boredom strikes back

[collectyourfriends]

It's been a week. Mom's not here, Leader Wattson's not here--nobody they know's here, except for Sparks, who came with them.

There's also not a lot of adults. Or people living here in this castle-palace at all.

Or a way down. They looked all the way around the castle, but there's no stairs or cable cars or anything. This must be a really far away mountain.

They're a little upset nobody told them they'd be here. (They might've cried a little, by themselves. Maybe.) But they are here, and they can't find their way home again, so this is just the start of their journey, that's all. There's so much to explore! And all this snow stuff to play with! So it's not that bad.

Shouldn't have got so mad at Sparks, they guess. It just wanted to play with everything, and nobody seems to own any of it for real--or nobody who cares enough to go find them and demand an apology, which is the same thing really.

So, naturally--to them, if nobody else--this means they're going to play with all of it, too.

And by play, they mean chuck stuff off the Edge and watch it all float through the clouds (like paper and cloth scraps) or plummet into the darker clouds below (like the cups and broken chairs and fallen branches from the garden). They've got a whole pile of stuff they gathered.



Sparks thinks they're being weird, but...

...there is something satisfying about watching things disappear like that. So he's there too, occasionally nosing a piece of something-or-other from the pile off the Edge, too.

Comments

[boogerman]

This silly shadow agrees. For a while, he's in the shadows on the underside of the Edge, defying gravity and watching things tumble down where the child and the... whatsit can't see him at all.

That's only entertaining for so long, so eventually he moves to another hiding place. He sticks his arm--only his arm--out of the faint shadow near their feet, grabbing a broken mug and flinging it down. And if they don't notice that, somehow, he'll go on tossing more things, as just an arm.

It's exactly the kind of dumb scare he loves. Hahaha.

[collectyourfriends]

Frisk shrieks before they even register that that's an arm down there, just that there's something moving and they dart away from the edge and the pile.

Sparks' instincts roar at him to bite and to flee at the same time, which leads to the sight of the pup snapping at thin air and toppling over tangled feet.

so old

[boogerman]

There's laughter coming from all the shadows, all around, as the arm-without-a-body keeps grabbing and throwing things. It has pretty good aim for something without eyes!! Logic doesn't apply, okay. Deal with it.

"Why are we doing this?"

Ha. Hahah.

vOv

[collectyourfriends]

They've got a moment to reorient themselves, at least, and think they know what's going on. "Go away, ghosts!" demands Frisk, even as they back away from the dark. "I'm just playing!"

Sparks gets himself upright again and growls at the arm, since he can see it best; it's moving, after all. He sends a (weak) bolt of electricity at it to make it stop.

how do you tag like you're running out of time

[itstheend]

It's becoming increasingly clear to young Chara that nothing is going to continue to be discomfortingly desolate of reason for as long as they're here. Their calm, formal demeanour as they approach the edge has cracks already in it - twitching, curling fingers, a certain antsiness.

It's not the fall that kills you, they say, but the sudden stop at the end, which is true if somewhat misleading given their interlinked nature. This place is a sudden dearth of dangerous velocity.

The green and yellow is very distinctive, probably for both parties. Chara comes to a halt, watching the Frisk throw things. They're going to get in trouble, and so will Chara if they're caught here with them, so they come to a halt and ever so slowly start stepping backwards as quietly as they can.

Their foot knocks a rock over the edge with a clatter, and they freeze.

/pat/

[collectyourfriends]

Sparks knew they were there for a while, but he's occupied with the nice wooden ladle he's found to gnaw on. And he doesn't really care, that too.

Frisk hears their mistake, turning. Oh! It's the weird kid! But they're aware enough not to greet them as that. They grin, and wave, and say "Hi, big kid."

[itstheend]

Chara's smile twitches. Caught.

"Hello," they return evenly. They look at Sparks gnawing on the ladle for something to look at. At least someone here is having fun.

Then they look down at where the rock fell. The ground isn't even visible. There's no way to retrieve anything that falls down there.

Then they look back at Frisk, avoiding their face. "Does anyone know you are doing that," they blurt.

[collectyourfriends]

He's been at it a while, it seems, whittling part of the handle down to almost nothing. He'll move onto something else soon.

"Uh-huh." People who walk out there, obviously.

They pull out a jangly mess of bells and pine needle decorations. They shake it a little, listening to the chaotic chime, and then look up at Chara again. "Catch," they say, and toss it in their general direction.

[itstheend]

It's the unconcernedness of someone who either isn't going to be punished, or doesn't care. Chara opens their mouth again. "And will they not-"

And then something comes flying at them.

