One World: Many Souls
Chapter 24: Mark of Independence
Angel's Point of View:
"Oh, my goodness! I can't believe today is the day!"
"Sophie! Be careful! Your talons are about ready to catch you're dress!"
"Oh! Sorry!"
"Hey! Where's my gown!"
"I can't find my cap! Where'd you fuckers put it!"
"I need some serious aspirin…"
Myself and the other parents watched on as the five teens that were to graduate later that morning had all gathered at my home on Terians property to get ready for the special day. Two girls, three boys, and a large celebration afterwards to boot. They were excited, nervous, crazy, and downright a pain in our asses.
This would be the first event we brought the little ones to in a while. With the twins and Impact being nearly a year and a half then, we figured it would be good to get them used to events such as this where it would be filled with many people. Should things not go well, we had a maid on standby at the house after we left who would take care of the little ones until the event was over. We could also try again at the graduation party we'd have in the afternoon.
We had so many happy families surrounding us for this special day. Maria came by and was even able to drag Will along with her. The white furred bear watched his adopted brother with an obviously happy smile where he was proud of MK's achievements and what he was moving forward toward. While I hadn't seen the bear in quite a few years, he looked much better off than when I last saw him around the time of the freedom of the underground people. He looked to have been eating well, his form was much more filled out compared to the scrappy little teen cub who had killed others in his drug induced stupor.
From speaking with Maria, he found it awful hard to find his feet. He especially found it difficult in the years we were released from the underground prison. He'd spent those years in rehab, trying to repent in any way he could. He often was found traveling back to the underground Snowdin region to pray at the graves of his sister and father for what he'd done, trying to find some light. It wasn't something easy for him to overcome, he was both a victim and a murderer all in the same breath.
Could you blame him? Could you not? That was left to the one you asked.
However, in seeing his brother working so hard, it gave Will even a small amount of hope that he could try again. He still had his two closest friends who were with him though it all, Katarina and Askook. They both remained by his side, the three of them getting their GEDs once they were above ground and started with some simple jobs around to help fund their way into the near by colleges.
I was happy to see that he was trying so hard. It still left such a bitter taste in my mouth when I though of Robert and Milly, but with them in a better place and Will getting the help he needed, he was slowly overcoming his hardships that led him to that dark place.
My gaze then trailed over to where Asgore and Toriel watched their son with beaming pride. The two of them had struggled for quite some time to work out some sort of co-parenting set up while they were still separated. They also had a kingdom to run that was spreading out far and wide.
But this… this was a situation that the two of them never dreamed would happen after Asriel and their daughter Chara had died decades ago. While their daughter did not return, their son did. He was offered another chance at life, but I knew the guilt still ate at him. His parents' separation, his sister's death. It was things that perhaps he would be working on coming to terms with his entire life.
Sophia and Jay's parents I knew much less about their backstory or about any hardships their children faced other than being friends with my sister and the trauma she went through. But still the sets of parents looked out over their children with elation and pride that today they would be preparing for a new world, a new stage of their lives.
It would be hard on all the kids to a certain degree. Their new lives as college students once the summer was over would be difficult for them all. Most of them would remain in the area and go to the nearby Ebbott College that branched out into multiple areas around the region depending on what your focus was. I believed that three of them were staying at the college that was going to be in the same area as Papyrus who was studying for culinary arts. However, MK and Jay had both noted that they would head to other regions that specialized what it was they wished to go into for fields before perhaps bringing it back.
"Come on you crazies!" It made me positively beam to see Frisk once more looking healthy and holding her head high compared to the previous year where she was withdrawn and still healing. While she still struggled on some moments when the events in question were brought up, Frisk was now presenting a wonderfully bright smile. "Grab your shit and let's get going!"
"Frisk!" My tone caused her and her friends to jump at the scowl that just appeared on my face. "You might be eighteen and about to graduate, but I will still ground you if you swear like a sailor."
Well… something never changed.
"Sorry." But my sister's eagerness couldn't be contained. "Let's go! Sans! You're teleporting us, right?"
