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proxylynn · 4 years ago

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Underfell: File Name not Edgy Enough #27

Chapter 27: Burden

WARNING: I WANT NO RESPONSIBILITY OVER SPOILING THINGS FOR OTHERS. THAT BEING SAID, THIS IS HOW FILE NAME NOT FOUND WOULD FUNCTION IN THE AU OF UNDERFELL. BEFORE YOU READ THIS, UNLIKE THE NICE TIME OF UNDERTALE, THIS WORLD IS KILL OR BE KILLED. THIS STORY WILL BE GRAPHIC, GORY, USE SWEARS LIKE NOBODY'S BUSINESS, AND DEAL WITH SENSITIVE SUBJECT MATTERS. FOR EXAMPLE, THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE READ THE FILE NAME RELOCATED SPOOF WILL KNOW HOW I PICTURE THIS VERSION OF LYNSIE COMING TO THE UNDERGROUND. IT IS NOT AN ACCIDENT. IT IS NOT BECAUSE OF SOMETHING DUMB. IT IS BECAUSE SHE CHOOSES TO END HER LIFE. SO TAKE THIS WITH A GRAIN OF SALT. I MADE IT BECAUSE I NEEDED TO LET SOME OF THIS EDGINESS OUT OF MYSELF. WHICH I GUESS MAKES UNDERFELL LYNSIE EVEN MORE TRUE TO WHO I REALLY AM. ANYWAY, ENJOY. ^_^

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[A quick recap]

My melancholy blinds me to my current surroundings. I only come out of it once a spotlight hits me.

"The hell...?"

Things look funny. No doubt it's a setup by Mettaton. But I'm unsure what this act is. I mean, it looks like a receptionist's waiting room. A desk and some random chairs.

"GOOD EVENING, LADIES AND GENTS...!"

Mettaton zips in wearing a red suit and shoves me in a chair as he takes center stage.

"FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE HERE AT MTTTV WOULD LIKE TO APOLOGIZE FOR THE LACK OF ME OVER THE COURSE OF THE PROGRAM. DUE TO THE LACK PREP WORK WITH MY COSTAR HERE, WE SADLY HAD TO FORGO A THRILLING ACT BACK IN LEVEL TWO INVOLVING HUNDREDS OF EXPLOSIVES!!"

I so freaking called it. I should let him have his moment...Nah!

"I thought you said that act was shit anyway?"

He extends an arm to cover my mouth.

"FORGIVE HER. SHE'S LOST A LOT OF BLOOD AND NOT ALL THERE MENTALLY."

I leer at him flatly.

"BUT...DARLING HERE IS GOING TO MAKE AMENDS WITH US ALL RIGHT NOW. IT'S TIME TO ANSWER SOME BURNING QUESTIONS."

I'm so confused as he lets go and leaps onto the desk, posing dramatically.

"IT'S TIME FOR..."

A large neon sign shaped like him drops from the ceiling.

"BURNING THE MIDNIGHT OIL WITH A KILLER ROBOT! THE LATE NIGHT TALK SHOW HOSTED BY YOURS TRULY."

Huh. Not a bad title.

"I thought you were working on a courtroom trial program?"

He scoots to now sit behind the desk.

"UNFORTUNATELY, WHILE I DO HAVE THE FUNDS, I DON'T HAVE AVAILABLE WORKERS TO MAKE SUCH A SET. SO...WE'RE DOING THIS INSTEAD."

"Heh...Must be hard to meet your expectations."

"DARLING, YOU HAVE NO IDEA."

A tense dramatic score plays.

"SO, DARLING...ARE YOU READY TO TELL ME EVERYTHING?"

Ah. I see now. Fine, Metta, have it your way. Just be careful what you wish for. You may not like it. Now don't get me wrong. I know my limits. I'm not about to tell him EVERYTHING. I'm not that stupid. But if he wants truth, he's going to get a version that's missing some characters and other junk.

"As you wish. You wanna know the truth? You want to scar the entire Underground? Sure. Why not. What else do I have to lose at this point since you exposed me? So congratulations! I hope you like the prize you've been longing to get. Because I sure as hell don't."

Let the show commence.

[Now our featured presentation]

"RIIIIGHT...ANYWAY...WHY NOT INTRODUCE YOURSELF. LET THE UNDERGROUND KNOW JUST A BIT ABOUT YOU."

I wave with a stupid grin to where I think a camera is.

"Howdy, monsters of the Underground. My name is Lynsie. Last I checked, I'm 5'8'', twenty eights years old, born November 7th, am a Scorpio, blood type A+, and enjoy long naps by the beach."

Am I introducing myself or recording a dumb dating profile video?

Mettaton whips out some cards from his desk.

"REALLY? YOU'RE THAT OLD? HUH."

"Yeah. Why?"

"YOU LOOK OLDER THAN THAT."

I sneer.

"It's the raccoon eyes. Insomnia is a hell of a slap to the face."

"THAT ASIDE...HOW ARE YOU FEELING? YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH A LOT SINCE THIS PROGRAM STARTED."

"I'm grateful to have this reprieve. It's nice to not be flung into fight after fight for a moment. I don't like fighting. I'd much rather avoid any conflict if able."

"SUCH A KIND GIRL. ARE ALL HUMANS THESE DAYS LIKE YOU?"

I eye him funny.

"WHAT?"

"Do mean 'kind' or 'stupid'? Because every monster has called me a fool for being nice."

"STUPID IS A STRONG WORD. NAIVE IS MORE LIKE IT."

I rumble lowly in my seat.

"But...To answer you properly, no. Not all humans are like me. Or...I'm not like most humans."

"OOOOH~, SUCH AN AMBIGUOUS ANSWER. FINE THEN, IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE LIKE THAT, I'LL HAVE TO BE MORE BLUNT IN MY QUESTIONS. LET'S SEE..."

He flips through some of his cards.

"OH! HERE'S ONE...HOW DID YOU COME TO FIND YOURSELF IN THE UNDERGROUND?"

Blunt? I'll give you blunt.

"Easy. I tried to kill myself."

[SNOWDIN: Skeleton House in present time]

The mood in the room sours as the human continues.

"Yep. You see, Mt. Ebott has a reputation, a legend dating back lord knows how long, that those who climb the mountain never return. This has made it a popular place to die. Not as bad as the literal 'Suicide Forest' of Japan, but it does the job okay."

Mettaton's screen blacks out.

"Don't give me that look. You wanted this. You wanted the truth. So take it. Take the blunt no holds bar truth of the matter. And you know what else? It wasn't the first time either. I can think of at least five other attempts. Each more pathetic than the last. But, if memory serves me right, I do believe my very first try was when I was still so very small. Somewhere around age six to eight. I had learned that apple seeds contain cyanide, a very toxic poison. Of course, there's not a heck of a lot in a single seed, but if you ingest a lot...well...Kid me didn't know how many were needed. Just that it was deadly. As you can see, I didn't have enough and I didn't try that form of suicide again. I don't try the same kind twice. I'm too fearful of messing things up the second time. What if it only partly works and I end up surviving? Heh...Trying to end it all only to live but in even worse condition? The irony would be such a hilarious joke. Then again, that's my life in a nutshell. One big cruel unrelenting joke."

Toriel's eyes water. She knew her child had her demons, but she knew not just how far back they spawned. Mettaton's screen relights.

"I...I WASN'T EXPECTING..."

"Yeah, no one does. No one expects me to be so dark. But what can I say? I do a damn good job hiding it."

"BUT...WHY THOUGH? WHAT WOULD MAKE A CHILD THAT BENT ON KILLING THEMSELVES?"

She takes a deep breath and lounges back in her chair.

"You ever feel guilty for something? Something you have no idea why you should feel that way for but you just do?"

She runs her hands over her face.

"I don't remember why I asked her that question. Maybe I was just morbidly curious. I knew my siblings were unexpected pregnancies. The eldest never came to be, so whether it was a boy or girl is forever unknown. My brother came about in the randomness of my mom hooking up with my dad. She married my dad because, well, she did like him but also so that he wouldn't be deported once his school visa ran out. He and his family escaped their homeland to start a new life...but did so illegally. Even on the surface, there's no true freedom. Four years into the marriage, I was born. Things only seemed to spiral from there. Dad would stay out drinking. Mom would be pissed. Bro and I would hide in my room and try to keep the fighting out. Mom gave up on him, someone else charmed her heart and would later be the father of my sister. Eight years into this world and they divorce and months later sis is born. She was unknown and with how old mom was at the time, she now suffers from spontaneous seizures."

The girl looks up in thought.

"So a few years ago, I asked mom...Was I unplanned like they were? Was I another surprise baby?"

She looks back down, her face holding a more cold expression.

"No, she told me. You were the only planned one. ...I should've stopped there. *sigh* I then asked...Why? She answered..."

Emotion leaves her.

"We had you in the hopes that you'd fix our marriage."

Silence. Dead silence.

"So much pressure. And to put that on a babe? How was I supposed to solve your problems? How is it my fault you couldn't stand each other when things got rough?! How is a kid supposed to make sure you don't start taking drugs and acquire sixteen felonies?! How is it my job to make sure you don't regret loving someone else?! How is that fair?! Why not take some fucking responsibility for once in your god damn life?!"

She becomes irate, grabbing one of the chairs and beating it into another one till both are useless before ending with a guttural roar that pains the throat in its harshness.

Toriel recalls similar words from her not long after they became close and she found her.

"Child? You're trembling. Is everything all right? Child, please. Just speak to me. Tell me what's wrong."

"I hate you! I hate all of you! You fucking pieces of shit! Why?! Why is it so hard for any of you to care?! I've been missing for days or weeks and none of you care! *sobs* Did you ever love me?! Why did you even bother having me if you don't even care that I'm gone?! *bawling* Why? Why? Someone tell me why...please..."

"I know this isn't the most pleasant of times to ask...But since we've come to know more about each other, I have been curious about something. The humans that fall down here...They tend to not fall down for the happiest of reasons. If it is not too painful...Can you share with me your reason? What made you come to a cursed mountain where none ever return from?"

"*hard sniffling* They used to care. I used to know what it was like to know others cared. I can't remember when they started to pull away. When I became invisible. I just want to know why. Was it something I did? Did I do something wrong? Did I not make them proud? I thought I did everything right. I was a good girl. *voice cracking* I'm a good girl. Aren't I?"

Even Grillby had memories of such talk pop into his head.

"You are an amazing person. You live in his cold place and open this bar to every sad face willing to cast aside their mean spirits for spirits of another kind. You put up with a lot of nonsense, a good bit came from me today, and I'm sorry about that."

"Where is all this coming from?"

"I'm not done. You have been nothing but nice to me. And doing that isn't easy in this world we live in. Since meeting you, you've shown me more kindness than I got from my own family, and this is only our second meeting. Heh, how pathetic is that? I fell into the Underground trying to die, only to end up wanting to live because of the few that showed me any decency. And for that, I give you my thanks."

"Pussycat?"

"I don't know if it was the punch or I'm just in a weird mood. I'm probably making things awkward. No one wants to hear someone ramble about lame junk when at a bar. This is a place people go to forget things. I know I've got a lot I want to forget. Like the three or four times I ran away from home but never had a plan and always had the cops take me back. Or the time I cussed out my grandma because I thought she lost my dog when it turned out my mom had dumped the pup at a shelter and told me it escaped. Or the suicide attempts..."

"Attempts?"

"Oh yeah, there was more than one. Hard to believe, but I'm a very sad person. No, that's being too nice. Depressed is more accurate. 90% of the smiles you see me do are fake. Just part of the mask I wear to hide how truly miserable I really am."

"God, I hate myself. I'm a sad pathetic mess."

Sans now gets a clearer picture of the baggage weighing on her.

"oh! and don't forget, you're making dinner. pap only let that slide because you were practically dead. so don't get any ideas thinking you can get out of it."

"Did you just really say that?!"

"the hell is your problem?"

"Did you really just insinuate she'd harm herself?"

"i dunno...maybe?"

"You can't say that kind of stuff to her!"

"why not?"

"You...You don't know how she came to the Underground, do you?"

"she told me that she fell."

"I'm not comfortable telling you this, seeing as she hasn't and I don't think it's my place, but I can't let you say idiotic things like that."

"okay, weed, you have intrigued me. if she didn't fall, then how did she get here?"

"Well...Falling is how she came to the Underground. But...She didn't fall from an accident."

"you're telling me she..."

"She fell on purpose. She...was trying to die. I don't know about her life on the surface. She doesn't tell anyone about that stuff, not even Mom. But I have been with her since the start and I can tell...Under all that toughness and pass the goofy dork innards...She's very sad deep down."

And that moment that recently happened at Grilbby's.

"enough with the act! you act all calm, with your little quips and remarks. making you look so well put together. but i know better. i know you're just as messed up as the rest of us. so why don't you get off your high horse and get out of my life!"

"You're right. This is an act. Every day, I wake up and I pretend to be this way. To play this role of the girl that never gives in and can smile through it all. I put on my mask and face this world as best that I can. But inside I'm dying. I'm being crushed by insecurities, doubt, depression, and so much negativity that I let myself fall into a pit hoping for the sweet embrace of death. I have attempted to end my life a good handful of times. Each more pathetic than the last. Even now, I'm just a few triggers shy of crumbling into a blubbering mass of tears. Yet there are few things that keep me from doing those bad things now that I'm here. And if putting on this act keeps me in, relative, ease...Then yeah. I'm gonna pretend my ass off that all is fine with me. Because I'm a fucking moron that is too afraid to open up to those closest to me and ask for help!"

Papyrus, of course, takes all this in as vital information he could use against the human. Her emotional and mental instability can be used to manipulate her. Grooming her to be more obedient to his will.

"I'm sorry."

"DAMN RIGHT YOU'RE SORRY."

"No...I mean, I'm sorry for earlier. It was wrong for me to hit you. You just...*sigh* How do I say this without sound like a dweeb?"

"JUST...SAY WHAT YOU WANT TO SAY. DON'T ALTER YOUR WORDS. THEY LOSE IMPACT THAT WAY."

"If that's true, then don't make a big deal out of this."

"W-WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

"I am an emotional wreck and going through so much internal bullshit that it ain't funny. So know that the stupid things I'm about to say are true because this is making me feel very vulnerable and uncomfortable which I think you feel too."

By now the human was breathing heavily over the shattered remains of once recognizable objects, slowly regaining her composure. She stares at the mess for some time. Mettaton doesn't even try to do anything that could get her attention while in such a state. Eventually, she drops the bits in her hands and takes a seat in the chair she spared. Slumping in remorse and holding her face.

"I'm sorry. That...That was shameful. I'll pay you back for the damage."

"DO YOU NEED A MOMENT?"

She rubs her eyes of faint moisture.

"N-No...No. I'm fine. That...That was just a moment of venting weakness. I normally cry this crap out of my system. But...I'm so sick of crying. Yet...That felt good though. So much pent-up bullshit I don't or can't let out was just dropped like weights off my back. ...Does this count as therapy? Because this feels better than that child physiologist mom sent me to after I ran away...the first time."

"SOUND LIKE YOU DON'T CARE FOR YOUR PARENTS."

"You'd think that, but no. Don't get me wrong. I love my parents. They could've been far worse even with the flaws I've mentioned. Dad never missed work and made sure bills could be paid. Mom always made sure we could eat even if it meant she didn't and often broke the law to do so."

Her head lolls back as she lounges.

"It's easier to dwell in the negatives than the positives growing up. It can make for a bitter soul. This is just the tip of a massive iceberg, there is so much more crap hidden below. But now is neither the time nor place to dive deeper into those murky waters. I'll drown if I stay under too long. *sigh* I don't hate them for the life they brought me into. I'm just...disappointed. Disappointed by the choices they made and things they expected to get from them. Disappointed in myself for allowing all that to have so much of a hold on me. Disappointed...So very disappointed...*long drawn out groan* Could we please leave the personal questions for now?"

"VERY WELL."

He flips through the cards.

"YOU'VE BEEN IN THE UNDERGROUND FOR SOME TIME NOW. HOW HAS THAT BEEN? WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BE A HUMAN AMONG MONSTERS?"

This gets their attention. The human knows better than to tell all. But she's so far been extremely open. They hoped she was of sound mind enough to remember to keep some secrets.

"Even after all the attempted murder...I prefer monsters to humans. Because at least once the fighting is over, things can be somewhat normal. It's like 'hey, I know I just tried to kill you, but do you wanna maybe hang out for a bit?' and then that happens. It blows my mind how there's no animosity or spite afterward. After Humans fight with each other there's no calm, no peace of it being over, hell, a war might break out if it was bad enough. You never know how bad someone feels after and if the grudge they carry will make them go to extreme measures to make them feel better. Well...Except for the Irish. Those lads can tussle and then be all chummy after like it was a bonding experience. Nice folk. Always fancied them. Heh...Kinda like Monsters. A tough outside but nice inside. Maybe that's one of the reasons they were persecuted too. ...God, my kind is trash. All it knows is hate. We even hate ourselves. And one day...That hate will be the end of us."

She moves some hair from her face. A small smile coming to her.

"Moments like this...It's nice. Brief pauses of reflection and repose. Typically I end up doing this kind of thing in my head or I talk to myself. Funny how that works, the mind I mean. It is a self-aware entity in itself that can be both you and not you at the same time yet won't confuse itself by doing so. Probably why the imagination is such vital part of it. *pause* Heh...My bad. Lost myself for a moment. Back on point...Sure, this all began with you nearly killing me and it's probably just leading up to something else. Something good or bad. Yet till that happens...This is nice."

"SPEAKING OF NICE...YOUR LV HASN'T GONE UP FROM ITS BASE LEVEL. WE'VE SEEN YOU GO INTO FIGHTS, SO IT'S NOT THAT YOU'VE AVOIDED THEM COMPLETELY."

"As I've said...I don't like fighting."

"YOU MUST BE AWARE THAT PACIFISUM IS NOT A RECOMMENDED OR AN EASY THING TO DO IN THE UNDERGROUND. IS IT HARD BEING NICE FOR YOU DOWN HERE?"

"Is it hard for a fish to swim or bird to fly? Nice is my default. I don't have it in me to be genuinely mean. I can be rude or even a bitch, but that's only if that was how I was treated first. The real hard part about it is getting others to understand this niceness is real. Some pick it up with no trouble. But others are difficult. Going so far as to think I'm trying to lull them into a false sense of safety as part of an evil human trap. Can you believe that?"

Sans eyes Papyrus who rolls his sockets at his brother, both knowing damn well she meant him.

"EVEN SO, HAS THERE BEEN A TIME WHERE YOU WANTED TO FIGHT BACK? SURELY EVEN I PROBABLY INCURRED SOME IRE FROM YOU?"

She looks at the mechanical machination with a mix of confusion and annoyance.

"Ire is a strong word. True, I'm not happy about this situation. Exposing me for ratings. One of your goons bashing me over the head. The creepy stalking behavior by watching me through cameras. The needless puzzles and fighting. All of it wasn't necessary."

"I DISAGREE. EVERY BIT WAS COMPLETELY NECESSARY."

"Bull crap."

"NOW NOW, LET ME EXPLAIN. REGARDLESS OF YOUR INTENTIONS, YOU HAVE TO AGREE THAT YOU BEING HUMAN DOES CALL FOR CERTAIN MEASURES TO BE TAKEN. HUMANS DEAL PHYSICAL DAMAGE AND MONSTERS ARE WEAK TO SUCH ATTACKS."

"I know that. Get to your point, Metta."

"MY POINT? VERY WELL. MY DATABASE CONTAINS THE COLLECTED INFORMATION WE'VE GATHERED FROM THE PREVIOUS HUMANS THAT CAME BEFORE YOU. EACH WEAKER AND WEAKER AS TIME PASSED. YOU, ON THE OTHER HAND, HAVE BEEN DISPLAYING STRANGE ABILITIES..."

