Two Worlds, Two Souls

Chapter 34: Seeds of Worry

Angel's Point of View:

Muffled shouts were the first thing that grabbed my attention when I stirred that next morning. Carefully sitting up in my bed, I noticed I was alone, no sister in sight. I sighed and turned over to reach for my phone to see the time. I quickly saw that it was nine-thirty-seven on December twenty-fifth.

It was Christmas day… that explained the excitement down below…

I stretched my arms over my head before pocketing the phone. At some point that day we would need to give Toriel a call and see if she had opened up our gifts from us. We tried to invite her over for Christmas dinner with us, but she had decline, not willing to leave the ruins. I was half convinced that we would head up there to spend some time with her. Perhaps I could convince Sans and Papyrus to go with us to have a later Christmas dinner with her?

Sitting up from the bed and grabbing my bathrobe, I stepped out of the room to see the commotion downstairs. Sans was dozing on the couch with a cup of coffee already in his hands while the younger ones I could hear in the kitchen below me. I couldn't help the giggle escape me as I tip-toed down and kneeled down next to the older brother.

"Merry Christmas, Sans." Sans jolted slightly, nearly spilling his coffee if I didn't take it from his phalanges and set it on the table. His startled look dissipated as the moments ticked by and a carefree smile sat there instead.

"Hey ya, Angel. Merry Christmas." He tilted his head at me a bit from his spot on the couch. "Did the baby bones wake ya up?"

"A tad, but its fine, this is a day for them to be excited about." We both glanced over at the kitchen. "Do I dare ask what's going on in there?"

"I think Pap is makin' Christmas pancakes or somethin'." He shrugged, nestling back into the worn cushions. "And the tiny terror is either helpin' him makin', or helpin' him eat it, or both."

"Most likely the second." I sighed. "I'd better go make sure the kitchen is still in order."

"Kay…" I left Sans in the living room to pass into the dining area and kitchen.

Once I arrived, I was surprised to see that there was batter all over the younger two in the household while they appeared to be making pancakes on the flat pan. I could see they were colored with food coloring from the bottles that Papyrus had to the side. He was making stacks of both colors while there appeared to be also M & M's inside of them from the holiday bag I saw my sister sneaking chocolate from.

"Well, this looks colorful." Both heads turned to me, my sister and Papyrus both appeared to be covered in batter.

My sister only grinned at me and attempted to hug me. "Merry Christmas!"

I allowed her to hug my side, and I was thankful for the fact it was my bathrobe being covering in batter rather than myself. "Merry Christmas, little sister. Granted, you really are living up to your nickname of 'tiny terror'." I gestured to the kitchen around us. "What happened?"

"Little Frisk attempted to assist me with pouring the batter while swinging off The Great Papyrus' form! Which… to be perfectly honest, didn't work out too well and ended up covering us in this mess and forcing me to make another batch since most batter was lost." Papyrus lowered the heat on the food in order to give me a quick hug. "Merry Christmas, Miss Angel!"

"Merry Christmas, Papy." Returning the hug, I yanked my sister off of me while she attempted to slime my clothes some more. "Enough Frisk. Go take a quick shower and clean up. By the time you're done, Papy should be done with breakfast."

She pouted at me, but headed out to get cleaned up regardless. I chuckled at her behavior before removing my housecoat to put into the laundry to be washed. It was time; I hadn't washed it in about a week or two.

"Come eat, Miss Angel!" Papyrus set up pancakes on everyone's plate. "It will take me a moment to get my brother situated, but you are more than welcome to eat!"

I shook my head. "Go get him and I'll get out the syrup and butter. What do you want to drink?"

"Milk please!"

And just like that our peaceful morning started on Christmas day, much easier on us then the night before at Christmas Eve.

Later That Day:

"You got it for me!?" Frisk nearly squealed as she pulled out a gift from myself and the others that were filled with balls and games to play with others since she loved games so much just like Papyrus. The prized possession among them was a small hand held ball that was red in color, one that looked just like the one our family played with most nights on the surface.

"Of course, and now that I'm earning a lot more money than I was before, hopefully I can buy a few more with money I get from my paintings. Though, I do need to go to a bank and get an account started." I turned to the eldest skeleton in the room. "You think you can help me with that tomorrow?"

"Sure thin', Precious." Sans winked at me from his spot beside me. We had sat on the couch together while Frisk took the floor at my feet and Papyrus took the floor next to his brother.

"Brother! Don't flirt with Miss Angel!" Papyrus pouted as he reached over to the tree to grab another gift. "Oh! This one is for you Miss Angel!"

"For me?" I carefully took the tiny box from his hands and carefully held it. I barely sat in my palm, being so small. There was no tag attached to it, so it could have been from anyone.

However, my immediate though was that it was from Sans.

I opened it carefully, pulling the small top off of the well wrapped gift before settling my eyes on a small locket that sat there. It appeared to be silver in color with a detailed looking head of what I almost assumed was a dragon that was made out of bones from the depiction. Tiny amethysts sat in its eyes as the locket looked back at me.

"It's absolutely beautiful…" I gingerly pulled it and the soft clasp out of the box to see the silver glitter in the lighting before our tree. "I feel I don't deserve such an amazing gift! It must have cost a small fortune!"

"Oh?" Papyrus looked at the small necklace before he gasped. "Sans! You gave it to her after all? Mother's necklace?"

The gasp that escaped me was almost shriek like from how high pitched it was. "What?!"

"Yep." Sans gave me a pretty relaxed looking grin, but his soul said otherwise. He was nervous and unsettled. I could feel it from my spot next to him. It echoed out like ripples in the water. There also was a small blue hue to his cheekbones due to his nerves he tried to subdue. "It was just sittin' 'round for a long time. No reason ta waste good jewelry like that when it came be used. It's even got our family's crest on it, so it will solidify yer place in our family, should anyone question ya walkin' 'bout."

"But Sans! This is your mother's necklace!" I tried to hand it back over to him. "I can't take something so precious to you!"

"Yes, ya can, because I don't need ta hold onta it anymore." Sans held up his hands, refusing to take back the gift. "She gave it ta me right before she died, and I've had years ta come ta terms with her death. Yer a part of this family now Angel. I bet if Mom was still here, she'd want ya ta have somethin' like this ta show yer a part of our family."

"If it helps at all, Miss Angel, Sans asked me if he could before he did so." Papyrus chirped up from the floor. "I think it's wonderful! It will be like having a piece of Mother around our home again, out in the open! Please? Won't you accept it?"

"Well… if… if you're sure?"

"Positive." Sans waved his fingers as if to hand it to him. "I'll help ya put it on."

Carefully handing over the necklace. I turned and held my hair out of the way for Sans to place it on me. I watched his boney fingers come into my vision as the locket itself was set against my chest and Sans began to work on the clasp. I saw it was a frail looking chain, but I could see and feel the small pulses of magic running through the metal. Did their mother have it enchanted as to not break?

Once the necklace was set, it was a light weight against my chest. Though, it was a comfortable feeling as it sat there. I could feel the remains of old magic as it sat against me, much like when I wore my cloak and could feel the magic of the person who enchanted it.

"Mother was a wonderful enchanter! That's the energy you're feeling at this moment from her locket!" Papyrus gleefully told me. "She enchanted most everything in our home so that we could always feel her magic that she left behind, even after she passed. I never got to meet her, but I could feel her. In the couch, in the kitchen utensils, the fire place, even in some of our personal effects. My race car bed also has her magic!"

"Oh yeah, the fire place was one of the last projects she worked on before she passed." Sans snickered as she looked over at it. "Her magic still keeps it together. That ol' thin' has been as good as brand new since nearly eighteen years ago."

"That's really cool!" My sister gushed at them.

Before we could say more, knocking sounded through the door. We looked between each other before I rose to answer it. Just as I was approaching, the door opened and there stood Vinnie with a tired look upon his face.

"Vinnie?" I blinked at him. None of us were expecting him that morning, figuring he'd want to be with his family. Granted... I was a bit worried that his mother and his relationship was a bit strained after the previous night. After I stopped myself from being stunned at the sight of him, I approached. "Good morning. Would you like to come inside? We're opening presents at the moment, but I can get you a cup of coffee or tea. Whichever you prefer?"

