#[META FLOWEY VOICE] GREAT!!!

[havent-thought-of-a-name-lmao]

can't wait for M to be like "hey :) how are you doing" and for me to once again hold my head in my hand and go "M." on the verge of tears from sheer exhaustion lmfao

[lynxgriffin]

hope ya enjoyed Meta Flowey and the Yellow Devs sticking to Flowey using recycled Ronald McDonald quotes as voice lines

I super enjoyed all of the aesthetics of it, although the battle itself was probably more of a pain! ;) But oooh yeah, that is cool that they stuck with the pitch-changed Ronald McDonald quotes! I imagine "what would you like to do?" and "great!" could totally be found for use in that context.

[quotes-of-dreamland]

hgtyhuvjgvbgb i was JUST about to send in my hc that Dark Nebula = Bill Cipher, but you beat me to it. anyway, what are some of the mods' voice headcanons?

Mod Taranza: how many of you are MLP Fans? Taranza sounds like Thorax. Void is a mix of Kirby and also Crona from Soul Eater. Meta Knight sounds like he does in the anime. Marx is Mod Susie’s impression of him (yes, I’m counting that, you have a good voice, no objections allowed). Magolor... Interesting fact actually, I think Magolor sounds like the voice used for Marx in “Something about Kirby Super Star” from TerminalMontage; that voice, but except with a few different inflections and not such a high pitched laugh. Lor sounds like Glados. And finally: Nova. Jenna Marbles. Nova sounds like Jenna marbles. I take no objection to this

Mod Susie: Have you ever heard Flowey speak? Have you ever heard Peridot speak? Then I have great news for you about my hc voice for Marx. Because I just throw on my best Flowey/Peridot voice and say stupid clown related shit and the crowd* goes wild

*the crowd is Mod Ribbon, and apparently Mod Taranza too. Maybe I should record some Marx lines for ya’ll to listen to.

Bandana Moddle Dee:

OKAY, so Gooey sounds like a higher pitched Chef Kawasaki (KRBaY Voice).

And Marx sounds like higher pitched Jevil.

[truecantaloupelove-blog]

The Underlying Christian Symbolism in Undertale: Asriel’s Messianic Parallels

         Yesterday we talked about the Devil, so today we’re talking about Christ. Or at least, I should say, Christ-like characters in Undertale. I’m referring of course to Asriel Dreemurr. Despite the brevity of time he actually spends on screen, Asriel is easily one of the most endearing and heartbreaking characters in the entire game, and for Undertale, that’s saying something. Judging from the amount of fan art and fan fictions dedicated to him, he’s left more of an impact on the fanbase than any other character with the exception of Sans. It’s not hard to see why; many consider him to be the purest embodiment of love, pacifisms, and selflessness in the game, yet he’s been dealt the most tragic lot of any of the characters. Effectively, Asriel is the one person you cannot save. But beyond the obvious general parallels of the two figures, is this there something more to this sweet and tragic goat boy than meets the eye?

           I’m of the opinion there is. Finding religious subtexts in video is always a slippery and volatile subject, but in this case, I can’t shake the feeling that the parallels are too pointed to ignore. I don’t think Asriel was meant to be a direct analogue to Jesus in the way characters such as Aslan from the Chronicles of Narnia are. But I find it hard to believe that his character wasn’t at least inspired by Christ, and hopefully by the end of this post you’ll see what I mean.

           The first encounter we could say we have with Asriel is at the very beginning of the game in the form of Flowey. However, there seems to be some debate amongst the fanbase as to whether Asriel and Flowey can even be considered the same character, so polar opposite are their personalities. King Asgore may look like a devil, but Flowey is the closest thing the Underground has to an actual demon in terms of what he does. Much like the Fallen Child, he often works vicariously through others, using temptation and manipulating to coerce people into furthering his plans. Also like the Fallen Child, Flowey is soulless, and thus incapable of feeling love for others. The “Asriel” side of him only re-emerges in the presence of the souls that allowing him to feel compassion once more. Just for that reason alone, I’m going to be treating Asriel and Flowey as separate characters throughout this post, the same way I would consider the entity we meet at the end of the Genocide Route to be something distinct from the original First Child who fell into the Underground. However, that being said, it’s interesting to note that the first and the being we fight is always either Flowey or Asriel, whether one is doing a pacifist, neutral, or genocide playthrough. One way or another, the Flowey/Asriel entity acts as bookends to the entire game and seems to exist on a more meta level than the rest of the cast, when we listen closely to their dialogue.

           First, here are a couple of the more superficial parallels between Asriel and Jesus. Both of them are described as the only naturally born son of a king, but are also described as having adopted siblings, and both are held up as great symbols of hope at their birth. Both at some point claim to be God. Despite this, both of them appear to bring great tragedy and hardship to the lives of all who love them, at least at first. Asriel is very compassionate and gentle to others; the story of how he treated the First Human child could be described as a textbook example of the Good Samaritan. Both figures die unjustly at the hands of their enemies, refusing to fight back despite having the ability to destroy everyone who was harming them. Also, curiously, the name “Asriel” can mean “Prince of God”, in addition to being a portmanteau of the names Asgore and Toriel. This very name is actually used in the Bible for one of the sons of Manasseh, so if it sounds Hebrew in origin, that’s because it is.

           From there the similarities start to deepen. Both Asriel and Jesus have prophecies that refer to them. For Asriel, it’s the Delta Rune that’s said to predate written history, according to Gerson. The Delta Rune is probably going to get its own post at some point because of how packed it is with brilliant symbolism, so I’ll try to be brief here. 

        To put it simply, the Delta Rune is the symbol of an “angel” from above who will cause the underground to go empty, whether by freeing all monsters or by killing all of them. There’s some debate as to who exactly this “angel” is, many would believe it was the player, and in the genocide run, it very well might be. On the pacifist, run, however, the “angel” definitely aligns most closely with Asriel, and the reflection of the Delta Rune’s design in his final form is evidence of this (note the location of the triangles on his body) This is really the only prophecy we know of that links to Asriel directly, but it’s still a prophecy nonetheless.

           Ultimately, Asriel is the one who breaks the barrier and sets all monsters free from the Underworld. Not only this, but he does so at the cost his own life, giving up the souls and reverting back to a flower. If I really have point out to you why this would be reminiscent of Christ, then this blog probably isn’t your cup of tea. But that’s not all. Right before the barrier is shattered, Asriel’s spite rises off of the ground and takes a very particular stance before committing the act. He begins speaking some inaudible words as the souls rush out of him and a really dramatic guitar riff starts playing in the background. But take a close look at that pose. Does it remind you of anything?

           There are some other peculiarities in the following scenes that seem to call back on New Testament imagery. One is the actual depiction of the barrier being shattered. It appears as a white screen cracking in two and the halves separating, before the message “The barrier was destroyed” flashes across the screen. It’s hard to say what exactly most of us were expecting we would see when we witnessed the destruction of the barrier, but I have to imagine that most of us saw this as a very minimalistic approach, almost a letdown, really, to such a dramatic event.

           Or was it?

           I can’t help but look but look at this picture of the barrier being destroyed and not be a little reminded of Matthew 27:50-51, “And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split, and the tombs broke open.”

           Anyone who’s done their theological homework knows that the curtain in the Jewish Temple was a symbol of the separation of God’s holiness and the sins of humanity. In effect, it acted as a barrier between man and God. And with the death of Jesus, that barrier of separation is destroyed. This symbolism wasn’t lost on the New Testament writers, it’s actually quite explicit. Ephesians 2:14 reads “For he [Christ] himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility.”

