"Was never much, but we've made the most." (SEMI-OPEN)

[mviw]

Who: Ford & the Pines Family / The people on the 3rd Floor / The Grounds, safely away from the mansion.
Where: Ford's room / The Third Floor Hallway / The Grounds
When: Backdated to March 22nd/23rd
Rating: PG-13 in case of swears.
Summary: Ford is recovering and he and the Pines family members have Talks. // While he recovers from grievous injuries, a weird old man with extra fingers plays chess with an owl outside his room. // Ford tests a cane that turns into a laser-shooting rifle.
The Story:

CLOSED:

[Open starters--Ford will be in his room for the Pines Family Talks.]

---

OPEN 1:

[On the third floor, someone has set up a chess table and two chairs outside his room.

Ford is fully dressed in his red turtleneck and black trousers and worn out boots, but his hands are bandaged and he looks very tired. Sleep has been difficult at best, more so than usual.

Even so, he's focused on the chess board... Which is strangely in disarray.

His companion, a very fluffy North American horned owl, keeps pecking at the pieces. Lee is perched on the chair and listens as Ford talks to him--sometimes he even replies with low hoots and the occasional ruffling of his feathers.]

Lee, that piece doesn't-- Oh, oh I see what you were doing... Well played!

[... He does make adjustments as needed though. Otherwise it would just be weird, playing chess with an owl.]

---

OPEN 2:

[Away from the mansion, Ford has set up a collapsable work table, a target made of stacked scraps and garbage, and a tripod for stability. His coat billows in the occasional breeze as he walks--limps, really, using a sleek black cane to assist his progress. One might mistake him for an injured old man going for a walk, but this is actually an endurance test for the cane.

He reaches the marked point and mounts the cane on the tripod. The black metallic object shifts and expands in calculated, mechanical movements, filling itself out into the shape of a large rifle.

Ford kneels, adjusts his sights, evening his breath and calculating gravity and wind to account for his aim.

He pulls the trigger.

A great blast erupts. Ford jolts from the kickback and the target is hit dead on. As he rises and dusts himself off, looking satisfied, the former pile of garbage smoulders in black ashes.]

Comments

(1)

[liloldme]

[ Gideon is walking down the hall-- he means to get back into his room. this little guy has had a long day of contemplating how to end his arch-rival's family, after all. The book rests in his blue vest pocket (which has recently been tailored to accommodate the size of the second journal). He pats his belly-- full of food, and more importantly, a pint of ice cream that the mansion was so polite to give. ]

Wheeeew.

[ he looks content. Just a little kid with giant hair, and a little bit of ice cream on his cheek. he spots Ford in the hall and makes a very weirded out look at the empty chair, and the fact that...

...an owl...an owl? ]

That's a, uh, mighty big owl y'got there, stranger!

[ ...it might be worth the time it takes to befriend this strange owl man. Ju~ust to keep his giant owl vulture away from Gideon. ]

[mviw]

[Ford's eyes travel from his chessboard to the strange white-haired child. He'd know that massive pompadour anywhere after having seen its owner tap dance in a cage at Bill's command.

Another Gravity Falls kid, huh?]

Yep, he sure is. Don't worry, Lee's a good bird.

[The owl turns its head all the way around to look at Gideon and lets out a quiet hoo.]

Name's Ford. And you're uh--Gideon, right? I'm from Gravity Falls too. [Maybe he shouldn't bring up that awful circumstance. Probably not a good idea if he's a stranger to this kid.]

[liloldme]

[ he jumps at the bird quietly. Birds never fascinated him-- not at all. He knew how to handle them, but it's the same way he'd handled other birds. By being the bigger man. Fortunately for him, the birds he'd dealt with were pretty tame...probably, in comparison to this beast. ]

I-I'm...sure he is. [ he's a little uncomfortable. he smiles a pretty cute smile when Ford mentions his name. ] Yup, that's me! Lil' Gideon! But how'd you know that?

You from Gravity Falls, too? Shoot, sorry I didn't recognize you! Lots goin' on, y'know...y'said your name was Ford?

[ you are being scrutinized from beneath a charming, disarming smile. How to be used toward his end goals. You also look a disturbing amount like a certain grumpy old coot who he happens to know.

It's disturbing. ]

[mviw]

Eh. Gravity Falls is a small town. [Ford is only half focusing on this really weird kid. Most of his attention is on his chessboard. The hair does get another glance though.

Typical Gravity Falls shenanigans. And what kind of kid styles themselves as Lil'? Is that a new cultural thing he missed out on?

He moves a chess piece.]

Yep! Ford Pines. Dr. Ford Pines, actually. I've been very busy with work and haven't had time to socialize in town.

[Ford assumes the weird look he's getting from Gideon is because Gideon is thinking of Stan. Typical.]

[liloldme]

...Pines?

[ his eye twitches and he looks quite uncomfortable. ] You're...related to the Pines family?

