Who are you calling a kid?! [UGH BREAK JUST BECAUSE SHE RECKLESSLY THROWS HERSELF INTO IMPOSSIBLE SHOUNEN FIGHTS SHE CAN'T WIN DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN GRANDPA HER!! Break gets an irritated smack to the shoulder for that, because this is a fantastic and incredibly necessary use of her ghost energy - though she does still feel kind of bad about the whole dropping him and breaking his ass thing, so she keeps it light.]
Good plan. You wanna go first then? [She says after she's already wasted energy kicking an old man when he's down....]
[ WHY ARE ALL THE GHOSTS SO DUMB!! Minus Clover. She's okay. But Break definitely flinches and makes an irritated noise when he gets a smack for his commentary, and he waves his hand in the air like he's trying to dismiss her. ]
Stop using your energy for useless things like smacking me!
[ Or just don't smack him? But he knows that one is impossible to ask, so he just sighs and motions to each shoulder as he explains. ]
My left shoulder is "yes," and the right is "no."
[ But though he explains that, he does pause, since he still wants to choose his questions carefully here. At least he doesn't have to worry about quite the same things he had with Gilbert, but those concerns are still there. ]
...The women that you fought, Undyne. Have you met them since?
[a girl runs off first thing in the morning on murder day all on her own well away from everyone else before anyone finds a body and still manages to be less dumb enough than all the other ghosts to get "okay"]
That's for you, so guess not. [Even though she's mmmmostly sure she knows the answer, but Undyne's full of surprises. Clover's never allowed to be completely sure of anything ever again.]
[IT'S NOT USELESS Break definitely needs the sense smacked into him from time to time, and Undyne will gladly dedicate her ghost energy to take up this cause!!
But wow, what a terrible question to start on if he wanted her to conserve her strength. She taps his right shoulder once, and then proceeds to grip it tightly and lower her head so she can speak directly into his ear.]
I know you probably can't hear me, but I'm gonna say this out loud anyway because maybe your heart can pick up what your ears can't. I have no idea what you're doing here, but if you see either of those cowardly cheating despicable disgraces again, tell them that the next time I see them, I'm gonna finish the job.
Actually, you can take Satan, I don't need to waste my energy on someone I already know I can beat. But Lucifer is mine. I'll make her regret ever even thinking about associating her name with Pride when she clearly has none herself!
[And then she lets go. This too was also an incredibly necessary use of her ghost energy.]
[ Break definitely can't hear what she says at all, yet all the same, maybe his heart does pick up on what his ears can't all the same. Or, in a much less shonen way, the combination of a "no" and the intensity of that grip doesn't make it hard to guess what's being conveyed here. He sighs, since what did he just say about energy, but he shakes his head to be rid of that minor irritation.
He does seem relieved by that information, though. Even if he assumes Undyne would absolutely like to fight them again, he's more content in the idea that the dead will be a little safer than that. He worries about them, in his way. ]
...If I'm understanding that correctly, then at least allow me to waste my breath for a minute and say that you shouldn't fight them again even if you have the opportunity. You embarrassed them, and that's victory enough, isn't it?
[ It isn't, and he knows it... He would take great satisfaction in it himself, certainly, but it's also not as good as actually killing them. But while Break knows that about himself, he doesn't want to encourage serial killer qualities in others, so. ]
Is there anyone else with you, then? Besides the dead we know.
[Undyne's a person with priorities. At least the pink koala child hanging onto her thinks she's cool, anyway.]
You're gonna kick their asses the second they're stupid enough to mess with you again. [Some peanut gallery commentary from the person present who can actually hear Undyne's shounen intensity, and if she looks she'll see that Clover's expression is full of admiration.
In the meantime, she reaches out and taps Break's left shoulder firmly, but with significantly less shounen determination.]
[CLOVER'S OPINION IS ALL THAT MATTERS shut up Break]
That's not a victory at all! Enemies of justice need to be struck down! Especially the filthy lying cheating backstabbing ones with no honor! [YOU CAN'T TELL HER WHO SHE CAN'T FIGHT BREAK!! She'll fight them even if it means ruining all his plans and sending the entire town plunging into Bad End her grudgewank knows no bounds
Honestly, it's a good thing Clover decided to interrupt by answering Break's actual question, because she was about two seconds away from severely confusing him by smacking his right shoulder for no it's not enough and no she's not going to listen to his stupid weenie advice.]
[ Thank you, Clover... You don't have to reign it all in (that's impossible) but at least reign in Undyne's shonen that will confuse Break and he'll be happy enough. His expression turns serious, and he nods. He has an idea on how to figure out who, but he might as well narrow it down a bit further before he gets to that. ]
Are they other dead, or is it a bit different than that? Left if they're other dead, right if it's something else.
