And I am very happy that you're already enjoying this story. And Ford thinks he's so sneaky about his intentions and that Axolotl has no idea what he's planning. Stan's not the only one that can read these guys like a book.
We definitely need more explorations of Euclydian society and a shape version of Ford is a great way to accomplish that. And it isn't as common as the human Bill (though I've certainly explored that myself too). I think it is because we already know what it is like to be human, so it is easier to portray Bill as one. But regardless, prepare for the polygon people!
The rhyme scheme joke was just too good. There was no chance that I would skip it.
Stan might not know for certain if anything happened at the Fearamid, but he was definitely picking up the obsession from both of them and knows that there's a non-zero chance that there was hate sex at some point during that time frame. But as long as he doesn't ask, he can hope that it didn't.
And yes, we get to see Bill's ordinary and domestic morning routine that is just overshadowed by trauma, desperation, and fear. Really sets the mood on how his wish to go home came with a heavy cost. And he will always lie until it is no longer a lie. The need to ignore, deny, and delude himself are his main coping mechanisms.
the Axolotl didn't turn him into an hexagon just to match the number of his human fingers, but a 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘥𝘺𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘤𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 right? 🤭 If Amnesiac Ford from your previous fic had let us explore an after-redemption Bill, now Shape Ford will do with the Euclydian society (by being as clueless) - and I agree, Bill as human could come easier because it is familiar compared to imagine a flat world inhabitated by extra-dimensional beings, but time for 2D now!
What happened in the Fearamid and what will happen in Euclydia, Stan is fine with his life by not knowing ahahahah
And yes, what he asked as a wish came with a great cost, he got his parents and home back but - irony of them all - he can't even 𝒔𝒆𝒆 them anymore, not even his beloved stars. And his main coping mechanism of denial just shifted context from hard partying to convince himself he is fine to fit in as possible to convince himself he is fine.
Exactly. The power dynamic has flipped. The Axolotl knows exactly what they are doing.
And we are absolutely going to be enjoying the 2-D world and Ford's going to stumbling around will give us the perfect chance to explore it.
There's definitely a reason why the title specifies the dangers of impulsive wishes. There are often further consequences than the most immediate ones. The population of Euclydia is back, but so are the harsher parts of that society. I guess it is up to Bill if the reward was worth the cost (except he can't currently remember any different).
Absolutely everything you did say here!! The wish was rushed and never thought-through because it came from irrationality and the impulse of a moment, in the comic not just his memories got resetted but also his physical form got a "rewind" (we don't see the static scar from Stan's punch anymore), just to get different scars afterwards. The stars have always been a damnation in a way or another (they "caused" the fire and in this alternative world his current blindness) yet bittersweet comfort, which was taken away from him.
One thing about the canon informations from TBOB that makes my brain gears move, it is not that this society just doesn't believe Bill about Up/The stars because they can't perceved them but it is strictly forbidden to talk about them in the first place, that makes me wondering if Bill made the first precedent or someone else in the past was born/got that sight condition (or something similar) and to not make the population freaking out or losing power over them the authorities covered everything. Maybe I'm overthinking and Bill has always been the only one in all Euclydian history but it is funny to imagine some scenarios like those like a huge cospiracy ahah
Got to love paradox-free wishes. You can have him physically and mentally and emotionally return to who he was when Euclydia still existed, but without rewriting all of history for the rest of the multiverse. And his relationship with the stars are absolutely a complicated matter.
And yeah, if talking about the third dimension was illegal, that implies that either someone was able to see it previously or someone really clever started theorizing about it (possibly as a source for the constant light of the dimension or for some other reason). But regardless, those in charge didn't like what those types of questions were causing, so time to make it illegal.
I assume it is because Bill's wish was worded in a particular way or because the Time Wish has limits in what it can do (and even with restrictions, it's already super powerful and dangerous), that's maybe why the rest of the multiverse was unchanged (Bill's presence through human history and people's lives still has its burning effects) - but in his home pre-destruction he is not a powerful entity anymore, he can't bend reality to show them what is outside to prove himself right.
Brainstorming on this is so much fun, I like the alternative of some brilliant shape theorizing the outside, mathematically/scientifically, but couldn't prove it entirely before Bill's time, but making enough noise for authorities to act and suppress the whole thing, creating a precedent forgotten in history. The books that was taken away from Bill may mentioned something, they still were able to give him ideas and stimulations.
aaaaaaa I really needed some good story to bury my nose in, such a good gem both of you created!!
The clarification of "paradox free" let's the Time Wish avoid a lot of issues. Like Marty McFly almost erasing himself from existence in "Back to the Future." If Bill didn't do all that damage to the multiverse, he wouldn't get locked away in Theraprism and have access to the Time Wish in the first place. So everything else has to stay the same or it creates a paradox.
If people in our world can theorize about a fourth dimension back in 1884 when "Flatland" was published and references the concept, then it's entirely possible for Euclydians to conceive the third dimension.
And while some books might have been scientific in nature, we both know that some were tawdry romance novels.
Thank you so much for the explanation, I have a delightful time everytime I read your replies :)
You also remind me I still have to read Flatland thanks to TBOB and the fandom's work as an inspiration for Euclydia, I know Sack's au has some references and that would be nice to catch up.
And SO TRUE, Bill reading romance novels, which the more scandalous the better, a dreamer in heart, we need an Euclydian equivalent of the Dutchess Approves but in book form!!
I mean, we do have canon proof of Bill being interested in romance novels. As Silas Birchtree, he recited a rather risqué story of two trapezoids over the radio once and then there was that fake cover of "The Love Triangle" that looked like something that you'd pick up in an airport giftshop. He would absolutely love "The Duchess Approves" and "Wolfman Bare Chest."
I could never forget the spicy trapezoids radio reading moment, I wish Alex Hirsch would have added an audio in Bill/Silas voice in the ARG, just for the funzies.
I also remember the very Harmony-esque cover of the Love Triangle, and I totally agree that really looks like those romance novels from the airports/train stations giftshops, I need to see Bill discovering Wolfman Bare Chest through Mabel - and where Dipper has been horrified in the body-swap episode, Bill would giggle at one of the girls' sleepover and play with that toy phone having hot guys with pre-recorded lines calling you. /giggling
Comment on Regrets, Faded Memories, and the Dangers of Impulsive Wishes
Bookwormgal on Chapter 1 Thu 04 Sep 2025 12:53AM UTC
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