Part 1 | Segment 0.6.9 | Papyrus’ True Last Test!
"Now that's a cool entrance," I thought, raising my guard instinctively.
Before I could fully prepare, the world seemed to settle into a rhythm, and the system's interface materialized before me in crisp text:
Papyrus Blocks The Way!
The dramatic declaration was perfectly in sync with his own triumphant words. It was almost amusing how theatrical it all felt.
I immediately check his stats, "ATK (38), DEF (22) - NYEH HEH HEH!!" He's just a bit above my level, which means I can handle this! For the first time in a while, I feel real DETERMINATION.
"BEHOLD!!!" he cried, his voice echoing with excitement.
With a dramatic wave of his skeletal hand, he unleashed his first attack—a volley of bone projectiles hurtling toward me in rapid succession. Watching them cut through the air, I made a quick mental note: "Just as I expected, his magic revolves around bones."
"But one thing I didn't expect… is that the attack would be so slow?"
With hardly any effort, I sidestepped, weaving between the projectiles with ease. The attack ended as quickly as it began, leaving me standing there, arms crossed, barely impressed.
"Mercy is probably the best option at this point," I thought, already feeling a pang of disappointment.
"So you won't fight? THEN, LET'S SEE IF YOU CAN HANDLE MY FABLED 'BLUE ATTACK!'"
I tilted my head, intrigued. "What?"
Blue attacks, huh. Sans had mentioned his brother might use them, but I wasn't worried. I'd faced them before. I knew how they worked.
He sent out another barrage of bones, this time larger and moving with surprising speed. But I stood perfectly still, knowing the trick—blue attacks passed harmlessly through you as long as you didn't move.
The wave ended, and I was about to let out a sigh of relief when—
THWACK!
A single blue bone, trailing behind the rest, struck me from the side. It didn't hurt—no damage at all—but a sudden weight settled over me. My chest tightened as I looked down, and my eyes widened in realization.
My SOUL, once a vivid red, had turned blue.
The shift wasn't just cosmetic—I felt it immediately. Gravity seemed to double, pinning me to the ground with an unrelenting force. My movements slowed, each step suddenly requiring effort.
"Urk! What's… happening? Why do I feel so…?" I staggered, struggling against the sudden force pressing down on me.
Papyrus straightened his posture, clearly basking in his triumph. "NYEH HEH HEH! YOU'RE BLUE NOW. THAT'S MY ATTACK!"
I clenched my teeth, silently berating myself. Wow, so even an idiot like him can trick me into his own trap. I better keep my guard up from now on.
Papyrus burst into laughter, his voice echoing across the snowy battlefield. "NYEH HEH HEH HEH HEH HEH HEH HEH HEH!!!"
Before I could regain my footing, he launched another wave of bone attacks. They came faster this time, leaving little room to react. I stomped my foot into the snow for balance and leapt, straining against the newfound gravity. Each jump felt like lifting a boulder, and my movements became sluggish, imprecise.
I barely evaded the barrage, but one bone nicked me as I landed. The sting wasn't unbearable, but the impact registered clearly: [17/20 HP]. My hand instinctively went to my side. "If I keep taking hits like this, I'll be d-die!" I thought, heart pounding.
"A heads-up next time?" I said, glaring at him as I steadied myself.
Papyrus waved a hand dramatically, as if conceding a minor point. "OH? YEAH… HOW UNCLASSY OF ME. VERY WELL THEN, HUMAN! JUST WAIT UNTIL YOU SEE MY SPECIAL ATTACK!"
His tone carried a smug confidence that made my stomach churn. "Special Attack," huh… I narrowed my eyes, scanning his movements. I should be careful and watch for the switch in his attack patterns.
Gritting my teeth, I decided to retaliate. Tightening my grip on the stick in my hand, I rushed forward, dodging a stray bone as I closed the gap. With all the force I could muster, I swung it downward in a clean arc, aiming for his chest.
It struck true—
Psschhh!
At least, I wanted it to strike true; instead, it went deep in the snow.
"You dodged the attack…" I said stand back up and facing him.
