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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?"
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?"
D'awww. <3 I do come in a wide variety of flavors (Also, setting this before Sans.)
Date: 2016-02-19 07:07 pm (UTC)But curiosity is a powerful force, and Sans-Serif rubs at his eyesockets to keep them open as he stares down at the page. "but it's talking. i didn't know birds could talk. not like we can." But in the next instant, an explanation occurs, and he nods sagely. "i bet this book was written in bird-language first. and then someone wrote it into monsterspeak later. so it's probably still talking like a bird."
As satisfying an explanation as that is, though, it doesn't solve the problem at hand. He frowns thoughtfully, tapping a finger beside his brother's on the page.
"it sounds like 'brother'...but maybe it's not the same. 'hat' and, and 'cat' sound like each other, but they aren't the same." Despite his frustrations with learning to read, Sans-Serif has made enough progress to know that much.
Is one of those flavours making me suffer flavour?
Date: 2016-02-20 12:03 am (UTC)A moment later, Sans-Serif asks the question S-4 was wondering about not too long ago, but then he comes up with a much more logical explanation. S-4 looks at his brother with obvious admiration.
"Wow! That must be it. You're really smart, brother. So the bird is asking for its mother in bird-language. That makes sense. I hope enough people can understand his language so he can find her."
He hums thoughtfully.
"I don't know if they're the same. There was another bird before, and they called her a 'mother', but I-I don't think she was like you or Sans. Do you think only birds are mothers?"
That's probably like half of them.
Date: 2016-02-20 12:15 am (UTC)But that only solves one of the problems at hand, even if it might help them find the answer to the other. Sans-Serif glances up curiously at his brother to see what he thinks. Somehow, he still can't shake S-4's original theory despite his earlier doubts. "...maybe 'mother' is how birds say 'brother'?" Like how "pen vuin" was how elves said "dear child"? But that explanation doesn't ring quite as true, and leaves Sans-Serif frowning as well. His expression unconsciously mirrors his brother's thoughtfulness.
But finally, he nods decisively, tapping the page again. "we should keep reading. it looks like the bird finding its 'mother' is going to be really important. so i know we won't miss it when it happens. then we'll know for sure! and we can read it together." So they can be sure to make it to the end.
I assumed as much ;A;
Date: 2016-02-20 07:12 am (UTC)He likes the words she says too, though he isn't sure if he'll ever be as good as his brother at remembering them all. A lot of them are more complicated than he is used to, even being raised in a laboratory.
"...Hmm. Maybe. I don't know if the other bird really looked like a brother though."
At the same time, who is S-4 to say what a brother looks like? He only has two brothers. He's not exactly an expert on the subject.
The suggestion Sans-Serif gives is a good one, however, and S-4 nods in agreement.
"Yeah. That's a really good idea! Um, I'll keep going then."
He turns the page. The story continues with the bird looking around and eventually falling out of his tree. Thankfully, it isn't hurt, and it starts looking for his mother. Oddly enough, the bird seems as inexperienced with the term 'mother' as the two skeletons are.
"He... did not know what his mother looked like... He walked... right by her. He did not see her."
(no subject)
Date: 2016-02-20 03:25 pm (UTC)"maybe...maybe it's not just birds that are mothers?" Otherwise, how could the little bird not know that its mother looked like a bird? If it knew what its mother was, how could it not know what she looked like? "i don't know." He lets out a little sigh and shakes his head. Sans-Serif can feel that he's only making himself more confused. "we should just keep reading."
And indeed, the little bird carries on to all manner of animals, asking them if they are its mother. Sans-Serif doesn't even recognize a few of them. But they all say "no", leaving the little bird to carry on again.
"...it looks so sad." So sad and small and alone, even as it carries on so bravely and with such hope. Sans-Serif curls a little nearer towards his brother, as though to hide away from the bad thought that comes to him next. "it must be sad, not having a mother."
Whatever it is, he doesn't think they do. Otherwise, wouldn't they know what it was? Or have they walked right past their mother without seeing her, too?
(no subject)
Date: 2016-02-20 07:31 pm (UTC)"Maybe. Maybe lots of different animals can be mothers. This is hard..."
