While Kari slept, she tossed and turned in her sleep, frowning at a nightmare she could not escape.
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Kari was in a wide open field. It was dark out and the moon was full. There was crying heard nearby.
"Mommy?" A voice called. Kari shivered at the painfully familiar voice. "Daddy?" Kari heard the voice again then began to walk towards it. "I'm scared. Where did you do? Mommy? Daddy?" Kari looked around then noticed part of a silver scarf near a bush. The girl shivered. "Why did you leave me? What happened?" Kari frowned then saw a small version of herself hugging Chase close and crying. "Mommy, Daddy what happened?" The young Kari asked with a hiccup even though there was no one there. "Why... Was there ketchup all around mommy when she was in the living room, Chase? Where was daddy? Why was there dust all over my drawing? Why did I hear them scream?"
"Be quiet, they'll find you." Kari whispered under her breath while tightening her hands into tight trembling fists, trying to warn her younger self, but nothing changed. The little girl sobbed and kept talking to herself and the plush dragon. Soon there were other voices echoing near by.
"This way! Over here! I can hear her crying!" A voice called. The little Kari squeaked in surprise as a hand grabbed her head and pulled her up. "Got her!" A man smirked.
"LEMME GO!! HELP!! MOMMY! DADDY!" The two year old screamed and flailed about to get away.
"No one's coming for ya kid." The man chuckled then flung the little Kari over his shoulder and walked away.
"No... No, no, no, no! Please!" Kari began to chase the man that held her younger self as they walked away into a shadow.
"Mommy... Daddy..." The younger Kari sniffled quietly, her voice echoing. Screams of Kari's parents then began to drown out the little voice and made Kari fall to her knees and cover her ears.
"Stop it.... Stop it, stop it, stop it!" Kari yelled while trembling. The blood curdling screams then changed into multiple voices that Kari did not know. The voices started talking indistinctly and they were hard to understand. Then they spoke as one, yet could still be made out as different voices.
"Save us... Please..." Kari blinked then wiped the tears from her eyes and slowly stood. "We're dying. Help us, please." Kari gulped and slowly nodded. "... Run..." Kari looked confused then saw shadows form into humanoid figures. The shadows looked at Kari in a hostile way then rushed at her. Kari gasped, then backed away and turned to run. The ground began to crack under the girl's feet and she fell down into a gigantic hole.
Kari felt a sharp pain in her head as she slowly sat up.
"Well howdy!" A familiar voice called, yet it was different. Kari narrowed her eyes and stood up slowly.
"F-Flowey..?" Kari asked through a painful moan. Kari felt strange, as if a weird intense power was present in the room. The area around her was dark and it made Kari scared. Then she noticed a light, as if a TV just turned on. A disturbing, smiling face appeared on the TV with line eyes and a weird mouth. The eyes then opened sideways to reveal demonic red eyes with green pupils. Kari shivered and took a step back. The area lit up to show a strange creature with vine-like limbs and multiple eyes. Kari went wide eyed with her pupils turning to slits. Flowey laughed at Kari's fear and hit the girl with a large vine.
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Kari sat up quickly while panting rapidly in horror. Her symbols were glowing brightly and her eyes were emanating a shimmering silver aura. She began to sweat and tremble. Kari began to float as well as many of the things in her room, a silver aura surrounding her and the items that were floating. Kari began to whimper and curl into the fetal position. Soon Kari's door was flung open to show Kitearo, the twins, and Toriel.
"Kari, my child, did you have a nightmare?" Toriel asked sadly and approached the girl with open arms. Kari sniffled and nodded while slowly hovering into Toriel's arms. "It is okay, my child."
"It was so scary..." Kari sobbed lightly into Toriel's shoulder. Toriel soothed the girl and rubbed her back while the boys watched from the doorway.
"Shhh, there, there. It is alright. I am here." Toriel soothed. Kari eventually fell back asleep in Toriel's arms. "Out like a light." She sighed and tucked Kari back into bed then left the room and put the boys back in bed before returning to her own room and curling up beneath her covers to sleep.
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The week went on and it was now Friday evening. The Dreemurr kids were happily packing up to stay at the skeleton brother's house for the weekend. The twins talked about what to pack. Kari rolled her eyes with a small smirk, hearing the two bicker from the other end of the hall. Once everyone was done packing the four kids and Toriel met Sans outside. Papyrus went to pick up Flo since she was going to stay with them as well.
"Now be good for Sans and Papyrus." Toriel ordered.
"Yes ma'am." The four spoke in unison.
"Don't stay up too late."
"Kay." The four chuckled.
"No sweets before bed and---"
"Tori, I think they'll be fine. You got nothing to worry about." Sans chuckled and messed with Kari's hair. The girl giggled happily while her adoptive mother sighed.
"Well, alright Sans. If you need anything, just call." Toriel said then gave each of her children a kiss on the cheek and a hug. She then kissed Sans's forehead, causing the short skeleton to blush a light blue. The twins snickered, prompting Kitearo to slam their heads together to quiet them down. Kari just smiled widely at Sans's expression.
"A-alright kids, let's get goin'. I bet Pap is already at home." Sans stammered as he waved goodbye to Toriel.
"Bye Go-ma!" Kari called while walking to Sans's right.
