Asriel watch the amethyst flames flicker and dance about his mother’s palms. Whilst the reflection of the flames could be subtly seen bouncing off of his eyes, the young prince was also reflecting with thoughts of his own. It was reassuring that even after everything, even after the times he had killed his own mother in some, previous timelines, his mother was still willing to be there for him. The young child’s mind found it remarkable and rather difficult to understand, even if he was fairly confident that she had no recollection of such tragedies; at least not first hand.

The kid would be lying to himself if he believed he wasn’t worried about who might decide to enlighten her on that.

He nodded, feeling more confident than before, “Yeah, that’s true. I know it’s going to take a while to get a while to get used to… having a body and feeling again… but I’d really like that. I’d like to be shown and reminded of what could have been rather than what I have seen time and time again.” Asriel affirmed before glancing off to the side nervously when she disagreed about Sans, “I-if you say so…”
There was another pause.
“Yeah… actually, there just might be a good chance that he’ll listen to you.” the prince stated, probably to reassure himself more than anything if he was honest, “I would really like to see you often Mummy, it doesn’t really matter where to me.”

Asriel’s ears flicked as he heard footsteps approaching them and he nodded, “I guess it is getting late…” he agreed softly before turning to the guard and the prince asserted, “Essurn, I want my mother to be escorted home so that she will be safe. I don’t really care who is with her, I just want her to be safe. Please see to it that something can be arranged but otherwise I think we’re done visiting the monument… unless the former queen has something to add?”
He then gave one fleeting glance back to Toriel, just in case there might be anything else.

"Well no, I wouldn't have apologised if I didn't get my soul and heart back." Asriel agreed, though somewhat still insistent, "But I still have... thoughts... thoughts I should not still be having; but at the same time I do not want to act on them. Part of the reason why I did those things was to see if I could feel, but now that I finally can and look back, it feels just awful. I can still feel a part of Flowey within my mind, prodding, urging, tempting... what should I do mummy?" Asriel pleaded with those big ruby-red eyes. The young prince truly wasn't sure what to do and if his mother was willing to still accept and love him, he very much needed her guidance.

The young prince plodded a few steps closer to hug his mother, fully embracing her warmth and softness; a protection from the world that only a mother could give. He listened to her word carefully, contemplating on them, but there were also parts he wasn't convinced of either. He looked down at the pendant which contained his frantically beating red soul before shaking his head, "No that's exactly the thing, I was in control of my actions and I actually enjoyed it. Craved it. Beckoned others to do the same. I don't understand how you can forgive me when I've done so much worse. I had so much power over everything and everyone - I still do... but I just don't know what to do about it. I don't know. What should I do?"

The younger goat went quiet for a moment, "... I've also just discovered that I can stop time." he confessed, frowning with worry.

"I did it at the Core when Papyrus was really, really angry at me... no body was aware of it - I don't think - except for Sans. The two of us were the only ones who were able to move and he spoke to me. Then later, time started flowing again. I don't even know how that happened - but it did! I wasn't even able to do that before when I was a flower. I'm scared, what if it happens again?" he bleated, hugging his mother tighter.

Hearing that she didn't hate his father did bring an obvious relief; his body grew less tense and more relaxed, he  looked up at her; a bit more hopeful, "You've missed him? Really? And you're willing to be friends and not fight anymore?" Asriel said in a hushed tone; he couldn't expect for them to fall in love all over again and be a family unit once more - even a large part of him wanted to - but if there was a chance that they could be civil with one another it did bring him some hope. Toriel would find that her son didn't resist her attempts of wiping away his tears in an oh so familiar way; from so long ago.

He still remembered.

As the large hand was raised to wipe away the tears, Asriel cupped it between his much smaller ones. To some credit, at least, the prince was able to find comfort in knowing that he was definitely feeling something when he was seeing his father like this.

It took off a lot of weight and worry off of his shoulders.

