Ten thousands lights come blazing down with razor sharp precision ♪

[aghostinthemachine]

[Whatever is that oversaturated ego leaking from the cracks of the castle door? It almost creates a spotlight effect, the dust in the castle making it look like smoke is rolling through the room. Who is creating this powerful aura? Why, it's everyone's favorite(?) Underground super star! The door finally bursts open and a shapely leg clad in a pink high heeled boot steps through, followed by the rest of the fabulous robot, noodly arms wrapped around several pink suitcases.

Why would anyone want to vacation in a place like this? Who knows. No one knows how Mettaton's brain works. Sometimes even he himself doesn't know.

Of course, he's expecting this to be like a hotel and calls out for the staff that does not exist:]

Yoohoooo~ Anyone home? I'm looking to rent a room! Your best room.

[You can either help him out, inform him that he's very much mistakened, or find him later on once he's settled in, if there happens to be a parlour or a library.]

Comments

[voidster]

Excuse him for having a second brain malfunction. He's staring again. That sure is... a story. Not nearly enough detail to make a lick of sense. He inhales. Exhales. And focuses.

"The prince? Was this prince human himself? It's common knowledge it would take seven humans to shatter it, in my day."

...Why would someone not be paying attention. What is wrong with you, robot?

[aghostinthemachine]

[He didn't really... care? And was off screen so. /shrugs]

No. The King and Queen's son. I guess he got reincarnated as a flower and became corrupt, then the human child helped... purify him? He ended up sacrificing himself to break the barrier. My memory's a bit fuzzy though. Everything felt... like a dream at the time.

[voidster]

It only gets weirder. And weirder. The smile is less of a smile now, tainted by confusion and a small amount of sadness.

"Asriel." He hasn't spoken that name in decades. "Asriel became ah... flower. And passed on a second time. Do I have that right?"

[aghostinthemachine]

[He feels a little guilty for not having understood or paid attention to the situation more.]

From what I know, yes. Most of us are living on the Surface now.

[voidster]

Brave little prince. He was so young when he died the first time. He taps his fingers against the leg of his pants for a moment, more subdued now. That's likely all the robot knows. No need to push him too far digging for answers.

"Then I suppose my 'good news' is not so exciting after all. I'm sorry, I haven't asked your name...?"

[aghostinthemachine]

[Mettaton chuckles softly.]

I do still appreciate it.

[He extends his hand. Ah, the perks of having retractable arms.]

And I'm Mettaton, the Underground's Number One Star. It's a pleasure to meet you in person, Dr. Gaster.

[It's odd to be introducing himself to Gaster, rather than the skeleton already knowing about him. How young is he...? How soon is this before the accident? Is the Gaster that he knows here? Is that even possible?]

[voidster]

Gaster's shaking Mettaton's hand with the one that doesn't have a gaping hole in the palm--yes, it seems this younger one has one whole hand left.

"Star? Of what? Or. I'm not sure how much I should be asking about what will happen. It may not, there are too many timelines."

He's already wondering about Flower-Asriel. Will that happen someday for himself and his son? How does a long-dead monster become a flower??

[aghostinthemachine]

I'm sure it's safe for me to at least tell you I'm the star of the only television station in the Underground, right?

[He's probably already told him too much as it is. But Mettaton's never been tactful about such things.

He is, however, surprised by the normal hand, and wonders if Gaster has started signing yet. Him speaking in English sounds like it's difficult to mantain.]

Ah, how long have you been here, if you don't mind me asking?

[voidster]

It's extremely frustrating. The pains he goes through to socialize with people not his son or who already know him well and can understand his signing.

But someone has to tell Mettaton about the castle, and there aren't nearly enough adults around.

"Around a week and a half. I was not as prepared as you. My son and I went to sleep in my bed and awoke here, somehow." Anyway. "There will be a television station one day?"

[aghostinthemachine]

[Son. But Gaster said he didn't have any children. Should he inquire as to who it is or wait until he finds the one from his world...?]

Hm. That's odd... I happened to find this place when looking for resorts to stay at... Obviously they were lying.

