Bardsong App

[einspine]

The Player
Player Name/Handle: Mega (or Dorked- literally either is fine)
Player Contact: Discord - Dorked#6345, Plurk - Dorked
Characters Currently Played: N/A
Are you 18 or older?: 28
Who invited you into Bardsong?: Prof

The Character
Name: Papyrus [AU]
Canon: Undertale - Inverted Fate AU
Canon Point: Just after receiving a call from Mettaton, before Chapter 47.
Age: 18
History: Undertale Wiki - for general canon Papyrus information. However, since Inverted Fate is a long running comic, it has its own very distinct canon that I'll detail down below.

So! Before I go into Papyrus' personal history, I'd like to start with the general AU history, as it has an effect on Papyrus in this timeline. So, to begin, Inverted Fate takes place after a failed pacifist run in the original game. During Frisk's final battle with Asriel, they lost the fight, and their will was not strong enough to "refuse" the way it did in the original game. This led to the old timeline being torn apart and the six "Lost Souls" (the main monsters) having their destinies shuffled about.

History remained the same up until Asriel's death. Asgore, the King of the Monsters, declared war on humanity in a fit of rage. The difference here is that Toriel stayed longer, trying to reason with him. When word spread of another human in the Ruins, Asgore proceeded to confront them. After multiple defeats and reloads, the human lost the will to continue. Asgore, wracked with guilt, took the human SOUL back to the castle. Ultimately, however, he was unable to commit to his initial promise to collect seven human SOULs. Things became very heated between him and Toriel, but he eventually left the SOUL behind and retreated to the Ruins out of a desire to atone...

Leaving Toriel on the throne.

So what does this have to do with Papyrus? Well, simply put, this change of events would have lasting repercussions on future generations. Toriel, now forced to deal with the aftermath of Asgore's war declaration, immediately stepped forward. She proclaimed that there would be no war. The people were outraged, but she silenced them with two simple words: "Remember Chara."

In addition, she made great strides in improving education among monsters. Schools became a publicly funded venture. The arts and sciences were heavily encouraged, and she sought to provide more balanced curriculum about humanity and their history, all while ordering the Royal Guard to treat humans on a case by case basis, bringing them safely to her so that she could judge them on their individual merits. One such human ended up staying with her until their natural death.

But a tragedy befell the Underground some fifty years before IF's main story takes place. A human child took the Waterfall region by storm, killing over thirty monsters and injuring almost two dozen more. This became known as the Waterfall Incident and it brought back old feelings of resentment toward humanity that Toriel had sought to suppress. Still, despite this, she held her ground for decades to come, making the Snowdin region a safe haven for humans, but out of compromise, allowing monsters within Waterfall's region to use lethal force if necessary. A military fortress was constructed within the region with the promise never to let such a catastrophe happen again, though as the decades passed, Toriel tried her best to maintain positive relationships with humans in spite of this...

Ultimately, however, an underlying tension and wariness remained, even up to the present day. Papyrus would grow up in an Underground that is much more aware of humans and their actions, with many feeling bitter and resentful.

Fast forward several decades. Six human SOULs have been collected. The royal scientist, W.D. Gaster, once renown for his creation of the CORE- the Underground's primary power source- has essentially fallen into obscurity over the course of many decades after burying himself in secret research projects and briefly settling down and having two kids- Sans, the eldest, and Papyrus, the subject of this application.

They lived a comfortable life in the Underground's capital, though Papyrus was never particularly close to his father, who'd become fixated on temporal studies to the point of unhealthy obsession. And while Sans remained with Papyrus when he had the time, by the time he hit his teenage years, he wound up joining his pops in the lab with growing frequency. This left Papyrus under the watchful eye of the queen and other odd monsters here and there whenever she was too busy. It was during visits with Toriel that Papyrus started to appreciate the culinary arts. At the very least, he enjoyed her pies... when they didn't involve snails, anyway.

Too young to understand the circumstances, Papyrus carried out his early childhood years with cheery enthusiasm, but by the time he hit age five, tragedy struck. Both Sans and his pops had planned to unveil a new invention to the Underground. The subject was met with much publicity. Monsters gathered in Hotland, ready to visit the CORE, where Gaster had intended to climb back from the depths of obscurity and reclaim his former status as the Underground's most revolutionary mind.

But something went wrong. Papyrus would never learn the specifics, for he was too young, and his brother preferred not to divulge, but there was talk of e near-meltdown at the CORE. Tremors. Alarms wailing. Some would even speculate that the doctor had fallen into his creation and was scattered across time and space.

In the aftermath, Sans became Papyrus' sole guardian as well as the royal scientist at the alarmingly young age of fifteen. This would bring untold stress into the young skeletons' lives, though at the time Papyrus failed to fully comprehend the situation. Just that his brother had gotten a very important job that involved doing a lot more of that science stuff he was already good at. Whenever Papyrus asked what happened, he'd just get vague nonanswers, and he wouldn't fully comprehend what had happened for years to come.

In the mean time, his life began to change. During Sans' brief tenure as royal scientist, he took on an apprentice- a young, feisty fish monster by the name of Undyne. Papyrus came to admire her very quickly. She was loud, fun, aggressive, and inspiring in her desires to make monsters' dreams come true. Plus, she supported his interest in cooking by showing him how to make spaghetti... through rather aggressive methods. With questionable results.

Ultimately, after a bit over a year, Sans quit his job as royal scientist. He abruptly packed his things, took Papyrus, and high tailed it to Snowdin Town. This confused Papyrus, as they had to hastily pack all their belongings and... shortcut right into a strange, small town. A very cold, small town. The locals would later say that they showed up without warning and... asserted themselves, though most of that assertion was the young Papyrus eagerly trying to make friends with the local kids. Perhaps a bit too eagerly, as he gained a reputation for being rather loud and strange.

At times, his brother would disappear behind the house, no doubt tinkering with something or other. On one such occasion, a very bored Papyrus decided to venture forth into the Snowdin forest. As he neared the edge of the woods, he encountered a very large monster in a red suit with a great big bag. "Santa Claus."

In reality, this was Asgore, the former monster king, but at such a young age, Papyrus didn't care. He saw a big, bearded goat man who gave him toys and offered to guide him home and gave him a pat on the head and was probably very dad-like. And as the years would go on, Papyrus would frequently visit the door to the Ruins- or "Santa's workshop"- to converse with Asgore and share tales of his escapades.

They only ever spoke through the door or over the phone- partly due to Papyrus' insistence not to intrude on "Santa's domain," but through Asgore, Papyrus gained an appreciation for botany. He heard Asgore speak with remorse toward humans, and this shaped Papyrus' own view toward humans. Unlike his peers, he came to wonder if humans were really that bad. If perhaps a little kindness and compassion would smooth the tensions. Sadly, most weren't to keen on this perspective.

His brother in particular grew skeptical. Papyrus was still just a kid, but even under Toriel's rule, tension simmered. The royal guard, once tasked to judge humans fairly, now faced criticism from those who sought to avoid another Waterfall incident. What would happen to kinder monsters if this was left unchecked? Ultimately, to Papyrus' surprise, Sans decided to join the royal guard. He gave no explanation, just a smile and a shrug. He would never don a labcoat again.

During Sans' days as a trainee, Papyrus' life began to change again. First, Undyne became his babysitter on a regular basis, and unlike Sans, she continued to pursue her fiery passion for science. Ultimately, this combined with his brother's departure from science pushed Papyrus to pick up where his brother left off. Because, yes, science was kind of nerdy, but the way Undyne spoke about making dreams come true and building giant robots and state of the art puzzles seemed so cool. So promising!

