An Underswap AU: A Tale of Seven Book 1

Entry # 36: Deeper Into The Depths Of The Caverns

"Is there anyone else who needed healing?" Jaede asked, done with her brother's scar. Justin moved his arm about, and a small smile tugged his lips. Not the slightest sting of pain. His sister's healing powers are getting better and better, as if the wound was never inflicted in the first place. His sleeve though, is still torn and stained with blood.

"I think we're good." Viorel signed, inspecting the shallow scars marring his arm. His siblings are also covered in their own fair share of cuts and scratches from the whirlwind of axes earlier. Thankfully, the wounds are mild enough not to need any immediate medical attention.

"You sure?" Jaede seemed unconvinced.

"We'll live. Save your energy for emergencies." Gerard said, materializing a taco from his inventory. "Besides, we have magical food that heals HP, don't we?" He added, waving the taco to emphasize his point before biting it. Viorel also whipped out a burger and proceeded to eat it as well.

"Seriously, how many tacos did you hoard from the sleepover?" Justin crossed his arms, watching his brothers munch on their brunch. The cuts lining their limbs began to mend, and their HP bar started climbing back to 20.

Gerard paused for a moment, then he shrugged. "Eh, too many to count."

"Don't talk when your mouth is full." Alice chided, fishing out a plate of fries from her own hammerspace.

Gerard swallowed. "Sure thing, Ma!" He chimed, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Alice rolled her eyes at his childishness and slapped him on the shoulder. Jaede and Viorel giggled, in the latter's case silently giggled, while Justin just snorted at his siblings' antics.

On the other hand, Saturn is inspecting something peculiar stuck on top of a nearby table. "This cheese must've been here for a very long time." The dark haired girl murmured, poking the fucshia-hued magical crystal that has grown around it.

Chara discreetly approached the nearby SAVE point and thrusted his palm towards it.

(Knowing that the mouse might one day extract the cheese from the mystical crystal. . . It fills you with DETERMINATION.)

The red eyed boy tilted his head. No change in the script this time. Gazing at the Echo Flower beside him, he leaned towards it and listened to it's whispering message, quite expecting that the plant would unravel another record about the past that never happened. Imagine his surprise when all he heard was the squeaking of a certain mouse.

"The second normal Echo Flower so far." Chara mumbled. He turned to his companions, who were sharing food whilst chattering frivolously in spite of the near death situation earlier, and asked. "Shall we go? I think we've rested enough."

Justin stood up and dusted his pants, followed by the rest of the children. "Sure. Can't dawdle around with that lizard still out to get us."

"I agree. The sooner we leave, the sooner we reach the Hotlands." Alice commented, finishing the last of her meal.

"And the closer we are to the Barrier." Gerard grinned. Jaede and Saturn hummed in agreement; while Viorel merely nodded, his actions not reflecting the truth for the first time.

"Off we go, then!" Saturn marched ahead, but she stopped in her tracks when she noticed the Echo Flower rooted near the path. The other fallen humans gave the plant wary looks as well. Apparently, their experience in the Wishing Room moments ago still haunted them at the back of their minds.

"Don't worry. It's a normal one." Chara said. Saturn inched near the flower and listened. She nodded in confirmation. "Yep, nothing out of the ordinary." She announced.