           Is this starting to get weird yet? Maybe up to this point, I still that all of this could just be a big coincidence, an unlikely set of parallels to the Bible that a video game happens to exhibit, perhaps because these Biblical archetypes are just so ubiquitously ingrained in our culture. And who knows, maybe that’s all it is. 

           But there is one more detail.

           I don’t remember when exactly it was I began to suspect that Undertale might have religious themes woven into its subtext. But perhaps it was around the point I started noticing the subtle topics of death and resurrection within the story, and their connection to the “soul”. The Fallen Child Chara apparently resurrects at the end of the genocide run (though whether that entity is actually Chara seems doubtful). Also, they appear to be communicating within the mind of Frisk, narrating the events on the screen as they happen, leading some to believe that Frisk is actually the reincarnation of Chara. Asriel himself undergoes a twofold resurrection within the game, first as a soulless flower at the hands of Dr. Alphys, and later back to his full being with the absorption of the human souls.

           And then, there are the six other humans who fell underground.

           There are a lot of unanswered mysteries in Undertale, but one of the ones I find the most puzzling is the question of what happened to the human souls when Asriel gave them up to break the barrier? Did they dissipate, were they taken to the afterlife, or did something…else…happen to them? There’s a hint in the game, but it raises more questions than answers.

           If you go past the throne room in Asgore’s palace, you will find a set of stairs leading to his basement. If you follow them all the way down, you will find this room:

           If you try to look into the coffin you find the name of the first human on it, also with the description that it’s empty. By logical extension, the other coffins are the six other children.

           If you go back to the basement after having saved Asriel, when the barrier is broken, you find this:

           All of the tombs are empty and all save the first one are open.

           Let’s go back to Matthew 27 for a second. If we keep reading from where we left off; “…At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split, and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and after Jesus’ resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.”

           Uncanny, isn’t it? Why are all the coffins open except for the one already stated to be empty? Where are the bodies? And where is the body of the First Child? Are they really dead?

           We never get any answers, but if you go to check the coffin again, you’ll find the message “The coffin is empty…? You didn’t notice it before, but there’s something like…mummy wrappings at the bottom of it.”

           Most likely these would be grave clothes, or perhaps a shroud. But this seems like an awfully insignificant detail to slip into a room so filled with unanswered questions. All it really tells is that the body isn’t in the coffin anymore. And it wasn’t reburied somewhere else, since the grave clothes were taken off. Does this also sound familiar?

           “So Peter and the other disciple started for Jesus’ tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed.” (John 20:4-8)

           So, what are we to make of this? It’s not uncommon for stories or video games to involve a Messianic archetype, but the detail of symbolism used in this case suggests there might be something more going on with Asriel than your usual stock redeemer character. Coupled with Asriel’s father’s resemblance to Satan, Asriel’s flower alter ego playing a much more actual Satanic character, and the fact that this boy is the one person you CAN’T save, but who essentially dies AFTER resurrecting in the “friendly RPG where no one has to die”, this mystery of Undertale lends itself to some rather confusing, and frankly disturbing, implications.

           Stay safe, folks. Until next time, this is Truecantaloupelove, signing off.

[metakazkz]

Abysstale FAQ

Here's a update fact about Abysstale and also another facts.

   Old fact that is still here

Fact number 1: Abyss!sans can mimic Sans Aus voice perfectly. his favorite mimic voice is Fell!sans because why not, for jokes.

Fact number 2: Abyss!sans design was inspired by one of my favorite video game character of Castlevania. Alucard and Soma Cruz and someone else ( reveal later )

Fact number 3: Abyss!sans preview unofficial  name is “ sans of the abyss” Short SOTA. he don’t like it he change the name for Soma.( it was still on progress before his name Abyss!sans was final.)

Fact number 4: In Abysstale, Abyss!Papyrus  is the older brother and Abyss!sans the younger brother. ( well you guys already knew that. )

Fact number 5: Some people think Abyss!Undyne design was inspired by the Zora from Legend of Zelda. I was never thinking about Zora when I drawing Abyss!Undyne. I was thinking that hair will fit her. After her design was finish, it like I’m drawing Tifa from final fantasy 7 in Undyne form.

Fact number 6: Abyss!sans scarves still remain mystery how it was made. The clue is in order to creates a special fur scarves. it was created with the special items and great energy power or is it.

Fact number 7: Abyss!Toriel favorite instrument is the flute, silver color.

Fact number 8: In Abysstale, Abyss!Toriel like making pie just like the classic Toriel. except of Cinnamon butterscotch it’s strawberry and rhubarb.

Fact number 9: Abyss!Flowey design was inspired by the immortal flowers

Fact number 10: Abyss!Mettaton wasn’t not just rectangles robot. it was talking radio robot with speakers.

Fact number 10.5 : When abyss!sans is angry. You can heard his echo voice.

2 New Facts appears

Fact number 11 : The turquoise soul color Evolution. The power of few Monsters have the ability to transform when they about to die. The turquoise color represent EVOLUTION, the power to evolve. But it's only a small part of it. there's a few clues in certain pages of Abysstale that is right front of  your face.

Fact number 12 : Abyss!sans favorite food is Sushi, pad thai and tacos. favorite drink is cappuccino, ice café or fruit punch. Favorite dessert is strawberry and rhubarb pie and black forest cake. And in finally chocolate bar Reese's

Other FAQ

1.) Can I draw your characters? (example Abysstale or others )

Sure you guys are very welcome to drawing my characters it’s very appreciated.

2.) Is it alright if I do a Comic dub/ translated of the comics you made?

I’m very fine with it. As long you credited the original work and me please. I would also love it if you send a link to me as well.

3.) Do you do Art Trades?

Yes I do the art trade, but it had to be the same level art skill as mine. I don’t want to be unfair for some people. But I just want to be fair and equals.

4.) Do you do Requests?

Nope sorry not in my Deviant art. But, maybe in tumblr when it’s come to Ask. that will depend if I have time or not.

5) Do you do commission?

Only in my Deviant arts Meta-Kaz DA

6.) What program do you use? Adobe Photoshop CS6 7.) What tablet do you use?

the BAMBOO tablet

[bublp0pr]

you know, sometimes i take a step back and wonder what i’m doing sticking around in a fandom that i’ve been obsessing over for a little over a year now and then i take a moment and look at my life and go...

DAMN IT FEELS GOOD TO BE SILLY INTERNET UNDERTALE TRASH. 

Papyrus is bae and goals and everything great and pure and perfect in this word. I will never forget our date my sweet skele-dove your spaghetti riddled its way to my heart from the word ‘boondoggle’ and every second in this world since you rejected me is that of a half life, a cursed life, and empty life. And yet, I forgive you. Truly you are a skeleton of unspeakable honourable standards and I respect that. You are the greatest Papyrus. The greatest.

Undyne is my spirit animal and thinking about her when no one else is around make me want to stand up, yell at the top of my lungs and roar like some beserker-mode she-hulk from hell and crush my opponents into the ground so hard they pulverise on contact. It makes me want to release all the energies of my soul in a punch of passion that leaves destruction in my midst and drives in me some warrior instinct I never knew i had.

Sans and Papyrus are the BroTP that i never knew my heart needed to survive but it most DEFINITELY does just... just take my soul already. The feels have melted it anyway. Take it. I don’t need it anymore, these skeletons are my heart. Their love is my love. Their life is my life. 

Chara and Asriel’s back story gives me feels so hard i break out the dramatic single tear whenever i hear His Theme and the full magnitude of every single shred of their implied history i hold in the most sacred of gravity, appreciating how their actions directly are interwoven into the entirety of Undertale’s main storyline.

