31st October.

Home sweet home! I feel good, energized and refreshed. I hadn't meant to push myself that far, but knowing my limits has never been something I was good at.

I had some good ideas during my holiday on the nature of sound and the "phonograph" I found at the dump before I left. A clever idea of the humans, but inefficient and with poor quality sound. I can improve it exponentially with the application of those crystals in waterfall, they vibrate in a peculiar way when struck. I'll send Papyrus down tomorrow to gather some. I should involve the children in my work more, it'll be good for them.

16th November.

A prototype has been build and given preliminary testings. It worked well with natural sounds, but it needed testing on voices. Papyrus begged and pleaded to be allowed to be a test subject, and I was only too happy to prepare a wax cylinder for recording. (note to self, find better material. Some kind of resin?)

As for the result, it was pure Papyrus. He forgot his words, mumbled, stumbled, burst into giggles and got sidetracked with whatever random thoughts flitted across his young mind.

All recorded in flawless quality. I sent a different sample to the king, and kept my sons words safely tucked away in the chest containing my most precious things. He won't be that young forever.

19th November

Another checkup with Toriel. The baby is growing well. Installed the first properly manufactured Magical Furnace in the Palace while I was there. They'll be trialing it to see if its good for release among the general population. Fingers crossed...

1st December

Sans got in another fight at the park today. It seems some children were picking on Papyrus for his good nature, and made the terrible mistake of doing so within earshot of Sans.

They had to get one boy down out of a tree.

I sympathize with Sans, the thought of any snotty nosed brat making Papyrus so much as frown makes me burn with rage, but violence is not the answer.

He has been grounded.

I must admit, I am impressed. This time I saw the entire thing. His telekinesis...how can a child that young have such a powerful control over it?

What did the barrier do to him?

Papyrus is not defenceless either. He's begun to play around in his childish way with bones, but he's too kind to use them against anyone. I worry about him sometimes. He's so gentle, how could he defend himself against someone who might want to hurt him? At the same time, I'm not keen to see that innocence shatter. It is a rare and precious thing.

24th December.

Ah, Christmas eve. The streets of New Home are lit up green and red with christmas lights and the strains of a flock of door to door carollers can be heard from my room. I can also hear Sans and Papyrus whispering to each other in the belief that I'm not aware they're awake on Christmas eve. They're buzzing with excitement. Tomorrow, Asgore will be walking the streets disguised as Santa, with his bag of toys for the children. Truth be told, I'm more looking forward to putting my feet up with a glass of eggnog by the fire while the children amuse themselves.

I remember my last Christmas with Helvatica. We made the house green with holly, got drunk on cider, carried away under the mistletoe. I miss her like an ache. I still have her scarf tucked away in a chest, brittle and yellow with age next to Papyrus's recording.

Seems I'm always morose this time of year...

25th December.

A lovely Christmas. Sans and Papyrus both enjoyed the toys they got from Asgore very much, plus the ones I got for them. I found a childrens book of jokes and puns for Sans at the dump and dried it out carefully. Papyrus I gave a book of adventure tales. Being as impressionable as damp clay, he's borrowed Gersons pith helmet and plans to go out "exploring the vast wilds" of waterfall. So long as he wraps up warm.

Sans spent the evening sharing puns from his book over dinner. I don't think I'll get tired of hearing

him genuinely laughing at these silly jokes.

27th December

I was wrong.

He won't stop.

Gods I've made a mistake.

1st January

A new year dawns.

A calendar was found at the dump. It is the year 1898. A new millenium fast approaches. It's been a busy year. The human technology found at the dump is brought to the lab thoughtfully constructed for me in hotland in a steady stream, and infinitely better monster tech flows out. The...ugh, the king asked so nicely to be allowed to name this one, "magiphone" has proven popular. It's nice to enjoy some music around the house.

And yet even with all my work distracting me, the fact its the anniversary of the death march to Mt Ebott is inescapable. I have the worst nightmares this time of year, ones that wake me trembling in the night, driving me to bolt from my bed and desperately check the children are safe.

It passes.

Just...never soon enough.

4th January.

Papyrus began school today. He's so excited, I barely had time to give him a goodbye hug before he was bolting through the school gates after Sans. Now the house is silent for the first time I can remember since we came underground.

I don't like it.

I tried playing the recording of Papyrus, but the house is just so empty.

12th January

Papyrus seems to be doing well in school. His teacher says he's very sharp in his classes, and after a certain...incident the bullies don't touch him, but I've noticed he seems slightly withdrawn at home. I've tried to ask him what's wrong, but he changes the subject and becomes suspiciously chipper.

I hope he's doing alright.

13th January.

Received word from the king that the furnace performed admirably. Will be preparing it for release in the general populace. I feel this could really make a name for me.

I wonder...could I make a bigger one?

15th January

So that was what was eating the poor boy.

I heard sniffling coming from the boys room and found Papyrus sitting crying gently on his bed. It only took a little prodding to make the truth come out.

No one wants to be friends with him.

Sadly, his eager efforts to be friendly are serving only to frighten off the other children. They don't dare poke fun with Sans watching from a distance, but Sans can't do anything about them ditching him like that Jerry child. He's an empathetic lad, Papyrus, he knows what they're doing.

And its hurting him deeply.

Poor child. I sat with him and comforted him, telling him that those children didn't know what they were missing, and that someday he would make someone an amazing friend. I meant it too. Theres a boundless well of warmth and kindness in the boy, happiness never far from the surface. He cheered up quickly at my words and ran off to play.

You'll find happiness someday, Papyrus. Don't let them get to you.

17th January

That boy will be the end of me...

I had been preparing a blueprint when Sans approached me, trying to hide his utter terror as he offhandedly mentioned Papyrus had gone missing.

Sans is a capable lad despite his disability, but if theres one thing he can't do, its say no to Papyrus. And he had asked to be allowed to be more independent. An understandable request, he is growing quick after all. So Sans allowed him to run off to waterfall and play explorers on his own. In a pith helmet 3 sizes too big. It had slipped over his eyes and caused him to fall down a small hole, twisting his ankle. When we finally found him a few hours later, he was cold, wet and terrified. Now he's resting, complaining at the top of his voice with his foot resting on a snow poff. I've asked Gerson to make him a smaller helmet if this is going to be a regular occurrence.

20th February

I'm very concerned. The queen has grown quiet and withdrawn lately, prone to bouts of irritable snapping. Asgore has joked (very quietly, out of earshot) that its like living with a bear with toothache. Could she be approaching birth? It's a little too early still.

27th February

It's happening.

28th February

It's a boy! Never in all my years have I seen the underground so happy as they were when Asgore stood on the balcony of the palace and gently held up his new child. It was a long birth, right through midnight, and Toriel is currently sleeping, exhausted by her efforts. I'm worn as well. I needed every trick I had and everything in my birthing bag to bring him forth safely. An early childs magic is not yet well formed. Still, in the end it was successful.

I've been offered a room at the palace until I feel she's well enough to be alone. I can hear Asgore from here, softly singing a lullaby as his son squeaks back at him, all soft white fluff and huge eyes.

They are a beautiful family.

Long live our new prince!