September Catch-All

[friendlyflower]

Who: Flowey & Emporio, Anasui, Akechi, Firoza, and maybe YOU!
What: Quests, discussing Theories, hearing stories, and rumors of a certain boy's birthday (aka-- I decided Flowey's birthday is on the Undertale anniversary, September 15th)
Where: Furnace Mountain, in & around Death Blood Murder Skull Town
When: Throughout September
Warnings: Potential Pokemon battling (violence/injury), Flowey's trauma (mentions of/themes of depression, depersonalization, guilt, child death, murder)

Comments

Flowey's Birthday (OTA)

[friendlyflower]

i. Premonition

[Flowey doesn't know how the rumor got out. Maybe it was Lusamine, before she fell into a coma. Maybe it was Chara, getting revenge for him accidentally letting their name slip on the Grumpearl network. Maybe it was Ribombee or Dr. Denne or even that bastard best friend, Malamar.

Either way, rumors spread that today, September 15th, is Flowey's birthday.

This infuriates him to no end. It would've been Asriel's birthday, but that kid is gone. If anyone asks him, he replies with:]

Birthday? Buddy, you think flowers had birthdays? And what would I ask for, a shiny red bike with a basket? Don't be stupid.

ii. Uwa!! So Birthday

[For some reason, a small group of Pokemon has taken it upon themselves to throw a little party for Flowey in the Canopy. An assortment of ripe berries and baked goods serve as party refreshments. Flowey is wearing a party hat, sitting in a corner. If he had arms, he would be crossing them.

You can say that your character was involved in setting up the party if you would like. If nobody else would have set up the party, then it's going to be a small assortment of NPC Pokemon that Flowey was involved in rescuing or helping throughout the months.

Feel free to arrive with a gift, a snack, or just to wish Flowey a happy birthday.]

iii. Wildcard, Start!

[Feel free to throw any other birthday-related prompt at Flowey. Here's a few notes:

- This takes place in the middle of the month, so this is concurrent with the test drive. Flowey is hiding out from Skull Town because he doesn't want to be brainwashed with Froslass.
- He would be turning 13. He has graduated from edgy tween to edgy teen.
- This is, in fact, after his broadcast where he crashed out over Lusamine's coma and said he wants everyone to die.]

ii

[bladeofnymeia]

[Firoza's been out in Skull Town for most of the month, but - with Froslass's blessing (and probably because the ghost thinks she'll bring more people back with her) - Firoza had made the trek back to Bottlecap Bay for Flowey's nameday.

BIRTHDAY, sorry. Birthday. Even if it's the same dang thing, she's trying to keep to what most people tend to call things.

But anyway. The further she gets from the outpost, the more Firoza realizes she's been acting weird, over there. That maybe it's not completely her own will driving her chipper enthusiasm. And that's...concerning. But she's made her bed there, in a way - she'll be returning, if only to make sure to try and keep other people relatively safe. In some capacity. Someway.

For now, Flowey gets a remarkably lucid Firoza presenting him with...a hat. A green knitted hat for his tiny Sunkern head.]

Happy Nameday, Flowey.

[...Mm, old habits.]

[friendlyflower]

[Flowey... isn't sure what to think upon seeing her after their Grumpearl conversation. He feels like there are a lot of unanswered questions, and they have a lot in common, and he wonders if he should apologize for his behavior. Not that he wants to or like he could really mean it, soulless as he is.

But still, he resolved to try being nicer. He puts on a smile.

... Golly, she made the trek away from her precious Froslass cult just to be here. That's nice, isn't it? All for someone like him.]

Nameday, huh? [That's funny to him. He chose his name on a completely different day. ... but, he's not going to say that.] Gee, thanks, Firoza!

[He puts on the hat. It smothers his leaves a little, but it is warm. That will be useful going forward.]

... Thanks for making it out here. I know it's a real trip.

[bladeofnymeia]

It wasn't a bother.

[Just hitched along with a supply run or something, it's fine.]

Besides - it's going to be cold soon, isn't it? And since you're a plant, I thought to myself, you might need this sooner rather than later. Apologies that my knitting isn't nearly as skillful as it could be...

[Weavers do be out here learning everything, but Nidoran paws are not the best for it, especially when most of her focus has been on refining sewing and embroidery techniques.]

[friendlyflower]

[He hasn't been thinking about the winter as much as he should have. He wasn't sure if he would make it this far or not, honestly.]

Knitting? Was that your hobby in your downtime from killing godlike monsters or whatever?

pREMONITION

[seacub]

[Now now.

Surely, their friend Malamar meant well,

In any case, Emporio just blinks.]

...Well, it would still mark the passage of time I guess...

