PLD Chapter 27

> **CHAPTER 27: Last Hurrah of Good Times**
>
>

## Sub-Entry 261: "Let's Go Fly a Kite":

March.  Need I say more?  Winter's on its way out.  Spring is around the corner.  Make way for sunny skies and butterscotch-cinnamon pies.

Okay that last part I inserted on Asriel's behalf.

If there's one constant around this time of year it's...

"--a lot of wind!"

"Yup.  Plenty to get them airborn."

It's not exactly hard to believe that kite-flying is a scarce thing in the Underground.  In fact it's pretty much none existant.  It's pretty obvious that the inside of a mountain is not going to have clouds...and thus it's not going to have a source of wind.

Yet it's not entirely obvious how it manages to rain in the underground or how there's a transition from day to night.  Seriously.  It's daylight in Snowdin and turns almost immediately to dark in Waterfall.

Waterfall's rainy weather is self-explanatory.

The Underground definitely has the concept of day and night.  In Genocide Timelines, Sans' speech prior to battle states that the birds are singing.  Save for owls and other nocturnal types, most birds don't make a peep during the night.

One theory I have about the former is that snow and ice melt from the summit of Mount Ebott through unseen holes in the mountain.  Since the barrier only lets things in and not out (save for a powerful fusion of human and monster soul) and rain sure doesn't fall up; my guess is the holes in the ceiling of the cavern are directly over Watefall.

As for the latter, I'm still figuring that out.  But I have surmised that the Capital is at least lit by the "strange light" of the barrier.

Is it weird I'm spending this much time thinking about the Underground when I'm about to take Asriel and company out to the open fields of the park to fly kites...and hopefully take my mind OFF of the Frisk dilema?

"It'll be a relaxing past time, Azzy."

"Yeah.  At least until the Kite-Eating Tree makes a meal of your kite."  Skeeter wrinkled his snoot.

"Still complaining about that, Bro?"  Rotor mused.

"It's not very funny."

"You just...have bad luck, that's all."  Gadget comforted.

"For how many years straight?"

Again, I reiterate from two months ago: Good grief.

"Will they really fly?"  Asriel asked.

"You bet they will!"  Gadget beamed.

"Little sis has a knack for aeronautics.  You know Violet isn't the only pilot in the UCIAT."

"Really, big sister?"

"Really!"  Gadget smiled.  "I can fly all kinds of small planes and helicopters."

At her young age, Gadget was a prodigy.  Especially when it came to things that fly.

Once at the park...

"This looks like a good spot."  I held onto the one I assembled.  Pretty plain and ordinary.  Gold, silver, and white color scheme with a simple tail.  Imagine that.

Asriel's was a little more fancier with the purple and white, plus the Delta Rune.  A little bit of gold trim and tail with golden flowers lining it.

Gadget opted for the more box-type kite.  Personally engineered and decorated with decals of gears.

Rotor and Skeeter had matching fish-motif kites.  If history repeated they wouldn't be a pair for much longer.

But I suppose the real suprise was...

"Mind if we join you?"

Okay, Sally's apperance wasn't a surprise but coming all the way from Neo Arcadia was...

"Miss Dottie!  Miss Woolma!  And Miss Portia!"

Woolma lowered her sunglasses.  "It's good to be acknowledged by my adoring fans."

"But I thought you came out here to get away from your adoring fans."

"Portia dear, fame never takes a vacation even if a star does."

"Besides, there hasn't been a real scoop back in the big city.  You know I can't sit still without digging up something for a great exposè."

"That's out news hound."  Portia smiled.

"Well, you girls are welcome to join us.  But...didn't you invite the guys?"

"Are you kidding?  The last time we flew kids, as kids..."

"Let's not bring up Bingo's cheating stunt again."

Asriel blinked.

"What did Mr. Bingo do?"

"He tried to rig the kite flying contest by tying a motorized airplane toy to the back of his kite.  It didn't end well."  Dottie frowned.

"But Mr. Montgomery and Mr. Zipper...?"

"Our fearless leader's busy with work.  Can't put down a wrench and a screwdriver long enough to check the time of day let alone take time off to fly a kite.  I had half a mind to march over to Chronosapien Robotics and drag him out of his cubicle."

"I think he has a corner office, actually."  Portia corrected.

"Zipper turned us down.  Can you believe he said kite-flying wasn't his thing?  I think he's still mad at Bingo.  Who can blame him?"  Woolma checked her eyeliner in her compact.  "This wind is just so bad for my looks.  My stylist is going to charge me a fortune over this."

"After all those years?"

"Either that or he's just making him sweat over past mistakes until he works up the nerve to apologize for them."

"Golly.  I didn't know grownups had so many problems they never got over as kids."

All three looked at each other then laughed a little.

"Not so much as problems...just memories that make for good annecdotes."

"Well, are we going to stand around here all day or we gonna fly kites, already?"

"In a hurry to feed the tree?"  Rotor jabbed.

"...that's not very funny."  Skeeter crossed his arms.

"What?"  Portial looked confused as did her friends.

"You'll see."  I mused.

And so...

"...now get a good running start!  That's it!  You got it, Asriel!  Let the wind carry it up!"

"Oh wow!  It's flying!  It's flying!"

"Keep a grip on that spool.  Don't let too much line out!"

Asriel laughed joyfully as he dug in his heels and stood his ground, letting the wind keep his kite aloft.

It was reassuring to see such an old-timey activity in full swing in lieu of being glued to smart phones and tablets or stuck behind a TV or computer screen.  Whether this was a sport was debatable; I'm sure Arlene would prefer to see something more full contact.  But Ariel Rastajive would approve, as long as there was plenty of hollering and party atmosphere.

It was at that moment Bunnie literally soared in, in ninja garb...with a glider-modification.  I'd heard that ninjas sometimes had "kite suits" but this was the first time I'd ever seen one, let alone used by the major.

"Oh wow, sensei!  You're like a Hybrid Kite!"

"I thought I might join you for this wonderful beginning of spring."

Bunnie landed and flung off the ninja suit in her true anime quick-change style.  At least Violet wasn't around to joke if she was the long-lost fourth member of Team Rocket.  Now I felt like needed to thwap her...yet again.

"You're welcome to join us.  But it looks like you didn't bring a kite."

"On the contrary.  I just haven't put it together yet..."  Bunnie unfolded the shodouphone as it dropped out of her sleeve, into her grasp.  With a number of strokes and a palm strike, Bunnie's kite was assembled.  And wow was it impressive.

"Amazing!"

A full scale Xing-ese dragon, with an incredible amount of detail.

"If that had been around for the kite-flying contest back then, you would have been a shoe-in to win it, Lady Rabbotou."  Dottie mused.

"Bunnie will suffice.  We are all friends here.  But thank-you, nonetheless.  I learned much in my travels abroad, visiting Jang's neighbor, Xing."

In mere moments Bunnie had it airboard and it ruled the sky with magnificence.  I was rather impressed.  Asriel was incredibly impressed.

For much of the day we spent our time letting the wind carry our kites and carry away our cares.

The third month of the year.  Not my favorite month, per se, but definitely my lucky month (and definitely more enjoyable than the last month.)

## Sub-Entry 262: "Hina Matsuri/Gadget's Birthday":

March 3rd.  For Bunnie, it meant a Jangese holiday; Hina-Matsuri, the doll ceremony also known as Girl's Day.  For Gadget, it meant a birthday--the day she was biologically born rather than the genesis of her mutation.  Double special days like this are definitely something to talk about.

Hina-Matsuri, by tradition was gender specific.  But traditions were meant to be bent and broken; and who were we to deny Asriel his curiosity?  With gender stereotypes and labels being a hot spot for controversy, things had become more flexable in recent years.  But I'm not going to delve into the can of worms if I don't have to.

Let's not turn this into a mound tired, old boy vs. girl arguments and school ground antics.  Furthermore, let's DEFINITELY not turn this into a cess-pool of liberal views on sexism, gender segregation of bathrooms, or anything else that's going to cause headaches and sore throats from screaming.  Let's leave the "cooties" and such behind. Let's call it what it should be; a cultural exchange.  For someone like Bunnie, who herself was breaking down barriers of the gender-specific traditions of her past, she was more than willing to let Asriel watch and learn with the girls invited to take part.

Again I had a pamphlet to give Asriel before dropping him off at Rabbotou Dojo.  It read as follows (and I quote):

Who Celebrates It: The People of Jang

When It's Celebrated: March 3rd

What It Is: In Jang, it is known as Doll Festival or Girl's Day.

How It Is Celebrated: Beginning in the "Kyouto" period of Jang history, the tradition of displaying dolls arose from the belief that dolls had the power to imprison evil spirits. Descended from the practice of "hina-nagashi" (doll floating, literally); straw hina dolls were set afloat on a boat down a river to the sea in order to take with them troubles and evil spirits. Some parts of Jang have shrines where this is done in practice, often to pray for the safety of children. The holiday is celebrated by setting up an intricate doll set depicting the ruling royal Jang family and royal court. The display is left up throughout March 3rd and 4th. Per superstition, the display is not left up beyond March 4th on the belief that it will result in bad luck or a late marriage for the daughter.

Other Practices/Cuisine: The customary drink for the festival is "shirozake", a sake made from fermented rice. A colored "hina-arare", bite-sized crackers flavored with sugar or soy sauce depending on the region, and "hishimochi", a diamond-shaped colored rice cake, are served. "Chirashizushi" (sushi rice flavored with sugar, vinegar, topped with raw fish and a variety of ingredients) is often eaten. A salt-based soup called ushiojiru containing clams still in the shell is also served. Clam shells in food are deemed the symbol of a united and peaceful couple, because a pair of clam shells fits perfectly, and no pair but the original pair can do so.

