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rosezure · 3 years

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Songbird 4 - We’re All Suspects

Songbird Chapter 4

A/N: I wanted to try something out with the points of view in this part. Hope you guys enjoy this chapter! :)

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the BNHA/MHA universe, nor its characters. This work is intended for entertainment purposes only. My own characters are, however, of my creation.

Content warning: nudity, mentions of pain, mentions of violence. Please, let me know if I’ve forgotten anything!

Summary | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3

Winter in Japan was much colder than in Pindorama. Everything was covered in white, and snow fell every other day. Asa was enchanted. The coldest she'd felt was when she escorted Queen Yeba to the Andes for a secret meeting among allies.

Now, Asa lived in a traditional Japanese home currently covered in snow. Her very own little winter wonderland. The house was quite large, having many rooms and accommodations. Her favorite part was the forest that surrounded it. Though the hot springs in her backyard were a strong second.

Asa had been delighted when she learned of the house's possession of one. In Pindorama, there was something similar: Houses at the foot of the Great Peak Mountain often had small lakes in their backyards. The waters were cold, but they were known for being refreshing to those that traveled through the dense humid Amazon jungle.

Perhaps it could be her absolute favorite place right now.

Asa sat in the hot springs, as naked as the day she was born. Crystal-like snowflakes fell from the heavens as she leaned back with her mouth open to catch them. She giggled at the contrast of temperatures in her mouth.

"Madam," The housekeeper, Mrs. Ito, walked out of the house. Her beautiful smile flashed as she bowed.

"Mrs. Ito, please," Asa blushed, "Call me Asa, I insist!" She submerged, leaving her nose and up above the surface.

"Right, Asa," She older woman smiled, "The headmaster and some teachers have arrived for dinner," Mrs. Ito clapped excitedly.

"Splendid!" Asa rose from the hot water and beamed, "Please, tell them to come to enjoy the hot springs!" She asked, already moving around and making sure everything looked presentable.

"Right away, Asa! I'll provide them with the robes and slippers," Mrs. Ito bowed again and disappeared into the house.

"This will be a fine opportunity to assess how pro-commission these coworkers of mine are," Asa mumbled to herself as she retied her hair in place.

The guests arrived: a small animal-like man, a tall dark-haired man, an elderly woman, and two blonde men. Beaming, Asa greeted them and invited them in. They shed their towels or robes and entered the spacey private onsen.

The guests introduced themselves, bowing their heads slightly.

Keigo had been warry of the invitation sent by the newcomer. She had her own house near the campus, and it was apparently luxurious. He didn't want to meet the ice queen Aizawa had described, much less some spoiled royal brat.

But even he had to admit the house was gorgeous. The residential complex was styled after the Edo Period, akin to high-ranked samurai living quarters. And at the very back, there was a private onsen where "Asa" was waiting for them.

To say Keigo was surprised at the foreigner's invite was an understatement. But he was beyond blown away by the beauty of the onsen in her backyard. The hot spring was surrounded by boulders of all shapes and sizes. Smaller stones formed a pathway to the spring, and it was decorated with all sorts of plants on either side. In the far left corner of the spring was a beautiful fountain cascading down into the steaming waters.

Asa waved them over. Keigo felt himself blush as he almost stumbled when he saw her: She was breathtaking. Her dark hair was in a tight bun, leaving her features visible. Her copper skin contrasted ethereally with her icy blue eyes. Sadly, her wings weren't out, and Keigo felt himself kind of wishing they were.

"Welcome!" Asa's accent as she spoke Japanese was only slightly noticeable. She smiled elegantly, inviting them in.

"Hello, miss Asa," Nezu greeted in English. He offered his hand, or paw, for her to shake. She took it gracefully. Keigo noticed her movements were reminiscent of a ballerina. But to him, it just meant she was probably deadlier than she looked.

"I am Nezu, headmaster of UA High. These are my coworkers Shota Aizawa, Hizashi Yamada, Chiyo Shuzenji, and Keigo," Nezu pointed to each one of them. Asa nodded in understanding.

"It is customary here to address new acquaintances by their family name, correct?" She asked in Japanese, tilting her head.

"Quite right, miss Asa," Nezu nodded, almost dropping the towel on his head, "But you can call me Nezu." He was grateful she understood and spoke Japanese. Using his limited English would have made communicating hard.

"If it is alright with you, sir," Asa offered a polite smile, "I'd rather call you Headmaster or sir," her tone was respectful, and her smile never wavered.

"Of course!" Nezu laughed lightly, "Whatever makes you comfortable." Asa nodded, then turned to Keigo and the others.

"Thank you for welcoming me into your school. I hope we can work well together and prepare great champions." Asa bowed her head at the end of her mini-speech.

"You are adorable, miss Asa!" Recovery Girl got closer to the woman and squeezed her cheeks. "You'll make a fine addition to our team." She patted Asa on the shoulder.

"Thank you very much!" Asa grinned widely, giggling quietly. Her smiles and words seemed genuine enough, but Keigo felt flustered for some reason. It was like something about Asa that he couldn't quite grasp, yet it made him uncomfortable.

"Mr. Aizawa, Mr. Yamada, Mr. Keigo, thank you for coming. I understand it must be strange to have a foreign coworker joining under these circumstances. I'll try my best to help in any way I can." She bowed once again.

Keigo was irked. She was too polite. Too smiley. Too nice. There had to be something wrong with her. Something she was hiding. And Keigo was going to find out what it was.

"I assure you my mission is to work with you and for you," Asa declared, interrupting Keigo's thoughts. He looked up to see her staring straight at him.

"Uh, right. Good." He nodded stiffly. Maybe his scowling wasn't as subtle as he thought it was.

The conversation continued to flow amongst them, but Keigo tried his best to stay out of it. After a few more minutes, Mrs. Ito called them for dinner.

The dining room was beautiful. The dark wooden walls and tiles contrasted gracefully with the lighter-colored furniture. The food was laid out on a table in the center of the room. Soon, everyone had taken a seat on flowery-patterned cushions on the floor.

Dinner flew by with more chit-chatting and laughs. Asa was a natural diplomat: Everything she said and did was deliberate, showing her guests how much she valued their company. Even Aizawa seemed to be more at ease than usual, and Hizashi laughed delightedly at Asa's stories. Nezu and Recovery Girl were reminiscing, telling her about childhood memories attached to the dishes she had prepared.

After they all finished eating, Asa took them to walk around the garden. It was kept safe from the harsh winter by a glass covering and its own heating system.

"Some of these species come from Pindorama. I had some sent over since they're used in some of our religious rituals and for healing." Asa walked ahead of them, explaining what each plant was and how it's used.

"Ah, I'm sorry! This is probably boring," She laughed lightly, her eyes turning to half-moons. Keigo felt himself blush.

"Not at all," He blurted out. This was the first time he'd actually spoken. The others turned to look at him in astonishment. Keigo cleared his throat.

"Oh, thank you," Her smile seemed softer this time.

Shortly after the walk in the garden, Asa sensed it was probably time to see her guests off. Recovery Girl was getting too cold, and Aizawa's state was worsening.

"What if I helped with that a bit?" Asa offered, seeing Aizawa's pained expression.

Hesitantly, Aizawa nodded. Asa carefully removed the long coat she had worn over her clothes for the short trek. Carefully, she helped Aizawa onto a bench between two tall trees. She knelt beside him on the ground and gingerly placed her hand over his recovering leg.

