His tail was impulsively twitching side to side as she stared anxiously out the window. Every time the vehicle passed over a bump in the road, he couldn't help but flinch. It was jarring.
Beside him, the skeleton Avalon gave his hand a gentle squeeze, smiling softly.

He appreciated the comfort, but this situation was entirely too unnerving for him to calm down. His anxiety was spiking, hard. Everything was different, and the human driving was so cold to them, even Toriel had given up trying to make friendly conversation.

He could see the water through the trees as they approached, the tremendous Lake Erie looking for all the world like an inland bay. Asriel tried to imagine the gigantic snake that was apparently living beneath the waves- and supposedly was expecting them.
Now that was a terrifying thought.

After a few minutes of disconcerting near-silence that was broken only by the constant rumble of the tires on asphalt and then gravel, the car slowly slid to a stop a few dozen yards from the water.

A group of humans stood discussing things around a tent with a simple sage green tarp on four poles above it, glancing back at the vehicle.

The first one out was Avalon, shuddering and moving to help Toriel out, but the queen was already taking care of it herself. Asriel hesitantly stepped out on the gravel, hopping up and down to shake the tension from his limbs.

"Do you think Sans might be here?" He asked Avalon.
The hybrid sighed. "I doubt we will be so lucky, I am afraid."
The prince shrugged, allowing Toriel to hold him close. "It was worth a shot."
"We will find him, Asriel." She murmured.
"Even if we must do so on our own."
With that said, they approached the humans.

"Greetings!" Avalon called with fake enthusiasm. Several humans flinched as they turned, taking in the sight of the Dreemurs and skeleton nymph.
"Greetings." Toriel echoed when they were in the vicinity, nodding.
"Howdy." Asriel waved from her side, clinging to her robe.
"May we be of assistance?" The queen asked.
"Perhaps you can tell us how you're going to help." One spoke, studying the monsters curiously.
"Like this sentient snake's purpose here."

"Ah, that question is not so difficult." She nodded to Avalon, who nodded back and spoke. "The one that you speak of is no snake, but I understand the confusion. As for what she desires, that is simple. Kinepeikwa wishes to live peacefully, as all races have lived in the past."
"Then what about the flood of animals it- she- brought with her?" The man questioned, raising an eyebrow. "Not to mention the incident in Jersey."

"Jersey.. that is where Ebott is, correct?" Toriel asked.
"Correct."
"My apologies, I have not fully memorized this." She explained before continuing somewhat hesitantly.
"As for the creatures.. they were once abundant in our time. I believe they have been kept safe throughout the ages until it was time for magic to roam freely once again. They were protected by the dragons?"
"Kinepeikwa is not a dragon, but yes." Avalon corrected benignly.

"I do understand the concerns involving the return of the beasts. The world is not so prepared for them, yes?" Toriel asked.
"..Yeah, that's one way to phrase it. There's a complete infestation of unknown and unpredictable animals all over the place. And I haven't even mentioned the.. attacks on unsuspecting hikers in the park a few miles out from here. The.. whatever the snake is has been defending a few camps and the rangers there, but it's still spending most of its time in the water. She, I mean."

"I doubt she quite understands the world she has been left in. I know I hardly can." Toriel murmured, glancing at the lake.
"Yes, that does seem to be the case, doesn't it?" Avalon added, following her gaze.
"With your permission, I would like to try and contact Kinepeikwa."
Toriel's eyes widened and she glanced at the human. "Would that be alright with you?"

"We can't be sure she won't decide to attack-" "Kinepeikwa is not aggressive. She will talk."
"How are you going to communicate? Do you know the language she speaks?"
"Of course." He looked to the queen, who nodded for him to proceed, which led to him striding right to the water's edge.
The human started shouting orders to the others present in alarm, the others fanning out behind the hybrid.

Avalon stepped into the water, peering over his shoulder at the others, watching as the humans arranged themselves in their positions, a dozen yards away with their weapons out and ready.
"Your Majesty." He called. "Would you perhaps like to help me call Kinepeikwa?"
"Of course." She stepped closer, watchful of Asriel as he followed. "What shall we do?"

"We only need to toss fire over the water." He smiled. "The more magic, the better."
"That's it?" Asriel perked up, intrigued.
"Yes. Their kinds are able to recognize magic flames. It is a part of what they are." He explained while his hands lit up.
Damn. We're summoning a sea serpent with fire.
That's so cool.

