As Ambassador Frisk Dreemurr, it was your duty to show your new guest the hospitality of Ebott Town.
The first step to that end involved putting some distance between the super serious talk going on with Cenna and Aiden. You trusted that you’ll eventually figure out what’s going on. For now, your duty was to keep Bobby entertained enough so he doesn’t run away.
Despite Bobby’s floppy tantrum of epic proportions, your initial introduction actually went rather well. You exchanged hellos without a single hint of drama.
“Your name’s Frisk?” He said, “Then, you’re the kid Mommy wanted to adopt. I remember she told me that I might get a new… brother? Sister? Sibling?”
Yep. Wow, that means that Bobby and you almost became family!
Muttering, he said: “I’m glad that didn’t happen.”
Flowey popped over your right shoulder, chuckling. “Ooooh, I see now. You’re a momma’s boy.”
Chara did the same for the left side, rubbing salt into a wound. “A bratty mommy’s boy.”
Angered, Bobby tried to grab them. “Shut up you stupid flowers!”
Whoa, whoa, whoa. Let’s not get feisty with the adults nearby. We might get a timeout if we don’t behave.
The mere thought of Aiden potentially punishing him was enough to stop Bobby’s verbal assault. Then, you heard his stomach growl. Could it be possible that he hadn’t had anything to eat since the wee hours of the morning?
Pointing over your shoulder, you offered to get Bobby a sandwich.
Niton gave his thumbs up of approval at the suggestion. “Food always very good!”
Dayton with his strict-but-tired-big-brother tone said: “Just promise us you won’t run away with the lunch. Or run away at all.”
Realising just how hungry he had become, Bobby agreed to those terms and conditions without a second thought. “Okay, okay, I promise!”
So, it’s off to the kitchen again! You took the lead to escort the group there. Though, you noticed that the teenagers were ready to intercept any escape attempt in the blink of an eye.
While still riding on your shoulders, Flowey ever so quietly whispered his concerns into your ear. “Are you sure you can handle this, Frisk? You’ve not interacted with a human kid of your age for a long, long time.”
“Azzy is right,” Chara joined him, even quieter. “You and I both know we were stuck in a decade-long loop. You’ve almost spent more time with monster children than human ones.”
…The flowers have a point. You feel a little rusty with the whole kid-socialisation gig. Just a little. But, you think you’ll do okay. There’s always the Aratet boys to back you up.
Flowey wasn’t sure at first, but then he said: “You know what? I think Chara and I should leave to settle business.”
Huh? Business? What would that be?
Flustering, he went full tsunderflower on you. “Y-y-you should already know if you’ve been paying attention, you idiot! I’m trying to help you!”
Oh, THAT. You smiled and thanked him.
“C’mon Chara.” He held leaves with the rosy-cheeked flower sibling. “You wanna help Frisk too, right? Follow me.”
“Of course,” said Chara. “Better than staying around that Gungnir trash.”
“…I’m definitely getting you a bar of chocolate. Your edgy one-liners are starting to grate on my nerves.”
Your flower siblings thus hopped off your shoulders and scurried on out.
Arriving at the kitchen yourself, you noticed someone missing. Where did Old Man Jacob go? The former-Greys seem worried. You asked them if something had happened.
Goner replied: “Mister Jacob suddenly left after reading a message on his phone. He didn’t explain why. Anyway, do you need anything, Frisk?”
A sandwich for your new guest, please. Bobby is his name.
The boy huffed, “I don’t want anything from those weird monsters.”
An understandable concern for any human with a Gungnir background. Alright then, you will make his sandwich with your certified 100% human hands.
“You know how to make one? I… I guess that works.”
Time to get to work then. You washed your hands at the sink and asked The Greys to step aside so you can take the ingredients out of the fridge.
All that was left in the tin serving tray was a handful of tuna, a bit of cheese, and a couple of sliced cucumbers. You asked Bobby if he’s alright with fish.
“I’m okay with anything,” replied Bobby.
