[open] There's a word for that, what does it start with? A word for that, I'll sound so smart

[systematicsupport]

It's been quite the stressful week for most of the castle's inhabitants. S-4 wasn't any different. With losing Frisk, fighting with Sans-Serif not to take any souls, struggling with the overwhelming emotions the funeral brought up, and then trying to deal with his dear friend's return as well as attempting to take care of his siblings (even Sans, despite him holing himself up in some mysterious room in the castle with that weird human), S-4 was a bit exhausted. But he wasn't about to sleep without a bedtime story.

Sans was too busy, so S-4 didn't want to bother him by asking. Sans-Serif would have helped, but he was still learning to read, and S-4 didn't want to frustrate him. It would probably be fine to just read it to himself.

He takes one of the picture books to the lounge, and is slowly flipping through it, a fingerbone pressed to the page underneath the words so he can keep his place.

"Out... came... the baby... bird."

Sophie called him a baby. He knows what that is. And a bird are those singing, flying creatures up in the trees. But the one in this book talks. Maybe only little birds can do that?

"'Where... is my... mother?' he said..."

Now that's a word he doesn't know.

"Mother? Mother... like brother?"

They rhyme, so it must be similar. But what exactly is one? Does he have one?

He's frowning at the book until he realizes someone is watching him read. Usually, he'd have a moment to be embarrassed about being caught like this, but right now, his question is too serious to be ignored for shame.

"What's a mother?"

Comments

[systematicsupport]

Actually, now that S-4 thinks about it, and especially now that he sees how excited Sans-Serif is about the possibility of finding one, an art room sounds pretty nice. He already liked colouring pictures at the lab, and an art room would have lots of things he could use to do just that. And maybe there's even stuff to make crafts like the ones he's read about in the library.

He beams as his brother rattles away, and nods happily. "Yeah! I bet we can find it!"

Setting off next to him, he lets Sans-Serif mainly lead the way, as they peek from room to room. It takes a bit of time, but eventually, S-4 peers into one with an easel all set up, holding a half-finished painting of a basket of apples.

"This must be the art room!"