#Future Events/Post Demitale

[shining-star-daycare]

Swimming Lessons

It took a while to find an AU that would be safe enough to swim in. Clean water and no rapid rivers was a must… which meant most AUs were out. The underground didn’t normally have the best of rivers considering waterfall. And Snowdin’s river was a no go because it was far too cold. The two inky children would have a horrible time if their ink started to harden. Eventually they found a lovely AU called Leviathantale. The AU was truly massive, spanning across an entire planet. A planet remarkably similar to the earth Marise knew.

Sure it had Mermaid variations of all the Outcode skeletons and May skeletons that were… not. But the water was extremely magic rich, and as long as they didn’t go too deep the sun would keep Marise charged all day. The moon less so, but it was enough.

Their vacation to Leviathantale was scheduled for a whole month. The kids extremely excited. Even Chaos popped by to say she would be joining them!

“Are you sure it’s a good idea for me to go?” Dust asked as he helped Marise check all their supplies. He was currently checking the Bone Creams they had, a Skeleton equivalent of Sunscreen.

“Their Dust looks nothing like you, especially since you rarely wear your scarf,” Marise said reassuringly, “besides, I’m going to need as many hands on deck when we actually do get to teaching the little ones to swim. You have no idea how easy it is for little ones to get caught up in currents.” Since the new Fazbear World was next to the ocean, they had set up a real Pirate’s Cove along the sea. They soon had to install a net because of how easily the current pulled the little ones away from the shore.

“I still think it’s a bad idea,” Dust groaned, tossing an oil bottle that was mixed in with the Bone Cream at Marise.

Marise caught it and put it with her box of supplies, “the kids adore you ya know. And Horror mentioned you normally take any water themed AU during missions,” Marise offered.

“Fine fine, nothin’ will get ya ta stop buggin’ will it?” Dust grumbled.

“Nope~” Marise purred, “oh, don’t forget to put this in Palette’s bag. He keeps forgetting he’s made of ink too,” Marise hummed as she handed Dust a bottle of Minor Ink Coagulant. The day they discovered Palette was just as inky as PJ and Blueprint but just better held together… was traumatic to say the least. Poor kid has been absolutely terrified of paint thinners ever since.

~~~~

The vacation house they rented was a pretty decent size. The Sans and Papyrus of this AU were a rather friendly duo. Fishermen, but their auras betrayed their simple exteriors. Those two felt far more powerful than mere mortals… but they let Marise rent a rather large coast side house for the month, so who was she to comment? Dust had already claimed sleeping with Lust, while Marise would be sleeping in the same room as Shine and Shade. Paperjam and Gradient split up, so they could look after Palette and Goth respectively. Palette and Goth argued, but it was safer this way. Asphodel, Blueprint and Chaos shared a room, although Chaos didn’t really need to sleep. Normally the deity hiding in a human vessel opted to sit with Marise and read a book. Horror was sleeping on the couch, although it didn’t take long for Marise to make him a hammock that actually fit the giant of a Skeleton.

The First Day:

Day one was the easiest to handle. Setting up, helping the little ones get their rooms just right to be comfortable. Adding in Music Boxes where needed to soothe the sleeping children. Filling any hiding place they could with medical supplies and the like. Horror finding places for his emergency snacks to hide. Going to town to buy food and bottled water after discovering the water at the house was very much filled with rust.

Blueprint was eager to get started on making a Light House. Nothing too large, but big enough to play in and have a slide wrapped around the outside. The sight was going to be made for nighttime swimming if the waters proved safe enough. They had long since cleared it with their landlords, who both seemed highly amused by the idea of a little lighthouse on their property.

Paperjam and Gradient were more of the type to sit under an umbrella and doodle/sketch while they watched the others playing.

Goth was less eager than the others to get into the water, mostly because he was afraid to kill any fish on accident. But he valiantly did his best to keep up with the others. He clung to Marise constantly.

Palette was the most eager to get in the water, having heard many stories from his parents about various ocean AUs but having never been to one himself. Lust had to constantly remind him to put on his ink coagulant before getting in the water. Making sure the fussy child was properly protected before splashing about. He even nailed his older brothers a few times, before innocently grinning at the two.

Shine and Shade were in Dust’s care for the first day. Both in a kiddie pool they had set up a bit away from the ocean. Floaters and everything. Shade seemed to not like it, but shade absolutely loved splashing the water about. Shade hissed a few times before forming a tentacle to splash shine even harder. A cyclical cycle with no end between the two.

Horror was deeper into the water, watching for any indication that the little ones seam too far or got carried off. His weight and bulk helping to keep him steady as a rock.

It was Horror who first noticed they weren’t as… “alone” as they first thought. Spotting a grey fin in the distance. He narrowed his eyelight, watching the thing. Seeing how it seemed to surface every once in a while… and then go back down not long after… always coming closer…

Steadily drawing closer…

Every passing minute…

“SHARK!” He called out, jolting up and running towards the shore. Scooping up Palette in one hand and Goth with his gloves hand.

Everyone settled on the waters edge together to watch the water.

Watching for that Shark…

With a squeak, goth spotted the fin they were looking for, pointing it out to his family. Or rather, skull. The skull poked just out of the waters surface.

Empty sockets with black trails coming down the eyes… a wide grin of sharp teeth. It was just in shallow enough water for the head and fin to be seen but deep enough that they couldn’t see the rest of his body.

“Didn’t Sans say to feed them if they get too close?” Lust asked softly, hoping he remembered right.

“I… think so…” Dust offered.

Marise wasn’t there for the negotiations so she opted to trust the two. Standing up but not too quickly as to spook the Merskeleton. The animatronic made her way over to their cooler where they had many fish they had planned to use for dinner… oh well, the fish would appreciate it more… she grabbed a nice large Seordfish Horror bought from a local fisherman for lunch. Oh well…

She walked over to the waters edge and tossed it as far as she could without getting within arms reach of the Mer.

It… actually looked surprised at her before going off to find the Swordfish.

They didn’t see the Mer again that day…

Day 2:

The day started bright and early. The sun was shining, flowers were blooming!

And there was a shark waiting at the waters edge, staring at the house.

Okay then…

“Horror! I’m going to the dock to get some more fish!” Marise called out before leaving.

Goth ran up to her and clung to her leg, “can I come too?” The little skeleton asked, eyelight shining innocently at her.

“Okay, but you know the rules about being in a town,” Marise said, kneeling down so Goth could climb onto her back.

“Wear my gloves… and… ah…” Goth muttered.

“Don’t mention the Multiverse or its inhabitants,” Marise provided.

He nodded firmly, “yeah! Don’t ah… don’t talk about that!” Hugging Marise’s neck tightly as to not move too much.

“Good, you’re such a good boy Goth~” Marise cooed as she reached back and patted his head. Then adjusted so she supported him a bit better.

In town they collected a lot more fish this time, enough to feed a couple guests if needed. The animatronic had a feeling the first was just an omen of what was to come.

Goth looked around in awe, eagerly asking about anything an everything he could. Although his eye lingered on a glassware shop. Maris looked over and saw several glass panels depicting various Merskeletons. They were a bit pricy… but made with a true talent.

“Is it alright if I buy the lot?” Marise asked, motioning at the stained glass panels.

“Those have been here for ages, are ya sure ya wanna but em?” The owner asked.

“I’d love to take such beautiful artwork back home with me after this long trip,” Marise hummed with a bright smile. She had a feeling it was the reaper one Goth really took notice of, but it wouldn’t hurt to have these set up somewhere in the giant castle that was her Daycare. “And… I’d like that Soluna Wind-Chime as well if it wouldn’t be too much trouble. Could you deliver them all to this address?” She wrote down the address to the house they were renting.

“Eh, fine, if ya really wanna waste all that money on some silly windows, who am I to judge?” He shrugged, soon rattling off the price. It seemed… a bit low compared to how much the windows were priced individually but oh well. She would take what she could get.

