They had traveled for a while and had recently set up camp in the snow fields. To monsters with fur, this wasn't too bad of an area to be in. To people with none like Gaster and Gerson, it was freezing cold. Maybe not so much to any flame monsters either, who tended to be popular while the group was here.
Gaster spent most of his time around Anton for the heat of his flames. “Surprised to see a man of bones shivering next to me.” The flame monster signed to Gaster.
“A system of magically manifested nerves, that's all, yet makes for a sad existence. Maybe if I had less magic I would be without the ability to physically feel.” The scientist mutters out with a glance over at the other. He was slightly glad he had a friend that produced warmth as a flame being. Asgore was more happy for Gaster wasn't just hiding away for warmth of some kind.
“I'm sure you'd be glad to be without them during a time like this of course, though I guess it wouldn't be easy to get.” Anton swings an arm over Gaster's shoulder when he finishes writing with his flames. The shivering one was a bit surprised but didn't bother to move anyways. The warmth at least was appreciated.
“Thank you for your kindness.” Gaster responds as he moves his gaze to the nonliving flames burning off of small fallen branches monsters had gathered.
“Isn't it what we need in this period of time to keep thriving on? Kindness and teamwork?” Anton asks, having Gaster respond with a small nod. Couldn't say he was wrong at least but it didn't mean he wanted to comply with it exactly.
They only stayed there for maybe half a day of time to rest before beginning to get moving again. Gaster stayed by Asgore like an advisor as they quickly picked up to get on the move again. Before they could take off into more unknown territory though, a bunny monster walked up to the two and made them pause.
“Hello, your majesty. Some of us here monsters were wondering something.” Asgore looked over at the women, allowing her to know he was listening to what she had to say. “We were wonderin’ if ya minded if some of us who don't mind the cold stayed behind and maybe built a small town here.” Asgore seemed surprised, but clearly in a happy way.
“Yes, that is a wonderful idea. You have my full support in settling here.” The king responded, giving a big, bright smile. “We just need a name for it then.”
“Well with the location it might as well be Snowdin, no?” Gaster gives a small smile, one that rarely appears nowadays. Asgore seemed about to respond at first then paused, dumbfounded.
“Snowdin sounds wonderful!” The bunny spoke up. “Thank you, Dr. Gaster.” She bowed politely to both before walking off. The king was baffled, but eventually went to talk to his guards, without a word of anger said to Gaster over that name. He just helped give the monsters some support with any guards to spare.
With that all taken care of, the rest continued on their travels to explore the cave system. To Gaster, less people might be better anyways. Anton, even if he can keep himself warm in the snowy weather, had to decided to come along and catch up to Gaster at the start of the crowd, giving him a small wave for his attention. The scientist looked up and over, but didn't really bother to wave back.
“How are you?” Anton writes out, clearly hoping for an expansive conversation with the other, but it didn't really go as planned as Gaster just shrugs off the question. He thought for a moment before making another attempt at communicating. “I would have been settled down with the others but I wanted to keep helping this group out first. There's still a lot to go after all so u want to play my part in this.”
“We're glad for your help then.” Gaster responds, giving a weak smile since he was unsure how to respond otherwise. He didn't want to make Anton go away either, mainly because he felt too tired to deal with trying to find a way to let him go away on his own rather than Gaster pushing him away, so it was better to that let it happen and feel the guilt later.
Soon the snow became slushy and the ground was becoming more of a wet area. ”Dang it.” Anton writes with an inaudible laugh that acted more like a smile than anything. Admittedly, it did make Gaster smile a bit.
“Turn back if you need to. We don't want anything bad to happen as we go.” He states. Anton just shrugged it off with little worries about it clearly.
“As long as it doesn't rain or I don't get dunked in water, I'm fine.” He gives a smile and Gaster just nods. Eventually, Anton tries to start a conversation again, or at least revive the one that ended. “So what do you plan to do when you find some place to settle?”
Gaster shrugs at first, taking a minute to get a response. “Work? Most likely the case at least.”
“Really?” Anton starts. “Don't you already do that? And isn't it kind of boring? Even for a scientist like you, right?” Gaster tried to deny it with the shake of his head, but the flame monster clearly wasn't all that convinced with the answer, so he pressed on. “Well, I myself might start a business or go raise a kid so things don't feel so lonely wherever I choose to love. I'm not sure yet though.”
Gaster shrugged, yet again. Maybe one day he'll get tired of having to shrug things off his shoulders. “Seems like a plan. Depending on how you do it you could have a chance of doing both together.” Anton seemed to like the idea instantly, giving a bright smile.
“Yeah! I think I could try balancing both.” Anton even adds a smile in flames before writing out a ‘thank you’, making it clear he's grateful for Gaster's opinion in the matter. Luckily for Gaster, the conversation ended there.
