Doki Doki Vaikuntha Club (Act 1)

[peninhand]

Who: Anyone signed-up for the plot!
When: July 27th
Where: Curti Center
What: Monika's opened a literature club and the members have to share a poem together for this event. It can be embarrassing, but there's nothing to lose!
Warnings/Notes: No warnings whatsoever! Listen to this track to enhance your poem sharing experience.

Comments

[einspine]

[But what's this? A skeleton approaches!]

GREETINGS, ADRIEN!!!!

[He's all smiles here. Cheerful as a dorky skeleton can be, really.]

YOU LOOK VERY DEEP IN THOUGHT. BUT THAT'S TO BE EXPECTED! THE ART OF POETRY IS ONE THAT DEMANDS A KEEN FOCUS.

I THINK.

ADMITTEDLY, I HAVEN'T DABBLED IN IT THAT OFTEN.

[modelcivilian]

[Looking up from his paper, he can put on an uneasy smile.]

Hey Papyrus!

[At least it wasn't someone he didn't know that might ask him about his poem.]

Yeah, I don't often write poems either. I wrote one for Valentine's Day, but... it wasn't all that great.

[einspine]

[GASP! Not that great? That won't ever do. Time to whip out the Papyrus pep talks, it seems!]

NONSENSE! I'M SURE IT WAS TERRIFIC. ARTFUL, EVEN!!! AFTER ALL, ISN'T THAT THE HUMAN HOLIDAY FOR LOVE?

[modelcivilian]

[He sighs pretty heavily.]

Actually, I thought it was terrible so I threw it away before I could give it to her.

[einspine]

[Oh. That's... not good.

For a moment, Papyrus pauses, frowning. Searching for the right words. He seems upset. That won't do! Not at all!

Time to let his wingman powers activate!]

BUT HOW DO YOU KNOW IT WAS TRULY TERRIBLE? I'VE HEARD PEOPLE SAY WE'RE OUR OWN WORST CRITICS. FOR ALL YOU KNOW, IT COULD HAVE MADE HER HEART SING!

BUT I SUPPOSE IT'S IN THE PAST. STILL! DON'T GIVE UP ON YOUR ROMANTIC DREAMS, ADRIEN!!! I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, BELIEVE IN YOU!

[modelcivilian]

[... Huh, now that he thinks about it, that was true... Or at least, it sounds like it could be true. No one's ever told him he could be his worst critic - they only told him when he did something wrong or right.]

... You're right.

[And he did somehow get a response back. If it had really been her who answered, he thinks that she did like it.]

Maybe next time I won't be so quick to ditch my poem. Ah, speaking of poems, I'm supposed to share one, right?

[einspine]

[Yay! This seems to be helping, so Papyrus beams. Good, good! Hopefully his words helped instill some confidence.]

INDEED YOU ARE! AND I, FOR ONE, LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOUR POETIC PROWESS IN ACTION!

[modelcivilian]

Well, you already know more 'poetic prowess'. Luckily, this one has survived getting trashed for now. It might be a little short...

[But, he has to recite it.]

Where I am
Where you're not
Are you alright?
Are you alone?

Where you are
I'm the absent one
Do you ask?
Is there an answer?

There isn't a day
I continue to wonder
I continue to wander
The answer's missing

You're abandoned
You're loved
Believe in me
I believe you

It's too long
You keep waiting
I know your fight
And I'm sorry

I'm here

[His brows furrow.]

That's about it. It's not very subtle, and I don't think I followed any format correctly.

[einspine]

[He listens attentively before responding. It seems very... personal. Sentimental! Relatable, even, given their situation here, pulled from their worlds to a foreign place.

But, in true Papyrus form, he ends up applauding by the end.]

SUBTLE OR NOT, IT'S VERY TOUCHING! PERSONAL! RAW AND REAL!!! I THINK WE CAN ALL RELATE TO THE SITUATION DESCRIBED, AT LEAST ON SOME LEVEL. THOSE WE LEFT BEHIND, UNFINISHED BUSINESS. TRULY, THIS IS A WORK OF ART!

[modelcivilian]

[Adrien's a little surprised that Papyrus thinks it's good. It makes his face a little red to receive praise.]

