The Little Mermaid pt.2
"C'mon Mabel! Let's go out today," Pacifica called as she waited outside Mabel's door. It was one sunset down, but the girls really seemed to be in love. Mabel was at least able to write her name to tell everyone what it was.
Mabel opened the door, a nice blue dress on. "You look beautiful." Mabel blushed and looked to the floor. "I'm going to show you the town today. It's really nice and everyone is very friendly." Mabel put a smile on her face and grabbed Pacifica's hand.
The whole day was full of Mabel meeting new people and trying new things. Getting legs was one of the best things to ever happen to her. Dipper watched from afar, swimming in the rivers along the little town. He raced to catch up with the two as they glided along in a carriage.
Near the end of the day he followed them to a little pond area with beautiful water. Lilies were on the top of the pond and willows leaves gently dipped into the water. While Mabel seated herself Pacifica pushed the boat off the little dock.
Dipper watched from the other side of the pond, enjoying seeing his sister so happy. The fireflies started coming out and the animals seemed to be making music. He looked back to the girls, they were talking too low for him to hear. Their faces were inches away, and he could only imagine the beautiful things they were speaking about.
He watched, eyes wide as their lips were about to touch. His sister would have a happy ending, he felt this as they shared in an intimate kiss. He watched till they left, Mabel even spotted him and gave him a little wave. His job was done, and he was ready to go back home. Then again, what was he going to tell Stanford?
"That's a good question, prince." Dipper looked around from his spot against the rocks, hearing the familiar voice. He spotted bubbles coming from the surface of the pond, then the golden locks of the warlock became visible. His head followed, then his handsome upper body with his more or less demonic lower half. Dipper shivered at the sight, he thought he was done with the man.
"Why are you here? You have your end of the deal, and that was my sister's voice. What else do you want?" He didn't want to deal with him at the moment, he may have helped his sister but still with a price.
"Why, Dipper," he said, but it wasn't his usual voice. It was his sister's voice, but coming from the despicable creatures mouth. "You wouldn't talk to me like that, would you?" Dipper was shocked, then examined what was around the beings neck. It was the necklace from before and it glowed an eerie yellow as he spoke.
"Please, your mind games won't work on me! I should take that back from you!" He said.
"Well are you going to try?" Questioned the being in his normal, high-pitched voice. He had a smirk on his face, ready to pounce on Dipper at any moment.
Dipper thought, then realized he didn't want to get any closer than he already was. "No. But why are you here? You still haven't told me."
"Well, I've to tell you something important about your sister's princess," he said, all knowing smirk stretching across his face.
Dipper crossed his arms, watching the creatures every move. "And that would be?"
"Oh, I usually don't give up this kind of information without a price, but I suppose I can let this slide... For you." The Warlock got closer and Dipper realized he couldn't back up if he wanted to. "You see, Pacifica is already engaged and there's no way out of it. Mabel and her may love each other, but she was already betrothed."
Dipper stood, jaw slack and eyes wide. "B-but like you said, they love each other! That's not right!"
Bill sighed at the boy's adorable stupidity. "I know, Prince. But she is engaged to Prince Gideon of a neighboring kingdom. I'm afraid Mabel would be thrown out of the palace with no guidance whatsoever. And she can't come back into the water because her legs are now permanent." Bill finished, a face-splitting grin on.
Dipper processed this, then realized what was going on. "You planned this from the beginning! You knew what was happening and you tricked us!" He dug his hands into his wet hair, pulling at the tangled locks. "I'm sorry Mabel, I was just trying to help you and this happened." He felt tears trickle down his face.
"Oh, poor Prince." Bill came even closer, tentacles a few inches away from Dipper. "You know, there is something you can do."
"There is?" Dipper asked, looking up and making his face visible. Bill loved that look, so innocent and stupid and ready to be broken.
"Yes," he said gently, placing one of his tentacles on Dipper's face to wipe off a tear. Dipper allowed, not really caring right now. The being realized this was working so he slowly began slipping his tentacles underneath the merman's tail. "You see, I can take Gideon out of the picture and make sure Mabel and Pacifica definitely get married. How does that sound?"
Dipper did a little nod, following along. "Now, I know you must be wondering what I'll ask for in return and it's quite simple. You'll just have to stand somewhere for a while, and then you can leave. Make sense?"
Dipper looked at him, puzzled a bit by the offer. "Why just stand though?"
"That's for me to know and you to find out. So, do we have a deal?" He materialized a scroll in one hand and a quill in the other. Dipper looked it over, then decided to just sign it. "Excellent, now..." Bill placed a tentacle on Dipper's mouth. The boy tried screaming but he eventually passed out. The warlock held him with his eight extra appendages, enjoying being able to hold someone. "Now let's go and get this over with. I have one more phase of my master plan after this." He slowly lowered himself and the boy into the water, going to his lair. He hoped it was the last time he would have to.
---
Stanford sat on his throne, awaiting for the royal guards to arrive with any news of his missing niece and nephew. He looked up, seeing the captain of the guard coming closer. "Any word of them?"
