IC Inbox

[krmvgivv]

Hey, you've reached Dipper! I'm not here right now, but leave a message and I'll get back to you soon!

...

But if this is paranormal-related? Hang up now, call back, let it ring exactly twice, then hang up again. Don't leave a message. I'll get back to you even sooner.


voice | video | text | action

Comments

[krmvgivv]

[Yep, he feels it. And now that he knows what to expect it's easier to hold on, to grit his teeth and refuse to let the memories go. It's just a few seconds. He can hold on to that much. Dipper rolls his eyes. That's a definitely on cheating on dice rolls, then.]

Did you just decide to try and have the conversation two different ways instead of just deciding what you wanted to say?

[This is so annoying for someone who has an almost pathological need to have everything written down. Can he remember what Chara texted well enough to write it down? He has to try.

He... pretty much ignores Chara's new text. Partly cause it's already there and written down and he's more concerned with remembering the old text, partly because it's just the usual melodramatic threats of violence and they lack weight when they come on the heel of an angsty confession. Messing with Dipper? Sure. But Dipper's beginning to suspect that Chara is mostly just really lost and lashing out rather than admitting it.

Not that dipper would know anything about that.]

What does EXP stand for?

[fulllifeconsequences]

I'm earnestly impressed, Dipper Pines! Just two LOADs, and you can do this much.

[A level-up of his own. Whatever LV stands for in his game, anyway. And level-ups warrant rewards, right? That's how the rules go. So, why not. An honest answer.]

Execution points.

[krmvgivv]

Huh, that's unusual. And what's the point of gaining them?

[SAVE Point 1.2]

[fulllifeconsequences]

[Hey, know what would be fun? Reusing their earlier save point. Putting a new SAVE down. Seeing. What. Happens.]

If you gain EXP, you gain LV.

[krmvgivv]

[ARE YOU TRYING TO SEE WHAT IT WILL TAKE FOR DIPPER TO BE THE ONE WHO PICKS UP THE KNIFE?]

Somehow I'm guessing that doesn't stand for level.

[fulllifeconsequences]

[1V1 THEM DIPPER]

What? Of course it stands for level, Dipper. Haven't you ever played a game before?

Anyway, if you LV is high enough, you can acquire QPU. It's a very complicated system, but bear with me.

[krmvgivv]

Huh that's the first one that isn't a thing in my world's video games.

How bout skill points? Are those a thing too? Or is murder the only thing you can improve at?

[fulllifeconsequences]

No skill points. Only DP. Dating Power.

But, hey. Are you serious? You don't have QPU? What on earth do you use instead, then?

[krmvgivv]

Dating and murder are all that matter in your world? I am really glad I'm not there.

I don't know. What's QPU?

[fulllifeconsequences]

You really wanna know?

[How can they not. They're laughing the entire time they reach for their SAVE and send time snapping back.]

[LOAD Point 1.2]

[fulllifeconsequences]

To answer that, we need to talk about parallel universes.

[krmvgivv]

[OH MY GOD NOT AGAIN. At least Dipper has the stuff he'd already written down. There's not much, but the blank space where his notes had been is still disconcerting.]

STOP DOING THAT

[fulllifeconsequences]

[They don't even send a text back. They just jump immediately back, purely because he told them not to.]

[LOAD Point 1.2]

[fulllifeconsequences]

Stop doing what?

[A question that makes no sense, chronologically speaking, as a response to Dipper's last text. That one was all about what the point of EXP was, right?

But they wanna see just how tightly he holds on. Can he maintain a conversation seamlessly across the timespace continuum?]

[krmvgivv]

[It's horrible and confusing and he knows Chara's doing it just to mess with him.]

Do we have to go over life not actually being a game again? I mean I guess that got erased so maybe.

Also this is probably why you don't have many friends.

[fulllifeconsequences]

Nah, it's definitely the violence that keeps me from having friends.

I don't know about you, either, but I'd definitely call this a game. What's LV, Dipper?

[krmvgivv]

The violence is under the general asshole umbrella.

[Dipper is still new enough to swearing that it gives him a sort of rebellious thrill. It's not like he'll ever get to be old enough to use adult language while he's here, though. Why not? Chara will probably erase it anyway.]

Are you testing me?

[fulllifeconsequences]

Wow, Dipper, I'm, like, 12. You can't use that sort of language in front of me!

...Hey. You know that I can trap you in the same five minutes indefinitely until I get whatever I decide I want, right?

[They say, as they're already dialing back.]

[LOAD Point 1.2]

[fulllifeconsequences]

Sorry, what was the question? I seem to have forgotten what you were asking about.

[krmvgivv]

[NO RESPONSE. DIPPER IS GIVING CHARA THE SILENT TREATMENT.]

[fulllifeconsequences]

[Chara waits five minutes.

Then LOADs.

And repeats. And repeats.

And will keep repeating. They're getting a headache from it, but hey. They're determined.

And just for kicks, a reminder from another timeline:]

...Hey. You know that I can trap you in the same five minutes indefinitely until I get whatever I decide I want, right?

[krmvgivv]

[Dipper considers just ignoring them again, but eh.]

Yep. It's great. I'm almost done with my book and no one's yelled at me to eat or shower or sleep.

[Which might be... a little bit of an exaggeration as far as how easy a time he's been having reading through the saves. At least he had the book next to him already, but he keeps having to open it and find his place again, and luckily it's one he's read before or he would be having a much more difficult time keeping track of the plot. But Chara doesn't need to know that.]

[fulllifeconsequences]

[Well, that's interesting. Time to consider the obvious two possibilities.

Possibility one: he's telling the truth. He remembers more acutely than Sans. As acutely as Flowey or Frisk. Which is... telling. Strange, and telling. Is he an anomaly too? Did something inject him with more determination than a SOUL (or lack thereof) is meant to hold? If so... why not Mabel, too?

Possibility two: he's bluffing. The question there is... why? Where's the tactical advantage in that? Does he hope it'll discourage Chara from using SAVEs around him? Does he NOT want Chara to slip up in deleted timelines and offer him useful weapons like their surname was?

Hm. Either way, anyway, it's very thoroughly distracted from the topic of LOVE. So, not a total waste.]

I'm glad you're enjoying it. Further good news: as long as you're in this time loop, I'm the only person you'll actually be able to carry a coherent conversation on with.

[I mean, unless he feels like texting Frisk.]

A cozy little fate, huh?

[krmvgivv]

[Possibility 3: Dipper's just a stubborn asshole and sometimes being a stubborn asshole is more important than tactical advantage. Plus, he's pretty sure Chara will break before he does. Dipper has a book.

And it's good practice too. The more Chara uses their power frivolously, the better he'll get at weathering it and remembering things through it.]

Same to you. Guess you must really like texting me.

[fulllifeconsequences]

I'm very used to not being heard by anyone else, Dipper. This is just temporarily trading one partner for another.

[But it is true that LOADs cost them something, and cost Dipper nothing. They'll probably tire out before he does, especially if his power is great enough that the skips in time don't interrupt his consciousness in the least.

Hm.]