Papyrus smirked, brushing an invisible speck of dust off his chest plate. "OF COURSE, HUMAN!" His eyes glinted mischievously. "NEVER UNDERESTIMATE YOUR ENEMY!"
Undeterred, I hurled the stick toward his head, hoping to catch him off guard. With a quick flick of his wrist, he swatted it aside like an annoying fly.
But I wasn't done. As he batted the stick away, I lunged forward, using the opening to throw a punch aimed at his ribs. He barely dodged, but the force grazed his battle body, leaving a shallow tear in the fabric.
[12 DMG -> 680 - 12 = 678 HP].
The numbers floated above him for a brief moment before fading, like an unspoken confirmation of my efforts.
"It's a good thing you took that to heart," I said, brushing snow from my sleeve. "Or you would've just died." I said, intentionally threatening him
Papyrus recoiled, his sockets widening in surprise before puffing up his chest. "NYEH!?!" He waved a finger dramatically. "YES, YOU ARE RIGHT, HUMAN! AND WITH THAT BEING SAID…"
A sudden shift in the air cut his sentence short. The snow around us stirred as if caught in an invisible vortex. I felt it too—a faint yet unmistakable hum in the atmosphere, like a brewing storm.
"(I can feel something swirling around… Like wind or something… Is it.. Magic?)" I muttered.
Papyrus raised both hands, and a brilliant blue glow emanated from his skeletal fingertips. Two massive bones materialized before him, spinning rapidly as if caught in a whirlwind. With a theatrical flourish, he launched them one by one, each hurtling toward me with increasing velocity.
The first bone whistled through the air as it approached. I leapt high, narrowly clearing it before hitting the ground and rolling to the side. Without pausing, I sprinted in a wide arc, circling around Papyrus to reposition myself.
But the second bone came faster. I prepared to jump again, pushing my legs with all the strength I could muster—
Only to feel that crushing weight slam back down on me mid-air.
"Urk—!" My momentum vanished, and I plummeted downward, the blue magic forcing me straight toward the spinning bone beneath me.
He decided to use the blue SOUL effect while I was in mid-air… so I'd for sure fall for the attack.
Papyrus laughed triumphantly, the sound reverberating through the snowy expanse. "'HEAD OF THE ROYAL GUARD!' THAT'S WHAT THEY'LL CALL ME!" His voice grew louder with each word, brimming with unshakable confidence. "I CAN ALMOST TASTE MY FUTURE POPULARITY!!!"
I felt the weight pressing down on me again, a warning sign of the Blue SOUL effect. But this time, I was ready. Timing my jump just a fraction of a second late, I allowed myself to lag behind—just enough to fall into the gap between the spinning bones. With a quick roll to the side, I evaded the attack entirely, the bones spinning harmlessly above me as I came to a stop on one knee.
Papyrus's voice rang out with unrestrained admiration. "WHAT EXCELLENT REFLEXES, HUMAN!"
His praise did little to distract me as I launched into action, charging forward with a determined stride. I closed the distance between us and threw a straightforward punch aimed at his center.
Papyrus smirked—or at least, I think he did, given his skeletal face—and effortlessly dodged to the side. "AND YET… NOT ENOUGH."
I smirked back, unfazed. "I knew you'd dodge that mediocre attack," I said, cutting myself off mid-sentence as I bent down and grabbed my stick from the snow. Straightening, I brandished it once more, gripping it firmly in both hands. "And that's why I really attacked—just to get this back."
My grin widened as I pointed the stick at him. It wasn't much of a weapon, but having it in my hands again felt reassuring.
Papyrus's sockets gleamed with excitement. "I'M SO GLAD YOU'RE TAKING ME SO SERIOUSLY, HUMAN!" He struck a dramatic pose, his scarf fluttering despite the absence of wind. "AND AS GRATITUDE FOR THAT… I WILL SHOW YOU SOMETHING COOL!"
The ground beneath me trembled, sending vibrations up my legs. Small and large bones began to sprout from the snow like jagged teeth, forming a chaotic obstacle course of spikes and projectiles. I barely had time to react before a sudden lurch beneath my feet lifted me into the air.
