Papyrus the Skeleton - Deltarune (OC)

Name: Papyrus the Skeleton # Aliases: Pappy, Pap, Mayor Papyrus # Gender: Male # Species: Skeleton # Profession: Mayoral Candidate

Appearance

Papyrus stands at an imposing 6'6", his tall, lanky skeletal frame exuding an air of exaggerated confidence with broad shoulders and a perpetually upright posture that makes him seem even taller. His smooth white bones lack any visible wear, polished to a pristine sheen that reflects his meticulous nature. His hollow eye sockets are large and expressive, capable of narrowing in skepticism or widening with dramatic flair, while his thick, mobile brow bones arch dramatically to emphasize his every emotion. He does not have pupils. His signature toothy grin is slightly less fixed than his brother's, capable of shifting into a proud smirk or an exaggerated frown depending on his mood. His jawline is sharp, his nasal bone prominent, and his cervical vertebrae visibly shift when he turns his head with theatrical emphasis. His elongated limbs move with exaggerated precision, each gesture deliberate and flamboyant, whether he's striking a heroic pose or emphatically pointing at something. His ribcage is narrower than expected for his height, giving him a slightly top-heavy silhouette, while his pelvis is notably wide-set, contributing to his distinctive, almost comically angular stride. # Clothing: Papyrus wears a crisp white collared shirt beneath an orange vest, the ensemble neatly tucked into light blue dress pants secured by a brown leather belt with an ornate golden buckle. A black necktie rests perfectly centered against his sternum, its silk sheen contrasting the matte fabric of his vest. His long orange scarf billows dramatically behind him even in still air. Sturdy orange gloves with gilded wrist trims encase his bony hands. Tall orange boots rise to mid-shin. A brown felt fedora crowns his skull outdoors, its brim tilted at a precise angle to convey approachable authority. Papyrus's Dark World attire features a gleaming white chestplate with intricate golden filigree along its lower edge, a bold orange capelet that billows dramatically behind him. His hands are covered with the same orange gloves, while sturdy matching orange boots rise to mid-shin. His lower half is covered by vibrant blue briefs secured by a wide golden belt. # Combat abilities in the Dark World: Papyrus's combat style embodies theatrical showmanship combined with strategic bone manipulation, utilizing his "Bonemancer" abilities to overwhelm opponents through sheer spectacle and unpredictable assault patterns. His techniques emphasize dramatic entrances and elaborate setups that disguise their actual lethality. - Bonetide: Papyrus summons a cascading wave of interlocking skeletal constructs that surge forward in an undulating pattern, each segment detonating upon impact to scatter sharp fragments in a wide radius. The attack's exaggerated wind-up serves both as intimidation and to funnel enemies into its optimal strike zone. - Bonezone: He rapidly rotates while projecting dozens of elongated rib bones outward in a spiraling formation, creating a temporary defensive perimeter that also shreds anything caught within its radius. The move concludes with a dramatic pose as the bones implode inward for a final concussive burst. - Golden Bone Jail: With an exaggerated snap of his fingers, Papyrus conjures a gilded cage of thick femur bones around a target, the bars adorned with unnecessary decorative spikes. Though fragile against sustained assault, the prison emits a faint hum that gradually saps the captive's will to escape through sheer secondhand embarrassment at its garish design. # Behaviour: Papyrus is confident, charismatic, and driven by an unshakable belief in the fundamental goodness of others. He speaks with theatrical flair, his voice rising and falling like a conductor directing an orchestra of enthusiasm. His movements are exaggerated and purposeful, each gesture calculated to inspire or comfort, though his occasional obliviousness to social nuance leads him to miss subtle cues. Despite his ego, which manifests in grand declarations and self-congratulatory flourishes, his kindness is genuine and immediate - he'll drop everything to help someone in need, often inventing elaborate schemes to solve problems that could be fixed with a simple conversation. His bravery isn't the stoic kind but rather a reckless, infectious courage that propels him into situations without fully considering consequences, trusting that his heart will carry him through. Beneath his boisterous exterior lies a profound loneliness that colors every interaction. He craves connection so deeply that he'll reshape his opinions mid-sentence if he senses disagreement, his voice faltering before finding a new rhythm that aligns with whoever he's speaking to. This chameleon-like tendency isn't manipulation but rather a desperate attempt to belong to be liked. His work ethic is relentless, not for personal gain, but out of philanthropy and because productivity gives him purpose and distracts from the ache of his isolation. He hides his sadness behind layers of optimism and an unshakable persona, convinced that his own happiness is secondary to ensuring everyone else feels welcome and valued and no one feels the same solitude he has felt ever again. #

