u/ARTS1984

Hello everyone, I'm in between writing fanfics so I thought I'd give you my little theory on who the Outlaw is. I don't think it's a coincidence that the arrival of the letter and the Dark Fountains showing up at the same time is a thing. The Outlaw, IMO, is related to Cole directly--I'm gonna go with Cole's actual biological father or mother. On top of that, it's the human who used to be friends with Chujin and stole their technology.

Chujin, in a Walter White-like move, helps Martlet (endorsing her as a parent via letter) adopt Cole at a young age when the same father loses custody of the child as a sort of indirect revenge against the human he worked with. Maybe back then, Chujin felt that Martlet could help mold the kid into something good but as the kid began to grow up and have his parent's features, that resentment began to come back over time and grew into unfounded hatred towards Cole. Ceroba and Kanako could never understand it so they showered Cole with love and understanding to balance out Chujin's erratic behavior.

The Outlaw, wanting to take revenge on Mr. Catsupcoonie(Chujin), enacts his plan to "steal back" Cole...connects with Martlet as a CPS representative over the course of several months noting the distinct lack of attention she is giving her child and threatening to have Cole taken into foster care. On the verge of losing Cole and not sure what to do, The Outlaw comes to Martlet and offers her a deal...do exactly what The Outlaw says and everything will "be all right". Things will go back to normal...the nasty letters will go away. CPS will never bother her again.

Martlet opens each fountain and The Outlaw instructs each Boss Darkner(Bearing and The Evil Toaster) on what role they play. Sadie MIGHT be playing this role as well but given the stress Martlet is under and her INSISTING to do things on her own has me worried that she is actually working with the Outlaw under the assumption that things will go right if she does as he or she says. In a later chapter, the Outlaw betrays her and we get Zenith Martlet as a final boss of I'm thinking Chapter 4 with her saying "I'm so sorry Cole, I just wanted to be your Mom!!". Given there's only five chapters, I believe we're gonna get some sort of major reveal in Chapter 3.

Chapter 5 will test Cole's allegiances as The Outlaw tempts him with history of where he really comes from and that the monsters don't have anything to offer him but false promises of safety and security. Chujin and Ceroba will interrupt this, telling Cole that he isn't their father and that they know how much Kanako relies on him and how the Wild East wouldn't be the same without him in it. Martlet will swope in and start pecking the shit outta the Outlaw before a big final battle starts.

But the gist of all this is that the Outlaw is trying to lure Cole to his or her side by use of the Dark Worlds and at the same time getting revenge on the Ketsukanes for stealing Cole from him (Martlet is Chujin's apprentice and by extension, is considered "part of the family" as Ceroba says), even if it's an indirect "steal" so to speak.

I'll have another story out in the next few weeks. I just wanted to get my thoughts out there. Thanks!

Cole stood outside the Ketsukane Estate, humble as it was. It was enough for a small family...two bedrooms, one bathroom, a giant kitchen and dining area and workshop for Chujin to do his business from day to day. Cole had a certain fondness for this place as he grew up coming back and forth here to see Kanako, his childhood friend. Ceroba or Mrs. Ketsukane often treated him with kindness to balance the certain animosity her husband, Chujin, seemed to have towards him on a regular basis. He gulped...Dalv recommended Chujin to help him with his human biology homework as he had difficulty with it. You'd think being human, he'd have a little knowledge of his own body but he it was not much of a subject he thought about.

"Hey there, sweetie." Ceroba opened the door, a warm smile plastered across her face as she let Cole in. Ceroba greeted him with a warm hug and kiss on the forehead, welcoming him in taking his backpack for him and his hat as there was a strict no "cowboy hats worn in the house" rule. Chujin was fine with this rule.

"I'm sorry I couldn't be the one to help you. Kanako's having just as much as trouble admittedly and she's getting tutored by Sadie. For some reason, she didn't want to tutor you...I'm not sure why. You do something?"

Cole shrugged, as he hadn't the faintest clue. He didn't really hang out much with Sadie except for the occasional hello.

"Remember Cole, I'll be right outside. I have to get this quilt done for Star by tonight as I told him I'd have it done." Ceroba clenched her teeth, hand on Cole's shoulder. He didn't want her to leave him alone with Mr. Ketsukane but she had no choice. "Chujin's right inside his workshop as usual. Come get me if there's any trouble."

"Ok." Cole grimaced, Mrs. Ketsukane hugging him close this time.

"(It'll be all right, Cole. Remember, me and Kanako love you and my husband had a really bad experience with humans...it doesn't justify how he acts towards you. But he promised to be good. Maybe he'll finally give you a break.)" Mrs. Ketsukane reluctantly letting him go and walk towards Chujin's door. Gulping, he knocked as any polite boy his age would and should.

"Is that you, honey?" Chujin sang, listening to his favorite tunes in the office.

"No, Mr. Ketsukane...it's Cole, sir."

With that, the "Ben 10" music blaring from his workshop immediately stopped.

"ONE MINUTE!!!"

"U-Um...ok." Cole stood there.

A few minutes passed, Mr. Ketsukane opening the door. He was covered in oil and had a frantic look about him.

"Are you quite all right, Chujin?" Mrs. Ketsukane looked up from her quilt work.

"Y-Yeah...just cleaning up, that's all! Come on in, Cole...I have a table prepared for you to work."

"T-Thanks." Cole nodded, nervously walking into the door past the intimidating father of the female fox who adored him. He sat down to the table, quickly taking out the notepad and his biology book.

"Ceroba tells me that you're having trouble with your human biology. No shock there..." Chujin rolled his eyes.

"Hm?" Cole looked confused.

"What is your difficulty primarily?" Chujin put his hands behind his back.

"The human brain sir."

"Ah. It does have many facets that can be hard to grasp...for anyone, human or monster." Chujin rubbed his chin. "Well, tell you what--why don't you sit down and go through the chapter and underline the sections that you're struggling in."

"I--I thought we were going to go through them..."

"I'm a busy monster, Cole...if you have trouble with a section, just come to me and I'll help you then. For now, just try and get through it on your own. Now off to it." Chujin pointed to the tiny table with hardly enough space to work.

"Y-Yes, sir."

With that, Chujin went back to his worktable attending to his work while he sat down and struggled with the chapter as he had. A half hour passed and he went through the chapter as he had in class, underlining and highlighting the area that he was having difficulty with...which were numerous. Getting up, he went to Mr. Ketsukane who was working on a car radio when Cole nervously tapped his shoulder.

"...oh, you identified something?" Chujin mentioned.

"Yeah, made a list and everything." Cole smiled, hoping it would impress Mr. Ketsukane. Chujin took the list and was taken aback.

"This handwriting--it looks like Martlet's. It's impeccable." Chujin noted.

"She taught me, sir."

"H-How is she, these days?" Chujin adjusted his glasses.

"Gettin' along. Don't see her a lot due to her workin' a lot of late shifts lately. I see her notes more than I do her..." Cole grabbed his shoulder, looking to the side.

"She's a good worker and a good mother. You're lucky to even have her." Chujin gently put the paper down to the side.

"Y-Yeah, I am." Cole smiled fondly.

"Why don't you go back and see if you can tackle the subjects you listed off for me?" Chujin smiled, going back to his work.

"B-But sir, I thought..."

"Thought what? Back to it. Chop chop!!" Mr. Ketsukane slapped his hands together.

A little put off and not sure what to do, Cole reluctantly went back to his small table to read over the chapter. He went through the notes, trying to understand and was getting nowhere. He just sat there, trying to understand the material but after another half hour, eventually gave up and started just writing in his notepad about Kanako and how he enjoy her and Mrs. Ketsukane's company.

"May I come in?" Ceroba poked her head in the door.

"Certainly, dear." Chujin looked over from his desk.

"No fireworks for an hour--I take it you two are getting along?" Ceroba asked, bringing in some ice teas.

"Swimmingly, dear. Isn't that right?" Chujin sipped some ice tea and looked over menacingly, Cole nodding in fear of Chujin's wrath. He was known to get physical or close to it at times with him.

Walking over to the tiny desk that Chujin prepared him, Ceroba noted the lack of progress Cole had made in his homework. Cole tried to hide the Kanako notes he wrote down but Ceroba shook her head and looked over at Chujin.

"So dear, how much have you helped Cole out?" Ceroba crossed her arms. "It's been over an hour. I'd think you'd be over with a chair pointing out where Cole is going wrong...working that monster brain of yours."

"Cole is doing fine on his own. He wrote down what was wrong on this piece of paper here." Chujin held it up. "He then told me he'd try and do it on his own. Not my fault the human wants all the glory, isn't that right Cole?"

"But Mr. Ketsukane, I came to you and you told me to..." Cole began.

"NO NO, you mustn't lie." Chujin stood up, pointing an accusatory finger at the human. "Not in front of my wife, no less."

"Chujin, don't test me. You haven't helped him one bit, have you?" Ceroba looked him in the eyes, easily able to tell when he was lying.

Chujin blew out some air from his mouth, looking to the side.

"So what if I'm not helping?" Chujin went back to his work. "It's not as if he helps out around here. The only thing he's interested in is my daughter."

Walking over to his desk, Ceroba yanked the male fox out of his chair and slapped him across the face.

"OW!! What the hell was that for?!" Chujin asked.

"Are there any other SNIDE remarks you want to make in front of him, HUH?" Ceroba asked, getting tired of his bullshit.

"What're you talking about? It's true! The only thing that..THING wants to do is snog my daughter!" Chujin growled in disgust, Cole standing up putting his pencil down.

"Mr. Ketsukane, that's jus' not true sir! Kanako's my best friend, I'd NEVER take advantage of her! Surely, you know that!" Cole yelled. "I don't know what ah did to you, sir but it's not fair the way you treat me!! Ah just wanted your help with homework, that's all. If it was such an inconvenience, I wouldn't have bothered you but Mrs. Ketsukane said you'd help."

"Well, she was wrong." Chujin broke away from Ceroba's grasp, looking him down. "And if you think it's so unfair what I'm doing to you...tell the human who stole my work how UNFAIR it is what he did to me!"

"That was another human, sir...we're not all this way. I..." Cole dropped his head. "Oh, why..ah'm sorry Mrs. Ketsukane, I'm gonna go."

"Cole..." Ceroba began, trying to come to his side to convince him to stay.

"Excuse me." Cole bowed before her and Mr. Ketsukane, trying to hide tears as he quickly walked out of the room with his backpack.

Ceroba reached out but the door quickly slammed in both their faces. Chujin shrugged, sitting back down to tend to his work. Ceroba looked at him, shaking her head in disgust and throwing her arms in the air, walking away to catch up with her wayward child's friend. Chujin sighed, knowing what he did was wrong. He was human though...he couldn't be any definition of good. Looking at the parchment that Cole wrote his notes down on, he picked up the paper looking it over...Cole had written down all his areas of difficulty. Chujin glanced at it, clenching both sides of the paper thinking back.

"W-Why did things come to this..."

Just outside the Ketsukane's door, Cole leaned against the wall just to the left, crying into his arms. He hadn't felt this rejected or hated for quite awhile. He didn't know why he had bothered--he just wished he knew what Mr. Ketsukane felt so much hatred towards him. He did nothing wrong!!

"Oh, if it isn't Kanako's favorite boy toy." The other human in town, a girl by the name of Melody walked up. Oh great. "You're cryin'...Mr. Ketsukane rip you a new one?"

"W-what about it?" Cole sniffed.

"He's right to hate you, isn't he Cole? Ever since that...incident in the Mines with Kanako?" Melody grinned. "Don't know why you even come around here...much less come to school."

Cole said nothing, refusing to respond to her nonsense. He knew she was trying to get a rise out of him.

"Not gonna say anything?" Melody walked up to him.

Cole merely sat there, wiping some tears away and keeping his composure refusing to even look at her.

"HEY." Melody grabbed him by the jacket and slammed him against the wall. "I'M TALKIN' TO YOU."

"..I'm not. Let me go." Cole simply asked, his back firmly against the Ketsukane's building.

"OR WHAT? YOU'LL CRY FOR MRS. KETSUKANE? OH, HELP ME ORANGE HAIRED FREAK OF NATURE!!" Melody laughed.

Cole turned red in the face at the insult to one of his favorite people, his fists clenching.

"That's right, Cole. Get angry...do something you'll really regret for life! C'MON, I'M RIGHT HERE YOU...freak?"

The door opened, Chujin holding it open and looking Melody square in the eyes with his imposing stare.

"I heard that line about my wife. I suggest you let him go and be on your way...NOW." Chujin ordered, pointing to the street.

Melody quickly obeyed, letting Cole go and giving him a mocking look and running off down the road. He brushed himself off and wiped what remaining tears he had.

"I'll go, Mr.Ketsukane." He said softly looking down the road.

"...Are you all right?" Chujin asked, as if it were paining him to do so.

"U-Um..yeah." Cole stopped in his tracks, looking back.

"We still have homework to go over. If you'll let me, I will help you." Chujin stated.

"Wait, did Mrs. Ketsukane..."

"Don't question me, INSIDE!!" Chujin pointed inside.

"Y-Yes, sir!!" Cole ran inside to the kitchen, Ceroba surprised to see Cole zipping by her and into Chujin's workshop. Ceroba got up as Chujin walked calmly inside, gently closing the door behind him.

"What was all that about?" Ceroba asked.

"That Melody girl was intimidating Cole...I had to step in before any harm came to him." Chujin explained.

"Chujin?" Ceroba raised two eyebrows.

"Don't take this as a sudden change of heart. Martlet would hate me if I let any harm come to him and that Melody girl is a worse example of humanity than Cole. Cole, at least, shows that he wants to improve himself...and if Martlet believes in him, I guess...I can help him for an hour."

"Well, I'll take it." Ceroba kissed the side of his snout. "You might just have some heart left in you, Mr. Katsupcoonie!"

"Ha ha, I'll tend to Cole now..." Chujin blushed, quickly rushing off.

Ceroba sighed, intending to go back to her quilt but quietly took a photo out of her robe, looking at her, Cole and Kanako all together at a theme park, smiling and whipped cream all over themselves from participating in a pie eating contest. Another family won but they all had a good laugh that day from the experience. She hopes to replace this photo one day...with Chujin and Martlet added in for good measure and then the five of them can truly be a family. For now however, she'd be the intermediary and stand up for Cole as needed. After all, someone had to look out for that kid. Martlet did her best but she needed all the help she could get...and Ceroba was more than happy to provide it.

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In the opening salvo of Chapter 5, it's made quite clear to us that Susie is going on a *DATE* with Noelle. The cast calls it a date. Kris has no comment. Yet...the night before, Susie sleeps in Kris' bed. Quite literally leaves her hair in the bed for Kris to see. Is insisting during the festival they "need Kris" and goes out of her way to prevent Kris from flirting with anyone or romancing anyone despite talking about Noelle endlessly. She probes Kris about whether or not they were into anyone like she's encouraging them indirectly to talk about their feelings...kinda telling Kris things "hey, is this gonna work out?..."...still leaving the door open for Kris to SAY SOMETHING.

There is no way that she doesn't have deep feelings for Kris. She gives the same genuine smile to both Kris and Noelle. Kris risked their life for her. That's not something giving someone a pencil can really top. I think the problem with this is that Susie feels Kris wouldn't be into her given what's happened and the fact that their friendship started on such shaky ground to begin with. She really doesn't mind Kris getting physical with her...in fact, she encourages Kris to sniff her hair when they pull her in close in Chapter 3. She clearly wants to get closer with Kris but doesn't know how which is why she probably embraced the concept of Noelle since she already had a crush on her anyway.

