IC INBOX ☆ FOREST COVERED

[metalcrusher]

Leave a message for MTT?

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[chasescenes]

[A note left on MTT's bed. This conversation will be easier to have if he can't distract her with flirting.]

MTT,

Stop touching my stuff.

-Amaya

[glitzandglamour]

[Oooh, a note! From... Amaya! Probably not happy! That's fine. He can do damage control. Probably sent off ~magically~, and in his lovely cursive...]

How do you know it was me?

~MTT ♡

[He found colored pens. d e a t h]

[chasescenes]

You flake.

[No, actually she just saw him do it, but this is a funnier mental image.]

[glitzandglamour]

I what? I do not! You can't fool me with that.

[chasescenes]

[It's a bouquet of flowers. Attached is a note, in Yonaka's handwriting.]

Hydrangea, for pride. I think they suit you. I don't know if you can smell them, but if you can't, maybe you can wear them in your hair or pin them to your lapel or something.

I'm sorry about the bulletin poll thing. I know your ego's not going to change, and it does honestly annoy me some of the time, but it'd be weird if you didn't have it. It'd be like you were some other person. I like you as who you are, mostly.

Don't use that as an excuse to be extra annoying, though.

A little birdie told me I wouldn't give you a second look if I respected myself, and there's something to that, but... I thought about it more, and I think that's an exaggeration. You're not the ideal boyfriend, and I need to stop trying to settle for whatever comes my way, but as a friend - you make me smile. I like being around you. Neither of us are anywhere close to perfect, and I don't think we're perfect for each other, but who is?

Thank you for being kind to me. Thank you for respecting me - even if you don't think you have, it would be so much easier to be cruel and thoughtless that it can't all be an act. Thank you.

If I ask nicely for you not to use my real name in public, will it be safe for me to tell you my name? I really want to trust you.

-"Amaya"

[metalcrusher]

[Flowers. He could imagine any number of people who might send him something like that, but... Somehow, he guesses its sender correctly. He gives the note a read.

It's hard to say how he feels about what happened after he met his dark side. It's complex. It's a big reminder that he can't shove people or his own problems aside and call it good, but somehow, MTT can't grasp how difficult this can be to put in practice. He acknowledged it to some degree. Fantastic? He should be set to go now that the event's done with.

In short, he still has some work to do. It was a wake-up nudge, at best. But maybe... his shadow said something to him. About her name. About how she knew it, how she wouldn't tell him because he's too self-centered to find the gravity in using it to do her harm. Kind of like how he's too self-centered to notice when Alphys suffered without the support he could have offered her as a friend, or too self-centered to think twice about how Spooky wanted him to be happy, but suffered for it as well. He knows those are issues, but he wishes they were issues considered dealt with. They should be.

(Mostly, however, he reads this paper and focuses on all of the nice things about him. Like how he makes her smile, she likes being about him, that she likes him the way he is. (Who wouldn't feel this way?))

MTT doesn't write back. He waits for her instead - after all, it's drawing closer to night, when many debtors are returning to their quarters for the night. And as soon as she shows up, he addresses her.]

YOU WROTE SO MUCH. I CAN TELL HOW MUCH YOU LIKE ME, AMAYA-DARLING.

OR, PERHAPS YOU'D LIKE FOR ME TO CALL YOU SOMETHING ELSE?

[chasescenes]

It's just as easy to write a lot about how much you don't like someone. Easier, actually.

[But she smiles while she's saying it. It's affectionate - she knew he'd say something along those lines. And she didn't even watch that fight.]

It's Yonaka. Yonaka Kurai.

But that's in private only, alright?

[metalcrusher]

YONAKA. THAT'S A NAME FOR YOU THAT EARNS THE MTT SEAL OF APPROVAL.

[As if he knows what it means! Still, this is the first name he's learned that is supposed to be "true" - as in, it's not manufactured by the Witch. Strange how he readily sees her as a "Yonaka" instead of "Amaya" now.

Still, does this box have a volume dial or something? He said that pretty loudly. So much for keeping it a secret...]

I KNOW THE TEMPTATION TO TELL ME SUCH INTIMATE INFORMATION WAS IRRESISTIBLE. BUT NEVER FEAR. YOUR SECRET WILL BE SAFE WITH ME, BEAUTIFUL.

[As we are clearly off to a good start by yelling everywhere!]

Voice

[meowbel]

Uh...did I get the right person? This is MTT right?

Well, if I did, this is Alexis! I know, I know, you might be wondering why I called but...I thought I should double check and see if you were okay.

[glitzandglamour]

[Hmm. This is interesting... A fan somehow getting a hold of him, perhaps? MTT listens to her introduction with an easygoing smile at first and wonders - just what is she "double checking" for?]

You've reached the one-and-only MTT, yes. How lucky of you, figuring out how to get in touch with me so privately. As you might expect, I'm magnificent. No worries there. I won't stop being magnificent any time soon, in case you're worried about that. It's all I know how to be.

