Chapter 7

"So, like this?" Asriel asked, trying hard to not drop the yarn Chara unraveled and requested Asriel hold. His paws were held away from his body, palms facing each other, as pink yarn was loosely wrapped around Asriel's paws.

"That's perfect, Asriel. Thanks!" Chara answered as he picked the knitting needles off the floor.

Asriel and Chara sat on their bedroom floor, the lamp sitting between them to illuminate the room. They were supposed to be in bed, but Chara told Asriel that he had a project he wanted to work on and would need the lamp lit for an hour or two. Eager to be of assistance, Asriel asked if there was anything he could do to help.

"I don't know, Chara," Asriel said after Chara had gotten the yarn wrapped around the needles the way he wanted and got to work. "I don't feel like I'm doing anything."

"You're doing great, Asriel," Chara reaffirmed. "It is much easier having someone to hold the yarn like that than to have a ball sitting next to me that might roll away if I accidentally knocked it."

Asriel had his doubts about his usefulness, but he decided against voicing them. He was just happy to see Chara so excited. Usually it took Chara days for his "rain cloud," as Asgore called it, to go away, but after they woke up that morning, Chara seemed to be in a much better mood.

"So, what are you doing, anyway?" Asriel asked as he watched Chara move the needles with ease. He didn't even know Chara could knit.

"I guess I can't keep it a secret from you since you're helping me," Chara answered, "so I'm going to need you to keep a secret for me."

"Of course, Chara!" Asriel exclaimed. "I would do anything for you."

"I'm making a sweater for Mr. Asgore."

"Wait, you're making Dad a sweater?"

Chara stopped mid motion and slowly looked up at Asriel. "Do you think it's a bad idea? Would your dad even like a sweater?"

"No! Chara, I think it's a great idea," Asriel insisted. "I'm surprised you would make one for him in the first place is all." Especially since Mom will notice that Chara didn't make anything for her. . . .

"Mr. Asgore has been really nice to me even when I do not deserve it, so I wanted to make something to show my appreciation."

Asriel was about to ask Chara if Toriel had been nice to Chara. It always appeared to Asriel that Toriel was perfectly kind to Chara and loved him just as much as she loved Asriel. However, Asriel wasn't sure if Chara saw what Asriel did if the human would so blatantly favor Asgore.

Thinking about it for a moment, Asriel asked, "Where did you get the yarn and the sowing needles?"

Hesitating only a moment, Chara avoided eye contact and sheepishly answered, "Merla's room."

Asriel nearly dropped his jaw. Merla was the royal right hand – whenever the family traveled, Merla would stay behind to make sure everything in the Capital stayed in order. The aquatic monster was also not very fond of Chara, something Asriel immediately noticed the day they came home with Chara. In return, Chara kept his distance from Merla. For Chara to sneak into her room and steal her belongings—

"She won't even notice they're gone," Chara insisted, probably knowing what Asriel was thinking based on the look he was giving the human. "She has more yarn and needles than any old lady I have ever met, and I have never once seen her knit! Why does she need all that?"

"I don't know, Chara, but that doesn't give you permission to take things from her room. That's stealing, and we don't steal in this family."

Sighing, Chara looked at the needles and yarn. After a moment, he began to unravel what he had already knitted. "You're right. I will put everything back the way I found it. There's got to be some other way to thank Mr. Asgore."

As Asriel watched Chara dejectedly undo his project, the very thing that made Chara so excited in the first place, Asriel felt a wave of guilt and shame wash over him. Something was making Chara happy, and Asriel had to ruin it for him. Asriel did not want Chara's rain cloud to come back, so he said, "Actually, no. Chara, keep knitting. You're right. Merla would never notice that these things are gone. If she's not using them, then you should."

"But I did steal these things," Chara argued, what was meant to be the start of a sweater now undone. "You're the one who's right, Asriel. Not me."

"Then we'll find some way to pay her back," Asriel suggested. "Merla loves chocolate chip cookies. Maybe I can suggest to Mom that we make some for her."

