"hey there pals." He grinned as they pales from the sight of him. These humans were barely taller than him. One was even shorter. "you three... want to have a bad time ?"
His voice sent a shiver up her spine but that didn't stop her from clinging to the back of his blue coat. Looking up, she saw cyan blue flames swirling out of his left socket. They lick at the side of his skull.
"Damn, she's a monster fucker." That name made her flinch back in disgust. They are calling her that just because a monster is saving her? Heat bloomed across her cheeks and she pressed her face into the thick cotton stuffed material of the coat. "Gross...how would that even work?"
Another growl shook the rib cage beneath the layers of clothes and the faint buzzing of magic registered in her ears. Electricity had the hair on her arms standing on end. Her body shook again. But not from fear. She couldn't describe it. This overwhelming feeling was...powerful and strong.
"What the hell are those!"
"scram… or prepare to get dunked on!" The men hurried out of there as if they were on fire. She risked a look at whatever scared them. Two hovering dragon skills were on both sides of Sans. Rings of blue and orange light make up the irises inside oval-ish sockets.
They were kinda cute.
Unfortunately they dematerialized out of existence before she can pet one. Sans turned around and she made sure to look down so he didn't see her expression. "Th-thanks. I was trying to cool off but….got… cornered." She hugged herself, nails digging into her arms.
He sighed just as Frisk ran over with Flowey in their arms. "The brat wants to play games now."
Krissa nods and smiles at the child. "Sounds like fun. Watch it Frisk, I'm a master at balloon darts." She leans close and her grin turns devious. "You determined enough to beat me?"
"oh you shouldn't have said that." Sans chuckles.
She felt like there was an inside joke being said since the three laughed, leaving her clueless. They found the games and arcade section easily. She locates the darts and pays for four sets of darts. Flowey looked at her in confusion, to which she shrugged off.
Frisk went first. They hit only two balloons. Flowey manages to use his thin vines to throw the darts. Krissa stepped up at the same time Sans did. "Prepare to lose." She picks up her first dart, turning the single red fletching upwards. She pulled her hand back and flung the dart forward. The balloon pops and the dart sticks to the center of the target that was painted behind it.
Sans threw his and it got the same result. He glanced at her, his eyes challenging. It was on. She launched another dart and it hits bullseye and once again, Sans' dart does the same. "How?" He shrugs and fires the rest of his darts along with her. Bullseyes all around. "Uuuuugh!"
The lady in charge smiles nervously, probably sensing the rivalry growing. Frisk was more determined as ever to win and didn't stop until they got one target. The group walked away with a plastic crown for Frisk, a jamaican beanie for Sans, and for Krystal she got a fox hat.
It was orange with black ears and white insides. A triangular patch of white made the muzzle area and black lines made the squinty eyed face of the fox. It was absolutely adorable. "Want to go again buddy?" She asked Frisk. "Perhaps we could find a prize for Flowey here."
"I don't need any of that childish stuff!" He hissed.
"Easy buttercup. I just don't want to leave you out." Frisk points at a box that every kid was familiar with. The dreaded claw machine. "Um… We will come back to that…..No Frisk….Fiiiine. But don't say I didn't warn you. Let me go first to show just how impossible it is."
Krystal puts a quarter into the slot and watches as the claw comes alive. Her eyes scan the stuffed animals but then spots it. There, on top and oh so reachable, was a light blue and green bear. She checked to make sure it wasn't a care bear or anything before moving her claw over. The meal grabbing device descends and lock itself around the head.
Up
Up
Slip
And….drop.
She growls and hits the glass. "C'mon! It was right flippin' there! I rarely get a prize so accessible like that!"
"oh that is dia-claw-ical." The skeleton behind her was snickering. She assumes the pun was meant to sound like diabolical. Bit of a stretch.
"What?"
"tell ya later."
She doesn't give up on the bear. Again and again the claw descends onto the stuffed animal and again it drops her prize. The glass might break if she punches it anymore. Or not. She wasn't exactly a strong person. She can hear Flowey's bored grumbles. The claw descends once more and grips the bear by the arm. It wasn't a good place and will most likely
Krystal pressed her forehead into the glass in defeat, closing her eyes.
Thunk. She looks up to see the bear not among the animals anymore. DId she really get it? Pushing the flap open, she saw the bear, reaching out with the stubby arms asking for a hug.
She gladly accepts and hugs the fluffy fuzzy toy close, spinning around. Her eyes tingled, telling her that they shifted colors to a gleeful ruby. Flowey sucks in a breath, making her look at him. "What is it buttercup?"
"N-nothing! Idiot! Who gets so happy over a toy at your age?!" He barks. Frisk pulls one of his petals, making him hiss.
She blushed and looked away. "Well you see now bud? This game is impossible. Let's just go to…" She glanced at the clock. "Oh shoot! We need to meet up with Toriel." Krissa picks up frisk and placed them on her shoulders before following Sans who had already started walking. "What did you mean earlier? About the machine?"
"the way you grab the prize matters. weight distribution. of course children and unknowing adults playing the game wouldn't get it so the park gets all the coins." He points up like someone getting an idea as he spoke. She noticed something she hadn't before. He wore black fingerless gloves on his hands. He always had them tucked into his pockets so she rarely sees his hands.
Were his hands warm? Or were they stone cold? She can't ask that specifically. He looked good in a beanie. Gah, stop it Krissa! The group of their friends come into view so she places Frisk back on the ground, chuckling when she felt one of Flowey's vines clinging to her. He's definitely like a kid.
Dayna ran up and tackled her down to the ground. "Woah! Easy there vampy." The shorter woman jumps off and then looks her over.
"Ooooh. Nice hat!"
"Thanks. We three had a competition in darts. Everyone got hats except Flowey. Nothing could fit him."
"Rad! Alright, Time for more fun!"
The group parted quickly, eager to continue the fun. Krystal was somehow left alone again. Forgotten in the rush. She smiled and walked down the path to find a building she was familiar with. Mirror House. Pushing the door open, she enters the confusing maze. Nobody liked these things anymore. Her parents did though. They took her through this hall of reflections every time they came to the fair.
She walked and walked. The hall had black colored walls and floors. Much like an abyss. A dim glow caught her eye. She follows where it lead, bumping into mirrors here and there until she found the source of the glow.
Standing amongst a circle of mirrors was a child. Around ten years of age and hovering off the ground like a ghost. They glowed like a night light. Krissa made out details of the child through the yellow light. A green and yellow striped shirt, short light brown hair and skin pale as snow. The child was transparent like a ghost.
Krissa blinked and the apparition was gone. "That was odd." She made her way to the exit. When coming out, she decided to find some food.
"yo."
The sudden voice ripped a shriek out of her throat. "Sans! Don't do that!" She didn't even hear him approach.
"couldn't resist. where ya headin'?"
"Food. Perhaps some coffee too."
"felt the need to espresso yourself?
She covers her mouth to hide a growing smile. "That was bad.'
"bitter not be lying to me."
"Stoooop." Krissa groaned as he continued making jokes of similar calibre. They weren't even coffee related by the end of it. She orders hot chocolate instead of coffee when she saw it was an option. Sans got the same just to try it.
She eyed him when he sat across from her. "No adding ketchup. You'll ruin it. " His hand that was moving to his pocket froze, making her smirk. She had seen his odd addiction plenty of times at the Dreemurr Manor. She pulls some toffee out of her dimensional box that Alphys was so kind to give her. It removed the burden of carrying a bag or purse. It was an Honor to be trusted with monster tech with how risky it is to just hand it over to a human.
It would be bad if someone tried to use it against them. She watched as two pieces of golden wrapped candie materialized in her hand. "Magic is incredible." She murmured and handed him one of the pieces. "Drop that into your hot chocolate. It gives it an amazing taste."
He unwraps the toffee and plops it into the thick brown drink. "so what were you doing in the mirror house?"
She sips her mug before answering. "It's where my parents always took me when coming here. I would get lost on purpose so they would try and find me. They would worry so much and run frantic through the maze." She looked down into her steaming cocoa. A tiny smile pulled at her lips.
"were you close to them?"
"Depends." She takes another sip. "Try the cocoa now. The toffee should be melted and mixed in."
He did and his eyelights grow in surprise. "huh. this is pretty good. how did you come up with this?"
"Science!" He rose a brow ridge at her. "I experiment with food a lot. One day I dropped the candy into a mug without knowing and when I took a sip, I liked it. Great things can come from accidents." She drank the rest of her drink now that it was cooled off.
She waited for him to drink the rest of his too. Her eyes drifted to his teeth, glimpsing the double upper canines one side and the pitch black void that made the inside of his mouth. "see somethin' ya like?" Oh god she was staring! Her face heated up and she quickly looked away. He was sticking his tongue out at her. A. TONGUE! A glowing, flipping, blue tongue.
Krissa stood up. "I-I was just waiting so I can return the mugs." She grabbed his and brought both dishes to the ordering counter. Her face felt like she shoved it into an oven. Why the hell do I find his teeth of all things attractive?
In the corner of her eye she saw a head hovering over her shoulder. "you just gonna stare at the cups all day? if you aren't careful...you'll get mugged for sure." She jumped away to be at arm's length away. "did i scare you...out of your skin?" His grin was crooked, like a smirk instead of a grin.
"I hate you." She grumbled. "Come on. We still have an hour to kill."
"try eating a clock."
"Why?"
"it's time consuming."
She walks off. "Nope."
"c'mon buddy, pal, chum. just tryn'a cheer ya up."
"Nope, nope. I am noping out on the nope train to nopewhere. Noooope!"
That earned herself a string of laughter. He had a nice laugh when it isn't a chuckle. It's a sound she wanted to hear more of.
She came up to one of the games that should not exist during cold seasons but does. "Welcome to the dunk tank." Something seemed to light up in his expression. Some friends were lining up in front of them. One went into the tank willingly, obviously someone lost a bet.
One friend, a boy, threw his given baseball and immediately dunked the victim. Now it was her and Sans' turn. He looked really eager to try this out so she opted to be the victim. "you sure?"
"It'll be fun! What's a little bit of temperature shock gonna do to me?"
She removed her shoes and sat up on the loose seat over the water. She felt steam on her bare feet, telling her that the water was heated. That was good. She looks up at Sans who was given a baseball. Raising her hands she shout/sings, "Hit me with your best shot! Fire away!" She was laughing at the end right as she heard the ball it the pressure panel.
Water surrounded her immediately. Her sandy brown hair, now darkened, swirled around her face. She took a moment to enjoy the warmth of the water. Through the window of the bucket, she waved at Sans before coming up for air. The temperature outside was deathly cold now that she was wet. "Whoooo that's brisk!"
The game attendendant offered her a towel when she got out of the bucket. It offered some cover against the wind. Her gaze drifted upwards to the sky. Grey clouds have started to form. Heavy with forming wasn't good. She forgot about the news forecast.
"We need to gather the others." He rose brow ridge, silently asking for an explanation. "Weather will get bad and the rides will need to shut down for safety reasons. I doubt our fluffier friends would want to get drenched too."
He chuckles at that and follows as she heads to the meeting spot. The wind is colder now that the sun was being blocked out, sending a violent shiver through her body. The towel doesn't help.
A sudden weight was placed over her. She looked to the side and saw the blue material and greyish white fur of Sans' coat. It was warm from his...body heat? It didn't matter. With a smile, she took off the towel and slipped her arms through the sleeves. "Heavy."
"hm?"
"N-nothing." She looked around and saw Toriel reading a book with Asgore. Gosh they are so cute. Like every regal fantasy couple in a perfect fairytale. The maternal nature they both share created a calm atmosphere no matter where they are.
The monster woman's ears shifted before she turned her head. "Child? Why are you returning early?"
"It's going to rain soon. We should head home before the whole park does. Less traffic."
Asgore nodded and took out his much larger cell phone, texting a message. She zipped the coat up all the way, the collar covering her chin. The skeletal owner snickered. "What?"
Sans smirks. "you look ridiculous."
"Not my fault all of you are bigger than humans. Almost all anyway." She grumbles, pulling his hood over her head. "But...I guess I do look like an eskimo huh?"
"eskimo?"
"A member of an indigenous people inhabiting northern Canada, Alaska, Greenland, and eastern Siberia, traditionally living by hunting and by fishing." Her face flushed a rosy pink color. "I watch a lot of discovery channel, NatGeoWild, and documentaries."
The group gathered and quickly left the park after becoming aware of the situation. She watched the sky get darker and darker as the rain prepared to pour down on the land. Ominous and foreboding were the vibes she always got from this weather.
Frisk must have noticed her unease since they crawled onto her lap and hugged her midsection. They really were a sweet kid. She pets the curly brown bob and laughs at the curls that spring back up. They looked like a fluffy pompom. In the distance, thunder rumbles. She hugs Frisk back.
The pathway into the forest was coming up. "Drop me off here." The car stops and she gets out, turning to wave goodbye until the vehicle disappears. Papyrus waved when passing by too. Almost crashed due to him using both arms. She smiles at her loud and cheerful friends that all seem to shine brilliantly like clusters of stars. The day of fun has ended. Memories and two momentos were her prize.
When she turns around, the deep shadowy forest welcomes her and the lonely house with defining silent rooms awaits at her home. It didn't matter that she had these new friends there. In the end she was alone. In a house with no pictures on the walls and tables.
She sighed quietly when she got to her clearing, opening the door of her house. Lightning flashed behind her, she fell to her knees and covered her ears, a scream escaping her throat.
Kriss quickly shut the door and sat against the wall. Her heart beats erratically in her chest to the point that it was painful. The house provides no comfort.
You're alone.
Always alone.
Isolated in a place…
Where no one can hear you cry….
She shook her head, trying to will away the bad thoughts. Another flash of lightning made her squeak but the sound was drowned out by roaring thunder. She bites her lip and pulled the fur lined hood over her head. Her trembling hand grip the material at her shoulders as she hugs herself tightly.
Alone…..
Sans noticed a few things near the end of the trip. Krystal was looking more anxious and flinched a few times when there was a loud noise. He doubted she knew she was doing it.
That conversation over hot chocolate was vague. But it was the first time she was talking about her personal life. He didn't need to ask any questions, she just….told him. It was such a small piece but important to finish the final puzzel
When did he get so interested in this human? He only really tolerated the kid. The Bailey and Dayna women were alright but they were more open. Bailey's aura was green. A bright and clear color. As green as lush grass. Dayna was orange. Dimmer than a younger soul but intense either way. It explained how she was so blunt, much like his brother.
But her….
She still remained a mystery. Her soul was still burried deep inside. Blue. During her attempts to get the bear, he had caught a wisp of something. It was faint and can hardly be considered a glow at all. But he swore that it was blue. Which shade, he didn't know.
He walked into his room, feeling uneasy. Krystal had been dropped off and Pap made sure to say goodbye. For some reason her smile was false and not meeting her eyes. He grabbed a worn blue hoodie from his many piles of clothes. It was thinner and made of cloth. The hood part grey and just like his coat, the rest was blue. He pulled it over his white sweater just as lightning flashed across the sky outside.
His soul gave a painful tug. He didn't understand why though. He placed a hand over his ribcage. When Lightning flashed again, there was another tug. Maybe he was sick. He left his room and wandered down the steps to find Tori in her usual spot. Knitting in one of the loveseats.
"Sans? What is the matter? You look pale, not that it isn't normal for you."
Chuckling, He sat beside her. "i think i'm sick tor."
She set down her knitting supplies and tilted her head. "Why is that?"
"my soul is acting strange. it kinda hurts and stuff and it only- rrk." He winces when that tug was felt. Thunder from outside rumbles. "-only happens in time with the lightning. we had storms before so i don't understand why it's doing this."
She taps her chin with a claw. "Hmm… it only happens when lightning strikes? Then and only then? Have you been sleeping enough?"
"yeah. i've been sleeping fine tor. a lot actually." He huffs in annoyance as it keeps occurring. Frisk walks into the living room and crawls onto Toriel's lap, staring up at Sans.
"I'll have to look into some of my books to see what is going on with you." Toriel says while putting her arms around Frisk, hugging them close.
The child grins, pointing an accusing finger at him before signing "Maybe you are afraid of storms just like Krissa is!" Sans rose a brow ridge at both the new information and at how they know that. He watched as their face turns sad. "She's afraid and doesn't have anyone at home...Sans? Will you go?"
"why me?"
"You are the only one who's been in the house other than undyne so you can teleport." They fixed him with a determined stare.
"fine, fine… i will." He snapped his fingers, eye and phalanges sparking with cyan magic right before he vanishes.
Toriel returns to the room, book in hand which she was reading a page of. "I found a book that has something on what you're going through Sans-" She trailed off when realized that the said skeleton was not in the room anymore. "My child, do you know where he went?"
"I told him that Krissa was alone and he was the only one to get there fast enough and not get wet since he's been in her house." They grin, the expression mischievous but with a mix of concern for the other human in their eyes. They then sign as an afterthought, "I ship it."
She shakes her head lightly. "I suppose this will have to wait till later. How does some butterscotch pie sound?"
"Yummy!"
Sans found himself in the dark house. No lights have been turned on. A flash of light illuminates the living room and he sees a figure near the door by a window. He steps closer. The figure lifts its head, a pair of glowing red eyes meet his sockets.
He hasn't seen them this bright before. Another flash and a tug in his soul, he sees her flinch. Her body curls further in on herself and the trembling she had gets worse. The fur of his coat looked wet from tears.
"yo. buddy, you okay there." He cringed at the horrible choice of words. "nevermind. obviously you're not okay here." He sat down in front of her and placed a hand on her head. "ya don't gotta be alone. fighting fear is tough if you don't got the support."
She lifted her head again and stared up with such sad and hopeful eyes. "that's it. look at me and focus on my voice, not the stuff outside." He pats her head. "close your eyes to not see the flash." He placed both of his hands over her ears. "deep breaths now." She does as told, breathing in and letting out a long exhale.
He talked her through the relaxation techniques. Eventually he saw that her breathing evened out to the familiar pattern that accompanied breathing. He chuckled and looked around, picking out the door that was most likely her room. He lifts her up, the hood of his coat falling off her head, revealing the tear tracks staining her face and the puffy red rings around her eyes.
"sweet dreams red." He mumbled quietly while laying her down on the king sized bed. It dwarfed her size greatly. She hugs one of the five pillows stacked up against the headboard. Her fox hat was pushed slightly off of her head. Maybe he should stick around for the night.
Afterall, her couch is pretty comfortable.