[NYE Party] happy new year and lots of fun

[nascensibility]

Who: EVERYONE, but especially you!
Where: Wonderland Ballroom
When: New Year's Eve
Rating: PG - PG13 (will change if applicable)
Summary: New Year's Eve Party
The Story:

[ Previously in the month all residents received an invitation to a formal event: a black tie affair to ring in the New Year. The ballroom and adjacent areas are decked out for the party starting at eight o'clock sharp, meticulously planned and executed, glittering décor to match the no doubt glittering attire as music pours into the halls from the dance floor.

Bars flank each side, service for all manner of alcohol unless a minor requests something, and the primary setting stage features an enormous clock for the countdown. ]




[ Where will you be when the clock strikes midnight? ]

Comments

[ngah]

Of course I can!!! I've trained with elementary school kids before, Tim, I think I can handle an out of shape...

[She squints at him.]

...human in his... thiiir... tweeenties...???

[Yeah, let's go with that. Undyne has no idea how humans age. She tried really hard, okay.]

[postictal]

[All told, it's not a bad estimate, especially since time is kind of fluid here. Time is kind of fluid in general. He's nominally mid-twenties, and apparently aging in an equally nominal sense, even if he isn't aging at all.]

[Considering that she's a monster whose experience with humans is probably limited, he can forgive her for that.]

...twenties, yeah. I mean, technically. I'm not sure if anyone's age here really matters, so much.

[ngah]

[Okay, good. She overestimated at first, based arbitrarily on his sideburns, but then she went with around her age to be on the safe side. Weird to be reminded that nobody ages here, though.]

Yeah. The point is, I can handle a beginner. Even a human beginner with no magic. Probably.

[postictal]

Pretty sure I'd know if I had magic. I mean, I - kinda absorbed Asgore's soul, once, but that was an accident.

[RIGHT. YES. DID HE NOT MENTION THE TIME HE ABSORBED THE SOUL OF THE KING OF ALL MONSTERS UPON HIS REQUEST AND TURNED INTO A GIANT FURRY FOR TWENTY-FOUR HOURS, THOROUGHLY TRAUMATIZING HIS CHILDREN IN THE PROCESS????]

[ngah]

Oh, I mean, any human can do that.

[Wait. Okay, hang on. There was something about that sentence that was...

...]

--You did WHAT!?

[postictal]

[WINCE.]

[Figured he should probably...clear the air, just in case. Just so she knows that he's maybe done something unforgivable. He certainly hasn't forgiven himself for it.]

He...told me to. He was - there were these giants, and they got a good hit in, and he told me that if I didn't, one of them would so I had to make sure they didn't, so I...did what he asked.

[ngah]

...Oh.

[Well, that's... a different story than she was expecting. It makes sense, really. Boss monsters' SOULs are valuable and powerful. And anyway... they're both fine now. The act was reversed the way Wonderland does.]

That's... fine. I mean, if you killed him, I'd be extremely impressed, and probably have to kill you, but since it was something else that did it, you're off the hook!

[postictal]

I mean, his...kids weren't too...

[His kids weren't too happy? Well, no, they wouldn't be. God, just shut up, Tim.]

I don't think...there's anything left over from that, I mean. That's the only time I really had magic outside of, like, an event or something.

[ngah]

Yeah, okay. You don't need magic to fight, even if it makes it way easier and better. All you need is spirit!! And a sword. You're halfway there!!

[She grins at him, despite his misgivings about the conversation.]

And if you get good, I might even give you a real sword.

[Yeah, because that's entirely the reason the one she gave him was PVC. Yup. That's why.]

[postictal]

[He opens his mouth to protest.]

[He considers that a sword is higher maintenance than a knife but strictly combat oriented. It can’t easily be misused, or lend itself to temptation where a gun might be concerned. It’s not a bad idea. Without training, you can’t do a whole hell of a lot of damage...right?]

