Sodalite smiled and almost squeed in delight. "Now, do you think you guys will be good to dance?"

Mabel smiled. "Heck yeah! We're gonna look and be so cool! Right Dipper?" She punched her brother lightheartedly. He didn't answer and was looking to the floor shyly. "I said, right Dipper?" She started poking him, earning no reaction.

"I just... don't want to? I guess?" Dipper said, pulling the bill of his hat down, his sword and sheild poofing out of existence.

Mabel grabbed his hands and bounced. "Come on, it will be fun!"

"Well, shouldn't we like, practice with our weapons before we get all dance crazy?" Dipper laughed nervously as he moved his hands out of his sister's grip.

Sodalite coughed. "Of course, heh. Whoopsies. Guess I got carried away in my excitement." She pulled her small gun from her gem. "Lune, I'm going to need you to go inside while I teach Solana about her crossbow. As for you, bring a sword from my display when it's your turn, okay?"

Dipper nodded in understanding and made his way inside.

----------------------------

Dipper kinda just sat there feeling... useless. Not that he was ever useful. He studied a sword he had picked as these thoughts started to meld into his mind. Thinking about it, he came to realise he was useless. He literally could be replaced by anyone and the things he does will still get done.

He sighed externally. "Lune?" Sodalite's voice interrupted his sulking. "Lune, is there something wrong?" She came closer to sit by the (seemingly) younger gem.

Dipper only huffed before running his hands along the sword, carefully avoiding the blade. "Nah, it's nothing. Just a bit of parnoia. I just tend to be unsettled easily. That's all."

Although she knew there was something more, Sodalite didn't push it. She took his hat and ruffled his hair, moving it up so his gem can be shown. "If you say so, Lune. I'm going to go back to Solana, I don't want to sense anymore unease, ok?"

Dipper's cheeks felt warm as he brushed his bangs down. "Yeah, okay Sodalite. I- I'll try."

She left (with his hat, although Dipper didn't notice) and he hummed happily. It was only a few moments until he heard happy screaming from the backyard along with giggles and the occasional "I am the god of destruction!" from Mabel. He smiled and got up, sword in hand as he happily bounded towards the back door. He peeked through to see what exactly was happening.

Mabel was running around, shooting at holotargets and trees. He smiled warmly and thought about joining them. (Well, if watching from a closer distance counted as 'joining'.) Ultimately, he didn't and did what he was told and waited inside for his turn. He knew Sodalite would never get mad if he joined, but he stayed inside just in case.

What was he thinking about before? Wait. Oh, right. He sighed as he retured to his seat and looked for something else to think about. For starters, the ceiling fan was unnervingly shakey. There was also a few empty places on a small display with bubbles containing... gems? He looked to the window. Huh, Bill was tapping on the glass. He looked back to the sword display and looked at the different rapiers and longswords and swords he didn't- wait.

He felt his hair stand on end and his eyes nearly pop out of their sockets. "Bill?" He said in a quiet, high pitched voice.

The one eyed gem waved through the window with a large smile that screamed friendship. (Tried to, anyways.) Dipper scampered towards the door and seen his sister and new mentor continue playing. He ran back to the window and opened it. "Hey, kid. As a gentleman it's my duty to apologize for not being able to save you. Really. You still get a save, moonie."

Dipper rubbed his arm. "Look, man. It's not that I don't appreciate what you've done, but I shouldn't be talking to you. Grunkle Stan might get upset. He told me you were 'defective' and not a really good influence on anyone."

"But you're so useless to him." Dipper gasped at how flatly Bill said it. "Why would he even care about you?"

Dipper looked to the ground sadly. "I.. family reasons? Plus Mom and Dad'll kill him."

"You aren't even related, kid." Bill smirked at Dipper's visible cringe. This is sooo easy. "You wanna know what I say? With their Star out there, why would they need you?"

Tears already dripped down Dipper's eyes. How did this guy already know what he was thinking? Why was he being do emotional? "Th- they don't."

"So why stay? I need you. You'll be so useful, you'll be the go to guy. People will beg for your help or advice." Bill leaned against the windowsill. "Just run, Dipper. We'll laugh and eat and play. One day, we might even dance."