"I don't think giving her something won't change the fact I stole these things from her."

"Don't think of it as stealing, Chara. Think of it as exchanging. Like buying the things from her."

Chara considered this for a moment before saying, "If you say so, Asriel."

Without another word, Chara once again began knitting the sweater. Asriel watched in silence. A part of him felt bad for what he had just encouraged – even if they did give Merla cookies, the gift would be that of deceit if Merla didn't know they were giving her something for stealing her belongings. Yet Asriel could not bear to see Chara upset when there was something that made him happy. Asriel would just have to tell Merla what happened, but it would have to wait until Chara was done with the sweater. Merla was horrible at keeping secrets, and Asriel didn't want to risk Merla telling Asgore anything that might ruin the surprise.

This is okay, Asriel told himself. As long as Chara's happy, then I'm happy. . . . We'll just try not to break anymore rules along the way.


Looking up, Chara wondered how snow could fall when there wasn't even a sky. Perhaps there were holes on the top of the mountain that leaked snow into this portion of the Underground, thus how Snowdin got its name. Chara bent down and picked up a handful of snow and crumbled it in his grasp. It was cold to the touch. As he dropped the snow, Chara pulled his coat tighter around himself and began to walk forward again, his shoes crunching against the snowy trail.

"C'mon, Chara, you slowpoke!" Asriel teased when he turned around and saw Chara a few paces behind.

Despite himself, Chara smiled. "Oh, I'm the slowpoke?"

Without giving Asriel a chance to respond, Chara broke off into a run. In a matter of seconds, he ran past Asriel and his parents and sprinted towards the town. Chara was close to entering Snowdin Town.

"Chara, do not run ahead! Asriel, not you, too!" Toriel shouted, but Chara heard Asgore tell her, "They're fine, Tori. Let the children be children."

"I'm gonna get you!" Asriel called out from behind, but as fast as the monster was, Chara was faster.

Not Asriel to come close to catching up, Chara pushed his legs to carry him faster. Laughter grew within his chest and bubbled past his lips. Against his better judgement, Chara turned his head over his shoulder to see just how far behind Asriel was.

"Chara," Toriel called before Chara could locate his brother, "watch where you are going!"

Too focused on judging the distance between Asriel and himself, Chara ignored Toriel. It was mere seconds later that Chara collided into something, the force knocking him down. His attention jumping back to what was in front of him, Chara felt his stomach drop at the sight of a monster sitting in the snow and shaking his head.

The monster was foxlike in appearance, his thick fur a gray so light it almost blended in with the snow. He was dressed in black trousers and a maroon sweater with a black collar and sleeve cuffs. When he opened his eyes after shaking his head, the monsters stared at Chara with piercing yellow eyes.

"S-so sorry!" Chara exclaimed, jumping to his feet and offering the monster a hand. "I should have paid attention where I was going. Again, I am really sorry."

"Renart!" Asgore called out as he, Toriel, and Asriel rushed up behind Chara. "Are you all right? I hope Chara hasn't hurt you in any way."

"Come on, Asgore," Renart snorted as he allowed Chara to help him to his feet, "you know it's going to take a lot more than a human child to do me in. I think the question you really should be asking is if your child is all right."

Without giving Asgore a chance to respond, Renart patted Chara on the back and said, "You don't seem hurt though. Goes to show how resilient you children are. Although I can see you're a little embarrassed: you're cheeks are a bright red!"

"I have naturally rosy cheeks," Chara stated, speaking the truth to cover up that he was, in fact, embarrassed, "and it's cold."

"That would explain why your ears are red as well," Renart said before patting Chara on the back again.

Chara felt his face get hot. This monster was being so good-natured about Chara crashing into him. It made the situation even more awkward.

"So," Renart said, his attention back on Asgore, "what brings you to town?"