Alright then. You made the tuna, cheese, cucumber sandwich for Bobby. Added some fresh cool water on the side too. He must be thirsty on this rather warm day.
He munched the sandwich down with delight. After a glug of water, he exclaimed: “Ah! Real bread tastes soooo good!”
‘Real bread’? He doesn’t get to eat bread at home?
“Yeah. I never get to eat bread at home. Any bread in the house would be this fake ‘gluten-free’ crap.”
Why so?
“My stepdad can’t eat anything with wheat in it. Mommy said it makes him very sick.”
Having a stepdad meant that his mother remarried. You’re no stranger to complicated family trees, considering your circumstances.
You rubbed your chin, noting that Bobby didn’t like his new dad.
“He’s weak as fack. He can’t eat normal things like bread and peanuts, he can’t punch anything, and Mommy is still stressed out. I thought having a new dad would make us happier, but nothing really changed. I don’t understand why Mommy even married him.”
What about his original dad?
Just the thought of his bio father soured Bobby’s mood. He begrudgingly took a bite out of the sandwich that he once enjoyed. “Dunno! Dun care! He ditched Mommy and I’ll never forgive him!”
His insecurity might be the reason why he was so aggressive. In his mind, his safe home was already being intruded by a stranger. He wouldn’t have accepted you as a sibling either.
The boy exclaimed, “I’m gonna grow up big and strong like Mommy’s friends! Then I can protect her from the witches and warlocks and monsters!”
Rolling his eyes, Dayton grumbled: “And yet you hurt your mother by lying to her. I can’t believe we’re both Gungnir…”
The poor kid continued munching his food in a shamed silence.
Niton sat down next to Bobby and asked. “You think mom also weak? That why you protect?”
The boy didn’t answer. From his nibbling, it seemed that he had conflicted feelings about his mother.
Showing two thumbs up with a big smile, Niton praised: “Good son! Very good!”
Bobby’s face blushed in surprise. Now that’s a Frisk-quality ACT that you can appreciate. You’re curious to hear Niton’s reasoning.
“Moms are strong. But, being strong all the time very tiring. Mom must be tired after working long, long day. That’s why to Bobby, Mom looks weak. Get?”
Bobby scrunched his brows. “What the fack are you talking about?”
Translating Niton’s sentiment, you told Bobby that – as Linda’s son – he’s the person closest to her. He would be seeing a side that she’d never show to others. Since it’s exhausting to maintain a strong front, day in and day out, she might be letting her guard down at home. That’s why she seems defenceless to him.
Staring down on the table, he said, “… I think you’re right.”
His heart is in the right place. Still, the answer doesn’t involve crimes. Arson and violence would only land him in jail.
Would Bobby like to hear about your family instead?
“Sure…?”
You first explained that your biological parents died in an accident. Your big sister Cenna had to put you in a foster home because of her job. Then, ten years later, both siblings were adopted by the King and Queen of Monsters.
King Asgore, your new Dad, is a giant fluffybuns. Although wise, he’s so kind that he can be a bit of a pushover.
“Hah!” Bobby smirked. “Sounds like you got a wimpy dad too.”
Maybe at heart. When it comes to physical and magical strength, he’s the strongest of the strong! Real muscles hide under that ‘dad bod’. He’s also a great gardener, and his PR skills are just as vibrant. Every single monster in Ebott Town respects him.
By the way, how long had his mom married his stepdad?
“Two years now… I think?”
That’s not very long. Maybe Bobby’s stepdad has a strength he’s not aware of yet?
“Dun believe! …Can you tell me about your Mom?”
Queen Toriel, your new Mom, is in many ways the opposite of your Dad. Although she’s motherly, she’s also super no-nonsense. Once she puts her foot down, it’s hard to make her budge.
Because of her personality, Mom doesn’t make friends easily. Deep down, she’s a very lonely person. You could count the number of friends she has with one hand.
Bobby stared back at you in bewilderment. Perhaps the fact that you had similar moms blew his mind.
After a while, he asked: “How do you protect her?”
By being the Ambassador monsterkind needs and deserves.
