[INTRO] they probably hate having to get used to a new place

[mercybutton]

Nooooo.

[aaaaaa. uuuuugh. What bothers them most right now isn't that they're suddenly someplace they don't know and thus are not at home, it's that they're suddenly someplace they don't know and thus is going to bump into literally Every Single Obstruction that exists here. Honestly, they'd be more concerned about being displaced from their family if they weren't annoyed about the prospect of having to get used to a possibly enormous place. Nobody better move the furniture around.

After a solid minute of laying on the ground they sit up. Feels like grass, sounds like water is rushing nearby. A park? Frisk stands up and starts shuffling around, trying to get used to their surroundings, finding one of the paths winding through the gardens. Then they start walking, gaining more confidence, and then-



trip right into a fountain. Curse their recklessness.]

Comments

i will switch back to shortform format if u want /o/

[dustless]

Frisk's been saving a lot of people from fountains lately, it feels like.

They immediately grab the other kid's arm to pull them out.

"You alright?"

--And then notice what this kid's face looks like, and so who they are, and once again nearly shove the person they're rescuing back into the water they're rescuing them from.

nah man u do u

[mercybutton]

[Aw, man. Being shoved back into the water would have been hilarious.

Regardless, they're grateful for the help... and they recognize that voice. It's their own, but... younger.]

Yeah, I'm fine... how are... you???

o7

[dustless]

"I'm--I'm fine too."

Long pause.

"You're a Frisk, right? And...new?"

[mercybutton]

Yeah, I'm a Frisk.

… "new" means people come here a lot.

[dustless]

"...yeah. It's a castle, with people from bunch of worlds and timelines and stuff. Floating castle. In the sky." That is probably important to note, too.

Oh, right--they finally let go of the other them's arm.

[prospectornimbat]

Ears perking up, Fidget hears the splash. And then some more splashing. That is probably a bad sign.

Entirely ready to fly away as fast as possible should the need arise, she flaps over to the fountain and hovers safely out of reach. "Kid? Kid! You okay?"

[mercybutton]

I'm- [briefly chokes on water] I'm fine!

[The steady, rhythmic downdraft from her wings, even if small, is enough to tell them that whoever is talking to them is a monster. They get out of the fountain, careful not to scrape their legs against the stone or anything.]

Ugh, man.

[prospectornimbat]

Fidget lands beside the kid. It's just polite: don't flap your wings near someone wet and cold. "You just... taking a bath or something?"

[mercybutton]

No, I fell in here. Tripped, actually.

[They squeeze some of the water from their hair, angling their head so an ear faces her.]

[systematicsupport]

S-4 is always happy to see one of his friends out and about, and had just been about to give them a cheerful welcome when... they tripped? That's not something Frisk usually does. Maybe they're not feeling well?

Whatever may be happening, S-4 can't help but yell out as Frisk falls into the fountain, rushing to their side to pull them out of the water.

"Frisk? Are you okay? You have to be more careful!"

[mercybutton]

Is that Papyrus' voice? It sounds like it.

"Sorry, sorry! I know."

Except... S-4 might notice that Frisk is suddenly a little older. Slightly deeper voice and different speech pattern??

Frisk steps out of the fountain as he pulls them out, squeezing the water from their hair. "I didn't know you were here, Papyrus."

[systematicsupport]

"It's okay! You don't need to apologize that much..."

S-4 certainly notices the change in Frisk's age, and he's frozen in shock until he hears the mention of Papyrus.

"Oh... you're new here, aren't you? I'm not actually Papyrus. Not really... I guess I'm from your past. You can call me S-4, f-for Sans-Serif Support System."

[mercybutton]

"S-4," they mutter, feeling the word on their tongue. No, it's a name. It doesn't sound right. It doesn't feel right.

They think about it for a second. Sans-Serif… must be his brother.

"Do you like that name?"

[trombones]

Welp. At least Sans isn't the only one who's done that now.

"The evidence is fount-ing, this pool is perilous."

