Y'know, maybe we can find a recipe for snail pie on the Everything Machine, eh? I'd try it. We can learn how to cook it together — the three of us.
[ A vague sort of tenderness about this suggestion as he continues butchering with well-taught care, a la his own adoptive dad-human. ]
So— you grew up with a human family first, then, uh— you died, and moved in with your monster family? Is that how it went?
[ It's a bit of a personal question, but delivered with some casualness, as Alberto removes the first fillet, flips the fish over, so its face is now facing Chara, and starts on removing the other half with the same deftness. ]
[Chara has a hunch that no one around here would know how to make snail pie, but hey it couldn't hurt to ask.
As to the next question? It makes Chara laugh.]
No, no. I died after I lived with Asriel, I ran away from my human family and fell into the Underground where the Monsters live and that's how I met the Dreemurrs.
Eh? "A kid like me?" What's that's supposed to mean? I mean, hey— keep your secrets, ragazzo, but— I'm just asking. Y'know, as a friend.
[ He peels the second fillet off, placing it on a spare plate off to the side, and chuckles to himself a bit abruptly, breaking the tension, as he lifts the mangled fish into the air proudly. ]
Ehiii~! Finito!
[ He turns it sideways so the face is looking at Chara, holding it out toward them slightly, a smirk growing on his face. He breaks up the awkward transition with some awkward humor, naturally, putting on a silly voice and making the butchered fish's mouth move as if it were talking. ]
[ That just makes Alberto laugh, lighthearted and amused. He likes Chara's dryness — it's easy to play off of for him. He sets the fish corpse aside in the sink, its head sticking out over the edge, saving it for... god knows what...? But slaps the remaining fish on the counter between them with a wet thump, laying the fillet knife down beside it. ]
Here. Wanna trade? You do this one. It's for Sofia and Carlo, so it doesn't need to be perfect.
[ He makes good use of their limited space, shifting whatever around as needed, as he moseys in on Chara's station with the finished herbs. He grabs another plate, pours some olive oil on it with his thumb over the mouth of the bottle, scatters the chopped herbs over it, throws in a large pinch of salt and a few twists of the peppercorn grinder, and slices up some of the loaf of bread with good speed (idly eating the end that he'd already nibbled off of beforehand)... As he does, he'll give a quick verbal crash course. ]
Slice it in short, shallow cuts along the dorsal fin first — feel for the bone as a guide. From head to tail. I'm left-handed, so I put the head to the left— do what's comfortable, y'know? Then deepen your knife until it opens the fish's body easily. It's all about the angle. The top toward the head will need more force, so just go for it, heh.
[Chara listens to Alberto's explanation of how to do what is needed with the fish, before they go about trying to do as instructed.
Which they do horrendously at, using the filet knife in the most awkward way possible. They're not used to using a blade like this, so they are most certainly showing it.]
[ He lets a little silence settle, some rather more classical opera music still casually playing on his phone softly on shuffle in the background than the more pop-y music that had been on when Chara had first arrived and been quickly forgotten and blended into vague noise for their tasking, as Alberto starts to take simple enjoyment in their work. After a second, though, he does cast an observational glance over at Chara's knifework and the awkwardness makes him smile a little lopsided smirk. He gently slaps at Chara's shoulder with the back of his nearest hand, inclining his head toward the knife in their hand.
He doesn't say anything, not even something innocent like "hey" or "like this" or so. He just gives them a knowing smile, eyelids lowered warmly, and twists his own knife in his hand to show what might be a more comfortable angle for slicing an invisible fish — the way Massimo showed him how to slice fish. And likewise, it's much in the same manner Massimo taught him how to twist a fork to eat pasta, after Alberto spent so long struggling to get one single damn noodle on his fork... A gentle tip. Not a critique. Just nonjudgmental guidance. ]
[Unfortunately Chara is so focused on what they are doing they don't notice Alberto's attempt to correct them, so they keep on keeping on. Getting frustrated before, well, they're putting down the fillet knife and letting out a deep breath as they go and pull out from their waist? Their own knife, which is more like a chef's knife, and decide to use that instead.
They're certainly more comfortable with this blade, and it shows in how they go about trying to butcher the fish once more although since it's not exactly made for it? It's still a sloppy job.]
[ Alberto goes about chopping up some parsley next, resuming with the mezzaluna, but he's quickly distracted when Chara whips their own knife out of fucking nowhere???! He stares at it with wide eyes and raised brows, before a lopsided grin grows on his face and he turns his gaze on Chara themself. ]
Ehi~! Nice knife. You just carry that around, eh?
[ ...unfazed. Not creeped out at all. Ostensibly thinks it's kinda cool. Oy. ]
[Knife outta nowhere, it's a skill of theirs really. They stop what they're doing when Alberto speaks to them, looking thoughtful as if they need to think on the answer to the question.]
