#and echoes of cities past that come back to life when something is reintroduced

[leona-florianova]

Illustration for Hellblazer fanfic Lights Out (by NAOA on ao3)

[swiftsuburbanlegends]

What’s in a Name

There’s been too much hiding since Will had come back to Star City, but if he wants to help, if he wants to do the right thing, he has to be more like his father.

Will looked out on the crowd of people and reporters. He knew what he had to do. There was an imbalance between the Glades and Star City, an imbalance between the rich and the poor, between citizens and vigilantes. And that had to end.

“You don’t have to do this,” Mia whispered to him. He had never seen her look so nervous. “We can find another way.”

“There isn’t another way,” he took a deep breath. “I’ve been hiding Mia, for far too long. The way to fix things, is to fix that.”

“What if--”

“You have my back?”

She nodded. 

“Then I’m good.”

She moved to go stand near Connor and Zoe, the latter giving him a reassuring smile as he stepped to the podium. 

The noise quieted a little as they’re attention focused on him. He knew he only had a few minutes before the questions started up. 

“Thank you all for coming out today,” he said, looking over the masses. “It’s been a long time since I’ve made any public announcements regarding the company. But a lot of things have changed in the past year.”

“Mr. Harris,” a reporter from CCPN spoke up from the middle of the crowd. “Is this in regards to the merger between Harris Consolidated and Wayne Enterprises.”

“No, it is not.” He took a moment, remembering all the times he saw his father in the exact same position. Every time Oliver had faced the public, Will had seen a strength in him that had nothing to do with being the Green Arrow. “It does however have to with my company, and a family legacy.”

He looked over to Mia, who ducked her head. Their parents hadn’t come, not because they didn’t want to, Felicity had wanted to come so badly. But the city still hated them. But this, this would be a step towards fixing that. Fixing the divide, fixing what was broken.

“For years I have let the world believe something about me, about my background and how I grew up,” he said taking a deep breath. “William Harris is a name everyone of you knows, because it’s who’ve I’ve been for the last decade of my life. But that’s because I’ve been hiding.”

The murmurs started to roll through the crowd and before they could pick up speed he pushed forward. “When I was a kid, I used to live in Star City. I saw the rise of heroes. I saw good and noble people fight every day to protect this city from falling into the darkness. And as I grew up, I watched this same city turn on those heroes.”

“Mr. Harris, you believe the vigilantes that once crawled through the city were right? Based on what?” another reporter cut in. 

This was the moment of truth, and Will knew it in his bones that there would be no going back after this. 

“I asked you all here today, because Harris Consolidated is rebranding,” he stated, looking once more at his sister and friends. “For too long I have denied a part of myself in order to push myself forward with this company. But not anymore. As of today, on this spot, my new head office space, I am coming clean with all of you. I’m the son of the Green Arrow.”

Any questions the reporters may have had died on their lips the second he spoke those words. He could see a million new ones filling their eyes. But he wasn’t done yet.

“Oliver Queen, isn’t just my father. He was a hero to this city,” Will felt the words give him the strength, he had never felt more like his dad than in that moment. “And because of him, because of the sacrifices he made, this city was once a great and wonderful place to live. I hope it can be that again.”

A reporter raised her hand and he pointed to her. “You said this was a rebranding? What does this mean for Harris Consolidated?”

“Harris Consolidated is no more,” he said and shrugged. “If I want to help, if we all want to heal the divide that has scarred this city, then we can’t do that hiding in the shadows. I can’t hide either. So from this day forward, on this very spot, Queen Consolidated sits once more.”

“Mr. Harris.” The same thing echoed through the mouths of several reporters as he tried to calm them down.

“I promise to answer you’re questions, but before we continue,” he said holding up a hand. “I’d like to reintroduce myself to you all, my name is William Clayton Queen.”

[alanaknobel99]

Book Review: “How To Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy” by Jenny Odell

1. What is your favorite quote from the book and why do you find it meaningful?

“It's a bit like falling in love, that terrifying realization that your fate is linked to someone else's, that you are no longer your own. But isn't that closer to the truth anyway? Our Fates are linked, to each other, to the places where we are, and everyone and everything that lives in them how much more real my responsibility feels when I think about it this way! This is more than just an abstract understanding that our survival is threatened by global warming, or even a cerebal appreciation for other living beings and systems. Instead this is an urgent, personal recognition that my emotional and physical survival are bound up with these strangers not just now but for life.” (pg 183) 

I know this is a long quote, but when I first read this passage my eyes filled with tears and I let out the most inspirational “wow.” I was just shocked when I read this, at this point in the book this quote made everything make sense. We are connected to each other and to this earth, and our survival is counting on that connection. However, we are so absorbed in the attention economy we forget what and who are around us. We need to fall in love with each other again rather than the people stuck on our little screens. 

 2. Why do you think this book, released by indie publishing house Melville Press, has become an unexpected bestseller in Corona Times?

What else do we have to do during quarantine than sit our phones? We are quite literally in a cage where the only thing we have is to lose ourselves in the attention economy. People forgot how to take walks outside, rather than go to the gym, or just sit on the porch and watch the kids play. I think why this book was so successful during Corona Times is because people needed a break, and this book was a guide to that break. There was a pause in life, and I don’t think anyone truly knew how to take that pause. 

This past year has been a constant pressure cooker of the attention economy, and people needed to find a way to turn it off. While social media was a great way to connect us when no one could be together, we really had no escape. This book also came out at a time when a lot of people found it necessary to evaluate their life, and really look at themselves including what and who we surround ourselves with. The book, I believe, allowed people to open their eyes to seeing more than what was really there. 

 3. How does the attention economy benefit from our social media activity and media streaming consumption?

Refresh, Refresh, Refresh. That’s how the attention economy benefits from our social media activity. There are certain aesthetic choices that suck us into platforms like Instagram, or Facebook. The endless scrolling is what sucks you in as a consumer, and its main purpose is to keep you scrolling. There is always something new, and it never stops. 

Our attention span as society has continued to dwindle down to the bare minimum. Musicals and plays used to be over 3 hours, and now they are compact into 90 minutes with a 15-minute intermission, to recharge your attention. With the advancement of technology, our attention span continues to decrease. So much that we can’t deal with the feeling of not knowing something. We have to take out our phones and ask Siri. Our phones and other devices have allowed us to develop these emotions that we don’t want to feel anymore, and the only way to avoid that is to continue our use. 

 4. How does this book relate to the topic of celebrity culture?

Celebrity culture is a huge part of the attention economy. A majority of the ‘news’ on my Facebook feed is about celebrities. Social media allows them to develop a brand, and it’s almost as if they are constantly selling to us. Also, social media breaks down this barrier between the celebrity and the audience where it makes us feel as though the celebrity is our friend. The closer that connection becomes the easier it is to get sucked into this cycle of celebrity culture that is produced on social media. 

