ARC 4 - Asriel Return: Chapter 47
We all dream when our minds shut down our bodies and plunge into the deepest depths of our unconscious, where we relive memories, fears, happy moments, and, sometimes, even visions of what is to come. Unlike humans, who very often forget their dreams, monsters, especially the most powerful ones, remember them all and tend to forget them only after decades….
…A long time ago, there lived a rather lonely Prince inside a grand palace. Asriel, that was his name, was deeply loved by the King and Queen and was constantly pampered and protected by his parents, but perhaps precisely because of this attachment to their only son, the poor little Prince had no friends. All the children ignored him or turned away when he walked through the streets of the Underground, all except one. Asriel would forever remember her scent of winter, her smile capable of melting even the hardest and coldest ice, and her cheerful, rebellious spirit. They were inseparable friends; they spent entire days playing, telling each other stories, and exploring the entire Underground, but as the little Prince would soon learn, nothing lasts forever in this world…
Asriel wakes up suddenly, gasping for breath; his head is resting on a stack of papers, his right hand is still clutching that pen, and from what he can make out from the light outside, it seems to be the dead of night.
Asriel: I must have fallen asleep…
The King stands up, yawning loudly and stretching his arms and back, then walks slowly toward the window to look outside. The lights illuminate the entire Fountain, and the moon is barely visible, shrouded by soft, pure white clouds. Asriel decides to go to his room and change his clothes; if he plans to go out for some fresh air, he wants to avoid causing chaos in case any monsters are still around, so he’ll take off his royal robe, carefully storing it in a special closet, and dress only in a black jacket and very dark jeans, barefoot since monsters tend not to wear shoes, and, of course, the locket that Chara gave him before he left. He opens it to take a good look at it; the words “Best Friend Forever” bring back a flood of memories, and for a moment it might almost seem as if tears are dampening his thick, pure white fur, but the King composes himself almost immediately. Putting the locket around his neck, he leaves the castle and heads toward Snowdin, but not before stopping by a certain place to get a ride.
Asriel: Can you give me a ride?
River man: Sure, Your Majesty.
The trip is fairly quiet; about three weeks have passed since their last meeting, but neither of them seems particularly eager to bring up the subject again. Once he arrives at his destination, Asriel nods to the River Man, who politely returns the gesture, and then heads toward Grillby’s.
Asriel: I had been warned that this place had adapted also a nighttime schedule, but I never imagined those rumors were true.
The pub always has that same smell of french fries and hamburgers, the warmth of a place you could almost call a second home, perhaps partly because the owner is a fire monster; who knows? Grillby is behind the usual counter, elegantly polishing glasses and arranging the shelf displaying various liquors, when, upon hearing the King words, his gaze turn toward him.
Grillby: It was Muffet's idea. At first, I wasn't in favor of keeping the place open 24 hours a day, but she took the day and afternoon shifts, so I took the evening and night shifts.
Asriel: Wow, I didn't think she'd actually be able to convince you.
Grillby: Yeah, neither was I.
Asriel sits down at one of the stools at the counter while Grillby serves him a rather large cup of hot milk.
Asriel: You've been business partners for thirteen years now, haven't you?
Grillby: Huh?
Asriel: Huh?
Grillby: You're joking, aren't you, my King?
Asriel: Did I say something wrong?
Grillby simply lets out a snort, placing his left thumb and middle finger at eye level as if to rub them; throughout all this, Asriel looks very confused.
Grillby: My King, Muffet and I aren't just "business partners", we got married seven years ago.
Asriel: Huh?
Asriel's brain is in complete disarray right now, so his neurons are taking longer than usual to make connections, and, most importantly, he's only now noticing the red ring Grillby is wearing.
Asriel: HUH?! WHY DIDN'T ANYONE EVER TELL ME ABOUT THIS?!
Grillby: Everyone at Fountain knows that, my King.
Asriel: EVERYONE?! THEN FRISK, CHARA, NIAMH, SANS....
Grillby: Yes, my King. But don't feel guilty about it, after all, you weren't there at the time, and even Princess Frisk didn't find out until a few weeks after she was freed from her seal.
After all, Asriel certainly can't tell him that he was a soulless flower back then, but he still knew almost everything about the updates at the Fountain, so how could he have missed such an important event?
Asriel: Yeah, well, for what it's worth now, congratulations, Grillby, I'm happy for you two.
Grillby: Thank you, my King. If I may ask, how are things between you and your brother?
Asriel: Don't worry, even though I was forced to do what I did, I'll always love Chara with all my heart. He'll always be my brother, no matter what happens. And of course, I love Frisk very much, too.
Grillby: I'm really glad to hear that. My wife and daughter were convinced that you two had had a fight, but I knew that wasn't the case.
Asriel: Yeah, no, don't worry about it.
Asriel sips his warm milk; for a few moments, his mind goes blank again, then his gaze falls once more on Grillby, looking even more incredulous than before.
Asriel: YOU HAVE A DAUGHTER?!
And more or less, the rest of the night will continue along these lines, amid Grillby’s sighs and Asriel’s constant shocks. Meanwhile, at the True Lab…
Sans: Yo.
River man: Yo.
Sans: It's not usual to see you away from your boat.
The True Lab is mostly shrouded in darkness, except for the office, where Sans is now sitting comfortably in his black armchair, his magic eye fixed on the hooded figure that has appeared before him.
Sans: What brings you here?
River man: Just a quick hi to an old friend.
Sans: And what's the real reason?
River man: Suspicious as ever, Sans.
Sans: Unlike you, I lived through the war against humans, what do you want?
River man: Just letting you know that the King knows about our contracts.
Sans: What game are you playing?
Sans's tone is incredibly colder and more serious than usual; his gaze is fixed on the hooded figure, who gives him a slight smile.
River man: Isn't that funny? Knowing about the multiverse, but being unable to travel there or interact with it directly.
Sans: What's the point? You're not the kind of monster who likes to talk nonsense for no reason.
River man: You're right, so I'll get right to the point.
The room suddenly becomes much colder; the hooded entity removes its hood, revealing an icy glare directed at Sans, who remains on guard.
River man: I intend to kill the exiled prince.
Sans says nothing in response to this statement, while the entity carefully puts the hood back on his head, covering his face once more. The biting cold that had filled the air has now completely dissipated.
River man: It was nice to chat with you for a bit, Sans.
The hooded figure will quickly vanish from Sans's office, leaving him torn about what to do: Should he tell the King, or should he keep it a secret and let her do as she pleases?
Sans: Shit.
//Next chapter tomorrow
