A Different Point of View

You're Not Ford

"Hey! HEY!"

Stan looked around for the source of the yell. It sounded angry, but he hadn't really interacted with the townsfolk that much. Who would be mad at him?

It was a woman. Her hair was brown and short, and she wore a gray leopard print jacket with pink sweatpants. The red glasses on her face were a bit too big.

"Ah've got a bone ta pick with you!" She snapped, poking Stan in the chest. "What the hell did you do, huh? Have you even seen Fidds lately?! He's a mess!"

"Hey lady, I think you've gotten me mistaken for someone else," Stan mumbled, tugging at his hood. The girl frowned, looking carefully at Stan. She glanced at his hands, mentally counting the fingers.

"...you ain't Ford," she said softly, frowning in confusion. Her face quickly turned red. "Ah am so sorry! Ah thought you were my friend- well, my ex-friend, since he kinda fucked up my best friend-"

"It's, uh, it's ok," Stan said. "You know Ford?"

"Yeah," the girl nodded. "Me an' my best friend moved in to help him with this project'a his. Are you a relative or somethin'?"

"...He's my twin," Stan answered in a mutter, glancing away.

"Oh!" The girl grinned. "Ah think he mentioned a twin! Ah'm Bella."

"Stanley Pines," Stan responded. "I just go by Stan, though."

"Ok," Bella nodded. "Again, sorry about yellin' at you an' all. Do ya know where Ford is? Ah kinda need ta kick his ass."

"Yes and no," Stan sighed. "You're a friend or somethin', right? Come on, I'll explain on the way."

-----

Bella and Stan were walking towards the shack. Bella had her hands buried in her pockets, frowning slightly.

"So he just disappeared?" She asked. "The portal just shut off?"

"Pretty much," Stan nodded. "I can't get it to work again."

"It must've still worked after they tested it, though," Bella mused. "Why would it shut off now? Maybe it couldn' handle an entire person goin' through it."

"Wait, do you know how to fix the portal?" Stan asked suddenly, stopping in his tracks. It took Bella a minute to notice before she stopped to look back at Stan.

"...Ah might?" She guessed. "Ah didn' work on it myself, but Fidds liked ta show me his blueprints."

"Do you think you could help?" Stan asked excitedly.

"Ah could try," Bella shrugged. "Ah don' remember much 'bout it."

"Great!" Stan exclaimed, pulling Bella towards the shack. "Come on!"

-----

"...Ah really don' know," Bella moaned, flopping down to sit on the ground. "Ah'm tryin'- Ah really am- but Ah just can' remember his blueprints."

"Well, where did he keep them?" Stan asked, trying- and failing- to stay hopeful.

"He took all his blueprints with him," Bella huffed. "Ah only just found him in that motel in town, an' Ah don't think he's... mentally stable anymore..."

Bella sobbed, burying her face in her arms. Stan frowned, setting down the tool in his hand and walking over to comfort the girl.

"Hey, relax, ok? We'll figure it out," he said, hesitantly setting a hand on her shoulder.

"Ah know, Ah just-" Bella sniffed and set her glasses next to her on the ground. "Ah'm worried about my best friend."

"...What happened to him?" Stan asked.

"Ah dunno," Bella sobbed. "After he an' Ford tested the portal, he just packed up and left. Ah tried talkin' ta Ford, but he wouldn' say anythin'. By the time Ah got ta town, Fidds was gone. Ah only just found him, and... it's like he's goin' insane... he don't even remember Ford... he barely remembered me! It's like he was losing his memories or somethin'!"

Bella sobbed harder, and Stan rubbed circles into her back.

"Hey, it'll be ok," he comforted. "Maybe you just need some sleep or somethin'."

"C-Can Ah stay the n-night?" Bella hiccuped and she dried her face. "A-Ah don' feel like goin' b-back to m-my apartment."

"Uh, sure," Stan blushed slightly. "I guess. You have lived here longer than me, I guess. It's just as much your place."

"T-thank you," Bella sniffed, setting her glasses back on her face. "W-where can Ah s-sleep?"

"There's a couch," Stan said. "You could sleep there."

"Yeah... t-that sounds good," Bella nodded.

"Come on, let's get you to bed," Stan said, standing up and pulling Bella to her feet. She wobbled slightly and leaned against Stan's side, hugging his arm as he lead her to the elevator and upstairs.