[OPEN] I put a spell on you

[mettatonvevo]

Who: Mettaton and you!
Where: The Performing Arts Theater (First floor, rooms 50/52)
When: October 31st, 8pm to Midnight
Rating: PG
Summary: Mettaton treats Wonderland to his second performance on All Hallow’s Eve!
The Story:

As Mettaton advertised a couple of days ago, on the day of Halloween, Wonderland is covered in black and orange posters. They are decorated with appropriately spooky pictures, though all of them promote the MTT brand in some way. The information found on them is as follows:

IT’S HALLOWEEN MY DEAR WONDERLANDIANS, AND YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS! IT’S TIME FOR ALL SPOOKY CREATURES AND MONSTERS TO BE OUT ON THE PROWL! AS YOUR RESIDENT ROBOTIC HEARTTHROB, I HAVE BROUGHT YOU THE BLESSING OF MY SECOND WONDERLAND PERFORMANCE!

FROM 8PM TO MIDNIGHT, WITH A BRIEF INTERMISSION IN BETWEEN, THE PERFORMING ARTS THEATER WILL BE DECKED OUT IN HAUNTING ATTIRE FITTING THE OCCASION! COME CELEBRATE HALLOWEEN IN A TRULY “MONSTOROUS” WAY!
THE PERFORMANCE WILL BE THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT, RINGING IN THE WITCHING HOUR WITH DANCE AND SONG! COSTUMES ENCOURAGED, THOUGH BE CAREFUL DEARS; IT SEEMS WONDERLAND IS UP TO ITS USUAL TRICKS!

FOOD AND DRINK WILL BE PROVIDED, THOUGH I CAN’T PROMISE IT IS ANY SAFER THAN WHAT YOU CAN GET RIGHT NOW!

When 8pm rolls around, anyone who is here will see black and orange garlands decorating the walls, bats hanging from the ceiling, and jack-o-lanterns lining the walls that are carved with the letters MTT and other stylized symbols representing Mettaton.

There are no chairs this time around, except for a few lines of them farther away from the stage, leaving ample room for anyone who wishes to dance to the music. Off to the side of the dance floor are tables filled with various snacks, drinks, and candy for anyone to partake. Once again there is an entire section of the table labeled “Ghost Food” with the incorporeal food laid out artfully on plates.

The night promises to be good to all who wish to attend!

((OOC: Like last time, while this is Mettaton’s Halloween performance, it’s still a party! Feel free to make your own top levels and mingle with other concert goers!))

Comments

[naughty_nurse]

[Blink. Blink-blink.]

What d-does that make you?

[Ah, honey.]

i can't with my life

[punful]

[It's probably the most enthusiastic about anything he's ever been in Wonderland. At least not counting the whole Hogwarts thing.]

my...? oh. oh, right. heh, well uh, i'm glad you've been making good use of it.

[Seriously, though. It had felt like such a cheap, cop-out gift at the time, so it's...nice that Mettaton is enjoying it.]

[Meanwhile tiny skeletons are silently cheering and rattling as they wave their Mettaton autographs at each other. Sans chuckles.]

pfft, yeah, these are good rattles.

your life is good and precious to me, and your shitposting is icing on the cake

[mettatonvevo]

Oh yes! It's helped me out here for the concert and it helped me jump out a window and do a perfect split onto the Mansion lawn.

[He's quite proud of that, all things considered.

Now that he knows that the rattling is a good thing, Mettaton looks at the other skeletons fondly.]

What an interesting way to express enjoyment. Do skeletons only rattle when they're happy?

[He is genuinely curious. With Sans and Papyrus being the only two skeletons in the Underground, there isn't much cultural knowledge of their doings.]

[mettatonvevo]

[He smirks, leaning down into a graceful bow as he extends a hand outwards to Mikan.]

Why, the handsome prince who Cinderella dances the night away with, of course! If you wish.

[Is he flirting? Not especially, no. He knows Mikan is too young for him. But he does hold a certain fondness for her and if this would make her smile, he'd happily dance with a friend. ...Even if he's pretty sure he's been changed in some way by Wonderland. Those ears of his keep twitching.]

[mettatonvevo]

I suppose you know better now, at least!

[He wonders for a moment what Wonderland will do for Halloween next year, but quickly stomps that thought down; he shouldn't be here for a "next year". Hopefully by then he'll have figured a way out of this wretched place.]

