... ... ...
-CLICK!-
-not gonna be that bad.
=Dude. Like, I came here to look at a file! I didn't sign up for.. V-voice acting?=
Oh my god, for the last time... It's not voice acting! I'm putting together an audio book of our past struggles concerning the Dark World.
=Yeah? W-well, doesn't make a difference! I don't wanna to be a part of this! I want no part in you guys humiliating yourselves!=
(Berdly, It's not that bad. Really! I've already done it several times and honestly...? I've... kind of found it to be stress relieving... After the mic goes off.)
=That's because you're constantly waiting for it to be over!=
(... Berdly, I haven't been like that for a long time, now.)
=... Has anything been said about me?=
(... Well, I had to tell my parts. The first time I ended up there-)
=J- y-yeah, I know! No need to remind me... So... whoever hears this will know how much of a jerk I was...?=
(...I-I'm sorry. I should have-)
=No... No, It's fine. I mean it still kinda sucks that whenever this gets out- or if you're releasing these in parts that everyone will know that even before I was ever here to know it. But hey. I was pretty much... like... Well, I already said it...=
(... Well, anyways... Changing the subject, can you take a look at that file?)
=Hm? ... Oh! Yeah, sure. Could ya get up, ja- -SKRTCH!-
-CLICK!-
... ... ...
-CLICK!-
=-doesn't really make seNse, to be honest, but I'll try to keep that in mi-... Why are you turning that back on?=
Just humor me. It's for the audio book. I want THEM to know as much as us.
=... Ooooh, I get it. That's actually pretty neat. It's like one of those stories that's been talking in past tense the entire time, but then the next story contin-=
Hate to burst your bubble, but I can't see that happening. Obviously, everything already got resolved.
=Huh...? Oh. Yeah. Right. Duh. Anyways, lemme at it.=
-Crnk!- -Thmp, thomp!-
-Hnrk-
Aaalrighty. Let's see what we have here. Docs, right?
/Right.\
-Click- ... -Clicky-click-
A .TXT with a funky title. Tch! What is this, a creepypasta~?
/If it is, it's a real one. I don't know where it came from.\
-Click- -click!- -Clicky-click!-
Hmm... Base 64. Fairly simple. Seriously guys? You couldn't have just popped this into a base 64 translator? That's 3rd grader stuff.
/... I have no idea what that is.\
(And I-I'm not that knowledgeable about all this stuff. I-I barely get on the internet as is, bar my instant messengers.)
Sheesh. -click!- Note to self. -click!- Never let either of you use my laptop.
-tappa tappa tap ta-tap tap tappa clack!- ... -click-
I hope you're both taking notes. -click!- This is really that easy! -Click-ick!- And with that, you now ha-... ... ... Uhh...
/That's...\
(A lot of zeroes and ones...)
Yeah. I have eyes. I can see that.
/Well, I know that we still know less than we should about what we're looking at.\
Yeah, yeah! I'll handle it. -click!- Sheesh! -click!- All we need is another translator. Binary this time.
(A-and if this just turns out to be a-a.. code within another code...?)
-Click!- Isn't it obvious? -click! click-ick!- -Tappa tappity tap-ap tap tappa tap!- We keep clacking away at it till we get what we're looking for! -click!- There's no code I don't know- no trick I can't trick when it comes to computers. -click!- -click-ick!- I mean, that IS my thing. ... Mmmh... The person who made this mess was good. Real patient, too. It's another code. MIME... That's a tough one. I'd need to import this stuff to my laptop. There isn't a reliable translator for this format. I'll have to do it manually... I'mma just send this to my email. -Snrk!- Irony. It's an email-based format. ... Anyways. -Clicky-click!-
/... Hey.\
Hm? -Click!-
/I know you really don't want to do this, but the thing is that none of us exactly knows the full story like you do, Berd.\
... -Clicky-click- -Tappa tap tappity tap tack!-
(... We know your thoughts about doing this sort of thing, but... Please? It's just the once...)
-Click-ick!- ... ... ... Is it really that important... people, like... know... about the part you want me to talk about...?
/It's not a life or death matter, but it's still important to include. Things won't make sense much later on if they don't know this.\
... -R-r-rnk!- Fine... I'll frickin' do it. -Squeak~!- But! You have to re-watch ALL of Mew Mew 2! Both of you! This week!
(H-huh?! Wh-why me?!)
Because you helped them convince me with those dumb puppy eyes of your's! That's evil enough to be punished!
(... B-but... I don't even watch anime~...!)
Well, Kris~? Ya gonna make a deal with me or can I-
/Deal.\
Hah! I knew-w-w-wwwhat...?
/I said, "deal." Ya want me to rip that show apart in real time? I'm game.\
Hey. Look, you just haven't analyzed it well enough to appreciate the darker tone.
/I shouldn't need to analyze.\
You shouldn't, but obviously you need my glasses more than I do.