"Just visiting," Asgore replied, one arm draping over Toriel's shoulders and the other hand ruffling the fur on the top of Asriel's head. "Tori and I figured spending a couple weeks in quiet Snowdin Town would do our family some good."

"Besides," Toriel added, "it is always good to see old friends. How have you been, Renart?"

"Oh, same old, same old." Renart looked at Chara then back and the king and queen. "It is so nice to finally meet your human child. Reminds me of the good old days. Y'know, before the war."

"You used to live on the surface before the war!" Asriel exclaimed, a big smile breaking over his face. "You saw other humans just like Chara!"

"Saw them? Young prince, I studied with them!" Renart laughed as if fondly remembering the past. "I was one of the few monsters accepted into the University of Gifted Magicians. My classmates and I specialized in soul study – what souls are made of and the secrets and powers they hold. Until the war, we were trying to understand what made some human souls compatible with magic and others incompatible."

"But humans can't use magic," Asriel commented, brows furrowed. "Isn't that right, Chara?"

Before Chara could reply, Renart corrected, "No, humans can't express themselves through magic – their souls are not made of magic like monster souls are. But some humans indeed can use magic. However, they need to rely on an outside force, such as a staff or a wand."

"Hey!" Asriel exclaimed, smiling widely. "Chara, do you think you could use magic if we found you a wand? We could practice magic together! Well, that is when I can use magic, of course."

"Asriel, I can't use magic," Chara insisted as he interlaced his fingers and pressed his palms together. "Besides, where would we find a wand?"

"There are some crystals in Waterfall that possess magic," Renart said, surprising Chara. "They omit similar magic wavelengths as the magical objects the humans on the surface used. I have been studying them and have been looking for ways to cut and craft them similar to the items my human friends had used."

Before either child could comment, Asgore said, "With all your knowledge, Renart, I am still surprised that you won't accept my invitation to join my council. You and Gerson would be all I need."

"Thank you, your majesty, but I am afraid I must continue to reject the offer." Renart bowed slightly as he added, "There is so much to study and learn about the Underground. Instead of viewing this as my prison, I want to see it as an opportunity to learn about the magic under Mt. Ebott. How can beneath a mountain be able to support life? What about these magical crystals I found scattered throughout Waterfall? Spending time in your council babysitting a couple of kids who don't even know what the sun looks like would only take away from all that. I hope you understand, Asgore."

"No, I understand," Asgore replied. He opened his arm to Chara, and the human walked back to the king's side. "If anything, your past and current studies may be of use to us yet. This barrier trapping us here can't stay in place forever. You of all people should discover how to break it."

It was so quick that if Chara had blinked, he would have missed it. Renart looked at Chara with an expression in his eyes Chara could not read. Then just as quickly, Renart was back to looking at Asgore.

"If I discover anything," the fox monster said, "you will be the first to know."

As the monsters exchanged their farewells, Chara bit the inside of his cheek. It had never crossed Chara's mind some monsters might have known about select humans' ability to use magic. Now it was as if another force of expectations were placed onto Chara.

This was only confirmed as the Dreemurrs continued their journey to the inn when Asriel leaned close to Chara and whispered, "Can you imagine, Chara, if Mr. Renart was able to find a crystal that let you use magic? We would get to practice together, and you wouldn't need matches!"

Tasting bile in his mouth, Chara forced himself to reply, "Humans don't use magic anymore, Asriel."

"Why not?" Asriel asked, frowning.

Chara shrugged, doing his best to feign disinterest. "I think humans turned on magicians or something after the monsters were sealed away. They call magicians 'demons,' or so I have been told."

"What's a demon?"

Toriel, who seemed to have only heard this part of the conversation, said, "Asriel, do not ask such questions!"

"Sorry, Mom," Asriel quickly replied. That was the abrupt end to their conversation.

It wasn't until the family arrived at the inn, checked into their rooms, and Asriel and Chara began to quietly settle into their room that Chara was able to breathe in relief. The topic of magicians was the last thing he wanted to discuss. If Chara could go the rest of his life never again speaking of humans using magic, he would be content.