 5. Do you take digital detox breaks? If yes, describe them. Have they been more challenging during the quarantine era? Why?

I don’t take digital detox breaks. For one, I just don’t think I could remember all of my passwords after. 

All joking aside, for me I don’t know if they would work. I feel like no matter how long the break was, I would just go back, and perhaps it would be worse. What did I miss? Who messaged me? I’m not saying there aren’t benefits, but I try and find other times to avoid social media during the day. Maybe I’ll take one just for an experiment. However, I feel as though I would have to be alone. I don’t know how effective it would be because I have roommates, and watching someone else scroll all day wouldn’t give me the same benefits that I would expect to happen if I were alone. 

 6. Do you sleep with your phone or computer? Are you aware of impacts on your sleep cycles and relaxation caused by overnight proximity?

My phone is on my nightstand, plugged in, and on do not disturb at night and mostly throughout the day. Notification sounds just bother me, especially if I’m trying to concentrate on something else like homework or reading a book. However, I have many habits with my phone. Just like notification sounds, notification numbers bug me so much. If I see one I have to clear it, I like things to be clean on my phone. Usually when I’m stressed about something I will go on my phone to escape or avoid. I follow a lot of “aesthetically pleasing” accounts that I turn to in order to calm myself down when I get anxious. Scrolling through Pinterest always helps because I’ve tailored that to be aesthetically pleasing to my eyes. If I’m surrounded by a calm, good-looking space, it’s less likely I’ll be anxious, and that pertains to my phone as well. 

That being said, I am trying to limit my phone usage. I’ve noticed I can’t watch television without scrolling on my phone. This is just bad for my eyes and everything else cause I’m staring at two screens. My biggest habits with my phone are in the morning and before I go to bed. I’m very into my routines, and this has just become part of it. I also look at my phone when I first wake up, and I scroll for about 30 minutes. Mainly, it’s just to clear all my notifications from overnight. Then at night, which is where I watch tv shows or Youtube, and then scroll on my phone before I go to bed. I’ve been trying to break this habit by reading before bed, which ultimately limits my watch time because if it’s past a certain hour, I just go to sleep. I’m very aware of my habits and am trying to change them, especially because of this book. But I don’t think it has an impact on my sleep cycle, if anything my phone relaxes me because I use it in a relaxing way, but that is also a problem within itself.

 7. What is the role of nature in Odell's book, in particular the role of birds? (P.S. Did you know that birdwatching has become a HUGE pastime in the Covid era with a Snow Owl becoming a celebrity in NYC's Central Park? See NY Times (Links to an external site.)  article on Birdwatching and another on the snowy owl  (Links to an external site.))

The presence and care for nature in Odell’s book is what I mostly took away. We as a society are so absorbed within ourselves and advancement of technology that we have lost a state of consciousness with the very ground we walk upon. I watched a TED talk by Graham Hancock called “The War on Consciousness” (which was originally banned from TED due to it’s radical content) and he echo’s a lot of what Jenny Odell says. Humans have lost this connection to spirit, and if we don’t reconnect we may be holding ourselves back from further evolution. The way that Hancock suggests we grasp this reconnection is through the psychedelic drug of ayahuasca. There are a lot of parallels between these two because Odell suggests a lot that we need to render our attention, in order to open ourselves to more than what is considered surface level. If we allow ourselves to embrace a further, deeper state of consciousness we can reconnect with earth, and the nature that surrounds us in order to become a greater society. 

We need to reintroduce ourselves to nature, rather than take it for granted, which is why I think something like birdwatching became a pastime activity during COVID. I also want to mention the attention that nature has been getting during COVID. I remember a couple weeks after the lockdown there were stories of how animals and wildlife were starting to come back to places they haven’t occupied in a long time because nature was somehow repairing itself. There are also a lot of before and after lockdown pictures of cities where you can see the difference in pollution form the sky color. I think a lot of people took that as a sign that we are the problem, and things need to start changing. 

 Here is the link to the TED Talk, I highly recommend: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0c5nIvJH7w

 8. Experiment: Leave your phone at home for one hour to talk a walk in your neighborhood. Write down your observations when you return and draw a map of your path. What did you observe?  Take a photo of your map to include in your book review. Did the experience provide any revelations? Were you anxious, relieved, inspired? Did you notice anything you'd never seen before?

I love taking walks, it’s been a daily activity for me since Corona Times have begun. I usually just plug my headphones in and listen to music, but I don’t really look at my phone when I’m walking. My phone is also a safety net for me, so walking without it made me a little more anxious than comfortable. 

I live kinda close to a park in New York, but it’s a bit of a trek to get to. Usually I speed through my neighborhood in order to get to the quite area when the park begins, but not this time. I took more of a casual stroll through my neighborhood, still the same route. There was a lot of traffic noise, music from people’s speakers at storefronts, groups of people talking in Spanish. I always walk by a pet store to stare at the puppies in the window. Once I got to the park there is always this sense of relief, and it was still there even without my phone. The wind was brushing through the trees, footsteps of people running, birds chirping. There was a lot that I noticed, I sometimes forgot my phone wasn’t there and I could just be present. 

9. What does Odell mean by 'doing nothing?' Are we capable of doing nothing? 

The very last line of her book when she describes her encounter with the pelicans was, “The answer was nothing. Just watch.” We need to be able to disconnect, and we have lost that ability to disconnect ourselves from the attention economy. We live in a society that tells us we can’t do nothing, because you can’t survive that way. To take time to breathe, relax, connect with nature is looked at as selfish rather than necessary. The question of if we are capable of doing nothing is simple, of course we are capable. However, are we willing? 

[descentale]

Descentale Chapter One - COMPLETE!

Click RIGHT OVER HERE for the AO3 link!

Click RIGHT OVER HERE for the Prologue!

(Note: there might be font issues with this post. Many apologies in advance.)

Chapter One:

“Dust, Magic, and Water”

---

It had been nearly two years since monsters were freed from beneath Mt. Ebott, and for many, it was a rather exciting time. Humans had reacted with shock and awe upon being reintroduced to their unusual neighbors from the Underground. Some humans were fearful, and some were blindly hateful, both because monsters being real was something new and different that they didn't understand. Fortunately, thanks to Frisk's hard work and natural charisma, most humans were accepting and welcoming to monsters, and they even helped them get settled in on the surface. It was decreed by human leaders that Mt. Ebott would become a monster reservation, and a the beginnings of a large city was built surrounding the base of the mountain. King Asgore Dreemurr, still lacking in creativity as much as ever, named this city “New New Home”.

