"Wanna light?"
"What?"
"A light. That thing's been hanging outta your snout since you got on, ya know."
Snapped out of a daydreaming stupor, Susie involuntarily shrugged, a little tense from past experiences. A dull pain grabbed her back as the train hitched, weary old bones aching again. Rubbing her eyes, yawning, she absent-mindedly let her cigarette roll out of her mouth and onto her thigh. She stared at the thing for a second. With its filter chopped off, it balanced precariously on the hem of her dark grey frock coat. Ever so slightly it vibrated with the train, threatening to drop off into the grimy floor below if the lizard even thought to move her leg. Quickly she snatched the cigarette, throwing it back between her lips, clenching down hard on it to prevent another escape.
Bewildered, Susie looked to the fellow next to her. Some lanky red oni in his finest business getup, separating himself from her with a brown leather suitcase that looked like it weighed more than its owner. He presented the lighter to Susie, a golden zippo engraved with a deltarune crest. Nodding, she tucked a stray gray hair back into her headscarf, leaning into the plume of flame the oni offered her.
"Thank you," she said, taking a long drag. "Appreciate it."
The oni smiled and slid the lighter back into his breast pocket. "You from around here?"
Susie blew a puff of smoke away from the oni, shaking her head in response. She zoned out, staring at the train floor. "I'm uh… from Virginia."
"Just visiting, eh?"
The train began to slow down with the hiss of the breaks. When the cars came to a complete stop, both passengers stood up, waiting for the doors to open.
"Oh yeah. I never got a name," said the oni, extending a hand. "It's Cary, ma'am. Cary Rickart. Nice to meet you."
The doors opened, and Susie grabbed her dainty little purse, stepping out. Regarding the oni one last time, she took another drag of her cigarette. "It's… uh… Lisa." She said, forcing a smile.
"Oh yeah! See you around, Lisa," he replied, already off as he spoke.
Susie exhaled a bit of smoke, stepping onto the platform. The car was practically empty as she rode it, yet the hustle and bustle around her assured it'd be filled up soon enough. All the people in their suits and ties, pushing past her, going on about their lives.
Nothing was the same. Not the paint on the walls, the subway maps, the lights, not even the people.
Ebott City, November 16, 196X
The streets above ground were wild with traffic and pedestrians making their way. The scent of the city was of diesel rather than horses and piss, but the real filth remained. Filth that might never get cleaned, but everybody could smell. Vast networks of living scum festering like an open wound.
Two cops munching on donuts brushed past Susie, giving her side eye as she became infatuated with the architecture, luxurious skyscrapers, glass and steel pillars of this new world. Just beyond was the Quetery Bridge, world famous for its shimmering silver arches, dangling above the canal. She was just a little girl when they blew the old wooden bridge up.
Susie wandered then, ambling down the sidewalk with nary a destination. Pedestrians gave her passing glances, marking her as "strange" in their minds, going on about their day. She could feel their eyes, stares from everyone and everything. Even the mannequins in the shop windows passed judgement upon her. The lizard stuck out wherever she went, always so tall and so built, even at her age, now. Her shoes clicked as she walked, innocent slippers that were hardly comfortable. She carried herself like those antiques walking around with their purses held tight to their chest, weak and afraid. She felt like one, anyway, knees aching from her stroll down the road. At least it kept her inconspicuous, she hoped.
Susie turned a corner on the street, nearly bumping into a human couple on the way. "Excuse me," she said, though they never heard her over the traffic. She shook her head, staring at her feet as she walked, trying not to look at anyone.
But she felt something, a strange feeling of nostalgia as she gazed at the pavement and shuffling legs around her. Looking up, she smiled to herself. This was Brahmer Street. Home away from home. Compared to the world before, this side of Ebott City had changed little, facades of the apartments and shops updated with a new sign here and a fresher coat of paint there. With that distant view of the mountain, high above civilization, snowcapped and occluded by fog, she knew exactly where she was. Oriented within the city, she'd be able to explore with more purpose.
Susie had one destination in mind for now, though.
Crossing the street, almost being hit by a Slug Bug, Susie stared at the sign above one shop. A.D. Floristry. The place was just as Susie remembered, even with attempts at modernization. The trim around its windows was painted a bright white, yet betrayed by the wood's jagged and misaligned edges. Even the shop's sign was displayed in typical Victorian flourish, encased in rusting iron. Susie ran a finger down the brickwork, stopping on a slight divot. A hole they never filled in all the way.
