To leave a legacy



       —Our little girl… Kanako… She needs to live a happy life, unaffected by my endeavours.
       
       ***
       
       —Let me do it! I want to make things right. Be useful for once.
       
       ***
       
       —… Very well. This won’t be forgotten. Goodbye, Clover.
       
       ***
       
       —What are they doing? No!! NO!!!! YOU CAN’T DO THAT!!! YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO OBEY ME!! STOP!!! STOP IT!!!!! STOOOOPPPP!!!!!
      
Flowey                  LV 9999                 9999:99
          My World
 Continue                           Restart
 
       —I must… go back…
       « File corrupted. »
       —Uh?
       
       ***
       
       « Our little girl… Kanako… She needs to live a happy life, unaffected by my endeavours. »
       
       ***
       
       « Let me do it! I want to make things right. Be useful for once. »
       
       ***
       
       « … Very well. This won’t be forgotten. Goodbye, Clover. »
       
       ***
       
       « Asriel! Wait! »
       
       ***
       
       As memories of the past began to flash arround, merging in pure white, erased by light.
       
       ***
       
       « C’mon dad! Hurry! »
       « Wait up Kanako! »
       
       ***
       
       ***
       
       « Who wants cinnamon pie? »
       « Me! Me! »
       
       ***
       
       
       This that happened, that never happened, that could have happened. Like a mirror to another world, a reflection of a million worlds.
       
       ***
       
       —Where… Where am I?
       