For a while, Frisk was the only human who lived in New New Home. Any other humans that showed up were usually tourists wanting pictures of monsters, or various human officials whom they had meetings with at the monster embassy office. Eventually, however, humans began showing interest in living in New New Home. Asgore consulted with his former wife, Toriel, on the matter. The king was more than willing to open the doors to any humans interested in befriending their kind, but he wondered if it was too soon for this. The city had not been standing all that long, after all, and despite the city's size, the monster population was already quite high. Toriel, in response, pointed out that it would improve relations between monsters and humans if their doors were opened to them. Plus, any humans living among them would give incentive to human leaders to provide monetary assistance that would improve quality of life in New New Home. Besides, with all the gold monsters possessed, she felt that they had plenty of resources to build as many homes for humans as needed. And so, open-minded humans looking for a cheaper, cleaner, more positive place to live took up residence in New New Home.

Frisk didn't mind having human neighbors, especially when they turned out to be far nicer and more accepting than most other humans they'd met in the past. However, it was around other human children that the monster ambassador found themselves feeling nervous. They never explained why to Toriel or their friends, but Frisk knew all too well how cruel human children could be. Frisk often recalled watching those chilling tapes from the True Laboratory, and how sick to their stomach it made them.

“I... I don't like this idea, Chara. Wh... what? N-no, I'm not... big kids don't cry. Yeah, you're right. No! I'd never doubt you, Chara... Never! Y...yeah! We'll be strong! We'll free everyone. I'll go get the flowers.”

Poor Asriel. Chara had not been kind to their brother. They had manipulated and abused the young prince. And Frisk knew that they knew this, judging by the way their shared soul reacted to that conversation. Frisk remembered when, after the Barrier had broken, Asriel told them that Chara wasn't the greatest person; Chara had not taken those words well, judging by the wave of sorrow that overtook Frisk's soul in that instant. Thank goodness Frisk had such a good poker face. The last thing Asriel needed was to see their friend cry.

It was strange... Frisk had not felt Chara's presence ever since they walked away with Toriel from Mt. Ebott that fateful day. It was as though Chara's spirit was tied to the Underground. Frisk supposed that, for as long as Chara remained buried beneath those flowers in the Ruins, they would be stuck there forever. And yet, despite this, Chara's happier memories with Asriel often echoed in Frisk's dreams. Frisk could never forget those images, no matter how hard they tried; those memories were like a residue left behind on their soul long after Chara had left. They left Frisk feeling melancholy; the love between the two siblings warmed their heart, but knowing what became of that relationship, what became of those two children no older than Frisk themselves, was devastating.

Not to mention, Frisk was rather disturbed by Chara's appearance. They had a different skin tone than Frisk's, as well as large eyes, rosy cheeks, and a seemingly innocent smile. But they were also the same height as Frisk. Their hair, though a different color, was styled in the same fashion as Frisk's. The shape of their face was the same, too. They even wore a striped shirt. It was almost like looking into a mirror. No wonder Asriel had mistaken Frisk to be Chara.

So, imagine just how Frisk felt one Saturday afternoon when they saw whom they thought was Chara walking in broad daylight towards their front yard.

Frisk had playing with a stick by dragging gently it across the yard's white picket fence and listening to the resulting sounds. Their head perked up at someone chirping “Hello!” in a cheerful, high-pitched voice. Frisk dropped their stick in shock when they saw who had spoken. It was a child, no older than themselves, and though they lacked the striped shirt and rosy cheeks, they looked a great deal like Chara. Frisk stared at them, too frightened to move or make a sound.

“Oh, did I scare you?” asked the child. “I'm sorry! P-please, don't be upset! I... I was just trying to say hi!”

Frisk processed the child's words. Their voice did not sound like Chara's had in Frisk's mind. They did not speak like Chara did. And they seemed a bit more feminine than Chara was. But the hair, the eyes, the skin tone, even the shape of the face, those were the same.

Frisk swallowed hard. “... Who are you?” they asked quietly.

“Me? Um, my name's Patricia!” the child responded nervously. “But everyone calls me Pat,” she added with anxious smile. “I just moved to this town with my mom!”

Frisk let out a breath they didn't know they'd been holding. Not Chara. Thank goodness. “So... you're new here? When did you get here?”

Pat, seeing Frisk relax a bit, sighed with relief before speaking. “Mom and I just finished moving everything in last night! I was helping Mom unpack boxes today, but I got super-bored. Mom said I could go explore the city as long as I had my smartphone with me, so... here I am! So, what's your name?”

Ah, so she didn't recognize them? Frisk wasn't self-absorbed, but they did know their reputation preceded them quite a bit. How would Pat react once she found out who she was talking to? Time to find out. “I'm Frisk Dreemurr,” they said with a smile.

Pat's jaw dropped. “WHAT!? Y-you're Frisk Dreemurr!? The monster ambassador!? No way! How did I not recognize you, oh my god!? I am so sorry, I didn't realize who you were!”

Frisk couldn't help but giggle a bit. “Hey, that's okay. I don't expect everyone to know who I am.”

“Ugh, but I should have known!” said Pat, slapping her own forehead in frustration. “Before I even moved here, my mom and I have been keeping up-to-date on monster-related news. You'd think I'd remember what the kid who saved an entire civilization looked like!”

Frisk fought back a grin of amusement. “Aw, I'm not that special. I'm just a kid like you, you know?”

Pat shook her head. “You're definitely not like me, Frisk. You freed an entire race of people from a centuries-old prison. You're a hero.”

“Who says you can't be a hero, too?” asked Frisk. “You can be anything you want to be if you're determined enough.”

“I don't know about that,” said Pat. “My mom told me that just because you want something bad enough, it doesn't always mean you'll get it, no matter how hard you try. So, as cool as being a hero would be... I'd rather be a bit more realistic in my goals.”

“Well, what do you want to be, then?” asked Frisk.

“A rock star!” Pat declared, striking an epic pose. “I've been playing guitar since I was three years old! I took lessons from my grandpa, and then taught myself further by watching videos online! My mom says I'm really talented!”

“That's cool!” said Frisk with a nod. “I'd like to hear you play someday.”

“R-really!? You wanna hear me play!?” squealed Pat excitedly. “I'd love to play you some music, Frisk! My guitar and amplifier haven't been unpacked yet, but once they are, I'll come right over with them and play you a concert! Would you like that? Because I know I would!”

Frisk grinned. “Sure!”

Pat pumped her fist in the air. “Sweet! I can't wait!”

Frisk turned when they heard the front door open behind them. Toriel was standing in the doorway on the front porch, wearing an apron over a purple dress. “Frisk? Who are you talking to, dear? Have you made a new friend?” The boss monster came down the creaky steps, approached the fence and stood beside Frisk. No sooner did she do so that she froze and gasped quietly, mouth agape as she stared at Pat.

Frisk knew exactly what their mother was thinking. They had to defuse the situation before it became awkward. “Uh, Mom? This is Pat. She and her mom just moved to New New Home,” Frisk explained quickly.

