Oh, what is it worth

[inruins]

Who: Toriel & You!
When: The week after this wreck (UNDERTALE SPOILERS WITHIN LINK). Mid August.
Where: Her room, the rec center & the hallways.
What: Toriel distracts herself from her ugly break up with Sans by taking care of children, telling jokes and swimming.
Warnings: To be added as needed. Swearing?




[A - Somebody's gotta lose]

Readjusting her schedule should be the hardest part, really. Toriel had woven her life on board with Sans' own so easily. Only a few days ago she was relieved, things could finally go back to normal. They could pick up where they left off.

Toriel feels... idiotic. He had lied to her this whole time. If he hadn't been drunk, he likely would have never told her. She is a fool just as much as he is. He's always been a liar, but she... thought it could be alright. She thought they found a middle ground.

It is a dull kind of ache in her chest when she skirts around usual plans. Greeting Sans with a text or joke, naps in the garden and the occasional hang out is ripped out of her schedule completely. The next few days are spent ignoring everything that used to brighten her day.

A joke hits Toriel, she turns on her MID nearly texting Sans before the realization of everything settles back over her. She buries her frustration to focus on how funny the joke clearly is.

Any unlucky passerby is asked by the boss monster, "Would you like to hear a joke?"


[B - Out there, always echoing ]

She's left the door to her, Frisk and Asriel's private room open partially as she works. Toriel sorts through what books she's manages to save for the children. When satisfied with the books, she's making the bed, straightening it out.

It is a small comfort to pick up after her children. They're both naturally neat which gives her less to do, but she'll find busy work for herself.

Those who pass by will hear her singing to herself as she cleans.

The song hits odd inhuman notes at points. Looking into the room gives those a good idea of why. Toriel certainly is not human by any regard.


[ C - Some things never sleep]

Toriel hasn't had need to really wear her swimsuit since the resort planet, but she makes use of it today. Even with the low lighting and low energy mode, the pool is still active in the rec center. The water is still blessedly heated. A small favor the new strange captains had left behind.

The boss monster sets up a load of towels aside the pool knowing she'd need them after she got out of the pool. When she has everything settled she dives into the water. She had nearly forgotten what it was like to swim.

Anyone who comes into the rec center will hear the splashes of someone swimming. When they approach the pool other crew members will discover a very soaked boss monster doing laps, her fur doesn't make swimming all that great to say the least. It doesn't stop Toriel though.

"Damn." She breaths out finally coming to a stop, exhaling and resting her chin on the pool's ledge.

[ D - Like the stars chase the sun]

Any and every kid and teenager under 18 will be finding themselves pestered by a particularly large goat monster come meal times. Even with her own problems, Toriel doesn't let it affect her work. The ship's children need care and she'll provide it where she can.

One moment they'll be minding their own business, the next Toriel will approach with a warm smile.

"Have you had a chance to eat yet, dear?"

Comments

C

[pleasereset]

The rec center was quiet at night, and usually empty. It was not a bad place to find some peace when Asriel already couldn't sleep. He hated the darkness of the ship, but if he pretended hard enough while sitting next to the rec center's pool, he could imagine himself being back in Waterfall.

Maybe it should be funny that being reminded of the Underground gives him some weird source of comfort, after the sacrifices he made to try and leave it.

Tonight isn't much different from the other nights he's slipped in, only this time he hears a splash of water and realizes he's not alone. He stiffens, opening his mouth to offer an awkward apology.

"Oh, I'm sorry I didn't realize anyone was-"

And then he notices who's in the pool, and he can't help the sudden surprise in his voice.

"... Mom?"

[inruins]

"Asriel-?" The surprise is very much mutual. She rises to stand in the pool properly now. Her own funk forgotten in place of worrying about her child. "What are you doing up? I thought you were asleep."

Toriel wasn't oblivious to her son's bouts of sleeplessness, but she hadn't thought he'd wander off tonight. He seemed settled in bed next to Frisk when she left.

B

[gainedlove]

It's a rare moment of stillness from Frisk in the past few weeks, with them sitting at the desk while they work on their school assignments. Maths, science...a few other worksheets that Toriel had written up herself. If it weren't for the clothes they wear and the dimmed lights, it could almost feel like New New Home.

