[OPEN] "These shallow waters never met what I needed. I'm letting go; a deeper dive."

[mviw]

Who: Ford (mviw) & YOU! | Closed prompts for Fiddleford, Wendy & the kids, tiny!Rick and Frisk, and Bill Cipher
Where: Around Neverland
When: Through the Neverland event + the Aftermath
Rating: PG-13/R for violence, swearing, limb amputation
Summary: Ford tries to protect his best friend, his nephew and niece, his friend's daughter, and his brother. It goes horribly awry. (You could say the casualties are about half his armies.)

(This log is corresponding to the events in THIS log.)

The Story:
[ooc: Prompts are written! Have at it.]

Comments

[sciencelizard]

[She feels a little awkward, but like... she totally wants to look, so she makes herself stand still for a few seconds before quickly pitter-pattering over to his side and peering at the stump.]

So the skin just... h-heals over like that, and repairs? I'd read about things like this in m-medical books that fell into the Underground but it's... you're not even, uhm, g-going into shock or anything.

[I mean that's what the painkillers are for, probably.]

But uh, those were probably p-pretty old, not that I think biology has changed, uhm, that much? But anyway! Uh, I came for uhm, measurements, and uh. Yeah. Hold, uhm, h-hold still.

[She patters across the room again and finds her tape measure, coming back over and gently pulling his opposite arm over to compare.]

[mviw]

[Ford shrugs out of the other pajama top sleeve so her measurements will be accurate.

Look at that fuzzy, lean bicep, Alphys. These arms are scarred, and even strong enough to lift at least one human preteen as if that kid was a dangling textbook. Strong enough to support Ford's weight as he careens down into the depths of a spaceship using a magnet gun with the glee and ease of a child on a waterslide. Strong enough to lift you and dunk you if he felt so inclined.

... Fortunately Stanford is not the dunking type--at least not unless he would absolutely have to be.]

That's exactly what the skin does! When a human suffers a flesh wound down to their dermis, the deeper layer of skin, their body sends red blood cells to clot to help stop the bleeding. Scabbing also helps keep bacteria and other foreign agents out of a person's system, giving the body time to send white blood cells to the wound to help fight potential infections. Then there's the fibroblast cells--they deliver collagen to help rebuild the broken skin. The dermis and epidermis seal up the wound!

The human body is an absolute miracle of natural engineering. If the dermis is particularly damaged, the body will repair it with stronger fibers to form a protective scar, as you can see on my wrist and neck.

[He would be a good teacher. ... Part time.]

[sciencelizard]

[She's actually getting to touch his arms. His uncovered arms. She touches them almost reverently, gently, and hopefully Ford thinks she's just being careful. But ohhh my gooood his arms god help her.

She keys back into what Ford's actually saying about halfway through, beginning to nod like she's been listening all along and starting to take the measurements she came for.]

Yeah, that's uh-- t-that's really amazing! Humans are really resilient. It's all that, uh, physical matter and everything.

[She eyes his bicep again. yep. physical matter.

She shakes her head. God, don't make this weird, Alphys, DON'T MAKE THIS WEIRD.]

So, uhm, do you have anything you'd, uh, like the arm to do? I have a few ideas, but uh, if you have s-specs or ideas or anything...

[mviw]

[Ford is oblivious to Alphys' panic, for the most part, mentally floating on the generous cushion of the medicine pumping through his veins. It's nice. It's good stuff.

He just smiles at her. (He looks as exhausted as he feels. He looks like shit.)]

I'd like communications to be patched into it for starters, but I'll spare you the trouble of listening to me ramble on. I drew up some specs-- [he reaches into the drawer of his nightstand and produces several sheets of potential arm designs and utilities; including communications, shield defenses, hologram projections, and built-in utility tools like knives and yes, even a pen. He offers them to her.

Fortunately for Alphys, Ford is ambidextrous, so the only reason his handwriting isn't quite up to par is because of his mental faculties. Otherwise, everything is of his usual quality.]

I know you and Fiddleford are geniuses at your craft, so I trust your judgment.

[sciencelizard]

[Thank god Ford is willing to talk science and give her the out. She reads over the notes carefully, taking stock of where things coincide with her own ideas as well as his- even if she is afraid his confidence in her will be sorely misplaced.]

Well, uhm, I'll d-do my best! With, uhm, me and him. I mean, uh, I'll try not to let you down, and, uh, finish this as quickly as possible. Because, uhm, obviously, you need it. Like. A l-lot.

[Because UH, YEAH, HE DOES, HE'S MISSING A FUCKING ARM]

[mviw]

[He watches her flail a little more, and he just smiles.]

It's okay, Alphys. I know it's going to be amazing.

[sciencelizard]

[She smiles, a little gentler. He... he really believes in her. She needs to do well on this. Really well. Better than she's ever made.]

Well, uhm... I'll do everything I c-can. And in the meantime, uh... rest up, or, uhm, whatever it t-takes for you to be less hurt?

[Monsters don't recover from this type of damage, man, she has no idea if just lying there is gonna let his human body figure it out.]

[mviw]

Rest is absolutely what I need right now. [Ford attempts to stifle a sudden yawn.] -Ah, excuse me.

Human bodies are resilient but they need time to rest so they can work on healing. Don't worry, Mikan and Stanley are forcing me to stay well, so I'll be just fine. And there's a kitten around here somewhere keeping me company.

[sciencelizard]

It's, uhm, it's o-okay. You uh... rest up, and, everything!

And uhm...

[She pauses, blushes a bit.]

... T-Thank you for trusting me to, uhm, help. I'd better, uh, g-get back to my lab and meet your friend to uh, get started.

[mviw]

[Ford's grin ends up being a little lopsided. He's tiring, and therefore getting a little loopier.]

Don't sweat it! And remember, he can be a little skittish. Uh, don't tell him I said that. You two are geniuses, I'm sure you'll figure everything out.

[Ford isn't great with people but he can at least pick out high intelligence when he sees it.]

[sciencelizard]

[She smiles just a little at that.]

H-Heh. Okay. I'll remember.

[She walks to the door, turns, and waves a little.]

See you soon! With, uh, a cool new arm and s-stuff.

[And then off she goes, determined to get to work.]