Hi, everyone! Winter break ended for me last Sunday so now I'm going to school again. I'm in high school now so there's this annoying thing every semester called final exams. I'm going to have to spend most of my time this month studying, so I don't think there will be a lot of time for me to write. This means there won't be a new chapter next week or the week after that, but there will be a new chapter on the 29th.

Here's today's chapter:

January 17, 171 A.E.

Entry #24

Mr. Gaban came to our room today with a letter from Mother. She wants us to pack up and move back to the Capital by next week.

"Thank you for taking us in," I told him. "It has been wonderful."

"Thank you for being such good guests," Mr. Gaban replied, "But you two won't leave for another three days. Let's not say goodbye just yet."

I cannot wait to see Mother again. She has a way of making me feel better about everything, no matter how bad the situation is. She is no doubt calling us back because she wants to make Toriel and I feel better.

Toriel probably will stay with Mother and me when we get home. It will do her some good to be home again. She has been even more down than me, not that I blame her. But she has not eaten anything for at least three days. Honestly, I am very worried about her.

I think I did a very good job on packing my things today. Most of it is in a large bundle of cloth now. I will probably finish packing by tomorrow. Toriel, however, has not started.

"Are you going to start packing your things?" I asked Toriel after dinner. As usual, she did not join us. She had been in bed since yesterday, but I knew she was not asleep.

"Mmph," Toriel replied. She pulled her blanket over her head and faced the wall.

"We are leaving in three days," I said, "Maybe you should start packing."

"Mmph," she said again.

"I am so excited to go home," I continued, "Are you?"

"Mmph."

I do not know why I got so angry at that. That has been her response to everything I said for the past two days. Nevertheless, I was furious.

"Look," I said, "I know you are upset, okay? But can you stop being so selfish and talk to me for once? I am upset too! You are not the only one who's lost someone! But at least I am trying to be happy! You are just moping around and being useless! Stop being such a frustrating jerk!"

Toriel did not say anything. I choked back a sob and left the room, slamming the door behind me. As soon as I left, I regretted it. I wanted to go back and apologize, but she definitely would be mad at me.

I was stuck outside. It was not like I could go back to my room and keep packing my things because I would have to pass through Toriel's side of the room first. She probably did not want to see me. I sat outside the door and buried my face in my hands. Why did I snap like that? Toriel and I both have things hard enough for us without me getting angry at her. I have already lost my father. I do not want to lose my best friend, too.

"Hey," someone said, stepping in front of me. I looked up. Wingdin was there with a tray of food, probably for Toriel. "What are you doing here?

I do not know why, but that made me burst into tears. "I messed up," I sniffed. Wingdin sat beside me and listened as I explained how much of a jerk I was being to Toriel.

Wingdin twiddled his thumbs. "I'm not the best person to ask about this," he said, "but I honestly think you should just apologise. Toriel understands how you feel. She'll forgive you if you apologise well enough."

"You think she will?" I asked.

"She's smart," Wingdin said, "I can tell you're really sorry about what you said, so she probably will, too. Besides, you've been friends your whole lives. She wouldn't let one small disagreement ruin your entire friendship, would she?"

I smiled faintly. "I suppose so. Thanks, Wingdin."

"You're welcome!" he said, "Also can you send this food to Toriel? Dad says she should eat, but I'm too lazy to walk all the way in your room. It'll save me the trip."

I took the tray. I knew that even though Wingdin felt sorry for us now, he was still trying to avoid Toriel. They were still mad at each other for what happened on the Angel's Festival. They have stopped ignoring each other completely, which was a relief, but they still do not talk with each other a lot. Toriel does not usually hold grudges with me, but she does like to hold grudges with others. I just hope they will go back to being friends before we leave Aiphuoxbone.

Balancing the tray on one hand, I gently knocked on the door. There was no response, and I did not expect there to have been, either. I stepped in the room and set the tray on Toriel's nightstand, then I sat on her bed. Toriel squirmed and I realized I was sitting on her foot.

"Sorry!" I said, deciding to stand instead. "Toriel, I am really sorry about what I said before. I guess I was frustrated, and I may have said some things I regretted. I do not think you are selfish at all. You are just sad, and I understand that. I understand why you are sad, and I want to help. Please do not be afraid to ask for help."

We were both silent for a long time, then Toriel slowly slid out of the bed and hugged me tightly. I realized that Toriel probably has not gotten a hug from anyone since we found out about our parents. She had been in our room for several days and did not talk to anybody. Golly, I was such a bad friend.

I started crying again. It was annoying how much I cried the past few days, but I suppose it does make me feel better afterwards. Maybe Toriel should have a good cry. It might make her feel better, too.

Toriel did not cry. She just held me while I did. After a while she let go and sat on her bed.

"I-I think I will start packing," she said quietly.

"Are you going to be alright, Tori?" I asked.

"I do not know," she replied, "I suppose we both need time."

With that, she gently ushered me to my side of the room and drew the curtains. I heard shuffling on her side of the room, but it soon stopped. I peeked at her through a gap between the curtains, and saw that Toriel had gathered some of her clothes and put them on a chair. She was in bed again, and I did not think it was because she needed sleep.

I guess Toriel was right. We are still both upset from losing our parents and it will take a long time before things can go back to normal again. Or perhaps things will never go back to normal again. Father was a part of my normal life. Now that he is gone, I cannot have a normal life again.

But perhaps Toriel and I can accept that with time. Maybe we can make a new life for ourselves without my father or Toriel's mother. I do not think we would be used to such a life right now. I still cannot imagine what life back at the capital is going to be like without Father. But maybe in time, we will both be okay.

We must have all our stuff packed and ready to bring home in two days. My stuff is almost ready, but Toriel has barely started. Tomorrow I will help her pack. It is a king's responsibility to help his subjects, and it is a friend's responsibility to help his best friend.

I must be strong. I must be strong for Mother and Toriel and all of the monsters in the kingdom who have lost their king. I am the prince of this world's future, so I am responsible for making sure everyone is content.

And I suppose I will start by helping Toriel.

~Asgore

To any of you wondering if Toriel's okay: no she isn't.

Remember that the equation of a slope is y=mx+b and also that unless you're looking for a career in mathematics, this equation is all but useless in real life!

Review!

~Pandora