Chapter Text
Stanford gawked at the papers in his hand.
‘The astonishing anomalies of gravity falls’
This was just as his muse had warned him. But he found it very hard to believe the man he had trusted for so long would ask him to give up, F wouldn't sabotage him, right?
No this can't be a Tesla and Edison situation, F wouldn’t. Though he had been very off as of recent.
Stanford's gaze flicked back over to the napkin with the so-called probability of failure etched on it, hah as if it could fail! They had taken plenty of precautions, there couldn't possibly be that many flaws in the design!
His gaze once more landed on F
“Very well Fiddleford, you convince me that this isn’t right before 8 o'clock tomorrow night and we will push back the test, but if you however cannot provide me sufficient evidence than we shall continue with the tests as originally agreed.”
Fiddleford refrained from saying anything he just nodded, his mind now racing through ways to prove to his friend that this portal was nothing but trouble. Dread ran through his veins, he felt something bad was coming but all he could do was his best to convince Stanford not to go through with the plans.
Silently they both left the diner and made their way back to the cabin, retiring to separate rooms once home.
Stanford sat with his thoughts for a long while, and one thing couldn't help but stick in his mind, the dream he had last night. He had forgotten about it over the course of the day and between the excitement of the portal finally being ready for tests.
‘I grow maddend’
He had given up on the attempt of figuring out the anagram in a way that made sense, but he felt like he had to heed the dreams warning. Was it in some way related to what Fiddleford had been saying? Was the dream to telling him that the portal had flaws? Or was it perhaps warning him of the potential betrayal F could make him face? No F had left E&T just to help with this project, he wouldn't betray him now! He found himself fiddling with his pockets, emerging from them was an object that felt unfamiliar, that dammed ring from the palm reader that seemed to know far too much. The edges of the ring seemed to seep black into the middle.
Didn't she mention something about that? How if it turned black i cant turn back?
All of these signs seemed far to coincidental, must i consult my muse? Maybe i should listen to F for once, he did seem to have quite the logical explanation. Gosh all this thinking is pointless. Unless F has something very convincing to show me, I will go through with the tests. I almost listened to a so called ‘palm reader’ what am I even thinking
Fiddleford wasted no time in writing up some explanation towards as to why they shouldn't activate this darned portal. If only Stanford wasn't so dam stubborn all this would be a lot easier. Fiddleford wanted to pry more into where he got the idea for the thing in the first place, but he assumed that would just piss Stanford off some more. God knows why he was being so secretive about the whole thing. Felt like he was no longer lodging with his old college roommate. Now he was a lot more selfish and a whole lot colder. God only knows what he's always doing in his study. And all that mediating he does making him all giddy after. Fiddleford stopped dwelling on all that and got back to forming a convincing enough excuse as to why they shouldn't continue with the portal.
Knock
Knock
Knock
The sound made fiddleford jump out his skin a little, completely shaking him out of his thoughts. What in darned hell could Stanford need this late?
“Come in stanferd,” fiddleford tried to keep his tone as flat as possible, he didn't want to get into another spat with Ford if it was avoidable.
“Hiya glasses! Mind passing those notes you're writing over to me! I'm quite interested in what you've been getting up to.”
Stanford approached, but his voice had a weird inflection and nothing about this felt quite right, and did he call him glasses? Just what in sam hell had gotten into him? Fiddleford could hear his approaching footsteps without the need to look up, heavier than they usually would be, when he finally made a point to look at Ford, he knew something wasn’t quite right. Those eyes, what was up with those eyes and the grin plastered on his face looked unnatural. Whatever was going on Fiddleford was in no right mood to deal with it.
“What’re you playing at Stanferd, you’re acting all funny?”
“Haha good one glasses! Y’know Sixers pretty fond of you, too bad im gonna have to get rid of you! Next time don't think so much, would've all went dandy if you didn't start questioning the portal!”
Fiddleford involuntarily shivered, that voice it was to chirpy, not in a good way either, gave him a bad feeling and the way he referred to himself in the third person was just downright odd. The man in front of him wasn't his friend. Not the Stanford he used to know anyway. Fiddleford furrowed his brows barley paying attention to the man in front of him.
“Finally figuring it out huh? You’re not as smart as he makes you out to be glasses, just a country bumpkin at heart aren't you! Anyways I'll be having these!”
The papers on fiddlefords desk were snatched up and ripped without a second to process it. Stanford or whatever was stood in front of Fiddleford burst into maniacal laughter.
“Try step in the way of the project again and it’ll be a lot worse than this, you got poor Sixer all confused about where his loyalties lie, I’ll gently remind him not to trust the likes of you, he's a very good listener!”
Before Fiddleford could even begin to respond whatever that was walked off, laughing at that too high octave, bashing into the doorframe as it left.
Sweet sarsaparilla, something isn't right. This is much more than his friend changing over the years. Stanford had done something gravely bad. Whatever it was Fiddleford wasn't letting this continue and by no means was he letting that portal be activated tomorrow. He had one means of distraction for Stanford. One he had hoped he would never quite need to use but desperate times.
Fiddleford searched around in his draw, not letting him dwell on the fear that coursed through him after that interaction. He retrieved a piece of paper with a number scrawled on it. The number belonged to Stanford's twin brother that Fiddleford had to find out about his own means. He found a coupla pictures of the two after finding Fords copy of ‘urban legends of new jersey’. He wasn't rightly happy about Fiddleford rummaging through his personal business but it's hard not to when trying to get Stanford to open up is like trying to pry open a rock. Within the pictures was crumpled note with a number, Fiddleford had pocketed it, knowing Stanford was never going to call. It was like Fiddlefords lifeline if things got a little lost with Stanford. Seeing his twin would be enough of a distraction to quell the portal tests surely? No matter if he threw Stanley right back out or if he made some type of attempt at reconciliation. The reaction from Stanford would be enough to halt the progress of the portal long enough for Fiddleford to make something go wrong with the portal so they couldn't activate it.
Though one thing clung to fiddlefords mind.
“Try step in the way of the project again and it’ll be a lot worse than this”
Fidds didn't exactly know what he was dealing with here, what would worse entail?