Chapter 18: Tactics (Part 1)

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Monday morning

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Monday morning. A purple van pulls up to Ebott Junior high. Frisk and Asriel wear their normal attire, except that Frisk wears his brother's school jacket as a blanket. Asriel's fur stands on end frizzly, and he taps the fabric on the blue jeans that he's wearing. He sighs and rubs his hair as he grabs his backpack from the ground.

"My child, what is wrong?" Toriel asks as she turns around.

"Mom, I..." He stops.

"What is it?" Toriel asks. 

Asriel shakes his head, forcing a smile on his face. "Oh, nothing. I'm just happy you're subbing today!"

Frisk looks toward him and folds his arms, pressing his lips together and removing the jacket. Toriel rubs her neck. "Yes, the principal asked me to be a substitute teacher today. It has been a couple of weeks since I taught, so I am grateful for getting back into the classroom. I always enjoy time with my students."

Asriel laughs and places his head on his hand. "Yup! Who are you subbing for?"

Toriel bites her tongue, then pulls away from the curb. She makes two right turns. Asriel and Frisk look out the window and turn their heads toward each other, then back at their mother, then toward each other again.

Frisk clenches the jacket on his knees. "Mom, is something wrong?"

Toriel smiles and pulls into the back parking lot. "Just a moment, my child."

Toriel backs into an open parking space, nodding. Frisk shakes his head. "Mom, why won't you answer?"

Toriel rubs the top of her cranium, then taps her hands on the wheel and turns the engine off. "Alright, my children! Let us all have a wonderful day of learning." She looks back at Frisk and Asriel, smiling widely. "Aren't you excited?"

Toriel leaps from the car, grabbing her laptop from the passenger seat. Asriel scratches behind his left ear and warily regards his mother. "You still haven't told Frisk or me who you're subbing for."

As Asriel finishes his question, Toriel drops her laptop bag, and many notes spill onto the ground. He tries to spy on the notes, but his mother shoves them haphazardly back into the bag. Frisk shakes his head.

"I suppose I have kept you in the dark long enough. I will be subbing for Dr. Alphys." She clears her throat as they walk toward the school's back door.

Asriel nods slightly. "That means you'll be teaching our friend Noelle; she's cool."

Frisk lowers his head, with his eyes weighing heavy. (This isn't good. Alphys never misses school. She's easily the best teacher at Ebott Junior High...she wouldn't just ditch her job like that. Something's up.)

Frisk lifts his head again and speaks to Toriel. "Is Dr. Alphys alright, Mom?"

She rubs her temple. "I wouldn't know; the principal didn't explain why. She just said that she would need some time off."

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