Scars Are Souvenirs You Never Lose / The Past Is Never Far [January Event: Start]

[buttercup_eater]

[[ Event information and discussion can be found here. ]]

Once again, it is midnight when the chill sets in.

A bitter wind picks up, circling the castle island, rattling the windows and branches of the trees. Within moments the wind is bringing in heavy, wet snowflakes, which cover up everything outdoors in thick white layers. The river and fountains all freeze up, as clear and solid as the glass hill in the middle of the courtyard. Frosty ferns glaze the outside of the windows, the leaves vanish from the trees, and by morning the exterior of the castle has transformed into a sparkling winter wonderland.

The interior of the castle has transformed too. Somehow by morning the structure is in much better condition than it usually is, and while many rooms are freezing cold, somebody kindly seems to have lit fireplaces everywhere in the castle, keeping most of it at a pleasantly warm temperature. Furthermore, it's clear there's a seasonal celebration of some sort going on: the castle is decked out everywhere in greenery, ribbons, candles, baubles, dried fruit, colorful paper, all kinds of cheery old fashioned decorations. The ballroom and kitchens are filled with delicious food: juicy roasts with stuffing, plum puddings, mashed potatoes with gravy, fruit cakes, hot apple cider, pies of mince and pumpkin and apple, cookies of every sort imaginable, and on and on and on.

The air is thick with sweet and savory scents and sometimes, one might even catch the sound of people singing in the distance- but no matter how hard you try, you won't be able to find the source of the music.

And when they wake up, many of the castle residents won't be the same people that they were when they fell asleep.

* * *

In a remote corner of the castle a small child lying on a discarded curtain shivers themselves awake. 

They blink sleepy eyes at their surroundings, trying to make everything out from behind their bangs. Their name is Chara, although they don't know that yet, being only six years old. What they do know is that this isn't their room, or anywhere they recognize. It's somewhere big, and made of stone, like the church except it isn't the church, it's some sort of hall. And they don't remember coming here or putting on their coat and scarf beforehand. Even when they try really hard to think back all they can remember is changing into their PJs for bed, and everything after that is fuzzy and slips away, like they're trying to hold water. It's frustrating!

Feeling fidgety, Chara tries to sit up and- ow. They wince. Right, their dad spanked them for getting into trouble last night, and it still hurts. Especially when they try and sit on something hard, like the floor. Even if somebody dropped a curtain on it.

The worst part is, they'll probably get in trouble all over again once they're found. Except this time it'll be for disappearing instead of spilling the eggnog on the carpet.

Well the floor's uncomfortable, and the hall is so cold their breath forms little white clouds, and they don't know where they are so... there's no point in sitting around, is there? Chara gets to their feet and begins to wander down the hall. They're not sure what they're looking for, but they'll probably be found sooner or later, right?

Eventually they start to feel a little warmer, and they wander down a staircase, past several windows overlooking a snow-covered garden, and through another hallway before they catch a whiff of something smoky. Following their nose leads them to a big wooden door, and when they push it open they find the source of the wood smoke scent.

It's a kitchen- they can tell, by all the pots and pans and by the apple pies that someone was making on the table- but there isn't an electric stove or fridge, just a big brick fireplace with a metal stove attached to it. They can see there's a fire inside the stove, so that must be where the smell's coming from. 

They're still a little chilly, so they walk over to the stove and stick out their hands. They haven't had breakfast yet, but they try to ignore the food on the table. Taking things without asking is a good way to get in trouble, and the cook will probably return soon.

Comments

[dustless]

Frisk'd picked a bad night to take a snooze in the gardens, and they hadn't been able to get much rest even after they woke up and fled inside. At least that gave them time to explore exactly how much the castle's changed.

They thought it was Jack Frost at first, and then Death as the Hogfather deciding to go on a decorating spree--but then they heard caroling people in the distance, and they tried to run through the halls to find them, and they utterly failed.

It's...very strange.

All wrapped up in a blanket they'd grabbed when they first raced inside, Frisk eventually decides to see if the smell's just as much an illusion. The fire itself probably isn't, but they've got a sharp nose, and they can catch the scent of food underneath it, though they can't tell quite what. Familiar, but not quite enough.

