003 / video

[neverstudied]

Soooooo.

[The feed starts a little abruptly, focused on an Elgyem cradled in the crook of someone's arm. The Elgyem in question makes hopeful grabby-hands towards the Pokegear, her handlights blinking.]

Got this little girl recently- from a guy called Ford Pines. She's kind of like, the closest I've come to actually trying to take care of a human baby. You know, Ray likes to call all the Pokemon we get our "children", but this one's the first that's really.. humanoid, I guess? Dunno.

But that's not- that's not what I wanna talk about.

[The Pokegear's camera zooms out a little bit to show a bit more of the whole picture- the Elgyem is cradled to Venkman's chest, and he's currently sprawled out on a couch looking exhausted.]

No, what I wanna talk about is- so, Spengs has a little psychic baby of his own, Kölliker- a Solosis. She's been learning how to speak mentally, right now she's pretty firmly in the "swear all the time" stage of development and I can already see the "terrible twos" comin' up even though she's only, what, 2 months old? And that's a liiiittle terrifying, because, uh, she can kind of read minds? And just peek into our brains and emotions, and that's the kind of power you don't want a toddler to have.

[He shifts his arm a little and looks down at the Elgyem, who's stopped grabbing for the Pokegear and instead has her little nub hands clasped together. She stares up at Venkman unblinkingly.]

And this girl- Sigourney- she's only a little over a week old, but on the day she was born she figured out how to go through our memories, and just like Kölliker she can like- read our thoughts, and emotions, and kind of manipulate them? She was able to send memories from my brain and transplant them in Egon's head, like a mental text message. It's- it's weird.

[As Venkman speaks, he idly rocks Sigourney in his arm.]

And the other day- uh, so, background, I did do a little research on this species and it's evolution after she started doing the whole "reading my thoughts" thing, and the evolution- Beheeyem- is able to just. Completely rewrite people's memories. Sometimes without them even realizing it. And I thought, ok, that's completely fucking terrifying, sure, but she won't be able to do that for a while, right?

[Venkman sucks air through his teeth and shakes his head. Sigourney, meanwhile, snuggles closer to his chest. It looks like she's falling asleep, though her eyes never close.]

Nah. Nope. Nada.

... She hasn't tampered with anything important, and I don't think she really knows what she's doing. But I was writing notes the other day about her dredging up certain old memories, and now when I try to think of what they were, there's just... Holes? [His brow furrows.] Also, I don't remember anything about fifth grade anymore. Like, I literally... don't remember being ten years old, except for summer break. I dunno what it was about fifth grade that she decided to just chuck out the window, but that's just gone now. And today she was poking around a lot at some memories I really don't wanna lose...

So here's what I'm asking.

[Sigourney is definitely asleep by now. He lowers his voice to just barely above a whisper.]

First of all, is this, like, an isolated thing? Is this sorta stuff normal for Psychic Pokemon when they're babies- just being, incredibly powerful and not really sure of how to use that power-, or are Egon, Ray, and I just really, really unlucky? Because I'll be honest, wouldn't be surprised if it's the second one. Could be some sorta, I dunno, residual effect from our dimension.

And second of all- anyone know how to train psychic toddlers to not be mentally destructive and do shit like this? Both for Sig, and for Ko when she hits that tantrum stage. I'm open to suggestions, here. Any suggestions at all. Seriously.

Comments

[ghoststanning]

Want me to try? You know how good I am at discipline!

[Ray "naughty ghosty" Stantz will cure Sigourney's memory thing.]

[neverstudied]

No. If anything, you'll just encourage her to be worse about it.

[ghoststanning]

[Ray pouts]

C'mon, Pete, at least let me try! What's the worst that could happen?

[neverstudied]

... You can try. But I'm supervising, and if you do anything stupid...

[ghoststanning]

You have no faith in me.

[Right she is still asleep.

Well since they live in the same hotel, Ray's gonna go fix that! He goes into the room Venkman's in and gently rubs Sigourney's head, speaking in a hushed voice in an attempt to not alarm her.]

Hey sleepyhead, do you wanna get up?

[neverstudied]

Hi, Ray. So good of you to join us.

[He sets his Pokegear down and moves over on the couch to make room for Ray, if he wants to sit.

Sigourney wriggles a bit in Venkman's arm. She doesn't close her eyes when sleeping, but her eyes suddenly refocus, fixed on Ray.]

'💤😴😮❓'

[Both Ray and Venkman get hit with a feeling of sleepiness- Venkman stifles a yawn.]

[ghoststanning]

[Ray happily takes the offer and sits down next to Venkman.]

Hey I thought it would have been nice for there to be a public record of our talk in case anything groundbreaking happened!

[Ray doesn't even bother trying to stifle his yawn and he rubs his eyes, smiling at Sigourney.]

Good morning. [It's not morning.] I was wanting to talk to you about your memory powers, if you're up for that.

[neverstudied]

Or so there's a public record just in case she breaks our brains, so Spengs knows what happened.

[She tilts her head and sits up a little, sending feelings of curiosity and interest.]

