Avid Adopter

7 - Save

Today wasn't the best day of my life. Horror had joined our little family about six months ago, which meant that I had been taking care of my children for nearly a year; I loved them both so much. In that time period, I hadn't been captured once...until today. I couldn't really argue, since I had had some time to get used to having the boys around. If anything, I was lucky to make it so far without being captured, but the multiverse would do what the multiverse would do. Thankfully, the other side allowed me to make one tiny phone call to Killer and Horror, just to let them know I wouldn't be coming home for a bit; they were now in the other house, probably making endless unhealthy desserts - I knew them better than they thought I did. I was now sitting in a prison cell, wondering when I would get the chance to leave; in the past, it would range from three minutes to three months, which wasn't exactly promising. I would wait as long as I had to, though; my boys were capable of taking care of themselves if I happened to be gone for a while..I hoped they would eat something healthy. They would probably put some fruit in their desserts, if nothing else.

During the past few months, much had happened. Horror had had his birthday, making him six, now; they were growing so fast. His appetite hadn't changed, though; that would probably end around his teen years - or, at least, I hoped it would. In addition to that, one of Killer's teeth was becoming loose. Although skeletons didn't have the exact characteristics of humans - like being composed of magic - there were some similarities, such as losing baby teeth. Skeletons generally lost their baby teeth between the ages of six to ten, but they also had multiple sets of adult teeth. Humans only received two sets of teeth in their entire lifespan, but skeletons had virtually infinite, shedding one set every twenty years or so; it was helpful if an adult tooth was knocked out. I was brought out of my thoughts by a struggle; I found it odd, since the portion of the prison I was in was only for "inter-AU" criminals: those who had commited crimes across multiple AUs. As far as I knew, those were few and far between; honestly, I was the only one I was aware of..besides Ink, for making my job harder, but he didn't count, since everyone saw him as a hero.

"I'm sorry!" The voice was rather high-pitched..almost like.. 

"Quiet, kid." A judge from an unsavory AU - Underfell - was speaking. "You've done enough damage."

"It wasn't my fault! I didn't mean to!"

"That's what you said the second time, and somehow, you're here again."

"It was an accident!"

"An accident. Sure. Kid, things that happen more than two times in succession are not accidents. Stay here a while, and we'll make sure to find a nice reform school..or maybe not."

"No, no, don't leave me here!"

"Not listening." The judge opened the door to my cell, obviously not noticing that I was present; I had blended in with the shadows quite well, apparently. "Have fun." 

The judge threw the prisoner into the cell, where I realized..it was a child. At that moment, I wondered how many children I would have at the end of this. The judge left the child in the cell and closed the door. The child cried harder than any child should have ever had to cry; I had the chance to help, and I wouldn't shirk from it.

"Hello?" I probably startled the child, since he flinched.

"H-huh?!" The child looked around. "Wh-who's there?!"

"A friend."

"..." I could feel pure fear coming from the hooded child.

"Are you okay?"