So you weren't really in a costume, but an outfit for a ball? Dorian, where's your Halloween spirit?

[He says it with a light, chastising tone.]

[theothermrgray]

[Dorian simply nods. This place is turning out to be more of a headache than he first thought.]

Hah... I thought you said this was a fancy dress party! [Says the vampire in a mock whining tone.]

[naughty_nurse]

[LASKJFGJDKSL BUT CINDERELLA MARRIES THE PRINCE ARE YOU HITTING ON HER Look at how red her face is.]

W-w-w-whaaaat?! I... ah... um.... I-I' not a good dancer at all!

[readytocomply]

[Bucky rolls his eyes, folding his arms over his chest. They both know that Mettaton gets the implication behind it and Bucky's amusement shows.]

I'll come to them.

[Every single show. He might not sit front row. He'll probably be in the back or up high with the best vantage point. But he'd be there.]

Yeah, well -

[Those beautiful arms. Not one over the other. Both. Bucky's mouth opens, snaps shut, and then his brow furrows. Nobody treats Bucky the way Mettaton does. Makes him feel that the things that have been done to him to make him different are okay. He can have a metal arm and still be called beautiful.]

You're somethin' else.

B. Pumpkinblook

[rlynotfeelinup2itrnsorry]

Napstablook watches their cousin clean up, wishing they could help.

"hey.... um..... you were incredible, you know...."

Their carved out features glow softly.

"that wire goes in the blue box...."

[mettatonvevo]

[...Maybe Chara had the wrong idea about Frisk's feelings. Perhaps they didn't know that Frisk really... that Frisk doesn't...

He stands up straight and tall, not letting anything slip past his celebrity mask.]

Well of course! It wouldn't do to be here for the first and then leave before the second!

[It will hurt when Frisk leaves because he can see which way the wind is blowing, but all the same, he endeavors to make them stay.]

[determinedest]

I...guess not. I guess not, no.

[He's trying so hard. Why is he even bothering? He doesn't have to lie to them. Hasn't he learned that by now? He'd might as well have said as much. He should just leave them to be the thing he doesn't care about.

Stop lying.]

Why are you... [They trail off, shake their head. Feeling more and more like Napstablook by the second, ha ha.] Never mind.

[mettatonvevo]

[Mettaton is taking being a sort-of werewolf with all the grace a Monster star can have, which is surprisingly a lot. He pauses his clean up of one of the food tables, his ghastly yellow eyes locking onto Dorian as his ears swivel around to listen to him better.]

Why thank you, Dorian!

[He gives him a playful pout]

No second bouquet? Tsk tsk. Your manners are slipping.

[theothermrgray]

[Dorian shrugs, smirking.]

I might have gotten you another if your splendid performance hadn't distracted me.

[Wait, are those ears twitching? Are those eyes suddenly the color of the moon? The smirk turns into a fanged grin.]

I see your common sense is slipping as well. Didn't you know better than to eat Wonderland's candy?

[mettatonvevo]

[Mettaton rolls his eyes.]

You could argue that I myself am a "guide character" but you don't see me being so obtuse with people!

[He says, while actively dancing around Important Subjects with numerous people in Wonderland...]

Though I suppose really I would count as a Boss, since The Human always has to fight me to advance.

[It feels weird to refer to Frisk as The Human, but it's not just them, is it? It's them or Chara, and while he doesn't fully understand where and why the switch happens, happen it does, and their title through the Underground is The Human, helped along by the... Player.

Referring to them so blatantly, even in his thoughts, without the cover of a well-placed joke sends tingles down his spine. He's not sure if he likes it all that much.]

I would say something has already come up, but! I will accept this. For now.

[His tone implies that he will definitely want to talk about this again in the future. But hey, at least he's shown he can acquiesce in some fashion to another person's comfort level!]

[catinthemask]

[Zacharie just laughs, amused. He sure can pick up the implication that this would continue on down the road but for now the NPC was content in letting sleeping dogs lie.]

Perhaps, but isn't it just so satisfying to figure out a particularly malicious puzzle with the barest of help? Although the Puppeteer leads The Batter by the hand it's still more fun if they themselves are not.

[But he can give out hints, small ones.]

Boss fights are always considered an exciting climax, no matter how difficult they are to find. I hope this does not come off as insensitive and I mean no offence, but I hope there was some level of enjoyment between you and your protagonist during your battle.

bwah

[punful]

hah, wow, nice.

