aefenglom | un: momo-chan~♥

Entry tags:

un: momo-chan~♥

Name: Momo
Date: Feb 9th
Format: Video

[Despite the cutesy username, this video opens on a man visibly somewhere in his mid-twenties, muscular arms crossed over his knees and a cheerful smile revealing canines about as sharp as you'll find outside of the monsters here.]

Hey, so, I'm one of the newcomers that showed up at the start of the month - nice to meet you all. [He waves one red-nailed hand before resting it over his left, slightly concealing the black ring on it.] I was asking the lady who explains what's going on to everyone whether she knew anything about what people being here means for where we came from, and she told me she'd heard some stories about Mirrorbound who saw stuff going on in their worlds through their mirrors. So if that's happened to any of you guys, could you let me know a little more about it? At this point I'm kinda crossing my fingers people aren't freaking out about me being gone back home. Or hey, if you showed up at an awkward time and want to commiserate about it, I'm here for you.

[The "freaking out" is honestly an understatement, considering the depths his partner has dropped to after losing people in the past. But to offset the more serious question, he reaches a hand offscreen and holds up...well, it's the right shape and size to be a soccer ball, even if it hasn't quite reached the modern style of them yet.]

And for anyone old or new - I'm looking for some people to play soccer with. If you don't know it, it's a sport where you split into teams and try to kick a ball into goal defended by the other team. Obviously it's more fun with more people, but if anyone wants to learn to play or just get a bit of a workout, we can go one-on-one.

[A brief pause after that, and then:] I think that's it for now, so let me know, okay?

[He's still not quite enough out of public image mode to openly ask for someone to practice fistfighting against. Maybe another time.]

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[The skeletal wolf isn't very conversational during the days of the full moon, so he doesn't see this post until later. And, being fresh off the doggish state of mind, he doesn't bother reading the comments before he rushes in to reply...]

Huh?? People are seeing things in the mirrors...?? But, I've looked in my mirror before. And never seen anything!!

[Lots of times. Loads of times. He spent a few hours a week in the Looking-Glass House the first couple of months, missing family and friends, but the frame was all the sign he got of them.]

[Momo's pretty much always ready to start a conversation, so while he's slightly surprised to get a late reply (and by the appearance of the respondent), he's happy to carry it on.]

Yeah, they said it was only some people...I'm not sure they mentioned a pattern, either, so maybe it's random. I couldn't tell you who it was who did see things, the welcome crew weren't that specific when they told me about it.

[He sounds a little apologetic that he can't explain the situation, but then, there's a lot of things here he can't explain.]

What... But I'm in the welcome crew!??

[And this is the first he's hearing it. He scowls, grinding his teeth, then holds up one finger.]

Please wait a minute.

[The feed from his side ends, and for a couple minutes he listens to the various recordings. The original message over again, then a couple of the earlier replies at random, before returning to reply again. This time his voice is a little more stilted, with forced politeness that's not quite managing to sound sincere.]

...Okay... It sounds like Miss Nessie told you that... So I'll ask her about it. She should know more...

[He fidgets for a moment, then sighs.]

But that isn't your fault!! Did you have other, newer questions? I'll help where I can.

[Well, this is sounding like a bit of a "don't ask and you won't be told" situation, and Momo makes a gesture as if to say "go ahead" when Papyrus asks him to wait a minute. He must've passed by him in the busy meeting, and he smiles apologetically at that forced politeness when he comes back. He's good at reading mood at the best of times, and that kind of tone is hard to miss.]

I kinda rushed that one out to the first person I saw, because it was the one I really wanted answered as soon as I heard we'd be here for a little while... [It's by way of an apology, but so the other man doesn't feel down about not being able to help, he holds a hand under his chin for a moment to pin down something else he'd like to know.] Actually, about this "Bond" stuff I keep hearing about. They were pretty clear about it having to happen sometime, but about how long would I have to find a Bond partner before things start really going wrong?

[That does seem to have been the problem, which isn't helping his demeanor or outlook on the possibility he's gone months without some very important-to-him information. The thought lingers as shadows under his eyesockets as he nods along with Momo's words. Well, he couldn't expect to be a big help with a problem from a whole day ago. At least there's something newer.]

Well... That depends on the person, and the type of monster. And, other things!

[Papyrus thinks back for a moment, with the effort of counting the months and pulling on details a good distraction from the other worry. He's a little less stiff with hidden annoyance when he continues.]

As a turnskin... By my second full moon, I shifted all the way. I wrecked my room... Picked a fight with a neighbor on the street, I think...?

Some people manage without bonds, but keeping steady with one... It's easier.

[Momo will take the slight easing in body language as a sign he's going in the right direction with providing a distraction, and he definitely looks attentive to the answer, so it's clear enough it's a topic he actually does want an answer to and not just for the sake of something else to talk about.]

Huh, so I might have to ask around if I want to get an idea of the range. I'm a witch, so I guess I don't have to worry about the shifting part, but considering what I keep hearing about witch magic I'm just kinda hoping I have some time before I potentially explode without a bond.

[He's taking it lightheartedly, but honestly, that risk is probably the only thing that'll push him to bond in the end.] But at least I know it's not a matter of days or something now. Weeks or months is easier to work with.

[Plenty more time to ✧･ﾟ:* ignore his feelings *:･ﾟ✧ like a normal well-adjusted person.]

