#anthropomorphized shards for everyone

[lizardinkart]

I haven’t made an animatic in years but mmmmm….. Khepri…….she has me in a chokehold

[heartfullofleeches]

Sunday Broadcast Crew

A quick run through of the (existing) cast for Sunday Broadcast - a T.V Show in which Sunday (Clown Reader) is the star. Lemme know what y'all think-

Sunday the Clown/Clown Reader - Silly, Kind Hearted Clown. Only wants the best for everyone.

Telly (he/they/it) - Sunday's tag along and (second) best friend. A slightly mischievous television who always comes around when needed. Knows more than he's willing to tell, but as long as Sunday is safe he keeps his big mouth shut.

Gus (he/they) Sir (he/it) - A silly clown and his best friend, an anthropomorphic rabbit with a bad habit and a bad attitude. Sir can often be found chewing gum as smoking is forbidden during show hours. Low-key hates Gus, but is his best friend. Gus is unaware of his bed friends true feelings - loves everyone one and thing, but loves Sunday the most (please keep that a secret)

Melan (she/they) and Holly (she/her) - A sad jester and her best friend, a sweet housewife clown who tries her best to cheer her dear up. Melan is an unlucky girl who has little success with her tricks, often can be found sobbing in her room until Sunday, Holly or her siblings can convince her to come out.

Ventri (They/them) and Tres (they/it) - A playful mime and their.....friend? Pet? Ventri is a mime who doubles as a ventriloquist to some extent. Enjoys making hand puppets of their friends and can never be seen without one. "Speaks" solely through their puppets, their ability to mimic voices is scarily accurate. Tres is a giant wood puppet with a candy dispenser fitted into their stomach/chest. Gives candy to those who deserve it, bites those who don't.

Gus, Melan, and Ventri are all related. Sir, Holly, and Tres are their "imaginary friends" who are only visible to those who believe in them/they trust.

Thirteenth (they/them) and Wishbone (they/them) - An unlucky cat and a fortune rabbit shoved into a miserable companionship. The two cancel each other out in terms of their unnatural luck/unluck leading to them being unable to be apart for long. The two can hardly stand each other, their only common interests being Sunday. Wishbone has a permanent limp in their right leg following an accident they don't like to talk about. Thirteenth had their eye torn out by a broken shard of glass.

Margo Maggie (she/her) - An apple girl sweet as can be. Can easily be found in her garden tending to her crops. Her name is not "Margo Maggie" as much as it is Margo and Maggie as Maggie is her best friend abd biggest helper. Maggie has never been seen by anyone else due to how shy they are. If you happen to find a single tooth in an apple Margo gives you, please return it. It isn't not ripe yet.

Ferret (he/him) - A timid doll boy with an intense jealousy streak. Jealous of his peers for being able to feel and eat, and do everything else a normal human can do. The only reason he can "see" is because his eyes are glass. The empty cavity of his body is filled with fake organs and bones. If he is to ever loose a part of himself.... The best thing to do is hold your breath and hope he mistakes you for a doll like him.

The Handyman (It) - Keeps things in order, tolerates Sunday alone, very handy, likes balls of yarn.

Charlie - Charlotte? Charles? Charlene? Sunday's best and only friend :)

[thecrazyworldbuilder]

The Chaos Academy

You walk to what appears to be the grand entrance but its bricked off. A janitor, wearing a mix of Victorian gentleman clothing and modern overalls, smoking a pipe, calls you over to the side of the building. There, in a lean-on, is the actual entrance. "The principle was tired of the creaky doors so there came in a simple solution."

The corridors clearly weren't meant to be arranged this way. Some of them go through live classrooms, but nobody pays attention to you going right across their field of vision.

The chandeliers looks like it's made of gifts brought by crows. All kinds of shiny glass shards, metal pieces, bolts and nuts. "Funny," the passing by teacher comments; "This one is funny because- You wouldn't get it."

Some halls are completely repurposed into their own rooms of sort. No space is left unused. Student lounges, rafts, shelves, painting installations, unfinished sculptures.

You get lost on the third floor in a never ending corridor until reaching the stairs at the end. A girl aged 5 explains it's a Cretin type labyrinth. She insists its' called like that.

The fourth floor has but two walls. Exposed to the elements, otherwise. It is the green house. It is not on the roof. A corner of this jungle smells like corpses. "Rafflesia arnoldii, tu, novus amicus." An anthropomorphic, one eyed cat says. He has a cane from an elephant tusk and wears a black monocle - on the missing eye.

As you seek for the principal, everyone rolls their eyes. Soon, the janitor comes by and asks "How can I help you? I didn't know you were looking for me."

[theskeletoninthegarden]

Dudes, for the first time in awhile I had a nightmare, that resulted in needing to hear someone else alive in my apartment to calm down.

I wake up and there's something in my room. Something's moving, something's standing there in the dark. I force myself to leave my bed, to leave the space, and something falls in the kitchen. A roommate wakes up, startled by the sound, and asks what it was. I can't tell them I think something is in our home, because it doesn't make any sense.

