"A waiter will be along with you shortly, darlings."
Mettaton hangs his eyes on the spider and human he's so perfectly dressed for this occasion. He fans himself as the magnificence of his creation smiles back at him. Not necessarily it'd wearer.
"Oh," he flusters, humbled by his own magnificent designs, "I am such a genius," before leaving Muffet and Aofil alone on one of the many balconies overlooking the huge diner hall. The amount of monsters and humans below, and above them, is staggering. Aofil and Muffet has a prime spot overlooking the ground floor, and the stage.
A house band consisting of different ghosts are setting the mood with some smooth jazz. How a ghost can use a saxophone without lungs is beyond Aofil, but the ghost is keeping the notes, so they can't really complain.
Aofil peers over the sea of monsters and humans below them. None of them rings any bells at a glance. None of the Dreemurrs are there. No skeletons either. Aofil thinks they see Tylior, but the monster sitting next to that human is not Sevoltne. Wrong color for it to be her.
And speaking of sea...
An aquarium acting as a wall opposite of the balconies bathes the grandiose room in a light blue. The water is filled with aquatic monsters of various sizes and shapes. A couple of Aarons are adding the finishing touches on the submerged stage. Gonna be interesting to see how the water collection will be presented. Will Undyne be presenting there?
Can she even breathe underwater? Or is Aofil being racist again? Better not to assume and instead wait for her. She looked pretty pissed when Aofil left her with Radentim. The worst that might happen is that she and Mettaton will get into a fight during the show. It would be very interesting to see that happen though. So again, Aofil can't complain.
Aofil spots what they think is a human inside the water, and with no scuba gear. Weird… They pick up a pair of ornate binoculars on a thin metal stick and narrow their eyes to get a better look.
It's just their own reflection.
Fair enough.
"Ahuhuhu!" Muffet giggles as she tugs and explores her new dress. Dark red with a purple spider web laced across the entire fabric in a reflective yarn. The web glitters in the blue light, making it look like it's sprinkled with crystals.
Her bow tie is very much a crystal, but bent in a way that reminds Aofil of Asgore's garden. How it's molded in a way that has to be magic.
Aofil looks down and sees Mettaton's face sprawled over their chest. The jacket they were give is better described as a pair of arms held together by a back part. It seems to be designed to expose whatever undershirt the wearer is using, and right now it's Mettaton's face and body in a whirlwind of sparkles and hearts. It's also two sizes too small for Aofil, and they tuck at it to try and relax the tense fabric. They have to be careful in their movement so that it doesn't fall off and expose their arm.
Muffet notices and puts a hand over her mouth, "You're making Mettaton into spaghetti."
"Well, he should've thought about that before he insisted that it was my size."
At least they're their own gender after Radentim this time.
The drape separating the balcony from the corridor rustles, and a sharply dressed monsters enters. It bows with one head while the other refills Aofil and Muffet's glasses with water.
"Good evening, and welcome to MTT Surface. It will be my pleasure to serve you this spectacular evening. M told me to sends his blessings in form of a wine recommendation and a message," the left head starts.
"Drinks and food are on him this evening, as per the contract you signed," finishes the right head.
A surprised Aofil looks over to Muffet, and then back at the waiter, "Oh?"
"Yes, and he also recommends the 'King's Cellar' this fine evening. A smooth red with a hint of soul and glam. Stored next to the fallen humans during the time of our imprisonment, the 'King's Cellar' goes well with any form of red meat and or spider cheese."
"It does," Muffet nods, "Or, so I've heard..."
"Is that a yes from you too?" the right head asks Aofil, who's eyes narrow.
"Just a couple of questions."
"Of course," the left head allows.
Aofil smacks their lips, "Asgore stored it next to the dead humans?"
A muffled yelp emerges from the right head. It taps on its left head and whispers something in it's ear.
The left one's eyes widen, "Oh no, you're right. It is a human!" it stage whispers back.
"No, it's not because of that," the left one tries to explain while constantly looking to the right head for advice, "I-It's because, um?"
Aofil leans back with their hands clamped over their stomach. This outta be good.
"L-look, I just work here. I didn't write these descriptions."
