[Mettaton nods faintly, letting his hands fall away for now.]

Yes, but...it did not go as poorly as it could have. Not very great, but...a marked improvement.

[That's not saying much, Mettaton still felt pathetic for the most part, and he'd spent a lot of time thinking about what Chara had dredged up again. And it had hurt to think of Napstablook, and of Alphys.

And yet..]

I think that I may have given them something to think about. That being said, I think I'm going to have to stop using your name in conversation with them.

[A pause.]

That is--they think I'm using you as leverage.