Strider's notes: So this is a collaboration between Silverwingprime and myself, and it's actually being done in the form of an RP. It's... surprisingly easier to write out like this, rather than sitting down and actually belting out chapters. Odd, huh? Anyways, welcome to TOTU, chapter one. There's probably going to be a lot of sex that happens, a mild bit of horror at one point or another, racism, and a whole other slew of shenanigans. :D Welcome folks, and i hope you're in for the long haul. As it's being done in RP style of writing, it does take some time to get it written out, edited, and whatnot. As it's also in RP style, you can probably expect some odd... thought mixes, or what have you. You'll know them when you see them.
SilverWing Notes: Almost nine years of roleplaying and this is the first time i ever actually publish my writing, i couldn't have chosen anyone better than Strider, as we also had a second story a long time ago that we wanted to publish. I can't wait to see how things go along as this story develops.
(Edit 6-10-18) Strider here. Silver and I are going to slowly be going back through the chapters as we continue to write, and probably even after, and work on correcting grammar, punctuation, and fixing names and such. Since it's been a while- by a while, the original publication date of chapter one is August 9th 2016, so nearly 2 years since we started TOTU, the earlier portion of our story needs an update. There won't be much added content wise, except a few fluffing words here and there to make sentences nicer, but for the most part, it's going to remain as is. Even then, we're not perfect, and some things will probably be missed.
The barrier had been destroyed, and monsters set free from their centuries-long prison only a short time ago. They had freedom at long last, and yet Monsterkind was slow to accept this truth. The idea of freedom after so long almost surreal to them- and the idea of monsters to most of humanity was a terrifying prospect.
But there were still the few monsters that wanted to go, to see just what their beautiful world came to become, just like there were some humans who weren't as terrified, and intended to welcome Monsters to their world with open arms. After a long discussion between the great king, accompanied by his great advisor, and the officials of the cities closest to the great mountain that hid the monsters away, Monsterkind was given the opportunity to grow under the warm sun, within the safety of foster homes, protected by their human guardians.
Papyrus Aliquam Gaster was proud to wear the royal guard armor he donned on this day. Armed with a bone spear, he happily escorted the latest group of monsters to the clan camp being constructed for the monsters. It was the beginning of a simple village by the Mount Ebott River.
He walked through the camp, even after the carrier carts stopped, greeting builder and pre-settled monsters alike as he approached the largest of the homes. This home belonged to the kind woman who had donated her land to Monsterkind to build and grow on. Many called her an angel, others a miracle worker. He called her his friend, and was honored enough to call her that.
He soon came to the door and reached up, rapping his bony knuckles against the wooden door. He had a warm smile on his face, and a cheerful orange gleam in his sockets as he waited for her to answer.
Tokiko Nara was the first grandchild of the Nara clan heads- and had inherited the large plot when her grandfather had passed away, despite the fact that she wasn't full blooded Japanese. The family had been here for a long time- probably since the days before the barrier had been erected. As such, she'd been able to do what she wanted with the plot of land, since it was the newer age. No one was required to stay at the clan compound anymore, and so all eight of her brothers, and her mother and father had moved out once she'd reached the age to which she could have run it on her own.
For the most part, the hundreds of sprawling acres of forest, rivers, and fields had been mostly untouched. Some of it was being logged for more housing- the compound itself was not nearly large enough to house all the monsters that she really would have liked to in the long run- but a lot of it was still undisturbed, or being used for her Apiary. Other than her passing hobby as an author, Toki had to make money somehow. Making honey was a lucrative pastime- and she had a natural talent for not being stung.
Since the barrier dropped, the magic that had been released had made the bees ultra busy. As a result, she was kept even busier between helping purchase food for the new monsters arriving, and tending to her hives.
It was little wonder why she was feeling so run-down by everything. She was growing ever more pale, even for a half Japanese woman, as the days wore on. But she wouldn't trade it for the world. The tales of yore had been true- monsters did exist, and they were an absolute delight to talk with. Of course, not all humans were in agreement with her.
Speaking of monsters- she recognized the sound of bone on wood by now. A smile stretched her lips, and the spindly woman came to answer with a happy gleam to her dark eyes. She pulled back the door, opening it with a welcoming grin. Toki had taken the time to actually make something of herself this morning- though that only amounted to pulling the inky locks of her hair into a loose ponytail and making sure that the bags under her eyes were sufficiently covered by a careful application of some foundation. "Papy!" She beams, overjoyed. "Come in, come in. I trust you've gotten everyone here safely?"