~~~~

When they got back there was another shark waiting on the waters edge. This one resembled Dust almost, with his blue and blue-red Eyelights. That hoodie that looked like it had seen better days. And a long scarf that trailed behind him like blood in the waves. He was laying right next to the first, watching the house intently. Both their Eyelights shifted to Marise and Goth when they noticed the two coming home.

Instead of handling the fish first, Marise opted to go inside and sort through her spoils. They had bought a mystery net of fish from the fisherman so neither had any clue how much of it was edible or complete garbage. Horror stepped in at this point, easily taking the net from the Animatronic and taking it to the kitchen.

“Ya really wanna put up with those bottom feeders while we’re here?” Dust asked while Marise waited on the fish.

“Why wouldn’t I?” Marise hummed, “it’s nice seeing alternate versions of skeletons I know living vastly different lives.”

“Just seems pretty dumb to me. We don’t even know if they’re all that intelligent or nothin,” Dust huffed, but was soon distracted by Shade whining for attention.

Marise giggled as he fretted over the baby. It really was nice to see him like this…

~~~

Okay… now there’s four hungry fish waiting at the water’s edge. The new comers were a Horror lookalike with a glowing red eyelight filling nearly his entire right eye socket. The other was a bit harder to place, as she had only seen the skeleton once. A red eyelight in the left socket with a red scar underneath it. Cross if her memory wasn’t mistaken.

And all four looked hungry…

“Okay I don’t know if you can understand me, but… eh, oh well. There’s only so much fish so I hope you like to share,” Marise said, walking as close as she dared before dumping the net full of fish into the water for the sharks to have at it.

They watched her, waiting. The moment Marise stepped back the four went into a Feeding Frenzy, devouring many fish. But not all. She noticed the Fishy Killer had a sort of sling bag and they “covertly snuck” a choice selection of the best fish into the bag. Huh… are there more members of their little gang or do they just want to eat them at home?

(Author’s note. I’m only stopping here so I can put the next few days in their own posts, this one is getting rather long XD probably gonna take some time to finish more, but I hope y’all liked the first two days.

Oh! And another note. This is further into the timeline, as the Tag implies. Some time after I finish off the Demitale Saga. Still working on that…)

Leviathantale belongs to the lovely @skumhuu