“Uh, h-hi!” stuttered Pat. She looked nervous, perhaps thinking she had offended Frisk's mother somehow.

Toriel stared a few seconds longer before she inhaled deeply and took on a calmer expression. “Oh, I do apologize. Greetings, Pat. Forgive me, but you look so much like another human I used to know. For a moment, I thought was looking at a spirit!”

“Oh, is that all? Thank goodness,” said Pat. “I thought maybe I'd done something wrong.”

“Oh, no, not at all, my child!” Toriel assured her. “I was just a bit surprised, that's all. So, you are living here with your mother?”

“Yes, ma'am!” Pat confirmed with a nod.

“Well, allow me to give you a warm welcome! I am Toriel, Frisk's mother,” said the boss monster.

“Pleased to meet you!” Pat chirped. “Say, aren't you the ex-queen of the monsters? You're so much prettier in person!”

Toriel blushed. “Oh! Why... thank you, my child! I do appreciate the compliment,” she said with a giggle. “And to answer your question... yes, I was queen once. However, I gave up my crown quite a long time ago. While I am still somewhat looked to as a leader... and though my former husband looks to me for advice now and then...” she added with a slight grimace, “I have the far more humble title of teacher now,” she ended with a smile.

“You're a teacher?”

“Yes! I started a school here in New New Home called Delta Rune Elementary. I assume you will be continuing your education there now that you live here, yes?”

“Uh-huh! That's what mom tells me,” said Pat. “I'm... I'm a bit nervous, though. I know monsters are supposed to be really nice – and you seem really nice too, Miss Toriel! – but I've never been in a school full of them before... I'll be an odd one out...” Pat cast her gaze downward. “Plus... my mom... she's very different from most other humans and...” Her voice trailed off.

Toriel opened the gate of the fence and stepped out in front of Pat. She knelt down before her and spoke in a kind, warm voice only an experienced mother would have. “Do not fret, my child. If it makes you feel any better, there are a few other humans your age at my school. You will not be an odd one out. I will admit, however, you will be a minority. But I will do everything in my power to make sure you feel welcome and included among the other children. I make sure of this for all the students that attend Delta Rune. So, worry not.”

“Thank you, Miss Toriel,” said Pat quietly, still looking down. “But...”

“But?” inquired Toriel patiently.

“... Like I said. My mom. She's... she's not like most other humans. She's different. At my old school, I got teased for it.”

“Oh? How is your mother different?” asked Toriel.

Frisk leaned forward on the fence, just as curious about Pat's answer.

“Mom... she has... um... Miss Toriel, do you know what autism is?” asked Pat.

Toriel nodded. “Indeed! I have a couple of human students who have it. I familiarized myself with it through much personal research, in an effort to make the learning environment more comfortable for them.”

“Oh, good. Well... my mom has autism, Miss Toriel,” Pat explained. “She's high-functioning, so she can hold a job and take care of us both just fine. But... the kids at my old school kept teasing me. They called my mom bad names, and they accused me of being autistic, too, as an insult. They think being autistic means you're stupid. B-but... my mom isn't stupid!” she insisted. “She's really smart! And she's super-nice!” Her voice cracked, and a tear ran down her face. “Even some of the adults said bad things about my mom! She already has enough issues to deal with! She... she doesn't need...!”

Without any prompting, Toriel wrapped her arms around Pat and gently held her close. Pat returned the embrace automatically, gripping her tightly and sobbing into the boss monster's shoulder. “There, there, my child,” Toriel soothed her. “I promise you, I will personally see to it that your mother feels welcome here in New New Home. I know very well that having autism does not make a human stupid. One of my autistic students gets exceptional grades, and though the other has their share of difficulties, I know they too have areas of great expertise.” She stroked Pat's back as she continued. “I am so glad that you love and accept your mother the way she is, even with all that you have been through. You are a very strong child, Pat. I cannot begin to imagine how painful those experiences were for you.”

“I... I don't feel strong!” Pat wept. “Look at me, I'm crying! Big kids don't cry!” Frisk felt a twinge of discomfort when she said that.

“Well, of course they do!” said Toriel. “Do not be silly! Everyone cries sometimes, Pat. It does not matter how big or little you are. Even I cry sometimes! Right, Frisk?”

Frisk stepped closer and placed a hand on Pat's right shoulder. “Mom cries at Disney movies all the time. You should have seen her when we first watched Bambi together! She was like a water fountain.”

Toriel rolled her eyes playfully. “That is a bit of an exaggeration, Frisk, dear. But yes, I did cry quite a bit. I am not ashamed of my tears, and you should certainly not be ashamed of yours, Pat. Besides, we have only just met, and here you are crying openly in front of us. That takes a lot of bravery, to show your true emotions.”

Pat pulled away to look up at Toriel, her eyes still wet. “You... you think I'm brave? Really?”

Toriel nodded. “Absolutely.”

Pat wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her pink shirt. “Thank you, Miss Toriel... that makes me feel a little better.”

“I am very glad,” said Toriel with a smile. “Now then... how would you like to come inside for a little bit and have a drink? I know humans are mostly made of water, and you seem to have lost quite a bit of that just now.”

Pat chuckled a bit. “Yeah... I guess I did, huh? Sure, I can come inside for a while. Mom just wants me to be home before dark.”

“Wonderful!” said Toriel, standing back up. “Would you like water, juice, milk, or perhaps some lemonade? I just made the lemonade today, and it should be nice and chilled by now.”

“Homemade lemonade!?” cried Pat happily. “Oh my gosh, yes, please!”

Toriel laughed. “Very well, then! Come along, children!” She made her way past the gate and motioned for Pat and Frisk to follow her. The two children followed close behind, Frisk walking behind Pat as they reflected on what had just occurred. Pat did not seem anything like Chara personality-wise, but there was no mistaking the resemblance physically, especially now that Toriel confirmed it. Did Pat's mother look like Chara, too? Were they related to Chara?

Frisk was determined to find out.

---

Meanwhile, at 279 Wimsun Lane, there stood a two-story family home previously owned by an elderly monster, who had sadly “fallen down” two months ago. The house itself was painted pink with white trim, and though small, it was just big enough for two people. Inside the house, unpacking countless boxes filled to the brim with various belongings, was Pat's mother, Emily.

“Oh god, this is going to take forever,” Emily moaned, pausing to wipe sweat from her brow.. “Ugh... I wonder if I should have made Pat stay and help me... or maybe I should have let Mom and Dad come over and help after all... Ah, who am I kidding?” she asked herself, flopping down on the living room couch. “It wouldn't have been right for Pat to stay cooped up all day. She was so excited about wanting to explore a city full of monsters. And I don't want Dad to hurt his back... and if Mom came over, Dad will definitely come over whether I want him to or not.”

