It took me a lot to taking up the story again, but here's the third chapter.

Things may get fishy.

Enjoy!

Many Meetings

Darkness cloaked the room, up to the blind dimness behind the curtains.

A faint wooden creaking followed the thud of whom, unconsciously, grope with their hands on soft cloth.

"Ronf."

A snore pressing came in from one nostril. And then, a guttural "Snort."

Asgore was dead to the world. Sprawled in all his might and moistening the dry mouth, he slowly conquered the free regions of the bed.

He was enjoying that moment lying on his stomach, after so many trials to count and sleeping in the open without sheets. Yet his eyelids squeezed frantic, exposed to those sparse, annoying flickers of light that grew in intensity as time passed.

Asgore groaned eventually, and with one "Yawn," similar to a roar, he woke up. He needed only another couple of minutes to realize where he was, sampling all the while his morning breath. "Yuck, talk about 'as fresh as a daisy'. But this mattress sure felt amazing."

Ripe and ready, after a rewarding sleep.

Without protests from said mattress, he rolled over and sat up. Still befuddled with sleep, he actually had a hard time getting a grip of all the happenings of last night. He vaguely recalled Toriel saying something like conceding him half of that so accommodating and soft to the touch queen-sized bed. His head laid on the pillow was the last thing he remembered.

The plaid pajamas on him either was some subconsciously effort on his part, or just Toriel having pity on him. As for now, she was nowhere to be seen.

"Had I overslept?"

His whole bulk drooped at the thought. He rubbed the forehead just as instinctively, still figuring out what time it might be. He began looking for some footwear to put on under the bed, finding nothing.

Grumbling away his annoyance, he put the paws on the floor. "I am sure I will regret it."

Fumbling in the half-light he made his way around the bed and drew the curtains with firm hands only to be blinded by the sun for a second. It had just passed the tips of the elms, and a strip of its rays tore from the dark the gentle peaks of the mounds behind the woods. With such a fair weather it was high time to open the window to change the stuffy air inside.

So he did, and let the fresh and crisp breath of wind of the new day come inside, getting carried away eyes-closed by the shrill song of thrushes. In short, he realized to be goofing off a bit too much.

The alarm clock on the bedside table, counting the minutes undeterred, gave him the appraisal he needed about the time. A modest 9:31 am.

"Lucky me, I thought it'd be much worse."

Soon he doubled back, retracing his steps and kneeling the edge of the bed in the process. "Curses! Go and tell these humans that their houses are not tailored for people like me!"

But at least he had been granted a place to live at the moment, so he just swallowed it and went to the wardrobe. "Well then, if my memory serves me right, I saw something fuzzy in there. Now let's see, if I move this one here, and this one there…"

There he had it right: a pair of pink bunny-shaped slippers, shoved into a pocket behind clothes. He felt funny just by looking at them, but chuckling at the thought he wore them and, now ready and adjusted to the light, he left the room.

The door was ajar, swaying smoothly. Very little else could be heard apart from it. Maybe the kids were still asleep? All in all, a comfortable bed would be the first time for them in ages. As for Toriel, she might have gone out somewhere, but as soon as he approached the staircase a distant, feeble clinking of dishes and cups put him on alert.

Gently placing his paws on the wooden corridor, which at least were muffled by the slippers, he went downstairs with careful pace, gliding the palm on the handrail till grasping the knob. Since he was too tall and broad to stick his head out, only after bending to the last steps he found relief.

The table was laden again, recently apparently. The morning light gave it a whole new twist, but he ignored it. It looked like that, at least, he will not have breakfast alone, however everything was too quiet, apart from the noise he heard before.

Still feeling like a giant in a china shop, he went to investigate after pausing a moment, but suddenly he felt something tugging his nightclothes.

His quizzical expression deepened as he felt them wiggling playful. More amused than surprised, Asgore played along, blindsided by a tiny assailant who was beginning to climb up his back. He snickered through the nose listening to the laboured but eager gulps of air now close to the ears.

"Hmm, what have we here?" he wondered, fumbling with the hands behind his back until he grabbed hold of them as if they were a ripe fruit. He could not suppress an exclamation of realization before the little darling Yukiko who just replied: "Daddy yagi!"

"Ah little monkey! You wanted to take me by surprise!"

She nodded, pretending to be serious. The little girl was surely unable to hide her cheerfulness, sprinkling through her inky narrow eyes peering intensely. Asgore however was far more surprised by the soft dark circles underneath them that sharply contrasted with her bright peach skin, and he felt obliged to fix the small ponytail on top and the polka-dot pajamas. "My honeybun, why is a slip of a thing like you up so early?"

She brooded about it a short while, stammering some foreign phoneme. "Eèto… I like to get up early in the morning," she said then.

"Seriously? So early that you are the only one awoken?" he asked, receiving a nod as a response. "Would not it be better to go back to sleep then?"

"Nooo!" she corrected him, pointing over his shoulder and then around, to the series of windows, mimicking a pulled cord. "I opened them, and then, I looked out!"

"Ah, the blinds! Just to look the beautiful green and bright world outside. Well, you have been busy then!"

She nodded again, really meaning it.

"But then, are not you feeling tired yet? You look like you had quite a rough night. Did the others let you sleep cosily and warm?"

Despite his growing apprehension, Yukiko replied with equal serenity and calmness. "Yes, they were nice. No worries Daddy."

He brushed her soft cheek with a finger. "Well, alright, this is fine. I am happy that you can understand everything I say, anyway. And maybe you manage to understand even when words fail to say."

"Daddy loves his family," she added, proudly, with all the peace that could convey.

His feelings are rarely wrong. His forehead, broad and white, touched hers, bowed to her perspicacity. "My dear child. Out of the mouths of babes oft times come gems."