They don't expect the tiny form they find once they step into the kitchen.

"Hi," they greet, making their way over to the table behind them and the fire. Oh--it's pie. The kid probably didn't cook it, they're too little. Toriel...?

[buttercup_eater]

Chara's been standing quietly by the stove for a minute or so when they catch movement out of the corner of their eye. They step away from the door, turning their head to watch the stranger entering the room. They're a kid, bigger than Chara, wrapped in a blanket and wearing a scarf (it's also green, Chara notices, but darker than their own scarf) but otherwise not dressed for the weather.

"Hi," Chara echoes. "...Is this your house?"

Chara can't see the strange kid's face as well through their bangs so they reach up to brush them aside, before remembering themselves and hastily sweeping them into place again.

[dustless]

These pies aren't done yet...at least not most of them. Frisk eyes one of the pies in the later stages of being made, considering their options. They don't know who made these, but if it's (a) Toriel, she wouldn't mind much if they just took a slice.

They grab a fork, poking the top of one that smells the best, testing it.

"Huh?" Frisk looks over at just the right time, watching the kid hide their eyes. Shy, or...something else.

"It's...sort of. I live here. You're very little," they say in realization. They are, even smaller than they thought when they walked in. Smaller than the youngest kid they'd seen show up so far.

[buttercup_eater]

Chara watches the older kid poking at the pies. Maybe it's just because they haven't had breakfast yet, but it looks good enough to them.

They wrinkle their brow, not sure what the kid means by the building being 'sort of' their house. Although it's a lot bigger than any of the houses they'd seen in the village. (...Which means they're probably really far from home. They really are going to be in a lot of trouble when their parents find them.)

"I'm bigger than I used to be," they say, compelled to defend themselves. "Mom had to buy me new shoes. Before I started school."

[dustless]

Alright, this pie's done already. They'll have it, and then work on a couple other ones--they can probably make more of that apple filling stuff.

They yank it over with a scrape, dropping the fork to grab a knife, and work on cutting out a couple pieces.

"Yeah? 'S just, you're littler than other kids that get here are. Usually they're 'bout the same as me. D'you like apple pie?" Frisk thinks to ask, pausing in their slicing. They were just going to be nice and give them some, but they might be acting a little too fast.

[buttercup_eater]

Oh, are they cutting the pie? Chara isn't allowed to handle anything sharper than a butter knife, but then, this kid is a lot older than them.

They nod, their head bobbing up and down with great gusto. Apple pie isn't their favorite but it's good enough, they think. They hope this kid means they're offering it. "Is this place a school?" Chara asks. They know there are some schools out there where the kids also live there, unless it's the summer break. And this kid seems to live here, and expect other kids to be around. Maybe Chara's parents decided to send them here, and they just slept through the trip.

If so, Chara wonders if the kids here will be nicer than the ones at home. This one doesn't seem to mind them, at least, so Chara slowly walks up to them, a hopeful look in their eyes.

[dustless]

"Good," Frisk nods. "But we should wait for it to cool first before we start eating."

A school? That's a new one. So--"You're a new kid. It's not a school, it's a castle! A huge one!" Frisk grins down at them.

They're so small, Frisk's careful to lift their elbow to avoid smacking them in the face with it. There's lots of plates around, so they just lift the slices with the blade and fork and plop them both onto one each.

"...no whipped cream," they add apologetically, holding out the kid's slice.

[lostinmyway]

After finding some warmer blankets for Sophie, Grune drifts about the castle a bit. Eventually, she ends up at the kitchen, where--oh my. Something smells delicious.

Investigating, she soon discovers the pies sitting out on the table. What a good idea!

Without noticing her company, she goes to get more firewood to stoke the stove, humming softly all the while.

[buttercup_eater]

When a woman enters the kitchen, one that Chara doesn't recognize at all, they can't help but shrink away, taking advantage of her inattention to get a wary look at her. She's dressed very differently from the women in Chara's village, but what stands out most about her is her attitude.

She seems happy.