Thanks, Papyrus. I originally considered another poem like before, but... I don't know, I couldn't get in the mood for writing something romantic.

[einspine]

[He rubs his neck, nodding all the same. It sounds... tricky. Granted, he knows so little about romance it's hard to say for sure.]

I IMAGINE ROMANTIC WRITING IS SOMETHING THAT CAN'T BE FORCED. AFTER ALL, SUCH LITERATURE MUST COME FROM THE HEART! A PLACE OF TRUE PASSION.

THOUGH I DO HOPE YOUR MOOD HASN'T BEEN TOO UNPLEASANT OVERALL.

[modelcivilian]

[Quickly, Adrien shakes his head.]

Not at all! I miss some people from home - a few more than others - but I like having more freedom here and getting the chance to meet everyone I have.

[einspine]

AH, SO YOU LOOK AT THE GLASS HALF FULL. GOOD, GOOD! AND ADMITTEDLY, I DO THINK THIS PLACE DOES HAVE ITS PERKS. THE SKY, THE SPACE, THE SHEER DIVERSITY IN LOCATIONS!

[Still, the comment about freedom is an interesting one. Given what he saw in Adrien's memory...]

BUT WAS IT DIFFICULT? ADJUSTING TO ALL THE FREEDOM, THAT IS.

[modelcivilian]

[He nods, glad Papyrus gets it... and he too thinks back on the memory his friend saw.]

It was. I'm used to everything being on a schedule, things being changed last minute, having to stay inside, disappointing my father... feeling like there's nothing I can do... [He pauses, shakes his head before he sinks and puts on a smile.] It's much better.

[einspine]

[Oh... That's. Hrm.

He folds his arms, bony brow creased. That does sound rather unfortunate.]

BUT WHY THE STRICT ROUTINE? I UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S A WAY TO DIVIDE TIME EFFICIENTLY, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, YOU SHOULD STILL HAVE TIME TO MAKE YOUR OWN CHOICES.

WHICH YOU DO HERE, OF COURSE. AND THAT'S GOOD! GREAT, EVEN.

[modelcivilian]

I don't know. At first, it wasn't so bad, but then came home schooling, extracurricular activities, practicing, more tutoring sessions... and then he began to insist the world was too dangerous.

I like having my own choices here. Shiro and Hunk don't mind helping me if I'm unsure or might get in trouble.

[einspine]

[Wowie. That sounds... busy. Very, very busy. He rubs his neck at the whole dangerous comment. While he was fortunate to have some luxury of freedom, he'd been doted on in the past by Undyne.

Still, the contrast sounds good. Very good!]

WOWIE. EVEN AS A WORKAHOLIC, THAT SOUNDS VERY, VERY EXHAUSTING. I APPLAUD YOUR PERSEVERANCE!

AND IT'S CERTAINLY GOOD THAT YOU'RE WITH COMPANIONS WHO TRUST YOU TO MAKE YOUR OWN CHOICES. HONESTLY, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE THAT FREEDOM, OTHERWISE YOU WON'T MAKE MISTAKES. AND MISTAKES, AS FRUSTRATING AS THEY ARE, ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF GROWING UP.

[modelcivilian]

Well, I didn't want to disappoint anyone... [But just talking about everything was mentally exhausting.]

Yeah... Now, if only my father could understand that.

[einspine]

[Ah... Parental struggles. That does sound tricky. Admittedly, Papyrus is less versed than others might be. Nonetheless...]

AH. HAVE YOU... TALKED TO HIM ABOUT IT?

[He pauses, then quickly adds-]

OH! BUT IF THAT'S TOO PERSONAL, I UNDERSTAND.

[modelcivilian]

It's fine... And honestly, I've tried, but it hasn't worked.

[einspine]

HMM... I'D SAY KEEP TRYING, BUT I SUPPOSE THAT WOULD ONLY MATTER IF HE ARRIVED HERE.

BUT! IF HE DID, KNOW THAT I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WOULD DO MY BEST TO SUPPORT YOUR FREEDOM!

[He brings a hand to his chest, expression a bit firmer than usual. He believes in you, Adrien!]

[modelcivilian]

If he appeared here, I'd be worried about him...

... But, thanks Papyrus.

[Because he might want to stay with his father for a bit... only to make sure everything would be okay.]