-Balance Castle Small Dining Room-

Bane didn't know what he was expecting this morning, but this wasn't it. It wasn't the breakfast served buffet style, or the half asleep Sanses that surprised him. It wasn't even the relatively subdued Papyruses. No it was the kid sitting at the table and arguing with himself about breakfast.

"Bru I want pop tarts. No we are not eating that flavorless trash we will end up with a sugar headache again. Lucky Charms cereal! Oatmeal or the granola made here. How many times do I have to tell you if we are eating it won't be trash!" Fresh 404 ended up stubbornly sitting there arms folded glaring at the table with one of Fresh's tentacles squirming out of his right socket.

Static watched the drama while getting a pancake with chocolate syrup before shaking his head and sitting down.

Bane sighs, getting two bowls of oatmeal and adding a swirl of cream to each followed by fruit, nuts, and honey. "404 is right he probably takes after Nightmare. We were originally nature spirits. Large amounts of refined sugar can cause migraines among other problems." Grinning, he sets one of the bowls in front of Fresh 404 before sitting with Static.

Having gotten used to the morning arguments everyone gives Bane startled looks.

"Is that why they are always fighting about sugar?" Edge leans on the table having turned his attention from his sausage and bacon to Bane.

"How would I know? I know nothing about Fresh's dietary needs and limits. I don't even know if Nightmare and Dream are the same as Solar and I." Bane stirs the fruit, honey, nuts, and cream into his oatmeal and starts eating.

"yOu dOn'T eAT mUcH reD mEaT EiTHer." Static tilted his head watching Bane while eating his pancake.

Fresh 404 stirred his oatmeal following Bane's lead as Fresh settled down and pulled his tentacle in. "Agnis is good about keeping red meats from being too greasy and using lots of vegetables but red meat doesn't set great with us either. Fish, seafood, and poultry are good though."

Edge frowns looking at Fresh 404, "you know I don't think I have ever heard of different AU having different dietary needs. Sure we all like different stuff like Classic and any AU that split directly from UnderTale having a thing for ketchup, and me liking mustard. But never heard of some foods being hard on any skeleton before."

Dream keeps his sockets closed listening to the conversation, he had always worried why he had trouble with some foods.

"Edge dad and Dream are not exactly normal skeleton monsters. An avatar of Feelings named Nim was the original guardian of the tree of feelings, she was mortally wounded in that duty. She had to fuse with the tree to keep it from dying. Before she did she used the trees energy to form Dream and Nightmare. She first tried to put them in human vessels but they couldn't contain the magic and burst. Running out of time she searched the multiverse for a form that could contain the magic. What she found was a Sans. We are not sure which one but likely a swap because Dream and Nightmare both had high stamina, but unlike swaps dad was tall like mom. On the other hand Dream is about the same height as Razz who is about average for a swap so maybe." Fresh 404 shrugs, "anyway during the apple incident Dream and Nightmare both moved from being nature spirits to having souls becoming fully bonded to their forms. That is how they survived without the tree and took its place in the balance of positive and negative. So in that sense they are closer to skeleton dryads."

"Huh skeletons can eat anything that has magic, even metal so long as there is some magic. Is how Peace and I lasted longer than others without resorting to less pleasant options. Also let us stock up on something no one else would steal or fight for because they couldn't eat it." Hatchet and Peace both concentrated on their oatmeal.

Rose hums having pancakes and sausages. "That is an interesting point. I wonder if anyone has ever bothered looking into the differences in things like diet from different AU and why they might exist. I have noticed that Edge has shown a preference for meat."

Edge shrugs, "meat doesn't get stuck in my teeth like stringy vegetables do it also sparks my magic better. Though Fell's lasagna is the best, a perfect combination of easy to eat, meat, cheese, and carbohydrates. It even teased good sometimes." Edge slumped a little the talk about his brother's cooking making him depressed.

Doc puts an arm around Edge, "hey didn't you say he was a civil at the last meeting maybe you guys can hang out sometime soon."

Edge leans against Doc for a minute before straightening up. "Ya things are getting better."

Powder gently moves Dream to the chair next to him, getting up to fill two plates with croissants, fruit, yogurt, and honey. Returning to the table he sets the plates down and gently nudges Dream. "Come on time to wake up, I can tell you are more than halfway there already."

Dream pouts not opening his sockets, "I don't want to. I want to cuddle and sleep instead."