[ "BLEUGH UGH GOD WHY WHAT HOW ARE THERE MORE OF THEM THERE AIN'T THAT MUCH ROOM IN THAT DANG OL' SHACK--" ] Why that's...just swell.

closed

[krmvgivv]

[Dipper waits as long as he possibly can before he goes to see Great Uncle Ford. He's worried--worried about Mabel, worried about himself and Stan, worried about Ford, but he can't do anything from Wonderland anyway, so he may as well be patient. But it's still not very long at all before he goes to Ford's room and tentatively knocks on the door.]

[mviw]

[Ford shuffles to the door and looks through the peephole. Oh good, it's Dipper!

He doesn't look too thrilled. He wonders what's wrong, and starts unlocking the numerous bolts.]

Hey Dipper! Let me get the door open for you. [Aaaand it's open! Ford is dressed in baggy sweatpants, socks, and a loose t-shirt. The rest of him is covered in bandages. He'd rather stay dressed in normal clothes, but he's never been this injured and in one place for so long...]

Everything alright? You look a little down.

[krmvgivv]

[Dipper blinks up at Ford, grimacing a little at all the bandages. Everything gets so messed up back home. How can Dipper not be a little down?]

I should be asking you that. I'm not the one that was tortured.

[mviw]

[Ford pauses and sighs, frowning deeply. Turn your 12-year-old snark on someone else please.]

Did you pay me a visit just to talk about that? I already told you the most important parts--you and your sister are fine.

closed

[powerofmabel]

[Surprisingly, Mabel doesn't invite Dipper to go with her when she finally seeks out Ford to speak with him. It took her far too long to climb out of Sweater Town to even convince herself to do it, but she managed it- even without her brother's help, which did a lot to inspire confidence in her. As much as she needs and cherishes Dipper's support, this is a matter she has to approach alone, and it would mean so much less if Ford were uncomfortable expressing the truth in front of Dipper or if Dipper got angry for her sake if Ford's answers hurt her feelings in any way. She doesn't want to mess up what Ford and Dipper have- she just wants to know where she fits into it.

So after she's sure Ford is well enough to speak to her and after she's made sure Stan and Dipper are elsewhere, she approaches Ford's door and knocks on it, her voice ringing out clear and, for right now, free of anxiety.] Grunkle Ford? I'm coming in, so I hope you're not being an embarrassing old man.

[mviw]

[Ford is immediately at his door, unlocking all the bolts and locks on it.] Hah! You wish. Or maybe not. I think that's your Grunkle Stan's job. [Knowing what Stan wears around the house. Yeesh. Ford gets the door open and steps aside to let Mabel in.

The only thing different about his room is that his couch is smaller, and there's a new door leading to another room near it. He's dressed in the closest thing to pajamas he's had since he was a teenager--baggy sweatpants, socks, and a loose t-shirt. The bandages cover his wrists and arms and neck in particular.]

Come on in! What can I do for you?

[powerofmabel]

[she should've realized he'd have bolts and locks. luckily she warned him or she might have kicked down the door (or attempted to) to preserve the dignity of her entrance. She hesitates as she notices his bandages, wondering if now is even the right time to bother him with this, but her resolve is like glue and it sticks to her hard, regardless of what her feelings say.

she goes straight for the couch and flops on it. now that she's here, her chipperness goes away, leaving her with nothing but her sadness and her desire to talk this out.] I just... had a lot of stuff I wanted to talk to you about.

[mviw]

[Ford shuts his door and eases himself into his work chair. He suspects this might be coming from him not telling her a lot. Or something to do with boys.]

... Okay... [He's as uncertain as he sounds. Ford isn't the best at Talks.] You have my attention. Is there anyone I need to threaten into compliance? I just built a new rifle and she packs a punch.

(2)

[sciencelizard]

[Alphys is plodding along outside, hands in her coat pockets, looking up at the sky. It's still a novelty, being outside, feeling the sun, the grass under her feet. It was calm, the wind blowing in the same comforting tones that water rushing used to do. She closed her eyes, smiled a little contently.

Then, of course, the explosion erupts, and all that goes to shit as Alphys screams.

Running towards the source of the sound, she lets out another shriek at the carnage.]

O-Oh my god a-are you okay did you d-do that oh my g-god---

[She'll be fascinated when she's certain no one was hurt, but for now. Screaming! For fun and profit.]

[mviw]

[Ford turns on his heel toward the source of screaming, and-- it's just Alphys. Grinning, like absolutely nothing is wrong--because of course it's not!--he hoists the rifle over his shoulder.]

Isn't she great? That isn't even the highest setting on this thing! Sure packs a wallop though, doesn't she? And watch this!

[He presses a hidden button and the rifle compresses back into a sleek, stylish cane, which Ford twirls.]

I still haven't thought of the right name for her yet, but it'll come.

[sciencelizard]

[Alphys is still looking worried, but when it collapses back into a cane, she can't help but be utterly enraptured. That's. That's so cool. But also super dangerous.]

T-That's... oh my g-god. How d-did you figure out how to g-get it to collapse l-like that? T-There's so little room for t-the, uh, capacitors, and...

[She stops herself, draws back like normal. Doesn't want to seem too big, too imposing.]

W-Well, obviously, you figured it out, so, uhm... s-sorry for uh, f-freaking out. I didn't mean to, uh, y-yell, I just got, r-really surprised.