And as the years flew by and Papyrus dedicated himself to his studies, his inspiration and admiration for Undyne grew and grew. She single-handedly created a holographic sky over Snowdin Town, complete with simulated weather and time-based adjustments. She built Mettaton, the Underground's shining star! A super cool robot whose talents seemed limitless.

While Sans climbed the ranks of the royal guard, Papyrus' passion for the sciences led him to start creating machines of... varying levels of success. "Enhancements" to puzzles, some more stable than others, that often perplexed the resident monsters. Some found his additions obnoxious- though others condeded that his teleporters made travel a bit more convenient. Fortunately, while some scoffed at his efforts, others, like Sans, Queen Toriel, Undyne, and Asgore all encouraged him to keep on trucking. Their support meant the world to Papyrus, who'd grown rather insecure over the years.

Then, one day, Undyne addressed the entire Underground. She declared that she would shatter the barrier peacefully, using science instead of human SOULs. Now fifteen, Papyrus saw the chance of a life time. So he did what any sensible skeleton would do and camped outside Undyne's lab, waiting eagerly for a chance to work as her assistant.

Though at first this baffled Undyne, Papyrus' dedication and passion won her over fast. In no time, they began a grand experiment to uncover the mysteries of the SOUL in hopes that it would reveal the path to freedom. These experiments involved the use of comatose monsters on death's door and a substance known as "determination," which Undyne had discovered through her own personal experimentation.

While the specifics behind these experiments have yet to be fully revealed within the comic, much like in canon, the goal was to produce a monster SOUL that could persist after death to substitute a seventh human SOUL. Vessels were tested and selected. Papyrus' vessel of choice was the first golden flower grown in the throne room, which he saw as a symbolic gesture to the royal family's tragedies and a chance to turn a sad memory into a happy one.

As the studies progressed, another key event occurred. While digging through archives in the Dreemurr home, Undyne and Papyrus discovered tapes from the royal family. These tapes gave insight into the tragic deaths of Prince Asriel and his adopted sibling, Chara.

A deliberate plan to die, utilizing buttercups. Asriel seemingly pressured into being Chara's accomplice. A once sentimental story crumbled into bits, and Undyne, furious, broadcast these tapes to the entire Underground. And just like that, the final scraps of good will most monsters carried toward humans burned in a blaze of glory.

Monsters, now more furious than ever, demanded that the guard take the threat of humanity seriously. If even the royal family's dear child could turn against them and rob them of their prince, then they could not afford to trust any more humans. The consequences included public pressure forcing the guard to take on a more aggressive stance, to the point where Captain Alphys, a human sympathizer, had to bury her true feelings and assume a cold, calculating mask out of fear that she'd be seen as a traitor. Toriel, heartbroken, conflicted, and above all else, tired saw her kingdom's outrage and retreated into the castle, disappearing from the public eye and effectively leaving Undyne in charge.

She would see no one, save for Sans, Alphys, and occasionally Papyrus, who'd try his best to lift her spirits, but ultimately failed each time.

To make matters worse, the DT experiments grew disastrous as the formerly comatose monsters awoke, only to melt into one another. But Undyne refused to give up. She refused to accept failure. Everything was fine! She made a promise. She'd fix everything. And she'd still get that final human SOUL. She had to, now more than ever.

Papyrus, seemingly powerless in this situation, could only watch as his best friend and partner slipped further and further into desperation. One day, exasperated from his experiences, he returned to the Ruins door, speaking to "Santa" as he had many times before. Unlike other monsters, he did not wish for vengeance. He did not want to believe all humans were bad, even if his environment and the hostility around him left him apprehensive.

Understandably, this left Asgore equally wary. After all, his absence allowed this to happen, but his shame kept him shackled to the Ruins, unable to leave. So he asked Papyrus to watch over any humans that leave the Ruins. To guide and protect and befriend them. Perhaps, in doing so, they would find a path to peace and end this cycle of hatred and despair.

Papyrus agreed with zero hesitation, but three years would pass before he'd finally get to act on his promise.

By then, monsters had grown restless and eager for the taste of freedom. By then, the Royal Guard had assumed a hostile stance towards humans. Any who wandered beyond the borders of Snowdin were to be captured, if not killed outright. Sans had at least managed to keep Snowdin a relatively peaceful haven, keeping his brother and Toriel in mind, although certain members of the Canine Unit viewed humans in a less sympathetic light.

On the day that Frisk arrived, Papyrus received a call from Asgore and immediately prepared himself for his inevitable meeting with the human. He waited in the shadows of the woods, watching, and upon spotting the child, lurked behind them, ready to give them a big surprise. He'd even donned a "flawless human disguise" (read: Groucho Marx glasses) as a bit of an icebreaker.

The human, Frisk, reacted with... confusion, and slight amusement, but their empty compliments brought a smile to Papyrus' face, and he eagerly guided them to his nearest invention- an invisibility device- for the sole purpose of surprising his brother. A few bad puns later, and Papyrus joined Frisk on their quest through the Underground, eager to give them a wild adventure, full of puzzles, japes, and with luck, new friendships.

Unfortunately, he'd soon discover that this was easier said than done. The first hurdle came in the form of his brother, who while putting on a friendly facade for the kid, spoke to Papyrus privately about his concerns. Namely, Undyne's desire for the final SOUL, the people's views on humanity, and the risk to Papyrus' reputation. But Papyrus refused to waver, truly believing in this cause.

Matters grew more complicated shortly after, as he soon learned that Frisk removed the "totally realistic" crayon drawing he'd placed over one of Undyne's cameras, cluing her in to a human's presence. They'd soon encounter the first of Snowdin's Canine Unit as well, who took the potential human threat so seriously that they engaged in battle posthaste. True, Papyrus and Frisk's combined efforts tricked the three canines into believing Frisk was a "weird puppy," and Sans arrived for further damage control, but this was just a small taste of the troubles that would await them.

Shortly after, they encountered a trio of teenage hooligans- Snowdrake, Chilldrake, and Ice Cap. The three had placed googly eyes over the resident Snowman monster and proceeded to gloat in their prank... until Papyrus requested that they cease this tomfoolery. Sadly, his request was met with mockery, prompting Frisk to take to his defense and threaten to use their "scary human powers."

Like the cameras, this would later come back to haunt them, as not only did Frisk's comment alert the teens to a human, but a rain of "friendliness pellets" from behind led the teens to believe that Frisk had truly attacked them, and they rushed off in a panic. On the positive side, this gave Papyrus a chance to meet one of Frisk's friends, a talking flower named Flowey...

A talking, golden flower. This immediately piqued Papyrus' interest, though he feigned ignorance at the time. More intriguing, though, was that Flowey and Frisk planned to break the barrier without further human casualty. While they refused to delve into the specifics, the mere hope of a nonviolent solution appealed to Papyrus to a point where he accepted their plan with vigor, though Flowey made him promise to keep the plan and his existence secret. Papryus reluctantly agreed.

Thus, they proceeded toward Snowdin Town. Along the way, Sans greeted them with his own set of "puzzles," each one a joke. He maintained a laid back but friendly attitude toward the duo, though he kept a close eye on the human as they proceeded along. Before long, Papyrus decided to proclaim that Frisk was his experiment- a test to see if monsters and humans could peacefully coexist. All seemed well for the most part. Both Sans and Papyrus provided Frisk with puzzles to overcome. The remaining members of the Canine Unit eventually relented to Frisk's strange tendency toward petting. Even Sans seemed to loosen up a little...

But by the time they reached Undyne's addition to Snowdin's "puzzles," those glimmers of hope began to flicker.