Emily sighed. “I wish I could ask for help, but... I don't know anyone in this town... and I don't have friends to call for help... Hmm. Maybe I should just take a break for a while. I could use a drink.” She pulled herself to her feet and started to make her way towards the kitchen when the doorbell suddenly rang. Pat's mother panicked and ran towards the door. “Just a minute!” she called. “I'll be right there!”

“TAKE YOUR TIME!” a loud voice shouted back. Emily flinched. Why was this person shouting? Did her voice really sound that far away? Ah well, perhaps he'll stop once she opens the door.

Emily reached the door, opened it wide, and was surprised to see a very tall skeleton, wearing a strange costume and scarf, and holding what looked like a gift basket. “Oh! Uh, hello!” she greeted him, giving a small wave of her hand.

The skeleton appeared to smile at Emily, though it was a little hard to tell since... well, he was a skeleton. “GREETINGS, NEW NEIGHBOR! I-- OH,” said the skeleton, noticing her cringe in pain. “ARE YOU ALRIGHT, MISS?”

“I'm f-fine,” Emily stuttered, rubbing her ears, “but could you please lower your voice a little? I'm sorry, my ears are just really sensitive to sound.” 'How can someone without vocal cords be so deafening?' she wondered.

“OH, I-- I am sorry, new neighbor,” said the skeleton, “I did not mean any harm. That is my usual tone of voice, but I will lower it for your convenience.”

“Th-thank you,” said Emily. “I'm so sorry... anyway, you were saying?”

“Let's see,” said the skeleton, “where was I...? Ah, yes! Greetings, new neighbor!” he said, starting over. “I am The Great Papyrus! Though you may simply call me Papyrus, if you wish. And this is my brother, Sans,” he said, gesturing behind him.

Another skeleton, shorter and wider than Papyrus, suddenly stepped forward. He was wearing what had to be the laziest outfit imaginable: a blue hoodie, a white t-shirt, gym shorts, and a pair of pink slippers. “heya,” he greeted in a deep voice. He had a big smile on his face, though something about it seemed off to Emily. However, she couldn't figure out why. Maybe he's just a skeleton and she should stop thinking about it? The strangest part about Sans, however, wasn't his smile: unlike Papyrus, he had two pinpricks of light in his eye sockets that served as pupils.

“Sans and I are part of the welcoming committee here in New New Home,” Papyrus explained. “So... welcome to the neighborhood!” He held out the gift basket. “We have assembled this gift basket for you as a housewarming present!”

Emily took the basket from Papyrus, only to nearly drop it because it was much heavier than it looked. “Oh, my goodness! This is... this is quite the gift! Thank you very much, this is so thoughtful!”

“You are most welcome!” said Papyrus with a grin. “I have included, among many other things, a container of homemade spaghetti. It is one of my many, many culinary masterpieces, so I do hope you enjoy it.”

“Th-thank you, I'm sure I will!” said Emily, placing the basket on the floor behind the door frame. She nearly dropped it again in the process, and laughed it off nervously.

Sans grinned up at her. “so, what's your name?”

The woman smiled nervously. “Uh, Emily. Emily Thyme.”

“Thyme?” echoed Papyrus. “Like the spice?”

Emily's eyes widened, and she nodded excitedly. “Yes! Exactly! Oh my god, you have no idea how many people have asked me to repeat my name for them because they think they misheard!”

Sans' eyes lit up, both in the figurative and literal sense. “your last name is thyme, huh? is your middle name, by any chance... rosemary?”

Emily stared at him for a second. Was... was that a pun? Was that a spice pun? Oh my god, that was actually funny! She clamped a hand over her mouth and started snickering with laughter.

Papyrus glared at his brother. “SANS, YOU PROMISED NO PUNS!”

“hey, no need to be salty, papyrus. there's nothing wrong with peppering a conversation with some humor.”

“SANS!”

Emily clutched her stomach and shook as she laughed even harder. She didn't even care that Papyrus was shouting again.

“what? it's no big dill. it doesn't take a sage to see she's enjoying my jokes. and really, it's not like you didn't see this cumin, bro.”

“SANS, I SWEAR TO GOD!”

Emily uncovered her mouth and fully doubled over now, howling with laughter.

Sans grinned even wider. “i guess i couldn't mustard up the willpower to not make a joke. i camphor the life of me understand why you think i should stop when she clearly cloves it, bro. i swear i'm not doing it just to spice you.”

“CAMPHOR IS AN HERB, NOT A SPICE!”

“says-a-who?” asked Sans slyly.

“SAYS-A-ME!” yelled Papyrus. A second later, he somehow went cross-eyed when he realized Sans had tricked him. “OH FOR-- SANS!!”

Emily had sank to the bottom of the doorway by now, laughing so hard she was crying. “I can't breathe!” she shrieked.

“SEE WHAT YOU'RE DOING, SANS? SHE'S SUFFOCATING! YOUR PUNS ARE GOING TO BE THE DEATH OF HER!”

“heh, i know i can knock any audience dead, but this is ridiculous.”

Emily continued wheezing with laughter as she held up a hand, signaling the two skeletons to stop talking. “I... I seriously c-can't breathe... please...! Need air...!” Emily took several deep breaths before rising unsteadily to her feet. She panted a few times before she spoke again. “Oh... oh my god, I can't remember the last time I laughed so hard! Thank you so much for that!”

“hey, no problemo,” said Sans. He winked his left eye. “making people laugh is sort of my shtick, so if you're gonna live in this city, consider that a preview of what you're gonna get daily.”

Emily raised an eyebrow. “Daily?” she echoed.

“SANS – um, sorry, Miss Thyme – Sans doesn't just work for the welcoming committee,” said Papyrus.“He has quite a few jobs all over the city, and he's lazy at all of them. One minute he's selling hot dogs, the next he's doing horrible stand-up at Mettaton's new resort. He can't work hard at one job, so he has to slack off at a different one.”

“Um... that doesn't... sound lazy at all,” said Emily slowly. “That just sounds like he's working at a lot of different places.” She noticed Sans tilt his skull at her, which made her somewhat nervous.

Papyrus sighed and shook his head in disapproval. “Clearly, Miss Thyme, you don't know my brother well enough. But, unfortunately, you will probably will soon. Somehow, he seems to know everyone around here. Not that knowing everyone is a bad thing,” he added quickly, “for you see, I too have a 'shtick' of sorts – I, the Great Papyrus, strive to be everyone's greatest friend! Which requires knowing absolutely everybody! You seem like a very nice human – even if you do encourage Sans' terrible jokes – so I sincerely hope I can be your greatest friend, too!”

Papyrus was strange, Emily thought. Strange, yet rather friendly, and somehow charismatic to boot. He didn't seem like he had a bad bone in his body (pun not intended). Maybe Emily was too trusting; it certainly wouldn't be the first time. Then again, part of the reason she'd moved to New New Home with Pat was because monsters, from what she understood, were genuinely nice people born and raised without malice. She and her daughter desperately needed that sort of positivity. Perhaps it would be in her best interest to start making friends in this town, even if her first one was a little on the wacky side.

