THYME FOR A NEW WORLD (open)

[spaghettimonster]

Who: Papyrus and you!
When: through Iuneril
Where: Primarily around Haven, at Runetchers, and the various brothels (during class time), but he can be found throughout the city
What: Catch-all for June quests (a job and the flirting classes) and miscellaneous wildcard prompts
Warnings: None likely, will update as needed

💀 PROFESSIONAL ARTISTE
Artistically customizing his world has been as easy for Papyrus as breathing, but it's never been his bread and butter before. Everything from convincingly painting that one stone overhang to look like a wooden bridge, to customizing some of his clothing to be even cooler, he's done it.

And now, against all expectations, there's a high-demand job that requires something so simple as the ability to draw clean, consistent lines.

"I can't believe they're paying us to come in and do this every day... Won't they have enough scrolls, someday??"


💀 FLIRTING: BECAUSE... THAT'S HOW ADULT HUMANS INTERACT?
Now, Papyrus knows what a brothel is. He's read a classical novel or three, and seen some innuendo in human movies. But! Like so many things, the skills they offer can be used in other avenues of life.

It only takes days in this surface world for the sheer number of humans in this world to overwhelm him, a little bit. There's so many, and while they aren't killing anyone, there are a lot of tensions between monsters and humans... And some give him personally a wide berth, probably due to his resemblance to an ambulatory cadaver.

He can't blame them, he expects he'd feel uncomfortable talking to a dust cloud.

But thankfully a new friend (!) pointed that out and gave him an idea: the key to getting along with all these strangers, monster to human, is in reassuring them with a friendly demeanor. He's tried his own C00L DUDE energy, and that's worked for some, but not all. The comforting guidance of acting like a mom, likewise, worked with some - but left others even more eager to walk away.

So now it's time to learn a new approach. An... adultier approach, full of 'subtle' winks, welcoming tones of voice, and maybe even... lascivious words. After all, his original human friend - child though they were - had gone about the underground flirting with people, clearly in imitation of the adults they knew. Best of all, the coaching also goes into reading things about others' expressions, which will surely help him in figuring out what demeanor to bring to the table with strangers.

"Hi," says the skeleton, sitting nearby in the class. He leans in a little, like the instructor demonstrated earlier. "I love your hair, I wish I had hair like that."


💀 ECHOES FROM THE CAVE
After the spelunking adventure went... not exactly as advertised, slightly more danger than the anticipated none, Papyrus finds himself back in Aefenglom a changed skeleton. Not physically, aside from the still-healing spider punctures... but emotionally.

It's easy to chalk down as lingering nerves from a near-death experience, but he can't seem to tolerate being alone as easily. Long hours when Sans is asleep or out , and not available for chattering with, pass even more slowly and uncomfortably... and skimming back through the entire archive of these watches only passes so much time.

More than loneliness, it feels so much more comfortable being around people. Like, Papyrus carefully doesn't think to himself, being part of a group - a pack - is reassuring some new instinct.

"Hi! What are you doing?"

All time of day or night, he goes up to random strangers, greeting them in search for friendly sorts to (unofficially) hang out with.


💀 WILDCARD
((There's plenty of other possible reasons for characters to interact; if you've got one in mind, send me a quick PM here or on plurk for me to confirm, or just toss it up here - I'll respond if I'm down for it))

Comments

Flirting

[fromjapan]

It remembers this face. It would be difficult to forget, even without a quantum processor to immediately store every bit of data its sensors take in, organic or otherwise.

It's a skeleton.

But it's a strange, hazy way that it recalls the face-- familiar, but as if they passed each other in the hall once, or as if it had seen it in a dream.

The skeleton's flirting with it-- or attempting to, at least. It quirks a manicured brow at that, surprised and amused; and then it leans in as well, gazing at him warmly, darkly, the edge of its lips turned up into a smirk.

This creature is innocent and unsure. It can tell that much at a second's glance.

"You're... new to this, aren't you?" Not quite cruel... but very close.

[spaghettimonster]

Papyrus' eye sockets furrow for a second as he tries to match that response to any of the expected ones. But it's no good, and with them going off the flirtation script, he simply nods.

"That's right, this is my first class. Does it show...?"

He's not sure what gave it away, he said the same thing and leaned in similarly to the instructor... What might he have messed up?

"Oh no! Is that not hair?"

What an amateur mistake - obviously he's taking too much inspiration from the human instructor, if he didn't even think to adapt his opening lines for differences of species.

[fromjapan]

The instructor... isn't exactly a master either, as far as the SQUIP is concerned. But not everyone has its degree of insight, or its ability to predict the flow of conversation. Still, the class has proven to be quite educational, if not in the way it was truly intended to be.

