And Life Continues On

Your shoulder is still scarred from that day. God, what a sloppy win...

Of course, you were a lot younger then. That didn't change the fact that so many lives were lost and should should have hit reset, but you didn't.

But...that's what being a human is, isn't it? Being selfish? Isn't it?

You hated yourself after you heard the final death count three months later. When everything seemed to be rounded up in the city. And you haven't actually stopped hating yourself since. You were just so focused on saving your family that you...forgot...everyone else. Like some stupid, selfish, arrogant, impetuous child. Just wanting everything to end so you could relax. So you could go to bed at nine like every other child and feel good about your day.

You did for three months. And you hated yourself every day for the next four years.

"FRISK! COME ON! WE'RE GONNA BE LATE!"

Asriel knew immediately that you had a long night with the bags under your eyes. He peels you off your desk, which you slept on last night, and feel like death. He wraps his long arms around you in a tight hug and places his chin on the top of your head.

"Mom's already in the car."

His hand raises up to gently thumb the bags.

"How many hours did you sleep?"

"Two..?"

You yawn, stretching backwards into his hug and let your head rest against his chest, and cross your arms over your stomach and keep your eyes closed.

"Want me to tell her that you're staying home?"

"I'm coming."

For such a crybaby of a kid, Asriel grew very maturely and bearing a lot of responsibility. Especially of you. Once he learned what had truly happened, he assumed role of your keeper when Sans and Papyrus weren't around.

He lets you snore off a few minutes into sleep and then gently rouse you once more.

Man, you feel as lazy as Sans, sometimes.

"Coooming..."

"You can't even keep your eyes open. I'll cover for you at the speech. Just cover my tail next time I need a break."

"Noooo..."

Your pillow leaves you and you sprawl out in the chair. Before you can finish your drawn out groan, Asriel tosses your uniform over your face and kicks your slippers over to you.

"Hurry up, then!"

Picking up a corner out of your face, you throw him a large grin and laugh a bit, sheepishly. He crosses his arms and scowls a bit before grinning back. He's already wearing his uniform: the purple robe with white sleeves and the delta symbol square in the middle of his chest. Yours matched his for the sole reason that you were part of the Dreemurr family; and that name in this new world carried a weight that would suffocate any normal person.

Toriel honked the horn from outside. She was getting impatient, and you knew better than to keep her waiting.

"Go, go, go."

You jump to your feet and usher Asriel out. Better to satiate the mom-beast lest she make extra-slimy snail pie tonight. With a laugh, your brother takes off with quick steps and began calling back out to Toriel.

Sighing, you let yourself drown in fatigue for a minute before quickly changing into your robes. You comb out your hair in quick strokes and then run to brush your teeth. The horn honks again, and you grip onto the sink and let out a drawn-out sigh. Really...you weren't in the mood to give a pep talk to the humans about how monsters have changed over the course of the past five years.

Yawning, you let your forehead press against the mirror and fog it up a bit. You draw a smiley face in the mirror and try and imitate the smile. It was just an hour speech. You memorized it all, and all you had to do was regurgitate information, seem upbeat, and then pass out again in the car until the others were done talking.

Yeah.

You can do this.

Just one hour.

Toriel honks the horn and you burst out the door before you can change your mind. At least your determination hadn't been dampened; albeit changed depending on the situation.

"Nice to see you joining us, Frisk."

Toriel greets you as you throw open the car door. Laughing a bit, you scooch inside the backseat and yank the door closed. Toriel being the overprotective mom that she was, waited for you to put your belt on before she took off to the University. She adjusted her mirror so it was focused on you in the backseat, Asriel gently tugging your head onto his arm so you can sleep, and smiling softly.

"Do you remember your speech?"

"Yeah..."

Determination failing. Sleep winning. Asriel's fur is as flufy as ever and extra comfy.

"You don't need to speak the hour, Frisk. But it is important that you convey how things have been bridging along well between the monsters and humans."

"I know."

Asriel moves forward a bit, creating a small hole, so you can bury your head in between his arm and the seat. Tears prick your eyes as you yawn again. Toriel smiles and readjusts her mirror into its proper position.

"Well, I'm proud of you both. Asriel, have you practiced your lines?"

"Yes, mom."