Chara wants to ask her some questions, like where they are and who she is and what's that song she's humming, but well- she hasn't said anything yet, and it would probably be bad manners to interrupt her while she's working. So Chara just slowly shuffles towards her and will hover nearby until she notices them.

[lostinmyway]

It isn't until Grune is setting the wood in the stove that she notices she has company. A soft "Oh!" escapes her before she smiles at the child beside her.

"Hello, dear," she says. "Did you make the pies here?"

[buttercup_eater]

As soon as they have her attention Chara's quick to move back. Confused, they shake their head.

"...No, I-" they pause, before continuing in a less quiet voice, "I'm not big enough to cook. Um... Is this your kitchen?"

[lostinmyway]

Grune sees how quickly they move away, and so, with slow movements, she turns back to building up the fire in the oven.

"Oh, no," she says, shaking her head. "This is everyone's kitchen."

A glance back. "Were you here to have a little snack?"

[buttercup_eater]

Chara isn't quite sure what the lady means by it being everyone's kitchen, but at least it sounds like it's okay for Chara to be here.

As for her question, Chara hesitates, pursing their lips. They are hungry, even if they hadn't really been looking for food, but there were more important things to worry about, weren't there?

"I think I'm lost," they blurt out. "So I wasn't really looking for food. But I am hungry."

[itstheend]

That this is a dream or something like it is confirmed for this slush-covered Chara when they, too, are lured into the kitchen by the scent of food, loitering by the doorway before working up the courage to look inside.

Nobody's there, except... them.

They should leave, before they're 'noticed'. These things go away if you ignore them hard enough, or they should. The pies are too tempting, and the room warm indeed. Like everything else, dream or trap or both keeps vacillating.

They walk in, refusing to look at or acknowledge their younger self, and start opening cupboards, climbing up on the bench to reach the high ones and throwing glances at the door each time. If they start cleaning, perhaps, it will make whoever owns the food more predisposed to give it when they come back, and not demand much.

There's more food, but no rags so far. This is an unfair test.

[buttercup_eater]

That's me.

Only it's not quite them. It's someone who looks an awful lot like them, but they aren't dressed the same as Chara, among other slight differences. But they're still as familiar as Chara's reflection in the mirror, and it's really weird. Chara knows better than to stare but they still can't help but continually sneak glances from the fire to their lookalike.

Their lookalike, however, seems completely uninterested in Chara. They don't say anything, barely even look at Chara, and instead start rummaging around in the cupboards. They seem to be looking for something? Curious, Chara creeps closer to the other kid... closer... and closer...

As soon as they're within arm's reach, Chara stretches out their hand and pokes them.

[itstheend]

Feeling of being watched. They start searching harder, itching with the familiar need to do something, anything, with their hands. Something to occupy.

They're focused enough they don't notice the other getting closer, or if they do, actively try to ignore them away.

The poke almost seems to cause a wave of stiffness radiating out from the point of contact. Shadow people can paralyse, things sitting at the foot of their bed, but they can't touch.

Their breathing is suddenly very shallow. They don't dare to move an inch.

[buttercup_eater]

Chara skips back a step or two after poking the other Chara, but then... nothing happens?

Well no, the other Chara does react. Their spine straightens out like a broom, and they somehow manage to get even quieter. They don't say anything though, even as Chara continues to carefully watch them.

...They move closer and poke the other Chara again.

[itstheend]

It's not in them to tell the other to stop, much as they may wish it. The most they can do, throat tight, is step away. Back up, facing the other, until their back hits the kitchen table.

It jars them enough to speak. "Oh," they say, one hand going up to snarl in their hair. "I see. This is a nightmare."

The tone is the extremely calm of those going through panic and out the other side.

[buttercup_eater]

Absolutely nobody, not once in Chara's life, has reacted to them quite like this, and they have no idea how they're supposed to respond to it. And that's annoying. They frown up at the kid, this weird kid who looks like them but not.

"No it's not," they protest. Sure, they have creepy eyes, but so does this kid and anyway, they're sure this isn't a dream because dreams feel different. "You're being weird."