Your answer only served to further confuse Bobby. You were reminded that he’s the normal kid here, and you had grown way ahead of him.
In a nutshell: by being a good and responsible kid. As much as you could anyway. Sometimes, the adventures come looking for you.
Though… you wanna let Bobby in on a little secret.
The thought made his eyes light up. “What is it?”
Leaning forward, you whispered that your Mom has an admirer. He would do anything and everything to protect her. Because of his efforts, you never need to worry.
“He won’t take your mommy away from you?”
No. Actually, he was the one who helped your parents get back together. They were once unofficially divorced. Mister Admirer could have easily swooped in and become your new dad. Instead, he chose to help repair the relationship. Though it will be up to your parents to stay together, they now have a second chance because of his love.
Bobby said, “Wow. He sounds sooo cool.”
Sans being called cool unironically by a kid almost made you burst into laughter. You barely managed to suppress your funny bone with your determination.
In the end, you agreed with Bobby. He’s super cool indeed.
It was then you spotted Cenna standing in the lobby. Oh! She must have finished her talk with Aiden. You excitedly hopped off your chair to greet her.
“Yo, Frisky!” She gave you her classic head rub. “How’s it going with the kiddo?”
You took out your pocket comb and re-adjusted your hair. You said that everything is A.O.K.! Bobby’s having his lunch right now. How long will it take for his mom to arrive?
“Hmmm, maybe an hour? An hour and a half at max. She lives in a suburb, so she’s closer to Ebott compared to The Spire.”
Well, there’s no better way to kill time than to play some games!
“Uh, sorry to rain on your parade but… where are ya gonna play them?”
With a tip of her hat, she brought your attention to the destroyed lobby. Alphys had just deployed a bunch of robots to clean up the place. In addition, your Mom and Dad pitched in to help throw out chunks that were too big for the robots to handle alone.
You considered the second recreational room deep in the True Lab, but you immediately chucked out that idea. The True Lab is too private, too top secret, and situated far too close to Flowey’s ad-hoc greenhouse of cursed Goldenflowers.
If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
Didn’t Alphys have a really wide monitor somewhere? Was it moved into the workshop? You can’t remember…
Noticing your concern, Mom paused her work and approached you. “Is there a problem, my child?”
You explained that you want to entertain your guests with video games.
“Oh my, what a cute idea. Could you be a little more patient? I will clean the spot in front of the television for you.”
Awesome, Mom! You thanked her and hopped back to Bobby to deliver the good news.
But he straight up replied: “Video games suck! They’re boring!”
You felt his words stab through your heart, inflicting real physical pain. A kid in the present day? Living in the city? Saying video games suck? How is that even possible?!??!?!?
Cenna snickered. “What would you prefer, Bobby buddy?”
“Badminton,” he answered with great confidence. “I’m great at it!”
Bobby’s taste of sports defied your expectations. The last time you played badminton as a foster-home kid, nobody could bat the shuttle more than twice. Not even you. Because of its difficulty, most kids of your age preferred other kinds of sports.
That’s a pickle. You’re definitely sure that this Lab is not equipped for badminton. How are you going to do that without rackets and shuttles??? Nevermind the net.
The Aratet brothers started talking among each other in their native tongue. Niton’s face lit up in inspiration. He dug into his pants pocket, pulled out a felt pouch, and poured the contents over the table. What came out were five water-worn stone pebbles, each about the size of a small nut.
“This how you play.” He picked up one of the scattered pieces and tossed it upwards. While airborne, he deftly picked up another and caught the falling pebble before it hit the table.
Dayton resumed the explanation from where his brother left off: “You can’t let any of the pieces go. Each round, you need to pick up one more while keeping hold of the ones you already grabbed. Repeat until you got them all!”
The premise was simple yet intriguing.
On the other hand, Bobby remained unimpressed. “What’s so fun about picking up puny rocks?”
Out of your own curiosity, you offered to try. Thus, the pebbles were passed into your hands.
