snowblindrpg | [log] But will there be pie? [closed

Entry tags:

[log] But will there be pie? [closed

Characters: Kesara, Toriel
Location Bulding 113
Date: Day 75, evening
Summary: Smol runs into Goatmom, as is only proper.
Warnings: Probably none! Everyone is very cute in this log.

It had been getting late by the time that Kesara decided to turn around yet again, and complete the circle that, she hoped at least, would lead her back to the first house in which she woke. Making a circle, a wide one, had seemed like a good idea at the time; better than marching off into the unknown without anything like a plan, which sounds very exciting, but tends to end very badly for everyone involved. Proper, professional explorers have a plan.

Hers has paid off, she thinks with substantial relief as she spies the familiar house through the snowfall. Sunset nears - at least she assumes so; there's no sun to speak of - and she knows by now that the doors lock, and what happens to those who are on the wrong side of them when they do. She dashes across the last hundred yards, just in case, and bursts through the door, expecting it to slam ominously behind her with a great noise, which it does, and lock, which it doesn't.

"Not as late as I thought," she mutters to herself, relieved, then turns around to peer at the door. "At least I hope so. You had better lock when it's time. I've heard there are monsters out there."

Not that Kesara believes in monsters. But better safe than sorry.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

The sudden slam from the next room over startles the boss monster from her fiddling around in the kitchen. It looks like someone else is here for the night. Some part of Toriel is relieved, another is worried on who it might be stuck with her for the lock down. Hopefully someone who wouldn't react too poorly to what she was.

"Hello? Is someone here?" She calls out, cautiously stepping forward towards the threshold of the doorway without stepping through just yet. She wanted to gauge reaction first. "Are you well?"

Edited 2016-01-14 08:37 (UTC)

This is the first voice that Kesara has heard not from her tablet in three days, and it startles her accordingly. She whirls from the door and stares wide-eyed into the dim light in the house. A woman? An older woman. Asking if she was well. But very definitely not Dame Ariel. It would have been good... but dwelling on that would just make her sad.

She pulls her hat down, huddles in her bundled clothes to look even smaller and less threatening than she already does - which, her being short and slight for eleven, is really very small and unthreatening - and creeps into the house step by step, looking for the origin of the voice.

"Hello, madam! Please don't be worried, I'm not a monster."

Toriel winces from the safety of the kitchen doorway, wondering if the girl will be frightened of her. "I'll be less worried when I know you're comfortable, dear. It is terribly cold outside."

"Do try to get warm. I'll- be out in a moment." She couldn't just hide in the kitchen the entire time. If the girl reacts poorly, Toriel intends to stay in another room and let the child have the run of the place they've settled in for the night. It is only fair.

Being indoors is already a step up in terms of being comfortable. It's kind of the woman to worry, Kesara thinks; perhaps she has children of her own back home, which means she is now far apart from them, which is also very sad. She instantly wants to reassure her.

"I'm just fine. Really. I have this coat - "

Her voice dies sharply off as she steps into view, first of the shadow thrown in the kitchen doorway, then at the figure that casts it, herself. A tiny squeak peeps out from her throat instead as she looks up, and up. Is this a monster? Is she going to eat me? Does she want me to be warm so I'm easier to swallow?!

"You - you -" she swallows hard and manages the only remotely reasonable thing that comes to mind. "You have a very good costume!"

Toriel frowns softly in turn making no moves in the moment. The boss monster doesn't want to startle the girl any worse. "This is not a costume, dear." She holds her hands up placatingly, revealing soft pink paw pads on her palms, a stark contrast to the white of her fur. Toriel hopes the gesture and lack of any sudden movement will ease the situation.

"I mean you no harm, I promise that. I am not one of the creatures that lurk outside in the snow. I was brought here like you were."