"Haha, indeed Miss Nara!" He said happily, entering the home once he ducked his head enough to get inside. Being seven foot six was a little... merciless to your head if you forgot to duck. "It's good to see you are doing well, even with everything you've so kindly done for us monsters. I'm certain you've been very busy- you must be exhausted!"
Her doors were tall- her father, according to her mother, had been a giant of an American, before she'd remarried another, shorter man. When Toki had shot past her mother's meager height by age ten, they'd agreed to remodel the house to something a little more height friendly. At six foot tall, Toki had readily needed it. And, watching Papy duck into her doorway, Toki was pondering the need for yet another expansion to make it a bit more monster-friendly.
"Oh please, Papy, you know I prefer being called Toki." His joy is met with another smile. "Would you like to set your things in your room? And yes, I've been doing well. It's been very busy, between my hives and everyone here, but it's nice to see the compound being put to good use again." She tried to keep everyone fed and happy- but it was cramped quarters until the actual full sized houses could be built around the modernized compound. "I'm glad everyone's gotten here safe though." With the rumors she kept hearing over the radio and news stations on the television… The novelty of the monsters was fading off for some people across the world, and, naturally, the bigots and racists had to rear their ugly heads and cause problems.
Those kinds of people brought shame upon the human race.
"No need, mi'lady! Duty calls and I packed light." He replied with a soft 'nyeh heh heh', before he pulled a small closed Tupperware from his pack and offered it to her. "Here!"
Of course he did. She shakes her head at his antics- he took his job more seriously than a lot of other people she knew- and gives him a fond smile. The smile shifts to befuddlement when she's presented with Tupperware, to which she lifts up so she can peer in it. "Spaghetti?" She blinks, before her smile grows. She would pay for it later, but she would most definitely try it. "Ah! You told me you would bring me some of your famous spaghetti! I've been so excited to try it." She gushed happily.
"I certainly hope you enjoy it, Miss Toki! It's only fair that the great caretaker of Monsterkind has fine dining once in a while to keep her on her feet." he said with a smile, "That, and I kinda made too much last night, so I had leftovers." He admitted, rubbing his head with a soft laugh.
She gives him a wide smile and laughs alongside him. "I don't know, Papy. Can there ever be too much spaghetti?" It tasted damn amazing, but never agreed with her in the long run. She chuckles gently and motions for him to follow her to the kitchen. "Come- I haven't had lunch yet, and I'd wager you haven't either. Care to share some with me? I've got some pastries I made that we can put some honey on to go with it. Sound good to you?" Toki would need the sweet sugars to keep her energies up, after all. She had some stuff to get done today- and most of that rhymed with cleaning out all of her hives and making sure the bees had food.
"Oh, I would love to!" he said happily, "But only for a little while, I do have to hurry home, after all!"
Of course he did- he was so busy, like one of her bees hustling from flower to flower to make it home in time. "Of course," She smiles widely. He's guided into her kitchen, which is much more monster friendly. It's obvious she does a lot of babysitting of some of the young ones in the houses around them. A children's table has been purchased, and has colorful drawings on it and draped over the chairs that surround it in one corner of the kitchen. She guides him to the granite counter top, surrounded by tall chairs, and carefully goes to put the Tupperware into her microwave to heat. She dances to the counter next to it, grabbing some simple tarts she'd made, and grabbing one of her many jars of honey she makes. She sets herself to preparing the tarts- more than they need. The rest are going out to the monsters and workers outside that are so diligently building houses for them.
"Hey, Papy? Can you grab me the plates please? I had one of the taller monsters helping me in here a while back, and they forgot I'm not quite as tall as some of you. It's in the cupboard above the sink." Which was well above her grabbing range. She usually had to grab a chair to get it- which is hilarious, because she's tall for a human.
He smiled at the sight of her happiness, and then he blinked, "Ah! Of course, Miss Toki!" he reached to the cupboard and pulled the door open, reaching in and collecting them with little hassle. "Here we are!"
