I'm really stumped and feeling sick.'
"Fine, but please, please Macie, promise me you'll talk to me and Mabel tonight, this is getting serious and dangerous with Bill around." Dipper looks on the verge of tears, he's practically begging.
I look everywhere but him, nervously, "Uh- I-I don't know, I don't think it'll be something you could handle... Let alone something MABEL could handle..."
"Macie, it doesn't matter, whatever it is, we have to figure it out together, the mystery triplets! Promise me!"
"F-fine... I'll tell-"
"PROMISE!"
I can't hold it in anymore. Shaking, I promise my brother. 'I have to embrace this.' I take a deep breath, "I promise."
He, too, releases a long sigh, before freaking out again and placing his hands on his head, until he realizes they just go through again and he lowers them, "Shoot! We gotta go find Bill!" He goes through the floor.
"H-hey! Wait for me!" I call, almost tripping down the stairs.
I meet up with them in the kitchen. Bill's looking through the fridge while Dipper hovers above him. "I don't understand! Why are you doing this?! I thought we had a deal!"
"Look kid, you've been getting way too close to figuring out some major answers. I've got big plans comin' and I don't need you gettin' in my way. Destroying that laptop was a cinch. Now I just need to destroy your journal. And you," he sees me and points at my person, "I've just about figured you out, so stay out of my way!"
'Well that doesn't make me feel any better...'
"Ah!" Bill turns back and grabs something from the fridge, then faces us again, "Human soda! I'm gonna drink it like a person!" Popping the can open, Bipper tilts his head and pours the pink soda into his mouth and all over his eyes. 'I know why he does that, haha!'
Now he's just making me sick with those gurgle noises. I plug my ears, only to find out that they're ethereal. 'Ugh.' We stay silent as Bill moves to the fork drawer. 'Crap! The least I could do is keep Bill from injuring Dipper's body badly.'
"Hey, hey, hey!" I tug him away from the, now opened, drawer and push him back. 'Good thing my hands are corporeal!'
"Aww, you're no fun, Ring! Pain is hilarious, why don't you useless humans know that?" Bipper pouts. "Hey," he looks up, grinning wildly and freakishly, "where is that journal anyway?"
"I've hidden it!" Dipper exclaims. The dream demon strokes his chin, thoughtfully, forks NOT sticking in his arm, thanks to yours truly. "Somewhere you'll never find it in a million years!"
'Wait, I should stop Mabel from blowing it, right?' I start and turn around to face the doorway, and, speak of the devil, Mabel is skipping up.
"Mabel! Hang on, don't do what you're gonna do, I'll explain later-" She goes right through me.
"Hey, Dipper, I borrowed your journal to use as a prop in the show I hope you don't mind I'm gonna go before you process this sentence okay BYEE!!"
"Wha-what?! Why didn't she see me?" I look to Bill for an answer.
"Ahahahahaha! She can't see you because you're technically like Pinetree over here!" Bipper gestures to the floating boy with a maniacal smile.
"Well, if I still have my body, how do I become corporeal again!" I flip.
"Now that's a good question, Ring! Too bad I don't have the answer!" he laughs and trots to the doorway, calling out to Mabel, "Sounds good sis! I'll see you at the show!" He teases Dipper by smiling right at him while saying it.
"Hey, wait! Tell me!" I turn him around and keep him steady by the shoulders. "I know you know. You're an all-knowing dream demon!" I keep my glare stern.
"Like I said, 'Too bad I don't have the answer'!" Bill laughs.
"Wait, you really don't know?!" Dipper floats over.
"Nah, and I don't care, either! Toodles!" He waves and skips out of the kitchen.
"Hey!" I watch as Dipper chases after his own body. 'Never thought I'd say that...I guess I'll follow... I got nothing better to do...'
"Dip- uh, hey, Dipper, you might not wanna- yeah...do that..." I tried to stop him from getting run through by Stan's car, but it was no use as Bipper stands there, laughing, while Dipper hyperventilates.
"Heh! Welcome to the mindscape, kid! Without a vessel to possess, you're basically a ghost!"
"Basically? Isn't he literally a ghost?"
"I like how you ask that like you're all buddy-buddy with him, Macie," Dipper states blandly.
"I did not! I was just asking a logical question, because I think he's wrong...he seems extra wrong today despite his cunning-ness." I hover my hand near my chin, since it'd go right through if I were to touch it, mock thinking hard.
"Hey! I am not wrong, I-"
"Hey Dipper!" Bill gets cut off by Wendy, as she walks down to him along with Soos. "Who're you talkin' to, weirdo?" she laughs, ruffling his head.
"HAH! I made you look stupid! The all powerful Bill Cipher is embarrassed- Oh my gosh, Dipper! Look! He's blushing! Ahahaha!" I buckle over in laughter. Dipper lightly laughs as well.
"Yeah, real funny- but you do know you just technically made me look stupid right?" he frowns.
"Eh, it's a win-win for me, anyhow." I shrug, causing him to splutter with nonsense. "Hey, where'd BillDip go?"
"Please don't call him that- wait," The ghostly boy flips out and looks all around, "I don't know, he was just here!"
"Oh, he's in the car- and there they go..." I point to the car Soos took them in as they drive out of view.
"On no! What do we do!?" He tries to grip his head but fails due to our predicament.
"Uh, stop him? Make our way to the theatre?"
"Why are you so calm?!"
"Why wouldn't I be?"
I assume, from the look on his face, that my stare is freaking him out. He settles down to the earth, without going through, and lands a fist through his palm, "Okay, let's make a game plan!"
~~Time Skip brought to you by: Half my readers cringing at my use of the word 'BillDip'~~
"Would you hurry up and stop dilly-dallying!?" I call out, annoyed by Dipper going through all the walls of different buildings, just for fun.