The group of monsters kept traveling on with small conversations between each other to keep their minds somewhere so they aren't bored most of the way, yet they also quickly became entranced by the sights of the water area. Some guards had to keep an eye out for anyone wandering away, especially any of the kids. It was a dangerous area with cliffs and pitfalls most of the time, so it was only common sense to keep an eye on where everyone was.
They would stop midway, or at least where they thought was midway, to let any monsters who wanted to wander and explore the beauty of this part of the caves do so and let the rest take a break. Gaster actually was interested in this area to explore it for its various features of fauna. The blue flower field nearby became his first research site since it wasn't too far and many had already gathered there, which allowed him to observe others interacting with the new flowers.
Gaster surprisingly enjoyed sitting amongst the flowers and sketching them out in his journal. Most of the facts he gathered came from the monsters, for the flowers seemed to repeat their words, so the interacts were crucial to his data. The monsters even quickly realized what the flowers were essentially doing and gave them a simple name, going around and calling them “echo flowers”, just for they echo back what they “hear” and nothing else. That's just how some names tend to come into play at least.
The monsters even made it a game, to put secret messages for their friends and family, and sometimes just for those passing by. Even wholesome messages were spread around, cheering up each others day or night, whatever the time was anymore. It didn't matter, they were at least happy now compared to the boring old days.
Gaster's observance time of the noise echoing flowers quickly, and sadly, had halted when Asgore took him by surprise, for the king had snuck up on the scientist to see what he was up to and Gaster never took notice until Asgore spoke. “You draw wonderfully, Gaster.”
With a jump and attempt to not react too badly, the mentioned skeleton turned around to face Asgore with an upset look to him. Even if it didn't seem to bother the goat. “Can you not sneak up on me next time you want to say something?” Gaster asks and makes the other chuckle. Asgore sat down next to his friend and takes in a glance at the surrounding area, at his people who were enjoying themselves and dragging others to play with the flowers.
“Sorry.” The fluffy monster starts. “Didn't think I would say anything at first, but your flower drawing is still nice looking.” He gives a small smile, but Gaster just goes back to writing down notes in more detail.
“Flowers aren't that hard to do, honestly.” He mutters out. Asgore lets out a small chuckle before patting the other on his head gently.
“Still.” The other leaned away as the king spoke, trying to get out of the pats as he grumbles a bit. “I'm glad you re finding interests in these caves like everyone else. It'll be good for you.”
“Yeah. Maybe so.” Gaster responds plainly, purposely for nothing to say unless Asgore had different topics, and just kept making more observations of the fauna. Apparently, the other did have something to say.
“I was wondering what to name this place, without letting you this time for last time's well… incident.” Gaster let out a soft chuckle after hearing that, growing more proud of the name. Asgore just continued, even if he seemed upset that his friend just laughed it off. How dare he. “I was thinking of Waterfall, you know, since its a water filled area with waterfalls.”
“That's a pretty overly simple name, don't you think?” Gaster asks, running out of room on his journal page at this point, but it would last enough.
“It is a name good enough to call the area! Everyone will know what they're referring to even if they never heard it before!” Asgore argues, having some kind of point.
“Well, I guess I can't argue with that. Go with it if you really like it.” Gaster didn't want to argue anyways though, so he left it at that. “It's your decision as king.”
“Mhm. I'll announce it then when everyone gathers back up. They'll like the name, I promise you. Which means I'm right.” Asgore states as he crosses his arms. Gaster rolls his eyes, closing up the journal.
“Yet I also have a name to a place, which is also easy to tell what it is. Wouldn't that make it like a tie?” He looks over, finding Asgore's posture seeming to weaken a bit at the facts presented.
“W-well, I'll have three names in total actually! So this'll just be after hearing your type of names that they still like mine, so I'm still right.”
“Alright, whatever you say big guy. I guess you would win in the end, unless they like mine more.” Gaster at least believed he had some kind of point anyways. “I plan to get going now anyways, more places to explore.” Asgore gave a small nod as a start to his response.
“Stay safe and be back soon then.” He says as he gets up with Gaster. The scientist gives him a glance before walking away with a wave, allowing Asgore to be free of his presence. Gaster didn't feel like staying around him anyways.
He kept walking until he found a more desolate place, near a river where a few rocks shine like stars, though not as many as some other areas had. They were definitely more scattered in this area. He'll have to see how they work later though, how they glow exactly. If it's just retracting light somehow or producing it themselves.
Gaster paused when he heard some steps behind him, looking around to see who it was. It sounded like someone was running though, so they were gone from the area quick. He got up and walked the place, trying to find a more interesting area, and maybe he'll find whoever has decided to wander so far from the group like he had.
