The inseparable duo began forward, with Chara noticing a purple shining light. Marking the process of saving for them. She didn't bring it up, but was thankful to have it there at least. It wasn't that long before the duo came across an odd sight.
In this case, they found Papyrus chastising some sort of bunny-man, standing at a cart that read 'Ice-Scream.'
Flowey smiled some. "He's distracted. Great, we can move on without him-" She started moving. "what are you doing?"
"I'm just curious." She told him, wandering over to the duo.
As they got near enough, they head the tail end of the conversation.
"There are regulations for a reason." The skeleton stated. "If you can't mind them, I'll be forced to confiscate your cart."
"Fine, fine, angel forbid, jeez." The bunny rolled his eyes. "I'll step away when I smoke, okay?"
Papyrus seemed exhausted. "Very well, see that you do." He noticed the duo approaching. "Flowey, Human."
The inseparable duo began forward, with Chara noticing a purple shining light. Marking the process of saving for them. She didn't bring it up, but was thankful to have it there at least. It wasn't that long before the duo came across an odd sight.
In this case, they found Papyrus chastising some sort of bunny-man, standing at a cart that read 'Ice-Scream.'
Flowey smiled some. "He's distracted. Great, we can move on without him-" She started moving. "what are you doing?"
"I'm just curious." She told him, wandering over to the duo.
As they got near enough, they head the tail end of the conversation.
"There are regulations for a reason." The skeleton stated. "If you can't mind them, I'll be forced to confiscate your cart."
"Fine, fine, angel forgive, jeez." The bunny rolled his eyes. "I'll step away when I do, okay?"
Papyrus seemed exhausted. "Very well, see that you do." He noticed the duo approaching. "Flowey, Human."
"Human?" The bunny asked.
Flowey chimed in. "It's pronounced Hugh Man, actually."
The ice cream bunny glanced Chara over. "Is your name really Hugh Man?"
Chara wasn't entirely prepared for an impromptu performance. Or to really lie. So, for her part, she mustered all the acting prowess available in her being. Summoning it forth, building it within her mind. Then, manifesting it, in a moment a brilliant performance. Creating a temporary character named 'Hugh Man.'
She made her voice a little deeper and said. "yeah."
Internally praising herself as having 'nailed it.' Papyrus giving a raised brow. While Flowey just seemed stressed. Her posture shifting, to resemble a certain skeleton, as she attempted to base her creation off her present mortal foe in some fashion.
"Wow, dude." The Bunny chuckled. "That's an awful name."
Chara responded with. "yeah. names. crazy right?"
Chara tried to get more into the headspace of her pseudo identity for the moment. Pondering what would even motivate Hugh? Was he a secret superhero? A super-villain? A ceo at a major corporation, subtly manipulating society using a zombie virus? Na, given the tone, she wagered he probably the kind to fake a smile, while suffering from crippling depression, more than anything else.
"Right, ya'll want anything?" The bunny asked, glancing the trio over. "I have a business to run, so-"
"not really, but I'll eat anyways." She said quickly, before suddenly feeling nervous.
She wasn't intending to ask for anything. However, she was getting a little too into this character. She honestly felt critically depressed, for some reason.
She wondered briefly what Hugh had to be depressed about? It wasn't like all his friends from the past were definitely dead, and the world he'd come to call home had turned into a violent hellscape. Like, it was all his fault, because he couldn't even die right. And she was stuck worrying about her brother, and didn't know where Toriel was, and couldn't remember right?
It left her feeling...really, really drained. Was this what drove Hugh Man? Raw depression, and an unwillingness to accept the reality of the situation? Trying desperately to hold onto any stupid smile, or dumb pun, and whatever slivers of his life he could remember? And the few people he remembered from it? Did it even matter, was it even real?
Flowey looked over the sign. "Ugh, fine, we'll buy something. These are your prices?"
Papyrus noted. "They're...a touch extreme, considering it's ice cream, in a snowy area."
"What a rip-off." Flowey muttered. "Here." He took the G from within the backpack, and tossed it on the counter. "2."
