"You hungry perhaps?"
"Hm...No, not really. I'm fine, thank you."
The pastor insists with a slight nod of his head. "It's gonna be a while until food will be served once the trial gets started, so you should really eat, Aofil."
Fine then. "Sure, a sandwich or something," Aofil answers while throwing their hand up.
The pastor hesitates as he's about to close the door behind him. "Coffee?"
"I can take some."
The pastor nods and closes the door, leaving Aofil alone in the somewhat large office given to them for any last planning. Their lawyer sits at the other end, going through the case one last time, and making some final notes in his notebook. He's been at it nonstop ever since. Obsessed, is the only word Aofil can use to describe his sheer devotion to this trial. All the way up until this point in time he's been pulling threads more than a neurotic seamstress.
First thing he did was get that kid away from the monsters. Man oh man! That was some excellent drama! Absolutely top notch! The monsters had no ground to stand on, yet they implored to have the kid stay with them. The Underground must've had some gas leaking into it for them to even begin to think that they had a good reason to keep the kid.
"They saved us!" that one blue monster screamed, along with a passionate speech about how strong the kid was, and how much they had helped the monsters.
What a complete dingus.
Just gave the social services more of a reason to remove the child once they realized that the monsters had tried to kill them. The monsters are so disassociated that they tried to use the fact that the child defended itself as a reason for the kid to be kept in their care.
Absolute idiots.
They didn't really get a lot out of the kid. No confession, no useful recollection. Didn't even seem relieved not to be in the hands of people who's first instinct wasn't to kill them.
"It's my family!" the kid had implored, almost to the point of going completely red in the face. "I want to go back! I have to save them!"
Guess Frisk was an orphan. How else would they bond so damn quickly? Bond so quickly with a race that wanted nothing but death for the child. May still want, who knows? Could be that the monsters are just using the child to score emotional points, and perhaps get some sympathy.
They won't hold a candle to what Aofil has prepared though. They're the only living relative of the first murdered human, after all. Their testimony is gonna be its weight worth in gold. On top of that they have all the insider information they could ever want through Flowey.
They know what happened with their summer home community. How they were attacked by the child of the royal couple of the monsters.
Fused souls? Like hell that the jury is gonna accept that as an explanation. If they do however, Flowey revealed that because such an event was possible, it sparked the conflict that lead to the monsters being sealed away. So if they want to play that card, then Aofil has prepared the counter argument.
The reason the monsters were locked away, the reason the humans decided on such a measure, is what killed Chara and the other children. It won't be a defense for the monsters, it will be another weak point that they'll willingly open themselves up to.
Aofil can see it playing out in their head. The fearful gasps, the stunned disbelief creeping over the monsters faces as they slowly realize how stupid they are. It warms Aofil down to their very core.
Or soul, as the monsters would call it.
Magic? Yeah right!
Aofil can't wait for the monsters to try and explain that too. Explain the use of it, the how, and the why, they use it. Just gonna keep digging that hole with reasons why the monsters should be kept away.
Humans don't know any magic. If so, then the world would be full of it by this point. Especially since humans can wield it even greater than monsters, and monster magic being powerful enough to kill human children, should the need be for everyone to be reminded. Aofil has no doubt that it will be needed. Not only to further their own cause, but to push down even further on the monsters.
They might be regretful, if Flowey is to be believed, but remorse shown won't excuse them for murder. Serial murdering. Seven, bordering on eight. With the eight wanting to stay with the monsters.
Apparently that Frisk kid is at the moment. They've been missing for a while now from the government's humble care.
Lead everyone into the Underground, where the dead human children lay.
Aofil wasn't present, but they sure wished they had been. Maybe not for the opening of the caskets with the rotten corpses, but to have seen Frisk's, and the monsters faces, as the investigation started. Seven aces just given to the humans to use. The monsters really are an unbelievable bunch of fuckups.
And that Frisk kid going back to them all? They must be real thick in the head if they want to go back and risk getting killed again. One would think that almost being murdered would eclipse the fluffy appearance of the king and queen.
Guess not!