Yukiko agreed with a murmur, preferring to play with his thick blond beard, so close to her now.

"For you, it was almost taken for granted," he whispered, uttering only a few faint cries and giggling in the meantime. "So, did the others wake up?"

"Mm-hm," she mumbled, intent on braiding his beard. "Some of them. There's Mommy yagi, Jebediah-san, Sophie-chan, Franco-san..."

She stopped to list, way too sluggishly, really focused on what she was doing. Her way of naming everyone like that made Asgore curious, it sounded a bit funny at the beginning, and since reading anime was not really his great passion, he did not grasp the meaning.

But he did not think about it much, rather he continued with his original purpose, to find out the source of the sound, more and more similar to voices of busy chatter, coming presumably from the kitchen. With Yukiko now firmly holding onto his thick neck, he went to the door, and neither this one creaked as it slowly opened with his head protruding awkwardly. "May I come in?"

"Good morning!" Toriel answered after a short puff, without looking at him. She was completely engrossed with whipping some fresh batter, but she was clearly in a good mood.

After a sharp blow of the whip on the rim of the bowl, she finished with it, loosening up and giving him some deserved attention with a tilt of the head. "I was afraid we would have breakfast without you."

Maybe it was just his impression, but the light bouncing on the yellow and orange tiles on the walls brought out her smile. But also the eyes. And the snout. In short, anything.

"We should have our very first breakfast all together," – he said promptly – "Missing it would have been quite unbecoming of me."

Toriel stared embarrassed. "Well, after everything that has happened, you have every right to permit yourself a few more hours of rest. I had not the heart to wake you up."

"Oh, but do not worry about that!" he replied cheerfully, determined to take the point across with such conviction that Yukiko started to laugh, tickled by his beard. "It's just… I would not miss this moment for the world!"

Toriel relented before that picturesque scene. She smiled to her husband monster and human child in the bright kitchen, a scene that could very well be impossible, and that yet she had already seen, in a past that no longer exists.

Strange beasts, the Deja-vus. Vaguely reminiscent of something already lived, but forerunners of unexplored alternatives.

"Good morning pa!" Franco broke her trance. He had just popped out from the door of the pantry, merry as usual. He stood to say something else, but then saw their puzzled looks. "Ah, you were talking, excuse me. Please continue."

"Good morning to you, son!" – Asgore said, infected by his casualness – "There is no need to be sorry!"

Toriel let out a giggle. "I accept your apology, my child." A bit of disappointment though accompanied her attention, seeing the boy empty-handed. "I thought I had enough eggs, to our misfortune. I wish I could prepare many other delicacies."

"Eh, what are we gonna do about it, cake and pancakes will do," the boy replied without a thought.

"Oh, so this is what I am smelling?" Asgore sharpened the nose, now that a familiar scent seeped from the heated oven. "Is it what I think it is?"

"Oh my, always thinking about food, you!" – Toriel told him with playful reproach – "Certainly this habit has never abandoned you. I hope you missed me not only for my Cinnamon Butterscotch Pie. "

Asgore in response planted a quick kiss on her lips. "Of course not, silly."

In all this, Franco's goofy grin said it all. "Yeah, hard to hide the smell. But now, with your permission…" he said approaching the two, eyeing Yukiko. "I'll just take the child, can I?"

"Want to cuddle her you too?" Asgore replied, giving her in his arms.

"Well, obviously! And it is time that we make a little survey of what we have at home, right Yukiko?"

She put on a pout. "Onii-san, I want Daddy yagi's beard."

"Later my joy, papa has just woken up." All in all, he did not need much effort to convince her, she agreed immediately to be carried away without protest. "You sure are peaceful! Now, if the parents will excuse us, we're going to check some stuff."

Assiduously glimpsed by the pleased royal monsters the two went, Franco all the while commenting on the state of things. "Ah! I have to think of everything, while those older idlers loaf about out there!"

As soon as he left the kitchen, husband and wife exchanged a quick glance, and could not help but chuckle. "What a subject that boy!"

"Quite so! And you look a bit like him, Asgore. When you were 'younger'."

"Say? Well, you know, not as young as one used to be!" he chortled and, by the way, whenever he opened the mouth Toriel slipped pieces of cake inside, barely holding back the laughter for the amount of crumbs that ended up on the beard. "Hmm, delicious! You have not lost your touch, thanks Tori."

"You are welcome," – she said, giving her attention now to pouring the batter into a pan – "You make me blush." She did not appear that excited of course, but a wink worked out just the same.

The monster thanked her again with a silent smile, gently stroking her back. That helped him to sate his hunger for a while nevertheless. He lazily looked a little past her, toward the wide glass door and the patio. The other two humans were catching the sunrays, the one leaning to a tree, the other fiddling with a squirrel intimidated by her size.

"And there they are." Asgore loosened the air in his lungs, for a long-deserved sigh. "Golly, how true it is, what a lively youth! They would make me feel young too!"

Toriel peered on the drawn wrinkles of his face. Those of a solemn, latent, centuries-old and imperceptible autumn of life, to which she gave no attention until now. There was still something... difficult to glean from the eyes of the King, complicated to unravel in his words imbued with enigmatic double meaning.

"Asgore?"

"Tori?" He did not expect her attention, and glanced down to her. "What is it?"

"Something bothers you?"

"What makes you think so?"

She suppressed one snicker. She examined him with an attentive eye, mumbling convinced. "Let's see. An insecure vibe in your voice, elusive eyes, sentences that sound melancholic, not to mention them being fragmented and uncertain... Maybe, just maybe, you are and still remain an open book to me, mister."

"Oh my." Caught in the act. "Golly if I tell you this is embarrassing."

"But this is not about me, is it?"

