The dream demon stared blankly at his box of spare parts. He tapped his hoof, waiting for something to hit him. He was stumped for inspiration; he wanted to make something but he had no idea where to start. He didn't feel like searching for his keys or going to a bunker. He stared at a picture on his side. He missed his old research team, but most of them were dead and those that weren't hated him. It wasn't like him to be low on energy. Ever since he became Bill Cipher, he had become so full of energy, an energy he had lacked when he was human.
Chrysalis was still in her court, hearing requests from the hive. He was still trying to get back in the swing of things even now, he was working slowly. He remembered how industrious he had been all those years ago, constantly building new bunkers and refusing to call them labs. He had almost lost track of how many he had built in the first place. Then again, he did have help. He had...
"No." He shook his mechanical head. "This is now. That was then. I need to get to work but I can't think of anything. Ugh, maybe I'll just take a walk." Sighing, he trotted out of his research room, shutting the door as it cracked and splintered. He wanted to walk around the hive; maybe then something would come to him. As he walked down the stairs of the hive's castle, he came across the Queen's secretary.
"Lock my room for me Switcheroo. I'll be a tad busy for the moment." He handed the 'ling his keys for the door, remembering he had forgotten to lock them. He needed a much better door.
He thought about the changelings, how he wasn't really close with many of them personally. Making friends had always been troubling for him. Hell, even Giff and Hide were better than he ever was. They were probably out socialising with some of the changelings right now. Well at least Giff was.
"Little scamps." Bill chuckled. "Huh. Never thought I'd say that." He shook his head, continuing his walk. The closest thing he had to a non- displaced friend was Chrysalis. Neither the hive nor the badlands outside of it seemed fit for a walk, but they were the best there was for Bill. Even he had to get out of the lab sometime. Well that and he liked being in a body. It made him feel a bit more normal. Even if he wasn't really there. Not that he had anything against being abnormal, it came with being Bill that he enjoyed weirdness. He wanted to still feel like he was actually there, and not just... in the mindscape all the time.
However right now, he only wanted to consider becoming physical again and continuing his research. After that... he didn't know. He didn't like Luna in the slightest, or her sister. But revenge? He would admit he craved it, but wasn't exactly sure what to do. He had considered going after them, but wasn't sure. despite what The Author said to him, he just didn't know. Bill wasn't used to being in charge of himself. He had found that bad things happened when he made any major choices for himself.
"I guess I don't really know what to do with myself." He thought. "Well, I guess I could keep researching, it is what I'm good at." Maybe just continue the research and see where I go from there."
"Argh!" Bill turned to see two changelings fighting. Nothing too serious, just a little scuffle, it didn't seem like either of them was hurt too much and none of the other 'lings seemed to care. He recognised one of them as the changeling who stole his book that fateful day in Canterlot.
"Shut up, Buzz!"
"No you shut up!"
"Say a soldier is better than a thief!"
"Oh right, because a soldier could get the omniscient being trapped from the book?"
"Oh what do you even do, sneak around? Any larvae can do that!"
"Why you..!" The older one was clearly stronger, yet the sister was better at dodging. She attacked him, but they were little more than bug bites. Literally bug bites, she was actually biting him after she saw that her punches weren't doing much. Of course, that left her vulnerable to his punches. Suddenly, everything went grey around them, causing them to stop. They heard a laugh and the triangle demon twirled his cane.
"Well well well. Yes, all of the wells!" He twirled his cane and spun around. "If it ain't the little 'ling who was kind enough to free me from Canterlot, and her big brother's with her." Buzz stepped back, surprised with Moth following suit.
"Um, hello Mr. Cipher?" Moth said. "What brings you out?"
"Oh ya know, just taking a stroll. I never see the sight much."
"There... Aren't that many sights to see Mr. Cipher." Buzz exclaimed.
"Okay first off..." He bonked both of them on the head with his cane. "I know I'm a lot older than either of you could ever hope to be but you don't need to keep calling me Mr. Cipher, I'm not a teacher. My name is Bill. And secondly, a lab can get boring even for me. The same thing everyday gets boring."
"Okay, Mr. Ci- I mean Bill, what is it you'd like to do?" Moth asked.
"Well I never properly thanked you for freeing me, so thanks kiddo." He ruffled her mane.