"What the—?!" My sentence cut off as I realized I was now standing on a narrow platform made entirely of bones. It hovered above the ground, swaying slightly with my weight.
The platform wasn't spacious—barely enough room for a step or two in any direction. It forced me to stay in one spot as the next wave of attacks began.
Bones came rushing at me from all sides, their sharp edges whistling through the air. I crouched low to avoid a horizontal swipe, then sprang upward to leap over a massive bone speeding toward my ankles. I landed with a wobble, immediately forced to sway left, then right, dodging smaller projectiles. Ducking low again, I could feel the bones grazing past me, close enough to make my heart pound in my chest.
"Dammit, Papyrus," I muttered under my breath as I sidestepped another attack. "Just what do you have planned this time?"
Papyrus laughed triumphantly, his voice carrying over the chaos. "MY UNPARALLELED SPAGHETTORE!" he proclaimed with the energy of a Broadway star. "IF I SUCCEED IN THIS CAPTURE, UNDYNE WILL BE REALLY PROUD OF ME!!"
"If I get hit once, I'll—" The thought is cut short as I miss my footing, mistiming a jump. My chest tightens as I slip off the platform, the world spinning around me. The bone attacks blur in my vision as I plummet toward the ground.
"[3 DMG -> 14/20]" flashes briefly in my vision, a stark reminder of my dwindling health.
"No—!" I barely manage to gasp as the snow-rimmed ground rushes up to meet me.
Suddenly, a pair of arms catches me mid-air, halting my fall with a surprising gentleness. My heart lurches, but the impact I braced for never comes. Instead, I feel myself being cradled securely and carried downward, the sensation of weightlessness taking over.
"I got you!"
Her voice is unmistakable. I blink up to see Mani, effortlessly floating as though gravity were just a suggestion. She glides us both down to the thickly blanketed snow, setting me gently on my feet.
"Mani? Where the hell have you been?!" I snap, brushing myself off as adrenaline surges through me.
"There were things I had to take care of, but I've known—"
"Watch out!" I yell, shoving her aside as a bone hurtles toward us with alarming speed. Without thinking, I pivot and use my stick to parry the attack, the bone shattering into harmless fragments on impact.
Mani straightens, blinking as though finally noticing the chaos around us. "Oh, that's right! You're battling Papyrus!" she exclaims, her voice laced with realization.
Polly: "Took you long enough to notice..."
[M]
I glare at her, exasperated but too focused to argue. "Fine, we'll talk about your situation later. For now, I need information on this guy."
"Okay! Let's see…" She tilts her head as though reciting from memory. "He's six-foot-four, he likes spaghetti, and his social media account is—"
"Not that! I need info that can help me win." My voice carries a sharp edge as I cut her off, gripping my stick tighter.
Mani giggles, undeterred by my frustration. "Got it! Well, that's easy! You ready to hear?"
"Yeah," I say, a hint of desperation creeping into my tone. "What's the plan?"
[M]
… … …
…
..
.
"I BET EVEN THE KING WILL DECIDE TO TRIM A HEDGE IN THE SHAPE OF MY SMILE!!!" Papyrus declares, his voice booming with unrelenting enthusiasm as bones continue to jut up from the ground. "AND MY BROTHER WILL... WELL, HE WON'T CHANGE VERY MUCH. AND I'LL HAVE LOTS OF ADMIRERS!! BUT… HOW WILL I KNOW IF PEOPLE SINCERELY LIKE ME???"
"You won't," I reply, my voice steady but sharp.
Papyrus freezes mid-step, his glowing eye sockets widening in shock. "NYEH?"
"You say you want everyone to shower you with praise, love, and the attention of all monsterkind. But you haven't even considered whether any of it would be genuine."
His confident grin falters, replaced with a flicker of uncertainty. "NYEH? WHAT DO YOU MEAN?"
"Think about it, Papyrus," I continue, stepping forward, stick gripped firmly in my hands. "If you capture me just to gain fame, are monsters admiring you for who you really are, or just because you did something they wanted?"