"And then Mettaton stole the bottles from Asgore when he wasn't looking?" Aofil pries further.
"I… He..."
The two headed monster looks to Muffet for any help, and she moves her head to Aofil.
"Bring us a bottle, please. Who am I to deny his recommendation?" Aofil asks, feeling some pity for the waiter, "I'll have a talk with him about the description though."
The monster bows its two heads, "T-thank you."
"And an order of garlic bread, please."
"Yes, yes," the right head scribbles down the order.
"Anything f-for you?" the left one asks Muffet.
"Oh," she picks up the menu and eyes through the first page of the menu, "Maybe some spider cheese, perhaps? Crystal Cave stored, if you have."
"Certainly," the right head nods, "I'll be back in a short while."
Before the red velvet drape can settle behind the monster after it leaves, an audible sigh is heard through it. Aofil shakes their head and meets Muffet, "I thought that any mention of the fallen children was frowned upon. Gotta have a word with Mettaton about that."
"I've always wanted to try that wine..." Muffet admits while averting her eyes from Aofil.
"I'm sure it's good, it's just that I don't really know why Mettaton would describe it with the fallen humans. Strange."
"I'd rather not talk about them, or the trial."
"Me neither, actually. So, instead, why not talk about, let's see," Aofil searches their mind. There's one thing they really want to know, but it's risky. They'll have to be careful with what they ask, "After we met in the Underground, Muffet."
Her cheeks blush brighter than her dress, "I remember."
"When did you surface afterwards?"
"When my request for my bakery was granted," Muffet leans on two of her knuckles, "You humans have such wonderful machines for baking."
"They're made for two arms, so you having six must be very efficient."
"Yes!" Muffet nods, "And the ingredients I can use. It's so much easier not to wait for spices to fall down the Garbage Dump. I don't have to convince others to let me have them, I can just order them myself."
"Don't have to use souls in your baking anymore?"
"No."
Aofil nods approvingly, "Good. Sounds like you've adapted to the Surface quite well. Do you get a lot of human customers?"
"There aren't many living in Monster City," Muffet leans out and surveys the tables below her, "There are more here in the restaurant than there are living permanently in the city."
"Any that visits you?"
"No," Muffet's eyes lose focus, and sink down, "They don't."
"I'm sorry it took so long for me to keep my promise," Aofil apologizes with a hand caressing their chin, "And I'm sorry about what I said."
"I thought you would be there during my opening. I had my spiders carry fliers all over the city. The bakery was jam packed. Ahuhuhu. So many monsters, so many doughnuts. But you weren't there. Then I thought you would be there when the Above School opened. I knew you were the teacher during the Dreemurrs stay in the Ebbot city, so I thought you would move here to teach. And then when I had my one year anniversary. After that I started to question if you ever made that promise. Now that I think back at it, it feels like you didn't? But I also remember you promising."
Aofil decides that it's time. Muffet's memories are wide open to her. It's not something Aofil wants to ask, but they have to. They have to at least try to learn how it all works, and if it might connect to their curse.
Aofil refills Muffet's glass, and takes a deep breath, "Muffet. I have to ask you something. It's important."
Her eyes widen, and not too subtly, she adjusts her bow tie and dress, "Yes, human?"
"How do you feel remembering all of this? When thinking back to when we met, how does it feel to you?"
Muffet moves back in her chair, "I, I don't understand what you mean, human."
"Do you feel like your head is clouded when thinking back? Like you're being torn between two memories?"
"I, I don't know?"
Argh! How can Aofil formulate it so that she understands? They can't tell her why, that would shatter this bubble they're trying to carefully poke. Why does she remember to being with? That's the question! How to ask it? Damn it!
"H-human?" Muffet asks carefully.
"After we met," Aofil prays that they remember the order of events correctly, "Mettaton captured a human. He televised it live, do you remember?"
Muffet searches her mind, "Yes, I think so. It was a long time ago."
"Yes, I know, but it's important that you remember. Before we met there was a show as well, right?"
"Yes?"
"Think about that, the show, us meeting, and then the second show. How does it feel to you?"
Muffet eyes narrow in hesitation.
