"hey there boss." Sans greeted the other skeleton. "what's up?"
"You know what's up Sans." The taller skeleton, Papyrus replied. "It's been eight days, and you still haven't recalibrated your puzzles."
Their voices were a stark contrast with one another. One sounded somewhere between a movie mobster who was also that lazy guy at every store ever. The other sounded like an old movie villain combined with...well, the manager who was always having to deal with that lazy guy at the store. At least, that's how Chara interpreted their voices.
"has it been eight?" Sans asked. "feels like seven, if you ask me."
His counterpart didn't appear amused. "All you do is hang out around your station. What are you even doing?"
"uh...checking out the station." Sans offered turning to it. "really get a good view from this angle. wanna see?"
Papyrus groaned, stepping over. "No, I do not. I don't have-" The taller skeleton looked over, Chara hiding again. "oh...it really does look good from this angle."
"told ya." Sans chuckled.
"Whatever. I don't have time for this." Papyrus remarked. "What if a human comes through here, Sans?" He poked the smaller skeleton. "I want to be ready, which means you have to be ready."
"well uh-" Sans paused, and asked, with a raised eye-socket. "did you get new boots?"
"Don't change the subject sans." Papyrus ordered, adding. "But...yes, I did. They're nice right?"
"a lot...redder than the last ones." Sans remarked.
"It's important to change things up now and then. Helps make you look more dignified. You might try it sometime." His brother suggested.
"where'd you hear that?" Sans chuckled.
"Read it in a book. What was I talking about?" Papyrus asked, appearing to have forgotten.
"you were starting your rounds?" Sans suggested.
Papyrus briefly seemed to fall for it. Before crossing his arms, and letting out a warm huff. Somehow...
"Funny Sans. Listen to me." Papyrus began.
"all ears." Sans interrupted.
"Ugh, just, we have to be the ones to find a human, Sans." He said, sounding fairly serious. "So please, as your brother, do us both this favor." Sans looked conflicted. "Please recalibrate your puzzles. It doesn't have to be right now. But today, at least."
"uhm, yeah, sure thing boss." Sans replied, adding. "i'll uh, put some back-bone into it."
There was a pause, before Papyrus rolled his eyes. "Not going to react to it Sans."
"guess you uh, got thick skin?" Sans joked, his brother sighing. "eh, I'm a bit of a numbskull. but i thought it was a bit of a rib-tickler. heh."
"Oh my god Sans." Papyrus groaned.
"eh, c'mon, you're smiling." Sans noted.
"I am, and I hate it." The taller one smiled, and remarked. "I'm going to go on patrol now. As for your work-" he glanced around. "put a little more...backbone into it."
Playing back a pun that was already used in the same conversation was a bit of a no, as far as Chara knew. But the taller skeleton let out a series of laughs, while turning and heading down the path. Clearly enjoying his joke, while his brother chuckled a bit too. She was about to step out, before Papyrus showed back up, looking as serious as he could.
"Heh." Papyrus remarked, snickering to himself, before heading off for real this time.
Once he was gone, Sans remarked. "okay. you can come out now."
The dynamic duo wandered out into the clearing. Flowey bearing a very annoyed expression. Far from a fan of their combined, awful senses of humor. Chara, for her part, was wearing an honest smile. Getting one back from the, still notably dangerous, and semi-murderous skeleton.
"Thanks, Sans." Chara said.
"eh, no worries kid. you should get going though. he might come back, and if he does..." He shrugged. "you'll have to endure more of my hilarious jokes."
Chara examined the skeleton briefly, wanting to ask something. But realized they should probably get a move on. Giving a slight wave, the duo headed off, or started to.
"actually, hey..." Sans grabbed her attention again. "hate to bother ya, but can you do me a favor?" He didn't wait for her answer. "I was thinkin...my brothers been a little down lately. He's never seen a human before. and seeing you might just make his day."
Flowey answered. "No way."
"heh, let me finish. don't worry, he's not that dangerous." Sans assured. "even if he tries to be." He chuckled. "thanks a million. I'll catch up with you in a bit."
Chara watched the skeleton head in the opposite direction. Heading back over the bridge. She wondered if he was going to the ruins. Though, she couldn't think of any reason he would be. Pushing the thought away, she returned to the walk.
"We're not gonna do that right?" Flowey asked, adding. "Cuz, that may be a bad idea."
"Probably not." Chara shrugged. "I'm sure he's nice, but uh, we still have to find Mom."
"An excellent reason to avoid Papyrus." Flowey nodded.
The duo continued, eventually reaching a slight clearing. It forked left, or straight forward. There was also some sort of chest, or box, with a sign beside it. Chara noticed a slight shine nearby, purple and visible only to her. |Saved| it read, before the word faded. She looked back, noticing Flowey staring at empty space.
"Guessing...you see a save point?" She asked.
"Yeah." He replied.
Giving a nod, she headed over to it. Letting the flower save his progress. She was surprised to see them so near. Wondering who designed these things. Especially her own, given how questionable its save locations had been thus far. Not that she was upset to have it, by any means. Stepping over to the chest, she tried to read the sign, but someone had painted over the letters.
Turning her focus to the chest, she opened it. Noticing, and taking out a pair of gloves. Her expression darkening.
Chara equipped the Tough Gloves. They felt old, a bit worn. But had no dust on them.
