ghostharasser | Open Post

[Danny gets something of a fond eyeroll for the pun. Stan would probably like your sense of humor, Danny.]

[But he does pause for a moment to think about it.]

None come to mind that have that kind of power and would be lurking on a college campus. I might have to go back through some of my previous jobs and see if there's any ...I dunno, relatives of people I've pissed off? That could be swearing vengeance on my me or my family? Hell, it could be someone mad at my uncle, too. He's made dimensions worth of enemies, come to think of it.

[Which means he's already got a headache thinking about it.]

I'll have to do some research. In the meantime, I'll set up some wards around the dorm to make sure nothing comes to cause us trouble here, just in case.

Yeah, probably a good idea.

["Dimensions worth?" Well, at least Danny's pretty sure there aren't any of note from the Ghost Zone, or he'd have heard about it. Maybe. Probably? Pines sure get around, huh. He tries to think of anything he could do as well, but comes up empty. "Ghost sense" is really the only preemptive trick he has, huh.]

Whoever it is, I hope we can get that creep to beat it. Who needs classes AND supernatural vendettas? [A beat, Danny sets the chip bag he's been holding on the coffee table and shoves his heads back in his pockets.] So uh, would this be a weird time to ask a totally unrelated question?

Definitely not me. Look, even though I like to exorcise possessed toasters in my free time doesn't mean I'm trying to have my grades tank from warlocks with personal beef.

[Like, even he is unhappy with this much supernatural meddling.]

[A pause and he gives Danny a curious look.]

Shoot, I guess.

You wanna come to that scifi con nearby with me and my friends in a couple weeks? They were planning to visit for it, and I think you'd all get along. Mabel's invited too if she wants.

[That, and on the off chance they're still embroiled in warlock personal beef by then, Danny wouldn't feel great leaving Dipper on his own for a weekend. Regardless, it's the main point of The Plan. (To get Dipper more friends.)]

[It sure is telling how unprepared for that question Dipper is by the way the gears in his head grind to a halt. He has a strikingly bewildered look on his face while he actually processes that.]

Uh.

[Oh god he’s been staring silently for WAY too long. What’s he say?? Does he say yes?? It sounds like a ton of fun? He’s been to cons before but mostly to help Mabel run an artist alley table but as a group activity with friends-]

I um. Are you sure? I-I mean, you’ve seen the way trouble follows me, you sure you want to invite me anywhere?

["Someone who can handle themselves when shit gets weird and dangerous is EXACTLY the ONLY kind of person I CAN invite" is what Danny wants to yell, but he reins it in, just giving a slightly awkward laugh.]

Of course I do! There's nothing you can get into that we can't handle, trust me. We all grew up in the most literal ghost town ever, remember?

Oh, uh, yeah. Yeah, that’s pretty true, huh.

[He looks away, a little embarrassed by how touched he is by the gesture while trying to also not make it super obvious how fun this sounds. Cough.]

Sure, man. It sounds like fun. I’ll talk to Mabel about it too, she likes to sell art at these places.

[Man, Danny was just trying to make this a casual invite, but it's worse than he thought if Dipper is THIS awkward about hanging out with friends. All the more reason to press on, though.]

Awesome! Yeah, that seems right up her alley. I'll let everyone know you're coming! We're all weird nerds, so no worries, right? Well, except Wes. I think he still counts as a jock, kind of. But he's cool, promise.

[Oh yeah, that guy Dipper has definitely not talked to about Amity Park behind Danny's back. HAHAHA this will be fun.]

[Good thing Danny's noted his social awkwardness already so it doesn't look THAT suspicious when he suddenly sputters.]

O-Oh, good to know! It's been a while since I've, uh. Hung out in a group! I can't wait, man.

[Smooth. He chugs down his bottle of Mabel Juice. After coughing up more glitter-]

Anyway, I think I should go see how much damage has been done to my class workload since I've been out. I've got a mountain of homework with my name on it.

Well I've never had a friend who wasn't from Amity Park before either, so hey, same.

[Danny can't help but wince a little as Dipper brings up the class catchup, though.]

Oh man, yeah, I bet. I should check mine too, I guess. [He might have been avoiding doing so while waiting for Dipper to wake up.] Good luck!

[There Danny goes, using the "Friend" word again. It's such a goddamn surprise, especially after how thoroughly he has not kept up his end of the "we're just normal people" facade. He should stop worrying, right? Danny clearly thinks they're friends regardless of any of that.]

[It would be weird for him to change his mind.]

[Right?]

[Anyway about a week passes. Dipper was catastrophically behind on class to the point that he actually got a few concerned calls over the matter. He had to assure his mom that everything was fine and that she definitely didn't need to come and check on him. His uncles had also called worried, but for other reasons. Mabel had snitched on him after all, and he had to come clean about the curse and what attacked him and that his roomate came and rescued him. That brought up a lot of other questions so he and Ford at least spent some time talking about Amity Park, and Ford then agreed he would keep an ear out about anything particularly strange that might come their way, though this person's methods aren't familiar to him, either.]

[He really puts his nose to the grindstone to get caught back up, and he's able to pull himself out of trouble, at least, but it didn't leave him with a lot of time to worry about their curse problem so, perhaps by virtue of speaking of the devil, Dipper comes home from class to find the vibes of the dorm...]

[..Strange...]

Hello? Danny?

Afraid not, my apologies.