Are bikes normal birthday presents then? I thought it was a fiction thing.

[There's always SOMETHING with this kid-]

[friendlyflower]

[Leave it to Emporio to knock him out of feeling miserable by saying something even sadder.]

...

[He thinks about saying "no, I was just joking," but Emporio will know. Ugh!!!!]

Hey, do you know when your birthday is?

[seacub]

[Whoops! Thaaaaat's him-

He didn't even mean it. He just said it like he'd say the sky is blue.

...

Probably makes it all worse, honestly. Still, he can see a deflection when it's happening, and....he can guess why, so he'll just nod and answer the question.]

Not technically. Not if we're talking about when I was actually born anyway.

[It is what it is!] But, when I realized they were for counting how old you were, I used that day to start count. So, my birthday's in February.

[friendlyflower]

Maybe I oughta start making plans! Probably no bikes, but still... maybe a baseball bat? Great for games and you could knock some heads with it, too!

[His own 'birthday'? Pass. But this kid needs a freaking break.]

ii

[offtracks]

[ Ingo's not accustomed to birthdays being a celebration at all, much less being invited to one of those! They're really only celebrated for certain milestones in a young person's life, in Hisui, and he just isn't all that close to that many children. So, he's assumed that this must be a very important day for Flowey indeed! ]

Flowey! Good afternoon! How old does today make you?

imagine gloomy sunkern in a party hat

[friendlyflower]

[There is nothing he wants less in this world than to honestly answer that question. He doesn't know how long he spent resetting. He doesn't know if it really counts. He doesn't know if any of this should count, being dead as he is. This entire day sucks.

He's also wearing a party hat and somehow there's confetti on him.]

I guess I would've been 13.

[offtracks]

Oh - I did not realize you were so young!

[ Would've been? Well, Ingo supposes time gets a little strange when you switch worlds and likely calendars. ]

I did not know how old I was at all, until I met Emmet here!

[friendlyflower]

[Ugggghhhhhh! He knew this was a terrible idea! Now everyone's going to think he's a stupid baby!!!!!!!!]

Yeah, whatever. How old are you, gramps? 60? 70?

ii

[telewarped]

[In Shoka's case, it might actually be for the best that Flowey's birthday coincided with Froslass' arrival. Though showing up to the party takes Shoka out of her way, the queen's influence also has her feeling more in tune with her Mimikyu side than usual, making finishing Flowey's present a breeze, and it's also put her very much in the mood for celebrations and decorating.

Given her general work ethic, she may not have volunteered to help with the setup ahead of time, but after she arrives early, she's almost definitely helping out anyway—and later, when she finds an opportunity for it, she'll shuffle over to Flowey, holding a parcel wrapped loosely in paper.]

Happy birthday, dweeb. You are rocking the crown, by the way.

[She points to his party hat.]

[friendlyflower]

Yeah, laugh it up. You're just saying that because you know I can't take the stupid thing off. [He's clearly still grumpy, but happy to see her in his usual 'I don't actually care' sort of way. He can't help it-- he's clearly excited by the present. Thank goodness the thing is barely wrapped so he can mostly pull it open with his mouth. Once it's open, he eagerly peers inside.]

[telewarped]

No, no, I totally mean it! It's so you.

[In that it's pointed? Anyway, when he looks inside the parcel, the first thing he'll see is the image of a skull, lovingly knitted in black and white. His gift is a cozy-looking hat decorated with skulls and an impressive mohawk of yarn. It's apparently handmade, if its small imperfections are any indication.]

Buuut if you do want a break from it... At least you'll have a replacement.

Uwa!! So birthday!

[colorsflyinghigh]

[It is so, so very typical for Ren to celebrate someone else's birthday, but not his own. Honestly, he doesn't even think about the fact that he and Flowey apparently share a birthday. It's not even a speck of a thought on his mind as he helps set up a party for Flowey.

When the party is going, and he's made sure everything he's responsible for is in order, he goes up to Flowey. He's carrying a small satchel. Inside: an assortment of poffins, because he's not sure what flavor Flowey prefers.

... Pfff. That face... ]

So grumpy, and that on your birthday, [Ren says with a grin.] Not enjoying your party?

[friendlyflower]

Of course I'm 'enjoying' it. Don't I look like I'm just having a blast? [Why this person went to the trouble of setting up a birthday celebration for him, Flowey can't tell. Because he's Akechi's stubborn, hopeful boyfriend? Because they went on a mission or two together? Just circumstance? What's he getting out of this?]

Here's a question. Would YOU be happy celebrating your birthday right now?

[colorsflyinghigh]

[Good question! Considering it is Ren's actual birthday...]

It'd be nice, I guess, [he says with a small smile,] but I don't find it that important, either. It's your birthday, isn't it?

[He'd much rather do something for someone else. Not like he's really celebrated his birthday properly in a few years, beyond the obligated 'happy birthday' from his parents (and even then, they didn't even bother with a text, last year). It's not something he really misses, or feels attached to.]

Hmm, y'know, if you hate it that much, you could just leave, [he says with a grin.] But you're still here. Why is that?

your best friend

[consequerer]

[ Who could've possibly let it slip? Was it Chara?

It wasn't not Chara. My, what motives their best friend ascribes to them, though. Surely they would not do something so mean-spirited...? For all that Flowey might claim to be miserable or above it all, there's at least a few moments they'd noted as they drifted by, lurking in the shadows of the dense canopy above, where his excitement betrayed himself.

So Flowey's made friends despite himself. What a thought. This world ...

When the proceedings have quieted down somewhat, and fewer Pokemon remain, Chara drifts up through the floor. Their mask is nowhere to be seen, leaving them free to lounge idly in odd positions in the air in defiance of gravity. ]

And so the passage of time continues apace. It is still strange to think of, is it not?

Happy birthday.

[friendlyflower]

[Flowey's excitement betrays him a few times, as Chara noticed. There may also have been a few times where they noticed that he was visibly looking for someone.

By the time Chara shows up, most of the sweets have already been eaten. Flowey has stubbornly saved one of the last chocolate-flavored confections. He's finally thrown off the party hat and is wearing his new skull-print beanie proudly.]

Howdy! Finally decided to show up, huh? Welcome to my amazing Cheri Guild housing!

[It's... still pretty pathetic, even though he clearly tried to make it look nicer. A pile of leaves in the corner must be his bed. The various food offerings have been placed on massive palm leaves which otherwise rest on the ground in lieu of a table. A few basic party decorations and games have been brought in, but otherwise, the room is empty. Flowey's little satchel rests in another corner, stuffed full of various seeds. The only thing of note in the room is a Sun Stone, sitting on a little shelf on the wall, glowing faintly in the natural light.]

That's right. It sucks. You already knew I was bluffing, didn't you?

[consequerer]

I was not going to say anything.

[ Maybe it's a little unfair that even like this, their poker face is as inscrutable as ever. The benefits of being a ghost without very obviously expressive features.

They do, however, raise their arms in an approximation of a casual shrug, tail swinging: ] But yes, I might have had an idea. [ Might have. ] I have tried to get a general idea of where it is we've found ourselves, after all.

[ That said, they do find themself curious... ]

Does it not discomfort you, having the leaves covered?

[ How much does and does he not have in common with a 'normal' plant? Flower monsters were not exactly a common sight in the Underground, for perhaps a number of obvious reasons. ]

uwa!! so birthday (just don’t look at the date)

[dunchies]

[ Brainwashing aside, Laios would have made an appearance regardless of any mixed emotions still lingering in the back of his mind. For as much as Flowey reminds him too much of how he used to be, there’s a part of him that still feels the need to support him through it, too. Besides, it’s a month of celebrating! Why wouldn’t he want to be here! As for a gift though...

Poffins would be too obvious of a choice after their first encounter. No thumbs meant anything crafty was out of the question. Briefly, he wondered if Flowey might appreciate a cool bone or two, especially with that name he picked for the outpost, until he remembered how much he disliked the thought of killing other Pokémon.

Well, eating other Pokémon, but the same logic applies. That meant bonemeal and compost were also out. Despite the odds being stacked against him, Laios does eventually think of something, which he carefully carries to the Sunkern in a small bag. ]

Happy birthday, Flowey. Sorry I was a little late. [ Froslass business to attend to, after all. He glances around, making note of the party decor and snacks, before his eyes land on the Sunkern’s party hat. ] You’re turning... ten today?

[friendlyflower]

[He's turning 13, thank you very much! But there's nothing more childish than correcting someone else on age.] Oh, give or take a few years! It doesn't matter. Anyway! Great to see you, pal!

[His eyes settle on the small bag.] Aw, shucks, you shouldn't have!

[dunchies]

[ His smile doesn't waver, but he does tilt his head at being gently corrected. Laios is just glad Flowey seems to be enjoying himself after looking so glum back in Skull Town lately.

When he notices the birthday boy looking at his birthday gift, his expression seems to light up all over again. ]

You're really hard to find a present for, but I couldn't just show up empty-handed! [ Maybe a little too blunt, even for him, but he laughs it off. ] Here, I can get it out for you, actually. It's a bit sharp.

[ A beat. ]

Buuut... no peeking until it's on!

[ He's going to be weirdly adamant about this. Close your eyes, Flowey! Don't think about what it might be! ]