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Day 1 - A new Home
It was 11am. The Dreemurr family had awoken, got to enjoy a filling albeit basic breakfast that was provided freely to them. they then spent the morning meeting all their friends and Asriel was introduced to each of them one by one. He was shy and timid about meeting everyone, all the monsters he met were supportive of him, ensuring that despite the strange circumstances regarding his return, every one of his people looked out for him and were joyous to meet him. Asriel would get to meet many of the monsters he once stalked as Flowey first hand: Papyrus and his wacky antics. Alphys’s anxious persona which made both her and Asriel embarrassed but they liked each other’s company. Undyne whom Asriel had already met and was a little overwhelmed by her high-octane energy and bravado, then there was Mettaton whose rambunctious nature intimidated Asriel slightly until the robot gave him some words of encouragement and then finally…Sans.
Asriel was the most nervous about sans, he knew as Flowey that sans was different, he was smarter than he let on. Asriel knew that sans knew who Flowey was. Compared to other monsters, Asriel could get away with them not knowing where he had been the past thirty years, but sans knew…
Asriel didn’t look sans in the eye despite the skeleton’s carefree smiley attitude, only holding out a hand to shake the bony appendage of the short scary skeleton. Sans responded in kind by shaking Asriel’s clawed hand which made a loud wet fart noise blear out in the public hall.
Sans had just pranked Asriel.
Asriel turned red as a sheet from embarrassment meanwhile Frisk, Toriel and Undyne howled in laughter as the king shook his head in disbelief that he was losing his wife’s favor to such a clown and papyrus tutted, considering his brothers attempts at humor to be lesser than his despite being much more effective.
After that stunt the family then spent the rest of the day meeting with various humans who would help them establish their finances and find a home for them. It was around this time that Asgore split up from everyone else and after some painstaking hours of preparation and counselling Toriel had exchanged all the gold that she and Frisk had brought to the surface, netting them a sizable fortune of over three hundred thousand Gil, enough to purchase a small two story, three bedroom house on the outskirts of the capital city, not far from Mt Ebott and close to a high school which the boys could go to.
It was now late at night and Toriel with a brand-new debit card in hand and a purse full of money brought the boys to their new home. Inside it was comfortable and clean, a kitchen area and table on one side with a spacious living area on the other, split by a tiled and carpeted floor respectively. On the living room side a fireplace with a wall mounted tv could be found. At the back of the room was a toilet, a door leading to a bedroom and a staircase on the right that curved to an upstairs with another bedroom, a master bedroom and a family bathroom.
Frisk and Asriel were excited after a boring day of waiting around and making idle conversation and they rushed into the darkness of the building, Toriel flicked a light with a clawed finger and the entire room became bathed in a warm light. Frisk darted from room to room with Asriel chasing closely behind after him. They eventually settled on the upstairs master bedroom which had a double bed in it. Asriel bounced atop it whilst Frisk sat cross legged on the carpeted floor. Gleefully watching his sibling boinging up and down atop the springy bed.
“AH! Asriel stop that! You’re going to break the bed at that rate!” Toriel complained.
Frisk and Asriel both laughed but ultimately the offending bouncing goat obeyed his mother’s request and jumped of the bed, landing onto the floor with a thud and giggling to himself.
“Gosh, love it here mom! Is this really ours?” Asriel asked, his tail wagging in joy for the first time in a long time.
“Yes dear, it is. Now then first things first, you need to decide what rooms you’re having, and you can’t have this one, it’s mine.” Toriel mused, sticking her index finger skyward in an act of matriarchal dominance.
“that’s ok, but I noticed there’s two other bedrooms, does that mean me and Frisk will be sleeping separately?” Asriel inquired.
“Yes! Unlike in the underground we actually have enough room for both of you, so you and Frisk can have your own rooms. Isn’t that wonderful.”
“Well, I don’t mind either way haha” Frisk laughed, getting up from the floor and dusting himself off.