Well yeah, it's better to have a weapon on you just in case something goes bad than to not have one.
[Yes, they said weapon. This knife isn't for fish but for people.]
[They don't seem to be bothered by Alberto mentioning he has swords, as if a kid owning swords is perfectly normal.]
Nah, I'm only good with a knife. [And a gun, and kicking and a book and frying pan... Undertale is weird okay?] Someone threatened to teach me sword stuff, but he's not here anymore.
"Threatened?!" You don't wanna learn? Swords are cool — I mean, c'mon, I even had a sword back on my island! You should try it! We could learn together!
[ He stops chopping in his excitement, waving the mezzaluna around empathically as he speaks, as if his hands are empty and not carrying a giant blade. ]
[ Alberto's eyes light up at the showiness. Cool. ]
Heh...! I already have— this cool guy, plus this sky monster lady...
[ He's satisfied with his parsley, and steps away to grab a big pot, moving a stack of other smaller pots and pans from the stool it sits on, quite noisily and clumsily. He hands it over to Chara and points to a sea salt grinder on the counter with his other hand. ]
Here. Fill this with water and put salt in it, like, forever.
[ Then picks up the fillet knife Chara had abandoned and starts de-skinning the fillets they'd both made as he continues conversation. ]
D'you know Signora Della? She's this seagull-dack-lady I know. She wants to teach me how to fight. She and I fought a bunch of magic pumpkins together a while back and it was pretty cool. She's the one who told me I should get some swords, after she saw me fight off the scary pumpkins with my knife. But I dunno— a couple weeks ago, she told me she hates sea monsters... Said all sea creatures are disgusting and gross. So— even though she's really cool and I like her a lot— heh, I gotta be extra careful around her now, y'know?
[They have spoken to the duck woman before, and sometimes have gone over her posts even if they didn't reply to them, so they sort of know her. As they say this they're going to get the salt grinder and start filling the pot with water and salt.]
I kind of doubt she'd do anything to you if she learned the truth about you. She seems kinda... You know, wants to be a mother too much? Like she'd try too hard, even if she finds your real self gross. And anyway if she did try something? Just let me know, then she won't try anything again.
[ He barks a laugh, pausing in his skinning with his knife in midair. He's not sure why that comment rubs him the right way, because he does like Della, but it does. ]
I don't think Signora Della would try to hurt me or anything... She said she's met sea monsters, though, and everyone in her family likes the sea except her, I guess? We were looking at these beautiful magic paintings of the sea together when she told me. I guess she hates it. But... I dunno. You never know, y'know what I mean? Back home, land monsters hunted sea monsters, and— I just... wanna keep a low profile.
[ He sets aside the four skinned fillets on their own, sticking the dirty dishes in the sink, cleaning as he goes, surprisingly efficient in the kitchen. He leans over Chara and flips two burners on on the stove, one for the pot Chara prepared and another for a pan he goes to grab now. He grabs the bottle of olive oil again, eyeballing it as he pours some oil in the skillet with his thumb over the bottle's mouth casually once more, before taking the salt Chara'd used to season the fish gently on their plate. ]
Besides—
[ He slaps Chara's two sloppy fillets in first with an abruptly loud sizzle. ]
Signora Della's been fighting since she was our age. If she did decide to hurt me, ya think you could take her? Hah.
[Chara listens to Alberto's words, and is focused on the water going into the pot. Only stopping it when they feel it's full enough, since they're sure Alberto doesn't need to the pot filled to the brim. That and it's not like a glass of water after all, it doesn't need to be that full.
As to the question posed to them? They laugh.]
I've killed capable adults before, what's one more?
[ He turns on them with wide eyes, but noticeably less impressed than before. He reaches for a handful of capellini pasta from a canister and plops it in the pot once Chara has finished salting the water, leaving it uncovered. He grabs two pieces of the bread he'd sliced earlier, dipping both in the seasoned olive oil, and hands one slice to Chara as he leans his back casually against the counter, noshing on his, waiting for both the pasta and the fish to cook now that things are fully under way. ]
Eh, don't you try anything with Signora Della, now, ya hear me?
[ He should... probably be more concerned. Not that he's not but... Chara's a kid. They're younger than he is! How bad could it be?! Bad. Bad, Alberto, bad... ]
[They weren't bad people, but monsters doing what they thought they needed to to stay alive. A human on a rampage was like a hot knife through butter, making Monsters easy to kill without thinking about it too much.
ANYWAY, Chara takes the offered bread and sniffs it first. They've never had oil on bread before so they're cautious about eating it, as they take a bite and shake their head at Alberto's concern.]
I won't do anything without a reason, so as long as she doesn't hurt anyone I care about... We're good.
[ Alberto shrugs at that explanation, eating his bread with little decorum. ]
Eh. That's fair, I guess.