What normally was a simple timing-based obstacle course with a few flamethrowers and spears became a blazing path of death, complete with a cannon. Although Sans hastily overtook the settings and disabled the puzzle, it became clear that Undyne had learned of Frisk's presence and would not take it sitting down. Worse yet, she soon called Papyrus, and though he tried to reason with her, she hung up in a fit of anger.

By the time they reached Snowdin Town, the tensions hiked even further. While some of the locals offered Frisk small shreds of kindness and pity, others reacted coldly to the presence of a human, even with Papyrus and Sans' intervention. Then, before Pap and Frisk could leave town, Sans suggested they stay for the night. Failing to realize Sans' ulterior motives, Papyrus agreed, and they had a harmless hangout, punctuated by a news broadcast from the Underground's superstar, Mettaton...

Where Snowdrake and co. promptly revealed exaggerated accounts of the human, Frisk's face was broadcast on live TV, and suffice it to say, their lives became a million times more complicated.

After the broadcast, Sans spoke to Papyrus in private, urging him to keep Frisk from leaving town. It was too dangerous. Their face was on live TV. The path ahead was fraught with danger, and realistically speaking, the only way out required the death of the queen, which Sans could not allow. He also voiced suspicions toward Flowey when Papyrus tried reasoning with him, and when Papyrus dodged his questioning, Sans nearly lost his cool.

He wanted an explanation, because if Papyrus truly had a plan, why hide it? Sadly, Papyrus refused to break his promise, and the meeting ended on a sad note.

Flowey took this opportunity to prey on Papyrus' insecurities, however, suggesting that Sans did not believe in him. He urged Papyrus to continue, despite all of Sans' very valid points. Conflicted, Papyrus spent the rest of the day distracting Frisk with his "Cool Shed" full of inventions, cooking experiments, and other fun antics.

That night, he retreated to a private location, for a little privacy and to collect his thoughts. All the while, his machinery picked up several temporal spikes. After the fourth such spike, Sans rushed to meet him, giving a brief overview of what had happened- the kid had tried to escape. Weird feelings of deja-vu. Some funny flash, coincidentally overlapping with the spike.

This was very bad. Moreover, Flowey soon came to Papyrus, giving the skeleton the last incentive he needed to hurry to Frisk's side. Fortunately, he and Sans soon found the human in Grillby's, just as a drunken mob threatened to attack.

Together, they ushered Frisk outside. Sans told them to meet on the edge of town to talk. Before meeting him, however, Papryus and Frisk had a brief chat. Neither wanted to abandon their goals, but the fact remained that if they were to continue, they would have to face Sans. Papyrus would have to fight his own brother...

At first, he was hesitant. He tried again and again to reason with Sans to no avail. Sans, however, felt that the road ahead was too dangerous. If Frisk couldn't get past him, then what chance did they have against royal guards who sought to capture or even kill humans? So he hit with this heaviest blows, and at first Papyrus was too caught up trying to talk his brother out of it. Frisk was beaten down to their last legs, and Sans threw them into his "socket dimension".

But Frisk was stubborn, and Papyrus equally so. Despite the initial defeat, the two went back out into the cold, facing Sans again, and this time Papyrus used his skills to support Frisk where words failed. Midway through, Frisk opted to flirt with Sans, which led Papyrus into believing that the two were destined to date. But despite that brief levity and a short lived break from Sans, the fight went on and on. Frisk lost several times, but refused to back down. Eventually, Sans had enough.

He used his "special attack" to keep Frisk trapped in the middle of his turn. And so they waited...

Papyrus, anxious, took this opportunity to approach his brother. Once again, he tried to reason with Sans. Sans stressed that if Frisk lived out their life in Snowdin, they'd be safe. He could guarantee it, and when they died of old age, monsters could leave to the surface at long last. And while Papyrus saw Sans' point, he stressed that this would not be a happy outcome, and moreover, that he knew the risks but wouldn't proceed without due cause. He questioned his brother's belief, as Flowey had before...

And finally, Sans relented. Though wary, he acknowledged that Papyrus and Frisk were too stubborn, and even suggested they take the riverboat to Waterfall in order to stealthily make it past Fort Aquarius and the royal guard.

But first, it was time for a date, and Papyrus used his technical prowess to create a special device called the DATE- essentially a machine to simulate visual novels for the ultimate romantic atmosphere. And so a date ensued, complete with bad anime dubs and hokey pretend romance, just to appease Papyrus. And while neither ultimately pursued romance with the other (for one, Sans was too old for Frisk), they left on pleasant terms, and both brothers even provided Frisk with a disguise to make their trip through Waterfall easier.

Unfortunately, the riverperson was not at their post. And while Frisk suggested they tell Sans, Flowey immediately butt in, proposing that Papyrus had a backup plan. Confident in Frisk's disguise as well as his own status as royal scientist's aid, he suggested they sneak through the fort, and so they began their journey into Waterfall.

At first, it passed by peacefully. They read some plaques about monster history, solved a few puzzles, and gazed upon the wishing room. However, when they reached the outskirts of the fort, a new obstacle reared her head by the name of Bassiere von Dohj. As it turned out, the fort was on lockdown upon news of the human's presence, and as she'd already dealt with one persistent Monster Kid, she stormed toward Papyrus and Frisk in a huff, dropping the kid off and ordering the duo to escort them back to Snowdin. At the time, Frisk's disguise fooled the canine, who returned to fort soon after.

But while Monster Kid promised to return to Snowdin, Papyrus had another idea. After all, he was one of the few who provided the fort's security. Thus, he directed Frisk and Flowey to a secret entrance, leading them through a back door to the dungeon. All seemed well at first...

Until one of many royal guards, Knight Knight, engaged them in battle. Fortunately, they managed to lull her into sleep, steal her keys, and lock her in a prison cell, but as they journeyed further into the fort, the sheer number of guards on patrol paved a path of peril. Realizing the risks, Papyrus opted to split up from Frisk in order to tamper with the security system- though first he upgraded their phone to include a holographic barrel projection for stealth and an advanced communication system.

Once he finished the task, he delved into Fort Aquarius' security rooms, disabling the power grid and many traps along the way. He remained in touch with Frisk over the comm link, offering tips and pointers, though they wouldn't reconvene until much further into the fort, when he came crashing down just in time to assist Frisk in a battle with Royal Guards 01 and 02... right in the middle of the kitchen.

Their combined efforts led to the duo realizing their feelings for one another and letting Frisk off the hook. They then proceeded to the Royal Guard's meeting room, learning a bit more about previous humans through research records and about the guard's inner circle and functions. However, by that point, Frisk seemed rather... weary. Disheartened. It was strange. Had something transpired in his absence? Was the pressure too much?

At first, he tried to play it cool, but by the time they reached Alphys' office, overheard a conversation with her and two of her closest friends, and combed a few more research records, Frisk wound up snapping at Papyrus. This confirmed Papyrus' suspicions- that the history, circumstances, and guilt had taken a toll, but Frisk played it off like it was no big deal. Everything was fine, or so they said.

They kept this pretense even as they reached the top of the fort and encountered Dohj yet again. But this time, the canine had seen through Frisk's disguise. Knowing a human stood in her midst and seething at the fact that Papyrus had betrayed his kind for said human, she engaged them in battle.

Through it all, she berated Papyrus for his sentimentality, repeatedly reminding him that as a monster, his duty was to his kingdom, not to one child. She accused him of selfishness, which struck hard, but he had little time to dwell on it, for before long, Dohj broke into a furious frenzy, stopped only when Frisk took advantage of her crumbling psyche to engage her in a game of fetch.