“Um... sure! I could always use a new friend!” said Emily. “And... maybe my daughter would like to meet you as well? I'd introduce you now, but she's gone out exploring.”

“Oh, you are a mother!” exclaimed Papyrus. “Sans and I thought we saw multiple beds being moved in! How many children do you have, Miss Thyme?”

“Please, just 'Emily' is fine. And my daughter is the only child I have. Her name is Patricia, but she prefers to be called 'Pat'.”

“Where is Pat's father?” asked Papyrus innocently.

Emily flinched, and she turned her gaze towards the wooden boards of the front porch. “I... I'd prefer not to talk about him, if that's alright with you. will only say that we are no longer married, and it's definitely for the best.”

Papyrus looked guilty. “Oh... I... I am sorry. I did not mean to dredge up anything unpleasant.”

“It's okay, you didn't know.”

Sans gave a polite cough. “so, uh, how old's your daughter?”

Emily looked up again, smiling with relief. “Oh, she just turned ten last month!”

Papyrus smiled. “Oh, really!? My best friend, Frisk is turning ten in a few weeks!”

“Frisk? You mean, the ambassador, Frisk Dreemurr?”

Papyrus nodded. “Yes! I have a lot of best friends, of course, for I am very great. But Frisk is the best out of all the best friends I have. What a coincidence that they and your daughter are around the same age!”

“Y-yeah! Imagine if the two of them met. I think that would be amazing!”

“Perhaps Sans and I can ask Toriel about a playdate for them! We live with them, you know! I know Frisk gets a little nervous about other human children, though, which is the only problem I can foresee.”

“Oh, Frisk will be just fine with Pat! She's a total people person. She gets along with almost everyone!”

“She sounds like my kind of person! Um... would it really be alright for Pat to befriend The Great Papyrus?”

Emily giggled, starting to feel more comfortable. “Of course it's alright! You and your brother seem real nice. You can both be friends with Pat, if you'd like.”

“cool,” said Sans. “i really hope she gets along with Frisk, though. the kid's pretty special to us.”

“I'm sure you'll have nothing to worry about. The only time my daughter doesn't get along with someone is if... um... well, let's just say she gets very defensive of me, sometimes.”

Perhaps Emily was seeing things, but Sans' smile seemed to falter ever-so-slightly. “define 'defensive'”.

Emily looked away again. “Well... both children and adults have said negative things about me in front of her. Or to her face. It always ended... badly. That's part of the reason we moved here. We've both had it rough lately, and I thought moving here would put us in a more positive state of mind. Besides, after my divorce, we've had to live with my parents because I couldn't make enough money, and I don't want to mooch off of them forever. So... here we are.”

Papyrus scratched his skull. “I don't understand-- what did people say about you that got Pat so upset?”

Emily sighed. “They said I was stupid... weird... freaky... it doesn't bother me, because I've heard it all before. But it definitely bothers Pat. And you know what they say: if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.”

Papyrus nodded in understanding. “At least you were not in as hot a kitchen as Undyne's old one underground. Her whole house burned down!”

This caught Emily off guard. “Pfft, what!?” she said with a laugh.

“i think what my bro's trying to say is,” Sans explained, “is that your situation could have been a lot worse.”

“Of course that is what I meant!” said Papyrus. “Was I not clear enough? At any rate, I am very glad you and your daughter are here, and not getting into altercations with those other humans. You deserve to be happy, and I have a very good feeling you will both be very happy here!”

Emily's face lit up, and for a moment her eyes stared directly into Papyrus' sockets... only for her to quickly away. “Th-thank you, Papyrus. That's very sweet of you to say so.”

“say, uh, emily... you got a job?” asked Sans.

Emily looked up at him with a start. “Um, yes! I'm gonna be working as a clerk at the bookstore downtown. I had the same job in my old town, but this one pays better, thank goodness! Or else Pat and I would be stuck living with her grandparents forever.”

“the bookstore? huh. well, as it just so happens, i sometimes work the register over there,” said Sans, “so i guess that makes us co-workers, huh?”

“Hey, yeah, I... I guess it does!” said Emily. “Wow, small world for such a big city, huh?” Wow, she really was going to be seeing a lot of Sans. She really hoped this wouldn't be a bad thing.

“um, you okay there? not to be rude, but your eyes have been pretty shifty this whole conversation,” said Sans.

Emily could detect the tiniest bit of accusation in his otherwise casual tone and mentally cursed herself. “Oh... they have? Um... yeah, sorry about that. I have autism, so I have a lot of trouble looking at people in the eye sometimes. That, and I'm painfully shy as it is,” she explained, “so it doesn't help.”

There was a look of embarrassment in Sans' eyes. “you're autistic? oh, man... now i feel like a heel for asking. sorry about that. toriel told me that some of her human students have autism... i should have figured adult humans could get it, too.”

“Well, it's more like something we've grown up with, not just 'get',” explained Emily patiently. “Autism is a neurological disorder. That means our brains are physically different than that of a normal human's. It's not a sickness or disease. We don't know where autism stems from, but it usually shows itself at a very early age, and it always continues into adulthood.”

“I didn't know human brains could be different from each other!” said Papyrus. “I thought they all looked pink and squishy.”

Emily let out a laugh. “Well, they are. But I mean they're shaped differently, to the point where they process thoughts differently than other brains.”

“is pat autistic?” asked Sans.

“No, thank goodness,” said Emily, shaking her head. “My school life was hell because of my autism. Up until my divorce, Pat's was so much better than mine. Part of the reason we moved is so that I can give her that happiness again.”

Sans hummed as he seemed to process this information. “well, i hope you get what you're looking for, lady. hey, papyrus,” he said, turning to his brother, “shouldn't we give our new neighbor the usual lesson about monsters? i think it's time.”

“Ooh, you're right!” said Papyrus. “Yes... Emily, I do believe it's THYME to teach you something valuable about monsters! Nyeh-heh-heh-heh! But only if you're up for it. I won't pressure you.”

“Um... okay? W-what do I have to do?”

“You and I are going to enter a FIGHT!” Papyrus explained.

Emily staggered backwards. “A... a fight?!”

“No, no, a FIGHT. All capitals,” said Papyrus. “Don't worry, I'm not going to punch you or anything. I am merely going to demonstrate how monsters express their emotions... through magic! You don't even need to FIGHT back. All you need to do is learn to ACT and show MERCY.”

“ACT? MERCY? I... I don't understand.”

“Well, perhaps it's better I demonstrate by example than merely explain it to you. I promise you'll be fine. I have excellent control over my magic, so this will all be one-hundred percent safe. What do you say? Ready to face The Great Papyrus?”