The doorbell jingled as she pushed it open. A small place, homely and brown, but not without its charm. Flowers lined the walls, filling the air with a beautiful scent, a breath of fresh air compared to the stifling streets outside. The place was remodeled, things moved around here and there, yet it was distinctly familiar. A chill ran down her spine as she noticed the old cash register sitting upon the front counter, the same one from Susie's youth.
"Howdy! Be down in a moment," called a voice upstairs. Wood creaked as he descended from the apartment with uneven pace. When he finally reached the final step, Susie stood as straight as a soldier at attention, slipping her hands out of her pockets.
Clad in a loose white shirt and suspenders, the goat limped behind the counter and slid specs over his snowy white snout. "Pardon me, I'm blind as a bat. How can I-?"
Susie undone the knot of her headscarf, pulling it off of her head. Underneath was a messy bun of graying auburn hair. "Asriel."
"... help you." He sighed, the welcoming grin on his face fading away. Leaning against the counter, he felt ready to scream. "Why're you here, Susan?"
"Just thought I'd stop by."
Asriel grimaced like a horrid stench just hit his nose. "I don't want you to stop by. I don't ever want to see you. Ever, get it?"
Susie stuffed the scarf into her purse, chuckling nervously. "Not even for old time's sake?"
"You should leave."
She took a deep breath, taking in her surroundings. Remembering all those times she and Kris would laze about in the apartment after a long day of troublemaking, being served pie by Toriel, listening to Asgore's stories from Europe.
"... How's your mother?"
"Angel forbid she ever lays eyes on you again."
"I-"
"God, you make me sick." The goat's face twisted with repressed rage as he aimed a clawed finger at Susie, trembling. "Get out, just get the hell out before I call the law on you!"
Her lips tightened into a frown, head hung low. Wordlessly, Susie turned back to the door, but paused. Her hand crept toward a vase in the display and tipped the thing over. It shattered as she left, shards of glass and water spread all over the floor. Asriel, stunned by such an act of iniquity, couldn't even respond. The old goat caught his breath, swallowing a lump of anger and regret in his throat. He set upon the mess with a dustpan, salvaging the bundle of white mums, setting them on the display table while he worked on scooping up glass. In his periphery, he could see Susie through the window as she plodded away like a drunkard.
Susie sat hunched over the diner table, waiting for someone to take her order. She pulled out another cigarette from its case, lighting it with a match. Watching all the people eating burgers and sipping on milkshakes, she felt hungry. Watching the world outside, with all its newfangled doodads, a world that passed her by, made her morose. Clouds were always hanging over her head these days. A kid dropped his dime into the jukebox tucked away in the far right corner, and after a bit of fiddling, he got it to blast the hits of yesteryear. The music swelled, and laughing, he sat down with his buddies, knocking back a soda.
"Heya hon. What can I getcha?" The waitress asked. She had snuck up on Susie, a husky red headed human chewing on bubblegum. With a notepad and pen in hand, she was ready to jot down whatever the lizard desired.
"Ah. Got any pie? Butterscotch?"
"Course." She wrote it down as she spoke again. "Anything else?"
"I want some coffee too. Just black."
The waitress nodded, writing that down too. "It'll be out in a few," she remarked, and was about to walk off, but Susie stopped her.
"Wait! Lemme pay for it now." She reached into her purse, fiddling with her accessories, before producing a fifty dollar bill. "Keep the change. It's your tip, dig?"
"Oh… Oh my god!" The waitress took the bill, staring at it in wonder. "Are you sure, ma'am? I don't-"
"Keep it, I says. Trust me."
Dumbfounded, the waitress reluctantly slid the bill into her apron. "Wow, um, thank you kindly! You can have the whole damn pie and then some, miss!"
"A slice is fine. Go on now, I'm starving." She said, flashing a grin. The waitress went back to the kitchen with a pep in her step while Susie turned her gaze back to the street. She noticed three fellows dressed in pinstriped suits and flip caps strut down the street like they owned the place. "Typical," Susie thought aloud. They must've been real big movie fans.
"Here you go, miss!" The waitress set down her slice of pie, a veritable slab of the stuff, right alongside her cup of coffee. "Need anything else?"
"I'm fine." Susie snuffed her cigarette out on the table's ashtray. The waitress handed her silverware wrapped up in a paper napkin.