       ***
       
       Then darkness appeared and consumed it all. And as a glimpse of light breaks through, a shadow of a person gets drawn, walking closer and closer towards the voice that asked their question.
       —Today might be the day, Asriel… Flowey…
       The scene finally returns to visibility as a man and a flower stand in front of the other, divided by a strong and thick wall of glass.
       —You’re supposed to be dead! —Flowey shouted—.
       —Yet we defeated you. What is this? The hundredth time you bring that up?
       —The human! Where is he?! —The flower demanded—.
       —Human? There have not been any humans here since the barrier was put in place.
       « Dad! The king is here! »
       —Look, saved by the bell once again Flowey.
       The scientist walked out of the dark-lit room. Then let there be light, as the room was nothing but a part of a whole; a house filled with colour and brightness, pictures of a family of three in every corner as well as books, furniture and adornments. The voice that shouted earlier obtains shape as a cute little girl, young, with fox-like features like brown fur and a short snout. She has reddish brown hair tied up with a cute ribbon at the end. She was wearing a red kimono with large gold trimmings and a gold obi sash tied around her waist, long, grey pants, and a pair of short boots.
       Her father, the scientist was of darker fur, deep grey and purple hair, and a larger snout, he wore similar clothes to hers, but green with similar gold trimming, and had a pair of glasses that he never took off. Tall and slim, it was clear age had taken some of him already.
       He closed in to his daughter with a hug as another woman walked in with two other monsters; king and queen.
       —Ceroba, sweetie, thank you.
       The woman was more like the young kid, with reddish long hair, wearing a white and red kimono with no gold trimmings and white with red boots. Feminine in every aspect, her body was as beautiful as they come.
       Besides her were a big old man and a big old woman. One was intimidating and imposing while the woman gave off a sense of tranquillity and love, they didn’t seem to be happy to be there, but it was more so for being there together.
       Both shared the appearance of goats. The man had a yellow beard and wore a long cape covering a strong metal armour, while the woman had nothing but a blue tunic with a white symbol in the chest of what looked like a pair of wings and three small triangles. Both’s fur was white as the snow and truly looked like they belonged to one another.
       —Mr. Ketsukane, we were told you could help Asriel, yet our child is still gone. —Said the queen—.
       —We have allowed you to keep that flower for a reason, yet we see no progress.
       —Mr. and Mrs. Dreemurr. —The man interrupted—. As you know, I once worked on human souls, back before the barrier was put in place; the same goes for monster souls as well. Flowey… Asriel’s case is that he has neither of them, and there is no way to create a monster soul that we know of. I have theorized that if we gave him a soul of his own; one that’s compatible, we could bring him back.
       —So once again, you have nothing for me, Chujin.
       —On the contrary King Asgore. I believe I have made a breakthrough, that is why I asked for your presence, As well as Queen Toriel’s.
       Every time Chujin referred to Toriel as Mrs. Dreemurr or Queen she showed distaste with her look, as if she despised those titles.
       —We… know you two have decided to go on your separate ways, but if not for the underground’s sake, please listen to him for Asriel’s sake. —Ceroba interrupted—.
       —What are you trying to get at, Chujin. —Toriel asked—.
       —We can’t create a monster soul for Asriel because his soul already exists; somewhere. But what if we could copy his soul and give him said replacement? Any soul is technically created when a monster is born; and a monster is born from the union of two other monsters. —Chujin got his family close to him to further his symbolism—. Maybe, our souls are the union of two souls that love each other, a mix of them if you will. And given you two; as well as Asriel’s souls are those of Boss Monsters such as mine and Kanako’s, this should prove plausible.
       —So, you are proposing we give a new offspring and give that soul to our son? —Toriel sounded angrier than ever—.
       —Not at all! Although it could be an alternative. It’s just a matter of connecting both of your souls again as one. —Chujin made a difficult pause—. That means… You need to re-kindle your love for each other.
       Asgore was the only one excited to hear that, since Toriel took her own path away from him for their opposing views in humanity and the atrocities he had committed for this same reason; he had missed her every day. But Toriel; who did miss the “good old days” as well, was too proud to forgive her ex-husband, as she even blamed him for what happened to Asriel in the first place, as it was his idea to revive him and requested Alphys’ help to do so. Even when both agreed to do so.
       She also blamed herself, as she let him go as he pleased, befriend a human and ultimately fuse with him; causing people to think Asriel had killed said kid and consequentially lethally wounding him in response; even after he had shown not to fight back.
       A series of terrible events, one after the other than challenged their marriage to a breaking point caused by pain and grief. Could they have changed the outcome of it all they would have at least tried.
       —I rather not. —Toriel was firm on her stance—.
       —Toriel, please. If not for me, for our son!
       —For our son? Like turning him into a flower?
       —Neither of us knew what would happen; we took the risk for his sake, and this is the time to do it again.
       —I believe is for the best if both take your time to resolve this. —Chujin tried to deescalate the situation—. The love must be genuine for it to work, so unless you truly find that love; Asriel will remain a flower.
       Both monsters calmed down after hearing this, aware that no matter their choice at that moment, nothing could be done the same day. So, they gave the scientist their thanks, Toriel specially farewelled little Kanako and as they were ready to go out the door; Ceroba gave some last words of advice:
       —We all make mistakes in life; some are terrible and some others are as simple as putting in the wrong amount of milk on a cake. Accepting those mistakes is the only way to lead ourselves to forgiveness.
       Meanwhile, inside the glass container was Flowey, frustrated and filled with rage.
       « File corrupted. »
       « File corrupted. »
       « File corrupted. »
       « File corrupted. »
       —This can’t be… I can’t be stuck in here! … It’s that stupid kid’s fault…
       Flowey was then interrupted by the door to his prison opening, Chujin walking in.
       —Seems you might have to keep that form a little longer, buddy.
       Flowey did not respond to him, completely uninterested on whatever he was talking about; instead, still trying to find a way to reset once more back into his reality.
       A similar case was developing with Asgore and Toriel as they arrived to their former house; now only used by Toriel alone as Asgore had moved in into his castle.
       —Please, Toriel. —Asgore begged—. I still love you, and I am sure the woman that loves me is still there, somewhere.
       —…
       —Toriel…
       —That woman never left, who did is the man I love. One that cared for everyone, monster or not; a man who isn’t moved by resentment, but acceptance.
       —I still am that man!
       —I doubt that.
       Toriel did not want to change her mind, it was easier to put all responsibility and accountability on him for what one would call the expected reaction to what had happened to Asriel. 
       After that last line, Toriel closed the door on him, to which Asgore responded to by simply waiting for her to come out again; he would wait day and night outside that door hoping she would allow bygones be bygones and give it a go in hopes of saving Asriel.