"Thank you for inviting me, sensei.  I know this isn't really a holiday for boys like me so...I really appreciate it."

"It's okay!"  Gadget hugged him.  "I'm not Jangese and I celebrate it!"

Bunnie smiled as she and Megami organized the containers which stored the Hina Matsuri display and pieces.

"For now you can be an honorary girl!"  she added.

"Just...as long as I don't have to wear a dress.  I think that would be weird."

Stephanie and Penelope-Anne hugged him at the same time, Stephie on the right and Penny on the left.

"We won't make you do anything like that!"  Stephie assured.

"But you'd look really cute in a dress..."  Penny mused with a smirk.

That made Goat Son blushe deep in the cheeks.

"I don't think I'm ready to change my name to Asriella."

Heh.

"Okay, we're ready to set up."  Bunnie informed.

"There's a very specific order and placement for each of these, so let's get started."

Megami spoke with Bunnie translating.

"The dolls of a Hina Matsuri set arranged on a platform called a "hina dan" which is covered by a red carpet with rainbow stripes on the bottom known as a "dankake" or "hi-mousen". Modern Hina Matsuri practice implements the setting up and display of the seven-tiered Hina Matsuri doll set, depicting the ruling Jang royal family and royal court. While the order in which the dolls are placed may very the positioning per levels is always the same."

The two of them set up said hina dan and carefully covered it with the dankake/hi-mousen.  And sure enough it had seven tiers as was tradition.

"First tier."  Bunnie brought out the set of dolls depicting the current Jang royal family.

"Odairi-sama (Emperor) holding a "shaku" (royal baton) and Ohime-sama (Empress) holding a fan. Often placed in front of a gold, folding screen called a "byoubu" and beside Jang garden trees. Optional accessories include bonbori (lampstands), hibukuro (silk or paper lanterns with cherry or "ume" blossom patterns), and sanbou kazari (two vases of artificial peach branches called "kuchibana")."

"Wow.  The Emperor's like a king, right?"

"Yes, Asriel."

"Golly, the Empress looks so beautiful!"  Gadget clasped her palms together and rested her cheek on the back of her hand in a mock sleeping position and a dreamy expression.

"Second tier:  San-nin kanojo (three court ladies). Each holds sake equipment. From right to left: Nagae no choushi (long-handled sake-bearer; standing), Sanpou (seated sake-bearer), Kuwae no choushi (backup sake-bearer). Additional accessories include takatsuki (stands with round table tops for seasonal sweets)."

"I can't wait to be old enough to drink sake."  Penny chuckled.

"Third tier: Gonin bayashi (five court musicians). Each holds an instrument save for the singer, who holds a fan. In order: "taiko" (small drum, seated), "outsuzumi" (large drum, standing), "kotsuzumi" (hand drum, standing), fue (flute, standing), "utaikata" (singer, holding a fan and standing)."

"Even back then they had music on demand, huh?"

"You've been spending time around Violet again, haven't you."

"Mom and Dad never had anything like that back in the Capital."  Asriel pondered a bit.  "That would have been nice to have."

"Fourth tier:  Daijin (two ministers). Consist of the Udaijin (Minister of the Right, depicted as younger) and the Sadaijin."

The placement of the dolls continued.

"Fifth tier: The fifth tier, between the plants, holds three helpers or samurai as the protectors of the Emperor and Empress. From left to right: nakijougo (Maudlin drinker). okorijougo (Cantankerous drinker), waraijougo (Merry drinker)."

"So like...bodyguards?"  Asriel reasoned.

"Yes."

"But...why are they referred to as "drinkers"?"

Bunnie and Megami looked to each other.

"We'll save that explanation for another time."

"Sixth tier: These are items used within the palatial residence: "tansu": chest of (usually five) drawers, sometimes with swinging outer covering doors, "nagamochi": long chest for kimono storage, "hasamibako": smaller clothing storage box, placed on top of nagamochi, "kyōdai": literally mirror stand, a smaller chest of drawer with a mirror on top, "haribako": sewing kit box, two "hibachi": braziers, and "daisu": a set of ocha dougu or cha no yu dougu--utensils for the tea ceremony."

"Fancy!"

"Cool!"

"Nice."

"Seventh tier:   These are items used when away from the palatial residence: "jubako": a set of nested lacquered food boxes with either a cord tied vertically around the boxes or a stiff handle that locks them together, "gokago": a palanquin, "goshoguruma": an ox-drawn carriage favored by Kyouto nobility. This last is sometimes known as gisha or gyuusha. Less common, "hanaguruma" an ox drawing a cart of flowers."

"The Royal Family has a lot of impressive things."

"Keep in mind, while the figures are the modern royal family, the setup is as it was in the olden times."

"Oh.  Kind of like where you get your family photo taken in olde-timey clothing with the themed backdrops?"

"Ah.  I see Callista-hakase and Scott-taisa have already gotten the family portrait?"

"Yeah.  We had a few different ones taken besides the main one.  It was fun dressing up."

And then once assembled...

"It looks amazing, Miss Bunnie!"  Stephanie beamed with joy.

"It gets better ever year, or so it seems like it."

"Wow..."  Asriel's eyes twinkled with wonder.

"It's so wonderful!"  Gadget one-arm hugged the goat child.  By now he wasn't as caught off guard by it as he was when he had first gotten to meet Gadget.

A bit of ceremony and partking in some of the snacks and the group was off to Mitzi's to celebrate Gadget's birthday.

Even as a young teenager, Gadget still loved birthday parties with all the games and hooplah.  Part of me hoped she'd never grow up; I felt the same with Asriel but...I knew it was an inevitability with the both of them.

The gifts were given, the party games were played, and of course...it wouldn't be complete without a very purple, grape-flavored birthday cake that Mitzi had backed in the shape of a giant gear.

With a mighty breath, Gadget extinguished all the birthday candles and made her silent wish.

I gladly filmed the whole thing on Asriel's cam-corder, determined to preserve this for future days.

"Happy birthday, Gadget."  Asriel hugged her and gave her a brotherly peck on the cheek.

"Awwwwww...you're all so sweet!  Thank you all so much!"

If she had lit up with any more joy we'd have to wear shades from the glow.  And we were definitely feeling the glow.

Have a good day, little sister?"

"The best, big brother.  The best."  Gadget tried to hold back her tears of joy...without success.  But it was okay.

Days like these come and go...but somehow they're still forever.

## Sub-Entry 263: "Frisk":

It was time to go for broke.  I returned to the Capital.  I searched...and I searched.  Still no one from as far as New Home to the Judgement Hall was concerned.

Yeah.  Pretty anticlimactic.  Reeeeeal descriptive, too.

What can I say?  I struck out.  Frisk was avoiding ending their journey.  I didn't want to believe it but it seemed they just wanted to live here.

I couldn't figure it out.  How?  How did they avoid me?  Where were they hiding?

This was my fault, wasn't it?

I sighed and headed, winding my way to Hotland.

I again dropped by Napstablook's.  To my suprise the door to Hapstablook's house had been unlocked.  Had Mettaton stopped by here?

Not wanting to intrude, I decided to talk to Napstablook first.

"Hey.  It's me again.  I apologize for bothering you."

"Oh....it's....no trouble..."  Admittedly it was the happiest I'd seen him look.

"Got another CD for you.  How's the stereo system?  My friends built it to specifications that a ghost would be able to operate.  And we made it so the box could be opened by a ghost and not just someone physical matter, so..."

"It was...a wonderful present......thank you..."

I loaded up ths disc and let it play, agreeing to have another session of laying on the floor and feeling like trash.  This time I was the one who needed cheering up.

"I have to be honest.  I'm a little frustrated.  I haven't seen the human child in so long.  I'm worried about them."

"I see......."

"You haven't by any chance run into them, have you?"

"It was...a while ago, but...I think I last saw them...taking a ride with the River Person."

Wait.  Was that how Frisk was avoiding me?  During my long runs where I didn't shortcut between lands, that would be the quickest way of evading me and anyone else.  But how did they get past the guards in Hotland and skip past me around the elevator to the True Lab and such?

Was it possible the micro-glitches were disrupting space?  Now there's a scary thought.  Frisk using teleports similar to Sans.

The River Person owed me some explanations if they were the main method for Frisk to get around.

I considered other places in the Underground that hadn't been checked.  San's room.  The Skeleton Brothers' shed.  That locked door  in Snowdin.

I'd even considered that spot in Hotland that I'd run into that guy.  I don't have to tell you...that was an encounter that made me sorry.  One might say...so sorry...  As nice as the guy was about it, I wasn't about to repeat it in this unstable timeline, having endured it enough times in the stable timelines.

I still hadn't found hide nor...uh...marrow of W.D. Gaster.  That was something I should have been considering.

A bit later, I bid fairwell to Napstablook and trudged to the River Person and decided to have a...heart to heart (heartless?) with them.  Honestly, I wasn't even sure they had a soul.

Funny that I should be thinking of Gaster at the time.  I was soon in for an encounter I wasn't prepared for.  I'd heard the rumors of it in other stable timelines.  But seeing him before my eyes and hearing him for myself just sent chills down my spine.

I remember coming to the spot close to where Undyne had originally started throwing her spears, taking a moment to open my umbrella before I decided to search the rainy area next.

"Have you ever thought about a world where everything is exactly the same...  Except you don't exist?"

I about jumped out of my sandals...and my lab coat, too.

"Everything functions perfectly without you...  Ha, ha... The thought terrifies me."

I looked upon the form of a completely grey-scale figure that greatly resembled Monster Kid.  There were eyes...but...there were no irises...no pupils.  I couldn't tell if was the micro-glitches getting the way or if their shirt was actually checkboard instead of striped.