"I'm not sure if you'll feel any side effects," She frowned, "So, please tell me if it's too much," She took a deep breath.

Soon, a strange aura began encircling them. Keigo watched in amazement as her wings ripped through her clothes. It tore through the layers she wore, exposing her back to the cold air.

Asa's lips moved, but no sound came out. Yet, all of them felt a strange feeling of comfort. The air suddenly became warmer. Aizawa's leg seemed to be glowing, causing the man's eyes to widen.

The young woman stood up, removing her hand from his leg. She stood up and sighed.

"I hope that helps a little," Asa offered Aizawa a hand. He took it and stood up, his leg feeling more stable than before.

"It does," Aizawa smiled to everyone's surprise, "Thank you, Asa!"

"It was my pleasure, Mr. Aizawa," She bowed slightly.

They left after that, bidding her cheerful goodbyes and promising to see her at work soon.

Keigo couldn't sleep that night. He'd never been so impressed by someone's quirk. His first reaction had always been to analyze and determine if they presented a threat to him or not. Yet, now, every time he closed his eyes to try and sleep, he'd picture her wings, those gorgeous, majestic, white wings. Hell, he still felt the aftershocks of her quirk. It didn't just heal Aizawa's pain; it felt like it was healing his own soul and-

Wait a minute.

Her quirk was a healing quirk. It healed wounds, cuts, bruises, pain. Not feelings or emotions. Or did it?

Keigo stood up from his bed, running to his desk to go over the files he'd received on Asa. They contained classified information about her quirk's history, which the queen herself had. How he got them wasn't relevant. Keigo was sure they never mentioned any other form of healing in the description. But maybe, just maybe, he'd missed it in the report.

Asa of Pindorama's Quirk Description

Type: Healing.

Pros and cons: Can heal open and scarred wounds, bones, muscles, veins, etc. The subject's wings are exposed every time the quirk is activated, which can cause unwanted attention.

How: Classified.

Keigo read through every little detail. He skimmed every page and every folder, taking notes of the information he read. But, he found nothing about the strange feeling of comfort and warmness she'd made the others feel.

Could it be a side effect? If so, why wasn't it included in the files?

What was Asa of Pindorama hiding behind those icy blue eyes?

One thing was certain: She wasn't just a simple healer.

In the onsen, Keigo noticed that her body was littered with scars. Some were too big to have been accidents or minor injuries. It was almost like her skin held war stories from how marked it was. Could it be she was tortured? Or maybe she was a soldier or spy of some sort. That seemed to match his theory more.

If Asa was really the enemy, then she'd have to be an excellent spy to have infiltrated the system. She even got a recommendation letter from the queen herself! What more proof was there that she wasn't a mere healer?

The ex-pro hero wrote down all of his observations. He wrote about the scars, the callouses on her hands, the polished manners that were almost too perfect, and every other information he thought was relevant. He wrote on an old notebook he had lying around his new room.

Follow the events of March, Keigo sold his old house and bought a smaller apartment. After he was hired by Nezu, he sold that apartment and settled for an even smaller one near UA High. But he still had most of his belongings; they were just piling up in random corners around his apartment.

Maybe he needed to focus on cleaning his place.

Yeah. Keigo was going to clean up and donate as many things as he could. Then, and only then, would he start focusing on his new "mission": Expose Asa of Pindorama as an enemy spy.

Asa sighed in relief once they were out of sight. Healing Aizawa's leg took a toll on her. She had meant to lessen the pain only, but she ended up using too much power and fully healed it. Hopefully, he wouldn't notice it soon. Asa wasn't sure how she would explain not being able to control her quirk.

She helped Mrs. Ito clear the dining room and wash the dishes. After that, she went straight back to the onsen. Asa let her body practically melt into the hot water, feeling her tensed muscles relax. Asa had heard of the healing properties of onsens. She'd openly admit to having felt ten times better after spending time immersed in the hot springs. Yet, she couldn't help but replaying the evening.

Hours later, Asa was still submerged in the hot waters of the onsen. Something was off about Headmaster Nezu and Keigo. And she would get to the bottom of it.

The way Keigo seemed overly suspicious and cautious bothered Asa. Sure, she knew they wouldn't all warm up instantly to her. Keigo, however, seemed wearier than the rest. Asa couldn't have one of them suspecting her true intentions already. No, she'd have to deal with him personally.

From what she could gather on intel and data, Keigo was formerly known as the Winged Hero, Hawks. Whatever happened all those months ago made him retire. Of course, he wasn't the only one, but he was the youngest of the newly retired heroes.

Yet, what made him stand out to Asa was his affiliations. Keigo had been brought up by the HPSC. He was taken in by them when his father was caught by Endeavor. Keigo's mother was in no state to take care of him, so the organization took it upon themselves to raise Keigo Takami.

Asa believed his connection to the agency could be dangerous to the mission. She'd have Keigo watched, just in case.

Nezu was a whole different story. He was intelligent, clearly a capable teacher and headmaster. But Asa's instincts screamed the minute he entered her home. If she hadn't controlled herself, his head would've rolled right then and there.

Asa lifted her wet hands to her temples, massaging them lightly. She groaned in annoyance.

This was becoming unnecessarily complicated.

#bnha #mha #hawks x oc #keigo takami x oc #hawks #keigo takami #bnha au #bnha oc #hawks fanfic #bnha fanfic #boku no hero academia #my hero academia

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i-am-loki-and-now-i-speak-up · 6 years

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In the Place of Kindred Souls

(Inspired by this blessed post by @lyasmind. Written under author permission. Thank you so much!)

I saw him. We were in that place with no name where kindred souls meet. A place where time does not exist and what happens have a sense and a belonging. The Gods know that place, so a strange, indomitable instinct had led me there, ... but I didn’t expected I could find in it him too. Waiting for me.

With his kind, almost shy gaze. We remained silent, a silence that said everything, a sweet, light, yet painfully sad silence. And I was tired of suffering.

In that steady and subtle air, in that transparent light, images took shape. I forced myself to look at them even if they hurt. They were hurt terribly. I knew how much they blew those who, on Midgard, had taken me and my story, to heart. I heard their every outburst, their every cry. I felt their anger, seeing their tears, felt their pain, ... cursing myself for not being able to help them.

Those images hurt so much. They had been a punch in the stomach for whoever looked at them. Meaningless brutality. A gratuitous violence.

I’d liked to show myself, shout to everyone not to despair: I am a God, I live and I will live forever, and what they had seen was only mere fiction. Yet that mere fiction, that fate so violent and undeserved that "they" had reserved for me, had shocked and outraged everyone. Those whom now praised my name, clamoring for my return. Without knowing that, in any case, I will be there forever.

Anyway, here it is. Here I am. Thor, my beloved and hated adoptive brother, crying and despairing over my still body. My sacrifice for him. I wonder if it was worth it ...

I hid my every emotion. Loki God of Mischief shows no weakness and does not flaunt his feelings. A lesson learned almost immediately ...

I took a deep breath and straightened my shoulders. I knew he was behind me: he had seen those very disturbing images too, and now he waited for me to be the first to speak. A difficult, hard to deal with, and above all to accept.

"So ..." I said trying to keep my voice steady "...I guess this is where we have to say goodbye, you knew it was gonna end like that, right?"

"Yes ..." a soft voice answered behind me "Yeah, and ..."

I turned to look at him, finally, and once again I found myself amazed at how much he resembled me ... as if a powerful magic, unknown even to me, had created my Midgardian twin.