       Toriel would eventually be moved by this gesture of patience and dedication, but before that she would experience anger and desperation.
       —Fine, you win Asgore-
       Toriel was coming out of the house with these words just to be interrupted with a hug from him, who was in complete rejoice. That same day both paid a visit to Chujin in hopes to give it a go.
       Both were greeted with excitement from Kanako and Ceroba, but Chujin remained sceptical as the couple stepped into the dark room where Flowey was trapped in.
       —What should we do then, Chujin?
       —I would say, focus each other’s soul. Prove to the other that your love is genuine.
       Asgore was more than ready, looking at Flowey with hope in his eyes; ready to see his son again, but Toriel looked at the flower and could only feel resentment. When both tried to focus their souls on Asriel from Chujin’s explanation, nothing happened.
       Asgore would pour out his soul, exposing it, but Toriel’s would not come out at all, so no fusion could happen.
       —I knew it… —Toriel seemed to not be sad; but disappointed—.
       —Can we try again? —Asgore seemed desperate—.
       —There’s no point on it, it’s clear you are not yet truly reunited.  —Chujin replied putting some equipment down—. See me outside.
       Asgore seemed destroyed, while Toriel looked like someone who was just proven right by the circumstances. Both walked out alongside Chujin and met with his wife at the dining table.
       —It’s clear to be that this was done for the sake of Asriel. —Ceroba began to talk—. But you also have to do it for each other’s sake.
       Toriel realized that all looks where on her as Ceroba talked, there was a knot on her throat that prevented her from replying as her sermon continued.
       —The union between one another is created by love, but that love is materialized in our children, and when you lost Asriel, you lost that love. But now he’s back, in that same way you must bring back said love. With both, then Asriel will truly return.
       —When mom and dad fight. —Interrupted Kanako—. I make them play with me! You can play with me too!
       —Doesn’t hurt to try… —Chujin seemed lost in thought after the words of his daughter—. Maybe if you remember what united you before, you can reunite again.
       —Hahahaha! —Flowey laughed as he observed the scene—. They are too busy blaming themselves to realize it. Whatever your plan is, its doomed to fail because of their own egos.
       Flowey’s laughter developed in such an evil and cruel tone that everyone deemed it necessary to leave the lab and return to the living room; where they would need to think of a new strategy that could bring the two parents closer together.
       Kanako once again suggested herself, but this time receiving less attention from her father, while Toriel and Asgore remained in silence.
       —Maybe he’s right. —Said Ceroba, gathering everyone’s attention—. Asriel’s current state is no one’s fault; there was no way to know what would have happened. Yet both feel guilty, that you could’ve done something more. This is what you can do, this is your chance.
       Asgore looked at Toriel with sorrow in his eyes, truly sorry of what he had Alphys do to attempt Asriel’s revival. Toriel looked at Asgore with self-hatred on her face; wishing she could’ve protected her child in the first place.
       —Toriel, what happened was not your fault.
       —But if I had been there…
       —Neither of us were there.
       —And Flowey wasn’t Asgore’s fault. —Interrupted Ceroba—.
       —We both agreed to give Alphys a chance on that experiment, we wanted our child back… —Responded Toriel—.
       —Well, he’s down there, bring him back. —Ceroba concluded—.
       Asgore offered Toriel his hand, which she took; harder than ever, as if fear had taken over her. They both walked back to Chujin’s lab, ignored Flowey’s mockery and in an unexpected manner of true love they both hugged Flowey’s cell…
       Toriel and Asgore’s souls finally manifested as intended and Chujin took out his equipment to take a fraction of them, just a small piece; but enough to create from them a small and healthy new soul.
       But before Chujin could do anything, the soul travelled on its own into Flowey, who began to spasm and scream in pain –scaring everyone present, thinking that once again something had gone wrong.
       Flowey’s containment shattered in pieces pushing both Toriel and Asgore away as a flash of light engulphed the room for a split second. By the time everything returned to normal Flowey wasn’t there anymore, instead, a resting child of white fur and small horns wearing a green stripped shirt and brown pants.
       Both parents raced to him and tried to wake him up to no avail, he seemed to be unresponsive.
       —Asriel! Asriel! —Both kept shouting—.
       Chujin intervened with basic medical equipment with which he was able to confirm Asriel was alive, but nothing seemed to answer why he was unconscious.
       —Maybe is for the best to let his body rest and get used to the new soul. —Chujin concluded—. Please allow me to take care of him until he wakes up.
       Neither Toriel or Asgore wanted to let go of Asriel.
       —Would you allow us to spend the night here? —Toriel requested—.
       —Of course your majesty!
       Everyone stayed there for the following hours, Asriel was brought to the guest’s room in the house, letting his body rest on the bed –while Asgore and Toriel agreed to just use the living room’s couch. Chujin would then spend the night with Asriel to watch over his development, keeping track of his vital signs as well as integrity of body and soul.
       During that same night Kanako approached her father, curious about Asriel as much as Chujin was. Chujin himself had been experimenting with souls, boss souls, and human souls –all to give monster kind a fighting chance against the ever-stronger human forces; so far, he was able to tell that boss souls were the mightiest, but also the scarcest; since boss monsters had a unique weakness of sorts:
       If boss monsters have a child, then the parent souls would age and perish as the child grew older; while one with no offsprings could last for eternity. Meaning that Toriel, Asgore and Chujin himself would ultimately age and die; leaving behind only Asriel and Kanoko to defend the underground.
       But what if boss monsters had more than one child? Otherwise their numbers would only linger long enough until only one boss monster remained; and even then, they could be defeated (like Asriel was when he first died).
       He looked at Asriel and then at Kanako, who’s eyes were glued to the little goat kid. He knew what had to be done.
       —Will he be as evil as Flowey?
       —I don’t think so Kanako, Flowey was evil because he lacked a soul. Asriel now has a soul, so he will be better than Flowey was.
       —Will he be as powerful? You always mentioned how it was close to impossible to capture Flowey.
       —He might be. That I can’t tell… Kanako, could you do me a favour?
       —Of course dad!
       —I want you to be his friend, I want you to be his lover and I want you to have as many children as possible. You see, mom and dad will one day be old, and the only remaining boss monsters will be you and him, and humans will use that to destroy the rest… We need as many boss monsters as possible if we want to defend the rest.
       —What about Mr. Asgore and Mrs. Toriel?
       —They will also grow old.
       —How do you make children?
       —I’ll explain it to you when the time comes… Will you help daddy save the underground?
       —Yes!
       —Good… But this must remain a secret, ok? No one can know… Not even Asriel.
       —Why?
       —So we can keep everyone safe.
       Kanako didn’t feel comfortable with the idea of secrets and lies, but she was the helping kind in nature; if she could do something to help others, she did.
       —Ok dad, I’ll do it.
       —Thank you, Kanako.
       Chujin hugged her tightly, his hopes deposited on her as the heroin of the Underground. Now all that was left was for Asriel to wake up, but it seemed that tonight wouldn’t be the case as both Kanako and Chujin went to sleep shortly after the conversation had taken place.
       