[meowbel]

[Well, at least MTT was a lot more calmer than his shadow. If he was the same thing, she really wouldn't have a clue how to talk to him!

But...!]

Oh no, that's not what I meant! I meant...you know. After what happened with that really weird other version of you, I thought you might be a little down or something.

[glitzandglamour]

Oh, that.

[Well, he doesn't remember this person. But he also doesn't remember Yonaka meeting his shadow, so it's no real surprise that his shadow's memories and his own are exclusive.

Still... that means she probably met with his dark side, and it's really hard to gauge just what he might have said about MTT, who wasn't there to witness it for himself. He has to assume that he might have just said some... things. Maybe sans more secret matters, such as his history. He won't deny the other things his dark side brought up: that negligence and ignorance has been his way of treating people "close" to him. If he thinks of Spooky or Alphys as dear to him, he doesn't act like it much. He knows that. He even thinks that maybe, in another life or something, he got this wake-up call even earlier than he did in this one. It's a weird sort of déjà vu feeling. It never happened, but maybe it could have.

Never mind that. He has a reply to move onto. It doesn't take him long to transition to his next line of thought.]

I can't let something like that get me down, darling. Sensitivity is a trait not suited for the sort of life I lead. If things like an edgy knock-off of myself with bad acting skills got me down, I wouldn't dare answer you in this moment! That would be spineless.

[meowbel]

[On the day of Valentine's, have this note on their inbox!]

[glitzandglamour]

[Oh, how sweet. The big red heart speaks to him. A Valentine to add to the Valentine pile.]

Forward dated to March 2nd (BECAUSE IT'S MARCH HERE)

[save_theworld]

[The note itself is actually clean; despite the fact that there appear to be crinkles and tears all over it. Copied? Magically duplicated? It doesn’t matter. By morning, a spirit delivers the letter, and Grit is nowhere to be found.]

Hi.

A friend of mine is going to copy this for me when Im finished writing it so I dont know who this one is going to yet. Im sorry Im not writing everyone a really nice letter but its realy important that everyone knows this fast.

Du Serif forgot about me. I dont know how but thats not important. I have to ask you for something and its really hard.

Please dont tell dun Serif about me.

When I was in the underground people didnt remember me all the time. And that was okay. When people didnt remember me I got to make friends with them again. Making friends again means that I cant think of people like memories. They have to be people first. I want to be friends with Serif again so I have to make friends with him again.

Dunkle Serif

Hes my da

I really want him b

I dont want to be friends with Serif again just because we were friends before. So I have to be friends with him now.

I know you might think its bad but I do need to do this by myself. Trust me please.

I want to be alone for a while. Ill be back later.

Grit.

[metalcrusher]

[Thank you for the letter, Grit. As soon as MTT finishes reading it, there are some Thoughts and Feelings he might convey in return, but the spirit delivering the message is gone before he has a chance to even talk to the spirit. Which he would have certainly done, had they not skedaddled.

MTT doesn't understand the concept of wanting some alone time very much in this moment, but! That's their choice, and he knows that they can befriend the short skeleton, if anybody. Good luck, Grit. MTT is cheering you on. He hopes to find them sometime this month, anyway.

Just to see what the gravity of this note truly is. Or perhaps figure out what all of this means.]

it's closer to actually being april 1 than over in frisk's inbox, anyway

[lookstabnap]

[An imposing figure looms like a monolith in the dark theater, and Spooky's legs won't obey them. Of course, that's not real; they know that soon they'll wake to another interchangeable day of feeding snails and mindlessly surfing the net. Since that's not real either, let's back off from Spooky's perspective for now.

Early on the morning of April 1st, MTT's technically favorite ghost descends into his room like a bedsheet angel. Which is something they haven't done in a while, since he stopped being their favorite robot and all. Movement is unsteady and seemingly aimless, but it brings them in front of the big mirror which he still undoubtedly has at least one of, possibly more. Ghosts do in fact cast a reflection -- especially from the corner of one's eye or when peeking over one's shoulder -- so it's not hard to get a good view if desired, which may partly clear up what's going on: Spooky's still pretty much asleep, albeit on their way out of it, restless and fidgety. How did this happen? Silly ghost.]

and now it IS proper.

[metalcrusher]

[It's been...

A month. With Spooky having forgot about him in such a noticeable way, of course it would follow that they would quit visiting him. Funny, that he reflected on the lack of Spooky's visits to his room just before letting his mind really wander into "dreams", or his charge.

Being a robot is a unique existence when it comes to sleeping, and though his mood drops even as he dreams, he is somewhat aware of an extra familiar presence in his room. After a minute or so, it's enough to rouse him from his sleep. The lights on MTT's front flicker to life, but he dims them immediately so as to avoid waking his more sensitive roommates. His entire self comes to life as he rises from the floor and raises his arms and holds his hands just in front of him, reaching out toward them as though he's about to reach for them.]