How did Frisk even escape to being with? The pastor described it as the kid being there one minute, and the next was nothing but an empty room. Doubly confusing was that the room had no windows, at least, no window that the kid could crawl out of. He did remember that the room smelled differently. What was it he said again?
"Fast food with every single kind of condiment imaginable, and then some!"
Something like that, yeah. Very peculiar.
There's no hotdog stand, or similar, in the near vicinity of the building the kid escaped from, so where could that smell have come from?
Either way, it didn't take an overflowing amount of manhours to guess where the child was. Are the monsters also extremely dumber than the humans, akin to how they say that the humans are more powerful than monster?
It's either that, or that the poor kid hit their head when they fell down into the Underground. Only way to explain how they would ever try and make friends with an entire race wanting them dead. Come to think about it, did Chara also hit their head when they fell down?
Aofil carefully taps the back of the pot next to them. The face returns on the flower, and Aofil leans in close. "Did I hit my head when I fell down?" Aofil whispers into the flower.
"I think so," the flower answers with a similar whisper using Aofil's voice, as planned. Aofil can explain talking to the flower because it reminds them of their dead twin. Killed at the hands of the monsters, and this flower is the only thing that reminds Aofil of Chara. They want to have it with them everywhere they go. No one can really fault them for that. Might be a bit weird, but it's harmless enough.
For the humans, that is.
Much easier than explaining to everyone that they meet that Aofil's in possession of a magical monster flower that's devoted to Chara, Aofil's dead twin who's name Aofil's taking advantage off to spearhead this trial against the monsters.
"Why do you wonder?" wonders Flowey while, quickly, yet carefully, glancing over to make sure that the lawyer is still occupied. "You plan on using it?"
"Maybe," Aofil answers under their breath. "Depends on how things play out. You still remember your part?"
The flower nods, but stops as it realizes as it shouldn't really be doing it if it is to pretend to be a normal one. "I-I remember, Chara. Don't worry, we'll do this together!"
Aofil taps one of the petals gently, "Good!" and pushes the pot away. They watch to make sure that the flower's face fades away.
"This might sound a bit heartless, but save your tears for the trial, Aofil." the lawyer says before looking up from his papers. "I'm not one to tell you how to grieve, but please stay strong. At least until we can siphon some of that emotion onto the jury."
"I will," Aofil replies with a solemn nod.
The lawyer shoots Aofil a comforting smile before going back to his work.
Completely obsessed.
He hasn't told Aofil exactly why, but Aofil can read between the lines. They got a feeling as to what's going on. The same website Aofil used to check their own parents children also have the lawyer's records, and his kid.
His missing kid, that is.
Aofil couldn't exactly get the birth certificate or something similar, but they could read the public information about the lawyer, and his kid that's missing. Presumed dead.
Sounds very familiar.
Which one was his kid? Which number? Chara was the first, that much Aofil can gather. Which one the lawyer's kid was is a bit more trickier though. They can't really ask the lawyer outright, and again, they couldn't access more details on the government's website.
Revenge is a good motivator, and the lawyer seems to be all for that. The exact number isn't really necessary, the important motivator is that it happened in the first place. Or second, or third, etc. Chara was in the first, again.
A parent's only chance to enact justice for the death of his child. A death by the monsters hands. The smack he's about to lay down on said monsters fingers is gonna echo throughout the entire country. Maybe even the world. Aofil's gonna enjoy every second of it.
The door opens, and the pastor enters with a tray containing some sandwiches and cups of coffee. He places one of each next to the lawyer, who thanks the pastor, even though his mind being deeper inside the papers than what the monster were, and hopefully will be again, in the Underground.
The pastor doesn't seem at all phased by the absent thanks, and he seats himself opposite of Aofil, handing over a steaming cup of coffee with one hand, and a decent sandwich with his other. Aofil takes the two items, and places them in front of them.
"You on your way to tend to your choir?" Aofil asks after a couple of bites of their food. "Preaching is a virtue in your job, after all."
"Virtue is seldom found inside these halls of justice," the pastor replies after a sip of his coffee. "If justice was true, and if the monsters had some to spare, they'd blow this whole ordeal over. Confess to everything, and plead for mercy. As it stands, they seem to be quite vocal about this trial."