       ***
       
       The next morning, everyone woke up excited to be there when Asriel woke up, but that didn’t occur at all. He had transformed, the soul experiment had been a success, but it still seemed as there was something missing. Both Toriel and Asgore stayed by his side either way, it seemed like they didn’t want to leave his side anymore, protect him at all costs.
       It even looked like their quarrel was gone for good as one rested on the other’s shoulder, glancing at Asriel permanently. They seemed to have reunited for this once cause.
       On the third day, Toriel and Asgore were still resting at his side.
       —Brought you some water, your highness. —Kanako walked in—.
       —Thank you, sweetie. —Toriel took a glass—.
       Once again, Kanako looked at Asriel with interest, this time being noticed by both of Asriel’s parents; who seemed touched by her.
       —You know, Kanako? You remind me a lot of Asriel. —Continued Toriel—.
       —Really?
       —Asriel was also kind and cared a lot for others… He made many friends that way. —She seemed to be wandering around her memories—. Would you be his friend too? Most probably have already forgotten about him…
       —I would love to, your highness!
       —Thank you, Kanako. Oh, and you can call us by name.
       —Yes, Mrs. Toriel.
       Now with their approval unexpectedly received, Kanako felt better about going about her dad’s orders. But with Asriel still not waking up, she couldn’t help but to feel anxious and unsure about her given mission.
       It was on the fourth day when things would change. That morning Asriel moved by an inch and it didn’t go unnoticed, both Toriel and Asgore quickly kneeled towards him in hopes to see him move again; trying to keep their excitement controlled to avoid scaring him right away. Then, little by little Asriel would begin to stretch like any kid who just woke up from a long deep sleep, grunts and everything. As he sat on the bed, stretching his arms and yawning to his heart’s content, his parents began to shed tears of happiness, finally launching themselves to hug him for the first time in so many years.
       Asriel, of course, was shocked.
       —Mom? Dad?
       —Oh, my sweet child, how much I missed you… —Toriel cried—.
       The little goat kid seemed too confused, apparently not aware of what had been happening while he was a flower. But seeing his parents cry for him and hug him gave him clear indication that something had happened.
       —Why are you crying mom? Did something happen?
       —My child, if you only knew the answer to that question. —Toriel answered in between tears—.
       And as they were having their moment, the door opened with Chujin, Kanako and Ceroba on the other side. Everyone seemed excited about Asriel’s return except for Asriel himself; who didn’t know he had left to begin with.
       The curiosity of a scientist kicked in on Chujin as he too was quick to get physical with Asriel, touching his body, analysing his eyes, etc.
       —Asriel, you probably don’t remember me. —He said—. My name is Chujin, I am a scientist. Could you please tell us the last thing you remember?
       —I… I don’t know… I was playing in the snow… I think?
       —A human, running away, a fight. Do you remember any of that?
       Asriel closed his eyes, trying to recall the most recent events he could remember, he could see himself running, bleeding, scared; but his mind denied him the chance to react to it, blocking said memories in real time as he experienced them again.
       He looked scared, shocked, afraid, but couldn’t tell why.
       —I… I can’t. It’s all too fuzzy.
       —And a flower? Do you remember a flower?
       Once again, some memories appeared to him, but as they did, they also disappeared. He could see white flowers with yellow petals all over where he had fainted and turned into dust, but once again these memories died sooner than he could recall them to Chujin.
       —There were some flowers nearby, I think…
       It seemed as all the answers Chujin was looking for did not exist at all; but still, everyone was happy to see Asriel return to life.
       —Mom…
       —Yes, Asriel?
       —I’m hungry…
       Everyone laughed with tears getting in the way.
       —I’ll make you my best butterscotch and cinnamon pie. —Toriel replied—.
       Despite the wholesome scene, Chujin still looked at everything from a more objective perspective, wondering why he had taken so long to wake up, if he felt fine, how to recover his memories and much more. And most important of all, he wanted to know if he could in fact fulfil his dream of an army of boss monsters.
       With Toriel and Asgore out of the room, it didn’t take long for him to push his daughter towards Asriel, inviting her to talk with him, and kickstart her mission right away.
       —Hi… —Said Kanako with extreme shyness on her eyes—.
       —Howdy! I’m Asriel!
       —I’m Kanako!
       —Well! —Chujin interrupted right away—. I’ll leave you two to meet each other, then.
       With no hesitation or touch, Chujin left them alone in the room for the first time, it was now Kanako’s mission to connect with him at all costs.
       —Do you know what happened, Kanako? —Asriel still seemed interested on why everyone was acting as such around him—.
       —Well… I don’t really understand it either… but you used to be a flower, then your parents hugged and you went back to being you.
       —I was a flower?
       —Yes!
       Asriel kept trying hard to remember but his memories were fuzzy and impossible to tie together.
       —Why was I a flower?
       —I… don’t know. But you were super scary! And mean!
       —Flowers can’t be mean! —Asriel chuckled—. Or scary!
       Kanako looked into the empty spaces of the room, Asriel was indeed as her father mentioned, she even felt a friendly connection with him right away, but she also felt her first ever sensation of guilt; she had to manipulate Asriel into liking her from there on.
       —… And… What kind of things do you like, Asriel?
       —Well, flowers are one thing! But I also like to draw, play with my toys… oh and outer space! —Asriel seemed excited all of a sudden—. What do you like?
       —I like… —She brought a finger to her mouth as she wondered—. Painting on masks, looking at clothes… oh and cowboys! Wait here I’ll show you!
       Asriel was startled by Kanako’s sudden excitement at the end of her line, while she left the room as quick as a galloping horse. It took her a couple of minutes to return; during that time Asriel kept trying to think of the past, he was able to remember really old memories pretty well, like his parents, or his house –he had a small room with his bed and his things, Toriel would make him pie and other sweets. But anything related to the recent events hurt his head –only being allowed to think of a phrase: « F/le co///pt//d. ».
       —Look! —Kanako returned, scaring Asriel again—.
       She was carrying a mask, it looked like the face of a fox, covered in the colour white and red markings made up the rest. From it a string seemed to be tied from both sides; which Kanako showcased as she put on the mask.
       —This is a fox mask!
       —Aren’t you a fox already? —Asriel giggled again—.
       —Well, yhea… but this way you can’t tell who’s who! Now all I need is a lasso and I can be a cow-eh… girl!
       —Don’t cowboys use hats? And ride horses?
       —To be a cowboy is not a matter of clothing! —She crossed her arms and filled herself with a sense of pride—. It’s a lifestyle! You can be one too!
       Kanako took off the mask and looked at it for a second, then she walked towards Asriel and offered him to take it.
       —Here. I have many, so you can keep one if you want. —Kanako became shy in an instant—. That way we can be friends…
       —I would love to be friends too!
       As soon as Asriel took Kanako’s mask, she climbed on the bed with him with her face as red as an apple. Does that already mean he likes her? Should she ask her dad first?
       The awkward silence found its way into the room after the fact and it stayed until Toriel and Asgore went to pick Asriel up so they could all finally go home.
       —We’ll see each other again, right? —Kanako asked Asriel as he took Toriel’s hand—.
       Asriel then looked at Toriel, like if he was asking for permission. Toriel understood right away and with a warm smile she agreed that they could eventually meet again. After all, as protective as she is; and the fact Asriel’s demise was because he was with a friend, she felt hesitant of having her son roaming around.
       —Don’t worry, I’ll look after them to keep both safe. —Interrupted Chujin as the scene played out—.
       Toriel and Asgore nodded in agreement with his offer parted away.
       —YOU are going to look after them? —Ceroba laughed—. If you leave that lab of yours for a day, I’ll grant you any wish you have.
       —I-It’s for Asriel’s sake. To make sure he’s fine. —Chujin felt right into Ceroba’s teasing—. It’s field research!
       
