SPENDING HOURS BENEATH LANTERN LIGHT

* a toast... to the end of the world !

priv  &&  selective  seam  from  toby  fox’s  deltarune,  stitched  by  eros.  affiliated  &&  exclusive  with  @courtsjesters jevil.  please  read  my  carrd  before  following. ✷ ✷ ✷  header art credit | dash icon art credit | rp icon art credit  ✷ ✷ ✷

this shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone, considering it’s been a while since i posted, but for the sake of covering my bases —

Ever since Noelle found herself in the strange place; she found everything fascinating and a bit frightening as she tried to figure out how she ended up in the location in the first place… Soon, she crossed path with the blue cat; feeling the stare on her as she felt uneasy.

It felt like they were staring into her very soul and looking at it.

“Ah…. I am, aren’t I…?” She gave a sheepish smile before giving a nod. “And I would like that…. Umm…. Sir?”

DESPITE THE ODDLY intense way in which seam looks at her — as if it knows far too much — it’s friendly and amenable all the same. “come on back, then. perhaps i have something else that will help you along your way.”

as the stories go, it is the purpose of darkners to serve and assist lightners. and though seam has its own feelings about this particular bit of legend, it seems that that’s become less of a commandment and more an engrained part of the world. how else could it be that the collection of seemingly useless junk it’s accumulated over the years could have exactly the right tools to assist the heroes on their journey?

in the meantime though, what matters is quelling the nerves of the poor lightner girl who, as far as seam can tell, is not part of any legend. she’s ended up here quite by mistake.

@soilslcpt​: Guess who's poking around where they shouldn't be-that's right! It's Chara! / UNPROMPTED.

"AH, i was wondering when you—”

their good eye widens, mouth opening in a slight gasp of surprise, as seam realizes that the lightner standing in their shop is not kris at all. in all fairness — they bear an uncanny resemblance. not just another lightner, but a human as well? dark hair, odd expression, something else seam can’t place…

this world confused her. she’s come across some very strange monsters–monsters that called themselves darkners?– and toriel was relieved to meet a friendly face it seems. she was hesitant at first, to take a stranger’s offer. 

“seam?”

it was an odd name, but fitting for an odd place she was in. she offered a timid smile and decided to take his offer. “t-thank you. my name is toriel. and tea would…actually be lovely.” she followed him in, taking in the new surroundings with curiosity. “thank you for having me as a guest. it has–been a strange journey. though part of me is hoping all of this is a dream.” she said, giving a nervous laugh. 

THERE’S ALWAYS a small spark of joy that comes with a stranger giving pause when they hear its name. its smile widens gleefully. “seam,” they affirm. “spelled like ‘seam’.” this is where, during a performance, they would have tapped the stitching at the top of their head and swept the hat from between their ears into a deep bow, before moving onto their next trick. instead, they simply wink with their one good eye, and hope she gets the joke.

“miss toriel. it’s a pleasure.” ambling into the back, tail swishing behind them, seam listens to her explanation. “it’s not often a LIGHTNER finds their way into our world, although…” although it’s been happening more often these days. “you lightners have a gift,” they continue. “the ability to enter the dark world, when we cannot cross into the light. we do not mourn this loss. that is simply the way of the world.” 

it had been long since it laid its eyes on seam, the old cat often found with dear friend jevil. the old duo were such a sight to behold in their hayday, & it was curious if the old cat still held true. it was placing it’s weight onto its spear, inspecting seam with a sort of curiosity that kept it silent. the magician hadn’t changed much, aside from the eyes. perhaps the way seam stood had changed, became older in stature. it was only natural the passage of time would take hold on a plush that’s seen so much. it hums quietly.

so long it had been.

“ … a curiosity of sorts, draws me to seek what has become of the vacant court. i hadn’t known you took up something so … below yourself since your time as magician.” it muses, with a small smile on it’s rosy cheeks. “ what drives you to these simple things, as a collector, now that your magic seems to pervade you? ” it twirls its spear, before settling it in it’s palm, keenly watching the shopkeep.

THE PLEASANT demeanor dissipates at once, seam’s expression flattening as it meets the stranger’s smile with a somewhat empty stare of its own. 

“CURIOSITY,” it drawls, almost a purr to its tone, “killed the cat. is that not how the old adage goes?” seam’s face seems to split as they smile wide, revealing sharp incisors, and yet there is no brightness to their gaze. if anything, they seem more tired than usual. “ha ha… funny, isn’t it, how much pleasure we take in the mundane in our old age. i suppose you wouldn’t know anything about that, though… one day!”

a shrug, and seam draws aside the curtain, a silent invitation for the other to follow them into the back of the shop. “i apologize. it’s rude to keep a guest waiting in the foyer.” they turn their back and amble inside, leaving no option but to follow. “i simply collect what i find. old, discarded objects with little value to anyone… who knows! they make for interesting decorations, and even more interesting stories!” 

     @courtsmagicians      ;     ♡ ‘d!

     *  ‘what’s  it  like  having  a  button  eye?’  curiosity  once  again  gets  the  better  of  you  before  you  even  get  the  chance  to  stop  yourself  from  running  your  mouth.  still,  asking  such  a  question  shouldn’t  be  so  bad,  right?  after  all,  you  are  simply  curious.  being  around  monsters  with  parts  that  don’t  quite  align  to  your  own  is  fascinating,  after  all.  you  just  can’t  help  yourself  at  times.

    *  ‘since  it  has  ..  three  holes  and  all,  do  you  see  thrice  as  well?  or  are  you  thrice  as  blind  in  that  one?’  you  tilt  your  head  to  the  side.  interested,  you  are.  you  wonder  if  this  is  any  offense  to  seam  –  but  does  that  really  apply  when  referring  to  a  plush  cat?  ah.  maybe  you’re  being  strange.  you  wonder  briefly  if  your  mother  would  be  surprised  if  she  found  out  you  go  around  asking  nonchalantly  about  monster  parts.

IF THERE’S ONE thing seam isn’t used to, it’s being asked questions about themself. it’s been a long time since anyone took interest in them. a long time since someone came along who didn’t know everything seam had been willing to share, once upon a time.

that’s the thing about their little kingdom — everyone knows everyone, and everyone knows everything about everyone.

but that’s all CHANGED now, hasn’t it?

the lightner has no fear, or so it seems. no filter between thought and word. and the barrage of questions catch the old shopkeeper by surprise, for seam cannot fathom a reason why someone would want to know such things.

perhaps it is this impropriety that warms them to the idea of being open once more. it’s almost exciting, to be in the presence of someone unpredictable once again.

“you have quite the     IMAGINATION,   ” seam says with a warm laugh that’s more of a purr. “that’s a good thing! i think this world would be better off if everyone had a little more imagination.”

it’s an odd thing to say about a place forged entirely from children’s toys and games. enough, even, to perhaps make one wonder if it’s the dark world that seam is speaking of.