Chapter 96

After Frisk's last performance, Mettaton freaked out. He sent Papyrus and Undyne straight to the last stage with his trapdoors and took himself back to his dressing room to figure out how to salvage the mess that the little human brat was making.

After putting his body in its charger, Mettaton started pacing/floating around the room in his ghostly form while nervously checking his phone. Much to his surprise, the ratings were not dropping at all. They were growing and surpassing his wildest expectations.

Mettaton's mouth curled into a smile as he sat back in his vanity chair and put his phone in its charger. Everything was going swimmingly. The boy was a natural performer. Together, they would go places.

His ringing phone interrupted his thoughts of grandeur. Mettaton looked over to check who was calling and felt his mouth drop open in surprise. It was Blooky.

Blooky hadn't called since…Mettaton couldn't remember. He picked up the phone with his ghostly hand and answered without hesitation.

"Blooky?" Mettaton asked. "Blooky, is it really you? It's been so long."

"Hapsta," Napstablook began nervously. "Hapsta, I…We need to talk."

"Of course, Blooky," Mettaton replied settling into his chair. "What about?"

Napstablook took a deep, anxious breath and answered, "It's about Frisk."

"What?" Mettaton replied sitting up in surprise.

"You…you have gone too far with all this," Napstablook said as bravely as he could. "You've taken Frisk from his family, put innocent people in horrible danger, bullied Frisk almost to the point of a psychotic break, and betrayed Alphys. Don't say you didn't. I know the truth. Frisk told me everything…"

"Blooky…" Mettaton interrupted.

"Don't interrupt me!" Napstablook snapped. "I'm not finished! I can't believe what you've done, Hapsta! You've completely changed! The Hapsta I knew would never have done this…"

"Blooky, listen…" Mettaton said attempting to pacify his cousin.

"No, you listen to me!" Napstablook continued fueled by sadness that had turned into anger. "I was willing to forgive you when you left me to become a celebrity! I was willing to forgive you for not calling me! I was even willing to forgive you for cutting me out of your life! But if you don't call this whole ridiculous contest off right now and let Frisk return to his family, I will NEVER forgive you!"

Mettaton was speechless for a moment. That was the first time his cousin had ever dared to speak to him like that. He couldn't believe it. Frisk had turned his own cousin against him. That little brat…

"I'm doing what I must to make the Underground a better place!" Mettaton replied defensively. "If you ever left your house, you would understand that! Monsters need someone like me and Frisk to inspire them!"

"Yeah, right! You're just doing this to stroke your own ego and make everyone think you're awesome when you're just being a jerk!" Napstablook retorted angrily. "YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT ANYONE BUT YOURSELF!"

"So, you're siding with that human brat over me now?!" Mettaton snapped back. "I can't believe it! The Blooky I knew would never betray me like this! What has happened to the sweet cousin I loved?!"

Napstablook was silent for a moment. Mettaton could hear him breathing in aggravation as a tense silence formed between them.

Napstablook broke that silence when he finally responded, "He grew up. He found the courage to do the right thing. You should try it some time."

"Ha! You're no hero, Blooky," Mettaton replied cruelly. "You are a coward and always will be. You have never had any guts, and you never will."

Napstablook scoffed and said, "That makes two of us then. Doesn't it?"

Then the line went silent. Napstablook had hung up. Mettaton sat there feeling the sting of his cousin's words.