"Uncle Dream eat your breakfast and take the day off. We can not promise Powder or Rose will be free to cuddle but we am sure a few of the bitties who are still healing can keep you company." Fresh 404 looks at the bitties who are decimating a mountain of coin sized pancakes along with other breakfast foods and got several hands raised to volunteer.

Dream reluctantly opens his sockets and sets up. "What are Powder and Rose doing today?"

"As the council have not provided any helpful suggestions on what to do about DustTale #3 and it's very important medical spring we have decided to annex it. We will cut away and delete any unused surface codes that don't affect the spring and add it to this AU as we don't have an underground. Powder will force the brat to reset integrating the codes. Then instead of dusting everyone like he normally does after a reset. We will set a trap and capture the final fallen before they would even meet Flowey. We will remove their ability to reset and collect their soul and the barrier will be broken allowing the underground to fully join this AU. Asgore can be a Duke and be in charge of his people. It will be a challenge at first but it was the best solution we could come up with for preservation of the spring while making access to it safe." Fresh 404 grins at the stunned looks he was getting.

Suddenly Rose whoops with joy and jumps from his chair to try and hug Fresh 404 only to be caught in a web of rainbow strings.

Powder chuckles standing to untangle Rose. "Ask first, remember bro. sudden touch is not good for him."

Rose flushes and shuffles his feet, "sorry Fresh 404 I got excited and forgot."

"We know Rose, you are just excited that there is a chance to help your friends." Fresh 404 poofed the web and held out his arms letting Rose get his hug. While Rose hugs him tight, sniffling Fresh 404 lifts one arm inviting Powder into the hug.

Powder dived into the hug squeezing Fresh 404 and Rose tight. "Thanks Freshy for giving our friends a chance."

"Shh bru it is okay." Fresh 404 let's Rose pick them both up spinning around. Eventually he stopped them with another web. Fresh 404 eventually extracted himself from the hug and sat back down to finish his breakfast.

Bane watched the whole thing with a slightly confused frown. "What important medical spring?"

Dream smiles straightening in his chair, "There is a hot spring hidden in DustTale #3's Waterfall, which is a highly effective treatment for magic depletion. There really are not that many safe effective treatments. Fresh 404 needs to change Powder and Rose's AU codes to DustTale #0 soon because it resets so often, but he has been trying to find a way to preserve the medical spring and make it safely accessible."

Powder wipes his sockets and sets back down to eat. "Never thought it would be possible to save more than Rose and the spring."

"Don't count too heavily on this. We have learned battle plans rarely last past the first engagement. The first phase may take a few attempts." Fresh 404 finishes his breakfast and picks up an envelope from the table. "Fortunately HorrorTale is not urgent because of the rarity and length of its resets. We want to get Hatchet and Peace as healthy as possible and code that in as their baseline when we add them to HorrorTale #0. In the meantime," he hands the envelope to Pease.

Peace looks at it confused, "what is this for? It is addressed to someone named Mr. Hedrick."

"Mr. Hedrick is the master potter in the village. We packed Hatchet's keepsakes, remember. Your work on the pottery while untutored was very good for the age you made them at and the materials available. If you want to learn more, that is a letter of introduction. Past that it is just like the guard you earn your own way with your hard work, talent, and willingness to learn." Fresh 404 smiles watching Peace.

Peace clutches the letter eyelights going starry. "Wowie, thank you so much!"

Hatchet smiles watching Peace get all excited like he used to. It was good seeing him start to get back to normal.

"Hatchet... if you want to explore the forests around the castle we could arrange for you to accompany one of the game wardens. They manage the natural resources in the AU so that they are not over harvested. Keep track of wildlife populations and health stuff like that." Fresh 404 watched, unsure if this would catch Hatchet's interest.

"Thanks kid, I was starting to feel a little worried, about that I am not used to being indoors so much and after the hospital in MedicalTale I could use the outdoors time." Hatchet grins digging into his oatmeal.

Fresh 404 nods, "you all need to remember to come to me with concerns like that we live together it may be a big castle but what effect one of us will affect all of us."

Edge points at Fresh 404 with his fork. "Nope not getting any with that kid if we have to tell you when we have issues. You have to do the same. All of us know something was off last night so spill it."

Fresh 404 frowns looking down at the table. "I don't like losing any Chara or Frisk, they remind me of my sister."

Static watched the kid noticing that he only used the singular pronoun when talking about his sibling.

Edge sighs but nods, "okay I get that no Sans ever likes losing a Papyrus even if it isn't his. Do you want to hang out after work?"