"Yeah, I don't think she would be in very good condition if she was hit by that thing." he then looked to his and his father's hands with a frown, "I just wish it didn't take so long to summon those - and I didn't even know that they would be swords. I need to get better at that, I don't want for it to take that long next time; otherwise it might be too late next time."

When his parents were in close vicinity again Asriel grew tense; bracing himself for more shouting and already thinking of things to block it all out. However, much to his relief no such thing came. He then nodded about the importance of Alphys seeing him, "Yeah I know. Maybe she can find a better way than this rock thing. or at least more about it." he commented as he held the pendant encasing his soul in his hand. The prince then turned to his mother to listen to her. He was not only relieved that she wasn't acting so cold or harsh towards the king this time, but he was also proud of her too for it. Something like that isn't easy and was just happy to see his parents get along again; like a family.

Asriel then added to the both of them, "If we're going some place nicer, can we go to Waterfall? I feel like there's somewhere I gotta be before heading back home, since I don't know the next time I'll be able to go there."

((A/N: Sorry for not responding to River and ??? adequately before, slipped my mind as I was responding to everything. >.< Here we go!))

'How does it feel?' his mind echoed as his ruby-red eyes looked all around him for the mysterious figure, only to find him to be always just be out of reach, 'What do you mean?'

---

The young prince offered little resistance to River Person when she asked to see the pendant - asides from keeping a few fingers around part of the pendant protectively. He stared into the shadowed, well covered face of the cloak-wearing-monster.
"You know, I have never seen your face before." he commented with a curious tilt of his head before a gentle, child-like giggle was let out, "Just kind of funny how I never really thought to ask about it at any time, I guess. That's okay though, every monster has their secrets."

Asriel blinked a few times at what she had to say, looked to June, and then back to River Person, "I guess it makes a bit more sense now. Like I told mummy I think the robots might have mistaken me for a human." he continued before looking to his hands in deep thought when he heard that River Person said she was happy he was back; and chose not to comment on it. As Asriel let some thoughts run through his mind, hearing River Person's encouragement filled him with Determination.

The goat child seized up a bit when River Person brought up that the mystery monster seemed to know him, "I-I don't know. I don't even know who he is - I don't think?" he replied nervously as the boy anxiously rubbed his fingers against each other, "Something about him feels familiar though, not in a I-have-seen-this-person-before-kind-of-familiar-way, but rather some part of him feels like it. I can't be sure right now though."

The little boy seemed to hold his breath and his hands twisted the end of Toriel's dress anxiously as he awaited for her to turn around. His heart drummed softly, his soul pulsed attentively to his heart and he let the fabric of his mother's dress slip through his fingers like running water. When she finally called for his name, the young prince held his hands in front of his chest, still instinctively covering the pendant as he looked up to her; mirroring those same crimson eyes and nodded meekly.

It was a mystery as to what exactly what Asriel was thinking, but he sure seemed anxious about something. Was it just because of anticipating their reactions? A certain skeleton in the hall? Or was something else at play here? He tensed up as he mother bent down to pick him up, but didn't resist in the slightest. His breathing was rather quick and he shivered slightly, as if anticipating some form of attack being thrown at him. Though he quickly eased the tension when he felt the warm, loving embrace of Toriel. It was as though he melted away like butter, at first gently touching his arms around her and then gradually adding more pressure into a more heartfelt squeeze. The little boy gasped and tears had started to roll ever so freely and silently. How long has it been since he had felt an embrace such as this?
"I don't ever want to let go, Mummy." he murmured with a quivering lip.

Seeing and feeling Sans' gaze bore down on him like icy nails Asriel instinctively balled up in his mother's arms and shrank away from him, towards her, as much as he possibly could. It was when he heard his mother's confused comment he looked up at her, "I was let out." he piped up.
"You were just let out?"
Asriel winced at the coldness and oddly sharpness of Sans' voice. However, now that he was here in his mother's arms and hugging her, filled the boy with Determination.