"No. I am leisurely working on that."

"And it seems that at the moment you are doing a great job."

"It is reassuring to hear that. We could say that I am well on track?"

"More or less, but do not get any flamboyant ideas."

An amused smile was the result. "Nah, I figured."

What was supposed to be a serious discussion, it flowed lightly in total harmony. Otherwise, it would have been difficult to make him utter a few words.

And, as he let her fingers run between the hairs of his golden mane, he found the words. "In all honesty, I can talk about it to you. It occurs to me that, sometimes I seriously think... we have taken the place of their parents."

"Gorey..."

"Think about it Tori. We assumed the right to call them our children and we do not even know whether they agreed on this, without asking them their opinion on the matter. We have not given them such time when they arrived in the Underground, we have not given ourselves time either to learn all about their situation, apart from all the obvious else that they went through. They have been ripped from their roots, from their own epochs, and woe to me if I broke their equilibrium or something, influencing their imprisoned souls…"

"Calm down Gorey, calm down," she hushed him. "What you say it is true, but once fallen into Ebott you could not get out. However nasty it may sound, they were doomed the very moment they arrived. Who else could they hope for, other than a friendly face you can trust? And my best one is a parenting one, I cannot do much," she said self-ironic, biting her lips in a simper pained by much history.

But that pained Asgore also, shaking the head slowly, heavy with dismay. "Ebott is gone now. We are in their world, and there is nothing that will force them to a resigned fate. I will not be surprised if they would feel the need to go in search of their origins, or for a simple desire for freedom. And the fact that we call them 'our children', maybe… maybe this might embarrass them, maybe they do not feel like that."

Toriel sighed. "I see and, yes, I understand. That is to be expected with all children, and just think about adopted ones for that matter!"

"That's not the point. The fact is that we are so, so… different. I mean–"

He cursed his own tongue, but Toriel was still outright serene. "Are you saying that we are not cut out for this? That between being monsters and humans there is an insurmountable obstacle?"

"No, no! Not at all! I would not dream of thinking such a thing! It's just… let's stop fooling ourselves Tori, the blatant fact is that we, with all our good intentions, with all the love we can give, we are not their real parents. We cannot escape from this fact, we will never replace them. And alas, I stopped believing the rhetoric that 'where is your family, there is home'. I am afraid we will not be enough for them…"

"Why all of a sudden you become so negative?" Toriel shushed him again, her hands between his neck and nape. "We are two again, remember? We are surrounded by loving friends, and I do not see how this cannot be sufficient to make them feel at home. And then, are not they intelligent and judicious children? They understand the situation better than you and me combined. Maybe they will not loosen up immediately, and they are free to think of us not that way, but gradually they may, even will, consider us for what we are supposed to be: adoptive parents, who have nothing dissimilar to a biological parent, do not you think so?"

Asgore listened in silence.

"Worry not, Fluffybuns," she finally said, and hugged him. "Worry not. Everything will be okay."

He lapsed into her embrace.

"Everything will be okay."

Sophie let her head fall on the wall of the house. Eyes shut, in the grip of her own heavy breathing. Disheartened, she slumped on the wooden patio.

A miserable chink of the window was enough to let their conversation through, like it was left ajar on purpose. Her heart amplified the rest, too heavy to swallow.

"You heard?" she asked, seeking his comfort.

Jebediah muttered listless. From his location, blissfully sprawled, aside and opposite to her back, crossing his legs, he heard just fine.

Sophie started to bite a fingernail. "So lucky to arrive at the right time and overhear everything."

"Mhmm, maybe so."

The emptiness of meaning of that answer drew Sophie's annoyed scowl. "You sure are helping, y'know?" she growled at him.

"What can I say? True, that's sound to feel that way."

"Oh shucks Jeb!" – she groaned softly – "I feel bad just by looking at them. It pains me to hear them feeling this way. At this rate, we'd have been better off walking away first-hand instead of hide."

"Hobble your lip, wouldja?" he replied just as annoyed, to which Sophie gaped at him. "It lightened on us, and it's actually a good thing."

"What?! Good thing you say? For what is worth knowing how torn they are, besides making us feel worse?"

"Like, adjust accordingly? Meet 'em halfway, ease their burden?"

"That should come out spontaneously!" she replied scathing, but the muscles have already succumbed to the sense of defeat. "Humph, still can't see them like that. I know they'd do everything for us, but I cannot stand being a deadweight to them."

"'Cause we're just in the beginning. It's the first time for 'em, ditto for us on the other side of the road."

This time she turned to him with the whole bust. "Certainly wasn't expecting you to be like this, Jeb couldn't-give-a-damn Dreemurr."

"It's you who's climbing on the first bandwagon on sight." Out of the corner, a slight shrewd smirk of him, petrified her reasoning. She just folded her arms, not even glancing at him.

"Don't get your back up, lil sis," he said, pinching her ankle. "Look Sophie, life ain't easy for anyone. It hasn't been nice to us, it wasn't to 'em, and you know it. We ought to carry on and find our place in the world which, just so happens, changed a lot since the fall. There's no need to rush it. Besides, we pretty much lived our childhood already, so we should be well covered on that and be less of a trouble for 'em."

"Still, you aren't much of a help. Maybe this escapes you but, want it or not, this is our family now. They are our reference points, whether we like it or not, and the fact they do have these worries, fears, self-doubts... no, this isn't good."

"Well, 'nuff said."

"Oh c'mon! Tch, don't you have any pity for them, not even a little?"

"Hey, don't get me wrong. I love 'em more than the cat loves the cream jar, if you know what I mean. I'm not sayin' I ain't figurin' how they feel, I reckon that. Havin' responsibility for all these children takes yo' whole self."

