[If he were completely honest right now, he did not expect this answer out of Alphys. He thought for sure it would be some kind of minor thing that her anxiety blew up into something huge, and to know that it was EXACTLY as she feared is enough to throw him off for a moment.
He sits there silently, taking it all in.]
Wow, Alphys, that is... wow.
[He shakes his head.]
Maybe it's a bit more understandable that you haven't apologized to them yet. But it still stands that you need to. ...Especially if you haven't apologized for the whole, ah, "Death" thing.
[She whips her head up at his last statement, in utter disbelief.]
I c-can't talk to them again! I've been in their presence, I-I don't know, once, maybe twice since then?? They don't want to see me, or talk to me, or... it'd just h-hurt them more, to remember I'm around. They can move on without me and we can just, uh, n-never speak ever again.
Alphys, when has ignoring your problems ever actually worked out for you? Answer me honestly.
[He reaches out a hand and puts it on her shoulder.]
These sorts of wounds don't disappear easily. Clearly it is still affecting them and it's still affecting you, so you both need the closure of your apology.
[So, several things have occurred. Chara's cut the conversation off, because that leaves the phone free for things they're actually capable of. Can't speak, but they can type.]
W-Well, it's worked for you in ignoring how you were built, mister.
[DON'T FORGET ABOUT YOUR LIES, METTATON, YOU ARE NOT CLEAN HERE. She deflates quickly, though, going back to looking away from him and running her hands over one another.]
I don't even know if they'd, uhm, b-believe me if I said it now. They hate me. This isn't... I don't think t-this is going to bring any kind of real forgiveness. They're just going to think I'm p-pitying them or, or something.
thats good he knows uhm oh jeez maybe tell mettaton??? hes always been good w frisk or pap uhm yeah do you know any other ppl that are close to them that might be able to help??
[Mettaton considers firing back at her, but stops himself. He doesn’t want to turn this into an argument. So instead he opts to purse his lips in turn and let it go.]
Even if they don’t believe you Alphys, the apology is still well-deserved. You can’t make them think better of you, but you can at least offer them the decency required regardless of if they choose to forgive you.
[She doesn't have to know who it was. Even if she figures it out, she won't have to live with knowing, one way or another. Inside the parcel is a a scarf knitted in pale blue, and a matching pair of mittens. The pattern all along the length of the scarf is a line of turquoise spears.
...perhaps that had been too cruel.
But they thought that maybe she'd need a reminder.
thats well the pines are probably good idk about asgore and napsta and ive never met souji but if theyre friends they might listen to them??? i can get ford at least or something
But if they d-don't believe me, they're just going to think I'm mocking them. I'm gonna make it worse. E-Every time we talk, it just, they yell at me, or, don't want to remember I exist. Interacting with them just, m-makes everything worse.
[It might not be perfect, but she does feel like she... tried, to make contact with them before. Be okay in their presence. But Asriel came and went and reopened too many old wounds. She doesn't know how to approach it now.]
[Whenever Alphys returns to her room (or leaves it, tbh) on the 25th or after, she'll find a poster tube sitting next to her door with a sparkling pink bow wrapped around it.
Upon opening, Alphys will be able to unfurl a giant photoshopped poster of her Mew Mew Kissy Cutie cosplay group from Halloween. The background is edited to look like it's from the anime, along with everything else being color corrected. She will also find a glamour headshot of Mettaton with a note written on the back:
To my favorite anime-loving Monster! Now you can BE the anime, just like you always dreamed! I hope you have a wonderful Christmas!
[It's not wrapped or anything because let's face it, this is Sans. Even if he hadn't been living in a three or so month long nightmare, he probably still wouldn't have bothered.]
[It's a set of high-quality engineering tools, but they're not just any tools. Every single one has, on the handles or in the metal itself, patterns of anime kittens and other cute animals. The toolbox itself is carnation pink and decorated with Japanese characters and more anime kittens. It's the most adorable anime toolkit anyone ever saw, for the most adorable anime engineer.]
[Attached is a post-it note with the message, be gentle with screwdriver-san, she's shy~ the allen wrench sisters are pretty tsundere, so look out for them. -sans]
[She holds the scarf in her hands, runs her fingers over the spears. And despite herself, she smiles.
She has to find them. Wishes she had seen them delivering the gift. But if anything, this was a renewal of faith. That Frisk still cared enough to think of her.
Now she just needs to think of them. Do something right.
[ As much as Darcy might've liked to get everything out in time, Wonderland had a weird way of screwing up her plans. So, after a solid day's sleep, she starts making her rounds - dropping off gifts on each floor while using a little red wagon. In front of Alphys's door, she'll find a basket that contains:
There's a note dangling from one of the handles that reads:
Hope Wonderland's attempts at holiday cheer didn't go too poorly for you. Here are a few supplies to help get back into the swing of things. Happy Holidays!
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