Amethystale//Vessel of the Heart

CHAPTER 2//Part 1

Thicker the Storm

After a few more hours stuck in the lab, and Toriel finally arriving in the later night with food, it was time to decide who would take responsibility over watching Susan. Even if she could walk, with a struggle, she needed to be watched over for the leg to heal.

"I-i don't have much room here. Most o-o-of the lab is cold and dirty, besides where i s-s-sleep." Alphys looked down, disappointed in herself. She lived her whole life in the lab, all that she could remember at least.

All four were situated in Alphys little collection room of books, scrolls, DVD's and tapes. Some weren't research subjects, but more TV shows and anime. A few CD's scattered on the floor but neatly stacked in piles, as if carefully organized. 

Everyone had a plate with a piece of butterscotch cinnamon pie. Sans didn't really touch his, just fiddled with it. Alphys had already eaten all of hers and was showing off her collection to Susan, whom leaned against the wall to help support herself, as she insisted. Toriel had eaten half, but was also enjoying listening to her friend go nuts over the little CD's and DVD's. Susan had pretty much eaten all of hers, eating the filling first before the crust, as it was the crust that was her favorite. The pie seemed to also pick up the mood with smiles and laughter, which helped ease everyone's nerves with the new human among them; same for Susan's side as well, her guard still up, but she enjoyed the conversations. 

Alphy's listening to Susan about all the anime she'd seen on the surface, some of her favorites were more dark, while some here about superheros. Sans had eventually passed out after a few puns and Toriel was busy looking through a few of Alphy's books, and the occasional humming.

After a bit of exploring and learning, Susan was starting to loss a bit of focus. 'It must be late. Don't remember ever staying up this long.' Her thoughts were hazy and slow, she was tired no doubt, even with the broken leg not helping the matters. Her exhaustion didn't go unnoticed. 

"Susan if you'd like, I can prepare some living space at the ruins for you?" Toriel suggested, she could read the girl's exhausted expression from the folds of the book she was reading. "I may need a few days to clean it up however. Haven't really had any guests stay with me in a few years. The room, and my general home is a tad unkempt." She sheepishly purred. It was true, the last person to stay only really stayed for one night, and Toriel never entered the room after that...along with other things she never did after that day "So you'll have to bunk with someone else till then."

Toriel seemed to think, her hands counting as a digit would fly up. "Undyne would be the last person to ask due to her temper lately, and the fact that you're human. Mettaton doesn't really have a home, they sleep wherever they can afford. King Asgore... I'd rather not think about what he'd do..." Toriel huffed, seemingly agitated and sad.

"I'll take her." Only one eye was visible as Sans said this, as if he were half asleep. Susan was boggled, two minutes ago he was snoring, and now he was offering his place of stay as if he heard the whole conversation. "Papyrus will get a kick out of the newcomer too. Something else for him to obsess over besides his cooking and guard-training. Plus I got alot to catch him up on for being gone almost a full week." The skeleton lifted to his feet, rubbing the back of his skull with one hand, while the other sleepily rubbed an eye socket. "Plus it'll get my lazy bones something to do while we wait." Toriel gave a single nod to Sans, seeming all the more pleased at the offer. 

Cleaning up their little hang out session with Alphys, everyone set out to the entrance of the lab. However, reaching outside was a hit in the face for Susan; like walking into the pit of a volcano, the heat was almost unbearable to adjust too. But there was no sun. Nothing radiating the heat itself, that was visible to see. The smack of the temperature, being so sudden, had Susan almost trip over her own feet. Thankfully the heavy-set skeleton had a grip on the back of her shirt, getting her back up straight; seeing as they both were similarly the same size, it'd be easier if they both supported each others weight with one broken leg to worry about. 

"Careful kiddo. Wouldn't want you bacon in the heat." Susan couldn't help but give a smirk, it was a terrible pun, but an attempt non the less. Course Sans was laughing alot louder and Toriel was giggling as they continued to walk through the scorched land, waving goodbye to Alphys as they left the Lab.

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The further they walked, the heat got cooler, and the sound of something large and ominous continued to creep forward. Wasn't long before a large waterfall came into view. Steam coming off from the surrounding heat. Susan seemed to feel a bit better from the lack of hot air, even better as they began walking through the raging falls. It was strange however, the water looked to be a raging beast, down-pouring on the path in front of them. Going through the water was the complete opposite, almost like the waterfall's strength was an illusion as small water droplets formed on everyone's cloths. heads and hands. Not completely soaked, but enough to determine they went through with darker stained clothing and wet skin, fur and bones.

"Hey Toriel." Sans muttered softly. They were now in the caves of Waterfall, everything hued in the color blue, which had Susan very distracted as she looked around. A large bridge made from thick wood and stone covered the path. The cave was lit with a purplish blue hue, and the trickle of water could be heard all around them, the waterfall's crashing roar becoming quieter as they progressed. "Since these caves are basically filled with water, with you-know-who roaming about, and where I live is not the best place to go when your wet. Mind if I give us a shortcut?" 

Toriel looked back at the human and skeleton. It was true, Snowdin wasn't quite the friendliest place due to it's constant snowy weather. Even on the good days it was a struggle if you weren't prepared. Toriel nodded to her friend, "Why don't you take her? Last time you did your 'shortcut' with me, I almost lost my dinner." She gave a small blush. Sans gave a reassured look but was also blushing, and it was blue? Who knew skeletons could actually get heated in the face? Susan couldn't help but notice the blue tint. 

Questions built in her head the more she learned about these monsters. But the fact of calling them monsters didn't seem to fit them anymore. They were kind, caring, attentive, friendly, they had tastes in things humans did, they seemed to worry about the littlest things. What more was there to learn?

Toriel gave a wave to Susan and Sans, before continuing on with her path through the caves, her figure gaining the same blue hue as everything else, fading into the distant walls, and her footsteps silenced. 

Once out of sight, Sans situated himself in front of Susan, still keeping both his bone hands on her to support her. He seemed confused as he looked at you. In the past all the humans were small, but now he was dealing with a girl the same size as himself.

"Well...this might be a tad difficult than i realized." Putting a hand to his chin as he thought. "Last few kids that came through were small enough to ride my shoulders.." He seems to ponder at Susan. Looking her up and down as he thought. To Susan it was a bit unnerving, she wasn't one to take looks so lightly, especially from someone she wasn't so sure about. The fact that this walking, talking and forever grinning skeleton was observing her made her a tad rigid and bashful. Attempting to keep the straightest of faces was a difficult task.

"Ok kid. I'ma need ya to hold your eyes closed for a minute. This might make you a tad dizzy." He exclaimed, half of his words a lie. What he had to do he was more then just uneasy to do.

Susan looked worried at the last bit of info, what more to add onto with the broken leg she already had and the pounding headache; the medication from earlier hadn't yet kicked in. But she did as commanded, and shut her eyes tight, hunching her shoulders as if preparing for the worst. That reaction made Sans chuckle a bit as he got closer. "Just don't do anything that'll break my trust...You're lucky I'm complying, as I don't trust easily." For a second Sans didn't move. Her words were true, and they sang as if he'd heard them come from his own voice. 

He inched close to the point where both their chests were barely touching, Sans arms stretching around to her back; he got a small flinch from Susan, but she stayed still. 'Just do it quick. No big deal. She's got her eyes closed' He continuously repeated in his mind as his left eye beginning to blaze in a neon blue light. Once prepared, Sans pulled the human towards him tightly, as the blue of his eye began to create an aura around them both. First blue, a swirl of green flying towards them both, then white.

I______________WELCOME TO SNOWDIN ______________I