/Oh, come on, man! The show started out NOTHING like that! And they kill off Ferdinand out of nowhere! NOWHERE! He's been the love interest throughout the original Mew Mew from the beginning!\
Your husbando's casanova trash! I REVEL in your anguish!
(C-can't I just sit this out?)
-Both Kris and Berdly shout,- NO! (Eep!)
/You know what? Just so I can make a point, I'll binge both Mew Mew 1 AND Mew Mew 2 with you! Let's see if you've even WATCHED the first series, bird boy!\
HONK~! So original! Alright, Fruit troop~! I can deal on that! I never said I DISLIKED Mew Mew 1, so I'll let you ride that train into station Mew2!
(Okay. This is just getting weird, now. C-can we just settle down...?)
... Fine, ya buncha honkers... I'll do it... But like.. I'm not gonna like it...
/-cough- ... Thanks, man. Seriously.\
(I-it won't be that bad~.)
Stuttering does NOT help my nerves right now, Noelle.
(Sorry...)
-Sigh- ... Okay... Now, I know all of you guys that are listening to this in the future are judging me without me even starting... That's fine. I was out of line. Nothing gave me the right to go slapping Noelle like that... And yes. I am sorry... Very... very sorry... I have no excuse...
... So, I've been told to talk about the time after Susie and K-Kris went into the big, black hole in the ground that opened up in the woods... There isn't a lot noteworthy I can tell, but I'll try to put in everything I can think of... that isn't super.. like, meh. 'Kay?
... Problem being, I don't even know what to lead with...
/Start with right after Susie jumped in.\
Uh, Right... Uhm...
Okay, so... what time of day... Mid-Afternoon, I think.
After uhm... After Susie jumped into the hole that led to the Dark World, the first thing that ran through my brain was, {I just watched two kids from my school jump down a hole! And I have no proof this isn't Suicide!} ... Well, I didn't. And I think it's pretty safe to bet I was freaking out. I was preening nervous into my wrist and pulling out feathers that were perfectly fine. Those were eventually gonna turn to dust an- you know what? That's not important, right? Moving on!
Regardless of whatever I was feeling, I had no choice but to just trust, pray and hope the two shadiest-to-me kids in school were telling the truth. Scratching my feather fingers- by which I mean my pinions- into my head, I walked away from the hole, not really thinking of where I was walking. I just needed to walk before I ended up standing there and somehow getting sucked into it.
And the entire time I had the worst feeling in the pit of my stomach. I felt nauseous. My everything was sweaty, my beak was numb and my eyes were slightly burning. I'm pretty sure my expression in that moment and throughout my trip back was just a wide-eyed, freaking out sort of thing until a certain point.
But after a while, I just started to try deep breathing to calm down, moving my hands to my chest... I guess I was thinking, {Okay, Berd. Chill. the frick. out. Kris and Susie both said the same thing. They're gonna find Noelle and get her out. And they also told you not to tell anyone! ... Until tomorrow! Just keep a lid on it. That's not so hard. All you have to do is either shut up or lie... You're good at lying! Great! Excellent." ... I stopped in my tracks with bug eyes. I had started talking out loud half way through that, much to my panic... Long story short, I talk out loud to think when I'm nervous...
I basically did a jerky sweep of my surroundings with my eyes to make sure I was alone. And when I thought I was good, I puffed out air in a quick sigh... Taking my glasses off and rubbing my face, I continued to walk and started to think again. {Seriously, Berd. Chill the hell out! What's wrong with you?! Nothing at all! Just losing my brain over this dumb situation!} Groaning miserably into my hands, I rubbed at my face and whispered out, "How is this even real...?!" My heart was beating a mile a minute and my head was starting to pound right along with it. And to make matters worse, there was the guilt I felt in the first place for putting Noelle through my crap. (...) So yeah! I was pretty much everywhere.
Uncovering my face and putting my glasses back on, I tried to think of just about anything else... But I just ended up thinking about how all this was real. If it isn't obvious... I'm terrible at keeping big honking secrets like this. I can keep the little guys just fine. But this...? I was already crying on the inside.
Eventually, I got out of the woods, though. And where did I come out? I literally came out smacking into the side of the Library. Don't call it that stupid wrong name! It's not Librarb-... Whatever.
Anyways! Yeah, I met full splat against the side wall of the library, coughing and falling over on my butt like a dumbass. But I quickly picked myself back up so that no one would see me humiliate myself, shifting my eyes all 'round while my cheeks burned. My beak made a flat line while I just turned and walked my butt to the sidewalk. I was... a mess! A literal mess of dumb and disheveled.
And what makes this worse? Well, everyone walking to the library or walking out definitely does. I didn't have breathing room! From little kids, to my age group and adults, there was no escaping them. And since it's a small town, we all know each other. Pretty much.
... Well... Almost...
The kids running out and greeting freedom mostly said 'Hi' to me and I tried to give my best and most natural smile and wave. But of course, some were little jerks and called me 'nerd' or just scoffed at me, something I just rolled my eyes over.
