Chapter Text
The last thing they can remember is agony, a terrible tearing sensation of burning and rotting flesh. Helplessness, pity, the thought that he was completely crushed, he lost.
The mind was also struck by the fact that now Bill, previously a free and omnipotent Dream Demon, had to be imprisoned in a correctional facility forever. And Cipher had no chance of escaping, his former omnipotence and freedom were brazenly taken away from him by a deity, who, it turns out, was still superior to him in strength.
Although it seemed like an eternity had already passed (in the form of a couple of weeks), Bill replayed the recent events in his head every day, and how some old man had pitifully defeated him. His chest was torn apart by pain, rage and helplessness, which seemed to not leave Cipher even when his consciousness could finally disappear from existence. He was offended. In addition to the fact that in therapy he was forced to talk about his pathetic defeat, so Axolotl, who, for some reason, personally looked after Cipher, often pressed on the most unpleasant points of Bill, especially related to his past.
Although, of course, he was not alone in this hell. Together with him there was a spawn from all over the multiverse, from Smile Dip to other entities, half of which Bill despised, but it seemed offensive that he was now obliged to be among them. His high ego could never allow itself to sink to the level of quasi-demons, but now he was here, and once again in group therapy he listened to a new boring story from some scum about his "experiences".
They all talked about personal stingy emotions and desires, grief and death, genocide, power, but Bill did not find anything similar between them and himself, except, perhaps, mutual hatred.
- Adam, you are a helpless idiot, that's why no one loved you.
Cipher closed his eyes and folded his hands behind his back. Bill wasn't going to listen to the same story that he was going to tell again, so in his favorite manner, he wanted to bring him to emotions, press on a sore spot, find something to grab onto, something that could later be controlled and later used.
In response, Axolotl, who was sitting in the corner of the room, only frowned at Cipher, but this pressure did not work on him. He would not mind disappearing if this pink creature decided to eliminate him, but in the end he decided to torture Bill. To extract every word, every new sob from him, humiliating and breaking into pieces all his remaining dignity, just to leave him in the oblivion of his own helpless existence.
- What? Am I wrong? He didn't get the power he wanted because he was born a loser. Why would he deserve love?
- Bill, since it's hurt you so much, would you like to finally share your secret past? I think you have something to tell.
- I think everyone already knows. I mercilessly destroyed my pathetic dimension with my own hands! They were all so helpless that they killed themselves! I didn't even have time to do anything!
Bill gestured vigorously as he told his story, crossing his legs and looking at the ceiling. When his gaze fell on the Axolotl once again, they noticed that he was actively writing down the information he received in his journal, which only made Bill more irritable. He understood that from now on he was a criminal, a criminal, that in his current "prison" he was being actively watched, but this did not make it any easier to fall asleep at night.
In response to his gaze, the creature only frowned in disappointment and continued to drill Cipher with their gaze until he chose a new source of attention.
- Okay, who wants to be next?
Bill continued to examine his cellmates and tried to understand why he was among these weak creatures. Before that, he was omnipotent and posed a danger to almost the entire multiverse, and now he had to sit among a herd of fools, listening to their snotty stories about strict parents or how their native dimension became a victim of genocide.
It wasn't that some of the stories didn't seem similar to his feelings to Cipher, he just couldn't admit it. To fall so low in front of the eyes of weirdos, who would he be then? Bill wasn't going to lose his status (yet) and was looking for any working method through which he could make a deal and escape from this damn dimension. But so far his efforts simply weren't paying off, so the only thing he could do was suffer and suffer again. And it's not that you don't get used to it after a while. Bill found something like a common language with some of the "prisoners". Of course, he didn't do this out of the kindness of his heart or because he had changed, not at all. He was a skilled manipulator, and although his physical strength was lost, his life skills were still there. Although many ignored the presence of the triangle, some entities responded to it and became an excellent victim for Cipher. But in this place Bill couldn't use it, the most they could do was give him an extra pack of crayons, or replace him when it was time to clean up or teach "empathy" lessons.