I wasn't sure if I was looking at head fins, spikes like Monster Kid...or what could be a hairbow.  Could this...person be female?  Like...a sister?  For some reason when I pondered this, it felt like a theory that wasn't mine but...someone else's in the space-time continuum.  What was I channeling now?  Other people's theories?

He...she......it?.......they looked upon my umbrella.  At least I think they were looking at it.

"An umbrella...? But it's not raining.  Ha, ha...  You know, that does make me feel a little better about this.  Thank you."

"Wait.  Who are you?"

"Please forget about me.  Please don't think about this anymore."

I blinked ony once and saw what I thought was the shape melting into the form of what...resembled W.D. Gaster for a brief moment.  But by the next blink of the eyes...no one.  I was alone again.

"What the Hell is going on?"  I watched as nearbye micro-glitches collapsed upon themselves and all was right with the world again.  Or at least as right as this world got.

I kept truding through Waterfall until I was able to catch a ride with the River Person.

I'd recorded a lot of their comments.  I quickly learned each one was proceeded by "Tra la la."  A sing-songy way segue if ever there was one.

Ones that I didn't think deeply into included:

"The waters are wild today.  That is good/bad luck."

And...

"Eat a mushroom every day.  Why?  Then I know you're listening to me."

And stil...

"What's my name?... It really doesn't matter..."

That one always made me dread the thought of Violet coming along and making a reference to......wait a minute....

I thought back to the ruins.  Wasn't there a rock named Dwayne...?

Oh gods.  Violet's influence leaked into this world even before I knew this world existed.  Did it even matter what I think?

Now I really wanted to shine something up and stick it directly up Violet's candy a--

"Tra la la...beware the man who speaks in hands."

Two Gaster moments in the same day.

The River Person had spoken another variation of this before...but in that case I overheard it rather than being told it directly.

"Beware of the man who came from another world."

Did they mean Gaster?  Did they mean So Sorry?  Or...did they mean...me?

I climbed aboard...and I know my eyes weren't playing tricks on me, but I was sure the boat changed into a dog...or cat-like form.  I couldn't be sure which.  But it literally RAN across the water instead of floated.

So.  That was a thing.  Go figure.

"I know you're not usually one for conversation but--"

"Tra la la.  The angel is coming."

"..."

Okay.  That was cryptic.  Did that mean the return of Asriel Dreemurr?  Or did they mean Frisk?  Two theories that conflicted with me.  I knew it couldn't be Chara.  She was out of the picture.

"Do...you know anything about the human child?   Like...where they're at?"

"Tra la la... the past has met the present but the present will decide the future.  Already the past is gone."

That was a response I'd never heard before.   There was an awareness here that I didn't realize before.  How aware were they?  Sans level?   Flowey level?  But she was right.  Frisk met Chara--the past.  The past was now gone.  Frisk had the power to shape the future.

River Person knew my dilema.

On a different note, I was relieved that my role in the grand scheme hadn't spread.  I didn't need fame around here.  Especially fame beyond my control.  If I became a celebrity among all the monsters, how long before questions would be asked?  Ones that I couldn't comment on...

This whole thing had gotten complicated...or maybe it just seemed that way to me, due to my tendency to overthink things.

I decided to head back to Snowdin.  I had run out of ideas and I wasn't ready to talk to Asgore.

"Well.  I hate to lose determination on this one, but logically, the kid has me beat.  They may very well have the same kind of anomaly that the STC-Council considered Mobius' own blue hedgehog; not subject to the same destiny-on-rails as everyone else.  Yeah.  The power of choice.

The power to completely rewrite their destiny or fate rather than be bound to it like most everyone was.  Beings like this were fascinating to Lady Destiny.  However...beings like this really pissed Madam Fate off.  Wouldn't you be a little steamed if one of your puppets cut their own strings?

Well.  Maybe it was time to check on Toriel one last--

"..."

Well.  I guess I hadn't struck out after all.

"Frisk."

They looked at me with that look...the expression that said they were uneasy that I was the only one who addressed them by name rather than "my child", "human", "punk", or "little buddy".

I sighed.  "I won't ask why.  It is your choice but...you know things will stagnate.  Doing nothing maybe cause just as much harm as going onward.  Being judge.  Facing him..."

Frisk dropped their head a little with a quiet moan.

Darn it...why wouldn't you talk...say something.  At your age you should be able to speak.

When I first met them, I mistakenly thought they were blind but...that was debunked.  At least this version of them.  In the prime universe and other AU's...that was a different story.

"I'm sorry...I came on a little strong."  I looked off to the side.

I thought a bit then spoke.

"We both know, don't we?  We both know what it's like.  We've...come to a strange place...a strange world.  Many, many times over in fact.

The two of us are kindred spirits.  We've encountered.  We've befriended.  We've battle.  We've shown mercy.  We've made things worse at times...and made things better with others.

The power of time.  We've both used it out of curiosity.  We've both used it for selfish reasons.  We've made a mess of the timelines but...we've also both...tried our best to fix things."

I looked on.

"Everything that is as it is now is our doing.  We're responsible.  Our choices have...reshaped pre-ordained events that have multiple destinies...or fates.

The power of time travel......save/load.....reset...  It's one of the worst powers to have once you realize what it does...who it affects.  All we can do now is...try one more time and hope our choices are the right ones.

There's no UNDO option, not even for people like us.  I don't know about you...but if the part I play in this gets the timeline to a better state...a more stable state, then I'm okay with leaving well enough alone and letting destiny and fate take their course.  Hopefully by then...all will be right.  Every piece will be back where it belongs.   And everyone can have their happy ending, once and for all."

Frisk didn't answer...but there was something in the blank look of a gender-unknown child that seemed to acknowledge that I had made things a little easier for them.

At that point I knew what they were thinking about.

"You know she's not around to force your decision or influence it.  What you do here from here on out is your call.  By the same note whatever happens is on you."

Frisk hesitated and nodded.

"I know you're carrying the items.  But to what end...I don't quite know.  I guess only you know for sure.  I'm guessing the...other times didn't work out as well as you hoped.  I can't image what caused you to reset--"

Frisk kinda turned away.  I think acknowledging the reset was a risk I hadn't considered.  This was probably the closest I was going to get to proof that they...remembered.  They remembered everything.

"Sorry.  I'll...I'll drop it.  I don't want to make you uncomftable."

I had a nagging suspicion there was something on Frisk's mind.   I mean I had my hands full, trying to figure out how Kommand and I were going to stay one step ahead of a certain headache I had been dealing with since he turned traitor.  If only the Council had listened to me; to my reasons why I couldn't recommend him to open the Pandora's Box and Genie's Lamp........no.  Don't think about that now.  You're getting distracted and you're punishing yourself.

This is now.

Guide them.

"Frisk.  I'm not going to tell you what to do.  Only you can decide that.  But uh...you know how to finish this adventure and finish it perfectly.  The best possible way to give everyone their happy ending."

I wanted to make them promise not to reset anymore.  But...I had not right to ask that.

I wonder if Frisk resetting those true happy endings was because they were still trying to save one more person.  Maybe they thought it was still possible to get an even better ending.  Yet it still didn't explain the randomness.  Why genocide in one timeline...then pacifist in the next?  Why wasn't there consistancy?  Why didn't it start genocide then slowly go through neutrals into pacifist?  Or vice versa?  Was it the timeline's instability?  Was it something I wasn't seeing?

I had a seat with Frisk in front of Toriel's gates and just...stayed silent for a while.  Seriously.  I tried to speak...but I couldn't think of anything to say.  How familiar.  And they refused to speak.  Maybe there was a reason they didn't.

After a while I was at a loss.  So I just patted Frisk gently on the head and looked off into the distance.

At first nothing came of this.  But then Frisk wrapped their armss around me and hugged...and cried silently.  Not even a whimper or a sad moan.

This continued or a while before it got late.  And we went our separate ways.  I didn't think anything had been resolved.  But...at least I had accomplished my goal.  Or half of it.  I guess I'd come back again and see how this played out.  I recalled the Deloreon, jumped, and climbed aboard as it hovered way above the trees.

At the very least, we shared each other's pain.  There was nothing selfish about that.

"I hope this wasn't a waste of time.  And I really hope something came of this..."

With that, I was gone; back to Miranda City.

## Sub-Entry 264: "One Year Later...":

It was official.  One year to the day (or night).  Asriel had been here twelve months.  Twelve.  Where did that time go?  It didn't seem possible.  Reflecting on the past was only natural at this point.

But it was Asriel who would be searching for me.  As if by...some echo...he traced my steps when I thought about this, 164 mission log sub-entries ago.  Which of course lead him back to the fountain.

I knew he was watching as I stared up into the sky.  It was already nightfall and quickly turning to night time.  The lights in the town were starting to come on.

I took a deep breath, crouched down and made the greatest jump I could handle.  I went up...and up...and up.  When I was at the peak of my jump, I let my electrical powers take over and carry me up further.

Asriel watched in silence.  He knew what was on my mind.

I slowed before reaching my limit, reaching out to the sky as if I expected something to be there...but there was nothing.

I sighed in what felt slow motion as gravity began to take hold.  I used my electric and magnetic powers to help me flip and soar back down to earth below, like a werewolf bullet.

This time I aimed away from the fountain.  Yeah.  I wasn't about to get wet.

Instead I fluxuated all of my magnetism to create a Gaussian magnetic mass--like an invisible airbag or cushion and landed with and understated shockwave.

I collapsed the energy and stood up.

I shook my head.

"Here, I thought I'd be the one with home-sickness by this point."  Asriel took my hand and grasped it gently.

"Asriel...I..."