"... I just suddenly I recalled the first time i met you."

I smiled. I remembered it too. I could not remember it.

It had been amazing to meet him, to see him become me. I had decided I liked it, and seeing my face on someone else was tremendously fun.

His name was Tom, and at the time he looked like a little boy who had fallen into the clothes of an adult: the thin face, the sharp cheekbones, blue eyes like the cloudless sky of Asgard. And a laugh that I would soon learn to know, ... and recognize among a thousand others.

He was good, damn good. At first I thought to give him a breath of my magic, then I realized with amazement that he didn't need it. Because in a moment he understood me more than anyone else, and his whole soul became mine when he had to wear my clothes and talk like me.

I laughed softly, approaching me.

"I remember it too, my friend ..." the air stirred, flickered in front of him, and when it stopped, I looked once again as if it all began. Short hair, angry and sad eyes, the face of a lost teenager, broken forever.

"When I looked like this ..." I murmured "It seems centuries ago, don’t you find? When it all began and I was nothing but a fist of anger, resentment and broken bones." i smiled bitterly "You've been good, my friend ... I’ll never forget those days. "

I watched him. I had followed his life in silence and with attention, while he was weaving reality and fiction. He played me, I watched him with curiosity and finally with affection. I had seen him become popular, I had seen masses of people cheering his name, ... I had seen his face of eternal boy blush with happiness and embarrassment.

I had seen him having fun, laughing, doing silly things and making fun of himself. And also being tremendously serious.

I liked Tom. He spoke of me in the right terms, he was able to do me justice, he understood me. Which does not mean that he justified me. He understood my emotions, and it was important.

He put a hand on my shoulder, in a gesture of sincere affection.

"It's ... it's an emotional moment ... I mean, if you want you could have my shoulder for ..."

I interrupted him. No, Loki does not show his emotions. Loki must hide. Loki must go beyond suffering and sadness. I'm not used to showing my most emotional part, but it was useless to hide it, ... yes, that moment also deeply touched me. I was about to lose my best friend.

But instinct prevailed and I behaved with composure, as I had always done.

"No, ...i don't shed tears before any Midgardian ..."

For a moment I was ashamed of myself, swearing to myself the coldness I had learned to erect between myself and others. A nice "gift" from my father.

But Tom showed sympathy once again to me, confirming in my eyes the good person he was, and that would always be: sympathetic, gentle, kind, polite.

"Okay ..." he simply said, smiling.

I looked away for a moment, biting my lip. I always get nervous when I have to say or do something serious, involving feelings. Mine or others'.

"Actually..." I began to say, but my voice overlapped his, with the same word. I wasn’t surprised: we were two parts of the same soul, it was obvious that we could feel each other's thoughts.

Tom nodded.

"You go first, Loki ..."

I stood in silence for a moment, looking for the right words. I, a master of eloquence, images modeler, Silvertongue, ... at that moment I looked like an idiot with a knotted tongue.

"I ... I made this ... what do you call it? Pudding? Is this his name on Midgard? I made a pudding, for you."

In front of his amazed eyes, a small golden vase appeared in my hands. I handed it to him.

"Most of the time I really don't get you, people on Earth, but ... I think this would make you happy. I put blessings in. The good ones."

He seemed happy. He held the jar as if it were the most precious treasure in the world, his blue eyes sparkling with joy.

"Thank you!" he exclaimed like a child on his birthday.

I hadn't finished. The worst part was coming...sadness.

"Hide, Loki, ... hide, do not let him know ..."

No, enough hide, stop pretend! Not with Tom ...

"Because ... because after me you're going meet a lot of people on your journey, and I want ... I would ..."

The air shone around me, and I went back to assume my most recent appearance: the long black hair on the shoulders, the petrol-blue leather suit, the high dark armguards.

A shadow of pain had to appear on my face, because Tom approached me reassuringly.

"That's right, Loki, but ..."

He looked me straight in the eyes and for the first time, in all that time, I realized how much he had changed, grown, matured.

He no longer had a smooth boyish face, he was no longer so much thin. His hair was longer, now, and thick waves of a reddish blonde curls framed a man's face. He wore a beard, glasses with a black frame and his body was the same as always, only more defined.

As Tom and I intertwined our lives, and he told my tragedy, I had remained an immortal God and he had become a grown man. Under my eyes.

An adult man, thoughtful, calm, but with that smile that enchanted the world and the sweet gaze of a good-hearted person.

Lost in my considerations I did not realize that he was continuing to speak.

"What you say is true, but ... but I'll not be able to thank you enough for all the fantastic, unforgettable years we went through ... So, listen to me, Loki, I want you to keep these words in your mind, when we're apart. "

He put his hands on his shoulders, his voice became a soft whisper, his words a caress to my already aching soul. I had lost so much, I had lost everything, ... now I was going to lose him too.

"You deserve to be loved, Loki, you deserve to be loved by everyone, and yes, you're right ... I might meet other people but none of them replaces you."

A shiver ran through my back at hearing that phrase. Was it true? Or was it rather a phrase of circumstance, of those that are said only to make a good impression?

I knew Tom ... and he was not the guy who managed it with empty sentences.

It was true, then.

Smiles slightly.

Suddenly I found myself clutching something small and cold. I looked, and to my surprise I realized that I was holding a key in my hand. A small golden key: it had a round handle like a coin, and on it was engraved a small smiley face with a satisfied and sarcastic grin. As if he had just played a terrible trick and was having a good time. He wore a helmet with long curved horns.

"Keep it, it's yours." Tom said "Whenever you miss me, you just come to the door."

He pointed his index finger at his chest and suddenly, the unpredictable magic of that place out of Time and Space, showed me a soft light, ... there, where Tom held his forefinger, ... on his chest. A soft, warm and pulsating light. Reassuring. Of a soft pink color.

Watching her made me feel safe as if I saw a familiar and familiar place. A place where I had been happy.

"You know the way ..."

Tom's heart.

Yes, I already knew the way.

I knew that Tom's heart was a big heart full of love, and it was enough to give it to me too. Tom had loved me from the beginning, he had taken me, kept me tight, made me grow, he had given me the light that everyone had wanted to deny me. He had loved and defended me.

Yes, I knew her well, the way to Tom's heart. At that moment I understood that I would never lose him, that I would always have a place to belong to.

That Tom and I would never have separated, actually, nor would we ever really say goodbye.

Because two parts of the same soul can not separate, they can only look at each other and know that nothing ends forever.

I looked at the grinning facet on the key and laughed.

"I didn't know you do magic as well, Tom ..."

The grinning face. Loki, God of Mischief. Sarcastic and sharp ... arrogant, full of charm and charisma. Beautiful and shiny. Denigrated and crazily loved. Diminished and yet able to obscure so many blatantly good and perfect heroes. Loki.

I recognized him, that sneer, made with a few simple traits. Effective and funny like a child's drawing. Tom ...

"And is this thing me?" I exclaimed, trying to appear dismayed.

He chuckled. He knew perfectly that I was pretending, with him my tricks were not working. Never.

Then I laughed too: with Tom I could let myself go and smile. I took a deep breath.

"Thank you, Tom."

He knew what I meant, what was inside that "thank you". It was a "thank you" for all that he had been for me, for what he had said and what he had done.

Thanks Tom.

I found myself tight in a hug full of warmth, Tom's arms held me as if they no longer wanted to leave me. As if he wanted somehow to absorb a breath of my spirit for as long as possible.

