We get back to the room and check the clock. We have about half an hour. Alphys gets on her black and white polka dot dress and she ties Undyne's hair in a ponytail high up her head. She tied little plaits going into them. Undyne does Frisk's hair at the same time into two little bunches. She looks young and cute. Frisk motions for me to sit in front of her. She sets to work with a comb and I have to wonder what she's doing.
"There," she snaps a photo and shows it to me.
A French plait travels across the back of my head and comes down in a regular plait on my left shoulder. Locks of hair, which I keep short, hang down at the sides of my face so I can hide behind them. I grin at Frisk and she pulls me up.
"NOW FOR THE ACCESSORIES!"
She puts on a beaded bracelet and a golden heart locket. Undyne puts on a little marmite tub charm on a chain around her neck and no one questions it. The dress is nice and all, but it could do with some toughening up. With the long sleeves, I don't have to constantly be paranoid about my wrist. I put on a black leather jacket and do it up. I step into my leather hunting boots and put on a necklace with a shard of black obsidian and a silver chain. Undyne chuckles and Frisk tuts.
"They thought they'd have everyone in classical clothes at their formal event but no one can stop Yael the Edgelord from making an ordinary dress into a leather emo outfit."
"Says the girl wearing a cat dress," I remind her.
"If it helps," Undyne smiles. "I'm putting on a denim jacket over this dress."
She slides on the jacket without doing it up. She steps into some trainers, Frisk steps into a pair of ballet shoes and Alphys wears some heels that she instantly trips over in and switches to small ankle high boots. Undyne digs around her suitcase and brings out a mirror. She hangs it on a peg on the wall and peers at it. She applies a bit of makeup and the others do the same. I approach the mirror. I look edgy, but still obeying the dress code. I have a small bruise on my cheekbone and a cut above my left eye. I don't bother putting on any makeup. The water in my hair has dried and it feels clean and glossy.
"R-ready?" Alphys asks.
We nod and climb down the ladder. We head out to the courtyard and follow Frisk to an odd setup. There are two lines of chairs parallel to each other, facing the back of each one like they're following each other. It creates a long isle with a stage at the front. Speakers are dotted around the site. We're not late, just not early. We end up near the back. Alphys sits in the chair parallel to mine and Undyne sits in front of me. Frisk sits in the seat parallel to hers. More people come and eventually they start the ceremony. I squint over the crowd. I can see Wynn's ginger hair near Papyrus's tall stature. Mettaton is visible too. Sans must be around there somewhere.
"Good morning," Miss Kubara smiles. "You are gathered here today to receive your nicknames as the sun rises. Your nicknames will not be mandatory at all times, but when we are in public, under supervision or making announcements, we will use them. I will call you up in a random order at a time, so be sure to pay attention. Rachel, Rose, Dylan, Ray and Mettaton."
They all stand up and walk along the long isle to the stage.
"Rachel's nickname is Odanna from the Bosnian word 'odan' meaning loyal, like you were to your peers when guarding the base. Rose's nickname is Kath after Katherine Howard, the rose without a thorn. Dylan's nickname is Axel, deprived from the axe he proved that he is so good at using. Ray's nickname is Instinct which reflects his natural instinct of self preservation. Mettaton's nickname is Star, a celestial entity used to describe fabulous characters, like Mettaton."