Grillby x Reader: Burn the Witch

Part 4

"Need a light, doc?" He asked. His voice took on a playful tone, but still held an air of authority. He had a calming mid-western twinge to it with a slight harshness to it, similar to a parrot squawking. As he spoke, the two slowly halted in their tracks.

"Would you mind?" The skeleton replied, taking the cigarette between his fingers. A natural baritone, his voice was much softer and smoother compared to his companion but had a similar air of authority. He had a noticeable accent, similar to Gaelic, but had a lilt of something that the mage couldn't quite put her finger on. It wasn't like any human language she had heard.

"I seem to have misplaced my matches," the doctor continued. "And the stars know I'm absolute shite at fire magic."

"Careful," the bird flicked out his wing as a small, contained flame appeared in front of the doctor. "Your father would have a cow if he heard you swear on the job."

"If he saw me smoking, he'd have the whole barn." The doctor stuck the tip of the cigarette into the flame until it began to smolder. He inspected the lit cigarette for a moment before taking a long drag. He began walking again, slower than before and was quickly followed by his companion.

The soldier laughed as he waved the flame away, "I'm guessing your father doesn't know you smoke."

"Unlike you, I don't need to tell my father everything, Riciven. What he doesn't know won't kill him."

"Might kill you though."

"Lung cancer is easily avoidable when you lack lungs."

"Then why even smoke?" Riciven asked, partially confused, partially amused.

"I simply enjoy the scent and the calming sensation it comes with. Not to mention, anyway I can rebel against my father's wishes is good enough for me."

"Stars, Gaster... You still act like a teenager late into adulthood. One can only hope your children won't end up the same way."

"I disagree, I wouldn't have it any other way."

Their banter continued as they slowly made their way toward and passed her. Occasionally, Dr. Gaster would say something to cause Riciven to laugh heartily, but the doctor didn't seem as willing to fully engage in the conversation. It seemed as if his mind were elsewhere, far from this point in time and space. He was looking around a fair bit, as Riciven rattled off. His eyes would linger on something and study it for a moment, before moving on.

Just as the two were passing right in front of the mage, the doctor's gaze turned to his left, to the tree she was hiding behind. For a single, terrifying moment, it seemed as if the two-pinprick imbedded in his skull focused solely on her. She didn't move a single muscle, her breathing slowed to a halt, and her eyes met his head on, thought she could only imagine the expression of fear she wore. Then, as quickly as his gaze focused, it moved past her, seemingly not having seen her.

The mage finally exhaled once they were a fair distance away and watched as their back grew smaller as they made their wat through the cavern. Once she could no longer see them, she continued down the path. Seeing as monsters, like humans and mages, were pack creatures, the two monsters must have come from some kind of civilization. Making sure she stayed out of sight of any other royal guardsmen that could roam by, she trudged forward.

She soon found herself in a different part of the forest. The trees shifted from the endlessly tall birch to smaller pine trees. Still tall, to be sure, but she recognized these trees as similar to the evergreens of the surface. The path seemed to diverge in multiple places, she got turned around a few times until she found a sign. After having a bit of trouble on a lake of ice, the sign pointed her east to a place called Snowdin Town (and ice). Once she found herself on the east side of the lake, she continued her journey to, presumably Snowdin Town. She wasn't sure what to expect once she reached Snowdin Town. She knew monsters were civilized enough that they wouldn't chase her out of towns once she got there (unlike humans). So, if anything, she was hoping a moment of brevity and maybe some information on how she could get out of here.