And as she embarrassed herself, Sans slipped in, attempting to damage control. He might've succeeded in escorting the two to safety, too, had the rest of the Aquarius Unit not closed in, allowing Dohj to turn the tide in her favor. Desperate, Papyrus used his chemicals to create a smokescreen, and he and Frisk fled from the Fort, landing at the edge of Waterfall.

At first, all seemed well enough. They briefly met with Napstablook, who promised to find help. They discovered a legendary artifact... only for the Annoying Dog to swoop in, fly off, and leave only a golden pineapple in his wake. But the moment they proceeded, the historic plaques about monster history began to weigh on Frisk. They hit a downward spiral, growing colder, more distant, and far more self-deprecating, and though Papyrus tried to lift their spirits, they eventually stormed off...

Luckily, Papyrus caught up before long.

As he approached, all of Frisk's pent up anguish spilled forth. They couldn't understand why Papyrus would invest so much time and care into them when taking their SOUL would surely make him a hero. They revealed that their kindness was all just an ACT. A way to make people like them. Everything is fine. Nobody likes a downer. Those were words they took to heart, after being repeatedly told that someone would come for them. Nobody came.

Ultimately, they stressed that they weren't a good person, to which Papyrus objected. But rather than bicker about it, he asked them to sit down. He talked them through their issues while using himself as a counterpoint.

Because he understood perfectly. He'd been ridiculed by those around them. He'd made countless mistakes in his studies. Despite his ambitions, he acknowledged that he was still just barely an adult at all, still technically a teen, in fact. But despite his own insecurities, he'd seen Frisk throughout their entire journey extend kindness not just to him, but to others. If it was all just an act, then why go through the effort? No, they simply didn't give themself enough credit.

The two realized that while they may have difficulties seeing their own strengths, they could see each others' quite easily, and so they opted to believe in one another. To top it all off, Papyrus asked Frisk for their name, so he could stop thinking of them as just "the human" and view them as an equal. His words moved Frisk to tears, and the two set off on their journey again with strengthened resolve.

Unfortunately, as they faced their next hurdle- a bridge rigged with a specified quiz, they'd find their paths torn apart before long. First, by Frisk answering one of the questions incorrectly, yielding an explosion- although they used their ability to LOAD to undo this mistake and answer correctly. However, on their second try, though they made it to the end, the DT scanners activated an alarm. Lightning arrows rained down from above. Another explosion separated the two, and Papyrus fell unconscious...

Only to awaken some time later, dazed and sore. Upon his awakening, he panicked at first- thankfully, Flowey helped calm him down. During this brief moment alone, Papyrus apologized for spending so much time focusing on Frisk at his expense- after all, Flowey was his responsibility, in ways the little blossom had failed to realize. But while Flowey failed to grasp the nuance of Papyrus' words, he asked the skeleton if he would defend him, even against his brother.

Papyrus agreed, and soon set off via teleporter, reuniting with Frisk in the town of Forgespring, nestled deep within Waterfall's caverns.

To his relief, Frisk had found safe company in the form of Mettaton Napstablook, so when the duos parted ways, it was with the promise to meet again in Hotland. However, to get to Hotland, they'd first have to fend off Alphys.

Unfortunately, as they moved deeper into Waterfall, lightning arrows showered down in an attempt to drive them back. They blocked off the mushrooms that would light the path, shattered the lanterns in the subsequent room and trapped them in the dark. She even destroyed the bridge that would lead the two to Waterfall's end, though a quick use of bone magic patched the hole left by her arrows.

Ultimately, despite Alphys' efforts to drive them away, both Frisk and Papyrus resolved to confront her head-on, in hopes that they could break through her cold mask. They knew she didn't truly wish to harm humans. They knew she was just putting on a ruse, but as they faced the guard Captain, she made one last attempt to push them back. She urged them to return to Snowdin. She begged them to stay- because if they retreated, she could turn a blind eye. Frisk could live a safe life. Otherwise, she'd have to take action. She'd have to fight with intent to kill.

But neither Frisk nor Papyrus backed down, for they knew this charade was tearing her apart. Though Alphys perched high atop a mountain peak, further distancing herself from the duo, as the fight progressed, they slowly ascended. They gradually tried to break through Alphys' mental defenses, attempting to reason with the lizard.

Every step of the way, Papyrus tried comforting her. He assured her that it was okay to be scared. That doubts didn't make her weak. That he was aware of the risks of continuing their journey, particularly Undyne, but that those risks were worth it if it meant making a change. Alphys, however, stubbornly resisted his line of reasoning for quite some time, fearing how her soldiers would take it. And the kingdom. Never mind that she'd heard such reasoning before.

But as her magic wavered, both Papyrus and Frisk kept climbing closer. They kept talking, and the closer they came, the harder it was for her to keep her guard up. She began to acknowledge their strength, and Frisk in particular broke the ice by asking her about the guard, Toriel, Undyne, and her views on humans. Still, she made one last desperate attempt to drive them back before the two made it to the mountain, and she could no longer deny her true feelings on the matter.

But Frisk and Papyrus offered words of support. Papyrus in particular promised to take responsibility for the consequences, as he was the one guiding Frisk in the first place, and by allowing Undyne to release the tapes in the first place, he was at least partly responsible for the more hopeless atmosphere. Never mind the tragic results of the DT experiments.

Ultimately, Alphys let them go, though her spirits had fallen, and she left in shame, even after Frisk offered her an anime DVD they found at the dump. At this point, Frisk and Papyrus could have continued to Hotland, but out of concern, they opted to check in on the Captain. Fortunately, Sans arrived just in the nick of time to give 'em a little shortcut to her house... beating her there, in fact.

In her absence, Frisk and Papyrus proceeded to decorate her house with sakura petals, Alphys-shaped balloons, inspirational posters, and the two even made a little meal... in the form of spaghetti-flavored ramen. However, when Alphys finally arrived, she took their intrusion less than favorably. They barged in uninvited! She just wanted to be alone! But Sans saw through her excuses, as did Frisk and Papyrus, who truly wished to help her feel better. And wasn't company better than just hiding away in her room with no one to support her?

Reluctantly, Alphys relented, and Sans left the three to hang out and bond. During their get together, they looked around Alphys' house, learning a bit more about her on the way, from her obsessive love of anime to her romantic feelings for Undyne, and even her tendency toward shipping real people. They learned that she and Mettaton had formed a human fanclub, though due to circumstances, its meetings were postponed indefinitely. However, Papyrus expressed interest in joining, which eased her spirits slightly.

However, their relatively light visit took a more unpleasant turn when they checked the Undernet, and Undyne's blog posts appeared. True, she didn't blame Alphys for letting the human go, but her furious desire to claim the final SOUL remained as clear as day. An awkward silence fell over the room, until the three decided to sit down and talk.

...Only for a whoopee cushion planted by Sans to immediately lighten the mood, opening the door for Alphys to reminisce about her early days in the guard. She spoke of how she initially joined to be a hero. To be popular and admired, something both Papyrus and Frisk related to at once. Yet every step of the way, Sans supported her with his laid back attitude and sense of humor. Toriel told her that brains and heart mattered more than brute strength.

Moreover, she voiced her confusion at how Sans refused to take the role of captain, when she felt him so much worthier than herself. All the self-deprecation prompted Papyrus to do something absurd to cheer her up. He donned his "flawless human disguise," squeezing laughter out of the lizard, who admitted that after all her pressures, it was nice to let loose for once. Still, by letting them go, she was forsaking her duties as captain, and sooner or later, she'd have to face the rest of the guard. Eventually, she'd have to tell Undyne how she really felt...

But thanks to Frisk and Papyrus, she at least admitted that she needed to stick up for monsters like herself and Papyrus, or no one else would.