I looked down at the ground.

Why was I trying to attempt something that had long since been a moot point to even try; the timeline was destroyed.  Even if it weren't, everyone was dust.  The timeline collapsed before Chara could complete her pact with that version of Frisk and never collected their soul as a result.

I had theories that without the Monsters, the magic of the Underground would die, too.  Nothing would be able to sustain the world within.  But I didn't know anything about magic so...it was just at theory.

Also, if things of Asriel's world followed the usual rules of the universe, then Monsters going extinct could theoretically cause an imbalance.  Monsters were made of mostly magic and little substance; humans were made of mostly substance and little magic.  What would happen to such a world wtihout the two keeping each other in check?

"I...don't blame you for what happened.  You know that, right?"

"Yeah."

"You...know I'm not trying to get rid of you.  I want you to stay, but...I'm so conflicted."

"...I know you feel obligated to put things back to the way they're supposed to be...but..."

"It was always a doomed hope.  To get you back to your loved ones...to your home."

"I've learned to accept it."  Asriel looked up at the sky.  "They're all gone, and they're not coming back.  I can't get my old family back.  Miss Undyne isn't coming back.  Chara's...gone.  It still hurts but I have to let go.  When you truly love people you have to let them go when it's their time."

A sniffle.

We both felt compelled to hug each other.  We both felt inclined to shed tears.

Nothing stopped us from doing so.   So...we did.  Two crybabies just drawing from each other's strength.

"When I first came here...I didn't have a reason to live.  I didn't want to live.  But I was too much of a coward to--"

"No.  You weren't a coward at all.  If you had tried to commit suicide, that would be cowardly.  You chose to live.  With the consequences.  With the burden of everything weighing down on you...with what Chara made you promise.  Even now I can tell it still borthers you."

"That's what it means to have courage isn't it?  It isn't something like sticking your head into a lion's mouth or going off to fight a war or something like that.  It's living life.  Overcoming."

"Asriel you keep impressing me with your insight...your wisdom."

I let him go and he stood on his own for a moment, inslence.

Asriel pulled his heart locket out from under his shirt, grasping it gently.  He snapped it open to reveal the photo of himself and Chara.

"Best Friends Forever."  He looked up at me.

"It's taken me this long to feel like...our friendship is appropriate.  Like I'm not too old...too grown up for you to pal around with.  I don't know whether that was fear of being judged by others or self-doubt or even feeling like I had to prove myself worthy of your friendship.  But...you gave it freely.  Whatever mistakes I've made, whatever mistakes I mights still be making...you forgive me for them."

I sniffled a little.

"You know that I'm keeping so much from you, even now......and you don't resent me for those secrets.  You're so willing to be patient with me over them.  Things I can't tell you just yet...things I don't even know, myself, when you'll be ready for them.  You're so understanding.  So cooperative."  I looked at his shirt.  "Purity really is the word, isn't it."

"It's who I am."

There was a moment of silence.

"Sooo...Prince of this world's future, huh?"  I jabbed lightheartedly.

"Hey.  You're really going to bring that up?  I was in a moment.  It...just came to mind."  Asriel defended, not really offended.

"I'm never going to be a prince again.  I may have just been speaking metaphorically...but...I feel like I have to be setting some kind of example.  Master Splinter said I he saw hope and light in me.  I don't want to let anyone down...but I don't want to pressure myself so much that I make a bad choice or a mistake I can't fix.  I just...want to be the best me that I can be.  It's no longer about making everyone else happy.  I want to make a better future for all of us...including myself.  One that we can all share together."

Asriel's vocabulary had really increased since being around us.  In the early days, he had trouble pronouncing a lot of words, and had to ask us for some definitions.  That is when he felt like speaking.  He still had a lot of techno-babble to learn but...heck.  He was using words like "metaphorically" like a boss now and was starting to recognize Jang-ese words in written and spoken form.

"You know...as a king, you would have made the best speeches."

"You think so?  Dad...Asgore wasn't really good at them.  I did tell you he wasn't that great at naming things, right?"

"Heh.  Well...he did come up with one good name."

"Huh?"

"Yours."

"Oh you. "  Asriel blushed a little.

"So...I guess we muddled over the past plenty."

"Yeah."

"So...how should we celebrate 365 days of you being here?  A whole year of living in Miranda City?"

"It...does feel like cause for celebration.  I say...we do anything and everything we can fit into an entire day...tomorrow."

It made sense.  It was getting really late.  What was a day late of celebration for the big anniversary?

"Deal."

The next morning, bright and early...

We were off to Rabbotou Dojo for a little after-class activities in the gym, dojo, and garden.

"That tickles, Kukuicha!"  Asriel got into a fit of giggles as Kuki-chan smoothered his face in kissy-licks.

"Chuuu!"

That later led us to Computer Valhalla.  I'd...put up with Vi's annoyance for his sake.

"...get the cherry!"

"Pac-Man is really fun!"

From there...to Rock-Afire Pizza where we both decided to make our own pizzas.  They turned out well.

"A fine job, both of you!"

We enjoyed our feast and a bit of dance to the music of Mitzi's jukebox before we were off to meet up with Sally at a rave for even more music and dancing.  She assured me it would be a clean, family friendly venue.  Unlike Violet, I knew she'd make good on her word without bending or breaking rules to still be in the right.

From there to Lupe's nature preserve where we toured the WHOLE facility.  It was amazing how much we were fitting into a single day.

Not long afterward, Violet and Skeeter caught up to us and roped us into a prank I knew we should have declined.

"Violet...how did you get your hands on the modified camp bus...thing...from Ernest Goes to Camp from the movie's climax?  WHY would you get your hands on something like this......and...you're not listening..."

"Uh...Volt?  Do you know why Skeeter has a toilet loaded up in this...catapult thing."

Oh no.

Violet lifted the lid and looked in then looked up at us both.

"Ehhhhhh-yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeew..."  She said as she rapidly waggled her jaw side to side, rapidly in the style of one Ernest P. Worrel.

Asriel covered his eyes.

"Violet, there isn't even any of...THAT...in there.  You filled it with......tell me those chemicals aren't what I think they are--"

"Bombs away!"  Skeeter called from the other end of the catapult.

"Asriel...I think it's prudent we deny any responsibility."

And then before we knew it, Vi dropped a match into the bowl and got clear.

"FIRE IN THE HOOOOOLE!"  She gave in her best Overwatch impression.  And before we knew it a comode was sailing though the air.

Oh gods no...

And then there was a crash on the other side of the area...followed by a muffled explosion...and a splat following it?

Minutes later, Al Dente trudged over to us, covered in green slime and whining about the damages he was going to have to pay the motel manager.

"Instant non-toxic green slime.  Just add an oxygen flare.  The fuel, once it reaches critical temperature, burns up and expands so fast there's no danger of igniting anything.  And the exothermic reaction is enjoy to get the other inert chemicals to react with each other--"

"...turning into the world's fastest green slime explosion.  Yeah.  I read your notes."

We...quickly vacated the area, leaving Al to flounder around in the sticky mess.

We continued our time, dropping in at the museum to sit in on Vladimir Stokes' science lessons.

"Science is so cool!"

"Yes.  It is the coolest, my young friend."

As much time as we were eating up, it seemed like the day was accomodating each and every activity.  By any practical means we should have been running out of time to do all this.

A quick visit to the indoor skating, a ride in the E.L.B. Time Train from here to Westhaven and back (without traveling through time, mind you.), and a ride with Gadget piloting a helicopter around the city...yeah...we crammed everything we could into the day.

When it did get starting dark, I decided to host a cookout on the clocktower balcony, even though it wasn't a lunar cycle.  Jon sure didn't mind.  Any excuse for steak and burgers was a good one.

"These will be my best ones yet, mates."

"That's what you said about the last batch."

"And I was right, wasn't I?"

"Yeah."

But all good things come to an end.  So I set up a telescope and Asriel and I spent our time star-gazing.  He really liked star-gazing.  Maybe stars and bright colors were just hardwired into him.  Most of the other AU versions of him seemed to have that in common.

I chuckled ot myself that maybe somewhere the OTPR (OuterTale) version of him was looking back.  Then I kindly remembered to keep out of other sandboxes.  Sometimes the "King of Crossovers" has to show restraint.  Oh well.

Once again when the day had ended, I dropped him off at Scott and Callie's.

"I had fun, Volt."

"So did I."

We both shared a hug.

"Happy 1-year Anniversary, Azzy."

"It's been...just...\*sniffle\*...wonderful."

"Hey.  No tears.  There will be other days to cry."

"I know...it's just..."

"Yeah.  Everything."

"I'm the luckiest kid alive.   Thank you all so much for making me so."

I nodded and got back in the 57' Chevy.  "Good night, Azzy.  Pleasant dreams."

"They will be.  Thanks to you."  Asriel waved as I drove off.  Then he headed inside.

## Sub-Entry 265: "Jon's Guilty Pleasures":

It was no secret that Jon was our own big, fuzzy pushover.  I imagine he had more in common than Gaster than I'd like to admit.  I don't know how big Asgore's appetite was, but one thing I was sure of was that the two of them had reputations for being softies.

What Jon DID keep secret was could be the most blatent examples of him being a man-child; the kid that never grew up.  While I compared him to Vash the Stampede and Kenshin "the Batousai", it wasn't outlandish to compare him to Dr. Raymond Stantz.

"I won't be long, dear."  Elektra headed out, to leave Jon to the house all alone.

That was when Jon Talbain decided to let his embarrassing guilty pleasures out of the closet.

In this case...literally.

Buried behind a secret panel he installed in his closet, he found the object of his interest.

"Time to get cooking."