(Frisk had been tempted to suggest a different name, but something about Asgore's choices is just too charming.)

For a while they simply work and listen to Toriel's singing, sometimes mumbling to themself about one problem or another, but eventually they chime in softly to sing along. Their accent isn't terrible, but they stumble over a few of the words, more concerned with matching the notes than pronouncing everything just right.

[inruins]

Frisk joining in with her song warrants a soft kind of smile from the boss monster. She carries the song onward, slowing a little so the small child can catch up more easily.

It is gentle encouragement for Frisk to continue. Even with school work, the boss monster is more than happy to indulge her child. She quite enjoys sharing the older pieces of her culture with her children, pieces that died off with the war to some extent.

A

[whatshimadayou]

And here, Toriel is met with the stone cold face of a human man who is scowling in skepticism when she makes her innocent offer. Hanzo's brows furrow and he seems to digest that for a moment before he's snorting and lifting his chin to peer at her.

It has been a long week of adjusting to the environment of strange people, aliens, and monsters, being confronted of ghosts of the past whether he wanted to or not. Vaguely, he recalls this goat woman in the bar, leaving after something difficult had happened. Hanzo merely observed from a distance, but had been too consumed by his own matters to bother to pay heed further.

Perhaps another day, he'd keep walking.

Hanzo sniffs, then says, "Very well. If you must."

[pleasereset]

Asriel gives her a nervous smile, while trying to think of a good way to explain himself.

"I-I was, but I woke up and..."

His expression drops, and he huffs out a sigh.

"I couldn't fall back asleep."

[inruins]

"I see." She manages to contain the sigh that wants to escape. Toriel wishes she could help her son's sleeping issues, but there is no use getting frustrated by it. She can guess Asriel is frustrated enough for the both of them.

"That's alright, getting back to sleep can be hard." She drifts closer to the edge Asriel is standing by. "Here, would you like to swim with me for awhile?"

[inruins]

"I'm sure you'll like it." She idly recognizes him from the bar, but is glad enough he isn't bringing up what happened. Really she just wants to make someone laugh, opposed to discussing her own disaster of a relationship.

She can already tell this man might be a tough audience, but it doesn't deter the boss monster any. She offers him a smile, attempting to be positive even with his chilly behavior.

"Why do fish live in salt water?" She questions back.

[whatshimadayou]

The archer folds his arms and watches her, mildly curious and mostly dubious. Despite everything, she is smiling at him.

Alas, he remains frowning, as he usually does, but he doesn't turn away coldly or refuse her attempt to tell a joke.

"Why?" Hanzo responds, humoring her humor.

[inruins]

Toriel chortles a little bit at the punchline already, but tries to contain it to let Hanzo possibly laugh at the results. "Because pepper makes them sneeze!"

Even if he doesn't laugh, the joke obviously tickles her considerably.

[pleasereset]

He perks up at Toriel's suggestion. Swimming would be fun, and the last time he remembers swimming with his mom was well... when he was a lot smaller, and she was usually teaching him how to swim.

"Yeah... I think I'd like that."

He's not really dressed for swimming, but he tugs off his shirt and places it close to where the towels are. He seats himself at the edge where Toriel is, before dipping his feet in. The temperature change sends a quick shiver down his spine, but soon enough he pushes himself into the water with a loud splash.

"Whoa!" It takes a second to for him to readjust himself, dipping under the water for a second before his head emerges out of the water. Water soaks every inch of his fur and clothing, and he paddles to keep himself upright. But there is a small, silly grin directed to Toriel as he floats in the water.

"Heheh..."

[whatshimadayou]

It takes him a moment when she finishes the punchline.

Hanzo coughs and seems to be containing... something before he's looking away and covering his mouth.

"Hmm. Passable," he murmurs behind his hand. "You are welcome to tell another, if you know one?"

[inruins]

"My, my, a mysterious white fluff is floating towards me!" She proclaims with a soft laugh, smiling back as her son settles into the water. She opens her arms, imploring her son to swim over.

It almost feels nostalgic, really. She remembered teaching Asriel to swim, paddling around carefully and coaxing him through the water.

Swimming with fur will always be a problem. Toriel knows she's going to grab more towels when they emerge from the pool. For now she's happy to play around with her son in the water.