The embrace of a brother.

Of the only person, beyond my mother, who had understood and wanted me. Really wanted.

"No ..." I heard him whisper quietly, his voice broken by tears "Thanks to you, Loki."

Then I hugged him too, ... strong and tight. Instinctively I leaned my forehead on his shoulder, and something veiled my sight so I let myself go. Tom hugged me even closer.

Because there is no time, in the Place of the Kindred Souls, there are no farewells or separations. Only souls who find themselves and back to belong to each other, forever.

Because Loki belongs to Tom.

And Tom is part of me.

"Thanks, Tom."

"No, thanks to you, Loki ..."

#in the place if kindred souls #loki laufeyson speaks #trust my words #lyasmind #thank you for this

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storyteller15 · 5 years

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Chapter Seven: Spilled Tea and Cracked Macarons

As I entered the room, the warm sunshine flows over my skin. An enormous garden spread out elegantly before me like a painting on display, as it reflected the early morning sun.

I audibly gasped, but found no words to describe the beauty. To be honest, I expected to walk into an ordinary greenhouse with concrete floors and flowers aligned in different sized pots. How wrong I was. Instead, I walk into an enchanted botanical garden. It's as if I just stepped into another world; a world where no creature has ever set foot in.

There are so many different varieties of flowers and herbs growing among the beds; bluebells, orchids, chamomile, and even daisies. I even spotted plenty of hydrangeas growing along the glass walls and around a small fountain with a Cupid standing on some kind of pedestal, shooting water out of its hand.

As I began to walk, I notice the soft warm feel of the grass beneath my feet. I find it strange that this botanical garden had no stoned paths or anything hard to walk over. Just a whole lot of grass, the paths outlined with shiny rocks that sparkled like jewels. I don't think I want to leave this place. Whatever Asgore did to this garden, seemed to have me bonded here. The more I discover, the harder it was to leave.

Off in the distance a pristine white bridge arched lazily over a big pool. Two leafy arches stood one at each end of the bridge, and glowed in an odd burgundy maroon light. I even saw water shoot out from the pool forming three arch shapes. Feeling drawn to the leafy arches, I walked over to get a closer look. As I approached the arch, I was flabbergasted. The leaves are fake! Despite how realistic they appeared, they carried that rustic scent of a craft store. Hidden among them were strands of lights; the source of their unique glow. Nonetheless, it was still a beautiful sight.

I looked down at the water, watching my reflection dissipate when a bunch of multicolored koi fishes swimming under the lily pads, scavenging for whatever food they could find. I counted them all, finding at least fifteen of them. They're pretty big for a fish their size, but then again, they eat a lot anyway. The question is, how did Asgore manage to have these colorful carps? Maybe I'll ask him in another time when I see him again.

Suddenly, something caught my view. My eyes grew wide with shock and anticipation. "No way . . !"

I quickly crossed the rest of the bridge, running towards the radiant blue roses that grew near the bed of golden flowers. Just to be sure they're not fake, I gently stroked the soft petal with my delicate fingers. I gasped, they're real! They're absolutely real! But how? I asked myself. I thought the blue roses went extinct many years ago. I only saw pink, purple, orange, white, yellow, and black roses. Never blue. How on earth did Asgore manage to grow and save such a very rare colored rose?

Suddenly, I remembered what Nanny used to tell me when I was a child, 'If you love a flower, don't pick it up'. Of course, she probably read that quote from a book or a movie, but it is a reminder that we express our love for the flowers by appreciating it. And since then, I only look at the flowers and not pick them.

"What the heck is taking that smiley trash bag so long?" A voice growled, snapping my gaze away from the blue roses.

Who? What? I looked around to see if anyone one else was here, besides me. But there was no one.

"Why did I have to trust him to fetch me some food? I'm so tired of eating spaghetti! For once, I want something sweet for a change!" The voice complained, sounding as if they're close by.

I backed away slowly, trying as hard as I could to follow their voice. I know they're close by, I thought to myself. But there's nothing else here other than a bed of golden flowers with a circular patch of green grass in their center. My gaze stopped on the single flower that occupied the grass patch. It was yellow like the others, but possibly bigger than them.

"Ugh! All this waiting is starting to irritate me!" The flower shouted, making me gasp loudly enough for them to hear me, whipping their petal bordered face towards my direction. "What? Never seen a cranky, talking flower that's starving before?!"

I blinked, having a blank expression on my face. A flower. It's a talking flower. And it's speaking to me.

"No? But it sounds cool." I responded, walking towards the talking flower.

"What are you? An idiot? You’re definitely an idiot! Don’t you know better not to approach something you’ve never seen before? A little talking flower,” his face twisted into a malicious grin “could kill you right where you're standing.”

I shook my head slowly. The things a cranky flower could do when they're hungry.

"You know what they say," I sat down a few feet away from the flower. "It takes an idiot to know one. And my guess is, you're an idiot too."

The flower gaped at me as if I just insulted him. He opened his mouth, but closed it, unable to come up with a better comeback. I giggled and looked at the flower, but he turned his head away from mine to avoid my gaze. Is he mad?

"I'm Zafrina Alban. But you can call me--"

"Who cares? Idiot suits you better. You don’t listen. And you're wearing some kind of tarnished clothing." He spat out, cutting me off.

Heh. If he's going to try to agitate me, he'll have to do better than that. And I think I have an idea that'll have him soften up to me. Maybe a little.

"So, I heard that you're hungry right?"

"What are you deaf? Of course I am! Didn't you just hear me complain about how empty my stomach is at the moment?!"

"Well, I happen to have something that could be considered a snack before your meal gets here."

The flower's expression changes as if he's suddenly interested. "I'm listening."

Bingo.

"I have these sandwich cookies my mom baked me before I came here. The problem is, they're inside my room." The flower grimaced before I quickly spoke again. "However, there's a faster way to get it down here instead of going back up to go get them."

The flower made a smug expression. "What? Let me guess, you're gonna somehow make them magically appear above your hand? Pfft. You'd have to be an idiot to even try."

"Actually, yes. I am going to use magic."

"No way, you're bluffing!" He shouted, his fangs visibly bared. "No human can preform magic unless they're a--"

"A mage?" I finished his sentence for him. "Why yes, yes I am actually."

Before he could cut me off again, I laid out my palm, closing my eyes and called out to my magic by whispering a chant in an ancient language. In the background I hear the flower gasp as my magic begins to hum until I felt something appear over my hand. Slowly I felt my magic dissipate as I opened my eyes, finding Nanny's different colored macarons safely packed in a clear plastic bag, tied with a blue silky ribbon. They made it through the trip without breaking or melting. Thank goodness. In the corner of my eye, I notice the flower's eyes now twinkling with anticipation.

"Huh. You're not an ordinary idiot after all." He turned his head away to hide his flushed cheeks.

I can only smile at the flower. "Pretty much."

"So what? Are you gonna be a fatty and gobble them all up just to mock me?" His gaze pierces mine, hoping I'd say no.

"No, they're for you," His eyes twinkled. "But only if you introduce yourself."

"What? Pfft that's it? Well that's easy! Howdy! I'm Flowey, Flowey the Flower!" He beams, his voice sounded as if he's trying to force himself to be happy.

"Please to meet you, Flowey."

I pulled the ribbon, opening the bag as the sweet scent of the macarons began to make our mouths salivate. Flowey's eyes didn't leave the macarons as I pulled out a yellow one. I think yellow is supposed to be vanilla.

