[Post-Halloween event, OPEN] "Matter of fact it's all dark."

[justletmewin]

It's... hard for him to take. The island feels the same as it's ever been. Fresher maybe. The castle is itself. Asriel is back right where he started, next to the hyacinth bush he woke up beside months ago. Dread welled in the pit of his stomach: oh no not again please not again

Relief sweeps through him when he finds the loamy black patches of soil with tiny green sprouts. Over the past month, the goat child nursed those tiny little plants, which grew from the golden flower seeds he picked off his sweater, pants, and fur from when he fell asleep in the Ruins. He knew it took a month or two of dormancy--longer if necessary, depending on the seasons--before the plants popped out of the ground, but he hadn't expected them to grow. Watering this little patch gave him something to do... a routine to follow like brushing your teeth or making the bed. ...Okay, he admitted. Maybe there was a part of him that hoped the seeds would make it. Sure enough, they did. It felt... weirdly validating, in a way.

If he's still in his current time, this means... oh.

Should one be taking a walk in the gardens that day, they may see Asriel on his knees in the flowers, head lowered in thought. His expression looks... numb.






[[OOC: For those who got their soul stolen, Asriel can apologize to your character here. If not, they're free to just chat. Thank you everybody who participated in the Hyperdeath event! :D]]

Comments

but what if

[itstheend]

This is Frisk and Chara, back together, and they're never... okay, that's enough. The point is, there are now two forces in play here.

Chara hasn't been... in the best mood, since turning back. Fighting themself straight after certainly didn't help. As a result, they've been letting Frisk front more and more while they just kind of curl up at the back and pretend not to exist.

To say Frisk is increasingly concerned by this would be an understatement. They're hoping if they keep things running smoothly - food, drink, sleep - and try to send as many good thoughts and experiences to their other half as they'll accept, then it might be made a bit better for them. Sometimes, they know, all that can be done is riding it out. And if they themself are a little exhausted... that's what stolen determination is for.

Chara likes plants, so the gardens have been a place Frisk has been frequenting. They know there's an Asriel here, and were hoping to find him again while still separate, but didn't expect this turn of events.

They start to run towards him, his name on their lips, and then skid to a halt. Oh. Right. Chara's body. And while Chara hasn't said a word about what happened, Frisk knows a Lost Soul when they see one. Knows that no matter how they looked they couldn't find them. Knows that look on their brother's face. The internal conflict causes a stirring.

What is it now?

Nothing, nothing. You can go back to sleep. There's a heartbeat of suspicion and contrariness, and then grey apathy leaches back in and Chara metaphorically rolls back over to face the wall. And Frisk tries not to feel guilty as they let out a breath. But they wouldn't have wanted to see him after what happened, would they?

Their heart aches for their brother but... they have to consider Chara too. They'll go and maybe ask the other Frisk for a favour for him. Perfect.

It would be perfect, if they didn't knock over a rock border while retreating. Loudly. They cringe.

[mercybutton]

Frisk isn't here to find anyone. They're here for the fountains.

Ever since they came back, they've been in an overarching state of dry. Cracked and ashy skin, itchy eyes, peeling and bleeding lips torn open so often that they sting. There's no lotion here; all they can use is the fountain water, which only keeps for a few hours.

Of course they can't see him. And if all he does is sit there, they don't hear him, either.

hope this is ok

[trombones]

"Growing something, huh?"

As always, Sans was just there. Literally and figuratively. He slowly kneeled down next to Asriel, hands somehow still in his pockets, and looks at the other monster with the usual perma-grin. Thank god he was done being human, or this would be a hell of a lot weirder.

"Haven't you heard that a watched pot never boils? I gotta tell ya, sprout. It usually takes a while."

The skeleton's grin widens. There's familiarity in his tone. Sans actually met the other Asriel about a month or two ago. He doesn't quite know that there's two of them yet.

"But hey, whatever floats your boat or sinks your ship. What's up, bud?"

[dustless]

No words, no preamble, (almost) no hesitation. There's nothing to say.

Frisk sees Asriel knelt on the ground as himself and they're behind him before they register even moving, dropping to kneel next to him and dragging him into their arms in nearly the same instant. There's not a thought in their head, just roiling guilt and the feeling of warm tears pooling already.

[oldmantiger]

Kotetsu is quite enjoying a walk through the gardens. He...has a lot to think about. And at least, the sun is warm and the ground is solid, and he's once again caught between the two where he belongs. He doesn't intend to take that for granted any time soon.

It's a patrol, of sorts - a way to see for himself that everyone is back to normal, that no one else needs help. It's a meandering sort of patrol, because he knows how people can wind up in far flung corners of this place. But also because it's a nice day out and he can actually feel things again.

If he focuses on the smell of grass, he doesn't have to dwell too much on the memories.

At least until he rounds the corner of the hedge maze, and sees Asriel up ahead.

It shouldn't mean anything. Asriel doesn't exactly look the same as he did. But the sight of that fur, those ears, that face, and Kotetsu's chest gives a sudden, violent ache. His SOUL reacting to its temporary thief. He presses a hand to his chest as though to keep it there, gritting his teeth against a rising bile in his throat.

"You..."