The pastor nods towards the flower.
"It's quite amazing how much they've refused to compromise," he ends with a smile forming on his lips.
"Yup!" Aofil lets their lips smack together. "Sure is. To finally get some answers after those agonizing years spent not knowing the fate of my dear twin, whom I held so dear the few moments we spent together. The horror they must've spent in that prison. Being cuddled to be made an example. They were nothing but propaganda to these monsters. Taken into the quote, care, unquote, of the king and queen, just as a toy for their prince."
The lawyer looks up as the sound of ceramic being scraped on wood cuts his ear. Aofil waves with an innocent smile, and points to their coffee cup. The lawyer seems a bit surprised to find one on his own desk, along with a sandwich. He clears some papers away as to reduce the damage should he spill the hot liquid. After a long sip, he continues working while softly mumbling to himself.
Aofil snaps their head towards Flowey, who scrunched himself up so hard that he moved his pot. "What are you doing?" they harshly whisper.
"S-s-sorry," he whispers back. "I-It j-just..."
"We went through this!" Aofil lifts up the flower's face up towards theirs using tow of their fingers. "Don't get cold feet now that we're so close!"
"I-I won't! I s-swear, Chara."
"Good." With a careful yet determined push, Aofil shoves the flower's face away from them. "We're so close now, and I'm going through with this with, or without you. It's your choice here, Flowey. Make it."
"I-I know...Sorry. I'm with y-you, Chara. I'll always be."
The flower's face fades away.
The monster's been getting more and more anxious. It's been speaking up towards Aofil more frequently. They just need it for a little while longer, it's already done the majority of its part. It's ability to mimic the king and queen's voices have been to some great usefulness these last weeks. Indecisive bunch, first they reject, then they accept. First the king says no, and then the queen says yes. Then the king wonders why the queen said yes, and the queen replies by stating that it was the king that said yes.
They're already in turmoil, and the trial hasn't even started yet. Aofil can't help but to be genuinely impressed by the accuracy this monster flower next to them is capable of. They can't let the flower know of it though. Aofil almost let it slip once, and it began staring hopefully into the horizon. Aofil needs it here though, in the present, in the moment. If it starts daydreaming it might get second thoughts, and ruin this entire plan of Aofil's. They've been yearning for this day since the date had been set in stone.
Aofil can't really speak for how the monsters...Wait, yes they can, they've been doing it through Flowey! Anyways, the monsters can think whatever they want about this trial for all Aofil care. Best case would be that they're shaking in their boots, or paws, or whatever, at the moment. They will be rattling like aspen leafs in a storm once they exit this court, that's for sure though.
"You heading out soon?" Aofil asks the pastor with a quick nod towards the door. "I've no fear that the trial is gonna go anything but rapid downhill for the monsters, but what is a wound without a mountain of salt poured into it, father?"
"Monsters don't bleed, Aofil," the pastor reminds with a friendly wag of his finger.
"Oh they will once this gets started. And they should still get wounds, right? Unless they seem fine until just collapsing into a pile of dust."
"I suppose so. Don't think the crowd outside will need much convincing once I get out there, by the way. You could probably pop the bubble that's growing outside just by blinking hard towards it."
"And here you are, father, bringing with you a spear to burst the bubble as best as you can."
An amused chortle escapes the pastor. "A spear of justice?" He shakes his head while scoffing through his teeth. "I guess you can call it that."
With a faded sigh, the pastor's cheeks are tugged into a faithful and content smile. "It's funny. When I met you at your parents grave some days after the monsters broke the barrier, I honestly thought that you would align yourself with them."
"Yeah," Aofil nods, "you told me back then."
"I did?" The pastor searches his mind. "You sure? Oh well, you've completely ran my disbelieves away by this point. You might not remember your twin, or the way you were before. Perhaps it's for the better, but that doesn't excuse the monsters. What they did to Chara and the other huma-"
A pen snaps violently behind the pastor. He turns around carefully to see the lawyer flying out of his chair.