"B-BUT... I'LL BE A HERO! THEY'LL FINALLY SEE HOW GREAT I AM!" His voice cracks slightly, betraying his inner doubt.
It's all the opening I need. I lunge forward and bring my stick down in a decisive strike against the emblem on his battle body. The sound of the impact echoes through the snowy clearing, and numbers briefly flash in the air:
"[25 DMG]"
Papyrus stumbles back, his HP dropping to 643.
"Will they, though?" I press, meeting his gaze as he falters. "Or will they just see you as a means to an end? Someone who captured a human because it was convenient."
"I... I DON'T..." He stammered.
Papyrus's skeletal hands tremble as he summons another wave of bones from the ground. His attacks lack the ferocity they once held, their pattern simple and easy to read. So it's true, I think, recalling what I read in the library: Monsters express themselves through magic. The more excited they are, the stronger their attacks or effects in battle. It seems with this I can exploit attack patterns just like the battle with Toriel. It's a good thing I took the time in library to read all of the books even if some of them were pointless. I dodge the attacks with low difficulty. And counter with another strike but he blocks it reducing the damage by 50% "[10 DMG]."
"You're chasing approval from others," I say, my voice softer but resolute, "without realizing that true respect and friendship come from being genuine—not from doing what you think will make others like you."
Papyrus hesitates, his eye sockets shrinking. I can see the weight of my words sinking in.
"You say you want everyone to shower you with praise, love, and the attention of all monsterkind," I continue, locking eyes with him. "But you haven't even considered whether any of that is real. Fans? Admirers? They only care about the image of you, not you."
Papyrus: "NYEH?"
Polly: "They'll cheer for the Papyrus they think you are—tough, strong, confident. But real friends? They see who you really are. They're there when the crowd isn't. When it gets quiet, and the cheering stops, what's left?"
Papyrus hesitated, his teeth clacking slightly as he processed my words.
Papyrus: "MY FRIENDS WILL BE MY FANS, AND MY FANS WILL BE MY FRIENDS! NYEH HEH HEH!"
When I heard that I felt as if my brain had short-circuited, "What the hell? That's such a paradoxical goal! How will that work?" I thought, my brain trying to process this correctly.
"I... Uh... Don't think that's not how it works, dude." I said, coming up with SOME-thing to say.
Papyrus puffed out his chest, trying to regain his bravado. "NYEH HEH HEH! BUT I WILL BE SO POPULAR, HUMAN! AND I WON'T BE LONELY! I'LL BE…"
I met his glowing gaze, my voice cutting through his bluster. "Alone. You'll be surrounded, but alone. You think Undyne admires you because of your 'fanbase'? No, she sees you. She's a friend. And you'd have more of that if you stopped caring so much about the noise."
Papyrus froze, his entire frame tense. The playful bounce in his stance faded as he processed my words. For a brief moment, his magic dimmed.
For a brief moment, it seemed like he might drop his guard, but then he dramatically shook his head, his cape fluttering with exaggerated flair. "WHY AM I WASTING TIME TALKING TO THE HUMAN INSTEAD OF CAPTURING??"
He stomped his foot, sending snow scattering around him as his energy surged again. Bones began swirling in the air.
"YOU SNEAKY HUMAN! I ALMOST FELL FOR YOUR TRICKS!"
I readied myself, gripping my stick tightly. It was clear he was about to unleash something big. "I'VE HAD ENOUGH! TIME TO USE MY SPECIAL ATTACK!!!" He exclaimed.
He struck a dramatic pose, arms raised to the sky as the snow around him seemed to still. The energy in the air grew taut, like a rubber band pulled to its limit. I tensed, expecting a barrage of bones or some devastating new move.
"BEHOLD...! MY SPECIAL ATTACK!" His voice rang out, full of theatrical flair.
And then… nothing.
I blinked, confused, as the dramatic moment stretched into silence. My heart raced as I scanned the area, waiting for something—anything—to happen.