"Enjoy. And let me know if you need anything else, hon!"
"Thanks."
The waitress walked away, tending to other patrons but always keeping an eye on her new favorite customer. Susie winked at her before taking a sip of her coffee.
Susie spat her coffee onto the floor, coughing and gagging. "God, that's a cuppa shit!"
"That's just like you, Sooz!" Aaron, a "seahorse" a little older than Susie, wiped his hands off and threw the towel on the counter, hands on his hips. "Somebody does something for ya and you spit on 'em. That's gonna make a damn stain on the floor you know!"
Susie pushed the tin coffee cup away, folding her hands. "Tch, it's fine. What I would be worried about is that coffee. Those beans of yours must be fuckin' ancient. Or maybe you just whipped your dick out and pissed right in it?"
"Hell no, I wouldn't even let my pee near a broad like you." He grabbed the jar of coffee beans out of a cabinet, opening it and wafting their scent into his nose. "And as for the beans… Well, I call them 'well aged'. It's a taste for a more refined pallet."
"Sure Aar. And so's the horseshit in the road." Susie pulled a cig from her breast pocket, snapping off a match, but Aaron spoke up before she struck it.
"Not in the apartment! If you got cravings, go crawl out on the fire escape."
"Meh." She'd have one later. For now, she dropped the cig and match back into her pocket.
"Where'd you get those fags anyway?"
"Borrowed 'em from a piss-drunk bum. You really think I'm gonna buy 'em?"
"Heh, guess not." Aaron floated over from the kitchen and pulled up a chair next to his friend. He sat a deck of cards on the table, gesturing towards it. "Wanna?"
"Aw, I'm broke. I'll play you when I'm a little richer."
"Ah… don't worry about it. Just for fun, right?" His mood visibly darkened as he shook the cards out of their box.
"Just for fun? I can't remember the last time you pulled those out without screaming for me to ante-up."
"Yeah, well." Aaron shuffled the cards and passed them out. "Five card draw, deuces wild. How's that sound?"
"Grand." Susie scooped up her cards as the fifth one spun to her direction, putting on her best poker face. After pondering a bit, she took two from her deck and threw them down. "Hit me!"
Wordlessly, the seahorse gave her two new cards from the deck, keeping his original hand. "Good luck," he remarked, cracking a shit-eating grin.
"You too, chump!" Susie examined the hand she was given, rearranged it, then laid it out on the table for Aaron to see. "Two, three, four, five, DEUCE! And since they's wild, it's a fuckin' SIX. Straight!"
"All riled up for a game with no stakes. Regardless," he put down his hand, neatly laying each one out. Three fives, two jacks. "Full house beats your wimpy lil straight."
Bewildered, she stared at the two hands, blinking. "No it don't."
"It does though."
"But it don't. Straight beats full whatever-the-fuck!"
"Hehe, whatever ya say." Aaron swiped up the cards and slid them back in the deck, straightening it out with a couple taps on the table. "Wanna go again?"
She sighed and shook her head, defeated, sinking into her seat. "I'm kinda tired. Ain't get much sleep at home last night. Think your parents will let me stay a couple days this time?"
That sullen expression crossed Aaron's face again. He put away the deck before folding his hands on his lap, staring out the window. "Hmm."
His sudden silence raised an eyebrow for Susie. She expected he had something smart to say, even if it wasn't a yes. "What?"
"Well, uh, I've been meaning to tell you this, Sooz, but… ah, crap, I dunno."
"Whadya mean? Spit it out, jackass!" She impatiently tapped her foot waiting for his response. It only served to make her friend more nervous.
"... Me and my family are moving. Grandpa got a job set up for my dad in Philly. Real cushy office job, y'know…"
Susie exhaled and sat up in her chair, inching closer to Aaron's face. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out.
"We're packing our bags any day now. I was, uh… kinda too scared to tell you."
"You're screwin' with me." She curled her fingers into a fist trembling with frustration. "Tell me you're screwin' with me!"
He frowned and turned away, rubbing the back of his head. "I'm not! I'm sorry… it ain't up to me."
Susie pushed herself up from the table, head held limply as bangs obscured her gaze. Without warning, she grabbed the tin of coffee and threw it across the room as lukewarm java splashed all over the kitchen. Her chair swung legs first into the nearest wall, snapping off and flying all over the place. She dropped its remains on the floor as the seering frenzy waned. "... Sorry."