"Here you go," I said, holding the macaron in my outstretched palm.

Flowey looked at me like I was stupid. "As you can tell, I don't have any hands. You might as well feed it to me."

"Well I had to check in case you decide to get sassy with me for treating you like a baby." I challenged.

"Whatever, now hurry up and feed me, you idiot."

I chuckled softly and reeled my hand away from his face. "I suppose no one taught you manners?"

"I have, but I don't use them because they're a waste of time." He grumbles, slamming his head against the soft grass.

"It doesn't hurt to say it," I slowly laid my stomach over the golden flowers, not caring if my dress gets grass stains. "Even if they are a waste of time, it at least lets people know that you appreciate them."

Flowey opened his mouth again as if he wanted to insult me, but he closed it and finally gave up. "Fine . . . Can I have that thing . . . Please?"

"You're adorable," I gushed at him as he grumbles. "And these things are called macarons. They were invented in France; they're my favorite dessert to eat."

I extended my arm slowly, holding the macaron for him as he leaned forward slowly and snatched it with his mouth and chewed on it. My eyes didn't miss on how his eyes twinkled like stars after he swallows it. I couldn't help but chuckle. Despite the fact that his attitude is similar to a Tsunderplane, I can tell that he and I could manage to be friends.

"That was yummy," he crossed his arms 'leaves' looking to the side. "Can I have another? Or do I have to waste my time and use my manners again?"

"Nah, no need. Once is enough for me. Pick a color."

"Purple."

I chuckled, and dumped out the rest of the macarons over the grass, lifting the purple one up close to his mouth as before. We spent the last five minutes in silence as I continued to feed Flowey. He should smile more often, but I don't think he's the type that does. And I didn't mind that one bit. If you love a flower, don't pick it up. Even if this flower has thorns, I still look at him with appreciation.

"Why are you laying near me?" Flowey began to speak out of nowhere."Even though you have magic, don’t you think you should be afraid of me? What if I kill you when you let your guard down?"

"Now why would you do that? There's no reason for you to." I responded with my eyes closed.

There was a long silence. I opened one eye, finding him at loss for words. I chuckled and sat up, which made him flinch.

"I'm not going to hurt you. Besides, sometimes I don't like using my magic."

"What? Why?" He asks, looking puzzled.

". . . Because my magic is far too strong and dangerous. It nearly killed my next-door-neighbor's cat. And I was only twelve years old."

"Wait a sec, you weenies at that age shouldn't be that strong enough to hurt a fly. How is that possible for you--" He stops talking, his gaze leaving mine as if someone else was here.

"Flowey? What's wrong?"

"Howdy, my child," I gasped and looked over my shoulder, finding King Asgore standing over me. "I see you have met Flowey. Please do forgive him, he seems to have a bad habit of being rather rude."

"Hey, I have no soul remember? What do you expect from a flower like me?" Flowey responds in a rather irritated way.

He slowly lowered down a pot filled with dirt for Flowey to climb into, watching as his roots crawled into it. I noticed that Asgore was no longer wearing his cape and metal armor. Instead, he was wearing some kind of pink shirt in a flowery pattern with purple pants. I chuckled, he looks a bit goofy in it, but it suits him.

"Hello, Your Majesty," I stood up, sweeping the grass off my dress and curtsied. "I'm terribly sorry, I didn't mean to intrude your garden."

He lets out a chuckle, placing his large hand over my head. "You can call me Asgore, little one. Your mother and I are best friends. There's no need for you to be formal with me. And besides, anyone is welcome to the garden."

I suddenly lowered my head, feeling crestfallen. "That's the problem . . . You see, ever since the girls knew that Nanny is my mother, they suddenly see me as a threat. As if you and Toriel will influence Asriel’s choice because of that . . ."

"Ah, I see . . . I so badly want to say, 'would you like a cup of tea?' Why don't you join me and Flowey for some, little one? Perhaps we can continue our conversation from there."

My eyes widened a bit. Tea? I didn't want to tell him that I disliked tea, they don't really have that much taste to it. However, I didn't want to be rude and decline the offer. Asgore loves his tea. So, I responded with a smile and a nod.

"That sounds lovely, Mr. Fluffybu--" I gasped putting my hands over my mouth. Oops. "I-I mean Asgore."

His cheeks flushed red through his white fur and chuckled. "It seems my reputation precedes me. Your mother and my wife still goes on about it. Now, shall we?"

"We shall," I placed my hand over his rather large fluffy arm as we walked towards a large glass circular table with four big chairs that are rather large to fit his size.

Flowey remained quiet, but still looked rather irritated. Asgore pulls a chair out for me; as I sit on it, he pushes it forward a little before he takes his seat across mine. Flowey was set over the table between us. It didn't surprise me when Asgore's tea sets looked simple. Nanny did tell me that they're not much of a royal type to have things such as fancier dishes. They like to have them plain just to stay in their comfort zone.

"Here you are little one," Asgore spoke, pushing my filled teacup towards me. "Would you like one too, Flowey?"

"No, I don't want any. I prefer those macarons instead." Flowey spoke, eyeing the rest of the uneaten macarons I had scattered over the grass.

I chuckled and used my magic to pick up the rest of the macarons and placed them next to Flowey. And just like that, he beamed and used his vine to pick them up and place them inside his mouth. I gaped at him, he lied to me?! He looked at me and made a smug expression, waiting for me to get mad, but I chuckled instead.

I turned my gaze away from Flowey, focusing on my tea. The smell of it is inviting, the liquid is in a golden honey color. The steam began to rise from my cup, now making my mouth salivate with anticipation. I don't think I've ever felt like this before when it comes to tea, I dislike them after all.

"What kind of tea is it?" I asked, looking at Asgore while Flowey continued to eat in peace.

"Golden flower. It's my favorite type of tea to drink. I'm sure you'll like this one, my child."

I responded by smiling. "Thank you."

I held my teacup by the handle, watching the steam rise from the honey colored liquid. Slowly, I tipped the cup and took a sip as I felt the warm liquid run down my throat. Oh! It turned out to be sweeter than I imagined! I take a few more bigger sips until there were no traces of liquid left inside my cup, feeling my stomach and muscles warm up and relaxed. Ah, that felt nice . . .

"This tastes so good! May I have another, please?"

He chuckled at my reaction and took the teapot to pour another serving for me. "I was right to bet with Runa that you would enjoy this one. Now I have a reason to send more of the golden flower tea back to her."

"Why? Does she not like this one?" I raised my eyebrow.

"Oh, no; she does. However, your mother doesn't like to drink tea when it's always summer in Aura Cove. She prefers to drink them in cold weathers."

I chuckled softly. I didn't know Nanny was like that. I guess that explains why she never drinks hot beverages on hot summer days. Maybe when she visits the palace in a winter season, she and I could sit down and have a cup of tea.

I drank my tea silently, looking down at it and found my reflection. Suddenly, I can see Fiona's cold glare, including the other girls that stared down at me. A threat, the king and queen's favorite, a suck up. I gasped, looking away from my tea, feeling sad. I can't stop thinking about the cold stares some of the girls gave me after what happened at the ballroom and the dining room. There's nothing to be jealous about; I can't help it.

"What ever is the matter, little one?" Asgore spoke again, suddenly snapping me back from my dark thoughts. "If you continue to hold your cup like that, it'll break and you'll injure yourself. Why, you'll even scald yourself."