Strangely, as soon as the initial shock wears off, and the creature - woman - as soon as she doesn't immediately pounce her and eat her whole, Kesara's fear is quick to retreat before amazed fascination. Of course she's imagined that she might run into the most fantastic things on her journey, but so-called "Monstrous Races", well - Dame Ariel had made her opinion of these fancies of the Medieval mind known, and Kesara could hardly let her imagination get the better of her teaching. Now, though, all bets are off, so to speak. Her mouth falls open as she stares at those pink paws. They look very nice, actually, like the sweet paws of a cat, writ very large.

She swallows, and nods, though words continue to fail her for a good while longer. Her eyes drink in every detail of the great beast-woman's form.

"A-are you - " her voice wavers slightly before she gets it firm enough to be polite. "Are you a Bun Manchi from the mountains - madam?"

Toriel blinks, a little surprised by the question. The reaction is certainly better than she expected. Toriel has seen the gamut of reactions children go through at the sight of her. Terror, uncertainty to acceptance. Kesara's mention of mountains makes the boss monster briefly wonder if similar situations to her own occurred elsewhere. Monsters sealed into mountains.

Her old title almost rolls off the tongue before the monster catches herself in her introduction. Old habits die hard so it seems. "I'm afraid not, dear. I am Toriel. I come from Mount Ebott."

"May I ask what your name is, my dear child?"

Though Kesara frowns hard in concentration, the name Mount Ebott fails to ring a bell. Well, the Roof of the World has many peaks, and some are still unnamed; perhaps the Bun Manchi have another name for themselves than what outsiders call them, as a people often does. Although she never imagined that the wild men of the mountain would have such soft-looking paws.

Either way, she is a very polite wild mountain woman, so Kesara can hardly be any less, even if she isn't sure if she should bow at the knees or the waist. She settles for both, one after the other. "My name is Kesara Freamon. I'm a Britisher from Calcutta, in India. It's - it's a pleasure to meet you, madam Toriel." Though she tries, her face betrays her anxiety at getting the introduction wrong. She hasn't the faintest idea about the native customs of Mount Ebbot Bun Manchi.

Toriel has to smile gently at the child's concentration and anxiety showing. That in turn eases the boss monster's anxiety of frightening the child considerably. Some part of the uncertain introduction leaves Toriel feeling nostalgic for an age when children gawped at her in awe. Nervous fluttering hands, half mumbled introductions whilst tucked behind their parents as they gazed up at the queen of monsters.

"It is very nice to meet you, Kesara. You can simply call me Toriel if you wish." She moves to carefully crouch to be on level with the girl. "I hope you have been doing well so far. This is a dangerous place."

A smile - that probably means that her introduction was correct, although Kesara can't help but stare a little at the fangs that that smile shows. She can't quite remember what her mother used to tell her about mountain men and their attitude towards eating little girls...

The urge to step back when Toriel kneels before her is there, but she fights it bravely. Fangs and all, the monster woman is being very kind... motherly, wasn't that what she had thought before?

"It isn't so bad, really. I have this very good coat - though it can't be as good as yours!" She means Toriel's fur. It's difficult not to stare at that as well, and wonder whether it's soft to the touch. "And there is that marvellous thing, the tablet-computer, it helps very much."

"That's good. I'd rather you not freeze dear. It can get very cold, very quickly." Toriel laughs gently as she adds, the staring on Kesara's part is rather cute in Toriel's opinion. "Ah, even I need to bundle up. My fur can't keep me completely warm in this weather."

She holds her hand out encouragingly, "Here, do you wish to touch my fur?" She's learned over time human children are always a little interested in touching her fur at first. "If not, I understand."

"Oh, it isn't so much worse than the desert," Kesara says absently, her attention still on Toriel's fur, on the strange idea of someone with fur wearing clothes over it. Would she wear a fur coat? She is suddenly concious of the sheepskin of her own coat, the muskrat fur in her hat, and hopes there is not some universal feeling of fellowship amongst the furry.

But Toriel is holding out a hand, and though Kesara knows well all the lessons about curiosity and temptation, she had never thought of them as applying to her. After a final moment's hesitation, she nods. "Yes, please."

