with all the different personas that the fandom’s given Gaster (Pirate, Mafia Boss, Doctor, Pharaoh for some reason), it’s sort of reminded me of the sequence in Jax’s mind where Pomni tries comforting him and we see a bunch of Jax in costumes quickly flash by. Which made me think of doing that whole sequence with Corestrings. Gaster as Jax and the Soul as Pomni. Just spitballing.
(I guess all the suspicious cryptids throughout the game can take the place of the Jax masks)
And with this bonus episode, the horny trifuckta comes to a close. Gaster came out from behind to claim victory, blindsiding all the other suitors. Turns out age and experience are worth much more than one might think.
It started on a warm rainy Tuesday afternoon. Spring had moved briskly into summer and the sticky humidity of the last week had been almost unbearable. The rain that fell was sudden but nice as it took the worst of the heat, even if the rain itself was warm. She didn't mind the rain, the windows of the Cafe were open to let in the fresh smell of soil and damp wood.
It was well into the afternoon, lunch rush was over tables were clean and she sat at the counter with a sketchbook pencil gently scratching across the paper. She was allowed to draw as long as the place was clean and there were no customers.
Because of the time and the rain she hadn't expected anyone, so when the bell above the door chimed cheerfully she jumped slightly quick to set aside the book and pencil as she stood to greet the guest.
Her voice, however, stuck in her throat.
Standing just inside the door was a monster. She'd had monster customers before they were by and large friendly, but something about this man had frozen her. It wasn't his height, though that was substantial, as monsters were just, generally taller. It wasn't the almost alien skull he had for a head which vaguely reminded her of the classic grey aliens from bad scifi movies. It wasn't even his clothing which even to her untrained eye seemed expensive and comfortable, if damp. No, all these factors alone wouldn't have made her bat an eye but all of it, combined with the mildly frustrated look on his face and the dripping soggy newspaper in his hands. He looked elegant. She wouldn't go so far as to say beautiful, mostly because she was pretty sure he was a man. But elegant was perfect.
Even the way he batted at his jacket trying to get some water off was smooth, not a single wasted motion. So smooth she watched a long moment before coming back to herself and grabbing a towel hurrying around the counter towards him.
"That rain came out of nowhere huh?" She said cheerfully as she offered the towel. He grunted something akin to agreement before taking the towel with a thank you and rubbing his head with the towel before looking at her fully studying a long moment before nodding
“Yes, it did… Ah, I seem to have run in here without thinking, As the door wasn’t locked, I trust you’re open?” He said his words were formal and smooth like his voice, and the way he moved. Wow, this guy was like, a prince or something just well. Sort of how she might imagine a prince anyway, the dignity of his speech, the gliding elegance of his movements… wow
“Huh? Oh! Yes, yes we are! Please, um please have a seat, would you like a coffee? Maybe some tea?” she asked quickly, blushing, ok time to get out of her own head and remember she was actually at work. She scurried behind the counter laughing sheepishly
“First ones on the house, whatever you like.” she said brightly as she watched the man take a seat by the window his head turned to watch the quiet rain outside.
“Tea, with honey and a bit of milk please,” he said simply, turning his attention to his soggy newspaper and sighing as the paper pretty much disintegrated between his fingers. As the water boiled she made her way over gathering the remains of his paper and wiping down the table. He watched silently as she bustled about soon returning with a fresh paper.
“The boss makes sure we carry all the major daily papers for people who might want to catch up.” she explained with a smile as he looked at her questioningly he seemed satisfied by the explanation before scanning the front page his expression twisting slightly, no surprise the headline was another sensational byline about Monster rights and the importance of being human and how that was true personhood and … politics and… blah it made her head hurt. She wasn’t a political person and tended to avoid it but obviously it wasn’t something monsters could avoid.
“So out doing something nice before you got drenched?” she asked warmly hoping her friendly question might take his mind off the headline. She felt bad, maybe if she were more clever she could contribute in a more meaningful way but as it was she only had her opinion and people either agreed or didn’t.
It was simple at least, monsters were people and deserved the same rights as everyone else.
Period.
Caveats for regulating magic and all that stuff? It was beyond her pay grade as she liked to say but the basic point was simple as far as she was concerned.