Jockington- I have no idea why he was even there, he never frickin' reads- passed by and gave me an, "Aye yo, bird boyyy!"
I groaned and avoiding eye contact. "Uh... hey." he and I didn't exactly have good chemestry... Still... He's a cool dude... until he got to be too enthusiastic.
/... I mean, it's on his cap, soo...\
You want me to do this or do ya want me to just leave?
/Aww, come on. You're doing great!\
Uhuh... Anyways... I just kept walking, but I wasn't looking where I was going. I'm pretty sure, even if I was, I'd still have been blind. But I started off thinking, {Okay, Berdly. You just need to get home, tell mom your stomach is hurting, stay in your room for the rest of the day while playing exivee and keep your beak sh-..."
I groaned loudly and took hold of my beak, pulling at it like I wanted to rip it off! In a harsh whisper, I told myself, "Shtop thinking outch loud, m-you bird brain...!" Pulling my hands from my beak, I sighed, probably looking particularly flustered and frustrated. I wouldn't be surprised if my feathering was a little ruffled. "Okay... Ju-"
"HELLO, LITTLE BIRD MONSTER!"
I jumped and put up my arms in a dumb karate' esque position as my eyes bugged up at someone with a loud, exaggerated voice that seemed to just run up out of nowhere!
It was probably the tallest, but not bulkiest (for soon to be obvious reasons) person in town. A very tall Skeleton who had a HUGE grin on his literally boney face. The funny thing about the guy is that ... you couldn't be scared. He literally had the brightest smile, despite having no lips. Seriously. How does that work? Why do I think that?
The guy was literally all bones, not counting what he wore. And when I say he was tall... he was twice my size. And probably taller than most of our doors! If he had any meat on him, this guy would be a shoe-in for a basket ball star.
And here comes what he wore... He wore a backward, blue and white baseball cap over his skull cap, a basket ball(?) on each of his shoulders, a white muscle shirt that I'm almost completely positive was supposed to read "00" but he had drawn around the zeroes to make it say "C00L" with "Dude" right below it, all in navy-to-royal blue. He had large, orange, thick and long gloves with gold colored cuffs on his hands. They almost looked like oven mits, to be honest.
He also wore blue shorts over his boney hips and legs with white Air Michaels (the shoes, not the monster who made them famous) over blue, shin length socks.
... My eyes were pretty much still bugged, even after absorbing this guy's uh... everything. I didn't exactly relax my arms, either. I simply asked, in understandable nervousness, "Wh-who the heck are you and WHY did you do that?!"
With this weird laugh like- sec. -clears throat with a cough- ... "NYEH HEH HEH~!" ... Yeah, that.
(Oh my god. -Chuckles!-)
/-snrk!- Thhhah hah hah hah!\
Oh, shut up!
(Mhmh! S-sorry! Sorry...~)
Anyways! Yeah. He made THAT laugh. And then he stood proud with his chest puffed out and a hand over it. "I AM HAPPY YOU ASKED! I AM KNOWN AS THE GR-R-R-REAT PAPYRUS! WHERE I COME FROM, ANYWAY!" Relaxing his posture and leaning down on me, he then told me, "I RAN UP TO YOU BECAUSE I OVERHEARD WITH MY AMAZING HEARING ABILITIES THAT YOU ARE DISTRESSED!"
His volume was WAY too loud and I didn't appreciate having my business aired like that. In fact, I pretty much felt myself shaking and sweating the longer he talked. It was my LITERAL nightmare! Everyone was staring!
Cheeks burning and eyes practically watering, I jerked my 'hand wings' forward and literally stopped his dumb jaws from moving, shutting them while I glared at him nervously. "Could you, like, NOT?!" Pulling him closer by the head while I squinted at him through irritation, I then told him in a harsh whisper, "I have enough problems without a loud mouth skeleton telling the whole town I'm "distressed!" Can you PLEASE shut up!? I just want to go home without everyone talking to me!"
That said, I looked around and curved my beak with a smile through a nervous furrow. "Seriously, folks~! Nothing to see here~! I have never met this guy in my life." My last comment made the skeleton raise a brow- which at the time I didn't know he had, even if they were just his eye sockets reshaping themselves to elicit the effect.
Taking my feather fingers off the weirdo's face, I was going top say something, but in a quieter, yet still overall loudish tone, he said, "WELL, OF COURSE YOU DON'T KNOW ME. ME AND SANS HA-"
Putting my hand back over the guy's mouth to muffle him out while I gave him a twitching glare and crooked expression on my beak, I told him, "Seriously. Stop. The last thing I need right now is a weirdo making me, like, the hot topic of the town."
After taking my feathers off his mouth again, he once again lowered his volume, though still remained confused, "Why wouldn't you want to be the hottest topic?"
