schrodingersghost

[By this point Danny could barely restrain his curiosity.]

Awesome! But what is it a prototype of?

[Varian pulls something out of his backpack- it looks like two discs, pressed together.]

I don't have a name for it yet. Maybe something like...de-ghostifier or...something. Hopefully, it will attach to you without passing through you when you go intangible. You see, these are powered by magnets, which means they'll be attracted to each other around your arm, but hopefully won't be able to just...pass through you when you go intangible, because-

[He's gonna start going on and on, using complicated scientific jargon and more than a little math. His tone is excited, regardless of if Danny follows him or not. After like...fifteen minutes of nonsense: ]

So! You wanna try it out?

[Danny was pretty decent at science and tech.... but this explanation was a little beyong him. He does his best to understand it anyway.]

Uh, sure? I guess anything's worth a try?

[And if this did work, it would be awesome. It was super annoying never knowing from one minute to the next if he'd actually be able to pick something up or stand on solid ground. ]

[Varian looks so damn pleased with himself, he unlatches the two discs and they kind of...hover around each other. ]

Okay! So, give me your arm and I'll attach these to it without actually touching you. Then if you can see if you can make yourself go intangible, it should still stick!

[They're making a weird humming sound but that's probably fine, right?]

[There was a part of Danny that remembered how Varian talked about science and wondered if this was really a good idea. But he immediately represses that. What's the worst that could happen? ]

Uh, sure?

[He holds out his arm for Varian to attach the device.]

Just turn intangible, right?

[It's fine, it's totally fine!!! Varian attaches it- as promised, it doesn't actually attach to Danny's arm, instead, the two discs seem to hover there, with his arm between them. His arm might start to feel a little tingly.]

Yup! Think intangible thoughts, I guess?

I hate that thinking intangible thoughts is something I actually kind of know how to do now.

[He frowns a little at the tingling feeling, and then he goes for it. He focuses on how it felt to be intangible, and it quickly starts to spread down his arm.]

I mean, there's probably worse things but...yeah. Sorry, it's not exactly great.

[Even if it IS kinda cool to study!!! As he watches Danny go intangible, as promised, the little discs stay there, they do not fall through him.]

YES!!!! It's working!!!

[The humming gets louder and Varian definitely casts it a worried glance. ]

Um...it shouldn't be making a noise that loud.

[That was not exactly what Danny wanted to hear while testing out a new invention. He freezes and look at the discs with worry.]

Uh... how bad is that? On a scale of 1 to we should be running for it right now?

[The noise gets louder and Varian lets out a soft hrm sound. Then, he reaches out and unclasps it from around Danny's arm. It drops into his hand and Varian yelps, bouncing it from hand to hand.]

Hot hot hot hot hot!!!

[He hucks it up in the air and the thing goes off in a tiny explosion- paff! Probably best he got it off Danny's arm when he did, huh? ]

[Danny was feeling more than a little alarmed. He was just about to object (to what he didn't know), when the device explodes and Danny is plunged into yet another memory. He emerges a moment later blinking, and more than a little concerned for his other self's sanity and safety.

But he was starting to get used to that.]

....Am I going to get one of these memories every time something explodes near me?

[Varian's ducking his head from the tiny bits of still on-fire metal. It takes him a beat to remember he can do something about that and makes a little gesture with his hand, the metal floating in the air, then compressing together into a little harmless ball which drops on the floor.

And then he realises Danny's having more problems and...oh.]

You got another memory? Huh. Maybe you really did work in a lab or something. Uh- other you, I mean. If my experiments are triggering your memories. What happened this time?

[A beat.]

Sorry for nearly blowing your arm off.

[ Danny stares at the burning metal that had almost been on him with a bland expression. ]

Its fine. I think I'm starting to get used to it.

[He shakes his head.]

I think I saw my parents this time. They were tinkering with some kind of device at the kitchen table. During breakfast.

It exploded.

That's probably a good thing. Less chance of being completely traumatised, right?

[RIGHT? He hums as he considers this.]

Well. That really does seem to add more credence to the idea you were in a legitimate portal. Your parents were scientists maybe? Other you.

...I'm not sure if that's actually how trauma works.

Maybe? I guess? But what kind of scientist is the question.

[Apparently the kind that thought experimenting with their inventions during breakfast made sense.]

It might be? If we really want it to be.

[Varian that's really not how it works and you know it.]

The kind that work with portals from the looks of things. Do you think they might have been attempting interdimensional travel?

I don't think I really saw enough to say that.

[It was kind of a leap to go from tinkering with something in the kitchen to say they were working on interdimensional travel. But it would kind of explain why he'd been in a portal? It didn't really seem like the kind of thing just anyone would have sitting around.]

Oh. Hrm. I just thought that portal had to come from somewhere, right?

[That's definitely the leap Varian made.]

I feel like portals like that wouldn't just come from anywhere? I guess it would make sense if it was family that built it.

But maybe it wasn't. I don't think I've remembered enough yet to say.

Yeah, it sounds like they were engineers at least- it wouldn't be hard to connect those dots.

I guess we'll just have to wait and see if any of your other memories come in. I'm sure they will eventually and you can build a better picture.

"I'm starting to wonder if any of these memories will make any sense."

"It would make sense if they did, right? I mean...maybe it's like a jigsaw puzzle. At the moment everything you're getting is only partial - pieces that don't match up. But eventually, they've got to start fitting together, right?"

"You got that right," Danny says with a sigh. "I mean, it all has to make sense eventually, right?"

He just wished he knew for sure. Right now all he had were questions.

"I really hope so, anyway. Guess all we can do is wait for those pieces to all show up."

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