Though their words come out like loud nasal clicking from an old-school gameboy system I can hear every word, every tone, every inflection, every hesitation, every last drop of emotion in those lines and their voices live on and resonate with me long after that text finishes loading or I press X.

Toriel. Asgore. Sans. Papyrus. Alphys. Undyne. Mettaton. Naptsablook. Asriel. Frisk. Chara. Flowey. Monster Kid. Muffet. Dogamy. Dogaressa. Moldsmall. Migosp. Whimsun. Vegetoid. Loox. Mad Dummy’s cousin (~you are the apple of my eye ;D). Specifically the Froggits who teach Frisk about showing a little mercy, showing respect for monsters by not skipping through all their dialogue all the time, contemplate the amount of frogs in the room and can arrange for all the monsters to change their names pink instead of yellow as a favour if you want. Not to mention the poor Froggit that Toriel gave a full on death glare when we tried to compliment lol. Snowdrake. IceCap. Gyftrot. Chilldrake. Doggo. Lesser Dog. Greater Dog. Snowman. Grillby. Nicecream Guy. That bunny who walks her brother bun on a leash. The bunny who finds that disturbing. The monster who spends all their time rearranging presents under a decorated tree. Mysterious person behind the door who loves the sound of me knocking their door. That wolf who constantly throws large blocks of ice from a machine into the water knowing it will cool down the core. The fish monster who threw out a pick up line. The dog who’s playing poker against himself and losing. The monster who talks about crowding in New Home and how people will start moving to Snowdin and slip on their butts. The bear who goes ‘thaaats politics’ and should really be elected mayor (I’d vote for you). The librarian who has to put up with the spelling mistake for their Librarby sign. The monster who wasted all of their school life on wordsearches to realise that it was actually worth it after all. The ladies who write the newspaper including the one who’s still in the process of writing a book. The rocks who play human and monster. The shopkeeper who makes the classic cinnamon bunnies and greets a traveller. The inn keeper and her kid who are kind enough to not charge you without staying the full night and give you a refund. The annoying dog. Shyren. Aaron ;). Woshua. Temmie. Jerry (ok... maybe i don’t appreciate him. But still. He’s memorable)  Moldbygg (i respect your space). That little monster who doesn’t know what a star is. That monster that just wants you to step on their face. The small bird that carries me over a disproportionately sized gap. The two monsters who must have made wishes to the echo flowers and laughed when they realised their dreams were one in the same. Gerson, who has the guts to stare a homocidal maniac in the eye and know they can’t do a thing to strike him down while he’s like this and actually calls the little demon out on it too; respect dude. Tsunderplane. Vulkin. Pyrope. RG01 and RG02 you crazy dragon and bunny lovers you ;D. Heats Flamesman (of course I can’t forget). Okkkkkkkkk clam guy (you’re such a poser). The Mettaton fans that couldn’t make it to work who were actually quite well-informed about what Mettaton’s demographics like. The school kid monsters who loitered around and celebrated the time off because of those activated traps even though they were already in summer holidays anyway lol. The poor sucker who spent all their money when they walked past Muffet’s sales bench. The lion who wanted to wear a dress like mettaton and looked fabulous wearing it btw. The dragon with a wife back at home he desperately had to call because of the broken elevator. The slime who, as a slime, had a legitimate disliking to the situation. Bratty and Catty. The poor janitor perpetually cleaning forever but never taking a break either (now that’s dedication). The fathah of the Snowdrake and his amalgamate wife, happily reuinited and accepting their son for the aspiring comedian he is. The monster who makes reservations for literally everything in the restaurant. The totally relatable guy who stuck it out with that plan like a socially awkward pro in there. The monster who loves his job and puzzles. The monster who hates his job and puzzles. Burgerpants, my man you bring cred to the minimum wage class. (...i’ll admit all the NPCs started to blur together by the time i reached the core but i’ll give it my best shot. *deep breath*) All dem mercenaries hired by Mettaton, the ones who looked like bananas as silhouettes, you know who you are. Night night Knight Knight, sleep tight (don’t let the bedbugs bite). Madjick. My mystical friend Final Froggit. Whimsalot. Astigmatism. In particular that one dude who liked the fire room and would try to find it when the core reshuffled itself and chill in there sometimes, something about that story really stuck with me. All those monsters in New Home kind enough to fill me in on the story of the dead prince and human. Alphys’ amalgamates: the bad memories, the one whose ‘attack’ was getting themselves attacked by bees and then setting them off on me, Endogeny, the one whose speech was overlapped from all the different people in them, the one with the giant monster mouth attack, the one who put a blanket over us that was absolutely adorable, the one that Frisk tried to check out in the shower that weirdo (good for you disappearing on us when we open the shower curtain and respecting your privacy, i’d get progressively more panicked if someone was trying to perv on me too) and the ones that disguised themself as a SAVE point and shock bubble symbol (classic but meta at the same time, really inventive you guys). And i’ve probably missed people... but yeah. Lots of memories. Lots of friends. Gotta love em all. 

DAMN IT FEELS GOOD TO LOVE UNDERTALE. AND I DAMN WELL DO. I DAMN WELL LOVE IT. AND I WANTED TO SAY THAT DAMMIT. 

[mrevaunit42]

UnderStar part 1

Hey everyone Mr.E here with another of my older stories. Last week i was working on Starco week 3 but yesterday i came down with a bit of a stomach bug. it’s passed but i decided as i take the day off, Why not post one of my favorite stories I wrote? My Star crossover with undertale. I really try to catch the feel of the video game so i hope you enjoy it. Honestly this is as fourth wall breaking, meta humor as the game itself and there are minor spoilers for the beginning. To really help you readers get into the mood, I am leaving it unaltered from the fanfiction format i used. this was a birthday present for my friend @hains-mae who actually did some great artwork for the story that i recommend you check out. that’s it for me, have an amazing week and i’ll talk to you soon

Howdy friends, Flowey here! I am so sad tell you that the author Mr.E has been killed in a tragic accident involving a comically oversized X and a boulder. With his dying, pathetic last breath, he asked me to take over his duties and keep writing Starco stories for you wonderful, amazing readers and I humbly accepted his last request because...hey, wait a minute!

Hi! Mr. E here. Despite the fact that SOMEONE tried to kill me, I'm still kicking. So that message I opened from Flowey? Well yeah worst mistake ever. I don't know what's going on but he's gotten into the story and he's trying to destroy everything! I'm trying to stop him but he's just so wiggly and annoying! Just stay here, don't read further on okay? I'll come back when I finally gotten rid of the pest. Just stay here!

…

…

…

You know you want to read on. You know you're curious. Go on, read. It'll be a fun experience. I PROMISE.

Marco felt like he just fell from a fifty foot drop, his mouth dry with the strange, metallic taste. His body felt sore, his bones ached and the normally cushy, foamy bed he came to expect felt rigid, tough yet a little puffy like he was laying on a stone floor ontop of a pile of flowers or something.

Marco groaned weakly, trying to piece together what happened. One minute he and Star were leaping through the dimensional portal like they had a million times before, happily discussing every day life topics like where to go next, if they had left the stove on, how Star could not bring home the flesh eating werewolf no matter how cute it looked with a bow to now feeling like he'd been hit by one of Star's narwhals.

The blinding sun above wasn't helping either. Marco instinctively covered his face with his free hand, trying his hardest to will himself to move but he just wasn't feeling it. Whatever happened drained a lot out of him. He couldn't remember a time he felt so tired.

Well laying down wasn't going to help any and he needed to figure out what went wrong.

Using every ounce of self control he possessed, Marco removed his hand away from his face, allowing the sunlight to bask him in a warm, bright glow.

It was strange sensation, he thought to himself, when sunlight and the air vastly contrasted from one another.