... Slapping my face with my pineons, I groaned and just bypassed the dude, trying to get away from him. Sadly, life's not that easy and he just ended up straightening up and following me. To my annoyance. I almost forgot all about my current worries in light of his irritating presence.
And yet, he kept talking to me, even though it was obvious I wanted nothing to do with him. "BIRD PERSON- IF I MAY CALL YOU TH-"
"Firstly, Berdly. Secondly, SHUT UP AND GO. AWAY." I groaned and attempted to quicken the pace to get away, but he just quickened his right along with me.
"BERDLY. IT OCCURS TO ME THAT MY POOR MANNERS HAVE MADE THINGS WORSE FOR YOU."
I rolled my eyes and grit my beak. "Gee. That long to figure it out?"
"I, THE GR-R-R-REAT PAPYRUS, AM PROFOUNDLY, TERRIBLY, EXTREMELY SORRY FOR CAUSING YOU DISCOMFORT. YOU SEE, I WAS ONLY TRYING TO HELP LIFT YOUR MOOD, BUT I MISJUDGED MY APPROACH METHOD."
"I don't care. Leave me alone. I don't know you."
"I AM AWARE OF THAT. BUT FROM MY POINT OF VIEW, I LOOKS TO ME LIKE YOU NEED TO VENT."
... I stopped, my irritation smoldering, but my patience thinning.
"CAN I HELP YOU WITH THAT AT ALL, BERDLY? YOU REALLY DO NOT SEEM VERY HAPPY AND I WOULD LIKE TO ASSIST YOU, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE INDEED JUST MET."
... I turned around and stared up at him with squinted eyes and balled fists. "Dude. Like, the last thing I want from you is help. And even if I wanted to rant, I can't. You don't have any business asking in the first place. Whatever's bugging me doesn't have anything to do with you besides, like, what you are doing right now. Bugging me."
Papyrus made a blink through a furrowed pair of eye sockets, then went to say something, but in the process was cut off when a rough famale's voice said, "Alright, that's enough." His eyes blinked wide and he turned his head. I did to, recognizing the voice.
Of course, it was Chief of Police Undyne. So i-
/Uh. They don't know who Undyne is, yet.\
... Oh... Uh... Well, she's a tall fish woman. She's got indigo scales, no nose or nose hole, red eye liner, red hair tied back in a long, flowing ponytail, red webbed fins that serve as ears and some GNARLY yellow teeth like a shark might. She's also got gills on her neck and is oddly built like a knight or a model, maybe. Lithe, but muscular.
... It feels wrong going into anymore detail as far as, like, body goes, so I'll just say everything else.
She wore the normal dark-blue officer's uniform with all the pockets and the golden DELTA RUNE inspired badge, the cop cap and black cloppers... by which I mean leather shoes.
She also wore a black belt decorated by all the stuff she had equipped. A Tazer, a baton, walkie talkie, some other stuff, too. Of course, she didn't need ANY of this stuff, really. Her magic was some of the strongest in town with those spears of her's. Buuut uh... That stuff's for more deadly force. The tazer and baton were more for, like, taking people down without messing them up too bad.
... Anyways, Undyne was standing there beside us, right on side of the road and looking like she was almost excited to have something to do. But she wasn't smiling or anything. I could just tell by the way she already had her baton out and in a hand. Don't get me wrong, like... Undyne's not a thug. But she always talks about how there ain't enough action in Hometown.
Papyrus seemed to smile, not exactly intimidated nor concerned as he waved and told her, "GREETINGS, CHIEF UNDYNE! IT'S NICE TO FINALLY GET A CHANCE TO TALK TO YOU! YOU'RE MUCH COOLER IN PERSON!"
The compliment made the fish woman's eyes bug a bit, but she quickly shook it off and cleared her throat, regaining her steely gaze. Tapping her baton to her shoulder, she told Papyrus, "Sir, I'm afraid I'm gonna have to ask you to stop harassing the kid. He obviously doesn't want you talking to him, so leave him be or I'm gonna have to take you in."
The over-the-top threat made me screw my face a bit. "Arrest?" Even if he was annoying, that seemed kind of extreme. After all, as much as I didn't want to admit it, he was just trying and failing to help. I made a furrow and curved my beak with a frown, bunching my shoulders and hissing through my beak. I was starting to feel guilty.
The tall skeleton just smiled and laughed his usual laugh, waving her off. "NO NEED TO WORRY! I WAS MERELY TRYING TO HELP, BUT BERDLY HAS MADE IT CLEAR THAT THEY WISH TO BE LEFT ALONE! AND SO, I SHALL!" ... He was utterly naive, but at least he didn't dig himself deeper.
Seeing as they were occupying each other and Papyrus hadn't just made things worse, I used the moment to slink out from the scene and walk myself toward home. Buuut... "A wise guy, eh? That's it! You're coming with me!"