'😮🧠👁‍🗨'

[ghoststanning]

[Ray sticks his tongue out at Venkman childishly before turning back to their alien child.

Hm... how to approach this...]

I'm sure Peter here has already told you about how it's not nice to erase someone's memories without their permission, but I wanted to ask why you felt like you had to do it in the first place.

[neverstudied]

[Sigourney looks up at Venkman, then back to Ray.]

'❓... 😦🚫➡️🙅‍♀️🧠🙂'

[After a moment, Ray will feel her gently probing into his own memories- surface level, at first.]

[ghoststanning]

I know you mean well Sig, but memories are what makenyou you, no matter how good or bad they a-

[Oh, she’s going through his memories.

He should tell her to stop but... science.

Ray laughs and pats her head.]

I guess I’ll let you probe through my memories as long as you don’t delete anything or dwell on my bad memories. We got a deal?

[neverstudied]

Ray.

Ray, we're trying to stop encouraging this-

[That's all he manages to say before Sigourney peers in deeper, and what follows is a rapid flash of scattered memories and thoughts from Ray's entire life as she sorts through them without a pattern, pulling out random snippets like files from a cabinet and tossing them aside when they're not interesting enough to hold her attention.

Venkman gets a vague impression of what she's seeing, but its fuzzier- he can't make out all the details. Ray, on the other hand, relives all these memories crystal-clear, as if he's experiencing them real-time. Some are good, some are bad, and the overall experience is overwhelming- like a sensory overload of nearly everything Ray's ever experienced, layered on top of each other.

This all happens in under three seconds.

Just when it feels like it's all too much, Sigourney lets up the pressure, and stops going through all of Ray's memories at once. She's now leafing through a few specific memories from a snippet of Ray's mind- part of his college undergrad. Venkman lets out a breath he didn't know he was holding in.]

You alright, Ray? She's, uh- she's gotten more intense about it over the last couple days.

[There's a reason Venkman started this video log looking completely worn-out.]

[ghoststanning]

[Ray is so overwhelmed by the memory dive that it takes him a good minute to finally come back down to earth once the worst of it is over. He feels like he’s been gone for years within the three seconds Sig delved in, and he has to examine Venkman to make sure that wasn’t actually the case.

Eventually he runs a hand through his hair and lets out a shaky laugh.]

Y-yeah, it was a lot more intense than what I was expecting.

[He pats Sig’s head again.]

And that’s why we don’t delve into people’s brains without their expressed permission, alright Sig?

[Is she even listening to him now it’s a mystery.

Still, the memories she’s going through now brings a smile to his face as he relaxes. It wasn’t perfect years, but they were ones Ray remembers fondly. The engineering projects he spent weeks excitedly working on, the now trivial stress of exams and papers, weekends spent drinking cheap beer and watching bad horror movies, and, most importantly, meeting Venkman and Egon and finally perusing his dream of getting into parapsychology.]

Gee, I can’t even remember the last time I thought about undergrad. Those were simpler times, huh Pete?

[neverstudied]

When she was a newborn it wasn't so bad, because she'd just latch onto thoughts I already had and then explore memories based off of those. But she figured out how to search on her own, and in order to do that she has to, like, load all our memories first.

That's my theory, anyway- it's the best explanation I've got so far. Hopefully when she gets older she'll have enough control that it doesn't hurt like hell.

[Sigourney is not paying attention whatsoever, as she's too focused on poking and prodding Ray's mind, drawing out memories of an old apartment and an even older dorm room, of a library and lecture halls and labs. Now that she's taking her time, it's easier for both Ray and Venkman to focus on what she's looking at- images appear unbidden in both their minds, slightly cloudier for Venkman.]

I'm not sure how much I trust her going through these, Ray. If she feels like deleting something again...

[ghoststanning]

I’m sure she’ll get a better handle on her powers once she gets older!

[Hopefully

Ray grins at Venkman as he nudged him slightly.]

You worry too much Pete! There’s nothing in college that happened to me that’s so bad that Sig would feel the need to erase it!

Although there was that one Economy professor I had...

[As if on cue, they both get a memory about Ray’s economy professor spouting horribly inaccurate information about society.]

Ugh, do not miss him.

[She continues to search through his memories, as they start to drift towards the boys meeting.

There’s Venkman approaching Ray after one of their engineering classes, bribing him to help tutor him. Then there’s the long nights as Ray attempts to help Venkman in the class, slightly frustrated and concerned at first. Venkman suggesting they get drinks after one study session and Ray agreeing, soon starting their friendship as they start bonding over the professors they hated and movies they watched and life in general.

Then there was Venkman admitting to Ray that he wants to give up this major and get into parapsychology, and Ray gushing as he admitted he always wanted to get into the major too. Venkman convinced him to double major. Then there was Benkman introducing him to Egon and them becoming fast friends. Ray would spend many nights at their place, mostly working on projects with Venkman sometimes “helping”, and then there was this one night-

Ray feels his face flushing as he registers the memory.]

Ah, I almost forgot about that.

[Their first kiss, right.]