"Yeah…" Aaron had backed against the counter to avoid Susie's destruction. He was still splayed out on it as he spoke. "There's a uh, there's a g-guy on Brahmer I know… his papa works in a… flower shop… uh, yeah, tell him I sent you."
"I should clean up this mess-"
"No. You need to go. I-I can't have you around right now."
Susie nodded and wiped the bangs out of her eyes. Shamefully, she picked up what was left of the chair and set it on the bottom of it's seat, and, without any more words, went out the apartment door, slamming it behind her.
Ebott City, June 20, 191X
A trail of smoke followed Susie down the dingy stairwell of the apartments, drops of ash decorating the handrail as she went. Coming down from the top floor, she had plenty of time to ruminate on her actions. It wasn't Aaron's fault, she thought, lungs full of nicotine. It was his dad's fault, his grandpa's fault, that stupid job his dad tool's fault, her own dad's fault for being a son of a bitch. Most importantly, it was the goddamn Angel's fault for aligning the stars this way! But it didn't matter, now. She'd already trashed her friend's place. He was punished for the fault of others. More likely than not, it'd be the last time she ever saw him again.
A horse and buggy passed by as she emerged from the building, hulking beasts trotting along the cobblestone, passengers paying her no mind, the last vestiges of a dying form of transportation. Ladies in wide-brimmed hats adorned with feathers and ribbons and long flowing dresses of silk and rayon were led around by dashing young men in their derbies atop their finest sack suits. The day was blazing hot, but a cool, salty breeze swept over Susie as she made her way along the crowded streets. She soon found herself on the main road, a wide street filled with all manner of hustlers and storefronts. Automobiles, strange machines that had taken the world by storm, cut in front of street cars and pedestrians willy nilly. The teenaged lizard stopped on a busy corner as her cigarette went out, leaning against an "I Want You" poster, throwing the stub away to light a new one.
"Aren't little girls like you supposed to be in school?" called a hoarse, scathing voice.
Turning toward it, she saw four human boys rounding the corner, surrounding her. Boys she was much too acquainted with. They stood with a smug nonchalance, hands in their pockets, mocking grins. Pyotr, the boss of his sycophant lackeys and Susie's nemesis, approached her. "Nice smokes, scales. Lemme borrow one, eh?"
"Beat it, ruski." She quickly hid the pack in her coat before closing it up.
"Sharing's caring, scales. Didn't your mother teach you any manners? Oh, my bad, I forgot…" He turned to his buddies, queuing them to chuckle under their breath. "... She left cuz she couldn't stand looking at her whore of a daughter no more!"
"What the fuck did you just say to me!?" She thrust toward Pyotr, who stepped back into his group of friends.
"Yeah, we heard you were on the turf every night," said Ed, the second oldest boy.
"Yup! They say you's got a humongous fanny, Susan!" Bill remarked, waving his hands in a circular motion for emphasis, garnering a cruel and hearty laugh from his older friends.
"Jeez, sounds like scales has got some curves under those rags, eh boys?" Pyotr sneered.
"She's got a nice fanny alright, but the tits're the size o' lemons!" Ray snorted, the younger brother to Ed.
"LEMONS! FAHAHAHAHAH!" Pyotr would have keeled over with laughter if Ray hadn't bumped him on the shoulder.
"And get this, Peet… you can get it all for the price of a penny!"
"A fucking pennnyyahahahashsiiitthahaha…!" With a wicked smile, he pulled said penny out of his pocket, waving it in front of Susie's beet red face. "Wanna go for a ride, scales? Fahaha-"
Wordlessly, the lizard grabbed the delinquent's wrist in a death grip, sending a meaty fist careening into his jaw. It was enough to have him on the sidewalk as she got on top of him with a grunt and landed two more blows for his trouble. His blood splattered on the pavement as she smashed his face, weeping from his nose and mouth, bringing on a violent catharsis- at least until Susie felt a sharp jab on her side and a wallop on her back, throwing her off the top of the tenderized human. She sat belly up as Pyotr's gang stomped and kicked her, bruising ribs, busting her face.
"STOP!" the boss gurgled. He struggled to his feet, pulling a jackknife from his sock. He flipped it open, aiming its point to Susie's swollen eye. "I'll kill the fucking bitch!"
Just as he raised it, a shrill whistle pierced the air. Two cops came running in the lizard's periphery, brandishing nightsticks, pushing through the bustling crowd. The boys broke into a sprint in the opposite direction, but not before Pyotr gave Susie one last scathing kick to the snout.
