Sorry that there are such long waits between chapters. I'm juggling a lot of things at the same time. And even if this story doesn't get a lot of people commenting on it, I do appreciate those who do read it. So thanks and enjoy the show.
Though learning of another method of reaching the magma chamber turned out to be as beneficial to monsterkind as Gaster hoped, the largest benefit to his near-drowning experience was that it gave the other monsters time to devise choices for the name of the developing town rather than allowing King Asgore complete free rein. They gave him a list of names they liked for him to pick from. He still chose the least impressive option out of those offered, but "Snowdin" wasn't too bad. Especially compared to what happened years later. Waterfall and then Hotland were the obvious results of King Asgore's infamous naming abilities.
The towns and settlements sprung up as the monsters sought out new opportunities. They were lovely places, quite different than Home. Snowdin was cold and charming. Those with fur and a resistance to the temperatures found it to be a nice area to raise their families. There was space for children to play and the light reflected off the white snow made everything seem a little brighter.
Waterfall was more maze-like, weaving around and connected by bridges to span the various streams of water. Bright stones were embedded in the stone above, a sight that so many compared to the stars that supposedly glittered in the sky at night. It didn't take monsters long to adopt the tradition of wishing on "stars" using those stones. Then, someone deciding that they needed a more permanent method of recording their history that would outlast their books, a series of inscriptions were carved into the tunnels. More aquatic monsters also explored the caves and tunnels below the surface of the water, offering even more space for everyone.
And with these new places to live, monsters found the best ways to use their new environments. Cold-resistant crops were developed and planted in the area surrounding Snowdin while the forests were harvested for materials. Other plants were encouraged to flourish in the darker and wetter caverns of Waterfall alongside the already present flora. The newly-named echo flowers gave them a good starting point on how to encourage the crops to handle the environment. The king was surprisingly helpful when it came to horticulture. But Hotland didn't have the soil or moisture for such growth.
Thankfully, Gaster had different plans.
Bringing fire elementals on boats to Hotland was stressful, but certainly less so than traveling the entire length of Waterfall with so much water dripping and pouring. And once there, they were able to explore and even begin construction on walkways and platforms over the magma. In a relatively short span of time, other monsters could join them and work on the development of buildings and puzzles for Hotland. And of course, the Core.
Gaster had big plans for the Core. Dreams of powering every home in the entire Underground. But he also knew that he needed to be at least a little practical. They needed to start small and build their way up. He ensured his initial version would be easy to upgrade and expand. And while he and the other monsters constructed the device, Gaster also worked on running the thick and admittedly-inefficient cables to Home. If anyone should be the first to receive power from the Core, it should be the original city.
Even with everyone working to build the growing towns and spread out through the rest of the Underground, it took time. Building the Core took time. And then locating another large chamber past Hotland and further up, one that would be ideal for another settlement or even a city, took time. All of these things intended to help monsterkind took time. More time than what Gaster expected.
By the time he worked out all the kinks in the Core and power was brought to Home (through cables that he knew would need to be replaced with something better someday), decades had passed. By the time a settlement began forming at the end of the cave system, so close to where monsters first entered the Underground so long ago, it had been nearly a century since he was officially made the Royal Scientist. He watched it all unfold. And he watched those around him fall.
His parents were gone. His father went first, but his mother didn't outlive him for long. Erik and Trixie were gone, mourned by their children and grandchildren. And it wouldn't be long before those grandchildren grew too old and frail in turn. He could already see the signs.
So many monsters that he'd known his whole life had grown old and turned to dust. It hurt to lose them. He knew it was coming. He'd known his entire existence that he would outlive them. Losing his family… His friends… Colleagues that he worked alongside… He'd known, but it still hurt.
With the exception of other Boss Monsters like the king and queen, he would lose everyone close to him. After a while, Gaster found it easier to bury himself in his work. He would rather focus on that instead.
After a while, however, he did start considering an idea. With how much time he spent in Hotland working on the Core, Gaster started considering that it would be easier to stay there. And since he was also the Royal Scientist, it made sense to build a proper lab. In his free time, he started sketching out designs. An upper floor for basic projects and a loft over it to serve as living quarters, but there would be a lower floor for more elaborate, large-scale, or dangerous experiments. There would be more than enough room for other scientists to join him to work, but the loft space would still give him some privacy.