[The man sitting in the armchair is absolutely the source of the vibes, though he himself doesn't look too odd at first glance. His voice is calm and even, and he sounds genuine. He's... well, his age is hard to place, in his thirties maybe? He looks well kept, wearing a deep violet suit with his dark hair combed back. There's a scar over his left eye, thin and jagged, and a cogwheel shaped pin on his lapel with a stylized symbol inside it like a C and a W overlaid. He snaps the pocketwatch he was looking at shut and slips it back into his breast pocket, standing and stepping over to meet Dipper at the door.

His eyes are red.]

I'm an acquaintance of his, Claus Wirth. I was hoping to catch him, but it seems he's not yet home. You're his roommate, I presume?

[He does offer a gloved hand to shake in greeting, though it feels like just that - a polite greeting, nothing more. The man's smile is a little secretive, yes, but in a... fond way?

If Dipper's ears are especially sharp, he might pick up a faint ticking sound.]

[What the good goddamn is going on here.]

[No, really, there's a lot about this guys everything that is setting off like ...ten separate alarm bells. Dipper is very still, standing right in the door way for a long time before his eyes dart down to that extended hand. Taking in this guys presence, he tells a very quick lie.]

Oh- sorry man, you don't want to shake my hand right now, I just came out of bio. We were uh, dissecting stuff.

[To punctuate that he goes right to the kitchen to wash his hands, but he makes no effort to pick back up the handshake. Instead he stays behind the kitchen counter, watching him carefully.]

Mr. Wirth, you said? You um, must be family or something right? Did he give you a key?

In a manner of speaking. I count as a legal guardian for him under certain circumstances.

[He seems unbothered by the dodge, simply dropping his hand back to his side. What he's said isn't exactly a lie either, as that's more or less his role towards Danny in ghost society.]

I hope you don't mind if I keep waiting for him? I was curious to meet you anyway - he's spoken of you quite a bit.

[...He didn't answer his question. "Legal Guardian", huh? Wait so ...was this guy a ghost? That can't be right, he looks pretty solid. At least, from here. Dipper's pokerface is probably better than Danny's but it's hard to hide the way the gears are clearly turning in his head.]

[He thinks very carefully of how to reply.]

Really? Has he? That's interesting. I ...don't think he's ever mentioned you. What's he said?

[Dipper, while using the cover of the countertop he standing behind, discretely pulls out his phone.]

I'm not surprised he hasn't, the circumstances in question are rather complicated. I'd prefer to allow Danny to tell you about that in his own time, if he wishes.

[He shakes his head, retaking his seat in the armchair and crossing one leg over the other.]

He seems very excited to finally make a friend with common ground outside his old friend group... though not half as excited as he was over you being nicknamed after a constellation.

[He punctuates that with a warm chuckle. Clockwork knows perfectly well what Dipper is up to behind that counter - but that is as it should be.]

[Ghost Complicated, he thinks but does not say. Anyway, yeah he is trying to very discretely text Danny: Weird dude in our dorm says he knows you.]

[Dipper remains where he is, even after texting, though, because he wants to be in grabbing distance of a knife just in case. He notably does not stand far from their shitty silverware drawer.]

...Yeah, he was pretty excited about that. [About his birthmark. This doesn't seem like a thing an enemy would know. It's not exactly something you yell when you're mid fight or something. He doesn't let his guard down but he doesn't advance any closer to their knives.]

Danny's got a lot of complicated circumstances, it seems like.

[Thankfully, Danny texts back almost immediately: uh. great. description??]

As do most from Amity Park. I gather he's told you a little about it?

[satan lawyer]

He's told me a little. Amity Park is pretty easy to google, too. Fascinating place, it sounds like. I'd like to visit one day.

Edited 2024-11-15 05:13 (UTC)

[vlad?? looks like a cartoon vampire villain? stupid ponytail?]

It's calmed down in the past few years, but I think you'd still enjoy it. The mayor is funding a museum focusing on the city's history with ghost encounters and research, I hear.

[red eyes weird scar clock gear insignia]

I take it he also mentioned my side hustle to you, too, huh?

[Not a secret, and he knows he is googleable, but he wouldn't think Danny would just go talking about that for a couple of reasons. If this person is even telling the truth and isn't just watching them.]

[OH. clockwork. yeah nah hes chill

...which isn't to say Danny isn't still panicking internally and considering making up an excuse to get out of class. Clockwork isn't an enemy, true, but he basically never shows up on his own with good news. And what the heck does he want with Dipper? Because if he wanted to speak with Danny, he'd just stop time and show up in the middle of class...]

Only that you also have some interest in the paranormal yourself - an inevitable topic between us, I'm afraid.

[Clockwork taps a finger against the arm of the chair idly. Is he wearing a watch on both wrists? ...definitely. At least one each. There might be additional bands under his sleeves.]

Though he did mention you'd had a run-in with an assailant of similar interests. That's the reason for my visit today - a concern for the safety of both of you.

[There’s a very unsubtle pause as Dipper sees that last text. His shoulders drop a bit with some of the tension flooding out of him. He takes his other hand off the silverware drawer, and this time folds both his hands in the counter with interest.]

[With the immediate threat of danger currently set aside, Dipper is now a thousand times more invested in this conversation.]

Is that so? I hate to say I haven’t gotten much closer to tracking the guy down.

[He gives him a calculated look.]

You’re a ghost, aren’t you?

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oh of course I notice a typo in the last post now

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