       ***
       
       Back on the Dreemurr residence, Toriel opened the door and rushed Asriel inside, while Asgore stood outside; unsure if he should step in as well –after all those years he was casted out.
       But Toriel knew that it was best for Asriel to return to normality more so than her argument with Asgore; and their reconciliation that brought Asriel back in the first place still lingered around.
       —Are you coming in? —Asked Toriel—.
       —O-Of course! —And like a scared dog he made his way inside—.
       Asriel looked around, it was totally different from what he could remember: One couch instead of two near the fireplace, much less decorations, it all looked familiar yet different to him. He knew from Kanako that he turned into a flower, and from everyone’s shock when he woke up; that whatever happened, it was long ago; but for him it only felt like an instant…
       He ran to his room right away, curious to see if there was something different there as well, but was surprised to see the door locked tight and with a sign that read “Under renovations”. Then, he opened the blue door; as he expected, it was his parent’s room, almost the same way as he remembered it; except for two pictures.
       One picture was himself; he could identify himself right away. But the second picture felt confusing, his head spinning around as he looked at it: A picture of a human kid with brown hair and a green shirt just like his.
       He could hear the picture:
       « Who wants cinnamon pie? »
       « Me! Me! »
       « Asriel, wanna play outside? »
       « But mom said to wait for her… »
       « Hey! Look! A monster is with that kid! »
       « Kill him! »
       « Wait! He’s, my brother! Ch//ra! »
       « Asriel! Run! »
       « Kill the monster! »
       « Help!!! »
       Asriel could not bear the piercing pain in his head, falling unconscious right away.
       The loud noise caused by him falling to the ground alerted both Toriel and Asgore, who ran as fast as they could up the stairs. They noticed the opened door and made one last sprint, Toriel picking Asriel up right away into her arms.
       —We have to go back with Chujin and find out what is going on. —Asgore mentioned—.
       —M-Maybe he’s just tired… Maybe he hasn’t recovered yet… —Toriel seemed a lot more worried—.
       Asgore could see Toriel’s pain in her eyes, she always wanted to be a mother, it then got taken from her; and now that she can try again –all she wants is to take care of her child. He nodded in agreeance and both took Asriel to the third room in the hall, with a red door; the guest’s room.
       And while Toriel stayed alongside Asriel, Asgore made his way down to the kitchen to make tea for both; he also looked devastated, unable to come to terms that even after all that has happened; the challenges kept coming. He also gave a call to Chujin either way, who also recommended to pass by their place, but understood Toriel now had most of the saying on what would happen next as Asgore didn’t want to jeopardize their apparent reconciliation.
       Finally, Asgore brought the tea to Toriel and both spent the night with Asriel again.
       Meanwhile, in the middle of the night:
       « I… sorry… » «I… am sorry… mom… » « Please… help me… »
       —AAHH!! —Asriel screamed—.
       Asriel woke up from a terrible nightmare, he couldn’t help to feel his body all over since in that dream, he could feel himself turning to dust. He was shaking and his heartbeat going faster than ever.
       Toriel and Asgore both also woke up, startled by that scream.
       —Asriel! —Toriel called for him with a hug—. Are you ok? How do you feel?
       —Mom… —Asriel felt terrible—. Why can’t I remember? It makes my head hurt…
       —My child, do not fret. —She tried to appease him—. The past is in the past and now you’re back. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
       The hug was warm and tender, soothing Asriel to sleep shortly after. Toriel and Asgore did so too.
       —You go to the couch downstairs, big man. —Toriel told Asgore as she opened the blue door—.
       Asgore lowered his head like a repenting puppy and went back down the stairs.
       Toriel then closed the door behind her and walked up to her bed, taking a look at both the pictures above her headboard.
       —My sweet children… I’m sorry…
       
