The birds and the peak

The Dreemurr household was having breakfast on a Saturday morning.

"Mom?" asked Asriel. "Where do babies come from?"

"The stork brings them, honey."

Kris shook their head. They had heard older human kids make fun of the stork story once.

Toriel raised an eyebrow. "He really does, Kris."

"It is different for humans," Asgore said. "But monsters are indeed delivered by the stork. It's a job like any other. The current stork is Berdrand."

"He retired last year, dear," Toriel corrected. "His son Egberd took over."

"Did the stork bring me?" asked Asriel.

"He sure did," confirmed Toriel. "You were really small back then. You fit in a basket."

"But then where does the stork get them?" asked Kris.

"It's a bit complicated," said Asgore. "Shall we pay him a visit? He can explain it best."

-----

They visited Egberd at the post office. He was a red bird.

"When two monsters love each other very much," he began, "they go camping in a cave in the mountain."

He pointed through the window. Kris already knew that mountain. It was very big.

"Mount Ebott. And when they sleep for a night, a rock starts to grow. After three months the rock is large enough and a baby comes out."

"Do they camp for three months?" asked Kris.

"Hoo hoo hoo! No, that's where I come in. I fly up there every morning to see if any of the rocks have hatched. If one has, then I bring the baby to its parents. The people at the post office know where everyone lives."

"Do you deliver all monster babies?" Asriel asked.

"I do! That's why most monsters live near Mount Ebott. It only works there. Some people think monsters used to live inside the mountain. But it's much nicer to live in the sunlight, isn't it?"

Asriel and Kris both nodded.

"Scientists are trying to make it so we don't need the mountain any more. If they manage that then I'm out of a job!"

Asriel gaped. "Did - did you deliver me?"

"No, you're a little too old. But my father did!"

Egberd looked at Kris. "When I can't deliver a kid I find someone else who wants to raise them. Like your parents!"

Kris beamed.