Page 69 of Gift from the Tree

I jump right in, telling her everything from Gaster sensing my air blast on my birthday in the nonmagical realm then rescuing me, to my Memoria stone, my memories unlocking, what happened in class. I tell her pretty much everything except for what happened to me the night my air broke its restraints. I’m not ready to talk about that with anyone yet.

“Fuck. I don’t know how you’re holding it together. I’d be curled up in a corner somewhere, I swear. So your element is seriously that strong?” she asks with a mixture of shock and astonishment. I guess looking at my five-three curvy frame, it wouldn’t be the first assumption that such power is packed in a petite package.

“According to Gaster,” I mumble, not really comfortable bragging on myself.

“Damn, that’s badass. So do you want me to just pretend you know nothing when I talk about things and give you a full explanation then go from there, or what?” she asks, completely okay with the fact I wasn’t raised here and am completely out of the loop on most things.

“Yeah, that’d be great. I’m a very fast learner and doing some extra work with Gaster is helping me a lot, so I don’t plan on being an idiot for long.”

“You’re not an idiot, Willow. You’re extremely smart and catch on faster than many others would. Give yourself some grace,” Gaster says with a stern tone but gentle look as he walks back in.

“Thank you, Gaster. Now without giving me any talks, is what you were leading up to earlier why I’ve been so emotional all day?” I ask with a raised eyebrow. Other than crying, I’m not having any symptoms of my period approaching.

“Yes, I believe so,” he says, clearing his throat, trying to keep it together.

“Weird. I’m assuming it’s going to be different now that I’m in another realm?”

“No, I wouldn’t think so. Your emotions will be heightened, as will your senses, even more so than they normally are. You may or may not bleed for a day, but it’s really the sex drive that’s unbearable, so you’ll want to make sure you take your conception tonic,” Oakly chimes in, confusing the ever-loving fuck out of me.

“That’s absolutely nothing like what I’m used to. I got my first period right after my fourteenth birthday. Once they started, I bled for a week every month, bloating, mood swings, and cravings for awful food. Terrible cramps to the point of debilitating pain and then it would stop after the week. That was until I had my IUD inserted at eighteen. I haven’t had a period since,” I tell them both as they sit there with horrified expressions on their faces.

“What’s an IUD?” Oakly asks.

“It’s a form of birth control, so I don’t get pregnant.”

“And where’s this IUD now?” she asks slowly.

“Still inserted in. You know…” I say slowly, mimicking her tone as I glance down at my vagina.

Why is she looking at me like I’m an alien?

“What?” Her eyes bug out, completely horrified.

“Can you stop looking at me like that and tell me what’s wrong?” I ask frustratedly. They’re freaking me out with these looks.

“Willow, it isn’t good that there’s a foreign object in your body right now. There should never be a foreign object in your body. Everything’s changing for you rapidly right now because you’re in the realm you were meant to be in. Your senses are growing stronger. You’ll be able to see, smell, hear, taste, and touch things with a higher capacity than you’re used to. And the rest of your body will continue to change and detox as you get rid of the chemicals and other things from the nonmagical realm and replace them with the healthier version of things here. It isn’t safe and could do lasting damage if you leave something physically foreign in your body,” Gaster explains in a small panic.

“But how will I protect myself? Not that I plan on having sex.” Yet. Not at all, maybe. “But if something were to happen, I don’t want any children yet.”

“That’s what the conception tonic is for. It’s just a monthly vial that you drink, and it’ll protect you from an unwanted pregnancy, which is extremely unlikely here anyway,” Oakly says, gently giving my hand a squeeze.

“Is there even a doctor here that will know how to remove it? I mean, it’s in there.” I make an upward motion near my vagina that has Gaster’s face flaming red and Oakly dying beside me of laughter.

“There’s a female doctor here at the academy I’d trust with your care. We can go see her this afternoon after your combat class,” Gaster says, refusing to look me in the eye, face still beet red.

“Not to be creepy as shit or anything on our first day of friendship, but my mom’s a healer, so I’ve been around and seen it all before. I can go with you if it’d make you feel better, even if it’s just to stand outside the door.” Oakly volunteers, completely supportive.

“It would. Thank you. I don’t think this is something Gaster or Draken need to be present for.” I remember being petrified at the doctor’s having it inserted, alone and lying, so Oakly immediately jumping in to be there for me makes me feel a lot better. We’re just gonna skip over the getting-to-know-you stage and dive headfirst into this friendship. I like it.

“No, absolutely not. I’ll escort you both there and talk with Dr. Evie then step out,” Gaster reassures me, looking extremely uncomfortable. I can’t help but laugh at his stricken look. He’s amazing at almost everything I’ve seen so far, but throwing up any lady business isn’t in his wheelhouse.

The three of us continue talking about things as we sit around and drink our tea, a calming tea, Gaster calls it, to help with my emotions. I learn that Oakly had to apply for a position as archivist aid, and it’s a highly prestigious position to be offered to a first year, but she’s smart as fuck, so I’m not surprised. It’s fascinating to watch her and Gaster go back and forth about Elementra history. It’s like my own personal history channel.

Gaster asks me if I’d be comfortable with her joining us three days in the morning and her other three days would be in the evening. So she’d rotate her time with him alone and us together, and I’m extremely excited to be able to spend time with them together and separately. About twenty minutes later, Draken returns to get me and take me to combat class, leaving Gaster and Oakly there to go over her orientation.

“How are you feeling, sweetness?” he asks as we make our way to the training gym to get changed.

“Better now that I know why I’ve been so emotional, and Gaster made me some calming tea, which has helped,” I tell him truthfully. I no longer feel like the trees blowing in the wind are going to make me cry.

---