Uncertainty - Stanford Pines x Reader (female)

Chapter 18

After three days of rigorous training, Ford finally approached me, a solemn expression on his face. "I think you're ready.", he said quietly.
I looked up from the monitor screen where I was watching our progress. "You really think so?", I asked, a mix of anticipation and fear swirling in my gut.

Ford nodded, his gaze steady on mine. "You've shown remarkable progress, Y/N.", he said. "Your reactions are more controlled, your heart rate and sweat levels are stabilizing faster. I think you're as prepared as you can be."

I took a deep breath, trying to calm the flutter of anxiety that filled me at his words. "Okay.", I said, my voice steady despite the nervous excitement bubbling inside. "Then I guess we'll be ready to face the security drones for real."

He nodded, his expression turning solemn. "Yes.", he said, his voice sober. "But remember, this is real. There will be no simulation to save you this time."
A shiver of fear ran down my spine, but I forced myself to keep my composure. "I know.", I replied, meeting his stern gaze with a firm one of my own. "I'm ready."

Ford held my gaze for a moment, seeming to be searching for any sign of hesitation in my eyes. When he saw none, he gave a short, resolute nod. "Then we proceed.", he said simply.

The seriousness of the situation hit me like a ton of bricks. I'd worked hard for this moment, spent hours upon hours trying to conquer my fear and master my reactions. But now that it was here, the reality of what we were about to do was truly sinking in. "When do we leave?", I asked, my voice hardly above a whisper.

"Now.", Ford said, his tone sharp and to the point. "Every minute counts. Grab your bag and anything else you need, we'll be heading out in five minutes."
I nodded, my mind already in hyper-drive as I ran through the list of last-minute preparations. This was it. No more practice simulations, no more test runs. This was the real deal.

I grabbed my pre-packed backpack from the floor, slinging it over my shoulder and checking the inventory. Spare clothes, some food, water, and a few other essentials were inside, easily accessible.

Ford was already waiting by the door, his own bag slung over his shoulder. He gave me a brief nod as I approached, his face still set in a stern expression. "You ready?", he asked simply.
"As I'll ever be.", I replied, my voice a little more confident than I actually felt.

Ford nodded, his gaze serious. "We have no time to waste. The others will be back from their road trip tonight, and they mustn't find out about this mission. We need to get the materials for the weapon before they return and complicate things."
I gave a grim nod. "Alright.", I said, shouldering my bag more firmly. "Let's go then."

We headed out into the cool morning air, the sun just beginning to peek over the horizon. The forest was ominously quiet as we walked, the only sound the crunching of leaves and twigs under our boots.

As we hiked through the forest, Ford lectured me on the town's history, his voice calm and measured. "According to my research...", he began, "The entire valley of Gravity Falls was formed when an extraterrestrial object crash-landed here millions of years ago." He paused for a moment, his eyes taking in the strange landscape around us. "Did this craft cause the town's strange properties? Or perhaps... did the town's strange properties attract the craft?" He shook his head slightly. "The answer remains unknown."

I listened intently, feeling a tingle of excitement run down my spine. I'd been so focused on our mission that I'd almost forgotten that we were about to explore ancient history. This was a glimpse into the past, a piece of the puzzle of Gravity Falls' mysteries.

"Wait, seriously?", I couldn't help blurting out, my eyes widening in surprise. "The whole valley was formed by a UFO? That's insane!"

Ford chuckled lightly, his stern expression lightening slightly. "Welcome to Gravity Falls.", he said dryly. "Nothing here makes sense, remember?"
I let out a soft huff of laughter at his words. "Yeah, fair enough.", I conceded.