And while certain that they would have no issue, Gaster felt that proposing the construction of a laboratory near so much magma might be something to discuss with the king and queen. Even with caution and safety measures, accidents could happen. And he could admit that when excited or distracted, he didn't always think things through.
He walked through the streets of Home, marveling at how empty it seemed. The days of his childhood where every inch of the city was pack full seemed so long ago. All the monsters were spreading out, almost fleeing from Home and the memories of the crowded existence. At this rate, it would soon be empty of everyone except the royal couple and a few of the more solitary monsters. And rumors suggested the king and queen may soon leave as well.
Their regular meetings for tea had trickled down to once every few months due to his new demands all across the Underground. But they still tried to meet up at their home. So Gaster walked in like always, carrying a stack of papers in his arms.
The scent of warm tea greeted the skeleton even before he spotted the royal couple. And while they always seemed pleased to see him, Gaster noticed that they appeared especially happy today. Queen Toriel couldn't stop smiling, her eyes bright and shining. And King Asgore looked so proud.
"I came to discuss my plans for constructing a new laboratory and home in Hotland, but I suspect that you have news as well, Your Majesties," he said without preamble. "Am I to assume that the gossip is correct and you intend to move to the growing settlement at the far end of the Underground?"
Still beaming brightly, Queen Toriel said, "While that is not what we planned to tell you, it is true. The monsters are leaving Home and it makes more sense to live among our people. It will take time to build a new home there, but we do intend to go there."
"New Home," muttered King Asgore. "I like the sounds of that."
Narrowing her eyes at her husband, she said, "We need to have a serious discussion concerning names."
"If your intended move is not what has the two of you so excited, then what is it? What is your news, Your Majesties?"
The pair exchanged glances. Just like so many times before, Gaster was impressed by their ability to communicate without words. The king and queen would always be his mental image of the ideal couple.
"We will be telling the rest of monsterkind soon, but Asgore and I thought it would be nice to share this news with those close to us," Queen Toriel said.
"And that includes you, my friend," said King Asgore.
Once more, the royal couple looked at each other. Somehow, they managed to grin even brighter than before. They couldn't hide how happy they were.
"You know that we have been married for a very long time," Queen Toriel said slowly.
Nodding, Gaster said, "For longer than I have been alive."
"Well, after so long together, it would seem that the time has come for our small family to grow larger," she said, beaming proudly.
Like when they offered him the job title of Royal Scientist, it took him a moment for the words to properly register. His mind seemed to stagger over the concept. Then it began to truly sink in.
"Your Majesties… Are you telling me that… Your Majesties, do you mean that you are having a child?"
Queen Toriel nodded enthusiastically while King Asgore clapped his shoulder in celebration. Gaster couldn't help smiling in response. Their reactions now made perfect sense. He had seen how much they cared about children over the decades and now they would have the chance to be parents. The mood was absolutely infectious.
Yes, this meant they would start aging. Both of them would invest a portion of their magic in their offspring throughout childhood. That's what happened with Boss Monsters. But almost everyone agreed that raising a family was worth living a normal lifespan instead.
And Gaster knew that after centuries of ruling together, King Asgore and Queen Toriel deserved to have something that clearly made them happy. A future heir to the throne would bring both them and the Underground so much hope and joy.
"Congratulations, Your Majesties. I certainly didn't expect this news," Gaster said, going slow to ensure that his enthusiasm didn't overcome his words.
The royal couple smiled at his words before leaning closer together, nuzzling their noses in a clear sign of affection. He was happy for them. This was wonderful. A child would bring so much light and love to these deserving monsters. The king and queen would get to raise a family, something that they had not done in the centuries that they spent together. Gaster was truly happy for them.
And if that meant that even they would someday be gone and he would be alone, then so be it.
"How will you tell the rest of the Underground this news?"
"There will be an announcement at the end of the week," said King Asgore. "And thank you, my friend. This will change everything for us."