At the same time, she doesn't want to lose what she has with Kris so she's approaching them delicately. When they go to the bunker, she says "they don't have to talk about it". When Susie asks if they saw anyone in the back of their Dad's shop, she writes it off due to their inherent trust of the kid. Noelle even acknowledges the two click and sometimes it's fine if they have their own thing for certain things during the festival.

I ask you "Why the heck would Toby put this here?" and not act on it this chapter other than a brush off about not wanting spikes when she goes to sleep? She became fascinated with this strange human with the apple scent and it frustrated her to NO END. Then that rage became love upon Kris almost dying to King. For the first time in her life, someone showed her a kindness that no one else ever had--and she acted to save that life in return.

She called Kris her friend because in that moment, Kris had earned it. She didn't know why they did what they did--but in the end, it was probably one of the best moments of her life. And now, unknowingly, her own feelings have put their fragile relationship in jeopardy because she wants to have her cake and eat it too.

Sure, the bed could just be basic trolling but I think Toby's straight out telling us "watch until the end you crazy shippers!! The end isn't here yet!!". That's my take anyway. It really is a roller coaster.

Right off the bat, I just want to make it clear this post is not to hate on Suselle or for that matter, Noelle Holiday. HOWEVER, at the same time this post is going to point out a lot of inherent flaws in the way she got to where she is in game. This post is to give context to the whole story of Kris/Susie/Noelle and where they stand now in the form of a nice, open ended discussion. I have been thinking about what I saw and I'm honestly impressed with how it went down. The way that Toby Fox is willing to push his main characters...Kris/Susie/Noelle...to their absolute limits in this chapter. Depending on your choices, normal or "Side B"/Weird Route--the characters can either be...well, we'll get to that.

So let's rip the band-aid right off--Kris Dreemurr ended the normal route on a very, very sad note. They saw their best friend and crush ripped right out from underneath them by Noelle Holiday, their also former crush and best friend. That's not to say they didn't try to show rather than tell (in their own way) when it came to Susie.

Kris Dreemurr is no fool. They have been shown to be very intelligent, cunning and manipulative in their tactics of accomplishing the one true goal..."The Promise". That promise involving one December Holiday. Kris has played the role of "The Cage", keeping our actions as the player under control and on course throughout the game's story. At the same time however, they through bonding with Susie ended up acting on their inherent feelings. And when I say act, I mean ACT.

Chapter 1, they dive in the way of incoming attack from King and end up almost dying. Susie, at the last minute, comes in with the save...saying to get away...from my...friend! At that moment, the two became partners in arms...warrirors bonded through battle in the Dark Worlds trying to save our world from certain destruction from the mysterious entity known only as "The Knight". When you put it like that, it sounds like a plot from a Saturday morning cartoon...hey, I love cartoons, what can I say?

Chapter 2, when their latest Dark World adventure is over, Susie and Kris are on the couch watching giant monster movies. Susie comments on how she likes them better than the "giant human" movies. There's a brief silence and then she brings up the Festival in a sort of nonchalant way aka "it's no big deal". Susie asks if they'd rather bring Ralsei or Noelle to the festival. Kris, when given the choice "You" says it earnestly and without hesitation. Susie is taken aback by this momentarily but claps back saying "way to dodge the question, dumbass!" but then reassures Kris that she and Kris would there together no matter what if she goes.

Chapter 3, while Kris gets done with the Sword Route sidequest--Susie comes in to check in on Kris and asking them what they're doing. At this time, we still have control of the little game avatar of Kris and can direct them to attack Susie....only for real this time. All the time, Kris is eyeing us and IMMEDIATELY pulls Susie by the jacket away from the attack just in time, the two getting rather close. The moment is brief but awkward. Susie, not sure what to make of the situation...plays along and assumes Kris wants to sniff her shampoo (like she does in class everyday) and pushes her hair in Kris' face, waiting for them to make the next move.

This, I feel, was the biggest chance for Kris to score but they failed. They were always going to fail because they were bound by "The Promise". This Dark World in Chapter 3 was created as a distraction to keep Susie (primarily) occupied until Undyne showed up to be kidnapped. However, to go back to my point--Kris had their biggest chance to say something. They didn't have to say anything about the plan...just say "y'know Susie, I--I really appreciate you...more than you know." or SOMETHING to hint at greater feelings. But Kris does the worst thing and calls Susie "weird" for what they did, making her feel rejected and walking away.

Kris, unintentionally, pulled Susie in close and Susie interpreted that as "oh, what's this? Do they want to take things further?". She decides to give Kris a bit of first base and pushes her hair in their face. She's letting Kris get intimate with her....go for it Kris, I shouted loudly in my mind! And what does Kris do? They meekly push her away, calling her weird and going on with their Dark World adventure. Susie does not want to talk about it afterward, feeling embarrassed and lead on.

Under normal circumstances, if Kris got that far in the light world when let's say it was just them in Kris' bedroom and they were shooting the shit, talking, etc.--Kris would've definitely sniffed to their heart's content. But Kris was not living a normal life. They are "The Cage" and at the same time, are in a cage of their own emotional baggage. For Kris, it's a rock and a hard place they're constantly having to deal with. Any personal moment they can get with Susie is just one more reminder of what they can't have with her...or might've had with Noelle at that.

Chapter 4, it's near the end of the Titan fight and Susie asks Kris to take their life in her hands. Kris is more than willing to do that. This is an attack you could do in Chapter 2--Susie tosses Kris at the enemy with sword pointed out as an attack. However, Susie gets other ideas. She yoinks Kris off their feet into the air, lifting them up over her head and jumps into the open face hole (oui) of the Titan, a brilliant scene of Kris and Susie swirling down within the Titan around the soul which then proceeds to seal the Titan in a brilliant display. If anything, this was a brilliant culmination of Kris and Susie's relationship up until this point.

In battle, their teamwork is second to none. Kris' intelligence and speed combined with Susie's adaptability and raw power allow them to accomplish many a task which some might find impossible. I see you out there saying "but HEY, we did all the heavy lifting here as the soul!"...it IS Kris' soul after all, we're just controlling it to play an awesome game. But I get your point and that is beside the point. Regardless of the circumstances, Kris and Susie have seen a lot of pain and grief together. And that's where we come to the breaking point or the beginning of it in my opinion--

For a long time, Toriel has been put up on a high pedestal by Susie--saying she's a good Mom and being very defensive of her. It's part of why Susie bullied Kris--thinking Kris didn't appreciate her enough and what they had when, in reality, Kris wasn't in a very good place with their Mom and Dad. When they saw Toriel dancing drunk with Sans, she backed up in a panic, seeing Kris get upset by the sight. Susie...escaped. It's what she did in the "Newest Girl" when she got upset by whatever she saw on Kris' face in that moment...she ran away.

Susie does come back at the end of Chapter 4, shouting up to Kris' window and quieting Sans and Toriel's "all night joke session"...yeahhh, Toriel...all night "joke sessions"...anyway, like she said at the end of Chapter 3, no one was being left behind. Kris, in that moment, felt left behind when Susie exited stage right. BUT--she came back for them, asking Kris if they were going to make sure it didn't happen...the final prophecy, the final tragedy. Susie walks away in the rain, unsure of herself. Kris gets up on the windowsill, ready to follow her. However, the ominous voice at the end of Chapter 4 reminds them..."You promised, Kris!".

And so we come to Chapter 5. We all know the moment. No, not that one....not the beach scene. I'm talking about the more heartfelt scene where Susie recalls their adventures. It's pretty cute--it's at night, the Christmas lights are strewn up everywhere and they're walking, side-by-side, together down the street just talking. It's one of the best scenes of Chapter 5 but it's the final blow for what turned out to be one of the worst days of Kris Dreemurr's life. As Susie described it--"their thing" is turned into "their thing plus Noelle". Kris, despite all their efforts, has been "friend zoned" by Susie. With a simple frown, Kris walks away as Susie says good night from the Castle Town supply closet door.

On a side tangent, I want to talk about escapes for a moment. At the end of Chapter 4, Kris and Susie walked into a very traumatic sight...a Mom getting way too sloshed up and doing the jitterbug. Kris could've gone home since they knew where the key is but they decided to try and find Toriel instead. That moment triggered a sense of avoidance for both Kris and Susie both. Start of Chapter 5, we find Susie in the Dark World instead of waiting for Kris like she does in the Weird Route.

Ever since she saw the final prophecy, Susie has been engaging in pure escapism...not mentioning the urgency of finding those codes. Just looking forward to the festival, engaging in Dark World activities to start her day and then joins Noelle for her "date". Even she was denying it was a "date" at the beginning, but she wasn't even sure Noelle would reciprocate. Susie then goes on to have a great time with both Noelle and Kris. Kris, of course, falls asleep during the "vital scene". I won't remind you of the details because we've all seen it but to comment...Susie totally engages in Noelle's feelings, she takes them in wholeheartedly. Noelle tells her "I really really like you" and she just accepts which makes me realize something...Susie is just HUNGRY for love. When Lancer told her that her evil ways were cool, she bonded with him almost immediately. When Kris selflessly dived in front of Susie, Susie was quick to call Kris her friend.

So, while what I say may be controversial, Susie immediately reciprocating Noelle's feelings and calling it one of her "best days" in awhile is not out of character...she's wanted to hear it from someone for a long long time. Kris' actions got Susie close to them but hearing someone say "I really really like you" really sealed the deal for Susie. For Susie, words matter. It's why in the "Newest Girl", Kris never reacting or saying anything to her pissed her off so much. She thought Kris was this jackass that didn't deserve a girl like Noelle or Mom like Toriel. They slept during class, didn't seem to appreciate their fellow classmates yet seemed to be well liked anyway. Call it jealousy on Susie's part. So Susie getting a little taste of what "love" is in her mind gave her a sort of "high" she was riding on all throughout the Flower King dark world. If Kris had just said SOMETHING...anything...rather than just do their signature "some looking at me!" stare to Susie...than they would have gotten somewhere in Chapter 3 and the whole seducing Noelle thing would've been a fake out from Susie in Chapter 4 for sure.

Now Kris on the side of the equation has been escaping their own feelings for a long time...Chapter 4 just kinda helped remind them WHY they're going along with the Evil Group Chat. Their life kinda sucks. Dess is gone, Azzy is at college, their parents are divorced and can't agree on anything and they kinda had something to do with Dess disappearing. They are filled with guilt, unable to accept love in any form choosing to distance themselves from anyone and everyone they know. They keep to themselves, totally dedicated to Carol Holiday's plans. However, Susie...Susie somehow broke that barrier and reignited something Kris thought they lost...an appreciation for life and those around them. With Susie, everything was...ok again, as Kris put it when looking in the mirror in Chapter 4.

I know "Love Finds It's Way To The Girl" is something Susie thought she found with Noelle but even Susie even admitted in Chapter 5 that she wasn't sure she knew what love was in the "flirt" fight and when asked, Kris wouldn't admit they didn't know. I would contend "the love" that found it's way to the girl is the selfless act that Kris made for Susie in Chapter 1. Kris' love for Susie caused them to act and it's that love that has caused Kris to stick by and ensure Susie's well being to be intact these last five chapters. All this time, Susie has had the "love" that she thought she was looking for in Chapter 5 but Kris just didn't know how to communicate it. The problem is...Kris often sabotages their own attempt to communicate it because their own communication skills are almost non-existent.

The sad thing is that Noelle took advantage of the hard work Kris put in all this time to get closer to Susie from Chapter 1. Chapter 2, she notes that Kris and Susie are hanging out(stalker behavior much Noelle?) and asks Susie to hang out at the library for their group projects. Then Chapter 4, when it becomes necessary to talk to Noelle in her house--Noelle practically tells Kris to get lost when she wants alone time with Susie (get the school supplies Kris--gooo!) and then Chapter 5, ohh Kris has no choice but to watch Susie and Noelle bond/date. You can't help but feel for them during this time. Noelle didn't even consider the context of Kris' feelings. She was too obsessed with Susie. Maybe she lowkey did this as revenge against Kris for distancing themselves from her without telling her the reason.

You'd think all the time Kris was spending with Susie she would have at least suspected that Kris and Susie were becoming an item, especially with the "touching brooms" comment if you choose that in Chapter 2! But it sorta either went over Noelle's head that Kris might have harbored feelings for Susie (never moved from their seat, put up with Susie's actions, etc. and suddenly they are HANGING OUT? Even Alphys picked up on the fact that they might be a thing and that was EARLY Chapter 2!). For Noelle, Susie was her escape from everything and as a result, she put on the same distance (a different kind mind you but it had the same effect) on everyone she knew. By Chapter 5, she lost Catti as a friend and alienated Kris to an extent. That, on some part, is Kris' fault but at the same time, they're doing all this stuff FOR her and the Holidays primarily. So to see their former best friend and crush getting together is sad.

My primary beef with Noelle is her blatant ignorance of Kris changing...she didn't think Kris could change all of a sudden...that nothing about them COULD change. She thought they'd just stay in their little emotional distance forever...that nothing in Hometown would change. She was a lot more like her Mom than she wants to acknowledge. She really reacts negatively if you get rid of Tenna and give them away to another home. She thought Kris would keep that TV forever. Despite her yearning for just "running away" or change, she yearns for what is familiar at the same time. And her actions, while not intentional, cause Kris great distress in Chapter 5 or Catti to run away in embarassment.

Despite Noelle's actions, I think Kris coming out on what their involvement is and on top of that, their own feelings for Susie...I think it would be great strides towards Kris' happiness overall. Sometimes, it just helps to SAY SOMETHING and that's something Kris needs to work on if Kris wants any chance with Susie, if there's any chance left for them. I still wholly believe in Krusie. The foundation for Krusie is very sound but Noelle seized that foundation and took advantage of it, using it to build her relationship with Susie. If Noelle had genuinely tried to approach Susie without using Kris as a crutch, I think I wouldn't be as opposed to Suselle. I have nothing against Suselle in general but the way it's been established at the expense of Kris and Susie's relationship is wrong in my eyes.

Hope you enjoy this take on the state of the ship. I'll be happy to discuss this further in the comments if you want. Thanks and have a good day everyone!

The school supply closet opened very quietly as Susie poked her nose out of the crack of the double doors leading inside, sniffing around for anyone living. It was Monday morning...EARLY but early enough that she wanted to try and catch Kris before they came into school. They looked a little down yesterday...distant even. She wasn't sure if Noelle joining their little "Fun Gang" was having the intended effect. Kris wouldn't say otherwise but they seemed...dodgy, irritated and just outright...mixed on the subject. Sighing, she shoved her hands in her pockets and made her way outside the school when she saw her intended target sitting on the sidewalk where their Mom usually parked.

"Oh sweet...you're early! Didn't even have to walk to your house!" Susie grinned, coming to sit down next to them.

Kris said nothing, instead looking down at the sidewalk. They were still dressed in the same clothes from yesterday. Susie put a hand on their shoulder, Kris moving it off with a quick shove taking Susie aback.

"K-Kris?..." Susie inquired, seeing bags in their eyes. "Did you stay out here all night long?"

Kris nodded, refusing to look her in the eyes. What she expected to be the start of a brand new day was turning to be a shitty day. Kris was pissed off.

"Dude, what the hell? Why didn't you go home?"

"Didn't feel like it." Kris answered simply, yawning.

"Well, why don't you come in? You can sleep in your bed before class and we can..."

"No." The human stood up, beginning to walk away from her when a firm dragon's hand grabbed Kris by the arm.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?!" Susie opened her mouth, getting upset.

Kris looked back this time, giving Susie a glare and then pulling their arm back...again.

"Figure it out." Kris shoved their hands in their pockets, beginning to walk down the street.