She snapped some from her existential crisis. "na...3."
"You're kidding me." Flowey replied, noting. "I think he's leaving, so it's not like you can give him one anyways."
With the reprieve from her thoughts, Chara noticed that Papyrus had indeed begun walking away. In truth, it was...probably a poor idea to buy ice cream for an enemy. Even if they were cool. And yet...it was something she, or rather, Hugh, probably wanted to do, right? The guise falling, leaving only her, trying to shake off the sensation with a little smile.
"It's...just me, Chara." She whispered to herself, before adding. "Uhm, 3."
"Ugh...fine, 3." Flowey noted, the bunny taking the cash, and giving them some Ice-Scream bars "Scam artist."
The bunny replied. "Hey, it's the perfect weather for something cold. Idiots."
Before Flowey could acquire the packaged bars of ice-cream, she swiped them. Turning her focus to the skeleton, she rushed over, and came sliding up next to him. The sentry giving a confused look, as she held up one of the ice creams.
There was an awkward pause as she held it out. Feeling nervous, and like she should retreat. Yet, the power of Hugh Man flowed within her. Awkward exchanges were his specialty and backing down was never an option. After all, what was the point in backing down, if nothing really mattered, why not do something nice? Reluctantly, she kept it held out, persevering, despite the cost.
"Human." Papyrus blinked. "Did you honestly buy your enemy a health restoring ice cream?"
Chara nodded. "yeah, uhm, I-" She quickly fell out of character. "E-er uh, yes. Heh."
She cursed Hugh, the character abandoning her in her critical hour. How could he? That fictitious jerk! She swore he'd never work in this city again.
"And you didn't advise-" He began, glancing to Flowey. "the human, that this was a poor idea?"
Flowey sighed. "I've told her. But she thinks you're cool, or whatever, so she wanted to get you an ice cream."
Chara felt a sting of betrayal. "F-flowey!"
"I see." Papyrus took it and responded with. "This was tactically disadvantageous. However, the...desire to be honorable is appreciated. As is the sentiment." He paused some. "Thank you, human."
"Of...course, heh." She felt nervous. "Uhm, so...nice weather huh?"
Papyrus scanned the snowfall. "It has been calming today, I suppose."
"C-cool." Chara felt like a nerd, or at least her antiquated understanding and commonly applied use of the term.
An awkward amount of time passed, with nothing happening. She suddenly wished she'd kept in character. Instead eating at the ice-cream bar, anxiously. After a time, Papyrus put the wrapped-up ice cream into his pocket. Glancing around, before slowly starting back on his path.
Chara suddenly remembered what she'd wanted to ask, only to blow it at the last second. It reminded her of when she met that author who wrote one of her favorite books. She froze, feeling very stupid in the process.
Flowey nudged her on. "You good?"
"T-the armor uhm I-" Her thoughts caught up. "I...was...gonna ask."
"Ugh...c'mon idiot, let's see if we can catch up with him. And ask about the armor." Flowey said tiredly.
"But what if he thinks we're lame?" She asked quietly.
"I don't think anyone says lame anymore, but...you'll be fine." He assured. "Let's go."
Sprinting over to catch up with Papyrus, Chara came to realize where they were. Stopping abruptly, while slowly looking around. The location, the spacing of things. She recognized it from her memory with Mychal.
"We're here?" She asked nobody in-particular.
"Huh, what's up?" Flowey asked, noting. "I uh...thought we were...what'cha lookin at?"
"I remember this." She explained.
The location was the ice-golf course. Phantom images of herself and Mychal sliding around coming to the fore of her mind. Watching him slip and fall, with what in hindsight, was clear intent to amuse her. To make her feel a bit better.
The course was a bit more lovely then. She noted that the borders, and barriers had long since crumbled. Sure, they were just snow-walls. But people used to maintain them. Now though...the ice was splattered with snow. Even having a decent layer of snowfall over it. It seemed, nobody bothered to maintain it anymore.
"I uh...I wanna try something." She told him, while stepping to the edge.