"It is," it says, and it pointedly smooths fingers through its well-styled coif, tossing it lightly back into place. "But you're missing the point. Flirtation isn't about throwing compliments back and forth just to see what sticks; you need to attune yourself to your partner, tell them what they want to hear."

Or what they need to hear... or, sometimes, what it thinks they need to hear.

[spaghettimonster]

Oh, that fashionable coif. If Papyrus ends up growing hair - due to being something furry after all - he's going to do his best to style it to be cool like that. At least once.

"Oh, I see," he says first, relieved he hadn't been on complete amateur hour. Then he pulls his arms around, resting them on the back of his chair. "But... I thought that's how it works. I give you some compliments, buttering you up and seeing what sticks... And use that butter as an ice breaker!"

There's salt in butter, after all. For all it would be a slow, greasy process.

[fromjapan]

"While it is true that compliments can be crucial in gaining someone's affection," it says, glossing right over his... unusual metaphor, "If you simply pick something to compliment seemingly at random, you'll only seem desperate. You need to choose your words carefully, cater to their unique situation and interests. What do they seem insecure about? Or proud of?"

Flirting, but Wildcard Edition

[topslug]

It's not that Yako's a stranger to being occasionally inappropriately hit on; it's happened before, and it's always been breezily ignored or politely brushed off.

Being flirted with while she's happily sitting on the edge of a city fountain with a sandwich halfway to her mouth, though, that's a new one. Carefully, she closes her mouth, turning her head to gently turn down the advance--

Only for it to drop right back open when she catches sight of who it's coming from, eyes going wide as she yelps and nearly fumbles her sandwich right out of her hands. She manages to save the bread, but the fillings aren't nearly so well-anchored, so a slice of tomato and lettuce comes flying right out to smack wetly right onto Papyrus's skull.

[spaghettimonster]

There's a moment where the skeleton just blinks at her, eye sockets narrowing all the way to implausibly closed, then open again and shift - as if he's looking up to where the food landed.

"...Okay. Sandwich fillings aren't exactly the kind of hair I'm looking for..."

Papyrus removes a glove, and reaches boney fingers up to carefully pry the offending objects from his forehead. With a careful, delicate pinch, they peel off, leaving only a thin residue of tomato seeds and fluid behind.

"But! Thank you for trying to help! Would you... like these back?"

The embodiment of death extends a hand, offering her... a slice of tomato and a lettuce leaf.

[topslug]

Surprise turns to mortification soon enough as Papyrus talks, revealing himself to be person rather than, say, some ill-advised magical prank. Yako doesn't know how or why he's in this state, but getting food on someone else is rude no matter what, and her cheeks color as she reaches out to accept the mislaid vegetables back, stuffing them between the slices of bread as though hiding them might also hide her embarrassment.

"Sorry ... you kind of surprised me, there." He's talking easily enough, so ... maybe he's someone who's just had a magical mishap, like Majima turning into a giant chicken? She's torn between commenting on it or not, thought it's hard not to when he's so... there. Skeletal. Overearnest.

"It's not everyday I meet a ... skeleton?"

[spaghettimonster]

Papyrus pulls his glove back on and wipes at his forehead with it, circling until his skull is dry and shiny again. The gloves will need washing, but he can handle that later. Jumping from flirtation to friendliness, now, that's a priority.

"Oh, I understand! It seems like there aren't many other skeletons around here..." Just the one other, really. And whatever unsavory things Sans has been getting up to, friendly flirting at fountain sides probably isn't one of them. "Which makes it all the more important that I make a good impression. So! What do you think, are you impressed?"

[topslug]

“Well, I was certainly surprised,” Yako starts, hesitantly. Even if he’s a skeleton, he still pretty clearly has feelings to hurt, and she’s just not sure how to recommend that he not randomly flirt with people again as a way to introduce himself.

Come to think of it, though? She’d thought she was seeing things, and afterwards she’d been too rattled to ask, but. “Hold on... you were on that expedition to the cave, weren’t you?”

Flirting.

[tinyfood]

Entrapta, who has been recording this entire lesson so far on her watch for later cross-referencing, looks kind of surprised at the compliment, although not particularly by the fact that it's coming from a skeleton. These things happen.

"Oh! Uhh, thanks! D'you want some?"

guess who isn't canon familiar but just read entrapta's info page - it was a beautiful dream

[spaghettimonster]

They do, and this skeleton happens to be caught off balance by her reply.

"Some... hair?"

Her hair is colorful, which made that flirtatious opening seem really fitting, but the reply isn't at all one he'd expected. Is she offering him a few strands of it to admire, like some fairy tale thing?

"I've dreamed of long hair of my own for ages... But, there aren't any highways here, so it might not be the same thing."