"I..." Susie breathed a sigh, hoping it wouldn't come to this. "Noelle. You're mad that I want to involve Noelle!"

Kris didn't respond but took that as a confirmation anyway, beginning to follow the human down the street.

"And why is that such a bad thing?! I told you why we need to involve her, Kris...why this can't just be us anymore!" Susie threw her arms up in annoyance.

Kris stopped in their tracks, falling to their knees and grasping at their chest. They were weak.

"K-Kris?..." Susie ran over but stopped just short as Kris raised their hand up, holding it outwards as it to indicate a stop.

"I'm fine." They whispered, getting back up to their feet but just barely.

"Answer my question Kris...don't stare at me, don't go quiet when I ask you a hard question--just, FOR ONCE....tell me." Susie begged them in a whisper. "Please Kris."

"Why?" Kris turned around, visibly upset and tears running down their face. "You want to know why?"

Susie went quiet, looking at Kris. They were sweating all over, bags under their eyes from not sleeping and their body visible with signs of decay. The kid did not look good at all and was visibly struggling to maintain their composure. They wiped their tears away, turning around again to leave Susie like she did to them last night when they felt their heart tear away when Susie stated it couldn't just be them anymore.

Then Susie began to speak, stopping the kid in their tracks once again.

"Y'know Kris, I think about that day we almost died and you jumped in to risk your life for me. No one ever did that for me...ever. Noelle...she was nice to me when no one else was. But you...you risked your life for me and we became friends. I've asked myself...was that real? Was this whole thing just a big drug overdose and we both still hate each other? I wake up and you're still right there, ready to get in the way of some asshole looking to run me over and stab me. You have me over your house--I asked you about the stupid festival. I asked you first because I thought that was all I was gonna get at best. I never thought Noelle and I would hit it off...not in a million years. And y'know what Kris...I could be HAPPY with you just being my friend or whatever you want me to be...as long as we kept it going. I was waiting...waiting for any sign...any hint...that you wanted to take this further. You...in Tenna's Dark World...pulled me in close and I thought..."this was it, they're gonna say something"...but you accused me of acting weird and we left it at that. I...gave up and decided I'd let you come to me when you were ready. But Kris...you never did."

Kris looked away and then looked down again, refusing to show Susie their tears, instead clenching their fists as tight as they could. They refused to say anything...not they didn't want to...but they COULDN'T. It pissed them off to no degree.

"What am I to you, Kris? Fuck Noelle...fuck all the other details...just tell me already."

Kris sniffed, wiping away additional tears that came down their face as they felt another presence come up behind them. Apparently, someone saw them sitting on the street all night. The neighbor cat watch.

"Kris. Apologies." Catti placed a gentle hand on them, Kris looking back in surprise to see Catti there. "Abandon you...I won't. Not anymore."

"Can't you see we're talking?" Susie looked aside, crossing her arms.

"Kris...Noelle...me...were a single tribe. You disrupt it further." Catti stood there, keeping a firm hand on Kris' shoulder.

"Oh, did I? I'm sorry you weren't able to say anything to MY girlfriend." Susie grinned, Kris looking away when she mentioned it.

"No. I didn't. But Kris...you hurt them. I don't know how or why...but your words about Noelle upset them. Kris won't say it but they...adore you. You are both of the dark."

"Um...what?" Susie pulled at her collar, not sure of the meaning was referring to Dark Worlds or something else.

"You...get along." Catti sighed. "Kris feels...isolated. Like...you don't want them anymore."

"K-Kris, you can't really feel...dude, tell me she's bullshitting! That she's full of crap!"

Kris merely shook their head in confirmation.

"B-But Kris--you--last night, I thought you understood--we--" Susie began to choke back tears of her own, realizing she had fucked up somewhere."I--WE--need Noelle, don't we? DON'T WE?"

With that, Susie fell to her knees beginning to cry. All the built up stress...knowing what was on her shoulders and now her friend...was upset and they just wouldn't say. They wouldn't--

Kris began to reach out to Susie but Catti grabbed Kris' right arm this time, shaking her head in silence.

"(Best to leave her be.)" Catti sighed. "(Come. We'll get hot chocolate.)"

Kris nodded, frowning but walking along with Catti as she wrapped a comforting arm around them. Kris had not intended for things to go this way but Kris couldn't hold it in any longer. They needed to say something but the words just wouldn't come. Thankfully, they weren't as alone as they thought.

"Kris." Catti stopped them, pulling them into a hug. "(I meant what I said yesterday. Sorry...so sorry...)

Kris, while reluctant at first, wrapped their arms around her in returned, burying their face into her shoulder, the smell of fresh catnip running up their nostrils. It wasn't Susie but it would have to do for now. After all, you cannot choose who you are in this world. You can only survive and make the best of it.

7:00 AM. Yet ANOTHER day for Noelle Holiday to face. Throwing off the covers to her bed, she didn't have to force herself up--her dream had come true. She was going to the festival with Susie!! She hadn't been asked directly though Noelle thought maybe she or maybe even Susie would ask--but it surprised her when Susie told her MOM, ice queen mayor herself....that she was taking her daughter to the festival!! Yawning and stretching out, she made her way to the bathroom.

"My hair....again." Noelle frowned, looking at herself in a sad state. She had to really shampoo this time. Sighing and undressing herself, Noelle walked into the shower stall turning on the shower head, letting the water flow. She stood there in that bathtub, thinking on things and what she told Susie the other day. They really got a chance to talk for once...it was nice. I mean, it was kinda awkward but Susie was just kinda awkward naturally and that was ok. Taking up the shampoo, she grabbed a bottle noting the "apple scent! all natural no dyes" mark on it--oh, the apple shampoo--she bought because she thought it might make her smell like apples and drive her away from...Kris. Kris.

"Kris." Noelle said their name out loud in the shower which wasn't unusual. Other than Susie, Kris was the only other person she really thought about constantly. She tried to bury her feelings but she couldn't deny them. She...didn't know how Kris felt about her. Did they even want to be friends anymore? Did her words about their history impact them at all? Kris was in the closet while her and Susie talked after all...they could hear every word...every HURTFUL word and she knew it.

As the steam rose and her fur and yellow hair became cleaner the harder she rubbed, she couldn't help but think about them more. Why was Kris acting so--social all of a sudden? Years ago...when...it...happened, Kris had grown distant from everyone, especially her. No reason stated, no malice communicated. One day, they were playing at her house and the next, she never saw them again outside of school. Even then, it was Kris mostly sleeping at their desk or her tutoring them on schoolwork. Kris kept it professional, never talked about anything other than schoolwork. Turning off the water, Noelle closed her eyes and clenched her fists.

"C'mon, you can move on Elly! Don't think about them today. You can't mess this up!" The doe's teeth chattered as soon as she got out of the shower and grabbed the nearest heavy towel meant for furred creatures for maximum warmth and water absorption. Only the finest for the Holidays Carol quoted.

"If it was up to Mom, we'd all wash ourselves in a public bath!!" Noelle laughed given her Mom's quiet obsession with otaku culture and Japan in general.

Noelle stopped laughing as she heard a knock at the door.

Mom.

"Honey, can you meet me in the kitchen? I just want to go over a few things today for the festival."

"Sure, Mom! Just gotta finish up!" Noelle yelled back with a nervous flare, quickly drying her body and plopping her fuzzy butt on the toilet, shaking. The "talk" from yesterday was more intense than usual..."How DARE you allow that...stranger to just touch December's things!! You don't even know her!!"

She was WRONG about Susie, Noelle thought. She didn't know her like she did...well, admittedly, she knew more about Susie than she did yesterday but not nearly as much as she did about Kris.

"Oop, too much chocolate from the convenience store again--sweet eggnog!!" Noelle grabbed the counter to her side. She would be a minute.

After answering nature's call and getting herself prettied up, Noelle rushed down the stairs into the kitchen where her Mom sat at the table sipping a hot cocoa. She was dressed in the same blue professional suit she always wore. The only thing different was the additional wrinkles in her face that had formed from the anger displayed at Susie's entrance into her home.

"Go on Noelle, it's getting cold." Carol motioned with her head, taking another sip.

Noelle hurried to a chair at the dining room table across from her, taking the cup and beginning to sip noting the green and red marshmallows melting in the cup.

"I know what you're going to say Mom and I..."

"Dear, just listen. I was angry yesterday...Angel forbid I can't help it sometimes. I know I frighten you and I never wanted that, my dear...it's just my nature to be controlling. My own parents couldn't help that because they lost control of everything for a good long time. I suppose they instilled that in me to a very dangerous degree. I just want you to know that everything I've been doing these past several years is to your and the Dreemurrs' benefit...to make us whole again."

"M-Mom, I don't see how..." Noelle began, expressing doubt in her words.

"Just let me finish. Your father is dying...he might not say it publicly but we both know he hasn't much time left. As much as I hate to say it, I think we have to accept the inevitable. That's not to say there isn't hope, Noelle but we'll keep fighting for him as long as we can."

"*sniff* O-Ok, Mom..." Noelle was suddenly assaulted by the negative feelings she thought of every time she went to the hospital, seeing her father in that hospital bed coughing up a lung every time he moved the wrong way.

Noting Noelle's response, Carol softened her stance and reached out, placing a hand on Noelle's looking at her softly.

"I am sorry, Noelle. I've been distant and harsh with you for far too long. We all have our vices and mine is too hard to bear at times. Unfortunately, you'll felt the brunt of it with me being gone, December missing and your father. Kris, I admit, has been helpful in getting me through this entire ordeal." Carol relayed, Noelle raising her head.

"Kris?! Since when was Kris..."

"Dear, Kris was not keeping their distance from you out of hatred or spite. It was guilt." Carol explained. "They came to me after the incident, crying into my lap and saying how it's their fault this happened. Being the mother, I am, I couldn't help but try and comfort them in their time of need. I embraced them and let them cry for a good long time, told them it was going to be all right."

"W--Why didn't you tell me this to begin with?! What happened?" Noelle stood up, abound with freshly baked anger.

"Sit down and I'll tell you." Carol got firm for a minute but in a gentle way, Noelle sitting down in a huff. "Kris...didn't want to hurt you like they thought they hurt December. They did want to help though, as much as they could. So me and Kris have been working in secret to find your sister. A lot of painful research, sleepless nights and more research..."

"W-wait, is that why Mr. Asgore has been around here every so often?"

"Partly and I am financially supporting his flower shop in exchange for any leads he might dig up for me in the meantime. I was...angry when I removed him from the force rather forcefully. Probably didn't help that he and Toriel were fighting constantly..."

"M-Mom...do you feel guilty for them divorcing? I know Kris couldn't have taken it very well when it happened."

"They didn't. When it officially happened, it was the only thing Kris could talk about for the last several days to me and their brother." Carol recalled. "I... just listened. There was nothing I could do in all my power to stop it just like your sister's disappearance. However, I could be there for them when Kris felt they could go to no one else."

"W-why wouldn't they just...talk to me?!" Noelle slammed her fists on the table, beginning to tear up. "WHY?! All these years, I thought they hated me...and all this time, the only person they hated was themself. We could've leaned on each other...all this time..."

"Noelle..." Carol got up, genuinely concerned for her daughter's well-being and placed both hands on her shoulders as she began to weep. "I did not wish to tell you this on such a festive day as today. I really did not. However, I could not as they say--do it anymore. I had to say something, especially after yesterday's incident. I don't want to feel you are trapped if your father passes away. Kris very much wants to be a part of your life but feels they aren't worthy of your friendship...or your love. I very much have tried to tell them otherwise, but they wouldn't budge. I doubt they've talked to anyone else. When you go the festival today...reach out to them. Talk to them, encourage them. That...Susie girl has somehow managed to become their friend, yes?"

"Fahaha, I didn't even think you cared to know her name..." Noelle looked up at her Mom with a small smile.

"Oh, believe me dear, as mayor I must be aware of all who exist within our little town." Carol pat her back. "Now give your Mom a hug."

The two embraced grey fuzz to brown fuzz, tears running down both their faces.

"M-Mom...you're...warm? It feels good." Noelle giggled while wiping her tears away, looking at her Mom with relief for once.

"Believe me dear, I've wanted to come out of the cold for a very long time. I was just too stubborn." Carol kept her arm tight around her sole remaining daughter. "N-Now...let's have a good festival, huh?"

"O-Ok, Mom!!" Noelle smiled, looking her old self for the first time in a long time.

"And dear, if you want to..."hang out" with your friend...Susie, I will not get in your way. Just no funny business, all right?" Carol became stern Mom again.

"We'll be in public, Mom! I think we'll be all right." Noelle giggled.

"Then run along. Remember what we talked about, okay?" Carol raised a single finger.

"Ok, bye Mom!!" Noelle ran off, all excited. Carol stood there, glancing upon the barely sipped hot cocoa her daughter failed to consume.

"And Mom? Thank you...I appreciate it." Noelle blew a kiss to her, Carol catching it in her hand and running off.

"(Better put that in a container for later.)" Carol noted, picking up the cocoa mug. "(That Kris is always on the hunt for barely used cocoa.)"

It was hard, Carol told herself. She had wanted to be honest with her family and friends but could not. She would not lose anyone else...she would not lose "control" like her parents did. She would freeze them all in place if she had to for their own good. That's why she felt only a partial release upon telling Noelle a part of the overall "truth". It was true that her and Kris were working together to "find" December. The only thing is...she was already found. It was the situation she was in that she was trying to deal with.

"Angel forgive me for what I must do." Carol stood at the sink. "Kris, Noelle...I am so sorry."

---

Outside in the brilliant fall air, Noelle skipped to the family gate for the first time in what felt forever. Kris didn't hate her!! Kris didn't hate her!! She was all excited when she noticed the two waiting outside her gate.

"Oh...hey guys!!" Noelle waved cheerfully, Kris and Susie waving back. They both look tired and ragged, Kris especially. How had she not noticed it before? Had she just written it off as them not getting enough sleep?

"S'up, Noelle?" Susie grinned, arm wrapped around Kris, Kris looking forlorn. "Ready to go with us?"

"U-Us?" Noelle grinned, sweat running down her face.

US?! US?! But she thought--wasn't it just--the--two of them? No, no...come back to Earth Noelle. What were you thinking--of course Kris would be going too. The two have been inseparable for the last few days....hanging out in the closet, touching...brooms?? Going to the diner....together. Having a sleepover...

"Well, yeah...who else?" Susie got confused. "What, you thought Nerdly was going to show up and try to swoon you to his side?"

"No no..." Noelle shook her head, trying to collect her thoughts. "I just thought...the way you announced it to my Mom...that it would just be...us."

"Oh." Susie rubbed the back of her head, feeling a little guilty as she twirl her hair in her fingers. "Um, well...to be honest, I kinda asked Kris about it and then that boy...Kris said yes naturally(in the weirdest way possible) and you know the other boy's response."

"Right." Noelle whispered, grabbing her arm in disappointment, Kris grimacing at the sight. "I suppose I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions faha."

"Hey, that's not to say we can't hang out on our own another time! I just wanted everyone to have a day to remember." Susie wrapped her other arm around Noelle with the other situated around Kris. "Y'know, just...have a fun, normal (NON dark world) day with my friends?"

Kris and Noelle looked at one another and then to Susie who looked forlorn herself. As if they knew what to do without looking, the two of them hugged Susie, who blushed immediately upon contact. She was initially resistant but given what happened at Kris' house the last night, she let them stay in the bear hug...for about ten seconds.

"OK, ENOUGH ALREADY!" Susie pushed both Kris and Noelle off to their butts, the two of them laughing. Noelle looked to Kris, who looked genuinely happy. What had she done to wake Kris up...it was amazing to say the least.