SPOOKY!?

[...Shhhdkjsl oops. Sensitive roommates that do not sleep well. Sorry.

MTT notices just in time that Spooky's eyes are shut, so though they've come down to visit, perhaps it's nothing like that at all. He glances at the ceiling with a rock of his body, then back to his cousin.

Instead of speaking any longer, MTT wheels over to their side with his hands still delicately poised in front of him. If they're not here deliberately, do they even remember him yet...? He never realized how much of a bother it would be, to be forgotten - and though he was certain he could just revive in them the fan of MTT they were before, that doesn't change that his cousin was made to forget about him.

In any case, they seem to be waking up. Perhaps he could just... MTT lifts his hand and taps them with a finger. Or tries to, in the best way he can as a robot attempting to poke at a ghost.]

[lookstabnap]

[Clumsily, Spooky touches a hand to their face. They're looking at someone they don't recognize, but that's not real. MTT's own attempt at touch is a lot less successful, but his presence, that's real, and the sound of their name was real, and the dull grey morning light seeping into the world. The difference is undeniable.

They drop their hand and come to groggy and confused, which is natural when waking up somewhere different than you fell asleep. Did something happen? Were they doing something? The last shards of dream thoughts are just crumbling from their mind, and they recall the feeling of looking at someone. What they see is themself, and MTT's room, and MTT. Sleepy dead-fish eyes meet him in the mirror. Why are they here with him?

Spooky isn't concerned about his roommates solely because they haven't remembered those are around, but they're not a loud person anyway.]

...mtt?

[Then they freeze, going wide-eyed and wide awake, because the familiarity of the name felt unfamiliar. Right, of course, that's what they were doing, last night and for the month before.

Then they burst into tears.

Then, for the second time in recent memory, they vanish. The good news is that the bathhouse is, y'know, where they live too, so at least there are ideas where to start looking.]

[chasescenes]

[When Yonaka returns to her room with a bouquet of red tulips in her arms, she's pleased to see MTT there.

It really doesn't matter that there are other roommates there too, because even though she wanted to have this talk in private, it's probably best they go somewhere else anyway.]

MTT, would you come walk with me for a bit?

[glitzandglamour]

[Yonaka catches MTT just as he sighs and collapses against the wall with a soft thud after a long, long day. It's a moment of vulnerability, in a sense, being that he was just about to sentence himself to a couple hours plugged into the wall after going so long without recharging. He's reached that point that he's getting reminded by his own body to recharge - a feature added after his finale Underground thanks to Phyllis, trying to prevent him from overworking a body that requires so much energy.

But Yonaka steps in, and MTT lights up from his spot against the wall.]

Flowers? Don't tell me those are for me. [MTT gives her a smile.] You must really like me.

[The TV star pushes himself away from the wall. Charging can wait a little longer, then! Not a single hint of his low battery life shows through when he closes the distance between himself and her.]

Of course. Anything to keep you happy, darling.

[chasescenes]

Of course they're yours - and maybe I do.

[She holds the tulips in one hand. It's a short walk from the second floor out of the employee's quarters, and once they're outside and less obviously in everyone else's face, she reaches for his hand with her free one.]

It's been a long time since we started going on dates, huh? Half a year now. I've really enjoyed them.

[Little things like dying aside.]

[chasescenes]

[It's been a Day.

It's not that person's fault, not really, but that note on the network reminded her of something in Mogeko Castle, and then Ko got that memory back, and that automatically makes it a Day.

Yonaka returns to their shared room in visibly poor spirits - but her eyes light up a little to see that it's only occupied by MTT right now.]

Hi.

[Come to think of it, there was something she'd been wanting now that they're actually dating...]

It's been a bad day. Do you think we could cuddle?

[Honesty and directness suit her best.]

[glitzandglamour]

[MTT's scribbling down a few words into a book – a brand new one that is predominantly black with a few purple embellishments. He's come a long way since he first arrived in Koriko, graduating from loose leaf paper to actual journals (that he still doesn't use in their entirety. but he can do this, because he wants to).

He looks up from his spot against the wall and his smile drops to something a bit less cheery when he detects Yonaka's air. As self-absorbed as he may be, that doesn't mean the TV star can't be empathetic when the time calls for it.]

I don't think we could. I know it. [And he beckons her over as he shuts the journal and shoves it aside.] See if I can't make a bad day good again.

[chasescenes]

[That earns him a smile, if a tiny one - as self-absorbed as he is and she knows he is, she's grateful that he's picked up on when she needs his attention, at least.]

Thank you.

[She crosses the room to him, taking her seat on the floor in front of him and promptly leaning into his chest. It's... it's not comfortable, really. He's metal, and maybe a bit too warm. She can think of better people to cuddle, tactile-sensation wise.

But she wants to be reassured by him right now, so any discomfort can wait out in the hall.]