"Yeah, I got it, Mighty Terror." Frisk ducked when he went to ruffle up her hair in affection.
"Hey! We spent time on this hair of mine! Don't mess it up!"
Sans only gave her a sideways grin. "Like ya really care 'bout that, Frisky?"
She couldn't hold the scowl for long before she giggled. "Guilty."
"Alright ya crazy kids, hold hands 'n grab on. I'll take ya over first."
The five teens grabbed onto my husband before they all vanished in a blue light. Having Sans around was great in he could take the kids right over and it gave them more time to prepare. The school wasn't far and the parents of the kids would be driving over themselves in their own cars other then myself, Papyrus, Tori, Asgore and the kids. Alphys and Undyne planned to meet us there instead of waiting for the kids.
The other parents and families quickly took off the second their kids were gone while the rest of us remained for Sans to take us over. In my arms sat Arial and Eras who gripped onto the dress I wore with their little hands. Impact I could see was pulling on his father's tie, and it just made Papyrus beam at the little smile it put on his son. Asgore and Toriel watched us with the kids in a loving manner as their friend group was growing by the moment.
"My, is it selfish of me that I hope our Asriel finds a lovely partner and graces us with grandchildren?"
Asgore gave a smile to the queen. "Hardly, Tori. I more than believe that is a reasonable wish. So long as he's happy."
"One day he will." I giggled at the king and queen, my long-time friends. "When he's ready and finds the right person he wants to be with."
"Yes! I'm sure Azz will find a wonderful person before long!" Papyrus laughed while his son continued to pull on his tie. "Ah! Impact, your strength amazes me every day! What a good little boy!"
"Just be patient. Soon enough there'll be more kids running around." My gaze focused on Asgore as I said that. "Alphys will only be a few more months before she gives birth to her and Undyne's little boy. Has either of them told you what his name will be?"
"Not in the slightest." Asgore let out a loud sigh. "It sounds as if she wishes for it to be a surprise. The both of them wish as such."
"That's hardly like Undyne." Both Papyus and I looked at each other in that regard. "It must be something special if that's the case."
"It would not surprise me if she named her little one something similar to her long-lost parents. Urvin and Natasha would have been so happy to see the daughter they raised proud, above ground and happy." Asgore thought back to the memories of his good friend fondly. "It was an honor to know and raise her, before and after she lost them."
"'ey, no getting soft on us, Fluffybuns." In a flash of blue, my husband had returned. "Got the kids all set up, time ta take ya'll over."
With the kids in hand, I stepped forward. "Alright Darling, let's do this."
Later That Day:
"We will now begin to pass out the diplomas to students in alphabetical order. Students in rows one and two may rise."
The children moved like clockwork to prepare themselves for being called for their diploma. Like an automated machine they moved with names called one at a time. The five friends were scattered into different rows depending on their last names. I could only see Jay and Asriel near each other. Those two were in the second row, so they approached the stage while other names earlier in the alphabet were called.
"Jacob Deniz! Our valedictorian who plans to travel abroad to the Hanora region to learn at the Briskwood College of History. He was head of the historian club, anime club, and artifacts club."
Jay was the first of the friend group to go up and get his diploma. He made no fuss at the use of his full name as I knew the other kids would. I had a feeling Frisk would be after my hide when she knew her full name was on both the records and the diploma. Even if she knew about it, she wasn't a fan of the name.
"Asriel Dreemurr! The prince of the monster kingdom has decided to go to our very own Ebbott College to study politics. He was on the male soccer team and gardening club."
Then marched up Asriel right after his friend. Just like Jay, Asriel showed no issues with his full name addressed. Those in the crowd watched on how a high schooler such as the prince of the monster kingdom was graduating from such a common school rather than something more specialty. Ignoring the looks and whispers, Asriel kept moving while his parents and others of the monster kingdom cheered.
