entrancelogs | + It's good that we can't see what isn't there +

Entry tags:

+ It's good that we can't see what isn't there +

Who: EVERYONE
Where: Wonderland and adjacent dimensions!
When: Friday, April 21st to Monday, April 24th
Rating: PG-13, warn if higher!
Summary: A place to list your tears throughout the event, and describe the worlds that can be seen or accessed through them. Event Post.
The Story:

While invisible zombies ravage Wonderland, tears are popping up everywhere! Through them characters can see versions of themselves from alternate universes. Some of them show a different version of Wonderland, some a different version of their home. Some are as benign as a character drinking coffee instead of tea, others are as drastic as somebody's entire personality changed completely.

On day one tears are so small as to barely even be recognisable. Faint voices and melodies can be heard through the tiny cracks if you step really close, but these brief and indistinct glimpses are barely even worth describing.

On day two tears have opened up wide enough to recognise them for what they really are. Yesterday's melodies will sound clearer, and the voices will become decidedly familiar, belonging to people characters know, sounding perhaps even like the characters themselves. Look through the tears and they may catch sight of home, or something that merely looks like another part of Wonderland. The tears are yet narrow and instable though, and the field of vision is correspondingly poor.

On day three the tears have grown a great deal. The worlds beyond them can be seen and heard, though most cannot be interacted with at all. Only the biggest ones are already stable enough for characters to stick their hand inside, and pulls through any objects within reach.

On the fourth and last day some tears have finally become large and stable enough for characters to pass through whole. Not all tears will reach this stage, but those who have can be visited, and the world beyond them explored... at each character's own peril.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[She... has no idea what to say to this. Why is he dressed like that? Why does he look so surprised?

What... happened here?]

Uh... y-yes? I mean, uhm, I think I'd know if I was someone else, or it'd be, uhm, pretty apparent, and--

Yes. Uh. It's me.

[It's her. It's her.

The stutter and confusion and those lovely, lovely eyes and he's walking to her, strides long and sure and it's a quick movement but she's gathered up into his arms, bending down to one knee so he can bury his face in her shoulder.

This is the most solid hallucination he's ever felt.]

Oh Alphys... I've missed you.

[He doesn't want to question why she's here. She'll disappear again.]

[She stays still, unable to fully relax but unwilling to fight him. Something's happened here. Something... very serious.]

I've, uhm... m-missed you too? How long was I gone, uhm, exactly, anyway?

[Getting her lay of the land may be her best plan of attack here, at least for the moment.]

[It's like a switch goes off in his head and suddenly he's smiling, pulling away but leaving his hands on her shoulders.]

Oh never mind that, dear! It's like all that time has melted away now that I see your beautiful face again!

[He needs to do something, anything, to keep this going. Even if it may kill him in the end to lose this fantasy, he needs it.]

Now that you're here, what do you want to do? I can give you access to anything and everything you could ever want!

Uh...

[Okay, well, that was entirely unhelpful for the questions she had.]

I mean, uh, t-there's no need to really, uhm-- go anywhere, I mean, if you're here! Uh. Yeah. And looking so... fancy???

[Help her oh my god.]

You look, uh... r-royal.

Oh but Alphys someone as wonderful as you deserves the entire Underground at her feet!

[He starts to steer her out of the throne room, humming happily as they go along.]

Royal? Of course I look royal, I'm the king!

[He says it with such a fanciful flare that it almost hides the heaviness of the statement.]

And as I said, I can give you anything and everything you want! It's part of my privileges.

[The King.

Hah. Okay, well that answered the most important question. She hasn't been here, because...

Well, Frisk laid that one out for her a long time ago. In most of the worst ones, you don't survive.]

Isn't that, uh... k-kind of an abuse of power? I mean, to, uhm, serve your subjects, and-- I don't need anything. Really.

[He's leading her away from the tear. Oh no. Ohhhh no.]

[The king laughs and laughs and laughs as he continues to steer her out of the throne room and out into the hall.]

An abuse of power? Darling, when you are the center of the power, it's not an abuse! It is an expression of your absolute reign!

[She doesn't understand. That's fine. He'll keep waving off those words because she sounds a little like that pesky rebellion that has popped up as of late and honestly he doesn't need them ruining this fantasy.]

Are you sure you don't need anything? Nothing is too much to ask of me!

[He keeps leading her on with measured and sure strides. He looks about a bit, thinking, then grins again.]

Ah, well, until you think of something, I'll show you around the castle! I've made some changes since you were last here and you really should see them!

[Ssshit this is getting worse and worse by the second. She has to think of a way not to move too far or she'll never make it back. And who knows what would happen to her if she's still here when Wonderland closes the tears. Would she be stuck here forever? Or would it all... simply cease to exist?