"No, my liege. I'm afraid we can't find anything inside or outside the borders of the kingdom."
"Well have you tried-" Stanford stopped himself as he noticed two eels come from the back of his throne room. He knew those vile creatures from a mile away. They swam in unison, tails going back in forth as if in a trance.
"Your majesty, we have a message from the exiled warlock, Bill Cipher." They waited in anticipation just like their master would have.
"What does he want?" He kept his demeanor strong, even though he was withering away inside. If the twins had somehow fallen into the clutches of that maniac, they could have been being tortured or worse.
"He knows where your niece and nephew are," said the first.
"You are invited to his home, with as many guards as you please," continued the second.
"Your highness, this is definitely a trap. You cannot trust these beasts," said the guard who had gotten his sword ready.
Stanford sighed, picking up his trident and sitting up. "I have no other choice. Round up your best men, we have to go save them." He approached the eels, scowl on his face. "Take me to him."
"Of course, Sixer..." They whispered in unison. They turned and began leaving while Ford let his guard down. A nervous expression plastered his face as he left the palace grounds, and then the kingdom's borders, until finally arriving at the warlock's lair.
The eels turned towards him and he changed back to his angered expression. "He wishes to see you alone." Ford turned looked to his men, nodding that it was okay.
He went in, dark at first until he saw the light of the warlock's crystal ball. He looked around, but he couldn't seem to find Dipper or Mabel. "Oh, Stanford. I didn't expect you so soon," the warlock said as he came from a dimmed entrance across from the king. "So, how have you been?" He asked sweetly as he plopped himself in a seat. "Please, sit," he said as he pushed a chair over with one of his tentacles.
"Bill, skip the pleasantries. What do you know about my niece and nephew?" Stanford gritted his teeth, hoping this would be over soon.
"Oh, still getting right to the point. Well, your niece is safe. She's on land being coddled over by a princess. Take a look," he motioned to the crystal ball and Mabel appeared. Stanford couldn't believe it, she was dancing and she had legs. He sighed a bit of relief for she looked more happy than she ever had before. But then he remembered Dipper.
"And where is my nephew?"
"Oh, now this is the fun part!" Bill snapped his finger and a sack appeared on the floor. "You see, he had to make a little deal with me to get Mabel where she is." He untied the bag with his tentacles and then pulled it back. Stanford gasped as he saw Dipper gagged with his hands tied behind his back. "Now stand up, my precious." Dipper was forcefully dragged up, then placed in one spot as Bill continued. "As you can see, he's perfectly fine."
"Really!?! Because I don't think being gagged and restrained is fine!" As Stanford said this his trident began glowing a powerful gold.
"Would you like me to continue?" Bill took his silence as a go-ahead. "Well, as you can see here," he said as he made a scroll appear. This was not the scroll Dippee signed, but it had his name at the bottom. "See, I own him, and can do whatever I please with him." Dipper thrashed in the back, wanting to alert Stanford that this was not the case. "Your one command was to stand there," Bill snapped. Dipper stopped, realizing that if he moved too much he may break the deal. And destroy his sister's happiness.
"Well, I figured I'd add him to my collection. I have a whole bunch of people who were desperate enough to make a deal with me, and they're all there." He used half of his tentacles to motion to a shelf of little golden figures. "They're souls are still in there, but they have to stay that way and I can torture them whenever I want. And once the change happens, it's permanent." He made the scroll disappear, and after he did he relished in Ford's shocked expression. "So, how would you like to make a deal before I do away with your only nephew, hm?"
"What do you want?" Stanford asked, desperation in his tone. His eyes were pleading, not wanting to lose the only family he had left.
"Well, what you're holding right there might suffice." Bill motioned to the trident, an evil grin on his face.
"My trident?!? But this is the whole power of the sea we're talking about! I can't just give it to you." He gave Dipper an apologetic look then scowled back to Bill.
"Well then, say goodbye to your nephew." Bill pointed to the boys tail, a vortex starting to circle it as Dipper began shrinking and turning to gold. He seemed to be crying even underwater, he couldn't believe this was happening. All he wanted to do was help, and in a way he did. He closed his eyes, the strange sensation overtaking him.
"Wait!" He opened them and looked to Stanford. He had stopped shrinking, but his whole lower half was pure gold. "I'll do it." Dipper began furiously shaking his head and screaming through the gag.
"Excellent." Bill brought another scroll and quill into existence, handing both to Stanford. Stanford looked it over, not believing what he was agreeing to. "Anytime now, Sixer." Stanford glared, then looked back down and signed. Bill pointed back to Dipper, the process reversing itself and the gag and ropes coming off of him. Then the warlock held his hand out expectantly, waiting for the king. Stanford slowly handed Bill the trident, feeling a great amount of power slip away.
"Thank you for your cooperation. You can keep the crown. It will look good on your little statue head." Bill pointed the trident toward Ford, and the old man was a first shocked but then somehow accepting of his fate. Dipper looked, not believing this. He wasn't going to let this happen to his uncle.