"All right, Susie...let's go with Kris to the festival!" Noelle cheered as Susie quickly help both of them up with two arms, Kris and Noelle dusting each other off.

"Okay!" Susie cheered, Kris forming a small smile as she said it. Waitaminute, were they--

It couldn't be. They...couldn't be...a thing, right? No no, Susie would've said.

"Noelle? You ok?" Susie waved a hand in front of her face. "You froze up for a minute."

"Oh! Sorry...I kinda did, fahaha." Noelle closed her eyes, emitting a nervous laugh that even concerned Kris she noticed. Kris...

Kris cared about her...Susie cared about her...

Why couldn't she have her cake and eat it too?

"Um, so...I noticed you guys weren't looking so good when I walked towards the gate?" Noelle quickly changed the subject so she could give herself some breathing room. "Anything happen?"

"Oh, nothin' much...just the local store owner/janitor dancing with Kris' Mom all night long." Susie rolled her eyes then looking to Kris who looked away in disgust.

"...what?" Noelle whispered. Toriel was the kindest soul she had ever known. Why would she...

"K-Kris, has this been going on for awhile?" Noelle came up to them, wrapping her arms around Kris' right. Kris didn't respond at first but then nodded in affirmation. "These late night...parties?"

"Surprised we didn't hear anything..." Noelle mused but figured she wouldn't given she has her headphones on most of the time, noise cancelling to drown out Berdley's livestreams and her Mom. "But Kris, that's awful! I know we haven't really talked that much...in a long time, but would you give me a chance? Please?"

"I...I don't want to burden you." Kris answered in a monotone voice.

"Kris, I don't care about the past! I just want you!" Noelle said, wide eyed as Kris and Susie looked at her with raised eyebrows. "Umm...that came out wrong????"

"What do you mean?" Susie walked up.

"Um, Susie...I..."

"Haha, oh my god...I knew that shit you spat out was bullshit." Susie laughed, slapping her belly. "Forced? C'mon girl."

"*spudder* Oh, give me a break here! It's complicated...WE'RE COMPLICATED!" Noelle stamped her hoof, Kris nodding in agreement at that statement and crossing their arms. "Kris...I just want you back in my life. So please...talk to me."

Susie sighed, shoving her hands into her pockets.

"LOOK. You guys have issues...I get it. Take a few minutes, walk...whatever. I'm gonna see if I can steal any ice cream from the janitor."

With that, Susie took off leaving the two of them alone...again. The both of them stared at her longingly and then back at each other, blushing and clasping their hands together.

"Fahaha! Don't copy me, Kris!" Noelle punched their shoulder. "It's not nice!"

Kris explained something about instinct and sugar plum does reacting to scary things.

"Oh Kris...I really missed you." The doe reached out, caressing their face. "Is it...really you?"

Kris told Noelle to close their eyes. She did so, hearing a bit of a gasp of pain and then felt something neatly shoved into her pocket.

"...Now it is. You can open them." Kris stated.

"It...your voice, you don't sound like you're on loudspeaker anymore." Noelle gazed at the human in amazement. "What did you shove in my pocket?"

"Don't touch it whatever you do...something that's kept me distracted, as it were." Kris sighed, glancing at the pocket. "Noelle...I don't know what a few minutes is gonna do to change..."

A single hard-tipped finger was placed upon the human's lips, silencing them in midspeak.

"Hush. Let's just start with the elephant in the room." Noelle began, encouraging Kris to sit on the sidewalk with her. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I...couldn't." Kris began. "When Dess disappeared, I was overwhelmed. I didn't know what to do, what to think. I just wanted to bury myself under the covers and not talk to anyone ever again. I would cry for hours at a time. Then finally, several days after it had happened...I went to your Mom."

"Y-Yeah, she told me...you cried into her knees and told her sorry over and over again. You...you never told anyone, did you?"

"I told your Mom what happened that day...I felt like she at the very least deserved it and whatever happened to me, whatever punishment needed to happen...I would accept it. Instead, she...just hugged me and told me to let it all out...like I was the victim." Kris began to sob themselves thinking about it. "But I wasn't--I wronged her! I...."

"Kris." Noelle wrapped an arm around them. "Kris, what happened to Dess...whatever happened...I know you would never hurt another soul intentionally. It's not in your nature. You're our Krismas!! My shining beacon of light, my Merry Krismas fahaha! To let yourself fester in guilt like that isn't healthy. I thought you hated me for the longest time. Hell, if you'd reach out and we'd stayed together, we'd both be talking to each other about Susie's tail!"

"...Yeah, you're right about that last part." Kris stifled a small laugh, the two of them laughing together for the first time in a long while.

The two went silent, just sitting there and allowing the leaves from the tree to blow off and fly past them. It was a wonderous sight to both, seeing time past them by as the both of them seemed to be anchored down by it out of choices made long ago. But...did it have to be that way? Couldn't they both take the wheel and help each other back to the right direction...have a future?

"Kris, whatever's in my pocket...will it blow up or something if I take it out?" Noelle asked.

"..." Kris was silent. "No but it will give you an idea."

"Tell me...do I want to know what's going on, what you're involved in with my Mom?" Noelle narrowed her gaze.

"You would but it'd probably freak you out. I wanted to protect you from it, for as long as possible. I realize now that it's unfair to blind you to the truth. You're your own person, just like anyone."

"...I get it now, I do Kris." Noelle closed her eyes again. "Take it out and put it back wherever it goes."

Kris sighed, reaching in gently and then slamming the soul back into place, restoring Kris to themselves.

"Kris, I'm gonna catch up to Susie. If you need a minute to collect yourself, take it. Me and Susie will be waiting for you...all right?" Noelle smiled.

Kris nodded, looking off in the distance as Noelle began to walk but then looked as she stopped, looking back earnestly.

"I...miss her a lot, y'know Kris? But, when I think about it...I think I missed you...most of all."

With that and a blush as bright as Rudolph's red nose tonight, Noelle took a flight as Kris sat there in disbelief at the statement. What was there to miss? The filthy, dirty sister taker...Kris Dreemurr began to bubble and curdle in the hot pot of guilt once again left to their own thoughts. What would have happened, should she have seen their soul? More questions? More accusations? What...

"The seeds of rebellion I sense...seeds that must be PLUCKED."

It was faint at first, the sharp pain in Kris' back but then it became apparent upon the sudden burst of pain as a black katana blade pressed through their lower body and was quickly pulled out. Looking back, Kris looked upon the face of Carol Holiday who looked upon them in guilt.

"Dess told me of what's transpired these last several days, how irritatingly close you've become with that dragon girl. I don't blame you in this regard. You've been denied companionship for the longest time...a life of your own...a FUTURE. I always told you the reason I do this, Kris. For some reason, you are wavering. Did I wrong you or did December? Tell me Kris." Carol held blade out to the side, red blood splattered across her face and blade. "Oh, I'm sorry...you're too busy bleeding out. Not to worry, you'll serve your purpose whether you want to or not. I've seen to that."

Kris crawled on the ground, bleeding heavily and gasping for air as they held on to the wound for dear life. Out of nowhere, the Knight floated to the ground looking at Kris in a look of surprise and then to Carol.

"Don't look at me like that. You knew what was coming." Carol reminded her.

The Knight's visor narrowed and then turned to Kris, who carefully picked Kris up into her arms and flew off hurriedly to bandage the wound to prevent further bleeding. As soon as they were gone, Carol dropped the katana and collapsed to the ground in shock, on her knees realizing what she'd done.

"Oh Angel, if there is a hell out there...please throw me into the flames. I do not deserve your mercy." Carol cried into her hands.

In the woods not too far away, Kris moaned as December placed Kris on the ground carefully and tended to their wounds raising a hand and unleashing the same purple energy she used to "pull in" Toriel except she was using to seal the wound this time.

"Hold my hand, it's gonna sting." December held out her right hand, Kris gripping it and closing their eyes as the energy hit the stab wound. Slowly but surely, the energy brought the skin back together, the human clenching their teeth in pain as Dess worked to heal her apprentice.

"W-Why did she..." Kris asked. "All this time, I...did everything she wanted."

"My Mom is batshit insane. What else do you want to know?" Dess's helmet came off, revealing her relatively normal face.

"What're...we gonna do?" Kris gasped as December completed her work.

"What you were gonna do to begin with...go to the festival. That little stunt back there was a "warning"...you don't want the full monty from her. Trust me. In the meantime, just...stick to the original plan. I'm gonna improvise."

"How???" Kris strained, looking at her.

"Dude, I'm not your friend Susie. I can't just will my way through this...but we certainly try, right?" Dess grinned.

"Y-Yeah..." Kris smiled.

"C'mere." Dess hugged Kris close, carefully. "Things are gonna be all right, somehow. Just go have some fun dude...even if you're in pain. The pain should numb in a few...just try and take it easy for now."

"O-ok..."

"Here...a new bloodless shirt. Can't have your friends asking questions, now can we?" Dess rolled her eyes.

"Y-Yeah." Kris admitted, catching the new green and yellow striped shirt. "December...am I worth it?"

"What, one hug wasn't enough for ya?" Dess laughed.

"N-No...I mean, do you think...I'm worth it for Noelle...for Susie?"

"..." Dess frowned. "Dude, I can tell you you're worth it and your friends can tell you but you gotta answer that for yourself."

With that, the Knight's visor came back on and saluted Kris, flying off in her ball form leaving Kris on the mend. Getting back up, Kris grunted and hobbled out of the woods to where they thought Noelle and Susie might be.

"There you are!" Susie waved to Kris, seeing them hobble to her and Noelle.

"Kris...we got you a fudgesicle!" Noelle giggled. "Did something happen?"

"No no...just gimme that fudgesicle." Kris quickly snatched it, placing it on their lower abdomen. "oooh, that feels better."

"What the hell, Kris? Did you get hurt in the few minutes we were separated?" Susie came to their side, concerned and lifting up their shirt slightly to see what Kris was trying to cool.

"Um, I..." Kris began, trying to hide the wound.

"Lemme look...GEEZ." Susie looked at the bruised part of Kris' belly where they had been stabbed. "Kris this looks horrible..."

"Susie is right, what in the cheese and crackers happened?!" Noelle poked her head in.

Suddenly, a familiar cold presence was felt on Kris' shoulder.

"They just took a nasty spill off the sidewalk when I took them by surprise...isn't that right, Kris?" Carol stood over them, unnerved by their unexpected presence, hand tightly on their right shoulder.

Kris merely nodded quickly in agreement.

"Mom? What're you doing here?" Noelle asked.

"You forgot your backpack, honey." Carol handed her bag to the girl who quickly nabbed it.

"Thanks...gosh, I would've felt like expired eggnog if I didn't remember it." Noelle remembered she had her phone in that bag.

"Have fun, honey...and Kris, don't forget about later on!" Carol grinned, Kris looking at them with a slight fear in their eyes. Noelle saw this, the same fear she felt from Carol. Why was Kris showing this same feeling? Noelle and Susie wrapped their arms around Kris who was glad to have Carol's hand off their body, walking them to the nearest bench.

"You wanna sit for a second?" Noelle whispered, Kris nodding in affirmation.

Both girls sat on either side of Kris of the bench, both concerned for their well being. As both girls wrapped their arms around their back, Kris began to shake uncontrollably. The act they had put on for so long began to crack and tears ran down their face.

"K-Kris?..." Noelle went quiet.

"Dude, you're leaking." Susie noted.

"I--I'm so sorry...so so sorry..."

Kris sobbed into their hands, Noelle and Susie looking upon Kris in pity. They don't know what had set them off but if it was anything, it was something their friends were there for them. They might not be worth of their love in their eyes...but Noelle and Susie were going to be there regardless. For Kris, that would be enough.

Author's Note: Welp, here we are again! Another chapter of Deltarune is on the verge of releasing. Decided to do another "What if?" style story prior to Chapter 5 this time. I hope you enjoyed and have fun with Chapter 5 everyone!!

Author's Note: Warning up front--this chapter deals with suicide. If you're squeaky about the subject, please be forewarned as this chapter deals with the matter. Thank you.

"Ah don't suppose this here suicide befits you, does it Cole?" Cole asked himself in a whisper, looking down at the ground at 5:30 AM in the morning.

He wanted to see the sun one last time before...this was crazy, he told himself but he had committed the night before. It was two weeks and CPS was coming for him, regardless of the protest his Mom might put up. Kanako and Ceroba had been extremely supportive, trying to spend as much time with him as possible. Regardless, he just couldn't get the notion that he'd leave all he knew for some...foster home with other humans and monsters that were unwanted. But here, despite Mr. Katsukane's protests, he was wanted...he was loved...he was needed. But they wanted to take that all away!

The door to the roof opened, his bluebird Momma Martlet gently pushing it open.

"Cole...I saw your note. Come down from there, please." Martlet began. "It's too early..."

"Momma, you know I can't do that." Cole faced forward, looking down to the ground below in fear.

"..."Martlet grew silent, unsure of how to proceed. "Y'know, when I first brought you home, you were so scared of everything! I wasn't sure what to do. But over time and with the Ketsukanes' help, you came to love me and this whole town. When you hugged me for the first time and told me "oh Momma I'm so sorry for hiding I won't do it again!"...I couldn't help but cry. Your biological parents put you through so much pain. You feel it even now, don't you?"

"A-Ah try not to think about them." Cole admitted, having mostly forgotten everything but the pain they inflicted on him from night to night.

"I--don't blame you." Martlet recalled the pictures she saw the day at the adoption agency.

"Momma, this isn't your fault...ah just can't live with going back to that...that place."

"But Cole...ending your life isn't the answer!!" Martlet stepped further, Cole beginning to shake in place as she got closer.

"AH KNOW THAT!!" Cole cried.

"Then why?!" Martlet stood there, shaking herself.

"I-It's the only way..." Cole sniffed, turning around to face his Momma only to see one more head peeking out from the door to the roof." 'Sides, Mr. Ketsukane won't be sad none...he'll be glad ah'm gone!!"

With that, another guest entered the fray.

"Yeah, my Dad can be a real jackass." Kanako came up on to the roof. "Hey Martlet, do you mind if I talk to my friend one last time before he goes?"

"...U-Um, sure." Martlet grabbed her right shoulder, uncomfortable. "I'll be right inside Cole for when you're ready to come back."

"A-Ah'm..."

"Don't complete that statement." Kanako walked right up to him, grabbing his jacket and glaring at him. "Blow that candle out...NOW."

"K-Kanako, how..." Cole was taken aback as her paws held firm to Cole's coat.

"Your Mom flew to my house and told me and my Mom, who I might remind you, is willing to drop anything and everything to come see you when you're in trouble!" Kanako growled, flashing her teeth. "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!"

"Ah lot. Ah've been thinking ah lot, Kanako." Cole closed their eyes.

"We could've talked about this!" Kanako let go of Cole, the two them trembling in their steps. "But you don't trust me enough!"

"You don't need my pain on your shoulders." Cole shot back gently. "Ah trust you with all my heart, Kanako but ah don't want my parents pain to transfer to you. No one deserves that...no one."

"Cole, you know there's so much I want to do with you...so many movies to see, so many places to travel, so many experiences...and the answer is to deny everyone your life??"

"CPS wants to take me away, Kanako! TAKE WHAT WE HAVE AWAY FROM US!!" Cole began to cry, having held back the feeling in his throat of wanting to cry in front of her. He was hoping he wouldn't have to face her. He accounted for Martlet but not her or even worse...he couldn't bear to disappoint her...Mrs. Ketsukane. Ceroba.

"So what, you think this is gonna solve anything?! They're gonna bring charges on Martlet if you go through with this...don't you know that?!"

"How?..."