"Uh... Thanks?" She frowned.
"Another thing is door shopping."
"...What?"
"Getting a new door. I'm pretty sure mine is broken."
"There... aren't many places to buy furniture, let alone doors."
"Then it'll give me something to do, which is why I'm here in the first place." He retreated back into his cybernetic body and trotted away.
"What kind would you like, sir?" The cashier asked.
"Hmm..." Bill frowned, looking at all the doors. There weren't really many options, and it was the one of the few furniture stores in the hive. He hovered around the doors waving a metal cane that he'd teleported in. He inspected each of the doors, frowning and knocking each. "Well this one just look terrific but..." He knocked it again and cringed. "Do you kiss your maker with that knock?" He asked... the door.
"Are... You talking to the door, Mr Cipher?" The shopkeeper frowned.
"Well not anymore." He rolled his eye, before moving on to the next door. "Alright, let's see what you have to offer." He tapped the door with his cane, before letting out an "Ech!" And pushing it away.
"Mr Cipher, all the knocks sound the same." The shopkeeper frowned, only for Bill's head to turn 180 degrees. Even if it was a machine, he still found it creepy.
"How dare you, good sir." His 'head' snapped back to the doors. He looked at a hardwood door, frowning at it. His robot body couldn't feel it, but it had a good finish and seemed smooth enough from looking at it. Now it all came down to the knock.
"Let's see if you pass the test, eh door?" It didn't answer. It was a door. But he didn't care, the confused look of the shopkeeper was all the reason enough for him to keep acting coo- coo. He tapped it with his hoof.
"Will!" A delightful voice called out, I chose to ignore it, continuing to read the book my parents gave me. I wouldn't disappoint them while I could help it.
"William!" The voice called again, this time closer and knocking on the door. I buried my head in the textbook even further.
"William!" I tried to ignore the banging on the door, but she was knocking twice as loud. Just a moment later, the door burst open. Before I had time to react, a familiar little girl my age and height hugged me from behind.
"Hi, Will." She chirped, but I was less than amused. It might've had something to do with the fact that I could barely breath.
"Get... Off..." I said, choking from the hold she had me in. She let go, that cheerful smile still on her face while I caught my breath. "How're you doing?"
"I was just fine until you nearly choked me." I huffed.
"But I can't help it, you're my favourite brother." She chimed.
"I'm your only brother."
"Which makes you my favourite by default." I groaned at her almost unnatural happiness.
"Can't you just hate me like a normal sister?"
"Can't you just go outside and kick a ball like a normal boy?" She retorted, poking my arm.
"Why're you here?"
"I told you, you're my favourite brother. Do you wanna go play outside?"
"I can't, mum and dad won't like it if they think I'm getting distracted."
"Oh, come on. You can't just stay in here forever."
"You don't know that."
"I know it because I'm dragging you out."
"Wait wha-" Before I could finish, she had already grabbed my arm and was pulling me out of my room. She hoisted me down the stairs despite my resistance. "Let go of me, I have to get back to my revision! Mum and dad trusted me to do my work while they're out!"
"You've done plenty, now let's go." She pulled me into the front yard.
"Can I go inside, no- hey!" I said as a ball hit my forehead.
"Come on Will." She grinned. "Don't be a wuss."
"Fine." I grumbled, picking up the ball and throwing it at his sister, who happily threw it back, but his time I caught it.
"See?" She smiled. "You can catch it just fine. Now throw it back." Hesitantly, I obliged, tossing the ball back to my sister.
Bill sighed as he heard another knock from his new door. "Must be the extra parts I ordered." He didn't answer, waiting for them to knock a second time in case he hadn't heard them. "Come on in." He chirped, smiling as more metal and gems were brought in. Gems, he had found, were excellent catalysts for magic. They were so easy to enchant and store magical power in. He smiled as the drones brought his new parts in.
"Hey hey guys, thanks a million!" As he spoke, the same number of copies of himself appeared in the room, albeit smaller, they had to fit in the room somehow, after all. The drones did their best to ignore how cramped the room had suddenly become, nodding and walking away, shutting the door behind them. He looked at his pieces before staring back at the closed door, for what felt like hours before turning back.
"What I wouldn't give to hear her knock again."