Another sound: something else falls. Something is thrown. Something is laughing. Everyone is awake at that point, and it's getting worse. We see a shape in the dark, a face, and a body. It's running, at us, and I do what I always do in my nightmares and scream at it to leave.

It swerves, runs into another room. The walls shake, a light fixture breaks. This is a haunting, a poltergeist, though no one wants to say it. We try getting videos and pictures as it continues it's rampage, harrying us into corners, separating us-- we can't leave without leaving someone behind. There's a knock at the door, two cops are there, because the thing has been loud, and of course someone called them.

They come in, asking what the hell is going on, we have videos, evidence, the ghost has calmed down for a moment, but it feels ridiculous just to say it. Then it starts up again. It screams, it giggles, it chitters, throwing more things around, slamming doors, when we're finally able to run, I look back and see it's shape darting down the hall to the door: floating, a baby doll head with a blanket swaddling it's long, suspended body.

Outside, we all keep running. Down the stairs, nearly falling into each other, down five entire flights of iron steps. When we hit the parking lot, intending to go anywhere at all, it's chaos outside. there are so many people, coming, and going.

I look up: the sun is a brown, yolk yellow, blurring and running. There's something in the distance, floating in the air, shards of wood, shapes of coffins and earth: something has hit the graveyard, tearing up the ground, scooping the space there back up, and leaving it, in shards, suspended in the air.

A thought hits me. Oh. It's the end of days.

We run for the car, try to drive through the pushing masses, wondering where they could be going, and some, most, are carrying guns. My roommate tells me they're going to higher ground, in the complex, to put down anyone who gets too close.

We leave, thinking of what we left behind, what we can't get back, and make to the highway. Our car suddenly swerves, the horrifying thought that the thing from our home has followed us, and when we stop I see that other cars have moved-- are moving, knocked from the road, spinning towards a rock face-- they crumble with the stone, dashed against broken rock and going up, up. It's like the graveyard, some great invisible finger or an entire hand has arched down, hit the earth, and pulled back up again.

My brain corrects me: You're anthropomorphizing this horror. I ask myself, then what is it? But I have no response, unable to comprehend what it is. And yet I'm able to tell myself that the veil has grown thin, that was why the haunting was in our home. Something is happening, and all of the planes are being torn asunder, creating wounds on the worlds.

I wake up. I'm really awake. But it's dark, and my mind wants to make something out of the shapes there. I leave my room, I calm down, and when I am calm it all feels just as absurd as I knew it would.

[edendaphne]

“Discordant Sonata”Ch. 6

I finally finished this chapter!!!

Read it here on Ao3

Read it here on Wattpad

CHAPTER 6: SOLO

(Mood Music: Sergei Prokofiev - Romeo and Juliet: Dance of the Knights)

“YOU’LL REGRET THIS, CHLOE BOURGEOIS!!” the monster bellowed, angrily stomping down the street adjacent to the park where Adrien, Marinette, Nino, and Alya had been picnicking together. In the mayhem that began with the appearance of the akuma, he'd lost track of Marinette.

His head whipped in all directions looking for her, struggling to stay calm as he and Alya carried an injured Nino, rushing away from the conflict. Nino’s leg had been crushed under the falling rubble of a gazebo that they’d been hiding behind. The akumatized person had destroyed it as he zoomed through the park, trampling everything in his way while Ladybug tried to stop him from reaching the Grand Paris Hotel, where Chloe was no doubt hunkering down.

Adrien tried to bury away the memory of his best friend trapped under the debris, screaming in agony, face twisted in pain, and yet imploring, begging them to run and leave him behind; Alya’s shrieking, frantic and distraught, on the verge of hysteria. Right now he needed to focus and get his friends to safety.

Nino grunted in pain but declared optimistically, “It’s alright, guys. Ladybug’s gonna beat that guy and fix everything.” He lowered his head slightly so it would be level with his girlfriend’s and tried to reassure her, “I’ll be okay, Alya, don’t worry.”

Alya replied, still teary and shaken, “But she’s bleeding and I think I saw her running with a limp! I’ve never seen an akuma like this before… And what if Chat Noir shows up?!”

Adrien felt his stomach drop at the mention of Chat Noir. It always made him uncomfortable when he heard other people talk about his alter ego.

“I don’t know if she’d be able to handle both!” Alya continued, glancing over her shoulder at the battling duo. “If only there was some way for us to help.”

Nino stammered, unsure of how to comfort her. “I-- umm…”

“Let’s just focus on getting Nino out of here,” Adrien interrupted. “Ladybug’s tough, she can handle herself.”

...I hope.

Adrien’s mind went back to Marinette and his eyes darted around to resume his search.

“Guys, I’m really worried about Marinette. Where could she be?” he asked the pair. “I searched the gazebo to make sure she wasn’t trapped underneath, but what if something else happened to her?”

“I heard her yell that she was gonna go get help,” Nino replied quizzically. “But I was too distracted by the akuma, so I’m not sure where she ran off to.”