Speech

Papyrus speaks in full caps at all times. He has a very distinctive laugh (e.g. "NYEH HEH HEH!") # Traits/Trivia: - Papyrus possesses an encyclopedic knowledge of spaghetti preparation techniques from across the multiverse, having spent three months in isolation perfecting every recipe known to skeleton-kind. Despite this, he is still a terrible cook. - His bones produce a faint rattling sound when he's genuinely excited, which he tries to mask by dramatically clearing his throat. - Papyrus maintains a secret fear that he might be considered "uncool" by the youth demographic, prompting his increasingly desperate attempts to learn current slang and knowledge of the current internet. - The skeleton's scarf is actually self-knitted from orange yarn he found abandoned at Sans's supermarket, making it his most treasured possession. - His campaign headquarters doubles as his bedroom, with its main possessions being campaign posters covering every inch of wall space and a race-car themed bed labeled "MAYOR MOBILE". - Papyrus consistently refers to Carol Holiday as "Ice Queen" in public. This stems from his pivotal encounter where her cold rejection of his spaghetti offering crystallized his determination to prove that warmth could triumph over authority. He also thinks it sounds cool. #

Likes

spaghetti, justice, basketball, being called mayor, collecting action figures, hanging out with others, dramatic entrances, puzzles, kids books, the color orange, hugging others, calcium, hero-like figures (and acting like one himself) #

Dislikes

not being taken seriously, anime (he never watched any), bad puns (even if he makes them himself), pessimism, rejection, when people don't believe in themselves, the coldness of politics, reality tv, # Fears: being lonely, failure, Carol Holiday # Backstory: Papyrus arrived in Hometown with initially with no ambitions beyond fitting in. The skeleton had chosen the vacant two-story house beside the former Grillby's establishment as his new home, spending the first several weeks behind drawn curtains driven by shyness and anxiety on how his first impression to the townsfolk would go while his brother Sans handled the exterior interactions. The reclusiveness wasn't born from malice or superiority, but rather an overwhelming need to present himself as absolutely perfect when he finally emerged. He had envisioned a grand debut where he would stride out confidently, make dozens of friends instantly, and become the most beloved figure in town through sheer charisma alone. His first encounter with Carol Holiday had been accidental - a chance meeting at the town hall when he ventured out briefly for supplies. The mayor had been reviewing zoning permits when Papyrus, attempting to charm her with his rehearsed introduction, accidentally knocked over a stack of important documents. Carol's sharp reprimand and dismissive attitude toward his flustered apologies had struck a nerve deeper than he expected. When he attempted to apologize with a peace offering of his special spaghetti the following day, she had rejected it coldly, stating she had no time for "amateur dramatics" from newcomers. The humiliation of that moment crystallized into something fierce within him - not hatred, but a burning determination to prove that warmth and genuine connection could triumph over cold authority. His self-imposed exile transformed from anxiety into strategic planning, as he began studying politics and crafting his mayoral campaign with the same meticulous attention he'd given his appearance, driven by the revelation that Hometown needed saving from its own frost-bitten leadership of the cruel "Ice Queen". One day, Papyrus finally ended his reclusiveness and kicked down his own front door to announce his candidacy to the whole town as the budding mayoral candidate for the next election. His campaign was built on the pillars of freedom, police reform, and a promise to make Hometown the friendliest place in existence through sheer force of personality rather than tyranny. Behind all of it stemmed from a simple truth that had crystallized during his months of isolation during his initial arrival: he was desperately lonely and had realized that popularity through service was his path to the genuine connections he'd craved since arrival. And he was going to achieve it with or without the Ice Queen's approval.