Jon opened the box to reveal one of those EZ-Bake Oven sets.  Yeah.  His big embarassing secret was playing with a girl's toy to make cupcakes and other sweets.

Elektra leaned her back up against the front door and giggled a little.  Jon wasn't that good at keeping secrets...especially from his own wife.

A moment later and she was on her way.

Jon of course spent a few hours making, decorating, and of course...eating his confectionary delights.  He had been practicing for maybe a few years; replacing the light bulb and the ingredients in secret.

Supposedly when he bought the device, he nodded and lied out his furry tush when the cashier commented that his daughter would be very happy.

Jon and Elektra had been married for a while but they did not yet have kids.  I'm pretty sure anyone reading this embarassing tale has already figured that out.

No slight against my son-in-law, mind you.  Honestly, he's pretty brave for ignoring age limits and gender biases.  But if he were ever caught, even in this day an age, he'd never here the end of it.  Kind of a strange contrast for a guy who bench pressed 900 lbs. at the gym, easily.

"Happy times."  He smiled and proceeded to clean up the accessories and his cooking mess and get it all packed up and hidden again.

Of course this was only one of his guilty pleasures.  Those times when Elektra was on call during the entire night shift, Jon would dig out one of his stuffed animals and make sure he had a companion after he plugged in the night light for a good night's sleep.

"Let's keep this our little secret."

And of course, for those restless nights he'd read himself a bed-time story.

Not wanting to make a big deal of it, I snuck him a copy of Peek-a-Boo with Fluffy Bunny that I had managed to procure from one one of the unstable timelines that hadn't completely formed.  It became an instant favorite.

"The ending always gets me..."

Deja vu...

I didn't feel sorry for Jon.  In fact I felt protective of him.  Which is why it annoyed me that Jon annoyed Chameleon and a couple others like David the Fareskel.  He was our muscle-bound cinnamon roll.  And most of us were fine with that.  Which is why even Violet didn't let on that she knew his "dirty little secrets".  Heh.  If anything his secrets were the cleanest out of all of us.  Especially Violet.

I respected Jon.  He was kind to everyone.  But he was also afraid of his past catching up with him.  What little I knew about it seemed to imply it was a darker past than even, if you'll pardon the pun, the skeletons in Sans' closet.

Jonathan Lawrence Talbain, our gentle giant.

"I can't help it.  I just have to be me.  The me I want to be.  Not the me that I used to be."  I'd heard him say it before.  What pain did he hide?  How badly...how deeply did it cut for him to try so hard to be this marshmallow?

There was one time I could hear him on the other side of the wall, when no one else was around.

He was crying about the same as Asriel...and maybe just as scared.

I couldn't make out any words if he actually said anything.  All I really needed to know was that his past was too much to bear and that he just needed his space.

I guess perhaps the only real thing of note was how often he'd take frequent naps on his favorite bench in the park after a hard day's work.  This definitely felt closer to Sans, by comparison.  But I guess having a reputation for eating, sleeping, and heavy-lifting wasn't the worst thing in the world.

Lately, I've been noticing Asriel taking a moment to tend to him while he slept; bringing him a comfy blanket from Rabbotou Dojo or just petting him on the head and scratching behind his ears.

"Mmnn...."  Jon had this happy whine that just made it easy to feel happy for him.  Like a big puppy dog at heart.  This was one of the times I could waive his tendancies to embarass our species.

"Sleep well, Mr. Jon."  Asriel whispered.  Then he gave him a little boop on the snoot.  That made Jon wag his tail.

I could only watch from a distance and smile.

Moments like these reminded me that we were lucky to have him.  And he was lucky to have us.  Violet chose well when she recommended him the day my UCIAT team was commissioned in Neo Arcadia City.  I was so glad he chose Elektra and she chose him.

Asriel quietly tip-toed back to me and we left Jon to get his shut-eye.

Guilty pleasures in his own mind, maybe.  But as long as we were around, we'd never let on and we'd never make light of them.

## Sub-Entry 266: "Mitzi Day (That's a Lot of Green)":

Mitzi Day.  That's what we decided to call it.  Truth be told Mitzi didnt't expect a holiday named in her honor.  Much less one that resulted from a yearly set of coincidences.  So let's break it down, shall we?

For as long as I held my position as UCIAT's commander in the old days, I could remember I'd have a...mishap in the non-toxic chemical lab.  I figured that this much of an absence would finally break the curse.  Well.  Shows what I know.

I'll spare you the details and give you the end result.  I'd always end up walking out of the lab with my clothes completely dyed shades of green.  Fortunately the stuff didn't affect my flesh, fur, hair, or anything on my body.  But it took to clothing of any kind like a moth to flame.

"I'm forever chained to this "curse"."  I exited the lab, my ego deflated a few sizes.

Now this happening once was one thing.  You'd think I'd learn from my mistake.  But when it happened year after year after year...you stopped believing in coincidences and start wondering if you should listen to Rotor's secret interest in conspiracy theories.  (Yeah, the normal-est guy in town collected more conspiracy theories than Mel Gibson in the movie of the same title.  Go figure.)

"Well if the not-quite-a-curse happens like it does every year, I can expect--"

\*BAMF\*

And there was Bunnie.  But not with her usual pink smokecloud.  It was bright green.  And her karate attire, one-piece swimsuit undergarment, headband, and sandals were all shades of emerald, jade, and green.

"Major--"

"Laundry day."

Simple enough explanation.  Bunnie's outfits were all in the wash save for a lone green set.

Okay two people dressed completely in green was a cute case of simultaneity.  Yet...

"What's the sitches my b--"

"Gonna stop you there.  You've worn that one out.  Get a new greeting, Vi."

What she HADN'T worn out was that one obnoxious kimono and sandals she made out of what I called "C.R.T." fabric and nano-phosphor-luminous transistor array polymer.  Basically nano-fiber-optics interwoven into a high definition matrix that display still images and full video like a "wearable computer".  And what image did she choose to display?  The green, raining computer code from the Matrix movies.

I think the general concensus around town was...this outfit was an eyesore.

"Violet, why haven't you destroyed that obnoxious attire?"

"Hey, if you don't have the passion for fashion and bring the bling to spring, you're gonna be the parriah of the party."

"Oh gods..."

"I put the Vi in Viridian, yo!"

"I thought you put the Vi in Virus."

"I multitask, Commander."

"Ex-Commander.  Does no one get that?  I swear if Miles spends another day out on the frontlines, people are going to forget I even passed the torch to him."

Three people, now.  Weirded out, yet?   Wait...wasn't someone else suppsed to--

"Team Acorn, REPRESENT!"

Three green light contrails, followed by a very green trio of spinouts, ended with three victory poses.

Suddenly Sally.  And Willie.  And Honey.

"Let me guess.  Nikita servicing your Tengu Suits so you all three have to use the prototypes as spare clothes?"

"You got it!"

Oh boy.  Six people who all happened to be wearing green.  Tell me you don't find this a little creepy as far as coincidences go.

Lupe showed up, her outfit a little greener than its usual color.

"Oh!  Is it that time again?"

"Okay, my faithful eco-science warrior druid.  What's your story?"

"On a whim I decided to try something and I was able to succeed at making a copy of my outfit, completely out of grass, vines, and leaves and some Mana usage."

"Trying to be Eve, huh, Lupe.  Maybe we should find you an Adam."

"Violet!"  Lupe protested, turning pink in the cheeks.

A few more UCIAT members showed up, each with a story of coincidence.  But we had to draw the line at Antoine's appearance because his greener was a bit...disgusting.  Yeah, not going to say what happened or what was involved.  Nope.  Not gonna do it.  Not gonna do it.

So I guess it was topped off when Asriel was next to show up.

But what surprised me wasn't that he, too, was wearing green...it was...

"Asriel?  Isn't...that your old sweater?  From...from when you first...?"

"I had the strangest feeling of...nostalgia this morning.  So I put it on for old time's sake."

I knew the moment Asriel learned the word "nostalgia", I'd have continuing feelings of dread...because I knew that Violet would be constantly tweeking the definition in her usual ways.

"Nice."  Was all that I could say.

"Hey...why is everyone wearing green?"

We all looked at each other.

That was when it all came to a head with the guest of honor, in the company of Foxy "Colleen" Flannigan."

"Hi, guys!  What's up?"

"You, too, Mitzi?  So what reason do you have for going green today?"

Mitzi blinked.

"Reason?  This is what I always wear."  She shrugged.  Then she realized.  "Ohhh!  It's that day again!"  She said with a smile.

"Land o' goshen!  I love this day.  It reminds me of me' own home country."

"I guess uh...Happy Mitzi Day, everyone?"  I finally conceded.

"You didn't tell me you had a holiday in your honor, Miss Mitzi!"

"It's...not an official holiday.  But it's still flattering that you named it after me.  I mean, I would have been fine with calling it Green Day."

Violet chortled a bit.

"What?"

"Oh...nothing."

"Violet...really?  A music reference that obvious?"

"Don't wanna be a Neo Arcadian idiot--"  She started to sing.

"A little late for that."

Violet stuck her tongue out.

Okay, so I'll say it if it isn't inherently obvious.   March 17th.  If the date rings a bell, then yeah.  Our Mitzi Day came into existence, somehow, as the counterpart to Earth Prime's own St. Patrick's Day.  While there was a lot of green, I certainly discouraged any inappropriate drinking (that went double for Violet).  And I certainly didn't want to hear Violet talking about leprechaun maiming.

But what I did allow was for Foxy to treat us to a day of Celtic song and dance, Mitzi treating us to some green-colored and naturally-green foods.  Green milk and lime-ade.  Granny Smith apples,  Various foods with green food coloring.  Desserts and the like with green icing and sprinkles.  Yeah.   I guess it was a little embarrassing to admit that I secretly considered green a favorite color, despite my affinity toward gold and silver.