It's totally a start, though. [Like she'd ever even want to reign in Undyne's shounen. The occasional interruption to it is a happy medium for all involved, though!
Clover glances up at Undyne, expectant.] Well, I've only seen the dead girls. [But again she's never allowed to be sure of anything ever again.]
Exactly! And like I said, I'm going to finish what I started. [SHE KNEW CLOVER WOULD GET IT...
But okay on to less shounen and actually useful shit, she gives a shrug back at Clover's glance.] Same here. Gilbert or one of the others would probably be more useful right now, they've been around longer. [But she'll give his left shoulder a squeeze anyway.]
[ Surprisingly, Break frowns slightly. It seems like that might have not been the answer he was looking for or maybe expecting. Yet even so, whatever he's thinking, he doesn't really elaborate on that. He just nods, since if it's other dead people, that's a bit boring, but at least somewhat easier to guess. ]
Are they the other ghosts that have been lingering here longer? I've overheard some names.
[ He waves his hand vaguely, since he sure didn't care... ]
Um... Do you think Prussia counts as "dead we know"? [Clover takes an extra moment to consider this, her face scrunched up in contemplation, before she reaches out to tap Break's left shoulder.] Probably, right? [Is Prussia worth the extra twenty questions they're going to need to figure out what a yes and a no would mean......]
Everyone saw her here and we know she's dead, that's good enough for me. [not worth it at all in her opinion....] Seriously, is there any way we can answer him without having to do yes or no questions? This is gonna take forever and he might not get the answers he wants anyway. How do we give him his sight back?
[ At least Break gets right to the heart of his concern knowing this much, since, well. He's a jerk. ]
Are they actually useful or important in any way? [ harsh, but he explains, at least ] I won't waste further questions if you don't think they're going to be able to help with this situation.
Sight doesn't really work that way... [Every day it's something new with Undyne.] But unless we can write for someone else to read, I've got nothing, and I don't think that's happening. [Break's too goddamn sketchy.
She kind of squints at the next question.] I dunno, I spoke to her once and I still don't know what she was talking about.
What about some kind of code? Or maybe we can write the letters on his back! [surely Break has enough daredevil skills to tell this right if matt murdock can do it so can he]
Same here...I guess she probably knows more about the history of the town and the people running this place than anyone else? That might come in handy at some point? But if she's been there all this time and hasn't escaped yet, I don't know what good she'll be to us.
[She'll squeeze his left shoulder, then tap his right one. Hopefully Break can translate the 'maybe' from that....]
[ At least he's already had to deal with Gilbert's unhelpful question answering, so he understands that this is a "maybe" well enough. He does pause to consider it, but before he pursues that, he might as well ask something else first. ]
Do you know anything about how to stop this? Or how to save any of you?
Well...we can try? Codes are tough if you can't communicate them before you make them, but even if letter-tracing takes longer, it'd be more exact if he got it.
[She deflates at that next question, though, and it takes her a moment, but she heavily taps his right shoulder and clings a little tighter to Undyne's back.]
Alisha asked that, too, at the slumber party... Do you really think it's possible? [Why does this question keep coming up, where do you guys get all this optimism from??? Dead is dead and her mind's made up, so there's no telling if she means to ask either or both or neither of them.]
Of course I do! We're still around, aren't we? So we're not really dead yet!
[There's zero doubt in Undyne's voice. Monster souls disappear when they die, and since she's still here, this can't be the end yet. She still has a sinparent's ass to kick.
But Clover seems like she's unsure, so Undyne gives her as big and genuine smile as she can.]
We're still here...and we still have people we care about and want to see again. As long as we have love for the people we care about, faith in the future, and don't ever lose hope...then we'll always have good luck, right? You, and me, and Break too.
[ He frowns slightly, since that's of course a disappointing answer in a different way. He knows that if it were simple enough as them knowing the answer to either of those questions, then he certainly would have heard it by now. And yet, he still seems uncertain, and that gets him to pause for several moments as he mulls something over. It gets him to smile, but it's a distant, faintly bitter smile.
He's remembering her words. It's not as if he'd ever forget them, really, but this ridiculous situation has brought them to mind much more frequently than he'd like. He'll never forget the paradoxically gentle voice that taunted him any more than he would forget that blindingly beautiful white.
But you can't save anyone, can you?
Break nods, and he laughs, though it's a sound so soft that it's barely even that much. ]
Well, then that makes it simple. So much for not forgetting my priorities.
[ Which is a cryptic statement to the two of them, but it's not really meant to be for either of them either. He shrugs, but then straightens as his expression turns more serious and less morose. ]
Then I'll ask the same thing of you that I asked Gilbert. I need you two to be my eyes. If you see anything that seems like it could do either of those things, I want you to tell me right away. No matter how small or insignificant it might seem.