Toki thanked him with a smile, and began piling tarts onto many plates. She left two plates empty- and soon she put the steaming spaghetti on the plates, not bothering to split it evenly between the both of them. She took the lesser amount, and collected a few extra tarts to make up for taking less, before fetching forks. The plates are set on the table, before she wraps the other honey-tart filled plates up to be sent outside later. "Well, lets eat. It smells amazing," she admits, her stomach growling eagerly. She takes a seat on one of the tall, wide chairs, and motions for her friend to join her. "How have you been in the Underground? Besides busy, I mean."
"I've been good! Father has been a fantastic leader for the western districts, and Brother has really stopped being so lazy!" He said happily.
"That's good." She nods. The mouth full of spaghetti sends pleasant tingles down her throat, and she hurries to swallow it down so she can eat more. In-between bites of pasta, she takes bites of her tart, enjoying the sweet flavor of the honey and the bland, moist cake that it's spread on. "My little brother is perpetually lazy too." She grins, watching him happily. It was always so cool seeing the monsters eat- some swallowed whole, some chewed, it always varied. And how a Skeleton ate without having a stomach was a magical mystery to Tokiko, but she always enjoyed mysteries. "It always took so much prodding from my siblings to get him to get into mischief with us. I'm very convinced that laziness is not something that goes away forever."
He let out a happy 'nyeh heh heh heh!' at that. "They are pesky, but brothers! Fantastic regardless?"
"Fantastic regardless." She nods with a laugh. "Nara as a clan are generally lazy though. It comes in varying degrees of severity. My dad always said I was high strung- I enjoy lazing about with the best of them, but I much prefer to be doing things." Her stomach cramped a bit as she finished her spaghetti, and finished up her tarts. "Your spaghetti was fantastic, Papy. Did you enjoy the tarts?"
"They tasted fit to be eaten by a king!" He replied with a happy 'Nyeh heh heh!'
"Good." She smiles. "Because I was thinking of sending back a crate of honey with your caravan, if you'd like. I think everyone downstairs," She taps her foot on her floor, silently referencing his home, "would love to get a taste of what the outside can offer. Is that okay with you?"
"Oh, that would be wonderful! I know Father will enjoy the offer of something sweet!"
She nods with a smile, and collects the plates once he's finished eating. She settles them into the sink to soak- because Honey is many things, and a bitch to get off of the china is one of those things- and turns around to offer him a hum. "I'll make sure a crate is ready for when you leave then. When do you depart?" She'd need to get it packed- she had all the supplies, and she could get it done pretty fast. Not monster-fast, but human fast was good enough.
"Well... I don't think I had a specific ordered return time." he said with a cheeky look, almost one to match that of his brother's.
She can't hide the laugh that eases her soul. He was always so busy, running to and fro. "Then I'm going to ask you stay and relax a bit. You're always so busy- but lets get that honey packed up for you first. I'll get busy and completely space out on doing it otherwise." She edges past him in the kitchen, and then laughs lightly. "Make sure you leave your spear out here, yeah? Honey jars are fragile, and I will be very grumpy if I have to try and mop up spilled honey. It sticks worse than glue, I swear."
That said, she leaves him to follow as she leads them to her pantry. The door opens, and on one side is normal foods. The other is loaded with jars and jars of honey, some aged, some still needing time to age to the perfect sweetness. She moves to drag out a travel crate, and begins collecting jars for the trip back. The constant up and down motion makes her head spin some, but she toughs it out to work on packing them safely.
"Nyeh heh heh... Alright...! I suppose I shall help you! A royal guard must also do his best to be a gentleman! Especially to one such as yourself!" He left his spear out, coming into the room to help her.
"You are very sweet," She smiles. "Probably sweeter than any honey I could make, really." She stays lower, letting him hand her the jars from the upper shelves. She packs them in, padding them with biodegradable- and edible- packing peanuts. The crate fills up quickly, and soon she's settling the lid on and using her packing tape to make sure that the top wont open, and the side panels wont open up under the weight. Glass is tremendously heavy with honey in it.
Once it's together, she hefts it into her arms and stands. She staggers lightly as her head spins, and she sighs as she braces against the shelf behind her. The crate wobbles, but she steadies it with a heft of her arms. Stood up too fast- she hated doing that. "Well, here's your honey, mister gentleman."
With a startled noise, he moved quickly and carefully took the crate, "Now, now!" He said quickly, setting it down nearby, before he checked her worriedly. "Are you alright? You staggered pretty roughly there!"
