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How long has it been, since those first few messages? Messages of quiet appreciation for the music and playlists they had posted? Almost too long it feels like, but sometimes it feels like it has happened all so quickly. Quiet nights with her family resting whilst she wore headphones, listening to their latest playlist over and over.
The site and DJ had still been fairly small back then, with just a few hundred monsters posting, commenting and planning get togethers. Fans and musicians alike, all striving to share their passions with each other in person, to bask in their shared love of music. She had attended a few of these, but they never had, much preferring to stay out of everyone’s way.
It had been such a silly notion, all of them wanted to meet this mysterious DJ, the creator of the loved Spooktunes. But every invitation was turned down, every request for a name ignored, who was the musician who could send shivers down backs whilst making listeners relax and smile?
She had made it her mission to find out, despite her job and family matters to attend to; they still paid close attention to everyone. Asking questions that wouldn’t raise eyebrows or attract attention but still she was no closer to finding out who they are. Nothing they ever say narrows down who it could be, and with a population of almost twenty thousand monsters, it’s no small feat to find just one.
In the end, it’s a complete accident when they do; she finds them and almost misses it. Almost six months after her search had begun; she had begun to play their playlists at her bakery. After asking if they could, of course, she may have a bit of a mean streak but she always has permission when using other’s music in her shop.
It’s the least she could do, make their music more known and point them in the direction of where to get more.
On the third repeat of the morning’s playlist, an unfamiliar ghost floats into her bakery, passing through the slightly faded sign of ‘all proceeds go to real spiders!’ then they just stood there, in one small corner. They didn’t say anything, they didn’t buy anything, they were just there.
At first, she paid them no attention, preferring to deal with paying customers, her family stuck in the ruins weren’t going to save themselves! But as time dragged on, a new playlist started and the baker began to notice things about this ghost. The most obvious being the headphones that they were wearing around their ‘neck’. The second thing being that every so often, they’d move the little stubs they had for arms as if they were creating the music as it played.
The last and final piece came when she had stepped a little close to them at one point and they heard them murmur the track’s name just before it had started to play. Of course, any of these could have come from a fellow fan but there was something she couldn’t just put a finger on, a strange feeling in the back of her mind that made her so sure that this was them.
She didn’t approach them about it, if they wanted everyone to know who they were; they’d have come forward months ago. Instead she decided to wait until that night, ask them over the private messaging feature the site had. Of course, that doesn’t mean she didn’t tactfully ask for a name and try to sell a donut to them.
Napstablook, had been their name. The few words they had said had sounded so empty, if they really were the same DJ, how could they pack so much emotion into their music when they sounded so sad? The way they acted always spoke volumes to the spider monster, and it had taken a lot of self-control to not try and give the ghost a hug.
There had to be something she could do to help the ghost, but there was no guarantee they’d like the few gestures that came to mind. Ghost monsters were rare, rare enough that they could be counted on two hands and still have fingers left over so she had no frame of reference when it came to how to comfort them. The idea of wanting to comfort someone was entirely new to Muffet as well.
But the ghost, who had had nothing better to do than float in the corner of a bakery by them self, it just felt wrong. She resolved that she’d have to fix this sentimentality issue, she couldn’t become a sap, she had a business to run and family members to save. Family first, friends could come once they were all reunited.
So, when the ghost floated through a wall at closing time she let them and ignored the rolling in her gut.
Family first.
That night, she sent the DJ the question. They didn’t reply.
It was a few weeks before she received a reply to the message, bringing a grin to the spiders face, her reply had been a reassurance that their secret was safe with her and an almost disturbingly formal greetings, with an offer of staying in her bakery whenever they felt like it. She hadn’t expected any replies, but when the ghost floated back into the same corner the next day, she couldn’t help the grin in their direction.
For a few months, it had stayed like that. Once a week the Napstablook visited the bakery, staying in the corner and Muffet would send a friendly smile their way every morning. Then she’d send a few more smiles their way every day, checking that the ghost was okay. Then they started to send back a shakey smile back sometimes, or visiting twice a week instead of the usual once.
The years began to pass, soon Napstablook was spending at least an hour in the bakery every day. The two would exchange a few words when Muffet wasn’t working, sometimes even a few sentences when the ghost was in a particularly good mood. Life continued on, with the ghost releasing more playlists and songs, the two exchanged birthday dates and would get each other small things when their rolled around.
Muffet taught Napstablook how to form clothes using magic, starting with hats and within a few weeks, the ghost could form a top hat at will, although they could not get it to stay for more than a couple of hours before it faded away. When they showed the spider, she had let out a small applause, informing them that they looked very dapper with it on.
