a spectral latte

[showybusiness]

A: Pre-Show

The resent tall, shiny, sexy robot entertainer of the base seems to be chiding a mug on the counter of the dining area. Not in a mean way, no - his tone suggests a firmness, but a firm encouragement. A soft order, perhaps. Not a command, but a hard suggestion.

He stands, bendy robot arms bent, hands on his hips. A power stance. The stance of a businessman, and superstar, used to giving orders.

"This will be a neat little stage trick! I promise!"

B: Show Time!

As they have been doing intermittently (and without total routine, as the pair have been working on other projects), the pair have taken center "stage" of the dining area. Mettaton sings his usual set - campy high energy song, followed by a softer song about being THE BEST, followed by a softer, sad ballad about being locked in a dungeon (???). His co-star, the large, sheet-like ghost of the base, hums a sorrowful, haunting back melody behind him.

Comments

[napstablook]

"Oh, sure... I'll probably have my tables by then... so I won't be singing. I'll be mixing music for Mettaton to sing and dance to... I'm... much better at that."

Much, much better. It would be a great show then. They could linger in the background and just mix the sound and be mostly ignored. Much better.

[naughty_nurse]

"Then... I'll keep an eye out for that." She nods, not really sure what 'mixing tables' meant. "I'm sure you're very good at that! You two work really well together."

[napstablook]

She probably didn't know it, but that was exactly the right thing to say. Napstablook seemed to perk a little bit. That didn't mean that they smiled; their gloom just seemed to shift a little.

"Oh... do you think so?" They certainly liked working with Mettaton - it was a real honour to be allowed to do it. There was just always that worry that they weren't good enough.

"Cool... thanks... it's a shame Shyren isn't here, she has a nice voice for backup singing... but I'll keep doing my best. I guess?"

[naughty_nurse]

Since things seemed to be going well, Mikan relaxed - a tiny bit. Still, it was something.

"That's all anyone can ask of another person, I think... Doing their best. If you do that... then I think everything will be fine."

[napstablook]

"I think that's what makes Mettaton so cool... he always tries his best, you know?" Even though the Underground would have ate up his most half-assed attempts ever. And did, when he hadn't been all that into tormenting Frisk.

But the point was: he did what he could, and it worked. A person like that had a lot of charm to them. It made Napstablook want to do a little better, even if only vicariously.

"So... as his bandmate... I've got to do that, too..."

[naughty_nurse]

"He spoke really highly of you." Mikan can't help but add, though she decides to leave a few details out so they don't wind up back on Awkwardville. "He, um, he really wants us to get along, I think. If you don't mind...?"

[napstablook]

Mettaton spoke highly of them? Oh, wow. That made them feel pretty good. And this nice human person seemed to want to... be friends? That was kind of intimidating, but they hoped they could make it work.

"I'd... kind of like that... I'm not the most exciting person, though. Sorry."

[naughty_nurse]

"Th-that's okay! I'm not very exciting either! I spend most of my time in the medbay... but... comparing a ghost to a human... a ghost is ten times more exciting because you exist, I think?"

[napstablook]

"Not... really? Not to me... I'm just... me."

They were the only remaining ghost back home, of course, but that still didn't qualify in their mind. Most people were much more exciting than they were. You didn't have to be Undyne or Mettaton to be cooler than Napstablook.

Humans, in and of themselves, were still pretty novel to this little ghost.

"I mean... you could say that about you too..."

[naughty_nurse]

Naturally this put her on the defensive right away.

"Oh, no no no! I'm really dull! People have actually ignored me... I'm not special."

[napstablook]

"Oh... well... I know what that's like."

They, for their part, didn't sound at all defensive. Just like it was a part of themself that they had accepted. They also didn't at all try to assure her she wasn't. Why bother? She knew herself better than Napstablook knew her. That would be rude.

"I'm glad I got to talk to a nice person anyway..."

[naughty_nurse]

"Oh... you did? ...I'm glad for you, that must be nice."

... She didn't realize that was her. Mikan. Honey.

[napstablook]

"Yeah... you are kind of nice." They gave a hesitant smile. This hadn't turned out to be so bad... fan meet and greets were always scary, but now they could kind of see why Mettaton liked it.