“Just checking in a couple businesses.” the monster responded sipping his tea and pausing
“This…” he started to say though the surprise was clear on his face. She smiled pleased, because there was no disgust with the surprise, she hoped that meant he liked it.
“It’s my own blend, I find it calming.” she said honestly he nodded smiling in mild amusement, or maybe just quiet pleasure she wasn’t really sure.
And that was that.
A quiet rainy afternoon led to him coming to the little cafe once a week, always Tuesday, always around mid afternoon after lunch rush but before people started coming in for school pick up and getting off work.
She learned a lot about him in that time. His name was A.K. Serif, but she learned with a little nudging that his birth name was Gaster, he simply preferred A.K. and when he’d explained that she’d been happy enough to call him that.
She learned he owned quite a few businesses in town and had two younger brothers he’d raised practically by himself. One brother was shorter and more round in his figure, not fat but fuller. Though the idea of a skeleton filling out his clothes kind of boggled her mind she relied on the writers out, Magic. His other brother and the youngest was very tall and skinny, he was rather cheerful and had greeted her in a wonderfully friendly way when he’d had to come get A.K. for something about trouble with business.
A.K. being ever the gentleman had excused himself politely and she for her part had told him she hoped his business worked out in his favor. She had intended that to be a friendly gesture but weirdly he’d twitched slightly and his brother had looked at him a long moment before they had left.
After that she avoided ever mentioning his work.
She enjoyed their conversations. A.K. was very smart, not just intelligent but clever he could apply so much of what he knew. And he was also interested in new things. The second time he’d come to the Cafe they had talked about how one learned to make their own blends of tea. How she had started because she had seen it in a movie and thought it was amazing, and then their conversion had veered to films, he was kind of surprised to learn there were animated films that were just as good as live action films.
This of course had resulted in her loaning him a couple films, he was honest that they weren’t his favourite but they weren’t bad and he could watch more if it came up ever.
Discovering his more playful side had been so wonderful, he had come in looking odd and she had worried maybe something was wrong maybe he’d had trouble at work? Despite her personal plan to not mention it again she’d been about to ask when Gasters face had twisted into… a grin. It was slightly awkward, not helped by the scar that ran down one side of his face crooking his top lip oddly as he tried to suppress his mirth. She supposed to someone else it might have even seemed creepy but his fight to control his laughter had been so funny she ended up laughing, which of course had been enough to set him off. She had been clutching a stitch in her side when he explained a joke he had pulled on his brother Clip who was apparently very nosey.
Summer moved along drifting in a haze of uncomfortable sticky heat that, because of her uniform, was inescapable. Despite the lack of air conditioning and the extra heat added by the coffee machines, A.K. always sat inside so he could talk with her.
It was a comfortable routine and she was a little surprised at herself how much she began to look forward to seeing him, even on days where they just did their own thing and barely said a word to each other, there was a comfortable companionable silence, no demands no expectations just two people enjoying the world for a few quiet moments.
It was almost funny that the biggest change to their little relationship, if it could be called that, had come on a rainy day as well.
A.K. had been a bit distracted when he had arrived but she knew he had a lot of businesses and this wasn’t the first time he’d been lost in thought on arrival. Newspaper and tea ready she’d served him with a smile and accepted when he didn’t respond. Whatever it was must have been important so she wasn’t going to press. If he spoke to her she’d respond but if he had to think she’d let him think instead settling on her chair and pulling over her sketchbook. The last few times he’d been in she’d found herself sketching him. The dignified way he held himself. Those dark eyes with light in one dark socket, his faint smile…
She blushed a little touching the page where she’d loosely sketched his profile. She had it bad. If she was a bit braver she might have asked him on a date but.. She wasn’t. For one she didn’t want to spoil this wonderful friendship, she couldn’t think of anyone else she could sit so calmly with. For two, aside from these Tuesday afternoons she had no presence in his life after all they didn’t really talk about their personal lives much, Yes she knew he had brothers and yes she knew Clip was nosey, and Cal while responsible was also a bit impulsive meaning at time AK had to reign him in. from that she knew he was a good and responsible big brother. Of course he clearly loved his brothers a lot, but what did she know about him other than that? What he did for work? Just that he owned businesses, not even which ones. She knew he liked tea with milk and honey but what was his favorite food?