She reaches out and slowly puts her hand in Toriel's own, wanting to feel both the fur and the pink pad, which must be even softer. "Do people - I mean - is it polite to touch it? I don't want to presume." Of course, she is asking permission while already doing it.

"Well, I did invite you to touch, dear." She answers with a gentle smile, opening her hand a little further so Kesara can feel her paw pads properly.

Investigation will yield the fact Toriel's fur is as soft as it looks, but textured differently than one would expect for a monster who looks so similar to a goat. Her paw pads are equally warm as they are soft. "Human children are usually curious, so I do not mind them investigating a little bit." Toriel if anything is honest. "I'd rather not scare anyone."

Toriel will let the girl take her time, clearly in no rush.

Having the time is good, as Kesara is delighted by this discovery of such fine softness on a being whom she is sure can be as intimidating as a lion if it pleases her. She runs her fingers through the fur and about the pink of the paws.

"It really is so soft..." she mutters, briefly forgetting herself. A moment later she feels quite awkward about this. Toriel may belong to some Monster Race, but she is clearly something like a lady. She gives her a beaming smile.

"Thank you, madam Toriel. It's awfully kind of you. It must be such a bother sometimes..." her free hand strays up to tug at a curl of her own hair."Some people are forever wanting to touch my hair too, so I know."

Not quite on the same level, perhaps, but she is being sincere.

"It is only truly a bother when people don't ask before touching." She answers with an encouraging laugh. Toriel is glad Kesara is feeling more comfortable now. The boss monster doesn't want to intimidate the child.

"I hope no one does that to you, dear. If so I'll have to have some words with them." She narrows her eyes slightly at the thought, "If anyone does that, you will get an apology."

"Oh, they do it one way or another..." Kesara starts to answer, before she trails off, blinking. No one has ever offered to do such a thing on her behalf. She looks up and up at Toriel, visibly surprised. Belatedly she also registers that the monster woman has been calling her dear.

She'd known women like that. It makes her think of sad things again. She bites her lower lip, worrying at it a little between her teeth. "Are you the only mountain woman here, madam? I mean, you aren't - you said that you were not a native."

"Still, if you ever need any help, dear. I am here for you." She offers back, not pushing too hard on the earlier statement. The surprise and uncertainty on Kesara's face is enough to make the boss monster tread lightly. The child's comfort is what Toriel wants more over anything else.

At Kesara's question, Toriel shifts gears, smiling a little. "My friend Sans is here, he and I come from the same mountain. My child Frisk is also here. So I am not alone in that regard."

Edited 2016-02-13 22:22 (UTC)

"I knew that you had a - " Kesara begins without thinking, satisfied by her own powers of deduction, before her manners catch up. She feels herself flush, though her dark skin hides it, thankfully. "I mean to say, I'm glad your child is here with you - " should she be glad? Would a mother not prefer for her child to be someplace safer? Kesara often wishes that her slips of the tongue didn't tend to happen in rapid sequences.

She resorts to what she is almost certain is a good response in any situation. "Is Frisk safe? I think for most children, this would be difficult..."

"I see. I take it you've been reading through people's post then?" Toriel doesn't sound offended by Kesara's words, amused at least from the girl's realization and quick fumble to cover her mistake. Children are always curious, in that they always feel quite clever when they 'solve' something like this.

Toriel at least knows how to cover her worry enough and keep her smile genuine. Being queen for so long meant she could certainly fake it when needed. "Frisk will be safe soon enough. They've certainly handled similar before we met."

Despite herself, Kesara flashes a look of embarrassed relief. A part of her is still wondering - in a quiet back corner - what is the penalty for a breach of etiquette among the Mountain Men.

"I've been listening, yes - Alexander's been telling me many things - " she's grown very fond of her tablet, though it's really very obstinate sometimes about answering questions. "But it's more the way you speak, madam. There's this way mothers speak." It's awkward to say, but it is an explanation.