"No!" Dipper screamed as he threw himself onto Bill's back. He tried to choke the man but the tentacles began restraining his arms and tail. Bill brought the boy to the front of him, wide-smirk on. "You can't do that to him!"
"Oh, and who says I can't? What are you going to do?" The warlock asked. This was going to be perfect, easier than he expected actually.
"I'm, I'm... I'm going to make a deal!" Dipper said, forcing the words out.
"No Dipper! Don't do this to save me!" Ford begged.
"Interesting idea prince, countinue." He loosened his grip on the boy, letting him slide off of the tentacles.
"Well, what if you do that to me instead." Dipper asked, he couldn't let this happen to his uncle if it was his fault.
"Can't do that, part of our deal that I can never turn you into one of those." Forth breathed a sigh of relief.
"Then take me as a person! I'll be your servant or whatever you want. But you can't do anything to my uncle." Dipper stood his ground, chest high and heart beating erratically.
"So what you're saying is you'll do anything I want you to do as long as I don't hurt Fordsy there?" He just loved playing with the boy.
"Yes..." Dipper knew what this meant, but he was willing to pay the price after everything that happened.
"Okay, I will not harm your uncle. But he will be banished to this cave for the rest of his life. I'll make sure he gets food and such. You, Prince, will have to come to the palace with me and do whatever I say." This worked out just perfectly.
"...okay. You have a deal." Dipper got out, voice low.
"No, Dipper! Don't do this to yourself." Ford begged.
"Too late Sixer! Now it's just time to seal the deal." Bill brought his tentacles up to Dipper's backside and brought him closer.
This was too close for Dipper's comfort. "Um, are you gonna like, get a scroll, or..." Dipper was shocked as the warlock put his lips onto his own.
"Well, I think we should go now." Bill took Dipper's hand and guided him out of the cave. "Oh, and don't try to leave Ford. Or your new guards will tear you limb from limb." They exited the cave, every guard in a fighting stance. "Is that anyway to treat your king?"
"You'll never be our king! Now what have you done with King Stanford?" Shouted the captain of the guard.
"He's right in that cave there. In fact..." He pointed the trident to the man and used its magic. The merman screamed as he was transformed into a nightmarish being. "You can guard him. Make sure he doesn't leave." The monster complied, going to the cave entrance. "If anyone else goes against me that will happen to you." He looked down to Dipper, the boy was shocked by what he saw. "Don't worry prince, we are going home now." Dipper just looked up to him, then rested his head on his new owners shoulder.
---
After they arrived back to the kingdom, Bill made a large announcement about how he was everyone's new Lord and Master. All the subjects coward in fear, just the way he wanted it. Once they made it back to the palace, Bill gave Dipper a gift.
"You've been through alot in these past few days, and I wanted to give you this." Dipper was confused since the being almost seemed sincere. Bill took the necklace off, then placed it over Dipper's head. "When you think about her enough you can hear her voice in your head." Dipper didn't think he would need that now, but after a time he actually did forget his sister's voice. Using the necklace he could remember her, and remember what started his new life.
Bill allowed Dipper to meet alone with Stanford once a year. He was never able to convince the warlock to let his uncle go free. Although he couldn't get that, he was given everything else he asked for: magic books that were readable underwater or chances to go above the surface and see if he could ever spot his sister.
The warlock wanted some things in return as well. He would have Dipper sing to him, even though Dipper believed his voice was not that spectacular. He would keep the boy by his side at all times, making sure he wouldn't be able to leave. On the rare occasion he left him alone, he would make sure he was under lock and key with strict supervision.
At night, Bill would hold Dipped in his tentacles and rock him back and forth. Sometimes he would sing little lullabies to help his Little Dipper fall asleep. "How was your day?" Bill would ask each night.
Dipper was resentful at first, only answering with a cold, "You know, you were there the whole time." But as time went on, his attitude changed. He would say simple things like "good" or "well." Then he became more comfortable, answering with "lovely" or "great."
Each and every time Bill would answer with a sweet, "Excellent." He would wrap all appendages around Dipper, eight legs and two arms. At first Dipper found it uncomfortable and restricting, like a prison. But as time went on, he had grown to love this makeshift blanket.
One night when Bill asked him how his day went and listened to Dipper's response, but he responded a bit differently. "Spectacular... My day was perfect, do you want to know why?" A genuine smile was on his face. He delicately ran his fingers through Dipper's hair.
"Why is that?" Dipper asked, curios to the being's response.
"Because I was with you the whole time." The way Bill was holding him, he couldn't see the warlock's expression. Dipper was also a bit happy about that though because the being couldn't see him blushing.
Dipper realized something then. He was happy because Bill loved him, and he seemed to want more of it. 'Maybe this won't be so bad after all,' Dipper thought as he pressed himself deeper into Bill's chest. "Good night, Bill."
"Good night Dipper." Bill tilted down and placed a small kiss on the boy's forehead. A small smile soon came into view on Dipper's face.