As the hybrid launched black blazes across the water, the Dreemurs began tossing volleys as far as they could, the prince grinning excitedly as he hurled them further and further, the flames shifting into red with each new wave.

Suddenly, something dark breached the water, a long, almost black shape rising upwards, up and up and up.. before eventually falling sideways until it crashed back down, sending up a massive plume of water as it hit the water again.

"It.. That was huge." Asriel whispered in shock.
"That." Avalon pointed out as the waves from the impact washed over their feet on the shore.
"Is a shiftling serpent."

At first, it seemed she had decided not to show up, but then a black spot appeared on the water, forming a v-shaped wake behind it as it slid side to side towards them.
"Out of the water." Avalon ordered, gesturing as he backpedaled as well, moving a couple feet away, the shape beginning to look familiar.. like a large.. large head with fins on either side.

And then it began to rise. The fins appeared first, directly followed by the downturned and serpentine head that narrowed to a round point at the nose, water cascading off in hundreds of rivulets as it blew out a spray from it's nostrils and turned to face the monsters on the shore.
It's eyelids snicked back to reveal unbelievably green eyes, so unnaturally bright they seemed to carry their own light.

Those eyes zeroed in on the trio, Toriel impulsively pushing Asriel a little behind her under the intense gaze.
Through the dripping water, a great, rasping voice came.
"ყɛʂʂʂ.. ı ɧą۷ɛ ცɛɛŋ ɛҳ℘ɛƈɬıŋɠ ყơų."

The queen bent down respectfully, Avalon mirroring her.
"You expected us?" The hybrid then asked.
With a snort the serpent nodded, studying him.
"May we ask why?" Toriel requested as the green eyes locked on the child peeking around her robe.
"ʂąɛƈʂɧıųŋ ıŋʄơཞɱɛɖ ɱɛ ɬɧąɬ ıɬ ıʂʂ ɱơŋʂɬɛཞʂʂ ɬɧąɬ ʂɧąƖƖ ɧɛƖ℘ ųʂʂ ཞɛɬųཞŋ ɬơ ɬɧɛ ῳơཞƖɖ." She inclined her head. "ɧɛ ıʂʂ ɱųƈɧ ῳıʂɛཞ ɬɧąŋ ɱყʂɛƖʄ. ı ɬཞųʂɬ ıŋ ɧıʂʂ ῳıʂɖơɱ."
"Ah.. I see." Toriel murmured, thinking.

"But of Saecshiun." Avalon began. "In what shape did he come to you?"
"ıŋ ℘ıɛƈɛʂʂ." She automatically replied, an odd look in her eyes. "ı ཞɛɬųཞŋɛɖ ɧıɱ ɬơ ơŋɛ."
"You what?!" Asriel broke, Toriel grabbing him as he shouted. Kinepeikwa regarded him strangely.
"ყơų ɱơŋʂɬɛཞʂʂ.. ąཞɛ ʂɬཞąŋɠɛ. ცųɬ ყɛʂʂ, ı ɱąɖɛ ɧıɱ ῳɧơƖɛ ąɠąıŋ…"
"But- but Sans, he- Frisk!"

A quiet hum sounded from the serpent before Asriel questioned. "He's- is he- I- dragon! Did you make him a dragon?!"
Kinepeikwa didn't seem to understand. "ʂąɛƈʂɧıųŋ ɧąʂ ąƖῳąყʂʂ ცɛɛŋ ą ɖཞąɠơŋ. ŋơῳ ɧɛ ɧąʂʂ ცɛƈơɱɛ Ɩıƙɛ ყơų. ɧɛ ıʂʂ ŋơɬ ąʂʂ ɧɛ ơŋƈɛ ῳąʂʂ, ცųɬ ɧɛ ʂɛɛʂʂ ıɬ ąʂʂ ɠơơɖ."
..Did. Is it still Sans? Napstablook? ..Frisk?