Alya shrugged with her unoccupied shoulder. “It’s okay, Adrien, this happens all the time during akuma attacks. With her luck she probably got stuck in a bathroom stall or something while trying to hide.” More quietly, she added, “Still... let’s keep our eyes peeled. That girl has a penchant for trouble sometimes. I’m sure we’ll find her where we least expect it.”

Just then, they caught a flash of red as Ladybug crashed into the building next to them, smashing through the large glass window of the café.

“Ladybug!!” Adrien cried in horror.

The heroine laboured to her feet, groaning and clutching her head. Debris and glass shards clinked and rolled off her frame as she rose and dusted herself off.

Adrien cringed. For the most part the suit protected her body, but she had several cuts on her face from the glass as well as a nasty bruise developing above one of her eyebrows. He couldn’t help but merely stand there and watch, frozen and breathless.

“Oh my God, are you alright?!” Alya exclaimed.

Upon seeing the three of them, Ladybug quickly straightened up, saluted them cheerfully and called back, “I’m okay!!” She did a double take upon seeing them holding up Nino. “Nino, are you alright??”

His head bobbed up and down and gave her a thumbs up. “Go get ‘em, LB!”

She gave him a fond smile. “Get yourselves to safety, I’ll draw him away from you!” She began to dash away, running after the akuma once again.

Snapping out of his stupor, Adrien called quickly, “Ladybug!”

She stopped and looked back at him questioningly. He faltered for a moment, trying desperately to untie his tongue.

“Be careful,” he finally said in a low voice.

Ladybug’s expression softened and she smiled at him. “Thanks, Adrien. I will.”

Adrien’s eyes lingered on her as she left. She didn’t seem like she was really okay, but merely putting on a brave and confident face for their sake.

His stomach churned unpleasantly. “Come on, let’s find you some shelter,” he muttered uneasily as he began walking again, dragging Nino along.

About a dozen meters away the akuma, a large, musclebound rugby player who’d taken on the appearance of a two-stories tall anthropomorphized rhinoceros in uniform, took an offensive stance and charged at Ladybug once again. She managed to somersault over him, but despite his size he was fast. He hurled his rugby ball at her as she landed, which she narrowly dodged. How could she forget about that ball?! Surely that was where the akuma was being held.

“I can help you!” Ladybug called out at the young man. “Whatever Chloe did, we can work through it together! You don’t have to do this!”

He roared in return. “I’m gonna destroy her! She humiliated me! You have NO idea what it’s like to be friendzoned!!”

Ladybug’s expression instantly fell into one of exasperated annoyance. “Seriously?!”

She dove to the side, spinning her yoyo to fling it at him. It managed to wrap around his legs. She tugged the string forcefully and the huge monster toppled over like a building. The loud crash boomed across several blocks and shook the ground.

She walked towards the akuma and huffed, “Chloe owes you nothing and you are being an entitled jerk for not respecting her rejection!”

Twisting his face in anger, he bellowed, “That shallow witch deserves no respect from me!”

“Everyone deserves respect!” Ladybug countered, keeping the string taut.

“But WHYYY?! Why would she reject me? I’m a nice guy!” The akuma stomped its feet like a petulant child as and preceded to throw a tantrum that rivaled Chloe on her worst days. “Sluts like her only go for the bad boys!” he whined, kicking the nearest car.

“Wow wow wow, you need to stop talking right now before I barf!!” she sputtered incredulously as she tugged. “You’re acting like a total creep and odds are that you make her extremely uncomfortable!”

“I’ll show YOU ‘uncomfortable’!” he shouted, suddenly yanking on the yo-yo string and sending her flying towards him with a yelp. He pulled back and buried his fist in her stomach, knocking the air out of her lungs . She was thrown a short distance away, landing with a rough thud and kicking up bits of crumbling pavement.

The trio of friends watched from afar, agape. This is very bad , Adrien thought, feeling lightheaded and nauseous.

Groaning and coughing, Ladybug struggled to stand up, arms wobbling as she slowly raised herself. Meanwhile, Reaver, as he called himself, had untangled himself from the yo-yo and stomped towards her.

Ladybug sprinted towards him and leaped over his fist as he swung at her again, then dove past him to retrieve her yo-yo. She summoned her Lucky Charm, receiving a bottle of cooking oil, which she eyed skeptically.

Before she could figure out a plan, however, the gigantic beast leaped towards her faster than she’d ever seen him move.

She didn’t have time to dodge.

With a loud cry he struck Ladybug with an overhead punch, striking her down once more. The Lucky Charm was knocked out of her hand, much too far for her to reach. She sprawled on the ground groaning weakly, trying to force herself up.

But Reaver never gave her the chance. He clasped his hands together and smashed his fists downward. With speed uncharacteristic for someone of his size, he hit her again, and again, and again. Pavement cracked and crumbled beneath her from tremendous force of his hits and somewhere amid the blows, Ladybug lost consciousness.

Adrien couldn't think. Couldn't breathe. Couldn't bear to witness the utterly horrific way this sweet and giving girl was being pummelled.