[inruins]

She saw that crack, that attempt to contain what she knows has to be laughter. Toriel is intent on getting some kind of laugh out of this man. Even if he sees fit to play impassible wall.

"Dear, I know, many, many, many jokes." Her smile takes on a playful edge as she taps a finger against her chin in mock thought. Another joke comes easily as the first.

"What happened to the dog that swallowed a firefly?"

[pleasereset]

As soon as his body warms up with the water, Asriel dips his face under. He swims towards Toriel, his small fluffy tail sticking out of the water and wagging. If it weren't for the small goatling attached to it, it'd look like some kind of weird, fuzzy white fin. Once he's close enough to her arms...

"The mysterious white fluff is actually a shark attack!"

And he pounces!

C!

[coolskeletonnyehntyfive]

If being fuzzy made it difficult to swim, being a skeleton made it nearly impossible. Papyrus was lousy in the water, but he still dropped in regularly with his water wings and swim trunks for aquarobics.

He'd missed a few days due to sticking so close to Sans, but doing nothing all the time made him restless, and he finally decided to take a little personal time. He sits at the edge of the pool and dunks his bony feet in, but he waits until Toriel surfaces to give her an awkward little wave.

Shoot. They're still friends, right?

"Oh! Um... hello, Toriel! Nice day for a swim, isn't it?"

[whatshimadayou]

"Hmm."

Eventually the hand is removed and Hanzo has successfully prevented any laughter or smiling. Not exactly a victory, but he seems a little less stiff and a little more thawed.

"What happened?"

[inruins]

One day she'd actually drop a joke and not laugh preemptively at it, one day. Intent on making the man laugh openly. Toriel laughed a little as she delivered the punch line.

"It barked with de-light!" She clasped her hands together smiling brightly at the man.

[inruins]

For his worries, Papyrus is greeted how he usually is by Toriel, warmly with a smile. "Ah, hello, dear!" Whatever she's feeling about Sans doesn't really apply to the other skeleton monster.

"Yes, yes it is. I wish we could swim at an outdoor pool or a beach again, but that isn't about to happen anytime soon sadly."

[inruins]

Toriel chortles at her son's approach, more than happy to watch him paddle over whilst his little tail bobbled in the water behind him.

"Goodness!" She laughs, catching the boy as he pounces. With a steady grip Toriel spins around with Asriel in her arms before falling back into the water with a splash. She's careful to keep Asriel's face above water, not wanting to get water up his nose. "What a fearsome shark. I stood no chance."

[gainedlove]

Frisk glances back in surprise when Toriel changes the pace of the song, their voice cutting off for a moment, but they quickly smile and start singing again, louder and with more confidence this time. They scribble out a few more answers, but the song is taking much more of their attention the longer the duet goes on.

Giggling a little when the song finally ends, Frisk turns around in their chair to look over the back at Toriel with a bright smile. "What's that one about, Mom?"

[inruins]

Toriel drifts over to her child easily, dipping down to give Frisk a quick peck atop their head. It takes her a moment to really translate the song for herself. The boss monster is more used to thinking of it in the old monster language than in english.

"Well- it's about a young woman singing sadly for her love out at sea. If I remember right. Her love comes upon her and reassures her they've returned well and safe."

[gainedlove]

Frisk giggles, their hair jingling against itself from the touch, and they smile even wider hearing what the tale is truly about.

"Ohhh, that's so nice! I love stories like that!" Anything with a happy ending is good in Frisk's book. "Did you ever go out on a boat, Mom?"

[whatshimadayou]

A louder snort is earned this time, his lips twitching as he glances away and seems to struggle with himself for a moment. Hanzo's expression softens and he rubs his chin, scratching his beard.

Horrible jokes, one of his few weaknesses.

"Well then." Hanzo clears his throat. "I have one."

There's a moment of hesitation before he asks, "What kind of bagel can fly?"

[inruins]

Even with her child's current glassy state- Toriel is not shy about giving Frisk affection. She's certainly still careful, but doesn't hesitate to dote on her child.

"It's always nice to hear a happy ending to these kind of tales." She answers with a low chuckle, "Once when I was very, very little. I barely remember it honestly."