She remembered the distant days on the Surface before the War, so Toriel knew that anything to do with pregnancy was no easy for anyone. Human or monster. Creating a new little Soul and then a body took quite the investment of strength and magic. Thankfully for a couple of Boss Monsters, both of them were contributing magic rather than just the one carrying the child. And then childbirth caused quite a bit of strain and took a lot of energy. She knew to expect the pain and exhaustion, but she was strong, healthy, and cared for by skilled healers.
Before she knew it, the entire thing was over and a tiny whimpering bundled was settled into her waiting arms.
She was a mother. It didn't feel real even a few days later, the precious young monster truly being hers. She and Asgore kept being distracted by the infant. His little fingers and toes, his soft white fur, and his tiny floppy ears were all so perfect. Their son was perfect and she couldn't love him more if she tried.
Asgore's enthusiasm at being a father also ran high. But she managed to have at least some influence on the name anyway. Otherwise the young Boss Monster might have ended up as "Torgore" or something that sounded like "royalty." At least they chose one that seemed pleasant and rolled easily off the tongue.
Cradling her child close, Toriel hummed a soft lullaby to him. Asriel yawned in response. She was happy that he seemed settled. They might have spent the last few days with just family, but today there would be company. She would prefer Asriel to be in a good mood when he met his visitor.
Opening the door, Asgore entered the room and said, "This way, my friend."
Her husband led Dr. Gaster towards Toriel. The skeleton looked a little uncomfortable and awkward as he approached, as if he wasn't certain what was expected of him. Poor guy. He always knew what to say or do when it came to science. But children were very different.
"Hello, Your Majesty," he said. "News of the young prince's birth has already spread. You must be proud."
"And very happy," said Toriel. "Would you like to hold Asriel?"
He stiffened at her words, his eye-lights shrinking briefly. Then he managed to shrug off the worst of that panic and gave her a nod. Toriel carefully helped rearrange his arms so that he was holding the infant, supporting Asriel's head and cradling him against his grey sweater and lab coat. Asriel didn't even make a meep of complaint over the transfer. And after a few moments of staring at the small creature in his arms as if afraid he would drop him, Gaster gradually eased into a more relaxed position.
"I think he looks a bit like me," said Asgore.
"Perhaps if Asriel had a beard," she said with a chuckle. Turning back towards the skeleton, she said, "You seem to be a natural at this. Have you held a child before, Dr. Gaster?"
"In the past," admitted Gaster, a distant expression briefly crossing his face. "There were a few. My friends, Erik and Trixie, had several children. And then they had children. I was not as close with those that came afterwards, so it has been a while."
Toriel felt her smile waver briefly. Both she and Asgore had dealt with the struggles of outliving those around them, though that issue would no longer apply. They'd come to terms with it several centuries ago. But when it was happening to them, they'd always had each other.
Gaster, on the other hand, might not be handling it well. Looking back, she couldn't remember him mentioning any friends in several decades. Even if she didn't spend as much time with him as her husband, surely she would have heard something? Asgore hadn't mentioned the skeleton talking about friends as far as she could recall. She started wondering and worrying that Gaster might be isolating himself to an extent to avoid the pain of further loss. And that wouldn't do him any good.
He needed to deal with monsters outside of work. Gaster needed more than the occasional tea with the royal family. He needed friends. And maybe more. Toriel would have to work on that. Between Asgore and herself, they might be able to help him even while juggling their normal royal duties and their son.
"Have you ever considered a family of your own, my friend?" asked Asgore gently.
Still staring down at the child in his arms, Gaster said, "That is not likely to happen, Your Majesty. There is no one out there for me."
"Have you even looked? There are a few very nice Boss Monsters out there. And several skeletons if you prefer," Toriel said. "There is an entire Underground of possibilities."
"And there are so many monsters who would love to meet the Royal Scientist,' said Asgore.
"Especially one so handsome."
Toriel chuckled lightly as he stammered and ducked his skull down in response to the compliment. He was surprisingly easy to fluster like that. She looked forward to the day that he found someone who made him react like that all the time.
"But I am serious, Dr. Gaster," she continued. "If you were ever to find someone, would you be interested in having a family someday? A spouse? Perhaps children?"