"Worn leather gloves. For five fingered folk." Flowey said, looking at them. "Huh, they look like they'd pack a bunch."
She frowned; thankful he couldn't see her expression. Letting out a breath, recalling how she'd acted with Alex. Before patting herself on the side of the face with them, fixing her smile.
"They're comfy." She dug out the plastic knife, noting they made holding it a bit uncomfortable. Placing that weapon in the box, before closing it up.
"Not bringing the knife?" He asked.
"Seems braver if I don't." She chuckled darkly.
"Well, I guess." Flowey looked at their two paths forward. "So, uh, left or straight forward?"
Chara felt like heading forward was probably the correct way to go. However, she felt a little curious about the other direction. Starting that way, just to see what was there. Heading up, the duo came across a river of some kind. With a broken fishing pole next to it. A photo of some strange creature beside it, with words written on the back.
"Call me?" Chara read, turning over the picture, holding it so Flowey could see it.
"I dunno if we should do that." Flowey noted.
Chara suddenly had a revelation. "I have a phone."
"Yeah." He hummed. "You've had one for awhile, right?"
"Flowey...we have a phone. With Toriels number in it." The girl commented.
The Flower blinked, and groaned. "Ughhhhhhhhh. We're so bad at this."
"I'm such an idiot." Chara huffed. "I didn't even think about it, after the room."
She moved to pull out the phone. Hearing a noise, that prompted a breath of surprise. The world flashing red and dark. Turning she found that a strange bird-like monster was glaring at them.
"And, wonderful. Snowdrake." Flowey remarked, annoyed, and sounding a bit anxious.
|Chara - 24/24 HP| - |Flowey - 20/20 HP|
|Fight| |Actions| |Item| |Mercy|
|ACTIONS| - |ACT|
|CHECK| - |LAUGH| - |JOKE| - |HECKLE|
Chara decided to check.
Flowey decided to defend.
Chara checked the bird monster. - Snowdrake - This teen comedian fights to keep a captive audience, with his dark humor. Flowey moved his vines to protect himself and Chara.
"My grief counselor died recently." Snowdrake began. "He was so good, I don't even care."
Following this, the monster created a string of strange crescent shaped magical attacks. Moving from the sides all around them. She didn't know why he was attacking, but didn't care. They arced, prompting her to rush back to avoid a few.
"C-careful!" Flowey warned, regarding some behind her. His vines stopping some of the attacks, before she stopped her movement. Stepping back, enough to be in-between the two sets of attacks. Her soul shining some, due to how close they were. Grateful to have not been injured.
As the attack ended, Chara decided to Joke.
|FLOWEY|
|Fight| |Act| |Item| |Defend|
|ACT|
|CHECK - |F-ACTION| - |JOKE| - |HECKLE|
Flowey used F-Action.
Flowey began to clap using his leaves. The clapping seemed appreciated some. Chara then attempted to joke with Snowdrake. "That was snow funny." - Snowdrake appeared annoyed at the pun.
"That's what you call a joke?" He chuckled darkly. "Pathetic."
The crescents appeared in different waves than before. Forcing her to side-step one. Another managing to hit her, as she yelped in pain. Moving back, as Flowey warned her to stay put. The attack narrowly missing her, before it ended.
|Chara - 22/24 HP| - |Flowey - 18/20 HP|
"I don't think he liked your joke." Flowey commented.
"Clearly." She muttered, a little annoyed about that.
|ACTIONS| - |MAGIC|
Chara noted the presence of a new spell.
|S-Butterfly| - |Intangible|
Chara cast Intangible.
Flowey decided to defend.
Chara cast the unknown spell, eyes shining in tandem with her soul. Magic pulsed through her, rushing through her coat, and across Flowey even. The Flower looking very surprised, the duo gaining a slightly translucent quality to them. Flowey moving to defend them, all the same, despite looking quite confused by what was happening.
"Dark humor is like clean water..." Snowdrake said, adding. "not everyone gets it."
The attacks fired out. Chara moving to avoid one, only to stumble into a chain of attacks. Which...didn't do anything? She found that they passed through her. Though, she still moved to avoid them regardless, as the sensation wasn't...terribly pleasant. Once the attack ended, the magical effect flickered, fading. The duo solid once more.
"What was that?" Flowey whispered demandingly.
"I dunno, shut up." She commented back.
Chara decided to laugh at Snowdrakes joke.
Flowey used F-Action.
Flowey clapped, all the more intense than before. Really demonstrating his enthusiasm for the joke. That he definitely heard, and wasn't too busy being confused to get. Chara meanwhile let out a little laugh to his...grim humor. - Snowdrake actually looked like he was smiling some.
"See, told Dad my jokes were funny." The monster remarked.
Snowdrake decided to tell another joke.
"Why can't orphans get upset at dark humor?" He asked, answering. "Cuz it can't hit home, if you don't have one."
Chara internally noted how very unpleasant that joke was. Positive it'd offend, or hurt someone. Then again, at least they weren't getting attacked, so that was a plus. Flowey clapped all the harder, as she chuckled some in response. The color returning to the world as the fight ended.
Snowdrake was contended. "You've all been beautiful. Have a great night."
They got no EXP, and 8G. The monster wandering off now that the 'show' was done. The duo watching him go.
"Those were in very poor taste." Chara noted.
"Yup." Flowey replied.