The Reader: *Gets excited at seeing a PTA chapter update*
Me: Yes, but also not really.
So… hi. I've been busy with real world stuff, doing work and all that, but I'm trying to get back into the fanfiction scene, too. Some of you might have noticed that I updated a fic on fanfiction . net, but that was a few months ago, and I get the feeling that's not why most of you are here.
Anyway, this is less an actual chapter and more of a way to kick myself back into gear. Featuring everyone's favorite musical ghost that isn't Mettaton! And me, but that's not as important. Anyway, I've made you wait for long enough (nearly two years! I'm so cruel!), so see you at the bottom of the page!
Chapter 40: The Write Way to Start Writing
"Oh!" The Author sat up at her desk when Napstablook floated through the door of the library.
"Oh," Napstablook said, "Sorry, Author, I didn't mean to scare you. I can leave…"
The Author tapped a button on her laptop and got out of her seat. "No, no, you're fine! If you're in here, that must mean a PTA meeting is going to happen soon, right? I'll get out of your hair."
"I don't have hair," Napstablook said, "I'm a ghost."
The Author waved her hand. "I know you know what I mean. Seriously though, I can head out."
"What were you working on?" The Author glanced from the ghost to her laptop. "Oh… I'm sorry, it's not my business, is it? I'll go—"
"Napstablook, don't leave," The Author said firmly. "You have more of a right to be here than I do. I just… well…" She hesitated for a moment, then brought the laptop towards Napstablook. "I'm in a bit of a creative funk, if you catch my drift."
Napstablook peered over her shoulder to look at the screen: the dreaded blank page.
"Yeah, I haven't posted anything to my fanfiction sites in a while, and I feel like I need to get back on that," she explained. "I've mostly been working on touching up a chapter I worked on a year ago or so, but I know I need to make something fresh, or else I'll fade further into obscurity than I already am." The Author chewed on her lip, staring at the blank page. "It's been nearly two years since I posted a PTA update…"
Napstablook floated up and down in relatively quick succession; like a shrug. "You can't write if you don't have an idea, can you? It's like when I try to write a song when I'm not in the mood."
"True," The Author hummed, "but I think if I can just give myself a good kick, I could jump into a more consistent schedule. I really want to finish up my 'main' fic series, but I need to have people looking at my profile so they can see it. A PTA chapter is probably the fastest way to do that." She sighed and flopped her head onto her shoulder. "I just can't think of any interesting PTA scenarios…"
"What if you just used this?" Napstablook asked.
The Author looked around the empty library, then back at Napstablook. "Use what?"
"What we're doing right now," Napstablook explained. "Remember that YouTube video about the YouTuber who didn't have any ideas for a new video, so he just posted a video talking to himself about how he didn't have any ideas?"
"Ah, yes," The Author nodded in approval. "A classic."
"Why not just do that?"
The Author shifted from foot to foot. "Would that be okay? What if someone accused me of copying that idea?"
Napstablook fixed her with an unreadable expression. "Do you think that YouTuber would notice?"
"Fair point."
"Or care?"
"I get the idea, Napstablook."
"Sorry…"
The Author shook her head with a smile. "You've got a point though. I've got nothing to lose. Ooh, and maybe I could use this chapter as a set up for the next chapter? Some sort of PTA event taking place in the library…"
"I think we're going to be talking about a book fair…" Napstablook offered.
"Oh, I always loved those!" The Author bowed quickly to the ghost and scurried off to a far corner of the library. "I'm going to sit back here until that meeting starts. Hey, it just occurred to me: do you ever bring snacks for the PTA?"
Napstablook shifted his eyes around the room. "I bring ghost sandwiches, usually…"
"Oh, really? Where are they?" She looked around the library; there were no obvious sandwich-looking objects to be seen. "Napstablook?"
Napstablook began tearing up. "I forgot them today… Oh…"
"No, it's okay; I'm sure Flowey will understand—wait, Napstablook, come back! Don't go in the floor! Ah, geez…"
Head Canon I Don't Actually Think # 51: Napstablook is something of a "lurker"; he doesn't like or subscribe to much on YouTube (except Mettaton's videos), but he thoroughly enjoys good videos in the privacy of his own mind.
Head Canon I Don't Actually Think # 52: Ghost sandwiches are invisible to everyone except ghosts, so The Author wouldn't have been able to see them even if Napstablook remembered them. Hence, they tend to go uneaten during PTA meetings. Napstablook mostly brings them to be polite, and to have a snack for himself (and, on occasion, in case Mettaton drops by—having been a ghost at one point, Mettaton can also see and interact with ghost sandwiches).
So… yeah! Not much happened today, but I've got some set up for the next potential chapter whenever I get around to writing that, so, yay. Bonus points to anyone who knows which YouTuber I'm talking about (it's possible that a lot of YouTubers have a video like this, but the one I'm thinking of is by an animator that typically posts videos less than a minute long. Almost all of them are masterpieces. I think as of writing this, he's still doing that "G fuel" campaign, so there's another hint).
The fic I mention in this chapter is only on my fanfiction . net site; I wanted to wait until it was completely finished before I posted it to AO3. I might have mentioned it before, but it's a Hetalia/HetaOni fic. It's possibly a little cringey, but it's mine and it's the reason I started posting fanfiction in the first place, so it's my pride and joy. Take a look sometime if you're curious; the first book is "The Cult of Veneziano".
Anyway, I'm going to get back to other things now. I hope this chapter got you excited; I'm going to try and do something about that PTA book fair sooner than later. Look forward to it! Until then!