"Y-yes!" he insisted, once he found the courage, "Someone came in my 'room', unlocked the canister, gave me a necklace and left the door wide open when they left. Before I knew it I was looking and feeling like myself again." he recounted as he clung tightly to his mother's clothes but he was determined to try and convince them he wasn't lying and continued, "They didn't say anything though. Just heavy steps and a lot of hissing. Wore armor from head-to-toe. Room was too dark to see since, there was only one light in the whole room. There was no one in the hallway outside my 'room' like there usually was so I left to come and find Mummy."
He took a moment to breathe, "I-I know I did some bad things. Some very, very bad things." Asriel bleated as he covered his eyes with his little paws, "And I don't expect any of you to forgive me, but I am very, very sorry. I don't want to have to use my power in that way ever again."


When the taller skeleton addressed him, Asriel's head turned towards him suddenly; his long ears flopping in the process. One of them, Alphys may particularly notice, had a small, harmless puncture in it from the time she had gathered a sample of his DNA from a petal back when he was a flower. His meek expression loosened and brightened a little, "H-howdy Papyrus," he greeted before the chef had introduced himself to the boy. Asriel also did his best to avoid Sans' protective glare for the moment he responded to Papyrus the shorter skeleton somehow moved several inches closer to his brother in a blink of an eye, "Yes I am... hungry."
The boy gasped before smiling wider, "Hungry! I am hungry! I am very hungry! Look! I am hungry!" he cheered at his sudden realization, voice filled with both delight and sweet innocence. He then moved his arms to hold over his stomach and bleated out a giggle over the sensation and growls his gut protested over the simplest of needs.

The prince then eagerly accepted the bowl, being so thrilled to hold a dish such as this he didn't may much mind to how Sans had mysteriously moved several more inches closer to Papyrus with the illusion of not moving a single bone in his body just as he took the plate. Asriel blinked a few times as he stared at the contents of the plate before raising a shaky arm to grasp onto the fork in a rather awkward and stiff movement. The kid scooped up some of the pasta with his fork, though he continued to giggle as most of it slid off the fork and beckoned for him to try again and eventually managed a clumsy mouthful. Hie crimson eyes widened and sparkled with delight at the sensation over his taste buds and being tossed about in his mouth as he chewed. Another helping soon found its way onto his fork again.

The little goat prince stared at Mistral as he spoke, he had a general idea of what he was talking about but once again some part of his speech did fly over his head, "Training?" he echoed with a tilt of his head; his right ear flopping over his face in the process. When he heard a particular word the young prince groaned as he lifted up his ear and peered from underneath it, "All the greens? Why not just two bites? That's more than one bite!" he pleaded in an attempt of a negotiation.

Upon the mention of showing his gifts for his mother Prince Asriel leapt to his feet with excitement and bounced on the spot in a kid-like fashion, "Yay! Okay! Let's go! Let's go!" he cheered, eagerly taking Mistral's free hand and tugged, urging him to follow back out of the room in search of the queen.

-------

Some time had passed, days, weeks, months, perhaps more; but one thing was for sure was that the young prince was a little older. One late afternoon, the young goat wandered about the castle in search of Mistral with a large red book in hand. Eventually, he did find the skeleton in one of the rooms he typically could be found in. Asriel then knocked sheepishly, "Uncle Mistral? Are you here?" he called out meekly.

The prince hopped away in a child like fashion, waving his arms in the air, "Yeah! I am super strong! One day when I grow up I am gonna be the God of Hyper Death and help everyone with their hopes and dreams!" he proclaimed before running around in circles with his arms stretched out and making sound effects as he went. He would occassionally point his arms to different objects in the room and follow through with making 'tch tch phew' noises with his mouth.

He then hurried back to Mistral, looked to his drawing, then back at the skeleton with a huffy pout, "This is mummy, daddy, me and you! We're in the castle with Santa and the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy dancing at a party!" he said matter-of-factly as he pointed them out, sounding like it was obvious, "And you are helping mummy make a snail pie! That's a snail pie there!"