My eyes bulged and I could feel myself freeze solid as, like, a brick of ice. Inwardly, I was thinking, {Excuse me?!}
I snapped back around and witnessed Undyne getting the Skeleton's hands behind his back while he only asked, "OH BOY! WHERE ARE WE GOING? AND WHAT ARE THOSE SILVER BRACELETS YOU HAVE THERE?" He was referring to her hand cuffs and I was sweating now! She was seriously gonna wheel the guy in because she felt like it! He wasn't being fresh with her. He was just stupid!
Of course I stepped back up to them and waved my hands, saying, "Whoa, whoa, whoa, no! Ms. Undyne, maám! That's totally, like, not needed!"
She stopped shy of hooking the guy with the first cuff and cocked a brow down at me. "Kid, what? This.. dude was just annoying the hell outta you."
"ACTUALLY, I WAS-"
She snapped her eyes back on Papyrus and spat, "Quiet, Punk!"
That finally spooked the skeleton into a wide-eyed silence after one errant "EEP".
You have no idea how intimidating it was to be near Undyne in that moment. She could be cool, but like, she was scary. Moreover, I constantly wonder how she kept her job, especially considering Mrs. Holiday didn't much like her.
That said, despite shaking a bit and sweating, I just stuck it out and said, "Th-the guy's telling the truth, though... L-like... he was r-really just... uhm... m-making sure I was alright... Y-yeah, I don't know ém, but like... U-uh... I-it was mostly just me... not... wanting to talk about-..." I stopped, eyes glazing over... Blinking them and clearing my throat, I realized how dang near close I just came to blowing everything to the absolute wrong person. Scratching at the back of my head as the sweat only multiplied by two, I told her, "W-what I mean is that... I just... really w-wasn't in the mood to talk...!"
There was a long moment where she just stared at me... Rolling her eyes, she made a rough sigh, eyes staring off to the side. "What a buzzkill..." She took her hands off of the Skeleton's wrists, which Papyrus seemed neither pleased nor disappointed with. Crossing her arms and tapping her baton to a forearm, she told me, "Fine, kid. Whatever. But I'll be watching him." Her head snapped to the skeleton and narrowed on his face. "The next time you get caught harassing someone, punk, I'm gonna give ya to the slammer! Got that?!"
Her tone made me turtle and shiver, but Papyrus was just... sheesh, he was unphased! I had to wonder if this guy was a complete moron or if he had just seen so much crap that it just didn't stir him. All he did was bow exaggeratedly and say, "LOUD AND CLEAR, CHIEF UNDYNE! PLEASE, HAVE A GOOD DAY!"
... Undyne shot me a glance at the time that I didn't really chalk up to much, then grumbled about how this town is way too boring.
Like... I have no idea what her issue was. Why would anyone WANT to need to arrest someone? Doesn't there being so little crime mean that she's doing her job well? Or at least that everyone in hometown is just good by nature? Then again, she reminded me of Susie back then, so I guess it only makes sense I don't understand her.
Anyways, I heaved my sigh and wiped my brow as if a blanket of sweat had been pouring down it. Though, to be fair, it had, so maybe saying "as if" is moot.
"THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE, BERDLY!" I turned my head back to Papyrus and "huh?"'d at him. He stood tall and proud as he told me, "YOU REALLY DIDN'T NEED TO, BUT THAT WAS VERY KIND OF YOU! AS WE POPULAR AND COOL PEOPLE LIKE TO SAY, I OWE YOU ONE!"
With furrowed brows and a jagged grin on my nervous face, I shrugged and took a few steps back. "Y...you're welcome, I guess? But like..." Frowning at him and cocking my brow as I let out a deflating sigh and sagged my shoulders, I asked, "Like, can I just... go home now? I really just want to plow into my bed and go to sleep. I'm already thinking about a lot of crazy stuff without thinking, like," I put up my hands and bugged my eyes to make a dumb version of the thought, "Gee! This new guy's real frickin' weird! He almost got arrested like, the second he got here!" ... Relaxing myself, I shrugged. "Seriously... I just want to go home and not accidentally say something I'll regret."
Making a comparatively more... thoughtful(?) expression, he pointed out, "MY BROTHER AND I HAVE BEEN HERE FOR FOUR DAYS, ACTUALLY." That said, he relaxed(?) his expression and told me, "UNDERSTANDABLE, THOUGH. I AM A TOTALLY STRANGE NEW COOL GUY YOU HAVE NEVER MET BEFORE. THUS-"
"Yeah, exactly," I cut in, before I started to walk away, saying, "I'm gonna head home now. Don't.. follow me."
Before I got too far away, he shouted, "IT WILL TURN OUT OKAY!"
... I stopped and stared at him, eyes wide... "... H-huh?"
He smiled and said it again, among other things. "YOU HAVE THE LOOK OF SOMEONE WHO'S GOING THROUGH A DIFFICULT TIME. MAYBE YOU HAD A SPAT WITH A FRIEND. MAYBE YOU'VE HAD A LIFE CHANGING EXPERIENCE. OR MAYBE YOU REALIZED THINGS ARE DIFFERENT FROM WHAT YOU THOUGHT THEY WERE. REGARDLESS, IT WILL TURN OUT OKAY. YOU WILL FIGURE THINGS OUT."
... I was almost inconceivable that he pretty much just named every problem I was dealing with. It would have been dumb luck to get one, lottery luck to get two, but cheater's luck was all three... So I figured, he somehow knew exactly what I was going through. And even though I knew the guy's name, I still ended up turning around and asking, "Who are you...?"
He just grinned wide and laughed like he did every time, hand on his chest. "I ALREADY TOLD YOU! I AM THE GR-R-R-REAT PAPYRUS!" Waving goodbye to me, he more naturally told me, "LET US MEET AGAIN SOMETIME SOON AND BECOME BETTER FRIENDS, MY GOOD BIRD~!" And then, he went jogging off, sounding off with his famous cackle one last time...
... I blinked and cocked my brow. "What kind of weirdo...?" Shaking my head, I decided to just keep walking. Like, me questioning anything about that guy was bound to be a waste of effort. Even to this day, that guy still weird's me out on just how good he is at reading people. He doesn't have mind reading powers, I don't think.
/It usually has to do with emotional quirks.\
I know about THAT! I'm just saying that the guy pulled a lot out of a small portion of time.
/Well, judging by how you tell it, those were more lucky guesses.\
And I just said that he gets a LOT of lucky guesses. Like, just trust me. That guy's hiding something.
/Fair enough.\
Right well... ... ... Crap, I was talking and forgot. What part was I at?
(... Y-you were walking away from the end of your meeting Papyrus?)
Oh yeah! Right. Sorry...
A-anyways, yeah. I was walking away, back to my home. You pass the diner and the 'Sans Store on the way there. If you're going down the road beside Cattie's house, you're going too far. We live in the house right beside Noelle and her folks' gate and right in front of Ms. Cattie's place. It's one of the homes that just blends into the background.
I mean, it's three of a kind, so... it's pretty standard. A red brick house with a white door and several windows. Black shingle roof, red brick chimney. We don't have much of a yard, but we've got trees. At that time of year, they were in their autumn cycle, so golden leaves all around. Actually, Mom was raking them up into a huge pile in the front.
(Oh yes! How has Ms. Fitzerd been?)
... Uuuh, well can I say that without spoiling anything or should I turn this off?
/I can't see a problem with talking about her. Go ahead.\
Alright then, well like... She's been alright. Her busted leg healed up completely last week, like you know. Teddy's been helping her with the big stuff, but she's insistent. You know her. One track mind, never listens to like... any doctor's advice. Just takes the meds.
(... Also... sssorry about the divorce...)
... Hey. I saw the writing on the wall. Joseph had it coming. I told him to lay off and cool his head, but the asshat didn't listen. So, I'm disappointed, but hasn't this been almost two years in the making?
/A-ah-\
Oh, don't you worry your head off. I'm not about to spoil that... Hell. Now that I bring it up, I don't want anyone but me telling. Got that?
/... Fair enough. Though, maybe be careful? That's basically a hint. And we aren't even done with this part of the story. We have like 15 chapters left... I think. Not sure, don't quote me. Especially not you guys!\
Eh, they're pointing to the microphone, so I guess that they're talking to you. The one listening. Yes, I know. Confusing.
But hey. I'm telling the story and we are not half way done, here.
(Sorry~. Ehehee...)
Eh he heeeehh... Anyways.
I'm sure you weirdos wanna know what my mom looks like and since you can't see picture.. gimme a sec...
... Okay... Uhm... My mom's real name is Candace. I never call her that, but anyways. She's like me. A blue bird monster. Call us Jays if you want. She's taller than me, but not as friggin' tall as Mrs. Toriel by any measure. If-
/Ms. ... Remember~.\
... MS. Toriel. Whatever. If me and my mom stood side by side back then, she'd be two heads up on me. But just as slim. I don't know if that's changed too much. I haven't bothered paying attention... Regardless, she's always been a "do it yourself". And that drives Joseph up the wall. By which I mean my dad. Yes. Point is that she's tough, but not very muscular. We bird monsters aren't built like that. She's strong, but like most of us, frail. Glass cannon would fit well. So like, she's great at getting things done. Better than me, anyways.
I definitely got my metabolism from her. She's got a more complex feather pattern than I do, though. Her main five head feathers grew in around the back and are longer than any of mine, but the added weight makes them hang down over the back of her head and down her back like hair. The outermost two are white. She's got white lash lines under her eyes. My mom's beak is shorter and more curved than mine. She also has sharper eyes colored gold. Her wing arms have white feather pinions with black tips. Her shoulders are black, cutting into her usual blue in a perfect "V"...
... ... ... She has a curvier frame than mine, but if I have to say anything further than that, I might puke. I guess she's got stronger legs than me, but.. like, she's a girl. You kinda expect it, even in bird monsters. They're still bird legs, though. Like, Don't get weird ideas. We aren't harpy monsters.
At home, you'll usually, like, catch her wearing a tank top and short jeans. She's not shy. That day, she was wearing a black top and short KHAKIS. She always wears her Engagement and Wedding Bands around her neck on a Necklace.
... Enough about how she looks.
With a rake still in her hand and a smile curling her beak slightly, she saw me walking into the yard and instantly smiled wider. "Birdly!" Her voice is a lower midrange. Not your typical motherly tone. And she isn't one to soften her tone. At the same time, she won't strain. "Easy." That word describes her tone well enough, I guess. She's got a kind of slight accent. It comes with her being a non-native. I don't have an accent, because I never liked them. So, I did my best to keep one from developing ever.
I was almost staring at the ground, so I shuddered a little and snapped my head up, eyes wide as she came jogging up to me after dropping her rake on the pile... Aaand she hugged me.. 'Course I .. hugged her back. I mean, it's just my mom... For some reason, that's uh... awkward to admit.
(Hey. At least you know she definitely loves you~. -Giggling-)
Wha-?! Noelle, j-... H-how many times are you gonna interrupt me?!
(-Still giggling- Sorry~!)
Ugh... Whatever, yeah. She's a great mom. W-what can I say?
Anyways, after the brief hug, we separated and I gave ourselves space, my looking up at her while she smiled and asked with a cocked brow and her feather hands in her pant pockets, "So? How was my little man's day?"
I went to answer, but my words caught in my throat... I rubbed a feather to my beak and thought about what to say a bit more, which confused her. Usually, I was pretty quick to answer that question. But that day... well, it's no surprise I was a bit at a loss.
She lost her smile after a moment and just stared. "Oh boy~. The pause. Did something happen?"
I folded my arms and groaned. Quickly turning my eyes back up to her, the answer I went with was, "H-hey. Not EVERY time I don't, like, immediately say something does it mean something happened..."
..., She smirked and cocked her brow again, tilting her head. "But that stutter tells me something did happen this time, didn't it?" I frowned and looked away, but I must have looked worried. She asked again. "Time to let it out, Berdly~. What happened?"
... I had to lie. The only way she'd have believed me is if I brought her to that hole and that was way too dangerous. And she might tell the rest of the town before Kris and Susie even find Noelle. That would only be bad.
And so, I looked her in the eye and said what was partially true. "Me and Noelle... We had a fight."
That got a concerned grimace out of her. "Oh crap. Bad?"
I nodded. There couldn't be any harm in that. "Bad. It... kind of... came to blows."
And the first thought caught her gasping. "She HIT you?!"
Through my wide eyed panic, I gawked up at her and shook my head. "What- no! I-..."
... She furrowed her brows and frowned. "You hit HER..."
... Shutting my eyes, I nodded through my own before my hand found my upper face. "Y...yes..."
I could hear her click her beak like someone might click their teeth. "Well... That there's a pickle... You gotta regret it, though. You look like it's really rubbing you the wrong way..."
I took my hand off my face and nodded... I know I should have been more broken upon about it, but I guess I was emotionally drained. I just said, "I'm gonna apologize the first chance I get, tomorrow..." ... Turning my head away, I muttered, "IF... I get that chance... I won't be surprised if she doesn't want to see me at all after today..."
"Oh, come on, little man." I turned my attention back up at her and she smiled a little. It was a mom smile... "She's a good kid. I know her mom's a bit stuck on herself, but Noelle's as reverse on her mother as a kid can get." She took my shoulder in hand and gave me a light shake. "Seriously, hun. If you feel this bad, she'll see it. Ya' got a chance and I wouldn't go blowin' it by not even trying."
... It was incredibly obvious. But, hearing the logic spelled out like that made me relax a little and nod. "Thanks, Mom."
She smiled a little more, then flicked her eyes over to my shoulder, before her smile was blinked away. "Uh. Hey. Backpack? Where is it?
I almost froze while my face burned. I nearly owl turned my head while my wings rose at my sides to feel at my back. Bare. "Crap!" My head snapped back to look at her, my eyes still bugged. "I forgot it in class!"
Folding her arms, she started to tap her talon and cocked her brow. "Well, I hope you don't need it tonight. No homework due tomorrow thatcha can't do because you left it?"
Shaking my head while I cocked my brow, I told her, "No, thank god. But even if I wanted to get in, the ones with the keys aren't e-" My beak froze shut and my eyes bugged for a moment...
My mom caught it, like I knew she would. Like I said, she's sharp. You get perceptive from having to detect lies from your family... Yeah, not too proud of that, thinking about it. Ehehee~... Tilting her head in a suspicious way, she asked, "The ONES with the keys...? Toriel is the gal that keeps the school keys. What are you talking about?"