In the beginning it was strange to hear how he became a part of the gardening club. I figured after his time being Flowey that he'd want very little to do with plants or anything of the sort. However, due to his parents' help and the new found determination he had in his soul, he had overcome his difficulty. Though there would always be struggles, especially when Asriel saw a yellow flower,
"You go there, little man!"
Undyne was cheering the loudest like the parents at the events. Asriel spend a lot of time with either myself or her while still adjusting when he didn't feel comfortable to his parents. Undyne was like a sister to him, especially since she was often at the castle as Asgore's unofficially adopted daughter.
"Um…"
The principal paused at another name that was handed before them. I wondered what the name could be for them to pause and think. Looking between the other parents with me, I saw Maria hiding a wide smile behind her hand. Her other son was quick to note that and scowl.
"What the hell did you do Mom? Did you honestly give them his entire name to say? You know he hates it. And what's the point? He's gonna change it once he gets out of here."
"Oh, stop that, Wilbur. I adore his full name."
It made me curious, because even I didn't know MK's full name.
"Malacoda… Kieran Copeland… Miller?"
The crowd went silent for all of five seconds before a rage infused scream echoed out in the halls.
"What the hell, Mom?!"
It was MK who shouted.
MK stalked up on stage with anger in his steps. He snatched the diploma from the weary hands that held it before he narrowed his eyes into the crowd until his mother was seen. I could see the male wanted to shout every profanity in the world at his mother, but he bit his tongue and kept walking while others watched on hesitantly in his wake. I was actually sitting by Maria and Will when the white bear leaned around to almost fully face his mother.
"You know he isn't going to talk to you for like a week, right? Maybe longer with you publicly shaming him like this. That was the stupid name his biological parents gave him."
"But I love his name! It should be heard! It was his name when I adopted him into our family and it will always be his name!"
"Yeah… its not going to be his name for much longer and you know it. You gotta let it go before you ruin your relationship with him. It really bothers him."
I could only assume that Maria was thinking back on times when Robert and Milly were alive and something in her wasn't quite all right. I felt bad for the teen, Frisk hated her real name with a passion. Though I felt this was worse due to Maria purposefully ignoring his wishes to continue to go by MK rather than… that name.
"Uh… Malacoda… or MK as he's known here in school, is going to be traveling abroad to the Dante region to study at the Indigo-Whelps College of Science and Robotics where he'll be studying in their robotics program. He was head of the robotics club."
With MK back to his seat and the rest of the rows moving again, further into the alphabet we went. I saw that Sophie's row was the next to move as she slowly marched up to the front. Frisk's row was basically the last one, so we knew we'd be here for a bit longer.
"Aa baba!"
"Hm?" Looking down to Arial who sat in my lap, she quicky squealed and cried out when she managed to see Frisk standing up and moving toward the front. "Hang on there, sweet baby bone. Your Auntie Frisky needs to walk up there and then she can come back and see you."
"Na!"
"Oh goodness…"
"Come on there, Arial." Sans leaned over to our fussing daughter who wanted her aunt. "Be a good baby bone just a bit longer. Yer auntie's almost done with this stupid thing."
"Sophia Nascha! She has decided to study here at our own Ebbott College for liberal arts. She was part of the cheerleading squad."
Seeing the second to the last of the friend group up and moving toward the podium, the rest of her row was slowly called and Frisk's began to move. It wasn't long before my darling sister was approaching fast as all the strange last names that were later in the alphabet as her own were called.
"Alright, get ready." Sans held up a camera at the ready while Eras looked on with wonder in his little red eyes. Unlike his sister, he sat quietly and let Sans juggle him around while also trying to video tape our sister.
"Ababa BA!"
"Look, there she goes Arial!"
"Francine Terians!"
"SIS!"
Our family burst out laughing when her name was called and our sister clearly was disapproved of it. Regardless, after the outburst, Frisk rose the stage to get her diploma.
"Also known as Frisk within these walls, she was a dedicated member of the music club and the band. She plans to go to Ebbott College for a dual major of politics and music."