She didn’t deserve this. It couldn’t end like this. A flood of images flashed through his mind, of her kind gestures and brilliant smile. Her gentle touches and comforting embraces, her thoughtfulness and concern over his wellbeing, not just for his civilian side, but for the side that was supposed to be her enemy. She was truly a beautiful person, both inside and out. The desire he felt - or rather- the need to protect her was almost painful and overwhelming.

If she died, he felt like a large part of him would die with her.

He let go of Nino and sprinted towards them with but a single thought reverberating in his head: I have to save her.

Before the monster’s fists could connect yet again, Adrien dove to where Ladybug lay unmoving and managed to roll them both out of the way. He scrambled to his feet, scooping her up swiftly, praying to any possible existing deity that she’d still be alive.

Then, unexpectedly, Adrien turned to face the akuma and shouted at the top of his lungs, “THAT’S ENOUGH, DAMN IT!!”

For a few moments the akuma faltered and his features scrunched in confusion. Then he frowned, raising his fist to strike again. Before he did, however, the familiar glowing butterfly-shaped mask appeared in front of his eyes. While the akuma argued with Hawkmoth, who was no doubt both bewildered and enraged at what had just occurred, Adrien bolted down the street cradling Ladybug in his arms. His heart wrenched in anguish as he held her close; her limp body felt so incredibly small and frail.

He had never been this terrified.

Adrien finally reached Nino and Alya and lay the battered girl on the grass between them. She was deathly still, blood bright red against pale skin. He quickly removed his sweater and rolled it up to place it under her head. Alya rushed to Ladybug’s side with Nino following suit, albeit crawling. At the sight of the beloved hero of Paris up close and observing the wretched condition she was in, a despondent Alya began to sob into Nino’s arms. Ladybug was Alya’s friend, Adrien remembered. They’d known each other for years and, of course, Alya ran the Ladyblog, which in recent years she’d been using as a sort of general helpline for all things Hawkmoth and akuma-related.

Fighting panic, Adrien tightly grasped Ladybug’s gloved hand and examined her for signs of life. With his other hand he reached for the pulse point on her neck, but then realized that he might not be able to feel it through her suit. Changing his approach, he hunched his body over hers, lowering his head so his face was lightly touching hers and waited, silent.

A few seconds passed. Finally, he felt her breathing on his cheek, shallow but steady.

He let out a large breath he didn’t realize he was holding and whispered, almost giddy, “She’s alive.” Alya and Nino gasped in relief and hugged each other.

Adrien stroked the top of her head slowly and cooed, “Ladybug, wake up, please, wake up.”

“We need to get her to the hospital,” Alya said.

“But would they even be able to help her?” Nino rushed, his voice breaking in panic. “She’s a superhero. Didn’t you see the hospital scene in ‘Superman Returns’ where they couldn’t even get an IV into his arm because of his superpowers? What if the same thing happens?”

“Nino!” Alya chided.

“No, he’s right,” Ladybug interjected, voice hoarse and gravelly.

“Ladybug!” the three of them cried and huddled around her.

Her eyes fluttered open, pupils struggling to focus. “Magic alters your body drastically. Regular medicine won’t help.”

“So what do we do then? We can’t just sit here and do nothing!” Alya countered.

Adrien looked back at the monster. The seemingly one-sided argument between the akuma and Hawkmoth got louder, and Reaver was quickly getting more and more irritated. Adrien wasn’t sure whether his father was trying to persuade the monster to leave them alone, or whether he was trying to convince him to go after them. At this point, Adrien realized that he honestly had no clue if his father would care if he got hurt in the process.

“We don’t have much time,” Ladybug replied weakly, getting his attention again. “The only thing that can fix everything is purifying the akuma and using the Ladybug Cure.”

She started to sit up, then let out a loud, pained yelp while clutching her side. Her breathing became more labored, as if her chest was being squeezed.

Adrien could swear he felt his stomach try to jump out of his body. “Ladybug, please, don't move! You're wounded!"

She waved it off as she continued to try to sit up. “I’m fine, it’s just a couple of bumps and scratches.”

When she was almost upright she cried out in agony and fell backwards, involuntary tears beginning to prick at her eyes.

“No, don’t! Your ribs might be broken, you could puncture a lung!” Adrien implored.

“I have to, there’s no other way!” she cried desperately, about to attempt to get up again.

Adrien gently but firmly tried to ease her back down and argued, “If you keep this up, he’ll kill you!”

She pushed back weakly as she struggled to keep her breaths even, “What choice do I have?! I’m the only one who can stop him!” Adrien stilled. She looked up at him, eyes shining, and with a desperate tremble in her voice she whispered, “There's no one else. Just me. I need to do this.”

Adrien stared back, astonished. He knew she was right. There was literally no one else in the world who could do what she did. Without her, not only would the akumatized victims hurt or kill innocent people, but it might not be possible to restore everything to the way it was originally, and all the damage, injuries, and casualties would become permanent. To her, defeat was simply never an option, and it never had been from the moment she took up the mantle of Ladybug.

Suddenly, just as he’d been dreading all along, he felt the ground shake and heard the giant stomping across the street towards them. Adrien bit his lip in trepidation and unconsciously squeezed Ladybug’s hand even tighter.

By now, his father was well aware that Adrien had developed a soft spot for their enemy; of that Adrien was certain. Gabriel was many things, but oblivious wasn’t one of them. Whether Gabriel believed that it was the same concern that Adrien held for innocent civilians, or whether he suspected it was something more, he had no idea.

Adrien knew that only two options were available to him from his current situation.

He could allow the akuma to forcibly remove Ladybug’s earrings; due to her extensive injuries, she wouldn’t be able to put up much resistance and would most likely survive… maybe.

Or... he could remove the earrings himself and hand them over to the akuma, thus sparing her from any further harm.

He didn’t even have to think about what he would do. To Adrien the choice was clear.

He slowly lifted his free hand towards Ladybug’s face and rested it on her jaw, tenderly stroking her cheek. She gasped slightly at the contact and couldn’t help but blush slightly, even at this time, which he found much too adorable. Adrien had to resist the urge to rub his thumb over her mouth to wipe at a small cut on her lower lip. She held his gaze, her vivid cerulean eyes glistening in the sunlight, still so innocent and hopeful despite years of strife and hardship. He smiled despite himself. Even in her current state, disheveled, covered in grime, cuts, and bruises, she was stunningly beautiful.

Tucking some stray locks of hair behind her ear, Adrien gave her hand one last squeeze and said to her softly, “You don’t have to do this alone.”

Abruptly, he stood up and turned away from the group.

“Stay here and keep Ladybug with you,” he addressed Nino and Alya. “Don’t let anything happen to her.”

Then he ran.

[seekingseven]

Mephibosheth Ch.3

Chapter 3 of my Undertale fanfic! You can read the story here on AO3 as well! 

┍━━━━━━━★━━━━━━━┑

"Asriel, there are still monsters in there. A lot."

The Prince tried to swallow a sigh. There wasn't any point in arguing with Chara's observation. Bright light oozed out of Grillby's windows and pooled onto the sparkling snow outside, the friendly halo around the building only emphasizing the liveliness within. The sound of clinking glasses and raucous laughter could be heard all the way from Snowdin Town's welcome sign, where a shirtless goat and disgruntled human stood side-by-side.

"Gosh, I, aha, musta misjudged the time. I-I thought the place would be a little closer to closing time and, uh, there'd be fewer monsters. Sorry." Chara gave him an unimpressed look. The goat boy cringed and scratched the back of his head, wincing when his claws snagged on a knotted snarl of fur. He muttered some more apologies and offered to pop into the adjacent shop to buy them a few sandwiches. His companion said nothing. Their eyes were fixed on Grillby's.

"Go-lly, Chara. I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to upset you! I know that you're probably not comfortable being around other monsters yet, especially that many. I really wouldn't have suggested we go there if I knew the place would be this packed. If we, I mean, if you want to go on the ferry now, we can." Asriel's apologies were addressed to the snow under his feet - he didn't have the fortitude to look his friend in the face.

There was the sound of rustling cloth and muffled grunts.

"Take your jacket."

Asriel looked up to see his sweater dangling in front of him, collar pinched between Chara's thumb and forefinger. The goat boy blinked twice then shook his head vehemently.

"Please, Asriel. Take your jacket. I don't need it anymore." Chara's voice had dropped an octave lower, soft exhales of air mingling with the words themselves.

"What do you mean you don't need it anymore? We're still in Snowdin."

A cheerful, wet breeze sent an armful of snow in their faces as if to assert the fact.

Chara sighed. "What would people think if Asriel, Prince Asriel, walks into Grillby's shirtless, soaked, and shivering? There's no way that story can sound good, especially with a human in the mix."

The sweater fluttered in the breeze.

"Walk into Grillby's…? I thought you didn't wanna go there."

"You want to go there, so that's what we'll do."

Asriel was about to explain he didn't care much for the place and that the sacrifice was unnecessary, but the look on Chara's face murdered the words in his mouth.

The human's eyebrows were pressed together in concern, eyelids lifted just high enough for Asriel to glimpse the earnest look in Chara's eyes. Almost imperceptible shivers betrayed the fact that the human was already missing the second layer of warmth but had no intention of reclaiming it.

Chara cared.

Something in Asriel's SOUL stirred, and his resolve weakened. The human took a step forward and draped the limp jacket over Asriel's shoulder. Without another word, Asriel slipped it on.

"Thanks, Chara."

"Thanks? It's not my jacket, Azzy."

"No, I mean, thanks for agreeing to go to Grillby's. I promise we'll have a great time."

Chara placed a small, delicate hand on Asriel's shoulder.

"I trust you, goat boy."

Asriel snickered and blinked away happy tears. He slung his arm around his friend's shoulder, smiling to himself when the human visibly relaxed, and sauntered towards Grillby's.

