billdip-paradise-blog:

“Hey Pine Tree. What are ya looking for?”

“It’s a secret.”

“Sure, sure. Do you know why you’re in this forest?”

Dipper stopped and turned to look up at Bill. His face was stern and unyielding.

“I’m not telling you anything, Bill.”

After another firm glare, Dipper turned back to his path.

“Ha, why not? It’s not like it matters.”

“Of course it matters. I’m not having you mess up my life again. Not after the ‘puppet’ incident.”

“Ah ha hah ah ha hah ah ha ha haha ha! Life?”

“Yeah – my life. And your not going to mess with Mabel or Grunkle Stan or Soos or Wendy or anyone else.”

Bill stopped moving forward, floating still as he watched Dipper journey further into the forest.

---

“So… what’s so interesting about this ‘secret’ anyway, Pine Tree?”

“Like you don’t already know.”

“Oh come on – humour me.”

Dipper gave him a side-long glance, distrustful. With a huff, he relented;

“Fine. It’s meant to be the Ultimate Secret. The answer to Life, the Universe and Everything.”

“Oh yeah? And who told you that?”

“Someone important.”

“Not what I asked, kiddo. Who told you that?”

Dipper stopped walking, staring miles and miles ahead.

After a few moments, he started walking again.

“Like I’d tell you.”

---

“What are you going to do after this, then?”

“After what?”

“After you find this secret?”

“I’ll take it back to the Shack. I’ll write it in the Journal. I’ll tell Mabel. Maybe I’ll tell others.”

“And what if you don’t like the answer?”

Dipper turned to look at Bill, a puzzled expression replacing his distrustful one for the first time.

“It’s the meaning of life. How can I not like it. It’s just a fact.”

“But, kid, what if you don’t like it. Don’t know if you’ve noticed, but you can be kinda stubborn.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Trust me kid, you’re gonna want to think about it.”

“Trust you? Ha!”

---

“Well well well well well well well well. Still here, Dipper Pines?”

Dipper didn’t even dignify Bill with an answer.

“You’ve been walking around here for a while, y’know. Say; you’re walking around a forest, right?”

“Obviously.”

“Yeah, ‘obviously’. Hey have you ever actually looked at the trees?”

“Why would I look at the trees. They’re just in my way.”

“Maybe they have clues. Maybe they could lead you to the meaning of life.”

“Bill? That’s stupid.”

The demon watched as Dipper pushed aside another series of paper thin branches and leaves.

---

“You’re not going to find it. Not like this.”

“Not with you hovering around me all the time, yeah.”

“I mean you’re going about it all wrong.”

“I’m doing just fine, thanks, Bill.”

“Oh yeah of course. That’s why it’s taken you years.”

Dipper’s steps slowed.

“It’s still the afternoon.”

“It’s been years, Dipper Pines. Or it has for the mortals.”

He ignoreed him, pushing forward. After minutes he finally replied;

“I’m mortal, Bill.”

---

“Do you ever notice that string, Dipper Pines?”

“What?”

“The one unravelling from your shirt.”

“There’s no string.”

“Of course there is. Like you and Shooting Star wouldn’t have some intimate connection.”

“Stop distracting me.”

“…Okay, Dipper Pines.”

Dipper stopped and then looked back. The triangle floated gently in place.

“Okay?”

“Okay.”

Dipper nodded once, unsure, and then twice, as if confirming it to himself. He continued pushing through the trees.

---

After Dipper had disappeared from what passed for ‘sight’, Bill turned and followed the string. He followed it through the thick trees until it lead him to a thinner part of the forest and until it lead him to a lake shore. He floated to the edge and looked down into the mirrored surface.

Mabel’s face looked back at him, but she couldn’t see him. She stroked a picture of Dipper – a picture with all her Gravity Falls family in it. From her eyes fell tears.

Bill tried to forget the image as he watched it. He didn’t owe the Pines anything. He didn’t have to help Dipper. Didn’t have to stop the boy from wandering the forest forevermore.

If Dipper didn’t want to realise he was dead then it was no place of Bill’s to enlighten him.

Besides, if he learnt then he’d leave.

And Bill was growing to like the boy’s presence.