Dipper's mouth threatened to pull into a smile and one arm reached almost longingly towards Bill. Towards being useful for once. Inside he was screaming to go get Mabel and Sodalite... but something was wrong.

An arrow, orange like the start of a sunset, shot between them. Dipper snapped his head up. Mabel. "Get away from my brother. You... you... kidnapper!"

Dipper shrunk back, mind so fragile and foggy at the moment. He didn't know what to do. So he stood back and watched with wide eyes. Sodalite and Mabel stood at the doorway, both with their own crossbows. "What ideas did you put into his head?" Sodalite growled, hostility fuming off her uncontrollably.

Dipper was on the verge of a breakdown until he noticed how calm Bill was. "None he didn't already have, Sody." Both girls scowled. "If you really must know, I was going to take my new and only friend somewhere he's useful." Bill smiled to Dipper. Dipper grit his teeth at the word only.

"Joke's on you, kidnapper. Dipper's on team Mabel, all the way. Right bro?" She smiled as she lowered her bow slightly.

Dipper just blanked to the floor. Thoughts that he's never had before. Never had before Bill. Mabel was always right. She was always the sun. He was the moon, left alone in the dark. Noone wants to see the moon set, nor rise. No one's ever had time for lune. "Solana. I- I know how in the way I c-can be. I kn-know how untalented I am compared to you and I... I understand now why I've always agreed with you."

Mabel was silent as tears dripped down her brother's eyes, her own threatening to follow. "Wh- what?" She tried smiling to put it off like some kind of joke.

"I never wanted to be away fr-from you. You were always the center of attention and I was okay with that... but you're too bright for me Mabel. I'm useless when you're around."

"Luna, I apologize for not training you guys at the same time, please don't go. Chrysoberyl is a bad gem, Lune. He... digs in your mind, somehow. He finds your weakness and your most pent up thoughts and turns them against you. Lune, understand your training will come soon." Sodalite said, freaking out internally, but needing to contribute to the situation.

Bill smirked as he pulled a scythe from his gem. "Sooner than you think, moonie. I can give you everything for the price of friendship. All the training you could want, all the things for control, all that you can use to finally be useful. I can train you."

Dipper flicked his head up. His sister and mentor were closer and Bill leaned in a bit. He frowned looking back and forth. He bit the inside of his lip. It was a few moments of dead silence. Dipper wiped his eyes and took a breath. "Bill." Said gem lit up and the mention of his name. "Trust me when I tell you to get out of here."

Bill faltered and looked very upset. Dipper snapped his hands and Bill looked up, scythe poofing away. Dipper had a welcoming smile on his face. Did... was that supposed to be a sign? Bill just moved from view of the window.

Mabel bounded up and hugged her brother. "I'm sorry Dipper. Why don't you ever tell me how you feel?"

Dipper shrugged, even though he had an answer ready. "Mabel?"

"Yeah?"

She was pushed off. "You never give me the chance." He ran to the window and jumped out. "Get out!" He yelled, snapping Bill from his thoughts.

Bill understood immediately and lowered so Dipper can get onto his back. They bolted away with no hesitation whatsoever.

Mabel stuck her head out the window. "Dipper?"

Sodalite lifted her glasses and rubbed her eyes. "He was saying goodbye." She groaned. "Heck. Heck to Chrysoberyl. That sneaky jerk is only getting worse."

"Getting wor- DIPPER!" She jumped out the window and looked around. "Bro?" Tears began to fall. He literally just got back! "Dipper you sellfish knuckle head! You don't need to be useful!" Her voice started degrading to a squeak. "I just need you here."

----------------------------

Bill and Dipper laughed. They entered Bill's weirdly void of monsters lair. A breif high five was shared before they stopped and Dipper was let down from the piggy back. The moonstone immediately locked Bill in a hug and looked up. "Thanks, Bill. What should we do first?"

"We'regoing to make you so useful, people'll beg for your help, kid." Bill stroked his hair, a grin dripping with acidic malice. "By people, I mean everyone."

Bill pried the clingy brat off himself, a grin still crazed but more happy and admittedly more comforting. Both hands were on Dipper's shoulders.

"You're going to be useful, kid." Bill said, earning a beam of joy from the child. To me.