A monitor comes down, displaying the human in her earlier distress and giving off that strange energy.

"NOT TO MENTION YOUR SOUL HAS BEEN CHANGING IT'S COLOR WITHOUT MAGIC INFLUENCE."

The monitor shows the many different colors her soul was throughout the show.

"SO, DARLING, AS YOU CAN SEE EVERYTHING HAS BEEN COMPLETELY NECESSARY. EVERY LITTLE OBSTACLE ALLOWED FOR MORE OF YOUR UNKNOWNS TO BE REVEALED. HOWEVER..."

The monitor goes back up.

"I GET THE FEELING YOU'RE STILL HIDING SOMETHING."

She glares at the robot.

"I repeat, this wasn't necessary. All you needed to do was ask."

She sits up straight and focuses. Her soul emerges...it is a deep dull blue.

"I don't know everything. Seeing as this whole 'soul' thing isn't known on the surface anymore. To use now, the soul is an intangible thing. It leaves when we die and does whatever since no one truly knows what happens after death. But...I do know my soul isn't normal. Not normal from what I've learned here anyway. I possess ten traits for which my soul can become."

Shock smacks them. Even Mettaton spits oil from some port.

"T-TEN?!"

She nods.

"Ten traits. Ten colors. Nine of which are completely fine."

Her breathing falters as she concentrates harder, forcing the soul to change color to her will.

"Blue, integrity. Cyan, patience. Green, kindness. Pink, passion. Purple, perseverance. Orange, bravery. Red, determination. Yellow, justice. White, hope. ...These are my main traits. The nine that make up my core personality. Yet...There is one, the last one, that I will not show you. No matter what."

A question mark appears on Mettaton's screen. Toriel and Sans know full well which one she means.

"WON'T SHOW? HOW COME?"

"That soul is too dangerous. One that I can't control. The black soul of relentlessness."

Papyrus sockets widen. Sans wasn't making it up after all.

"IF YOU TRULY EXPECT ME TO BUY INTO THIS BLACK SOUL NONSENSE THAN YOU BETTER FIND A WAY TO PROVE TO ME THAT IT'S REAL!"

"and how do you expect me to do that? have it triggered and let her kill half the town?"

"OF COURSE NOT! SHE'D NEVER GET THAT FAR INTO SUCH A SPREE ONCE I SLAY HER."

"YOU DON'T THINK I CAN KILL HER?"

"her? sure, you'd kill her no problem. she'd probably let you do it if things got really bad. but the black soul? that's a different story all together."

"YOU TALK AS THOUGH YOU'VE SEEN THIS 'BLACK SOUL' IN ACTION."

"..."

"YOU HAVE, HAVEN'T YOU?"

"that thing isn't something you want to mess with. don't go after something you can't handle."

"YOU DARE THINK THAT PITIFUL CREATURE CAN HARM ME?!"

"no! i don't think it would harm you! i know it would kill you!"

"I have no will over that trait. It consumes me utterly. Coldly targeting anything and everything as a threat, then calculatingly eliminating victims brutally with no remorse by any means. Pain doesn't phase it. It has no fear. But I do. I fear this soul. I fear becoming that...that thing. That beast."

The robot's screen blips.

"YOU MAKE IT SOUND TERRIBLE. IF IT'S AS BAD AS YOU SAY, HOW HASN'T YOUR LV INCREASED? SURELY A MURDEROUS SOUL LIKE THAT WOULD HAVE A BODY COUNT ATTACHED TO IT?"

"I have thankfully been taken out of that state when it happens. My brother down here, the flower you may have seen me with, he's the one that saves me. I don't know how he does it as I only barely register what happens when the Black Soul is in control. But it's one of the reasons why we stay together. He doesn't want to die and I don't want to hurt anyone, so it's a good deal for us both."

"AND DO YOU KNOW WHAT TRIGGERS SUCH A STATE TO HAPPEN?"

"I'm not 100% sure but I have a theory. The worst of times. Moments when I lose all hope or can't take the pain. Mentally and/or physically. It takes over when I can't deal with things. And I guess it tries to 'solve' the problem...by getting rid of it."

Her demeanor is becoming more unsettled as she continues.

"I...I normally am unwilling to share this information. I don't like being personal with strangers. But since this is a live broadcast, and I've basically torn open a can of worms full of my emo baggage, I want this to be known. I need others to understand the danger. Because you all seem to view me as an easy kill. The dumb nice human that doesn't fight back. It'll be easy to get her soul. Hell, if it weren't for the black trait, I'd have given this thing to you guys ages ago. But it's not worth it. There's no point going to the surface, otherwise I'd be more inclined to leave and be subjected to the crap I deal with. And trust me...You don't want to know what I deal with."

Her eyes get dark and her expression serious to the point it's unnerving.

"The death that can possibly happen if the black soul activates and isn't stopped could be limitless. As the bearer of this curse, I remain here. Not because I see less harm if it triggers around monster, hell no. I trust my death to you because I have faith in monster kind being able to handle it. It's because I don't want to risk it being weaponized by humanity. Magic...REAL magic like this is gone from the surface. If it were to be discovered now...Magic will be coveted like any other valuable resource. Blood and dust will be spilled over ownership. The experiments to find a better means of harvesting it, the torture, the suffering, the endless cycle of hate feeding upon the lack of morality. I have no doubt monsters wouldn't even be seen as people. We've done it to different creeds of humanity throughout history, hell we still do it. I...I don't want that for Monsters. Part of me is saying I'm overthinking it, but I can't that optimistic side of me knowing all the fucked up shit Humans do. I don't want you guys to suffer. I don't want to cause harm. I don't want to see any more death! Please!!"

Her eyes are watering and her body trembling.

"I...I-I hate this feeling. This h-helplessness. I'm caged. I'm useless. I'm nothing on the surface. I'm a danger underground. I'm my own worst enemy and I don't know how to fight. *struggling* Why? Why didn't the fall kill me? Why can't I just die? Why am I so weak? I can't even bleed to death!"

She's a mess, weeping into her gloved hands. But Mettaton dismisses this display and keeps going.

"WEAK? YOU SELL YOURSELF SHORT. CLAWING INTO YOUR OWN BODY ISN'T A VERY WEAK THING AT ALL. COME TO THINK OF IT...IN YOUR ENCOUNTER WITH MUFFET, YOU TOLD HER WHY YOU DID IT. CARE TO EXPLAIN WHAT YOU MEANT?"

A recording is played.

["I have just spent an ungodly amount of time trapped in that elevator over there having my soul violated by people that don't even exist anymore on this plane of reality. I have clawed my skin off to stop feeling their hands on me."]

Her face has the look of someone biting their tongue fairly hard to stay in control.

"What's to explain? I meant what I said and said what I meant."

"YOU'RE AVOIDING THE QUESTION, DARLING."

"No. You're refusing the answer."

"YOU SAID YOU'D TELL THE TRUTH!"

"I am!"

Agitation mounts.

"BULLSHIT! HOW THE HELL CAN ANYONE BELIEVE THAT?"

"I don't give a crap if you believe me or not! You weren't the one there!"

"JUST TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED!"

"It doesn't matter! You can't do anything about it! No one can! You can't stop people that break the laws of reality!"

Sans didn't like what he was hearing. And none of them liked that her still exposed soul was sparking with that strange energy.

"THERE ARE NO PEOPLE LIKE THAT!"

"How would you know?!"

"IF EVEN A FLY FARTS ANYWHERE IN THE UNDERGROUND, I KNOW ABOUT IT. IF ANYONE WITH ABILITIES LIKE THAT WERE HERE, THEY WOULDN'T BE UNKNOWN FOR VERY LONG."

"Did you not hear my words? They don't even exist anymore on this plane of reality! You can't find people that are outside time and space, you fucking idiot!"

"I'M THE IDIOT?! DO YOU NOT HEAR YOURSELF?! OUTSIDE TIME AND SPACE?! YOU CAN'T EVEN MAKE A CONVINCING LIE!"

"I'm not lying, you insufferable ego-maniacal narcissistic jackass!"

"TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED!!"

"I did! Accept the fact there is shit in life you can't fathom or comprehend yet is true! Like Bigfoot, life on other planets, or stigmata! Unexplained phenomenons are the backbones of reality! Deal with it!"

"THAT'S NOT AN UNEXPLAINED PHENOMENON! THAT'S A PURE IMPROBABLE IMMPOSSIBLITY!"

"By who's rule?! Are you God?! Do you know every infallible law the universe runs on?! No! You know nothing! No one does! So stop digging for shit that isn't there before something bad happens!"

"THEN GIVE ME A REAL ANSWER!"

"Stop...Please stop!"

"DARLING..."

"I s̷ái͟d͝ s̷t̢̛o̧͘p̀͟!̵̕͜!̧"

A surge of energy bursts from her soul, the flash whites out the screen and hurts the eyes. While blinded they all can hear the garbled sounds of pain and the sudden thud of weight hitting the floor. Their sight comes back to see the human writhing on the ground and gripping her soul, teeth bared in restrained growling.

"DARLING?"

She struggles to make her body move. Just slightly getting her head off the floor.

"Th͜i͞s͠...͜T́h̴i̵s̸ ̛įs ̕y̕our ��f́aul͝t͏..̢.̴I͜ ͟a͡ske͝d ͠y̕o͏u t̷o͜ ͜s̛top..̢.̵"

The energy courses from her soul over her form, a brighter than normal light emanates from her clutched soul. She weakly pulls herself up to be supported by her free arm and the reason for the light is made clear, a crack has marred her soul. But that is far from the worst part. Sans spots it before Toriel but she's the one that points it out.

"Oh no!"

"What's wrong?"

"The darkness!"

Indeed. Black began to appear in the human's heart. The darkness corrupting the white light and faintly leaking out of the crack. The girl feels this. Panic flashes in her eyes but she's in no condition to handle so much on top of what has already happened.

"Wh̸en̢ wil̡l҉ ̛yo͡u̶ le͘ar͜n.͞..̡Y͘ou ̴fuc̀kín͜g id̴iot.̸..W͢hén wil̡l yoų ́a̶l̢l͜ léar͘n that͏ ̵y͘our act̵i҉o͞ns ͏ha͡v̛e ͘co͡n̴seq͘uenc͘e̶s͘?͘!"

The distortion. The off tone. The malice that seeped out. Perhaps it was enough proof for the automaton to believe her earlier words. For Mettaton seems to be distracted one second and then takes it all seriously the next. One of his hands snakes under his desk and the next thing to happen is the floor beneath the human opens up, dropping her into the unknown. Glitched roaring echoes as she plummets. A sickening crash leads into dead silence.

"WELL...THAT WAS INTERESTING."

His nonchalance about the whole thing is upsetting.

"SADLY, MY CO-STAR SEEMS TO BE HAVING A BIT OF TROUBLE. NOT EVERYONE CAN HANDLE THE STRESS OF BEING IN THE SPOTLIGHT, LIKE MOI."

His flamboyance is rubbing them the wrong way.

"HOWEVER, DESPITE HER TEMPER TANTRUM AND LACK OF COOPERATION, I WILL ASSURE YOU ALL SHE IS NOT DEAD. I MERELY GAVE HER THE SMALL BREAK THAT SHE CLEARLY NEEDED."

It's likely that the break involved her bones or some body part.

"BUT...I CAN GIVE YOU ALL SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO...THIS WAS THE LAST PRELEWD ACT. THE NEXT TIME YOU SEE US TOGETHER, IT WILL BE FOR THE MAIN EVENT. THE FINAL BATTLE APPROACHES, MY ENCOURAGABLE VIEWERS. DO NOT MISS OUT ON THIS HISTORICAL MAKE OR BREAK MOMENT."

The show shifts into a commercial break.

Toriel begins shaking. She can't deal with this much longer. Grillby does what he can to give her support, but he too has much on his mind. His pussycat unloaded a TON of things and a lot of it was incredibly concerning. Papyrus ushers his brother away from the other two as not to be overheard.

"SO...HOW LONG?"

Sans looks at him funny.

"uh...what?"

"HOW LONG WERE THE BOTH OF YOU GOING TO HIDE THIS PART OF THE SECRET FROM ME?"

"um...which part?"

"THAT POWER. SHE HAS TEN TRAITS, SANS. JUST HOW STRONG IS THAT GIRL?"

Sans scratches his skull.

"i honestly don't know, pap. i didn't even know she had that many. my main worry was always the black trait, so i never asked about others."

Papyrus folds his arms and shuts his eyes in thought.

"i swear, i ain't lying to ya."

"I KNOW YOU'RE NOT."

"then...what's wrong?"

"*HUFF* I DON'T LIKE THIS. I DON'T LIKE THE IDEA OF THAT WEAKLING BEING POWERFUL."

His eyes open but look at nothing.

"I SHOULD'VE KNOWN SOMETHING WAS OFF THAT NIGHT...THAT PUNCH...SHE WAS HOLDING BACK SO MUCH..."

Papyrus clenches his fists into tight balls of rage.

"THAT BITCH."

"ya know she didn't want to hurt ya."

"THAT'S THE THING. SHE THOUGHT SHE COULD HURT ME. HOW WEAK DOES SHE THINK I AM? THAT'S WHAT'S PISSING ME OFF MORE THAN ANYTHING RIGHT NOW."

Sans sighs. One day his brother will taste humble pie and not like it.

[HOTLAND: LAB]

Undyne finishes off her sixth bowel of ramen and looks at Alphys.

"Well...That wasn't how I thought it was going to end. Was it really necessary to tell him to drop her?"

Alphys takes a few more notes and ponders.

"Would you rather there be no main event? Besides..."

She adjusts her glasses.

"If what the human said is true, then the Black Soul being triggered in an open area would result in mass casualties. The zone in which the ending will be shot in is, for the most part, closed and under my remote control. So even in the event of something going wrong, which the odds of such are highly unlikely, then any and all threats can be dealt with in an optimum manner."

Undyne nods.

"I guess that makes sense. Still...I don't what I saw. There was real fear in the human's eyes."

"Good. She should be afraid. She should be very afraid of what's to come."

"And what's that?"

"That would be spoilers."

"Damn it. *sigh* A human soul with ten traits...Sounds tough. I wanna fight it!"

"It does raise a lot of questions. One, in particular, is on my mind."

"What's that?"

"If a human soul, deprived of magic, possesses ten traits and begins gaining magic...What will happen when it attains 100% magic?"

A cold chill runs through the captain.

[HOTLAND: SOMEWHERE ON LEVEL 3]

I am getting so sick of this crap. Why can't I just die at this point?

"*muffled* Lynsie?"

The voice and light jostling is bringing me back to consciousness. Damn it. Here I go again.

My eyes weakly open to the sight of dirt and rock. Just an inch away from losing the ability to see. Like I need a handicap in all this.

"Lynsie? Are you okay?"

Ah, Flowey. It's about time we met back up.

"*groan* H-Hey, bro. I missed you."

He smiles sadly.

"Are you okay? Can you move?"

I roll over on my back and check myself.

[HP ██████████ 10/40]

[HEARTBREAK level ONE in effect]

I figured that's what happened. No wonder the Black Soul was triggering. Thank goodness for the fall knocking my ass out or things would've gone bad fast.

"I think I'll be okay. Sore, but okay. I'm sadly getting used to falling and possible brain damage."

My answer has him pout.

"What's with the face, bro? You know I'm a tough cookie. I'll be fine."

His face gets full of concern.

"I...I heard what you told Mettaton."

Yeah, you and the rest of the Underground.

"I...I understand now why you didn't talk about your past. Why you kept to yourself. I'm sorry."

God, he's too sweet for this place. I reach over and gently stroke his petals.

"I love you, bro. You have no idea how much it means to me that you care. But don't pity me. I do that enough on my own."

I wearily sit up, shaking my head of all that baggage I brought up for the show.

"I wasn't pitying you. It's just..."

He fiddles with his leaves in a shy way but I cut his words off.

"Bro, I get it. I do. It's the same feeling like when you told me your history. Yet, let's be honest here, you're more mentally mature than me and I'm still not completely okay after getting all that off my chest. We can talk more about it later after this ordeal is over. Maybe over mom's cheesecake? Deal?"

"...You mean it?"

"Yeah. I promise."

He smiles brightly.

"Okay. I'd like that."

I pick myself up and stretch, taking a look around at where we are.

"Don't tell me he dropped me back at the start."

"Nope. This is still Level Three. In fact...I do believe MTT Resort is just past this place."

"...For real? Is it a safe space?"

"Yep. There are shops and rooms to rest."

I hear a heavenly choir sing in my head.

"Finally! The universe throws me a decent bone!"

I regret saying that the moment it leaves my mouth. Flowey looks at me funny.

"Don't take that out of context, you know what I meant."

"I don't know. You and Smiley Trashbag are eerily close."

My eye twitches. Things I wish Gaster didn't show me try to pop into my head.

"Are you okay? You look like you're about to puke."

"Never insinuate something like that ever again."

He shakes his head at me. I try to change the subject before I have a heart attack on camera.

"So...Are you able to follow me to the resort? I'm sick of being separated."

"There's ground outside of it and parts I can reach beyond it, but the resort itself I can't get in without some sort of aid like a pot. Cement and tile flooring is a pain to break into."

"Damn, bro, you hella strong."

There's a deactivated reversed conveyor belt that's attached to the artificial platforms.

"Is it safe to cross? It's kinda giving me 'trap' vibes."

"You should be fine. This is normally the part where the colored tiles would be used again, but you know, stuff changed. It's probably off."

"Ah. Gotcha. I guess...See ya soon?"

"You bet."

He ducks into the ground so I take it as my time to leave this pit. The entire time I feel on edge. With my luck, the trap will turn on and I get screwed. Thankfully nothing happens apart from some jets of flame randomly going off in the distance and making me jump like a wuss. At least it got me to the stairs quicker.

After a quite the climb, I reach the top perturbed yet undaunted as a four-way crossroads greets me, though the two paths on the sides are blocked. More Royal Guards, a cat to the left and some kind of insect on the right, both in that imposing armor.

"Well if it isn't my best customer..."

The Ice Scream rabbit pops up from behind the cart I wasn't paying attention to.

"Fancy seeing you again."

As odd as seeing him here is, he's a familiar face that is a sight for my sore eyes. I approach.

"Hey, guy, what's up? Haven't been seeing you much in Snowdin Forest for a bit."

He leans on the cart like a cool guy.

"Yeah...Been moving around seeing if I can make mad gold somewhere where the weather isn't the same temp as my product."

"Any luck?"

"Waterfall wasn't so bad. Even started a new program with rewards cards. Turn in a card with ten punches and get a free doubling of your next order. Speaking of which..."

He reaches into his pants pocket and hands me a punch card. Some holes have already been made.

"If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have had the funds to get this far. So...Instead of starting your card full, I may have added your previous buys. Can't say I haven't gotten better at my wonderful salesmanship."

I can't help but smile. He's come a long way. I'm proud of him.

"Well then, wonderful salesman, I'd like to add some more holes please."

"Heh...sure. But I'm warning you, prices have gone up. 25G. Got to charge more here 'cause of the heat."

"Understood, my dude. Um...Just curious...Got fudge pops? Kinda have this hankering for something chocolate."

He shakes his head.

"Sold out. The Royal Guards bought those like crazy."

"Damn. Oh well. One blue, orange, grape, and blood. All bisicles."

He fills my order and I pay the 100G.

"Here you go. All five ready to enjoy."

I look at him funny.

"Five?"

"Yep. Five. I definitely didn't toss in a strawberry one because of customer loyalty. Nope. Didn't do it."