As one cop ran past in pursuit of the delinquents, the other kneeled beside Susie, checking her vitals. He cursed under his breath at the brutality before hurrying over to the private box across the street, dodging all the machines in his way. Unlocking its door with due haste, he stepped in and patched into the station. "Yes- this is Officer Menard- we've got a battery on 10th Avenue. Four guys beat some woman to shit, she's-" he looked outside for a moment, through the traffic, saw the corner where the lizard once lay empty, replaced by foot traffic. "-gone!"
Coughing, Susie dragged herself down the street. A turn was made somewhere down the line, following her gut to take her to Brahmer. She was here, or at least close; the place was quiet, city racket reduced to an echo. Only a few passerby crossed her path, going wide-eyed seeing her, looking like the living dead just burst out of the grave. She certainly wasn't in good shape: the entire left side of her face bulged horribly, bruises of dark mauve and pink underscoring her forced-shut eye. Ignoring the gawkers, she plodded on, clutching her aching ribs. Looking up, she saw the mist-covered Mount Ebott. It seemed incandescent in the midday sun, surrounded by idyllic blue skies, casting harsh shadows upon its neighboring valleys.
A bit dazed and enamored with the view, she didn't even notice as she bumped into someone on the sidewalk.
"Unf, sorry, 'scuse me, sorry…" Susie began shuffling away once more as the bent over figure ignored her apologies, but something caught her attention. "A.D. Floristry," the sign said. She spun around and met the annoyed gardener eye to eye.
He was a goat, a young beanpole of a guy wearing a pink apron over his normal clothes. He was tending to a pot of green-and-gold flowers before he and Susie collided. "Howdy… are you okay?"
"I'm fine, actually," she continued after wiping her nose of a little gore. "Do you know any Aarons…?"
The gardening goat sized this stranger up as he sat the pot down on its shelf. "One. You're that Milanesi kid, aren't you."
"Susie Milanesi at cough your service!" She played off the pain, but it'd be gone soon enough. All she had to do was not think about it.
"... Asriel. And are you sure you're okay?
"Don't worry about it. Ain't nothing a good night's rest cant fix."
"Okay… so, what do you want?"
"Well, I need a place to crash. Aaron sent me, said you were good for it!"
A puzzled look crossed the goat's face. "Why can't you just go home?"
"Just can't," she whispered, wiping more blood onto her now filthy sleeve. "Home ain't home no more."
"I see..." He looked inside the window for a moment. An older, hairier, and much fatter goat watered a colorful assortment of flowers, neatly displayed in round wooden boxes. "Alright. If it's for Aaron."
"Sweet!" she cheered, going for the shop's door, but was stopped by Asriel's slender arm blocking her way.
"Not so fast! Let me talk to my dad first."
"Hum. Fine!"
"Don't push your luck," he said, throwing open the shop door and running inside.
She couldn't hear them, but Susie pressed against the door's glass to see what was happening. Asriel wiped his hands on his apron and said something, getting the bigger goat's attention. As he turned to face his son, she caught wind of the flowing locks of gold he sported, like the mane of a lion. He stroked his beard as Asriel gave him the rundown, silently listening, glancing at the beat to shit vagrant outside. Eventually, the elder goat beckoned her in and crossed his arms. Susie gradually pulled the shop door open and put one foot in before he spoke up.
"You're Susie, yes?" He bellowed in a deep, imperative voice, a distinctly British accent slipping through. Susie took another step before he froze her again with his words. "Azzy's friend?"
"... Yessir, of course sir, I've known Asriel my whole life." She flashed a yellow, bloody smile for him, crooked with the bloated side of her face.
He bowed his head amicably. "Very well! I've never been one to turn away the downtrodden. I do wonder what the wife will think-"
"'The wife' thinks it's fine, Asgore." A woman with a southern twang came down from the floor above, another fluffy white goat dressed in an old-fashioned purple frock; less plump than her husband, but just as tall. Her expression turned from leisurely to shock as she laid eyes on Susie, who's snout started bleeding again. "My goodness…! What happened to you!?"
Susie stuffed her hands in her pockets and tensed up. "Oh, I uh, I had a sc- a tumble. I had a tumble with the stairs. I fell down a flight of stairs, ya know, it happens."
"Oh, you poor thing!" She blurted, clasping hands above her bosom. "I'll get you some ice. And you must be starving! I'll whip something up!"