"Which means, we have to help to make this house a home. For them all. And the younger ones have to live it in absolute serenity, especially Asriel. You've heard what Ioreon said to Asgore, don't you?"

"Yup, 'course I remember."

"So let's get this straight: take to heart the situation with me and do your part as brother, and me as sister. Therefore, we better find some part-time job, after all a family of ten people is hard to feed. If all goes well, we'll work our way thru studies and find the time to care for the others, since Asgore and Toriel will have their own things to attend to, and in fact they might not even have time for themselves, and then–"

"Wo wo wo! Hold it there," he interrupted her, almost making her fall pulling down the leg in the heat. "Sis, what are you talkin' about?"

"What now?"

"Sugarcube, you're overthinking things. Don't get your cows runnin' yet, all in good time. And– alright, if you really want to make the roadmap go ahead, but we don't even know how things run around here."

Sophie took the blow, stifling in her mouth a shriek of frustration. "Why, why things come all together all of a sudden?"

"The beauty of life. As far as I can tell, a year is made of 20 days more or less, and that's where everything's packed. You'll see, once this period is over, all runs smoother."

Sophie huffed at him. "Maybe so."

"Yep."

Sophie huffed again. Her analytical mind did not like sudden upheavals, let alone emotional of which she could not have total control. And that bugged her.

Jebediah being brazenly and at least seemingly indifferent did not help either, sent her out of her mind. Tightening the knuckles and reasoning on a bit more, she dropped all thoughts of retaliation though. To some extent he was right.

"How about…" – she said, her voice aseptic – "How about having breakfast now?"

"Works for me."

The boy stood up and held out the hand to get her up. Setting aside her pride, she accepted it, and let him to be the one to open the glass door.

"Who wants another slice?" Toriel invited the others, showing off the pie in plain sight, to which at least six responded by lifting their emptied plates.

"Uggh." Franco loudly put the cutlery on the table. "I can't Ma, I'm bursting!"

"After gobbling two courses of pancakes already, can't wonder why," Fion remarked.

"Just guessing, but melon and honey paired so well with it, so I think that's why!" Asriel said to him, still licking his chops and wagging the tail, hands outstretched for another slice. The sister, Vérane, did the honours for him. "Here take one, dear."

"Thank you!"

"You are very welcome!"

Toriel moved nimbly and light from one chid to another, gratified by the result. Not wanting to take the risk, in the end she gave her last full measure of her terrific ability of thrifty cook, processing what was left in the pantry to churn out two imperial size cakes and fiftyish puffy pancakes, handing out generous portions, as usual. Asgore in the meanwhile... was in seventh heaven. He truly was impressed by the amount of pie he succeeded to swallow, sure that he could stuff himself with much much more.

That so blatantly contrasted with an ever more impressed Jebediah, who on the contrary to him chewed slowly on the pancakes, trying to remember some particulars. "So… where does all this come from again?"

"This wecipe you say?" Frisk took off her fork to respond. "Fwom Amalrica, last time I checked."

"Ah. I think I missed it. On the rare occasions I ate 'em, they're much thinner. And baked in the oven."

Reminiscence lighted up Vérane's face. "Were crêpes those pancakes you ate?"

"Somethin' like that. My favorite dessert no doubt, simon-pure."

This left her quite pleased with sweet memories. She nevertheless took another couple of pancakes and sprinkled over abundant maple syrup. "These are thicker, and the flavour is really different, and I love it!"

"It is a pleasure to hear your comments, my children," chirped Toriel, who was still wandering refusing to sit down. "I am really happy that you are enjoying your first breakfast."

In the confusion of dishes that came and went, in the carefree clamour of even silly comments, as long as they talked about, and a movement leading to another, a misstep of Yukiko knocked over Frisk's cutlery with a clank. The little girl winced, immediately flushing with dismay. "Gomen ne Frisk-chan! Ah, I mean– I meant to say 'sorry'."

"Whoa wait! Nothing happened, no wowies!"

"I am so careless!" Yukiko started to get up from the chair, but Frisk still took the initiative. "No you're not! Stay there, I'll get 'em!"

"Ariga... thank you," she said, with spontaneity that got in the way. "Worse is, my Anglish vocabulary is in a really bad shape…"

Frisk gleefully beamed at that. "If Alphys and Undyne ever find you speaking in your way, that's the end of you!"

"Sō desu ka..." Yukiko mused to himself. "I'll be careful."

"But hey, don't take me too sewiously!"

"Sorry!" she replied, and just by the looks of Frisk's funny face, they both burst out laughing.

Long story short, they set in quickly to the new state of affairs.

"It has been so long since this house breathed an atmosphere so vibrant!" Toriel admitted, finally taking the seat for the coveted breakfast.

"Yeah, and regarding that…" – Asgore wondered – "Thinking back to Alphys and Undyne, strange we have yet to hear from them. Is it not around this time they usually come to visit?"

"You remember well," – Toriel replied, slightly surpassing the chatter of the others – "And in my opinion, they will not be long in coming. I do not think Papyrus will keep our yesterday 'misadventures' down-low."

"Oh, indeed I think not!" he agreed, and in the process a roar behind the front door silenced him and them all.

Toriel rolled her eyes. "Perfect timing."

Like a battering ram, it continued to pound on the door, incrementally powerful.

Similar memories came to Asgore's mind. "Gosh, I recognise this knocking so staunch, the tremendous noise, the creaking wood of the door!"

The realisation was so compelling that it speeded up his movements so to rush to the door as soon as possible, but not promptly enough. His readiness could not match the impetus on the other side, that just sent the door flying to the ground in a cloud of dust.

The light coming from outside all of a sudden, blindly outlined a tall, lean silhouette.