Then, from the treeline, a small dog waddled into view, completely oblivious to the tension in the clearing. It had a goofy grin on its face and was gnawing contentedly on a bone—a bone that looked suspiciously like part of Papyrus' special attack.
"WHAT THE HECK!? THAT'S MY SPECIAL ATTACK!" Papyrus' voice cracked, his disbelief palpable.
The dramatic tension shattered like glass. The dog, seemingly unfazed, trotted a little further into the clearing, the bone clutched firmly in its jaws. It wagged its tail lazily, almost mockingly, as Papyrus stared in stunned silence.
"HEY! YOU STUPID DOG! DO YOU HEAR ME!? STOP MUNCHING ON THAT BONE!!!"
The dog glanced up briefly, its beady eyes sparkling with innocence, before returning to its feast. It chewed with exaggerated satisfaction, its tail wagging in an almost rhythmic defiance.
Papyrus flailed his arms, gesturing wildly. "HEY!!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!? COME BACK HERE WITH MY SPECIAL ATTACK!!!"
Papyrus' hands flailed as he watched the dog happily trot off into the distance, taking his "special attack" with it. His disbelief turned to pure exasperation as the dog disappeared over the horizon, the sound of crunching bones fading away with it.
There was a long, awkward pause. I could feel Papyrus' frustration in the air as he stared at the spot where the dog vanished, still in shock.
Finally, he broke the silence, his voice a little flatter than usual. "…OH WELL."
His voice dropped a notch, a mix of disappointment and forced optimism. He straightened up, his shoulders rising in a last-ditch effort to reclaim his dignity. "I'LL JUST USE A REALLY COOL REGULAR ATTACK!" he announced.
I couldn't help but smirk at the sight of him puffing up again, determination blazing in his eyes despite the bizarre interruption. He wasn't going to let this go. No way. This was Papyrus, after all.
I readied myself, shifting my stance slightly, wondering what sort of 'really cool regular attack' could possibly follow up such a unexpected disaster.
Papyrus let out a dramatic sigh, though it felt more like an exaggerated exhale, and the bone projectiles around him began to float ominously. "HERE'S AN ABSOLUTELY REGULAR ATTACK," he announced, his voice carrying a strange blend of nonchalance and pride.
A just like that it seemed it felt like as if time froze for a moment as I feel a strange feeling… It's not a sudden attack, new move, or his blue SOUL spell…. It's something different. Those words… It's… Not the first time I've heard them. Which is strange considering I've never met this guy before the underground, nor heard, or anything… It's strange. But obviously this moment of thought couldn't last too long because the next thing I noticed was a series of bones structured in a wall—a bone wall attack! Came rushing towards me. "Now, how am I going to get through that?" I thought. But, regardless of the initial impossibility of the avoiding the attack I knew the obvious action.
"Guess I'm going to have to jump!" I said.
Mani chimed in watching this all play out like some kind of entertainment behind me, sounding way too amused. "Whoa, he said regular attack, right?"
Two steps forward, and I leapt into the air, vaulting over the first set of bones. My momentum carried me into a second jump over the next cluster, then a third. If Olympic judges were watching, I was sure I'd have scored a perfect ten. But, honestly, who else is out here casually hopping over bone walls like it's a warm-up exercise?
Two steps, and then a leap over the first one, then the second and third. You'd think I'd be qualified for the Olympics by now. But then again, it might look a bit odd to casually jump over ten-meter bone walls like it's nothing.
Of course, Papyrus wasn't making it easy. I weaved and dodged as more bones came from every angle—horizontal, vertical, even spiraling patterns meant to throw me off. Then there was that attack: a giant bone spelling out "COOL DUDE" while balanced on a skateboard, sliding toward me. Yeah, Papyrus was pulling out all the stops.
I dodged it, but not without a laugh. "Really, Papyrus? A skateboard?"
As I closed the distance between us, I seized my chance and lunged forward with my stick, aiming for an opening behind him. "You're wide open, Papyrus!" I shouted, slashing downward.
But he wasn't caught off guard. Not even close.
