Guiltale

Chapter Seven: Timeline of a Fool

"Ooh, nice robe!" Toriel teased as I came into the kitchen, long blonde hair up in twin buns and sleeves rolled up. Today was baking day, and Toriel was going to teach me how to make her h e a v e n l y butterscotch-cinnamon pie!

"Aww, thank you! 'Goat' my style from the best!" I threw up finger guns as the kitchen burst into laughter and groans – Chara had started to get really sick of my jokes since I'd got here a month and a half ago.

"Well, you'd better not be... 'kid' ding me!" Toriel punned, hand over her heart as she continued. "At least, not when it comes to how clean your hands are!"

"Nope, nothing 'sud' spicious here!" I chuckled. "Yeah, I washed 'em. Are we ready?"

"Yes, we have all the ingredients right here. Now what we're doing first is the crust. We'll need-"

"Three cups flour, one cup shortening, and a half to a cup of water..." I droned, years of thanksgivings embedded into my mind. I was always bad at remembering measurements (not numbers in general, got those easy for some reason.), so mom made me memorize these.

"Goodness, that came out of nowhere. I don't suppose you've done pies before?"

"Yeah... lots." Was all I could manage to say. I shrugged it off. "Sorry for interrupting. Let's get back on this!"

The past month had been spent much more happily than that first, heavy week – gardening, studying any monster history I could get my 'aunt' to tell me, Chara having long talks with Toriel through possessing me – and I hadn't felt so good in years. I loved wandering the RUINS, trying puzzles over and over again until I had them memorized, and visiting the mostly empty town with Toriel. I hadn't LOADed in weeks. However, a strong voice in my head was growing louder as the days went on. It reminded me, every now and then, why I was here; to find H_____. I knew, long ago, that there was no way they were still... around. But my sense of duty wouldn't stop nagging at me, telling me to get back on the road. I tried to silence these thoughts, but... a huge part of me knew they were right. I couldn't live here forever – and, if I got out, I might be able to bring help. Like, new humans to break the barrier, or...

"You've been rather quiet, Grace. Whatever is the batter?" Toriel made a joke to ease the tension of her question, but her eyes gave away her motherly instinct. I must have let some of my emotions show in my reverie.

I stuttered a bit. "Don't you mean... whatever's on my PIE-nd? We aren't working with batter." I said, my trademark half-smile trying to cover up the fact that my amount of worry was about the same. It didn't seem to work. Toriel grabbed the crust full of pudding and talked as she carried it to the freezer.

"I see. Yes, that. I know it has been a long while since we last talked about the future, and I can guess... *that* is what has been on your mind."

"I mean... I was memorizing your pudding recipe, too..."

"Of course you were. But you only make that face specifically when you are thinking heavy thoughts. You are, for all intents and purposes, the only person I have seen in months, and before them, years. You are like my daughter. I know you, my child."

"Well I *have* been calling you 'aunt', Toriel." I smiled.

"...That is not the point... Something's bothering you, and you find it hard to say. That is what I'm getting at, anyway."

"Aunt Toriel," I said, staring at the floor, "It's going to hurt you to say this. That's why I've been waiting to think of the right words"

"Ah." Toriel fiddled with the oven mitts in her paws, thinking. "I must allow you to say it, though, as the statement cannot match the hurt of the curiosity... I think. The unknown is much scarier, you know?" She looked back at me, hands back in their usual talking function. "I think even you saying I am a horrid person would be better than not knowing what it could be."