what use is a present if you just leave it to look pretty

[dustless]

For all the time they've been at the castle, Frisk's never really hung around the Edge.

What would the point be? There's a lot more inside, where the rooms are ever-shifting, and the gardens are always full of sunlight and only a few clouds high above. If they really wanted to watch clouds moving, they could just go into one of the towers or higher halls and watch out the windows.

...and the Edge was a reminder that the castle's all there really is, and they don't...like thinking about that all the time.

But now that they've been guiding newcomers there to prove yes, this is all real, they've realized...it's not bad out there. It's beautiful, seeing the clouds close up like that, and the grass is comfortable, and the wind is nice against their face, even if it's kind of cold. And that last bit is helpful in another way, too--

High above the Edge, maybe even visible from the castle's other towers and the gardens, a red kite flies--after several attempts, almost staying in the air before falling out of sight again, once, twice, three time, four...eighth time's the charm.  It's Frisk's gift from Serif and S-4, with its kitty face, though that's impossible to see from so far below. 

Frisk themselves is just sitting cross-legged in the grass, holding onto the kite's spool tightly, watching it disappear and reappear with the clouds' movements. 

They hadn't thought about how that would telegraph exactly where they are, but that's fine. They won't mind if people come to keep them company.

Comments

[ojisankink]

"We're fine. Using our powers to heal isn't perfect, but I've been able to repair most of it over a couple days."

Did he explain their powers? He's kind of assuming Frisk knows. Especially considering the fact that they met someone as enthusiastic as Kotetsu.

"Oh! Careful..."

He reaches out for a moment, hands awkwardly hovering around Frisk's before he pulls them back into his lap. Looks like he didn't need to help anyways.

He shrugs a bit at the question, wondering what Frisk is asking about. Wondering how much they've caught on to. They're... probably worried. He wasn't in the best mindset when he first got here.

"I'm alright. As well as I can be. There were some things I would have liked to settle before coming here... but it's nothing to be concerned over. I'm feeling better."

[dustless]

Kotetsu did mention a little bit, but not the healing part. "...thought it just made you guys a lot stronger." They're giving him a fishy look. If he's lying to make them feel less worried, that's dumb and they're tired of that kind of thing.

They noticed that. Not entirely sure of what to make of it. Nervous?

As well as I can be. That could mean a lot of things, Barnaby-bunny.

"You know how to fly a kite?" they ask in lieu of speaking their thoughts.

[ojisankink]

"Yes, if you use it normally, it can increase strength, speed and agility for five minutes... Kotetsu showed me how to use it to speed up the healing process." Since he came back from trying to fight Croc quite a bit worse for wear.

At the question, his smile becomes a little more genuine.

"Yeah. It's something my mother taught me... it has a lot to do with angles and wind speed and everything, so she'd get pretty excited teaching me all about it."

...He's rambling, isn't he? He just hadn't expected to focus on such a happy memory.

[dustless]

"...That's good." Frisk is still faintly suspicious. They're probably gonna need to keep an eye on these two, aren't they, just in different ways...

"Oh." Frisk stares upward. They should...be more open, shouldn't they? Although they're totally not sure if Barnaby-bunny is really a friend yet...

"I never flew one," they blurt. "Before here. With this, just...I throw it in the air and hope it works."

[ojisankink]

Both of them need looking out for, though Barnaby would claim it's Kotetsu who needs the most attention. He was half babysitting them when they were partners.

He... usually isn't this open, he knows, and he's embarrassed to see it only made Frisk uncomfortable. He looks back at his ring instead of at them, twirling his ring again.

"It's alright. It takes a bit of practice to get the hang of it. But the wind is good enough here that even less proper methods work."

[dustless]

They definitely got a sense of that from Kotetsu. He feels...young, somehow.

"Yeah. Haven't crashed it, always got to catch it before it hit the ground when it doesn't work."

Frisk pauses, humming a few notes.

"...d'you want a turn?"

[ojisankink]

"Hm?"

He looks back over, and when he realizes what Frisk is asking, quickly shakes his head, trying not to feel too flustered.

"Oh, no! I'm fine. It's your kite. You should enjoy it. Besides, I'm a little old to be playing with a kite."

[dustless]

"Yeah, it is. An' I'd be mad if you broke it 'cause it was a present. But if you know how to do it, you wouldn't." Frisk shifts, un-crossing their legs to leave them splayed. "You don't gotta. But. It's fun." And age doesn't have anything to do with it.

[ojisankink]

"It was a present? From who?"

Maybe it was a family member they mentioned here. Though, now that he thinks about it, it didn't sound like they had any human parents... his brow furrows.

"Maybe later. You enjoy it for now."

[dustless]

Frisk brightens up immediately. "Papyrus an' Serif! They're a couple of the skeletons I told you 'bout. Papyrus is the tallest and Serif's the shortest--Serif's taller than me now, though, just a little." They lift the kite's spool slightly above their head, indicating how much more. "They drew a cat face on it, too. It's cute! I'll show you it later."

...Fair enough. They're looking like they're enjoying it more thanks to the reminder where it came from.

[ojisankink]

"Papyrus and Serif." He's trying not to laugh at the idea that these two were apparently named like fonts on his laptop. "They sound like they're very good friends of yours to make this just for you."

They must be children, like Frisk, and he tries not to let that bother him. They aren't... actually dead children, surely.