The air was cold and damp, chilly and frozen with the strange  taste of moisture within, almost like it was coming from somewhere deep in the ground, so far below that no source of light could reach it.

Marco made it to his side, groaning with effort as his hands felt something soft underneath his touch. Whatever he was felt smooth puffed like some sort of plant or foliage.

Marco opened his eyes slowly, his vision focusing in and out as it was assaulted with a sea of yellow.

“Wha?” Marco gently held the object in his hand.

It was a large, wild bunch of sunflowers nestled cozily under his body.

Marco glanced around the room curiously, the darkness of his surrounding making him feel uneasy.

He was in a circular cavern: thick smooth stone walls covered every inch as the sun poured in from a hole in the ceiling. It was so high that Marco couldn't see an edge or how far away the entrance was from him

Marco glanced around only to spot Star across from him, her body turned his way but not paying attention to him at all. She was awake and on all fours, staring at something with keen interest, her sky blue eyes wide with wonder.

“Star?” Marco asked groggily, wondering why the magical princess hadn't tried to wake him.

“Shh” Was Star's response, soft and gentle as her face did not even move an inch.

Marco frowned, annoyance filling his features as he followed her gaze to see what was so interesting.

“Oh....” Marco whispered, curiously watching the unconscious child in between the two.

The child was sprawled out on the bed of foliage like they were napping on the surprisingly comfy flowers, their eyes closed as their body rose and fell letting both Star and Marco know that they were still breathing.

The child's eyes were closed, looking more like two lines than anything else but that could be to due to the near darkness of the cave. The child had medium length straight brown hair with short bangs. They wore a magenta and blue striped shirt with blue pants and some brown shoes. But any other description of the child was....very difficult to give.

Marco couldn't tell if the child was a boy or girl. Marco was certain the child was a boy but every so often the child would shift just ever so slightly and the image of the girl replaced the boy.

And it wasn't just the child's gender that was impossible to deduce, it was everything about them. Their age could've ranged anywhere from 8 to 12, their skin color shifted with every subtle, sleeping movement they did.

The expression of the child made everything worse. Even fast asleep their expression was blank, as smooth and emotionless as the walls of the room were. Everything about this child was a mystery and it was maddening to decipher.

“Aww” Star finally spoke up, her voice still low as not to disturb the sleeping child “She's soooo cute!”

“Umm Star” Marco replied nervously, hoping he did not some how offend Star with his observation “I think she is a boy.”

“No, she's a girl. See the hair?”

“But boys have hair styles like that too”

“And her adorable shirt?”

“I wore that type of shirt growing up.”

“Umm, those shoes are so not guy shoes.”

“Star, they're just plain brown shoes. Lots of people wear brown shoes.”

“But her face. It's so angelic! So calm so....”

Star pouted, biting her lip while she tried to figure out the puzzle of the child's gender.

Marco stared too, hoping that with 2 people on the case, the mystery would be solved sooner than later.

“Well I guess in this angle she does...” Marco started as Star muttered at the same time “He does look a little...”

The two best friends shared a confused look with one another

“Should we just...?” Marco began uneasily.

“Yeah it's not important” Star agreed, standing to her full height with Marco following suit.

“What is important” Star continued, putting her hands on her hips confidently while staring around the cavernous room “Is how do we get...umm her out of here”

“The real question” Marco added, putting on his hand gingerly on the cool, slick surface of the walls “Is where are we.”

“Psst” Star scoffed, closing her eyes and waving off Marco's statement question “Easy, we're out of here!”

Star held up the dimensional scissors only to pale at the sight of the bent edges of the blades, their awkward angles filling the princess with dread.

“Oh no” Star muttered, twisting her body to prevent Marco from seeing the damaged magical item and freak out like he always did.

“Star?” Marco asked quizzically, trying to peer around her to see what she was hiding.

“Soooo.” Star stalled, slowly turning and holding the broken scissors in her palms “The scissors are broken....”

Marco didn't say anything, his face slipping into a mask of disbelief

“We're trapped here!” Marco shouted, forgetting all about the sleeping child for a moment.

The two flinched at the sound of Marco's voice bouncing off the walls of the cave, growing fainter and fainter the further it traveled.

“Marco” Star harshly scolded with a whisper “He's sleeping!”

Marco eyed the child carefully “I don't think she is getting up anytime soon. Besides, what happened? Why are we even here Star?”

“Why do you make it sound like I brought us here?” Star shot back, a defensive edge to her voice.

“Because you had the scissors!” Marco argued “You're the one that knows how to use them.”

“But I didn't bring us here! Or at least I didn't mean too” Star concluded, nervously chewing on her wand while she tried to determine if this whole side trip was truly her fault. All she wanted to do was take Marco on a secret trip, not the spooky cave of cave things.

“If you didn't bring us here, how did we end up here?”

“Hmm....I opened the portal, we jumped through, you said you forgot something and poof we're here!” Star mindlessly nibbled on her wand, her brain working as fast as it could to give Marco an answer “Maybe there was a large surge of magic that attracted the scissors to this place! I mean I heard it happens but such a force would have to be a huuuuuuge surge of magic. Like rewinding and alternating the very flow of time itself and there's nothing in the known universe that could do that.”

“So...” Marco asked, making his way over to Star's side “What do we do now?”

“Easy, we find someone to fix the scissors!” Star cheered excitedly

“And is there someone who can fix the scissors?” Marco questioned.

“No idea” Star admitted “but we won't find out if we simply stay here all day. Come on Marco”

Star turned on her heels, eyes sparkling at the entrance away further into the cave,

A rectangular doorway with elegant and detailed columns on either side, the archway held some sort of family seal in the middle, some sort of creature in flight but Star had never seen such a family crest before.  

“Star, what about her?”

Star stopped walking, turning to face both Marco and the sleeping child.

“...Maybe it's safer for him if we leave her here...him...her.....” Star's head dully ached, the gender of the child causing her great confusion.

Marco nodded in agreement “We don't know what we will face. It'll be safer this way. We can't protect her...er him....if we're distracted.”

“Bye sleeping gender ambiguous child!” Star happily waved goodbye before the two made their way through the entrance way and deeper into the cavern.

“Ugh, why is it so dark in here?” Star whined, the luminous pink glow from her wand the only thing allowing either of them to see through the dark, shadowy tunnels of the cavern.

“Because it's a cave Star. Caves tend to be underground and dark, you know lack of sun and stuff like that”

“Why did the scissors bring us to this gloomy, dark place!” Star complained, pouting cutely “Who would be willing to live here?”

“I would!”

Star and Marco shared a concern look as they came into another circular room, another ray of sun shining down on a small patch of grass and on that small patch was a yellow sunflower but unlike the ones from before, this one was different.

It had black eyes and thin line of a smile, like an old cartoon character. It moved like it was alive, its little petals waving this way and that excitedly as if it had never seen a person before.

“.....umm....hi” Marco waved towards the eager and seemingly alive sunflower, unsure how to proceed with this whole talking to plant life plan.

“Howdy!” The flower responded, moving a petal like it was waving to them “My name is Flowey. Flowey the Flower!”

Marco opened his mouth to question how a flower could get sentience, let alone talk, when Star violently shoved him to the floor, rushing over and crouching over the cute little sunflower.

“Aww....you are so cute!” Star cooed, smiling brightly at Flowey.

“Yeah...” Marco chimed in, deadpanned and obviously irritated at Star's antics “Cute.”

Marco made his way over to Flowey and Star. Something about the little tiny flower setting him on edge.

“Wow you sure are pretty!” Flowey beamed joyfully at Star.

“Aww thank you! Such a sweet little flower.”