"More green pizza coming up!"

You haven't lived until you've eaten a pizza with green sauce, green-colored cheese, and green crust and washed it down with green soda.  Honestly...sometimes I wonder where Violet was able to find a source of Surge soda?

"I'm having a wonderful time, Mitzi!"

"I think we're all having a wonderful time, Asriel!"

So many holidays.  So little time.

"Come on, Mitzi!  It's you're turn for karaoke!"  Gadget handed her the microphone, wearing green coveralls of her own.  In her own words: "I'm wearing green, because everyone else was already doing it!"

So cute.

By the end of day...I think we all had more than our fill of green.

At least until next year...

## Sub-Entry 267: "The Life Cycle of the Stars":

For the longest time, he's been in meditation.  Bunnie seems concerned.  Even Asriel seems worried.

It had fallen into the night hour and the stars were in the sky.

"How...long has he been like this, Sensei?"

"It has been...a while."  Bunnie seemed hesitant to give an accurate measurement.

"Do...you know why...?"

Bunnie shook her head.

Master Splinter continued his session.

"So...you never really talked about it."

"I am...not feeling up to it, Asriel-san.  It...just doesn't feel like an appropriate time to talk about our past.  How we met.  How long I trained under him.  Not because it's tragic or shameful or anything.  It's more a matter...that Splinter-sensei does not need additional distractions."

"I feel like...I know this strange feeling."

"Asriel?"

"It's...the same vibe I had when...Chara was..."

Asriel paused then looked really worried.

"Sensei...you don't suppose he's--"

"No.  It is not his time.  But..."

Splinter opened his eyes and raised his head, looking up at the sky.  At that moment a shooting star crossed across the night sky.

Bunnie's expression softened.  Like...she understood something.

"Oh!  A shooting star."

"That is no star, my young friend.  That is a lost soul who has completed his journey."   Splinter's voice broke the silence.  These words struck a familiar chord.  I had heard them before.

"Journey?"

"Sensei."  Bunnie looked to the ninja master.

"One has become all.  And all has become one.  He can now leave a final task to the ones who are mourning the most."

Splinter's words echoed Izumi's words or rather her students, having completed their month of survival to become students of Alchemy.

"I understand."

I watched by the doorway.

Asriel had difficulty understanding the metaphors but he had a feeling.

"Who...was he?"

Splinter hesitated.  "A noble soul who met his end at the hands of an horrible, honorless beast.  A beast who abandoned what little humanity he had left for vengeance."

"Oh my..."  Asriel looked a little crestfallen.

That look in Splinter's eyes.  I knew he wasn't telling the whole story.  I felt like Bunnie had picked up on it.

Splinter bowed his head and I heard him mutter quietly in Jang-ese.

Bunnie closed her eyes.

As an immortal, the concept of death was like a forgotten memory within.  Yet, my continuing existence never let me forget it.  As long as I went on, I'd eventually see those around me finish their journey.  Those around me would one by one leave as new people filled the void, while I went on.

I could not help but compare life itself to the Oroboros of mythology, legends, and fables.  A serpent eating its own tail to continue its life but ultimately reaching the end of its existence.

Splinter finished his session and stood up, picking up his walking stick and resting upon it, overlapping both of his hands over top of it in a...waiting position.  He looked off to the heavens.

"Hmm."

I hadn't noticed it before, but I could swear there was a new star in the heavens.  It was faint.  As I studied it, I noticed the surrounding patterns seemed to connect in a new constillation.  It was uncanny...but it looked like a much taller, much different version of...

I couldn't help but compare the image I came up with with the anthropomorphic rat in the magenta kimono and foot wrappings.  A world of difference...but...it was like the same soul...in stereo.

"Bunnie-sensei?"

"Yes, Asriel?"

"In school they taught us that...the light of the twinkling stars above may...have actually taken millions if not billions of years to reach us.  The stars themselves have likely died out long ago.

"Yes.  That is an unfortunate fact of science.  Of the cosmos."

I reflected on that for a moment.  The sadness of a monster...or former monster, realizing that the stars they once sought to wish upon were long gone even before there even was a barrier to seal them underground.  Before there was even a war.

Asriel was quiet for a moment.  Then he walked over to Splinter and stood beside him.

"Grand Master?"

"Yes, young one?"

"I'd...like to hug you.  If that is okay?  You...look like you need one.  So...may I?"

Splinter closed his eyes for a few moments, the semblence of a tear forming.

"I believe you are correct, Asriel-san."

With Splinter's short height, he didn't really need to kneel or bend down to accept the embrace.

Asriel sniffled a little.

"Do not grieve, young one.  That soul has elevated to a higher plane of existence.  They are one with life itself.  They are at peace."

"I...can't help but feel sad for someone I don't even know."

"It is...good you feel this way.  You have...proven exactly what I sensed in you that day we first met."

"I'm...glad I wasn't a disappointment."

Splinter smiled briefly.

"You had so many doubts.  Even now some remain.  But do not despair.  You have grown so much in heart...in mind...in soul.  Asriel-san.  Your story has only begun."

"But...what about..."

"Worry not about my story.  It will end when it is time.  No sooner, no later.  Bunnie-chan is correct.  I still have many more years left in me and much wisdom yet to impart.  Student of my student...you shall know me for all of your life even if I will not be with you for all of your own journey."

"Thank you for your words."

"I believe our conversation has done us both good."

Asriel and Splinter exchanged bows before Asriel headed out of the garden and headed home.

Bunnie and I entered the main dojo.

"The one who passed on."

"You understand, do you?  I sensed Grand Master Splinter's aura.  It has grown...stronger."

I sighed.

"Bunnie.  I am...familiar with a theory.  A dimensional theory and...while, it's not the most reliable source, the best way to explain it is with one of Violet's stupid action movies.  Do you remember that one from a previous movie night...before we even met the VARS girls?"

"I know the one.  The main protagonist becomes the target of his own alternate universe self.  By ending the lives of other versions of himself the difference in their life force energies is divided up among the survivors until there is only one left with the power of a god."

"Sounds like a ripoff of the Highlander movie series and TV series, I know.  But...the concept is there.  I haven't found the existing dimension that corresponds to that movie, yet but as you can tell, it wasn't unrelated to what's happened in...one of the other universes in our Space-TIme Continuum."

A pause.

"So...does Splinter know it was--"

"He does."

I paced, remembering the Prime Univese and the AU's that also had their own Master Splinter.

"Will he be okay?"

"Yes.  I will be okay as well."  Bunnie looked outside the doorway at the sky.  Moments later, I could swear that a curious red star in the night sky was no longer there.   Confused, I looked to Bunnie.

She looked...relieved.

It was about that time that Splinter entered the dojo.  He too, looked relieved.

"邪悪な人は倒れていますか?"  Bunnie asked.

"悪いことはもはやありません。"  Splinter nodded.

"死は私達にすべて来る。"  Bunnie looked on at the spot in the night sky where the red star had vanished.

"邪悪な人が死んだとき、彼ははるかに悪い運命に苦しんだ。"  Splinter narrowed his eyes.

Bunnie crossed her arms and nodded.

"彼の死は...  ...名誉なし。"

While I didn't understand their words, I could almost sense the context.  I'd seen this equilibrium before.  The end of bitter and hated rivals...the end of complete opposites...when absolute good and absolute evil came to an end, the balance of a world, a galaxy, or an entire universe was restored...for a time.  I wonder which AU it was?  I couldn't prove it, but I was sure it happened outside of the UltraVerse.  Maybe not in a Prime Universe, but it was definitely close to one.

I had one last look at Splinter.  How did you cope with the knowledge that you...or rather another universe's version of you was no more?

I left teacher and student to their privacy and headed off.

Asriel and I would be somber for a bit, knowing that there was one less Hamato Yoshi in the space time continuum.  But...I could rest easy that there was now one less Oroku Saki.

I didn't quite understand how that spirtual/psychic connection to other versions of yourself worked, but Splinter was obviously in tune with them.  The Council got pretty dubious over the times I'd let alternate versions of other people I'd met in my lifetime meet; The Major with her Mobius counterpart and my Terrain Master with hers, just to name an example.

This connection between parallel souls made me wonder if some day Asriel would be in tune with AU versions of his other selves.  Maybe that's why some of his...coincidences seemed to channel what little I knew about them.

Whatever the case, we'd need some time to move on.

Oddly enough, it wouldn't be the only incdent involving rodents that Asriel and I would encounter.

## Sub-Entry 268: "The Return of Danger Mouse":

I was working in the lab, late when night, when my eyes beheld......wait a minute.  Wrong holiday season.  Silly me.

Ahem.

All kidding aside, I was actually in the lab but I was having trouble concentrating.

From down the hall I could hear Violet in her sub-lab, blaring the sounds of "The Brides of Funkenstein".  Somehow she proccured a tape of Lydia Deetz and her school mates, with special appearanced by Beetlejuice...sorry, I mean "Betty Juice" (Ugh.) of them "getting dangerous".  I just knew this was inviting the appearance of St. Canard's own "Terror that flaps in the night.  Yup.  The winged scourge who pecks at your nightmares.  You know who I mean...and if you don't, then yeah...it's Darkwing Duck.

Moving on from that tangent, it would actually not be Drake Mallard's alter ego that would be interrupting me that day and actually...not Violet or her shenanigans, for once.

Nope.

It turns out that little sister tended to have more friends than even I knew about.  From Violet's much older lab mischief, some things had gone unaccounted for, including off-worlders that we never fully accounted for.  Some of them ended up making their home right here on our planet.  Some even in our city.  And yes...even some took of residence in the lab, such as the Littles.