"No thank you." Vinnie rubbed the back of his head, actually looking more nervous than intimidating. "I'm actually here to talk to Sans and Papyrus. Can I kidnap them outside for a few moments? One at a time?"

"Of course." I carefully sat back down and looked over at the brothers who looked back with caution. Though Papyrus appeared more curious then cautious.

"Papyrus, can I talk to you first?"

"Of course, Vinnie!" Papyrus stood up and saluted to us. "I shall return!"

"Of course, Papyrus." We watched him leave then. Vinnie opened the door wide for our beloved friend and brother to walk out into the cold. When the door closed behind them, Frisk crawled up to hug myself and Sans close to her, worried for the smallest of chances that he may not come back...

Papyrus' Point of View:

Vinnie had asked me to follow him a short distance from the house. He did not wish for our words to be over heard by others, especially his family who were glaring at him from down the street. His youngest brothers, George and Theo I could see first who didn't even try to hide. Further away I could see some of the older siblings, such as the triplets and Remy who hid nearby, sticking close for the younger ones' sakes.

Vinnie shrunk slightly under their gaze. I could only imagine the difficulties he was facing at home for how he was treating this situation. His family I knew wasn't pleased with him. Their looks of disdain were all I needed to see to know how displeased they were with him.

I hoped I never got that cross with Sans... I couldn't imagine being that angry at a family member...

"Alright Pap, this is okay." Vinnie stopped when we reached the local playground that was all but abandoned on this wintery holiday. I could only assume that Vinnie had asked others to stay away until our talking was done.

"Okay." I stood at the ready to talk about Angel and Frisk. They were good people, and I knew that Vinnie would see that soon enough. "What would you like to know?"

Vinnie crossed his arms, though he didn't look at me while he kicked the snow below him. "How did you meet them?"

"Oh!" That's easy enough! "Yes! I met them in early October! I was making my rounds with my brother in patrolling when I came across them!"

"Alright, then what did you do?"

"I put them through rigorous challenges all over the Snowdin forest that I've made with the help of my brother and Undyne! Miss Angel and Little Frisk spent all day working through those puzzles before they made it to the bridge at Snowdin. My last puzzle though was too direct and not very creative, so I did away with it, and I didn't see them again for a week or so."

Vinnie gave me a curious look. "Where did they stay? Do you know?"

I hummed, putting my boney fingers to my mandible. "I believe they stayed at your mother's inn. Sans had mentioned once that he brought them there after all the puzzles that day."

The look on Vinnie's face changed then, and I didn't know if he wanted to lash out at Sans or not.

"Do you know how long they stayed there?"

"Perhaps a couple of weeks before they moved in with us?" I had to think about that since once I'd lost track of Miss Angel and Little Frisk on that bridge, I was upset that I wasn't able to capture them. "I was cautious a bit of Miss Angel and Little Frisk at first since they were humans, however, they helped me when my brother had become ill and I wasn't able to wake him at the time. Miss Angel came home with me, along with Little Frisk, cleaned his entire room and got him soup from Grillby to help him get better."

Vinnie gave me a very confused look. "Humans did that?"

"Yes, I was quite surprised myself." I replied, happily swaying on my feet. "But very grateful since I couldn't wake Sans during those three days, but they were able to... even if it was with stupid puns..."

"And did that lead them to living with you?"

"No, no. Not until a week or so later when I demanded to fight them on the other end of town and a blizzard came in! Little Frisk came out to try and stop me, but I wouldn't listen and she ended up battling me. Not once did she attack me, even as I was sending out magic to her. I elected to grant her mercy when she… and I… were both too exhausted to continue. My brother and Miss Angel appeared around that time. Sans teleported us all home where Miss Angel proceeded to yell at me for my foolishness and how I could have easily been killed by the harsh weather if no one had known to look for me. Little Frisk even more so."

Vinnie narrowed in on that part, as I figured he would. "She yelled at you?"

"For being foolish and naive. And then she grounded me!" I pouted at that. "Sans never grounded me before… but he said that he was okay with that since 'I think that's a pretty good punishment for a baby bones who decided to go fight in a blizzard'."

Vinnie coughed into his hand then, but I could have sworn I'd heard the lightest of chuckles from him. "In that case, I'd agree with your brother. That was a pretty dumb thing to do."