Must...resist...the urge...to HUG!!

"...Thank you. That...That means a lot."

He gives me a wink and I practically skip away up another set of stairs. I place the treats in my inventory for now. I know not what crap will happen from here, so healing items are a big help.

I am met by a large complex. Redbrick that's been tagged with graffiti, yellow-tinted windows with some broken, a gold MTT sign with two Mettaton images with devil horns, a black & white checkered awning over the door, two large plant potters that have dry withered flower remnants, and a blood-red or just stained that way rug embroidered with gold MTTs.

"Classy."

I'm about to head inside when something hits my leg. A paper airplane? I inspect it to find it's a note.

[Hey! Go up the creepy alleyway on the right for some great deals!]

"...I'm gonna get mugged, aren't I?"

It's against my better judgment, but this is a neutral zone, so I should be okay. I wearily creep around, following spray-painted arrows, to end up finding two girls gossiping among garbage. They notice me and straighten up.

"Hey! Check it out!"

"Yeah! Check it out!"

"So, like, what's up? I'm Bratty, and this is my best friend, Catty."

"I'm Catty, and this is my best friend, Bratty."

Oh no...More valley speak!?! Why is that a thing down here?!

Bratty is a tall, green alligator or crocodile monster that wears a primarily black shawl with yellow and red details on the sides. She has yellow hair that flows into curls and red lipstick.

Catty is a plump purple cat creature who wears a set of black overalls with yellow buttons and tufts of red fur with yellow highlighted tips coming out from under it on either side. She has black hair with a red streak in it and a yellow earring on her left ear.

"Uh...Hi? So...This is a shop?"

"Like, the best shop!"

"You should buy ALL our stuff!"

Catty gets this blanket out and opens it out to show me their items. They don't have much, just four things, but I can't turn away from these items.

[25G - Junk Food - Has a big bite out of it]

[350G - Rusty Revolver - Bullets NOT included]

[350G - Tattered Western Hat - ATTACK up when worn]

[600G - Mystery Key - Probably to someone's house LOL]

A gun...How the fuck is that here?

"Oooh! I know that look!"

"That's the look of some wanting something!"

"Bratty! We're gonna be rich!"

"Where did you find this stuff?"

"I mean, like, where does anyone get guns, or food, or..."

"We found it in the garbage!"

I so called it.

"It's GOOD garbage."

"It's like, really good garbage."

"Where do you get the garbage?"

"Like, the garbage store, duh!!! ...Waterfall mostly."

"I found a gun in a dumpster!"

I check my gold...I don't have anywhere close to 1,300G for their garbage.

"Um...Maybe we could work out some sort of arrangement?"

They glare.

"That's poor talk."

"You need WAY more money."

What I need is to get that stuff away from them. That stuff is bad enough with humans, I don't want monsters messing with crap like guns.

"Ladies, I'm sure there's something we can do. Shops run on trade. This is just a trade of a different kind. I can't give you the gold, but I can get you other things. There's gotta something you'd both want that I can fetch for you in exchange?"

They mull it over.

"Thanks, but we, like, don't really need anything."

"Oh my god, can you go get us some Dazzleburgers?"

"We don't. Really need. Anything."

"Wait! I'll pay you 1000G if you get Mettaton to autograph my butt!"

Catty seems to be the easier one here. Maybe I can work with this.

"While I do know the guy, I'm not sure I can get Metta to sign your butt."

"Damn."

"Wait...You know Mettaton?!"

Their eyes sparkle.

"...Yes?"

They squeal with fanatical glee.

"Oh my God. Mettaton."

"Oh my GOD, METTATON."

"He's like...My robot husband."

"Actually he's like...MY robot husband."

"I think we're like...both going to marry him."

"We're both like, ALREADY married to him. He just, like, doesn't know it yet."

They're insane.

"Okay...Can I ask what's a Razzburger? I could try to get that."

Their eyes widen in shock.

"You don't know what a Dazzleburger is?"

"Do you, like, live under a rock?"

Don't we all do since this is a mountain?

"Dazzleburgers are epic!"

"They're only sold in the resort."

Interesting.

"Inside huh? Let me guess...Very pricey."

Bratty nods.

"The stuff inside, is like..."

"TOTALLY wicked expensive."

"But, like, this stuff we found is like..."

"TOTALLY wicked cheap."

"You should..."

"Like..."

"TOTALLY wicked buy all of it?"

"Cheap? You're selling a random key for 600G!"

They giggle at me and I sigh. Bitches, man...bitches.

"So where inside am I gettin' them?"

"The MTT-Brand Burger Emporium."

"You have to get them from Bugerpants."

That name...That name brings back memories...as well as sore spots. Douche-cat...

"Burgerpants."

"Yeah, that guy from the store. Yuck, what a creep."

"Yeah! He's a creep! But he's kind of cute, too..."

"C'mon Catty, don't you have ANY standards?"

"Nope!!!"

...You need standers, Catty.

"Yeah, I met him. Not so much a creep but he is a massive prick."

"OK, like, the annoying thing is..."

"He'd be OK if he just treated us with some respect."

"But he just acts..."

"Really weird."

"And then acts like it's OUR fault he acts that way!"

"Like, when we asked him to get those Dazzleburgers..."

"He dropped them and ran away before we could even say anything!"

"We were, like, going to share them."

"Really? I wasn't."

"Catty!"

This zone is full of awful people.

"One last thing...How many you want?"

Catty waves her paws.

"So many! Enough to fill a dumpster!"

"The mega value pack should cover us."

I give Bratty a thumbs up and leave their shady establishment. Now I enter the main building and this time I'm greeted by someone for once. It's either very diamond-like or very origami-like, but above all, it's a tiny monster.

"Welcome to MTT Resort - Hotland's biggest apartment-building-turned-hotel! Whether you're here for a night or still live here, MTT Resort prides itself on a great stay! Just passing through...? Nice! MTT Resort prides itself on being passed through!"

"Interesting business model. Does it work?"

"Oh, indeed it does, human."

"You know what I am?"

"Oh yes! The staff has been informed of your coming and instructed on how to handle you upon arrival."

Oh god, what now?

"Over on your left, we have a dine-in restaurant complete with a stage which hosts a wide cast of live acts. Either comedy done by locals or Mettaton entertains when he isn't too busy."

"Neat."

"If you're feeling like you hate yourself, behind me is the MTT-Brand Burger Emporium, home of the Dazzleburger!"

Well, they know how fast food works.

"All further questions can be taken to my coworker behind the desk."

I scratch my head and shrug.

"Thanks."

I walk away and head for the other receptionist. It's not a bad-looking lobby at least. Red & yellow checkered tiles and the rug from outside continues forward into parts unknown. The obnoxious fountain of Mettaton is gaudy though. I reach the desk and the monster behind it is a weird one. It's blue and its head is a hand with very well manicured red nails.

"Yes, we know. The elevator music volume is super loud and the song is stuck on a three-second loop. We are working on it. Because of this incident, rooms are running at a special rate! 200G a room. Interested?"

Someone sounds grumpy.

"No thank you. I was told to come to you. I'm the human if that helps."

Their head fingers extend in alert.

"Oh! Sorry. I was instructed to inform you on where to go next."

"That would be helpful, yes."

It motions to where the rug is heading.

"If you follow the rug there, you'll be lead out back to the entrance of the CORE. Mettaton will be waiting for you at the top."

"Could I use the elevator instead? All this travel is exhausting."

"No can do. The elevator leads to the Capital and main residence of our people. You're not allowed to go there."

"Oh...That's fine. I didn't want to go there. Just trying to take shortcuts if able."

"*ahem* If you require a small rest, might I suggest renting a room?"

"I don't the gold, sorry."

"That's fine. Mettaton has pre-paid a room for you. One time only."

I'm stunned. Damn him! Why does he confuse me so much?! I want to like and hate him at the same time!

"Um...In that case, sure. Where are rooms?"

They motion again.

"Down the hall to the right."

I wait for them to give me a key or card but nothing is there except awkwardness.

"Is there a problem?"

"No...not really. But...uh...Isn't this the part you give me a room key?"

"What? Room...Key? No, we don't do that. If you leave your room, you'll have to pay again."

So if I enter I can't leave or else I'll have to pay? That's insane!

"On second thought, maybe later."

"Shame. Do let us know if you change your mind. Have a sparkular day!"

I'm getting the feeling they're being nice because they were told to be. Otherwise, I doubt I'd be given such a warm welcome. Oh well. Time to pay a certain someone a visit.

I stroll up to the emporium and find myself paused. I can go about this in many ways. The different choices and outcomes play out in my head super fast. After a few, I settle on something...something that'll leave an impression. I push the doors open. A digital bell sounds. I look at what appears to be a sadder version of McDonald's. And like a mindless corporate drone, he speaks while moping the floor before seeing "who" just walked in.

"Welcome to MTT-Brand Burger Emporium, home of the Dazzleburger. Sparkle up your day (TM)."

He begins to turn around.

"What can I do to..."

His eyes widen seeing me, grinning sadistically at him like a lunatic.

"Uh...help?"

This hurts my throat to do, but it really sells this whole thing. I deepen my voice to imitate Dr. Claw from Inspector Gadget and just laugh. He is unnerved to say the least.

"*menacing* No one will help you."

"H-Hey now...Don't think of doing anything funny."

I walk up to him and he backs away slowly before leaping behind the counter.

"Stay back! You can't hurt anyone in shops!"

I keep the deep voice.

"*menacing* Hurt you? Foolish boy...Why would I do that? It's not like you put a cigarette out on my wrist and bashed my head with a bat!"

That last part was done a bit too harsh and I end coughing. All seriousness leaves.

"*coughs* Nah, man...*normal* I ain't gonna do anything. For reals. I was just messing with ya."

He eyes me funny.

"Riiiiiight...What do you want then?"

"Preferably, my phone."

He flinches, his eyes looking quickly down then darting back up.

"I..."

"Metta doesn't have to know."

"What do you mean he won't know?! He knows everything that goes on here!"

"Look, you either give me my phone, or I'm gonna go back there and take it."

"You're not seri..."

My dead stare shuts him up. He seems to freeze up now. I sneer and put my hand out. He looks at my hand and then starts sweating. I'm beginning to lose my patience.

"You have five seconds."

His fur stands on end and he suddenly slams his face on the countertop, giving himself a bloody nose.

"Sorry, (Ha ha) it's against the rules to talk to customers who haven't bought anything. And talking with you this long has put me in serious shit. If you want this 'exchange' to continue, you're going to make a purchase."

I'm not happy.

"...What do you have?"

[60G - Sorebet - Very popular food.]

[120G - Dazzleburger - Very popular food.]

[300G - Mythical Villain - Anti-Hero Sandwich. ATTACK UP in battle.]

[500G - Biltong Slab designed to look like Mettaton - Don't ask. Please.]

I huff through my nose and shell out the 60G.

"That Sorebet better come with my phone."

"Yeah yeah. Don't get your panties in a twist."

"Fuck you. I wear boxers."

He eyes me with a blush before heading into the back. Might as well chat him up while I can.

"So...Do you know the chicks behind the building?"

"Huh? Oh...Them. Yeah, I know them. What of it?"

"They were talking about you."

"The girls were...Talking about me...?"

Hooked him.

"They mentioned you threw burgers at them and ran."

"Bullshit! That is not what happened."

He comes back to the counter with a glass of frozen dessert and my phone.

"Care to enlighten me?"

He sighs and lights a cigarette. I wonder if he can do that while on shift?

"Never interact with attractive people. Unless you're 'one of them', they're just gonna take advantage of you. Those two chicks asked me to sneak them some Dazzleburgers. And I, the naive teenager that I was, said yes to them. Bad idea."

"What happened?"

He takes a dag and lifts the collar of his uniform shirt open, blowing the smoke in there.

"Does that really keep the smoke from spreading?"

"It's worked so far. *puff* So I went out to the alley to see those two ladies, and uh...you know, see what'd happen next."

"Like...Naughty stuff?"

"...Maybe."

"Nice."

He blushes.

"Anyway...Then my boss comes out of nowhere, sees me, and demands to know what I was doing. I was so startled, the hamburgers in my pockets tumbled out onto the ground. Not wanting to lose face to the girls, I scrambled to pick them up! But, as I was bending down, the weight of the remaining hamburgers...*puff*...caused my pants to fall down."

He expected me to mock him. But I can't feel anything more than pity for the guy. This surprises him and he continues his story.

"Then the girls laughed at me. Everyone calls me Burgerpants now. It's gotten to the point I can't remember my name half of the time. It's even on my name tag for fuck's sake!"

Poor douche cat.

"I think you're the first to not laugh at me or that story."

"Why would I laugh? That's...That's messed up, man."

He takes another drag.

"You know something...I misjudged you, human. I know it ain't much, but, I'm sorry for being an ass."

I rub the back of my head.

"I'll be honest, guy...Since the bar thing, I've seen you only as a prick. The idea of you having hard times and lashing out didn't cross my mind at all. That's my bad right there. Sorry on my part for being a bitch."

He smirks.

"So...You're really not going to tell Mettaton about this?"

He hands me my phone.

"Dude, this stays between us. Besides, he's kinda been pissing me off lately."

"Yeah, he does that."

He takes a deep drag before putting the cigarette out on the bottom of his shoe.

"Can I give you some advice? I'm getting on in years, so take it from me...You've still got time. Don't live like me. I'm 19 years old and I've already wasted my entire life. I'll probably be trapped at this stupid job forever. But wait! There's one thing that keeps me going! If ASGORE gets just one more SOUL, we'll finally get to go to the surface! It'll be a brand new world! There's gotta be a second chance out there for me! For everyone!"

"Maybe. So, what did you want to do before this?"

"Oh...I wanted to be an ACTOR."

"Neat."

"When I first came to Hotland, it was my dream to work with Mettaton. Well, be careful what you wish for! God, look what that idiot has done here. This place is a labyrinth of bad choices. And every time we try to change something for the better, he vetoes it and says that's not how they do it on the surface. Oh! Right! Humans are always eating hamburgers made of RHINESTONES AND GLITTER."

"...I can assure you we don't eat that. Eating that would be very bad for our health. Maybe even fatal. Monsters don't really eat that...Do they?"

His eyes shift and I facepalm.

"And you guys think I'm gonna hurt ya?"

"You should probably get going. The boss will get his gears in a bunch if you take too long getting to the CORE."

"Fine."

I put the Sorebet in my inventory and remember my awkward side-quest.

"Oh! Before I bounce, can you help me with something?"

He tilts his head.

"What?"

"The chicks, Bratty and Catty, they have items I want but don't have the crazy amount of gold. They say they'll trade for a mega value pack. Any way you might be able to help make this trade happen?"

He sighs.

"Really? Do you know how much that is?"

"1300G close? Because that's how much I need."

"...What kind of shit are they selling that's worth that much?!"

I goofily shrug. He groans and rubs his face.

"I can't just give you that much for free."

"Catty thinks your cute."

"...For real?"

I nod. He fidgets, fingers tip-tapping and pitter-pattering.

"Okay, I'll tell you what...You score me a hook up with her and I'll give you the burgers."

Damn you rule of three in side-quests!

"Argh...I guess I can try. It won't be the weirdest thing I do today but it is on the list though."

His eyes light up with excitement. I can't mess this up now. How often does he actually smile like this?

"Thank you! *ahem* I mean...Cool."

I slink out of the emporium and head for the exit.

"Um, excuse me, human...The CORE is the other way."

I groan.

"I know. I'll be back."

Exit building, go into the creepy alley, and meet the girls again.

"Look who's back."

"Do you have the Dazzleburgers?"

I show my empty hands.

"Ha! I knew she'd blow it."

"Sucks to be you!"

"Hold up. He'll give me the goods. But..."

"But...?"

"Catty...Do you really think he's cute? 'Cause he thinks you're hot."

Catty's face flushes. Bratty rolls her eyes.

"For reals? He wants a date?"

"A date? A hangout? A simple meeting while he's working? I don't know. For all I know she can walk in, say hi, and that's it. All I need is confirmation and you get all those shiny burgers."

"Yes!"

"Catty...?"

"What a deal! A cute guy and free food! It's the score of a lifetime!"

"Catty, he's a loser. You hang out with him once, then he wants to hang out... All. The. Time."

"But don't you feel bad for him, Bratty? Poor Burgerpants...Think about how cool we are compared to him!!! We'd be saving his LIFE with our awesomeness!! His LIFE, Bratty!!"

"Uh, so?"

"Think of all the Dazzleburgers he could get for us!!"

And just like that, I feel like shit for doing this.

"...So is he free after work?"

"*huff* I'll be back...again."

Leave the alley, enter the building, meet up with Burgerpants.

"I don't like the look you have there. Did she say no?"

I can't lie to this guy.

"Dude, I'm really uncomfortable with this."

"What's wrong?"

"She said yes. But..."

"She said YES?!"

"I mean, she agreed, but please listen..."

"Ha! Ahahaha!! Yes!!! You've brought a tear to the eye of this old man."

I feel so bad.

"Dude, please...I'm, like, 100% sure she's gonna use you for free food and maybe gold."

"...So?"

I'm taken back.

"Look, you don't think I didn't think of that? I know she's probably going to use me. Everyone does. If it's for the food, I don't care. That's just another way I can stick it to my boss. Speaking of..."

He plops this cardboard case down on the counter.

"A deal's a deal. The mega value pack for the girl."

...Okay, they're made for each other. Everyone here is trash!

"So, uh, what time did she say she wanted to hang out?"

I hate everything about this!!

"I'll be back again."

Take food, leave, exit, alley. At this point, I nearly shove the shit at them.

"Oh my God!"

"Is that the mega value pack Dazzleburgers?"

"OH MY GOD!!! GIMME!!!"

"God, Catty. Try to have some self-control."

"Sorry..."

"'Cause they OBVIOUSLY brought the Dazzleburgers for ME."

"NO WAYYY!!!!!"

I point to the items.

"Trade. Now."

Bratty puts the key and gun into the hat before handing it over to me.

"Thank you."

I put the key in my inventory and equip the other two.

[You equipped the Tattered Western Hat]

[You gain 12 Defense and 5 Attack]

[This battle-worn hat makes you want to crew on straw for some reason. It also raises attack by 5.]

[You equipped the Rusty Revolver]

[You gain 12 Attack]

[An super old gun. It has no ammo. Must be used precisely, or damage will be low. Duh.]

[HP: 40 ATK: 62 DEF: 50]

I am becoming OP!!

"Oh! Give burger-boy this!"

Catty hands me a scrap of paper with her number.

"Fine. I'm just glad this is done."

Back to Burgerpants. I slap the paper down.

"Here's her number. I hope you don't regret this."

His face contorts in a weird way...Is he...Happy?

Sweet! I need to pick a spicy outfit for my little shindig later. Though, now that I think about it, I had to throw away all of my clothes to make room for the outfits Mettaton gave me."

"...What?"

"Don't take it the wrong way. They're just all these...Weird getups. 'Promotional' costumes. For 'holidays'. Or 'specials'. Or 'because he felt like it'. The thing IS though! Most of the time I'm the only employee who has to wear this stuff! Sometimes he even calls me into his office just to...Make me put something on...Then he laughs and lets me go back to work as normal."

My pity meter is breaking.

"Anyways, I won't sweat it. I'll take it casual. NEVER let hot people think you care. That's how they GET you."

And the pity meter dropped dead.

"Good luck with that."

I leave on that note. Fuck this resort. Fuck this quest plot. Fuck this whole damn thing!

Wanting this shit show to be over and done with, I do as instructed by following the rug's path out some doors that have a giant sign above that says "CORE". Lazy-ass designers, I swear.