"And your role is..."

"To be the ambassador of all under-aged monsters; to be their spokesperson when they want to appeal to different laws concerning their welfare; their rights in the Overworld; and how to listen to their complaints when they don't like the humans and teach them how to suck it up."

"Asriel..."

"Kidding! I'm kidding!" You eye him, but you can tell he's tired of the same old story. Ever since your...incident...a few years back, he's been tied up with trying to teach younger monsters that the humans that killed their parents? They weren't all bad. They were just trying to protect themselves.

It was true, but it also meant that he had one hell of a job to do when all the monsters at school harassed him about it and shouted at him to do something. To...take it to the higher ups...or...just move to a different part of the world...

Asriel was sick of it. He was grateful to you for rescuing him from his personal hell, but the trade off was a constant badgering of other monsters' burdens. He was young, too, and no one seemed to understand that. He was saddled with this responsibility and sometimes, all he actually wanted to do was skateboard in the park and skin his knees or hang upside down on the monkey bars and try to drink a soda. Now, when those times DID actually occur, it was usually you dragging him out after dark when everyone was sleeping.

You make a mental note to bring him by Grillby'z later on for a root beer float. At least there, no one would pester him AND sometimes Grillby let the two of you make something in the back kitchen and eat it in secrecy. Like a triple chicken nugget burger with a bacon-wrapped bun and deep fried and a cheesy interior.

God, that was delicious...

"Frisk, wake up...we're here."

You hadn't realized that you managed to doze off in that plane of awake-but-sleeping and actually hadn't felt rested at all. Contrary, you felt even worse and now you REALLY didn't want to go in.

There were a mass amount of people standing outside around a podium, though. Asgore was there, speaking already, with Papyrus and Undyne at both his sides. A lot of cameras and lights were going off all at once, and you could already feel the sweat forming at your temples. God, there were so many people and vans and...and...

"Is this...live TV?"

You ask, your voice going quiet. Toriel visibly shrank back for your sake.

"I should hope not...we were not supposed to have live cameras...I guess the two of you speaking on the same day brought more media attention than we would have imagined."

Your hand flies up, curled up in a ball, thumb out, and with your index and middle finger held together. In a sort of airplane action, you let it dive across you and Asriel's view before bringing it together in sign language for 'no' before groaning. Asriel couldn't help but laugh and pat your back a few times.

"The worst they can do is laugh. It's cute."

"I'm not cute..."

You fight back, reaching up to tug Asriel's long, fluffy ears.

"You're the cute one. I'm the quiet one."

"You are both adorable to me."

Toriel speaks up in a light tone, looking back over the seat and cooing to them. Laughing, you empty out of the car and begin your long trek to the podium. At least the sight of Papyrus and Undyne make it easier on your nerves. And Papyrus's large, circling arms waving your way brightens your spirits like the sun in the middle of a dreary winter day.

Pushing your shoulders back, you try Mettaton's advice. "Fake it till you make it (baby)!"

But your gut churning and head swirling was making it hard. You're nauseous and the sun shines a bit too strongly in your eyes and makes you squint even harder. Asriel stands tall and proud beside you, eyes staring straight ahead at his father. They were such a model family and you...were the awkward human...
"You two look incredible."
Toriel whispers to you, knowing just what to say to make you feel slightly better. Smiling, more relaxed, you try not to think about the live feed of cameras pointing in your direction. Instead, almost twin-like in height to Asriel, you step in rhythm with him and try to mimic his behaviors while standing close beside him. Again, he was way more mature than you could ever imagine and you the least you could do was be united with him; even in the small ways you carried yourself beside him.

"Well, it seems that I've stalled enough! Asriel and Frisk Dreemurr, ladies and gentlemen."

Asgore finally announced you two and the weight of the world suddenly shifted on your shoulders. Toriel only goes so far, having relinquished her duties as Queen, and lets the two of you continue on. But with a quick glance around, you can tell that the cameras stay trained on her for a few important moments before returning to you and your brother.

In all honesty, if Asriel weren't there, you know that you'd be unable to do this on your own. Your feet are clumsy without guidance, and, just beyond the distance, you can see large white and red signs that make your gut sink. They're anti-monster signs. Picket signs. You've dealt with them before, but not so close up.