If I had cheeks, I knew they would be puffed out in defiance and red in embarrassment. "I know that! Now anyway!"

"Alright, I think I've heard enough."

"Oh?" I tilted my head at the royal guard. "I thought you would have more questions for me?"

"Not at the moment. Could you send out your brother next? I'll wait here for him."

"Of course! It will be just a minute or so!"

Stepping away from Vinnie then, I hurried back home, eager with the fact that Vinnie seemed much more at ease then he did before. I could only hope that he was truly seeing our human friends in a better light then before.

The walk back lasted no time at all with my longer strides. I arrived at the front door and burst through it, happy to be home and in the warm environment with my brother and friends.

"Papyrus!" Sans was the first to see me, teleporting right to my side and checking me over. "Ya good, Bro?"

"Yes, Vinnie only had a few questions for me. Mostly about how I met Miss Angel and Little Frisk before they moved in with us, nothing much more." Placing my hands on my brother's shoulders to stop his light fretting. "I am fine Sans, in fact, I think Vinnie is coming around!"

"Oh really?" My brother raised an eye socket at me.

"Yes! Just before I left, Vinnie seemed to be struggling with holding back from chuckling when I was telling him about me and Little Frisk fighting in a blizzard! The idea of our human friends being here doesn't seem to bother him as much now. Granted... he does wish to question you now."

My brother shrugged. "Heh, I figured as much. I'll be back in before it gets snow-cold."

I felt my magic ignite in a fury. "BROTHER!"

He teleported then, flashing the room in blue. I huffed at his laziness as he wouldn't walk to Vinnie instead and at that stupid pun.

"Papyrus, why don't you come help us please?" I hurried over into the kitchen to see Miss Angel and Little Frisk packing up items in preparation it seemed to travel. I noticed that it was the Christmas meal that we were planning to have.

"Oh! Are we going somewhere?"

Angel turned back to give me a slightly hurting smile. "Papyrus, how would you feel helping a poor older woman celebrate Christmas?"

If I had lips, I would have pouted at her. "Does this older woman not have any family?" I couldn't help the gasp and the dreadful thoughts fill me. "Oh no! Is she all alone?!"

"She didn't want to come here for Christmas because she's... scared to leave the ruins, but Sans and I were talking and no one should spend Christmas alone. Would you mind if we have Christmas with her after Vinnie is done with us?"

"Of course! The Great Papyrus cannot allow such a devastating thing to occur!"

Her smile eased then. It almost made me sad that she was worried I would say no, but that mattered not! Only helping this woman enjoy Christmas!

Sans' Point of View:

I could only pray that what Papyrus had said was true, that Vinnie was finally easin' up on the girls and wouldn't give 'em as much hassle as he did the night before. I wished I could be as optimistic as he was when it came ta this situation, yet I wasn't sure until Vinnie gave out his final verdict.

I carefully watched him from my spot only a block away. Vinnie seemed to be patiently waitin' for me while talkin' on the phone with someone. I could only assume it was a friend or someone who wasn't out right pissed at him from the calmer look upon his face. Vinnie did have another good friend in the guard, Ryu, who was probably talkin' with him. Bernie mentioned him once or twice.

Well, I could at least get a good ol' scare out of 'im ta make me feel better...

Surrounded in a flash of blue from my magic, I landed just out of the edge of his eye sight. "Heya-"

"SHIT!" Vinnie just about jumped out of his skin and hurled his leg in my direction. I instantly teleported out of the way before his appendage landed in the snow, shakin' the town and creatin' a crater in the middle of the park. I ended up behind a pile of snow from the impact while Vinnie's strength created a six-foot hole.

Damn that was too close...

"God-fucking damn it Sans!" Vinnie hissed out as many swears as he could in those moments before pullin' his semi crushed phone back up to his ear. "Let me call you back Ryu, when I'm not about to kill a skeleton."

The phone was put away then and the glare that came back at me almost made me want ta chuckle. Vinnie was strugglin' so hard not ta use his magic while I stood there, enjoyin' the show.

"Sup Vinnie." I saluted him with a very lax grin. "Ya wanted ta see me?"

"Fuck Sans, not cool."

"Eh, just figured I'd give ya a bit of payback for last night." I graced him with a simple shrug, but I narrowed my sockets at 'im. "No hard feelin's right?"