»»-««

A sudden wave of curiosity hit Chara as the pair crept into the bustling restaurant. He stared at the lively scene through his bangs, wordlessly drinking in the scene. An army of anthropomorphic dogs stood crowded around a long table, barking and yelping loudly as chips and cards were tossed in the air. Lanky, serious figures sat silently at the bar. A mosaic of empty glasses stood at simpering attention in front of them, and their grave, hushed muttering was hardly audible. And was that...a family of bunny monsters sitting at a half-moon table? Chara’s eyes widened. It was as if a hundred different worlds and lifestyles converged at one venue. So many monsters!

So many monsters.

So many...

Blood clambered to the human's face. His fingers shook. Chara unrolled the turtleneck collar of his knit sweater and pulled it up to his chin, combed his bangs in front of his eyes, and held onto Asriel's hand even tighter. He let himself be pulled in a direction he only hoped was away from the other monsters. His blood screamed and pulsed at the back of his head.

"Don't worry, Chara," the goat boy said, "nobody even saw us come in."

"Hey, guys! Is that Prince Asriel?" a high-pitched voice cried out.

The entire restaurant went silent.

And then immediately erupted in cheers.

"Yo, Prince-boy! Tell your dad I say hi!"

"Hey, little dude! How's life treatin' ya?"

"Aww, he's made a friend! And they've even got matching sweaters!"

"Drinks on Asriel?"

"Drinks on Asriel!"

"Shut up, Jeremy. He's literally a kid."

"Nice one, Doggo."

"Wha- ugh! That was not intentional."

"You heard it here first, guys! Doggo is a secret comedian!"

"You better shut your stupid, noodle-arm, UFO, saucer-lookin' a-"

"Language!" A feminine voice exclaimed, "the Prince of the Underground is right there!"

Asriel glanced at Chara and inhaled sharply, letting his chest swell with the restaurant's confident, greasy air. He cleared his throat and gave the crowd a friendly wave. "Howdy, all. My friend and I are just here for a snack. How's everyone doing tonight?"

Chara's eyebrows shot up into his forehead. He hadn’t met this assertive, charismatic Asriel he was seeing just now.

"Very well, sir!"

"Better, now that you're here!"

"Jus' fine, lil' dude."

"Yo, Princey! Who's your friend? Never seen 'em around before."

Asriel squeezed Chara's hand tighter and gave the crowd a patient, practiced smile. "I would introduce him, but Mom expects me to be home in about an hour. Y'all know how it is. Didn't mean to cause a ruckus - just wanted to grab a bite and slip out."

Clever. The human was impressed.

"Aw, shoot! Didn't mean to hold you up."

"Mama Goat is gonna be real mad, lil' dude! Better get chomping."

The apologies and friendly noises continued, but Asriel was already leading Chara to a booth nestled in the corner of the restaurant. The human clambered onto the plush seating and pressed himself next to the window. A hushed sigh escaped him as the glass cooled his inflamed cheeks. Asriel gave the crowd one last wave before sidling up to his new friend. Chara stared at the frozen world outside. There was something ethereal about the way the restaurant's lights illuminated the lazy snow flurries outside. Each snowflake sparkled a bombastic yellow, delighted to have a spotlight on them for a mere second before they joined their brothers below. It seemed that Snowdin Town's beauty could only be appreciated when isolated from its weather.

Growing tired of the endless expanse of white, Chara focused on the scene within the building. With careful, squinted eyes, the human scrutinized the restaurant with the sort of acuity only comparable to a fascinated tourist. So many monsters, so many voices...so much friendliness crammed into one place.

Asriel made a grunting noise, the sharp tinkling of metal on wood bringing Chara's attention back to the table.

"Cripes. I've only got ten gold."

A jerk of Asriel's chin directed Chara's eyes to the tabletop, where ten dime-sized pieces of metal lay scattered. Asriel was holding a little brown pouch in his hand, pinching the bottom and shaking it over the table in hopes that more "gold" would drop out. Nothing did.

"Well, that should be enough for maybe a small fries. Or one milkshake. Ugh, but if we eat sweets before dinner, Mom will be very angry." Asriel huffed and scooped the pieces of metal back into the pouch, then turned to face Chara. "What would you like?"

"You'll get in trouble if you eat any sweets?" Chara whispered, rolling his collar back down and staring at Asriel in earnest.

"Well, yeah."

"Oh." The human combed his hair back with his fingers and gave an exaggerated sigh.

"D-did you want something sugary? It's not a problem! Mom's rule only applies to me, I'm pretty sure."

Chara placed his head in his hands, wincing as the dried skin on his cheeks and fingers tore from the movement. He resisted the urge to itch and focused instead on keeping his voice as somber as possible. "No, don't worry about it. I want the same thing as you. Get whatever you like."

Asriel stared at Chara through squinted eyes, then shook his head and crossed his arms. "N-nope. We're getting the biggest, sweetest, milky-est milkshake Mister Grillby will give us for ten gold. No friend of mine is going unsatisfied - not on my watch!"

As the goat boy walked away, chin high and chest puffed and money pouch dangling from a claw, Chara smiled.

That was much easier than he'd expected.

»»-««

It was difficult to surprise Grillby.

This was probably the natural consequence of being a father, entrepreneur, and local confidant. The three facets of his life, all unpredictable and untameable, had taught his SOUL to live peaceably with the unforeseen. A lifestyle of living on one's toes had a way of nurturing a harmonious relationship with a tumultuous world.