Every time they make a guess, they're proven wrong. It's easier to just keep on reading, as the bird asks a cat, and a hen, and a dog, and a cow. The poor little bird has been looking for so long, S-4 is starting to get worried. He wraps an arm around his brothers shoulders, only flinching a little at what his brother says next.
"...I think it is really sad. B-But, um, the bird doesn't have a brother, so that's probably why it needs someone like that. And that's... that's why it's okay that we don't have one, right?"
But he has a feeling he's wrong, and that it might not be okay. He frowns and keeps reading.
"Did he have a mother? ... 'I did have a mother,' said the baby bird. 'I know I did. I... have to find her. I will. I will!' "
Do they know that they have a mother? Maybe they did, and now they just need to find her again...
(no subject)
Date: 2016-02-20 09:31 pm (UTC)He finds himself nodding along in resolute agreement with the little bird. The story isn't over yet. He'll find his mother. The story has to have a happy ending, just like the one they read to Frisk. It has to. And maybe once they find out what a mother is, they can go looking for her together, too.
But the story doesn't get any happier from there. The bird calls out to what look to be big machines, things that don't even respond to its question. Finally, clearly tired and upset, the bird lands on top of a machine bigger and more fiercesome-looking than some of the worst ones in the facility. It could fall from that high up or cut itself on those sharp edges or get hurt and then never find its mother. Sans-Serif covers his eyesockets in dread.
(no subject)
Date: 2016-02-20 09:52 pm (UTC)The more S-4 reads, however, the more he worries for his sibling. The story just seems to be getting worse and worse. What if the bird really can't find its mother? What if it gets lost? Or it lands on that big machine and goes far far away? Then Sans-Serif will be upset, and S-4 won't know how to fix it.
When the bird lands on the big machine, S-4's words become more frantic, and he stumbles and stammers through the next few pages. The poor bird is getting lifted high, high up off the ground, and it doesn't know how to fly yet. And it's crying so much...
He quickly turns the page, only to see the bird getting dropped... back into the nest?
"Then something happened!" he says this excitedly, as he nudges Sans-Serif to encourage him to look. "The Snort p-put that baby bird... right back in the tree! The baby bird was home!"
(no subject)
Date: 2016-02-20 10:04 pm (UTC)When he sees the bird safely back in his nest, Sans-Serif looks as though he almost can't believe it. He turns the page back to where it had been, to make sure that S-4 hadn't gotten confused and started the story over again. He hadn't. The bird really was back home safe.
He slumps back against S-4 in visible relief, smiling shakily. "what a nice snort." It had looked big and scary, but it had really taken the baby bird safely home. Sans-Serif should know better than to judge monsters just based on how scary they look.
Then Sans-Serif gasps in delight, this time. Because so soon after the baby bird gets put back in its nest, the bigger bird from the start of the story flies up to join it. The baby bird had walked right by her earlier, but now it sees her there. Could this really be his mother?
"what happened next?" He's so excited that he couldn't have made out the words on the page even if he'd tried.
(no subject)
Date: 2016-02-20 10:38 pm (UTC)"Yeah! It looks scary, but it probably just wanted to help from the start. It's like... how Frisk looked scary at first, but was really, really nice."
Of course, they had their reasons for believing Frisk was dangerous, but now they know not to judge based on species or appearance.
He flips the page, looking at the picture of the mother and baby bird smiling at each other.
"Um... let's see... 'Do you know who I am?' she said to her baby. 'Yes, I know who you are,' said the baby bird. 'You are not a kitten. You are not a hen. You are not a dog. You are not a cow. You are not a boat, or a plane, or a Snort!
'You are a bird, and... you are my mother.' "
The book ends with the mother wrapping a wing around the baby, and S-4 smiles softly, just admiring the picture.
"She really loves her baby."
(no subject)
Date: 2016-02-20 11:13 pm (UTC)But wouldn't it be nice, if they had someone to hug them both and smile at them like that? Wouldn't it be nice if they had a mother as well as a brother?