After scattering them on the table’s surface, you picked up one rock, tossed it in the air, then hurried to grab another piece. But, you were too slow and the rock landed on the table with a small thud. In sports terms, that would be called a ‘foul’.
You tried again. This time, your fingers accidentally flicked the pebble across the table. You lunged forward to catch it before it slid off. Another foul.
You tried yet again. Now you went and accidentally nudged a different rock that was too close to your target. Yet another foul!
This… this skill. This intuition. This dexterity! You could catch knives in mid-air, yet you failed at a simple children’s game?!?
Bobby, this is harder than it looks!
Enticed by your failures, the boy decided to try it for himself. He succeeded on his first attempt, but you could tell that it was a rather close call. A little slower and he would have fouled as well.
“Whoa… And I have to do this again with everything still in my hand?”
Yup! That’s right! Which means it’s going to get more and more difficult over time.
With the biggest, brightest, and happiest grin on his face, the boy continued the game.
You and Bobby started taking turns, passing over after every foul. You were reminded of a trait commonly associated with young children: anything and everything could become a toy or a game.
Finally, after many rounds, you succeeded in catching all five stones with one hand! Bobby also mastered it in roughly the same time as you did.
It was then you heard Mom’s voice. “Oh my, am I seeing jackstones? I thought the human world had all but forgotten about that game.”
All heads turned to Queen Toriel. Ah, that’s right. Earlier, you had asked Mom to clear a space in the lobby to play video games. Sorry Mom, you got caught up with something else.
“It is fine, dear,” she smiled. “I am happier that you are learning something new. Who taught you this?”
You showed your hand to the Aratet brothers.
Dayton blushed, turning his head aside. “I-it’s nothing. I noticed that the city kids in this country have tons of different toys. That’s not even counting the digital stuff. They don’t have a need to play silly stone games.”
“But they are missing out so much,” Mom remarked. “Without this game, they will never discover what their hands can do.”
What does she mean?
“Hmmm… I might embarrass myself with my rusty skills, but perhaps this old goat can show you children some tricks. Could you pass the pebbles to me?”
Turning to Niton, you asked for his permission to let the Queen of Monsters present her wisdom.
Niton replied, “Yes! Very happy!”
Thanks!
With the owner’s approval, you gave Mom the pebbles. She rolled them on the table just like usual. After tossing her rock, she reached out to pick up another. However, instead of just collecting the pieces, she began switching them under her palm. It was like a stage magic trick!
Feeling more confident, Mom continued her demonstration. “If you are gentle enough, you can do tricks like these.”
She threw the stones upwards and immediately flipped her hand. The rocks landed neatly on the back of her hand without falling off the edge. If that wasn’t impressive enough, Mom tossed the stones upwards -- backhanded -- and caught them in one fell swoop!
That’s soooooooo cool!!! You clapped your hands at the performance.
Giggling, your Mom placed the stones back on the table. “I had plenty of practice when I was still a princess. Ah… I remember sitting in a circle on the floor with my maids, using the forest nuts to play. The winner got to have a free snack. If you would like, I could perhaps teach you more of my childhood games in the future.”
Awesome! That’s a great plan!
“In the meantime,” said Mom, “I suggest that we move outside and sit on the floor. It is much easier to play that way. Plus I do not want to damage Doctor Alphys’ table any further with our pebble romping.”
Oops. You just realised that your fouls had scratched the surface. You tried to polish the marks off with your sleeve, however futile that may be.
The game continued at the now-cleared lobby, playing it just like how Mom used to do.
Your session soon attracted Alphys’ attention. She wanted to try as well… yet failing spectacularly. Every stone she tossed steered way off course. One landed on the brim of Cenna’s hat at some point. In great embarrassment, she excused herself.
Dad managed to watch a few rounds before the town’s citizens whisked him away for official business. Meanwhile, Rosemary, Jacob, and Lucas walked right past your group, not even stopping to take a peek. You sensed plenty of bad vibes from their direction, so you let them be.