The metal sound of a single hinge dropping down on the parquet soon was smothered, crushed by the visitor's studded boot.

"Guys, you say we should take shelter?" Fion directed his gaze on Asriel and Frisk, impassive.

"It would be advisable," the little girl replied with iconic plain face. "But I think it's too late now."

Balancing on the wood, with fist smashing the upper air, stood the ex-Captain of the Royal Guard, upright in dramatic pose, red hair flying in hero wind, her only eye gleaming with utmost passion.

"HOLY FREACKIN' CRAP!"

watch?v=793ECMd7i2Q (Spear of Justice – Guitar / Rock Cover)

Undyne made her entrance and lost herself in a moment. "Then it's real! IT'S DARN REAL!" she squealed in ecstasy, revved up and all hyped. The fact they were all present, sitting neatly and collected, terrified as a side note, turned the event into the grandest day of her life, or almost. "You were so frickin' right Papyrus! So many many humans, IT'S ASTOUNDING! JEEZ!"

"UNDYNE!" Toriel shouted back, shooting Undyne and her impetuosity a withering look. "It's the third door in a month you bust through!"

"Uh? Which door?"

"Perhaps the one you're standing on right now?" Toriel pointed out peeved towards Undyne's feet.

"Oh, this one?" she tittered nervously and went back down to earth. "Ahem, sorry about that! I couldn't wait anymore!"

"I cannot do this." Toriel pinched the bridge of the nose. "Every time the same story."

"And you Dadgore!" – Undyne catapulted herself by the King in less than no time – "I was blown away, almost having a heart attack when I heard you were gone! You have no idea how many doors I broke down to check on you!"

Toriel shook the head. "Three, Undyne. Three."

"Exactly!" – she replied with a beam on her face, her hand firmly on the King's shoulder – "Every other time I was so bummed out to react, and so…"

"AH! You missed me then, huh?" Asgore, of course, with an armful pulled her in a bear hug, whence the poor fish monster could not break free. "HEY! Don't do this without warning!"

"OH NO! WE ARRIVED TOO LATE!" Papyrus appeared on the edge of the door, carrying a bundled up Sans under his arm. "there it goes the surprise."

"Undyne?!" Alphys' voice was heard in the distance. She was breathing heavily, and in a last ditch effort reached the jamb and grabbed onto it with claws, not really caring about her red blouse rubbing against it. "Phew! W-Why she's so fast?!"

"Hey Alphys, check this out! It goes beyond all expectations!" Undyne had managed to pop the head out from all that hair and breathe again.

If only the caved in timber and the fallen down flakes were not the first obvious thing to stick out like a sore thumb. "Oh m-m-my! Asgore! Toriel! I'm so, so TERRIBLY sorry! Dear me what a mess!"

And in all this, the humans were under severe confusion.

"Guess ain't the best time to hold on breakfast." Jebediah rose from the table with unnatural naturalness, pulling Franco with him for the sake of his own, who just cracked up with laughter nearly falling out of his chair. "What a lovely bunch of desperados they are!"

"I TRIED TO HOLD HER! I SWEAR!" Papyrus intervened all apologetic, limping along with Sans on the shoulder. "SANS! TELL THEM YOU TOO!"

"huh? is she here?" the other skeleton replied, playing the ignorant but at least not dozing while clutching to the breastplate of his brother. "i heard she went fishin' for new friends."

"THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT!"

Sans eye-wandered elsewhere. "sorry paps. from here i don't quite 'sea' it."

"SANS! WHY DO YOU COMPLICATE MY LIFE WITH YOUR PARENTHETIC PUNS?!"

"in return, the cool breeze flows like a charm."

"Never mind, never mind," Toriel sighed heavily looking away, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. "If you have at least the sense to help us fix the disaster, it would be much appreciated."

Actually, since her fits of anger were very short-lived, she eventually gave up and smiled warmly. Getting up, quickly gauging the damage, she shook the head, tittering this time. "Well, although the breakfast has ended abruptly, you have indeed come in a fairly serene moment, so... would you like to eat something? Or may I tempt you with some orange juice, a tea perhaps?"

"Thank you Toriel, gladly! But ANYWAY!" Undyne got straight to the point, still grinning. And wriggling free from Asgore. "I haven't come just for Asgore, and in fact: care to explain to me what's happening here? Who are all these kiddies? Where'd they come from?"

A small crowd gathered at her words, made up of humans and monsters, the family of Dreemurr. Asgore head-on and proudly joined it alongside his wife. "Undyne," – the King patiently urged the perplexed ex-Captain – "These are the humans who spent their last years in the Underground, and who we believed dead, the six fallen humans, that we adopted. And moreover–"

"WHAT?!" Undyne interrupted him in the middle of it. She was only suspecting it, but hearing that from Asgore's mouth was another matter. It literally fried her brains. "YOU GOTTA BE KIDDIN' ME ASGORE!"

The humans had no clue as to whether hers were smiles or terrible winces to show off her flashy collection of pointed teeth.

Alphys heaved a sigh of relief. She finally managed to catch her breath. "Um, U-Undyne? I do not think that Asgore and Toriel would joke about something like this…" She went beside the pisciform monster, still slouched and paralysed, without any apparent reaction. To be safe she waved the hands in front of her eyes, which apparently were still working. "T-this should explain why he's gone for so long! I believe him."

Asgore crossed his hands embarrassed. "Well, technically, it did not go exactly like–"

"It's not that I don't believe him Alphys!" Undyne snapped again. "But it's impossible that they survived, like, intact! They didn't die of old age y'know!"

"actually they are those fallen humans," Sans reiterated, still on Papyrus and facing away from everyone. "sorry to screw it up for you undyne. and heya there mettaton."

"Ehem, good morning to you, Sans," the visitor coughed, concealed at sight. "It seems I just came in time for the presentations."