“You two must be new to the Underground, ain'tcha?” Flowey asked his rhetorical question, looking up and down Marco and Star's like he was searching for something.

“Is that what this place is called little flower?” Star asked, leaning over Flowey, giving him her undivided attention.

“Yep! Golly, you two must be so confused what's going on”

“A little” Marco agreed

“Well someone ought to teach you how things work around here! And I guess that's going to be little old me” Flowey told the pair with a playful wink.

“Thanks Flowey!” Star let out a happy cheer “That's so nice of you!”

“Are you two ready?” Flowey asked with a mischievous smile.

Marco felt chills run down his spine at the sight of the innocent grin.

“Wait...” Marco stepped forward to stop Flowey from going on but it was too late as Flowey let out an excited “HERE WE GO!”

Marco and Star felt odd as the world flickered between color and black/white before the staying in a colorless filter

“What is going on?” Marco questioned, his train of thought grinding to a halt when a faint, mild red glimmer began radiating from his chest.

Marco glanced down to see a small, bright red heart in the center of his chest, superimposed on top of his hoodie like a pasted on logo.

Marco turned to see Star's lips shaped like an O, her eyes lost in a child-like wonder as her pink hearts that rested upon her cheek became blue, her fingers carefully pinching and touching the now different colored hearts.

“See that heart? Er hearts?” Flowey explained, a strange gleam in his eye s “That's your SOUL, the very culmination of your entire being, entire existence!”

“Whoa!” Star pinched harder, trying to see if there was some way to peel off the blueness of her hearts and put it a frame or photo album.

“Your SOULs start off weak but you can make them stronger with LOVE!” “LOVE!” Star squealed, love was her favorite thing in the entire world!

“Yep! LOVE! And we share LOVE through these!”

Marco wearily stared at the small, seed-like pellet that appeared over Flowey's head.

“And those are....what exactly?” Marco questioned, body tense just in case.

“Friendliness pellets of course!”

“YAY! Friendliness pellets” Star clapped with childish glee “I want some love!”

“Okay, make sure collect the pellets to grow your LOVE!”

Star closed her eyes, trusting Flowey completely as she spread her arms open wide, cheerfully singing her favorite La la la la song as the pellet slowly inched its way over to the waiting princess.

Marco narrowed his eyes, the eagerness on Flowey's face was strange, off putting even.

“Star” Marco gently pushed his best friend out of the way of the approaching pellet, ignoring her frustrated and annoyed cries “I think maybe we should....”

The pellet made contact with Marco's body, disappearing into thin air. It was a light tap, barely a touch. So why did it feel like Marco's shoulder was being ripped off, why did his mind become hazy, any attempt to remember any small detail nearly impossible?

“Marco, MARCO WAKE UP!”

Marco's eyes shot open, his breathing heavy as he felt warm, almost like he was on fire. When did he close his eyes?

Marco stared upwards into Star's blue eyes. Her long blonde hair tumbling down the side of her face, a frightened and worried look filling out every corner of her body.

Marco opened his mouth to respond to Star's calls only to realize they weren't alone.

Next to Star was a humanoid female goat. She was a little taller and a little wider than the two young teens though that easily could've been due to how massive her blue robe with white sleeves seemed to be. She had two small horns coming out of the top of her skull, her droopy ears fluffy and cute. Her hands and feet were paws as well and she stared at him with a motherly glance.

“My child” she spoke slowly, making sure Marco was coherent enough to properly understand “Are you alright? That horrible creature did not harm you, did he?”

Marco shook his head, trying to ignore the ache in his shoulder. He didn't want to worry Star or goat mom too much.

Star offered her hand, letting out a sigh of relief when Marco gripped it firmly and allowed Star to help him to his feet.

“Where's Flowey?” Marco asked, eyes blazing with righteous fury at having been tricked.

“He just left, I'm sure he didn't mean anything by it. Maybe it was just an accident.”

Marco faced Star, unable to believe she was defending the psychotic flower after he tried to hurt her!

“Children” Goat mom interrupted, forcing the passive argument to be shelved for the moment.

Star and Marco gave the kindly goat their full attention, hoping that she could help them get out of this place or perhaps fix the dimensional scissors.

“I am Toriel” Goat mom explained “I am keeper of this ruins. I search them every day to see if any humans have fallen down here though I must admit I am surprised that I found two living beings instead of one. Normally you tend to travel solo up the mountain.”

“Actually” Star cut in “I'm Mewnian, not actually human.”

“I know, I can sense your SOUL. It is very similar to my own.”

Star was surprised at this information “What but...aren't you a...?”

“A monster, yes” Toriel filled in, nodding to her politely.

Star stayed quiet at this revelation forcing Marco to take up the conversation.

“We actually didn't fall down from the mountain.”

Toriel stared at them, confused and lost at what Marco was saying.

“I don't understand my child...”

Marco held out the bent scissors “It's a magical item that lets us travel between dimensions. Somehow we got trapped here and they broke.”

“I see” Toriel simply replied “I am not familiar with this magic and I have never seen anything such as this before. I am afraid I cannot help you”

Marco couldn't stop the disappointment from showing, sliding the broken object into his pockets

“Is there any way out of here? Of the Underground I mean?”

Toriel said nothing, her sudden silence causing Marco to anxiously await her response.

“Come with me” Toriel told the pair quickly “I know a place you shall be safe but we will have to pass through the ruins to do so.”

And without warning, Toriel left, her figure disappearing beyond the archway across the other side of the room.

Marco took a step forward only to feel Star grip his hand tightly, holding him in place to gather his attention.

“Star?” Marco questioned, wondering what was Star up to.

“Marco, you're not seriously going to follow her further into the ruins?” Star's tone made Marco feel stupid like she was questioning his intelligence or something.

“Of course I am! We don't have any choice, besides she seems nice enough.”

“She's a monster!” Star shouted, trying to make Marco realize what a terrible mistake this was “And she's hiding something! Did you hear how she hesitated? She knows there's a way out but she doesn't want to tell us!”

“Look Star, trap or not, we're not going anywhere on our own.” Marco explained, hoping Star could see his reasoning “We need to play along for now and we'll figure it out as we go.”

“Oooooor we can narwhal blast her!” Star suggested helpfully.

“We're not narwhal blasting Goat mom! I mean...” Marco shook his head “Toriel.”

Star cutely giggled at Marco's slip up “Hee Goat mom”

Star let out a defeated sigh, motioning for Marco go first “Your plan safe kid, you first.”

“I was going to be a gentleman but I think for the moment I'll stow the chivalry”

Marco and Star walked side by side into the darkness of the ruins, Star quickly breaking the silence of the moment “You know Marco, the code of chivalry only has one part of it that says respect women. The rest is protocols for medieval combat.”

“Whoa” The teens said as one, the elegance of the ruins overtaking both of them. The outside of the ruins may have been a simple cave but within, there with well crafted brick walls of a purplish tint. It was small but far more inviting than the outside cavern.

“Welcome to your new home, innocent children” Toriel bowed gratefully as Star and Marco made their way deeper into the room “Let me educate you in the operations of the ruins. Beyond are many puzzles designed slow or halt your progress but you needn't worry, I have already solved most of them. Just follow my instructions and all shall be well.”

“Toriel, I'm a magical princess from another dimension and Marco is a karate master of whirling death! I'm sure we can handle anything in the ruins” Star boasted, leaning against Marco and giving him a playful wink.

“Oh dear” Toriel sounded deeply ashamed “I am sorry your highness, I did not realize I was speaking to a fellow royal. Please forgive my rudeness”

Toriel bowed respectfully towards Star causing the young princess to shift guilty, her earlier accusations about Toriel now seeming petty and unfounded.