Fresh 404 nods hesitating, "if you want to. We don't have any plans." He lays a hand on the table glancing down when he feels a Bitty climb on, only to see one of the horror types he hasn't learned the name of yet climbing up his coat sleeve.

Starlight frowns and flutters his wings, actually getting half a foot off the table before landing next to Fresh 404. "Briar? Do you need something?"

The horror Bitty turned his head to smile at Starlight but kept climbing now with everyone watching.

Fresh 404 remained still but rainbow webs formed on his upper sleeves making for a safer climb. "We do not believe we have been directly introduced to Briar?"

Starlight sighs, "That it becomes he is normally, not this outgoing in fact he is the only completely nonverbal member of the clan, a good hunter and fighter, follows direction well he just can't talk."

"Does he know hands or some form of sign language?" Fresh 404 smiles when Briar makes it to his shoulder and sets down freeing him to move without worrying about making him fall.

"I don't know if it is hands but he knows some sign language the rest of us don't. We established a few signs for things like danger and he has managed to teach us signs for objects but past that, we didn't have time or reference material." Starlight shifts uncomfortably from side to side. "He has been with the clan since just before the balance broke."

Fresh 404 smiles at Briar, "how about you show me which sign language you know now that your hands are free?"

'Is there more than one?' Briar looks up at Fresh 404 expectantly clearly he could hear just fine.

"Actually yes I know of at least two that are standard, and one that is common but varies widely depending on the group using it. But it looks like you speak in hands. This is a sign language exclusive to skeleton monsters every Gaster speaks in it as well as his cipher and common. We thought all Sanses knew it until last night but apparently it depends on how much they remember of Gaster. It is a pity to have one of the few cultural legacies we have, be so close to dying out." Fresh 404 keeps an eyelight on Briar not wanting to miss it if he says anything.

'You can understand me?' Briar smiles brightly, clearly delighted.

"Yes we can understand you so can Static and most of the staff they might not all be able to speak in hands as their hands don't quite move the way skeleton can but learning hands is part of the training to work here it has been for centuries." Fresh 404 smiles at Static.

Static smiles slightly and nods to Briar, 'he is right about hands being exclusive to skeletons but the staff can use sign language and understand hands.'

Briar clapped and then started signing fast. 'Can I have a bell so I can get people's attention if I need to talk to them? Also are we allowed to hunt in the gardens?'

Fresh 404 only blinked once at that then gave a soft smile, "we are aware that some of you actually need to hunt to be healthy and happy but we would prefer that you all wait to do so until Doc gives enough of you the all clear that you can have a full hunting party. At that time we will coordinate with the head gardener so that both you and the gardens can get the most benefit from your efforts. As for the bell we believe you will be able to find one to your liking in the craft room. We suggest exploring it after breakfast. Perhaps Static would like to accompany you to see it as well."

Bane was mildly impressed with the way the kid handled that. He didn't deny Briar and the other Bitties the chance to do something some of them needed but he did make it something they had to do safely. That last bit actually amused him, the kid was not being subtle at all in his efforts to convince them to settle in here.

Fresh 404 meets Bane's eyelight looking amused, "in fact Bane would you be willing to supervise the organization of the library with Moonlight? We are not sure if we missed anything in our little shopping spree."

"You are not even going to pretend you are not trying to bribe us into settling in and letting you manage us?" Bane smiles amused by the kid's straight forward approach.

"Why waste our energy you admit to being sent here to help fix our multiverse you were dropped at our feet. Getting you settled in and taken care of is a priority, you know it, we know it. Pretending to do otherwise would just make you distrust us." Fresh 404 gently lifts Briar from his shoulder and sets him on the table. "We have no authority over you or Static of course we are of equal rank in the multiverse and you are adults and in this AU you are ranked with Uncle Dream as princes but due to the circumstances he is outside the line of succession." He waves his hand as if to brush away something unpleasant. "We automatically ranked you and Static in that category for now because you have more important matters to deal with and we are unwilling to let anyone take over responsibility for our AU."

Static nods, 'you are right if you tried to hide what you are doing from us or control us we wouldn't trust you at all. You are also right to not turn over your AU authority to anyone untrained but you are still a kid so don't overwork yourself if we are going to be your uncles it makes us as much responsible for looking out for you as you think you need to be for us.'

Edge grins, "I think I love how family works here. You don't have to know each other to give a funk about each other."