Basically, in his free time, Bill tried not to get angry and not to destroy everything around him, thoughts about the pathetic loss and the merciless attitude of the Axolotl drove him crazy. The fact that a creature that positioned itself as empathetic and relatively good could subject the "villain" to such torture did not fit in Cipher's head. Perhaps this was torture specifically for Bill, because the monsters around him seemed to be getting better, began to feel better, and Bill envied them, envied them very much. Why don't they feel such helplessness when they show themselves so pathetic and weak? Why don't they hide their true identity? Why aren't they afraid of themselves? It all seemed crazy, and Bill was in pain, he had never suffered so much, even after the disappearance of his dimension. But in addition to the terrible apathetic and crazy thoughts, thoughts about the twins penetrated into Cipher's head. He was not so worried about the younger Pines, who followed in the footsteps of his genius grandfather, but rather about his great-uncle Stanford. Probably his most vivid memories were associated with him, as well as the most vivid pain, when he refused to build a portal with him and rule this world together, leaving no one and nothing behind. He was angry with him. Such a reckless and deeply misunderstood person, but he was a genius, and how much he reminded Bill of himself. The anomaly on both hands was the same anomaly that Cipher was born with. They had so much in common, and Ford was his brazenly betrayed, sacrificing his own, stupid brother, whom he apparently hated too much, since he decided to sacrifice him for the sake of the whole world.
But despite all the pain, there was also an extremely incomprehensible and warm feeling towards the mortal. A deep connection, it was not for nothing that they were so similar, right? And if Bill was destined to disappear, then it would be better if Stanford himself killed him than someone else.
While Bill was still in a trance consisting of his thoughts, the session ended, and all the creatures, not excluding the Axolotl, left the office, leaving Bill alone. Still, in any community, Cipher stood out, he was a freak, a madman and a fool, even by their standards. Therefore, taking a couple of new sheets, he went to his "cell", which it as a whole was, if you do not take into account the fact that it looked almost like a room in an apartment. But he didn't want to see any of it. Cipher didn't give a damn where he spent the rest of the day, all he cared about was how well Axolotl had gotten into his head, how carefully he'd brainwashed him, and how he'd enjoyed watching Cipher suffocate in his own memories and emotions, reliving the fateful moment in his head over and over again.
All his room seemed to consist of were pictures of blue and red triangles. He looked at them with his one eye, which, because of the crack, couldn't see that well, and he couldn't remember their faces. It seemed like he'd seen them just a moment ago, but there they were! A loving mother and father, the father had a hat, the mother had a bow, she had straight and sharp lines, and her face? What was wrong with it? Had it always been a set of flesh and blood? And the father? He'd always been caring and didn't look like a stereotypical parent at all, and what about him? Really, he doesn't remember him either? Come on, Billy, do something, you're omnipotent, so why can't you remember their faces?
He's a killer, and it's not typical for a killer to remember the names and faces of his victims.
Mom
Dad
You see the stars too, right?
***
Cipher woke up with a crumpled drawing in his hands and a wet eye. His face and body were completely immersed in the mattress underneath him, so it's no surprise that he woke up with pain and ringing in his ears. Today's dream was no different from the rest - creatures without faces, death, guilt. Just everything Bill loved.
He attached his drawing to another corner of his room, and when he went out to the line, he tried to put his literally crumpled face in order.
To be honest, it never worked. After death, it was impossible to get rid of the scar that spread almost across his entire eye. It became a desperate reminder of his defeat, which Bill remembers every time he looks in the mirror or tries to wipe his face, feeling the dents. This scar looked terrible. Not only was it blue, which did not suit Bill's appearance at all (although blue is indeed his favorite color, as is red) , but it also hurt terribly from time to time and basically worsened Cipher's eyesight. (He is afraid that he will have to wear glasses, like his old partner did, because he did not understand how it is possible to torture your eyes with glass all your life).
So, blinking a couple of times, he went to the cafeteria for another one a portion of some local, extremely tasteless food. Bill was too used to human food. For some reason, surprisingly, of all the dishes in the multiverse, the food on Earth was to his taste the most. From wine to apples, or, for example, chocolate, from which his eye often turned red. (It seems he was allergic). And in principle, he spent the best time there, and if he had been able to carry out his plan then, he would have captured the Earth and stayed there until the end of the existence of the universe, if not longer.
- Chris, it turns out that today everything is according to plan. Unless, of course, you want someone to know about your sick thoughts.
Cipher smiled with his eye and looked at the interlocutor to his right. Breakfast or lunch break was the best time when he could negotiate with his cellmates or bribe them. One of his victims was his neighbor, who was to his left in the room. He was easily fooled, and he actively used it, because, to tell the truth, he could not see in them anything more than a thing or a useful tool.
- Yes, but seriously, not a word to anyone.
Bill only smiled, and continued to consume his breakfast until the interlocutor left the room and left him alone.
Of course, it was impossible to stay in his thoughts for long; therefore, these moments were intimate. Usually their day was routine. It all began with breakfast, continued with joint therapy, "empathy lessons", to which Cipher showed up only once, and then only because he was dragged there by the scruff of the neck, cleaning the rooms, drawing (the only thing that brought Bill at least some pleasure and did not cause hatred and a desire to pull off his own eye) lunch, a couple of personal sessions, dinner, some personal time and sleep.