"Ha, yeah, I guess you could say I'm pretty hungry. Sounds fuuuc- fun, sounds like great fun, Miss…?"
"You may call me Toriel, child. No need for formalities here. Anyhow, I'd hate to keep a guest waiting, so without further ado…" She hopped off of the last stair and headed toward the back of the shop and, presumably, the kitchen, but was stopped by Asriel.
"Actually, mom, uh," he took off his apron, folding it over his forearm. "I'm kinda hungry too."
"Well, young man, you havebeen working quite diligently. And you, Mr. Fluffybuns!" Toriel giggled at Asgore, who folded his arms behind his back and looked to the ceiling. Susie couldn't help chuckle under breath at the sight, but fell silent when she realized a stream of blood flowed from her nose and right into her mouth.. Toriel continued. "I'll prepare lunch for everyone and we'll make a day of it! A wise man once said there's no better way to get to know someone than over a hot meal. Asriel, would you be a dear and fetch your brother from little Miss Holiday?"
"Of course, mom." He threw the apron on a waiting bench behind him. "Should I invite Noelle over too, or…?"
"Mmm. Not today, unfortunately. We'll be good to have enough room for our current guest. Wish good Rudy the best of luck, though!"
"Alright… see you in a minute, mom, dad," Asriel shot the lizard an unsure look. "... Susie."
He headed out the door as Toriel waved and Asgore spoke up. "You ought to make yourself comfortable. Come, relax!"
Susie bobbed her head in agreement and let the goats lead her back to the kitchen. The doorway in was slim, and Asgore had to go in sideways after Toriel. The place had a round oak dinner table off to the side, a cheap chandelier hanging overhead. Susie took a seat and rested her head in her arms as Toriel opened the refrigerator and grabbed an ice pack out from the bottom.
"Here," the motherly goat said, handing Susie the navy blue bag. "Put it where it hurts!"
"Thanks." If she was honest, the pain had already faded away by the time she arrived at the shop. Susie's tolerance for it was high enough for her species, but life had a way of getting it even higher. Still, she accepted the pack, placing it against her snout. Maybe it'd help her look less like she ate a bee.
"So, where are you from, Susie?" Asgore washed his hands of the dirt that comes with garden work in the kitchen sink. "Asriel never told us about you."
"Yeah, figures. I'm pretty forgettable."
"Nonsense!" Toriel exclaimed, opening a can of tomato soup. "Comments like that don't help anyone. In fact, they can only serve to bring you down. Remember that!"
"Sorry… I will. But uh, I come from the apartments down on Silver Lane. It's a little ways from here."
Asgore had to ponder what she said as he dried his hands. "A little ways? That's on the other side of the city!"
"I get around, ya know?" She exhaled, moving the ice pack to her jaw.
"To be young and full of vigor. Ahhhh…"
Toriel poured a few cans of soup into a pot, setting it on the stove and snapping her fingers. A gentle flame erupted under the eye, remaining as smooth and steady as Susie had ever seen magical fire used. "You ought to cherish all that energy you've got, Susie. Us monsters might not age like humans- but we sure do slow down!"
"Isn't that the truth." Asgore covered his mouth and yawned loudly. Seconds later the doorbell rang, and two sets of footsteps came stomping through.
"We've got a visitor. She's spending the night. Don't be a little asshole, okay?" Asriel whispered to his brother, but everybody could still hear him. The only response he got was a resounding "sure".
"Welcome back, my son." Asgore said. "What did you call your brother out there…?"
"N-nothing!" The goat slipped through the door looking behind himself. "Come on, Kris. Aren't you going to say hi?"
"Hi." Still hidden beyond the kitchen, Susie could only gleam his monotonous, young voice. "I'm not hungry. I'm going upstairs."
"How rude. Hmph!" Toriel wiped her hands and set them on her hips, eyebrow cocked. "More pie for us then!"
Without another moment's notice, Kris pushed through his brother and rushed into the kitchen. What Susie saw made her do a double take: he wasn't a goat, he wasn't even a monster. A human stood before her, short and skinny, long brown hair coming down to his shoulder, bangs hiding his eyes. A tacky green sweater with rolled sleeves covered his warm Mediterranean skin, arms smooth with only the faintest hints of manly fur coming through. A red pair of plastic horns sat atop his head, a weird detail atop of a weird kid. He looked disappointed at the soup Toriel was preparing, then turned his attention to the stranger sitting at their dinner table. "Oh."