Weirdly this leads to a balcony. A balcony that has been opened and a walkway built that connects to the massive facility. The light from the resort barely shows half of the path as the CORE itself surprisingly gives off the faintest glow. The CORE is an entirely mechanical complex that is largely black and yellow with red accents. The blah colors aside, what gets my attention are the two monsters that were minding the entrance that slip inside when I show up. I don't like this.

"Flowey, you better be able to get here. I have a bad feeling about this."

Approaching shows more of this crazy thing. The CORE appears to be the most industrial and modern region of the Underground. Ozone, a byproduct of electrical power, is omnipresent below the floor level of the CORE. This could mean the CORE might be made of stainless steel, titanium, or platinum; as ozone is highly corrosive to most organic materials. If this is the case, they could use this stuff. The CORE could be a source of ozonated water, which cleans clothes, sanitizes food, and purifies drinking water. This also implies this might be the greatest source of oxygen in the Underground as ozone simply decomposes into oxygen at high concentrations and temperatures. The only hazard I can think of is that oxygen is a shitty thing to breathe. Breathing pure oxygen at high pressures can cause nausea, dizziness, muscle twitching, vision loss, convulsions, and loss of consciousness. Breathing pure oxygen for a long time can irritate the lungs causing coughing and/or shortness of breath. Higher exposure may cause a build-up of fluid in the lungs and subsequent death. Guess how much more O2 is needed to do this to a person? 20% more. God, Humans are so freaking weak. I'll need to be careful here.

The lobby of the CORE has an elevator to the north and two paths to the left and right. Not a bad looking place, very lavishly decorated, the floors are engraved with intricate patterns and multicolored neon tubes serve as wall ornaments and embellishments. I check the elevator, which is disabled, I'm not shocked at this point. Not much else to do, I go to the path on the right, which turns out to be a small room with a square platform overlooking a pit of fire. Not bad. I do enjoy looking at fire. It's pretty. Moving on! Going through the left path leads to a rectangular stretch of wall-less hallway with a doorway at the end.

"Hmmm...My bullshit senses are tingling. I'm willing to bet a random encounter/ambush is about to happen."

As if cued by my words, something cracks the back of my head and then hits my gut as I turn.

"*wheeze* Called it..."

My attacker appears and my dull cracked purple soul is forced out to play.

[Madjick pops out of its hat!]

Madjick has a typical appearance of a wizard. It wears a curved wizard hat, a pair of boots, and two rotating orbs emitting cross-shaped particles. Madjick has a sly smile on its face, but a pair of bright eyes are hidden just under its hat.

[FIGHT]

[ACT]

[̴͝SP͜͞E͡L̵͜L͟͠͏]͘͢

[ITEM]

[MERCY]

I wonder if SPELL will work on this thing? ...N-No. No. Can't chance it. Stick to normal tactics.

[ACT selected.]

[New options available.]

[CHECK]

[TALK]

[STARE]

[CLEAR MIND]

...The fuck kind of options are these?!

[CHECK selected.]

[MADJICK – HP: 190 ATK: 29 DEF: 24 – This enemy can only speak in magic words.]

Finally! My states aren't shit compared to my attacker. Also, only speaks in magic words is the most fucking adorable thing I've ever heard.

"Abra cadabra."

An orb spawns off to my left and rapid-fires crosses at me. I dodge and the orb tries to cut me off by going where I'm headed. It fires about eight times and moving around is not so great.

[HP ████████████████ 16/40]

Thank goodness my defense got increased during all this crap. I could've been really messed up.

[Madjick flaunts its orbs in a menacing manner.]

It snickers.

"A smug one. I like that."

[TALK selected.]

"You know...I can do magic too."

It looks at me intrigued.

"Yep. I can make your smile disappear."

It pauses before sneering at me.

"See? I made it vanish before your very eyes!"

It didn't seem to like my humor.

"Hocus pocus."

[Madjick begins chattering to itself. Its gibberish dizzies you...Your DEFENSE drops by 1.]

My head feels fuzzy. Did it just jinx me? Are there more types of magic than what I've been told?

One of the orbs begins to chase me while deploying harmful but immobile crosses. Yet due to the jinx, my sense of direction is ass-backward. Left is right and right is left. Up is down and down is up. However...much to Madjick's dismay...I'm used to being incredibly dizzy. My childhood was filled with countless hours of boredom appeased by spinning around till I couldn't see straight.

[HP ████████████████████ 20/40]

Ha ha...Suck on those magic balls, wizard-boy!

"*slur* Is that what you call magic? Boo! Disappointed!"

[Madjick whispers arcane swear words.]

"*slur* Oh...Someone needs to put some gold in the swear jar. I'm gonna tattle!"

It growls.

"Eh eh eh. It's not your turn."

I slap my face a few times.

[CLEAR MIND selected.]

"I wonder where Flowey is?"

[You think of pollen and sunshine. Your confusion abates. Your DEFENSE increased by 2.]

"...What?"

"Alakazam!!"

It tries to surprise me with that following orb trick. But now that I know that move it's not so bad.

[HP ██████████████████████████ 26/40]

Huh? Am I auto-healing faster? Sweet! Surely that only means good things for me.

[Madjick peers at you with strange eyes.]

"What? You scared? My sick moves and auto-healing too much for you? No worries, wizard-dude, we cool. I got you."

The hell did I just say? Am I magic high? Fuck it.

[MERCY selected.]

[New options available.]

[FLEE]

[SPARE]

[SPARE selected.]

It looks at me funny. Then it looks at my HP.

[HP ████████████████████████████████ 32/40]

It flinches.

"Please and thank you."

Madjick accepts my act of mercy.

[YOU WON!]

[You earned 0 XP and 120 gold.]

The fight ends, my soul returns to my body and I give my opponent claps of approval.

"Good show, buddy. Keep up the good work."

It seems confused but nods, hovering away behind me towards the exit.

"Well...That was weird."

My head still feels odd. Nothing a few brain sloshing shakes of the old noggin won't fix. Anyway, no time to question strange feelings or whatever. I gotta get through this so I can get back to Toriel. Onwards I go.

Continuing forward, I enter a room with a bridge that is cut off by a tesla coil. Wow. Hadn't seen that in a long ass time. How much do I wanna bet there's a convenient off switch nearby. Oh, look! A super obvious switch right there on the wall. Who could've ever had guessed! I flip the switch and lasers fire at me! First blue, then blue again, and orange. Thankfully they're slow, so once I triggered the first blue laser I easily hit the deck to avoid the others that pass by.

"Setting booby traps on top of other traps now. Geez, Metta, I'm starting to think you don't like me very much. Well, that's fine. I don't like me either! So come at me already and quit this pussy bullshit!"

Calm down. No need to get riled up. Get through this and go home. Then I can just stuff my face with Nanny's awesome cheesecake and pass out happy. I march on, doing my best not to look down or notice how some of the walls and floors are chipped away. Now I'm paranoid about if any other laser that turns up is functional or decorative.

The path leads into a crossroads with a path to my left and a path straight ahead. My bullshit sense is tingling when I look at the left path. Straight ahead it is.

This room contains a bridge with many blue and orange lasers followed by a massive wall of blue lasers.

"Nope. Just nope. Screw the rules! I have plot armor importance and common sense!"

Fuck this outfit. Fuck this shit! I have lost all my fucks! I get down on the floor and combat crawl the long as fuck cold metal catwalk.

"*muttering* Stupid bullshit. Why do I have to be nice? If I wasn't nice, I wouldn't have to put up with shit like this. Bitches don't end up in laser catwalk traps. But no...I have to be a decent person. *getting louder* I have to be a good girl. I have to not give in to the overwhelming urge to punch assholes for being assholes because that's wrong for dumb reasons! *shouting* Why am I pissing myself off?! This is extremely counterproductive given my current situation! Fuck!!"

I blame all this on Mettaton. That's a healthy way to look at it. Probably not. But I'm not a mental health doctor! The fuck do I know?! After crossing the bridge, I storm grumpily along another walkway only to reach something called "Core Branch".

Turns out the "Core Branch" is a four-way intersection. Fan-fucking-tastic. Man, my mood is fucking sour. Maybe the digital sign can be useful and give me directions.

[North, the warrior's path. West, the sage's path. Any path leads to The End.]

"*growling* This is so...FUCKING STUPID!!"

Nope. Not falling for anymore of this. I choose neither side and go straight. This middle path of the "Core Branch" has me entering a vertical room with a right path leading to the eastern portion of the "Core Branch". There's nothing to my left. It just drops into the ozone, so it's certain death. I'm so sure this place followed all safety measures. There is a sign on the wall that is telling me to "Get lost...And stay that way".

"Wha...Why have signs telling me to leave when you told me to come here?! Stupid metal moron giving me dumb mixed messages."

I hate everything. No monster better encounter me while I'm in this mood. I take out a gold piece and flip it. Heads for straight and tails for the right. It lands on tails so right I go. This has to be the stupidest designed building ever! What the hell was Gaster thinking?! Was he on the drugs? Because this seems like he was on the drugs! 'Cause now I'm at another four-way crossroads. Only now I have two digital signs.

[To the East! This is The End.]

[I cannot fight. I cannot think. But, with patience, I will make my way through.]

A third, and hopefully final, tesla coil blocks what has been established as the exit. This means there's a switch somewhere. F that shit. Know what? You know what'll piss everyone off? I'm gonna do what that sign said. I'm going to be patient. Because if I know Mettaton, and I know massive egos very well, he won't want boring content to be televised and eventually spice things up. I plop my edgy tush under the sign and...wait. Using this time to chill. Let this negativity go and...

*Clank-clank-clank*

Oh hell no!

A large monster ominously approaches. Knight Knight is a monster that wields a great staff with a sun symbol in her right hand. She wears a suit of black armor and what resembles a horned helmet with a crescent moon emblazoned on her forehead. The helmet's eyepiece occasionally widens and un-widens as if it is her mouth. Her torso is dominated by a dragon face whose beak occasionally opens and closes, revealing a small eye. It is unclear whether which face is the true face.

"Let me guess...You're here to make me move?"

"Yes."

"No."

She's confused.

"...No?"

"Did I stutter? I'm not moving."

She readies her spear.

"Then prepare for..."

"Let me stop you right there. I get that you're doing your job and following the law, and blah blah blee bloo, whatever. I have been through one of THE worst days in my life. My mind, soul, and charitable goodwill have been pushed to limits that are very VERY thin now. I am in no mood to deal with any more crap. So I'm going to say this once because I ain't fighting you or moving from this spot till this electrical blockaded is gone...Turn around and go home."

She doesn't take me seriously and laughs.

"Heh heh...You have no power to give me orders, human."

She takes a step closer and I snap.

"I͏͟ ̧̀̕W͝IL͘͡L̴ ̶Ŗ͟͜I͝҉P͘ ̵O͜F̧F̛͞ ̸̀Y̧͡O̡͢U̡͠R ͠H̸EA̶͏D͏͢ ̸̕A͜N͢D S̢̛͜Ḩ̶Į͢T̵̕ ͝D̶̀OW͞N̷̴͠ ҉͞Ý̸̢O̡͡U̡͢R ̸ŅE̴͝CḰ̡̧!͞͞!̧͢"

She stumbles back in shock. The strange energy sparks off me. I regret everything.

"I̵'͘͟͏ḿ͢͞ ̧̕͞so̧̨͡r̴̢ŗ̷͜y̧.̵̛.̢͞.̛p̢l͝ea̷se͢.͟.́͢.leave me. I'm so sorry."

I seem to have disturbed her. She slowly steps back and turns around when she's convinced I'm not going to move.

"Adieu...Human."

She leaves me and I let out a shaky exhale. It's getting worse. I'm losing control. I can't do this for much longer. I haven't been given any proper time to deal with this shit. My internal bottle has been shaken too much! It's going to explode! I...I...

"What the heck was that?!"

Flowey pops up beside me and I'm too freaked out to be startled.

"Sis? What's wrong?"

I hold myself in an attempt to squeeze into a tiny ball of self-loathing. This only worries him more.

"Lynsie?"

I...I can't...I need a break. If only I had my music. I could drown out all this. Lose myself in the lyrics.

"B-Bro..."

"Yes? Talk to me. I can help. Tell me what you need."

"...H-How fast can you get to Snowdin?"

He frowns.

"You want me to get 'him', don't you?"

All I can do is nod.

"I...I can help too. You don't have to turn to him."

My eyes dart to the blocked path. He puts things together. He is a smart boy after all.

"True. Mettaton is that way and the room his encounter takes place in is an elevating platform. I can stretch from my roots pretty far but not THAT far."

He pouts.

"*huff* I guess there's no other option. He does have experience helping you out when things get bad. And he can teleport."

I feel bad that I'm making him do this...again. Like in the dead timeline.

"I...I'm sorry."

"Wha...N-No! Don't apologize. I understand. You're worried. It's okay. We'll get through this. Family helps family. What kind of big brother would I be if I didn't do everything to help? Even if that means getting others to help when I can't."

"...I need a hug...please?"

It pains me to see him hesitate. But vines come out to wrap around me for a bit.

"Thank you."

The vines retract and he extends to nuzzle my cheek.

"It won't be like last time. I promise. You won't kill anyone. No one's going to die."

"H-How do you know?"

"Because you're strong. You just have to believe in yourself. I know I do."

...I needed that. I give him a smile.

"There we go. There's my sis. Now keep that smile. I'll get Smiley Trashbag and we'll be back home with mom in no time."

He really is too sweet for this world. He sinks into the floor and I forgot to ask how he was able to get through this floor. I mean, I guess he said he can get through cement so metal can't be too far of a long shot. Asriel sure is a super strong boy even as a flower.

*BUZZ*

The power to the coil suddenly is shut off remotely like I so knew it could be. Damn it. I was hoping to have more time. How impatient is Mettaton for this? Reluctantly, I get up and walk down this new road. Halfway along this bridge, I am blocked by three vaguely familiar monsters that look like tougher versions of monsters I see in the Ruins.

Final Froggit has spike-like protrusions on its head and eyelids, accompanied by a crown-like muff on top of its head. Its lips are marked with lines, as though wrinkled from age. Its "shoulders" are decorated with sharp excrescents, while the silhouette between its legs forms a face with a triangular smile and cross eyes.

Whimsalot has a more human-like appearance than Whimsun. Also, its antennae are thicker, and there is a muff on their head that branches in two. Whimsalot's appearance is also accompanied by a double-bladed spear and a knight mask. Its ghost-like torso is skinnier and shorter.

Astigmatism's body consists of a large ball and four spiked limbs. The ball is accompanied by two "horns" on each side. When idle, a large eye can be seen on the ball also with three eyelashes. However, it changes from this face to another where the eye hollow is changed with a smile. When having its eye closed, the two side eyelashes become Astigmatism's eyes, while the middle one simply becomes a marking.

I don't know what I must look like to them. Probably dreadful. Because they move aside with not a word being side. I nod in thanks, proceeding to the end which for all I know might be the most tragic moment of my life second to Grillby dying. No! Stop it! Do as Flowey said. Smile. Stay chipper. Think of something silly. Like how dumb this place is. Honestly, was Gaster high making this place? I'll have to ask him later. Nah...I'll ask Sans. Less hassle.

The bridge comes to an end, leading to a shadowy doorway and an elevator that probably would've been super handy but was out of order to pad out the length of this bullshit subplot. Augh...It's so much easier to think my life is a fictional story or internet abridge series. It's the only way my brain allows most of this crap to make any sense.

"So this is it, huh? The epic conclusion of this grand show. Heh...I want to feel accomplished for making it this far. Almost. But all I do feel is..."

I can't finish my sentence. The weight I thought I got off my back earlier begins pressing on me again.

"Nothing...I feel nothing. *sniffling* Damn it...Don't fucking cry!"

With a breakdown seconds away from happening, I enter the doorway to the room of darkness and a door shuts behind me then locks. There is no going back now.

Please...I made a promise...Please...Don't make me have to RESET...Please...I'm begging...Please...

#undertale #underfell #Anomaly #Lynsie #sans #papyrus #gaster #grillby #grandpa semi #flowey #Asriel #toriel #asgore #frisk #chara #undyne #mettaton #napstablook #alphys

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proxylynn · 6 years ago

Text

Underfell: File Name not Edgy Enough #12

Chapter 12: GASTER

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[One long but really quick chat and drink at Grillby's later]

"whoa, whoa, whoa...back that up for me one more time. she planned this out with who?"

Sans is confused by what Grillby has told him. But all the flame monster could do was shrug.

"I've told you all I know and all she told me. She said her brothers helped her."

"her brother is on the surface. and she only has the one."

Grillby smirks.

"don't look at me like that. she told. i didn't ask to know."

"Right...Either way, I doubt she meant her human brother."

"the flower is still only one."

"Hey, I'm only telling you what she told me. And she said 'brothers'."

Sans sighs.

"does this other 'brother' have a name?"

"She called him by a weird name. Chara I think? He was the one that saw you snooping."

That made Sans flinch faintly.

"impossible."

"Why's that?"

"because there was no one else there."

"She said no one can see him."

"a ghost?"

"Ghosts can be seen, Sans. Hell, that one family of them took up that area in Waterfall."

Sans holds his skull in his hands.

"this doesn't make any sense."

"What's there to overthink? She has an imaginary friend. Big whoop."

"not that. the name."

"What? Chara? What's so weird about that?"

Sans rubs his temples.

"that name...that was the name of the kid the King took in."

Grillby's professional calm falters.

"W-What?"

Sans tries to think harder on this. What did any of this mean?

"she lives with the queen, but i don't think tori would actually talk about heavy shit like her kids. it would open old wounds. so how...how does she know that name?"

A memory comes to the confused skeleton. A past conversation he had with the human.

"You have a brother?"

"just one. and you?"

"Human or monster?"

"um...both?"

"On the surface, I got an older bro and a younger sis. Down here, I consider Flowey like a bro. Not sure how old he is. Oh! Do ghosts count? 'Cause I got this spooky little kid that talks to me sometimes too."

"uh...what?"

"Eh, but enough about me. I've been prattling on for too long as it is. I wanna hear about you. This bro of yours got a name or am I digging too deep for my own good down here?"

That simple bit in their chat. He paid it no mind at the time. But now? Now he sees the hints inside.

"Sans? You okay?"

The flaming bartender's voice snaps Sans out of his thoughts.

"huh? oh. yeah. just thinking i got some more questions for that girl."

"When you do question her, will you be bringing her here?"

Sans looks at Grillby funny.

"now why would i do that?"

"Because...I might want to mess around more with that silly pussycat."

Sans gets off his stool and tries to ignore Grillby's teasing tone.

"well...i better get going. pap will be pissed if he catches me missing from my post."

"Want one for the road?"

Grillby dangles a mustard bottle temptingly and Sans smirks.

"how much do i owe ya this time?"

"Ow. That hurts. This one's on the house."

Sans cocks his brow at Grillby as he takes the bottle.

"free? why so generous?"

"I consider the entertainment of that girl to be very rich. I recommend you bring her over more and I might continue my generosity to, oh let's say, your tab."

"...i...i might see what i can do."

Sans teleports to escape the creepy grin Grillby gets just thinking about it.

"You seem to be enjoying yourself..."

So speaks Punk Hamster between drinks who sits at the end of the bar.

"I haven't seen you this giddy since those girls got wild on lady's night."

Grillby sighs at the memory.

"That was a wild night. So glad I put up those cameras. Bitches tried to deny all the damages they caused. But I get what you're saying. I am feeling a bit more...heated than normal."

"You don't think you're starting to carrying a torch for the little lady?"

Grillby snorts at the very idea.

"Please...I'm a monster, not a pig. Sure, I haven't been with someone in a while. But that doesn't mean I'm going to rush over and snatch any female that walks by."

