6th Petal [Video, Goldenrod City]

[better2do]

[This evening, Poke-Pals, you are in for a special surprise. The video starts with Asriel standing before it, smiling, a pad of paper and a box of crayons in his arms - it's important to note that the crayons were not spared any expense, because they're the deluxe box with the sharpener in the back. Clearly this is a special occasion.

Gracie the Floette floats over into view to settle in his hair - ah, so that's who turned the 'gear on - as he begins to speak.]

Howdy! Um, I wanted to show you guys something. [He fumbles a bit, trying to turn the pad around while keeping the crayon box in his arms, but eventually he reveals...a drawing. A wobbly, rough drawing of a vaguely goatlike, bipedal creature wearing a green cape and robes. He's smiling, and very kind-looking, without any dark marks on his face, and he's holding bunches of golden flowers.]

I used to have, um, a character that I liked to make up stories about. But...he wasn't really very nice. [There's a flash of tired guilt on his face, as if remembering something, but it doesn't linger long.] And, he was real sad 'n stuff. So, I wanted to make a new character to show everybody, and...um, yeah. Maybe make more characters with other people and...make up stories? O-Or play pretend? If that's okay...

[He mumbles the last bit shyly, and Gracie pats his head, cooing Flo, floette at him in a comforting manner. It helps Asriel take a breath and steel himself with a bit more confidence.]

U-Um, my new character...his name is Torgore the Great! And, he's a magician, and he makes all the beautiful flowers grow! And he loves to make friends and keep them safe! S-So...if you wanna play make-believe stuff or just wanna draw characters, you should! And, um, I'd like to see 'em.

[A pause. He puts his materials down on the floor to come over to the 'gear.] Mm, that's all I've got to say about it. Just, um, lemme know if you wanna do it!

Comments

Video

[dreamsofahero]

*oh no that's adorable*

He sounds quite impressive. Have you made up any adventures for him yet?

[Video]

[better2do]

[See what he does when he's free and allowed to be himself and to feel emotion? He's trying to make up for all the fun kid stuff that Flowey got bored with in five seconds.]

Not yet. But, I think he might have an adventure to bring happy things to people all over the surface world.

Re: [Video]

[dreamsofahero]

*Sion is all for kids doing fun kid stuff. especially since he never really got to as a kid, himself*

That sounds like quite the challenge! Will he have to win over peoples' hearts to band together against a great and ancient evil?

[video]

[toothaches]

Torgore sounds pretty cool, Spacedude!

<sub>[Sorry, Asriel. Whether you're a furry white monster or a kid with crayons, you will always be The Space Kid to Maurice.]/sub>

Is it alright to join in if I'm not much of an artist?</sub>

[Video]

[better2do]

[That's fine, Spacedude is a great nickname to have. It's honestly just a lot of fun to feel joy in expressing his imagination.]

Yeah! I'm not really an artist either, but, pictures are really great ways to show what you're imagining if other people can't imagine it.

[Video]

[toothaches]

Alrighty!

_{[Maurice puts on his thinking face all the while looking around the Poke'Mart break room for something to draw on. He grabs up a napkin and a pen and starts doodling.]}

Okay so my character--she's gonna be a dinosaur. And she plays an electric guitar. But since she's so big she can't play a normal human-sized guitar, her guitar is made up of a bunch of regular guitars welded together. It's called The Mega Riff.

[video]

[paladinlost]

He can both use magic and influence flowers? Those are great powers indeed, worthy of a brave protector.

[Or worthy of a child's imagination, but Cecil did not successfully raise a happy son by discouraging such thoughts.]

Was his creation inspired by something from your world? Someone?

[Video]

[better2do]

Yeah! 'Cause flowers...the nice kind that you can find outside, they can make everyone happy.

[Not flowers you encounter deep within mountains.

Asriel pauses at the question.] Ah...he's a little of...a few people. But, he looks like a boss monster, because that's what I am. Well, when I'm not a human in this place.

[Video]

[paladinlost]

Those who are allergic to pollen would argue against such a claim, but I've no doubt a powerful mage could counter those side effects.

[Or set the not-so-nice kind on fire, if necessary. Like those stupid Mortblossoms.]

A boss monster, you say? He's... by far the friendliest-looking monster I've ever seen, and I've met plenty. Is that a way of attracting humans who would otherwise be wary?

video

[seventhprogenitor]

[Oh, well isn't that adorable. Children are so darling.]

My, what a wonderful magician you have there! It sounds like he could be quite powerful as well, if someone should have ill intentions towards his friends~. Mmm, perhaps I'll join you in drawing, though I'm currently lacking in artistic material.

[It's just not viable to carry them around willy-nilly. Aligula might appreciate it, actually, now that he thinks about it...]

May I ask about his appearance? Magicians aren't usually animal-like where I come from, so it's rather charming.

[Video]

[better2do]

Oh, sure! Well, he's supposed to be a boss monster. When they're grown up, the boys look like this. And, um...I wanted to make sure he was big and strong so he could protect everyone.

[...Mm, it's a bit lacking in explanation, buddy.]

[Video]

[seventhprogenitor]

[... That is so lacking in explanation.]