[dustless]

"They are. Family," they tell him again, expression going from bright grin to something a little more...awed, maybe.

Family. What a weird concept. Frisk's still honored they reached out and allowed that--wanted that, after knowing each other so well, and improving their connections with Sans. A human. Someone they were made to kill--and that reminder slips their expression into a scowl until they remind themselves it's fine. It's fine now. They're here again.

[ojisankink]

Barnaby's expression, on the other hand, is a little sadder. It's... still sinking in that he's lost all his family. His caretaker was killed just a few weeks ago. And Maverick has lost all right to be called anything like a father.

Still, he wants to be happy for them. He smiles gently at them, glad they at least were able to find a family.

"You're very lucky to have them. Especially since you have them here."

[dustless]

"...yeah. I'm glad they're here. 'D be glad they're here even if I wasn't, though."

Frisk starts reeling the kite in a little. Is...is that the right word? They're not sure.

"...'m sorry. If you're missing people."

[ojisankink]

"Ah... no, I'm not exactly. I don't... actually have any family who's still alive. I doubt they'd be able to come here, and I don't really think I'd want them to."

He squeezes his hands together in some attempt to keep him grounded despite what the conversation has turned to.

[dustless]

That...is not the answer they expected. Frisk ducks their head a little.

"Oh." They hesitate, since, well...they have Toriel and Asgore and everyone, but they've--they weren't family yet, even if they're missing Frisk...and Frisk doesn't miss them nearly as much as they used to.

So it feels...sort of safe to nod, quietly, and respond with "Me neither."

[ojisankink]

"...I'm sorry."

He doesn't know what else to say to that. He wishes Frisk hadn't had to suffer losing family members at such a young age. He would say the same happened to him, but he highly doubts that will actually help.

So instead he says, "I'm sure they miss you."

[dustless]

"You don't--" have to be.

Really. He doesn't.

Frisk tries to see the best in people. They work past flaws and forgive so, so much, because everyone's worth forgiving.

But Frisk didn't exist before Mt. Ebott. Another child did, with a different name and a different story. And that child was not quite as determined to love.

I don't think so.

They stop reeling in the kite.

"...maybe."

[ojisankink]

He... isn't sure what he said wrong. All he knows is Frisk is still and quiet, suddenly much less comfortable than they were even when they began this conversation. He wants to apologize again, but it seems Frisk doesn't really enjoy that.

So... empathy may help.

"I understand how you feel."

Not being sure whether your family actually misses you, he means. He has a feeling he has doubts about it for very different reasons than Frisk, but at least if he shows they have some similarities, maybe they won't feel so bad.

[dustless]

Does he really.

Frisk's...a little cold, weirdly. More cold than they were just from being near the edge, where the winds are the most.

"Dunno. Maybe my dad does. If he can." They barely realize they're talking. "He...died a long time ago. Was three or four, I guess. Don't remember him. Pretty sure Mom loved him a lot, though."

[ojisankink]

"Both of my parents... passed away when I was four as well."

He had always thought it'd be easier on him if just one of his parents had survived... but he can't be sure. He's certainly not going to downplay what Frisk went through.

"I'm guessing your mother didn't take losing him well."

[dustless]

"...sorry. 'S...bad when you're little."

Why am I talking about this?

"No. She didn't. She...dunno. Maybe she was always...not really good at...being. A mom. Or that just messed her up. 'Cause she wasn't. A good mom. Or there. I never had babysitters, 'cause she didn't have money. And she worked far 'cross the city. I know she cared about me, sorta, 'cause she always left me lots of food an' told me to make up names for babysitters if somebody knocked an' how to ignore them, but she didn't come back all the time. Sometimes not after I went to bed, or when I got back after school the next day, or a few days."

[ojisankink]

He would say something about that, about how bad it was, but Frisk's story is more important to him right now. His heart stings with sympathy and honestly something like anger, knowing that Frisk's mother was never there.

There's another feeling in there too... something else Barnaby can't really place. Familiarity? He frowns softly.

"I'm sorry. You deserved a mother who could probably take care of you. Not one who left you alone that long. My parents were busy too, but... they made time for me."

At least, he thinks they did.

[dustless]

"That's good." And they mean it. Kids shouldn't be left alone like that. Frisk can't say they hated it--it just...was.

There's a long sense of silence after that. They could stop. End the story there. They don't want to tell anyone who never encountered Mt. Ebott and climbing it.

But there's just a little more.

"And then one day--last day of school, I came home, and she was gone. She didn't come back. And she knew she wouldn't. She left extra food. Might still be out there somewhere, actually. Found somewhere else to live. And forgot me."

They don't sound sad.

They don't sound anything.

[ojisankink]

...He doesn't know what to do about this.

He's never been good with comfort. Kotetsu has relied on him for a few things, but very rarely. All he had to do was give some advice, rarely give a hug or anything else. He's not good with touch. He wouldn't know how to comfort Frisk, would probably just make them feel awkward.

But he recognizes the empty tone of their voice. He knows what's happening, that disconnect from the present. Slowly, he reaches out, places a hand on their shoulder. Just to keep them grounded.

"...That's not fair to you. I don't know what made her think she had to do that, but that's something that should never happen to a child. You deserved better than that."

He sighs softly. "You know, sometimes despite calling myself a hero, when I hear stories like this... I worry I'm not able to save anyone."