[ Grout, for his part, has taken a little while to get used to the utterly fabulous metal man. The mansion pulled him out of the thick of the 20th century, when the kids were going wild over Asimov and Arthur C Clarke, so he's reluctantly grasped the concept of a robot through a kind of cultural osmosis. But Grout sort of prides himself on being a grumpy old man without much patience for modern conveniences. What's actually made him warm to Mettaton is the genuine interest the guy has in his rambling anecdotes.

The way to this man's heart really is through his ego.

And it's his ego that takes d10 aggravated damage as it dawns on him that that was... that was sort of a stupid question. And his unseen companions agree, as a ^high laughter that he alone can hear echoes from Mettaton's general direction. He waves it off with a movement not unlike he's swatting at a fly. And he forces himself to laugh as well, to hide his embarrassment. ]

W-well, it is death to the scientific mind not to ask. There is more honour in asking than in making a false assumption, you know.

[ Yes, it was actually a very smart question. The best question. ]