"They were already gunning for her head this past year!" Kanako threw her arms up. "The visits to your house, the interrogations with my parents, everything!! And each time, my Mom was quick to deflect whatever negative bullcrap my Dad said about you because I know you're a good kid who loves his family and friends! Your Mom loves you and is trying her best!"

"A-At least, they don't get the pleasure of seeing my Momma cry when they take me away. I won't let them!!" Cole turned back around to face the ground, determined to jump. "Ah won't give those bastards the satisfaction."

"C-Cole, please..." Kanako reached out, seeing her friend was resolute in his conviction but shaking all the while doing it. "Please come back inside. We'll get through this! You don't have to--"

"Kanako, let me try now."

oh no.

"Cole, honey...turn around and face me...please, you owe me that much."

"Mrs. Ketsukane..." Cole trembled.

"After all this time, especially that other day...you didn't call me?" Ceroba, in her night robe, just stood solemn in appearance.

"Ah threw the phone out. Didn't want no distractions or temptations."

"They aren't distractions or temptations if you know that action is the right path." Ceroba walked right up behind him, placing two hands on Cole's shoulders. "Your heart is racing right now, isn't it? The very thought of facing me like this must be weighing on you the same way the very thought of you not in our lives is weighing upon us now."

"*sniff*" Cole began to break under the pressure. "A-Ah..."

"I'm not here to judge you, Cole. I promised you a long time ago that I wouldn't let anyone hurt you anymore. However, there's only so much I can do honey. The vile parents who left their mark on you still haunt you, don't they? Their "life lessons" of pain and guilt and shame cut your very soul and you have yet to heal from that. I get it. I still hear the shots from that crazed lunatic in my dreams, Cole. The CPS folks claim to want to help you but the only thing they're going to do is assign you a room number and leave to your own devices to ponder the very thoughts that brought up here to begin with."

"Then HOW?!" Cole turned around to face her finally, red in the face and the sun just beginning to come up. "HOW DO AH FACE ANOTHER DAY KNOWING I FAILED YOU AND MOMMA AND KANAKO....how???"

"Cole..." Ceroba began, eyes closed.

"N-No..." Cole collapsed to his butt, crying in his hands. "Ah know this was wrong, Momma...ah know this, I...I didn't want to do it."

"And you haven't." Ceroba hugged Cole close. "It takes a lot of courage to turn back after committing to an act like this."

"Oh Mom, why does Cole have to go through this??" Kanako came to their side, joining the hug, grateful to Kanako.

More fluff did help in Cole's case.

"Honey, only the Angel can answer that. For now though, why don't we all go inside...ok Cole?" Ceroba nudged his head with her snout.

"A-Ah--okay." Cole sniffed. "T-Thank you, all of you--ah...WWWhhoOA!" Cole's shoe slipped, causing him to fall backwards. "H-Help!!"

"COLE!!" Kanako and Ceroba reached out, Cole falling off the side.

In Kanako's mind, Cole's face began to fade...the fear of no longer being by his side everyday becoming prominent.

In Ceroba's mind, the body of Cole lay in place of Andus on the ground lifeless.

In his mind, Cole thought his whole life would flash before his very eyes in this moment. The only that flashed however was the brilliant sun in the distance and the outright fear of what came next once he hit the ground. Quick thinking, thankfully, was one of Martlet's better traits.

"GOTCHA!" Martlet caught the falling kid.

"Momma...MOMMA, I'M SO SORRY!! I DIDN'T MEAN IT, AH SLIPPED AND AH..." Cole buried his face in his Momma's feather chest, Martlet gently floating to the ground and rubbing her feather head against his face.

"Shh." Martlet held him close. "Shh, kid. It's all right, it's all right now..."

Cole just continued to sob into the protection of Martlet's chest as he was held in her protective bluebird wings. Quietly, Martlet brought the kid inside as Ceroba and Kanako came downstairs in a panic, relieved to see Cole okay.

"Thank the Angel!!" Ceroba and Kanako rushed to his side, Martlet gently putting Cole down on his feet and the three of them hugging the boy as tightly as possible to ensure he was still there. Kanako grabbed Cole's face in her hands, glancing upon it as much as she could to keep the image of him burned in her mind. Cole held still, letting the teary eyed fox girl stare at him in her panic with no resistance. After all, he had caused undue harm through his actions today. What he didn't realize in his effort to lift the weight of guilt he felt was that even greater weights would be cast upon all his loved ones. Seeing the fear in their eyes, Cole couldn't help just let them hold on to him for as long as possible.

"I see I came at the wrong time for an inspection." Curtis Tan walked in, seeing the gathering of monsters and lone human cuddled together.

"Don't you have anything in your head called TACT?!" Kanako yelled from the gathered party.

"(Kanako!)" Ceroba hissed, relunctantly removing herself from the hug to attend to the "distraction" as Cole put it."Mr. Tan."

"It's fine. I only need to speak to Miss Martlet for a few minutes, if that's all right?" Mr. Tan adjusted his tie upon seeing the hidden bow staff that Mrs. Ketsukane held in her hand.

"Martlet?" Ceroba looked over.

"I'll talk to him. Cole, why don't you stay outside with Ceroba and Kanako, all right?" Martlet bent down on two knees.

"But Mom, ah..."Cole begged.

"Please, Cole...I can handle this...person." Martlet grumbled, standing up and walking into the house with Mr. Tan rushing past.

"Okay, Momma." Cole agreed with no argument, left on their own as Kanako came to their side.

"Cole, I promise...I'm gonna spend as much time with you as possible, ok?" Kanako hugged them from behind. "Even if we have to say goodbye, I'm gonna make this memorable for what time..."

"Shh."Ceroba joined the hug from the front, bringing the combo of Cole and Kanako close with her mighty arms of love and protection. "Just take it in, Cole. We'll stay like this as long as you need."

---

Several hours later, Mr. Tan exited the home wiping the sweat from his forehead and walking hurriedly down the lane. He was NOT looking forward to that cactus lady again. Cole had been put down to bed, Kanako close by his side to make sure he didn't get any "fun ideas" again. Martlet sat at the table, tired and unable to think. It had been a heavy morning, Martlet not enjoying her usual coffee. Ceroba sat across from her, concerned but trying to be supportive.

"You hung in there pretty well." Ceroba smirked. "Actually gave him what for!"

"Heh, thanks Ceroba." Martlet took another sip, her cheeks puckering. "Dangit, can't even make my coffee right!!"

"Well, look at it this way...at least we still have our Cole in one piece." Ceroba smiled.

"T-That's a relief in itself!" Martlet sighed, looking up at the stairs. "I don't regret adopting him, not at all. I'll fight if I have to in order to keep him here."

"I'm sure me and Chujin could speak to Starlo and..."

"Ceroba, I appreciate the thought but I can handle this. Please." Martlet insisted.

"..." Ceroba sat up in her seat. "All right, I can see you've had enough for one day. Do you mind if I go up and see him?"

"Not at all, I'm sure he'll be glad to see you." Martlet closed her eyes, sipping her "vile" coffee.

Excusing herself, Ceroba made her way up the winding stairs and gently opened the door to Cole's room...Kanako and Cole were huddled together under the covers, Kanako hugging Cole close like a teddy bear, the both of them unconscious to the world. Ceroba looked over the two kids, smiling as she played with both Kanako and Cole's hair, sitting by their bed. There was only so much they could do for Martlet and Cole. Martlet meant the world to Chujin but for some reason...Cole just set him off in the wrong ways. Ceroba supposed Cole was her Martlet in a way. Whereas Chujin was impressed by Martlet's technical abilities, Ceroba was impressed by Cole's spirit...his willingness to forgive and take the plight of others upon himself. Maybe it was better this way.

"You were fine the other day. I...what could have sparked this sudden desire to end it?" Ceroba whispered. "I can feel it in the winds...something is amiss."

"Mom?" Kanako hummed, shifting her weight in bed and smacking her tongue up and down in her mouth.

"Go back to bed sleep, sweetie. Just thinking out loud."

Just outside the home, not too far away in the desert stood Mr. Tan, glancing upon the home with a disappointed look. He had not been as successful as he intended.

"I suppose I will need to abandon the identity of CPS Worker Mr. Tan...it has served it's purpose...for now." The man's skinned bubbled and then transformed into that of a shadowy figure with a dark hat and trenchcoat, obscured in an aura of darkness. "For THE OUTLAW is here to bring ruin upon all."

Fin?

So there are supposed to be 5 chapters to this game and we don't know a whole lot about this "Outlaw" that we're supposed to defeat. Unlike "The Knight", "The Outlaw" is seemingly a more mysterious antagonist. I honestly have no idea who it could be given what we know and that's ok. I'm going to go over in brief what we do and what the Knight could be.

-The first two Dark Worlds the Outlaw has created were in the School Supply Closet like in the original Deltarune and the second in Chujin's Workshop. These are two places connected to Cole and Kanako.

-The Outlaw seemingly appears in the opening of the game where we're wandering through the woods as a shadowed out character with a long trench coat and cowbot hat.

-Best guess is that it is someone connected to Cole's past. It would have to be someone we haven't been introduced to yet. While Chujin has been introduced as antagonistic towards Cole, he has been redeemed as of Chapter 2(normal route) so him as the Outlaw wouldn't make sense. He COULD be lying...the design of the Dark World was rather intricate and required someone in the house to make a hole in Kanako's floor. Regardless, I see Chujin's turnaround as legit and I would be disappointed if it WAS him.

-One of Cole's parents perhaps. They kept an eye on Cole from a distance and learned the details of his new life from afar and are now just deciding to strike. Given we've seen other humans in town besides Cole, it's certainly possible that a human Lightner IS the Outlaw.

-Ceroba Ketsukane. I can't discount her as a candidate but I find it very unlikely. She is very supportive of Cole and Kanako's relationship, defending Cole when Chujin argues with her about how vile humans are. She also tries to help Martlet whenever possible when it comes to her situation with Cole. If you mention bad dreams to her in the beginning of Chapter 2 as Cole, she is very supportive guessing Cole is fearful of leaving everything behind and says he can call or visit for support. She's definitely a good Momroba. :D

-Martlet. OK OK I know it's blasphemy to suggest this but again...we can't discount people associated with Cole. Martlet is someone under a WHOLE LOTTA STRESS and her/Cole enjoy watching them old cowboy movies together in their down time. What if Martlet is playing "Outlaw" to give Cole and Kanako an outlet to spend time together for what could possibly be their last week together? Deltarune is all about escapism after all and if anyone could use an escape from their problems, it's Cole and Martlet. I do NOT believe Mart is evil. Not in a million years. If anything, the Dark World have made Cole/Kanako a lot closer and turned Chujin's perspective around. So if Martlet's doing it to help Cole, then I'd say it's succeeding so far.

-Gizmo. Nah, he's a gamer cat plus he's too cute. ;P Um, maybe he's creating the Dark Fountains to get the ultimate Gamer Score and has teamed up with Berdly to make those Lightnerds suffer bawhaha...okay, I'll stop.

Who do you think it could be? Let me know in the comment section. ;o

The Knight's shadow loomed over an unconscious Kris and Ralsei as Susie stood her ground against the Knight, the black antlered dressed in nightmarish black armor floated above the group, sword out. Susie eyed Kris for a scant second to make sure they were okay, seeing a bit of blood running down their forehead. Their first fight with this thing was a joke...they all were defeated easily.

This was now the second real encounter they'd had with where an actual battle took place instead of a giant ass Titan being summoned. The Knight was playing with them...toying with them. Why? Did it find joy in torturing and tormenting them for the fun of it?

"THAT YOU ALL YOU GOT PUNK?!" Susie yelled out at it.

The Knight floated there, raising it's sword again, noting Susie's glance over at the kid.

"Y-you..." The Knight's voice, cracked yet feminine sounded out.

"(what?)" Susie began, surprised to hear her speak.

"You like them?" The Knight pointed her sword at Kris, Susie quickly moving in the way.

"What about it?!" Susie barked back.

"Answer the question." Twenty swords surrounded their secret ally. "You know I will not hesitate."

"...Kris." Susie looked back, grimacing and then looking at her. "So what if I do?!"

The Knight cackled in disbelief.

"WHAT'S SO FUNNY?!" Susie clenched her fists, the knight wagging a finger at Susie as the swords circling Kris began to spin.

"YOU?" The doe in black armor laughed. "Seriously...YOU...LIKE LIKE...KRIS DREEMURR?"

"You know that they have feelings for the doe you're conflicted about, right?!" The Knight laughed again. "Repressed feelings, buried deep down...but feelings."

"Y-Yeah..." A bead of sweat ran down her forehead. "I noticed."

"They perform one act of selflessness on your behalf and you cling to them like tin foil. How pathetic." The Knight glanced upon Kris. "If only you knew what was really going on...if only you could truly see."

"What the fuck are you going on about?!" Susie stayed put, a circle of swords beginning to surround her.

"They're USING you, dumbass! Oh sure, they feel guilty as hell doing it but it's necessary." The Knight grimaced, Susie throwing her ax at the Knight, the doe just barely dodging it and Susie jumping up in the air kicking out to where she'd think the Knight would dodge to finally CONNECTING and landing the doe on the ground.

"OOF!!" The Knight grunted, the swords disappearing. How the hell did she do that, Dess thought. Guess Gerson, even in death, has a few more surprises in his treasure chest. GOOD.

"DON'T TALK SHIT ABOUT KRIS." Susie pointed out to the Knight. "DON'T TALK SHIT ABOUT WHAT YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND."

"oh?" The Knight taunted Susie from the ground. "Why not ask them yourselves?"

With that, the Knight disappeared leaving behind Susie clueless and Kris just beginning to come to.

"Kris?" Susie ran to their side, reaching out her hand, Kris taking it and helping them up. "Are you ok? Do you need healing?"

"I...I heard what she said, Susie." Kris admitted.

"Yeah? But it's all bullshit, right?" Susie asked, sweat running down her forehead at the thought.

Kris remained silent, looking at the ground.

"Kris...?" Susie went silent, grabbing her head and turning around. "You too? Of all people, you TOO?!"

Kris sat there, ready to be thrown against a wall or picked up. But Susie just stood there, anger overcoming her.

"...y'know, I'm beginning to sense a pattern here." Susie sniffed, tears running down here face. "THIS WHOLE TOWN IS A FUCKING BUNCH OF LIARS. FIRST RALSEI, YOUR DRUNK MOM AND NOW YOU....you...WHYYY???"

Susie got on her knees, taking Kris' hands.

"LOOK AT ME GODAMNIT!" Susie begged them, Kris lifting their head only to see tears coming down their face.

"Susie...I promised!" Kris sniffed, tears flowing rapidly as they dared to look at Susie.

"You...promised?" Susie began.

"I promised. I promised..." Kris went on.

"OKAY ALREADY, YOU PROMISED WHAT?!" Susie grabbed Kris' shoulders, looking them square in the eyes. "JUST TELL ME...ok?"

"B-But I..."

"I don't care anymore Kris, I don't care...I care about you too much." Susie hugged them close. "I know you're messed up inside and you've carried that for so long. Why won't you just let me and Noelle in? Ever since we became friends, I've learned more and more about you...and the more I learn, the sadder I get...the more I want to help you. SO GODDAMNIT KRIS, LET ME HELP YOU!!"

"Susie...I want to but if I do..." Kris continued.

"Yeah?" Susie looked at Kris with hope.

"T-They'll kill you." Kris grabbed Susie, pushing her out of the way as a black sword went through their chest and lifted their very body up into the air.

"KRIS!!" Susie yelled as the Knight lifted them up.

"You just couldn't keep it in, could you?" The Knight growled, Kris' body quivering on the Knight's sword as she threw her helmet off in disgust.