[mviw]

No, no! It just means she's doing her job. [Ford gives the rifle cane an affectionate pat. He looks as giddy as a schoolboy.]

Hey, if you want to have a look at the blueprints I'd be happy to share. I didn't actually invent this technology anyway, but I did borrow it and heavily improve it. The simple answer is nanotechnology! I programmed sheets of the metal I synthesized to collapse in on themselves or to expand, creating a light but very sturdy, heat-resistant frame!

[Ford gestures over to the table and unfolds the blueprints for his rifle.] Have a look.

(2)

[everyonecanbekind]

[ Papyrus is just doing his rounds when he spots the older man-- and his weapon. He approaches when the gun lets out a bright blast, and then rushes over to the old man, watching the offending pile of garbage smoulder. ]

WOWIE. WOWIE!!! [ impressed. So impressed is the tall skeleton. Papyrus grins. ]

HOW DID YOU DO THAT?! WHAT IS IT??

[ offhandedly, upon closer inspection, he decides that this man looks...very similar to a snowdrake. but he's definitely more interested in the rifle looking...thing. not that Papyrus would know what a rifle really is-- he's seen them in picture-books, but never in person. ]

[mviw]

[Ford turns at the sound of the admiring voice and-- Is that another skeleton?! He grins.]

It's a weapon I've been working on! Greetings, I'm Dr. Stanford Pines!

[Is this one like Sans? Maybe they know each other. Wonderland is terrible without a doubt, but when it gives Ford a chance to meet new people like this? Well, it does have its moments...]

[everyonecanbekind]

GREETINGS, DOCTOR HUMAN! I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, AM DELIGHTED TO MAKE YOUR ACQUAINTANCE!

[ his eyes are all over that crazy weapon, though. He eagerly bounces a little, excitement plain on his face. ] HOW DOES IT WORK? IS THAT NOT A DRAINING ATTACK?

[mviw]

[Oh God. This is fun. Ford brightens up even more.]

The pleasure is mine, Papyrus! This weapon has an internally based power source but it can also harness local sources of energy--like the sun or geothermal activity, depending on the weapon's location and the most efficient means of power.

By the way, you wouldn't happen to know someone named Sans, would you?

[Maybe he shouldn't assume the two talking skeletons know each other, but... It's worth a shot.]

1!

[charlastan]

[Stan's been checking in on Ford periodically, making sure he's actually resting and seeing if he's alright. He's dropped by at least once every few days since Ford got back, and though he doesn't hover and fuss too much now that the initial emergency has passed, he's still checking to make sure the guy's getting better and not worse, whether Ford wants the company or not.

After the mess with Rick, and the revelation that he doesn't want him calling him Sixer anymore, Stan's pretty sure Ford would rather have literally anyone else there, except for maybe that Bill guy. Still, Stan's stubborn and he hasn't let that stop him.

Today though, Stan doesn't even have to knock because Ford's sitting outside. Playing chess. ...With his owl. The sight is too weird for him to feel the pain of nostalgia.]

...Okay. I'll bite, instead of just assuming you've completely lost your mind. Why are you trying to play chess with a bird?

[Somehow, he feels like he's walked into the setup for a really bad joke here.]

[mviw]

[Ford won't admit it, but he's starting to anticipate and maybe even look forward to Stan's visits. If Stan's late, Ford notices and a painful twinge in his chest catches him off guard.

He could easily not let Stan into his room anyway, but he does every time. Torture and recovery from it have given him a lot of things to think about.

At least today is a good day--where he feels safe enough to play chess outside his own room and maybe attract some prospective opponents. Of course Stan shows up and has to say something critical about it, but Ford's in too good of a mood to let it be ruined so quickly.]

We're in Wonderland, Stanley. When you can tell me why a raven is like a writing desk, you'll know the answer to your question. [His tone is academic and serious... and he's totally just messing with Stan. He can't keep from smiling ever so slightly.]

... I can't find a worthy opponent and I wanted some fresh air.

[He'll try to be nice. He's in good spirits today.]

[charlastan]

[Stan boggles over that for a second before remembering that oh, right, it's a thing from the story. Hm...]

'Cause...neither of 'em can swim? [Then he grins mischievously.] Oh! I know! 'Cause neither of 'em have ever earned me a dime!

[It's a very Dad answer, but said with more good humor than their father ever possessed in his entire life. When Ford gives his actual answer though, Stan rolls his eyes. That's stupid. Desks don't need fresh air.]

Did you look for one? There's a hundred people here, easy, and I'm pretty sure any of 'em would be better at chess than Ford Jr.

[mviw]

[Ford makes a show of sighing and rolling his eyes, but Stan's brand of Filbrick Humor(tm) is usually funnier than anything their dad ever said. Because it was said with actual humor and emotion and not sarcasm.]

Out of a hundred people, how many of them do you think could actually beat me in a game of chess? I may as well play with Lee.

[He means that in more ways than one. He would like to play chess with Stan... if Stan could bear to be seen doing something so unbelievably nerdy with Ford.]