Do all monsters resemble animals, then? They're... quite different in my world~.

video

[innocentloveholic]

Torgore sounds like a total Torbore.

[ ...there's no prefacing this with "no offense" because she doesn't believe in tact and not saying exactly what she's thinking. ]

What's wrong with not being nice? Like, sad's totally boring, so I can totally see why you'd get rid of that, but nice is just as boring, don't you think?

[Video]

[better2do]

[This sounds like a vaguely familiar rhetoric. Asriel frowns, but he stays standing.]

It's 'cause he's my character, and, if I want him to be nice, then he's gonna be nice. I...I'm tired of not-nice.

["I'm tired of being a Flowey" goes unsaid.]

[Video]

[innocentloveholic]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm. [ HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM. ] Wellllll, like, I can totally see that, I guess. I mean, I was totally getting bored of listenin' to Femt go on and on and on about how boring everything was back home, and then I came here and it's been totally okay!!

Mostly. [ it is kind of boring but she can make her own fun. ] I have a partner who's totally the opposite of a snoozefest at least. [ ... ] So, like, tell me more about Torbore the Great. Does he have a giiiiiirlfrieeeeend~?

Video

[anexcitableboy]

Hey. Torgore sounds like a pretty cool guy!

I used to play pretend, when I was a kid. I never made up any characters, though, I just used ones from comics and pretended they were my friends.

I mean, I was just a kid...

[In an orphanage, then a traveling freak show. Imagination had been a pretty important escape.]

[Video]

[better2do]

That's really good too! We didn't get too many books or comics in the Underground...just what we could find, or, what some monsters made up. But, I know humans have lots and lots of characters from those, right? I'd have probably pretended they were my friends, too.

[I mean, it's not a lie...]

voice.

[torsion]

[ Her first thought is that those things can talk, then she realizes it's not quite the things that occupy this place naturally. Someone from somewhere else, not anywhere like her own perhaps. More importantly, it's a kid. And if he made stories like that with a character like that... well, he probably had a rough time wherever he came from. It influences her tone, soft and understanding; kinder than usual. ]

Those are wonderful powers. [ She'd like to think at least one of them is shared between herself and Torgore the Great: the one about keeping them safe. She wonders, maybe, if Torgore is anything like this kid? Cute. ] Can't say I'm much of an artist, but I'd be happy to listen to your stories.

[ A pause and the feed is completely silent, her hand cupping over the microphone to give herself some privacy while she speaks. After a moment, the soft static returns. ]

May I ask what kind of pokémon that is? I haven't seen one like that before.

[ In her extremely short time here. ]

[Audio]

[better2do]

[A rough time is an understatement. At least here he can do things like this - be the kid he was supposed to be, and have it be genuine.

He smiles warmly in response, though Jill can't see it.] Thanks! I tried real hard on this one, 'cause I wanted to show it to everyone. And, um, I don't have a lot of stories yet! I used t'make up all sorts of stories with...with my best friend, back home. But, that was with my old character, and it wouldn't be the same to use the same stories for a new character.

Oh, Gracie? She's a Floette. The professor guy gave her to me when she was a Flabebe, and she was a lot smaller then. But she evolved!

Video

[veggie_vamp]

Oh My Ghoul, that's way past cool! I love it! Can me and my babies play too? It's been literally ages since I've done something like that!

[Video]

[better2do]

Sure! Everyone can do it! [He smiles.] Can I see what you guys come up with?

video;

[gainedlove]

[Frisk has...conflicted feelings on the seeming abandonment of Hyperdeath. On the one hand he has literally fought them dozens of times, but on the other he was clearly something Asriel had poured a lot of heart and energy into--and Chara loved him, too. But on the other, they know the memory is probably tainted for Asriel, too, and by his own hand. Besides, Torgore seems pretty great!]

[...wait a minute. Torgor--...oh, Asriel.]

[Frisk is on their way back to the hotel room with some food for them both, and smiles as they trot along.]

Torgore sounds really nice! Um, I never really made a character before, though. I dunno how t' start.

[Video]

[better2do]

[The thing about Hyperdeath is that he will always be there. Asriel can't forget him. The first drawings, Chara's ideas mingling into him, the stories, the days pretending together...the raw, potent power of a thousand SOULs running through him, unable to bring Frisk's back to zero. If Frisk asks, he'll talk about it, since they're the only one who'd understand - even if they'd understand more than he knows.

Also...come on, Frisk, you know who he's related to.

Asriel smiles a little shyly at Frisk's praise, but perks up at that second part.] Oh! It's really easy! You just make up whatever you want, and then you draw it!

[video]

[journalname]

[Oh my god, he remembers when Asriel used to do this! Just. Give him a minute here, okay

And if he notices that flash of something less than childlike, well, he at least thinks he knows why. The two of them always did do it together.]

He's very nice! Have you written any stories about him yet?

[Video]

[better2do]

[It was always more fun with them. They always had such great ideas.]

Um, not yet, but, I'd like to. And, I wanna see if people would want their characters to be friends with him, and then everyone can write one big story together! I think that'd be fun.

[Asriel you just summed up the concept of roleplay]