She digs her little feet in, pulling on his hand a bit to slow his roll.]

C-Can't we stop and, uh, talk for a second? It's been so long since we've seen each other, I, I'd just rather-- talk. For a bit.

[She needs to know how to get back to the tear. She can't let him take her somewhere she'll get lost.]

[She pulls on his hand and the king whips his head around to stare at her. His eyes narrow for a moment and his grip tightens. He looks at her, hard, and seems to be thinking of something.

But then it passes and his face lightens up and he smiles, albeit with the smile looking a tad forced.]

Can't we talk while we walk, Alphys? There's something you absolutely need to see and as soon as possible.

[Phantoms don't stick around for long, after all, and he needs her to see it.]

[Okay okay okay big mistakes. She crumbles instantly, trying not to betray her fear, and relents.]

Uh-- yeah, it's-- sorry, this seems really, uhm, i-important to you. Let's see it!

[NEVERMIND, THEN, SHE'LL JUST DIE]

[She relents and the king instantly smiles for real.]

Yes yes, it shouldn't be too long now! You'll love it, I know you will.

[They walk for a bit, out of the castle and into the courtyard where something large looms over the both of them. King Mettaton pulls her up to the perfect spot to see it, a patch of tile that is well-worn with footsteps. It's a place he knows intimately now.]

This... this is what I wanted you to see. Isn't it beautiful?

[Before them, tall and casting shadows, is a statue of a monster, with large headspines and a thick tail, scales lovingly etched into the surface. Her labcoat sweeps around her and the stone glasses frame her face perfectly. Her hands clutch each other to her chest. She has a rare smile on her face, shy and sweet as she looks over the rest of the castle.

It is, in reality, a very good representation of Alphys. A lot of detail work went into making this statue a reality. The king smiles up at it fondly.]

It's beautiful, of course, but not as beautiful as the real thing.

[She is, frankly, fucking flabbergasted.

It's... her. So recognizably her. But also so him, larger than life, glittering, and a thought hits her almost too late.

She wouldn't want to live without him, and he... well, he has his own ways of not living without her.

Alphys entirely misses the last bit of the statement, having no idea how to respond to this.]

I... I uh... Mettaton, this must have taken f-forever.

Oh, not forever. It took awhile for the sculptors to truly capture your image in a way that satisfied me, but they got it right.

[A few monsters had to die for it to really settle in that they needed to get it right, but that didn't take long.

He moves a little closer to her, still looking up fondly at the statue.]

It's one of my most prized possessions. It's one of the best things I have done for the Underground.

[Oh my god he's serious. Oh my god he's entirely serious.

Alphys isn't sure she was ever even this shocked at an anime ending. At least then her genre knowledge would've carried her to some logical conclusions. This is just... holy fuck. Holy living fuck.]

I... d-do people just... do people know me from this? Do they... d-do they talk about me?? Does it do something useful????

[WHAT THING THAT LOOKS LIKE HER COULD DO ANYTHING USEFUL]

Useful? Gracious Alphys, it does the most important thing of all: it reminds the world that you existed. That you mattered. That you were- are so important.

[He tears his eyes away from the larger-than-life statue to the life right here next to him and he steps closer to her, reaching out and gently turning Alphys to face him, one of his gloved hands cradling her chin to look up at him.]

I always regretted not telling you this when I had the chance.

[The look in his eyes echoes his words; regret, sadness, a bittersweet feeling and a little twinkle of something else. Perhaps it is... determination?]

[Her eyes flick between him and the statue, still nearly too shocked to say a damn thing as she sputters for words.]

I... I mean, I guess, p-people would want to know about me for, uhm, for making you, but, it's... I'm sorry, uhm, this is just super unexpected?

[What is he doing with this, what was the point of this, ohmygod.]

It's all right dear. It's a lot to take in.

[He runs one of his gloved fingers over her skin, feeling the roughness of the scales through the fabric. He thinks about taking it off, letting the sensors she programmed into his body fully feel this illusion but perhaps that would make her disappear completely. He can't let that happen.]

You mean so much to me, darling. I need you to understand that.

[... Wait.

Wait.

Something is going on here. But he wouldn't... what is he...?]

Uh... I mean, we, w-we were friends. Best friends. Right...?

[right...............?]

...Yes.

[His tone is soft as he looks her over softly, gently, almost... lovingly?]

Best friends. You are one of the most important people in my life, Alphys. I wouldn't be who I am without you.

[He tilts her face up towards his and his eyes meet hers with an intense stare.]

Meeting you single-handedly shaped my life into what it is now. If I had never met you, I would never be this. I could never have been this. I, in so many ways, owe you my life.