Punk Hamster snickers.

"Heh...Well, that's kind of what you did."

Having walked into that, Grillby sneers and takes Punk Hamster's glass.

"Hey! I wasn't finished with that."

"Any decent bartender knows when a patron has had too much."

"Ah, come on man. It was a joke."

Grillby ignores him by going about his job, leaving Punk Hamster to lose his buzz and snack on nuts.

[Meanwhile: Back with the human]

Urgh...My head is pounding. I feel nauseous. The hell happened?

"🕈☜☹☹ ☠⚐🕈📬📬📬✡⚐🕆 ☹⚐⚐😐 ☹✋😐☜ ✡⚐🕆 ☟✌👎 ✌ ☝⚐⚐👎 ❄✋💣☜📬" (WELL NOW...YOU LOOK LIKE YOU HAD A GOOD TIME.)

Oh great. Now I have to deal with him.

"Hey, G. Um...What happened?"

Gaster chuckles.

"☟✌✞✋☠☝ ❄☼⚐🕆👌☹☜ ☼☜💣☜💣👌☜☼✋☠☝✍ ☠⚐❄ 💧🕆☼🏱☼✋💧✋☠☝📬 ✡⚐🕆🕯✞☜ ☠☜✞☜☼ 👌☜☜☠ ✋☠❄⚐✠✋👍✌❄☜👎 👌☜☞⚐☼☜📬" (HAVING TROUBLE REMEMBERING? NOT SURPRISING. YOU'VE NEVER BEEN INTOXICATED BEFORE.)

"Wait...So I did get drunk? I didn't get...weird...Did I?"

"☠⚐📬 ✡⚐🕆 💣☜☼☜☹✡ ☟✌👎 ✌☠ ✋☠👍☼☜✌💧☜ ✋☠ ✡⚐🕆☼ 💧☜☠💧☜ 💣✋☼❄☟" (NO. YOU MERELY HAD AN INCREASE IN YOUR SENSE MIRTH.)

"So...I was just a giggling idiot?"

"🏱☼☜❄❄✡ 💣🕆👍☟📬" (PRETTY MUCH.)

I snicker at that.

"Heh...Playful drunk. That's the best outcome that could've happened."

"✌☞☼✌✋👎 ✡⚐🕆 🕈☜☼☜ ☝⚐✋☠☝ ❄⚐ 👌☜ 💣⚐☼☜ 🏱☼⚐💣✋💧👍🕆⚐🕆💧✍" (AFRAID YOU WERE GOING TO BE MORE PROMISCUOUS?)

"Oh yeah. I don't want to end up being slutty drunk. Way too much can end up happening and I'd have no clue of any of it."

"✌☝☼☜☜👎📬 ✋❄ 🕈⚐🕆☹👎 👌☜ 💧🕆👍☟ ✌ 💧☟✌💣☜ ✋☞ 💧⚐💣☜❄☟✋☠☝ 🕈☜☼☜ ❄⚐ ☟✌🏱🏱☜☠ ❄⚐ ✡⚐🕆 ⚐☼ ✡⚐🕆☼ 💧⚐🕆☹📬" (AGREED. IT WOULD BE SUCH A SHAME IF SOMETHING WERE TO HAPPEN TO YOU OR YOUR SOUL.)

That tone he had didn't slip by my "well that's not good" radar. That has my senses on alert. After Chara's super weird warning, I'm a little on edge around him. Though part of me still wants to be kind and trust him.

"I've never asked this, and you don't have to answer if I'm being rude for asking, but...How did you end up here?"

He seems to be slightly taken back by the question. Yet he is quick to recover his composer like normal.

"✋❄🕯💧 ☠⚐❄ 💣✡ ☞⚐☠👎☜💧❄ 💣☜💣⚐☼✡📪 👌🕆❄ ✋❄ ☟✌🏱🏱☜☠☜👎 ☠⚐☠ ❄☟☜ ☹☜💧💧📬" (IT'S NOT MY FONDEST MEMORY, BUT IT HAPPENED NON THE LESS.)

He motions me closer and I do, all be it with what I hope is the subtlest hint of my nervousness.

"✡⚐🕆🕯☼☜ ☟☜💧✋❄✌☠❄📪 ☹✋❄❄☹☜ ⚐☠☜📬 🕈☟✡✍" (YOU'RE HESITANT, LITTLE ONE. WHY?)

"What? No. I'm just still messed up from liquor. I don't want to fall or barf on you."

He eyes me a bit but appears to let my behavior slide.

"✞☜☼✡ 🕈☜☹☹📬 ✡⚐🕆 💣✌✡ ☠⚐❄ ☝🕆☜💧💧 ✋❄ ☞☼⚐💣 ❄☟☜ ☹⚐⚐😐💧 ⚐☞ 💣☜ ☠⚐🕈📪 👌🕆❄ ✋☠ 💣✡ 🏱☼✋💣☜📪 ✋ 🕈✌💧 ⚐☠👍☜ ❄☟☜ ☟☜✌👎 💧👍✋☜☠❄✋💧❄ ❄⚐ ❄☟☜ ☼⚐✡✌☹ ☞✌💣✋☹✡📬" (VERY WELL. YOU MAY NOT GUESS IT FROM THE LOOKS OF ME NOW, BUT IN MY PRIME, I WAS ONCE THE HEAD SCIENTIST TO THE ROYAL FAMILY.)

"Really?"

"✡☜💧📬 💣✡ ☞🕆☹☹ ❄✋❄☹☜ ✋💧 👎☼📬 🕈📬 👎📬 ☝✌💧❄☜☼📬" (YES. MY FULL TITLE IS DR. W. D. GASTER.)

"Initials?"

"✋❄🕯💧 💣✡ ☞✋☼💧❄ ☠✌💣☜📬 ✋❄ 💧❄✌☠👎💧 ☞⚐☼ 🕈✋☠☝👎✋☠☝📬" (IT'S MY FIRST NAME. IT STANDS FOR WINGDING.)

I tilt my head when something in my head clicks with that name.

"Wingding? Like the font?"

He nods.

"👍⚐☼☼☜👍❄📬" (CORRECT.)

He watches as the gears turn in my head and I am literally unsure about asking that which I know.

"☝⚐ ⚐☠📬 ✌💧😐 💣☜📬 ✋ 😐☠⚐🕈 ✡⚐🕆 🕈✌☠❄ ❄⚐📬" (GO ON. ASK ME. I KNOW YOU WANT TO.)

"Sans and Papyrus...Are you...related to them?"

The cocky grin smearing his face is chilling.

"✡⚐🕆🕯☼☜ ✞☜☼✡ ✌💧❄🕆❄☜ ❄⚐ 🏱✋☜👍☜ ✋❄ ❄⚐☝☜❄☟☜☼ ☞☼⚐💣 ☺🕆💧❄ 💣✡ ☠✌💣☜ ✌☹⚐☠☜📬 ✋ 👍⚐💣💣☜☠👎 ✡⚐🕆 ☞⚐☼ ❄☟✌❄📪 ☟🕆💣✌☠📬 ✋☠👎☜☜👎📪 💧✌☠💧 ✌☠👎 🏱✌🏱✡☼🕆💧 ✌☼☜ 👌⚐❄☟ 💣✡ 😐✋☠📬 ✋☠ ☞✌👍❄📪 ❄☟☜✡ ✌☼☜ 💣✡ ✡⚐🕆☠☝☜☼ 💧✋👌☹✋☠☝💧📬" (YOU'RE VERY ASTUTE TO PIECE IT TOGETHER FROM JUST MY NAME ALONE. I COMMEND YOU FOR THAT, HUMAN. INDEED, SANS AND PAPYRUS ARE BOTH MY KIN. IN FACT, THEY ARE MY YOUNGER SIBLINGS.)

Initially, shock has me for the most part. But soon puzzlement takes over.

"But...Sans said he only has one brother."

"❄☟✌❄🕯💧 👌☜👍✌🕆💧☜ ☟☜ 👎⚐☜💧☠🕯❄ ☼☜💣☜💣👌☜☼ 💣☜📬 ☠⚐ ⚐☠☜ 👎⚐☜💧📬 ✌❄ ☹☜✌💧❄📪 ☠⚐❄ ☜☠❄✋☼☜☹✡📬" (THAT'S BECAUSE HE DOESN'T REMEMBER ME. NO ONE DOES. AT LEAST, NOT ENTIRELY.)

"Care to make sense out of that?"

"☝☹✌👎☹✡📬 ✡⚐🕆 💧☜☜📬📬📬✌💧 ❄☟☜ ☼⚐✡✌☹ 💧👍✋☜☠❄✋💧❄📪 ✋ 🕈✌💧 ☝✋✞☜☠ ❄☟☜ 👍☟✌☠👍☜ ❄⚐ 👎⚐ 💣✌☠✡ 🕈⚐☠👎☼⚐🕆💧 ❄☟✋☠☝💧📬 ✋ 👍☼☜✌❄☜👎 💣✌☠✡ ⚐☞ ❄☟☜ ☠☜👍☜💧💧✋❄✋☜💧 💣⚐☠💧❄☜☼💧 ☠☜☜👎 ❄⚐ 💧🕆☼✞✋✞☜ ✋☠ ❄☟☜ 🕆☠👎☜☼☝☼⚐🕆☠👎📬 💣✡ ☝☼✌☠👎☜💧❄ ✌👍☟✋☜✞☜💣☜☠❄ 🕈✌💧 ✌☠👎 ✋💧 💧❄✋☹☹ ❄☟☜ 👍⚐☼☜📬 ✌ 💣✌👍☟✋☠☜ 👍✌🏱✌👌☹☜ ⚐☞ ☟✌☼☠☜💧💧✋☠☝ ❄☟☜ ☝☜⚐❄☟☜☼💣✌☹ ☜☠☜☼☝✋☜💧 ⚐☞ ❄☟☜ ✞☜☼✡ 🏱☹✌☠☜❄ ✋❄💧☜☹☞ ✌☠👎 👍⚐☠✞☜☼❄✋☠☝ ✋❄ ✋☠❄⚐ 💣✌☝✋👍✌☹ ☜☠☜☼☝✡📭☜☹☜👍❄☼✋👍✋❄✡📬" (GLADLY. YOU SEE...AS THE ROYAL SCIENTIST, I WAS GIVEN THE CHANCE TO DO MANY WONDROUS THINGS. I CREATED MANY OF THE NECESSITIES MONSTERS NEED TO SURVIVE IN THE UNDERGROUND. MY GRANDEST ACHIEVEMENT WAS AND IS STILL THE CORE. A MACHINE CAPABLE OF HARNESSING THE GEOTHERMAL ENERGIES OF THE VERY PLANET ITSELF AND CONVERTING IT INTO MAGICAL ENERGY/ELECTRICITY.)

"Most impressive."

"🕈☟✋☹☜ ❄☟✌❄ ✋💧 ✌ ❄☼🕆☜ 💧❄✌❄☜💣☜☠❄📪 ✋❄ 🕈✌💧☠🕯❄ 💣✡ 🏱☼✋💣✌☼✡ 💧❄🕆👎✡📬 ☠⚐📬📬📬💣✡ 💣✌✋☠ ☼☜💧☜✌☼👍☟ 🕈☜☠❄ ✋☠❄⚐ 💧⚐💣☜❄☟✋☠☝ ☞✌☼ 💣⚐☼☜ ☞✌💧👍✋☠✌❄✋☠☝ ✌☠👎 ☼☜✞⚐☹🕆❄✋⚐☠✋☪✋☠☝ ❄☟✌☠ 💧✋💣🏱☹✡ 💧⚐☹✞✋☠☝ ☜☠☜☼☝✡ 👍☼✋💧☜💧 ⚐☼ ✈🕆✌☠❄✋☞✡✋☠☝ ❄☟☜ 💣✡💧❄☜☼✋☜💧 ⚐☞ ❄☟☜ 🕆☠✋✞☜☼💧☜ ✋☠❄⚐ ✌☠ 🕆☠👎☜☼💧❄✌☠👎✌👌☹☜ ☞⚐☼💣✌❄📬 ☠⚐📬📬📬💣✡ ❄☼🕆☜ 🏱✌💧💧✋⚐☠ ✋💧 👍⚐💣🏱☹☜❄☜ 🕆☠👎☜☼💧❄✌☠👎✋☠☝ ⚐☞ 💧⚐🕆☹💧📬 ✌☠👎 💧🕆👍☟ 🏱✌💧💧✋⚐☠ ✋💧 ☟⚐🕈 ✋ ☜☠👎☜👎 🕆🏱 ✋☠ ❄☟✋💧 ✞⚐✋👎📬" (WHILE THAT IS A TRUE STATEMENT, IT WASN'T MY PRIMARY STUDY. NO...MY MAIN RESEARCH WENT INTO SOMETHING FAR MORE FASCINATING AND REVOLUTIONIZING THAN SIMPLY SOLVING ENERGY CRISES OR QUANTIFYING THE MYSTERIES OF THE UNIVERSE INTO AN UNDERSTANDABLE FORMAT. NO...MY TRUE PASSION IS COMPLETE UNDERSTANDING OF SOULS. AND SUCH PASSION IS HOW I ENDED UP IN THIS VOID.)

Creepy vibe alert! Red flag warning!

"Souls?"

"⚐☟📪 ✡☜💧📬 ✋ ☞✋☠👎 ✋❄ 💧⚐ ✋☠❄☜☼☜💧❄✋☠☝ ❄☟✌❄ 💧⚐💣☜❄☟✋☠☝ 💧⚐ 💧💣✌☹☹ ✌☠👎 ☞☼✌☝✋☹☜ 👍✌☠ ☟⚐☹👎 ✋💣💣☜✌💧🕆☼✌👌☹☜ 🏱⚐🕈☜☼📬 ✌☠👎 ❄☟☜ ✞☜☼✋❄✡✍ ☜✌👍☟ 💧⚐🕆☹📪 💧⚐ 👎✋☞☞☜☼☜☠❄ ✌☠👎 ✡☜❄ ☺🕆💧❄ ✌💧 🏱⚐🕈☜☼☞🕆☹ ✌💧 ❄☟☜ ☼☜💧❄📬 🕈☜☹☹📬📬📬✌☹💣⚐💧❄📬" (OH, YES. I FIND IT SO INTERESTING THAT SOMETHING SO SMALL AND FRAGILE CAN HOLD IMMEASURABLE POWER. AND THE VERITY? EACH SOUL, SO DIFFERENT AND YET JUST AS POWERFUL AS THE REST. WELL...ALMOST.)

He gets to my curiosity.

"What do you mean by almost? Are some souls more powerful than others?"

He smiles wickedly and my skin starts to crawl.

"✡☜💧📪 ☹✋❄❄☹☜ ⚐☠☜📬 ❄☟☜ ☼☜👎 💧⚐🕆☹ ⚐☞ 👎☜❄☜☼💣✋☠✌❄✋⚐☠ ✋💧 ⚐☠☜ 💧🕆👍☟ ✌ 💧⚐🕆☹📬 💣✌☝☠✋☞✡✋☠☝ ❄☟☜ ⚐🕈☠☜☼💧 🏱⚐🕈☜☼ ❄☟☜ 💣⚐☼☜ ❄☟☜✡ ☼☜☞🕆💧☜ ❄⚐ ☝✋✞☜ ✋☠📬" (YES, LITTLE ONE. THE RED SOUL OF DETERMINATION IS ONE SUCH A SOUL. MAGNIFYING THE OWNERS POWER THE MORE THEY REFUSE TO GIVE IN.)

"That is interesting. But I get the feeling this is leading to something."

That apparently was the bait he was hoping I'd take. Because within seconds, he has my wrists locked in two disembodied hands and holds me off the ground to the point we're at eye level with one another.

"*snarl* This is not a move that a wise man makes, G. This is the kind of thing that pisses me off and I make you regret it."

That smug grin never falter.

"✌☹🕈✌✡💧 💧⚐ 👌☜✌💧❄☹✡ 🕈☟☜☠ ✡⚐🕆 🏱☜☼👍☜✋✞☜ ✡⚐🕆☼💧☜☹☞ ❄⚐ 👌☜ ✋☠ 👎✌☠☝☜☼📬 💧🕆👍☟ 🕆☠👌☜👍⚐💣✋☠☝ ⚐☞ ✌ ☹✌👎✡📬" (ALWAYS SO BEASTLY WHEN YOU PERCEIVE YOURSELF TO BE IN DANGER. SUCH UNBECOMING OF A LADY.)

"Let me go and I will consider not adding to those cracks in your skull."

"✞☜☼✡ 👍🕆❄☜📬 👌🕆❄ ✡⚐🕆 ✌☼☜ ✋☠ ☠⚐ 🏱⚐💧✋❄✋⚐☠ ❄⚐ ❄☟☼☜✌❄☜☠ 💣☜📬" (VERY CUTE. BUT YOU ARE IN NO POSITION TO THREATEN ME.)

"We'll see about that."

I jerk my legs to kick but they don't move. Two more disembodied hands grip around my ankles.

"☹✋😐☜ ✋ 💧✌✋👎📬📬📬✡⚐🕆 ✌☼☜ ✋☠ ☠⚐ 🏱⚐💧✋❄✋⚐☠ ❄⚐ ❄☟☼☜✌❄☜☠ 💣☜📬" (LIKE I SAID...YOU ARE IN NO POSITION TO THREATEN ME.)

"You cocky son of a breastbone."

That takes a moment to sink in before he laughs.

"☟☜☟☜☟📬📬📬☝⚐⚐👎 ⚐☠☜📬 ❄☟✌❄ 🕈✌💧 ✌☹💣⚐💧❄ ☞🕆☠☠✡📬 👌🕆❄ ☠⚐❄ ✈🕆✋❄☜📬" (HEHEH...GOOD ONE. THAT WAS ALMOST FUNNY. BUT NOT QUITE.)

"What are you planning? In the very least, don't let it be something pervy."

He looks unamused.

"👎⚐ ☠⚐❄ ✌👍👍🕆💧☜ 💣☜ ⚐☞ 👌☜✋☠☝ 💧⚐💣☜ ☹⚐🕈☹✡ 💧👍🕆💣👌✌☝📬 ✋☞ ✋ 🕈✌☠❄☜👎 ❄⚐ ☟✌✞☜ 💣✡ 🕈✌✡ 🕈✋❄☟ ✡⚐🕆📪 ✡⚐🕆 🕈⚐🕆☹👎🕯✞☜ 👌☜☜☠ ✞✋⚐☹✌❄☜👎 💣🕆👍☟ 💧⚐⚐☠☜☼ ✋☠❄⚐ ⚐🕆❄ 💣☜☜❄✋☠☝💧 ✌☠👎 ✡⚐🕆 😐☠⚐🕈 ❄☟✌❄📬" (DO NOT ACCUSE ME OF BEING SOME LOWLY SCUMBAG. IF I WANTED TO HAVE MY WAY WITH YOU, YOU WOULD'VE BEEN VIOLATED MUCH SOONER INTO OUT MEETINGS AND YOU KNOW THAT.)

"Then what is this all about?"

"✡⚐🕆 ✌💧😐☜👎 ✋☞ ❄☟☜☼☜ 🕈☜☼☜ 💧⚐🕆☹💧 ❄☟✌❄ 🕈☜☼☜ 💧❄☼⚐☠☝☜☼ ❄☟✌☠ ⚐❄☟☜☼💧📬" (YOU ASKED IF THERE WERE SOULS THAT WERE STRONGER THAN OTHERS.)

"And you said the Red Soul of Determination."