[It's a good change in conversation, convenient and comfortable for all involved. Except for the question of exploding witches, which Papyrus has been concerned about but never personally afraid of. He nods seriously enough at the question.]

It can happen, I've heard about it... But, it's kind of a rare freak occurrence. Using magic is enough for most witches.

[Most.]

People say a bunch of things take the edge off. Having a bond... Charging batteries... Useful spellwork, or even prank spells... [Seriously, the pranks that some witches get up to. The idea that they're doing it to help themselves not explode makes it easier to only grumble about the pranks, but they're still irritating.]

You should train at the Coven, and do plenty of magic, to be on the safe side!

["Most" is always reassuringly vague. Momo's been using magic quite consistently since he's trying to learn as fast as he can, so it's good to know that if anything, it sounds like using magic as much as possible is the smarter idea than being hands-off.]

Oh yeah, I did the battery stuff when I got here. And I'm learning illusion magic at the moment. The classes are kinda useful for basics, but they feel pretty infrequent compared to what it'd be like learning something in my world, so I've been practicing a lot on my own time as well. Sounds like I have the right idea if using magic protects me from exploding.

[He's not the most careful about what happens to him generally, but exploding does not sound like his idea of fun, or anyone else's considering the impression of magnitude he's been getting from all these warnings.]

Sounds like it! If you're already intuiting the way to safety... I'm sure you'll be a healthy witch for ages.

[Actual length of these ages, unspecified, due to complete unpredictability. The way some people vanish back whence they came, without notice... He shakes the thought off.]

But, keep listening to suggestions. Bonds, using magic, having familiars... There's lots of things witches do about their magic.

[Momo hasn't actually heard much about that last point, actually, so he snags the opportunity to inquire more about it. He's heard passing mentions from the Coven and that's about it so far.]

About familiars, is that the whole "find an animal companion to help you with your magic" thing? That's what familiars were in stories in my world, at least, but I dunno how exactly it works here.

[It wouldn't be a bad idea, though. Momo loves animals and gets lonely, so having additional companions would suit him just fine.]

I think it's like a bond... but less effective. That's what they used to do, before bonds got popular.

[In all honestly, he's only heard about it in passing from members of the Coven and a couple random people around the town. As it wasn't relevant to him, or to any of the people he especially cares about, it went in one ear and out the other. ~~And he didn't even have ears yet, at that point.~~]

Yeah, sounds basically like what the idea of a familiar was in my world. We didn't actually have witches, but we had plenty of stories about them.

[He's a little more inclined to see if he can find a dog or something rather than the traditional cat, though. Not that he doesn't like cats, but he'd definitely enjoy having something energetic and bouncy like a dog around. Besides himself, that is.]

At least it's tried and true if they've been doing it for a while, I guess?

Tried, and true, and still used sometimes. There's a witch in the market with a cat familiar... He always hisses at me.

[No accounting for taste, or for how a feline might dislike turnskins to start with, but really dislike the skeleton turnskin. At least the witch hasn't held it against him, and still lets him browse and shop without too many ominous expressions. Especially since recent events.]

Maybe it's the dog look? Cats and dogs are kind of the classic enemies... [Momo circles his own face with a finger to indicate he means the shape of Papyrus' skull - canines have fairly distinctively shaped skulls even without the fleshy bits, so maybe the cat caught on.] But I'll keep it in mind just in case I don't find a bond so quickly.

[He's not exactly planning to bond until he has to, but this could prolong things a little longer for him.]

Alas, I think you're right. The cat just can't seen into my boney heart, and see that I'm a friend! Someday I will win him over. Maybe with bribes.

[If he gets a fish from the docks, will the witch mind...? Or even discount his next purchase, as thanks for the gift? He can dream. And that kind of dreaming is always a pleasant diversion from being worried or annoyed.]

Please, do everyone else a favor... Make sure any familiar you get is friendly.

Bribes are good for cats. Do they have catnip here? That might open some new doors to friendship.

[It's the cat equivalent of getting people drunk to get to know their life story, which...is a thing Momo does worryingly often considering his choice of industry back home.]

I'll try! I don't really know what my options are, honestly, I guess I'll have to ask some locals.

I don't know... But asking locals sounds like the best bet.

[To both their questions, really. The knowledge circulating through the Mirrorbound network tends to prioritize settling into their world, panicking about changes and magic, and occasionally asking each other for favors. Not thorough listings of flora or fauna.]

You do that! And I'll do that too.

I bet it'll be the most important question they've had all week. [Momo grins as he says that, but he sounds genuine enough about it - far be it from him to impede the potential enjoyment of cats and their catnip.]

Sure thing. Thanks for your help, it answered some questions I didn't even know I had yet.

[Like the fact that he's definitely going to be looking into familiars now.]

[Papyrus is going to be inundated by good stories about cats flipping out over catnip, but there are worse fates.]

That's the Papyrus experience! And you're welcome for it.

[Certainly it's the Papyrus experience he wants to give people. Friendly helpful cheer, seeing to things they hadn't even realized they needed. He has some questions to bring to the Coven, sooner or later... But he has other positive things in this world to look forward to, too! And that makes the optimism so much easier. A good note to end the conversation.]

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un: momo-chan~♥

un: CoolSkeleton95 - video, posted feb 10th

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i'm sorry, he gets an early glimpse of Papyrus being... like this

pats him on the shoulder...

can't spell passive aggressive without a few letters from papyrus, much as he aims to be positive

momo reserves his passive-aggressiveness for his partner mostly but it's still a mood

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