Two bony hands reach out not long after Frisk falls and grabs them by the back of their shirt. Where did he come from? Where did he go? Cotton Eye Joe????? Who knows. More importantly, he's hauling them out now.

"Nice landing, kiddo. You okay?"

[mercybutton]

Because throwing your characters into pools of water is fun. Frisk is now sopping wet, and the Absorption Power™ of their big poof sweater isn't helping in the slightest. They appreciate Sans' gesture of just... picking them up and out of the fountain. Frisk is more than used to Sans appearing out of nowhere (except he might have been there already, hard to tell when you're blind), so it's no surprise.

"I'm fine, thanks. I wish Pyrope were here."

[trombones]

"So humans DON'T photosynthesize?"

Their Absorption Power™ seemed pretty handy back in the Underground. That and Undyne thought humans photosynthesized once. Whatever. He winks at Frisk to show he's kidding... since he doesn't know they're blind. Whoops.

"Pyrope or Wosh would be pretty handy right now, yeah. Better watch where you step, kid. Some weirdo put fountains all over the place."

[mercybutton]

"??????? no??? Since when did you think humans photosynthesized? I'm not a plant."

Also they do take mental note of the apparent fountains everywhere. Good thing to know.

[justletmewin]

Asriel is from a further part of the garden, but his ears pick up on the splash and he hurries over to see what it is. His eyes widen at the sight of the familiar blue-and-pink striped sweater...

"Frisk! Golly, are you okay? Let me help you out!" He pulls them gently from the water, not caring his own sweater is getting wet. He hasn't seen their face yet... he doesn't even know if this is the Frisk from his world or not. Even so, a Frisk is a Frisk.

[mercybutton]

"Asriel? Asriel, is that you??"

golly what is going on here?? Last they remember, Asriel was Flowey and was in a pot back at... home...

Their head is still angled down, so their face is difficult to see. They feel so embarrassed, tripping straight into a fountain like that. "Uh, thanks for getting me out of there."

[justletmewin]

"Yeah! It's me! We got to get you in dry clothes right away!" He takes their hand and starts running toward the castle; this would be Frisk's cue to tell him they can't see.

[mercybutton]

"Uh- okay! Tell me if there's anything I'll trip over! Again!"

Just gonna keep running with him.

[antitemporal]

...they really need to put guard rails up around that fountain, or something.

Sans-Serif doesn't think either of his other selves are dumb enough to have done that twice, and he can't sense S-4 nearby. So someone fell in who probably actually has to breathe.

He scurries over to check to see if they need help. "h-hey! are you okay?"

Frisk might notice that he sounds a little like Sans. Just noticeably younger, and the hands that reach out to try and help them get out are a lot smaller.

[mercybutton]

Frisk has been blind for more than two years now, and is good enough at living without sight that they can her the changes and different subtleties of this Sans. Whatever happened... must've sent them back in time, or something. Are they at the castle?

They manage to sit themselves upright. Serif might find that this frisk is now older than the one who has already been around, as well as... staring blankly, with their head down. It doesn't seem like they're looking at anything in particular, actually.

"Yeah, I'm fine! Don't worry."

They find the edge of the fountain with their foot and step out, squeezing the water from their hair.

[antitemporal]

Sans-Serif obviously didn't have a lot of chances to see a human before coming to the castle. Or at least, not a living human. He's had a lot more chances since arriving, though, and he's grown especially friendly with Frisk. So details that might have gone over his head once now register now. Even so, he frowns for a second, floundering, until the obvious answer presents itself. His eyesockets widen in shock. Oh. He always technically knew this could happen, of course, but...to Frisk?

The age registers before the details about their eyes. Sans-Serif still reaches out a hand to try and steady them as they clamber out.

"then why'd you fall in? you can't sleep underwater, frisk, you have, um...lungs, and stuff." He waves a hand helplessly at his own ribcage.

[mercybutton]

They don't see the ribcage gesture.

"I didn't know there would be fountains and I tripped in, sorry. I should probably be more careful."