“It's okay Toriel...wait you're a queen?”

“No....not anymore” Toriel responded cryptically, turning and venturing further into th ruins without another word, Marco and Star following in her wake.

“Seriously?” Star scoffed, feeling insulted at having been treated like a small child. Not only were the puzzles absurdly easy to solve, Toriel was true to her word: She had indeed solved all them beforehand. From the yellow signs telling Marco and Star which lever to pull to Toriel guiding the two, by hand mind you, through retractable spiky floors, Marco and Star had barely lifted a finger to bypass the trials of the ruins. Even now Star could see Toriel hiding behind a pillar, having told them to simply walk to the end the hall by themselves as some sort of final test

Overly protective goat mom was overly protective.

“At least she's not trying to kill us” Marco told Star, hoping to curve Star's annoyance towards their benevolent, if overly cautious, guide.

“Marco, she wanted me to talk to a practice dummy.”

“Well....”

“You know what practice dummies are for right? For fighting!”

“Umm....” Marco started but there was no fighting Star's argument.

“I feel like a child. No, I feel like like a baby because as a child I was already stealing treasure from ogres and learning to fight with a sword.”

“Look she's just showing how much she cares, that's all”

“She's suffocating that's what” Star murmured low as the duo passed the pillar that was Toriel's spot, unsurprised when the female goat came out, robes sweeping, her hands held together as always.

“Greetings my children, do not worry, I did not actually leave you” Toriel said a smile.

“You don't say....” was Star's deadpanned response.

“I do say!” Toriel answered cheerfully “I was merely behind this pillar, testing your independence. Thank you for trusting me for you see I need take care of some things and you two must stay alone for a while.”

“Really?” Star's voice filled with an unsubtle level of eager craftiness. Marco face palmed himself.

“Yes, you two must remain here” Toriel went on, not catching wind of Star's intent “It is far too dangerous ahead and I have not yet written out the answers for the puzzles.”

“Oh, I see” Marco couldn't tell what he couldn't believe more: Star's overly agreeable tone or the fact Toriel just was not catching on to any of it.

“I have an idea! I shall....oh dear” Toriel's face morphed from joy to despair “I was going to give you this device. You probably haven't heard of it. It is called a cell phone. I was to give it to you so I may keep in touch with you both but alas I only have one and it is not right to give it to one and not have another prepared for the other. Dear how could I have been so thoughtless?”

“It's okay!” Star chimed in, reaching into Marco's pocket and fishing out his cell phone to see “Marco has a cell phone! You can use your phone to call him!”

Toriel looked completely awestruck “Oh my, you have a cell phone? Where ever did you get it?”

“Umm.....Verzion.” Marco answered sheepishly

“Hmm....I must speak to this merchant Verzion. Perhaps he could sell me more cell phones in case I need to hand them out. Some monsters do not have any and I feel terribly guilty for it.”

Marco chuckled nervously “Good luck with that, Verzion is only in the United States.”

“Oh....” Toriel replied, pouting a little bit “Well I suppose this will have to do. Please, Marco was it? May I have your number so that I may check up on you?”

Marco gave Toriel his number, suppressing his stranger danger urges despite the fact Toriel has been very trustworthy but sometimes old habits die hard.

“Thank you Marco” Toriel beamed happily at the two of them, the goat's face reminding Marco of his own mother for a moment “I shall contact you when I am done with my errands. So for now, do not move from this spot.”

“Sure mom...” Marco replied automatically before flinching “I mean goat mom! I mean Toriel!”

Toriel stared back at Star and Marco, face set in stone before a small smile played on her face, the best friends feeling a little guilty as Toriel was swallowed by the darkness of the ruins.

“Man, she really knows how to make you feel bad. She's so sweet. Like a puppy! Or cotton candy...” Star paused for a moment before snapping her fingers “or a cotton Candy puppy! Nom noms!”

“ugh, I know right?” Marco agreed “man she has a way of making you feel bad for not doing what she says. Come on we need to...”

Marco and Star jumped out of their skins as Marco's Space Unicorn ringtone filled the silent room.

Marco checked the caller I.D only have a row of question marks fill the screen.

“Hello?” Marco answered, putting on the speaker so Star could hear as well.

“Hello, this is Toriel, you have not left the room have you?” she asked curiously

“Nope!” Marco replied “Still here, where you left us 10 seconds ago”

“Good, there some puzzles ahead I have not yet explained. It would be dangerous for both of you my children.”

“Right Toriel.”

“on an unrelated note, which do you prefer? Cinnamon or butterscotch?”

“Cinnamon!” Star answered

“Butterscotch!” Was Marco's reply.

The two stared at each other, unsure what to say next.

“Would either of you mind” Toriel began slowly “If I put the two together? I know your have your favorites but I suppose it would be best to compromise in this situation”

“I'm okay with if Star is”

“That sounds yummy!'

“Thank you so much for your patience, please remain where you are. I shall be there shortly to pick you up”

Star and Marco shared a conspiratorial look with one another, knowing while goat mom meant well, they weren't defenseless children. They needed to get out of the Underground and return home as soon as possible.

“You ready to break some rules safe kid?” Star teased, nudging Marco's side playfully while winking his way.

“You are such a bad influence on me.”

“I think you  mean fun...luence?”

Marco let out a joyful laugh “Come on Star, let's go. How bad could these ruins be anyway?”

Marco stayed as far away from Star as he could, eying both the magical princess and the doughnut she was scarfing down with equal parts disgust and disbelief.

“Amre Yspu surm; do Whna any Mmaco?” Star offered her half eaten doughnut to the increasingly uncomfortable Marco.

Marco could feel his stomach churn unhappily at the sight of the pastry, his face becoming pale as his body threaten to throw out what he had for breakfast.

“Ugh, Star you bought that at a spider bake sale!”

Star shrugged, not seeing what was wrong with the picture “So what Marco? It's pretty good.”

“Star, it was brought down from a web....by spiders!”

“Those spiders really know how to bake!”

Marco gulped, trying to keep the contents of his stomach down, Star taking a huge bite and finishing the rest of the spidery treat in one go.

“Ah!” Star let out a satisfied sigh, patting her belly contently “So good.”

“So gross” Marco countered, trying to find away to active the repression reflex of his brain.

“This place is pretty cool!” Star went on, ignoring Marco's green, vomit colored cheeks “Those puzzles were pretty fun.”

Marco stared her, annoyed “We fell down a hole. Twice. And that fourth rock gave so much trouble.”

“Yep!” Star continued, still completely oblivious to Marco “Fuuuuuun!

“Well at least that ghost was cool”

“And its little top hat? So cute!”

“The Underground isn't such a bad place huh?” Marco said casually

“Yeah” Star agreed, her tone distant and sad “But we can't stay here....”

Marco nodded “We have to get back home.”

Marco and Star made their way through the ruins, taking the only path they had not yet dared tread.

In the next room, directly in the center was a darken, silhouette of a tree, dead, branches twisted upwards as if searching for the sun.

“You think anyone could leave the Underground?” Marco asked quizzically, the dead tree making him feel uneasy “I mean who would willingly live here? It's so dark...cold....”

Star shrugged, trying to remain calm though the idea of these monsters trapped here began tugging at her heart strings “I don't know...but we're not going to find out just standing here.....”

Before either of them could react, Marco's ringtone went off once more, breaking the silence and the thoughts of the teenagers.

“OH!” A familiar called from beyond the dead tree “How did you get here my children? You are not hurt, are you?”

Star and Marco quickly found themselves wrapped in a furry embrace, Toriel gripping and holding onto them like she would never see them again.