Soon after, Sans reappeared, offering to spend time with Alphys while she sorted her thoughts out, and before Papyrus and Frisk left, she urged the two help Mettaton, the same way that they had helped her, and to not hold a grudge against Undyne, despite her hostile behavior.

Before the duo left for Hotland, however, Mettaton gave them a call. He thanked them for helping Alphys and offered Frisk a place to rest before their march into the inferno. Moreover, while he couldn't help the two explicitly, he offered to do what he could to assist them against Undyne.

And so Frisk went to sleep and Papyrus stood guard outside. All was quiet until, a short time later, Frisk emerged from Blooky's house and began acting... strange. For some reason, they began questioning Papyrus' trust in Flowey, as well as Flowey's motives. It seemed rather out of character for them, when they'd befriended Flowey first. Sure, he'd been vague about his motives, but surely he had his reasons. And as his friend, Papyrus had to believe in him! After all, Sans certainly didn't.

But before the conversation carried too far, Flowey butt in, and Frisk went back to bed, leaving both flower and skeleton to contemplate Frisk's strange change in behavior.

The next morning, Frisk returned to their normal self without a recollection of what had transpired. While puzzled, Papyrus chose not to question it, and together they proceeded into Hotland. Along the way, Papyrus offered words of support, promising to protect them, even in the face of his best friend and lab partner.

The walk toward the lab dragged on and on. When they finally entered, spears shot down from above, stopping them in their tracks, and Undyne made her slow approach. And despite Papyrus' attempts to persuade her, Undyne refused to see reason. She believed Frisk was manipulating Papyrus, using him as a shield. While she acknowledged that Pap was following his heart, so to speak, her promise to free the monsters remained her top priority. The needs of the many outweighed the needs of the few. Even if this new human was kind, one exception wouldn't take back the lives lost in Waterfall, nor would smiles and hugs free them.

And if Frisk was half the human Papyrus said they were, they'd stop hiding like a coward and face her head on. Reluctantly, Frisk agreed, and a battle began. While Undyne attacked with lasers, spears, and a flamethrower, Papyrus tried and failed to reason with her. Realizing that playing to sympathy wouldn't work, he decided instead to frame his rhetoric as a challenge.

Was she afraid that Mettaton would steal the glory from her? Continuing to fight risked damaging the lab equipment. Plus, waiting to kill Frisk would allow more dramatic buildup! A more satisfying conclusion!

To top it all off, Mettaton swooped in, revealing that Undyne had signed a contract that required her to let him feature the human on his show before she took their life. This final nail in the coffin thwarted Undyne's attempts for justice, though she played it off as a mere test and even allowed Papyrus to use the lab's facilities to aid Frisk. After all, she could take whatever they threw at her! And it'd be more interesting that way.

With Undyne gone, Frisk and Papyrus prepared for the journey ahead, all while exploring the lab and learning a bit more about Undyne's personal interests, from anime to building robots and gratuitous video game weapons. Frisk changed into cooler clothes, Papyrus upgraded their phone with new features, and Flowey opted to stay hidden for now, though he promised to keep an eye on them regardless.

So began their journey into Hotland itself. Along the way, Mettaton sent them text messages to warn them of the dangers ahead. Dangers that included conveyors rigged with spikes and electrical fields, moving platforms over beds of lava that spewed tiny fireballs, and a bridge suspended over artificial lava, with air turbines threatening to blow passersby over the edge.

Though they encountered a few difficulties along the way, eventually they made their way to the first of Mettaton's TV programs, a stage set to resemble a ballroom. There they found Undyne and Mettaton bickering over who would get to play the role of Gorgeous Warrior Moonlight Fuku and who'd have to "settle" for The Masked Suit. Frisk and Pap saw an opportunity to try and sneak past the bickering pair and Monster Kid, but Undyne caught them in their tracks.

...And proceeded to try and get him on her side regarding the program's main character. Unfortunately, before Papyrus could weigh in one way or another, Mettaton cut them off, as it was nearly time to get the cameras rolling.

What followed was... an experience, to say the least. Mettaton put on a hammy performance, proclaiming that Frisk was one of "Dark Lord Chara's evil minions" and had brainwashed Papyrus. While Papyrus disagreed, he had little room to dispute this, as Monster Kid and Mettaton continued to play up the danger and begged for the arrival of "Moonlight Metta."

Mettaton performed an over the top magical girl transformation with a built in interview and attacked with harmless, healing magical hearts. Frisk pretended the hearts had changed their "evil ways," and Papyrus played this up as well, but while all seemed to be going smoothly, Undyne cut them off, attacking with rose-decorated spears and proclaiming that Frisk's kindness was just an act. And besides, people watched anime for the dramatic fight scenes, anyway!

So she continued to throw her spears and Frisk and Papyrus proceeded to dodge, deflect the spears with bone magic, and eventually, performed poses much to the delight of the audiences. At that point, Undyne had had enough. She pulled out a remote, flipped a switch, and sent Papyrus and Frisk plummeting down to a giant conveyor belt...

One of Papyrus' worst nightmares.

To make matters worse, Undyne declared that their only chance of escape required Frisk to vomit into the four basketball hoops stationed on the conveyor with perfect timing. That the intense gravity on the belt would prevent Frisk from using their jetpack to escape. And so the conveyor began to spin around and around, and Papyrus grew dizzier and dizzier. He begged Undyne to make it stop, but it was too late. While she ordered Mettaton to save him from the nausea, the gravity field would risk trapping them on the belt as well.

Fortunately, Frisk tricked the puzzle by using dog residue in place of vomit, and Papyrus soon tasted sweet freedom. However, the fact remained that Undyne had subjected him to something debatably torturous, just to humiliate and torment Frisk, and while Papyrus failed to voice his hurt feelings, Frisk not only questioned her heroism, but scolded her for nearly making Papyrus hurl.

In fact, from that point on, Frisk would grow consistently more hostile and catty towards Undyne, adding to Pap's distress. After all, he cared for both Undyne and Frisk equally. Why couldn't his two best friends get along when they were both so great?

After the show, they continued through Hotland. Along the way, Papyrus revealed some of his own scientific conquests, from building a robotic suit for a previously immobile mushroom monster and creating a robot in his likeness to serve spaghetti to the monsters of Hotland. Hoping to ease the tensions, he stressed that Undyne's own kind deeds inspired him, but Frisk refused to change their tune.

So they pressed on, and subsequent puzzles utilized additional anti-jetpack features, like falling boulders. Each step of the way, the hazards intensified, but eventually they escaped the death traps, and after inspecting Undyne's robotic training dummy, they carried on...

Until said training dummy furiously confronted them, spouting some strange comments about insults and a snobby voice. While Frisk and Pap tried to calm the Mad Dummy down, it refused and prepared to battle them...

Until two Royal Guard members appeared. They ordered the Mad Dummy to stand down, revealing that Dohj had ordered them to find and apprehend the human for their upcoming trial and seeking justice after the duo had embarrassed Dohj and made a mockery of Fort Aquarius.

A battle ensued, but over the course of the fight, Frisk and Pap noticed the tensions between the two guards. One, too caught up in her delusions of glory, failed to notice the pain her partner felt, but together, Frisk and Papyrus pushed the two to open up to each other, discuss their feelings, and start to mend their broken friendship.

The guards let them off the hook, and after a brief encounter with Flowey, Frisk and Pap wandered onto the set of the next MTT show: a gratuitous anime style tournament. Best of all, the winner would earn a co-starring role in Mettaton's next film! A prospect that left Papyrus in googly-eyed excitement. True, most of the monsters came for a chance to fight a human, but an epic battle for the sake of fame? A chance to wow the crowds with their incredible teamwork? Perhaps even warm more monsters up to Frisk?

