sciencelizard | « [IC Inbox- Hadriel]

[ The rushing sound of water grew distant as Alphys could hear the man huffing and puffing. It sounded like he was shuffling further from the dam now. ]

Yes! Oh yes! Apologies! There's a big machine sort of thing glugging along in the river. I can't discern the purpose, but it's definitely something.

[ Throwing rocks at the generator had done nothing, so that was the extent of his experimentation. ]

What I'd wanted to say was congratulations! Or- I guess- good on you?

Uh, i-it's okay.

[That's probably the dam. Unless somebody built a boat? She's only ever seen it a couple of times, went 'yep, that's a dam', and left. But his second comment just makes her squint a bit in confusion, tilting her head even if he can't see her.]

Uhm... w-why are you congratulating me? Did I do something?

[ He guessed in hindsight a congratulations made less sense than it ought to. What else did one say to express their impressed reactions? Good on you? No, that was about the same... ]

Your dragonkin heritage! It's very prestigious! I'd no idea!

[ And to think Malkus was now buds with a dragon blooded lady! He felt prestigious just by association! The doctor happily continued on. ]

There I was calling you a monster when being a creature as noble as a dragon is so interesting! I must apologize for offending before!

[ You can thank Lup for this misinformation, Alphys. ]

M-- wha-- No, I am a monster, I--

[She can't even articulate a full sentence to this. She's just utterly baffled. Entirely perplexed.]

W-Who told you that??

Miss Lup, of course! She's elf. Or elven. You know? All sorts of experience with matters of fantasy! And no! I'll not have any more of your self deprecation!

[ He spoke with such candor! One's heritage was a proud thing! Malkus was proud of his humanity! But he'd sure as heck be proud of being part dragon. ]

You are a marvelous mythical creature! One of Pride and... eating villagers and sheep but, that aside, dragons are noble! Mostly. In some stories, at least.

[WHY DID LUP SAY THAT. WHY. Is that actually what she thinks? Did Alphys ever explain to her she was a monster and not a dragon??? Holy shit.]

I... I m-mean, I've never eaten anybody, and, it's, I don't f-fly or anything, I--

[She literally just does not know how to process this. Lord help her.]

Well of course you haven't! I'm not accusing you of such things!

[ Easy Alphys, don't go blowin' fire or nothin! ]

Not all dragons have, obviously! There are the noble ones that only have treasure piles and whatnot. And I'm sure there's land dragons, just like there's sea ones!

No need to be humble, doctor. I am honored to make your acquaintance.

There are sea dragons???

[Naturally, this is what she's chosen to focus on, because there's just too much here. Alphys machine broke, please come back later.]

I mean, uh, I just-- I'm really not, uh, w-what you think...

I think so?! You see sailors draw them on maps all the time! Filling up the great blue with serpentine looking things!

[ Malkus audibly huffed. Alphys just fit the description so well! Maybe she'd just need help getting the ropes? How does one act like a dragon? It was a recipe for a future Malkus-brand shenanigan, certainly. ]

Perhaps your world simply has a different name for such a race? Do they have mythical creatures and such where you're from?

[She's still hung up on the thought of gigantic sea dragons when Malkus makes his next point, and she thinks she might actually have a way to salvage this. In the past, she would have just lied, pretended to be something cool and great so Malkus would like her. But that's gotten her into more trouble than she can count now, and she's... trying to be better. Trying being the key word.]

Not uh, n-not really?? Just humans and monsters. And, uhm, I'm a monster. So...

[Mmmmmmngh it would be cool to be a dragon though.]

But there are, uh, different kinds of monsters, so uhm, I could be a dragon monster... there aren't, uh, really other monsters like me in the Underground...

[Alphys no.]

Amazing! So not only are you a creature of nobility, you are also one of a kind! Goodness. Malkus. Friend of a dragon monster. Wait until I tell my flock about this. If I ever see them, anyway.

[ Oh Alphys, the only thing getting through to Malkus is stone cold bluntness. And even that might bounce off of the man's mask. ]

Oh my lord and I almost forgot the doctor part, obviously! A doctor, dragon, monster. That's a bit of a mouthful so I'll simply focus on Doctor, if that is quite alright?

[Frankly, Malkus says flock and she can just imagine a ton of tiny versions of him, chattering about and flapping at each other with little cloak wings. Its fucking adorable and she tries desperately hard not to let out a little squeak at the thought of it. Gosh. Flock. Maybe she can just pretend to be a dragon, for him. It'll make him really happy, and nobody needs to know if he insists, right...?]