Fresh 404 looked at Edge wondering if he realized he understood hands. "Edge just because your relationship is screwed up doesn't mean you and Fell don't love each other. If he didn't care he would have dragged you back by now it has been long enough for him to learn just how much you really do for him. We may have to kidnap him later before he gets too hurt." He frowns tilting his head slightly. "Make that definitely in about forty minutes. Lady Vita if we could impose on your time again today."

Edge sat up straight, smile dropping, "sorry kid I can't let it get that bad. I am going to have to head back if he needs backup."

"We know but we need time to change into more suitable clothes for fighting and we want you in light armor. You don't think we are letting you fight alone do you?" Fresh 404 narrows his sockets at Edge slightly.

Edge froze stunned at the idea of having backup, of not having to go into a fight unprepared and alone. Of someone carrying if he made it out alive. "But it isn't your fight, kid."

"You are a Sans, we knew when we brought you into our household that this day would come. You love your brother and will fight for him when needed and you are a member of our household. Your fights are our fights because you are ours." Fresh 404 stands with a stretch and waves at a maid. "Show Edge to the armory. We want him in lightweight HP boosting armor that won't impede movement." Before anyone could move, Fresh 404 teleports.

Edge stumbles to his feet and rushes off with the maid clearly too stunned to do anything else.

Bane laughs softly, "I like his attitude. Why bother to make someone yours if you aren't going to take care of them."

Static just nods, 'does the kid know how to fight? UnderFell would be a dangerous place to learn.'

There was an awkward silence as at the realization that most of them didn't know hands, infact without Fresh 404 or a servant the only ones in the room who understood Static were Bane and Briar.

Briar picks up a spoon and drops it on a dish to get their attention and starts signing when Bane and Static look at him. 'I have seen him fight, well at least beat the three humans that were destroying our colony in under a minute.'

Static nods slowly looking thoughtful, he glances at Bane. 'Does it strike you that we have the opportunity to observe him in action?'

Bane nods to Static then looks back at Briar, "is that how a colony came to be here the kid stopped an attack?"

Dream nods, frowning "I can't say I approve of his methods, they were drunk teenagers and he almost killed them but given the situation his reaction is understandable."

Starlight flutters up and glares at Dream, "I highly approve of his methods and think they got off light after all it was my people dying in that alley. Being drunk and teenagers is no excuse."

Dream flinched back and started shaking, not used to anyone taking a harsh tone with him outside of fights with Nightmare. Even then their verbal fights had been as predictable as a script. "But if all of Nightmare's gang who aren't part of a balance can be forgiven for violence why not drunk kids?"

Powder sighs softly and scoops Dream out of his chair and onto his lap, "they weren't needlessly violent or cruel Dream in the beginning they were badly broken from what happened in their AUs. Once they healed the only time they fought or caused chaos was to help Nightmare maintain the balance or on raids to get supplies for HorrorTale. They never actually started any fights with the council. They didn't kill anyone who wouldn't be back next reset. BittyTale and it's few copies don't reset. Those drunk kids did more permanent damage than Nightmare's team ever did."

Dream's confidence seems to collapse under the gentle but firm correction, and he slumps against Powder's ribs. "Oh..."

Powder hugs him gently rubbing Dream's skull, "I know Dream you have always believed that killing is wrong and everyone can change. It is in your nature to try to find the positive and forgive. That is something to be treasured, just don't judge us for taking a harsher view."

Bane watched with interest as Dream hugged Powder tight. Wondering if either of them recognize the growing family bonds between them. Dream was surprisingly easy to read with his toxic mix of grief, longing, guilt, anger, and frustration, mixed with depression, and the positivity of his nature. He wondered if Fresh 404 knew about his emotional state and if that was the real reason for bodyguards Dream could bond to easily. He was surprised to find himself feeling sympathy and concern for this counterpart of his brother who could not be less like him if he tried.

Static opened a large one way portal to UnderFell #0 settling in to watch after giving Dream a thoughtful look.

Starlight lands next to Moonlight and Glitch and gets pulled into a hug. "Fox it is good to see you finally getting better."

Doc stares at the portal looking worried even as Static adjusted it to follow Fell. "I hope Edge is okay."

It didn't take long before Fell was ambushed by the royal guards which was confusing because he was the captain wasn't he?

A few minutes later a swirling rainbow portal opened and Edge jumped out wearing flexible light weight red armor over his normal clothes running to guard Fell's back sharp rad bone attacks forming in his hands. Fresh 404 stepped through wearing rainbow combat boots with black laces and his usual shorts and shirt but his knee length duster with hood and fluffy collar had been replaced with a rainbow tactical vest, a staff topped with a crystal butterfly forming as he assessed the situation.