"Please," Aofil puts their hands together, "It's really important to me that you do this."
"If you say so," Muffet closes her eyes, and Aofil leans forward to observe her. At first it seems fine. She tilts her head a couple of times, but her expression is still hesitant, "Human, I..."
Her head jerks in thought, and her lips curl back, confused, "N-no," she whispers, "that's not how it went," she pauses, "Or did it?" she asks with her quivering tongue. Her voice trails off as she mumbles inconsistently to herself, "But then? How? No, that's not possible."
Aofil can't snap her out of it, not now. She needs to go further, Aofil needs to understand.
"H-human?" Muffet whimpers, "W-what's happening? How did we meet? Did we meet? I remember, but there's something else in the way. I was baking for the human tour, I know it. I still have the order."
Her face distorts back and forth between understanding and utter bewilderment. Aofil recognizes it, they're far too familiar with it. She's searching her mind, but she's lost on two paths simultaneously. It's not supposed to be a fork in the road when trying to remember, and she's struggling to make a choice. But how can she when both are equally valid? How can she choose a truth?
Answer is, she can't, and she's panicking because of it. It's not enough though, Aofil can't help her back, not yet. She's not too far in. She'll make it...
"You never met me! You never made a promise!" Muffet clutches her head with two of her hands, "Yes, you did meet me! You made a promise!"
And then with four, "I couldn't bake, I was with you!."
And finally, with six, "But I couldn't be with you, I was baking!"
Why is she struggling, but not Mettaton? Why was the builder struggling, but not the suit? Why one, and not the other? What's the connection? There has to be one! Some form of clue has to be revealed. Otherwise Muffet is hurting for nothing.
Can Aofil force one memory over the other? Is it possible?
"Muffet, I was there with you," Aofil fuels. She clutches her head harder between her hands, "Does that clear it up?"
"How? I can't understand."
Aofil sighs, apparently not.
"I had flour all over me," Muffet spurts, "B-but I remember my dress. You leaned over. I had flour on my cheek, why didn't you brush it away before..."
Wait. Is that it? Is the connection, just connection? Is it that simple? No, it can't be, can it? The builder… He…He promised Aofil's dad. The suit, was just doing their job. Mettaton, is Mettaton.
Muffet though? It was just a peck on her cheek. Or was it more for Muffet?
Muffet buries her claws into her head, "Human!" she weeps, "It hurts!"
Just a little more, Aofil just needs a little more time to be sure. They'll pull her out of it if it goes overboard, they promise.
"Human!" she cries.
Just a little more.
"My head!"
Damn it! Aofil can't watch her any more. They walk around the table to her and grabs a pair of her arms, "Muffet," they try, but not getting through to her. Did they wait too long?
"Muffet!" Aofil tries again, harder this time. They drag away her hands from her head, and holds them in place. She's shaking, almost violently. Aofil removes another pair of quivering arms, "It's me, Muffet. The human."
"Human?" she asks, regaining control over her eyes. They slow down underneath her eyelid, and she opens her eyes slowly, "Human?" she asks again.
Aofil nods, "Yes, it's me."
"W-where are we? This is..." she looks around her, petrified, "This isn't my home. Where is Muffin?"
God damn it! Why was Aofil so greedy? "We're at Mettaton's restaurant, Muffet," they try to reason, helping her find a way back, "Look at your dress."
She jolts back as she looks down, "What's this?!" and hits the low wall around the balcony. Aofil catches one of her arms and pulls her back. They ease her back into her seat with care.
"Is this his show?" she asks, "No, it's over," and shakes her head, "No, it's about to begin."
"Muffet, you're not in the Underground, you're on the Surface."
But it doesn't work. Aofil's reasoning doesn't work! What have they done? Is she lost forever?
What did Aofil do with Toriel when she fell back? Snails? No, it can't be snails. What did Aofil do? Argh! It was so long ago!
They… they told her what taste the snails were. Yeah, so it was the snails. What did it mean to her? What can Aofil do to Muffet to help her? What did Aofil do with Muffet?
They had some tea with her, they pet her dog, and then they…
Oh…
Aofil leans in towards Muffet, and kisses her on the cheek. She stops, frozen. Aofil tries again.