"When do you plan on giving Dad the present?" Asriel asked as he and Chara dressed early the next morning.

"I don't know," Chara answered as he put a thick red and green sweater over his head. "Maybe never."

"Don't be silly, Chara!" Asriel laughed as he brushed his short fur and wondered when he would start growing hair and a beard like his father. "You worked too hard on that sweater to never give it to Dad. At some point, you're going to have to give it to him."

"Yeah, but what if he doesn't like it?" Chara challenged, frowning. "I don't want to give it to him and he has to pretend to like it. Mr. Asgore won't tell me outright if he hates it."

"No, he wouldn't," Asriel agreed, "but since it's from you, Chara, Dad is going to love it no matter what!"

Chara smiled as he walked up to the dresser with the mirror, picked up his own brush, and began to brush his own fur. It had gotten a little longer in the past few months, Asriel noticed. He sometimes wondered if Chara was a long-hair species, just only on the top of his head.

"Okay, then how do I give it to him?" Chara then asked. "Do I just . . . walk up to him during breakfast and give it to him?"

"I mean, I don't know what else you would do," Asriel answered, setting his brush down. "Dad's birthday isn't for two more months. I don't think waiting that long is a good idea. You could lose the present or maybe forget about it completely. I did that once with Mom's Mother's Day gift. . . ."

Chara was silent for a moment before he said, "Okay, I think you're right, Asriel."

Snorting, Asriel replied, "You think I'm right?"

"Okay, okay," Chara chuckled and lightly punched Asriel on the shoulder, "I know you're right."

"Of course, I'm right." Asriel watched as Chara dug through his suitcase for the wrapped box. "I'm always right."

"Except when you're wrong," Chara commented. He grinned wickedly at Asriel's protest.

When the two were dressed and Chara had the present in hand, the boys walked out of their room to meet their parents for breakfast. They passed a few monsters along the way, most of them covered in either fur or layers of coats. The head of the inn, a rabbit monster named Cotton, was standing by the table in which Asgore and Toriel sat and seemed to be having lively conversation with the king and queen.

Asriel kept walking forward until he noticed from the corner of his eye that Chara stopped walking alongside him. Halting, Asriel turned around to see what was wrong. Chara stood frozen, his hands clutching the present so tightly his knuckles were beginning to turn white.

"What's the matter?" Asriel asked, stepping towards Chara.

Speaking softly, Chara answered, "I don't think I want to give Mr. Asgore this gift in front of all these people."

"Come on, Chara," Asriel tried to reassure, "you can't turn around now. Mom's already spotted us and is waving us over. You might as well give Dad the gift."

When Asriel saw that Chara was still paralyzed, he tried, "You can ask Dad to open the present later, if you want. He doesn't have to open it right away. The point is you give it to him in the first place."

Chara visibly swallowed. Asriel turned around to see Toriel looking at the boys with concern. Asgore was still speaking with Cotton, but it would be a matter of time before he too noticed the boys standing a few feet away if Asriel and Chara didn't make it to the table soon.

Taking one of Chara's hands in his paw, Asriel gently tugged Chara forward and said, "It's okay, Chara. I'm here. You aren't doing this alone."

The boys made eye contact, and Asriel smiled at Chara. This got Chara to smile in response. Squeezing Asriel's hand, the two finished walking towards the table.

"Is everything all right?" Toriel asked as the children seated themselves.

"We're fine, Mom," Asriel answered as he reached over to grab a cinnamon roll.

"Why, hello, Prince Asriel!" Cotton greeted as he ruffled Asriel's hair, causing the younger monster to giggle. "And Chara, it's a pleasure to finally meet you."

Not knowing what to say, Chara merely nodded.

"What's that you got there?" Asgore asked, using his fork to point at the present in Chara's hands. "Did someone give that to you?"