[The subject of himself immediately perks him up though. Gaster can more than likely see it in... all of his body language.]

Indeed there will! The Underground will no longer be bored with me around~

[voidster]

Heh. That gets a more true smile from him. "I would say so. This is far from what I would consider a vacation. For one thing... there are only a handful of adults. All the rest are children. Most human. One, my son. Two others, also Sans. And one comes from somewhere where I am his older brother, not father."

That sure is a mouthful. Still, it's an example of the sorts of weirdness this poor new monster is going to have to deal with. Does he have to keep talking?

Yes. Silence would be rude, unfortunately.

"A good idea. If television was your idea?"

[aghostinthemachine]

[... His eyes widen slightly as he tries his best to mask his surprise.

I-It does make perfect sense though. For him to be their father. They're all named after fonts. There's also the fact that Papyrus and Sans never talk about him, due to his existance being erased. Of course they wouldn't remember him. But he remembers them. That's why he knows so much about the brothers.

Well. Now they know each other's secrets, don't they? Mettaton bites his lip, glancing away for a moment. It's heart breaking to him. Even more so when he thinks about how it must be from Gaster's point of view.

Obviously he needs to spoil the older monster even more so now.

He puts on his best charming smile, keeping the conversation as casual as possible and preferably away from the subject of the skeleton bros.]

I suppose I add to the adult count then, despite not... having an age myself. And alas, television was not my idea. I simply borrowed it from the humans.

[voidster]

"Television in the Underground, I mean. A very good idea. We need more ideas." he says, partly for politeness sake. There's much more to cover, regarding the castle. "About your earlier question... there are no shops. Not enough people. No modern technology. There are gardens and a library, though. A music room. A room full of candy. Plenty of bedrooms."

[aghostinthemachine]

I quite agree.

[A pause.]

Hm. So there's no neighboring city or anything...?

[voidster]

"No. Nothing but the castle and some land surrounding it. We are... quite literally. Floating in the air, on a small island of earth. I haven't been here long enough to understand."

He does a poor job of hiding his sudden frustration for a moment, exhaling through his nasal cavity. And then it's gone again.

"I'd give you a tour, but the hallways and rooms are constantly shifting around."

[aghostinthemachine]

[Mettaton's shoulders slump and his arms extend until his luggage is sitting on the ground.

This is not at all what he invisioned.]

I... I was supposed to be on vacation! How can I relax in a place I'm literally stuck in?!

[voidster]

With an entire grade school class running around, even!!

"I... don't know." What to say. "As best you can, I suppose. I hope you don't mind babysitting." Haha see, lightening the mood a little?

[aghostinthemachine]

[Fun times.

The robot tilts his head slightly.]

Frisk is the only child I've ever interacted with...

[Meaning how does one child.]

[voidster]

Hell, once upon a time he was the same way... and then he decided to make his own. It worked out in the end, thank goodness.

"Good. Because they are one--no, two of the children here." The doubles (and triples) make talking about several people awkward as anything. Two Frisks. Three Sanses. One Papyrus, the not-son he hasn't had yet. Two Charas, back from the dead. Small wonder he looks like he ought to lie down and sleep for a week.

[aghostinthemachine]

[It worked out very well.]

Oh...! They're here? It's not good that they're here but it will be nice to see them again.

Still I'm a celebrity. I don't know how to babysit.

[voidster]

Scratch this person off the 'reliable adult' list, then. No rest for weary skeledads. He's already probably spent too much time with this mechanical monster, poor Sans.

"They. All the children will be hard to avoid, I'm ih--afraid." Excellent, he corrected himself that time. How many mistaken words has he missed? "Fair warning."

[aghostinthemachine]

[Yeah. Definitly not reliable.

He lets out an exaggerated sigh.]

Well, I'm quite talented at everything else... I suppose babysitting is just another skill I can add to the pile.

[voidster]

...Why does he suddenly have a bad feeling about bringing it up at all?

"Are you sure?"

[aghostinthemachine]

[Because it's Mettaton.]

No but I don't have much choice, do I?

[voidster]

"You could hand t-them off to another adult."

There! There is your choice. Make use of it.