Dr. Stanford Filbrick Pines, PhD (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
mviw) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
entranceway2017-09-08 08:40 pm
mviw) wrote in entranceway2017-09-08 08:40 pm
e x p e r i m e n t #08 (video)
[Some time Friday morning, September 8th, a new and particularly important broadcast appears on the network.
The feed flicks on to show Ford at a desk in his lab looking both tired and very guilty. ]
Uh, yes! Hello. Uh. Good morning?
[He clears his throat. Might as well get right down to it.]
As anyone who's slept since Wednesday will know, something weird has been happening. I may have been experimenting with a ward against a certain demonic triangle when there was an explosion that caused the ward's effects to warp and, for lack of better layman's terms, gave everyone the ability to traverse the Mindscape--that is, the realm parallel to any waking dimension.
To put it simply: Once you left consciousness at any point, you likely were able to explore your own mind, and the minds of others.
Fortunately, the effects seem to be temporary and I only singed half an eyebrow in the explosion, so... Good news! Everything should be back to normal by tomorrow.
Ahh, science. Well! That's all for today. If you don't want to deal with it, I suggest visiting one of the tea rooms for a delightful pot of industrial coffee. Always works for me!
[With a winning smile from Ford, the broadcast ends.]
The feed flicks on to show Ford at a desk in his lab looking both tired and very guilty. ]
Uh, yes! Hello. Uh. Good morning?
[He clears his throat. Might as well get right down to it.]
As anyone who's slept since Wednesday will know, something weird has been happening. I may have been experimenting with a ward against a certain demonic triangle when there was an explosion that caused the ward's effects to warp and, for lack of better layman's terms, gave everyone the ability to traverse the Mindscape--that is, the realm parallel to any waking dimension.
To put it simply: Once you left consciousness at any point, you likely were able to explore your own mind, and the minds of others.
Fortunately, the effects seem to be temporary and I only singed half an eyebrow in the explosion, so... Good news! Everything should be back to normal by tomorrow.
Ahh, science. Well! That's all for today. If you don't want to deal with it, I suggest visiting one of the tea rooms for a delightful pot of industrial coffee. Always works for me!
[With a winning smile from Ford, the broadcast ends.]
voice
[... Also you're not getting video because um. Fidds is tired and looks like a mess right now, among other things...]
video
I don't want to hear it from you.
[There's an edge to his voice beyond his usual gruff demeanor, and a look in his eye that's painfully sharp.]
voice
Says the man who went wanderin' around in parts of my head without my permission: is that what you want to hear me sayin' instead?
video
Care to talk about the fact that you've been erasing your own memories here? Do you even understand what you're doing to yourself?!
voice
If you think I'm havin' this conversation with you right now, then you really must be dreamin' Stanford.
video
Ford scoffs.]
I doubt we ever will, I'm sure you'll forget this conversation happened altogether. I thought I could trust you, Fiddleford!
video
Seriously? What the devil gives you the right to--[He stops, and then... he suddenly laughs. It's... not a happy laugh.] God, to think that I was worried about that demon getting into my head... do I need to be takin' precautions to keep you out too?
video 1/2
Ford squares his shoulders and lowers his voice.]
..Don't you ever--ever compare me--me--to that thing-- [He tries desperately to hold onto his ire, but heartbreak of all kinds has always been one of his weaknesses and this time instead of fanning the flames, it does a good job of dousing them.
Ford shakes his head slowly. He tries to keep his gaze away from the camera, but his eyes betray him.]
I can't believe I thought-- I'm so stupid...
video 2/2
Do whatever you want, Fiddleford. It's your brain, you can screw it up however you like!
voice
LOCKED FOREVER NOW
I swear, Fiddleford, if you even think about entertaining the thought of erasing everyone's memories... You don't even understand what that does to you! I already told you what it did to Stanley at home, and his memories eventually came back!
You want to know what it did to you?! You were a crazy old man living in the Gravity Falls dump and you married a raccoon! And now you want to do that to yourself here and I can't-- [He inhales sharply, and perhaps unexpectedly, he lowers his voice and softens his tone.]
--I can't sit by and watch you self destruct. I wasn't there for you at home, like I should've been. I'm trying to be the good friend you deserve.
LOCKED DOWN LIKE FORT KNOX
... You've said something like this to me before already.
[This isn't the first time Stanford has told him the part about living in the Gravity Falls dump, but parts of that conversation had been buried deep. Perhaps even burned along with the rest of the things that Fiddleford has tried to forget about here.
There's a pause, before he adds--]
The part with the raccoon is new, though. Was it at least good-looking?
[... His tone is so flat that it's hard to tell if he's actually attempting to joke about this.]
no subject
Is. Is he joking? Ford squints, even though he can't see his friend, only hear him. You can hear the gears turning in his head.
Ford's sure that Fiddleford probably shouldn't have heard that, and he realizes that although his intention is to be a good friend, he's been a bit of an asshole through this entire conversation.
He relents, sighing, and runs a hand through his hair again.]
I... ... I'm sorry. I shouldn't have invaded your privacy and I shouldn't have raised my voice. [It's a little like watching someone who's been in a 12 step program of some kind apologize, but it is sincere. His time getting to know people here, and his not-actually-therapy-but-kind-of sessions with Cami have helped him learn how to be a little less awful at interacting with other humans.
It's a work in progress.]
I think we have a lot we need to talk about. [Though frankly, he looks extremely reluctant and is. Talking about THINGS and FEELINGS is... well... he'd pick fighting a giant space monster over it if he had the choice.]
no subject
[... Not when he doesn't deserve to be apologized to. Unlike before, he can't just blame Stanford for many of the things that's happened to him here. In Gravity Falls, it was easier when both of them were young and foolish and Ford had a demon triangle in his head. But now?
Even he has realized that if it wasn't for Stanford Pines, he would have burned all of his memories and everything in this place to the ground long before now.]
no subject
Maybe he should have paid more attention to the field of philosophy.
Ford grasps at something else to say but the effort is in vain and all he can come up with is more apologies.
Following the heavy pause, he at last blurts something out that he hopes is a step in the right direction.]
...what's something you can deal with? [Ford makes a serious effort to keep his tone level and soft, but not condescendingly so.] Tell me, whatever it is. Let me be there for you.
no subject
He can't think of anything to say or do that will actually be of help to either of them right now.]
... I don't know. Seein' as I haven't turned this thing off yet, I guess this is still acceptable.
[That probably sounds kind of rude, but the point is, he does consider this moment right now as Ford being there for him? For now, anyway.]
no subject
He rubs at his neck awkwardly, mentally casting around for something to say.]
Talking to you is always acceptable. [Ford clears his throat.] Uh, so... I've been monitoring the aftereffects of the explosion. The magic is dispersing regularly and I'm hopeful the effects will go along with it.
And uh...
Perhaps... you'd like to come into the lab and help me figure out what's wrong with my other instruments. I just started on an experiment to see whether we're on a flat or spherical plane, which you think would be relatively simple even without consistent constellations! [Oh Ford, you restless physicist.]
no subject
... Well, maybe this one won't be as bad if Fidds is there to provide additional supervision.]
Yeah, that sounds like somethin' to do, keep busy and all here. I can meet you there in... 'bout ten minutes?