       ***
       
       The next morning, both Asgore and Asriel woke up to a warm slice of butterscotch pie, while Toriel was already working on house chores. Like father, like son, as both felt a sensation of nostalgia when eating their slices, and a lingering scent of cinnamon reached their nostrils. It all painted for it to be a good day.
       At the same time, Asgore received a call from Chujin asking for Asriel’s current status and suggested have their children keep socializing so he could adapt to the current underground and how it had changed since he died; Asgore consulted Toriel and both managed to convince her to agree to a small rendezvous between both children, as long as someone kept an eye on them –to which Chujin offered himself in a heartbeat.
       The meeting point was Snowdin, after all it’s one of the underground’s most popular settlements. Toriel had second thoughts about it for clear reasons; but with still unclear of what was triggering Asriel’s PTSD, she could not word her intuition.
       Asriel recognized Snowdin right away, assisted by memories way before his demise. It was a small town with just a couple of houses and local stores, but now it had multiple buildings and a complete mall. In the very entrance was a guard post with a sleeping blue bird gal (that Asgore did not hesitate to wake up), and up in the distance Chujin could be spotted walking towards them with his daughter on his side.
       —Hello, Asriel! —Kanako said right as they got close enough, running towards him and then shily slowing down—.
       —H-Howdy! Kanako. —Asriel seemed shy from start to finish—.
       As they greet, Toriel, Asgore and Chujin set up ground rules for how the children would interact in order to avoid any incident as well as giving Chujin a chance to take notes of Asriel’s development with his new soul.
       The kids would be left “alone”, but had to make sure they were always in sight of at least one of the three adults. Everyone nodded and the made-up date began.
       —Asriel does not know how much Snowdin has changed, could you show him arround, sweetie? —Chujin requested Kanako—.
       —Of course, daddy! —Kanako happily extended her arm to Asriel, again, slowly backing down out of embarrassment—.
       Kanako knew not to fail her mission, and ultimately took Asriel’s hand as he also extended it to her, even if he was a lot more embarrassed than her and almost took it back as he felt her touch. When both overcame this initial confrontation of sorts she took haste.
       —This is the Underground Postal Service! —Kanako pointed at a UGPS sign covered in snow—. You come here to send letters and Mr… Mrs…?
       Asriel seemed confused at Kanako’s sudden rambling.
       —Actually… I don’t think anyone knows what Mail Whale is… —She continued—. Well, they deliver the mail!
       Asriel took a second look at the UGPS building, it was high up in the mountains, too far away to be reached by anyone who could not fly.
       —You just ring the bell on the sign and Mail Whale comes down.
       Asriel rang the bell as Kanako explained just that.
       —Wait! Asriel!
       The second the bell was rung; a Mail Whale came down.
       —Hello, friend! Do you have mail to claim? Let’s take a look! Oh you don’t what a shame! —The Mail Whale sang in rhymes—.
       —Mail Whale, are you a boy or a girl? —Asriel asked—.
       —Uh? Well I’m a whale! A Mail Whale that is, everyone in UGPS will tell you this. There’s Mail Whale and Mail Whale too! Well… we do have an intern called Bob.
       The Mail Whale flew away after that, leaving Asriel totally confused.
       —Bye, bye, Mail Whale! —Said Kanako—. Let’s continue, Asriel.
       Both kept walking down the path with Chujin following from a safe distance, but always somewhere where Kanako could see him.
       Next was-
       —What’s this? A new customer? —A deep voice is heard—.
       —Uh? —Both Kanako and Asriel looked around confused as to where the voice was coming from—.
       —Me? —A racoon-looking monster appeared from within the forest—. Just the best darn salesman ever! Mo! Anyways…
       —But we don’t have any money! —Asriel interrupted—.
       —Actually, my dad gave me some in case we wanted something. —Continued Kanako—.
       —Then you are going to love what I have for you sweet lady!
       The creature pulled out an iced popsicle.
       —Cold pops. Piping hot chocolate, cooled cold.
       Asriel and Kanako both looked at each other raising an eyebrow.
       —Hot chocolate?
       —Cooled cold! Yes! Only for 15G!
       —Do you have something that is actually still hot? —Asked Kanako—.
       —I do have that, lady! Hot Pops! —Mo pulls out a cup of chocolate, this one liquid with a popsicle stick pretending to be a spoon—.
       Kanako looked at Asriel to see if he was interested, to which he simply shrugged his shoulders, prompting her to only buy one.
       —I knew you would be interested in my wares! Dang, I’m good! Mo out!
       As quick as he showed himself, as quick as he left the scene. Kanako then turning to Asriel again with the hot drink on her hands –both took a sip and could tell right away, piping hot chocolate, frozen, then reheated.
       After that small encounter, the next thing they found was someone building a snow castle, the size too small to grant a wooden door, but it had one.
       Next, they saw a huge grey wolf monster, throwing huge blocks of ice to the river. Kanako approached him too.
       —Sorry kids, can’t talk at the moment.
       —What are you doing? —Asked Asriel—.
       —I throw ice to the lake so it can stay cold!
       Asriel looked at the lake, it was indeed cold-looking.
       Both kids continued their journey; took a turn here and there, even found a snowman about to fall apart, but this time they continued onwards until faced with a small fence: “Honeydew Resort: Sweet relaxation”
       Next to this path lied a second turn that by following it, would take you to Snowdin’s town center.
       Kanako once again looked around and spotted her dad, giving a thumbs up to her as a signal to take the resort’s detour. Meanwhile, Toriel and Asgore were catching up little by little, as they both also took in the scenery as they walked.
       Inside the resort they could notice all buildings had some bear-themed look to them; as well as a big brown bear that carried arround big bottles of honey on his back. Next to this was a nice fire surrounded by logs you could sit on –and a small walkway to the Snowdin-Honeydew Mall.
       Sitting in the logs were a couple of monsters, two of them holding hands, others just chatting, Kanako; as fierce as she was, couldn’t still feel really inclined to offer hers to Asriel –whom would probably not get the hint anyways. Chujin did gave the suggestion as he hid on a bush close by.
       Kanako decided instead to take Asriel to the mall, where they would ultimately meet with Toriel and Asgore, as well as Chujin –who stopped hiding to avoid suspicion. The two families would then spend the rest of the day there; only interrupted when a small monster kid, who was running down the stairs, hit the floor a little too hard and scratched his knee.
       Asriel’s compassion and Toriel’s motherly nature would both kick in at the same time; having them attend to the little kid in no time, and scoring Asriel some points with Kanako –who began to feel true interest on him after that.