I looked down and gasped. He's right, I was holding my teacup so hard, my knuckles were white. With a few deep breaths, I released it and breathed heavily.

"Is it about the behavior some of the girls were giving you?" He asked gently, picking his words carefully.

I only nodded, unable to speak.

"Wait what? So, this idiot right here is part of Asriel's Selection?" Flowey suddenly spoke, squinting at me.

Asgore shoots Flowey a warning glare before he gazes at me again. "Little one, you are only giving them the satisfaction if you they see you break down and give up. You must stay determined, my child."

I didn't respond again, only looking down at my teacup. In the corner of my eyes, I can see him trying to think. Now I feel terrible for wasting his time. I guess it's time that we end our tea session.

"Why don't you use your magic and blast them all? It's what I would do if they pick on me." Flowey chuckled darkly, making that creepy face again.

"Ah, I suppose there is only one option left to help you understand, young one." He says, ignoring Flowey's suggestion.

Before I could question what he means, Asgore suddenly brings out an empty teacup and places it in the middle of the table. I was puzzled. Is there another guest who will be joining us?

Just then, Asgore begins to pour the tea into the cup, watching as the liquid rises to the top slowly. Panic ran through my body as the tea began to overfill, noticing the rest of it spilled over the table. Flowey quickly used his vines to pick up the rest of the macarons to prevent them from getting soaked by the hot liquid. What the?!

"A-Asgore! The teacup! It's overfilling!" He didn't bother stopping as he continues to tip the teapot while the tea began to spill into the grass.

"Asgore, please! The teacup is already full! You don't need to put anymore!" My hand reached for his wrist and grabbed it, stopping him from wasting anymore tea.

Suddenly, he looks up to find my eyes meeting his soft gaze. "Ah. It seems we've ran out of tea, little one."

"W-wha? I don't understand . . . Why did you do that?"

"You see this teacup Zefie?" I looked down at the overfilled cup and nodded before he continued. "Imagine that this little teacup is your mind, and the tea is the negative opinions the girls think of you. As you can see, there is no room for anything else. Without an empty cup, you can never make more room to think clearly. You must remember to--"

"Keep an open mind . . ." We said in unison.

He chuckled softly. "That's right. Thinking too much will only complicate your life. It only creates a problem that never existed in the first place."

I blinked, leaning against the chair to let his words sink in. Maybe I have been overthinking too much about it. I nearly forgot what I wanted to accomplish in the first place. I was so stupid to even let them get to me, that I nearly forgot that their opinions about me don't matter.

"Ah, I guess I was out of focus today. Thank you, Asgore."

Asgore chuckled and reached for my shaky hand and held it in his, giving it a tight squeeze. "You know, you remind me of myself before."

"W-what? I do?" I raised an eyebrow at him. "How?"

He remained silent for a little while, before his gaze finds mine as he spoke. "When my parents passed away, I was weighed with a heavy burden to take the throne. I was your age when it happened, and your mother's parents were the only two people who I considered as my second family. And one day, I snapped; breaking furnitures, bellowing at my subjects; I couldn't take the madness of the humans waging war against us. It was just too much for me to handle at a young age . . . I wasn't ready to lead all on my own."

My breath stilled, unable to say anything. I didn't know he had to take the throne at a young age. Nanny must have seen how badly Asgore was before. Now I'm starting to wonder if Asriel too feels this way.

"Of course, your mother, Runa, tried so hard to comfort me," Asgore continues, solemnly holding his teacup close. "But I responded by pushing her away, telling her that she was not helping. Guilt ran through me for putting up a wall against my own best friend. And so, to prevent myself from hurting anyone again, I locked myself up in my room for two weeks. I never ate, nor slept. But one day, Runa's mother, Sakura, came to me holding a tray of two cups and a teapot filled with my favorite tea to try and comfort me. Like you, I never spoke the whole time, she knew what was wrong with me and thought talking about it could help. I was far too sad and angry to even speak. Of course, Sakura was a very patient monster. And with enough time to think through, she did something that made me panic. She poured too much tea enough to overfill my teacup." I could hear his voice break as he spoke the last word.

My eyes widened. "W-what? Do you mean to say that she--?"

Asgore smiled warmly at me. "Yes, your grandmother was the one who showed me the spilled tea . . . And it seems that I have forgotten about her wisdom she has passed on to me when I . . . Had a another break down later on in the future."

I leaned against my chair again, taking it all in slowly.

"So you see, little one; this is my wisdom that I will pass on to you, as what Sakura had passed on to me. Do not overthink to create more problems that will stop you from staying determined. Stay as the young lady who smiled beautifully in the ballroom."

Without speaking, I stood up from my chair and quickly ran towards his chest, burying my face against his pink shirt. Perfect, I suddenly thought. Asgore's shirt is going to be smothered in makeup. He didn’t seem to mind though as he kindly responded by wrapping his large arms around me. He held me close like any other father would do to comfort their children. I sniffled and began to sob as he hushes me softly.

"You have been through so much, but I know that you can overcome it." He spoke gently, putting his hand over my head.

"How so?" I looked up, finding his face looking so blurry from my tears clouding my vision.

"Because, Runa raised her children to move on and not let anything hold them back. And that is why my wife and I adore your mother so much."

I smiled and wiped my tears as I heard Flowey munching in the background. "Should we be worried that he'll get a tummy ache?"

"Ah, don't worry about him, little one. His stomach doesn't work that way compared to ours."

I shook my head slowly, what an odd flower monster Flowey is.

"So, what happened after my grandmother shared her wisdom with you?" I asked, even though it was very obvious that I knew what happened.

"I was able to clear my head again. Of course I had to mend the cracks that I have done through my irrational behavior, Runa included. With your grandparents as my only guide to help me rule and understand my kingdom, I was able to lead my people with hopes and dreams to overcome the worst. Runa even introduced me to Toriel, bless her heart for having me meet the love of my life. And of course, you knew what happened after that. But still, Sakura's wisdom will always be here to guide me through my toughest and saddest moments in my immortal life. And I hope it will also help you along your journey, little one."

"It already has." I breathed, wiping away my tears.

And just like that, I was finally able to empty my teacup from anymore negative opinions they have on me. Even though Nanny was not here to give me the words I needed to dissipate my problems away, Asgore has done his job by sharing his wisdom my grandmother had. I could never ask for more. Nanny chose the best people to talk to.

With some magic to clean up the mess, and a maid to bring us a new hot fresh pot of golden flower tea, Asgore and I were able to continue to chat for awhile. In the background of our conversation, Flowey shouted in distress as his last macaron disappeared into his belly 'stem'. Luckily for him, I knew how to bake these delicious French sandwich cookies.

♕ ❀ ✩°｡⋆*:･ﾟ✧ ❀ ✩°｡⋆*:･ﾟ✧ ❀ ✩°｡⋆*:･ﾟ✧ ❀ ♕

"Oh my gosh, Zefie! Today was the best time of my life!" Colleen beamed as we were eating dinner.

"I can see that," I chuckled with my mouth full of roast beef and mashed potatoes. "How did it go?"

All day, I spent my morning and afternoon with Asgore and Flowey. I was able to help him water the flowers and plants that needed our attention. And yes, I was able to feed the koi fishes as well and watched them gather in groups to eat what was left. Boring as everyone will think, but this was the best time I've spent today.