She let them go after a moment, staring dolefully towards the best friends, almost as if she was asking for forgiveness

“I should have not left you alone so long” Toriel frowned, clearly ashamed at her actions “It was irresponsible of me to have done so, even if I wanted to get your surprise ready. I am sorry children, it will not happen again.”

“It's okay Toriel” Star tried to explain, the guilt in the goat mom's eyes too much for her to bear “We're okay! Me and Marco managed to avoid any monsters and the puzzles were really simple! We...”

“Well” Toriel turned away from Marco and Star “I cannot hide it any longer. Come children.”

and once more Toriel vanished but not into a cave like the other times but rather into a cute, cozy little home just beyond the dead tree.

“Do you like your new home children?” Toriel asked excitedly, motioning to her house humbly “I am sorry for the mess. I did not realize I would be having company over. You may find some things scatter about. Please simply put them in your pockets until you find a place to store them.”

The house was much bigger on the inside than it was on the outside: In front was a stair cause that descended further into the Earth. To the hall on the right were 3 sets of doors, hastily written signs held by their doorknobs. To the left was a large living with a chair resting next to a warm fire and beyond that seemed to be a kitchen given how some thin, black smoke was pouring from it.

“Surprise! Welcome to your new home!” Toriel told Marco and Star with a bright smile, holding out a delicious looking pie in front of them, the scent of butterscotch and cinnamon wafting through the little home and causing Marco's stomach to grumble with impatience.

“Thank you Toriel! This is amazing!” Marco politely told their host, eagerly reaching for a slice of pie and hungrily consuming within seconds.

Star took the pie offered to her but she made no motion to eat it, Toriel's words not setting well with the magical princess.

“Toriel....what do you mean our new home?”

Toriel peered at Star like she was confused, that Star's question made no sense or at least had an obvious answer.

“Well my child, I simply mean this is your new home. Where you will live from now on....with me.”

“What?” Marco managed to get out before a piece of the pastry went down the wrong pipe, choking him and causing him to wildly gasp for air.

“Toriel, you can't keep us prisoner here” Star threatened, slowly reaching for her wand in case goat mom tried something.

“Prisoner?” Toriel looked appalled, like the mere idea of keeping the teens trapped here was sickening to her “You are not my prisoners, you are my guests.”

“Then help us leave the Underground!” Star shot back, hand wrapped tightly around the hilt of her wand.

“You cannot leave child” Toriel told her, worry and concern in her eyes.

“W-wh...AH! Why not?” Marco coughed out.

“Beyond the ruins is the rest of the Underground” Toriel explained, her voice solemn and stricken with grief and sorrow “Here you are safe. You may live your lives in peace. But if you go beyond.....they....Asgore.....will kill you.”

Toriel closed her eyes as if the mere memory of this Asgore brought her great distress.

“Why?! We haven't done anything to those meanie pants!” Star shouted, her wand fully visibly to all parties involved.

“You are human Marco, and you Star are human enough. They are still bitter, still angry at the loss we have suffered. They would kill you on the spot simply to satiate their anger, their rage, their vengeance.”

“But there must be a way out of the Underground! Please Toriel, tell us”

Toriel said nothing, simply frowning and releasing a defeated sigh, one that made it seem like this wasn't the first time she had this conversation.

“I am tired children. I apologize. I will rest. We....we will discuss this tomorrow. I am afraid you two will have to share a room for the time being. As I said.....not many humans fall into the Underground and I have never had two beings at the same time.”  

and like that, Toriel left, passing Marco and Star without another word, retreating into her room with hardly a sound.

Marco and Star made it to their room, a nice well kept room with a bed large enough to fit the two of them comfortably.

Marco fell on the bed at once, letting his tired body finally relax since the first time this adventure began.

Star sat on the edge of the bed but did not make any attempt to lay down next to Marco.

“Star? Star what's wrong?” Marco asked, the fact Star was so silent bothering the Latino greatly.

“We need to go home Marco” Star told him bluntly “We can't pretend house and stay here until Toriel decides to tell us how to get out of the Ruins.”

“Star” Marco frowned, trying to figure out the best way to explain this to his hotheaded, reckless best friend “We have no idea where we are, we have no idea what's going on and we have no idea what's beyond the Ruins. What if it is as dangerous as Toriel says?”

“Psst” Star scoffed, jumping to her feet aggressively “That doesn't matter. We can handle anything and if any monsters try to stop us, we'll kick their butts!”

Star made silly, goofy karate gestures and noises in hopes to pacify Marco, to get him to go along with the plan but to her dismay, Marco simply started at her, uncertainty in his eyes.

“Star, these monsters aren't bad. We can't simply fight our way out of every situation we come across.”

“Sure we can! We always have before!”

“But that was against Ludo, Toffee. Toriel is nice if a little over protective.”

Star looked hurt, tears building in her eyes, lower lip trembling

“Are you saying you trust her more than me?? Your bestie?”

“Star...that's not it at all.” Marco answered, unable to look upon the sad Star face he accidentally caused “I'm just saying she might know a safer way home, out of the Underground without running into Asgore. If we show her how responsible we are, how much we can take care of ourselves, I'm sure she'll tell us how.”

Star laid down, turning her back towards Marco, not saying a single word

“Star?” Marco asked, outstretching his hand to grab her shoulder.

“We'll talk about it later Marco” Star spat, her tone hurt and sharp “I'm going to bed.”

“Star...”

“Good night Marco.”

The finality of her tone was enough to stop Marco. He pulled his hand back and turned away from his best friend, unable to holding the cold, silent treatment she was giving him.

They had a long day, they were just both too tired and cranky. It be better in the morning. It be better then....

Marco let out a sleepy, content yawn, a good night's rest. He stretched his weary body, his eyes blinking once...twice...three times trying to rid the sleep out of them.

“Good morning Star” Marco called sleepily, turning fully expecting to see the long mane of Star's golden hair only to be met with empty space.

“Star?” Marco tried to keep the rising panic from spilling into his voice “Star!”

Toriel appeared in the doorway, her face sad and lost.

“I am sorry Marco, your friend has left....”

“Left?” Marco repeated, his mouth tasting like ash and dust “Left where?”

“Beyond the ruins, to the Underground.”

Marco rose to his feet at once only to be stopped by Toriel's hand

“You will not follow her. I cannot allow both of my children to be in danger.”

“Star's my best friend!” Marco shouted “I can't stay here knowing she's out there in danger!”

“Do not argue child” Toriel said firmly “I will destroy the exit from the Ruins....no one will be heading to the Underground any more...”

“You can't!” Marco yelled “I need to go! I NEED TO FIND STAR!”

Toriel said nothing, only turning her back towards Marco making him feel sick. That was the last time he saw Star, her back turned to her best friend.....

“Do not fight me child. Stay here. Stay safe....I will return shortly and we shall go over the curriculum for your education.”

Toriel left, her soft footsteps echoing dully through the hall.

Marco raced after her but goat mom was already descending the stairs, moving far faster than he had anticipated.

Marco gave chase, skipping as many steps as he could, the staircase leading deep and deeper into the cold, harsh Earth, the air becoming icy and chilling him despite his warm hoodie.

Marco found himself in a long, seemingly endless corridor. Silence was his only companion as he rushed to catch up to Toriel, the fear of Star's safety gnawing at him in waves. Why did he fight with her? Why didn't he hold onto her last night, tried harder to make her understand! Now she was gone and Marco had no one to blame but himself.  

He burst into the room, Toriel standing stoically in front of two purple, massive doors, her symbol on her robes plastered in the center where the two doors met.

“They come...” Toriel spoke the moment he entered the room “They leave....they die....”

Marco took another step forward, hoping Toriel would see reason.

“....always they die.....”