Handled similar, she says, and that gets Kesara's attention right away. A look of sudden interest. "Oh - was it on the mountain? Is it very dangerous there?"

She does arch a brow somewhat of mention of Alexander. The boss monster guesses it is the name for the child's tablet. "Curiosity is normal, dear. Especially at this age." The added explanation makes her smile soften somewhat. "Ah- thank you. I'll take that as a compliment."

Talk of Frisk is a good distraction. Better than actively thinking about her worry over her child out there in the snow. "My kind were sealed into the mountain a long, long time ago. Frisk was one of the few humans who came to the mountain and managed to find their way inside."

She has not expressly thought of it as a compliment, but Kesara takes Toriel's smile with satisfied good cheer nonetheless, smiling back. "Frisk is very lucky to have you, ma'am." Not the least, because of certain stories that she remembers hearing about how the savage races treat their children... it isn't often that Kesara is glad to find out that a story she knows is not true.

But she is doubly stunned as Toriel continues, eyes growing very round. "Your child is human?" Thankfully she thinks quickly not to ask if all monsters are so kind to human children. "Sealed by whom? Was it the gods? Was it because someone's done something terrible?" In her experience with sealing stories, that is usually how it goes.

Toriel for her part is used to rapid fire questions from children, so she simply waits it out for Kesara to finish before she begins answering things in order. "Yes. I've adopted them before we all ended here." She only pauses to quickly collect her thoughts on how to explain Mount Ebott's history to the child.

"My kind were sealed underground by humanity a very long, long time ago. Humans were afraid of us, we could do something they could not which only spurned their fear further. Everyone acts irrationally when they're afraid."

Kesara listens with relish. Not only is this an interesting story, one that she can already tell has meaning beyond itself - a moral, Lady Gavin says - but it is also true, which is the most marvellous thing of all. She gives a sagely nod at Toriel's last statement.

"They do. Dr. Stein says, even the wisest person is only as wise as they are brave." She leans a little closer in, eager to hear more. "What can you do that humans can't? Are you much stronger? I've heard that Bun Manchi can fight tigers bare-handed." And Toriel may not be a Bun Manchi proper, but she does have these impressive fangs.

Kesara's rapt attention is not unexpected. Children tend to get wrapped up more easily in stories than most. Toriel's smile takes on a more tired tinge. Even now she can remember the tension in the streets and fear before the war. Just as much as she remembers the grief and death that came from their banishment.

She only pauses to gather her words before she continues. "Monsters have the ability to absorb the human soul when a human passes on. It can make a monster incredibly powerful." She offers simply back, hoping she wasn't making Kesara uncomfortable with this.

"Humans cannot absorb a monster soul in turn. Monsters simply fade away after death because we are made of only magic."

Absorb the human soul. That is a hundred times more frightening than simply being eaten, Kesara thinks - if it is true. She stares at Toriel, trying to understand that face - that very inhuman face - as she would read a woman's face, to tell true stories from false, which she knows she can always do, even when she sometimes cannot see through simpler lies. Monsters are made of magic. They are only magic and they eat your soul.

She pulls back, suddenly, sharply, a difference crystalizing in her mind. Monsters are not the monstrous races. Those are only people, built strangely, even if they have fur or only one leg or a face in their chest not their heads. But if the story is true - the story must be true - then this gentle soft-furred mother is -

"You aren't a Bun Manchi at all," she whispers. "Are you going to eat my soul now?"

Decades, no, centuries of explaining this leaves Toriel used to this reaction. She takes no offense to it nor will she attempt to control Kesara's reaction to it. The boss monster stays where she is, crouched low to the ground, giving Kesara the reigns of this situation. She would rather the child feel safe opposed to controlling the situation entirely.

"No my child. I have no intention of ever doing so to you, or any human. All the monsters I have spoken with, that I know- are uninterested as well." She shakes her head slowly, "I would rather live peacefully with humanity."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[log] But will there be pie? [closed

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject