If we're strong for once this could get contagious | OPEN

[charlastan]

Who: The Pines Family and you!
What: February catch-all
When: February!
Where: Pines house!
Warnings: The Pines are their own warning, but will add more if applicable.


[Come visit the Pines family! Each family member will have their own top levels with prompts, or hit one of us up on discord if there's something else you'd like to do!]

Comments

[ephemeralflow]

Of course! What is a proper building without them?

[She does at least wait until Dipper has himself properly situated before zipping off for his house at a rapid pace - and he may find it surprisingly easy to balance while sitting on this thing. Well, it would be no fun if he fell, so Timekeeper is using her levitation to keep that from happening, too. Enjoy the view of the Grove from the air, because it'll be pretty brief at the speed she's going.]

[ghostharasser]

[HAHA Still a better ride than that time he magnetized himself to the outside of a spaceship while it blasted across the Gravity Falls skyline.]

[This is way more fun and way less terrifying.]

Right? If you're not at risk of falling through the floor when you pull a cord what's even the point?

[Luckily, the trip is brief and Dipper doesn't waste anytime hopping down to let TK inside. Rather than head through the door that lead into the parlor where most of the furniture is, Dipper takes her down the library-esque hall lined with books until they get to the very end.]

[That is when he pulls on a book and the wall swings inward to reveal a little reading nook.]

[ephemeralflow]

Or if there is not at least one innocuous object that is secretly a lever that flips an entire wall around? Those are quite tricky to properly engineer, you know!

[And hey, guess what Dipper shows her exactly once they arrive! She looks very pleased by this as they step into the small nook.]

Well well, a classic! And quite necessary, when you wish to read uninterrupted. Ah, I miss using the time rifts for such things...

[ghostharasser]

Wait until you see how you get into the basement.

[There's like four ways to get into a basement of some kind in this house.]

Yeah, I actually really like this little spot. It stays pretty quiet despite how close to the center of the house it is.

[He'll take a seat on one of the chairs, since now is the time to probably talk about the serious stuff.]

So, I'm gonna take a wild guess to say you've more or less figured out what I got up to, yeah?

[ephemeralflow]

[Timekeeper makes herself at home in a chair as well, leaning the Embroider against the closest wall and crossing one leg over the other as she sits down.]

If it was Truthless Recluse Cookie's head you poked around in, I can make a rather educated guess at what - or who - you might have found, yes. However, I would hear the actual story before moving forward on assumptions.

[Assumptions and jumped conclusions are not how you properly science, after all.]

[ghostharasser]

If you mean the fact that his psyche's been shattered and there's a representation of some corrupted avatar of knowledge and lies living in his head, then yeah. I met "Shadow Milk".

[Dipper gives the impression of having a migraine just thinking about it. There is also a very discrete moment where he locks eyes with...something just past Timekeeper? He goes very still before he settles and goes back to talking.]

A lot happened, but It started because I- Look, I've dealt with possession a lot in the past, unfortunately. So, when I talked to Truthless I got a lot of bad vibes, and it felt a lot like something could have been possessing him. I decided to take a look and see.

I knew he wouldn't be easy to crack but I really over estimated what a mess it was in there, and just how much I would hate that blue clown-ass son of a bitch.

[ephemeralflow]

[Timekeeper does laugh, but it's a little hollow.]

Your instincts for such things are quite sharp! But yes, Shadow Milk Cookie does have quite the habit of making a mess of things - time included.

[She did not miss Dipper staring past her shoulder like a deer in the headlights for a moment, but she does not comment on it. Yet.]

The Beasts are not normally my problem to deal with - they get their due at the proper hands when the timeline lies as it should, after all. Now that things have gone a little off track, however... I do hope the jester - or whatever fragment of him has made it here - knows that I will have no qualms hunting him down should he make the wrong move.

[Her gaze locks directly into Dipper's eyes as she speaks, and there's an almost tangible pressure in the room.]

And the wounds?

1/2

[ghostharasser]

Quell surprise.

[Unfortunately, he can completely imagine how annoying that would be, because Dipper knows a shitty entity just like him.]

I have good news at least. I was able to more or less confirm that the Shadow Milk in his head is a result of his psyche being split- or, the result of what happened to him back home. If there is any of the Actual Shadow Milk in there, it's a very small piece.

2/2

[ghostharasser]

Which I found out by tricking him into having to admit he didn't know something that extended outside mine or Pure Vanilla's memories. The wounds are because he got so mad about it he tore my face open.

[And he is so smug about this.]

Worth it. Hahaha, sucker.

[ephemeralflow]

I can certainly appreciate that! And yes, that makes sense that it should only be a shadow of the true thing. If I could not find this timeline before being pulled here, surely a Beast could not!

...Hm. But of course, you did notice he went for the eyes. I suppose I ought to keep mine on you, then, false little liar or not.

[ghostharasser]

Yeah. I think, he did purposefully leave the eye itself alone, because he was taunting me with a twisted representation of my worst nightmare. [His eyes flick away, then back.] I imagine he wanted to be sure I could watch. Talk about a sore loser.

[He sighs, folding his arms in thought.]

Joking aside, I got really lucky I even got out of there as well off as I did. It was probably an insane thing for me to try and do, given that Pure Vanilla is as old and powerful as he is. White Lily even begged me not to do it but ...I did get the most important thing I could have out of it, so, it was a victory. Just ...a very lucky narrow one.

[ephemeralflow]

That does seem to be your specialty, does it not?

[She hums in thought for a moment, leaning back and crossing her arms.]

I will not tell you not to be reckless; that is what makes you so fascinating! With interesting and valuable results, no less. It is quite funny for White Lily, of all people, to tell you not to try the insane for her husband's sake.

[Yes, she's chuckling at that.]

Should such a thing ever not go well for you, however, I will take matters into my own hands. But I think you already know that. As for Truthless Recluse and Pure Vanilla... well, I am not so worried.

[ghostharasser]

You're not wrong.

[Unfortunately getting into shit is practically his middle name. Getting lucky is less so, but he is still standing here so he must be doing something right.]

I can tell you I'll try to provoke eons old manifestations of a god less when I'm on their home turf, I guess. While I'm pretty happy with the results I got, I probably could insulted him less. Maybe.

[Nah. Anyway, here is the crux of what he figured this conversation would lead to. His smile is juuuust a bit fond.]

Yeah, I know. Sadly it's a little harder to get back at this guy where he's at. It's cool. If he ever shows up here for real, I think it would be hilarious if you punched him.

[HE'LL punch him. Get got, idiot.]

...Really? What makes you say that?

[ephemeralflow]

Oh, make no mistake, were he to arrive here he very much would attempt to provoke everyone around him! Must it be a punch, however? My scissors would do quite nicely, I think.

[Yeah, nah. Insult him more. It's very funny when people defy Shadow Milk.]

Hmm... that situation should resolve itself in time. There are certain conditions, but I hardly think they are lacking here.