"Um, well, uh . . . no." Chara squirmed in his seat so much, Asriel was afraid that Chara would wiggle right out of it. Chara then thrusted the present forward and shouted, "I made this for you!"

This got the attention of everyone in the lounge. Noticing this, Chara's face and ears grew red, and he slowly put the present on his lap under the table. Chara then looked down, letting his fur cover his face.

The silence hung in the air like the ceiling of a blanket fort ready to collapse. Asriel swallowed, wanting to say something to comfort Chara but not having any words. Although most eyes now moved away from their table, Asriel himself still felt as if everyone was looking at Chara.

"Well," Asgore then said, sounding as if he was talking at their breakfast table at home and not in a crowded inn, "are you going to give it to me, Chara? I'm excited that you made something for me and am eager to see what it is."

Without either speaking or looking up, Chara passed the present to Asgore, who gently accepted it from Chara's tight grasp. Asriel watched as Toriel looked between Chara and Asgore. Cotton, still standing by their table, did not seem to be in any hurry to leave.

As if oblivious to the tense atmosphere, Asgore cheerfully hummed as he peeled away the wrapping paper. With the wrapping paper neatly set to the side on the table, Asgore opened the box. Reaching inside, Asgore pulled out a pink sweater, took it by the shoulders, and held it away from him to read what Chara had sowed in with dark blue yarn.

"'Mr. Dad Guy'," Asgore read, and Asriel watched as Chara slinked deeper in his chair as if he were trying to slide under the table.

"I, umm," Chara tried. "It's okay if you don't like it—"

"Chara, what are you saying?" Asgore flipped the sweater around and held it against himself as if to see how it would look on him. "You made this? Chara, this is wonderful! You must have worked really hard to knit this. Thank you!"

Asriel saw Chara's face grow even redder, but this time, Chara smiled. He slowly pushed himself upright in his chair. When Chara looked at Asriel, the young monster grinned at Chara as if to say, "See? I told you Dad would love it!"

"My, young human, this is very well made!" Cotton exclaimed, studying the sweater. He reached out as if to touch it, but Asgore pulled it away from his grasp. Acting as if the king just did not play keep-away with him, Cotton continued, "For one so young, you are either very talented or very well practiced. Even my own mother couldn't knit like this!"

"Your mother had two left hands," Asgore muttered, and Toriel chocked on the orange juice she was sipping when Asgore said that.

"I . . . used to knit . . . a lot," Chara said slowly. "Whenever I couldn't sleep, I would light a lamp and knit. I learned to make a lot of my own clothes that way."

No wonder Chara had no trouble staying up late into the night to knit, Asriel thought. Even when Asriel was falling asleep, Chara never seemed tired. Truthfully, Chara seemed almost a different person during their nightly knitting sessions, as if he was in a state of deep peace Asriel had never seen from his brother elsewhere.

"Was this habit from your life on the surface?" Toriel inquired.

"Yeah!" Asriel exclaimed then said the realization out loud, "You never talk about your life on the surface. Did you knit only after the sun went down? You said you lit a lamp. Does that mean the moon isn't bright enough? Or does the surface get dark like how it always is Underground?"

"Erm . . ." Chara bit his lower lip. He started slouching in his chair again. His face, which had been tomato red only minutes ago, drained to an ash pale.

"Chara?" Asriel furrowed his brows. Before he could ask what was wrong, Chara blurted, "You know, I really like Snowdin Town. Every time I'm here, it feels like it's Christmas Day!"

The comment alarmed Asriel, but not because Chara dramatically changed the subject. Leaning forward, Asriel now asked, "What's Christmas?"

When Chara struggled to answer, Asgore came in with, "It's a holiday celebrated on the surface."

"OH!" Asriel exclaimed, excitement rising within him. Placing his elbows on the table and leaning close to Chara, Asriel requested, "Please tell me about this Christmas."

Chara looked around the room. Squirming a little in his chair, Chara fumbled over his words. It took him more than a few minutes to begin explaining what Christmas was to Asriel.