[He drinks in her face, the nervousness, the way her glasses frame her eyes and soften their shape. She's never been beautiful in the traditional sense. But that's not what appealed her to him. He's shallow, yes, and callow but in the end what had endeared her to him was her passion. And how genuinely funny she had been.

Her personality had opened his eyes to how utterly gorgeous she really was. And her absence had opened his eyes to how utterly desolate his life without her really is.]

This statue... it's a small thing in comparison to what you've done for me. For how you've shaped me. Literally, in some ways. You are my everything, Alphys. And my deepest regret is that I never told you this before you disappeared.

[He puts both of his hands around her face and leans in close.]

Words can be very empty sometimes, I know. Especially since I know your mind can convince you otherwise when you hear something. So that means I need to be a bit more physical to get this across.

[He leans in then, moving his face close to hers, his lips a mere breathe away from hers.]

[WAIT.

HOLD THE FUCK UP--

Everything in her brain essentially short-circuits as the dawning realization of EXACTLY what is going on here finally finds her. She... she needs to say something. She needs to tell him this is all very flattering but he is obviously preaching to an ideal of her and not the her that actually exists, which he would know if she was still around, because he didn't fall for her when they were together for this exact reason because she is flaky and not a good partner because she'll disappear into the Anime Void for days at a time and obviously he does not remember who she was, properly, how long has he been thinking about this oh my god oh my god oH MY GOD

Instead, she just looks utterly and completely fucking baffled, and chokes out nothing more than a few syllables.]

M-Metta-- y--you-- what--

[It's only another second and then he'll kiss her. He'll kiss her and she'll understand and he won't feel so alone as he always does. Maybe the crown won't feel as heavy. Maybe he'll finally have a chance to do something right.]

You stop right there! Don't you touch her!

[The king stops cold, his eyes wide as he is frozen in place. That voice...!]

I know you heard me. Let her go!

[In his shock the king complies, his hands falling from Alphys's face as he turns to look at who stands at the other side of the courtyard. Why, it's none other than himself!]

...You again.

[It's him, or not him, or the him who interfered when he attempted to teach that fake Sans a lesson. It doesn't matter. A snarl appears on his face.]

I don't know why you are here, but I will not let you make a mockery of me again! Nor will I let you take what is mine!

[Mettaton, the... real? Mettaton (or at least, the one without a crown) begins to run towards Alphys and the king, calling out desperately.]

Alphys!!! Get away from him!!!

[OH HOLY LIVING SHIT.

Suddenly, everything wings from up-close-and-personal to very loud and very fast. Her soul thrums with magic and in an instant she knows the truth, the one who’s real, and she makes a quick break towards him, keeping as low to the ground as she can to stay out of the king’s reach.]

M-Metta, do you-- do you know where the tear is??

[They’ve been had, and it’s not safe to be here anymore. If they can get out, they have to do it now.]

[She makes the run for it and Mettaton continues to run to her as well, holding out a hand to grab her once she is close.]

Yes, it's back in the throne room, come quickly!

[The king roars in anger, letting out a slew of bullets; he is not being smart about his aim and these bullets could easily hit both Alphys and his evil (???) twin.]

You are the same one who interfered with my execution, aren't you? Who are you, you devilish shadow of my past?

[The bullets are now lightning and the king begins to give chase. Mettaton reaches her and he pulls her aside just in time to avoid some of the bullets from hitting her square in the back.]

You return again and again and mess in my affairs! And now you attempt to take my things! You utter disgusting stain upon this world! You do not deserve her!

[Mettaton winces at his words but he says nothing, pulling Alphys along.]

I know what is in your heart, shade. You hold nothing but contempt for her and the works she gave you!

[He moves fast. He has nothing of Mettaton's insecurities or sensibilities holding him back. Nor does he harbor sympathy. The LOVE in the air thrums and it occurs to Mettaton and probably Alphys too that this Mettaton is much higher in level than both of them put together.]

I learned through pain and fire what it means to lose someone so integral to your life. And perhaps you should learn it too!

[Alphys reaches for him and the movement is so much more natural between them, like the flow of water as he pulls her out of the way, momentum carried into them running as the false king roars behind them. This isn’t any of the forcible movements he needed to get her down this hall, but synchronized steps as they move almost in reverse back to the throne room.]

I’m sorry, I didn’t-- I didn’t know what was happening, I just needed a moment to get away, and-- d-don’t look back, alright? We’ll make it!

[She’s trying to heed her own advice, not to look back towards him, but she steals a glance and instantly regrets it, looking forward again in a panic. Murderous intent in the eyes of a Mettaton, whether it’s “hers” or not, will never fail to send a shiver down her spine.]

+ It's good that we can't see what isn't there +

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOy6hqzfsAs

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