Suddenly a loud audible gurgling noise could be heard from Asriel’s stomach.
“Oh, my that was a loud tummy rumble!” Toriel was impressed by how loud her child’s audible hunger pangs were.
“Sorry. I’m just a little hungry, we haven’t eaten since breakfast this morning” Asriel apologized, a little embarrassed.
“it’s okay Azzy, I’m hungry too so there’s no need to be ashamed” Frisk smiled.
“If anyone should be ashamed it should be me, I’m sorry kids. I’ve been so busy with all the finance and buying us this home that we haven’t had time to get any groceries, not that I know where we can” Toriel put a hand on her head, feeling the weight of her failure as a mother, unable to feed her kids.
“Hey mom?” Frisk spoke up
“What is it dear?” Toriel leaned against the doorframe trying to think of how to feed her family.
“Well, it’s just on the way here I noticed a food stall that was selling freshly made ramen, we could go there, we have the money to afford it!” Frisk was excited at the idea, proposing it to his mother.
“Ramen, you mean like the noodles you were telling me about yesterday?” Asriel curiously inquired.
“Yeah exactly, it’s a really fulfilling noodle dish with a broth and meat and it’s really delicious and filling. Pleeeaaase mom can we go there?” Frisk begged.
“Yeah mom, pleeeeaaase?” Asriel joined in, pleading in unison.
Toriel saw Frisk’s usual calm and determined demeanour melt away into that of a giddy kid as he smiled in anticipation and bounced on the tips of his feet, eager to hear his mother’s response, how could she refuse with that face. Asriel too became excited at the prospect and joined Frisk, his ears bobbing up and falling back down as his tail wagged eagerly.
“Alright, alright, settle down. Seen as we don’t have any food in the house lets go to this ramen stall and get you two some supper.” Toriel smiled, agreeing to the boy’s idea.
Later that night…
It was slightly cold that summer evening, Frisk, Asriel and Toriel had no other clothes besides the ones they always wore with Frisk being stuck in shorts that barely reached to his knees, at least he had his striped jumper on he thought. He shivered slightly from the cold as he was racked with hunger. He was jealous of his warm furred family but knew it’d be worth it for the warm fulfilling ramen; it was just a little while longer and they’d take the corner at the end of the lit street and be met with the stall.
The thought of this made Frisk salivate and almost miss the fact he had passed by Asriel who was stood still. Turning around to see what was wrong, Frisk saw his new best friend looking up at the sky and that’s when the human decided to mimic him, looking upward and bearing witness to a beautiful starry canvas which lit up the nigh, a cosmic spattering of beautiful, distant colours which shined like jewels in the night, colours that reflected off Asriel’s bright emerald, green eyes as his fanged mouth hung open in awe.
“Golly…It’s so…beautiful.” Asriel spoke slowly, enamoured by the night sky.
“It is, isn’t it?” Frisk replied. Both boys looked down at each other and smiled, their gaze meeting as they stood at perfectly eye level to one another.
Asriel smile dropped slightly when he saw frisk rubbing his arms, shivering as his pores visibly stood on end from the cold. Asriel walked over to Frisk and lunged into a big wide hug and nuzzled against him, much to the human’s surprise.
“Thank you Frisk, for everything” Asriel spoke softly into Frisk’s ear as he tried to warm his friend up with his fur.
“Y-Your welcome haha” Frisk chuckled, embracing the hug and the warmth it provided.
The two boys stood there for a few moments beneath the starlight, in the darkness between streetlamps until their mother who was just down the street called out to them for lagging behind.
“Race you!” Frisk excitedly shouted before breaking off from the goat and running, the exercise from the event helping to warm him up.
“Ugh!? Hey, no fair” Asriel shouted back against frisk who had an unfair head start before running after him, determined to win.