[ His time in this place has slightly led askew his already rather misguided moral compass.
What's more, though, is the warm smile that spreads on his face when Chara indirectly admits that they care about Alberto. They've done the Friendship Thing, officially, in his eyes. As if they already hadn't.
And as if it's at all related, because somehow in his mind it is, y'know re: killing things, as lighthearted and casual as this whole conversation has been, he poses another question. ]
[Only with Chara could you eat bread and discuss murder so casually. They chew on more of their bread, being more careful with it than Alberto is. As to the question, which there have been a lot of them this conversation, they answer it plainly.]
Nope, it wasn't really something we did back in the Underground.
[Unless hunting for trash in Waterfall counted, which Chara is sure does not count at all.]
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corruptedsave) wrote2021-03-02 10:49 pm
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[ A vague sort of tenderness about this suggestion as he continues butchering with well-taught care, a la his own adoptive dad-human. ]
So— you grew up with a human family first, then, uh— you died, and moved in with your monster family? Is that how it went?
[ It's a bit of a personal question, but delivered with some casualness, as Alberto removes the first fillet, flips the fish over, so its face is now facing Chara, and starts on removing the other half with the same deftness. ]
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[Chara has a hunch that no one around here would know how to make snail pie, but hey it couldn't hurt to ask.
As to the next question? It makes Chara laugh.]
No, no. I died after I lived with Asriel, I ran away from my human family and fell into the Underground where the Monsters live and that's how I met the Dreemurrs.
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[ No judgment in his tone as he finishes making his final slices. ]
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[It's not a nice reason, and one they prefer to keep to themselves. As they finish up with their own chopping of herbs.]
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[ He peels the second fillet off, placing it on a spare plate off to the side, and chuckles to himself a bit abruptly, breaking the tension, as he lifts the mangled fish into the air proudly. ]
Ehiii~! Finito!
[ He turns it sideways so the face is looking at Chara, holding it out toward them slightly, a smirk growing on his face. He breaks up the awkward transition with some awkward humor, naturally, putting on a silly voice and making the butchered fish's mouth move as if it were talking. ]
Ciao, Chara!
[ Yeah... "A kid like him." ]
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[Someone who doesn't know violence and bad stuff like Chara knows.
They can't help but roll their eyes at the fish shenanigans though.]
I draw the line at fish corpses, Alberto.
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Here. Wanna trade? You do this one. It's for Sofia and Carlo, so it doesn't need to be perfect.
[ He makes good use of their limited space, shifting whatever around as needed, as he moseys in on Chara's station with the finished herbs. He grabs another plate, pours some olive oil on it with his thumb over the mouth of the bottle, scatters the chopped herbs over it, throws in a large pinch of salt and a few twists of the peppercorn grinder, and slices up some of the loaf of bread with good speed (idly eating the end that he'd already nibbled off of beforehand)... As he does, he'll give a quick verbal crash course. ]
Slice it in short, shallow cuts along the dorsal fin first — feel for the bone as a guide. From head to tail. I'm left-handed, so I put the head to the left— do what's comfortable, y'know? Then deepen your knife until it opens the fish's body easily. It's all about the angle. The top toward the head will need more force, so just go for it, heh.
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[Chara listens to Alberto's explanation of how to do what is needed with the fish, before they go about trying to do as instructed.
Which they do horrendously at, using the filet knife in the most awkward way possible. They're not used to using a blade like this, so they are most certainly showing it.]
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He doesn't say anything, not even something innocent like "hey" or "like this" or so. He just gives them a knowing smile, eyelids lowered warmly, and twists his own knife in his hand to show what might be a more comfortable angle for slicing an invisible fish — the way Massimo showed him how to slice fish. And likewise, it's much in the same manner Massimo taught him how to twist a fork to eat pasta, after Alberto spent so long struggling to get one single damn noodle on his fork... A gentle tip. Not a critique. Just nonjudgmental guidance. ]
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They're certainly more comfortable with this blade, and it shows in how they go about trying to butcher the fish once more although since it's not exactly made for it? It's still a sloppy job.]
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Ehi~! Nice knife. You just carry that around, eh?
[ ...unfazed. Not creeped out at all. Ostensibly thinks it's kinda cool. Oy. ]
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Well yeah, it's better to have a weapon on you just in case something goes bad than to not have one.
[Yes, they said weapon. This knife isn't for fish but for people.]
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[ He resumes chopping parsley as if this is the most normal conversation. ]
Do you know how to use swords, too? I wanna learn how to sword fight. I have four.
[ Wh-Why does he have so much excess of everything...?! ]
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[They don't seem to be bothered by Alberto mentioning he has swords, as if a kid owning swords is perfectly normal.]
Nah, I'm only good with a knife. [And a gun, and kicking and a book and frying pan... Undertale is weird okay?] Someone threatened to teach me sword stuff, but he's not here anymore.