"✋ 👎✋👎📬 👌🕆❄ ✋ ☟✌✞☜ ☞⚐🕆☠👎 ✌ 💧⚐🕆☹ ☞✌☼ 💧🕆🏱☜☼✋⚐☼ ✌☠👎 💣🕆👍☟ 💣⚐☼☜ ✋☠❄☜☼☜💧❄✋☠☝ ❄☟✌☠ ❄☟☜ ☼☜👎 💧⚐🕆☹📬" (I DID. BUT I HAVE FOUND A SOUL FAR SUPERIOR AND MUCH MORE INTERESTING THAN THE RED SOUL.)

I sigh.

"Let me guess. Mine."

"☠⚐🕈 ✡⚐🕆🕯☼☜ ☺🕆💧❄ ❄✌😐✋☠☝ ❄☟☜ ☞🕆☠ ⚐🕆❄ ⚐☞ ✋❄📬" (NOW YOU'RE JUST TAKING THE FUN OUT OF IT.)

Before I'm able to rebuke that with a rather scathing set of choice words, he places his actual hand on my chest and I become a rather flustered mess.

"Take your fucking hand off!"

"🖂💧✋☝☟🖂 🕈☟✌❄ 🏱✌☼❄ ⚐☞ ✋🕯💣 ☠⚐❄ ☝⚐✋☠☝ ❄⚐ 👎⚐ ✌☠✡❄☟✋☠☝ 💧👍✌☠👎✌☹⚐🕆💧 👎⚐☠🕯❄ ✡⚐🕆 🕆☠👎☜☼💧❄✌☠👎✍ ☟⚐☠☜💧❄☹✡📪 ✋ ❄☟⚐🕆☝☟❄ ✡⚐🕆🕯👎 ☼☜✌👍❄ 👎✋☞☞☜☼☜☠❄☹✡ ❄☟✌☠ ❄☟☜ ⚐❄☟☜☼💧📬 💧🕆👍☟ ✌ 🏱✋❄✡📬 ☠⚐🕈 ✋☞ ✡⚐🕆 ☺🕆💧❄ ☼☜☹✌✠📬📬📬" (*SIGH* WHAT PART OF I'M NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING SCANDALOUS DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND? HONESTLY, I THOUGHT YOU'D REACT DIFFERENTLY THAN THE OTHERS. SUCH A PITY. NOW IF YOU JUST RELAX...)

Wait, what does he mean by 'others'? Before I can ask, a strange surge of energy floods into my chest and I roar out as this new type of pain worms its way inside me. A delightful sparkle comes to his eyes, like a child getting a new pet, he knows what's to come but there's enough mystery to get him excited.

"✡⚐🕆🕯☼☜ ☼☜💧✋💧❄✋☠☝📬 👎⚐☠🕯❄ 👌☜ ✌ ☞⚐⚐☹📪 ☹✋❄❄☹☜ ⚐☠☜📬 ❄☟☜ 💣⚐☼☜ ✡⚐🕆 💧❄☼🕆☝☝☹☜📪 ❄☟☜ 🕈⚐☼💧☜ ❄☟☜ 🏱✌✋☠📬 ☞⚐☼ ⚐☠👍☜📪 👌☜ ✌ ☝⚐⚐👎 ☝✋☼☹ ✌☠👎 👎⚐ ✌💧 ❄⚐☹👎📬 ☼☜☹✌✠ ✌☠👎 ✌☹☹⚐🕈 ❄☟✋💧 ❄⚐ ☟✌🏱🏱☜☠📬" (YOU'RE RESISTING. DON'T BE A FOOL, LITTLE ONE. THE MORE YOU STRUGGLE, THE WORSE THE PAIN. FOR ONCE, BE A GOOD GIRL AND DO AS TOLD. RELAX AND ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN.)

I shiver and hate that Gaster knows how to speak in such a way that it gets to me. His words tickle a part in my brain that is powerless to him. As much as my body screams to keep fighting this energy and deny him of what he's expecting, I am only a human. I'm a weak creature by nature. I give in. I give up.

"❄☟☜☼☜ 🕈☜ ✌☼☜📬 💧🕆👍☟ ✌ ☝⚐⚐👎 ☝✋☼☹📬" (THERE WE ARE. SUCH A GOOD GIRL.)

Seconds after allowing his magic to flow freely into my body, from out of the hole in his palm emerges the heart-shaped core of my being that is my very SOUL. Yet something isn't right. A soul is primarily a single color. Now I know mine is a bit odd as it tends to change its color instead of staying a single solitary color. But this? This was new and very unexpected. This SOUL was not one, two or even three colors. No. This thing was a swirl of multiple colors all sloshing about like clashing waves, each one seemingly colliding with the others for more space for itself, almost like the colors are fighting for dominance of the SOUL itself. And the colors themselves, so many of them. Orange, red, blue, yellow, green, light blue, purple, and black. Though very faintly, two more colors were drowning under these crashing waves. From the little bits that can be seen, it looked like white and...pink? What the fuck?

"☞✌💧👍✋☠✌❄✋☠☝📬📬📬✋🕯✞☜ ☠☜✞☜☼ 💧☜☜☠ ✌ ☟🕆💣✌☠ 💧⚐🕆☹ ☜✠☟✋👌✋❄ 💧🕆👍☟ ✌ ✌☼☼✌✡ ⚐☞ ☜💣⚐❄✋⚐☠💧📬 👌☼✌✞☜☼✡📬 👎☜❄☜☼💣✋☠✌❄✋⚐☠📬 ✋☠❄☜☝☼✋❄✡📬 ☺🕆💧❄✋👍☜📬 😐✋☠👎☠☜💧💧📬 🏱✌❄✋☜☠👍☜📬 🏱☜☼💧☜✞☜☼✌☠👍☜📬 ✌☠👎 ❄☟✋💧 ⚐☠☜📬📬📬☼☜☹☜☠❄☹☜💧💧☠☜💧💧📬 ✞☜☼✡ ☼✌☼☜📬 ✋🕯✞☜ ☠☜✞☜☼ 💧❄🕆👎✋☜👎 ✌ ☼☜☹☜☠❄☹☜💧💧 💧⚐🕆☹ 👌☜☞⚐☼☜📬 ✌☠👎 🕈☟✌❄ ✌☼☜ ❄☟⚐💧☜ ❄🕈⚐✍ ❄☼🕆☹✡ ✡⚐🕆 ✌☼☜ ☝⚐✋☠☝ ❄⚐ 🏱☼⚐✞✋👎☜ 💣☜ 🕈✋❄☟ 💣🕆👍☟ ☝☼☜✌❄☜☼ 🕆☠👎☜☼💧❄✌☠👎✋☠☝ ❄☟✌☠ ✋ 👍⚐🕆☹👎🕯✞☜ 🏱☼✌✡☜👎 ☞⚐☼📬" (FASCINATING...I'VE NEVER SEEN A HUMAN SOUL EXHIBIT SUCH A ARRAY OF EMOTIONS. BRAVERY. DETERMINATION. INTEGRITY. JUSTICE. KINDNESS. PATIENCE. PERSEVERANCE. AND THIS ONE...RELENTLESSNESS. VERY RARE. I'VE NEVER STUDIED A RELENTLESS SOUL BEFORE. AND WHAT ARE THOSE TWO? TRULY YOU ARE GOING TO PROVIDE ME WITH MUCH GREATER UNDERSTANDING THAN I COULD'VE PRAYED FOR.)

This feels so weird, my chest hurts from the pressure of his hand and the forced emergence of my soul. The longer it's out the more it hurts. But my discomfort means little to him, if anything my reactions only seem to further get his interest.

"✋❄ 🏱✌✋☠💧 ✡⚐🕆📪 👎⚐☜💧☠🕯❄ ✋❄✍ ☟✌✞✋☠☝ ✡⚐🕆☼ ☹✋☞☜ 🏱🕆☹☹☜👎 ⚐🕆❄ ☹✋😐☜ ❄☟✋💧📬 ✋ 😐☠⚐🕈 ✋❄ 👎⚐☜💧📬 ✋❄ ☟🕆☼❄ ❄☟☜ ⚐❄☟☜☼ ☟🕆💣✌☠💧 ✌💧 🕈☜☹☹📬 💧🕆👍☟ ☞☼✌✋☹ ❄☟✋☠☝💧 ❄☟☜✡ 🕈☜☼☜📬 💧⚐ ☞🕆☹☹ ⚐☞ ☞☜✌☼📬 ☺🕆💧❄ ✌💧 ✋🕯💣 💧🕆☼☜ ✡⚐🕆 ✌☼☜ ☠⚐🕈 ❄⚐⚐📬" (IT PAINS YOU, DOESN'T IT? HAVING YOUR LIFE PULLED OUT LIKE THIS. I KNOW IT DOES. IT HURT THE OTHER HUMANS AS WELL. SUCH FRAIL THINGS THEY WERE. SO FULL OF FEAR. JUST AS I'M SURE YOU ARE NOW TOO.)

I know I was resigned to just letting him do as he pleased before and honestly, I would've stilled allowed had he not said that. Fear? He thinks I'm afraid? Oh hell no! Who the fuck does he think he's dealing with here?! He's toying with me, like being a cat and thinking I'm a mouse. The hell I am! I won't give in. Not anymore. Not to fear and damn sure not to him!

"You bipolar manipulative fuckwad!"

He's taken back by my sudden snap. But his eyes never leave their locked on gaze from my soul, which is starting to stir a lot harsher now.

"You think this scares me? That YOU scare me? Papyrus scares me more than you. At least he makes his intent clear. He tells me without hesitation that he has no issues ending my life. You? You can't seem to pick whether or not you want to be all friendly or be an outright creepy asshole. So no. Fuck this. Fuck you. This bitch ain't taking this bullshit anymore!"

My soul beats loudly and fast. The swirl of colors hitting each other harder. Two beginning to show more predominately as they are more fueled at this moment. Red...and Black. But my verbal venom does nothing to phase him. He sees right through me, chuckling with amusement as he leans in closer and the tips of his fingers claw into my chest harshly.

"💧🕆👍☟ ✌ 👌⚐☹👎 💧🏱✋☼✋❄ ✡⚐🕆 ☟✌✞☜📪 ☹✋❄❄☹☜ ⚐☠☜📬 ✞☜☼✡ ✌💣🕆💧✋☠☝📬 ✋ ☹✋😐☜ ✋❄📬 💣✌😐☜💧 ❄☟✋☠☝💧 💣⚐☼☜ ☜☠☺⚐✡✌👌☹☜ 🕈☟☜☠ ❄☟☜ 💣⚐🕆💧☜ ❄✌☹😐💧 👌✌👍😐📬 ✋ 👍✌☠ 💧☜☜ ❄☟✋💧 ✌💧 ❄☟☜ 💧❄✌☼❄ ⚐☞ ✌ ✞☜☼✡ ✋☠❄☜☼☜💧❄✋☠☝ ☜✠🏱☜☼✋💣☜☠❄📬" (SUCH A BOLD SPIRIT YOU HAVE, LITTLE ONE. VERY AMUSING. I LIKE IT. MAKES THINGS MORE ENJOYABLE WHEN THE MOUSE TALKS BACK. I CAN SEE THIS AS THE START OF A VERY INTERESTING EXPERIMENT.)

"I'm not your fucking lab rat, Gaster."

"✡⚐🕆 ✌☼☜ 🕈☟✌❄ ✋ 💧✌✡ ✡⚐🕆 ✌☼☜ 💧⚐ ☹⚐☠☝ ✌💧 ✡⚐🕆 ☼☜💣✌✋☠ ✋☠ ☟☜☼☜ 🕈✋❄☟ 💣☜📬 ✋🕯💣 💧❄🕆👍😐 ✋☠ ❄☟✋💧 ☼⚐⚐💣 ✌☠👎 ✌☹⚐☠☜ 🕈☟✋☹☜ ✡⚐🕆🕯☼☜ ✌🕈✌😐☜📬 ✋❄🕯💧 👌☜☜☠ ✌ ✞☜☼✡ ☹⚐☠☝ ❄✋💣☜ 💧✋☠👍☜ ✋ 🕈✌💧 ☹✌💧❄ ✌👌☹☜ ❄⚐ ☟✌✞☜ 👍⚐☠❄✌👍❄ 🕈✋❄☟ ✌☠⚐❄☟☜☼ 🏱☜☼💧⚐☠ ⚐☼ 🏱☼☜☞⚐☼💣 ✌☠✡ 💧⚐☼❄ ⚐☞ 🕈⚐☼😐📬 ✌☠👎 ✌💧 ✌☠ 🕆☠😐☠⚐🕈☠ ✞☜☼✋❄✌👌☹☜📪 ✡⚐🕆 ✌☼☜ ✌☠ ✌☠⚐💣✌☹✡ ✋ 🕈✋💧☟ ❄⚐ ☜✠🏱☹⚐☼☜ ✌☠👎 🕆☠👎☜☼💧❄✌☠👎📬 🕈☟✌❄ ☜✠✌👍❄☹✡ 💣✌😐☜💧 ✡⚐🕆 ❄✋👍😐✍ ☟⚐🕈 👎✋👎 ✡⚐🕆 ☼☜🏱✌✋☼ ❄☟☜ ☺🕆😐☜👌⚐✠ 🕈✋❄☟ ❄☟✌❄ ⚐👎👎 ☝☹✋❄👍☟✍ 🕈☟✌❄ ✋💧 ❄☟☜ ☞🕆☹☹ ☜✠❄☜☠❄ ⚐☞ ✡⚐🕆☼ 💧⚐🕆☹🕯💧 🏱⚐🕈☜☼✍ 💧⚐ 💣✌☠✡ ✈🕆☜💧❄✋⚐☠💧 ✌☠👎 ✋ 🕈✌☠❄ ❄⚐📬📬📬☠⚐📬📬📬✋ 🕈✋☹☹ ☞✋☠👎 ⚐🕆❄ ❄☟☜ ✌☠💧🕈☜☼💧📬" (YOU ARE WHAT I SAY YOU ARE SO LONG AS YOU REMAIN IN HERE WITH ME. I'M STUCK IN THIS ROOM AND ALONE WHILE YOU'RE AWAKE. IT'S BEEN A VERY LONG TIME SINCE I WAS LAST ABLE TO HAVE CONTACT WITH ANOTHER PERSON OR PREFORM ANY SORT OF WORK. AND AS AN UNKNOWN VERITABLE, YOU ARE AN ANOMALY I WISH TO EXPLORE AND UNDERSTAND. WHAT EXACTLY MAKES YOU TICK? HOW DID YOU REPAIR THE JUKEBOX WITH THAT ODD GLITCH? WHAT IS THE FULL EXTENT OF YOUR SOUL'S POWER? SO MANY QUESTIONS AND I WANT TO...NO...I WILL FIND OUT THE ANSWERS.)

We glare deeply at one another. Sizing the other up, even though I'm clearly not going to win this. But it would be a cold day in hell if I'd let him treat me like some stupid lab experiment. I am no one's toy.

"...And if I refuse?"

"��📬📬✋ 🕈⚐🕆☹👎 🏱☼☜☞☜☼ ✡⚐🕆☼ 👍⚐⚐🏱☜☼✌❄✋⚐☠📬 ✋❄ 🕈⚐🕆☹👎 💣✌😐☜ ❄☟✋☠☝💧 ☜✌💧✋☜☼ ☞⚐☼ 🕆💧 👌⚐❄☟ ✌☠👎 ☠⚐❄ 👎✋☹🕆❄☜ ❄☟☜ ❄☜💧❄ ☼☜💧🕆☹❄💧 🕈✋❄☟ ✡⚐🕆☼ ☠☜☝✌❄✋✞✋❄✡📬 👌🕆❄ ✋☞ ✡⚐🕆 ☼☜☞🕆💧☜ ❄⚐ 👌☜☟✌✞☜📪 ❄☟☜☠ ✡⚐🕆 ☼☜✌☹☹✡ ☹☜✌✞☜ 💣☜ ☠⚐ 👍☟⚐✋👍☜📬 ✌☠👎 ✋ 😐☠⚐🕈 ✡⚐🕆 ✌☼☜ ✌ ✞☜☼✡ ✋💣✌☝✋☠✌❄✋✞☜ ☝✋☼☹📬 ✋ 👎⚐☠🕯❄ ☟✌✞☜ ❄⚐ 💧✌✡ 🕈☟✌❄ ✋ 🕈✋☹☹ 👎⚐ 👌☜👍✌🕆💧☜ ✋ ☟✌✞☜ ☠⚐ 👎⚐🕆👌❄💧 ❄☟✌❄ ✡⚐🕆 ☟✌✞☜ ✌☹☼☜✌👎✡ ❄☟⚐🕆☝☟❄ ⚐☞ ✌❄ ☹☜✌💧❄ ❄☜☠ 👌✡ ❄☟☜ ❄✋💣☜ ✋ ☞✋☠✋💧☟ 💧🏱☜✌😐✋☠☝📬" (...I WOULD PREFER YOUR COOPERATION. IT WOULD MAKE THINGS EASIER FOR US BOTH AND NOT DILUTE THE TEST RESULTS WITH YOUR NEGATIVITY. BUT IF YOU REFUSE TO BEHAVE, THEN YOU REALLY LEAVE ME NO CHOICE. AND I KNOW YOU ARE A VERY IMAGINATIVE GIRL. I DON'T HAVE TO SAY WHAT I WILL DO BECAUSE I HAVE NO DOUBTS THAT YOU HAVE ALREADY THOUGHT OF AT LEAST TEN BY THE TIME I FINISH SPEAKING.)

"Twenty six actually."

"💣✡ 🏱⚐✋☠❄ ☼☜💣✌✋☠💧 💧❄✌☠👎✋☠☝📬 ☠⚐🕈 ✋ ✌💧😐 ✡⚐🕆 ❄☟✋💧📬📬📬🕈✋☹☹ ✡⚐🕆 ☟🕆💣⚐☼ 💣☜ 👌✡ ☝⚐✋☠☝ ✌☹⚐☠☝ 🕈✋❄☟ 💣✡ 🕈☟✋💣💧✍ ⚐☼📪 🕈✋☹☹ ✡⚐🕆 💣✌😐☜ ❄☟✋☠☝💧 🕈⚐☼💧❄ ☞⚐☼ ✡⚐🕆☼💧☜☹☞ 👌✡ 👌☜✋☠☝ ✌ 👌✌👎 ☝✋☼☹✍" (MY POINT REMAINS STANDING. NOW I ASK YOU THIS...WILL YOU HUMOR ME BY GOING ALONG WITH MY WHIMS? OR, WILL YOU MAKE THINGS WORST FOR YOURSELF BY BEING A BAD GIRL?)

I look at him funny.

"Dude, I want to take that seriously but...wow...That was the lamest way you could've said that."

He rolls his eyes and sighs.

"☟⚐🕈 ☟✌💧 🏱✌🏱✡☼🕆💧 ☠⚐❄ 😐✋☹☹☜👎 ✡⚐🕆 👌✡ ☠⚐🕈✍" (HOW HAS PAPYRUS NOT KILLED YOU BY NOW?)

"Because not even Pap wants to piss off Toriel."

He shrugs his shoulders.

"✡☜✌☟📪 ✋ 👍✌☠ 💧☜☜ ❄☟✌❄📬 ☠⚐🕈 👍☟⚐⚐💧☜✏ ❄☟☜ ☜✌💧✡ 🕈✌✡ ⚐☼ ❄☟☜ 🕈✌✡ ❄☟✌❄ ✋☠✞⚐☹✞☜💧 ✌ ☹⚐❄ ⚐☞ 🏱✌✋☠ ✌☠👎 ✌☹☹ ✌☼⚐🕆☠👎 🕆☠🏱☹☜✌💧✌☠❄☠☜💧💧✍" (YEAH, I CAN SEE THAT. NOW CHOOSE! THE EASY WAY OR THE WAY THAT INVOLVES A LOT OF PAIN AND ALL AROUND UNPLEASANTNESS?)