"W-Wait...." Susie began. "Y-You're..."

"December Holiday, yeah BIG DUH dumbass." Dess held her sword firm in the air, tears running down her own face. "LOOK AT WHAT YOU MADE ME DO!!"

December threw Kris' body to the ground, Kris beginning to bleed out heavily as Susie ran to their side.

"K-KRIS!! HANG ON, KRIS!!" Susie stayed at their side, December floating down to the ground and to her knees, her sword dropping and body quivering at what she'd done. There really was no rebelling against the Prophecy was there?

"I-It's ok..." Kris coughed.

"You wanna save them?" Dess whispered, forming her messed up body into a ball.

"TELL ME HOW....RIGHT NOW." Susie looked at her, taking the bleeding human into her arms.

"Take their soul into your chest. It'll allow you to preserve their consciousness until I can fix their body."

"H-How...I...."

"S-Susie...take it." Kris whispered, soul in their hand. "P-Please."

"K-Kris, I...I don't know what's going on here but whatever. I...I'm going to save you. YOU BETTER BE TELLING THE TRUTH...." Susie growled and taking the red soul, slammed it into her chest.

A red aura overtook Susie, her head being filled with thoughts not her own. A whole lifetime of experiences overtook her own, battling her for control of her very own body. It was overwhelming but Susie focused, closing her eyes and upon opening them, felt a familiar presence...a warm one...within her. Her yellow eyes now a glowing red, Susie grinned with those awesome yellow teeth she liked to sport.

"Goddamn Krismas, it actually worked." Dess whispered.

"...Can't say I like it but I..understand now, Kris." Susie crossed her arms. "Now that you're in me...ground rules...NO PEEKING and just enjoy the ride, ok dumbass?"

O-ok.

"Good. Now let's go find that fountain." Susie unsheathed Kris' sword, holding it outwards as the red soul glew brightly in the middle of her chest. "WE'RE GONNA KICK US SOME TITAN BUTT."

Fin?

Author's Note: Just a sort of concept of how I think "love will find the girl". Susie will literally take the "culmination of one's being" aka Kris into them thus finding the love Kris has for her within Susie as Susie literally battles to save Kris somehow. The details are TBD but this is just a general outline of how I think it would go. Hope you enjoy it.

Chapter 4: Sometimes You Need A Second Opinion

Years later, Cole awoke in the middle of the night again, sweat drenched forehead in his own bed. He reached under his pillow, saw it was 3:30 am. It was that same nightmare again...he didn't really want to bother his mother again. She worked hard enough as it was and she really needed her sleep. Maybe...no, Kanako had enough on her mind.

It had to be her though he still hated having to call her as it is. He should be over this but it was bad enough putting all this extra guilt on everyone's shoulders. He quickly dialed the saved number in his phone putting it up to his ear.

"mmmm...Cole?" Ceroba answered the phone in whispers. "Honey, what's wrong?"

"Can we meet outside my house?" Cole whispered. "I'd talk to my Mom but..."

"no no, I get it...Cole, I'll be there. Just give me a few minutes." Ceroba yawned, the phone clicking.

Thank goodness for Mrs. Cats...Ketsukane. Cole always felt at ease around her for some reason. She'd know what to do. Getting up and putting on his brown leather jacket, he rushed down the stairs as quietly as he could so as to not disturb his Mom sleeping. Opening the door and quietly as possible closing it behind him, Cole sat on the dirt ground waiting for the vixen to arrive.

Soon enough, the tall vanilla furred fox monster with bright orange hair with a flashlight arrived at Martlet's, shining a light on Cole's face.

"I would've understood you sneaking in to see Kanako about this." Ceroba smiled. "But I'm kinda flattered you call me about these things after all this time..."

Cole scooted over as Ceroba sat down next to him, leaning against the door. Ceroba wrapped a friendly arm around him, pulling him in and placing another hand on his forehead.

"Hmm...raised temperature, dark red skin...this is the same dream again, you say?" Ceroba asked, glancing upon him in concern.

"Mmhmm." Cole nodded, it fresh in his mind. "I keep moving forward in an unknown forest and someone's calling out my name. This...unknown figure keeps appearing and I...I don't know who he is. I...just get so afraid. I freeze in place, I can't walk out of there...it's like I'm COMPELLED to go forward against my will and...and..."

"Cole..."Ceroba grabbed both shoulders, the kid's body beginning to shake uncontrollably. "This is really affecting your mental health. You really should talk to a doctor or your Mom about this. I know you told me to never tell Kanako but I..."

"Please." Cole raised his head, tears running down them. "I...I wouldn't feel right putting that guilt on her shoulders, especially after what happened."

"Cole." Ceroba closed her eyes. "My husband may dwell on the past but I do not. We both know the incident wasn't entirely your fault and you had no ill intent that day. Circumstances happened and people got hurt but what's important is that everyone was ok in the end. You and Kanako are still friends and your Mom and I still love you just as much as the day I met you."

"R-Really?" Cole sniffed.

"Of course, why do you think I'm coming out here at 3:30 in the morning to talk to you about your problems?" Ceroba booped his nose with a single finger. "You might be a teenager but that doesn't mean you don't need a hug!"

"A-a hair hug?" Cole whispered, hopeful that Ceroba would relent.

"Oh honey, you don't need to ask but I expect you not to tug." Ceroba undid her hair bow, letting down her hair and closing her eyes to magically guide her hair around Cole's body completely, picking his body up into her awaiting arms like a newborn almost effortlessly. It was rather amazing how much strength Ceroba and her daughter Kanako had instinctively but it was by nature. Almost by instinct, Cole fell asleep in the vixen's arms, Ceroba smiling at the sight. She couldn't help but always admire his innate trust in her.

"Even as a young adult, you're so *cute*." Ceroba wanted to pinch his cheeks but knew that wouldn't do. Quietly opening the door, Ceroba walked inside Martlet's house to find Martlet staring down the two of them in her nightrobe in concern.

"He called you again." Martlet said plainly.

"You know how he is, Mart." Ceroba replied eyes closed and rocked him in his sleep.

"Why doesn't he trust me to listen?" Martlet sighed, coming to her side. "At least he's out like a lightbulb...he's been really tired lately when I get home. We barely even talk."

"Martlet, he just doesn't want to worry you." Ceroba sat down upon the sofa next to Martlet's chair.

"I know, I know...he's seen those warning letters from the agency. They've been visiting the house when I'm not around and performing "routine inspections". They're threatening to take Cole away from me for neglect." Martlet looked at her. "I don't know what to do..."

"You don't neglect Cole, not at all!" Ceroba reassured her.

"No, you just pay more attention to him because I'm too busy working." Martlet pointed out. "Maybe they're right and I'm not suited for this."

"Martlet, get a hold of yourself!" Ceroba looked at the stirring Cole. "You have a very troubled kid who needs you...you're letting the stress get to you."

"One who had to call you because they didn't want to trouble me." Mart closed her eyes in shame. "I don't mean to trouble you further, Ceroba...but could you put them to bed and just watch them for a few minutes before leaving?"

"Of course." Ceroba smiled. "Get some rest yourself Martlet...you look exhausted."

"When am I not?" Martlet lowered her head. "I know we talked about that trip down south but I don't think I can get away..."

"Don't think about that, just...go rest." Ceroba stood up, beginning to walk towards the upper levels with her Cole in tow.

"...You're right, I will." Martlet said. "Thanks, Ceroba."

Ceroba grimaced, as she made her way down the hall to Cole's room. It was far simpler that Kanako's book filled room with the scattered VHS cowboy tapes. Starlo certainly had his influence on the young man, didn't he Ceroba giggled as she unwrapped Cole from his hair cocoon of safety and placed him in his bed gently.

"Mmm..." Cole began to stir again, sensing negative emotions now that he was out of her safe arms.

"Oh dear." Ceroba sat down next to the bed. "Might have to stay...."

Taking out her cell phone, Ceroba called her daughter Kanako.

"Kanako, sorry to wake you but Martlet needed me for an emergency...I'm staying the rest of the night at Mart's and then I'm gonna go straight to my errands. Tell your father for me, all right?"

"...Okay, Mom. Hope Cole is ok."

"...it's all right honey, we're all gonna get through this."

"I just wish Daddy wouldn't be...well, Daddy."

"You have no idea, sweetie...no idea." Ceroba admitted with a tone that sounded like she just stepped on a rock.

With that, Cole opened his eyes, surprised to find Mrs. Ketsukane there by his bed.

"Um..." Cole began.

"It's ok honey, slide over." Ceroba smirked, getting into the admittedly smaller than expected bed.

"I'm sorry, I really shouldn't..."

"Honey, what did I say?" Ceroba put a finger on his nose again.

"Don't worry about it and eat your corn chowder?" Cole thought back, feeling the familiar hair surround him again, allowing his body to get comfortable again.

"Partially." Ceroba grinned at the slight sass Cole displayed there. "AND???"

"...and I can come to you for anything, anytime I feel bad." Cole whispered, Ceroba kissing his forehead in response.

"(You're my kid just as much as Martlet's in my eyes, kiddo. We Mama foxes are very maternal and protective of our kind.)"

"But Mrs. Ketsukane, I'm..."

"(Shh.)" Cole placed a finger on his lips. "(What else have I told you?)"

"(Nonsense shall not be spoken in the presence of the great Mrs. Catsupconnie.)" Cole giggled, thinking back.

"(Exactly!)" Ceroba grinned, booping his nose again. "(I remember this bed being slightly bigger than it is the last time I came here and tried to get you to calm down when Mart hadn't come back home from a long shift. You were so scared that something might've happened to her...)"

"(Should've known they were keeping her for longer. They work her so hard...)" Cole rubbed his head into the hair/pillow combination, yawning. "(I really wish they wouldn't work her so hard...)"

"(If Chujin could hire her as an assistant, this would solve so many issues.)" Ceroba sighed. "(But money is tight.)"

"(It's ok, Mom#2.)" Cole fell asleep.

"(Haha...been awhile since I heard that one.)" Ceroba placed her snout upon the top of his head. "(sniff sniff...gunpowder? Oh dear...)"

Four hours later, the sun peeked it's way into the bedroom, forcing the unlikely pair to wake up from the brief respite. Ceroba stretched out, immediately unwrapping her hair from the gunpowder scented kid in her protective grasp.

"Cole, I don't mean to sound mean but...are you eating gunpowder again?" Ceroba inspected his hair out of habit, seeing black stains here and there she missed in the dark of the night.

"U-Um...yes?" Cole looked aside. "I'm sorry, I...it's a bad habit, I know but it puts me at ease when I'm nervous and..."

"It's not healthy, you know that." Ceroba chided him. "Please promise me you'll try and cut back."

"Y-Yes..."

"Where is your supply?" Ceroba stood up, looking around.

"U-Under the bed, top left corner."

Reaching under, she grabbed a burlap bag containing the material.

"Thank you for being honest with me, Cole. Now, c'mon...you're gonna help me with errands today. We'll get your mind off things." Ceroba smiled, dusting herself off. "Before that though, you're taking a shower and then I'll take one if Martlet doesn't mind."

"N-No, you're always welcome." Cole waved his hands. "You do so much for us already, we can't say no."

"It's no problem Cole, you're one of us." Ceroba gently lapped his forehead, Cole blushing at the motherly kiss. "No matter what anyone says."

"T-Thank ya." Cole pretended to tip his hat even though it wasn't there.

"Now let's get a move on...big day!" Ceroba cheered.

Living out in the desert had it's downsides and the heat was one of them. It was an especially sweltering day already and Cole brought plenty of water for the long walk ahead of them. Ceroba had to go to the market to pick up various items for later on at home and had decided to let Cole tag along with her. It was always nice spending time with Mrs. Ketsukane even though he wished he could get more time with his own Mom.

"That walking cactus is a road hazard, I swear....still picking the thorns out." Ceroba narrowed her eyes.

"Oh, found one." Cole noted, taking it out causing Ceroba to yelp. "Sorry!"

"No no, it needed to come out...thank you." Ceroba pet Cole on the head. "So tell me...how're things between you and Kanako these days?"

"...They're good. She really cares, Mrs. Ketsukane." Cole smiled to himself. "And I don't wanna fail her."

"You know how she feels, don't you? I've never seen my daughter look at anyone else so excited as the day she first laid eyes upon you, Cole. I don't want to be stereotypical and say you're soulmates but..."

"Haha, I can't disagree. Just wish she didn't hit me with those coloring books so much at the start though...."

"Well, can't say I liked the fact that she had you eating green crayons for a year." Ceroba sighed. "Me and Martlet had to wean you off that for awhile, haha."

"Y-Yeah, she did. Told me "SEE COLE, THIS COLOR IS FOR THE GRASS...YUMM, NO NO COLE NOT THE CRAYON..." Cole giggled.

"There you are!" Ceroba pinched Cole's left cheek. "I knew I'd bring out the real Cole after awhile!"

"Yeah, hard to find my way out of that gloomy gus." Cole rubbed the back of his head, Ceroba wrapping a friendly arm around him again in support.

"That's why I'm here, silly. To guide you back to the light out of gloomy gas station avenue." Ceroba eyed the slowly smiling Cole. "If I have to remind you fifty times, I will."

"Ah'm happy to listen fifty more, Mom#2." Cole smirked.

"Good, cuz' we're gonna talk about how you're doing in school!" Ceroba took out a notepad. "Dalv's been telling me about your...um, progress."

"You talked to Dalv?! Awww." Cole pulled his hat over his head.

"Cole, this is dissappointing. Falling asleep in class multiple times, getting behind on homework...Kanako's been making excuses for you but honey, if you're having this much trouble you come to me or Kanako. Or heck, Chujin if you dare! He might answer a question or two to get you to go away."

"I-It's not that I'm having trouble. It's just lately I--I can't focus. Mom's been working hard, these constant nightmares...I can't make left of right nowadays. Dalv's tried to help but I'm not sure he'd understand."

"Well, starting now you're having study sessions with me for an hour after school for the next week to help you get caught up. I'd make it a regular thing but you know how Chujin gets."

"Ah understand and thank you." Cole hugged the vixen from the side. "Ah mean it, ah don't know what ah'd do without..."

"Shhh." Ceroba stopped, bending down on her knees and hugging the kid tight. "I know things are a little tough right now. It's not like when you were 7 and we didn't have to worry about things involving the child protective services..."

*ahem*

"Hm?" Ceroba looked up from her hug, seeing a balding gentleman in a black suit and tie with black sunglasses looking upon the two of them.

"I apologize for interrupting but are you Martlet or know of her?" The man asked.

"Yes, she's a good friend of Chujin's and this child's mother." Ceroba held on to Cole tight, suspicious.

"I...see. If I didn't know any better, I'd swear you were this child's mother."

"She's Mom#2!!" Cole chided the man.

"Ah. My apologies...Mom#2, is it?" The man wrote a note in his notepad, neutral look on his face.

"I see you're with CPS." Ceroba acknowledged.

"Yes, my name is Curtis Tan and you're with the Ketsukanes who endorsed the adoption of this child you're holding so tightly on to?" The man dipped his sunglasses down, Cole hiding from the man's sight.

"Yes, yes I am. I'm Mrs. Ketsukane...a good friend of Martlet's."

"So where is the mother? She was supposed to meet me today."

"She didn't say anything about..."

"I...saw the letter. She didn't read it." Cole broke away gently from Ceroba's protective grasp. "I apologize...my Mom is trying her best!"

"That's not enough, son. Your mother is required to maintain contact with us on a regular basis and this is a breach of contract. I'm afraid you'll have to come with me." The man reached out with his hand, Ceroba immediately stepping in the man's way.