"Huh, so his symbol is a butterfly. I guess it makes sense for Amendment, he is change after all." Bane hummed as the kid spun his staff blocking an attack, knocking it aside before spinning on one heel and kicking his attacker in the chest before walking through the battle not really attacking anyone just deflecting and knocking or kicking the ambushers away. "Very skilled but he doesn't appear to be the brutal fighter you led me to expect."

Dream blinks while watching as well. "He isn't really fighting just... I don't know what he is doing, really."

Powder chuckles, "oh he is upto something look at the ones he touches they all have his symbol on them now."

"Why do I have the feeling Freshy is doing something scary?" Rose frowns watching.

"Because he is doing something very scary. When a god or demi-god marks someone there is no escaping their will unless someone more powerful removes the mark. Currently the only one who might match Fresh 404 in our multiverse is Static and he can't in his current condition. One of the deities could of course remove his mark but it took a multiverse level disaster for them to step in." Vita leans forward watching with interest.

"I did not think he would get that serious over a small scuffle?" Bane frowns watching.

"He does take family very seriously, but I didn't know he had adopted Edge. Though I guess I should have known he has adopted everyone else he has brought to live here." Golden keeps eating while watching.

Sunshine leans her elbows on the table and rests her chin in her hands watching. "He is going a bit overboard, looks like he is going to be overprotective which probably should not be a surprise."

After Fresh 404 finishes marking the guards he kicks a last one away from Edge and the crystal butterfly glows slamming everyone he had marked to their knees. "That will be more than enough of that."

Edge looks up at Fresh 404, "thanks what did you just do? And is it safe to nap?"

"We would not go that far; we after all only have control of their bodies and magic. Not their minds or souls. Now do you want to take your brother home to patch up or to just drop him off at the house in Snowdin?" Fresh 404 looked off into the woods. "If you are taking him home we should go get things packed up."

"Right we need to pack. I am not even going to ask why you chose this way to stop the fight." Edge checks on Fell who just stands there looking grumpy. "You okay bro?"

"Of course, I am. I could have handled a few low level guards on my own. The question is what you are doing here." Fell crossed his arms and glared at them.

Fresh 404 shrugs, "Asgore wants you dead if you had killed any of them while fighting you would have been branded a traitor. If you survive and report them without killing them they are as good as dead. If you survive, don't kill any of them and don't report it there will just be more attacks. This reset Asgore is an honorless cur, blinded by jealousy and wounded pride. So we decided to pull you out before things got bad because Edge still cares about you. Not that we think you deserve him."

"Aww Boss, don't say that he was civil at the last meeting." Edge gave Fresh 404 a half pleading half teasing look.

Sighing Fresh 404 opens a portal and pushes Fell through. "Edge, don't call me that, at least not until you officially join my team. I am not going to demand false respect."

Edge chuckles, "sure Boss whatever you say. So what are you going to do with these guys?"

Fresh 404 looks at the guards coldly, "we know just what to do with soldiers so eager to turn on their own." The glow of the crystal butterfly on his staff intensified until it was impossible to look at and rainbow light danced on the snow. "You who bear my mark will remember from this day forward no matter how many resets pass you will be unable to forget events as they truly are. Now ex-captain Papyrus is gone, return to your normal duties." As they stumble away the crystal dims and the marks fade from view.

Edge blinks and shakes his head, "that was some intense magic. Do you want to rest while I pack?"

Fresh 404 laughs as they start walking to the skeleton brothers house. "We are fine, as Amendment making changes actually gives us a nice boost."

Static closes the portal not interested in watching them pack. 'What do you think Bane?'

"He values family and loyalty, he can definitely fight, and he understands the politics of the situation. He also chose knowledge as a punishment so he fully understands the cruel truth about the resets. We should get along well with him." Bane smiles at Static.

Vita sighs and stands, "Fell will no doubt be in the clinic. I had best go handle his checkup and patch up."

After Vita left the group broke up for the day. Sunshine and Golden going to the gardens.

Glitter wandered off to his room to nap or unpack or maybe just stare at a wall until the kid came up with something for him to do. Really just to numb from the jump in his LV in the past week to think.

Doc got the Bitty cart and started helping everyone aboard who was going back to Fresh 404's rooms.

Bane and Static found themselves with Bitty companions for the day while Peace and Hatchet decided that a little rest and a walk around the gardens would do more to build their stamina than rushing off would.

Powder and Rose helped Dream move his volunteers back to his room for cuddles and naps.