"I see.. Kinepeikwa, do you know where Saecshiun is?"
She rumbled. "ŋơ, ı ơŋƖყ ƙŋơῳ ῳɧɛཞɛ ɧɛ ɧąʂʂ ɠơŋɛ." She gestured behind them. "ɧɛ ʄƖɛῳ ʂơųɬɧ ɱąŋყ ŋıɠɧɬʂʂ ąɠơ, ʂɛąཞƈɧıŋɠ ʄơཞ զųɛɬʑąƖƈơąɬƖ'ʂ ɖɛŋ. ı ɱყʂɛƖʄ ɖơ ŋơɬ ƙŋơῳ ῳɧɛཞɛ զųɛɬʑąƖƈơąɬƖ ɧąɖ ɱąɖɛ ɧıʂ ŋɛʂɬ, ცųɬ ɧıʂʂ ơƖɖ ɬɛཞཞıɬơཞıɛʂʂ Ɩąყ ɱąŋყ ɖąყʂʂ ʄƖıɠɧɬ ʄཞơɱ ɧɛཞɛ, ąŋɖ ʂąɛƈʂɧıųŋ ℘ąཞɬɛɖ ʄཞơɱ ɧɛཞɛ ŋıŋɛ ɖąყʂʂ ℘ąʂɬ."

They glanced at the sky behind them.
"Mom, we have to follow him." Asriel stated flatly.
"We have to get Sans back."
"My dear, I don't think we will be able to."
"We have to." He could feel the Determination burning inside, ignoring how the shiftling stared as he insisted.

"ყơų ɖơ ŋơɬ ʄɛɛƖ Ɩıƙɛ ą ɱơŋʂɬɛཞ."
"What?" Three voices spoke simultaneously as they all faced her again. She was peering at Asriel. She cocked her head to the side, fins flaring.
"ყơų ცųཞŋ Ɩıƙɛ ą ɖཞąɠơŋ... ıɬ ŋɛąཞƖყ ɱąʂƙʂʂ ɬɧɛ ɱąཞƙ ơʄ ơŋɛ.... ყơų ąཞɛ ƈƖơʂɛ ɬơ ʂąɛƈʂɧıųŋ, ყɛʂʂ?"

"I.. uh." He hesitantly stepped in front of Toriel. "I guess? I mean.. I was close to Sans and Frisk in a way.." He added softly.
Kinepeikwa's eyes widened in recognition.
"ყɛʂʂ, ɬɧąɬ ŋąɱɛ. ɧɛ ɧąɖ ıŋʂıʂɬɛɖ ų℘ơŋ ıɬ ῳɧɛŋ ɧɛ ʄıཞʂɬ ąཞཞı۷ɛɖ."

She leaned in, nostrils flared as her snout paused directly in front of the prince, the tip of her jaw almost touching the gravel. Asriel caught a whiff of dry earth and marsh, mixed with a note of something otherworldly and yet familiar.
"ąɧɧɧ.. ყɛʂʂ, ყơų ƈąཞཞყ ą ɧųɱąŋ ʂơųƖ ơʄ ɖཞąɠơŋʂɬཞɛŋɠɬɧ. ıɬ ıʂʂ ℘ơῳɛཞʄųƖ ıŋɖɛɛɖ ɬơ ცƖơƈƙ ყơųཞ ʂƈɛŋɬ ąʂʂ ıɬ ɖơɛʂʂ."

"Of what?"
"ɖཞąɠơŋʂɬཞɛŋɠɬɧ. ıɬ ıʂʂ.. ơʄ ɖཞąɠơŋʂʂ, ąŋɖ ıʂ ʄơųŋɖ ıŋ Ɩɛʂʂɛཞ ąɱơųŋɬʂʂ ıŋ ɧųɱąŋʂʂ, ცųɬ ʂơɱɛɬıɱɛʂʂʂ, ą ɧųɱąŋ ῳıƖƖ ცɛ ცơཞŋ ῳıɬɧ ŋɛąཞƖყ ɬɧɛ ąɱơųŋɬ ąʂʂ ą ɖཞąɠơŋ. ყơų ąཞɛ Ɩųƈƙყ." She nodded, brushing his sweater with how close her face was before backing up a little.
Is she talking about Determination?! Chara hollered internally.

"But wait, you said he was marked by a dragon? What does that mean?" Toriel asked, concerned.
Kinepeikwa hesitated, glancing at the humans ringing the perimeter.
"ɬơ ცɛ ɱąཞƙɛɖ.. ą ɖཞąɠơŋ ıɱ℘ąཞɬʂʂ ą ʄཞąƈɬıơŋ ơʄ ɧıʂʂ ơཞ ɧɛཞ ʂɬཞɛŋɠɬɧ ɬơ ɬɧɛ ɱơཞɬąƖ ƈɧơʂɛŋ.... ıʄ ყơų ıŋɬɛŋɖ ɬơ ʄơƖƖơῳ ʂąɛƈʂɧıųŋ, ყơų ƈơųƖɖ ɧąཞŋɛʂʂʂ ɧıʂʂ ʂɬཞɛŋɠɬɧ ąŋɖ ʄıŋɖ ɧıɱ ɬɧཞơųɠɧ ყơųཞ ცơŋɖ."
"How?" Asriel immediately demanded. Toriel squeezed his shoulder in warning.