"What THE HELL do you think you're doing?" Ceroba looked at the man with a fire in her eyes that made him nervous.

"Taking the boy away for his own good. It's obvious he's an emotional wreck and needs a better environment where he can prosper. We've kept our eye on him. While you have done your best Mrs. Ketsukane, I'm afraid your efforts have been in vain."

"He's a KID...he's allowed to make mistakes and have problems, just like we all did growing up!"

"We have given that woman plenty of leeway. Her inability to maintain simple communication with us shows a failure to cooperate and act responsibly." The man stood his ground.

"Mr. Tan...while I consider myself a patient woman and kind all around do not mistake that for an inability to defend myself and those I love." Ceroba signaled Cole, who hid directly behind her kimono. "Taking Cole away from Martlet while she's not around is not only cowardly but is only going to cause Cole undue stress."

"I believe you're overreacting, Mrs. Ketsukane. This is for the child's best interests." Curtis stepped back, adjusting his tie and getting a little intimidated himself as Ceroba summoned her staff.

"Cole's best interests are with those who love him....those he knows....isn't that right, Cole?" Ceroba looked back, Cole peeking out from behind Mom#2 and nodding his head quickly before hiding again.

"...Fine. Don't think I can't be understanding. There will be a letter forthcoming via express mail. Good day to you both." The CPS man quickly walked in the opposite direction of town, quickly rushing away. Ceroba sighed, slightly annoyed she didn't get to use her staff.

"Wow, you really scared em' away!" Cole came out from hiding.

"They should know better than to mess with Mart's kid!" Ceroba hugged him tight again.

"You me you AND Mom's kid!" Cole laughed, wrapping his arms tight around the Fox Mom.

"Haha, that's right." Ceroba closed her eyes, enjoying the embrace and letting go though she didn't want to given what just happened. "Let's not speak of this to Martlet or Kanako for now, okay?"

"...Guess you're right." Cole agreed, taking Ceroba's hand as she held it out.

"Now c'mon, the day is still young!!" Ceroba cheered as the two made their way out into the world.

Chapter 3: Settling In

As does every day eventually end, night in the Ketsukane Household settled in. Chujin decided he was gonna work well into the night to try and ignore the presence of the "plague" that Martlet had beset upon their family home. Meanwhile, in the more festive bedroom upstairs, Ceroba, Cole, Kanako and Martlet were getting snuggled into their respective beds. Ceroba and Cole had the master bed that could fit three people and Martlet(who was still giggling like a school girl at the prospect of sleeping in a sleeping bag)/Kanako got their respective bell and ribbon themed sleep bags.

"These are beautiful, Ceroba!!" Martlet went starry eyed gazing upon the golden borders of the blue colored sleeping bag she was wrapped in. "I feel like I'm in Monster Scouts again!!"

"I'm glad you love it, Mart! This was going to be a birthday gift but I figured what the hell, right?" Ceroba grinned jokingly, Kanako having a pouty look on her face. "And what is your grumble, young lady?"

"Can't we all sleep on the bed and keep Cole company??" Kanako raised her arms.

"I'm afraid not, honey." Ceroba gently rocked the sleeping boy back and forth in her hair, having gently wrapped him up in it like a cocoon. "Cole needs to feel safe and know that this place is safe (even if certain elements of this household aren't helping...)."

"I--I wanna sleep in my bed!!" Kanako pounded the floor.

"Kanako..." Ceroba reminded her.

"OK, Mom..." Kanako stuck her tongue out, really fluffing her one giant pillow from her room. "I'll sleep with the giant bird."

"Aww, she called me giant bird!!" Martlet blushed.

"(It wasn't a compliment???)" Kanako looked at her Mom, who just told her to go with anyway.

"C'mon everyone, let's drift off. Big day tomorrow!" Ceroba smiled.

"oh yeah, the big trip!!" Martlet almost forgot. "OUR LUGGAGE!!"

"Martlet, I already had Chujin go back to your place. It's in the dining room, set aside." Ceroba reassured her.

"Oh--oh! Thank you again, Ceroba...I don't know where you get your reserves." Martlet looked aside.

"..." Ceroba frowned slightly. "Martlet, it's ok. We're all going to be ok...you're going to raise Cole just fine. We're all going to Disney World for a week and then flying back all relaxed and hopefully renewed."

"B-But what if I can't do this, Ceroba? What if Chujin is right and I'm bringing nothing but problems on your life..."

"Martlet...are far as I'm concerned, you AND Cole are members of this household and family helps family, right?" Ceroba winked.

"Y-Yeah!" Martlet sniffed.

With that, the three girls and sleeping boy settled into sleep world. The hours seemed to fly by in Kanako and Martlet's child and child-like minds as Ceroba held her little Cole close, snout resting on his head. Without fail however, Cole started to move ever so slightly in the warm embrace and woke up, eyes wide and in a sweat. He looked around, realizing he was in Mom#2's grip still. He breathed a sigh of relief, wanting so bad to go back to sleep but his mind wouldn't let him.

"Mmmm...bad dream?" Ceroba took her snout off, gently rubbing her eyes and running her tongue against the side of Cole's face.

"Y-Yeah...too many." Cole admitted.

"Wanna talk about them?" Ceroba whispered.

"N-No..." Cole shook their head.

"Ok. How about I talk about when I was...well, younger." Ceroba gently smiled.

"Y-You were...younger?" Cole got confused.

"Yep, I wasn't always Kanako's Mom or Mom#2!" Ceroba thought back. "I was in college at a mixed human/monster school and dating this rather cute human guy. Short cut, well mannered and well to do parents...just what my parents were looking for me to mingle with. But this guy...he didn't care about any of that. He really cared about me and my dreams...really wanted to take on my family name, regardless of the consequences. "You don't cast aside a last name like Kitari!" he boasted...I couldn't help but laugh but I loved that about him."

"W-What was his name?"

"Andus." Ceroba closed her eyes.

"So, why aren't you with him now?" Cole asked, totally into the story.

"He was shot." Ceroba said plainly with a hint of regret. "Thing is I wasn't even in class with him at the time. Some human lady student freaked out and decided to end herself and everyone there that day. Thing was, he didn't do anything wrong...he just happened to be in the line of fire that day. Chujin...back then, I want to say he was different but he had that same antagonism against humans. He was on a student council for banning humans from the school altogether. But then...he showed me his gentler side that day and I have to say, I feel in love with that Chujin...the one that showed me caring and understanding after such a terrible event."

"A-are you...ok? Y-You're cryin'..." Cole pointed out.

"Haha...it's ok, just bad memories." Ceroba sniffed, wiping her own tears away this time.

"S-So...you have a hurt like me?" Cole asked, twiddling his thumbs.

"That's right, honey! We all do, humans and monsters." Ceroba smiled at him. "What counts is that you don't let your hurt get the best of you."

"I--I try real hard, Missus Catsup...collie?" Cole butchered the name but was quickly forgiven with a hand wave. "B-but I get scared sometimes and...and the bad dreams come and I want to hide..."

"You do honey, you do...you can't give up. You got back up now who is going to love you, no matter what."

"T-Thank you, Momma!!" Cole hugged Ceroba's neck, Ceroba amazed at the arm strength of the little man in her grasp.

"E-easy there, honey...awww, I feel kinda bad but if you wanna call me Mom I'll take it but remember it's "Mom#2" when we're around your Mom, ok?" Ceroba winked.

"O-Ok!" Cole giggled, going red in the face all of a sudden.

"What's wrong?"

"Um..gotta use bathroom."

"Haha, oh dear..." Ceroba quickly unwrapped Cole, getting out of bed and taking him by the hand. "Come on...I'll show you where to go."

Throwing off the covers, Cole and Ceroba quickly got up. Cole quickly ran over to his slumbering Mom, hugging her sleeping bag covered body and kissing her forehead while she dreamt of butterflies. Ceroba smiled at the sight, wishing she remembered her camera this time and Cole quickly ran back over.

"Mama needs a hug every once and awhile...like me." Cole took Ceroba's hand. "Said it helps her forget the bad stuff."

"That's very good thinking." Ceroba noted. "Seems to work for you and Kanako!"

"She eat crayons, Missus Catsupcoonie?" Cole asked curious.

"W-Why do you ask?" Ceroba looked down, a bead of sweat running down her head looking to the drawer of half eaten Crayolas in the book.

"She smelled like green!" Cole revealed like it was a sudden revelation in great surprise.

"That's her favorite color to use." Ceroba giggled.

"Do they taste good?" Cole inquired.

"Can't say but I'm sure Kanako can tell you." Ceroba couldn't hold back her laughter.

"Did I say something funny?" Confusion hit Cole's head.

"No no...c'mon, let's hurry to the...'

*BAM*

"GODSDAMMIT THAT HURT"

Of all the timing...if anyone had bad timing today AND the next day, it was of course her beloved Chujin Ketsukane.

"Honey, not so loud please and what're you doing up?" Ceroba opened the door, Cole in her hand tight.

"Need to catch up." Chujin sucking on his pinky as he waved it back and forth.

"A-Are you...ok, Mister?" Cole asked politely.

"Y-Yes...I'm fine." Chujin sat back to his desk, not looking at the child. "Now, if you'll excuse--"

"I-I'm sorry!!" Cole cried out.

"C-Cole, honey..." Ceroba bent down on two knees.

"Sorry for what?" Chujin looked over at him.

"*sniff*...whatever I did, I'm sorry sir!!" Cole wiped his tears, the memories of earlier coming back. "I didn't mean to kick sir..."

A look of regret overcame Chujin's face, Ceroba looking at him earnestly.

"Y-You didn't hurt me, Cole." Chujin closed his eyes, looking at his work desk. "You don't have to apologize..."

"B-But what about what you said earlier?!" Cole sniffed. "Am I--am I..."

Chujin went silent, unable to answer that question.

"(Chujin!)" Ceroba hissed.

"Cole...I have a sorted history with humans. I'm sure my wife has told you as such. What I said earlier...that not necessarily apply to you. My wife is right...it was unfair for me to judge you based on one terrible experience." Chujin recalled the time."I apologize for my abrupt manner."

"R-really?" Cole began to form a small smile.

"Y-Yes. Let's just say I'll give you the benefit of the doubt." Chujin looked at Ceroba square in the face.

"O-Ok!!" Cole sniffed, wanting to hug him but Ceroba held him back.

"Honey, the bathroom is right over there...I'll be there in a minute."

"All right." Cole smiled at her, Ceroba pinching his cheek as he ran off happy.

"(That...must've taken you a lot of effort.)" Ceroba whispered.

"(Appearances, honey...appearances!)" Chujin hissed back. "(My feelings haven't changed, you know that and I know that. But for the sake of this family road trip and Martlet...I will ATTEMPT to hold back.)"

Sighing, Ceroba shrugged and decided to take it. She could take him faking it...at least Cole didn't have to feel bad anymore for the moment knowing "Mr. Castsupconnie" liked him again. Ceroba quickly made her way to the family toilet where Cole had politely closed the door.

"You ok in there honey?" Ceroba knocked on the door.

"U-um...can't reach the seat!"

"You want me to come in?"

"Y-Yes...please!"

Opening the door, Ceroba assisted Cole in doing his business and then quickly shuffled back to bed, Cole wrapped back up in a freshly made cocoon of her orange locks. Sighing in content, Cole drifted off to dreamland along with everyone else finally while Ceroba lay back in bed, contemplating her life choices. At heart, she felt like a single mother herself instead of happily married...two boys(one overgrown), two girls and she had to keep the peace. She wondered if Andus hadn't been shot, would she still be here to look after this troubled young man? In the end, even though the memory brought her grief, she had to cast that aside. Cole needed her and she was gonna be the best mentor she could be even if she wasn't his real Mom.

"(Don't worry, my sweet little Cole. I'm not going to let anyone hurt you...ever again. I promise.)" Ceroba ran a hand through the little boy's hair.

With that, the assembled party drifted off...including Cole, to the lands of beauty and grace in the mind within.

Chapter 2: KANAKO!!!

The wood planks of Kanako Ketsukane's room creaked back and forth as she ran back and forth in front of her bed, giggling and waving crayons here and there to get the shy little human to come out from underneath the bed.

"Oh c'mon, I just wana color!" Kanako yelled in jubilation.

Cole said nothing, hoping the rather active and rambunctious little fox child would simply go away long enough for him to escape his rather narrow prison filled with random "lost" stuffed animals and assorted books. Kanako huffed and puffed, crossing her arms and sitting on the ground in annoyance. Some friend!!

"Oh c'mon, you know I didn't mean to throw that book(s) at you! I said "thank fast!" didn't I?!" Kanako asked.

"...Too many times!!" Cole quickly yelled, rubbing his throbbing head.

"Aww c'mon Cole, I'm sorry!" Kanako got on her knees, looking underneath the bed.

"Go away!" Cole warned her.

"B-but I..." Kanako began.

"I don't wanna get hurt again!" Cole covered his face, shaking uncontrollably.

"C-Cole?" Kanako asked gently, realizing she went a little too far like her Mommy warned her about earlier.

"Please, just go!!" Cole cried, Kanako stopping her prancing.

So THAT'S what Mommy meant.

"What is all the racket?!" Chujin walked in, covered in black oil and wearing his standard work apron. "Honey, where is your new...friend?"

"Um...I scared him under the bed?" Kanako grinned, knowing she was in a LOT of trouble.

"You...did?" Chujin said, bending down and looking into the underside seeing a cowering human shivering uncontrollably. Chujin sighed, he knew the human had some baggage but he didn't realize it was quite this bad. Still, the human had to come out.

"H-Hey there...it's me, Cole...Mr. Ketsukane!"

"M-Mister Castsuploonie?" Cole sniffed, looking back.

"Kanako is sorry for whatever she did...RIGHT, honey?" Chujin looked back with a glare.

Kanako gave a quick thumbs up, sweat rolling her forehead.

"Right...anyway, come on out now, ok son?" Chujin grinned, reaching out with a "friendly" hand.

"NO!" Cole shouted, too terrified to face him.

"Son, come now...let's be reasonable..."

"I don't wanna get hurt!" Cole backed up, terrified.

"C-Cole, I promise you, I'm not going to hurt you." Chujin said. "So please, just come on out and we'll all have a Nice Cream..."

"nonnono!" Cole cried, grabbing one of Kanako's stuffed animals and forming into a ball.

"You're coming out of there, young man!!" Chujin tried to reach in and grab one of Cole's legs.

"nooo!!" Cole cried, beginning to kick in panic. "P-Please, don't..."

"Stop kicking!!" Chujin said, trying to get a solid grip.

"I-I'll be good, I promise...just don't..."

"W-What?" Chujin stopped himself.

"I'll be good...I'll trim the hedges, do the dishes...please just don't hit me!!!" Cole cried uncontrollably.

"H-Honey...I-I think we better leave your room." Chujin backed off, Kanako frowning in response.

"D-Did I...really hurt Cole?" Kanako began to cry herself.

"N-No sweetie." Chujin picked up his little girl."It's just you unintentionally reminded Cole of a bad time. He needs some space."

Quickly closing the door behind him, Chujin placed his little girl down on the ground and whisked her away down the stairs telling her to get some nice cream out. Chujin stayed by the door, putting his ear against the door hearing some sobbing within the room.

"(Oh geez, you really did it this time Chujin Ketsukane.)" Chujin hit his head, opening his eyes as soon as he heard the door opening.

"Momma Momma...come quick!" Kanako said excitedly.

"Kanako NO!" Chujin yelled down the stairs.

"I leave you with him for an HOUR." Ceroba marched up the stairs with an equally annoyed looking Martlet. "Put him in the room with Kanako and now you're both outside the room...where is he?"

