"Now, how can I—"
King Asgore stopped as he saw him. He flinched, ever so slightly, as if he had struck him. He turned away from him, eyes on the flowers.
"Hi Mr. King!" said Greg.
"I so badly want to say, 'Would you like a cup of tea?'" said King Asgore. "But…you know how it is. You know what we must do."
"I don't like tea all that much, anyway," said Greg.
Mr. King smiled at that, although it wasn't really a happy smile. It was the kind of smile he saw old people do when whatever he said had upset them in some way. He decided to move on.
"Mr. King," said Greg. "My brother and I would really like to get home. But I know you can't leave until you get another Soul, so do you want to take mine?"
Mr. King's eyes flickered with something sad.
"That is quite noble of you," he said, his voice shaking.
"I don't know what that word means," said Greg. "But he deserves to get onto the Surface more than I do. My bro's really cool, you know. Even if he doesn't see it all the time."
"It means you are quite kind, and you are making a big sacrifice," said the King. "And I hope your brother knows how 'cool' you are as well."
"I think he does, even though he doesn't say it all the time," said Greg. "Oh, and Mr. King?"
He pulled the rock out of his overalls.
"When you get to the Surface, could you give this back to Mrs. Daniels? I kinda stole it."
King Asgore reached for his Soul with gentle paws, and froze as he as struck.
"You idiot…you haven't changed a thing."
*RESET
"You are starting to test my patience, Woodsman," said the Beast. "Do you not care about keeping the lantern lit? Do you not care about the Soul of your daughter?"
"You cannot trade children like they are tokens!"
"If you are so concerned about them, why don't you let me take the lantern for a bit?" The Beast asked.
"I've fought you for it before, and I would rather die than see it in your hands again!"
"It will happen eventually," said the Beast. "Their Determination will run out eventually, and like all things, they will return to the forest. As will you."
They chuckled at that, as if it were some funny joke. They have had this conversation before, but now he could find nothing new to say.
The Beast's song filled the silence between them.