Towards the end of your play session, Mom and Dayton had a friendly square-off. They were almost on equal ground in terms of skill. It was like watching two professional athletes trying to outdo each other with one arm tied to their backs. Anything competitive gets ridiculously entertaining, no matter the shape or form.
Eventually, everyone grew tired in a good way. All energy had been spent, and thus it was time to chill out! You sat around on the floor with snacks and drinks. Alphys’ vending machines supplied your group with all the Popato Chisps and MTT Soda you could ever need. Though Dayton had a canned tea, since he hates sodas.
You wondered how long the vending machines’ supply would last with all the new visitors around lately. Hopefully, she could restock tomorrow morning.
Mom chuckled with a rival-face smirk. “Young man, you must have had plenty of practice.”
Dayton kept glancing aside, trying to hide from the proverbial spotlight. “N-not as much as you’d think. I’m usually too busy helping my parents out. Come to think of it, my sister would be five now. I don’t think she remembers me anymore.”
Cenna asked: “You’ve been here for two years as a foreign student, right?”
“Yeah, but it took me another year to prepare. So that makes it three years total… I think? Yeah, that’s right. I was 12 when I got my personal earring, allowing me to leave the village.”
You’ve been meaning to ask about the earrings. All the Aratet seem to have them. What do they mean?
Dayton explained, “It’s like our ID card. Every Aratet kid would have their ears pierced on their first birthday, one for boys and two for girls. They wear plain studs of wood or bone until the passage to adulthood begins. The ceremony involves going to the elders for a divination regarding the ‘true shape of the soul’, and the resulting image would be fashioned into an earring by a master craftsman.”
Niton did not hesitate to remove his earring so that you could take a look up close. “Here, here, you can see!”
His gold earring was still warm from his body heat. Moon? That’s a little odd. It didn’t match his, uh, ‘holy gift’.
With Bobby around, it was better for you to be discreet with big terms like ‘Mark’ or ‘Chosen One’. Never know what he might conclude…
Shy, Niton replied: “Elders said I not ready to show true shape of soul yet. Very dangerous if Vampire my enemy. But he not enemy anymore! So earring can change to true shape!”
If you remember right, Aiden’s earring had the carving of a lightning bolt.
Keeping your thoughts to yourself, you noted internally how the ‘shape of his soul’ matched his Mark: the manifestation of his Determination. If Dayton was a Chosen One instead of Niton, his Mark would have been the sun. The elders of his tribe seemingly had a method to perceive a person’s inner symbol. How intriguing.
You asked if the material of the earrings has any significance.
Dayton explained, “It‘s an indicator of wealth and status. Dad is the head of the tribe, so he and his family must wear either gold, gemstones, or fine horn. Otherwise, the family loses honour and respect. Imagine being so poor that even your biggest chief had to wear cheap wood. He wouldn’t have the resources to lead or help others.”
You quickly gave the earring back to Niton. Gold… is a very heavy metal, physically and symbolically. Huge responsibility hides behind that glitter.
Mom said, “Speaking from experience, are we?”
You snorted. Totally, being the Golden Quiche and all.
Bobby had tuned out halfway through the conversation. Without warning, you snapped him right back by asking whether or not he wants to get a cool personalised earring of his own.
Grabbing his ears in fear, he exclaimed, “No way! Earrings are for girls here! A-a-a-and it sounds painful too!”
Gotta withstand the pain if he wants to be a warrior. How is he gonna take punches if he’s scared of the tiniest stab?
“It’s because it IS a stab! I-I’m supposed to avoid getting stabbed, not stab myself on purpose!”
Everyone chuckled at his reaction. You thought it was pretty cute.
“Well Bobby, you are not wrong there. Fighting without getting hurt is always better in the long run.”
“See? See?” He stuck his tongue out at you. “Your mommy agrees with me.”
Ho ho ho! Bobby played the parent-support card. You then suggested that maybe he should learn some magic.
“Are you nuts?!?! Magic is even more dangerous!”
Exactly. Magic is indeed dangerous. That’s why he should learn more about it. Think of it this way. Knives are also dangerous, right?