       And as night fell on Snowdin, the families would take advantage of the resort a little more before returning home.
       —Thank you Mr. and Mrs Dreemurr! —Thanked Kanako—. Bye Asriel!
       —Good bye, Kanako! —Answered Asriel in a cheerful tone—.
       —This was a great day, your highness. I hope we can do this again soon enough. —Continued Chujin—.
       Of course. —Replied Toriel—. I really need to see the spa area, and I would love for Asriel to have a new friend.
       The night was finally over, everyone went home and a new meetup was arranged for a later date, for now they would let Asriel rest some more. Chujin would also gift Asriel a phone, with which he and Kanako would keep in touch in-between “dates”, furthering their connection as they talked about their interests.
       Kanako would send Asriel cowboy stickers or show him her latest mask, while Asriel would take pictures of his garden. Each of them nurturing the other until both began to like the other one’s passions.
       Furthermore, Asriel would slowly get less and less headaches and nightmares –as each night would make them faint to black more and more until they were completely forgotten. Only the lingering voices of those who were and those that never will be or could be. A new save slate, clean and ready to start from scratch.
       When it was finally time to meet again, both families met once more at the Honeydew Resort, but this time everyone looked prepared as Toriel now carried a small duffle bag on her shoulder and Asgore rocked a more casual wear.
       Chujin, Kanako and Ceroba kept their usual wear, but still seemed excited to take part in the resort’s activities.
       And while the adults began the registration process at the reception desk, Kanako took Asriel outside to explore the area and as her father recommended her; spend some time together.
       This time around, near the fire were a couple of interesting looking monsters talking about life responsibilities and how they would rather avoid them all day; apparently planning on doing so for the next couple of weeks.
       Kanako guided Asriel deeper into the resort, towards the hot springs next.
       —You really know your way around here. —Mentioned Asriel—.
       —My dad worked here for a while, he helped set up a space heater, or something.
       —Your dad went to space?
       —I think so, he had someone else help him too. —Kanako wondered—. Maybe he knows more about it. I remember hearing something about steamworks.
       —What is a steamwork?
       —Maybe that’s the name of the spaceship?
       —A resort with spaceships! We should look for it!
       As they reached the summit towards the hot spring they met an interesting monster, he was all black and wore two pink mittens and a yellow sweater. Once they did the climb, they saw a big wooden pool with a couple monsters in it; as well as some other monsters outside.
       The pool had a huge boulder on top with a fiery flame burning on it, and the water released constant steam due to its warm temperature colliding with the cold outside. And apparently that boulder was alive.
       The first one to approach the water was Kanako, followed by Asriel, who was worried since neither of them had their swimwear; or at least Asriel had his on Toriel’s duffle bag. But Kanako did not worry; instead taking off her kimono.
       Asriel looked at her in shock as she slowly was getting naked; or so he thought. As her kimono went down, she exposed a half-naked body instead; wearing some white undergarment that looked like if she had tied a towel arround her waist –her chest being the only part uncovered.
       Her soft and petite body shape mesmerized Asriel, who couldn’t hide his shame. He was red as a beet and covered his face with his hands in an effort to not see her naked, but his curiosity made him make a small gap between his fingers just so he could peek a little. Asriel didn’t really understand why he felt that way, but something in his body told him to feel excited.
       Meanwhile, Kanako tried to not look embarrassed, she was brave, but her mind forced her to feel some resemblance of shame that transformed into excitement every time she would see Asriel peek. Apparently, her father’s recommendations were working as intended.
       Asriel joined her shortly after by taking off his shirt, and keeping his pants.
       Little by little his shyness wore off as Kanako showed him to not feel bad for looking at her, and Asriel in fact could not help himself after that. Her slim figure and flat chest, her pink and small nipples breaking the water’s surface tension, her feminine shape –it all grabbed Asriel’s attention to a point in which he wondered why no one else was doing the same, like it was a crime not to adore her.
       Following more of her father’s ideas, she sat at his side; as close as possible and rested her head in his shoulder. Asriel could not bear the warmth of the pool mixed with the warmth provoked by Kanako’s approaches.
       —The water feels pretty nice. —Kanako mentioned as she felt her body melt—.
       —Y-yes it does! —Trying to imitate one of the couples they saw during their first visit, Asriel placed his hand on her shoulder—. It’s really nice.
       Both felt like the day could go forever. Meanwhile, Chujin; Toriel and Asgore remained at the main building, drinking the signature coffee and listening to the bands play. After that they would move to the spa area and talk about Asriel’s mental and physical health ever since the rebirth.
       Toriel explained to Chujin that Asriel would act like he normally would most of the time; but sometimes he would start to panic and get a strong headache. Chujin wondered what could trigger such a thing and as Toriel kept explaining, he would reach the conclusion that it had something to do with the moments around his death.
       Since the resort was built after he passed, nothing there could hurt him, but Snowdin was also the place where his last remains were found. This made Chujin want to test his theory but he knew neither Toriel or Asgore would approve, and he didn’t want to jeopardize Kanako’s efforts on seducing Asriel either –but being the scientist that he is, he simply had to know. But he had to be patient.
       In the meantime, Asriel and Kanako kept bonding for a while until it was time for everyone to get together again, both dried their clothes with the flame monster and thank him, then moved on towards the inn.
       —Well, who’s hungry? —Toriel asked—.
       Both Kanako and Asriel cheered and Chujin took the opportunity to finally test his theory.
       —May I recommend some of the options we have? The inn offers good breakfasts and dinners, but for a good meal there are some nice places in the mall. —Said Chujin—.
       —Oh! How about Wild-Wild Underground? —Pleaded Kanako—.
       —Wild-Wild Underground? —Asked Asriel—.
       —Yes! They have cowboy stuff there!
       —I think we should let Asriel decide. —Intervened Ceroba—.
       After talking it out some more, everyone agreed to give the mall a chance, Kanako still tried to talk Asriel into the idea of her suggestion. Chujin instead would use that chance to find something that could connect Asriel to his past.
       