...okay. Yeah. Hell, let’s give it a shot.

[ngah]

[Tim. Tim. Swords are dangerous. They'll fucking cut you wide open.]

Yeah!!! That's what I like to hear. Good enthusiasm!! You'll make a decent swordsman yet!

[She holds up a hand for a high five. Don't leave her hanging, dude.]

[postictal]

[It, uh, it takes him a minute? But he gets there eventually, albeit awkwardly, failing to really smash a high five so much as he nervously thumps his palm against hers. He’s not great at these. He hasn’t had many occasions to give them.]

Thanks, I guess. For...deciding to teach me.

[ngah]

It's whatever! You caught me at a good time.

[About a week ago, if someone asked her to teach them straight up, she might have said no. She's had a rough few months, but nothing compares to what's been haunting her since the Underground.

But something about Gyftmas kind of... brought something back in her. She's been sailing on that high for a while now. It's not exactly the steadiest climb back up to her former glory, but lately she almost feels... determined, I guess is the best word for it.

And sure, it's mostly in regards to her resolve to protect monsters. But if she can borrow some of that to help out a human she kind of likes, then... that's fine too.

Besides! If worst comes to worst and Undyne has to kill him, she wants it to be a fair fight!]

My first lesson is gonna be how to give a good high five, 'cause honestly? You could do better.

[postictal]

I don’t...I’ve never given a lotta these, okay? Gimme a break here.

[This right here is the real tragedy of Tim’s life: the supreme dearth of high fives in his life. No one applauds or high fives you for taking your pills or going to bed on time, all right? Maybe they should, but they don’t. It’s not like he was given a terrible lot to look forward to aside from the possibility of a phone call at some point or another.]

[Not that it’d usually go anywhere.]

[He’s getting distracted. Gives himself a shake. Focus, Tim.]

[ngah]

[He's getting that far off look in his eyes Alphys used to get. Undyne hasn't seen herself do it, exactly, but she knows she does this sometimes now, too -- because looking back on those looks, Undyne finally feels she understands what they meant.

Undyne deals with it the only way she knows how, from her years of trying to fix Alphys' far off looks. Distraction.

She raises her hand again.]

Good a time to start as any!!! Come on!! Another one!! This time, think of it as your enemy!!!! Come at my hand with all you got!!! Concentrate on the elbow so you don't miss! AND WHACK IT LIKE YOU WANT IT DEAD!!!

[postictal]

I don’t want people dead, [says Tim, a little too desperately. This is the trainee you’ve agreed to take on, Undyne. He doesn’t want people dead and he doesn’t like having enemies, even if he had far too many at home. This is your piddly swordsman-to-be.]

I don’t...why?

[ngah]

You don't need to want people dead!! Just my hand!

[She frowns, lowering her hand at his desperate refusal.]

It's not real, Tim. You know that, right?? I'm not asking you to actually murder my hand??? You gotta find your fighting spirit soon, or training's gonna be pretty tough on you!

[postictal]

[He feels all the more foolish at that one. Of course. Of course, yeah. It’s jist an expression. Shouldn’t take shit so seriously, Tim. No one wants anyone dead right now. Right? Yeah. Absolutely.]

Right. Sorry. Guess I’m not one for...fighting spirit so much. Yet.

[“Yet” because that’s the end goal, right? Yeah. Okay. He’ll do his best to slap that hand a little harder this time.]

[ngah]

[She grins when he tries again.]

You'll get there!! See, you're already getting better at high fiving!

[She claps him on the shoulder.]

We all start somewhere, Tim.

[postictal]

[He tries not to wince at the impact and mostly fails. It’s, uh - it takes some getting used to. She takes some getting used to. Pretty much everyone he knows is an introvert who’d rather not engage socially if they can help it, and here he is, making pals by high-fiving a hot blooded fish.]

The start’s not the part I’m worried about. [It’s the finish you have to look out for.]