//------------------------------// // Games Pony and Monsters Play // Story: The Moon in the Dark // by Tatsurou //------------------------------// "NEVER PLAYED THIS GAME BEFORE, GORGEOUS?" Mettaton asked, apparently deciding to ignore the previous interchange in favor of getting on with whatever he'd come to do. "...I'm guessing it involves pain?" Woona asked worriedly. "GOOD GUESS!" Mettaton complimented. "IN THIS GAME, THERE'S ONLY ONE RULE! ANSWER CORRECTLY...OR DIE!" Woona leapt back in shock as FIGHT lines surrounded the trio. She saw that Alphys stood beside Mettaton, looking somewhat worried. Also, Mettaton's screen face changed, now displaying various information as he prepared to read the quiz questions. Woona tensed up, ready to fight if necessary. Don't bother, Chara warned. He has 255 defense. Nothing you can do will hurt him unless you draw on magic and the SOULSTONE, and that risks hurting Alphys. As Woona relaxed, Mettaton began speaking again. "LET'S START WITH AN EASY ONE!" The question appeared on Mettaton's face. What is the reward for answering correctly? Four platforms labeled A, B, C, and D rose out of the floor in front of Woona. Each had an answer beside it even as a timer counted down on Mettaton's screen face. A - Money B - Mercy C - New Car D - More Questions Woona thought for a few seconds. Well, since answering incorrectly means death... As she started to move towards D, she noticed Alphys shaping a D with her hands. Smiling for that confirmation, she depressed the switch. Confetti fell as a happy chime sounded. "RIGHT!" Mettaton praised. "SOUNDS LIKE YOU GET IT! HERE'S YOUR PRIZE!" What is the King's full name? A - Lord Fluffybuns B - Fuzzy Pushover C - Asgore Dreemurr D - Dr. Friendship Woona stared at the answers for a time. "Umm...I'm pretty sure the correct answer isn't here," she pointed out. "OH? HOW SO?" Mettaton asked. "Well, according to the stuff in Mommy's house, I'm pretty sure I'm supposed to call the King 'Mr. Dad Guy'!" Woona explained. Back in Snowdin, Papyrus' lower jaw fell off as he stared at the TV. "WHAAAAAAA???" he screamed out, unable to make the 'T' sound until he picked his jaw back up. Undyne and Sans burst into laughter. Mettaton paused, rubbing the bottom of his box body with one hand as though it were his chin. "THAT IS...TECHNICALLY CORRECT!" The happy chime played even as more confetti fell. "BUT ENOUGH ABOUT YOU, LET'S TALK ABOUT ME!" What are robots made of? A - Hopes & Dreams B - Metal & Magic C - Snips & Snails D - Sugar & Spice Having no idea what to respond here, Woona looked hopefully towards Alphys, who was somehow managing to make a B with her two hands. Since that looked rather painful, Woona quickly made her way to the B and pushed it. "TOO EASY FOR YOU, HUH?" Mettaton asked as Alphys flashed a thumbs up. "HERE'S ANOTHER EASY ONE FOR YOU!" The next question proved to be a long mathematical word problem involving three digit plus decimal point calculations. Woona swallowed convulsively, knowing she had no chance of properly calculating the answer in the thirty seconds provided. Desperately, she turned to Alphys, and saw her shaping a D. She quickly pressed the switch. "WONDERFUL! I'M ASTOUNDED FOLKS!" Mettaton called out as the happy chime played and Alphys gave her a thumbs up. "BUT DON'T 'COUNT' ON YOUR VICTORY!" How many flies are in this jar? An image of a jar full of flies appeared on Mettaton's screen. "Is that a live image of a real jar, or a hypothetical jar that only exists on your screen?" Woona asked curiously. "COMPUTER GENERATED!" Mettaton replied quickly. "NO FLIES WERE HARMED IN THE MAKING OF THIS EPISODE-" "Then there are no flies in the jar," Woona countered firmly, "because neither jar nor flies actually exist!" As the happy chime played and the confetti fell, Mettaton crossed his arms. "I'M STARTING TO GET REAL TIRED OF THESE 'TECHNICALLY CORRECT' ANSWERS! TIME FOR A MEMORY GAME!" What monster is this? A - Froggit B - Whimsum C - Moldsmal D - Mettaton Woona stared at the image of what looked like half a Froggit's face. At first she started to move towards A, but paused as she realized that - even for an image - the Froggit looked rather flat. Glancing at Alphys, she saw the hint, and instead moved to D. As the happy chime played and confetti fell, the image shifted to show it was Mettaton wearing a Froggit shirt. And the answer is...a Jigglypuff, seen from above, Chara muttered