gaster blaster master caster disaster

[voidster]

Out by the edge, near sunset, someone is doing Something Very Stupid. It isn't the first time. One can only hope it will be the last.

It's not the worst thing he could be doing. He's 99% sure it won't kill him--it's only magic. He's successfully regained some skill with bone attacks and extra sets of hands, so why has this been so difficult? He misses them, even though they're really nothing more than echoes of his own personality, not creatures of their own right. He created them. He perfected them. He's proud of them.

To anyone watching, he doesn't look like he's doing anything. Standing stiff and still, hands clasped behind his back, watching the sun go down. Until something nearly as tall as he is explodes into being, floating in midair.

And then...

He starts to melt. He's overreached, he doesn't have the energy to keep his shape together. Legs sag and fuse, fingers drip like pudding, face loses all detail. Two minutes later, he's nothing more than a sad, mostly shapeless whiteblack lump of goo in the dirt. The Blaster skull nudges at him, like a huge curious nightmarish puppy.

Worth it.

Comments

[aghostinthemachine]

Poor Gaster. Thankfully it's just Mettaton though, right? And he'll make sure no one sees him like this.

"Of course," he nods, "I'll take you up to your room as quickly as possible." The glambot kneels down again, setting the bucket down on its side.

[voidster]

[Any room will do.] The only difference between 'his' room and all the others are the car battery and a few notebooks full of shorthand scribbling. Another mental sigh, and then he's scooting into the bucket like a disgusting man-sized black and white slug. One good thing is that the Void-matter is only attracted to other Void-matter, and he isn't leaving any kind of nasty trail.

[aghostinthemachine]

It's... pitiful. He'd never say it out loud. He feels genuinely bad for the older monster.

"Very well."

Mettaton remains still until Gaster is in the bucket, then stands up, holds it against his torso, and begins their journey back into the castle.

"You're... not going to fade away like before, are you?"

[voidster]

A hand stretches out of the bucket before it's uprighted to grab his satchel and watch, the only two real things he carries. They're coming into the bucket with him.

Bucket. For pity's sake, he feels like a pile of mud, filthy and not worth the effort. What good was Gaster the person and not Gaster the scientist anyway?

[No. That's a unique feeling, the fading, and I'd be much more concerned if I thought it would.]

Even riding in a bucket is better than the Void.

[aghostinthemachine]

If Mettaton had been more prepared, he would have grabbed something less dumpy. Especially because he can only imagine how shitty Gaster must feel.

"That's good, at least. I... wouldn't want you to."

Realizing the castle will more than likely make it difficult to find the scientist's room, he decides to head towards his instead. He looks down into the bucket and tries not to crack a smile.

... Pitiful but cute.

[voidster]

[I don't want to go back.]

Look, a moment of truth from this pitiful old man in a bucket. He... doesn't have enough form to have any sort of expression or body language. It probably wouldn't be upbeat if he did.

[aghostinthemachine]

Mettaton remains silent until they reach his room, not sure what to say in response to that. After closing the door behind them, he heads over to his bed and sets the bucket on its side so Gaster can get out. Leaving him to his own devices, the glambot retrieves a big makeup brush then heads back over. With Gaster out of the bucket, he sets it near the door before returning his attention to his guest and begins dusting him off.

"Are you comfortable enough?"

[voidster]

He's... jiggling, all of a sudden, once Mettaton starts brushing him. The surreal nature of all of this has slapped him in the face and broken something, maybe, because his drooping face suggests he's cracking the fuck up. Laughing himself silly.

He's a pile of slush on a bed being beaten with a makeup brush by a celebrity ghost haunting a metal body.

Yeah.

[Yes. Yes, I'm comfortable.]

[aghostinthemachine]

That's a concerning reaction. Unless he's ticklish? It's hard to tell. Mettaton offers an uneasy smile though.

"Good. Sorry if this tickles... it's the least I can do after having put you in that filthy thing. ... Can you get dirty like that?"

[voidster]

[I'm sorry, I'm sorry.]