“Um... I guess so?”

“Excellent! Then step off the porch and let us begin! Nyeh-heh-heh!”

A strange sound echoed through the air, and Emily felt something emerge from her body. She looked down at herself, and was shocked to see a green heart floating in front of her chest. “Uh, Papyrus? What... what is that?”

“That, my dear Emily, is your SOUL. ”

“My... SOUL!?”

“Yes! The very part of you that makes you... well, you! When a human is hit by a magic bullet, their SOUL takes damage, and their Hit Points – or HP for short – are reduced. But beware! If your HP reaches zero, then--! Well, let's just say you REALLY don't want that to happen. But! Fear not! HP is easy to restore-- just consume monster food! Here, I'll give you this! I made it myself.”

Papyrus took out a plate of spaghetti from... somewhere... and held it out to Emily. Emily warily reached out for the plate and took it, which seemed to trigger a strange internal monologue.

*I received Papyrus' Spaghetti. I put it in my inventory.

Huh... that was... weird, Emily thought. Maybe this was just an aspect of FIGHTing?

“Excuse me, are you paying attention?” Papyrus asked. “I said, monster food is made of magic, so it immediately converts into energy when you eat it! And your SOUL needs as much energy as possible to survive an attack! So be careful! Now then... when you enter a FIGHT with a monster, it is turn-based. Since I initiated the FIGHT, I will allow you to go first.”

Three rectangular objects appeared in front of Emily. Each one had a word written on it: the left one said FIGHT, the middle one said ACT, and the right one said MERCY.

“Use the power of your SOUL to select an option. Might I recommend selecting ACT?” Papyrus suggested.

Emily concentrated, and much to her surprise, she was able to move her soul like a cursor among the three rectangles. Perhaps they were buttons? This was getting more and more interesting by the second! She settled her soul on ACT, and selected it. What could only be described as a menu opened up, covering the three buttons. Papyrus' name was listed there. She selected it, and a list of strange options before her:

*Check *Compliment *Empathize *Gifts *Puns

“Alright,” said Papyrus, “my next suggestion to you would be to Check. It will tell you my stats, as well as give you a description of my greatness.”

“Uh, alright...” Emily chose Check, and got a description of Papyrus.

PAPYRUS 20 ATK 20 DEF

*He thinks very highly of himself, but he seems to mean well.

“Nyeh-heh-heh! Very good!” Papyrus praised. “Now it's my turn. I am going to use a very simple magic attack against you. All you have to do is dodge it, and then it will be your turn.”

“What if I can't dodge? W-what if I get hurt?“

“Like I said, I have excellent control over my magic. The attack will be rather weak. You will be in no real danger, I promise. Besides, those two shirts you're wearing count as armor!”

Emily was indeed wearing two shirts; one was black with long sleeves, and a blue t-shirt over that. “Um... Papyrus? I'd say I'm not wearing particularly good armor.”

“Nonsense! Frisk was wearing a bandanna as armor when they first met me, and they held up very well! Now, less talk, and more dodging! Ready? Here comes my first attack!”

Emily watched as a small while bone popped up out of nowhere and slowly moved towards her. When it showed no signs of changing direction, Emily stepped out of the bone's path and waited for it to pass. It did so, and it disappeared into thin air.

“Bravo! That was superb, Emily! Now, it's your turn again. I'll let you figure out what to do next on your own.”

The three buttons appeared again. Emily chose ACT again, and carefully considered the options before her. Papyrus thought highly of himself... maybe a compliment would be a good first step?

*I tell Papyrus his costume looks really cool.

“Oh! Thank you so much! But this is no ordinary costume! This is my battle body! I wear it all the time. It makes me feel cool and heroic. And, since I'm the unofficial mascot of monster-kind, it makes me instantly recognizable!” Papyrus grinned. “Alright, here is my next attack!”

Papyrus sent out two bones this time, but these were taller and a bit faster than the previous bone. Fortunately, Emily was able to dodge them with ease, and her confidence began to boost.

“Wonderful! Your turn!”

*I ask Papyrus what's in the gift basket he gave me.

“The basket? Well, I wanted you to find out for yourself! But you already know that some of my spaghetti is in there... alright. There's some fruit, a complimentary t-shirt, a gold bone – from my personal collection, no less! – and a tin of golden flower tea. I highly recommend the tea. It's King Asgore's favorite! Oh, and there's also a die-cast metal figurine of my favorite celebrity, Mettaton! Okay, here comes my next attack. Brace yourself!”

Three bones, each one taller than the next, made a beeline for Emily. She dodged expertly.

*I tell Papyrus he has good taste in gifts.

“Nyeh-heh-heh-heh! Thank you! The New New Home welcoming committee pays for gift baskets out of their own pockets, as well as through donations. I choose to pay out of pocket, so I can make extra-special baskets for our new human residents!”

Four bones, this time from above. Emily ducked just in the nick of time before she got hit. When Papyrus' turn ended, she stood back up, cracked her back, and chose to compliment him again.

*I tell Papyrus how selfless and sweet he is.

Papyrus blushed and smiled. “Wowie! So many compliments! You must really like me! Or are you just trying to butter me up so you can use MERCY to spare me? Either way, I'm loving it!”

Suddenly, Papyrus sent out a faster attack than before, a volley of three bones above Emily's head that moved up and down. Emily shrieked in surprise before quickly ducking to the ground. “Uh, Papyrus!? How do I know when I can 'spare' you!?”

“If you select ACT, and my name is in yellow, then you can select MERCY, and then spare me,” explained Papyrus.

Emily shakily stood up and chose ACT. Unfortunately, Papyrus' name was in white. She groaned in frustration. “It's not yellow yet...”

“Of course not! My bones still rattle with the need to battle! I predict you need two more turns before you can spare me!”

“Two? I'm not sure if I'll even survive one more turn! That last one was really close!”

“Oh, pish-posh! I believe in you, Emily! You can win! You just need to try. Don't give up yet!”

Emily took a deep breath and chose ACT again.

*I ask Papyrus why he hates puns so much.

“What? I don't hate puns!” said Papyrus. “I just greatly dislike my brother's puns! I make far superior puns than he does. His are just lazy or annoying. Mine are cleverly and expertly constructed like the puzzles I made in the Underground. I enjoy my puns, and I enjoy my friends' puns, but Sans' puns are by far the worst.”

Sans slipped in beside Papyrus with a cheeky grin. “if you don't like my puns, why do you smile every time i tell you one of them?”

“I wasn't smiling before with those spice puns from earlier!”

“yeah, you were. or at least, you were fighting not to.”

“SANS! I AM TRYING TO CONDUCT A LESSON HERE!! GO AWAY!!!”

“okay. sorry, bro. hey, emily, good luck,” said Sans with a wink before sliding out of view again.