She let him take the crate- idly noting that he didn't struggle with its weight like she did, much to her amusement. Toki swallows and nods with a smile. Her head swims a bit more, but she's fine enough as she reaches out to pat his arms reassuringly. "I'm alright, Papy. It's a human thing- if we stand up too quickly we get dizzy or if we're not feeling well. It's not a constant thing, and we only sometimes fall down. I'm pretty used to it." She admits. "I'm alright, I promise."
"Regardless! I say you rest!" He insisted, proceeding to pick her up next.
Well, that's not what she was expecting. She squeaks, fingers looping into his armor as she's snatched up. "Ah… Thank you? I'll rest for a bit, but I do have more honey to collect today, and hives to clean." And many other things too- but she didn't have the heart to tell him all of them. So Toki smiles and laughs softly, feeling hilariously tiny in the large skeleton's hold as he hefts her upwards. "I'm not a feather, Papy, so lets go park it on the couch. You remember where the living room is, right?"
"Of course I do! The great Papyrus has a fantasti-!" He's promptly cut off as his head runs into the arch over the door.
"Ah! Papy!" She leans up, using one arm on his armor to heft her upper body up so she can reach and puts her hand on his skull. Toki gently rubs over where he clocked himself something good, making a soft clucking noise in the back of her throat. "If you keep running into doors, you're not going to have such a fantastic memory, you goofball. Let me see- I don't think you hit hard enough to hurt yourself, but I don't want to see you hurt."
The solid wood of her doorframe hardly has a dent- but that sort of sound on bare bone did not sound pleasant. She'd broken a toe on these frames- she could only imagine what they could do to a bare skull.
"Nyeh... I-I'm okay!" he insisted, smiling at her gently as he carried her to the couch. "The great papyrus cannot be so simply defeated! Not even by a door-frame!" he assured her, carefully arranging her on the seat and then sitting beside her.
Once she was seated, she was up on her knees anyways, carefully tugging him down as she eases lightly against his chest. She can see the spot he bonked- a little bit of the stain from the wood had tinged his skull. "Still, Papy, you need to be careful. I don't know about you magical skeletons, but hitting our heads as hard as you tend to could seriously hurt us. Our bones aren't as strong as yours are. Speaking of, your skull doesn't look cracked- but still be careful." The concerned look on her face is, she hopes, enough to sway him to be a little bit more careful.
He smiled a little, and wrapped his arms around her. Armor certainly wasn't the most comfortable to recline against, but bone wasn't much better. "Tut tut! I'm worrying about you. I don't want you getting concerned about me! The great Papyrus can take more than just a simple hit on the skull!"
"Still, Papy, you've got to be careful." She relents, and relaxes down against him. Papyrus was a very cuddly person. Toki was too- she'd grown up the eldest of six boys, and all of them had loved big sister cuddle times. It was practically unavoidable, sort of like now. She just sighs and settles as best she can, idly humming. "I always worry- and I'm realizing I'm going to need to renovate the house again. Taller doorways is rapidly becoming a must have."
"Nyeh heh heh... I'd pity our wonderful king if he was to hit his head!" he laughed softly, "But he'd be so kind, he wouldn't care!"
She laughs softly. "Asgore was very kind," She nods in agreement. "But he didn't come inside. He couldn't get through the front door. We had our lunch out on the lawn. I never thought I'd meet a king, y'know. He was really cool though." And he had enjoyed her tarts. Honey, as she gathered, was not something the Underground had in spades.
She sighs and settles her head against his shoulder. Inky hair spills over his armor, and she notes that some of the strands fall between the bones of his arms.
He let out a soft laugh, and then he smiled and reached, gently pulling her hair from his arm. "Mm~"
"Sorry about that." She gathers her hair from his fingers, and leans back enough to coil it up into a bun. A quick shift of her hair tie, and soon it was in a sloppy pile, but out of dangling reach. "Hair sort of goes everywhere. I should probably get it trimmed again, honestly."
He smiled and tucked a few strands behind her ear. "Nyeh heh heh! I think it's nice like this!"
Toki can't help but laugh softly, watching as he tucks them behind her ear. The gloves over his fingers brush against the cartilage hoops that decorate the rim of her ear, and she smiles lightly. "I enjoy having long hair." She admits. "But it does get in the way, and sometimes I don't have the energy to braid it every day. The bees like to get tangled in it if I leave it laying flat."
"Why don't I braid it for you?"