Staring down at the now-yawning infant in his arms, Gaster said quietly, "As I have already stated, it is unlikely that will ever happen. Even if there was a monster out there for me, I am too busy with my projects for such things, Your Majesties. It is better this way." He rocked Asriel gently, something a little wistful in his expression. Then, even quieter than before, he added, "Though it would be nice."
Asriel scurried down the halls of Home, solving the puzzles with practiced ease. This part of the Underground was empty just as it normally was. There weren't many monsters left in Home. Mom, Dad, Uncle Gaster, and all the other grownups told him that it used to be really crowded, but he couldn't imagine that. Almost everyone had moved to Snowdin, Waterfall, Hotland, and even New Home. And since their house and even the fancy castle for meeting people were almost finished, Asriel and his family would be moving soon as well. But before that happened, there was still time for a last tiny adventure.
He wasn't supposed to go so far alone. His mom and dad told him not to do it. And he usually did what he was supposed to. But everyone who ever lived in Home would go to the end of the cave tunnels at least once. They would go and glimpse that tiny sliver of sunshine that trickled down from the Surface. And if Asriel was going to move to the other side of the Underground, he intended to see it before he left.
The young goat-like monster jumped into a crinkly pile of leaves, laughing cheerfully. Even as a mature and accomplished five-year-old, no one could resist playing in colorful leaves. And why go on an adventure if you couldn't have fun?
He wasn't sure how long he wandered further and further. Asriel only knew that the purple walls eventually gave way to more natural stone at the bottom of a staircase. And that meant he must be getting close. Mom and Dad were going to be so mad when he made it back. But it would be worth it. He would get the tiny glimpse of sunlight. That would be even better than the glittering stones in Waterfall, the ones that the older monsters said looked like the stars from stories.
As he entered a dark cavern, Asriel heard something. The sound echoed off the walls, drawing him closer. At first, Asriel couldn't figure out what he was hearing and followed out of curiosity. Only when he reached the entrance to the final chamber did Asriel recognize the sound.
Someone was crying.
"It sounds like it came from over here..." he muttered as he rounded the corner.
A light shone down, illuminating a small shape on a patch of green plants. Their face was down, hidden by brown hair dangling around their features. He could see two arms and two legs. They wore a striped sweater, so they must be a child. The sweater was worn, torn in places, and dirty to the point where he couldn't be certain of the original colors, but certainly striped. And they seemed to be the same size as Asriel.
When he took another step forward, the young monster accidentally kicked a small rock and sent it skittering across the ground. And that was apparently enough to alert the new arrival to his presence.
Their head popped up, eyes wide and searching. Asriel could see more of their pale skin now, though their cheeks were a bit rosier. Tears streaked down their face and their expression was a mixture of pain and fear.
And they weren't any kind of monster that Asriel knew of. In fact, if he didn't know any better, he would almost think that the scared and hurt child was a human.
But more important, they were scared and hurt.
Crouching down and extending a hand, Asriel said, "Oh! You've fallen down, haven't you? Are you okay? Here, get up."
Eyes haunted and distrustful, they nodded slowly. Then, keeping their movements slow and cautious, they accepted Asriel's offered hand. His smile was returned by a more timid one.
"I am Chara," said the child quietly.
"Chara, huh? That's a nice name. My name is Asriel."
"Are… are you going to eat me?"
Asriel couldn't help laughing at the question. It was just too silly. Chara scowled grumpily.
"You are a monster, are you not? The stories say that monsters eat people," said Chara.
"And our stories say that humans kill everyone. Do you want to kill me?"
Chara shook their head sharply, a flash of some darker emotion briefly crossing their face before vanishing. On the bright side, some of their fear seemed to be fading. Asriel carefully helped them to their feet.
"If you promise not to kill anyone, I promise no one will eat you," Asriel said. "Come on. You're hurt and Mom can help. She can make anything better."
Asgore looked over the list that his wife compiled. She'd been adding and subtracting to it over time, updating it as she tried different things. She was very enthusiastic about this. Toriel had been working on it for almost eight years. And she was not one to surrender easily.
Levy, a brilliant avian monster with a talent for architecture. Barb, an outgoing chemist with thorny hair and smooth bark. Hawkins, another avian monster who loved working with numbers. Krackle, a friendly fire elemental who already seemed to have warm feelings towards Gaster.