There were times when Flowey would talk to me and ask me questions about myself, with that ass of a personality of his. In the end, he was able to call me Zefie. Well, Zefie the idiot to be exact.

"It was so magical, I can never sleep at all! We went for a quiet stroll around the palace to admire the nature and places I never thought that existed. And best of all, he told me how cute I am when I smile!" She places her hands over her mouth to muffle her squeals.

I chuckled softly and turned my gaze towards Asriel. He looks a bit exhausted, but still smiled as if nothing happened. I'll have to find someway to thank him when we're alone.

"I'm glad you're happy, Colleen. I'm happy for ya." Delilah gushes, holding her hand to give it a squeeze.

"Me too, I'm glad that you're the first person Asriel went on a date with." I said earnestly.

"You guys are the best!" Colleen beams again.

"Your Majesty," a ram butler walks in bowing before he approaches to Asgore, holding a small white box wrapped in a blue ribbon. "You have a parcel from Lady Cordelia. It is said that we must give this to you once it is delivered to the palace."

Everyone perked their heads up once they heard it was from Nanny. However, I was the only one that didn't look up. I was too hungry to even fuss about the parcel Nanny sent, perhaps it's a small thank you gift for having Asgore and Toriel look after me in her place.

"Ooh! I wonder what's inside," Colleen cranes her neck. "Your mom must have sent something to them that's considered special."

"Do you know what it is?" Delilah asks, looking at me.

"I'm not sure, I didn't talk to her ye--"

"Zefie, my child. Come forth, please." Toriel calls out to me, her voice filled with excitement.

Huh? Me? What for? I stood up slowly, feeling all the girls staring at me as I approached the end of the table where Asgore and Toriel sat. I forced myself to not give into my temptation to look at Asriel as I stopped and curtsied. Frisk waved at me, as I returned it with a smile before I spoke.

"Yes, Your Majesty?"

Asgore and Toriel looked at each other, smiling before she spoke. "You have a present from your mother, my child. And she wants you to wear this everyday when you compete. She says it's a good luck charm that will remind you of home."

"Take care of it, young one. This present is considered irreplaceable." Asgore smiled, placing the small box over my hands.

I looked down at it, finding a small note with Nanny's handwriting on it that was meant for Asgore and Toriel. I shook it slowly, hearing something clatter against the box. What could it be?

"Thank you, Your Majesties. I will take great care of it." I curtsied to them and turned away to head back to my seat.

I felt my whole body chilled to the bone, feeling once again the gazes of the other girls following me as I took my seat. It took them awhile before they went back to finish their dinner. I can tell both Delilah and Colleen are trying so hard to hide their anticipation; their faces are overflowing with the hope that I would open the box now. I took a deep breath and slowly untied the blue silk ribbon, lifting the small box’s lid and gasped.

Inside was a beautiful crystal pendant that glimmered in a beautiful bluish-lavender-gold color, carved into the shape of a seashell with a small pearl hanging on top of it. Some of the girls awed in wonder as the gold chain began to glitter from the lights when I held it up to watch the crystal shine twice as bright as a diamond could have.

"That looks beautiful!" Colleen gasps, staring at my pendant.

"Is it some kind of diamond?" Delilah tilts her head, admiring the color it's beaming.

"No, it's an Aurora crystal. They only grow in a special cave back in Aura Cove, they're known to give good luck to their wearer. The pearl is the jewel from the sea, it's supposed to represent integrity, generosity, and loyalty, but they share some kind of power to keep a child safe. The white one that I have is supposed to symbolize new beginnings."

"You're so lucky to have a mom like Runa to worry about you!" Colleen says with adoration.

"Yeah, I really am." I go ahead and wrapped the gold chain around my neck, hooking the small circle onto the clip and let the pendant hang above my chest.

"It suits you well," Delilah comments, nudging my shoulder.

In the corner of my eye, I found Asriel staring at me. Has he been staring at me this whole time? Nah, I doubt it. Maybe he wanted to see what Nanny gave me. it's understandable to why he was looking.

The girls that sat across me commented that my necklace looked beautiful and gorgeous. I only responded by thanking them with a smile. In the end, it was still nice to have some of the girls show their kindness towards me. However, I'm still unsure about the others that didn’t.

I clenched onto my skirt. No. No, I won't let their opinions cloud my judgement. I will not let my teacup be overfilled with negative thoughts. I am Zafrina Alban. I am my own person, and they are their own selves. I’d rather be the odd one than to look the same as everyone else.

Suddenly, I notice a small note hiding under the cotton that held my necklace. I pulled it out, unfolding the paper. Oh. It's from Bryn! Smiling like an idiot, I go ahead and read the note mentally in Bryn's voice.

Nanny and I thought it was a good idea to send you something that will remind you of home. Knowing you, I assume you're stuck in a situation where the girls are putting you in a tight spot. Who the hell cares? They better back off and stop before Asriel eliminates them. Remember Zefie, he dislikes those type of girls. And you are not like that! Which is why we sent you this necklace. Don't worry about not wearing it in the ocean or water. Nanny used her magic to keep the gold from losing its color. And yes, it's real gold. Don't ask how she had enough money to have the jeweler crafter make your necklace, I love you.

I felt my eyes well up in tears, quickly wiping them away before anyone sees it.

In the end, some of the girls began to disappear back to their rooms after finishing their meals. I left as well, wanting to do nothing but shower and lay on my bed so I can use my iPhone that's piled with texts and missed calls. I also have to call Nanny and Bryn to thank them for giving me a lovely present.

"Heh. Come on, kid, you're making me blush."

I stopped dead on my tracks with my eyes widened. Is that Sans' voice?

"Pfft! I'm trying not to. Keep quiet before someone hears us."

Oh. Could it be? I bent down to take off my heels just so they can't hear me come by. I walk down the corridor slowly, following the hushed voices until I stopped behind a pillar. Just as I suspected, Sans talking to Frisk.

She was against the wall, with Sans leaning a bit too close to her enough for her chest to be pressed against his. They looked so peaceful and happy, it's honestly adorable.

Wait, why am I overhearing this? I thought to myself. And what am I doing spying on them? That's just plain stupid of me. Ugh, I just want to go shower! I shook my head, I can feel my sins crawling on my back. And that feels creepy.

"I'll be honest, Frisk, you looked gorgeous today. And I couldn't take my eyes off of ya." Sans chuckled darkly.

"You don't have any eyes, Sans!" Frisk giggles, lightly punches his arm before they leaned towards each other and shared a sweet passionate kiss.

I can only respond by smiling, feeling my cheeks flush pink for seeing something so adorable. I quickly ran across the hallway while I had the chance to be unseen. I ran all the way towards an unfamiliar corridor, hiding behind a pillar to catch my breath.

"Sans . . . A-and Frisk? They're together?" I said, breathing heavily.

I was feeling puzzled. Why would they be in the hallway to secretly see each other? I don't think Asgore and Toriel are the type to forbid a royal to be with a guard, they're far too kind to even try. Unless they're--

"Well hello there, Zefie." I stopped breathing, feeling my heart get smothered by my lungs.

I turned my head towards Fiona, finding her a couple feet away from me. Well, so much for avoiding trouble . . .

I straightened my posture, remaining stoic and began to walk past her. I don't have time to listen to her insult me, I'm in no mood for it at all. I hear her laugh dryly before she walked faster than me to block me from leaving the corridor.

"Hey, where are you going? Don't you know that it's not polite to leave your friend behind when they're trying to have a conversation?"