       ***
       
       The mall was filled with everything one could ask for: clothing shops, gift shops, drinks, snacks, restaurants of all kinds and much, much more. And even though everyone but Asriel had already been here at least once, there was always the chance of finding something new that would make the visit worthwhile.
       Toriel went into a bookstore, Asgore to a gardening supplies shop, Asriel to a flower stand; followed by Kanako and Chujin, while Ceroba followed from behind.
       Chujin expected the flowers to cause some sort of discomfort on Asriel given his current theories, but he seemed unaffected, even looking at some that were similar to the flower he once was.
       Still, determined to sample Asriel’s determination, Chujin got one that looked as similar as possible to Flowey and gifted it to Kanako, who used it as her headdress as per her father’s request.
       Next, came the time to make a choice on where to eat. Asriel, who now had been feeling more and more inclined into following Kanako’s footsteps, requested to eat at her restaurant of choice, the Wild-Wild Underground.
       The restaurant was actually really small and the theme was too overdone to go unnoticed. Everything had something to do with the wild west, from everything wearing a cowboy hat to the menu items having a personalized name like “The western burger” or “Horseshoe root beer”, it even had an arcade machine with two pistols holstered to the sides.
       —Come on, Asriel! —Kanako took him to this machine—. This game is the best!
       As both approached it, Kanako did so first and quickly took one of the fake guns to strike a pose.
       —In the west it is kill or be killed.
       Asriel felt like he had heard those words before, but now his mind wouldn’t let him recall anything at all –leaving him just with the sensation of unease.
       « Choose your character. » —The machine said—.
       And while Kanako looked for her favourite, Asriel slowly began to feel dizzy; he couldn’t tell why but his sight would go blurry as he looked at Kanako’s flower one last time before passing out.
       Everyone was in shock, even Chujin who couldn’t interpret why or how Asriel ended up unconscious, to the point of throwing away his theories altogether and instead trying to be the one to reach him first in order to check on his vital signs.
       Of course, Asriel was still very much alive, but it was clear a remnant of his past was still lingering somewhere in his physique.
       Chujin and the rest took him back to his lab to see what could be found, but Kanako was instead more worried about apologizing to Asriel, as she felt she had caused this to begin with; completely unaware of any previous occurrences.
       It took all the rest of the evening for Asriel to return to his senses, and by the time he did; he was already in the Ketsukane’s guests’ room.
       Suddenly a hand reached his hand.
       —I’m sorry… —Pleaded Kanako almost ready to cry—.
       —What happened, Kanako?
       —I pushed you too hard to do what I wanted… And before I knew it…
       Asriel interrupted her with a hug. He wasn’t sure what had happened, but he was sure it wasn’t her fault. This wasn’t the first time he went through this –and he couldn’t let Kanako blame herself for it.
       In return, Kanako hugged Asriel back as she tried to hold her tears. She was glad Asriel was forgiving her, yet she wanted to express her gratitude in a blunter manner. After all, ever since they became friends; she was under Chujin’s mission to seduce him, so him feeling bad wasn’t an option for her.
       Once the hug ended, she climbed on top of Asriel, sure of herself and her actions, as well as her desire to make it up to him. She had been practicing this with her dad for a while now, and according to him; this was the ultimate way to make a man happy –so, she leaned towards him for a kiss in the lips.
       Asriel was caught by surprise, yet he didn’t feel uncomfortable, instead, he let his body react to the impulses as it tried to kiss her back; unsure on how to do it. Kanako’s heart skipped a beat as she felt captivated by these new feelings, glad that Asriel did not reject her.
       The kiss continued until the two kids found a need for some air, their mouths still connected by a bridge of saliva that shortened and expanded depending on the distance between their lips.
       Asriel felt warmth coming from Kanako’s body, which overwhelmed him as their bodies got closer together. His hands moved on their own to caress it, yet he managed to restrain himself as his shy nature could not be overcome so easily. And when both finally stopped; Kanako could see in Asriel how much he felt embarrassed –to which she decided to continue her passionate apology.
       Slowly she took off her kimono, the same way she had taken it off back at the resort –but this time she had nothing underneath. Her flat chest mesmerized Asriel as he gazed upon her small nipples and slim figure, it could be seen just how flustered she was by looking at her tummy reflecting her agitated breath. Going further down were her vaginal lips, her pussy already getting wet with excitement.
       Once she was naked, realization hit her and immediately tried to cover herself with her hands, until Asriel’s sweet voice calmed her nerves.
       —You are really pretty…
       Those words would stay on her for a long time as she gently exposed herself again to him.
       Next, she began to undress Asriel, with him helping her. Funny enough, Asriel did not feel wrong about being naked himself –seemingly out of empathy towards her so she could feel as brave.
       Still, Asriel did surprise himself when Kanako took down his pants and underwear, as she exposed his erected penis, this being his first ever time seeing it hard and ready.
       His breathing was agitated and was afraid of his own body, despite everything it was still him and his shyness was getting the best of him. But that did not bother Kanako, who sat in a seiza position between Asriel’s legs and brought her hands to his penis.
       Her hands were warm, Asriel felt like he was in heaven right away as she began to stroke him, his mind going in circles as it tried to comprehend the situation and why he felt that way. After all, he was never made aware of what sex was and the functions of his member for reproduction and pleasure.
       —What… What are you doing? —Asked Asriel—.
       —J-just wait and see… —Kanako tried to not think about it too much as she was still embarrassed—.
       —It feels good…
       Kanako felt better after those words, this reflected on her hand movements as she kept masturbating Asriel harder and harder; which in return made Asriel moan from pleasure.
       His back arched a little as she went on, Asriel could feel the pressure building up in his dick as she kept stroking it –trying to look around as he attempted to hold it in as much as possible, but as their eyes met, he couldn’t take it anymore and began to cum for the first time in his life.
       It went everywhere and Asriel felt like he was in heaven as his cum kept flowing for a while. Kanako was surprised by the amount but she also felt that she had done wrong. From what Chujin showed her, Asriel’s cum should’ve been inside of her for them to breed. Now it was all over the place, and looking at Asriel; he seemed out for the count at the moment.
       Yet, she also felt pleased, as her intent at the moment was more so to apologize to him for what she thought was her fault, and thanks to her dad she knew Asriel could get hard again; so they could do it as much as they wanted to.
       Looking at Asriel also gave Kanako a sense of care, she remembered the other day when he helped that kid who fell and other moments that made her feel interested in him as what one would refer to as “partner”, even when she barely understood the concept.
       When he had stopped cumming she approached him, kissing Asriel in the lips gently as he kissed her back upon their lips meeting and thanks to Asriel’s youth, this was enough to recover his erection in minutes.
       —Did you like it? —Kanako asked him—.
       Asriel, a little ashamed just nodded to her.
       —We can continue if you want… —Kanako teased him, hoping for a positive answer—.
       Asriel nodded again.
       With a smile on her face she returned to her original seiza position, but this time instead of masturbating him again, she began to lick his penis clean. She was surprised, Asriel’s cum was sweet and she did not mind the taste, making her blowjob more intense as she was not bothered by it.
       Meanwhile, Asriel began to moan again shortly after, holding her head as his body told him to thrust in her mouth. It was warm and her tongue felt superior to anything Asriel had experience until then. Kanako also felt excited as Asriel fucked her mouth, moaning herself and causing the oral to make her cause all kinds of sounds.
       Her pussy began to get wet and now she could hardly hold herself in control while Asriel came again, this time filling her mouth with his cum, which she swallowed without a second thought.
       It was warm and sweet, and in copious amounts. This time, Asriel felt like heaven had fallen to him instead, but tired too and feeling sleepy already. But his tiredness would dissipate when Kanako climbed on top of him again, this time not for a kiss, but to grind her pussy against his now flaccid dick, in hopes that he would harden a third and last time.
       She was like a different lady at that moment, eager and ready to copulate with Asriel as originally intended.
       —Kanako… I don’t think I can…
       Asriel would ask for a time out but surprisingly enough; his penis disagreed, hardening at the touch of her pussy and the wetness of it covering from top to bottom.
       Kanako then guided it inside of her the way she was taught, and it was like nothing either of them had ever felt. Kanako launched a loud moan as Asriel’s dick penetrated her, and Asriel moaned as well when he felt her warm interior. Both bodies requesting each other as Kanako road his dick like a cowgirl would ride a horse –all whereas Asriel humped against her womb over and over.
       This time the act went for longer than before, with Asriel’s body trying to recover from the previous orgasms. Kanako on the other hand experienced an orgasm of her own multiple times, barely able to hold her own weight and resorting to lying on top of him so he could finish the job.
       Instead, Asriel hugged her as his hips kept moving on their own, and when it was time; both could tell.
       So, Asriel and Kanako kissed again, Asriel’s hands caressed her body, Kanako wagged her tail gently, and one last release came from the little boy; filling his partner with cum.
       Kanako felt realized. Not because she had completed her father’s request, but out of sheer love for Asriel. All that was left for both was to spend the night together.
       —I love you. —Said Kanako—.
       —I love you, too. —Replied Asriel—.
       
       ***
       
       The next day, after the Dreemurr had gone home, Kanako told her father what happened and he thanked her and congratulated her; if they kept going at it, they would have an army of boss monsters in no time and could take back their place on the surface once again.
       But one last challenge remained, if Kanako was impregnated with a child of her own; Ceroba would know, the Dreemurr had to know…
       A couple of months went by and it was evident it had worked, Kanako was carrying on her first child. Ceroba questioned it from start to finish; unaware of how could Kanako know what sex was; let alone how to do it. Chujin did his best to not look too excited. Asriel was both excited and scared. Toriel and Asgore could only feel embarrassment as they felt it was Asriel’s fault and no one else’s; despite feeling like Ceroba –unsure on how Asriel knew how to do it in the first place.
       This would go on for the following years as both Asriel and Kanako grew older and the number of future boss monsters kept rising. They would try new positions and anything that would spice things up; all so in the future, monsterkind could finally stand a fighting chance.
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