It's Where My Demons Hide

Chapter 43

If you want to catch up, you can reread Chapter 41 or just reread everything. It's up to you✨

•••

Previously...
Dipper regains his memories and finally remembers all the blurry faces and their encounters ... but does he really remember everything?

•••

Loud laughter filled the Fearamid as the demons kept dancing around to the vibrating music that resonated throughout the room. The young boy meanwhile went unnoticed in the chaos and he preferred it that way. The place was overwhelming.

Holding a glass of what looked like a mix of coffee and coke – demons have weird taste – the boy leaned onto the music-pulsing wall. To kill the time, Dipper decided to settle on thinking. Yes, thinking. He noticed that he did a lot of that these days, if his memories do not serve to fail him.

Memories. After the chess game, Bill had left him to his own devices before bringing his memories back, holding up his end of the deal. His Pawn killing the White Queen was what led him to his sweet victory, yet something felt wrong.

Dipper twirled his glass as he tried his best to recall the deal.

The deal was that if he had won the game, he would get his memories back. But something went wrong, he was so sure ...

A violet bubble on the surface of the drink popped.

Dipper gasped as epiphany overcame.

The deal was not specific, he realized. Bill did not promise that he would bring back all of his memories with no twisted alterations and no false memories. The demon had simply said "memories" which could literally be anything that he deemed to be. Literally anything.

Dipper ran his fingers through his unruly hair, just realizing how severe the situation he got himself into was.

This was ridiculous. He should have thought rationally, instead of heading straight into a demon's deal that contained vague details.

It irritated him that he could not even trust his own memories.

The once blurry faces were becoming clearer and clearer. Recalling each person's backstory admittedly took some time, but he could gradually remember his friends and relatives now. However, something did not feel right.

According to his unreliable memories, his Great Uncle Ford was a liar, Grunkle Stan was a manipulative old man, Pacifica and the others were unknown, Mabel was an imbecile, and Bill was a demon who helped him gain his lost memories. Strangely, this was his first encounter with the demon – well, according to his memories. It all felt wrong. It was as if the characteristics his memories had portrayed them to be were incorrect.

Who to trust?

Dipper mentally waved off the whispers of Bill's name in his mind. Bill was not to be trusted; at least that was what his instincts screamed of. Oh heavens, he was going insane! Was this all happening in reality? He had thought this was all just a dream. What to believe ... Who to trust ...

Surely there was more to Bill than being worse in playing chess. It seemed so easy when he used his Pawn to defeat the Queen --- oh wait.

Dipper's eyes widened.

How did he even win the game? The game only ends when the King dies! His pawn did end the Queen, but the game was not over. The King still lives! Why did he say "checkmate" when he was not even in the position to defeat the King? How did he not realize this sooner? Did the demon know of this? What about the deal?

Perhaps this was a dream after all. If memories served him right, he was supposed to be an expert in chess. He should have known the most basic knowledge of chess! Dipper hoped this was a dream. He couldn't live down this embarrassment.

---

Music buzzed through his ears, urging demons to dance to it. The said demons cackled with glee and joined the dance floor with no hesitation. As they partied on, no one noticed the little boy's mind in frenzy.

---

Surely Bill had at least known or suspected something. He was the one gave him the memories even when he did not really win the game. But the demon may have not understood the rules clearly . . .

Dipper needed answers.

Time to use his pawn to end the queen. This particular thought had plagued his mind few minutes ago, when he had gained the memories. It was as if the given memories brought something along with them to his mind – to install alien thoughts claiming as his.

His mind was not his own.

Dipper's glass trembled slightly in his hand, but still remained his composure. He did not want the others to know that he found out the truth.

Bill was currently chatting with a demon that looked abnormally like a keyhole with a faint blue area.

Another inter-dimensional criminal, he assumed as this place was full of them. Bill's back was facing Dipper, for which he was thankful for because he needed to plot.

Dipper, from his unreliable memories, could gather that all the demons or the inter-dimensional criminals were all here for a purpose – to spread the chaos. They want to break down the barriers of the perfect rules created by Homo sapiens in this perfect world. This, Dipper could understand. Rules and regulations held them back from their full potential. There was already chaos in the world, seeping through the cracks of the so called perfect society. It was all so messed up.

However, he couldn't really agree with their views. He would admit there are limitations to our actions, but was it really necessary to release chaos to the universe? Chaos cannot truly exist permanently. It just can't.

This did not mean the other Pines' views were right. They want to stop Weirdmaggedon to bring back everything back to normal. Fools. No one would be the same after this and surely no one would go to the same society they had had before. Yet, they wanted that society, that society full of corruption.

This, Dipper could not merely accept.

Weirdmaggedon should be stopped, but a new system should be built after this, instead of going back to the same society. Things will change, they have to change too.

If neither side suits his needs, well ... guess he has to make his own side then.

Raising the glass to his lips, he quickly gulped down the last of his drink before leaving the room.

* * *

Help!
Dipper finally realizes the problem too late.
The game is far from over.
The King still lives.
And Dipper's decision will make the Fates go crazy
Who to trust?

Question:
• Can you figure out Bill's intentions?

And Thank You!
Thank you for your patience
Thank you for all your lovely views, votes, and comments!
Your comments really make my day brighter✨

Posted: 2018.6.20