"There's nothing for us to talk about, Fiona. What you said to me yesterday, was crystal clear." I said, enduring my heart pounding painfully.

"Oh, there is something alright," A malicious smile spread across her face. "It's something about you. Ever since you announced your mother, half of us can see that you're nothing but a threat; no, the biggest threat in this competition."

This is bad. She's letting her emotions get out of control. Beads of sweat started to appear over my forehead, feeling them fall across my cheek. I opened my mouth to say something, but Fiona continued to speak again.

"So, what did you do huh? Did your mom ask the king and queen to have Mettaton pick your name in the lottery when the announcement of The Selection happened? Because if she did, then that's considered unfair of her to do such a thing."

I clenched my fist tightly. "She has done nothing! Nanny would never do such a thing! They're her best friends, she knows better than to ask them something this low and dirty. My name was picked out randomly just like everybody else."

"Oh? What's this? You don't call her 'mother?' You just call her 'Nanny?'" She lets out a haughty laugh before a wicked smile appeared across her face. "So what? Does that mean she's nothing but a maid to you? Is that it? Wow, you really are pathetic. I don't know what Asriel could possibly see in you. All I know is that you're nothing but a weak . . . Weak orphan!"

"Fiona, calm down. This won't make things better--" I gasped as my words trailed off. In the corner of my eye, I thought I just saw Papyrus standing at the end of the passageway, but at a second glance nobody was there.

"Don't you tell me to calm down, you conniving bitch!" She glares at me, taking a few steps towards me until she was a few inches away from me before she spoke again.

"You have no right to tell me what to do, and if you think your 'friends' are there to help you, well you are dead wrong. I'm pretty sure that they're talking behind your back, thinking what an arrogant spoiled brat you are, just because you're foster mom is the last creature of her kind to live. And you know what? I don’t think she deserves to be best friends with the king and queen. I mean really, what kind of a friend is she for letting her friends stay locked up under a mountain? She could have just taken seven souls and released them. Instead, she wasted her time acting as a human.”

“It's called showing ‘mercy.'” I said, my voice sounding stern. “She knows better than to spill blood, and take innocent lives just to release the monsters.”

She sneers at me, placing her hands over her hips. “Did you forget what I just told you, Zefie? In this competition, there is no such thing as friendship! And here you are now, acting so innocent and shy while the others eat off of your hand before they can see what a coward you really are. So what did you and King Asgore do in the garden huh? Did you seduce him and have him favor you so he can have Asriel choose you?"

"You are disgusting!" I snarled, staring down at her with a glare of my own. "Why would you think I’d even do such a despicable thing?! He's a married man, and my mother’s best friend for crying out loud! I look at King Asgore like a father!"

Fear ran through me, the sooner I saw Fiona raised her hand. "Someone needs to teach you a lesson on how to act like a proper lady. And knowing you, Zefie, you're far too smart to be a snitch and tell Asriel on me. So, allow me to do you a favor and help you remember where an orphan Mage like you stands."

I quickly shut my eyes, prepared to feel her hand strike my cheek, but I felt nothing.

What? I opened my eyes slowly and gasped. I watched in horror as Asriel restrained Fiona's hand from hitting me. Her face suddenly went pale, no traces of blood existing. My body felt so weak that I slowly fell to my knees, panting as my heart pounded loudly. A wave of lightheadedness overtook me.

"I was going to go upstairs to call it a day until Papyrus came up to me in panic stating that he saw something happening between the two of you." He spoke, his voice deep with pure anger. "I told him that maybe it's nothing terrible but came anyway to soothe his fears. And this is what I find: Miss Taylor gravely insulting not only my family, but Miss Alban’s, too."

Fiona's lips started to quiver, watching as beads of sweat suddenly forming over her forehead. "Y-Your Majesty, I-I didn't mean any of that! I swear--"

"So, you didn't mean it when you said Miss Alban is a coward for being herself? Or when you said that Lady Cordelia doesn't deserve to be my parents’ best friend for leaving them behind? And when you asked if she seduced my father, just to have him tell me to choose her?" He asks, cutting her off from saying anything.

I swallowed hard, looking away from them to remain calm. My magic was dangerously thrumming under my skin as I try to breathe slowly to make them disappear, listening as Asriel continued to speak.

"You know, I was going to give you a chance to redeem yourself when I saw that you're one of the girls that stared down at Miss Alban, but Miss Darwin suggested that I give you a chance to see what kind of person you are under those insecurities. So, I agreed with her. People do deserve second chances. Yet, after hearing you say awful things to Miss Alban, I now see what kind of a person you truly are. Your jealousy is considered unattractive and unappealing to me. And if you truly knew me so well, Miss Taylor, you would have known to bite your tongue down and keep your jealousy to yourself. What you said about Miss Alban and my father is truly disgusting of you."

"W-wait! Please, Prince Asriel--"

"You've said enough, The damages you have inflicted to Miss Alban are unacceptable. I cannot allow to you to remain within my home if you're going to continue harassing the rest of the girls in secret. You’ve disrespected Lady Cordelia, my family, and Miss Alban. Thus, you have disrespected me the most."

In the corner of my eye, Asriel turns his head to beckon the nearest guard to come, releasing Fiona’s wrist. I squeezed my eyes shut, blocking away what he was ordering the guard to do. Keep it together, I begged myself.

In the background, I hear Fiona calling for Asriel as she began to cry loudly. Dammit, keep it together. Her cries began to echo among the corridors, hearing heavy footsteps from the guard's heavy armor.

"Zefie? Are you okay?" I gasped, opening my eyes instantly, finding Asriel knelt before me. "Did she hurt you?"

I shook my head vigorously. "I'm alright, just shocked."

Asriel lets out a loud heavy breath. "Can you get up?"

"Yes."

I slowly get up, regaining my posture before facing him again. His gentle gaze was on me again, smiling softly at me. Oh no, please don't look at me like that . . . My heart was thumping loudly in such a fast pace that my head, too, began to pound just as hard. I need to go now before things possibly get worse.

“Zefie? Are sure you're okay? I can take--” he reaches for me, but I backed away.

"I'm sorry Asriel, I have to go," I quickly ran past him, pretending that I didn't hear him calling for me to come back.

This is too much. This was far too much drama for me to witness! I ran around the corner, rapidly pressing the elevator button to go up. Hurry up!

"Zefie, wait!" I gasped, hearing his footsteps coming towards the elevator.

This is taking too long! I frantically call out to my magic, chanting a spell as a bright pink light surrounded my entire body. I could feel an odd pressure surround and cave in on me. And in a flash, I found myself in my room again.

My body won't let me cry, I've used up too many tears today. Since Barbara and Lesley are nowhere to be seen, I didn't bother waiting for their return. Once again, I use my magic to remove my dress and undergarments. Quickly, I entered the shower, closing the glass door shut and began to wash away the traces of sweat and the mixed up emotions I have experienced today.

After getting cleaned and dressed into my comfortable pajamas, I immediately collapsed onto my bed, feeling far too lazy and weak to pull the sheets over me.

If I could define my mood right now, it would be an under-mixed macaron. I was too fluffy, that I cracked after coming out of the oven. Stay calm, Zefie, I said to myself. Stay determined.

And just like that, my eyelids felt heavy as sleep began to take me into a warm comfortable dream.

#selectiontale #undertale #undertale au #Zefie Alban #flowey #asgore #asriel dreemurr #fanfic #terato writing

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