Valentines Day Journal

[pkemeter]

[Egon's journal is interspersed with ramblings about Pokémon breeding and powers, especially regarding Ghost and Psychic Pokémon. However, after the first five pages, there are entries unrelated to Pokémon entirely.]

I have been informed that the man I have been traveling with for the past few days has, in fact, been a parallel universe version of the Ray Stantz I know. This Peter Venkman is from the same parallel universe, apparently, although I have yet to meet him in person. More notes to follow--I greatly look forward to spending more time with him and meeting this Venkman in person.

For now, Ray Stantz is asleep next to me. I had hoped to do more research on Pokémon, but I do not know how version of Ray Stantz differs from the one I know. If I wish to do more research, I will have to get up. I do not wish to disturb him, so I will attempt to gather what thoughts I have on the creatures of this world.

[There's about a half a page of general observations before--]

I must interrupt these notes to observe that this Ray Stantz has a soft expression while he is asleep. It is somewhat familiar--almost identical to the face that the Ray Stantz of my dimension has while he is asleep. I brushed his hair back from his face and he stirred slightly, but did not wake.

I feel apprehensive? filled with awe anxious It would otherwise be unscientific I will attempt to limit my notes to observations.

[The entries continue on in this manner--every few pages, there are more notes on how the light catches on Ray's face when he smiles or the way that the corners of his eyes crinkle when he laughs, how his tufts of hair fall across his forehead, how his eyebrows crease when he's concentrating. In the beginning, words are crossed out every few sentences in an attempt to keep the tone of the observations to be more detached and neutral, but as time goes on, this happens less and less frequently.]

I have noticed that when Ray becomes more excited, his voice occasionally jumps an octave in volume. He appears to find this somewhat embarrassing. I reassured him and told him that it was fine, it is quite endearing charming I do not believe it is anything for him to be embarrassed about.

I have realized the apparent softness and warmth of Ray is while he is holding me. Is this something significant to take note of? Is it any different from the Ray Stantz from my universe?

Maybe I am allowing emotion to cloud my judgement again.

[Eventually, the most recent notes detail another person.]

I finally had the chance to meet Peter Venkman in person today. Not via a neural transfer, at least. I was not sure what to expect, but upon seeing him, I was overwhelmed with emotion. Ray then promptly collided with him and fell over, though he seems to be uninjured. We made our way to a hotel and the two of them promptly fell asleep on top of me. I do not wish to get up and disturb them, which is why I am currently writing this.

Despite the differing personalities, this is still Peter Venkman. Maybe not the one I previously knew. A more subdued version, I think. I do not know whether to treat him as a different person altogether or continue as though he is the same man, but changed.

I wonder what the Venkman from my universe would think.

Despite my best efforts, I cannot help but continue to study this Peter Venkman as he rests. He looks incredibly different from the Peter Venkman from my home dimension, and there are several noted difference in his personality and interests and yet I Perhaps it may be the projection of how much he sounds like Garfield, but Venkman's voice exudes a warmth and genuine energy--moreso than the Venkman from my universe. He lightly snores occasionally. His grip while he is asleep is remarkable--I believe my arm has gone numb within the past five minutes. His hair appears to be well taken care of--a cursory tactile investigation reveals that it is quite soft. I was careful to gently run my fingers through his hair as to not disturb him.

This journal is becoming more and more unprofessional by the day, but the thought of discarding it makes me but I believe some value can still be drawn from it. Perhaps later I will skim through the pages and copy my research into a different notebook before discarding it.

[The most recent notes say the following:]

Valentine's Day (?)

I am unaccustomed to celebrating this holiday. Back in my dimension, it is frequently used as a way for companies to exploit heterosexual couples for their money for them to engage in shallow mating rituals that they would have otherwise already participated in.

I suppose I am just unfamiliar with it. I have not personally partaken in this holiday. At least, not directly. Even if I do not entirely understand the exercise, I will attempt to engage with some sort of traditional Valentine's Day customs, as I care very deeply about them both and wish for them to be happy.

Sentimentalism is a curse upon the human species. They will not remember any of our time together when they leave this dimension, and neither will I. But is that not a reason to be sentimental while we can?

I still cannot help but feel somewhat foolish about this whole exercise. I have little actual experience in participating in sentimentalism. Surely, it won't be too difficult to figure out.

[The next few pages are...messy. Sentences and entire paragraphs scribbled out, rewritten, then crossed out again. Varying tones, differing levels of emotion and non-emotion, such as....]

██████ induce oxycontin Ray's enthusiasm and ceaseless love for the unnatural world are so powerful ████████ that I cannot help but mirror sentiment??? warm like thermite reaction too violent and combustible, pick a different chemical ████████████

Venkman's strength in character and support throughout everything. ████████how???? what does he expect? what is his definition of ████████████

is there anything sufficient in this imperfect language that can convey this

whatever.

[The writing ends abruptly.]