I watched my sister almost snatch the fancy box that held her diploma. She struggled to hold back her rage before I saw her look out into the crowd where we were. She scowled right at us while Sans took a picture to remember these moments.
After all, she was growing up. It was her time to shine.
Witch's Note:
Alright! Now here we go to see our beloved kids graduate! Oh god! Now I feel old! They're gonna go to college!
Also... I gotta know. The full names of the kids and how they were presented, what were your thoughts? I had to do something horribly embarrassing for MK since no one knows what his real name is. I know it's 'Monster Kid' in the game, but... I don't know if that was a blessing or curse compared to what I gave him...
And I couldn't help but throw in some cute moments with baby Arial, Eras and Impact! God I love those kids!
Mystic seems to be having too much fun downstairs, so I'm gonna leave her be unless she's needed. Besides, I have more work to do just like she does. And by work, I mean reviews! Let's go!
Thechaosmaster: Thank you for your paperwork. Hm... looks all in order to me! I see no problems with this at all! Thanks for coming back up to hand me this. I know you've been... busy with Mystic Girl down there. No worries! Enjoy the cute moments and then get back down to her. She's not a lady you keep waiting.
(I wave you off to head back down to whatever torturing of Luke the lot of you are doing. All I do is smile, knowing that I don't want to know what's going on below.)
(Going back down to the dungeon, Mystic Girl is waiting for you with an eager grin, crossed legs, and a finger tapping eagerly at the space right next to her newest button, purple in color.)
Mystic Girl: Took you long enough, let's get back to work.
Shadow8Phantom: I'm so glad you love seeing the slow changes in Frisk as she tries to heal. I figured that after so many months we see more growth as she's had time to recover. The fine balance of showing Angel helping her sister, but also giving her the space to grow and learn was such a line to walk on! We'll see more of the struggle for Angel to pull away after how close she and Frisk have been for years!
And I'm so excited to show you the kids I plan for everyone upcoming, including Alphys and Undyne! I think I have some intense/cute kids for you all to see! And lots of hilarious moments!
As for the number of kids... I gave out that hint a long time ago! XD You'll find out!
Not A Shady Guy: Shady! So good to see you! Glad to have you back! How's school? Super busy? If I remember right, the last years of high school, or secondary school where you're at now, can be pretty tough depending on the classes you take. What do you think you do well in? Or what's fun? What's challenging? What subject can absolutely die for all you care? I know for Mystic that was math, she could have killed it if she could have. And for me… hm… not sure I 'hated' any subject. More or less I disliked the person teaching it then anything. But I wasn't a fan of gym, that I will say. Playing with a whole bunch of stuck up kids who don't wanna play with someone who'd rather be left alone? Uh… yeah. That speaks for itself I think.
MysticBoywastaken: Mystic Boy, I'm so sorry to hear that you went through that. We've been so worried about you here, thinking about you ever week when we didn't see you. Chaos of course I'm sure was very worried. He asked about you every week and asked if we had heard anything either.
We're glad to see that you're back, even if only a little bit while you recover. We're so sorry that you went through that, and I hope that what was posted here didn't hurt you. Mystic and I were only trying to make a compelling story, not planning on matching that of anyone's pain and suffering. We never imagined that this would have happened to any of our readers and friends.
We're here for you if you need us and are hoping for a safe and wonderful recovery. We're here to talk
But anyway! I'm glad you liked the fluff and content of the last two chapters. So much happening and getting on personal levels. It can be really hard to walk that line sometimes with what can or should be done. So a lot of changes are happening soon and I can't wait for you all to see them!
Anyway, I think we've done good here. Another chapter down and now we're moving onto the next leg of everything! Frisk has graduated so both she and Papyrus are going to college! Papyrus has even been in there for a while, though he did back off on as many classes due to raising Impact while being at school.
But still! More cute moments! And I think all of you are going to love the next chapter a lot! Because for those of you who want kid moments? You're gonna get 'em!
Love you all and see you next week!
Halloween Witch and Mystic Girl
