genessia | Elven Village

Papyrus did it, or at least gave himself most of the credit. He just knows he's a skilled diplomat, on top of everything else! Finally the elves had opened their homes and their hearts to the rest of Fayren, no doubt thanks to its inspiring leadership. It was on a holiday, too, one with a special rule: no talking. It was a day of quiet meditation and solemn reflection about who one wanted to be.

The latter's easy. Papyrus, of course! It doesn't get much better, unless the person he wants to be is "exactly the same, but with more friends." Maybe there's room for improvement after all.

The former? Silence doesn't come easy to one with his UNIQUE WAY OF SPEAKING. And there was so much to say! He wanted to "OOH" at the lustrous ebony and wondrous arches, architecture as white and tall as himself, but he couldn't. He wished to "AHH" at the intertwined greenery and branch-born patios, much like Papyrus was built for the highest heights of glory, but he couldn't. All he could do was shine his smile and sparkle his eyes like the lamp-lit walkways he handsomely walks.

Only at midnight could he finally say something, and it had to be a very special something to a very special someone. Or anyone at all, really; he always has awesome things to say. But wait! Oh no! What if he sees several someones!? If he talks to just one, the rest will be jealous! What to do...

A. Before Midnight
If Papyrus meets eyesockets with yours, he'll greet you a big smile, then either send you a text message if he knows you, or run on over with a note card if he doesn't. Both read: "MEET ME UNDER THE MAIN BELL AT 12 O'CLOCK. IF YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT STAYING UP TOO LATE, I PROMISE IT'S WORTH IT!!

QUIETLY YOURS, PAPYRUS"

B. At Midnight
Papyrus rocks on his heels and practically quakes with goodwill. He's been working on what to say all day. Now he just needs another to bear his burgeoning gift.

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[What confuses Romani the most; The fact this note looks like those letters she's seen in girly manga that she's been reading that leads to a confession of love, or the fact it's signed QUIETLY. By PAPYRUS of all people. Or monsters.

It's the latter that got a more profound reaction.

Midnight is awfully late, but she managed. She searches the newly opened Elven village, marveling at how they all look like her, like Terminians, until she finds Papyrus at the main bell. So little Romani trots up a few minutes before midnight, remembering the thing about not talking, stopping a number of steps away from the friendly Stalfos (her perception), and just stares up at him.]

[Rude, Romani. Monsters are people too! She'll soon discover that "Love" has many kinds.

She'll find him pacing to and fro in the golden-lit, marble floor beneath the ornately gilded bell. Steam might as well have been seeping from his skull. Thinking was so much harder when he couldn't do it aloud! How can he test out what great things he'll say without being allowed to say them!?

He stops in his tracks once he sees her. His cheeks redden. She was going to give her first word to him? What an expected yet flattering coincidence! He was gonna give his to her! Great minds think alike. His smile beams. He almost makes a sound, but then jolts an upright finger over his jaw, obstructing speech and reminding Romani to hold fast for minutes yet. There was but one difficulty: who would go first?

That finger points to him, then to her, then repeats the motions a few times more. Sign language is tough! Who makes the first move? Is it you? Is it me? ~~Say it's us, and I'll agree~~]

[While she understood the keep silent part in this elven tradition, she certainly didn't understand exactly why tho. She just likened it to the Festival of Time back home, and she very much wanted to be like one of the grown-ups.

And that's her secondary reason why she's here.

However, the poor thing didn't understand the whole finger thing Papyrus was doing. So Romani tilts her head, and points to him, then to herself, then back to him, repeating however long Papyrus does it.
Sorry, cool dood, she is a kid after all.]

[Aww, mimicry, another flattery! The greatest form, and she couldn't have picked a greater form to mimic. Truly, she is a master. He nearly says so, before remembering to be quiet again. His willpower just barley damming his praise produces a pressure that threatens to burst him into Papyrus powder.

It was all in marked contrast to their serene surroundings. A mountain of words in Papyrus' brain, all competing to escape first, met a world of misty silence and tranquil, moonlit sky.

Then he heard it: the sweet yet bold peal of the bell, signaling the end of silence and the beginning of speech. All right, he's decided. He'll go first. Ordinarily, he'd save the best, i.e. himself, for last, but he should probably set a good example for Romani's benefit. That way her first words will be even better, just as he deserves!

He clears his throat just as the final toll rings across the green hills.]

"AHEM! GOOD EVENING, GREAT RANCHER ROMANI! I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, BESTOW UPON YOU THE GIFT OF MY FIRST WORDS! I HAVE SOME THINGS TO SAY!! SOME...FEELINGS...TO EXPRESS.

IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING THAT THE TWO OF US MAKE THE BEST VEGETABLES IN THE WORLD. HOWEVER! THAT'S NO REASON TO NOT SAY IT ANYWAY!! SO I HAVE. I'VE EVEN USED THEM TO GREAT EFFECT IN MY CULINARY CREATIONS, EVEN THOUGH YOU...DON'T LIKE THEM VERY MUCH YET. BUT I'M GETTING BETTER! IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME!!

AND IN THE TIME WE'VE SHARED, I'VE COME TO REALIZE HOW GREAT I AM AT HAVING EMPLOYEES. YOU HAVEN'T MET THE OTHER ONES I HAVE, BUT I ASSURE YOU, MY DEPUTIES ARE ALSO VERY GREAT!!! I ALSO HAVE THE MOST OF THEM OUT OF ANYONE, TOO. QUALITY AND QUANTITY!! YOU CAN'T BEAT THAT!!!

BUT DON'T BE JEALOUS, BECAUSE YOU'RE VERY GREAT TOO! I'VE CHECKED OUT THE OTHER RANCHES, AND NONE OF THEM HAVE A RELIABLE RANCHER LIKE YOURSELF!! AND IT'S A GOOD THING, TOO. EVEN THE GREAT PAPYRUS MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO GROW VEGETABLES AND JUSTICE AT THE SAME TIME!!!"

[Talking about all the good things in his life is easy. As he winds down to what he wants; what further good he seeks, his tone becomes a little shier.]

"IT'S JUST...UM...YOU'RE THE ONLY KID I EMPLOY. OR SPEND A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME WITH. DON'T WORRY!! I DON'T THINK YOUR LAME, LIKE A BABY!!! I KNOW KIDS CAN BE COOL!!!!

AND YOU'RE VERY COOL! COOL ENOUGH TO WORK FOR ME AND GIVE ME YOUR FIRST WORDS, WHICH I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO! BUT...WELL...

OH, SHOOT. NO ONE EVER SAYS THIS KIND OF STUFF TO KIDS. DO THEY??? YOU'RE A KID; YOU'D KNOW! WAIT!! DON'T SAY ANYTHING!!! YOUR FIRST WORDS HAVE TO BE ABOUT ME FIRST!! TABLE THE REST!!!

WHAT I MEAN TO SAY IS...I REALLY LIKE YOU AS AN EMPLOYEE. BUT THE GREAT PAPYRUS THINKS WE COULD DO BETTER. I BELIEVE WE COULD BE...MORE THAN THAT.

DO YOU...FEEL THE SAME...?"

[Oh! Now she gets it. Kinda. It makes her feel good that Papyrus seems to see her as a grown-up. It makes waking up in a daze in a strange new world and working for a Stalfos worth it.

But isn't it her turn to say something? What can she even say? Sis knows all too well that she has a bad habit of speaking with her heart with no filter. So, here it goes!]

"You're the best Stalfos ever, Paps. Romani is glad we're friends~"

[She's not touching that last bit he said.]

[Too late for that. She's touched the very nerve of it.]

"BUT I
HOW DID YOU
WHAT'S A STALFOS?
TOOK THE FIRST WORDS RIGHT OUT OF MY
YOU MEAN YOU ALREADY"

[He needs a moment to reboot.]

[Finally he unscrambles his egg salad.]

THAT'S WHAT I WAS GONNA ASK!!! TO BE FRIENDS!!!! WOWIE, I DIDN'T KNOW YOU ALREADY THOUGHT SO! IF I'D KNOWN THAT I'D HAVE SAID ENTIRELY DIFFERENT FIRST WORDS!! ALAS, YOURS WERE TOO PERFECT, AND ANSWERED THE QUESTION I DIDN'T GET TO ASK WITH THE ANSWER I WAS LOOKING FOR!! HOLY CANOLI, WE MUST BE PRETTY GREAT FRIENDS ALREADY TO BE ON SUCH GOOD WAVELENGTHS!!! IS THIS WHAT PSYCHIC POWERS FEEL LIKE!?

[He's on cloud nine. All he needs to do now is make friends with an old person and he'll have covered the entire age spectrum.]

WELP! GUESS ALL THAT'S LEFT TO DO NOW IS GO TO THE FEAST!! UNLESS YOU ALREADY ATE. OR NEED TO GO TO BED. YOU DO SLEEP A LOT...

[It's her one flaw, but he's sure they can work on it.]

Edited 2020-01-18 00:40 (UTC)

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