FILE 1 | [video] STARTLED GOAT NOISES

[gainedlove]

[Up until now, Frisk has been a surprisingly low-key presence around Import spaces. Poking their nose in a few bits of business, learning their way around...pretty innocuous.]

[Until today, that is.]

[The feed opens to a brown snout and a very distressed sort of noise--somewhere between a child's groan and an animal's whine. It jostles for a few moments before the view pulls back, revealing...well, it is Frisk, just. Different.]

I-I-I dunno what I did! I was just sittin' an' thinkin' an' then I started t' hurt an'--

[They wave one clawed hand at the screen (complete with cute little pink paw beans!), distress written clear on their face.]

An' now I'm a monster! I-I dunno what t' do!

[A few flames flicker to life on the end of one long ear.]

How do I go back, I can't--

[Suddenly Frisk stops, sniffs twice, then looks down at their ear...and lets out a startled bleat and drops the comm, which cuts the feed once it hits the ground.]

Comments

video.

[glowsferatu]

[ A tall, grey woman with horns does her best to look sympathetic. ]

Honey, you aren't a monster at all! That's actually... [ She trails off, brows furrowing in a frown as she covers her mouth with one hand. ] ...Really adorable.

video.

[gainedlove]

Yes, I am! I know what a boss monster looks like!

[UGH, WHY WITH THE LANGUAGE DISCOURSE. Frisk whines and bats at their ear again, which does not seem to want to let that little fire go out.]

video.

[glowsferatu]

Okay. I don't know if I've ever seen a monster quite like you, however "boss" you may look.

[ This is how contemporary slang is used, right? Still, it sends a really mixed message. First Frisk is panicking about this, now describing it as "boss". Kanaya is dreadfully lost. ]

That doesn't hurt, does it?

video;

[helpline]

I don't think you're a monster, [ the Doctor simply replies, looking over at Frisk. ] How many monsters do you know with floppy ears like that?

video;

[gainedlove]

My mom an' dad!

[Frisk whines and swats at their ear again, but their distress is just making that little flame grow even bigger.]

[* Frisk--Frisk, you have to calm down!]
[* This is just making it worse!]

video;

[helpline]

Well if they're your parents then they wouldn't be monsters, would they?

[ But they'll talk about that later. Poor kid's freaking out right now. The Doctor keeps a calm tone of voice as he looks at Frisk. ] I've got a few tricks to help you de-monster. The first one? Take five deep breaths.

[ And that's what he does, taking a deep breath, hoping that Frisk'll mimic him. ]

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[alreadywon]

[oh look, it's Tim! Using video for once so he can give the kid a calm, it's gonna be okay, you can trust me cause I'm an Adult(TM) smile.] Hey, it's okay. Does it still hurt now? What were you thinking about when you changed?

video;

[gainedlove]

I-I was...um...!

[As a matter of fact, they were talking to Chara about home and what to do about the RESETS, but that's not something they're about to admit anywhere near publicly. And especially not to someone they barely even know.]

I-I dunno! It doesn't hurt so much now?

video;

[alreadywon]

Well, that's good. [Encouraging smile!] You're sure you weren't thinking about anything that was maybe... cat- or shape-shifting-related?

video

[khajidont]

Hey, Frisk, right? It's Jaime. Remember me?

[Jaime's voice is gentle at the best of times, but when a frightened kid's involved? That only escalates.]

Sometimes, people's powers go on without them wanting them to, but it's gonna be okay. Can you take a deep breath for me?

[Jaime takes a deep breath of his own, as if hoping that Frisk will follow his lead, breathing in slowly through his nose, and out through his mouth.]

video

[gainedlove]

[They do in fact remember Jamie, and seeing a familiar face pop up helps to calm them a little bit. They nod with a small whimper, and take a long but shaky breath in...and then out in a rush, with a small puff of flame.]