Oh, uhm, d-doctor is fine. I mean, uhm, you can also just call me Alphys if you want. I don't mind people, uh, u-using my name. But anything's fine, really.

[ That wasn't THAT far off, given that Malkus was the tallest of his bunch. With identical uniforms, they were quite the sight to behold! Fluttering in and out of abandoned homes with arms full of linens and other commodities for their city-friends. ]

Alphys it is, then! Admittedly, I was shocked at first. It could also be a case of Lup- actually- now that I think about it, Lup might not realize that you're not from her world.

[ A beat. ]

Another thought is that my world's quite large, so there may actually be a population of monsters hidden away somewhere! This entire thing is so confusing...

[She just sighs, because oh, she can promise Lup knows, and did this because Malkus would believe it. But he's just so excited, so... no real harm in it.]

Well, uhm, in m-my world, monsters were forced underground by humans thousands of years ago. I don't uhm, really now what humans remember of us at all, since, uh, I've never been up on the surface, so... maybe?

Well that is unfathomably cruel!

[ And something Malkus could, unfortunately, easily see humans doing. At least the superstitious ones of his time. It didn't make it right by any stretch! ]

In a strange twist of karma, it seems the people of my world will know how that feels pretty soon.

Well, I mean, it's... complicated.

[It isn't, really, but all the actions since then that they've taken are.]

Are you, uhm... did something happen? So you can't live there anymore?

Edited (lol this thread takes place in the past) 2017-10-18 17:17 (UTC)

Just a plague! A blight over the surface that is making life on the overground uninhabitable.

[ Malkus spoke frankly, matter-of-factly. While the plague was a sad reality, the prospect of people continuing to live underground gave him hope! ]

But the underdark below is proving to be promising! In that- you know- there's-... Well, the pestilence seems to avoid the tunnels below.

Edited (WAIT YOU FIXED IT- I was laughing about the order of learning things BUT WE GOOD) 2017-10-24 03:39 (UTC)

Oh. That's uh... good! I mean not good, but, uh, it's. Something?

[Being forced underground, not by a person, but just... nature. It's still cruel, but maybe its better it doesn't have a face.]

Will it just be for a while, you think?

That's the tricky thing. If it's for the long-haul, I should hope to leave my populous prepared for a lengthy settlement. I-... Ehm...

[ Malkus actually went silent. A strange pause between his chatty stammering. He had to, on occasion, take some time to gather up his words. Recharging his speech, in a way. He mulled over what she'd spoken about. Her kind living underground. ]

I am afraid sometime, to be honest. About the future. It's unsettling, to feel so out of control. Nature can be a fearful beast, with her pestilence. But, as I said! The caves are safe. Even without me, I hope my flock is gathering materials properly.

Well, uhm... yeah. I can imagine that. Not really knowing what's going to c-come next.

[She imagines monsters felt like that, when they were first underground. She wonders how Asgore and Toriel must have felt, knowing the Surface and then have lost it for so long.]

At least, uh, supposedly while we're gone, nothing happens back home? So, uhm. When you get back, it'll be like you never left.

Really? I've heard there have been others who had come back after being gone for some time. I was afraid that, upon my return, my colleagues would be long gone... Hm!

[ His tone regained a chipper inflection. He's still in denial about the erasure of his memories of this place, as that would imply all of his research and efforts here would be for nothing. Once he released those shackles, there was no telling what kind of person Malkus would become. ]

That's good news, I think. I can get right back into the rhythm of things, just as you undoubtedly have some important business to attend to as well!

H-Heh. Yeah. I have, uh, tons of stuff to get home to.

[At least, if nothing else, she's a fantastic liar.]

I'm sure you'll get back to helping the world soon. But, uhm, maybe you can make this one a better place too. Uh, in the m-meantime.

...

[ Another length of silence. His occasional deep breath was the only thing that signaled that he was still there. ]

Do you think... These gods will return us home?

[She's quiet for a few moments, too.]

I've been here a long time. It's been a-almost a year. And I've seen... almost everyone I know go home. There's not a lot of people who've been around as long as me. You're going to get home. I... I know it.

[And when he goes and leaves her, she'll mourn him, too. Until she's as alone as she knows she will be in the end.]

[ Malkus audibly deflated with a long, saddened exhale. Goodness. Alphys sounded like she needed a pick-me-up more than anyone else in this city. ]

You must be very important to be kept here for this long. If I vanish, which seems to be hard to predict, I will ah- remember you as one of the pleasant ones here.

[ As much as he wanted to leave, suddenly disappearing was way too anti-climactic for him. ]

« [IC Inbox- Hadriel]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)