“Yeah… Mommy doesn’t let me use them.”
That’s because he doesn’t know how to handle them properly. You tell him that you’re allowed to use knives nowadays because you’ve received special training.
“What Frisk said is true,” said Mom, “They are quite good with a knife. While I still keep watch, I no longer worry that they might cut themselves by accident.”
Even if Bobby doesn’t want to actually cast any magic, he should at least learn the basics from Mom, The Queen of Monsters! Since she’s a teacher too, feel free to ask anything.
He started to think. “Um… That walking fire guy. He didn’t burn me. I thought he’s going to be hot like a real fire. Why wasn’t he?”
That’s right, Flowey said that Grillby rescued him. You realise that he used to handle all kinds of alcohol and cold drinks that shouldn’t get along with heat.
“Ah, you see,” Toriel explained, “That is because fire monsters such as Grillby and myself can control the amount of heat we express. Look here.”
Mom conjured a flame in her hand. It burned hot and bright. This is the standard fire that you’re familiar with.
“Do not stick your hands in this one, dear children. If you look closely, it is moving very fast. Fire is created by a chemical reaction between oxygen and a fuel. It releases a lot of heat, and that is what makes it dangerous. Next, I am going to slow down the rate of burning.”
The flame weakened right before your eyes. It began to look more like a bunch of wisps floating in a cluster.
“Go ahead, you may touch it now. It will not hurt.”
Taking the lead, you stuck your hand into the ‘flame’. It was warm, but it did not burn your hand. You could even swirl your finger inside to make the particles spin.
Seeing that you’re safe, the rest of the boys tried to touch the cluster of magic. They’re amazed that it didn’t hurt at all.
“It’s not hot! It’s cold? Warm? Cold?”
“Can fire be cold?”
“It’s more like a bunch of lights, weird.”
Mom continued her explanation with a smile. “See the difference? Most of the energy is now expressed as light. That is why it does not feel too hot.”
You get it now! Most of the time Grillby is on low-heat mode, that’s why he doesn’t set everything on fire by default. Proper magic discipline is all about the will and the heart.
“That’s correct, my child. Truth to be told, I heard from Asgore that Grillby has an excellent sense of control. I have seen many other fire-type monsters warming their cold drinks when they get excited. He does not tend to do that.”
So… whenever he’s angry enough to toast bread over his head, he consciously chooses to?
“Yes. I would believe so.”
You have gained a new appreciation for his patience as a bar owner turned knight.
“Therefore,” said Mom. “If the magic comes from a calm and friendly monster, it should never hurt you. Still, just like fire, the force known as ‘magic’ must be respected at all times. Without a caster, it has no mind of its own. It does not discriminate between friend or foe.”
Upon this very moment, Linda Buttons stumbled through the front entrance. The mom of the hour arrived much earlier than you expected! You peeked at your phone’s clock. Wow. Where did the time go?!
“What the hell is up with this crazy town???” she barked. “There are ten different border checks and they all contradict each other! Who cares about a riot that’s already over??? Do those Magi think they could stop a mom on a mission? I would have still been stuck there forever if that dashing police officer didn’t let me through. Ah, he’s so polite, so courteous, so understanding, like a modern day Sherlock Holmes. If only he’s a little younger, I would have married him instead…”
How scandalous. You covered Bobby’s ears to save him from listening to all that weird adult fantasising.
“Huh?” He asked, “Why are you doing that? It’s Mommy’s usual complaining, that’s all.”
Oh sweet, sweet summer child. He doesn’t know any better. Are all children of Bobby’s age this innocent? Perhaps you were the one who knew too much, too young? It must be Skulls;Goat at work.
Continuing to grumble to herself, Linda said: “Turn left for the toilet, is that what the lizard said? Ugh I hate being stuck in a car for hours like that. I didn’t even drink any water on the way here!”
After finishing her very urgent business, Linda’s Mom Mode activated in full force. She rushed straight to Bobby and inspected him from head to toe. “Robert! I was worried sick about you! Are you in pain? The officer lady said you had some burns.”
