As Asriel, Karen and Grag made their way through the market towards Chillby's, Asriel noticed that more people were staring at Karen than the night before. He guessed that word had spread through the grapevine that a human was living amongst them. Asriel pushed his hat down over his face and pressed on through the crowd.
"Asriel, I don't like this." Said Karen. "They're looking at me like a freak."
"They're just not used to it. Give 'em time, they'll warm up to you." Said Asriel reassuringly. Suddenly, over the hustle and bustle of the crowd, a saxophone could be heard, followed shortly by an upright bass and a piano.
"Wait a minute… Wait a minute… is that jazz music? Down here?" asked Asriel, pushing through the crowd towards the familiar blue building. Stepping through the door, Asriel was greeted with a sight he wasn't expecting; Chillby was sitting on the stage inside, alone, playing a saxophone, while an overhead speaker played out the other parts of the music. Chillby was playing along with the music, note for note, the saxophone on the speaker overlapping with the saxophone Chillby was playing. Asriel took a seat at one of the empty tables, and listened intently. It was quite mesmerizing.
"Azzy? What are you…?" started Karen, before noticing Chillby on stage. She listened for a moment, and took a seat beside Asriel, equally mesmerized. As the bassline faded out, Chillby took a bow, and stepped off the stage towards the couple, who were clapping enthusiastically.
"Chillby, I had no idea you played, too!" smiled Karen.
"Been practicing since I was just a little icicle. If I ever get to the surface, I'm going on tour." Sighed Chillby dreamily. "So, wait, you play?"
"Oh! I used to play bass clarinet in high school! Sometimes, my mother would…" started Karen, before remembering what had happened. She shook her head. "My mother would always bake clarinet-shaped cookies after every concert I played at. One day, she told me we were going to New Orleans, and… then…"
"Did… something happen?" asked Chillby.
"A drunk driver cut her off on the highway. The sixteen-wheeler behind her didn't have time to react." Sighed Karen, who was fighting to hold back the tears. Chillby knew what Karen was trying to say, and hugged her tightly.
"I understand… Drink's on me… okay?" smiled Chillby. Karen wiped her eyes with her sleeve and nodded.
"Thanks, Chillby." Sniffled Karen.
"Asriel, what would you like? We just got a new recipe figured out." Smiled Chillby to Asriel, replacing her saxophone in its case behind the counter.
"I'll try it. I'm game." Said Asriel. "What is it?"
"It's an older recipe of my father's. I found it last night in a box of cards. Figured I'd give it a shot." Grinned Chillby. "But it's an adult beverage, so it might be a bit strong."
"I've had Hennessey before. I'm fine with a little burn, just ask my pal, Grillby." Said Asriel.
"Grillby? Is he, like, a fire monster?" asked Chillby, bumping her head on the underside of the counter. "Dammit, I always do that!"
"Hehe… Yeah… He works in the food business with his wife, Muffet. She's a baker, he's a frycook… Go figure." Said Karen.
"That's a pretty good business combo! You have the entrées and appetizers, and then you have dessert! That's smart!" said Chillby, mixing Asriel and Karen's drinks.
"Yeah… Just be careful… Muffet's the jealous type." Warned Karen.
"I don't get involved with married men. Besides, I think I'd melt around him." Said Chillby.
"That's what she said!" called Grag from the door. "Muahahahaha!"
"Grag! You know what I meant!" screeched Chillby.
"He's gotten better about controlling his temperatures. I think you'd only melt if you ever fought him. Muffet would probably have combusted if it wasn't for his ability to control his temperature." Said Asriel, pulling up a chair for Grag.
"Well, regardless, I think I'll steer clear, just to stay on the wife's good side." Said Chillby, pouring out the drinks into their respective glasses.
"She's really chill if you don't flirt with her man." Said Asriel. "Frisk learned that the hard way. She wasn't even trying to flirt with him. She just gave him a smile and a wave, and she took it way too literally."
"Frisk?" asked Chillby on her way to the table.
"My adopted sister. Though, I consider her my real sister." Said Asriel, taking a sip of his drink. Asriel's mouth burned for a moment, and he coughed.