I didn't object at all when she befriended the Littles.

I was a little overprotective when she hung out with a trio of mouse motorcyclists with...weird antenna that came from REALLY off world.  But it was harmless in the end.  It's not like one of them was...dating her...

And of course hanging out with Penny and Brain when they'd venture out from Metro City.

And while I was supportive of her helping a police detective in his efforts to take down a crime organization headed by a guy with a thing for metal gauntlet on his right hand and a black cat with a destinctive laugh, I was not prepared to find out she had been going on missions with a british spy and his hamster companion who made their headquarters inside a pillarbox...or...whatever the English called them.

I think I became aware however when I got buzzbombed by...

"What the--!!!"

...yeah.  By a miniature. yellow, flying spy car with a two mice--one of them I recognized as my miniaturized sister, the other the White Wonder himself, the "world's greatest secret agent", Danger Mouse--a spy who's so secret even his codename has a codename.  As I said, white in fur color, wearing an eye patch over his left eye,  white body suit that came up into a turtle neck which made it blend together with his fur, a red belt with a yellow buckle, and a logo--red circle with the initials D.M. displayed prominantly on his chest.  Yeah...not exactly subtle attire but I guess if you're that good.

Skilled in Kung Moggy (was...that even a real martial art?) and versed in 34 languages--some which he claimed were extra-terrestrial, a mouse of action and sharp-witted at that.

But also crammed into the flying...ummm...Danger Mobile...?...was a brown furred hamster in a blue suit, yellow-and-black striped necktie, and oversized glasses who seemed to be cowering worse than Jon or Antoine.

"Little sister!  Careful!"

"Sorry, big brother!"

That was of course followed up by cries from said hamster answering to the name of Penfold.

"Oh crumbs!  Oh carrots!  Oh heck!  Oh fiddle!"

I still wonder why he was given the codename "The Jigsaw".  He had no  skills, no grace, and no backbone.  And he was always misunderstanding conversations and mistaking things for jokes.

"Unless Colonel K ordered you to disrupt laboratory operations, or unless Baron Sylus Greenback suddenly invaded our world, could I respectfully ask you to take it outside?"

"Apologies, old chap."

"Gadget, I don't mind that you hang out with strange and interesting characters but you really need to get them up to speed with things on this world."

"Oops!  My mistake dear brother!"

I put a stopper in the test tube and put the whole rack on the shelf before heading back over as the Danger Mobile's wings pulled into the main body and the car screeched to a stop.  The mice exited the car.  The hamster...more or less fell out of the car.

"Be with you in just a moment, Volt!"  Gadget adjusted her Reduction Belt, bringing both herself and Danger Mouse up to human size.

"Hmm.  Quite a mechanization.  You might have a future in on operation some day."

"Golly!  You really think so?"

"D.M.!   Wait for me!"

"Oh bother.  It seems we forgot to molecular-ly enlarge Penfold."

"This does seem to be a bit of a small problem, doesn't it?"  Gadget joked.

"Quite so."

A bit of exposure to Gadget's Reduction Belt beam and Penfold was enlarged.

"Do be a chap and pick yourself off of the floor.  It's very unbecoming of an agent."

"Right, chief."  Penfold righted himself and adjusted his glasses.

A knock at the door.

"Hmm?"

Sure enough it was Asriel.

"Hi, Volt.  Are you busy?"

"Not...really but--"

"Oh!  I didn't realize you had guests.  Sorry to intrude then."

"No worries."

"Yeah!  Come join us, Azzy!"

"Okay."

Asriel entered the room.

"Asriel, this is Danger Mouse.  A friend of mine.  He's kind of an off-worlder."

"London's best at your service."

"You talk like Mr. Jon.  Oh!  Are you like a spy?  Like in those movies Mr. Bond is in?"

"Well.  Observant little bloke aren't you?"

"He's totally a secret agent."

"But if we know about it, then is it not a secret anymore?"

"Penfold, shush."

I rolled my eyes.  Even for an unintended joke that was lame.  It didn't even get a laugh out of Asriel or Gadget.

"Uh...right."

"Anyway.  What does bring you to our neck of the woods?"  I asked.

"General maintenance on the Danger Mobile.  Gadget offered to give the old girl a proper tuning and revisions."

"Maybe touch of the paint job and upgrade the bullet-proof glass.  Trick out the usual bevy of spy gadgets.  Oh!  And is the vehicle bay fully stocked?  We'll need to make sure D.M. has plenty of juice to get back to the other side of the world."

"Oh!  That's no problem.  I brought plenty with us.  What kind did you need?  Orange, grapefruit or pomagranate?"

"...no, Penfold.  No.  Not that kind of juice."  Danger Mouse face palmed.

Asriel stifled a giggle.

"I can also substitute grape if you like."

"Penfold.  Shush."  I replied.

"Much obliged."  D.M. replied.

"Well, no objections.  Gadget, you know where the vehicle bay is.  Clean up after yourself when you're done."

"Okay, brother!"

"Can I watch!"

"Very well.  But I have to ask you to swear to secrecy.  This vehicle is top secret and we can't have its innerworkings leaked to outside sources."

"Right.  Like the time Baron Greenback snuck a control device aboard and took you on a wild ride."  Gadget spoke up.

"Right.  Not exactly smashing times."

"Except for the part where we smashed into the ground.  Tee-hee.  Tee-hee-hee-hee."

"Penfold..."  D.M. started.

"Yes?"

"Shush!"  The rest of us all said in unison.

## Sub-Entry 269: "Pit's Tale of the Third Uprising":

"Pit?  Are you okay?"

"I've...been getting memory fragments of...something that happened a couple years back."

"Memory...fragments?"

PIt had a seat at the fountain and invted Asriel to join him.

"You know that the times that I'm not around, sometimes I have to go back home to my Realm and report in to the Elder Gods, right?"

"Yes."

"Well...every time I come back here to this realm...I feel...incomplete.  Like...I've left something behind."

"Huh?"

"I can't explain it.  But..."

What Pit was trying to explain was a preventative measure the Gods of his realm put in place to prevent mortals from learning too much about Angel Land--as we called it.  Sometimes these measures were put in place for Pit's own good.  Honestly...we don't know the specifics, but we could guess that a portion of his memories were sealed away.

In truth that was exactly the case.  But sometimes things would leak that he wasn't supposed to know.  Or things that he was supposed to grow into.

A while back, before the emergence of the Collossus, during Nalaar's final "Hail Mary play" for world domination, Pit's cousin, Ambrosia visited, taking with her the Lightning Chariot--no relation to the Thunder Chariot cloud-copter machines on Mega Man's world.

A vehicle pulled by unicorns of legend, and far faster and more powerful than anything mortals should be exposed to, Ambrosia brought with her an arsenal from Dintos, the God of the Forge; where all holy weapons on Pit's world were conceived.  His greatest of course, were the Three Sacred Treasures, which had only recently been repaired.

But by mistake, Ambrosia commited a terrible blunder and accidently scattered all of the Weapon Crystals all over our world, and now they lay buried for Pit to find.  Of course I worried they'd find their way in the wrong hands or innocent hands that didn't know any better.

"...I feel like I'm...not my complete self when I'm on this world...yet the fact that I can fly...I feel like more than my complete self at the same time."

"You mean like you traded part of yourself for the power of flight?"

"Something like that, Asriel."

Pit had found a couple of them so far; the First Blade, the Guardian Orbitaurs, the Palutena Bow, the Upper Dash, the Farsight Staff, and the Wolf Claws.  With each one he regained a memory of something...that happened on one of his returns to his home.

"What can you remember?"

"Bits...and pieces...fragments of a long and winding battle.....like.........like......"

Pit closed his eyes for a moment...then snapped them open immediately!

"...like a Thrid Uprising!"  He said, as if he suddenly came to a realization that hadn't been obvious to him before now.

"There was another war?"

"There had to have been..."  Pit pondered.  "I remember battling enemies...creatures that I had defeated in the past but..they had been revived...Twinbellows the Hound of Tartarus......Hewdraw the three-headed Sky Dragon......Pandora, former Goddess of Chaos......Thanatos the God of Death."

"Maybe they're just memories of the past--"

"No...there were new enemies as well...the Dark Lord Gaol......the Great Reaper...the Galactic Fiend Kraken...Cragalanche the Almighty...and more."

"Oh..."

"There are...details I can't quite remember...but I know the Underworld Army was there."

"The Underworld Army?  Goddess Medusa's forces?"

"The same."

"But it sounds like there was more than them involved."

"Yes...I remember...the Forces of Nature were against us."

"...Forces of Nature?"

"Palutena is Goddess of Light and ruler of the Sky, right?  Well, Goddess Viridi is the Goddess of Nature;  she believes it's her duty to return heaven and earth to their pure states.  What...little I remember......she doesn't like humans much."

The truth Pit spoke of was greatly understated.  Unbeknown to us, Viridi attempted the extermination of humans.  I don't want to compare her to Chara, but...one goal, two different souls.

"There were others, too.  Invaders from another realm called the Aurum...there were Space Pirates...and.....a clash with the Chaos Realm...and for some reason I remember fighting Pyrrhon the God of the Sun."

"This...sounds a lot bigger than your other two Uprisings."

"I...think maybe it was.  Maybe...that's why I can't remember a lot of it.  Just names and images...pieces of events."

Pit didn't realizes it but it wasn't because he couldn't remember.  It's because the Gods wouldn't let him remember.  In their wisdom they decided this war had to be...for lack of ancient terminology...classified.

"Pit...I didn't want to say anything, but...there have been moments where you were asleep at the fountain and...you'd wake up with a start and...you'd check your wings...like you almost expected them to be gone."