Suffice it to say, the two agreed to participate, doing battle with a handful of eager . First came the Mad Dummy, excited for its chance at revenge, but a snowball flew in, knocked it out of the ring, and in its place, the irritating Jerry took to the ring. Jerry's sheer unpopularity led to it getting booted a few turns later, and then the egotistical Glyde swooped in. While its attacks proved cumbersome, Frisk and Papyrus opted to ignore Glyde's boasting in favor of showing off and drawing the attention away from the flying fish. Eventually Glyde up and left, seeking attention elsewhere.

But there was little time to dwell, as their next contender, So Sorry, stepped in. Using a magical drawing tablet, he created doodle allies to assist him, but Frisk snatched the tablet away and drew a fan to blow him away.

Sans' pet rock provided a surprising but welcome reprieve, though Frisk dealt with it in a... rather unpleasant manner, by taking it and throwing it straight at Undyne's face. Furious, Undyne took to the arena with Mettaton by her side for the final match.

If the rock wasn't enough, Frisk continued attacking Undyne with their words. Passive aggressive flirting left Papyrus anxious yet again, but he once again kept quiet, opting instead to challenge Mettaton to a pose-off. Frisk performed a cheesy monologue that only served to up Undyne's irritation, while Papyrus performed a fake anime attack. Mettaton followed this up by threatening to use his special attack, but Undyne, not wanting to be outdone, charged up her own attack...

But before she could unleash it, the Annoying Dog wandered into the arena, and Frisk took the dog, threw it at Undyne's face, and knocked her off balance. One more fake attack from Papyrus "knocked" Mettaton into Undyne and sent the two out of the ring.

Frisk and Papyrus had won the tournament, but Undyne flipped her lid, berating Mettaton for "letting" them win. While the two bickered, Papyrus and Frisk tried sneaking off again, but Undyne caught them before long and ordered Mettaton to pursue the duo and show off his anti-human weapons.

A fierce chase ensued, with Frisk using their jetpack and Papyrus using his hoverboard to avoid a barrage of spears, cannon fire, bombs, and more. Luckily, Frisk and Papyrus beat Undyne and Mettaton to the elevator and hurried to safety...

But Frisk had had enough. That made two times Undyne had thrown Papyrus into the crossfire. They just couldn't understand what Papyrus saw in her. How could he stand keeping quiet when she repeatedly endangered not only them, but him as well? Was he really happy?

Well, he wasn't. Not in the slightest, but Undyne just did what she felt was right. And Undyne was near and dear to his heart. To emphasize this, he shed some light on his past with her, emphasizing that she'd changed over time, and had been suffering so much. But Frisk stressed that Papyrus needed to tell her about his true feelings. If she was such a good friend, she'd understand. She'd listen.

But Papyrus still wasn't ready to confront Undyne, let alone speak out against her.

He wanted to help both friends. He wanted compromise. He'd continue protecting Frisk, but there had to be a better solution...

But for now, they let the issue drop, instead continuing along. Yet again, the Mad Dummy tried to confront the two, but a spider monster named Muffet interrupted them, for his little snowball crash landing had terrified the spiders. Just like with Undyne and Mettaton before, the two began bickering, but this time, Frisk and Papyrus made a successful escape, in part thanks to Frisk's jetpack.

On the downside, the next puzzle combined elements Papyrus despised: air vents and conveyors. To make matters worse, three more royal guards confronted the duo, though their quick wits and a little culinary finesse from Papyrus saved the day. And to save time, Papyrus hacked the puzzle terminals, and in no time, they reached a quiet, puzzle-free zone.

During that time, Papyrus took note of Frisk staring into empty space- something they'd done quite frequently. That coupled with the strange tingly feelings he'd gotten a few times over their journey and vague feelings of deja-vu left him... curious. So he tried to ask them about this strange habit, only for Frisk to once again take on a different tone, as they merely claimed they enjoyed "intense moments of contemplation."

And then they proceeded. It was odd... and while Frisk left to the next room, Papyrus took a few moments to deliberate. Humans had determination, so perhaps... Well, ultimately, he'd just keep an eye out for now.

A path of sticky spiderwebs awaited Frisk and Papyrus in the next room, so Frisk used their jetpack and Papyrus walked through the air to try and avoid getting stuck. The spiders didn't take it well and wound up assaulting the two with pastries until they felt into the webbing and were greeted by a very disgruntled Muffet.

Not only had they ignored her bakesale, but they terrified her spiders, so she opted to... try and bake them into a cake. While Papyrus used his magic to support Frisk, Muffet scoffed at how he defended a human despite the value of their SOUL, and soon she called her pet in to even the odds.

Over the course of their fight, she revealed that while she made a partnership with Mettaton to boost sales, his brand overshadowed her. The other spiders considered her a sellout. All this, while Papyrus sat in the seat of luxury, as part of Toriel's inner circle, as royal scientist's aide, with a brother in the guard and a "celebrity bodyguard." If she took a human SOUL, not only would she be hailed as a hero, but spiders would no longer be mocked, scorned, and walked all over.

The fight came to an abrupt end, however, when Napstablook swooped in. They pointed out that Muffet's prices were a detractor to potential customers. That if she actually talked to Mettaton, they could find a better compromise that would paint the spiders in a better light and give them better representation in Mettaton's advertising. Maybe if she branched out and didn't just use spiders as ingredients, it'd help, too.

Papyrus even offered to build more teleporters to help the two spider clans reunite in a more convenient manner.

And so Muffet relented, even giving Papyrus and Frisk two free donuts as an apology. Once she left, Blook, Frisk, and Pap had a brief chat. There, Napstablook revealed that Undyne had a meltdown on live TV, much to Papyrus' dismay. But now she seemed fine, albeit forceful, and the next TV show- the trial/court drama awaited.

Though Napstablook was vague about the specifics, they stressed that Mettaton had hyped it up, giving it top billing and ad coverage. But that was okay. If it meant getting to defend Frisk over live TV, using evidence, logic, and facts as weapons, then he'd gladly take to the screen yet again.

The trial started off simple enough. Undyne's first witnesses were Chilldrake's gang, and their testimony painted Frisk as some mind controlling miscreant who turned Papyrus against them, attacked them with "scary human powers" just when they wanted to "hang out" with the Snowman, and left a trail of blood in their wake. The blood was easy enough to dispute- monsters leave behind dust. However, the "scary human powers" presented a new problem- an unknown magic signature not aligned to any known monsters. Papyrus faced a difficult dilemma- pursuing the truth here risked Flowey's exposure.

But to protect Frisk, he pressed on, pointing out strange seeds in the snow left by the "unknown" assailant. Sans and the Snowman confirmed Flowey's existence, and while this got Frisk off the hook for that crime, the existence of Flowey raised many questions Sans was all too eager to press... but unable to pursue at the time, as Undyne shifted the focus to the break in at Fort Aquarius.

During the recess, she and Sans discussed Flowey further, much to Papyrus' discomfort. To make matters worse, the next witness, Dohj, proved far more cutthroat and competent than the teen trio. Her airtight testimonies confirmed Papyrus' and Frisk's infiltration of the fort, their resistance of arrest, and while Papyrus made some mild headway in his cross-examinations, Dohj kept firing back, further hammering in that Papyrus was guilty of treason despite Undyne's protests to keep things focused on Frisk.

Just when all hope seemed lost, though, Undyne swooped in with one heck of a bluff- that Dohj didn't make Papyrus seem cool enough. MTT ran with it, and this turn of events gave Papyrus just the second wind he needed. He, Frisk, Undyne, and MTT effectively nitpicked the HECK out of Dohj's testimony, complete with stupid conspiracies pulled out of thin air and arguing over the linguistics of trigonometry. Where before Dohj held control of the conversation, now she was the object of endless ridicule.