His offer was really unexpected, and she blinks up at him in befuddlement. "You know how to braid?" Not all humans knew how to braid- let alone a magical being that didn't even have hair. "You're welcome to braid it if you want!"
"Don't mind if I do!" He repositioned her in a comfortable seat, grinning happily at her back. "May I take your hair tie?" He asked.
She nods softly, and reaches up a tired hand to untangle it. Messy black hair falls free, pooling about the middle of her back. She offers him the white elastic band, and gets settled so he can work over her hair. "Of course you can!" She laughs gently. Facing away from him as she is, she takes the moment to reach up, rubbing at her eyes with a hidden yawn. Welp. There goes her foundation. Eh. Makeup was cheating anyways. Most humans had the dark circles- it wouldn't stand out if she did too.
He smiled and took the band, running his hands through her hair even so gently. He pulled her hair into a long ponytail, and then stroked her hair a little longer before starting to braid it.
Her hair was pretty easy to work with in the long run of things, really. Toki's hair was pretty straight, only some of the shorter hairs curling and frizzing. She relaxes as his fingers work, propping her chin on her palm as she slouches. He's better at it than she thought she would be- and Toki finds her eyes drifting shut pleasantly as his fingers work over her hair.
Who'd have thought that skeletons could be good at playing with hair? Or at least making it relaxing, particularly with his battle gloves on.
After skillfully twining the lengths of hair together, he secured it. Papyrus smiled and moved it to drape it over Toki's shoulder. "There we are! All done~"
Her eyes lifted again, dark circles visible below them, once her hair was braided and draped over her shoulder. She shifted back, turning to face him once more, and a smile stretching her lips. "Thanks, Pap. I guess there's nothing that the Great Papyrus can't do, is there?" There's no sarcasm in her voice either- he'd proven capable of doing most anything. Except ducking through doorways.
She shifts and leans back into the couch, slouching into his side with a warm smile. Her back makes a series of popping noises- slouching always did something odd with her spine, but it always felt heavenly after keeping a much healthier posture.
He let out a quiet 'nyeh heh heh' as he wrapped his arms around her. "My dear lady, you must rest!" There might have been some quiet scolding in his voice. "I'll gladly stay here while you sleep, so use me as a pillow if you so wish!" A bright smile widened on his face.
She laughed softly and leaned into him. "Alright, Papy, alright. I'll nap for a little bit- but I do have stuff I need to do today. Wake me in an hour?" She motions to the clock on the wall, where he could check the time if need be. Toki's legs curled up onto the couch, and the tall woman did a wonderful job of folding up into something much smaller than she actually was.
The bones against her side weren't the most comfortable to nap on, but Toki was a Nara. She would surely bring shame to her ancestors if she couldn't manage to nap anywhere, any time, at the drop of a hat.
He looked up at the clock. Once he figured out the time, he smiled and nodded once. "Of course, Good night, Miss Toki~" He said happily.
She can't help the laugh that bubbles forth. "It's not even noon, you great goober. But I'll have a good nap. If you want to turn on the television, the remote is to your left." Noise wouldn't bother her, really. Already her eyes were drifting closed, and she was content on snagging a nap leaning against him. She shifts, snuggles closer, and drapes her arms around him so they don't get squished against her chest.
He smiled down at her, and returned the 'hug' that seemed to be given to him, before he reached and took the remote into his hand, going to take a peek at what was on TV.
The first thing that comes on is cartoons; as the television and all of it's human marvels seemed to mystify the monster kids, it proved to be an effective way to keep them out from underfoot for hours at a time. She hadn't changed it over from the last time that she had watched the young ones.
The Amazing World Of Gumball began to play quietly from the speakers.
"Dude, have you noticed that your voice has changed?"
"What, you mean how I sound like a man and you squeal like a piglet on helium?"
True to the context, the voice cracked upon the next sentence. "You take that b-back!"
"Sure, when you ask me like a man."
"I AM a man!"
"Really? Because right now you sound like a mouse who's parachute won't open."
Toki settled to sleep to the hilarious sound of whatever critter it was lose it's shit in the highest pitched tantrum she had ever heard.
This was hilarious. Papyrus let out the quietest, 'nyeh heh heh heh~' he could muster.
Toki wouldn't even stir. Her breathing evens out, dark lashes framing the dark circles under her eyes, and a soft snore wafts up from where she's cuddled to his armor.