Or burned off.  I'd learned far, far down the road what the Gods didn't want Pit or the rest of us to know.  An angel without wings was as good as dead.  Didn't matter if their wings worked or not.  They had to have their wings.

"That's...the thing I'm having the most trouble remembering."

"There was this other time when...you were really afraid when Miss Hestia was cooking eggplant--"

Pit immediately curled into a little ball and wrapped his wings around himself.

"...why...are you afraid of them?  They can't hurt you........can they?"

"If it's all the same...I...I'd rather not think about it.  It's a memory that crosses into all three uprisings."

"Oh.  Well.  It's nothing to be ashamed of.  Miss Ivy was afraid of turnips in her childhood.  She told me that one day she pulled out a Mandragora from the palace garden by mistake."

That explained much about Ivy's fear.  If you knew anything about Mandragora's, then my explanation was moot.  All you really needed to know is...you would't sleep for nights...and it might be a while before your hearing came back.

"It runs as deep as that.  Maybe deeper."

"Pit, you can talk to me about anything.  I'm here for you."  Asriel's eyes turned green.

"Thank you, my friend.  But...right now I just need time.  And...maybe I need to find more of the weapon crystals Ambrosia lost."

"She was...punished harshly, wasn't she?"

"There's no description for the pain of being struck by one of Zeus's Thunderbolts.  If you're a mortal, your life is forfeit.  If you're a god or an angel...you'll wish your life was forfeit."

"Ouch."

"Ouch is not nearly an adequate exclamation."

Asriel nodded.

"Hey.  Why don't we get some angelfood cake from Mitzi's to cheer you up.  She added it to the menu after asking Hestia for advice on desserts."

"I...think I'd like that."  Pit unfurled his wings and folded them up behind himself.

"Come on.  My treat."  Asriel hopped on his hoverboard and flew off.  Pit followed behind.

## Sub-Entry 270: "We Can't Take Violet Anywhere...":

Of all places I should have known not to bring Violet around...why, oh WHY didn't I automatically red-flag a movie set?

Here we were looking at the aftermath of the suddenly crash of Santa Claus' sleigh, a rubbersuited Godzilla monster (or reasonable facsimile) , and a motorboat with a purple Cadillac as the members of a Twisted Sister tribute band when running for the hills.  Honestly I was expecting a bigger explosion, but what happens in the movies doesn't necessarily happen under real circumstances.

Okay, so Asriel really wanted to see how movies were made and we had a movie star with connections.  Yes, I mean Woolma Lamb.

So what wet wrong?

Let's review.

Woolma invited us to a backlot that had recently been set up not far from town.  It seemed that the studio she was signed with was interested in bringing a little bit of Tinseltown to Fontraile.  A lot of people had GP signs in their eyes, metaphorically speaking, as cliche as that cartoon gag goes.

She was hoping some of us wouldn't mind sitting in on watching her do some reshoots, since the location of the scene in the script had been changed.  Oddly enough it actually allowed them to come in under budget...but I'm the wrong person to talk to about money.

"Miss Lamb you're needed in makeup."

"Welll, duty calls.  Don't get too bored waiting for meeee."

Eesh.  Female version of Mettaton?  Yeah.  I think that's an accurate description.

We'd get a good view of how movies were filmed, on the condition we kept it quiet, well-haved, and didn't do anything to make the director look like an idiot.

"This is amazing, Volt."

"Yeah, it is."

"I hope it's no bother that I come along, Commander."

"No bother at all, Pit.  If anything the one we should be dubious about is Violet."

I looked over my shoulder at her.

"What?"

"You know WHAT, my third in command."  I narrowed my eyes.  "I'm bringing a serial larcenist to a the biggest score of her life."

"Aww, don't be that way.  Besides, Marcel has taught me well the golden rule."

"I think you don't understand the concept of the golden rule.  It's treat others as you want to be treated yourself--"

"No, I mean the golden rule of thieves.  Don't be disappointed in a thief for stealing...be disappointed in thief for getting caught!"

"Goddammit, Vi."

It was true that in his origins, the orphaned boy, Marcel--now adopted son of Verlaine Gilneas--got his start in stealing to survive on the streets; and he got good at his craft.  Really good.

Old habits die hard...and let's face it...he refined them to an art.  So much so that one Christmas, Violet hired him to COMPLETELY empty out Al Dente of all of his possessions and sell every last one of them online.  Not only did he NOT get caught, but he also got triple what Al Dente paid for everything he owned, not counting family heirlooms.

Most of the time, however, our favorite daemon channeler used his talents to help us.  When a mission required acquiring things of extreme value and rarity, or even under extreme security measures, he'd find a way to walk away with the goods and not a dust particle of evidence.

"Violet can you for once just sit and behave. Is your chronic boredom REALLY that severe?"

"Gots to keep life interesting, for all my ho-mies and bro-mies."

"You're a real peach, Vi."  I folded my ears back.

Woolma's assistant, in the mean time kept Asriel and Pit occupied by showing them the aspects of film-making, the various workers involved, and the various tasks that went into it.

"...is it really okay if we partake from the catering spread?"

"Don't worry about it.  I'm sure the two of you won't eat much.  Just be mindful of anything with a "reserved for" sign on it.  Some of the actors and actresses are VERY particular about things."

"Which is another way of saying "very demanding"."  One of the other assistants retorted.  "Ever try to index M&M's into separate bowls by color and sorting out the misshapen once and then following a 10-step blueprint for making the world's most complicated banana split from them?"

Pit and Asriel just looked at each other, kinda not sure what to make of it.

And so...

"...and the gaffer is in charge of the electrical work and lightning.  With film-making everything has to have believable light and shadows."

"Wow.  Have you ever done gaffer work, Volt?"

"Well...it was a long time ago, but..."

Asriel looked at the camera.

"It's so big..."

"Yup.  She's a beaut'.  The latest model, too.  Nothing but the best for our film."

The ring of a bell and the hustle of some of the production crew soon let me know...

"Looks like they're about to start."

We heard the proverbial "Places, everyone!"

As agreed, we took our seats in the extra chairs provided.

The director took his place, picking up his bullhorn.

"Oh wow!  Is that Miss Lamb?"

Woolma's costume was stunning.  She could really doll up.  No wonder she was at the height of her career.  With looks like that, she had this part in the bag.  But I wonder how her acting skills were?

"Yes.  Shh.  Keep you voice down, they're about to start recording."

"Oh!  Sorry!"

Thusly...

"Quiet on the set!"

The usual film-making cliches were called out.  Lights.  Camera.  The person with the clap-board who reminded which scene of the movie was being recorded.

"And action!"  Yup.  Just like they depicted it.  From there we zipped our lips and whatever questions I had about Woolma, she absolutely blew us away.

Unfortunately as we all had to sign the confidentiality waiver, I cannot reproduce the details of this movie or its scenes.  That's showbiz.

The filming had our full attention.

Unfortunately we kept our attention on the wrong director on the wrong set.  Violet had snuck away to the props and costume buildings on the backlot as well as some of the other sets to "five-finger discount" things for her collection.

She often joked that she was the reason that Man of Steel's Superman Costume was without its red underwear.  I often wonder how true that was on our world.  With so many things about Earth Prime--so many people, places, and events somehow coinciding with our own history--I wouldn't be surprised.

It was a major annoyance for me and the rest of UCIAT.  And yet we still let it slide.  I think the point where the straw breaks the camel's back would be if she ever decided to raid dead celebrities' wares.  Especially ones that were in museums or on display in places like Graceland.  She dared to be stupid but I knew she wouldn't dare to be THAT stupid.

"...and cut!  That's a take.  Print it!"

Heh.  Cliche but effective.

Asriel didn't waste a moment to hug our little starlet.  She didn't mind.

"Oh, you're too kind.  Too kind."  Woolma seemed flattered by it.

"I have not seen such amazing feats of theater since the Muses of Olympulopolis."

Some day I'd have to check out Pit's world in depth and not just cursorarily analysis.  Maybe I could get assigned to it to get a historical account of the three uprisings of his world.  Maybe see Pit at his best.

As the crew began to wrap up, I honestly though our day would end there with no surprises--

"SOMEBODY STOP HER!!!"

Asriel, Pit, and I all looked at each other.

"Violet."  We all said in unison.

Woolma grabbed her personalized bathrobe and shower sandals and covered up, once the costume and makeup artists had gotten her cleaned up.   She followed us outside and sure enough we saw Violet go by on a bicycle.

Okay.  So she got caught this time.  What did she--   ...wait a minute.  You've got to be kidding me.  Of all things...THAT bicycle?

I immediately face-palmed.

"Isn't that the bike from the movie about the guy in the gray suit and bowtie--"

"I wish it weren't..."

We all gave chase but stayed outside the buildings.  And in no short order Violet managed to drive through way more movie sets than I thought it were possible for her to crash.  And in no short order...

Violet managed to out maneuver security and drop and oil slick behind what was trailing behind her--a motorboat and Santa's Sleigh and both carrying two very startled passengers still in costume.

I don't know what stung worse.  The fact that she was sloppy or........or.......oh crap...this wasn't her being sloppy.  This were her REENACTING a scene.  She did this on PURPOSE!

Okay.  I had two options.  Break out the checkbook and pay for the damages...and I'm pretty sure I couldn't afford even a fraction of them.  Or option 2...

"Asriel.   What I'm about to do, I'm not proud of..."

Inevitably someone would come charging through and demand to know about Violet.  Of course I said the first thing that came to mind:

"I do not know that person.  We're just bystanders.  We saw the same thing as everybody else.  Whoever she is, she should be ashamed of herself."

You're on your own, Vi.

Chapter 28

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