This pushed her to a breaking point, as it became clear that MTT was in this more for spectacle than true legality. After Dohj had a major meltdown, MTT deemed her unfit to testify and Sans escorted her out. All seemed well...

Until Sans turned the conversation right back to Flowey. Between security footage showing him on site at Fort Aquarius and his constant pressure to get Papyrus and Frisk to come clean about Flowey's motives, a thick tension filled the courtroom. Worse yet, because Papyrus hadn't informed Undyne about Flowey, she took his silence as a personal affront- that she didn't trust him. Didn't help that Sans emphasized Undyne's inability to keep her promises as well as her tunnel vision and recklessness.

Though Papyrus tried to outwit his brother, he had nothing. Flowey was exposed, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Even his over the top screaming only served as a temporary distraction.

But MTT saved the day with a last minute "plot twist," cutting the Flowey discussion short so that Papyrus would not have to answer to his brother or Undyne. Because Papyrus had brought up his interdimensional transporter earlier, MTT used it as a loophole to blame Frisk's "evil twin." Frisk was declared guilty, but many unresolved questions remained.

Worse yet, Undyne refused to listen to Papyrus. She felt he no longer trusted her or valued him as a friend, and while Frisk tried encouraging Papyrus, his uneasiness about both Undyne and Flowey remained.

After the trial, Frisk and Papyrus continued to the MTT Resort and Spa, where they mingled with the local vendors and hotel patrons before heading to the overly gratuitous suite MTT saved for them. However, before they could lap up the luxuries, a MTT newscast came on, serving as a reminder of Flowey's exposure and the inevitable battle with MTT to come. During the show, MTT left a hidden cipher message for Papyrus, warning him that Undyne had rearranged the CORE, armed it with dangerous robots, and even forecast their weaknesses.

But that could wait, as the newscast dampened Frisk's spirits and took the wind from their sails. Sensing their distress, Papyrus offered Frisk to go on a date- a purely platonic date, of course. Though at first Frisk was reluctant, they eventually relented, and the two went off to MTT's fancy restaurant.

Some of the restaurant patrons spoke of unsettling things, particularly regarding the loose ends of the Determination Experiments and the potential destruction that awaited Undyne if she continued down her current path. Nonetheless, Papyrus tried his best to remain positive as he led Frisk up to a special rooftop venue.

As they waited for their food, Papyrus opened up about his past. How his brother gave up his job of royal scientist, how he met Asgore as a small child, and how Asgore's kindness molded him into the monster he is today. Frisk in turn shared their own past- that they were abandoned at birth and spent their days growing up around other orphans, often overlooked and neglected. That they only had one friend, and how the two of them planned to journey to Ebott in order to prompt people to finally notice them and take them home... and how when said friend expressed concerns, Frisk lashed out, nearly killing her, and in time, this falling out led Frisk to Ebott once again.

Frisk admitted that Papyrus was essentially their "best friend and the best thing that ever happened to [them]," warming Papyrus' heart. After a hug and some tears, Papyrus promised he'd stay by Frisk's side no matter what, even if it meant having to face Undyne. And after some rest, the two resolved to enter the CORE side by side...

Though that night, Papyrus made some secret modifications to Frisk's phone to equip them for the challenges ahead. The next day, they marched toward their destination, until an impromptu call from Mettaton stopped them in their tracks. Evidently, Frisk and Papyrus had won the MTT date from way back in his televised tournament, and all they had to do was stay on the line for details!

...except the call dragged on and on, until eventually Papyrus urged Frisk to wait in the lobby, believing nothing would ever change and that they'd be close enough to the door to leave if anything got dicey.

Bad idea.

Moments after Frisk entered the CORE, the door slammed shut. A forcefield surrounded the CORE, leaving Papyrus unable to protect Frisk for the first time since their brief split in Fort Aquarius. Worse yet, he knew Undyne would try everything to claim Frisk's SOUL, knew she'd already altered the CORE's layout, and with him locked out, he had no way to stop her from going too far.

The best he could do was call Frisk. To try and warn them about Undyne's dangerous Season Dudes and how to defeat them. Even then, she intercepted his signal. And later, when he tried to call Undyne, she refused to back down and even smashed her phone so he couldn't reach her.

When Frisk died to Mad Mew Mew and subsequently reloaded, the "tingles" Papyrus felt confirmed his worst fears- something must have happened. Frisk must have reloaded. And still, he could not reach them- the best he could do was try to hack Undyne's firewall.

Fortunately, Mettaton soon reached out to him, offering to patch him through to Frisk one more time and assist Papyrus in breaching the CORE's defenses. One catch: Undyne had unleashed her most devastating weapon, a mecha called the Determinator.

Time was short, and with so much on the line, Papyrus had no choice but to press on and stay determined.

Personality: One of the first things that sticks out about Papyrus is his boundless enthusiasm. He speaks loudly, with grand gestures and a tendency to boast about his greatness and talents, among other things. First impressions might even suggest he's got a large ego, with the way he refers to himself as "The Great Papyrus," never mind the way he talks up his popularity, his cooking, his puzzles, and his inventions. The thing is, this isn't all ego. In fact, Papyrus is someone with a deep desire to be admired by others. To be popular, respected, and loved.

Because deep down, he's not as confident as he lets on. He's a very lonely skeleton, with few friends outside of his brother, Undyne, and Mettaton. Or he was, anyway, but upon meeting Frisk and Flowey, he's managed to change his tune bit by bit. Frisk's unyielding support over the course of their journey has provided Papyrus with something he sorely needed- genuine support. Frisk doesn't try to coddle or protect him, like Undyne and Sans occasionally do. Frisk truly respects Papyrus' desires to protect them and will leap to his defense without holding his hand, so to speak. And through Frisk, Papyrus has had a chance to hone his talents and help someone. To be their shield, their shoulder to lean on, to impart his knowledge and bring a smile to their face.

Because while Papyrus' ambitions may carry an air of selfishness, the truth is, he cares deeply for other people. Just as he'll boast about his own greatness, he's quick to lift others up. Whether it's opening up about his own insecurities to cheer up a troubled Frisk or showering Napstablook with praise upon their successful persuasion of Muffet and, indeed, showing patience and kindness to Alphys. He may scold his brother for his laziness, but that's only because he truly believes in Sans' skill as a royal guard and finds it strange that someone so competent would squander so much time drinking condiments at Grillby's and taking excessive naps.

Even in the heat of battle, Papyrus is someone who seeks to make others happy. To be friends with everyone. Because in Papyrus' eyes, anyone can be a good person if they just try.

The problem is, this eagerness to have friends is a double-edged sword. He craves acceptance so deeply that he'll lie about his feelings on a subject if someone cool and popular disagrees, like claiming to like Grillby's in Undyne's presence because she adores greasy food while he despises it. If two of his friends happen to be at odds, he'll try his best to please both sides rather than to put his foot down and choose a side. The best example of this is Frisk and Undyne, as although Undyne is clearly trying to hurt and humiliate Frisk over the airwaves and ultimately take their life, she's still Papyrus' best friend, so he can't bring himself to do more than try and fail to reason with her.

Ultimately, Papyrus needs to learn to put his foot down and stand up for himself, even if it risks upsetting those he cares about, but he's not quite there yet.