“Um... thanks?” said Emily, feeling herself sweat. She didn't know why, but something told her this battle was about to get even harder.

“Ugh... here comes my next attack,” Papyrus grumped. He sent out several bones this time, from below and above, moving up and down, speeding towards Emily faster than his previous attacks.

Emily shrieked in panic and desperately tried to dodge Papyrus's assault, moving left and right, ducking and even jumping over the bones. She did rather well until the very last bone, which she couldn't avoid in time. It hit her soul dead-on, and she felt a mild pain wrack her entire being, like nothing she had ever experienced before. The wind was knocked out of her, so she couldn't even yell in pain. She looked down at her soul. It was flickering like a flame on a candle. Oh... oh crap. She was dying, aren't she? Her soul was fading away, wasn't it!? Oh god, no, no, not like this!

“Oh, Emily, I'm so sorry! That was too harsh an attack! I think my frustration with my brother triggered it. I promise I'll tone it down for my next turn.”

Emily wheezed and pointed at her soul.

“Hmm? Oh! Don't worry, you're fine! Toriel tells me that's normal for humans who get attacked with magic; their souls temporarily become invincible as a defense mechanism. You'll go back to normal in a few seconds.”

Emily looked down at her soul and watched carefully. Sure enough, the flickering stopped, and her soul became a solid green again. Finding herself able to breathe again, Emily gave a deep sigh of relief. “Thank goodness... I thought I was going to die.”

“I would never allow such a thing to happen!” Papyrus declared. “Like I said, I have great control over my magic – uh, normally,” he added with a blush. “Like I promised, you are in no real danger. Even if Sans likes stirring the pot,” he added, shooting his brother a dirty look.

Sans shrugged from afar. “sorry, bro.”

Emily dusted herself off and glanced at the menu before her. “So, um... I think it says here I have 28 HP out of 30? That's not bad, is it?”

“Oh, not at all! That's actually rather good! Your armor is doing wonders for you!” said Papyrus. “Okay, I believe it's your turn now. Make your next move a good one! I'm ready!”

Emily checked her ACT options again. There was only one left she didn't use: “Empathize”. But how could she use that one? Maybe now wasn't the time. But what could she do--? Wait... the gift basket!

*I ask Papyrus about the Mettaton figurine from the gift basket.

“It's a super-cool display figure!” Papyrus proclaimed. “Limited edition, and not easy to get my hands on. But like I said, I like making my welcome baskets extra-special! And like Mettaton always says, what home is complete without MTT-brand merchandise? Nyeh-heh-heh!”

Emily braced herself for Papyrus' next attack. Seeing this, Papyrus gave a nod. “Here is a much gentler, yet cooler attack that I'm sure you'll be able to handle better!”

A bone appeared, but this one was far different from the others. It was wearing a pair of sunglasses and a hat while riding a skateboard, rolling right towards Emily. Emily almost forgot to dodge because she burst out laughing at how bizarre it was. She barely managed to leap out of the way, falling to the ground with a thud... only to laugh even more.

“Uh... are you alright? Perhaps that other attack left you discombobulated?” asked Papyrus.

“N-no, I'm... I'm fine, I'm fine!” said Emily, rising to her feet. “Okay, my turn!” And this will be the last one for sure, she thought to herself.

*I tell Papyrus that Pat is a huge fan of Mettaton, and that I can understand the hype over him.

Papyrus gasped. “Really!? Your daughter likes Mettaton, too!? Wowie! Now I know we're destined to be good friends! Oh, she is going to love that figurine, I know she will! Ooh, do you like Mettaton, too?” he asked Emily.

“Well... I like his hair. And his legs. And his singing voice is actually really impressive. So... yeah, I like him. I'm not a super-fan, but I like him.”

Emily wasn't sure how, but the insides of Papyrus' sockets sparkled with joy. “Wowie! I'm so glad you and your daughter moved here! We're going to be the best of friends! I can't wait to bond with the two of you over my favorite s-- erm, my favorite rectangle!”

Emily laughed. “I can't wait either, Papyrus.”

“Wonderful! Alright, Emily, choose ACT, and check my name.”

Emily did so. Papyrus' name was yellow! She gave a little cheer and bounced in excitement. “I won!”

“Yes, you did!” said Papyrus proudly. “Now, just choose MERCY, then Spare.”

Emily willed her soul to the MERCY button, selected it, and saw two options: “Spare”, and “Run away”. Taking careful note of the latter option, she chose the former, and her soul disappeared back into her body, ending the FIGHT.

“That was marvelous, Emily!” said Papyrus. “Congratulations! You've won your first FIGHT! And you didn't even have to do a violence to win!”

“That was pretty cool!” Emily admitted with a grin. “But... Papyrus? You said that was supposed to teach me something about monsters. What was I supposed to have learned, exactly? Maybe I'm just stupid, but if there was a lesson, it flew over my head.”

Papyrus nodded sagely. “The lesson was simple, my dear Emily... that if you somehow get into a FIGHT with a monster – not that it should ever happen, as we are very nice people – it is entirely possible to win by simply talking to them and not hurting them back. Because even a monster as strong and amazing as I am can be seriously hurt or killed very easily under the right circumstances. Or wrong circumstances, depending on how you look at it.”

Emily's eyes widened. “Oh... oh! I... I didn't know that. I thought that with all your magic, you monsters would be a lot more powerful than humans.”

“actually,” Sans spoke up, “humans in general are much stronger than any monster. you humans are mostly made of water, so you have more physical substance than we do. and your souls are very powerful, able to change fate or defy death itself. monsters are only made of magic and dust. their souls disappear along with their bodies the moment they die... well, aside from boss monsters like toriel or asgore, but even then, their souls only last for a few seconds after death. in other words, what my bro and i are trying to teach you is this: when you're dealing with a monster, fighting isn't necessary. just dodge, ACT, and show MERCY. got it?”

Emily nodded slowly. “Okay, got it. But... you say monsters don't usually FIGHT, right? And I think you can tell I wouldn't attack a monster. Why give me a... battle tutorial, for lack of a better term?”

Papyrus smiled nervously. “Well, um... there have been a few incidents here and there were humans started FIGHTs with monsters... fortunately, nothing serious ever came of those. It's... it's not that we don't trust you. You are very great! But we want to help make sure our city remains safe. Think of that tutorial as an interactive public service announcement of sorts!”

“there's also another important reason,” said Sans solemnly.

“Oh? What is it, Sans? I am unaware of any further reasons,” said Papyrus, bemused.

“well, papyrus, it's just that if emily's daughter has a tendency to get 'defensive', and she does so with a monster...” Sans allowed his sentence to trail off as he glanced at Emily, to allow the message to sink in.

Emily understood almost immediately, and when she did, her pupils contracted into pinpricks and she spoke in a hoarse whisper. “Oh, heck.”