He was the embodiment of calm waters. Metaphorically.

Having the Prince of the Underground walk into your restaurant on a Saturday night with a disheveled shadow clinging to his paw, however, was undoubtedly an occurrence worthy of the epithet "surprise." He'd been thoughtfully remolding a highball glass Jeremy shattered, listening carefully to a customer's drunken monologue, when someone announced the Prince's arrival. Shocked, he'd lost control of his flames for a split second and liquified the glass shards in his hands. The surprises kept coming, however. Upon realizing what the lanky, shaggy-haired figure hovering behind the Prince was, he accidentally set the wood beneath him on fire.

Now the floor behind the bar was scorched, and there was a red, goopy mess on his bar top he didn't know how to fix.

And there was a human in his restaurant.

The bartender let out a subdued crackle that could only be interpreted as a sigh.

He was glad that none of his customers had recognized exactly what "Asriel's little friend" was. There were only so many angry dogs and scared rabbits he could placate with his near-inaudible voice, even less when his whirlwind of emotions made controlling his flames an uncelebrated feat.

Saturday nights were relentless in every sense of the word.

He'd just supplied Jeremy with his third basket of cheese fries (and a set of napkins in vain hope the saucer-shaped monster would take the initiative to clean up after himself) when an unmistakable voice diverted his attention.

"Howdy, Mister Grillby!"

Grillby looked down. Asriel looked up.

"Sorry to cause such a, uh, fuss. I thought there would be fewer people or something at this time…"

The bartender folded his hands behind his back, waiting for the little Prince to find the words he needed.

"I, uh…"

The Prince heaved a quivering sigh and looked around. His eyes seemed to be looking for something, be it relief, words, or confidence, but they quickly dropped back to the floor.

An emotive, inebriated speech on the other side of the restaurant had just tapered off, and the ensuing volcano of applause caused the Prince to wince. With a wide, blank look in his eyes, he suddenly turned away and hid his head in his paws.

"I, ah…"

It took a few seconds for Grillby to notice the nearly-imperceptible shaking of Prince Asriel's shoulders. Muffled hiccups accompanied hushed, watery inhales. He knew that sound exceptionally well - what father didn't?

Grillby's metaphorical heart broke.

If this was because of the human…

He shook the dark thoughts out of his head. Yes, it was a human. But it was also a child .

"Your Majesty."

Asriel turned around in surprise. To hear Grillby talk was a phenomenon that must be seen as well as heard, regardless of how teary-eyed and snot-nosed one was. The bartender suppressed a smile at the Prince's exaggerated reaction - now wasn't the time - and made a waving motion urging the Prince to accompany him towards the bar. After effortlessly weaving through the crowds and casting the occasional backward glance to ensure that Prince Asriel hadn't drowned in the mob, the bartender ushered the goat behind the bar.

Anticipating the Prince's confusion, Grillby held up one flaming finger to indicate that he would only be gone for a second. Asriel watched silently as the elemental ducked into the back room and emerged with a spare stool and chocolate bar that, somehow, retained its solid form despite its handler. The bartender set the stool next to the Prince and motioned for him to take a seat, handing him the chocolate bar when he did. The goat looked at the candy in his paws with a distant air of awe. It was king-sized.

"Thank you, sir."

The chocolate bar remained untouched and unopened, but Grillby nodded his head in recognition anyway. He couldn't help but wonder what had happened to get the Prince so shaken up. Nobody in the restaurant had treated Prince Asriel with even the slightest amount of disrespect, so it couldn't be that. And aside from looking cold and a little bit wet, the Prince didn't seem to have any injuries. The bartender rested an arm on the counter and leaned onto it. No need to rush an explanation.

"Excuse me, Mister Grillby," the Prince started up again, "d-do you have milkshakes that cost ten gold or less?"

Grillby dipped his head towards his chest in incredulity. He nodded slowly but said nothing. There was no need for anyone to point out that milkshake prices weren't to blame for the Prince's current emotional state. His flames swelled when he traced the Prince's gaze over to the booth where the human sat. Old grudges clambered at his throat. Grillby pushed them down with practiced expertise.

"My friend is real hungry. H-he hasn't eaten anything in a while." The Prince gave the bartender a cloudy look and dropped his voice further. "I know he wants a milkshake. But he's too afraid to ask for it because I told him Mom will be angry if I eat something sweet before dinner, and I only have money for one thing. And, you know, I just want him to be happy. But I don't want to disappoint my Mom either."

Ah. This made a little more sense. Grillby had always known Asriel to be on the delicate side, both physically and emotionally, so his desperation to please was understandable. After all, validation from others was, unfortunately, the cheapest way to heal temporary cracks in one's self-esteem. Grillby sighed again, his thoughts weighing heavily on his shoulders. The Prince of the Underground was so unsure of his worth that the mere prospect of rejection was enough to make him cry. He stifled the urge to place a hand on the Prince's shoulder - children didn't usually take well to being too close to a fire elemental.