...the other him used to smile at them like that. But he hasn't been around very much. Even when he is, his smiles don't look right. San-Serif is not happy about this, but mostly because S-4 is clearly so unhappy.
He is a little exhausted from so many emotions in such quick succession. But Sans-Serif doesn't mind. It makes him feel like he's really present in a way he doesn't always feel, here with S-4 as they share something together.
Even so, Sans-Serif's mind can never stay too quiet for long, and he finds himself thinking once more about the question that had first set them off on this little adventure. "s-so, um...i don't think a mother is just a thing birds are. at the end, when he said 'you are a bird, and you are my mother'? i don't know, but i, i don't think he would have said 'and' if all mothers were birds. right?"
(no subject)
Date: 2016-02-21 02:46 am (UTC)"That's all that matters, right? As long as you love someone, and you're really, really happy with them. Then it doesn't matter who we have. A mother, or a brother, or friends, or anything else."
S-4 nods to himself, like this makes perfect sense, though he hesitates a moment after. Is that really all there is to it? Or... do they need someone else to love them both? They had Sans, but Sans has been so busy lately. Gaster has disappeared. And no one else here could be like that... could they?
S-4 frowns a bit when his brother goes back to puzzling over their original question, but eventually sighs. He should have expected that his brother wouldn't be satisfied without a proper answer.
"I don't think he would have said that, no. So some birds are mothers, but, but not all mothers are birds. I guess that's probably why he asked all those other animals. Maybe they can be mothers too."
(no subject)
Date: 2016-02-22 07:43 pm (UTC)He can feel S-4's sigh in his own ribcage, sounding almost disheartened, and maybe his brother really doesn't care what a mother is or what it means to have one. Maybe he's okay just having Sans-Serif. The older experiment feels a little guilty for wondering, then. He can't help the way his mind races ahead, sometimes...but neither does he want to leave his brother behind.
"...we don't have to talk about mothers if you don't want to. we could read another book instead!" Maybe one that's a little less scary before the promised happy ending. "you did a really good job reading that one. you even read it really fast!" A mercy he appreciates greatly.
(no subject)
Date: 2016-02-23 02:52 am (UTC)Right now, though, S-4 doesn't really want to think about what a mother is, and why he doesn't have one when it seems like they're so important to most people. He just wants to spend time with someone special, and be happy. He's always happiest when he's with Sans-Serif. So reading another book sounds perfect.
"Oh! Okay, but we'd have to go to the library, so we can find another one. Um... I've been trying to read a lot. I think I'm getting better, but there's still a lot of words I don't know."
(no subject)
Date: 2016-02-23 02:35 pm (UTC)He doesn't need a mother. It might be nice to have one, depending on what one is, but he doesn't need one to be happy like that baby bird was happy. Sans-Serif doesn't even need to work very hard to convince himself of this, because it is fundamentally true. As long as S-4 is here with him, he's happy.
"maybe they'll have a book about making kites. i asked frisk if they wanted us to make them a kite, like in the story. and they said yes, but we should probably practice first. otherwise we won't get it right." And they need to make the very coolest possible kite to give to their friend.
(no subject)
Date: 2016-03-10 08:59 pm (UTC)And that's really all he needs. If people like Sans-Serif and Frisk are here with him, then he'll always be happy.
"That's a good idea. I'd like to make a kite. A... A big red one! And it'll be even better than the one in the story!"
Spurred on by this idea, S-4 stands up, grabbing his brother's hand to tug him off to the library.
(no subject)
Date: 2016-03-11 06:46 am (UTC)And wouldn't it be just perfect if they had a big, red kite to give their friend to properly welcome them back once they did?
Sans-Serif takes his brother's hand and hurries along with him the best he can. Fortunately, the castle in general doesn't seem to move around as much for him as it does for others. Maybe that holds true for S-4, or maybe it just makes a difference that Sans is with him. Either way, they'll find the library, or at least one of the libraries, without too much trouble.
Sans-Serif stands in the doorway, regarding the array of shelves with his arms folded and his head tilted.
"okay...we should probably start where we found the first story about the kite. so you can find another story, and i can find out more about kites. that's probably where they put all the books about making kites, anyway." He nods decisively. That makes sense.
