"This is..."

Asriel's ears flop from side to side as his head jerks between the wide array of flavors on display around him. His chest almost doubles in size as he greedily inhales the smells around him. With an excited and impatient smile on his lips he exhales the smells back into the thick air around him.

"...so cool!"

"Yes," Aofil agrees with the smallest amount of air they're able to while still having it be audible. The store is exactly the same as they remember, with the small addition of a monster prince skipping around like he was just released to graze.

In a sense, he is.

Asriel caught whiff of the store surprisingly far away. He caught Aofil with surprise too, and his eyes continued to widen the closer the both of them came to the store. Aofil's, on the other hand, narrowed as much as Asriel's widen the closer they came, since they could also smell the store.

The store is just as empty as it was the first time Aofil was here. The ridiculously expanded selection points to the emptiness being the exception rather than the rule. Snails must've been a large part of monster cooking. Maybe still is. It's either that, or Toriel buys bulk from here. Judging by Asriel borderline squealing though, doesn't seem to be the case.

The monster clerk looks questioning at Aofil standing in the doorway as she emerges from the backroom. Aofil returns a smile and a wave, and she's forced to mirror it. Aofil's not moving though. Despite the friendly invitation, they'd rather not step foot in the store more than they have to.

Something catches Asriel's nose, "Golden Flower?"

A sick of ill washes over Aofil. Golden Flower snails? Just the thought almost made them heave, so it's probably for the best that they don't try to pick out the smell with their nose. Hopefully Asriel picks something else. Maybe the clerk will convince him?

The clerk's customer summoned smile tells a different story, and she leans out over the counter, "Yes, we just recently..." her jaws almost drop to the floor as she sees the young boss monster hunched over in anticipation, taking in the smells, and adoring every second of it, "Prince Asriel?"

He turns with a smile so wide it almost splits his cheek, "Is it really Golden Flower seasoned?"

The clerk needs a second or two to collect herself, "Y-yes," she coughs away her cracking voice, "Yes, it is, your majesty."

"You never told me you were a prince," quips Aofil.

The monster clerk snaps her head towards Aofil in disbelief, "You don't know!?"

Aofil can't hold their face, and a crack of a smile slips through, "Just kidding, I know who he is."

The clerk nods, and returns her eyes to Asriel for a moment, before snapping her head back at Aofil, "You know him? He knows you?"

Asriel breaks eye contact with the clerk, "You found anything?" they ask Asriel to deflect the clerk's question.

He doesn't answer as he's too busy hopping from flavor to flavor, "Glam snails!"

Aofil quells another wave of sick.

"Temmie flakes!"

No…

"Ketchup."

Oh no…

"Mt Ebott special?"

"Yes," the monster clerk bows her head, "it's a mix of monster cuisine, my prince."

Aofil notices a subtle change in Asriel's expression. He's still beaming, but there's a faint shadow among the glee on his face. Something that the clerk said?

"I think I'll try this one," he says with a smile, "The special."

The clerk lifts a tentacle and points towards the stack of cups next to Asriel, "Containers behind you."

Asriel grabs one eagerly, "Thank you!"

"Grab one for Toriel as well," Aofil proposes, "She likes garlic."

"And Golden Flower for dad!"

Aofil can't help but be dragged along with Asriel's excitement. It drowns the disgust, "Sure, why not?"

"And you?" Asriel looks around him, "Which do you want?"

The question forces a worried smile onto Aofil's lips, "No, no thank you. No snails for me. I'll get something else," they stop him from putting back the last container though, "Get some for Frisk instead."

Hopefully Frisk can forgive Aofil.

Asriel takes off like he's racing the clock. Aofil chuckles, but as the snail air enters their mouth, they stop. They lean their head away from the door and breathe in some fresh… fresher air, and then they head up to the counter as Asriel stacks the container on the scale. Aofil takes out their wallet, "How much?"

"What are you doing?" Asriel wonders with a perplexed look, "This is for my family, I'm paying."

"You are?"

Asriel nods, sternly, "Yeah, I am."

"Alright," Aofil puts away their wallet, "okay."

"Here," Asriel hands a note bigger than what the clerk asked for, "keep the change," he says with a grumble before the clerk can inform him. He packs the snails into two plastic bags, and heads out with stormy steps.

The clerk looks questionably at Aofil, but they've no idea. They shrug their shoulders and catch up to Asriel, "Hey, what's up?"