Frisk was surprised by Asriel’s speed and despite the advantage he had, the goat boy was quickly catching up, the two boys both became neck and neck as they bowled down the street until they both reached their mother who watched their race, cheering both boys on. She chuckled whimsically as both reached her, panting and out of breath from giving it their all.
“I won!”
“No, I won!
“Did not!”
“Did too!”
“I got here first!”
“Nuh uh, I won, I caught up and beat you fair and square!”
“Hmph!”
“Harumph!”
“…”
“…”
“haha”
“hehe”
Both boys laughed, secretly they thought the other had won as it was too close to call it.
“Are you boys done competing, or do we need another race on the way back” Toriel giggled, happy to see the two boys bonding together after only knowing each other for such a short time. Seeing such a sight, reminded her of long ago, back when Chara was alive. Everything was much simpler and cleaner back then, before he died, and everything became so muddied. Toriel had some doubts about the first child that fell underground but she buried those thoughts, shook her head and focused on the children before her.
“Alright kids, the stall is just down the road, I can see it from here. Good thing they’re still open this late.” Toriel looked down the street, lit up by lamplight and the somewhat distant glow of the stall’s lighting.
The ramen stall was a large grandiose stand, lit up like a Christmas tree in darkness, a neon sign moved and animated a picture of a bowl of noodles and behind a low hanging flap was a counter with stools before it. the interior was as bright as day. Heat and comfort emanated from within, and the isolated nature of the stall ensured that any who entered could leave all their worries outside.
Behind the high counter was a portly elderly man, his grey hairs fading into a nearly perfectly full head of white which was contained neatly within a chef hat. He was surprised by monsters entering his shack but welcomed them all the same. Toriel and Asriel belt felt a little embarrassed, knowing their strange look appearance may be unsettling and not quite used to living in a world where they were the minority.
“Uhh, *Ahem*, could be get 3 bowels of…ramen please?” Toriel nervously asked.
“Sure, thing ma’am, what kind?” the man responded with a jovial smile
“Oh um…” Toriel was unsure what to reply with, she hadn’t looked at the menu’s, she didn’t even know what ramen was half an hour ago or that it had different types!?
“Can I have a spicy pork belly ramen please?” Frisk spoke up eagerly.
“Sure thing! And what about you two” the man turned slightly, keeping his smile whose grin blended in the with the creases in the old timers sagging skin whilst he acknowledged the young humans order.
Toriel fumbled with the little pamphlet menu, panicking slightly as she felt rushed to choose from all the different dishes that she had trouble understanding.
“Can I have the same as Frisk?” Asriel spoke aloud, leaning forward and pointing at the human who sat on the other side of his mother who sat between them, his arm completely obscuring Toriel’s vision of the menu and killing all attempt to decide what to have.
“Three, make that three please…” Toriel held up three clawed fingers and chuckled from embarrassment, having given up all efforts to read the menu.
“Sure thing, three spicy pork bowls coming right up” the man immediately turned and began working away, the heat and steam from the cooking apparatus behind him wafted into the furry woman and boy, making them overheat slightly whilst it provided comfort and warmth to the cold human child. The scent of bubbling broth and sizzling, juicy, tender meat made the two boys salivate instinctively and before long each of them were sat before a red hued bowl of noodle broth with meat and vegetables. Little bubbles of oil floated on the surface and the alluring scent made them all eager to tuck into their first proper evening meal on the surface.
Toriel was the only one armed with chopsticks, the boys opted for forks instead and despite how boiling hot the food they each tucked into their meal. Asriel never had spicy food before and was woefully unprepared for the pleasurable pain such food was known too illicit. The heat and burning sensation made him fan his mouth as phlegm began to run from his tiny snout holes. Toriel didn’t fare much better, occasionally taking a napkin to wipe away any running residue to save her dignity. Frisk however was in his element and quickly slurped down noodle after noodle before picking up the whole bowl and chugging the contents. Asriel was in awe at his brother’s impressive display whilst Toriel chastised the boy for such behavior but was cut short when the chef informed her that frisk’s actions demonstrated a love for the food, and he didn’t mind it at all.