"Asriel..."

You begin, he turning his head to you. You have his full attention, but you divert it with a nod up of your head and the corners of his mouth falls.

"You want me to deal with it?"

"It's my role, isn't it?"

You smile, grateful that he's willing to take the heat of the situation for your sake. But he nods, regardless. It IS your job as ambassador. Whether or not you satiate the masses is another story; and one that never ends up well.

The cameras, noting your movements, train the cameras to the silent protest and then back at you two. These protests were always the same. The moment you and Asriel step up to the plate, bad things were going to happen. That's why Papyrus and Undyne were there, after all.

Letting Asriel step up to the podium first, closely standing beside him, you look out to the crowd and notice how...beautifully..? They all intermingle. Monsters and humans. Humans and monsters. Side by side. It's been a while since a conference like this, and the sight of it is almost enough to move you to tears. You settle for a proud smile and clasp your hands behind your back. Yeah. This was worth not resetting for.

"Good morning, everyone."

And now that Asriel spoke, waves of 'booing' and shouts came from the protesters. It actually stops Asriel in his tracks with how loud they are. Actually, it sounds like they set up some sort of speaker system just to harass the conference.

"Sorry for the disturbance, I think our-"

Asriel can' even start. A gunshot in the air sends everyone into a panic and diving behind something or other for security. Dumbfounded, you just stare ahead and watch as just a lone man stands in the back of his pick up and shoots off rifle shots straight in the air. He stares directly at you, and for some reason, you want to challenge him. He interrupted an important day, a day where big news were supposed to be revealed, and now, with a heavy heart, you watch the crowd disperse.

"Asriel and I have started a foundation!"

Before you could stop yourself, you shove Asriel out of the way using your full body and grasp onto the sides of the podium. You hadn't meant to yell, but it was enough for everyone to stop what they were doing-even the protesters.
When all was silent, you realize the need to get to the meat and potatoes of your statement before things were to get out of hand again.

"Asriel and I...we've started raising funds through monster and human help! That was the big news! And instead of presenting it properly, we're about to be chased out of here because some low-life people have a problem with us! Well, I-"

"What Frisk wants to say!" Asriel pushes you out of the way before you can talk yourself into early retirement. First rule of politics was to never engage head on with protesters like these and so openly challenge their antics. That was asking for problems.

"Is that we have started a fundraiser to send underprivileged children to school at the Dreemurr Academy of Higher Learning. We...Frisk and I...are representing the entire project and wanted to ask everyone for their help. Monsters and humans alike and..."

Papyrus places a hand on your shoulder in attempt to calm you, but you're riled up. Your eyes haven't moved from the man who shot the gun, and your heart sank more and more as the scared crowd began to disperse into nothing but empty camera stands and a scatter of chairs. Undyne is already on the move to stop the protestors from causing more harm, but it was already too late.

"And...we...uh...wanted to ask for sponsors..."

Asgore places both hands on his son's shoulders and frowns deeply. There's no one left in the crowd but a few monsters who were too slow on moving out of the way fast enough. Gnashing his teeth, Asriel tears away from his father and sprints away.

"Asriel!"

"I'll get him."

Papyrus makes no move to stop you. He knows that this was supposed to be the big day for the both of you, and it's just so unfair that you were cheated out of the big news because of one guy with a gun.

The tall skeleton then sprints off to help Undyne rattle the guys to the bone. He's far from happy.

"Asriel?"

You find your brother standing at the base of a familiar tall, bronze statue. It's an intricate sculpture of a monster and human holding hands with vines and flowers at the base of their feet. It was commemoration to the day so many people died.

"It's not fair!"

He shouts, shoving his foot against the base of the statue's plaque and growling.

"We're doing something good here! To the kids whose parents died that day! We're trying to help them out! We're supposed to represent them! And they go and try and stop us because they hate us! It's not my fault!"

Oh...that was it...

"Of course not...you weren't...you didn't do it on purpose. You were lonely...and besides, you tried to fix it, didn't you? And you were a kid. They don't know how long you were alone for, they can't condemn you for what happened."

You reach over to him and try to pull him into a hug, but only succeed in making him cry in your shoulder. After all this time, he still was a bit of a crybaby.

"I didn't mean to..."