For one of Muffet’s birthday, the ghost had made her a track just for her; the track became a common fixture in Muffet’s bakery and quickly became one of the most played pieces in her collection. Every repeat filled her chest with a strange feeling that she couldn’t name; not being able to resist the small, basic dance moves every time it played. The irony of this wasn’t lost on her, with its name of Spider Dance and her letting off a few moves every time it played.
The years continue to slide by, Muffet and Napstablook (now called mainly Blooky by the spider) continued to grow closer, they were practically family by this point. She had made all of their cousins, those who resided in dummies and Mettaton, who was now one of the biggest stars of the Underground. Rivalled only by his cousin who still kept their real identity a secret, they didn’t seek fame or stardom; they just wanted to share their creations.
How long had it been? From the occasional comment to being close friends? It’s been almost thirty years since the ghost had first floated into the bakery.
A few more weeks passed by, the thirty year mark was closing in quickly and there was talk in the Underground of a human in Snowdin, the seventh and final human that they needed to break the barrier and be free. When Muffet had mentioned it in passing, Blooky had seemed to shrink in on them self slightly, claiming that they had seemed nice when they had met them.
Muffet hadn’t said anything, but they definitely couldn’t be sure that they had the full picture. If the human made it to them, then they would see if they truly were as nice as Blooky claimed they had been. A lifetime of prejudices against humans couldn’t be forgotten without proof that they were more than just creatures of destruction.
A few hours, and the human was apparently entering Hotland, confused whispers over how the human acted. Flirting with monsters, never fighting back and apparently befriending everyone they came across, they had even spent a few hours raising money to send the blasted Temmie to college. The spider very much doubted that her kind would receive the same act of charity from the human.
Muffet knew what humans did to spiders, her hands clenching slightly at the thought of the injustices spiders faced on the surface. The strange figure had told them exactly what they did and the human could not be forgiven for their acts of torture.
When they arrived at the bakery, they had spent a few minutes examining every detail. They had talked to her latest customer, they had talked to her and they had checked the prices for her goods. The monster didn’t let their feelings show themselves, she was as gracious a host as ever, even if her smile was a little strained.
When the human left the way they came, she couldn’t help looking slightly confused. Where could they be going? What could they be doing? It didn’t make much sense, but still she stayed at her bakery. Waiting a few hours at the small table, the relaxing sounds of several new playlists playing in the background whilst the spider monster’s mind wandered, trying to figure the human out.
When they eventually returned, they marched purposefully towards the webbing where her goods were sold and placed a small pile of gold coins onto one of the webs. Her eyes widened slightly as a member of her family counted out the coins, then handed the small child a spider donut. They smiled at the spider, thanking them then waved to Muffet before they continued on their journey.
Maybe Blooky was right…
Two more hours pass before something calls Muffet to New Home, the seemingly irresistible pull is clearly affecting other monsters as well. She tries to resist but eventually gives into the call, closing up her bakery and joining the small crowd of monsters that are also heading towards the city. The variety of monsters that in the group astounds the spider, it’s the most she’s ever seen in one place before. There are monsters from Snowdin, Waterfall and Hotland, all following the call.
Through the MTT resort, through the city and eventually to the Throne Room at the very back of New Home, right beside the barrier. Shouts can be heard and the unmistakable sound of a child crying. The crowd rushes towards these sounds, there isn’t a monster in the Underground that wouldn’t help a crying child with as much love and encouragement as a monster can give.
The sight of six monsters gripped tightly in a vine scares some of them, but these monsters are all encouraging the human child, whose tears are running down their cheeks leaving fat, wet trails. Nobody hesitates to shout encouragement to the child, who starts to stand a little straighter, eyes burning with determination.
Then there’s a white flash and everything goes dark.
Frisk.
That’s all the spider remembers when they wake up, a bright white flash and a name. Word spreads through the Underground of the barrier being broken, that the war with humans won’t be happening. It all feels like a dream, after so many years waiting they’re finally free. A quick tally of her funds shows that she can afford the heated limo to save the rest of her spider family trapped in the ruins.
None of it seems real; when the human passes through she thanks them for their donation to spider kind. When they pass through again, this time on their way back to New Home, she sends them a wave as she orders the transport for her family. Perhaps Blooky would want to come with her? The ghost had always seemed to get along with her family.
A small smile dances across her lips when she dials Blooky’s number, maybe now would be a good time to confront these strange feelings she’s been having for her friend these last few years. A new life, a new… Whatever it would be, with the ghost.
They’ve come a long way, since those first few messages.