Chara does not catch. They freeze, and their hands half come up; it hits them in the chest and bounces onto the ground, before beginning to roll merrily towards the Edge.

They stare at Frisk. They stare at the ball, and stop it with their foot. Then they stare back at Frisk, or rather about an inch to the left of their face.

Their expression says it all. What was that for? (Are you going to throw more things at them.)

[collectyourfriends]

The truth is definitely both.

Frisk stares back at Chara, lips twitching down. "...said 'catch'."

But they didn't, so they're probably not going to play along, so fine. They drop down without another word, crisscross-applesauce, and grab a necklace made of small shiny feathers and a silver chain. If they pick off the feathers, they can watch those flutter down later.

That whole time, they're still looking at Chara. They don't have a team yet, obviously, so they don't need to worry, but they do anyway. It's another weird thing. Another mystery. "Why don't you lookit my face ever?"

[itstheend]

Chara's lips themself twitch, catching upwards at the corners. They bend down and pick up the odd ball, holding it to their chest. There. It's like they did catch it, and it only took a little longer than usual. They're uncertain what to do with it, so they just hold it there.

"It's rude to stare," they say in polite response to the question. Moreover, it's rude to stare with red eyes. Except when certain people demand you look at them while they talk to you, upon when it's still hard to for some reason. "I do not wish to cause insult."

[collectyourfriends]

Frisk was going to suggest they fling it from the edge--they're bigger, so they can throw further than them--but it doesn't look like they're going to do anything with it. They hold up their hands for them to throw it back.

"It is? Why? 'S not to me, that sounds dumb."

[itstheend]

Thankfully, that intent comes across clear enough to Chara. They toss the ball back, underarm. There might be the sense they're deliberately missing and having it land near them to avoid hitting them.

Then the Frisk asks why, and things become murky again. "That is just... how it is. I do not get to decide what is polite or not." After all, it's something that concerns others, an aggregate societal decision, isn't it? Not that they think in those terms. It's like being asked why things fall when you drop them. Beyond a specific surface explanation, Chara can only mine ignorance at this time.

"Would you... prefer I look at you, then?"

Even they don't understand their own reluctance.

[collectyourfriends]

THEY THREW IT BACK! Great! Even if Frisk has to flail over to try to catch it, and doesn't quite manage to do it. They drag it over the dusting of snow and wind up.

"Yeah, would." 'Cause it makes them kind of feel like something's behind them, or that they're too boring to look at. (A thing that wouldn't bother their older self at all.)

And then they say "Catch!" and let it fly.

[itstheend]

Oh, they guess this is happening now. A game of catch is happening. Okay. Right. This time they do somewhat catch it, fumbling for it before gripping it, sweater getting wet from the snow. They know they're supposed to throw it back, and so they do, in the exact same extremely careful way even if it's closer this time.

"I shall do my very best, then," Chara says, and they are. They're looking at Frisk, even if their gaze starts instinctively drifting and they repeatedly force it back when they realise.

They've completely forgotten about Sparks, or dropping things over the Edge.

[collectyourfriends]

Sparks has proceeded to eat the wooden spoon, and now he's just watching the trainers talk. And their 'ball'.

Narrow red eyes are staring back, gleaming with approval! The big kid listened to them! "See, see? You can do it!"

The ball of bells glances off their fingertips, but they've got a better chance at getting it now. They scoot forward a little and toss it back without announcing it this time, and just a little harder.

hhh it's hard getting them to *mention* it

[itstheend]

Chara catches the ball. There's more force to it, and part of them wonders if the other is just going to throw it harder each time until it bruises.

They look up, as they've been instructed. Chara drops the ball.

The other has red eyes, too. There's so many demons in this place, and Chara has no idea what that might mean. Solidarity? Antagonism? The other kid one they met seemed to think the former, so that's the pattern they adopt for now.

They can't believe it took them that long to notice, but then again, the others were pure chance when it comes to avoiding looking people in the eye - which is coming just a little easier now. They stoop to pick up the ball and toss it back, flushing at "You can do it!", something inside squirming a little.

They're also side-eyeing the dog a little, now that it's unoccupied and watching. Dogs chase balls, don't they?

pats the kiddo

[collectyourfriends]

They don't spare a thought on the kid dropping the ball--even if they did, they'd just think it slipped.

Frisk catches the ball and shakes it. Jangle jangle jangle. Reminds them of what they were doing, and they look at the pile while standing up properly. (They're still very short.) "Wanna have a throwing contest?" Jangle jangle jangle, and toss.

[itstheend]

Chara follows the kid's gaze. Surreality is setting in again.

It's... tempting, which is a warning sign they feel. Something they shouldn't do. An accomplicement.

"What are the rules?" their mouth says without any prior consultation with the rest of them. They can't claw it back, so they'll have to go with it.

They catch the ball again, a bit better this time, and toss it back, a little more confident in their aim. They're getting better at this.

[collectyourfriends]

They catch it, tossing it between their hands as they explain. "We get a couple of stuff--couple things that're...close...that're the same shape. And then we throw them. And the ones that go further wins. And...aaaaand..."

Frisk glances around, but the bare Edge and the junk pile don't give them much inspiration.

"...dunno what the prize might be, but we can think of something later!"

[itstheend]

Reminds Chara of a physics lesson. Two objects the same shape, dropped from a great height, hitting the ground at the same time.

And if they were older, they might find a dar humor in that. But as of now, they don't have a certain context.)

Which means... well, it really does depend on throwing strength. Chara approaches the junk pile. They're not really expecting to win this, so they... don't really care about a prize, but they search anyway. Eventually they find two hubcaps, and hold them up for the other's scrutiny.

"Are these acceptable?"

[collectyourfriends]

Frisk hops to their feet. "Acceptable!" they mimic, smiling big.

They enthusiastically fling the bell ball towards the Edge--and it's then when Sparks finally strikes, arcing through the air in a green blur and snapping it in his jaws with a jingle and a crack. It's shiny and he likes it and it's his now, thanks.

Frisk sticks their tongue out at him for a moment, then seems to entirely forget what just happened and skips over to stand by Chara's side. "Your turn first," they inform them, pulling one of the discs out of their hands without sparing a thought about asking. They want to see what they can do!

[mettaton_rex]

Here's one of those rare adults. One who was hoping to see more of the surface world, now that a week of hanging around the castle has persuaded him that Blooky and Shyren aren't likely to turn up if he just waits a little longer. He assumes he could fly down to whatever's below (maybe it's a city! With skyscrapers, and fashion boutiques, and fancy restaurants!) but he's looking for someplace where the clouds are a little less thick.

What he's found instead is a monster and a human child engaged in the time-honoured tradition of watching garbage fall into the abyss. He pauses to watch from a distance for a little while - it really is satisfying, there's no denying that. And, well... he's dreamed of the surface for so long, but now that he's here - unexpectedly, unprepared, without his family and friends - he might be feeling just the tiniest bit homesick.

The sad feelings don't show in his smile, though, as he floats nearer. "Hello, sweethearts! Mind if I join you?"

[collectyourfriends]

That does not look like an adult to Frisk.

Doesn't look like a ghost, either--not the kind they know. Maybe just a hint of Shuppet around the bottom, and they're definitely staring. Sparks too.

"...Yeeeees?"

[mettaton_rex]

...well, then. Metta stops where he is. If he's intruding, then he'll go - maybe they just don't want company, maybe this is a private moment of garbage tossing, that's all right. But he doesn't much care for the way they're both staring at him.

His smile and his tone only become a little bit strained. "What's the matter? You look like you've never seen a ghost before."

And it occurs to him right after saying that that probably the human really hasn't, but still. Rude.

[collectyourfriends]

"...Nuh-uh, you're--"

Frisk stops.

Well. There's lots of weird things here.

"...not...a ghost I ever saw. You're a weird color, not purple or black or anything."

Sparks stands up and creeps over, sniffing. Odor Sleuth. Kind of smells like a Ghost.

[mettaton_rex]

He looks down at himself, frowning slightly. Nope, still the same colour.

"I don't know any ghosts who look like that." And he's related to most of them, even if only distantly. They're a big family.

[collectyourfriends]

White is only for Duskull masks and stuff.

"All ghosts look like that," Frisk says firmly. "All all all the ones I saw ever. And I met lots. Shuppets and stuff."

[mettaton_rex]

"...who?"

This is getting them nowhere. And the suspicious way the strange dog monster is sniffing at him suggests they don't believe him either, which is even weirder.

"Listen, darlings, if I wasn't a ghost -" he sinks downward, letting himself phase through the ground till about half his body is hidden before bobbing back up "- could I do that?"

[collectyourfriends]

They bend down, studying it closely. No churned-up dirt or anything.

"...I guess," they say. "Still look weirder than the other ones."

Sparks swipes a paw, glowing with light, trying to get a slice through him.