If my beak could be sucked in like lips, it would have been in that moment. I had to think of something quick or she'd think anything else was a lie. Irony would have it that I lived with the very person who's a lie detector. I cocked a brow with a fake flatness to my expression, probably looking like a nervous and sweaty mess, and shook my head. "Tha-that's what I meant! What did you think I meant, that someone else had the keys? Nooo~!"
She squinted slightly and expectantly down at me with the expression of a person who knew better.
I just swallowed softly and huffed through a furrowed expression. "S-seriously? I-I just wanna go to my room. Play a game... and... "
Trying to leave got me my mom stepping in my way. I tried to juke her, but she just took me by the shoulder and stood me in front of her. "Berdly." I forced myself to stare up at her, frowning. She had the same expression as before. "What's going on? Who has the keys to the school? Why are you so nervous about saying?"
I slowly turned my head away. I could feel my cheeks burning and my sweat flowing free. "I-I... I don-n't know!"
She gave me a glare while her hands clenched along her fore-wing. "Boy, you know that's bull!" And I couldn't help wincing.
All I could do afterwards was frown and shake my head. "B-but I don't! I don't know!"
Growling and narrowing her gaze down upon me, she hit me with an ultimatum. "Berdly... If you don't tell me the truth in five seconds, I'm taking that damned PC ya love so much and chucking it in the attic and you WON'T be getting it back 'till I FEEL like giving it to ya. Now I know you know, so who's got the key? And why are you so afraid to tell me?!"
I clenched up my fist at the sounds of that. My PC was full of my life's work! Being away from it for too long without the option was pure anxiety. ... But this was different... I couldn't just give up. Kris and Susie needed me to keep this a secret, however that was possible...
"1!"
I felt a pang of panic as she started to count, ducking my head and shutting my eyes tight.
"2!"
My feathers felt like they were all trying to flake off, starting to stand up like they were.
"3!"
Turtling up further, my beak came open and I thoughtlessly blurted out, "I CAN'T!"
... There was silence as I opened my eyes and stared up with a frown. My mom looked beside herself with confusion... Tightening her eyes down on me and cocking her brow, she asked, "Why won't you tell me, boy? What are you keeping from me...?"
There was a moment where I really did consider telling her... it was just my mom, right...? But no. I couldn't... I just huffed and looked at the ground. "I-I can't... because... I m-made a deal... I'll tell you tomorrow morning first thing, but I-I can't say a thing tonight... Okay?"
Volunteering that much at least made her consider, but my mom does not like knowing something. She groaned and blinked at me wearily while thinking... Then came a sigh as she shook her head and a wing's pinions came to grasp her face. Once removed, she stared at me while I met her gaze. "Not a day more. And if you lie to me- if I find out you've lied to me, I'm grounding you from the computer for a month."
Knowing the odds, I took that bet. Not so make this sound like a poker game. I nodded and sighed through my nose holes. "Deal..." Furrowing my brows, I smiled nervously. "C-can I go inside, now?"
After a brief shake of the head, she shrugged and told me, "Just don't forget. I need a few things at the 'Sans store. Can't make my famous Spaghet without noodles~."
I sighed more lengthily while trudging by her toward the house. "Got it~..."
"You know you love it~!" I did, but like... I was really not hungry all of the sudden. Actually, I felt like I needed to go to the bathroom.
/)Ew~.(\
Oh -PB-B-B-T!- Whatever!
...
After I got inside and did whatever I needed to in order to not need to leave my room for a few hours, that's exactly where I found myself. I played around on Exivee for a few hours and tried to do some of the Insane Difficulty raids with a few of my buddies. Fefnir was, like, a non-ironic monster and it took us thirty minutes to down THAT demon. Mostly because Learoid and Everit didn't stick to their pairs and kept getting blown off the stage. So-
/Uuuh...\
What?
(I-I'm pretty sure this is... I don't know... irrelevant...?)
... ... ... Whatever~. I was trying to at least tell them what took me three hours before I left the house again... Uh. Hey. Can I go get some water? My throat's drying out...
/Sure. Just turn the mic off. I hate editing as is.\
Oh. Uh. Sure.
-CLICK!-
...
=) I'm not gone.
Holy cow! It felt like I would NEVER get this thing done! And by the way, this isn't the part that sucked... This is the SHORT part. The part was so bloated that it nearly made the un-split chapter reach 20,000 is up ahead... Okay, it actually got that big.
I didn't PLAN for this to take so long, but there were a few money scares waiting in the wings for me at the second half of the year. But let's not get into that.
I'll leave my thoughts in full for the next part, but don't expect it QUITE yet. it still needs finalization and such.
As always, please! Tell me what you guys thought of this! Fave, Review and Follow if you liked what you were reading! Reviews especially are like fuel to me, be they critical, speculation, like or dislike. I'm always striving to better my skills, after all. And I would HATE to stray too far from continuity...
Well! Have a pleasant evening!