"ı.. ɖơ ŋơɬ ƙŋơῳ. ɬɧąɬ ıʂ ą ʂɛƈཞɛɬ ơʄ ɬɧɛ ɖཞąɠơŋʂʂ. ყơų ųŋɖɛཞʂɬąŋɖ, ɬɧɛყ ɖıɖ ŋơɬ ῳıʂɧ ɬơ ცɛ ʄơųŋɖ ɬɧཞơųɠɧ ɬɧɛıཞ ცƖɛʂʂıŋɠʂʂ. ყơų ɱųʂɬ ʄıŋɖ ʂąɛƈʂɧıųŋ ơŋ ყơųཞ ơῳŋ. ı ƈơųƖɖ ơŋƖყ ɠı۷ɛ ყơų ῳɧąɬ ı ƙŋơῳ."
"Oh." His hopes fell in disappointment.
"It's a start." Avalon murmured encouragingly before addressing the serpent.
"But on less private matters, may I ask what your plans for the animals you have held under your care may be?"

Asriel quickly excused himself, not wanting to be a part of that conversation. So he walked away, waving shyly to one of the humans as he passed and made his way to the low hill on the far side of the gravel road. Toriel watched him carefully from her place beside Avalon until he was seated at the top, staring into the southern sky. Then she turned and rejoined the conversation with the mighty shiftling.

Tuning out of their surroundings, Asriel and Chara fell to thinking.
She had to have been talking about Determination. Asriel started. I took his access!
I know. We have to use it. They both mentally regarded the familiar burning energy within their shared Soul.
Pulling it out, they stared at the reddish white heart, pondering how to use it as they wanted.

How did she know it was Determination anyway? It's still mixed with the other humans' traits.
...You did take a lot of Determination from Sans..
I did, yeah.. wait. No, it's Frisk's.
Same difference, they're in the same body!
No, Chara, it's Frisk's.
...I don't get it.
When you were connected to him, couldn't you always find him before you started possessing him?
...No way.
Do you think..?

The red flashed brighter than the white of the other traits as Chara delved into an abandoned connection, red eyes widening as a faint wisp lifted off the inverted heart, following a faint pull they both felt that pointed south.
Is it really that easy??
I don't know.

Well we have to go after him! We have to bring back Sans! Asriel leapt to his feet.
But how? We don't have wings! Chara's reminder had him hesitating, if only for a moment.
...I have wings.
Since when??!
Since I was the god of Hyperdeath!
... Asriel, that's when you had the power of the entire Underground.
I still have you.
.. That's really sweet, but seriously.

She blanked when two thick bundles of vines stabbed through his sweater, spreading out in a familiar pattern. I don't need the Underground when I have the power of human Souls, right?
He grinned as the familiar black spread around the vines and glowing colors spanned the gaps between.

"ASRIEL?!" Toriel's horrified cry rang through the air as he gave the new limbs a test flap.
He flinched, turning to see his mother racing over, leaving a stunned Avalon standing there with a knowing Kinepeikwa watching.

Those glowing green eyes bore into him, seeing him in a way he hadn't felt since Sans had judged him and Chara.
Except this gaze was kind, the serpent nodding slightly as though telling him to go.

"I. I- I'm going to find Sans! I'm gonna get him back! I'll be okay!" He called, taking off just as Toriel stepped on the gravel road.
"ASRIEL!"
But she wasn't fast enough, the prince already gaining altitude on enormous, multicolored wings.
"I can find him!"

Avalon sprang into action, running a few feet across the beach until he hopped up onto an attack, creating a sort of staircase beneath him as he struggled to catch up, still too late as the young Dreemur flew on.

Toriel brayed in panic, a wild, desperate cry when her only son was already out of earshot.
Avalon dropped back to the ground, groaning. "I cannot overtake him." He explained while trying to console the panicking mother.

Asriel didn't think of the consequences of up and literally flying away at all.
Of course, he and Chara were still children, after all.