For all she knew he could have a girlfriend already… or a boy friend., admittedly he’d never mentioned one and she would think he’d speak as fondly of a partner as he would his brothers regardless, she’d keep her peace and just enjoy their time together, maybe someday she would get the courage.
So the afternoon was peaceful, A.K. had pulled out a small notebook and seemed to be scribbling something still deep in thought, his absent mumbling the only sound in the cafe other than the soft music that drifted from older speakers no louder than a whisper of sound.
In fact it was so peaceful and so calm, that when the gunshots ripped through the glass of the front windows she was too stunned to really process what had happened.
Sound had gone tinny in her ears as she stared at the black vans in front of the shop already had squealing tires as they tried to flee. the windows were broken, the cases, her tip jar was shattered coins spilling across the counter. She reached out mindlessly only to realise she hurt. She looked down red, blood? She was bleeding? But why? What had?
The pain bloomed harshly and suddenly as her mind caught up with what was happening someone had just shot up the shop s-she was shot… Gaster!
She looked up to try and find him but..
No she didn’t
Her body wouldn’t listen to her…
Before she could think too much about it she was on the ground… had she fallen? No she felt, arms around her, cradling her gently.
someone…
“A-Ga… a…” her attempts to speak were silenced by a finger against her lips as Gaster pulled her close, resting a hand over her chest a glow of green magic? It felt strange it hurt, but she knew she was getting better.
She’d never given much thought to how a bullet might feel working its way out of her body but now she was feeling it she was positive she’d rather not experience it again. When his hand moved to just below her ribs she wondered, had she been hit more than once?
Wow… that was all she could really think between the pain and confusion about well, why the hell would anyone shoot up the Cafe?
Wait… h-he was a monster had he been hit? B-but he wasn’t dust, how?
“O-o… hurt?” she finally managed Gaster paused glancing at her before shaking his head and returning his focus to healing her wounds.
“Not now, I’m fine, just rest your body isn’t built for these kinds of injuries.” he said strictly he seemed.. Angry. She tried to speak again when one of those holed hands settled over her eyes and suddenly she felt… heavy, sleepy.
The pain was fading but so were her thoughts she just…
needed…
Sleep…
For a moment just a bare instant she thought she heard him speak again,
<i>Everything will be alright love</i>
----------------------------
Waking up in a hospital was not on her list of things she’d like to do again. The smell was awful, the sounds were harsh and the lights were garishly bright. But there was the positive. Waking up in the hospital meant she wasn’t dead, always a good thing.
Speaking to a doctor she got more details about what had happened. She had indications of having been shot four times, however the wounds themselves seemed old, as if they had happened decades ago meaning that they had been healed by monster magic. He told her while she’d been considered a critical case when she’d first arrived the magic must have been pushed deep into her, allowing her body to keep healing even though the monster who had healed her wasn’t there.
Then she’d been approached by cops.
They were kind, speaking in low voices not because of other patients but because she was still sensitive to sound and light. A side effect of magic apparently, the healing magic boosted a human's senses to extremes they weren’t used to handling. A small price to pay for surviving four gunshots as far as she was concerned. They gave her a bit of information about what had happened. Apparently the people who had shot out the cafe were members of a gang? They asked her about her life, did she have any friends who might be involved in gang activity, What was her boss like, was there anything odd about anyone who came into the Cafe? It was all pretty standard. Neither of them said anything about Gaster
In fact, it occurred to her that the doctor hadn’t either, only said, ‘A’ monster had healed her.
She knew she shouldn’t lie to the police, but… for some reason. When they finally asked her to recount exactly what happened she told them all she could remember. It was a quiet afternoon, she’d been drawing before school pickup started, she hadn’t even realised what was happening at first because it was so fast… so fast.
That at least wasn’t a lie, and, if she forgot to mention A.K. being there well, that was just her sensitivity overwhelming her wasn’t it? She wasn’t sure how but she just knew she shouldn’t mention his presence. If they hadn’t mentioned him and he had vanished before the ambulance had arrived then clearly he didn’t want others to know he had been there for a reason.
Her boss came to see her, her brother came to see her, her friends came to see her.
He didn’t.
Why? Did it have to do with why no one knew he’d been there? Did it have to do with the fact that it was gang members who had shot the Cafe?... Did it have to do with why he didn’t talk about his work?