[That's legitimately impressive.]

oh, no. babybones rattle for all kinds of reasons. you kind of grow out of it, though. there's happy rattling, scared rattling, angry rattling...they all kind of sound different, too.

[mettatonvevo]

You can be fancy and still be in costume! No wonder Wonderland thought you were a vampire; it was throwing you a bone!

[He grins wickedly.]

You should embrace your newfound state, I think. Consider becoming the next Dracula! That would certainly liven things up around here.

[mettatonvevo]

[If it wasn't more evident that Mettaton doesn't know the details of the story of Cinderella, this would probably be the evidence that wins the case. Regardless, he chuckles at her words.]

That's quite all right! I can dance well enough for the both of us.

[Plus metal toes, so he won't feel any pain if you tread them!]

[naughty_nurse]

[Because Mikan and the word no is a difficult concept... well, she can't make eye contact with him anymore.]

Um... W-well... I-If you really think I'm g-good enough...

Note: Varney the vampire wound up being sympathetic in the later stories. Look them up.

[theothermrgray]

[... Dracula was written a few years from the point Dorian was taken, but he's getting an idea.]

Or perhaps something like Varney the Vampire, from the old Penny Dreadfuls.

Speaking of...

[He chuckles, putting an arm around Mettaton's chest to try and pull him closer.] I wonder if robots like you can be fed upon?

[mettatonvevo]

[I'll come to them he says, and while he is happy every time someone says that they will attend his concerts, hearing that Bucky fully intends to be there gives him a special sort of thrill. Unlike before he lets himself feel it, allowing a small indulgence in his feelings towards the other man.

If Bucky is going to be there from now on, Mettaton is going to have to step up his game.]

Oh yes I am! I'm something no one can ever truly define!

[It's cute to see Bucky speechless like this. It's nice to see him happy, to see him playful and messing with him. Steve had mentioned that Bucky was going through an adjustment process, and Mettaton had felt honored that he was a part of it. He especially feels that way now, knowing that this sort of casual affair was rare for him.]

You know, if you ever feel the performing itch, this stage of mine is free for anyone to use. It's first come, first serve though my events do get priority since I built it.

[He's shameless like that.]

You're also welcome to be a stage tech! I could always use more strong, capable hands to help set things up.

[He puts a flirtatious emphasis on "Strong" and "capable". Once again, he's shameless.]

PUMPKINBLOOK!!!!!!!!

[mettatonvevo]

Mettaton grins down at the DJ table he is currently wrangling, not looking at Napstablook but clearly pleased.

"So were you, Blooky! Those beats you spun had to have been your best yet!"

He looks down at the offending wire, having put it in the red box, and switches it accordingly.

"Has Wonderland been good in giving you the equipment you need? This certainly looks like an upgrade, but I want to be sure you have everything."

[mettatonvevo]

[Despite his assumption, they seem to be choosing to stay. It's a small victory, overall, but it speaks volumes to him. If they can't be friends again, they can at least be acquaintances.

On a deeper level he feels that that is perhaps the safest way to be with them.]

Now that that is all settled, I will leave you to continue to partake of the delicacy that is ghost food! You can literally taste the magic!

[He gives them a theatrical wink as he steps away politely. It's an abrupt end, but needed in his eyes. He's not anywhere near a place to make friendly small talk with them like he thought he was. Not if their conversations are going to turn in circles back to their apparently mutual uncomfortable feelings. All the same, he thinks Chara would be pleased to know that some effort was being made on his part.]

[mettatonvevo]

[Mettaton pouts a little, his ears swiveling backwards in an obvious show of embarrassment.]

It was good candy and I stand by my decision!

[AKA he gave into temptation like an idiot.]

[mettatonvevo]

[Mettaton can't help but chuckle a bit as well.]

Well, there was one puzzle that I'm sure The Human and the Player had a hard time with, though I didn't personally design it. I did, however, fulfill whatever requirements they set forth by stepping on the proper tile.

[Even if said "requirement" was bending the rules and making them fight him.

Mettaton is all about details, details, details, and he notices the small hint that Zacharie puts out there. So. A boss battle that is hard to find? He'll have to put the pieces he has collected together later. For now, he holds his head up with pride.]

Oh, I can assure you that my boss battle and level was the best part of the game! A creative fight involving the raising of ratings, along with a special essay portion where the Player got to tell me exactly how much they loved my legs made my time an especially stand out one!

[It's not surprising that Mettaton is so... Mettaton, now is it?]