UNDER♡TALE volume 1 (under hiatus)

Fairies?

From the words of any weather man, "It's a beautiful autumn morning in Foanom Kingdom. Birds are singing, and the golden blossoms are in full bloom." On a day like today, the town of Esab is in a hustle-and-bustle over the annual occasion that is Goldenfest.

   Esab is well known for its location in a valley between farm country and mountain territory. An advantage point for raising sheep in the bordering bluff and driving cattle in the plains. Not to mention, a suitable environment for golden-blossoms to be found. When the town was founded by its first settlers, an illness from the change of environment broke out, and was thanks for the medicinal properties of these flowers, it flourished the town's economy and stoped the decrease of its growing civilization. And so, Goldenfest is during the time of harvest which commemorates this flower and Esab is the only location where these flowers can be found.

   But, celebration was not the only thing keeping the town busy. A weather report mentioned a high percentage of a storm at twelve o'clock. Only natural for this time of year. It is the rainy season for these parts of the world, after all. Which is exactly why the whole town's residence are out and about shopping for some unexpected expenses such as batteries, candles and food take-out and some baked goods at Arbek's Bakeshop. But, Frisk's been through enough already to contribute in preparations. Turning 15, having to move out of St. Florence's Orphanage and live on the second floor suite of Arbek's BakeShop and will be working there in the Summer after finishing the first year of high school.

    Finally finished unpacking, a knock from the door beckons Frisk to answer and finds Mr. Arbek holding a tray of crepes coated in golden-blossom syrup. "I was told by Sister Nona that you haven't eaten breakfast yet." The bearded ginger brings the tray closer to Frisk before even given a reply. "She also mentioned you're not one for finishing all of your meals." His voice sounded firm but his wry smile lured Frisk to claim a fork off of the smooth wooden tray and take a small bight of the thin pastry.
   "I'll leave this here for you to finish when you can. We'll discuss matters of your training tomorrow, Ms. Francesca, or do you go by Frisk?"

  After hearing the baker add formality to her name brought Frisk's hope of having a family fade. She didn't feel comfortable being called by her nickname from someone she will be apprenticed to. "Francesca is fine," she answers.

   Arbek nods and starts to leave. "Oh, before I forget." He pulls out a slip of paper from his pocket and hands it over to Ms. Francesca. "My sister wanted me to give you this. She thought these clothing shops would peak your interest if you are in need of anything new to wear. Assuming you never had the chance to shop around town before."

  While still living at St. Florence's Orphanage, the only times children were given the will to rome freely in town was to spend time after school or during the weekend with their friends. That is, if Frisk ever had any, which became an understatement during her final stay at the orphanage when flipping through the pages of her journal. She found the entries to consist of not ever being around her so called friends. Not one moment in time that was different to any of her days; Wake up, go to school, attend classes, attend lunch, attend more classes after lunch, return to the orphanage, finish home work, read, eat dinner, go to bed. Her weekend routines were no different to the days spent after school.

•••

   An hour passes while sitting on her new bed. Frisk mentally beats herself from the state of writer's block. Her journal lays open on her lap, revealing a somewhat blank page coated in lead smudges and eraser shavings. Having gone through countless re-writes, Frisk finds herself lacking the tenacity in writing a simple memorial moment to her life. Officially reaching her limit and fed up from the constant turmoil, she releases an annoyed puff of air and surrenders herself to a stroll through town. Perhaps for the better.

  Now standing in the middle of town-square where navigating herself would be easy, Frisk pulls out Mr. Arbek's list from the chest pocket of her overalls, tapping her black boot to the stone brick walkway while going over its content. None of them seamed appealing to her. She makes a quick scan of her surroundings. Making a mental map back to Mr. Arbek's bakery and found herself not far from St. Florence, seeing its well known bell tower. A quick walk to it did not sound so bad. Frisk crumples the useless piece of paper, tossing it in the nearest trash-bin, and refastens the satchel to shoulder before going on her way. She thought back to the times spent in her dorm room, looking out through her window to see the view of the opened Redrob Plaines. It would lay before an extensive wood surrounding the base of a lonely mountain. Mt. Ebott. 

   At the age of nine, Frisk would make attempts to climb over the back fence separating St. Florence's playground from Redrob Plaines. Frisk was inspired from Head Sister Nona's story of how she was brought to St. Florence, along with the local legend of fairies to appear at night forming a large dance circle within the interior of the wood and around the base of Mt. Ebott. A cattle driver in Redrob Plaines found Frisk crying all alone near the edge of the wood and mentioned to have mistaken her for a fairy by how tiny she was. She couldn't help but chuckle at the childish memory. A silly dream it was, having fairies for parents. Reports of children disappearing after dark when venturing Mt. Ebott brought a ten year old Frisk's theory of having a fairy family to crumble. She had also read up on a few news arrivals at her middle school library when an officer visited her class. About children being kidnapped for profit, which helped support her doubts and prevented from further exploration to that region.

The view of Frisk's old home from the outside did not reach her expectation; What ever that expectation was. Had she hoped to find a sense of belonging or clarity? Taking note of this, Frisk felt a weight drop down to her stomach. She needed to retrieve the silverlining of her well-being.

Finding her way toward the back of the orphanage to get a more positive result than from the front, and using up what little time she has left before the upcoming storm the thoughts of fairies overwhelms Frisk's curiosity. She does not stop, with only a quick glance at the fenced playground she walks further out of Esab's north entrance to trudge through open field, making her way beyond the woods surrounding Mt. Ebott.