"Sorry!" the lawyer huffs while scrambling to move as many papers away from the pooling ink as he possibly can. He puts a heavy head inside the palm of his other hand that's not stained from the ink leaked from the now halved pen. He exhales an unsteady sigh that transitions into a faint sob.
"Maybe you should rest for a bit while you have the chance," the pastor suggest with a warm and soothing voice.
"I can't!" the pastor says while squeezing his hand tightly around his forehead and eyes. "I have to-"
"You won't be able to if you're exhausted!" the pastor interrupts with a heightened volume to his voice. It's still calming, but his implore shakes the room. His eyes are fixated on the lawyer, half cursing his stubbornness, and half begging that the lawyer will hear reason.
The lawyer exhales a long and deep heave.
"Aofil can clean up, right?" the pastor asks of Aofil with a pleading hand. "Find yourself somewhere to sleep for an hour. You'll need your strength if you're to hear what happened to your son."
The lawyer agrees with a subtle nod, "I should. Thank you, father." He leaves the room while massaging his forehead. A final sob makes it through the small glimpse just before the door is closed.
"You think he'll be ready?" Aofil wonders out loud.
"He will." The pastor turns back to Aofil with a reassuring smile. "And I'm going to ask you the same question."
"I will," Aofil answers without a second's thought.
"I'm glad to hear that, Aofil." The pastor puts a hand on the top of his backrest. "I'm heading out to meet the people outside. They'll be ready once the trial starts, should you need them. Before I go I do want to mention how relieved I am still that your...curse...is on our side. The red soul truly is a powerful one. Move mountains with yours, Aofil. Or at least Ebott."
Aofil nods. They're not exactly clear what the whole soul business is, but they've decided to humor the pastor, and by extent the monsters, regardless. Theirs being the same as Chara's is gonna be a nice ace for them.
With a quick wave goodbye, the pastor leaves Aofil alone in the office.
Well, not exactly alone.
"C-Chara?"
Aofil looks over their shoulder as they walk over to fetch some paper towels for the spilled coffee on the lawyer's desk. "Yes?"
The flower leans side to side impatiently, trying its best to stay collected. It fails miserably. "H-how sure are you about this?"
Aofil rolls out a dozen or so squares of paper towels. "Absolutely." They rip the squares free and carry them over to the stained desk.
"How absolutely s-sure are you?"
Didn't the flower hear Aofil? "Absolutely sure. Why wouldn't I be?"
"Y-yeah...you see…that's w-what I'm wondering. D-don't you remember anything good from when you and I were together?"
Did it really have to use the word 'together'? "What do you mean? Did you have a cru-"
"No!" the flower spurts out. Cheeks blushing almost as bright as Aofil's. "N-no, t-that was the wrong word. I m-meant, when we lived with the king and queen."
"Wasn't that with Asriel?" Aofil shoots back along with a raised eyebrow. They start cleaning up the coffee that's dangerously close to start dropping down onto the carpet below. "And you're Flowey, right?"
"Y-yeah...I am. Still," the flower looks away. "I j-just want to be sure that you're a hundred percent sure about this."
Aofil sends a quick scoff over their shoulder. "I've been a hundred percent from the get go. Why are you bringing this up at this point in time? And again?"
"We've both changed, Chara. This whole ordeal, with you being alive, and the trial against the monsters, and everything else, it's all so sudden. If you compare it to the amount of time I was alone, it's like a second to a week. Maybe even a month. Year. Eternity!"
Aofil hushes the monsters before anyone comes and asks what all this yelling is about. They snap a harsh finger towards the flower. "You have cold feet, I get that. We can't jump ship now though, and why would we. Theirs is about to sink like a rock, and there will be no rescue boat sent out for the monsters."
"I know! It's just..."
"Are you with me?" Aofil asks with a slight worry to their tone. All conjured up, of course. They know how to work this monster, and they're not gonna stop now.
"I am!"
"Good." Aofil nods with a gentle smile. "Then that's the last we'll discuss about that."
"Y-yeah. I understand, Chara."
It's the last Aofil is gonna discuss with Flowey period, but he doesn't need to know that. Not now, they still got a trial to get through. But afterwards? Well, the trial is about the monsters being repented back to where they belong.
And what is Flowey not, but a monster?