Asriel looked at his own ramen, despite the intense heat he enjoyed the food and wanted more. He squinted, his brow arching in determination as he picked up the bowl and followed his brother’s example. Hot liquid raced down his throat and into his gullet and the searing pain of the spiciness soon followed. He slammed the bowl down onto the table, the majority of the liquid gone. Asriel felt like his eye’s were popping out of his head and his mouth was held wide open panting as he tried to breath cool air onto his burning tongue.
“Wooaah, nice one Azzy!” Frisk laughed, amazed by Asriel’s bravery.
“Bwuaagh!!! s-s-so hot, I feel like I’m gonna breath fire.” Asriel panicked, his gaze unfocused as he was more worried that he might actually produce flames.
“Here, have a glass of water my child” Toriel tried to help, offering a drink to her suffering son.
Glug…
Glug…
Glug…
The ice-cold refreshing beverage provided a temporary anodyne to the capsaicin that danced wildly in Asriel’s mouth. The old man chuckled, entertained by the goat boy’s display of stupidity and bravery before he poured a glass of milk and passed it to the boy.
“Drink this, it’ll help” he smiled. Asriel wordlessly took the glass as he began bathing his tongue in the liquid, he felt like he had been lit aflame and finally found a lake to dive to douse himself in.
“Oh my, thank you for that. How much will that be?” Toriel asked, reaching for her scraggy purse she had scavenged from back in the underground.
“The milk is on the house, as for the food. That will be sixty Gil.” The man explained
“Thank you…” Toriel puzzled, not knowing the name of the man before her.
“Ichibaan’s, the name” Ichibaan proudly stated as he was unconsciously cleaning the water glass from before with a moist dishcloth. “Guessing you folks are part of those monsters from Mount Ebott” He inquired.
“How did you know” Toriel gasped.
“Well, I get quite a lot of business, hear a lot of things from a lotta people. Word passes around quick and well…I figured some monsters like you who look like you ain’t never seen the sky before must be from that new wave from the underground.” The man said with a confident, charming smile. He was well informed. “And you must be the human that came from the underground too, the ambassador of monsters I heard about or something?” he turned to Frisk.
“Huh? Me? Ambassador? Well, I guess so but really I just wanna live with my new family!” Frisk answered.
“Really? Well, I’d imagine there will plenty of folk who’ll want to interview you. Anyway, I hope you all have a pleasant stay here on the surface. You all seem like nice enough folk, and I’d love to learn about you all another time. Say what’s your name miss?” The chef turned to ask the mother.
“Toriel.” the queen of monsters blushed slightly as she played with one of her floppy ears shyly.
“Well miss Toriel, if you’re done you best be getting home soon!” the man’s tone suddenly became serious.
“Huh why’s that?” Toriel questioned, putting an immediate stop to the playful caressing of her ear as her heart skipped a beat. Meanwhile frisk and Asriel gave concerned looks at the man, not uttering a single word.
“don’t you know? Here up on the surface, at night there is a high chance for particularly darkened areas to become enveloped in a strange dark substance almost like a cloud with a checkered pattern. It’s dangerous to ordinary folk, apparently you monsters are immune to it but that boy of yours, the human, he’s potentially at risk.” The man explained, his smile becoming a frown as his previously jolly persona became one of cold seriousness.
Frisk didn’t like the sound of Ichibaan’s words, it immediately reminded him of the similar sounding cloud and the heartless he faced in the underground.
“And they say that if a human gets caught inside that cloud they come back out a Deamon!” He explained with added emphasis.
“A-A DAEMON!?” all three Dreemurr’s spoke aloud in alarmed unison.