And if he preferred another skeleton, Toriel picked out a few promising options. Georgia. Consolas. Sistina. Verdana. All lovely skeletons with at least some interest in science.
The list was very thorough, describing the features that she felt would be the most attractive to Gaster. Asgore had to give his wife credit. Toriel could be quite the enthusiastic matchmaker.
"Hey, Dad!" called Asriel, feet pounding on the floor as he and his sibling raced into the house. "Uncle Gaster is early. We saw him coming towards the house."
Smiling briefly as he put away the list in his desk, Asgore said, "Is that a fact? Then I better finish getting ready. Could you help and fill the tea kettle with water for me?"
Both of his children nodded at his request, though Asriel was naturally more enthusiastic about it. Chara was always more subdue than their brother. They were quiet and shy around most monsters other than Asriel. But while they still had their occasional dark days from whatever happened in their past, Chara seemed relatively happy in the family.
The last three years had been good ones.
Asgore pulled on the comfortable hand-knit sweater, the one with the words "Mr. Dad Guy" on it. He tried to wear it whenever he was home with his children. Chara seemed to notice when he wore their gift and he wanted their adopted child to know how much they loved Chara. If wearing the sweater reassured them that he wanted their smart and quiet human child in the family, he would happily wear it until the sweater unraveled from age.
He loved both of his children. He and Toriel adored Asriel from the moment he was born. Then he came home one day with a limping, skittish, and young human. And while it took time to gain the child's trust, Chara was considered a Dreemurr almost instantly. They brought Chara with them when they moved to New Home and now it was like there had always been two children.
As Asgore stepped out of his room, he heard enthusiastic talking. He couldn't help smiling at the sound. It would seem that Gaster was already in the house. And it also sounded like Asriel was already telling the Royal Scientist all about their last few days.
Over the years, Gaster spent enough time around the household for tea and the occasional casual update on progress that Asriel practically grew up with the skeleton. Thankfully he didn't seem to mind being referred to as "Uncle Gaster" since Asriel started calling him that almost as soon as he could speak. Chara was less comfortable with using that address for him. But either way, Gaster seemed fond of the children. While he didn't seem eager to connect with other monsters outside of a professional setting, even with Toriel's matchmaking attempts, Gaster always had time for the two of them.
"And we went all the way to Waterfall yesterday," continued Asriel excitedly. "Even past the dump. The stones in the ceiling were so amazing. We both made wishes on them. Then there were the really big waterfalls. They were huge. And we read the inscriptions on the walls, the ones talking about how we ended up in the Underground after the War."
"It sounds like you had a busy day," Gaster said, grinning down at the bouncing child. "I am guessing that both of you had a good time, Your Highness?"
"Yep. It was fun."
"Are they true?" asked Chara abruptly.
"Excuse me?"
"The inscriptions on the walls. Is everything written on them real? Did everything occur as described?"
Tilting his head, Gaster said, "As far as I am aware, it should be accurate." His tone taking on a hint of amusement, he added, "Though I was not around for those events personally. I am not quite that old."
"I see…"
As Chara trailed off thoughtfully, Asgore cleared his throat. Three sets of eyes turned towards the king abruptly, making it clear that they hadn't noticed his entrance. Asgore smiled at them.
"I'm sorry to interrupt, but I suppose I should get that tea started," he said. "Chara? Asriel? If you want to play outside while we visit, please stay in the yard. Tori will be home from the meeting with the Temmies soon and you don't want to miss dinner."
"Sure, Dad," said Asriel. "Come on, Chara."
He watched as the two children in twin striped-sweaters hurried out the door. Asgore couldn't help smiling at the pair. They were so precious.
He had a wonderful wife, two beautiful children, and a cozy home to share with them. They were his entire world. Nothing could ruin this absolute happiness.
"Psst… Chara… Please… wake up… I don't like this plan anymore. I… I… No, I said… I said I'd never doubt you. Six, right? We just have to get six… And we'll do it together, right?"
And if you've played the game, you know what comes to next. Things in the Underground are about to get a bit more depressing. But we all knew it was coming. There was no avoiding what happens to the kids.