"You paint such a beautiful picture. Are you a poet?"

He doesn't like sarcasm, as evidence of his clawed fingertips digging in so hard that they start to break through to enter my flesh.

"✌☠💧🕈☜☼ 💣☜📪 ☹✡☠💧✋☜✏ ☠⚐🕈✏" (ANSWER ME, LYNSIE! NOW!)

"Easy way! Easy way! Fuck! I pick the easy way!"

Now with an answer of my hopeful cooperation, his fingers release their grip into my skin and he removes his hand from my chest. This lets my soul return to me and I can now feel slightly less violated.

"❄☟☜☼☜📬 ☠⚐🕈 🕈✌💧 ❄☟✌❄ 💧⚐ ☟✌☼👎✍" (THERE. NOW WAS THAT SO HARD?)

I sneer at him.

"I'm beginning to see the family resemblance. I don't know who's smugger. Sans, Pap, or you."

He scowls and makes the other hands disappear, dropping me on my shaky feet that almost buckle.

"🏱✌🏱✡☼🕆💧 ✋💧 ☼✋☝☟❄📬 ❄☟✌❄ 💣⚐🕆❄☟ ⚐☞ ✡⚐🕆☼💧 ✋💧 ☝⚐✋☠☝ ❄⚐ ☝☜❄ ✡⚐🕆 ✋☠ 💣⚐☼☜ ❄☼⚐🕆👌☹☜ ❄☟✌☠ ✡⚐🕆 🕈✌☠❄📬 ☹☜✌☼☠ ❄⚐ ☟⚐☹👎 ✡⚐🕆☼ ❄⚐☠☝🕆☜ 👌☜☞⚐☼☜ ✡⚐🕆 💧✌✡ 💧⚐💣☜❄☟✋☠☝ ❄☟✌❄ ✡⚐🕆🕯☹☹ ☼☜☝☼☜❄📬" (PAPYRUS IS RIGHT. THAT MOUTH OF YOURS IS GOING TO GET YOU IN MORE TROUBLE THAN YOU WANT. LEARN TO HOLD YOUR TONGUE BEFORE YOU SAY SOMETHING THAT YOU'LL REGRET.)

I smirk, sticking out my tongue and taking hold of it.

"*mumble* Is this better?"

He looks at me deadpan and slaps his hand to his face.

"🖂💧✋☝☟🖂 ✋ ☟✌❄☜ ✡⚐🕆 💧⚐ 💣🕆👍☟ ☼✋☝☟❄ ☠⚐🕈📬" (*SIGH* I HATE YOU SO MUCH RIGHT NOW.)

I let my tongue go.

"You say that, but you know you're glad I come by. After all, it's like you said. You're stuck here, all alone with no one to talk to or interact with. You're lonely. It's understandable. It's why I don't hold this nutty side of you in the wrong. You're just a little awkward dealing with me. And I know I'm not the greatest human when it comes to rubbing you monsters the right way. I antagonize, sometimes on purpose. But do you know why I do it?"

"👌☜👍✌🕆💧☜ ✡⚐🕆🕯☼☜ 💧❄✋☹☹ ❄☼✡✋☠☝ ❄⚐ 😐✋☹☹ ✡⚐🕆☼💧☜☹☞✍" (BECAUSE YOU'RE STILL TRYING TO KILL YOURSELF?)

I snort a laugh.

"Nah, man. That sad part of me had it's chance and failed. I'm not brave enough to try meeting death again. Our long distance relationship will just have to continue. No...The reason I purposely bug the shit out of you boys is simply this...I like you."

Emotion leaves his face.

"You look confused. Let me explain. To strangers, I try to come off as normal. Letting them see the good in me and allowing them to make the choice of wanting to know more about me if they want. But when they do, when there are continued interactions, I let my real self come out more. The real me is kind. The real me likes to tell crude jokes. The real me will fight if something is wrong. The real me is a loyal friend once you earn my respect. And it's the real me you get when I see you trying to be real with me in return. That help make sense?"

He just stares at me for a minute or two. Just letting my words sink in. Then his composer returns.

"✡⚐🕆 👍☜☼❄✌✋☠☹✡ ✌☼☜ ✌☠ ⚐👎👎 ⚐☠☜📪 ✋🕯☹☹ ☝✋✞☜ ✡⚐🕆 ❄☟✌❄📬 👌🕆❄📬📬📬✋ 💧🕆🏱🏱⚐💧☜ ✡⚐🕆 ✌☼☜☠🕯❄ ❄☟☜ 🕈⚐☼💧❄ 🏱☜☼💧⚐☠ ❄⚐ 👌☜ ✌☼⚐🕆☠👎📬" (YOU CERTAINLY ARE AN ODD ONE, I'LL GIVE YOU THAT. BUT...I SUPPOSE YOU AREN'T THE WORST PERSON TO BE AROUND.)

I smile.

"Same, G. You can be a bit rough around the edges sometimes, but for real, who isn't? Yet if you try to hold that side back then I'll hold my more obnoxious traits back in turn. If you play the gentleman, I will not play the bitch. Sound fair, Dr.?"

I hold out my hand in a friendly manner. He looks at my hand and then me.

"What's the matter, G? Don't you know how to greet a new pal?"

For a moment, a small smile creeps onto his skull but is quickly replaced with his normal flat line and he shakes my hand.

"✡⚐🕆 ☼☜✌☹☹✡ ✌☼☜ ✌ 💧❄☼✌☠☝☜ ⚐☠☜📬 ✡☜❄📬📬📬💣✌✡👌☜ ❄☟✌❄🕯💧 ✌ ☝⚐⚐👎 ❄☟✋☠☝📬" (YOU REALLY ARE A STRANGE ONE. YET...MAYBE THAT'S A GOOD THING.)

"I'm glad we can be cool about this. Honestly, when you started being all creepy, I was beginning to believe the warning Chara gave me that you were not to be trusted."

Things go quiet and the room gets ice cold.

"🕈☟✌❄ 👎✋👎 ✡⚐🕆 💧✌✡✍" (WHAT DID YOU SAY?)

I feel like I just fucked up.

"❄☟✌❄ ☠✌💣☜📬 ☟⚐🕈 👎⚐ ✡⚐🕆 😐☠⚐🕈 ❄☟✌❄ ☠✌💣☜✍" (THAT NAME. HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT NAME?)

My continued silence does not please him. He grabs me by the throat with both hands and gets in my face. The rage in his eyes almost makes me piss myself.

"✋ 👎⚐☠🕯❄ 😐☠⚐🕈 ☟⚐🕈 ✡⚐🕆 😐☠⚐🕈 ❄☟✌❄ 👌☼✌❄📪 👌🕆❄ ✌☹☹⚐🕈 💣☜ ❄⚐ 💣✌😐☜ ❄☟✋💧 ✞☜☼✡ 👍☹☜✌☼📬 ✋☞ ✌☠✡⚐☠☜ ✋💧 ☠⚐❄ ❄⚐ 👌☜ ❄☼🕆💧❄☜👎📪 ✋❄ ✋💧 ☟✋💣📬 👎⚐ ☠⚐❄ ❄☼🕆💧❄ 💧💣✌☹☹ 👍☟✋☹👎☼☜☠📬 ❄☟☜✡ ✌☼☜ ❄☟☜ 💣⚐💧❄ ☜✞✋☹ 👍☼☜✌❄🕆☼☜💧 ✡⚐🕆 🕈✋☹☹ ☜✞☜☼ ☟✌✞☜ ❄☟☜ 🕆☠☞⚐☼❄🕆☠✌❄☜ ❄✋💣☜ ❄⚐ 😐☠⚐🕈📬 👎☜👍☜🏱❄✋✞☜ 💣✋☠👎💧 🕈✋❄☟ ☞⚐☼😐☜👎 ❄⚐☠☝🕆☜💧 ✋☠ 💣✋💧☹☜✌👎✋☠☝ 👌⚐👎✋☜💧📬 ❄☟✌❄ ✋💧 👍☟✌☼✌📬" (I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU KNOW THAT BRAT BUT ALLOW ME TO MAKE THIS VERY CLEAR. IF ANYONE IS NOT TO BE TRUSTED, IT IS HIM. DO NOT TRUST SMALL CHILDREN. THEY ARE THE MOST EVIL CREATURES YOU WILL EVER HAVE THE UNFORTUNATE TIME TO KNOW. DECEPTIVE MINDS WITH FORKED TONGUES IN MISLEADING BODIES. THAT IS CHARA.)

"B-B-But he..."

"👎⚐ ✡⚐🕆 ❄☼🕆💧❄ 💣☜📪 ☹✋❄❄☹☜ ⚐☠☜✍" (DO YOU TRUST ME, LITTLE ONE?)

"I...I want to..."

"❄☟☜☠ ❄☼🕆💧❄ 💣☜📬 👎⚐ ☠⚐❄ 👌☜☹✋☜✞☜ 👍☟✌☼✌📬 ✋☞ ✋❄ 🕈☜☼☜☠🕯❄ ☞⚐☼ ☟✋💣📪 ❄☟☜ 🏱☼✋☠👍☜ 🕈⚐🕆☹👎 💧❄✋☹☹ 👌☜ ✌☹✋✞☜📬" (THEN TRUST ME. DO NOT BELIEVE CHARA. IF IT WEREN'T FOR HIM, THE PRINCE WOULD STILL BE ALIVE.)

I feel my face pale.

"Asriel?"

"✡⚐🕆 😐☠⚐🕈 ⚐☞ ☟✋💣 ❄⚐⚐✍" (YOU KNOW OF HIM TOO?)

His grip on me loosens and the rage in his eyes dims.

"✋ 🕈✌☼☠ ✡⚐🕆 ☠⚐🕈📬 🕈✋❄☟ ✌ 💧⚐🕆☹ 💧🕆👍☟ ✌💧 ✡⚐🕆☼💧📪 ✡⚐🕆 💧☟✌☹☹ 🏱☹✌✡ ✌ ☼⚐☹☜ ⚐☞ ✋💣🏱⚐☼❄✌☠👍☜📬 👎⚐ ☠⚐❄ ✌☹☹⚐🕈 💧🕆👍☟ ✌ ❄☟✋☠☝ ❄⚐ 👌☜ 🕆☠👎☜☼ ❄☟☜ 💧🕈✌✡ ⚐☞ 💧⚐💣☜⚐☠☜ ✡⚐🕆 😐☠⚐🕈 ☠⚐❄☟✋☠☝ ✌👌⚐🕆❄📬" (I WARN YOU NOW. WITH A SOUL SUCH AS YOURS, YOU SHALL PLAY A ROLE OF IMPORTANCE. DO NOT ALLOW SUCH A THING TO BE UNDER THE SWAY OF SOMEONE YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT.)

"And what about you?"

He looks sternly before sighing into calmness.

"✋☞ ✋❄ 🕈✋☹☹ ☟☜☹🏱 ✡⚐🕆 ❄⚐ 😐☠⚐🕈 ✋ ✌💣 ☠⚐❄ ✡⚐🕆☼ ☜☠☜💣✡📪 ❄☟☜☠ ✋ 💧☟✌☹☹ ❄☜☹☹ ✡⚐🕆 💣⚐☼☜ ✌👌⚐🕆❄ 💣✡💧☜☹☞ ✌💧 🕈☜ 👍⚐☠❄✋☠🕆☜ ❄☟☜💧☜ ✋☠❄☜☼✌👍❄✋⚐☠💧📬 👌🕆❄ ✋ 👎⚐ ☟⚐🏱☜ ✡⚐🕆 ✌☼☜ 💣⚐☼☜ 👍✌🕆❄✋⚐🕆💧 🕈✋❄☟ 🕈☟⚐💣 ✡⚐🕆 👍☟⚐⚐💧☜ ❄⚐ ☹⚐🕈☜☼ ✡⚐🕆☼ ☝🕆✌☼👎 ✌☼⚐🕆☠👎📬" (IF IT WILL HELP YOU TO KNOW I AM NOT YOUR ENEMY, THEN I SHALL TELL YOU MORE ABOUT MYSELF AS WE CONTINUE THESE INTERACTIONS. BUT I DO HOPE YOU ARE MORE CAUTIOUS WITH WHOM YOU CHOOSE TO LOWER YOUR GUARD AROUND.)

There's this look on his face. I can't quite place it but it feels something like worry. I nod my head.

"I understand. Heh...Funny. Sans told me something like that when we first talked."

"💧🏱☜✌😐✋☠☝ ⚐☞ 💣✡ ��☼⚐❄☟☜☼💧📬 ☹☜❄ 💣☜ ☝✋✞☜ ✡⚐🕆 ⚐☠☜ 💣⚐☼☜ 🏱✋☜👍☜ ⚐☞ ✌👎✞✋👍☜📬📬📬" (SPEAKING OF MY BROTHERS. LET ME GIVE YOU ONE MORE PIECE OF ADVICE...)

I expect a warning. I expect the kind of protectiveness a father tells a boy that seeks his daughter. What I don't expect was his face to distort and this suffocating red aura to swallow everything around him.

"✋☞ ✡⚐🕆 ☜✞☜☼ ☟🕆☼❄ 💣✡ ☞✌💣✋☹✡ ✋☠ ✌☠✡ 🕈✌✡📪 💧☟✌🏱☜📪 ⚐☼ ☞⚐☼💣📬📬📬✋ 🕈✋☹☹ ☠⚐❄ ☟☜💧✋❄✌❄☜ ❄⚐ 👌☼☜✌😐 ✡⚐🕆 👎⚐🕈☠📪 ✌❄⚐💣 👌✡ ✌❄⚐💣📪 ✌☠👎 ☜☼✌💧☜ ✡⚐🕆 ☞☼⚐💣 ☜✠✋💧❄☜☠👍☜ ✋☠ ❄☟✋💧 ✌☠👎 ✌☹☹ ☼☜✌☹✋❄✋☜💧📬📬📬👎⚐ ✋ 💣✌😐☜ 💣✡💧☜☹☞ 👍☹☜✌☼📪 ☟🕆💣✌☠✍✏" (IF YOU EVER HURT MY FAMILY IN ANY WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM...I WILL NOT HESITATE TO BREAK YOU DOWN, ATOM BY ATOM, AND ERASE YOU FROM EXISTENCE IN THIS AND ALL REALITIES...DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR, HUMAN?!)

I open my mouth to utter the first real scream in my entire life but no sound escapes me, there's only the terrified look of horror on my face. That look seems sufficient enough to give him an answer and he reverts to his normal professionalism.

"☝⚐⚐👎📬 ✋🕯💣 ☝☹✌👎 ✡⚐🕆 ✌☼☜ ✌ ☼☜✌💧⚐☠✌👌☹☜ 👍☼☜✌❄🕆☼☜📬 🖂✌☟☜💣🖂 👎⚐ ☞⚐☼☝✋✞☜ 💣✡ ☜✌☼☹✋☜☼ 👌☜☟✌✞✋⚐☼📬 ✋❄ 🕈✌💧 🕆☠👌☜👍⚐💣✋☠☝ ⚐☞ 💣☜📬 ☺🕆💧❄ ☼☜💣☜💣👌☜☼ 🕈☟✌❄ ✋ 💧✌✋👎📬" (GOOD. I'M GLAD YOU ARE A REASONABLE CREATURE. *AHEM* DO FORGIVE MY EARLIER BEHAVIOR. IT WAS UNBECOMING OF ME. JUST REMEMBER WHAT I SAID.)

He pats my head and my eyes roll into the back of my head as I pass out from all this insanity.

[Meawhile: In Snowdin Town]

Another hard day's work for the skeleton brothers. As like most days, no humans entered their territory. Aside from his normal watching duties, Papyrus had Sans stop by the house every hour to check on the human. Which after finding her at Grillby's halfway into the day and bringing her back to the house, she hadn't moved from the couch where she crashed. In fact, the only change he noticed since then was that the flower had placed the blanket it was hiding under on her, but nothing else. So when the time came, they clocked out and headed home for an evening meal before resting up to take on another day.

"SHE BETTER HAVE COMPLETED ALL HER CHORES."

"i'm sure she has, boss."

"I MEAN IT. IF SHE'S SLACKED OFF THEN I'M BREAKING SOMETHING."

"a bit much, don't ya think?"

"FINE. *HUFF* I SWEAR, THIS WHOLE 'DO NOT HIT HER' THING IS HARDER THAN I FIRST THOUGHT IT WOULD BE."

"goes to show that not everything can be solved by hitting it."

"*SCOFF* I BEG TO DIFFER."

Arriving at their home, the door is unlocked and they enter. The house smells clean and isn't on fire, so that's a good sign. On the couch, the human slumbers and above her in the windowsill the flower watches her with a concerned look. Papyrus gives the scene one look before ignoring it to see if there's any food waiting in the oven. Sans, on the other hand, knowing that she hasn't budged an inch in hours, approaches curiously.

"yo, weed. what's up with her?"

Flowey glares at the weed comment.

"This happens sometimes. I don't know why and she doesn't tell me either. But something happens when she sleeps."

Sans cocks his head to the side.

"oh yeah? like what?"

Flowey gets quiet and it gets his attention.

"uh...you gonna answer me or what?"

Flowey looks uncomfortable.

"Sometimes..."

"yes?"

"Sometimes she..."

Before Flowey can finish, the human bolts upright and gasps for breath. This scares the shit out of Sans who ends up falling back on his butt while she tries to relax her rapid breathing.

"Yeah...Sometimes this happens."

Sans growls in annoyance until he actually gets a look at her. She's pale as a ghost, covered in a cold sweat, slightly hyperventilating, shaking, her eyes wide open and dilated. If he didn't know any better, he would swear she was in shock.

"kiddo?"

She's like a statue. Well, a statue that's shaking like a leaf and breathing just as bad.

"lynsie?"

That brings life to her as her pupils retract to tiny dots.

"hey, are you..."

"HUMAN!!"

Papyrus shouts and she leaps off the couch...only to get tripped up in the blanket a couple time.

"GET IN HERE NOW!"

She stumbles her way into the kitchen and for a moment Sans wondered if this was the same girl he's been dealing with. Because right now, she resembled a frightened puppy hoping not to get kicked into its kennel.

"EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT IT IS I'M LOOKING AT."

His curiosity having been tempted, Sans sneaks his way silently over to the kitchen's doorway and peeks in at the scene unfolding. Papyrus is not happy and the human has her head down in submission.

"WELL? TELL ME WHAT THIS IS."

Papyrus points to a glass container filled with some weird brown mass.

"It's meatloaf."

"AND PRAY TELL, WHAT IS THE MAIN INGREDIENTS IN THIS LOAF OF MEAT?"

"Ground beef."

"HOW MUCH?"

"W-What?"

"HOW MUCH?! HOW MUCH DID YOU USE IN THAT SIN YOU'VE SULLIED MY KITCHEN WITH?!"

She seems to shrink under his voice and it has Sans puzzled. Her personality is all wrong. She would stand her ground, not give in. What in the fuck happened?

"T-T-Three pounds."

*SMACK*

She hits the ground and Papyrus is livid.

"THREE POUNDS?! YOU WASTED THREE POUNDS ON THIS TRASH?! IF YOU WEREN'T CONNECTED TO THE QUEEN, YOU'D BE DEAD BY MY HANDS AND THAT SOUL OF YOUR SHATTERED BECAUSE SOMEONE AS STUPID AS YOU COULDN'T POSSIBLY HAVE ANY POWER TO SET US FREE!"

She lays there for a bit and Sans almost makes the move to jump in to ease some of this tension. But she makes the first move, picking herself partly off the floor.