“Yeah, right from Gehenna itself. but don’t you worry, Palamecia has the finest fighting force dedicated to fighting these infusions and the daemons, the exorcist foundation. Standard safety practice for civilians if you’re out after dark is to stay in well-lit streets or indoors altogether, the “infusions” as they’re called by the exorcist foundation can’t manifest inside of buildings, something about the enclosed space preventing it from doing so. As long as you all have a place to stay tonight you should be fine.”
“W-We do, and thanks for the information, we had known Idea about such things here on the surface.”
“The demon clouds as I like to call them are quite rare, I haven’t seen one myself but I know a client who lost a sibling to one, poor fella. Well anyway, like I said; you monster folk are safe from it. apparently for you lot it’s nothing more than a particularly dark cloud you can step in and out of, but I’m more worried about the boy of yours. Stay in a well-lit area and you get home safe now.”
“Yes thanks, we will.” Toriel thanked again, making sure she had everything, not even looking at the man as she slung her purse over her shoulder and took her boy’s hands.
“Cmon kids, let’s get home” Toriel spoke seriously.
“okay” both boys said one after other, becoming quiet and nervous about going home.
That night…
The walk home was much scarier, Frisk and Asriel had held onto their mothers vice like grip the whole way home. Although they made is safely back without any threat they barely spoke at all on the way home. Asriel had thought that maybe the man was trying to scare them? take advantage of some monsters who didn’t know any better? Frisk knew better though, he knew there was a strange darkness out there, somewhere. He tried not to think about it, preferring to bask in the warm blanket that was wrapped around him and Asriel as the two sat on the living room couch. Frisk felt sleepy, yawning before he could hear the soft subtle bleats of Asriel beside him whose head slowly tilted before falling onto Frisk whose shoulder cushioned the impact. Frisk leaned into Asriel, perching the side of his head on his brothers and closed his eyes.
Meanwhile Toriel had gotten the rooms for the two boys ready, making sure to keep various lights on throughout the house, not willing to take any risks after hearing the scary story from earlier.
“Boys your rooms are rea…” Toriel stopped mid-sentence when she noticed the two sleeping on the couch. She smiled, willing to let them have a little longer whilst she got her own room ready.
Seeing the two together like that made her happy, happy that the nightmare from thirty years ago had finally been laid to rest and she herself felt like she could sleep well for once, without the guilt of everything weighing down on her nearly as bad as it once did. Toriel took off her clothes, noticing they were a bit dirty. She immediately knew the first thing to do tomorrow was get the boys bathed and into a change of clothes. She had purchased some new clothes for all of them earlier that day which sat in luggage cases she had also bought for carrying various necessities. She may have forgotten food but at least she had everything else under control. She tossed the smelly, old and stained robed outfit to one side before heaving a suitcase open as if it were a chest. She felt like criticizing human containers, monster chests could hold so many more items. She obtained a set of bright pink pajamas's that were her measurements and donned them, enjoying the silken comfort they provided before fetching two smaller pajamas, a lime one for Asriel and a dark purple one for frisk.
Asriel felt himself being gently roused awake; he had just begun to dream about being in a world made entirely of ramen bowls before he was suddenly awoken by his mother.
“it’s time to go to bed dear” She whispered as she held up the bright green pajamas
“O-Okay mom” Asriel wiped his eyes, as his mother guided him to the downstairs bedroom.
“But What about Frisk?” He looked back at the still sleeping human.
“I’m going to get Frisk to bed after you my child, now let’s get you into these cute little jammy’s and off to bed, ok?
“O-Okay...” Asriel answered slowly, incoherently mumbling and groaning as he was desperate to go back to sleep.
Toriel helped Asriel get changed and tucked him into bed, he fell asleep quickly with his mother watching over him, happy to see him alive and well and soon repeated the whole process for Frisk, helping him settle into the upstairs bedroom. After locking the house and making sure it was secure with a few lights on as insurance she too went to sleep, excited to begin their new lives, in their new home.