The look I gave off must have scared the kid, since he looked at me nervous as my magic threatened ta seep out of my magically created eye. I saw the kid shiver a bit before he straitened up his back and huffed out, tryin' ta look tough.

"You seem protective of those girls, Angel specifically."

"Eh." I couldn't resist another shrug. "She's been good for Pap."

"And for you apparently." Vinnie leaned back against the playground structure behind him, arms crossed as he asked his questions. "When did you meet her?"

"Back in the summer, July I think."

"Did you know she was human then?"

"Nope. It was nearly fall before she told me she was a human."

Vinnie couldn't help the confused look from appearin' on his face. "How did you not know she was human?"

"She was just a voice on the other side of a stone wall, in the old ruins. I didn't meet her in person until the same time Pap did."

"So, she fell into the ruins then?"

"I guess so. Ain't that what she told ya last night?"

I wasn't about to tell Vinnie anymore then he needed to know to keep the girls safe. He didn't need to know about Tori up there too with how hard she tries to stay hidden. Asgore would have the royal guard back over there within days ta break her out.

"Yes, she did." Vinnie backed off, not wantin' ta test me. "During the time you knew her before she admitted she was a human. What did she talk to you about?"

"Mainly she just wanted to know about this world, or she talked about her sister or Pap when I talked about him." I closed my sockets for a moment to keep calm. "Oh, she also liked my jokes."

"Of course, she did. No wonder you like her." I glanced out of a single socket to glare at him. Granted, it could have been worse than when I saw him smirkin' back at me. "Tell me honestly Sans, I know you're not one to let just anyone in your home or near Papyrus unless you really thought you could trust them. You've let Papyrus let them live with you. Is there any fear in the back of your mind that they may attack you or him? Or the people of Snowdin?"

"Nah, not Angel or Frisk." Shakin' my skull at him, I relaxed my arms behind my head, feelin' the tension between us diminishin'. "Those two were extra careful to exhaust anyone who might fight 'em, lettin' themselves get hurt in the process before they would hurt anyone else."

"Okay… I believe you." Vinnie sighed and stepped back from me; his composure no longer stiff. "I'll back off a bit, but I'd still like to come back and find out more from them from time to time."

I grinned, happy with the fact that fact. "I'm sure Angel won't mind, just don't do what ya did last night again."

"Yeah, yeah. I already got a whole 'I told you so's waiting for me once I get home… and probably a smack upside the head." Vinnie paused as he seemed ta glance past me toward where our house was. "I know I've never met a human before… but she's so… not like what I've heard before."

"Not like other humans? No, she's one of a kind. They both are." I kicked the snow at my feet before I started to make my way toward the nearest tree to teleport home. "Be seein' ya later Vinnie, Merry Christmas."

And what a merry day it was.

I couldn't believe we'd gotten a fuckin' royal guardsman ta be on our side. Even if Vinnie refuses to help out just yet if he saw her in human form outside of Snowdin, however that might change in time.

Damn, I had Angel's level of optimism now… it felt weird…

Once I was out of Vinnie's sight, I teleported back home. The house was filled with energy as the three people left behind in there seemed ta be runnin' around like their heads were cut off ta get ready to head ta Tori's.

I hope she didn't mind the surprise.

"Ah! Sans! There you are!" Angel was quick to approach me and a lazy grin quickly appeared once I was near her again.

Damn I had to get it together…

Angel's Point of View:

Once Sans was back, we had all the food ready to go and transport to Tori's house in the ruins. Papyrus and Frisk were eager with the proposition while Sans gathered enough magic to teleport us all. I hoped we wouldn't be taxing him too much with everything we were brining.

With everything in hand, Sans landed us only twenty paces away from Tori's door. The faded color of the doors stood out among the snow as we approached, the diminishing symbol of the underground people sat there as if Frisk and I didn't return on a daily basis to see our friend and motherly figure.

"Alright, here we are!" I turned around to the eager bunch behind me. Papyrus happily carried all the food while Frisk was being thrown in the air by Sans, her high pitched squealed echoing until he stopped her so I could talk. "Let me just give her a call so she can open the door. Remember, it's a surprise."

