Canyon Application

[spaghettimonster]

PLAYER INFORMATION

✘ Name: Swirl
✘ Age: 34
✘ Contact: PM or swirlingflight
✘ Character(s) currently in game: n/a
✘ Favorite horror tropes/events: Identity confusion, body swaps, transformation, mind alterations (especially altering key things that change a character's values or perception and exploring the consequences of those changes)
✘ Limits/Triggers: Images of realistic bloody self-harm, especially wrists. Untagged rape/noncon, suicidal thoughts, or depictions of suicide. Unavoidable caretaking of alcoholics.
✘ Invited by: Mel

CHARACTER INFORMATION

✘ Name: Papyrus
✘ Canon: Undertale
✘ Canon Point: Post-death in the genocide run =)

✘ Age: Unspecified in canon, estimated young-to-mid 20s - he's not a kid or teen, implied to be a younger adult. Let's go with 24.
✘ History: The Wiki is here but some of the details seem off. I wrote up a reference here (including the headcanons we're looking to use in the background)
✘ Personality:
[These sections are written as if Papyrus is compelled to ramble, so he keeps slipping and admitting/implying things, but isn't compelled to tell the absolute truth of what he thinks.]

You're assigned a group project. What role do you end up taking?

A group project, huh... Well, with my intelligence, and varied skills, and endless energy...! Naturally, I take on the role of encouraging everyone else. Specifically, by encouraging them to take my example. Working hard! Staying up all night if need be!

You might not think that I'm good at pushing others to work hard, if you've met my lazy brother Sans... But that would be jumping to conclusions of you! Sans is, indeed, very lazy. He hates to do much of anything. And yet! With my hard work, he applied for multiple jobs. He even goes to them, sometimes! It can be hard for some people to take initiative with things like that. They focus on what's not enjoyable, or they assume things will turn out for the worst, and they save their energy in hopes of tomorrow just being better...

But I say, what they need is to feel belief in something! Ideally, belief in themselves! And if they can't believe in themselves, well, it's perfectly fine to have a friend help by doing the believing for them. And that, is the perfect role for Papyrus in a group project. Leading by example in doing some of the work, yes... But, most of all, pushing everyone else to believe that they can do their parts and that it's worth doing their parts.

You have the chance to anonymously send a letter to someone who's wronged you in the past. What does it say?

Hmm... I'm not really a skeleton to dwell on the past. It all blurs together after a while, and thinking about it... It just wastes time I could spend on other, better, newer things. But! If I had to! I guess I'd send a letter to someone who wronged me very recently. My murderer. They're not just my murderer, I guess, since they killed a lot of other people too. Dogs who just wanted attention... Teenagers acting out... But, even if I'm not as dead as I expected, I take my death pretty personally. It's super messed up to walk around killing people! Even if they had awful things happen to them, and they thought it was the only way they could be safe, or something.

If I had longer to talk to them... Which I didn't, since I died talking to them... I would want to tell them, you can attack people without killing people?? That's an option. Sometimes having a conversation isn't enough, and that's what bullets are for. Magic bullets. Great for blowing off some energy, or whatever violent steam you need to blow off... but pull the blow at the end, so nobody dies. If they were just a little less murdery, I would have been happy to do that with them!

...Was it really so hard to believe me? To believe in themselves? I... I would want to ask them that. Even if they can't answer me, I want them to think about it, and maybe decide something different in the future.

Someone you admire very much has just done something you find reprehensible. How do you deal with the situation?

Well... I hope that doesn't happen for real. But sometimes, people make terrible choices. For reasons they think are good, or because they're too scared to do what's right, or because they don't feel capable of it, or... whatever. So! I take the time to remember, they're just a person doing the best they can. Even doing terrible things, is better than giving up and doing nothing, in some ways. Because! With a little guidance! They can do things that aren't reprehensible again.

So I, the great Papyrus, would offer my support. Helpful critiquing of when and where they went wrong, and what they really shouldn't have done! Ideas of better things, that they could have done instead! And, of course, a strong encouragement of what they really should do right now, instead of whatever garbage they were thinking before.

And beyond giving great advice, I stick with them. Unconditionally sticking around, so they don't feel like they've driven everyone away, so they don't feel abandoned... Because, I think, that's one of the worst things, about doing something reprehensible. Feeling like that's all they can ever be, anymore... It's important for them to know they can do better. That they can always choose to do better. And that they won't be alone in doing it! With a little support, and guidance, and not feeling alone, I'm sure they won't repeat whatever terrible choices they made.

If you could achieve all your goals right now, what would your life look like?

Wow. All of them?? All at once, right now???? What an incredible vision! Almost... overwhelming to imagine.