I-I dunno what I did, Jamie! I-it just happened, I can't--

Re: video

[khajidont]

It's okay, it's okay! Just keep breathing with me, okay? Usually the way these things go is, the calmer you are, the more you can control this. Worst case scenario, you're fuzzy for a little while. Right?

video

[fastballspeciaaaaal]

[Oh no! Oh no! They're so cute! But obviously also very upset, that's not good. Reeeally not good.]

Hey Frisk, buddy, are you at home right now? Is M'gann there maybe?

[Basically, "are you alone?" There's nothing worse than being scared and alone.]

video

[gainedlove]

[Seeing Ripley there is a relief, and they nod and swat at their ear to try and...knock the fire away? They're not really thinking very clearly, okay.]

Y-yeah! But I dunno where M'gann is, I-I think she left, or--!

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[fastballspeciaaaaal]

Okay, okay, okay! I'm gonna be home in like... a couple minutes.

I can't help with the fuzzy, but we're gonna um... [She tries to recall what her mother does for her older brother when he has panic attacks, that might help.] We can get cozy under some blankets and eat ice cream and have hugs, if you want 'em! How's that?

[Despite also being a shapeshifter, it comes a little too easy for Ripley to feel like she'd have any help guiding Frisk through it; a bit of company is really all she can offer. Not the most substantial help, but it's something hopefully?]

video.

[hasitsthorns]

[ Ah. Anthropomorphic animals always remind her of yokai, but she has to remind herself that it's just... a thing here. They aren't the same species, despite how much this child may look it at the moment. ]

Woah, hey. Don't freak out! I think you look pretty cool, actually.

video.

[gainedlove]

[Frisk lets out a long, very distressed bleat and stomps from foot to foot, clearly very agitated.]

I know but I gotta go back or--I-I just gotta, it's really important!

video.

[hasitsthorns]

[ Oh. Oh, no. That's so cute though. To her credit, Rose hides how obviously adorable she thinks Frisk is since the poor thing does seem rather distressed by their situation. ]

Well, do you know how you changed? Like... maybe how you felt when it happened or something you did different?

video;

[earnedmystripes]

[oh no OH NO]

Hey, it's okay. You're not a monster.

[Have a super encouraging paternal smile. Ironically, it's probably kinda reminiscent of Asgore's tbh--just, on a human instead.]

Take a couple deep breaths, okay? [He demonstrates a couple times.] In and out, just like that.

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[gainedlove]

Yes I am, why's everyone keep sayin' I'm not?! I know what monsters are!!

[That is quite possibly the most frustrating part out of ALL of this!]

[* What did you expect?]
[* They're all HUMANS.]
[* ...most of them.]

video; sorry for late!!! had a really weird month

[earnedmystripes]

[...ah.]

--I'm guessing "monster" means something in particular where you're from, huh?

For most of us, it's a hurtful way to talk about people. Usually a way to imply they're not really people anymore, but something...less, maybe. Something that'd hurt 'em.

We just want to make sure you aren't feeling like that. Does that make sense?

video;

[rideme]

... You've got to be the cutest damn monster I've ever seen.

Easy, though. What were you thinking about, kid?

video;

[gainedlove]

I-I was...it was, um...!

[Oh jeez, they really can't tell anyone what they were really thinking about, but at the same time...!]

I-I was thinkin' 'bout home!

Voice;

[lastnerv]

[Oh geez, this kid is freaking out. Shinji's not the best with this but as someone who has recently stopped being human himself, maybe he can try to do...something?]

H-hey, it's okay! I know, um, a lot of people have beat me to this, but that's probably just your powers kicking in. You probably just need to think...normal thoughts? [wait shit] Not that not being normal is bad or anything!

Video;

[gainedlove]

[Bless you for trying, Shinji. At least Frisk is resilient enough to plow right over that little hiccup--at least he's not trying to reassure them they're not a monster, come on you guys.]

B-but I was thinkin' normal before! I-I dunno what t' do!

[A flame starts up right on the tip of their nose, and they whine and bat away at it frantically.]