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[ He stops chopping in his excitement, waving the mezzaluna around empathically as he speaks, as if his hands are empty and not carrying a giant blade. ]
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[As if to make their point, they're going to twirl their knife in one hand before stabbing it into the fish's head.]
But I'm sure you can find someone who can teach you sword stuff around this place.
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Heh...! I already have— this cool guy, plus this sky monster lady...
[ He's satisfied with his parsley, and steps away to grab a big pot, moving a stack of other smaller pots and pans from the stool it sits on, quite noisily and clumsily. He hands it over to Chara and points to a sea salt grinder on the counter with his other hand. ]
Here. Fill this with water and put salt in it, like, forever.
[ Then picks up the fillet knife Chara had abandoned and starts de-skinning the fillets they'd both made as he continues conversation. ]
D'you know Signora Della? She's this seagull-dack-lady I know. She wants to teach me how to fight. She and I fought a bunch of magic pumpkins together a while back and it was pretty cool. She's the one who told me I should get some swords, after she saw me fight off the scary pumpkins with my knife. But I dunno— a couple weeks ago, she told me she hates sea monsters... Said all sea creatures are disgusting and gross. So— even though she's really cool and I like her a lot— heh, I gotta be extra careful around her now, y'know?
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[They have spoken to the duck woman before, and sometimes have gone over her posts even if they didn't reply to them, so they sort of know her. As they say this they're going to get the salt grinder and start filling the pot with water and salt.]
I kind of doubt she'd do anything to you if she learned the truth about you. She seems kinda... You know, wants to be a mother too much? Like she'd try too hard, even if she finds your real self gross. And anyway if she did try something? Just let me know, then she won't try anything again.
[Why yes, Chara did just make a threat.]
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[ He barks a laugh, pausing in his skinning with his knife in midair. He's not sure why that comment rubs him the right way, because he does like Della, but it does. ]
I don't think Signora Della would try to hurt me or anything... She said she's met sea monsters, though, and everyone in her family likes the sea except her, I guess? We were looking at these beautiful magic paintings of the sea together when she told me. I guess she hates it. But... I dunno. You never know, y'know what I mean? Back home, land monsters hunted sea monsters, and— I just... wanna keep a low profile.
[ He sets aside the four skinned fillets on their own, sticking the dirty dishes in the sink, cleaning as he goes, surprisingly efficient in the kitchen. He leans over Chara and flips two burners on on the stove, one for the pot Chara prepared and another for a pan he goes to grab now. He grabs the bottle of olive oil again, eyeballing it as he pours some oil in the skillet with his thumb over the bottle's mouth casually once more, before taking the salt Chara'd used to season the fish gently on their plate. ]
Besides—
[ He slaps Chara's two sloppy fillets in first with an abruptly loud sizzle. ]
Signora Della's been fighting since she was our age. If she did decide to hurt me, ya think you could take her? Hah.
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As to the question posed to them? They laugh.]
I've killed capable adults before, what's one more?
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[ He turns on them with wide eyes, but noticeably less impressed than before. He reaches for a handful of capellini pasta from a canister and plops it in the pot once Chara has finished salting the water, leaving it uncovered. He grabs two pieces of the bread he'd sliced earlier, dipping both in the seasoned olive oil, and hands one slice to Chara as he leans his back casually against the counter, noshing on his, waiting for both the pasta and the fish to cook now that things are fully under way. ]
Eh, don't you try anything with Signora Della, now, ya hear me?
[ He should... probably be more concerned. Not that he's not but... Chara's a kid. They're younger than he is! How bad could it be?!
Bad. Bad, Alberto, bad...]no subject
[They weren't bad people, but monsters doing what they thought they needed to to stay alive. A human on a rampage was like a hot knife through butter, making Monsters easy to kill without thinking about it too much.
ANYWAY, Chara takes the offered bread and sniffs it first. They've never had oil on bread before so they're cautious about eating it, as they take a bite and shake their head at Alberto's concern.]
I won't do anything without a reason, so as long as she doesn't hurt anyone I care about... We're good.
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Eh. That's fair, I guess.
[ His time in this place has slightly led askew his already rather misguided moral compass.
What's more, though, is the warm smile that spreads on his face when Chara indirectly admits that they care about Alberto. They've done the Friendship Thing, officially, in his eyes. As if they already hadn't.
And as if it's at all related, because somehow in his mind it is, y'know re: killing things, as lighthearted and casual as this whole conversation has been, he poses another question. ]
Ehi, cara, have you ever gone fishing?
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Nope, it wasn't really something we did back in the Underground.
[Unless hunting for trash in Waterfall counted, which Chara is sure does not count at all.]
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[ He looks a lot more shocked by this than at, y'know, Chara casually admitting to having murdered someone. Oh, boy. ]
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