Because he can't quit the jiggling 'laughter' and it isn't because he's ticklish.

[Not ticklish. This is just... a ridiculous image.] Isn't it? Can't you appreciate it too, Mettaton?

[aghostinthemachine]

The glambot blinks, taking a moment to consider the situation. ... It is rather odd now that he thinks about it. Here they are, Gaster in a gelatinous state, and him, using a makeup brush in attempts to clean him off which is just making him jiggle.

"I suppose you're right. It is rather ridiculous, isn't it?"

And with that, he places the brush on his night stand.

"At least it's just us though."

[voidster]

At least he's laughing about it for the moment instead of loathing his body. A momentary relief.

[Glad you agree, or I'd be very afraid for your sense of humor.] Slowly he's becoming more still, less wiggly. [Don't worry. I can shake it all off once I've rested... and help you change your bed, there's dirt on them now.]

[aghostinthemachine]

That's a small step forward. He'd rather see Gaster laughing than being miserable.

"I'm not too worried about my bedding," he says as he takes a seat next to his bed mate, "Take as long as you need."

[voidster]

He stretches out to be less of a pile and more in the shape of a man. A melted man lying on his back, lacking hips and legs and feet. The glambot really doesn't seem to care, so why not take it easy for longer than he technically needs to? It's fairly private in here.

[Other than this little scare... how are you today?]

[aghostinthemachine]

He could take the entire night and Mettaton wouldn't care. No one is going to be disturbing them.

The glambot props his legs up on the edge of the bed and holds them against his chest, resting his cheek against his knees.

"I'm doing well. Dealt with one of my twins the other day. That was... a mess." He sighs. "Asides from that, I've been helping Papyrus settle in."

He's hiding a smile.

[voidster]

He's... not going to talk about the twin. He's going to talk about someone much Greater and happier and uplifting. Because he's so terribly terribly biased himself and he sees that sneaky smile.

(He's smiling too.)

[The scientist one?]

[aghostinthemachine]

Yeah. He's trying with that one.

But that certain other monster is a much better topic. Mettaton's cheeks flush a bit.

"Yes."

[voidster]

[I like him. Of course, I'm bound to like any skeleton from the Underground...]

All the Sanses and Papyri in every single life, oh yes. Go go skeleton brothers.

[It's good to see him, isn't it?]

[aghostinthemachine]

"He isn't the one from our world, is he? Sans never said he was in to science."

[voidster]

[Not from yours or mine. It's all the same to me--he's still very much the same.]

Bright and cheerful and kind and brave and a hideously bad chef. Yep. It's Papyrus.

[aghostinthemachine]

"He is. It's nice to have properly met him." The skeleton's reaction to seeing the robot in his EX form was very amusing. "His energy is infectious. He was so interested in how this place worked."

[voidster]

[I know. I look forward to helping him if I can--I don't understand much of it myself. No equipment.]

...If he had all his old lab equipment, hell, maybe those who want to leave would be home already. But. It's not going to happen. Just shrug it off and have a good mental laugh at Mettaton's blush, my goodness.

[aghostinthemachine]

"I wouldn't mind watching you two work. I'm sure it's a sight to see."

Probably sound like a bunch of Greek to him but still amusing. Seeing people be passionate about things they like is both satisfying and inspiring.

[voidster]

He bunches himself up, sliding backwards to rest against the headboard, 'sitting' up instead of making a mockery of how normal people lie down. [Feel free to join us anytime.]

...After all, he's seen Mettaton be flustered, 'heard' it in text, but never has he seen the two together with his own eyes, really. It's probably something and that something is adorable.

[aghostinthemachine]

"You'll have to let me know next time you two have something planned then!"

Yeah. With just Papyrus, he can mostly keep his cool. With Gaster AND Papyrus though? He knows Gaster finds them adorable together and willingly adds fuel to the fire.

But Mettaton's a bit of a masochist and wants to challenge himself.

Wish him luck.

Upon seeing the older monster sit up and gain some of his shape back, Mettaton's smile widens.

"You look better."