"I know. Your friends and family know. That's why we're doing this, isn't it? To try and make it right, somehow."

Your hand pats his back a few times, and you feel like you need the hug, too. It's your fault, too, that so many lives were lost. You could have hit rest but you didn't.

"Those idiots!"

"You sound like Flowey. Don't say that."

There were days that you sounded like Chara, and days he sounded like Flowey. Their personalities bled into yours just a little over the time that they were within your consciences, it was only normal. But you both felt disgusted every time their personas slipped out a bit.

"Sick..."

"I know. Wanna go throw stones in the creek?"

"In uniform?"

You nod.

"We'll meet up with Sans at Grillby'z later on for jazz night and ask Papyrus to bring us a change of clothes."

Asriel pulls away and smiles broadly and the idea. He loves it. More importantly, he loves Sans and Papyrus with all his heart and how dorky they could be together.

"You think Paps is gonna play tonight?"

"Nah. Undyne might, though. Or she might tear through another piano. Who knows?"

"But Paps is really good..."

"I knooow...but he wants to be great. You know how he is."

You lock arms with Asriel and begin your trek down the winding path, leaving the statue behind you. He eagerly follows along in almost a skip and scans the ground for rocks.

"Yeah. But I'm so stoked for Sans and him to play. Don't you understand how awesome that'll be?"

"And what's going to happen to The Bone Crew?"

"They take Papyrus in under their wing and play an entirely new sound called the Shin-gles."

Asriel looks too serious when he says that, and you're unsure whether to laugh or not.

"Is that...a...skeleton pun...?"

He stops and stares at you for a solid minute and then nods.

"Yes."

"Oh."

Your mouth forms into a perfect 'O' shape and the time to laugh has passed. It'd be awkward if you did now...

You walk in silence, knowing the beaten path that would lead you to a quiet little creek in the middle of the park's forest where you could do whatever you wanted.

"Thanks for saving my young career, by the way."

You begin, tugging on his elbow a bit with your own and setting him off-balance a bit.

"I'd make a horrible politician."

"Aw, Frisky, dontchu thank me for being you, you dork." He headbutts you and laughs, "I already know that I've gotta save your butt once in a while."

The name sends the both of you into a fit of laughter, but you're secretly touched by it. Only he was allowed to call you that.

"But Azzy, you know how I've gotta pretty much save you from the outside world. I'd say we're pretty even."

"Oh, nooo, Frisky, the outside world! How horrible! You don't know how hard it is to fit in! I just w-w-want to be a huuuman!"

"Azzy, please, don't say such foolishness. You're too baa-aa-d to be a human."

His eyes widen at the pun. He's going to get you back for the goat pun. He's going to really get you back for the goat pun.

"Oh, by the way, Frisky, I heard you singing the other night in your room. Your voice is so darling! Mettaton would LOVE to have you on stage with him!"

"You wouldn't dare. You were listening? It was 3am! Asriel, that's not funny!"

Hook, line, and sinker. He's got the dirty look to his eye. All was fair in love and war.

"Asriel, no, don't you dare."

"I mean, Tonton looooves new talent."

"I'm sorry, don't tell him. Don't tell anyone."

"Aw, Frisky, but your voice is so angelic!"

"I mean it, Asriel! Don't or...or... I'm going to wax you bare!"

"Chara."

The both of you stop and you feel gross. Visibly, you cringe back and cross an arm over your stomach.

"Sorry..."

"Nah, it's cool. Let's just throw stones."

You nod. One for one, today. Flowey and Chara. God, you hated how even playful jokes were interpreted as mean-spirited and, by proxy, a Chara standard.

"I'm gonna be sick..."

"It's because you didn't sleep."

Asriel stops and lets you cling on more tightly onto your stomach and look away. Your mouth coats in an acidic-bile but you resist the urge.

"And you're way too stressed out. My turn to baby you."

Nodding again, you let Asriel lead you away from the site and press on into the forest. At least there, you could forget about your sins and pretend that everything around you was gone.

AN: Soooo here's a drabble of a sequel! No plot, really, for this one. It's just a collection of 'life going on' after Blue Magic. There will be arcs and stuff, but no substantial plot that you need to be on the watch for, per se. So just sit back, relax, and enjoy!