At least there was something he could do to make the situation a little better.

Waving away Prince Asriel's proffered money pouch, Grillby disappeared to the kitchen. He emerged minutes later with two massive hamburgers dripping with translucent yellow grease, balancing the plates on his shoulders as he twirled the utensils between his fingers. The steam from the burgers clouded up his glasses, forcing him to set down the dishes on the bar and wipe the lenses. He motioned for the Prince to follow him, the plates returning to their perch on Grillby's fingertips.

Anxious footsteps echoed after Grillby's. "Sir, I can't pay for that! Please, Mister Grillby!" The Prince's anxious bleating drew the attention of a few customers who looked at the scene and burst into laughter.

"Lookit, Saint Grillby is back at it again!"

"Don't' worry, lil' dude! Mr. Fire Man has got your back."

"Hey, Grillbz! If I told you I was Prince Asriel's long lost cousin, would I get a free hamburger too?"

Realization dawned on Prince Asriel's face, and a mirthful puff of steam escaped Grillby. The bartender believed with his entire being that too many good things were crammed into this small place. He was beyond grateful for his noisy, lively customers - they were as much a part of the restaurant as the burgers, fries, and drinks. Again, the Prince tugged on his pants. Once he knew he had Grillby's attention, the little goat spouted off a string of half-memorized reasons why he couldn't accept the gift. The bartender shook his head and walked briskly to the booth where the human sat, smiling as the Prince bounded ahead, untouched chocolate bar in hand, to give their friend a description of the developing situation.

Grillby almost set the entire building on fire when he saw a flash of pure fury on the human's face. It was gone in an instant, and the bartender reminded himself that this was a child , that he'd been working for hours and was probably seeing things, that there was no reason for a kid to be so ideologically opposed to the idea of a free hamburger.

Setting down the two burgers in front of the children and once again deflecting the Prince's attempts to pay, he gave the human his best impression of a smile. It tilted its head curiously. No further malice darkened its' face - no, no, not its , Asriel had said the human was a he. Grillby noticed coldly that the human had somehow taken possession of the Prince's chocolate bar.

After a few more increasingly half-hearted attempts at refusing the food, the Prince relented. Grillby took it as his cue to walk away. The sound of a raspy voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Thank you, Mister Grillby. We'll remember this."

The human.

Prince Asriel quickly echoed the human's sentiments, insisting that they both were extremely grateful and that he would ensure the Royal Family repaid him as soon as possible. Grillby turned around slowly, keeping a tight rein on his core temperature, and nodded curtly.

Jeremy's insistent cries for another basket of cheese fries were, for the first time, a welcome distraction.

»»-««

With a poorly suppressed burp, Asriel pushed his empty plate into the middle of the table. That was a good burger. He would have to convince Dad to bring him here more often. The Prince absentmindedly reached for a paper napkin and ran it over his muzzle, hoping it would absorb any traces of grease left in his fur.

"Howdya like the food, Chara?"

The addressed looked away from the window and down at their plate, which had hardly been touched.

"Wha-! You didn't eat anything!"

"Yes, I did."

Chara pressed the pads of his fingers delicately on the porcelain plate and spun it around, revealing the other half of the burger. Or lack thereof. It was exactly half-eaten, having been split cleanly down the middle. Asriel giggled, then turned red.

"That's real clever, Chara. Sorry that I yelled at you."

The human blinked slowly, then shrugged.

"No harm done, Azzy."

The Prince nodded and pillowed his head on crossed arms, giving Chara a stern look. With slow, carefully picked words, he explained that they would have to leave soon to get home. Chara was silent as Asriel summarized the geography of the Underground, from Waterfall to Hotland to the Capital, entranced with his descriptions of the monsters that lived in each place. The Riverkid, the Lab, the labyrinth of strange elevators he ensured his ward he knew how to navigate...Chara clung onto every word with wide, sparkling eyes.

The flash of heat and weight of another presence near them snapped Asriel out of his monologue. Chara was already staring with a curious expression at the bartender in front of them.

"Oh, howdy, Mr. Grillby! Thank you so much for the meal. It was delicious." Asriel patted his stomach to emphasize the point. No response. The air was curiously tense. Grillby suddenly inclined his head towards the Prince in delayed response and picked his empty plate off the table, sliding a paper bag meant for take-aways in Chara's direction.

Slowly, Chara bundled up his half-eaten burger in a carefully folded napkin and slid it into the bag along with the chocolate bar. He pushed the porcelain plate towards the bartender and pressed his cracked cheeks to the cold glass of the window until the elemental was gone.

"Alright, then. Let's go, Chara!" Asriel's whispered words were lost in the surrounding hubbub, but him sliding out of the booth and pointing towards the door communicated his intentions flawlessly. With the paper bag in hand, Chara eased himself off the leather seating. He tossed a suspicious glance towards the bartender.

Grillby stared back.

They both looked away, minds prattling off a practiced list of explanations and rationalizations. Asriel gave the bartender a friendly wave as he pressed his paw on Chara's back, utterly oblivious to the tension sparking in the air.

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