"METTATON?!" When he heard the robotic voice, Papyrus looked around left and right, up and down, in search of its source. "WHERE'S METTATON? OH, METTATON!"

"Just behind you darling."

Papyrus leapt out in surprise, away from his sight. Again the sun played with lights and shades but, when it comes to him, it was anything but the spotlight par excellence.

The celebrity that amazed and still continues to amaze, the star of monsters and revelation to humans, revolutionising the vogue of society with energy and spectacle, wonder and variety, shown now in the utmost splendour of anthropomorphic form. "My, nice to see everyone. I hastened as soon as I received notice," he punctuated through his classy, branded voice.

Blaring synchronised heels on the parquet, clothed with a vaporous black synthetic fur, he moved inside the house to their general amazement. "Thank you Alphys dear for the fast message."

"Y-you're welcome Mettaton, I knew you'd be happy to–"

"Of course I MUST have been prepared at the apex of beauty for the occasion. And then, I'm sure it's not that bad to keep people waiting for just a little bit, ah! Who'd have thought that the King would come back with the fallen humans and his lost son? Splendid, simply SPLENDID!"

"Someone said lost son?! Damnit, how much stuff did I miss?!" The good news run over her in a so rapid fire that Undyne could no longer contain herself, with the poor Papyrus who did not know whom to turn to. "THIS IS BECAUSE YOU DID NOT GIVE ME THE TIME TO EXPLAIN!"

"Is that joyful woollen fluffy thing right there?!" Undyne finally came to realise there was a lone minor monster in the company.

"Well, yes, Undyne, as I was trying to explain to you," Asgore added. "Asriel, our son. That's really him."

Asriel, focus of everyone's attention now, at first did not know what to say. Apparently, the others were able to act cool, but he was definitely the least anticipated, the most amazing, the impossible. Probably that's what crossed each other's mind. Perhaps they would have noticed who he had been from a millennia up to the present, especially Alphys, or Sans.

In him the good cheer relinquished, leaving a tensed mouth, paws folded onto the chest, holding it as though the soul could ever escape. But the gaze was firm though resigned.

Undyne approached for a close inspection but he did not retreat, like ready for a showdown at hand. She gave him an once-over, compared him to the two monarchs. "Yes, that's definitely your son."

That sounded so… neutral. Arguably, almost disappointing. Asriel was genuinely staggered.

"Seems like you've got around the same age of Frisk, yeah?" she said leaning over, ruffling his fur. It may be that Asriel never dared to get too near to her, but now, close a heartbeat away, he could appreciate how much the most intrepid of heroines could soften the traits, worthy of a big sister. "But you don't look like a punk, y'know… like her."

"Oh, not again! Always with this humbug!" Frisk retorted rebelliously. "Undyne, go fish!"

"WAIT WHAT?"

Unbelievable to everyone, but Undyne especially. Not only did she speak, she did so with temper. It was a blow to Undyne's soul, paralysed yet again, on a par to an anime shock.

Sans raised an explaining finger. "that's my dudette."

Asriel still said nothing. He just lost it, going with the flow of hilarity re-started by the Sikelian boy, seemingly de-petrifying Undyne in the process. "And that'd be your reaction?! Did I tickled you somewhere?" she questioned with a cringe, but secretly joining them in their laughs.

To see Undyne in that way was unusual. Another unexpected accomplishment that stacked in the series of fortuitous events, which prompted Papyrus. "HAPPY DAYS! OH SANS, LOOK HOW THEY ARE BONDING!"

"still can't see it paps, i'm hugging you."

The grinning tall skeleton moved the short one away from his chest, holding him between rib cage and armpits like a baby, just to see him on the face. "IT IS AT MOMENTS LIKE THIS THAT I DO REALIZE HOW MY BROTHER IS IMPORTANT TO ME!"

"i love your sentimental side bro."

And he put him down. "NOW YOU STAND UP! ESPECIALLY SINCE IT DOES NOT FEEL RIGHT TO HAVE BONES TO PICK WITH ANYONE, ABOVE ALL YOURS."

Sans stared incredulously at his brother and his deliberate winks. "paps, really a good one" he confessed, with subtly curved eye-sockets. "love you too, coolest bro ever."

"Darlings, you're moving me so much. You really are a Cinnamon Roll Papyrus," Mettaton said, hand on his pauldron.

His robotic arm around his shoulders was manna from heaven. "OH METTATON! IT IS SO GOOD TO KNOW THAT YOU ALSO VALUE THE FAMILY!" said Papyrus, adoring fan, next to his favourite star.

"Of course beautiful, I indeed don't lack family ties! And actually, thinking about it, where's my dear Blooky?" he thought aloud, looking at the door to a point not well defined. "Blooky? Don't be shy and lonely in the background, come in!"

With sheer fleetingness, responding to the call at once, a featureless little ghost emerged from the wall, floating calmly towards his cousin-celebrity. "greetings… forgive the intrusion. it seemed impolite to me to interrupt your comments…"

"Don't be so formal Blooky! You're also part of the family, you know that!"

"it's alright mettaton…" – Napstablook smiled mellow and candid – "but i'll just stand in some corner, i don't want to bother… imagine i'm not even here, oooooo…"

But like a bolt from the blue, Undyne thought it was high time. "OK, HOLD IT RIGHT HERE!" she cried out, military parade style. "Are we all here? Great!"

The fish monster left the Dreemurrs and returned to the opposite side, among the guests. The river of consciousness settled on more placid waters. "SO! As you already guessed, the name's Undyne, small fries! And this! –" she pulled Alphys on impulse, leaving her all blushing "– Is my super-duper special girlfriend Alphys!"