"Oh what?" replied Susie, fascinated and a little annoyed.
Asriel came up behind the human and laid a hand on his shoulder. "Susie, this is Kris. He's my little brother. Kris, Susie."
"Hi Susie."
"You all sit down, lunch is almost ready." Toriel opened a cabinet overhead and got out five bowls, laying them out on the counter next to the stove.
Kris pulled up a seat directly across from Susie. He stared at her as she moved the ice pack back to her snout, glaring back at the young human. "Your face is messed up," he whispered.
"Kris!" Asriel sat next to his brother, shoving him with an elbow after his comment.
"It's fine. Ain't like he's lying. It's what happens when ya fall down the stairs- ain't no fun."
"But you're lying," Kris said. "You got beat up by people, not stairs."
Her grip on the bag tightened until the ice within began to crack under the pressure. "Why, you little-"
"Would you settle down, the soup is ready!" Toriel filled each bowl to the brim, stacking each one one onto a copper tray. She brought it over to the dinner table, setting the tray down on the middle, passing each one out going from asgore all the way to her own to-be-filled seat. As the others waited for their silverware, Susie tipped the bowl into her maw, gulping the tomato soup down in one swift motion…
The old lizard stared at the barren plate and empty coffee cup in front of her. A traffic jam had started outside of the diner because of a wreck, cars beeping incessantly as if it lightened their waiting time. She rubbed her eyes and stretched her arms, preparing for the long day ahead of her. The waitress tended to the greasers a few tables ahead of her, and without attracting any attention to herself, slunk out of the booth and through the diver's front door.
The streets only got busier as the day progressed around Susie. Everything passed her by, some couldn't even be bothered to look her way. The city had grown like wild grass and spread like wildfire, and it was at one time all hers. She held Ebott's cards, and she played them well, once.
As the day turned to evening, Susie decided it was best to find a place to stay before it got dark. She knew one nearby, the best in town in her prime: The Chadwick Hotel. She imagined its golden halls and crystalline chandeliers, deep red suede carpet and cream tile floors. It seemed the pinnacle of art deco decadence with the stone, crested arches and geometric gargoyles standing guard over the place, fending off ill spirits of yore.
Within the hour she had found Chadwick, tired and eager to lay in one of its warm beds for further introspection. Susie stood in awe before it, marveling at its scale and just how little it changed. The only difference now was the street it rested on. Once the pinnacle of society, now horribly common; humans and lower, more abstract and animal-like monsters dressed in their cheap jackets and graphic tees.
Wading through discarded newspapers prancing in the wind like a pile of leaves and rolling glass bottles, she pushed on the Chadwick's revolving door, immediately greeted with a familiar scene. A hallway lined with potted plants and golden arches, ending at the rusted parcel locker. The lobby boy sat behind a counter with a drapery hung over the front, one which read the name of the hotel printed on in black and white cursive. Susie approached him, a human dressed in a cheap black suit, spacing out with boredom, and rang the bell to catch his attention.
"Oh yes, oh yes," he blurted, scrambling to look productive as the old lizard towered over him. "Do you have a reservation, ma'am?"
"No. I… I didn't have any plans when I came here."
"That's quite alright," he said, pulling out the ledger and skimming through it. "We've got plenty of rooms open. Sign here, please." He pointed at an empty spot below a deluge of other names, the only spot left. Susie took the pen and wrote down 'Lisa Gardener', handing it back to the lobby boy. "How many nights, ma'am?"
"A week. I'm staying until monday." She lifted her purse, opening it, ready to pay whatever was required.
"Right… that'll be forty one dollars and sixty two cents, please."
She pulled a fifty from the wad of cash in her purse and dropped it in his hand. "Keep the change."
"Right, right…" he opened the register and placed the fifty where it belonged, shoving it back shut and heading into the backroom. He returned with a key with a wooden tab reading 'fifty seven'. "Fifth floor, to the right, can't miss it."
"Appreciate it," Susie mumbled. She waltzed over to the elevator and pressed up, and to her surprise was already resting on the ground floor. This was new. A modern elevator with cream walls, wooden trim, and mirrors on either side contrasted sharply with the old cage the thing used to be. She stepped in, breathing in the stale cigarette smoke, then pressed five. With that, she was off, the beginning of an unsure, ill-fated vacation.