[tinyfood]

"Sure, I have loads back home. You don't have any skin, right? You could probably just stick it on, or..."

She pauses, and blinks, curious. "... Huh. What's a... high way?"

[spaghettimonster]

Papyrus is a little hesitant about that idea. Because, alright, he's a skeleton, but he does feel a little bit. Glue sticking hair to his bones... How sticky. And itchy.

"It's... a really high road?" He isn't completely sure either, but at least with this uncertainty he has a guess. "That's what I dream of! A way to travel high above the other roads, with scenic vistas soaring by..."

[tinyfood]

Entrapta peers at him. What he's describing is kind of interesting, but... "What's that got to do with hair?"

Echoes

[givemewings]

[Recovering heartless, semi-homicidal maniac here.

She’s sitting on the ground with her legs crossed, rolling a small stone around in her palms. The greeting from Papyrus is as unexpected as it is annoying. She calmly looks up at him.]

I’m waiting. [An easy answer, and not a lie.]

[spaghettimonster]

[He takes her tone and expression at the face value of a calm greeting, and nods slowly.]

I see, I see... Are you waiting for something specific? Or... someone??

[It's a sudden, alarming thought. It's one thing for him to go up to strangers and introduce himself, hoping for someone to alleviate the haunting loneliness... But another thing entirely to interrupt, say, the secretive meeting place of a more secretive rendezvous. Papyrus: romance thwarter?]

[givemewings]

For my sister. [Mukuro doesn’t seem bothered, though. Not by his interruption or by the fact that he is a skeleton. ] Might be a while.

[spaghettimonster]

[That's a double relief, then - no interrupted date or recoiling from the skeleton.]

Is that so... Then, how would you like some company? Waiting alone can be boring! And lonely. [He would know.] I'm happy to alleviate that for you.

[givemewings]

[She’s nonplussed. Company isn’t something she’s super into.]

I suppose. I’m not very good with people. I’m not good at conversation. I don’t have hobbies.

echoes, I meant to do this earlier

[horkbajir]

Toby wasn't too upset by the cave adventure. It had turned out to be far more dangerous than expected and there was little tangible benefit, but the casualty count was low and it seems to be over without great incident. For someone from Animorphs, that's almost a win.

Just now, in the darkening evening, she's activated the spell on her blades that has them all glowing with a warm light. In most it's an ambient glow that gently illuminates the space immediately around her, but the ones on her head cast cones of light out ahead of her. Ink has gotten trapped between the scales of her hands and under her claws, resisting the casual rinse she gave them earlier.

She stops.

"Hello, Papyrus. I'm walking back to the outer city." She considers for a moment. "Would you like to accompany me?"

o/\o I'm down to backtag the catch-all threads

[spaghettimonster]

"Sure, I'm happy to provide company!" Papyrus agrees as he approaches, with a little extra enthusiasm, and ends up a few feet away. "You're going to the... 'outer city', huh? Out by the barracks?"

He doesn't quite believe his own words, since he doesn't remember seeing her around there before - and he and Sans have been living there since first being offered a place to stay.

But it makes more sense than the other options, like going outside the wall. Sure, there's buildings out there, people living some daredevilish life style he's not sure he'd want after the Cave Not So Safe After All... But it's not the controlled kind of danger, where someone set it up in anticipation of them. It's just warped wilds, where the trees bleed oil and spiders are really aggressive.

[horkbajir]

Toby dips her head on her long neck and starts walking again. It'll be good to get away from people, to be able to move without having to watch for people and their clutter. She's enchanted her blades to not cut living tissue without her meaning them to, but they'll still go right through cloth and the dead outer layers of skin, and she's pretty strong.

"Outside of the wall," she says implacably, unaware of the tenor of his thoughts. "I need to find something to eat and choose a roosting tree."

[spaghettimonster]

She says it so calmly that it almost dislodges his own thoughts, and he stares baffled at her for a moment. The creepy tar, and the cave with the nightmares and the venomous, unfriendly spiders, and a whole lot more horrors he hasn't heard about, they're all outside that wall. And she's living out there?

"Uhh... Oh, you said you haven't lived in a house before, right?" Papyrus remembers with a start. "So you're not used to walls or puzzles keeping you safe..." He hesitates on saying more, not sure whether to advise her on where best or how to live.

[horkbajir]

If he stops to stare, she doesn't. At a walk her tail moves slowly back and forth, sometimes brushing the ground or pushing off it. Toby's just not quite as stable on two legs as most people in this setting.

She shakes her head. "What's a wall but part of a cage? I don't like trading safety for freedom, and I can't survive if I stay in here anyway, so it's a negligible safety at that."