"Oh no. Um… H-h-hi!" Alphys timidly waved her hand. "Never felt more embarrassed in my whole life…"

"Since the two skelebros presented themselves already, I guess," – Mettaton stepped in – "Even though there'd be no need for presentations, I'll make an exception for this wonderful public. Well, my fine and extraordinary children, I'm Mettaton, the one and only. And here's my trusty sound mixer, and adorable (adorable I tell you) cousin, Napstablook!"

They had lost sight of him at first in fact, standing in a real quiet corner. "thank you mettaton, can't get used to all this attention… my pleasure to meet all this nice people." Napstablook gave them a slight bow.

Perhaps they were not the most representative spokespersons of all monsterkind, but they certainly shared the same desire of welcoming enthusiasm, to which Toriel clapped grateful. "It is so nice to have everyone here!" she did not hold back from smiling on their friendly friends. "May I have the honour of making the introductions, honey?" she said, looking for Asgore's complicity.

"No trouble at all! Please go ahead!" he nodded.

"Thank you dear. Let us proceed in order, starting with the eldest. They are: Jebediah–"

"Howdy y'all."

"Sophie–"

"Hey people! So nice to meet you all!" she winked.

"Franco–"

"Ah beddi! It's always great to meet new friends!"

"Vérane–"

"Ahem, bonjour! A pleasure to make the acquaintance of all of you!"

"Fion–"

"Oi! Howza goin'?"

"And Yukiko."

The little one, exceptionally shy, was more or less concerned by the reactions they could have had. "Hi everyone," she said, half-hidden behind the hems of Toriel's dress.

Her name ignited some… interesting remembrance in Alphys. The goggles shone in the sunshine for a moment.

It was short-lived since Undyne went to pick her up in a breath of healthy gaiety. "Bloody heck! Just to get to know all these new people I feel so energised… I could take the whole house on my shoulders! "

"H-hey! Put me down Undyne! I d-don't think it's right to get so overenthusiastic!"

That was it. A spark had been struck, and Fion reached epic levels of mind-blowing. "I think I'm in love with her."

"Oh mizzica, mizzica!" Franco found the fresh opportunity. "Invite her to dinner with a good dry white wine!"

"I see what you did there," Jebediah commented amused with hand over the mouth. "Righty-oh, could her be a swordfish?"

"Hmm, dunno," – said Sophie with a finger on the mouth, critically eyebrows-raising – "To me, she's definitely a spearfish."

"Oh no way! That's so sick dudes!" And they lost Fion also, in a guffaw. "But you can't break da magic!"

Undyne's frenzy did not stop there, and their irony only served to stimulate her, as a vein bulged on her forehead. Taken by quite other feelings, she featured a test of strength with flexed biceps and hips. "Haha! These little fellas seem to know what they're about! It'll be a pleasure to show them what a passionate heart can do! I predict great things for the future with them!"

"Without forgetting study and education, it is also very important," Toriel suggested, clasping her hands together in an almost matriarchal exhortation. "However, I agree, Undyne. If you want to contribute to their physical education, equally valid, you are more than welcome."

"At your command, Highness!" Undyne expressed her full of grit loyalty with hands on the hips. It sounded strange in Toriel's ears.

"YOUR HIGHNESS, ALLOW ME TO PARTICIPATE TOO!" Because no less is expected of Papyrus. "I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WOULD BE OVER-EAGER TO SERVE! EVEN THOUGH I CANNOT DECIDE YET ON WHAT TO TEACH…" he said, tuning down the intensity of speech in order to ask to himself questions so cardinal and indisputable, hand on his chin.

Toriel mimicked him, playful. "Hmm, what are you best at? Let us see… The value of goodness and compassion, of giving always a second chance, of tenacity and optimism… Well, it seems you have a wide variety to choose from, Papyrus."

His eyes sparkled, basically. His squeak of joy was enough response to Toriel, as well as to everyone else.

And while they were trying to offer the best of their services, Alphys brooded. She could not help but keep an eye on Mettaton from time to time, anxiously.

"Mettaton," – she approached him – "Are you feeling okay? This configuration is still really energy-expensive, despite the newer updates. Wouldn't you risk running out of battery this way?"

At first the android did not pay on that too much attention, but Alphys' face spoke well about her care.

"Alphys, dear," he replied, his tone reassuring despite his cold steel armour, "Don't worry, I'm monitoring my vitals and they're on average 93% positive. Rather, thanks for installing the new heatsinks, they're working beautifully!"

"Um, t-thanks for that Mettaton, but still… There was really need to come with the humanoid setup?"

"There, there Alphys! Why such questions? I think it's important, even due, to look my best, which is not just for my pride and joy. Consider it as my effort to equate through beauty and elegance the regard I have for the Dreemurrs and to emphasise my happiness for all these wondrous events. So, it's really a risk I gladly accept! Don't you agree Blooky?"

Every opportunity was good for getting Napstablook involved, but he was happy to just nod and howl softly once in a while.

"Well, I g-guess you did convince me. Just r-remember to let me know if you're in need, okay? I always have a Cell Quantum Energizer just for you."

"You're such a sweetie, Alphys. By the way, I think this choice is paying off. I'm having effect on the humans, one in particular."

Alphys was surprised, but soon she understood when saw his gaze on the young pucelle, standing to the left of Toriel. Pale and delicate, sometimes losing minutes to study his details and uttering extemporaneous "Quelle élégance". Perhaps because of the amount of glitters on Mettaton, he truly had an almost hypnotic effect on her.

He left Alphys' side, walking into the chatting crowd, to greet the girl. "Vérane, am I correct?"

"Oh! Yes it's me, Mettaton sir," she jittery said, but still fluent, giving a slight bow. "How can I be of service?"

Mettaton stopped with open-wide eyes, truly impressed. "Never seen before such a fresh, dainty maiden! To be honest, I ask you nothing fancy but to accept my appreciation for your noble bearing, a so rare quality to find in people."

At that, taken by generosity, he left her a handkerchief. "Here, hopefully you will appreciate this gesture. Your deep gaze fascinated me."

Vérane, not wanting to be rude, accepted it. An elegant rendition of Mettaton's face was embroidered on it. It seemed like a normal thing, but for her it had a definite meaning.

"Sorry to interrupt you," Jebediah innocently interjected, which however created a certain expectation in Mettaton, looking interested. "Sure you looked really engrossed on something, but can I just get in here for a second? Seein' this gentleman of the first water I just got curious."

"Creative choice of words. Go ahead, you got my attention."

"Alright, now that I look at you, I can't understand if you're a monster plain and simple, or some kind of knight in a shining, really tight armor."

"I have a vague feeling he is a knight…" the little girl sheepishly smiled, as she rolled a brown strand of hair of hers.

Mettaton laughed, sophisticatedly. "Haha, sure this is a pertinent question! Paraphrasing, I'm both, a heart of monster in a robotic body. After all, how could I be Napstablook's cousin otherwise?"

"Ohh, that's fine. I've got no clue on what a robot is, but I guess I'll find out one day."

"Undoubtedly young man, there's a world yet to discover outside, you've just scratched its surface. Who knows, if you're eager to, I could make myself a host for your first contacts with human society, so tremendously prolific and creative!"

So he parted from them with a shake of hands, waiting for the King to speak with him about his adventures. This encounter left both humans fascinated, and Jebediah even astonished. "What an odd stick. Or maybe is it just me that can't quite grasp the habits monsters and humans adopted in the meantime? At least he hasn't given me the impression of a barber's clerk."

His own wonderment was no match to Vérane's, transfixed by overwhelming and dreamy thoughts. "I've never seen anything so sophisticated and shiny, apart from the King's Palace of Francogallia…"

"Hey Vérane, hey!" Sophie, out of nowhere, just came to bring her back with a snap of the fingers. "Don't be getting ideas," she advised in a low voice.

"Oui, Sophie," she consented, remissive and full of expectations.

In all this, Frisk and Asriel stood by. It seemed that everyone had forgotten about them.

"Frisk, just between us…" – Asriel told her – "Hat's off for handling all this hyperactivity, I could never imagine how energetic they turned out to be."

Frisk gave him a thumbs up, with a bright smile and shining eyes. "That's thanks to Detewmination, Azry!"

The sun was high in the sky.

They were reluctant to leave just after a snack and a drink, but the guests eventually said their goodbyes to their hosts after a thousand hugs, leaving behind Dreemurr's house. Actually still without the door.

"I'll need a really long break after so many revelations!" – Undyne said resolutely – "But first, we should celebrate! Like, today! All monsters should know!"

Alphys hung on her lips, but she was nevertheless enthusiastic about the decision, sensible among other things. "Um, I'd s-suggest we s-should include the humans, too. Rocharts inhabitants have been very willing and helpful so far. They'll love to participate, I think."

"Yeah, we should totally ask the Mayor for a little party on the plaza!"

"I'll be the one speaking and convincing him," Mettaton went on. "If I may say so myself, I enjoy a certain fame, and he won't refuse if I'll EXPRESSLY ask him. I guess the right time to make this happen is in the late afternoon. We'll need a lot of preparations to make it worthy, an event definitely not to be missed!"

"A GOLD OCCASION! THE EVENING OF THE CENTURY! AT LEAST FOR US MONSTERS. BUT! I SHALL RECRUIT AS MANY HUMANS AS I CAN TO OUR CAUSE!"

"paps, this isn't some sort of convention."

"I KNOW THAT SANS! BUT CREATING CONTACTS IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS NURTURING THE ONES THAT YOU HAVE!"

"welp alright. makes sense."

As they argued animatedly, engaged they headed towards the highway, so engaged that they did not really realised they spoiled their own surprise to Asgore and Toriel, standing strategically behind, inadvertently assuming the anxiety of preparations.

"I knew that all of them would have gone off on a tangent." Asgore put the hands in his hair.

Toriel, for her part, was tormenting her wrists. "On one hand I welcome the fact they want it to be a surprise, on the other… how should we introduce ourselves? Still as King and Queen?"

"Without a doubt, Tori."

"And considering that it will be focused on the fallen humans and Asriel… They should be introduced properly, not to say elegant but at least decent and decorous."

"Just think of them still going around home with sweatshirts and jerseys too big for them."

"Never let it be said we mistreat them! Which means, the only way is going for boutiques. I will leave immediately."

Asgore watched her swiftly going inside to pick her purse, and immediately moving away to the direction of her car, way to the hamlet of Rocharts. "Tori! If I can do something, tell me, please. I shall not let you do it all by yourself!"

"Wholeheartedly, I suggest you stay home, where you will be more useful. Make sure they are clean and fresh and possibly send me an estimate of their measures. Let's stay in touch by phone."

"Perfect, without fail!"

"And remember to put the door on hinges again!"

"Gosh, that's true!" Asgore facepalmed. "Now I understand Ioreon's recalcitrance. I wonder if he has foreseen even this, that old weasel! He spared himself these hard nuts to cra–"

"Gorey? Did you say something?"

"NOTHING! Nothing."

And then Napstablook said to Asriel: "Sorry, it looks like everybody knows everybody's name except me. Didn't get who you are actually."

Poor Blooky, he came too late.

Well guys, what a colourful crowd. Of course monsters are far more emotional than humans.

Will they be okay with the coldness of human institutions that will start to make their appearance? Wait for the next chapters.