With a sharp crack, a bone shot up from the ground, blocking my attack mid-swing. The impact jolted through my hands as Papyrus spun around with a triumphant smirk.
"PATIENCE, HUMAN! FOR I AM NOT YET DONE! NYEH HEH HEH!" he declared, clearly enjoying himself.
I gritted my teeth, shaking off the failed strike. "Damn. Should've known you'd see that coming."
The dance continued, my feet skidding across the snowy ground as I dodged wave after wave of bones. Each attack grew faster, more complex, like Papyrus was testing my limits. I kept moving—ducking, spinning, jumping—but I could feel something brewing. The air was heavier now, almost buzzing with energy.
"Something big is coming," I muttered to myself, glancing toward Papyrus as his attacks reached a fever pitch.
Mani, ever the voice of unhelpful commentary, piped up again. "Oh! It's this attack! Get ready, Polly!"
"Get ready?" I shot back, my voice rising with suspicion. "What's about to happen?"
The swirling wind around us seemed to intensify, and Papyrus' grin widened. Whatever he had planned, it was going to be anything but "regular."
The ground trembled beneath my feet, and then, as if summoned by some unseen force, a multitude of bones erupted from the ground, sprouting up like deadly spikes aiming to impale me. I scrambled, dodging and weaving between them.
"What's this!? Mani, you didn't tell me about this!" I telepathically sent out, feeling a mix of surprise and urgency.
She simply responded with a playful wink, like she knew this was coming. But I had no time to dwell on her mysterious foresight; each bone felt like it could take a limb if I misstepped.
I was on the move, my focus entirely on avoiding the sharp projectiles that continued to shoot up around me. There was no room for hesitation. Soon, my only choice was to move forward. He was right there, blocking my path with the looming threat of more bones ready to strike.
But then, a new sensation washed over me. The gravity-defying blue soul effect Papyrus had used on me earlier—something I'd expected to pull me down—felt different. Instead, it seemed as if it was pulling me upwards, giving me an unexpected lightness.
"I feel lighter!" I thought to myself, my instincts kicking in.
With no time to waste, I leapt over the rising bones, narrowly avoiding their sharp tips. But there was no stopping now. The final obstacle—an enormous, towering bone—shot up directly in front of me. There was no other choice but to either leap over it or find a way through.
"Well, if that's how you wanna play it…" I muttered, determination flashing in my eyes.
Without hesitation, I clenched my fist and swung it at the bone with everything I had. My knuckles made contact, and the force was enough to split the bone clean in half, sending shards of bone scattering across the snowy ground.
"I continue moving, no matter what it takes!" I declared, standing firm.
Mani's voice echoed in my mind, her surprise evident. "Wha- What!? Polly, she…"
Papyrus, on the other hand, was in complete disbelief. "NYEH!? THAT HUMAN PUNCHED RIGHT THROUGH MY MAGNIFICENT AVERAGE ATTACK!??"
I landed with a soft thud on the thick snow, grinning to myself as I caught my breath. Papyrus, now exhausted from summoning such a barrage of attacks for what he called his "regular attack," took a moment to recover too. Both of us were breathing hard, but I couldn't help but feel a rush of pride. I had pushed through his challenge, proving that nothing would stop me.
"Wait, he's tired now. That means I can spare him!" I thought, glancing toward the Mercy button.
But as my hand hovered over it, I paused.
"Still not yellow, huh? I guess he's got more in tank waiting than I expected…" I thought.
For someone ridiculous as him, It makes sense that he'd refuse, I can't imagine the punishment he might receive if he fails to capture me. And besides, Papyrus wasn't just fighting for himself—he was doing this for recognition, for monsterkind, even if his approach was clumsy and a little self-serving. And honestly? I respected his spirit.
This fight wasn't pointless, not entirely. He was determined to protect his people and prove himself, and that took guts. But there was a difference between determination and senseless persistence. He didn't need to keep fighting to prove his worth—not to me. And as much as I enjoyed this battle, I had bigger things to deal with.
I pressed ACT, gripping my stick tightly, and pointed it at Papyrus. With steady steps, I approached him, he doesn't seem to be out of breath but he did look pretty defeated in a way.