Marco tried to stop the beating of his heart, each passing moment brought pain and shame coursing through his vein. Toriel was so happy when Marco and Star arrived....overjoyed there were two more people to share her home with her...

But now her voice was cold, distant like Star's had been.

Marco just ruined everything didn't he?

Toriel faced Marco, her long flowing robes sweeping through the air gracefully.

Her emotionless eyes reflecting Marco's sinful image back towards him “there is only one solution for this....”

Toriel lifted a hand to the sky, closing her eyes as a fireball flickered into existence above her. And another. And another and another until dozens of fireballs hung in the air, just waiting, the cackling of the flames the only sound heard in the room.

“You want to leave so badly?” Toriel opened her eyes once more “Prove yourself”

The fireballs inched forward, slowly closing in on Marco from every angle.

“Prove to me you are strong enough to survive” Toriel's hand shot forward and with it, so did all the fireballs, hurtling themselves straight for Marco.

Star felt guilty, hurt that she left Marco behind but given how much he was disagreeing with her the night before, she couldn't risk him sabotaging her plan. He could stay here and play the waiting game all he wanted but Star wanted to go home. She wouldn't be gone long, she'd come back for Marco as soon as possible.

Star let out a dejected sigh, trying to figure out where to go. Everywhere was dark and she could barely make out any features of anything.

“Golly, is that you Star?”

Star glanced around, wondering who had just said her name.

“It's me! Over here Star!”

Star turned and found herself staring at a spotlight of sun, Flowey the flower eagerly waving from within, his cheerful smile causing Star to return it with one of her own.

“Flowey? Is that you?”

Flowey nodded “Gosh Star, are you okay?”

Star fell her knees and looked at the talking flower at his eyes level.

“No...I'm not. Where did you go Flowey? And why did you hurt Marco?”

Flowey looked shocked, the news that he hurt Marco rocking the tiny flower to his core.

“Gee Star, I'm sorry. I had to go take care of some business but I didn't mean to hurt Marco though it was his fault you know.”

“What, how?”

“Well...” Flowey said, his tone similar to a child attempting to seek forgiveness from a parent “I knew you and Marco were different beings so I adjusted my friendliness pellets accordingly! That pellet was for you and only you and would've helped your LOVE grow! But silly Marco got in the way. That's why it hurt him. It wasn't created for his human body.”

“oooooh.” Star nodded, still not sure what Flowey was talking about but finding his sincerity comforting “I knew it must've been an accident!”

“Marco's okay right?”

“Marco's fine Flowey” Star gently told the flower, lightly patting his head “Marco's fine....”

“Are you okay Star? You seem down.”

“Marco and I got into a fight about how to get out of the Underground. He wanted to wait for Toriel to show us a safer way.”

Flowey's eyes blackened, looking sinister for a moment upon hearing Toriel's name but quickly switched to his cartoonish features before Star could notice.

“and I don't think she ever would....”

“Golly Star, that's horrible. But lucky for you ran into me! I know a way to get out of the Underground!”

“You do?!” Star cheered, taking Flowey into her palms and rising to her feet “Thank you so much Flowey! OH! I need to go get Marco!”

“Wait Star!” Flowey stopped her before she went racing back to Toriel's house “We don't have much time! The exit will be closing soon and if we go back to the ruins, we'll never make it back in time....”

“Marco....” Star whispered softly. She might've said it in anger before but she could never willingly leave Marco behind. They were besties.

“Don't worry Star! When you leave, I can cast a spell on you so when you return, you'll come back to the exact spot you left! That way you can come and get Marco back once you fix your scissor thing!”

“Thanks Flowey” Star gave the flower an appreciative grin “You're the best. Which way do we go?”

“That way Star, through the Snowdin forest. I'll guide you the rest of the way.”

Star turned, the large towering dead trees doing nothing to deter the princess, her boots crunching against the snow covered floor as she headed deeper into the lifeless woods.

“Hey Flowey, when the world turned black and white, why did my hearts turn blue? And why did Marco have a red one?”

“Oh that's simple Star! Non-Monster SOULs have different colors based on your personality. Blue is associated with twirling, hopping, jumping and dancing!”

“Dancing? I'm a great dancer!”

“I'm sure you are Star....I'm sure you are.....”

Please take 15 to 30 minutes breaks for every hour you read a video game based alternate universe crossover story. Seriously though this is a long story. Take a break, get some food, some water. Go ahead, it's not going anywhere.

[quinnybee-writes]

Title: Tick Of The Clock

Fandom: Undertale

Rating: G

Word Count: 653

Summary: The thing about living on borrowed time is, eventually it runs out.

Quasi-inspired by some recent Post-Pacifist Flowey meta by @simonsoys

**Possible Spoilers For True Pacifist Route**

Also on my AO3 here

The thing about living on borrowed time is, eventually it runs out.

By this point, he’s died hundreds of times. Thousands, maybe. Enough that the idea of death doesn’t strike fear in his lack of a heart anymore, at any rate. But all of those had been so…messy. Death, in his mind, was something loud and formulaic and clinical; quick as a knife between the ribs and twice as cold. He never expected it to be any other way. But now bit by bit things slow and fade to grey around the edges when he isn’t looking. Before he thinks to wonder why, he’s sleeping more and talking less and then…

And then he’s waking up on the ground rather than rooted into it. Above him is the hole in the mountain that Chara always called the Singing Cave and his father called the Oculus. It’s raining on the surface and he can hear the rustle of it as it falls on the rocks overhead.

“Finally awake, sleepybones?”

The voice makes his heart seize in his chest, recognition overshadowing the realization that he once again has both of those. He sits up too fast and his head swims; everything feels heavy and light at the same time, like his body and mind haven’t synced up yet. As his vision clears, all he can see is Chara. They’re sitting on their knees a few feet away, the sketchbook propped up in their lap showing a half-finished drawing of a flower. They smile at him, head cocked a little to one side and lips shut to hide the gap in their teeth. They look just like he remembers them.

“You must have slept badly,” Chara says. “You look like you’re still tired.”

He is, but it’s fading as the fog in his mind burns off. He looks down at his hands, small and white and fuzzy, and laughs a little without knowing why. “Was it really all just a bad dream?” he asks, partly to Chara and partly to no one.

Chara sighs and shakes their head. “Never that simple, Az,” they say quietly.

He looks back up at them, confused, but it doesn’t seem like they’re planning to elaborate. Instead, they flip their sketchbook closed and stow it in their bag before standing up. They stretch and wiggle their bare feet in the flowers, smiling without hiding their teeth this time. There’s a knee-high crust of dark yellow mud caked on their legs, he notices as they come over to stand above him. Close up their eyes look as tired as he feels, bruise-rimmed and shot red with irritated veins. He can see a smudge of something reddish-brown not quite wiped away from the corner of their mouth; when they grin at him, there’s more of the same settled along their gums and in the spaces between their teeth. They look just like he remembers them. Chara extends a hand to him.

“Home?” they ask. “Mother and Father will be waiting for us.” A small jolt of panic shoots through him at this. He opens his mouth to protest, the broken Barrier and the promise of his parents finally having long lives well lived in fresh air flashing in his mind. Chara shakes their head at him and clarifies, “No, not now. Will be. Future tense. Far future tense. But they will. So?” They flex their fingers to beckon him and he hesitates.

He thinks about the things he knows now, the things he’d forgotten on purpose and forced himself to remember. He thinks of what he told Frisk not long ago, about Chara maybe not being the great person he’d always thought they were. Then again, whisper the long-reset worlds built from fire and dust and broken lives, maybe the same thing could be said about him. He reaches out and takes Chara’s hand.

“Home sounds good,” he agrees.