[ He pauses, since this is the part that's more difficult for him, but he at least says it clearly. ]
I need your help. So even if you have to do this quietly without drawing anyone's attention, help me. If there's a way, I'll find it, but I can't do it alone.
[Play enough murdergames and the optimism gets beaten out of you real fast, but listening to Undyne is all it takes to get Clover to perk up, and her smile is about as bright as can be even though it shakes.] You remembered!
[Maybe she can't believe that there's a way out this just yet, but the leaf words are enough of a reminder that just existing, even like this, is worth something, too.] Right. All three of us—and the others, too. [The others that aren't shitheads, anyway. For now, she makes a mental note to find a way to share those words with Break, too, once a chance comes.
It's Undyne's turn to answer but Clover still reaches for Break's hand so she can mimic Undyne's earlier action of curling it into a fist to bump hers against. Any kind of reassurance is worth the energy it takes, especially when it's for a promise like this.] Whatever we can do to help. We're in this together.
[Undyne reaches out and ruffles Clover's hair, glad to see her smiling again.] I would never forget something that important. [Especially since it came to her in a DEATH LETTER...
But wow, Break asking for help instead of trying to do everything alone! This is a new experience for everyone. She doesn't hesitate for a second before gripping his left shoulder strongly.]
Whatever it takes, Break. You won't have to go through this alone. [Words that Break will probably heavily regret saying in the upcoming few days....]
[ He actually already feels regret, but it's not quite for how much he's going to get his ass kicked in the next few days. It's far more simple than that, since asking for help is never easy for him to do, and it feels far, far more awkward without any verbal response. Even with that reassuring grip on his shoulder, he still feels how heavy the silence is here in the face of something he finds pretty embarrassing.
His face starts to take on a bit of color, but it's not quite the flush of anger or indignant embarrassment this time around. He's a bit awkward in how he bows his head, almost hesitating to do so, but really? The expression on his face would seem like he's touched by the gesture of trust. ]
[She makes the single most unnecessarily dramatic groaning noise she's currently capable of and makes a big show of fixing her hair, but the smile stays, definitely in part because of that look on Break's face. Enjoy these touching expressions of friendship while you can, kiddos; three days from now we're gonna come this fuckin close to killing this man in his own bathroom.
And the other major contributing factor keeping her perky—and it's not like there's really any point to whispering, but that doesn't stop Clover from doing so and leaning in so Undyne can hear:] He got into the safe, didn't he?
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Good plan. You wanna go first then? [She says after she's already wasted energy kicking an old man when he's down....]
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Stop using your energy for useless things like smacking me!
[ Or just don't smack him? But he knows that one is impossible to ask, so he just sighs and motions to each shoulder as he explains. ]
My left shoulder is "yes," and the right is "no."
[ But though he explains that, he does pause, since he still wants to choose his questions carefully here. At least he doesn't have to worry about quite the same things he had with Gilbert, but those concerns are still there. ]
...The women that you fought, Undyne. Have you met them since?
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That's for you, so guess not. [Even though she's mmmmostly sure she knows the answer, but Undyne's full of surprises. Clover's never allowed to be completely sure of anything ever again.]
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But wow, what a terrible question to start on if he wanted her to conserve her strength. She taps his right shoulder once, and then proceeds to grip it tightly and lower her head so she can speak directly into his ear.]
I know you probably can't hear me, but I'm gonna say this out loud anyway because maybe your heart can pick up what your ears can't. I have no idea what you're doing here, but if you see either of those cowardly cheating despicable disgraces again, tell them that the next time I see them, I'm gonna finish the job.
Actually, you can take Satan, I don't need to waste my energy on someone I already know I can beat. But Lucifer is mine. I'll make her regret ever even thinking about associating her name with Pride when she clearly has none herself!
[And then she lets go. This too was also an incredibly necessary use of her ghost energy.]
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He does seem relieved by that information, though. Even if he assumes Undyne would absolutely like to fight them again, he's more content in the idea that the dead will be a little safer than that. He worries about them, in his way. ]
...If I'm understanding that correctly, then at least allow me to waste my breath for a minute and say that you shouldn't fight them again even if you have the opportunity. You embarrassed them, and that's victory enough, isn't it?
[ It isn't, and he knows it... He would take great satisfaction in it himself, certainly, but it's also not as good as actually killing them. But while Break knows that about himself, he doesn't want to encourage serial killer qualities in others, so. ]
Is there anyone else with you, then? Besides the dead we know.
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You're gonna kick their asses the second they're stupid enough to mess with you again. [Some peanut gallery commentary from the person present who can actually hear Undyne's shounen intensity, and if she looks she'll see that Clover's expression is full of admiration.
In the meantime, she reaches out and taps Break's left shoulder firmly, but with significantly less shounen determination.]