[neverstudied]

I'm pretty sure the entirety of fifth grade wasn't that bad for me, either, but she wound up erasing all of it anyway.

[When Ray's economy professor shows up, Venkman shakes his head.]

That was your only really shitty professor?

[Sigourney taps into Venkman's mind questioningly, and pulls up memories of old arguments with professors; both Ray and Venkman are hit with a wave of old adrenaline and righteous anger as the younger Venkman pulls his fist back and clocks a psych professor in the jaw.]

I almost got kicked out for that.

[He sounds way too happy about it.

The memories start to blur from there- Sigourney focuses on Ray's memories, but occasionally pulls in some of Venkman's relevant ones. Ray and Venkman studying together turns to Venkman trying to study alone and nearly throwing the textbook out of frustration because he can't focus-

Venkman introducing Ray and Egon causes a whole tangent of memories with Venkman and Egon, before and after Ray made them a trio- Venkman lounging on Egon's couch and trying to go over flashcards, Ray and Venkman dragging Egon to a movie theater, Egon tentatively holding Venkman's hand for the first time,

Venkman asking Ray questions he already knew the answer to just to listen to him ramble, staying up late to keep Ray company while he worked on a project, and-]

See, that would be the other reason I didn't want her digging through college memories.

[The same scene plays out again in both their minds from two different angles- Ray's perspective and Venkman's. Venkman winces.]

Why did you guys let me grow a soul patch? You shoulda told me it looked stupid.

[ghoststanning]

He was the worst one. Not all of my teachers were amazing but usually I like the material enough that I can get past some of their faults.

[He playfully nudges Venkman.]

At least enough that I didn't want to punch them.

[He can't help but laugh at Venkman's soul patch comment.]

Pete, you know that if I commented on your soul patch you would just say I have no room to judge with the clothes I wear.

[Which, to be fair, is disastrous, especially on dates.

However it soon hits him that Sigourney is looping the memory again... and again...

Ray's face is practically beet red as he clears his throat.]

Uh, Pete?

Is it normal for Sig to loop memories like this?

[neverstudied]

Hey, you know how I am. It's a miracle he's the only professor I hit.

[But far from the only person he tried to fistfight in college. Just the only one with some authority.

He nudges Ray back, grinning.]

I mean, to be fair, you dressed even worse in college. ... Not that Egon was much better.

... Oh. Yeah, she does that if she finds a memory interesting. Or if we find it interesting. I told you I didn't want her messing with these.

[ghoststanning]

[He grins back at Venkman, still flushed from the memory repeating.]

Hey at least we learned something out of this! [What did they learn, exactly?] Having a first hand experience with her powers can help me better understand how to control her powers.

[Still, there's only so much he can take reliving the excitement, the panic, the confused joy before it gets a little overwhelming. Ray gently places a hand on Sig's head in an effort to grab her attention.]

I think that's enough, Sig.

[neverstudied]

Yeah, Ray- we learned what we look like from the other person's perspective when we're kissing someone. Real informative.

[Sigourney tilts her head to look up at Ray, and her handlights blink something indecipherable. For a moment, the memories stop and she just looks up at him.

... Aaaaand the memory replays again.]

[ghoststanning]

[Ray is just... going to gently grab a pillow and hide his face in it.]

Sig please. You're embarrassing me in front of Venkie.

[Okay maybe he's realizing now that he's kinda fucked up]

[neverstudied]

[Just because you hide your face doesn't mean either of you stop seeing the memories, Ray.]

Hey, this was your idea. Now you get to try to convince her to stop going through your memories.

I think she doesn't mind all that much about embarrassing you-

[Venkman freezes. He speaks hurriedly:]

Ray, think of something different. My notes before she wiped all of fifth grade said that the memory she was focusing on was embarrassing. Ray, try to distract her with literally anything else.

[Ray is NOT losing his memory of their first kiss on Venkman's watch thanks

Venkman gets off the couch to try to find Sig's Pokeball just in case.]

[ghoststanning]

What?!

[Ray knew about that, but the implications of this just hit him in horror.

As embarrassing as this situation was, it wasn't a memory he wanted to forget at all, and the idea of him losing it terrified him.

Ray quickly tried to think of anything else, but the panic made him just think back to the kiss again.

Yeah this isn't going to work.]

Uh...

[Quick how to distract her...]

Hey Sig, do you want ice cream?

[FUCK DOPPEL IS THE ONE THAT'S ADDICTED TO SWEETS.]

[neverstudied]

[The baby is unphased.]

[ghoststanning]

[Fffffffff

Ray looks over at Venkman in mild panic, hoping he would have a solution for this, before turning back to the baby.]

Please? For me?

[Ok let's try the memory thing again.

Ray hurriedly thinks about every other random event that happened in his life. Venkman punching the daylights out of his brother, getting fired from seemingly every college in the city, their first bust, meeting Winston, stopping the apocalypse multiple times, watching Winston play baseball for Venkman's soul. Each thought rapidly flashing through his mind as if Ray himself was quickly sorting through his mental files to see what sticks.]