"I warned you it would be strong." Smiled Chillby, taking a sip of her own drink, a bright yellow liquid that probably tasted like tropical fruits.
"What is it?" coughed Asriel.
"Solomite Surprise. Y'see, even though it acts like our power source, smaller Solomite crystals, when ground up, are like spicy peppers. And yes, there is also booze in that drink, so enjoy responsibly." Said Chillby.
"Now I know how Frisk felt when I spiked the punch at her wedding." Laughed Asriel, taking another sip.
"You spiked the punch? Oh, my God, you mad genius." Sighed Chillby.
"It was my younger sister, Merigold, who gave me that idea." Said Asriel.
"How old was she?" asked Karen.
"I think she was eight. Though, she might have been nine." Said Asriel.
"What a little rebel…!" smiled Chillby, sipping on her tropical drink.
"No idea where she gets it from." Said Asriel sarcastically, pointing to himself with his thumbs. Karen laughed, and took a sip of her drink.
"Oh, the drugs are kicking in again…" smiled Karen.
"I never put the chocolate in. Must be a reaction to the Solomite powder. There are different varieties of Solomite crystals. Different colors have different flavors." Explained Chillby.
"Is that what you use to turn normal food into monster food?" asked Karen, starting to feel the effects.
"Pretty much. Oddly enough, green Solomite crystals taste like mangos, and orange Solomite crystals taste like cherries." Said Chillby, taking a sip of her drink. "What do you lot use?"
"Temmie Flakes?" guessed Karen.
"The fuck's a Temmie?" asked Chillby, her face contorting in confusion.
"You've never met a Tem?" said Asriel in shock.
"No?! Am I supposed to have met one?" asked Chillby.
"You're not serious. You have all these monsters down here, and not a single Tem?" said Karen. "This is a travesty! I demand we go on a Temmie hunt!"
"Karen, the drugs are talking now. Calm down." said Chillby.
"I will cut you." Said Karen, pulling her straw out of her cup and holding it like a knife. Chillby stifled a snicker.
"This is amusing." Laughed Grag.
"Right?" said Chillby.
"Karen, please put the straw down." said Asriel. Karen flicked her straw at Asriel, causing red liquid to spatter onto his snout. He looked back at her, unamused.
"Got ya'!" smiled Karen.
"Is there a way to reverse the effects of Solomite? We have things to do." Asked Asriel, wiping his snout with a napkin.
"Well, yes… But it's nasty. Tastes like piss." Said Chillby. "Black Solomite crystals are like a nullifier."
"Please…?" asked Asriel.
"Alright. But don't say I didn't warn you." Said Chillby, grabbing Karen's drink, and heading back to the bar. After a few minutes, she came back, the drink slightly darker than before.
"Alright. Down the hatch." Said Chillby, placing the drink in front of Karen. "Oh, and you might need this." Chillby handed Asriel a bucket.
"That bad, huh?" asked Asriel.
"It's pretty nasty stuff. It's like ipecac for monsters." Said Chillby, just as Karen took a greedy sip of the drink. Immediately, she gagged, and grabbed for the bucket in Asriel's hand. She vomited, and continued to do so for two minutes straight, with only a few intervals in-between.
"Better out than in." sighed Chillby.
"The fuck was that?" asked Karen.
"Piss." Said Asriel. Karen vomited into the bucket again.
"Asriel!" huffed Chillby.
"You said it, not me." smiled Asriel. "Besides, I'm making sure we flushed the system of the Solomite."
"Ugh… I hate you, Azzy." Sighed Karen, putting her hands on her head and leaning onto the table.
"No, you don't… silly…" chuckled Asriel, wrapping his arm around Karen, who shrugged him away.
"Don't touch me. I might vomit again." Burped Karen.
"Maybe we should wait on the mines for an hour. Just until you feel better." suggested Asriel, just as Chillby handed Karen a glass of water. Karen recoiled.
"Hey, it's fine! It's just water." Laughed Chillby.
"Didn't come off of you, did it?" asked Karen, causing Chillby to burst out laughing.
"No, silly! It came from the tap! Goodness, me…" howled Chillby.