"Human..." Muffet's voice is steady again. Aofil releases her hands, and she brings one up to her cheek. She touches it, and it blossoms bright red, "Ahuhuhu," she giggles.
Aofil heaves a relieved sigh. It worked. They're so glad it did. They take their own seat again, "How're you feeling, Muffet?"
She glances over to Aofil, but she can only hold eye contact for a moment before she loses her compulsion, and hides her face behind her hands.
Just like that. Gone. No signs of her having any form of crisis. No convulsions about what is real, no nothing. Aofil drinks some water. How will they ever figure this out?
God damn, what a mess.
The drape embroiled with Mettaton's face wearing a chef's hat is dragged aside, and the waiter returns with a pristine bottle of wine along with two plates. One with Aofil's appetizer, and the other with Muffet's cheese, "Crystal Cave stored, as requested," the waiter informs as it gently places the plate in front of Muffet.
She takes in the smell of the mineral shaped block of cheese scoured to resemble a spider web, "Very good," she compliments.
"And for the human, the garlic bread."
It's half a loaf with a line of unpeeled garlic cloves in it.
Aofil blinks, and an "OK?" slips out from their speech stolen tongue.
The sound of the cork from the bottle popping open distracts Aofil from their disappointment of an appetizer. With a twist and a flair, the waiter serves both Aofil and Muffet the supposed soul infused wine. Aofil gives their glass a swirl, and their nose a quick whiff of the wine.
Doesn't smell like dead humans. Smells more like a nice blend between honey, fruit, and a hint of chocolate.
Aofil samples the wine, and concluded that it tastes the same as it smells. Hold on, there's something else. Aofil sloshes the sample around in their mouth. Something else is there. Something… bitter.
A thick and unpleasantly warm feeling runs up their arm.
Aofil places the glass down quickly and pats themselves, but their pills are nowhere to be found.
Shit…
"How's the wine?" the left head asks patiently. Their condescending stare is uncalled for though and… No, that's Aofil's curse talking, they gotta keep focus.
"It's," Aofil clears their throat as it thickens, "good, it's fine."
"Does it pair well with the cheese?" asks the left head to Muffet. It's smile plastered like it's suffering from lockjaw…
Dammit! Focus!
Muffet can't answer, she's too busy enjoying the combination. The waiter takes it as a yes, and bows, "It pleases us that you enjoy it."
Double the mouths, double the ass kissing.
No! Focus! Keep it together!
"Would the human like to taste?" suggest the left head.
"No," Aofil hawks away the growl present in their voice, "I'm good."
"Human?" Muffet begs with eyes ever so pleading and soft. Just waiting to drag Aofil closer before she springs the trap and webs them up so that she can extort them by forcing Aofil her stupidly high prices. No doughnut is that good!
Aofil puts a hand up to their forehead. Not good.
With a last hit of a cymbal, the room goes quiet as the music stops. The chatter crawls to a halt, and hushes replace it for a short while before the room becomes completely silent. The lights dim, and the shadows and ripples from the aquarium become more potent around the room.
A spotlight flashes to life, and dances around the restaurant.
"Darlings, and more darlings," Mettaton announces from the myriad of speakers sprinkled across the room, "Welcome to a most wonderful evening, an evening full of me, and my creations."
The spotlight stops switches color to a screaming pink as it continues to flow around the walls and ceiling.
"As you all know," Mettaton continues, "I work tirelessly to bring you all the most glamorous of products. Today is no different, but today also marks a new day for fashion. A new day for glamour. A new day, for me, to serve you, to come just a little bit closer to perfection. To come just a little bit closer..."
The spotlight stops, and in that moment, Aofil notices something out of the corner of their eye. A small flutter in the drape.
Aofil shakes their head, "No..."
The spotlight bursts to life, and with pinpoint accuracy, it throws itself towards a specific balcony.
Aofil puts up their other hand to shield their eyes from the bright light.
The drape is pulled aside, and Mettaton steps into the spotlight. The light reflects and scatters across the restaurant, awing the entire crowd, "To me!" he ends dramatically, and with an equally dramatic pose.
God. Fucking. Dammit.