Of course, it was nothing like a real prison, but it was different only in the level of how much they influenced your mind, that is, literally manipulated your consciousness, which Bill tried not to fall for, although sometimes thoughts, of course, flashed, but he drove them away.
Surprisingly, another day of torture was very different from the previous ones. When dinner time was over, the Axolotl personally came to him, which was not new, but Cipher really did not want to see it so often.<
- Oh! My old pal. So, have you decided to stop torturing me and agree to my offer?
Cipher smiled, from his desperate situation, he could only mock the creature, which was several times stronger than him. But what could he do? He knew better than anyone about Bill's desire to leave this place, at any cost, and the creature was not going to let him go.
- Fortunately, no, Cipher. But tomorrow you'll have a special guest. Do you remember Stanford? Stanford Pines.
- Sixer? I know him better than anyone. Did he really decide to visit this rotten place?
Bill was starting to feel some weight in the conversation now. He didn't like idle chatter, at least not with this nasty pink fish who was so eager to gain his trust.
- I invited him here to meet you. I think it would be good for you to face the consequences of your actions on others, and to make contact with someone, and I hope you'll come to meeting.
- So it turns out that you were acquainted with Sixer? That's very surprising. I think he wrote something about you in his journals, but I didn't care at the time. In any case, I'd be glad to meet him.
The Axolotl only blinked a couple of times, looked again at Cipher, who was starting to get a little nervous, and then left the room, leaving Bill alone with himself.
As soon as the creature disappeared from Bill's sight, he was overwhelmed with emotions.
Most of them were extremely positive and even gave him hope. Since Ford really agreed to visit Cipher in this godforsaken place, then maybe he still has a chance? Even though Stanford knows Bill's rotten, manipulative nature better than anyone, is there a chance that Cipher will be able to convince him otherwise? Pretend to be "cured", use Sixer again, and then stay with him forever? After all, even though Bill needed Sixer more as a thing or a toy, he still longed to have at least some connection with the human world.
Bill remembered well that wonderful time they spent together while building the portal. How easy it was to deceive a person so mad with loneliness gave Cipher a bit of pleasure and made his game even more interesting. Even though Stanford was primarily a tool, playing "god and follower" with him was extremely fun.
In his time, Cipher saw a lot, knew many creatures, but personally interacted with only one creature that aroused genuine interest in him. Watching Ford react to such insignificant knowledge that Bill told him about was extremely funny. He constantly blushed, and then thanked his muse for her help, because he was extremely naive to believe that after publishing his discovery, he would be able to gain universal love.
And frankly speaking, Bill had many such games. Sometimes he could only touch Sixer's hand, when Cipher studied such a strange palm, and he would already begin to talk nonsense and blush. And Bill liked such a reaction, it only strengthened their relationship, and Bill even sometimes sincerely praised Sixer for things that he himself did not know about before.
Cipher liked to whisper flattery to Ford when they met in a dream, when he was embarrassed by such an abundance of compliments, when before all he heard were nasty insults and remarks.
But most of all, Bill liked the other part of their deal. The part when Cipher could use someone else's body and someone else's life. The pain that Ford experienced from burns and blows was bliss for Bill, and even caused a drop of excitement and addiction. Of course, after he pierced someone else's hand with a nail, he was forbidden to do this, but leaving abrasions and bruises was also not bad. In particular, the most fun was to cause Ford moral pain, to show dominance, and sometimes switch from sweet compliments to harsh threats to remind Sixer what he was really getting into. They were not partners - all his ideas were nonsense, because he himself refused to look the truth in the eye. For, no matter how you look at it, Bill treated Ford with recognition and respect, feigned, of course, but it was enough for him, and in those moments when Bill felt like showing their true essence occurred only when Sixer began to behave rudely or extremely aggressively towards Bill.
That moment when Bill decided to call Stanford's brother and tell him about his death, of course, did not work out, but it worked extremely well on Ford. He became doubly obedient, although more withdrawn. And what only Sixer did not write in his journals after that!
Rereading and seeing Ford's flattering and not so flattering comments about Cipher was fun, and in general, his entire journal was an extremely interesting sight, and Bill even repeated after him! But alas, so far, no one has found his journal, and even more so, no one has decided to make a deal.
Therefore, with hope for a new day, and thoughts about meeting Sixer, Bill plunged into his own world of nightmares.