"See ya mom!" The twins called in unison while laughing, Boom messing with Beats.
"Bye mother. Don't worry. I'll keep those two in line." Kitearo smiled and smacked the two twins in the back to indicate them.
"Goodbye my children. Be safe!" Toriel called then watched as they walked out of sight. The five soon arrived at the skeleton brother's house. The four kids put their things down by the big inflatable bed by the couch and then began to do their own thing. Kari and Sans were watching TV with the twins and Kitearo was working on his tablet, like always.
Time passed and the front door opened followed by a loud voice. "Hello! It is I, the great Papyrus! And his friend Flo!"
"Hey guys!" Flo giggled. Everyone looked towards the door and the four Dreemurr kids rushed and tackled Flo in a group hug happily.
"Flo!" Boom called happily. Flo rolled her eyes.
"Really guys? I live within walking distance from your place. It's not too far away.
"We know, but we still like the hugs." Beats chuckled.
"Yeh!" Kari laughed. Flo sighed and hugged everyone back. The five kids sat down to chat about a plan on what to do before going back to doing their own things. Flo decided that she would cook dinner so they would have something other than spaghetti. Flo made grilled salmon with a house salad with a choice of multiple salad dressings.
"Dinner's ready!" Flo called out and put the food on the table, with the help of Papyrus, for everyone to eat. The kids gasped happily and got their food.
"Fish!" Kari called happily with a giggle, her mouth full of food.
"This is amazing!" Boom hummed happily.
Beats nodded. "Yeah, it's so good."
"You've gotten better at cooking, Flo. Nice job." Kitearo said with a chuckle.
"Thanks. Dad's been teaching me when I get out of school. I meet him at his job, that local restaurant called 'Grill 'n' Chill.' Not too far of a walk. You should come try the food." Flo smiled happily while taking a bite of food. Kari, on the other hand, stuffed her face.
"Geez, slow down Kari." Sans chuckled lightly. Kari nodded and slowed down. That night everyone was curled in bed happily, sleeping the night away in their pajamas. Kari jolted awake and looked around with a frown. She sighed, then floated off of the inflatable bed and on to the floor. Kari snuck out of the house and walked towards the forest behind the houses the few monsters on the surface called home. After a while Kari came across a grave that had a dusty framed drawing. Kari sighed and sat down.
"Hi mom. Hi dad." Kari whispered in a low tone. She pulled her knees to her chest and let out a sad sigh. "How've you been?" She asked. "It's... Been a while since I've talked with you like this... I..." Kari sniffled. "I saved the monsters... They are on the surface... Some of them. A friend of mine is working on a way to have them welcomed with open arms..." Kari grew silent for a moment, listening to the rustling trees and the wind. "I miss you..." She finally whispered through trembling lips. "I wish... I wish you were here... That way you could meet Go-ma and Sans and Papyrus and Mettaton and Alphys and Undyne and... And everyone else that I've gotten to know..." As Kari listed off the names of her friends her speech got faster while she began to tear up. "... I'll be okay..." Kari whimpered. That was when a stick cracked and startled Kari. The girl quickly got to her feet, silver aura escaping her eyes.
"E-easy kid." A familiar voice called. Sans stepped out from the shadows in his pajamas, which consisted of a blue shirt and dark blue shorts. He was also wearing his slippers. The skeleton had a worried expression and was breathless. Kari blinked a few times then relaxed. "S-sorry about that." Sans apologized. "For startling you I mean. I went down stairs to get a small snack when I noticed you were gone. You really scared me Kari."
"Sorry... I... I just wanted to see my mom and dad again." Kari frowned. Sans's expression grew a little confused.
"Why are-- Oh... Yeah..." Sans sighed lightly. "Have you been having nightmares about them?"
"Yeh..." Kari nodded slowly then went to sit down in front of her parents' grave like before. "Among other things." Kari said while Sans went and sat to her right.
"Sorry to hear that." Sans glanced at Kari and noticed a few tears stream down her face.
"Sans... I know that what I'm getting myself into will be dangerous... I... I might not come back." Sans went wide eyed Kari's words. She sounded so depressing and upset, which was unlike her nowadays. "I need you to know that... If I am captured or worse that you won't come after me... That's what they would want. Just leave me behind... I'll catch up." Kari glanced at Sans, her eyes showing three glowing silver rings. Sans wiped away a few tears from the girl's face with a sigh.
"You know that I don't like to make promises, so I'm not sayin' whether I will or not." Kari's eyes went back to normal. Her frown began to quiver and Sans pulled her into a side hug. "Would ya stop cryin'? I don't know what you saw or what's scaring you... But just know that I'm here for you. We all are, okay?" Kari nodded slowly. The two were silent for a while then Sans got an idea. "So. You gonna introduce me or not?" Kari sat up and looked at Sans in slight confusion. "Well, I never met your parents, so better late than never." Sans chuckled, looking around since it was so dark out and only the stars illuminated the sky. Kari's frown slowly curled into a wide smile.
"Kay!" She giggled and introduced Sans to her mom and dad, then began to tell him stories about when she was younger. About the good times she had when she was two. Eventually Kari fell asleep while talking so Sans picked her up and carried her home with a sigh. Once he was home, he tucked the child in bed, ruffled her hair, then went to his own room and instantly fell asleep when his back met the bed.