+ Let's go for a dreamwalk! + [OPEN PLOT CATCH-ALL]

[mviw]

Who: Everyone who wants to participate!
Where: The Mindscape (and elsewhere in reality, if specified)
When: September 6th through September 8th
Rating: PG-13 to R for potentially disturbing, violent, or dark subjects.
Summary: Thanks to an explosion on the third floor, every time a person falls asleep, they enter the Mindscape...

The Story:
Plot information is here!

Comments

mindscape

[mcgucket]

[Seeing the broken portal in the distance of the field is an immediate indication of whose dreams he's in right now, and while he really shouldn't go poking around, he risks taking a look in that door that leads to... a library? Huh.

Well this isn't so bad. Fiddleford will allow himself some curiosity here as he looks around, before picking out a shelf to investigate and taking a book out at random to open. What kind of memory will Fiddleford being seeing here with this one, buddy?]

[mviw]

[The memory on the book's pages appears to be Ford in some other dimension, judging by the coloring of the landscape and sky outside. Everything seems to be in pastels, the light is warm and soft and the decor of the room he's resting in pleasant and airy. There are a lot of axolotls on the walls. An odd vignetting makes the memory hazy.

Ford is lying on his back, head shaved, bright red stitches crossing the back of his skull around toward his temples. He looks absolutely exhausted, but when a hooded figure comes to kneel by him his eyes open slowly and his lips curl into a weary but silly smile.

The figure appears to be tending to him, and Ford doesn't seem to have any objection. As it is, the memory is short and goes dark after about a minute, then loops back again to the calming scene at the start.]

[mcgucket]

[Oh... Fiddleford remembers Stanford telling him something about when he got that metal plate in his skull. What was the name of his friend again?]

This must be... "Jheselbraum the Unswerving", I think?

[Needless to say, he's glad that Stanford had someone he could trust during that time dimension-hopping as he carefully closes the book before turning to a different one here on this shelf. What have we got this time?]

[mviw]

[By now, Ford is aware of Fiddleford's presence, so the memories he finds will be a little more selective.

This book is a little difficult to open, but once Fiddleford pries the tome's pages apart he'll be treated to the sight of himself and Ford in their college days, each on their respective bed surrounded by books as they debate mathematics, trade jokes, and spend as much time laughing as they do running calculations. The feeling that accompanies this memory is one of deep fondness; the kind that makes you feel light as air and you can't help but smile.

Ford can't bring himself to say what he feels with words, so... it seems like a good opportunity to communicate it without risking their friendship. He cares about Fiddleford, very much, and he always will. Even if he's terrible at showing it.]

[mcgucket]

[Oh, that's... that's really sweet. It does make him smile, seeing this nostalgic memory of their college days. It's nice, knowing that despite everything, Stanford cares about their friendship...

There's a slight pang of guilt that hits him though, given... well. He hasn't exactly been telling Ford everything that's been going on with him lately like a good friend should. (He's a coward, and he knows it.)

He puts the book back on the shelf as he then walks down a little further from his initial spot and tries a different book. What does this one contain?]

[mviw]

[Somewhere deeper in Ford's mind, he's grinning happily.

The next memory can be heard before Fiddleford reaches the page. This one is of Ford, Stan, the kids, Wendy and Soos playing tag in the yard before it's time for the kids to go home. It's warm and sunny, and the memory bathes Fiddleford in soft summer light.

They're all laughing and happy, even when Ford gets dogpiled by literally everyone.

Honestly, he hasn't been so happy in his whole life. He loves his family dearly.]

[mcgucket]

[Aww. Fiddleford absolutely needs to make something nice for Stan and the kids sometime, they've been such a good influence on Ford.

He'll put the back in it's proper place carefully, before he stands back a little to survey the library. He notes the restricted section, but Fiddleford is not going to try to get into that area. He can only imagine what kind of memories Ford keeps there...

So he instead turns to another bookshelf. Is there anything here that might catch his eye and tempt his curiosity into looking at it?]

[mviw]

[Oh Fiddleford, you just made a very wise decision.

There is in fact a smaller book, about the size and thickness of your average paperback, covered in nice red leather binding with gold leaf. It's settled in with larger tomes labeled ENGINEERING WITH FIDDLEFORD and THE STUDY OF SYNTHESIZING STRONGER COFFEE.

On the cover, it has a lovely calligraphy goldleaf "F". The book is the kind Ford would find to be highly important, given its similarity to his research journals.

If Fiddleford opens it, he'll note a memory of himself and Ford in Wonderland--the one where Fiddleford held Ford's hands to comfort him...]

[mcgucket]

Oh...

[That's... wow, he had no idea that memory would have left such an impact on his friend here, and despite parts of Fiddleford's memory being a dumpster fire, he does still remember this. But that's what friends are for, right? Providing that comfort when needed...

... Though, does that really explain how much thought Fiddleford starts to give it the longer he looks at this memory, like how Stanford's hands had felt, or even entertaining the idea of holding them again...]

[mviw]

[Ford is under the impression that Fiddleford is looking at another pleasant memory. He's not wrong!

On the other page though, is the memory of Ford placing a vase of blue forget-me-nots outside Fiddleford's door...

Ford begins to realize that isn't right. That's not right at all. He shouldn't be seeing this set of memories.

Oh God...]

[mcgucket]

Oh? What is this now...

[... Wait. Those flowers that had turned up outside our door that time... that was Ford? It shouldn't surprise him--who else would think of sending him that specific kind of flower, but even so...]

[mviw]

[The book abruptly slams shut and rockets back into its place on the shelf. If Fiddleford should pluck the book out again, it'll be blank, unadorned red leather with empty pages.

He is not ready to disclose that information, no sir.]

[mcgucket]

[... That's okay, Fiddleford will take the hint that he's accidentally intruded on something that he shouldn't have.]

I'm, uh... sorry about that.

[This apology is directed to the bookshelf but you know, it's meant for Ford obviously.]

[mviw]

[It's not your fault, he'd like to say, but now he's definitely too embarrassed to come out and speak to him directly.

Another book pops out of the shelf instead and falls to the floor, open. It glows with an eerie red light, and Ford seems to be speaking to an old man. They're surrounded by the rest of the Pines family and other people from Gravity Falls and everyone looks worse for wear.

Fiddleford (of this Fiddleford's future) and Stanford reuniting with each other against the terrifying backdrop of what appears to be a rather villainous lair.

The two embrace, and despite the frightening surroundings, this memory is a very, very good one.]

[mcgucket]

[Oh...

Fiddleford kneels down in front of this book, but doesn't touch or it pick it up just yet, instead watching the scene being depicted here. So he--or at least, the Fiddleford of Stanford's time--did get to see the other man again after thirty years.

And while he can certainly understand this being a happy memory for Stanford, he can't help but stare at his future self here. Dressed like a homeless person, the ridiculously long beard... this is the "Old Man McGucket" that the kids and Stan know him as...]