quietly. Huh? Woona asked in her mind, confused. Tell Alphys I said that there when the game show's over, Chara suggested. She's sure to love it. By this time, Mettaton had presented the next question, the timer counting up instead of down. Would you smooch a ghost? All the answers were "Heck Yeah". Woona scratched her chin. "Uhh...does phasing through one face first when trying to hug them count? Cause if it does, I already smooched Napstablook! He's really sweet, if shy!" Mettaton sat there for some time, seeming to stare right at her. Alphys glanced at him nervously, and awkwardly cleared her throat. The happy chime and confetti once more made themselves known. After a time, Mettaton spoke up. "...LET'S SKIP THE NEXT QUESTION, AND GO STRAIGHT TO THE BIG GUNS." He seemed somehow...more withdrawn than before. However, Woona didn't have time to react before the next question appeared. In the dating simulation video game "Mew Mew Kissy Cutie" what is Mew Mew's favorite food? Before any answers could appear, Alphys started shouting, apparently nerding out over the game. "Oh! Oh! I know this one! It's snail ice cream! In the fourth chapter everyone goes to the beach! And she buys ice cream for all of her friends! But it's snail flavor and she's the only one who wants it! It's one of my favorite parts of the game because it's actually a very powerful message about...friendship...and..." She began to wilt in on herself as she noticed both Woona and Mettaton staring at her. "ALPHYS, ALPHYS, ALPHYS...YOU AREN'T HELPING OUR CONTESTANT ARE YOU?" Alphys desperately shook her head, but Mettaton paid her no mind. "OOOH! YOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME. I'LL ASK A QUESTION...YOU'LL BE SURE TO KNOW THE ANSWER TO!" Alphys desperately hid her face as the next question appeared. Who does Dr. Alphys have a crush on? Remembering how embarrassed Alphys had gotten when she'd made the accidental dirty joke about her and Undyne before Mettaton arrived, Woona spoke up before answers could appear. "I'm pretty sure the only one who doesn't know the answer's Undyne is Undyne herself!" she proclaimed with certainty. Alphys let out an adorable "GAK!" sound and dove into the nearest trash can to hide her embarrassment. "SEE ALPHYS?" Mettaton asked. "I TOLD YOU IT WAS OBVIOUS. EVEN THE PONY FIGURED IT OUT, AND SHE ONLY JUST MET YOU! YES, SHE SCRAWLS HER NAME-" Woona hefted the massive computer desk and everything on it in her magic. "Be nice," she scolded, waving it threateningly over Mettaton. "I'm pretty sure even 255 DEF would have trouble taking this to the face at 50mph." Mettaton laughed, his laugh jerking up and down in synthesized pitch. "WHILE I WOULDN'T TAKE ANY DAMAGE, IT WOULD SEND ME FLYING! AND EITHER WAY, WITH THE GREAT DR. ALPHYS HELPING YOU, ALL THE DRAMATIC TENSION IS GONE FROM THIS EPISODE! BUT IT WAS JUST THE PILOT, SO NEXT UP! MORE DRAMA! MORE VIOLENCE! MORE BLOODSHED! UNTIL NEXT TIME DARLINGS!" The FIGHT lines withdrew as Mettaton pulled his arms and wheel into his boxy body before rocketing into the sky. "...episode?" Woona asked, confused. That whole thing was broadcast live on TV all over the underground, Chara explained. Woona's eyes widened, and she blushed bright red as she realized she'd just confessed to smooching Napstablook in front of the entire underground, likely seen by everyone she'd befriended so far just so they could see how she did. With a startled "MEEP!" she leapt into the trashcan alongside Alphys. "Y-you okay, Woona?" Alphys asked worriedly. "Why didn't you tell me we were on TV?" she yelped. "I t-thought you k-knew..." Alphys whimpered. "I'd never have spilled your crush on TV if there was a chance Undyne would be watching!" Woona gasped out. "That's something you should get to tell her yourself!" "Oh..." Alphys replied. "W-well, it's okay...I d-doubt I'd ever be able to manage it..." Feeling the tension in the trash can, Woona tried to alleviate it. "Umm...Chara had a joke to tell you..." "Is it dirty?" Alphys asked. "I dunno," Woona replied. "It...it was when Mettaton asked which monster it was, and it was him wearing the Froggit T-shirt..." "...can't imagine how that could be made dirty..." Alphys replied. "Go ahead." "He said, 'And the answer is...a Jigglypuff, seen from above'." Alphys burst into laughter. "That's a good one!" she replied happily. Woona managed to smile, the shared embarrassment and amusement filling her with DETERMINATION.