But that's not the only problem with his empathy and desire for friendship and popularity- with this unyielding belief in others comes trust. While Papyrus isn't stupid, it's easy to get him on your side. Compliments go a long way in winning him over, as do lies appealing to his morals. This is precisely why Flowey was able to sucker him into his plan. All he had to do was talk about how they'd totally break the barrier, and while Pap was initially skeptical, the fact that his new human friend supported Flowey, coupled with the fact that this flower is his "creation," he jumped at the chance to help with the plan without focusing too much on the questionable behavior of the little weed. It's even allowed Flowey to use him as a shield against his own brother, which is sure to have consequences later.

Additionally, thanks to Asgore's influence, this Papyrus is a bit more pacifistic than his canon self. That's not to say he doesn't enjoy the thrill of combat, but while he can and will fight if he absolutely has to, he's focused his magic more on support. He'd much rather protect than harm others and use words before using brute strength.

Though, with all this said, Papyrus can be manipulative when he wants to be. For example, he and Frisk appealed to Undyne's stubborn streak to get her to postpone her plans to kill Frisk. Likewise, he and Frisk both used their own skills to wow the crowds during the televised tournament, knowing well that Glyde craved attention and that taking that attention away would eventually tip the odds of battle in their favor.

So he's certainly clever, even if he's lacking in social skills. And boy does he have a lot to learn in that regard, like how flirting with someone doesn't automatically mean you're in love and want to marry them. And maybe trying to wow everyone with ambitious puzzles isn't the best idea if those puzzles make it harder to travel through the woods to your home. And maybe being loud and overly enthusiastic doesn't appeal to everyone, and sometimes it's best to chill and let others talk first. And maybe he doesn't need to try so hard to appeal to others.

Moving on, Papyrus is a skeleton of ambition. He's a very active skeleton, always contemplating his next experiment, his next puzzle, his next cunning jape. And Papyrus always aims big, whether it's crafting pocket-dimensions for his brother to store socks (only for him to store everything but the socks), crafting puzzles with invisible glass or floating platforms, teleporters, or even "scientific" spaghetti, he's always trying to up his last great creation... with mixed results. Because while Papyrus is certainly a competent young scientist, sometimes he tries to aim for the sun, and wings of wax start to melt.

But he never stops trying. He's stubborn, refuses to give up. When one invention fails, he'll go back, try to do it right, and do it better. Laziness is not an excuse! And since this Papyrus has had a full, formal education, he's gained a greater technical prowess to back up his ambitions. His specialties lie in the realm of machines and chemistry, though he's dabbled a bit in botany and is nerdy enough to know that strawberries are not berries, but cucumbers are.

Not only that, but due to the more educated environment, he has a greater understanding of humans. He can recognize them on sight, knows that they are extremely powerful and extremely dangerous, that they have hurt and killed monsters in the past and that to break the barrier, they'll need a power equivalent to seven human SOULs. He also knows about LV and EXP, believes in parallel realities and has even invented a device to cross over to them (with only one successful contact from another dimension and a random lamp to show his success). Having worked with human SOULs, naturally he knows what determination is as well and how it allows human SOULs to persist.

And unlike his canon self, lying about dead friends going on "vacation" wouldn't work. And trying to coddle him or baby him runs the risk of frustrating him.

Because while Papyrus might not enjoy emotional confrontation, he does still have an occasional temper. This temper usually manifests when his brother acts lazy, or sloppy. Just seeing a sock on the floor drives him up the wall! In fact, any sort of mess does, as he's a huge clean freak who craves order and organization in his home and workspace. He just can't understand the appeal of taking long naps or slacking off. Even vacations are a strange concept to him because he's always trying to be productive. Granted, he has slowed down a few times over his journey for Frisk's sake, so it's not as though he's wholly against rest within reason. But Papyrus seldom sleeps, let alone unwinds.

Because if he stopped to rest, his mind might wander to dark places, and he doesn't like those dark places or the bad experiences three years ago when they tried so hard to make everything better and then melting and Undyne snapping and...

Needless to say, this is a Papyrus with his share of hangups. He knows he's failed in the past, and sometimes he wonders if the reason Undyne's changed is due to his own failure as a friend. Though he'd never say it out loud. He doesn't like to be negative. He'd much rather embrace the positives. Negativity leads to moping, and that's no good!

Though, thanks to Frisk, he has started to open up a little about his guilt and anxiety. Not all the way, but he at least acknowledges that opening up and talking to a trusted friend is much healthier than bottling up one's emotions.

But it's not just his own pain but the pain of others that leaves him wary from time to time, although it ultimately serves as further motivation to find a peaceful path to freedom. He just wants everyone to be happy. He just wants everyone to see the sun, and seeing people like Alphys and Mettaton suffering and masking their true feelings not only resonates with Papyrus on a personal level, but proves to him that something is wrong with the current way of the Underground and that he and Frisk are in the right for trying to change the world.

As for personal interests, Papyrus has a great love of all things "cool," be it sunglasses, "sexy robots," flame patterns, spikes, or old human movies involving time traveling cars. Thanks to his career path, he especially loves the sci-fi genre, and is also a seasoned gamer. He wears his nerd badge with pride, where a canon Papyrus might find such antics a bit strange. He's even sat down and watched a little anime with Undyne due to her using it as a basis of inspiration for so many of her projects. Still, he'll often act as though anime is for babies in order to appear more mature and sophisticated... though the series with giant robots are cool. As are shows with dramatic action sequences. And fire. And especially handsome skeletons.

Lastly, if it wasn't already clear, Papyrus is very, very silly. He'll don Groucho Marx goggles as a "flawless human disguise," run through the air to get over sticky spider webs, build a real life virtual novel to support his friend's romantic endeavors (even if they weren't serious about flirting), and ultimately operates on his own weird sense of logic. Sometimes he'll butcher words in very weird ways. Sometimes he'll drop down from an air vent and do a three-point landing on a kitchen table just to make a cool entrance. He's even made a "coolness ray" in his own image, a literal Papyrus gun, just because he could.

His antics are often cartoonishly strange, but despite this, he does know when to drop the goofiness and take matters seriously. He's not wholly unaware. But in the end, for as wordly, wary, and aware as this Papyrus is, he's still the same pasta-cooking, puzzle loving, over the top dork from Undertale. Just with a different set of experiences and more of a mad scientist flair.
Inventory: His goggles, his lab coat, and the battle body beneath. He technically wears a few other outfits beneath (his "lawyer clothes" and "cool dude" outfit)... but given he got away with that via cartoony logic that might not be appropriate here, it's totally chill if he just has the base outfit.

Link one or two roleplay samples featuring your character from within the past year: Testdrive. Moar testdrive.
Name two short term goals and one long term goal you have for your character in this game: One of Papyrus' initial goals will be just... learning and exploring as much as he can about this new surroundings. This is a new opportunity for him! A place with a real sky, its own brand of science and magic... it'll be so fresh and fascinating! He's gonna want to learn all he can about the way science works here. How this non-monster magic compares to the cool bones he's so accustomed to. He's lost his innate abilities, and at first, it'll be a bit unsettling for him, but this presents neat character development opportunities.

Another goal of his will be to try and share his perspectives as a monster... even if the monsters here are so fundamentally removed from the monsters of the Underground. I think this will challenge Papyrus. He'll have to reconcile his idealistic worldview with the genuine danger that can come from this more RPG-esque world. This presents interesting opportunities for growth.

For a longterm goal, I'd just love to see Papyrus grow and mature. He may be 18, but in many ways, he's only just entering the world of adulthood, and he has a lot to learn. Here, he doesn't have Undyne, his brother, or the safety net of the royal science division. He's in unknown territory and will need to start from square one. Without these crutches, he'll have to stand on his own. And the chance to genuinely help this world will absolutely hook him from day one, giving him the motivation to put his best foot forward, and he has a lot of love to go around.

Specify up to three starting character classes for your character: Scholar to start. Still debating on the others!