Starting with the essentials... I would be alive! Always alive, without any injuries that even hint at anything lethal that might have happened. And, maybe a little taller, and more muscular. You know, handsome, like I'm already handsome, but even more so.

I wouldn't be in this mystery city, looking for a whole new job to pay rent... But I wouldn't be back in Snowdin either. Instead! Somehow!! I would be on the surface, above the underground I know. Surrounded by friends! Like Undyne, and Flowey, and Sans, and anybody. Loads of people we know, and even more loads of people I don't know we know.

And, of course, I would be a member of the Royal Guard! Formally recognized and everything. Undyne's approval and pride in my accomplishments after all our training... Asgore's officiating in some impressive ceremony for people to cry at... Completely ready for the job, of being somebody that others trust in, to help and protect others... But cooler and better at it than the dogs. Everybody knowing about me, and how great I am, but not relying on me so much that I don't have time to do my own things. No hurt feelings to go around.

But with plenty of chances to fight. For showing off cool moves! Making threatening speeches! Knocking people out! And parting on good terms, all healed up. No big threats to everybody's happiness, either, because nobody has reasons to be murdery... And, uh. Then, I'm sure, finding new goals to work towards! A skeleton's work is never done!!!

Someone tells you all your flaws. What did they tell you, and are they right or wrong?

All of my flaws? That would take... barely any time at all!! Nyeh heh... heh.

...I guess, they might say... that I'm a little weird. Of course, only in the way that all handsome, unforgettable people stand out from a crowd! So maybe they would say I'm self-absorbed. But Papyrus cares about everyone. He doesn't think only about his own (very cool) self! Papyrus!! Generous with gifts and kindness. (Just, not bones.)

Oh, and sometimes people seem confused by the things I do. Left gawking at the masterful intuitive leaps I make... Baffled by my words, foiled by my puzzles, even laughing and moving on with their days... And that's fine! Not a flaw at all! Because, that's by design!!! A very intentionally crafted persona, for reasons. That I work very hard at maintaining. Maybe, some would say, too hard...? But that would be nonsense, trying hard is one of the most important things you can do.

Uhhh... And. One time, when Undyne didn't know I was at her door, and she was ranting to herself, and I couldn't help overhearing... She said, I'm naive? And too trusting? Those don't seem super flawsy... Thinking the best of others is important to being kind... But, then, I did die. I guess, if I thought a little less positively about the human, and a little more about the kind of punch they were packing... I might not have died. So! That's a flaw!!! Having a couple weak vertebrae in my neck. Good thing they're fused solid now!!! My head's not going anywhere, except in the direction of thinking great thoughts.

So, in summary. I am a little too punchable. In the sense that punching can be very lethal, not that people envy my coolness so much that they want to punch me. But maybe that a little, too. Who could blame them! I'm sure with enough time envying me, they'll emulate my coolness and kindness alike.

✘ Type: Mechanical
✘ Powers:
Power 1: ELECTROMAGNETIC RECEIVER, Papyrus now perceives a much wider range of radiation, between noticing when x-rays or microwaves are in use, hearing bits of radio chatter and phone calls, and even hearing stars. (The sun does not have anything useful to say, just a distant wailing, but it's better than creepy echo flower whispers.) Limitation, it's easier to function in the city and densely populated areas with man-made things than in places with fewer signals bouncing around, since the multitude becomes a white noise he can more easily tune out, while the sparser signals draw his attention in distracting ways.

Power 2: INTERCHANGEABLE PARTS, his bones largely become metal and circuitry, machine parts that can be redesigned, improved, or replaced - if he can get the parts for it. Limitation, there's handwavey software involved in making them work, leaving him at risk for viruses that lock up, shut down, or otherwise take control of different body parts.

Power 3: LINK WITH TECHNOLOGY, the ability to plug into devices and use them with his mind rather than the screen/keyboard/etc, as well as downloading files. Limitation, storing data on himself takes the same memory used for his feelings - the more digital stuff he takes in, the less processing power left for having emotions. His emotions can be rebooted by overwhelming him with emotions, whether through something traumatic/wonderful happening or an outside force (such as a Spiritual) inducing emotions - and resets like these may corrupt or delete the saved data.

✘ Inventory:
- Cell phone (hammerspace inaccessible),
- "Battle body" costume, as in his usual sprite costume
- C00L DuDE outfit worn underneath, as would've been revealed in the hangout if he wasn't murdered,
- Various beauty products: Bone Cologne, marinara sauce, MTT-Brand Bishie Cream, MTT-Brand Anime Powder, MTT-Brand Cute Juice, MTT-Brand Attraction Slime, MTT-Brand Beauty Yogurt

✘ Samples:
- meme thread: Sans and Papyrus in another day of their semi-dysfunctional skeleton household
- TDM thread: Nightmare transformation with Kavinsky