"Of course, Miss Angel!" The eager cinnamon bun of a skeleton jumped up in place while holding everything a tad longer in anticipation to meet this woman. He'd only heard of her through conversation or small bits of her voice on the phone when I called Tori near every night to check on her and swap stories.

With my phone in hand, I quickly pulled up Tori's contact. I hardly had to wait much time before the woman answered the phone. She had gotten much better about keeping it on her person since the beginning of our friendship and talked to us so often that she kept it on her, reading through old texts and what not.

"Hello, my child."

"Hey Tori, Merry Christmas."

"Oh, Merry Christmas, Angel. How are you?"

"Oh, we're good. Just traveling to a friend's for Christmas."

"Oh… well they are quite the lucky friend."

"Yes, she is. I just wish she'd hurry up and open the ruin doors already."

That made Tori pause for a moment, the ticking went by as a gust of wind passed us by. My sister squealed at the cold while I heard a gasp on the other end of the line.

"Tori? You still there?"

I heard nothing but static as I as heard the phone thrown into the air and distant footsteps on stone. I pulled the phone away from my ear and turned back to look at my companions when we heard the doors moving behind us.

"Wowie! We get to go inside the ruins! And we get to help a lonely woman at Christmas!" Papyrus nudged his brother. "Isn't that great, Sans?"

"Sure is, Bro." Sans lowered my sister to the ground who held onto him for support until she could see straight. She shook her head to help with that and instantly saw the door open, sprinting inside.

"Tori!"

"Oh, my child!" Walking in after my sister, I saw that she was there in a deep hug from Toriel who had sunken to the floor in happiness from seeing us. "I didn't want to believe that you'd actually come…"

"We wanted to surprise you." Her gaze captured mine as her eyes widened in both shock and elation. "When you wouldn't come out to see us, we agreed it wouldn't be right for you to celebrate Christmas alone. We grabbed all the food we had for dinner today and planned to spend it with you, if you'll have us and our roommates."

"Hello Miss Tori!" Papyrus eager peaked his head in around me from the door. "The Great Papyrus, his brother and his friends have brought dinner for you!"

"Oh my- I- I can't believe this!"

"Well baa-lieve it."

I struggled to hold back a snicker.

"Sans!" Papyrus snarled at him. "No puns in this poor woman's house! That's rude!"

Tori burst out laughing from the pun that had Papyrus groaning and Sans wiggling the bone above his sockets.

"Do not worry Papyrus, I believe your brother is simply trying to get my goat."

And just like that, we were all laughing at the expense of Papyrus who stood there and sulked in the door.

I guess our Christmas wasn't so bad off after all.

Witch's Note:

What a nice way to end the chapter! Lovely Christmas in July stuff. So does anyone still hate Vinnie? Okay with him? Is there any armies after the bunny now? Or anyone too afraid?

But regardless we're moving onto a new location starting next chapter! Who's exciting for Waterfall? Because I am. Maybe that will help me distract Mystic Girl from-

(A large crashing sound echoed off in the distance that made the hair on my neck stand still.) Oh no… Mystic Girl! What are you doing?

(She dangled the keys before my face.) I finally found them! I got the keys to that damn bear's room! You can't stop me forever! Bear destroyers unite!

(And in epic fashion she leapt from my room, out the window and summersaulted the second she hit the ground, and toward the maximum-security protection facility that was a few miles off in the distance she went. I just stared at her vanishing figure before sighing.)

ShunGod! Join me! We must destroy the bear! Join me and all of our comrades!

(I slam my head against my hand.) God damn it…

And now to our reviewers… (Gotta do this quick!)

RoseCentury: Eww! Gross, how in the world did that happen? I'm glad I'm helping, but eww!

Okay! Now with that out of the way, gotta get ready for next week! Oh, Robert! You can come out now!

(The bear sneaks out of a secret compartment under my work desk where Mystic Girl had thrown my desk, though surprising my laptop wasn't harmed.) You'd best head to ground beta where the second warehouse is to hide out, I'm not sure how long that ploy is gonna work. We fooled them for now, but not for long.

Alright! That's it for this week folks! Love you all and see you next week! Pray for the survival of the bear! Love to hear from you! Send in reviews!

Halloween Witch