Putting up a strong front, the kid said: “I’m fine, Mommy. I’m sorry to make you worry.”
She hugged him tight. “Thank goodness you’re alright. Never run away like that ever again, okay???”
“Mmm. Okay, Mommy. I promise.”
Bobby became such a quiet mouse in his mother’s hands. No wonder she had little to no awareness of his delinquent side.
Once the reunion was over, Linda and Queen Toriel stared at each other. It was uncomfortable as heck.
“Your son…” said Mom, “He is very earnest.”
“H-he is, right?” Linda responded with a wobbly smile. “That’s what makes him so cute.”
“Cute is quite an accurate description as well. May I know your name, miss?”
“Linda. Linda Buttons.”
“Greetings, Missus Buttons. I am Toriel Dreemurr. Would you like to have a drink? You had a long journey here, and the town is still in a disarray. You could wait here for a while, so everything may settle down.”
Raising your hand, you said that the house has many snacks. Bobby's mom could have some too.
“No, thank you,” Linda replied, “I prefer to get home before the roads get dark. I’m terrible at night driving.”
“I see, that is understandable.”
Cenna got up and approached Linda with her trademark grin. “Yo, Linda. Forgot about me already? Kept your kid safe and sound just like you asked for.”
Seeing her old classmate, the other woman shedded some of the polite awkwardness. “I expected nothing less from you and your annoyingly smug cowgirl act! But, thanks for helping anyway.”
“Don’t sweat it. I was just poking at ya. On a serious note, though, you and the tyke here gotta leave Gungnir. Your friends… they’ve all been rounded up. You may be the only free woman left.”
“…I know.” The mother held her son closer to her body. “I… I realised that they never really cared about us.”
“You don’t have to be alone, yeah?” Cenna showed her hand to the queen. “Why not trade numbers with Toriel here? She’s a mom too. She can help you out.”
Smiling, Linda said: “It’s alright. My husband is quite well-connected. He’s already found a great badminton club for Bobby to go to.”
Le gasp. Did she say ‘well-connected’? Does that mean the true strength of Bobby’s stepdad was the power of friendship?
Oh, what an innocent child indeed. He never realised that his new dad had one of the strongest assets in modern society! Linda knew how to pick a good man!
You ran up to Bobby and asked to exchange numbers too.
He frowned, mentioning he doesn’t have a phone. “Mommy said I’m too young for one.”
Come to think of it, you didn’t have a phone of your own until after you were adopted. In that case, could you exchange numbers with his mom instead?
Although the request was a bit strange, you exchanged phone numbers with Linda to keep in touch with Bobby.
And that’s that. The time to say farewell had come.
“Bobby,” Linda said, “Say bye-bye to everyone.”
“Bye-bye,” he waved. You could see that he’s trying to keep his emotions inside.
But Niton exclaimed: “Wait! I have gift!”
Aiden’s second son gave Bobby the pouch of pebbles. It was the toy that brought everyone together for these past few hours.
“For you,” he said, “Now you can play ‘jack-stones’ anytime.”
And so, the waterworks of farewells began. Bobby cried, happy to have the gift, sad to say goodbye. It’s possible that he would never see the Aratet brothers again.
Gently, Linda reminded, “Say ‘thank you’ to the nice young man, dear.”
“Th-thank you-u-u-u.”
It was just a few hours, but you know he had a lot of fun.
You bid the Buttons goodbye and sent them off, watching in silence until the car was no longer visible on the road.
Dayton then said: “We gotta go look for dad. Status updates and so on. Maybe we have to start packing for home too.”
Niton added, “Need to check sheep.”
Oh. That’s right. They had an incredibly long day as well. You thanked them for the fun and the help they had given.
“No problem!”
“Hey, we owe everything to you.”
You and the Aratet brothers parted ways as well.
Darn, the day is only half over and you’re already exhausted. Could you please – pretty please – say goodnight, goodbye, and good riddance to this 3rd of April without anything else blowing up? You sure hope so.