"Sorry! I'm coming! There it is!" He points to the theatre.
"Thanks for pointing out the obvious!" I salute and run off without him, laughing at his startled splutters.
We get inside, 'Didn't haft'a pay- heck yeah!' and see our family sitting in the front row. "Okay, hang on." Dipper beckons me behind the row and shushes me.
Since we get here a little late, it seems that Bill is already asking Mabel if he could be the reverend. "Hey, what if I play the reverend? I mean, someone's gotta hold that journal, right?" he blinks his eyes one at a time. I involuntarily shiver.
"Right! Let's go!" The star shoots off with the demon following her lead.
"Wait! No, Mabel, wait!" Dipper calls out, flying after them, so I chase after as well.
"Dipper!! Wait up!" 'I can yell as loud as I want and only Bill and Dipper would be able to hear me, haha...I probably shouldn't be having as much fun as I am...'
"What!?" He turns around, angry that Bill got away after talking to Grenda.
"We can't just run, or fly, in like you're doing! We need a vessel! That way we can get Mabel's help.
"R-right, sorry, I'm just on edge... We can't allow Bill to get the journal."
"I know, now- get into that puppet!" I point to the Dipper puppet on the ground.
He gives me a look, and I give him one back, showing that I'm not joking. Sighing, he uses it.
~~Time Skip brought to you by: 'Who's that girl, with the pig and braces?! She puts smiles on everyone's faces. When she's around you're never bored! I am the mayor, and here's an award!'~~
"Ready?"
"Why don't you have a puppet vessel thing?" Dipper whines to me.
"Uh... Mabel's using my puppet?"
"No she's not, it's right there." Dipper gestures to a lone puppet on the ground, looking exactly like me.
"Huh, what do you know, that is my puppet..." I grumble and shove it onto my hand. "K, Mabel should be backstage."
"Right!" the boy leads the way.
Running down the hall, a black suit catches my eye, so I stop and Dipper keeps going. My eyes widen when I realize who it is, Bipper. He looks to be standing there trying to figure out how a ladder works. 'I think I'll have a little talk with him now, then.' Cracking my knuckles, I walk up to him.
"Heya." He turns around to my voice. "You've been busy, huh?" His slit eyes narrow as one eyebrow raises in confusion. "So, I've got a question for ya-"
"Okay, could you stop with the monologue, Ring? I'm trying to do something here!"
"Hey! I was quoting someone!" 'Not like he'd get it anyways...but still!'
"I don't care! Leave me! Not like you can stop me, anyways, ahaha!"
"I want to know what you told Dipper!" I demand.
"Oh! Hahahaha that little sapling is gonna grow big one day ain't he!"
"I know you plan to throw him off the water tower, so don't give me that! But what I don't know is why he was afraid to look at me- let alone be in the same room as me since last night!"
"Oh just some minor things. Ever since your uncle's mind fiasco, I've been wondering about you. I didn't even know you existed! For thousands of years, there's been nine symbols in my zodiac. Then I see you and I pull it up and bam! Now there's ten! You're...different, but I think I've figured you out!"
"I don't care about me! I want to know what you told my brother!"
"Is he your brother, though?" At that, my eyes widen and he takes the chance to run off. 'He told Dipper I'm not suppose to be his triplet... Oh man...'
"Dipper!!!" I take off in the opposite direction, barging into the room he should be in at the right moment.
"Wait, what, Dipper?! But you're... so much more of a sock than usual!" The door closes behind me on accident. 'Whoops.'
I make my puppet rub the back of her neck, sheepishly. "Heh, sorry I barged in..."
"Macie!? You, too!?"
"I got caught up in his deal with Bill," I sigh.
"Mabel, you have to listen. Bill tricked me! He stole my body and now he's after the journal! You have to find the journal before Bill destroys it. It's the only hope to get me back in my body! Macie is in trouble, too! I should have listened to her, I got mad and took the deal anyway."
"Uh...my cue is coming up..." Mabel looks away guiltily. 'I think she regrets not helping Dipper from my words from earlier...which is good, I think.'
*Knock Knock*
'Crap, Gabe's here.' I go to hide but Mabel grabs me quickly, hiding me behind her back with Dipper.
"Ow, Mabel!" Dipper struggles. I'm fine, though, like I'm in a comfortable position for the time being.
I zone out as they talk, thinking to myself, 'You drive a biscotti!?' and internally laughing. The door closes, breaking me from my trance and the girl lets us go.
"Did you hear that? He loves it! This play has to be flawless... I'll have to have you take my place while I go get the journal..."
'I could go get it myself, but it seems that Mabel is actually heeding my words so I might just let this play out!'
"That's great, Mabel!" I celebrate through the puppet.
She starts rolling her heel into the ground, avoiding eye contact...button contact? "Yeah...uh, hey look, Dipper, I'm really sorry about not helping you with the laptop, I really thought Macie would help, but I didn't know you two were arguing at the time."
Before Dipper can add a lot more, because I know he'll go on and on, I cut in, "Mabel, that's great, but, uh, we will be talking about what's happening tonight sooo, just go get that journal!" Nodding determinedly, she runs out. Turning to Dipper I shrug and take off the puppet. "Welp, better go fill in for her!" I gesture out the door.
"Wh-what! You have to help, too!" Dipper bites back.
"Nope, trust me, you can handle it by yourself. I'mma go and be back-up for Mabel!" I leave without giving him a chance to retort.
My birthday is Sunday the 17th and my sister's birthday is this Friday, then my aunt's is Saturday...so no chapters this weekend! XD I hope this chapter is good enough for the most awaited episode!