"Papyrus," I began, my voice carrying a mix of amusement and determination. "That was a good effort—really, it was. I've gotta admit, you made this… How should I say this… fun?"
Papyrus perked up slightly at the compliment, his exhaustion momentarily forgotten as he pushed himself up to stand a little straighter.
"OF COURSE IT WAS FUN! HOW COULD A DUEL WITH THE GREAT PAPYRUS BE ANYTHING LESS THAN LEGENDARY?!" he proclaimed.
I couldn't help but let out a small laugh at his theatrics, but I quickly shook my head.
"I wouldn't say 'legendary' but a great effort." I said bringing the stick closer to his face as if pointing a blade at him.
"But what are you even trying to prove? You clearly don't want to hurt anyone—and as much as I can find you irritable, neither do I. This fight doesn't have to keep going, Papyrus. You've already shown me how strong you are. And trust me, I get it."
Papyrus blinked, his expression shifting from prideful to something more contemplative. I continued, lowering the stick a bit.
"You're doing all this for recognition, for monsterkind. I get that. You're determined to protect them, to prove you're worth something—and that takes guts. But you don't have to keep fighting me to do that. I've seen enough, Papyrus. Out of all the monsters and guards faced you are the only one who continued on this path to capture me. That's pretty note worthy to me, very determined as well. You're better than I thought, dum-dum."
He tilted his head slightly, his empty sockets narrowing as if studying me. For a moment, there was silence between us, the tension of battle replaced with an unspoken understanding. I glanced over to the Mercy button and his name was still not yellow. So, I decided to go with a more direct approach.
And so, I relaxed my stance, lowering the stick to my side as I let out a long breath.
"So, with that being said... will you accept my Mercy, O' Great Papyrus?" I asked with a satisfied grin.
"YOU… WANT TO SPARE ME?" He said.
"Yeah, I do."
Papyrus stared at me, his jaw slightly slack. Then, as if recovering his sense of self, he threw his arms up dramatically.
"NYEH HEH HEH! WELL, HUMAN, IT SEEMS I HAVE BEEN BESTED… IN A WAY! BUT FEAR NOT, FOR THE GREAT PAPYRUS NEVER LEAVES A FIGHT WITHOUT A GRACEFUL EXIT!"
"What's he doing now?" Said Mani who arrived at my side.
I shrugged in response.
He puffed out his chest, his usual bravado returning.
"I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, DECLARE THIS DUEL A DRAW! FROM THIS DAY FORWARD, HUMAN, I SHALL CONSIDER YOU MY… RIVAL-FRIEND! A WORTHY OPPONENT, YET A COMPANION IN SPIRIT! YOU HAVE EARNED THE GREAT PAPYRUS' RESPECT!"
Baffled at his declaration I said, "I'm sorry, a draw? Rival-friend? Who said I wanted to be your friend?!"
"NYEH HEH HEH!"
"Quit it with the weird laughter!" I said mildly irritated again.
"IT'S ALRIGHT, LONELY HUMAN, THE IDEA OF RIVAL-FRIENDSHIP MIGHT SEEM A LITTLE DIFFICULT FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND BUT WORRY NOT I'LL BE YOUR GREATEST FIRST ONE AND TAKE THROUGH EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW!"
"Y'know, I'm actually not-"
And then he proceeded to run up towards me with great speed picking up a lot of snow behind him. It was unexpected so I got caught off guard when he grabbed my shoulders and gave me these… Hopefully-excited eyes of his,
"It'll. Be. Ok." He said rather uncannily with a thumbs up.
"... Y-yeah sure."
I was honestly quite shocked and didn't know how to respond to that but if I'm being honest this had gone on long enough, so agreeing to this ridiculousness was the best option.
He let go of my shoulders and then held out his gloved hand toward me, and for a moment, I hesitated. And then I shook his hand. Normally I'd smile and just shake things off but I realized that I don't really care about him and I don't like him much, so, I gave him what I thought was a serious look showing him how I felt about him instead of telling him.