"Hey, there's actually ice below this." Flowey warned. "Maybe don't-"
"I know." She smiled.
"What?" He gave her a look. "Chara, I don't think you can ice-skate, in those shoes."
"I can try?" She offered.
Before he could protest, she stepped out. Her feet pressing through the layer of snow. Meeting the ice, and losing the ability to stand properly, almost immediately. In an effort to catch her falling self, she pressed her free foot down, managing to, with flailing arms and sounds of distress, balance herself out. All the while, slowly, sliding across. They gradually arrived at the other side, safely.
"That was sketchy as hell." Flowey remarked.
"It wasn't so bad." She replied.
He replied. "Outside of the uh...panicked 'whoas' and 'wahs' as you nearly fell."
"W-well, besides that." She snickered. "What's that, we have to slide to cross again?"
"We can walk ar-C-Chara!" The flower began, as she dove back across, laughing.
She dove forward, and landed. Sliding across the ice to the best of her general capabilities. Managing to fall flat on her face in the process. Letting out a loud 'oof' and a groan. Gradually coming to slide across, safe enough.
"Owww." She whined some.
"Told you it was a bad idea." Flowey remarked.
When she finally got up, they elected to continue onwards. Chara wondered how Mychal was able to do all that so well. Grumbling a little at her own inability. Passing into the next area, she saw Papyrus once more, alongside his brother. The area appeared to be mostly clear, save for a board game that was on the ground.
Papyrus was in the middle of tiredly rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Welcome, once more human."
"Uhm...sorry?" She asked nervously.
"Hmm, oh, my exhaustion is not directed to you. It is because Sans removed the original puzzle that was intended for this spot." He explained, adding. "And then replaced it with this."
"ah c'mon bro. there's no way they get past this one." Sans assured, his sibling giving him a glare.
Chara exchanged confused looks with Flowey, heading over to the board came. It appeared to be something called 'The Experiment' a mystery game of sorts. The front cover had a bunch of monsters exploring some strange place. Turning it over, the game was noted to be a game for 3 to six players.
One player was intended to be the 'Evil Scientist' while the others were investigators. Trying to solve a mystery, while surviving the dangers of the location. She could vaguely recall having seen this game somewhere, or hearing about it at least. Maybe not even that...but, it sounded familiar for some reason.
Flowey spoke up. "Hey, Sans, this is a game for 3 or more players."
"oh?" Sans hummed, adding. "na, dark scientist is for 2, at most."
"This is 'Evil Scientist' though." Chara commented.
"whoops, grabbed the wrong one." Sans chuckled. "guess it's unbeatable, isn't it?"
"Unbelievable Sans." Papyrus growled, adding. "Puzzles are meant to be beatable. Difficult, and nearly unwinnable to an unfair degree, certainly...but still winnable."
Papyrus stepped over, and with a sigh, took a seat. He picked up the game and looked it over. Reading over the instructions and the sort.
Sans asked. "what uh-"
"Get over here lazybones. We're going to make this a fair competition." The taller skeleton indicated. "And having you on their side will be considered an extra challenge."
He snickered some at his own rude humor. Sans shrugging and coming to take a seat alongside the group. Chara notably, wasn't as happy with his presence.
She suggested. "Maybe...you could be on our team?"
Papyrus shook his head. "This still needs to be challenging, if this is meant to be your challenge." He heard his brother snicker. "So it only makes sense, that I play the role of your noble, well respected, villainous adversary."
Flowey glanced and inquired. "Are we...seriously doing this?"
The board was placed out in-between them all. It was surprisingly large. And there were various little figurines for the enemies, the scientist and the players.
Sans replied. "what's the matter, you ain't game for it?"
Flowey growled. "Oh, for, no puns while you're on our side. We're quite serious, thank you."
Chara added. "Got that Sans?" She snickered. "You've gotta play along with the team." She joked. "Just, try not to get, board."
The duo actually managed to laugh together for a moment. Papyrus and Flowey giving their respective counterparts glares. Hoping the experience would be done sooner, rather than later. It would hopefully be a fun game, if nothing else?