The thought had been there, a businessman who always had time on Tuesday afternoon to sit and have tea? His brother only ever mentioning ‘business’ that once before Gaster had silenced him.
She knew there was a gang, a couple gangs… was Gaster a member of a gang? No, he was too smooth, too smart, to be some gang putz… which left only one real option, one that had seemed so far fetched and well, film plotish, she’d simply ignored it. He was some kind of leader…
L-like a mafia don or gang leader or something...
It took a few days for the doctors to be satisfied with her condition to release her, despite the power of healing magic clearly they wanted to make absolutely sure she was well taken care off… of course as she’d been released she realised that she had been in a private room, good god how expensive would that be?!
Her inquiry however had been brushed off by the receptionist, she’d simply been told not to worry as it had been dealt with. But she didn’t know anyone who could afford to pay a hospital bill right off, let alone a private room!
The Cafe was closed for repairs…
It was Tuesday again, standing outside the cafe wrapped in a thick wool coat staring at the wood set in the windows to protect the inside as they where fixed up, the windows would be one of the last things to be replaced…
Would he ever come back?
“I don’t suppose you have that blend of tea at home do you?”
Standing in the rain, the two glared each other down, one standing above the other, but both standing tall.
“Such...weakness.” Gaster cooed, an evil grin spreading across his face, threatening to split his cheeks.
Flargh glared him down before closing her eyes and feeling the cool rain on her skin. Finally, after a long silence she opened her eyes; going black and deep crimson red, burrowing deep into Gaster’s own eyes:
“I’m stronger than I ever knew....
“...I’m strong because of you.”
(Animated while listening to In This Moment-Roots)
This is kinda relevant to my RP blog, as Don Gaster and Flargh really DO NOT like each other.
(I hope the animation works...)
(EDIT: I think I go the bottom animation to work. I had to take off Dithering effect for it, which makes it look a little weird, but it works)
My ladyfriend requested this one....a long time ago, suffice to say. Seeing as it’s her birthday tomorrow, I felt it was time to finally get around to making it.
Script under the cut:
S: Guys? I'm home. Hey, you'll never guess what I just....did....okay maybe you already know. Gaster? You uh, you feeling alright? You look a little bit absolutely furious. Paps, why is Gaster mad? Did you wake him up?
P: Sans....do remind me, what were you supposed to do to the Bertolli family?
S: Take out a few of their Capos so as to destablize their ground operations and sow suspicion against the competing families
P: Oh good, so you were paying attention. Did you listen to the part where we told you to take them out alone, in isolated areas so they would be found one at a time?
G:Did we tell you to massacre them all in a side alley right by Mettaton's nightclub?
S: Come on guys, you know Mettaton's not gonna say anything to finger us...at least not in that sense
P: NOT. THE. POINT.
S: Look, I saw an opportunity while they were all together, and I took it!
G: It was meant to look like a systematic hit job, not like a Valentine's Day massacre! You turned mob politics into a public spectacle!
P: The police can't turn a blind eye to this, and it's going to be all over the fucking papers!
S: Guys, guys! You're overcomplicating this. It's still going to have the intended effect, I just... improvised a little, that's all. Just you wait and see. Now if you'll excuse me, I just came by to change clothes. I plan to listen to the sweet titters of a little bird at a certain club tonight...
R: Breaking news! Murder! Mayhem! Mafia! The streets ran red with blood tonight as 6 men, thought to be connected to the Bertolli family, were found slaughtered in an alley in what we are tentatively titling Saint Valentine's Day Massacre 2: The Squeakquel! (Jerry is this really the best we have?) Name subject to change later!
S: ....Okay so maybe you were right about the mafia attention thing, but don't worry about it. I shortcutted out before anyone could have seen me
R: Was the murderer seen? Eyewitnesses state they saw what appeared to be a large, exceedingly pale figure standing over the deceased before disappearing in the blink of an eye! Unfortunately nobody was close enough to get a better look. More information as the story develops! We now resume our broadcast of smooth jazz, which is the only music we have in this time period!
S: ....heh heh heh...alright, guess I'm laying low for a few days, eh?
G: Try a month! You're grounded!
S: A month?! Come on, that's not fair!
G: GROUNDED! Now go to your room before I PUT you in the ground!