[oldmantiger]

Kotetsu picked this jacket more for its pockets than anything else - back home, it's still summer, almost summer vacation. So he's making his way from fireplace to fireplace, pausing just long enough to chase the chill from his legs and face before he goes back to wandering the hallways. It's a goal to focus on, so that he doesn't let the panic build up too much

It's definitely there, though, knotted tightly in his chest. He doesn't know where he is...though he thinks he has an idea. But that just breeds more questions. Is there a teacher he should be talking to? An orientation that he's missing?

Hunger eventually sets in, though - stress will do that to a kid, and he needs to eat even more than most. So, following his nose, Kotetsu makes his way down towards the kitchens. But rather than any kind of adult, there's just another kid there, even younger than him.

As though on a winch, his gaze is drawn to the pies cooling on the table. They smell amazing, and he hasn't had breakfast yet.

"E-Excuse me? Um...do you mind if I have some of those?"

[buttercup_eater]

Chara watches the stranger without moving from their place by the stove. They're another kid, an older boy, which would normally make him more intimidating- except he looks about as lost as Chara and from the way he's looking at the pies, he's probably just as hungry as they are.

"Um..." Chara says, shaking their head. "...They're not mine."

Which is to say: Chara doesn't mind if he has some, but they have no idea if someone else will mind.

[oldmantiger]

Their meaning comes through loud and clear. Kotetsu nods in understanding, and then immediately proceeds to look around for a plate and a fork. "I'm hungry," he says, unnescessarily. "Maybe whoever made these left them out for all the new kids that showed up here today."

He locates utensils in one drawer, and drags open a chair to check the cupboards over the sink. Sure enough, there are plates - quite festive plates, too. "Jackpot!" After a moment's hesitation, he pulls down another plate. "You want some? If we get in trouble, you can just blame me."

[buttercup_eater]

Chara considers this kid's suggestion that the pies were left out for 'all the new kids.' What sort of big, fancy building would you expect to have a lot of kids, some of which are 'new?'

"Is this a school?" they ask. Maybe their parents decided to transfer them to a new one for some reason. They don't know what they think of school as a whole- the one back home was okay, although the other kids were kind of... vexing.

They shuffle around, sort of following the other kid while still keeping at a relative distance. They're at least close enough to notice the patterns on the plates. Pretty! Chara thinks. But that's kind of worrisome because they'll probably get in extra trouble if any get broken.

Kotetsu might notice a brief flash of surprise on Chara's face, before they set to thoughtfully chewing their lip while they consider his offer. He might be lying- it wouldn't be the first time another kid has lied to them over something like this- but at least they'll get pie out of it, right?

"...Alright," they say. "And if we're not around when somebody else comes in, they won't know it was us."

[oldmantiger]

Kotetsu beams triumphantly at their question. "See? You think it's a school, too! Everybody keeps telling me that they don't think it's a school! But it's a big building where we get rooms and lunch and there are lots of kids and not as many grown ups going around handing out jackets and stuff!" Though the part about jackets is new on him, too. But it's appreciated as well. It was not this cold back in Oriental town.

Nodding in satisfaction to himself, he sets to work cutting out two pieces of pie - a big one for him, and a big one for Chara. "I think it's a school. A special school you send kids away to. But I didn't know schools like that were as nice as this place. Or maybe I wouldn't have been so scared about going. You know?"

He passes Chara's plate over, before holding a finger to his lips in a "shush" gesture. "There! Now we just find somewhere else to eat, and no one will know it was us."

[buttercup_eater]

Chara starts a little at Kotetsu's beaming- he's a very cheerful boy, or so it seems and they're not used to this sort of wide smile being aimed at them. It takes a moment for them to actually think about what he's actually saying; even then, they're not sure what to make of it. A school that people say isn't a school?

(A school where they send kids away to. They must have made their parents really mad.)

"Is it nice?" they ask, a little dubious. "I only just got here."

Their expression softens when they take the pie though, and they inhale its sweet fruity, cinnamon-y scent before mimicking Kotetsu's 'shush' gesture. Nodding seriously, they move to tiptoe after Kotetsu wherever he goes.