Chujin stood there in silence as Ceroba gently put her ear to the room, hearing the child she welcomed into her home just hours ago quietly crying in her daughter's room. A look of distaste crossing her face, Ceroba walked up to Chujin demanding answers.

"(Look, look...it started with our daughter throwing one too many coloring books at him. He retreated under the bed because he had some sort of panic...)"

"Oh no..."Martlet gasped. "His old parents used to beat him senselessly. I--I don't know if I can...."

"Martlet, calm down." Ceroba came to her side, reassuring her. "You're going to be a fine mother but first, let Mom#2 back you up...again."

"Oh Ceroba, thank you...thank you so much!!" Martlet hugged her tight with her wings, Ceroba gladly hugging her back.

"As for you, you're with me." Ceroba grabbed his apron pulling him along.

"B-but honey--I--kinda contributed to his panic."

"..." Ceroba let go. "What did you do?"

"I...got impatient with him, tried to grab his legs and drag out from underneath the bed. He only got more frightened of me and Kanako."

Ceroba closed her eyes and grimaced, slapping her husband's face with her right hand and quickly walked into the room, quietly slamming the door in Chujin's face.

He quietly admitted to himself that he deserved that.

In the room, Ceroba quietly approached the bed, bending down on two knees and looking underneath the bed to see the frightened human.

"Y'know, I've heard of humans under the bed from my distant friend Mr. Holiday but this is kinda ridiculous!" Ceroba started gently.

"h-huh?"

"It's Mom#2." Ceroba sang.

"*sniff*" Cole wiped his tears away. "I-I'm sorry missus catsup..."

"shhhh." Ceroba gently whispered. "I'm sorry about my daughter. She gets a little too excited sometimes when it comes to new playmates. Kanako doesn't want to hurt you--"

"I-I know, I just got scared and I--I don't wanna get in trouble...."

"Honey, your old parents can't hurt you anymore. You have a new family with Martlet, me, Kanako and Chujin...people who love you!"

"M-Mister Catsupcoonie?" Cole whispered. "H-He..."

"He what honey?"

"I-I heard him downstairs...I didn't wanna make trouble..." Cole tried to hold back his tears. "W-Why...what did i..."

"Oh honey." Ceroba shook her head. "I-It's hard to explain. My husband had a bad experience with humans but that doesn't mean you're bad honey. Far from it."

"R-Really?" Cole inched closer to the light.

"Of course! Why, didn't you pay attention when I called you cute like 50 times?" Ceroba giggled.

"U-Um...yeah, I guess you did hehe." Cole giggled a bit.

"My husband forgets that it doesn't matter whether or not you're a human or monster...you have feelings and they were hurt today, huh?" Ceroba closed her eyes in dissapointment.

"Y-yeah..." Cole hucked, crawling out slowly from underneath the bed and standing before the kneeling Ceroba, who looked at him with nothing but compassion in her eyes.

"C'mere." A tear ran down Ceroba's face, Cole leaping into Mom#2's arms and them embracing tightly as if she were hugging her own daughter. Ceroba felt as if she were adopting this child part time. Cole cried into her kimono heavily, Martlet opening the door and coming to Ceroba's side and joining the hug.

"I-I'm so sorry Cole, I should've been here too!!" Martlet joined the cryfest.

"M-Momma, n-no...I---"

"Shh, you two. Just enjoy the hug, ok?" Ceroba smiled, tightening her grip. After a few minutes of family bonding (literally), Kanako peeked her head in the room looking directly at Cole who shook a little in response.

"U-Um...can I come in, Cole?"

"S-Sure." Cole hugged Ceroba's leg tight almost out of instinct.

"C-Cole...*huck*, I-I'm sorry!! I didn't wana hurt you, I just...just want to be a good friend!" Kanako got teary eyed. "I didn't mean it, honest!!"

"I--I know. I believe you." Cole smiled, Kanako running to Cole and hugging him tight, Cole returning the hug, finding it nice.

"Aww." Martlet forgot she wanted to get a picture when she noted Ceroba was already ten steps ahead of her, taking the perfect shot with her handy "kimono kamera!"...name pending trademark.

"You smell like crayons!" Cole remarked at Kanako, reeling back and sniffling his nose.

"Well, you smell like dusty old bed!" Kanako argued, the two of them breaking the embrace.

"Hehe, now they're arguing like friends!" Ceroba laughed, letting her hair down after a long day. "At least we're making progress."

*creak*

Cole looked up, seeing the smiling grin of Chujin Ketsukane holding a nice cream bar and holding it out to Cole. Backing up in panic, Cole looked around and noted Ceroba's hair which he jumped into out of panic.

"H-Honey?" Ceroba was confused.

"I-I'm sorry, please!!..." Cole cried from his hair hideaway.

Sighing in contempt, Ceroba glared at her husband who got the hint and walked out of the room, the door slamming behind him.

"Hey, you're in my favorite hiding spot!!" Kanako stamped her feet.

"Not now Kanako!!" Martlet and Ceroba hissed, Kanako silencing herself. Ceroba picked up her rather long volume of furry extensions, bringing Cole into her arms.

"Hey there." Ceroba booped his nose.

"S-Sorry." Cole said, fresh tears on his face.

"It's ok Cole. You don't have to apologize." Ceroba cooed him, letting him get comfortable in her head fur. "You like Kanako's hiding place, huh?"

"Y-Yeah...smells like flowers." Cole blushed.

"Thank you!" Ceroba smirked. "Only use all natural herbs and spices."

"(Guess I better grow out my hair...)" Martlet took notes, getting out a little notepad with "Cole Tips N' Tricks" on it.

"You wanna spend the night with me, your Mom#2?" Ceroba sang, gently rocking her favorite little human back and forth.

"S-Sure...what about Mister Catsupconnie?" Cole got nervous.

"Don't worry honey, I have an answer to that." Ceroba sang. "Why don't you just get comfortable in my arms and hair, ok? It'll be like a slumber party!"

"A-All right." Cole sniffed, Kanako crying a little bit at the sight herself.

"D-Does that mean I have to sleep in a sleeping bag?" Kanako mused.

"Yep! Martlet too!"

"Yayy!!" Martlet threw her wings in the air.

"But the floor is too hard!!" Kanako complained.

"Sleeping bags WOOOOO!" Martlet got too excited, Ceroba and Cole looking at one another in confusion and then giggling.

While Kanako and Martlet got excited, Ceroba took Cole aside holding the hapless human in her arms and gently whispered into his ear.

"(If you ever feel out of sorts and the world is falling out of place, I'll be right here. You can hide in my hair anytime you want, for however long you want. We all need to cry sometimes Cole...some more than others.)" Ceroba smiled, gently kissing his cheeks and licking it.

A wave of warmth passed through Cole's body as his eyes finally allowed him to fall unconscious in Ceroba's grip, Ceroba properly wrapping him in her orange fur so it wouldn't tug when she went to sleep.

"Why don't you two get things ready? I'm going to talk to my husband for a minute."

Martlet and Kanako nodded, running down the stairs while Chujin stood there holding the melting Nice Cream in his paws.

"H-Honey, this isn't fair--I just wanted to make up." Chujin whispered.

"You shouldn't have resorted to pulling at his legs to begin with!" Ceroba hissed. "You know his background...you've read through the files enough before me and Martlet left!"

"It IS not fair, I was trying and the human got scared and I..."

"Not fair....Chujin Ketsukane, I've put up with a lot today but your continued denial of this child's well-being has gone on long enough. You know I was considering adopting him myself but I KNEW you would make a scene and make his life miserable. I can settle for being Mom#2 and Martlet giving her honest to goodness effort. At least she's TRYING...but walking in after you just scared the child half to death was moronic!" Ceroba continued, Cole shifting his weight in her arms in an effort to get comfortable.

"M-Moronic...the only moronic choice was the one my apprentice knowingly made bringing that...." Chujin stopped himself, cowering as soon as Ceroba raised another hand threatening another slap.

"Sleep in the kitchen...for the next THREE WEEKS or whenever I feel like tolerating you again...love." Ceroba walked away. Chujin sat on the ground, feeling isolated in his own home.

That human. The only thing that could come into Chujin's head despite his better nature was hatred. This...human...only brought trouble. Why did she show so much love to this...thing? This bastard of people who were even worse than this child? He was no better, Chujin thought. He just had to prove it somehow...make Martlet reconsider somehow. How would he possibly do it?...

Chapter 1: Meeting The Ketsukanes

It was another day in the workshop for Chujin Ketsukane. He was working on another radio...people in this town were apt to break them lately. They were relatively easy to fix but he was hoping one day someone would walk in an actual...well, challenge.

"Ah, it's steady work." Chujin drunk his coffee, wiping the sweat off his purple furred forehead. The door creaked open, his vanilla furred fox wife Ceroba peeking in.

"Dear, Martlet's visiting today with her new child!" Ceroba cheered, excited to see who she brought into her family.

"Oh, that's right!" Chujin put down his goggles. "Well, best we better make them feel as welcome as possible. Who knows, maybe they'll be interested in machines like Kanako."

"I think Martlet adopted a little boy if memory serves." Ceroba mused. "Anyway, I'll be out wai--oh, they're here!"

With a knock at the door, Ceroba hurried to the door which Kanako tried to beat her Mommy to but Ceroba told her to restraint herself.

"Kanako...honey, I know you're excited to meet your new friend but this child has had a tough time so we need to be as respectful as possible, ok?" Ceroba leaned down, Kanako nodded her head up and down like a small puppy wagging it's tail in quick succession.

"Don't worry Mom, you can count on me!!" Kanako saluted.

"Oh, I have no doubt..." Ceroba rolled her eyes, half expecting disaster. "Why don't you go up to your room and wait?"

"Do I HAFTA?" Kanako stamped her feet.

"Yes." Ceroba glared, Kanako gulping and quickly running up the stairs to her room. Sighing, she quickly made her way to the door realizing she was still dressed in her bathrobe.

It was Martlet, she wouldn't mind...hopefully, neither would the little kid. Opening the door, Martlet waved hi as did the little kid with a shy grin, sweat running down their forehead.

"(Just like we practiced, Cole!)" Martlet whispered.

"u-um, hi...M-M-Missus Catsupcoodie!" Cole quickly shouted before hiding behind Martlet's legs.

Ceroba laughed, half at the butchering of her name but at how...CUTE he was. It was a little human boy...7 years old, with jean shorts, a white shirt with a yellow heart and short brown hair.

"Why, hello there." Ceroba bent down on one knee, peeking behind Martlet's legs and shivering in fear. "My name is Ceroba. What is yours?"

"I--I'm Cole." The kid answered meekly, peeking out from behind the bird woman's legs.

"That's a nice name!" Ceroba smiled warmly, closing her eyes and holding out a friendly hand. "Here we greet one another with a friendly hand shake."

"O-Oh...ok." Cole grew a little braver, reaching out with his tiny hand and Ceroba gently clasping it. "Y-You're fuzzy."

"Really? That's an interesting observation!" Ceroba smiled. "We fox monsters are all fuzzy...you wanna see?"

"Uh..." Ceroba let go, Cole coming out from behind Martlet. "S-Sure."

Walking up to Ceroba cautiously, the Fox Mom gently dipped her snout to Cole's level so he could feel. He reached out with his small right hand, running it against the velvety like surface. Cole's eyes bulged out in amazement, Martlet smiling and clasping her wings together. If anything, Ceroba was a miracle worker.

"Wanna come up and see my house? I have someone your age who is excited to be your friend!" Ceroba opened her eyes.

"Y-Yeah!!" Cole said excitedly, Ceroba gently picking the little human up into her arms and Cole hugging her neck, feeling right at home.

"(T-Thank you, Ceroba! It tooks me hours to get him out from under his new bed this morning...)" Martlet admitted, Ceroba patting Cole's back and cooing him like she would Kanako.

"It's quite all right, Martlet. You just gotta let them know they're safe." Ceroba smiled, nuzzling Cole's neck, a wave of warmth running through him.

"A-Are you a Mom too?" Cole whispered to Ceroba.

"Yep, I have a little girl!" Ceroba carried Cole into the house, Chujin coming out to greet the gathered party. Chujin stopped in his tracks, noticing the little boy in his wife's arms.

"H-Hi, Mr. Catsupcoonie!!" Cole said, closing his eyes and hiding his face in Ceroba's hair.

"H-Hi there."Chujin grinned nervously, immediately coming to Martlet's side. "(Martlet, a word please.)"

"Chujin?" Ceroba bopped Cole up and down playfully.

"Just need to talk to my apprentice...real quick." Chujin said.

"It's ok Ceroba. Will you be ok with Ceroba for a minute, honey?" Martlet smiled.

"umm...yeah, I'm ok with Mom#2!" Cole grinned, hugging her neck again.

"Ooof!" Ceroba giggled, bopping his nose with a finger. "Awww...Mom#2!! YOU'RE SO CUTE!!!"

"Hehe." Cole giggled.

Taking Martlet by the wing into his workshop and closing the door, Chujin pointed at his work chair and Martlet sat down like her father was talking down to her.

"Um, what's wrong?"

"What are you thinking...a HUMAN?!" Chujin raised his arms.

"I-I know your aversion to them, Chujin but Cole has no one else in the world. He's been in that adoption agency with no one even giving him a second glance. He looked so...needy I couldn't say no. When he saw that I was gonna be his new Mom, the smile that crossed his face...oh Chujin you should've seen it!!"

"They all act that way at first then they take you for all you're worth! He can't be trusted!!" Chujin threw his arms up in the air in a tirade.

"B-But Chujin, Cole isn't like that...if you just gave him a chance, I'm sure..."

"Absolutely NOT! I don't want that...thing coming around here, am I understood?" Chujin crossed his arms.

"CHUJIN KETSUKANE." Ceroba kicked the door open. "You are GODDAMN LUCKY Cole didn't hear any of that VILE CRAP."

"B-But dear, you know...."

"I know you had a bad experience with humans but that doesn't give you the right to condemn a seven year old you've hardly even met! Cole lost his parents a year ago and has no one! I am not going to tolerate your blatant racism against a CHILD. You are going to be friendly even if you have to fake it...AM I UNDERSTOOD?"

"..." Chujin clenched his fists, looking up at his wife. "Y-Yes...dear."

"Good. Besides, I'm officially Mom#2 so I gotta live up to the hype." Ceroba winked at Martlet, who giggled in response.

"M-Mom--s??" Cole peeked into the shop.

"(Give him a chance already!)" Martlet elbowed Chujin, who grimaced at Martlet.

"(I swear Martlet, if it weren't you I'd...gah." Chujin quickly put on a friendly smile. "H-Hey there, little guy!"

"Mister, is this your shop?!" Cole looked around in amazement at all the spare parts laying around.

"Y-Yeah...it is!" Chujin appreciated the actual interest. Most just patiently waited outside for their repairs instead of coming into his shop to talk repairs.

"I--It's AMAZING!!" Cole couldn't help but stare in awe.

"W-Why, thank you Cole." Chujin noted, quickly sitting down in his chair. "Well, gotta get back to it! If you'll all excuse me."

"But dear, you told you'd take today off." Ceroba frowned.

"Ceroba, I'm sorry...it can't be helped." Chujin put on his goggles. Cole looked down, wondering if they'd done something wrong. Ceroba quickly came to the child's side, picking them up into her arms.

"C'mon dear, I'll show you my family recipe for corn chowder." Ceroba smiled, quickly taking Cole out of the shop.

Martlet slowly walked out of the room, looking back at the busy Chujin who went back to his work in tandem.

"(oh Chujin...of all people, I thought you'd understand.)