An Underswap AU: A Tale of Seven Book 1

Entry # 23: Meeting An Old Friend

"W-We should've bought jackets." Saturn shivered, hugging herself and rubbing her arms. How could she forget that their first stop is an area where it is winter all year round? She envied those who have long sleeves all of the sudden.

"I-Indeed." Alice trembled, gazing down at her unclad legs. Her socks and shoes are no match for the chilly air and snow surrounding them. She's starting to think that wearing her school uniform down here is a horrible idea.

"You're not the only one whose legs are exposed to the cold." Chara said. He is wearing brown shorts that end right above his knees, unlike the other boys who are swathed in pants and jeans. Unbeknownst to most of them, however, Chara had grown rather immune to the frost. After all, he visited this place for more than 170 times beforehand.

"Maybe you guys should consider wearing pants next time." Gerard said, closing the door of the Ruins with one push though careful not to slam it.

"I like my outfit, thank you very much." Alice grumped. She's clearly not in the mood for any kind of remarks.

"Hey! There's a camera in the bushes!" Jaede pointed out, parting the snow-covered leaves of a densely branched shrub. Indeed, the said device is perched there, and quite well hidden too. If Jaede had not been observant, they won't notice the camera in the first place.

Justin's digits settled on the handle of his gun. "Is someone spying on us?"

"Depends." Chara said. "Is the camera working or not?" He inquired, even though he already knew that it is indeed functioning. . . And that a certain fish lady is observing them within the metal walls of her laboratory.

Viorel shrugged, poking the lens of the device. It seemed rather old to be of use.

"Let's just go." Alice quivered, uncomfortable at the thought of being watched.

The children walked down the snowy path bordered by a boscage of tall trees and a few plants able to survive the cold. They huddled closer to one another, hoping to beat the freezing temperature with heat from their bodies. Along the way, they walked past a tough-looking branch that is too heavy to pick up.

But once they stepped a few meters away from it, something smashed the branch to smithereens like it was nothing. All of them slowly turned around to gaze at the shattered branch with tongue-tied incredulity.

"Umm, I'm 100% sure that the stick isn't broken when we walked past it." Saturn spoke when no one did.

They heard footsteps lazily trudging towards them from the direction of the Ruins.

"Run like an angry cow is after you!" Gerard urged despite knowing who is approaching their group. On cue, Saturn gave him a whoopee cushion from her slingbag.

The children instantly made a beeline down the road. Gerard is ahead as always; his physical capabilities are stronger than his siblings. On the other hand, Alice trailed at the back of the group. Her lifestyle isn't as active as her brothers and sisters. Eventually, they reached a bridge blocked by some sort of gate.

"It's either the person who constructed that doesn't know a thing about architecture or they believe in the imbecilic notion that all humans are that obese." Alice narrowed her irises at the bars, which are built too far apart to block anyone.

The footsteps stopped. Thanks to every classic horror movie ever filmed, they knew exactly where the owner of the footsteps is.

"It's right behind us, isn't it?" Viorel wrote on his sketchbook nervously.

Jaede gulped. "What do we do?"

"I'm too young and handsome to die!" Gerard wailed dramatically.