Asriel wraps the plastic bags around his hands so that he can squeeze them, "Nothing."

Alright then. Obviously something is, but Aofil decides not to pry.

"Grab a table, Asriel. I'm gonna get something to eat myself. Want something to drink?"

"Soda."

"Cola good?"

"Yeah."

"Be back in a bit."

Asriel nods, and heads off to find a table. Aofil turns around so that Asriel can't see them blowing their lips. What just happened? What did the clerk say? What did Aofil do to piss Asriel off? They just offered to pay. Is he that angry with Aofil that he won't even accept their money? How deep is his wound from Aofil? Can't be so deep that he won't accept Aofil being generous?

"Yes?"

Aofil is dragged out of their thoughts, "Yes?"

The guy in the window tries again, "Yes?"

Aofil now sees that they're expected to order, since they're right in front of a discrete, but delicious smelling, window in the wall. Their nose must've led them there, "Yes, can I have a," Aofil scans the menu quickly, "number three? Two cans of cola as well."

The guy writes the order up and Aofil pays. They're handed their receipt and are informed that it's gonna take a minute or two.

Fair enough, back to thinking.

The guy in the window leans out of it, "Nevermind, found some cans in the back of the fridge. Here you go."

Aofil takes their order, stunned. That went a little too quick. Aofil checks the contains of the bag they were given.

"Need some utensils? Ketchup?"

Aofil shakes their head, "No. Oh wait, yes. A fork and a packet of ketchup, please. It's just..."

The guy peeks inside the bag as he drops off the fork and ketchup, "You said number three, right?"

Aofil nods, "Yeah, but..."

A fire monster leans into view, "It was a number three?"

"Yeah," the guy relays, "you made one, right?"

The fire monster nods.

"Oh," Aofil excuses themselves, "Nevermind then, it was nothing."

Fire magic can apparently cook in an instant. Fair enough.

After a brief search Aofil joins a hunched over Asriel at a secluded table, "Got your soda, Asri..."

Asriel hushes them, "Not my name."

Aofil opens their can, "Why not?"

Asriel's claw stops just over the can, "I don't want people to recognize me," he taps the top of the can with his claw, and takes a sip.

Aofil looks over their shoulder, they're seated so that they obscure Asriel from the rest of the plaza. Not many people tonight. Just a couple of monsters and people here and there, eating together. Aofil spots a human girl with a monster next to her. She looks to be Frisk's age. The monster is dark green with four arms. All of them are flexing, much to the annoyance of the girl. It's playful annoyance though.

A loud crunch turns Aofil's head back to Asriel, who's sampling the first of his snails, "Taste good?"

Asriel nods, "Really good."

"Nice."

Asriel points to Aofil's food with his fork, "Yours?"

Aofil takes a bite, "It's good too."

After finally deciding which snail to eat next, Asriel picks it up on his fork, "Nice," and slips it into his mouth. Not unlike how Toriel did.

The memory washes over Aofil, how stupid they acted. They've never seen her eyes shoot cold as much as they did when they refused to say what flavor it is. Aofil reheats themselves with another bite of their food. It's cooked nicely, the fire monster knows his stuff. Oh wait, that means it's magic! But wait again, their arm seems to be fine with them eating it. Normally it should be itching by now. So why not?

Is it all just in their head? Like the pastor said?

No, that doesn't make sense. Aofil didn't know about the curse when they and Chara first came in contact with the Barrier. They attacked their parents, something must've happened.

Did they hit their head? The first of too many? No, can't be it. But then, how?

"Aofil, your fork."

They realize that they almost snapped their plastic fork in half, "Oh, yeah."

Asriel wants to ask why, but he doesn't. He looks back down into his container and sticks another snail with his own fork, "Sorry for grumbling at you in the shop, by the way."

"No worries. Don't think about it."

"It's just because," Asriel's fork sinks into his container as he drops it, "Sorry, don't wanna talk about it."

"You sure?"

"No?" Asriel crosses his arms, "I don't know."

"You can talk to me about Chara," Aofil reminds while putting their own fork down, "Is this bigger?"

"I guess not," Asriel sighs in defeat, "I want to do something. I want to feel like I am the prince because of what I do, not just because I'm alive. I don't like being called it. It was all fun and games with Chara since we were just kids, but now that I'm older," Asriel looks towards the snail shop with a pair of distant eyes, "I have these people smiling at me because they're obliged to, not because they want to. It feels, wrong. What if they all hate me, but smile only because I'm the prince?"

"Come on now. You said yourself that you had friends, right? They're not your friends because you're the prince, they like you because you're you."

Aofil's words doesn't reach Asriel. Instead, his eyes grow more distant, "Like when me and dad went to visit the fallen children's parents. He didn't tell mom. Probably because she would've gotten through his stubborn skull what a stupid idea it was to bring me along."

"Don't worry, son," Asriel reassures while mimicking Asgore's voice. He comes surprisingly near, "It will just be for a minute."

"They just looked at me," Asriel continues in almost a whisper, now back with his own voice, "They smiled, but I could tell that they weren't genuine. When they thought that me and dad were out of hearing distance, they argued about me. Was I it? Was I that they lost a child for? Dad was quick to cover my ears, but I had already heard what they said. He tried to play it off, saying that he saw a couple of mosquitoes landing on my ears. I told him that I didn't hear anything. He tried to hide it, but he was so relieved," Asriel's head sink into his shoulders, and his shoulders sink into the backrest of his chair. The cheap plastic chair squeaks, but he offsets some weight to his legs. He's familiar with this, "Dad didn't have to explain to his son why a pair of ex parents didn't appreciate that their child was used to bring back a parasite prince that hasn't done anything!"

A nearby table turns their head, but Aofil is quick to meet their eyes so that they return to their own business, "Asri...," Aofil catches their tongue, "Dude."

Asriel's expression can only be described as disgusted hearing Aofil calling him 'dude'.

"Just listen."

Asriel makes an attempt.

"You have done things," Aofil starts, "you must have."

"I know that I've done things," Asriel retorts with a mumble, "but nothing that's enough. You heard what the trucker on the phone did, he just laughed when I said who I was."

"He'll have a different tone once he sees you. Anyone can claim to be the prince over the phone. But anyways, you said you made a skateboard film. That's something. I'm sure Fuku and her friend appreciated that you spent the time you did making it."

Asriel rolls his eyes, "Yes, very prince like."

"Maybe not to you."

"How is a three minute long, poorly edited, badly audio mixed, skateboard video gonna make up for me causing my people to wish, and almost completing, seven killings?"

"It's a start?"

"New chapter," Asriel sighs out tiredly, "While I'm stuck in a previous one."

"But you're not," Aofil reminds, "You're here, you're alive, you're you. Friends, family, future. It's all in your head, you can't move on until you recognize that. You have to let others help you, because..."

Wait a second…

"Because, if you keep it to yourself, keep it only to the one that can't move on..."

Aofil looks down at their arm.

"You try to run away from your problems, only to realize that you're running away from the ones that can, and want, to help you."

Who is Aofil actually reminding? Asriel, or themselves?

Asriel returns to his food in silence. His face is deep in thought as he crunches snail after snail. Aofil returns to their own as well. If their arm is quiet this far, then it shouldn't be a problem continuing. Aofil even catches themselves enjoying their food, but after also catching a glimpse of Asriel washing down bits of snails with his soda, they suddenly start losing their appetite. Not enough to discourage them finishing their meal, but imagining snails mixed with soda isn't exactly what Aofil would consider enjoying willingly.

After loudly slurping the snail broth, and further plunging Aofil's taste buds into dread, Asriel shakes the last drops of soda into his mouth. He quells a burp, and releases it away from Aofil. Aofil follows the imaginary cloud of pungent gas with their eyes for a while before feeling a wind from behind them. Confident that the cloud is gone with the wind, they also finish the last of their own food and drink.

Seeing Aofil lean back into their chair, Aofil rummages through his shirt pocket. He pulls out a small packet, "Gum?" he offers.

"Oh," Aofil reaches over the table and takes one, "thanks."

Asriel flicks one into his own mouth, "No problem."

"You think Toriel is going to be upset that we missed her dinner?"

Asriel shrugs, "Upset, yeah. Angry, no. She didn't even sound angry when I told her about the car."

"A mom that's never angry with you?" Aofil chuckles, "Sounds fantastic."

"Because she thinks that if she becomes angry with me, then I'll die again."

"That's a bit blunt to say."

"Well," Asriel shrugs his shoulders, "that's how she is. She won't admit it if you ask, though."

"Maybe because it isn't true?" Aofil retorts with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah," Asriel scoffs so hard his gum flies out of his mouth. He flicks it off the table and pops another one into his mouth, "whatever you say."

Aofil snaps their fingers, "Exactly."

Asriel rolls his eyes.

The chair squeaks as Aofil leans back into it with their arms crossed over their chest. What to do next? Are they just gonna sit here for what, one and a half hour more? Aofil scratches their chin while thinking. As they return their fur covered arm underneath their other, they feel it vibrate. It's almost pulsing. Dammit, why now?

Aofil glances over to Asriel, but he's busy with his phone. They lift their arm out from the other. The vibrating stops. It's not in their arm.

It's their own phone.

Aofil's sigh of relief forces Asriel from his own phone. He stares at Aofil holding theirs in their hand, "You gonna answer?" he asks after two tones, "Could be the trucker."

Aofil answers just before the call disconnects, "Aofil."

"A truck opened up earlier, so we're sending one to the church now," informs another worker from the towing company, "It'll be there in roughly half an hour."

"Sure, sounds good," Aofil ends the call and motions for Asriel to stand up, "Truck is on its way," Aofil informs him, "so we should probably make sure that we're at the car when it arrives."

"I could call Frisk," Asriel proposes while waving his phone.

"Okay?"

"So that they can get Sans on the phone. Ask him if he can shortcut us two back home."

"You think he would do that? Can he even do that?"

Asriel shrugs, "I don't know. It's better than calling for a taxi."

"We'll just hitch a ride with the truck, no problem."

"In the," Asriel looks at Aofil with a bewildered face wrinkled in confusion, "car?"

"No," Aofil tries to hide their reaction to Asriel's assumption, "in the cab of the truck. We should fit no problem."

"You think they'll let us?"

"I know that you don't like to leverage your position, but I'm positive that the driver will recognize who you are. Doesn't matter if they're a human or a monster. It's either that, or you waiting with your hood over your head while I explain why we lied to them that you were the prince."

Asriel doesn't see any problem with that plan, but Aofil lifts a finger, "Which might piss them off enough to not serve us," they add.

"Right..."

"I'll do the talking, Asriel. You just try and look, um, royal."

With a flick of his shirt Asriel blows his lips, "It's hard enough with the ceremonial robes. I'm trying to keep my normal life without any royal stuff, you know."

"It's either that or hoping that the driver is in a good mood at this hour. Then we have to call a cab, so that's gonna be expensive. Toriel will worry more if she only sees the car coming up without us in it."

"Okay!" Asriel bursts out tiredly, "Let's just do this."

A silent walk later the two reach the church again. The headlights on the car has dimmed a bit, so the battery must be draining. Aofil promises to Asriel that it isn't a problem. They just need to recharge it once it gets home. Before Asriel can dry the sweat off of his forehead, the tow truck emerges from around the street corner. Aofil again promises that it's fine, but the trucker have to actually see Asriel for the plan to work.

The trucker parks behind the car and walks around with a smug twist to his steps, "I heard that the prince had car troubles," he chuckles out while pretending to scan his surroundings.

Aofil throws their thumb towards Asriel, "Here he is."

Asriel waves just long enough to catch the trucker's attention, but not a second longer.

The monster trucker fumbles with his cap before finally gripping it and taking it off. He bows his head, "O-oh, so it was you."

"You don't mind us hitching a ride to the Monster City?" Aofil asks, feeling the same smugness that the trucker just had.

"That's where you're going?" the trucker nods his head quickly, "Y-yes, of course. Let me just hook the car up."

With another bow the trucker begins his work. Aofil beckons for Asriel, and holds the truck door open for him as they seat themselves in the middle seat. Asriel closes the door after him.

"Told you it would work."

Asriel's brow narrows, but his mouth stays closed. He takes out a pair of earbuds from his pant pocket. After some unraveling he inserts them into his ears, and leans away from Aofil.

A couple of loud minutes pass as the car is hoisted up on the truck. The trucker seats himself in the driver's seat, "So, where are we going?"

Good question. Aofil has no clue. Carefully they elbows Asriel in his side to get his attention, "Where are we going?"

Asriel relays the address without any hint of interest or emotion in his voice. He then replaces his earbud and again leans away from Aofil and the trucker.

Aofil turns back to the trucker, who's face is drained of color, "Am I gonna be punished for laughing at the prince?"

Aofil looks back at Asriel. Try as he might, he's still the prince. Right now he's all teenager though, "Nah, I think you're good."