(no subject)
Date: 2016-03-18 08:20 pm (UTC)"I'd like to read it again! And, and it would be great if we had a kite to fly right after the story."
He does notice that with Sans-Serif's guidance, they find the library a lot faster than S-4 usually does alone. That's a little strange, but Sanses in general are unique, and that's why S-4 cares for them so much.
He looks around the room and taps his jaw with a finger before pointing towards a collection of shorter bookshelves.
"Okay! The kite book is over there. Come on!"
He tugs Sans-Serif over, getting down on his knees to peer at the titles of the various colourful books.
(no subject)
Date: 2016-03-20 12:13 am (UTC)Fortunately, for all the library's size, for all the hundreds of books crammed into it, it actually doesn't take them much longer to be successful in their search. It all starts with him finding a book on building boats, and searching much more carefully from there. A book on kites is three shelves down and four to the left. Sans-Serif pulls it out and holds it up with a delighted gasp. "here it is!"
Hastily, he sits down right there on the floor and opens it up to a random page. And he can scarcely believe what he sees when he does - rather than the simple square of red from the story, the kite detailed in this part of the book looks like some enormous monster, as big as a Snort.
(no subject)
Date: 2016-04-01 06:43 pm (UTC)Sans-Serif's gasp of excitement quickly lures him over, though, and he hurries over to Sans-Serif's side, placing the stack of books beside him, only to gasp in surprise at the picture he sees.
"Wow... It's really big! And it has a face. Is it supposed to have a face?"
He flips the page, and it shows another kite, just as large, but designed to look somewhat like a frog.
(no subject)
Date: 2016-04-01 07:37 pm (UTC)Then he remembers - "some of them do have faces! frisk said we could paint a 'kitty' face on it, if we wanted! but i didn't know what one of those was." And he doesn't know how to paint. Learning how to paint and learning how to make a kite seems like it might be a bit hard, even for the two of them.
He sets to work flipping throuh the pages one way, and then the other. Fortunately, a page almost at the very beginning of the book has what they were initially looking for. Sans-Serif's eyesockets widen, and he taps a finger against the page. "there!" A picture of a kite that's just a bright, simple diamond shape with a ribbony sort of tail.
"i tried to get us some fabric already. i left it under the bed." It's a respectable amount of torn curtain.
(no subject)
Date: 2016-04-04 11:12 pm (UTC)Because S-4 certainly doesn't. It sounds very silly, though, so who knows if Frisk would enjoy it? Maybe S-4 will just have to ask, and then if they really want one, he and S-4 can work on figuring out how to put a face on the creature.
As Sans-Serif flips to the page that shows the simple design, S-4 grins.
"That looks really cool! And it shouldn't be that hard to figure out, right? Can I see the fabric?"
He hopes it's the right shade of red.
(no subject)
Date: 2016-04-05 04:12 pm (UTC)And indeed, once they return to their room, Sans-Serif crawls about halfway under their bed, only to gingerly emerge holding a large bundle of material in his hands. It's more a dusty sort of pink, rather than proper red. The fabric is flimsy and even a little bit see-through, but at least that makes it light enough for even Sans-Serif to carry.
"now what else do we need?"
(no subject)
Date: 2016-04-07 03:01 am (UTC)"Oh, that's smart! We probably do need a lot of practice... I hope we can find red fabric soon though."
The dusty pink is nice enough, though, and light, so it should be able to fly on the wind well enough, right? S-4 looks over the material before he remembers the book, and checks the page.
"Um, we need two sticks, string, and a pair of scissors... Those should be easy to find, right?"
(no subject)
Date: 2016-04-08 04:29 pm (UTC)Hm. Scissors. Sans-Serif frowns thuoghtfully, staring straight ahead at nothing very much - that might be trickier. He's not sure he's seen something as mundane as a pair of scissors all while they've been here.
"...the other me might have some." Sans had gathered a lot of strange and sharp instruments for his makeshit lab. "or maybe we can borrow one of tauriel's knives."
He moves to smooth the pile of material out over the bed. It's enough to almost look like a second blanket. Maybe they can get two kites out of this.
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