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That's not a victory at all! Enemies of justice need to be struck down! Especially the filthy lying cheating backstabbing ones with no honor! [YOU CAN'T TELL HER WHO SHE CAN'T FIGHT BREAK!! She'll fight them even if it means ruining all his plans and sending the entire town plunging into Bad End her grudgewank knows no bounds
Honestly, it's a good thing Clover decided to interrupt by answering Break's actual question, because she was about two seconds away from severely confusing him by smacking his right shoulder for no it's not enough and no she's not going to listen to his stupid weenie advice.]
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Are they other dead, or is it a bit different than that? Left if they're other dead, right if it's something else.
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Clover glances up at Undyne, expectant.] Well, I've only seen the dead girls. [But again she's never allowed to be sure of anything ever again.]
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But okay on to less shounen and actually useful shit, she gives a shrug back at Clover's glance.] Same here. Gilbert or one of the others would probably be more useful right now, they've been around longer. [But she'll give his left shoulder a squeeze anyway.]
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Are they the other ghosts that have been lingering here longer? I've overheard some names.
[ He waves his hand vaguely, since he sure didn't care... ]
People that were here before us, essentially.
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Are they actually useful or important in any way? [ harsh, but he explains, at least ] I won't waste further questions if you don't think they're going to be able to help with this situation.
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She kind of squints at the next question.] I dunno, I spoke to her once and I still don't know what she was talking about.
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Same here...I guess she probably knows more about the history of the town and the people running this place than anyone else? That might come in handy at some point? But if she's been there all this time and hasn't escaped yet, I don't know what good she'll be to us.
[She'll squeeze his left shoulder, then tap his right one. Hopefully Break can translate the 'maybe' from that....]
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Do you know anything about how to stop this? Or how to save any of you?
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Well...we can try? Codes are tough if you can't communicate them before you make them, but even if letter-tracing takes longer, it'd be more exact if he got it.
[She deflates at that next question, though, and it takes her a moment, but she heavily taps his right shoulder and clings a little tighter to Undyne's back.]
Alisha asked that, too, at the slumber party... Do you really think it's possible? [Why does this question keep coming up, where do you guys get all this optimism from??? Dead is dead and her mind's made up, so there's no telling if she means to ask either or both or neither of them.]
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[There's zero doubt in Undyne's voice. Monster souls disappear when they die, and since she's still here, this can't be the end yet. She still has a sinparent's ass to kick.
But Clover seems like she's unsure, so Undyne gives her as big and genuine smile as she can.]
We're still here...and we still have people we care about and want to see again. As long as we have love for the people we care about, faith in the future, and don't ever lose hope...then we'll always have good luck, right? You, and me, and Break too.
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He's remembering her words. It's not as if he'd ever forget them, really, but this ridiculous situation has brought them to mind much more frequently than he'd like. He'll never forget the paradoxically gentle voice that taunted him any more than he would forget that blindingly beautiful white.
But you can't save anyone, can you?
Break nods, and he laughs, though it's a sound so soft that it's barely even that much. ]
Well, then that makes it simple. So much for not forgetting my priorities.
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Then I'll ask the same thing of you that I asked Gilbert. I need you two to be my eyes. If you see anything that seems like it could do either of those things, I want you to tell me right away. No matter how small or insignificant it might seem.
[ He pauses, since this is the part that's more difficult for him, but he at least says it clearly. ]
I need your help. So even if you have to do this quietly without drawing anyone's attention, help me. If there's a way, I'll find it, but I can't do it alone.
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[Maybe she can't believe that there's a way out this just yet, but the leaf words are enough of a reminder that just existing, even like this, is worth something, too.] Right. All three of us—and the others, too. [The others that aren't shitheads, anyway. For now, she makes a mental note to find a way to share those words with Break, too, once a chance comes.
It's Undyne's turn to answer but Clover still reaches for Break's hand so she can mimic Undyne's earlier action of curling it into a fist to bump hers against. Any kind of reassurance is worth the energy it takes, especially when it's for a promise like this.] Whatever we can do to help. We're in this together.
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But wow, Break asking for help instead of trying to do everything alone! This is a new experience for everyone. She doesn't hesitate for a second before gripping his left shoulder strongly.]
Whatever it takes, Break. You won't have to go through this alone. [Words that Break will probably heavily regret saying in the upcoming few days....]
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His face starts to take on a bit of color, but it's not quite the flush of anger or indignant embarrassment this time around. He's a bit awkward in how he bows his head, almost hesitating to do so, but really? The expression on his face would seem like he's touched by the gesture of trust. ]
...Then I'm counting on you.
[ and instead they just BREAK HIM!!! ]
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And the other major contributing factor keeping her perky—and it's not like there's really any point to whispering, but that doesn't stop Clover from doing so and leaning in so Undyne can hear:] He got into the safe, didn't he?
[GLITTERBOMB SUCCESS]