"Master..."

Master? Don't tell me he's really got her calling him that. Geez, bro, how massive is your ego?

"Forgive me. I wanted to try something new. But with the limitations of what is here and us all agreeing that I can't leave, I can't fetch more food. I tried my best with what I had."

Papyrus's stone cold death glare softens slightly to a less harsh but still harden look of disdain.

"BE THAT AS IT MAY, DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY LASAGNAS THAT COULD'VE MADE? IN A SINGLE DISH, YOU'VE SET ME BACK QUITE A BIT. AND THAT IS NOT A SMART THING TO DO."

"I'm sorry, Master. It won't happen again. I shall request your approval in future meal preparations that might interfere with your culinary craftsmanship."

Much to Sans's surprise, she managed to settle Papyrus down with that. Catering to his ego, a very smart move on her part. She's learning how to survive and roll with the punches.

"HMMM...PERHAPS I MISSPOKE. MAYBE YOU'RE NOT NEARLY AS STUPID AS YOU MAKE YOURSELF OUT TO BE."

Papyrus takes a few steps closer to her and stops when she doesn't make a move.

"HUMAN..."

She looks up at him.

"TAKE THAT JACKET OFF. IT DOESN'T BELONG TO YOU."

She merely nods before slipping out of Sans's old jacket.

"GOOD..."

He takes it from her.

"NOW GET UP. AS MUCH AS THAT THING YOU CALL A DISH OFFENDS ME, I DO EXPECT SOMETHING TO EAT. BRING MY PLATE TO MY ROOM ONCE YOU'VE TAKEN THE CORRECT STEPS IN FIXING IT TO MY LIKING."

She picks herself up and he leaves her, exiting the kitchen to shove the jacket at the apparently not so stealthy brother.

"THIS IS WHAT I MEANT ABOUT BEING SOFT ON HER. YOU GIVE HER AN INCH AND SHE'LL THINK SHE CAN DO AS SHE PLEASES."

Sans sneers.

"you said you'd try not to hit her."

"I DID TRY. I ONLY USED 5% OF THE POWER I WANTED TO HIT HER WITH."

Sans's annoyed look got stronger.

"WHAT? I AT LEAST DIDN'T BUST HER LIP OR BREAK HER NOSE."

Sans's look increases.

"I'M NOT GOING TO SAY ANYTHING THAT MAKES ME LOOK GOOD TO YOU, I AM?"

"no, bro. just no."

Papyrus sighs through his nasal hole loudly

"WHATEVER. I'LL BE IN MY ROOM. SEE TO IT SHE DOESN'T FUCK UP ANY MORE."

Papyrus walks pass his brother with little care and Sans mutters curses under his breath as he now enters the kitchen. To no surprise, the girl is setting out plates and still visibly shaken. He sighs.

"hey...try not to take what pap said or did too seriously. he just lacks the skills needed to not come off as a total prick."

She doesn't say anything. She merely goes about fixing a quick side-dish to compliment the main course.

"come on, kiddo, lighten up. this ain't the first time pap roughed ya up. and it certainly won't be the last. why not look at it this way...ya took the hit like a champ. that's something to be proud of."

She stops.

"Sans...I appreciate what you're trying to do. I really do. But can we not talk for a bit. Please?"

She didn't even sound the same. Something must have really gotten to her. Oh, the choices. On the one hand, part of him knew it was better to leave her alone. Yet, on the other hand, he wanted to make her suffer for leaving. What to do, what to do? Being the clever schmuck he is, Sans picked both options. Here's hoping she got so mashed she doesn't remember anything.

"yeah, okay. we'll talk later."

She appears to relax a little and returns to her work.

"Thank you."

"no problem. what are pals for?"

He turns on his heel then starts to leave, but pauses and looks her way.

"oh! before i forget..."

This gets her attention and he smirks mischievously.

"thanks for the fun at grillby's. i had a really great time."

He gives her a teasing wink before walking away and he swears that he can hear the gears turning in her head.

"...What the hell does that mean?!"

A quick shortcut away to his room prevents her from questioning further and allows him to let out the laughter a successful mind fuck gives. That'll teach her. See Pap? You don't have to hit her to make a point. Mind games are just as effective and even more enjoyable than violence. This is the good shit.

I can hear the laughter in the room above me and I growl in annoyance. God damn you, Sans. I have no idea if he's just messing with me or if something really happened at Grillby's. Argh! These skeletons! They will be the death of me! No, calm down. I need to relax and get my head together. I can grill Sans later when I force his supper down his...wait...How the fuck do skeletons eat?! Why am I only realizing this now? They have no tongue, throat, stomach, or anything else one would need to take in foodstuff. So how the hell do they do this?

"Lynsie? You okay in there?"

Flowey's voice derails this crazy train of thought.

"Yeah, bro. I'm fine. I'll bring you your plate in a sec."

I finish all this food mess and quickly bring him to the table where his share awaits.

"So you're really okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Because you freaked out a lot worse than your past nightmares."

"I told you, I don't get nightmares."

"Yeah, and I'm still not buying it."

"And again, I don't care if you do. But thanks for being concerned."

"You're welcomed. Thank you for dinner."

"Of course."

"When did you even make this?"

"Did it way earlier and had it on a slow cook so it would be done by the time they got home."

"Smart."

"I try."

"Try more."

"...Eat your damn loaf, flower-boy."

I return to the kitchen and get Papyrus's plate before heading up the stairs to his room.

[Knock, knock]

"ENTER, HUMAN."

I open the door and see he has his attention in one of those books they brought home the other day.

"PUT IT ON THE TABLE."

I do as told.

"If you want, I can get you some milk or water to drink."

The second he sees that the plate has touched down on the table, he moves quickly and the next thing I know is my back is slammed against a wall while his hand is over my mouth, pinning me in place. I'm confused by this sudden attack but the angry look he has tells me I'll know why soon enough.

"YOU THINK YOU'RE SO CLEVER, DON'T YOU? DID YOU REALLY THINK I WOULDN'T NOTICE?"

Unable to speak I merely tilt my head in puzzlement.

"DON'T PLAY DUMB WITH ME! I KNOW YOU'VE LEFT THIS HOUSE. YOU CAN'T EVEN DENY IT. YOUR STATS ARE DIFFERENT AND YOU ARE WEARING SOMETHING YOU DIDN'T HAVE BEFORE. SOMETHING I KNOW I'VE SEEN BEFORE IN THAT RABBIT BITCH'S SHOP."

Ah shit. He just had to be a smart guy. Okay, think. Don't panic and play to his nature. Be a good girl.

"WHAT? WHAT IS WITH THAT LOOK?"

He lowers me down enough for me to stand on my own and moves his hand to my neck, at least allowing me to plead my case.

"SPEAK, HUMAN."

Keep calm. Just mix some truth with a bit of lies. It'll sound believable that way.

"I can not lie, Papyrus. I admit it. I did leave the house."

His harsh eyes narrow in a glare that spells death unless I say something to explain my clearly wrong behavior.

"You're probably wondering why."

"I'M WONDERING WHY I SHOULDN'T RIP YOUR STILL BEATING HEART OUT AND SMASH IT INTO YOUR EYES."

"Look, I'm sorry. After I did all the chores, I got bored and curious. I wanted to see what neighborhood was worthy of my Master's greatness. So I went out to have a look, in disguise of course, and no one suspected a thing. Hell, most thought I was a dude. The only one to see through my ruse was Grillby. I gotta say, for a guy made of magic fire he's one cool dude. No pun intended."

He remains silent and brooding in a judging way.

"To be honest, I thought you already knew and that's why you were so pissed."

That gets him.

"NO. I HAD NO CLUE. WHY WOULD YOU THINK I'D HAD KNOWN?"

Payback is a hard bitch, Sans. You mess with me, I mess with you.

"Because Sans knew."

His sockets widen.

"HE WHAT?"

His grip on my neck tightens and I hiss at the rather sharp pain the pressure causes.

"YOU LYING CUNT! IF MY BROTHER KNEW YOU HAD LEFT THE HOUSE, HE WOULD'VE REPORTED IT TO ME! DO YOU TAKE ME FOR A FOOL? DO YOU REALLY THINK HE'D LIE TO ME TO PROTECT YOU? EVEN IF YOU ARE THE QUEEN'S LITTLE FOSTER CHILD, YOU ARE STILL JUST A PATHETIC HUMAN. YOU ARE NOT WORTH RISKING HIS LIFE OVER."

The pain is getting worse. I try prying his hand off but he's too damn strong. All I can do is wince.

"COME NOW, I'M BARELY SQUEEZING. YOU ACT AS IF..."

He seems to put two and two together while I'm still on side of confusion. He lets me go and moves the bandanna to expose my neck. I can't see what he sees, but if the look in his eyes tells me anything, I'd say he sees something I'd rather not see.

"HMMM..."

"What? What is it? Is there something wrong?"

"TELL ME, HUMAN...WHEN GRILLBY FOUND YOU OUT, DID HE HAVE YOU STAY IN HIS BAR?"

"Yeah. He said Sans would find me there sooner or later."

"AND DID YOU CONSUME ANYTHING THAT MIGHT HAVE HAD ALCOHOL IN IT?"

I'm starting to not like this line of questioning.

"Yes? He recommended a booze burger."

He sighs and now I'm getting nervous.

"YOU PROBABLY HAVE NO MEMORY AFTER A CERTAIN POINT IN TIME, RIGHT?"

"Dude, you're starting to freak me out here."

He just grins at me.

"Why are you smiling like that? Papyrus? Tell me!"

He shoves me back against the wall and laughs.

"NOW I SEE WHY SANS DIDN'T TELL ME. THERE WASN'T ANY NEED TO. HE ALREADY HAD THE PLEASURE OF PUNISHING YOU HIMSELF."

What the fuck does that mean?! Wait, so Sans's tease wasn't a tease? Did something really happen at Grillby's? Is Papyrus just being a huge asshole and messing with my head? I need answers damn it!

"YOU MAY GO NOW, HUMAN. BUT KNOW THIS...THIS IS THE LAST NIGHT YOU STAY UNDER THIS ROOF. DISOBEDIENCE IS NOT ACCEPTABLE AND PRIVILEGES WILL BE TAKEN AWAY BECAUSE OF IT."

I rub my sore neck and grimace at the thought of what else he's planning on not allowing me for this.

"I understand. I did wrong and deserve this. It won't happen again."

"OF COURSE IT WON'T. YOU'LL BE RESTRAINED WHEN WE GO OUT NEXT TIME."

Oh, that's just peachy. Not like that really worked last time, but it was super annoying.

"Understood."

I slowly take my leave.

"Good night, Papyrus."

I almost make it out of the room when he blocks the way.

"AREN'T YOU FORGETTING SOMETHING?"

I shake my head with a smirk.

"You enjoy me saying it too much."

His grin is amusing.

"WHAT CAN I SAY? HEARING THE SUBJUGATION OF A LESSER CREATURE PLEASES ME. NOW...SAY IT."

Maybe if I stroke his ego enough it'll take some of the marks off my naughty list. It's worth a shot.

"Yes, Master Papyrus. A thousand apologies, Master Papyrus. Forgive me, Master Papyrus. I am but a lowly human and utterly unfit to bask or even gaze upon your godly visage, Master Papyrus. Oh! To what ends must I do to once more gain the favor of my lord, Master Papyrus? How doth this foolish mortal woman redeem herself in yon glorious eyes, oh great and terrible, Master Papyrus? I beg thee! Pity me, oh marvelous skeletal lord of edge, I am not worthy of you."

I am such a ham when the mood strikes. What started out normal became a big dramatic display the likes of which you'd see being mocked in cheesy movies where teenagers do a high school play. I half expect tomatoes to be thrown at me while those two old muppets mock me from an unseen balcony. Yet he further exceeds my surprise by not only laughing at my childishness, but I can't help noticing the red coloring that is starting to show on his cheekbones. Really brings some much-needed kindness to that grumpy face of his. But the moment doesn't last long and he tappers into lite chuckling.

"YOU...YOU CAN BE QUITE THE KISS ASS WHEN YOU WANT TO BE."

I get out of my little finishing pose and smile.

"Maybe. But did you enjoy that?"

Remember when I said the blush made him look kind? Yeah, that look is gone now. With the look he gives me now, that blush makes him look downright creepy. Like, this is the face of a sexual predator.

"DID I ENJOY YOUR LITTLE SHOW? HMMM...HOW DO I PUT THIS?"

He grabs my chin and forces me to make rather uncomfortable eye contact with him.

"YOU'VE MADE ME QUITE PLEASED."

This feels so awkward.

"IT MAKES ME WONDER...IF YOU'RE CAPABLE OF SUCH PLEASANTRIES, IN WHAT OTHER WAYS ARE YOU ABLE TO PLEASE ME?"

It doesn't take much to trigger my imagination and filthy mind into overthinking what he could possibly have meant by those words. So like any sane woman that's already unsure of what men have done to her due to drunken memory loss, I jerk away from him and nervously get the fuck out of his room to rush my ass downstairs.

"*quickly* Okay, thank you, have a good night Papyrus!"

I hear a small snicker followed by the closing of his door and I take a few minutes to calm down. Normally, had a human guy been like that with me, that would've gone down much differently. Hell, I fought off three guys when that shit happened in middle school. Bastards thought the sickly looking girl in her grandma's sweater was a weak easy mark. Proved those fuckers wrong real fast. But those were humans. These are monsters. And I've finally faced the facts that they are a hell of a lot stronger than humans. If they wanted to...If the intent is there...They could do anything to me and no amount of fight in me would make a difference. I'd get a good couple of hits in but that's it. It wouldn't matter. Compared to them, I'm as weak as a newly hatched bird that fell out of its nest and down a mountain. Wait...God damn it! That is exactly how it is! Mother fucking life! Quit being so piss poor to me! I already hate myself! You don't have to add to it!

I sigh to get all this emo steam out of my system. I have to stop doing this. Building all this negativity up. It's not good or me and very unhealthy. I have to be more positive. Think happy thoughts. Because when life gives you lemons, flip off life and find someone who'll exchange lemons for strawberries. Mmmm...I could so go for some strawberry milk right now. Maybe Grillby has some. I'll have to ask him or Sans about that. Speaking of the smiling butt-munch...I should give him his food before it gets cold. Scooping up his plate of goodies, I head back upstairs and creep quietly pasts Papyrus's room. Lord knows I don't want his attention anymore this evening. Looking over the railing, I see Flowey's the first to sleep unless Sans beat him to it. I need to get his plate before I try to rest. I make it to Sans's door, the strange flames that burn beneath it have intrigued me since I first set my eyes on them. What makes them and to what purpose do they serve? Either way, even if I don't get an answer to those questions, I can still get the chance of seeing inside Sans's room. If Papyrus's room is anything to go off of, then his brother's is bound to be just as cool. Here's hoping he's still awake.

[Knock, knock]

"*muffled* who's there?"

Really? Are we really doing this?

"Room service."

"*muffled* room service who?"

"Yeah, can I get the house special and a wake-up call for nine? Maybe have it brought up by that sexy bellhop at the front door."

The door opens and he's giggling with confusion on his face.

"hehe...what the hell kind of knock-knock joke was that?"

"The kind you get when I couldn't think of anything."

I offer the dish.

"May I come in?"

He eyes me a moment before taking it.

"sure. we need to talk anyway. bet ya got loads of questions and junk."

He opens the door more and I step in. Instantaneously I'm hit with a smell. Since cleaning, the house has had this pine tree smell to it and Papyrus keeps his room so clean it doesn't even have a scent at all. But Sans's room...It's like...I'm not sure if I can describe the smell. Not bad, just...lived in maybe? It's strangely familiar to me for some reason. The room itself just feels comfortable despite its disheveled appearance. Sans's room is messy, containing a somehow self-sustaining twister of random trash, a dusty unused exercise bike, a dirty sock pile, a worn mattress with sheets ripped up in a weird wrinkly bundle, an uncovered pillow that is on the floor, what looks like some mail, a lava lamp with a flashlight stuck in the bulb socket, and a decently sized chest of drawers from which the lamp sits. There's also a window over his bed, a closet off to my left once you enter, and the thick carpet is done in wavy lines of red and yellow.

"yeah, the place ain't fancy or anything, but it'll grow on ya. i mean that figuratively yet sometimes literally."

Sans seems more relaxed as he goes over to his bed to eat. He looks very much the same but minus the jacket he regularly sports and nothing is on his feet apart from some black slippers.

"They say a man's home is his castle. And by the looks of it, you are a very relaxed king."

"eh, i try. so...what's on your mind?"

I shut the door to be safe in case Papyrus were to pass by and hear anything odd.

"Okay, let's just tear the band-aid off now. What the hell happened at Grillby's?"

He chuckles knowingly as he eats.

"don't remember a thing, do ya? that's a shame. you were quite the good-time gal by the time i showed up."

"Come on, dude. Be real with me right now. I am not in the right state of mind to deal with teasing."

He takes a moment to chew the mouthful he has before responding.

"if you're wondering if ya did anything stupid, no. we did nothing but make jokes. now if you did anything with grillby before i got there, you'd have to ask him because he didn't say he did when i got him talking."

I sigh and palm my face.

"but grillby ain't a douche. i've known the guy for a good chunk of my life and i will bet gold on him doing nothing to ya while you were fucked up."

"I'm going to choose to take your word on that. I honestly don't remember much of our time together, but the dude seemed pretty cool. Against my better judgment, I'd probably hang out with him again if the chance were given. Though I wouldn't request that burger again."

"i doubt you'll get the chance."

"Yeah."

I move a little closer and lay on the floor while my head rests on the mattress. I don't want to be weird by sitting on his bed.

"Papyrus said I'm to be restrained when you guys leave tomorrow."

"heh... a lot of good that'll do. you'll just escape again."

"That's what I was thinking."

There's a pause as he eats.

"so...maybe you can answer a couple of questions for me too while we're at it."

"Sure. Why not?"

"do you remember me bringing you back here?"

"Nope. But based on what Grillby said, about you being his most common barfly and that you show up a lot, I kinda figured you did."

"yeah. the bar is like a second home to me."

"I can see why. It's so warm there. Felt...I don't know...Safe?"

"that's the reason he'll never go out of business. ya don't feel that way in many places down here."

"True. And he's a nice guy. That helps too."

"yeah."

I think for a moment about what I want to ask next.

"by the way...who is chara?"

Well, that came out of left field.

"What brought that up?"

"you told grillby that chara was the one that spotted me watching you."

"Oh yeah...So?"

"how do you know chara?"

"How do you know Chara?"

"i asked ya first."

"He's my dead bro that talks to me in my head."

"don't bullshit me."

"Do you really think I'd say something that crazy if I didn't mean it? Hell, you're not even the first person to ask me that same question today."

"who else asked you about chara?"

"Your brother."

"pap? that don't make much sense."

"I didn't say it was Papyrus."

That got his attention in a big way.

"what?"

I look up at the ceiling.

"Sans...Do you know who Gaster is?"

There's a thud sound as he drops his plate and what little remained of his dinner.

"h-how...how do you know that name?"

I look over at him. Shock and maybe a small tinge of fright make up his expression.

"I get the feeling we've got a lot of talking to do."

"yeah. yeah, we do."

He looks really serious until he looks at the mess.

"but first...mind cleaning that up for me?"

I snicker.

"Was wondering if you were gonna ask me that or not. Really hoping you weren't."

"if it makes ya feel any better, it wasn't as bad as what pap was making it out to be."

"Thanks."

I pick up most of it with my hands and get ready to take the remnants with me.

"while you're down there, would you mind bringing back a thing of mustard?"

I look at him funny.

"Mustard?"

He rolls his shoulders.

"we've all got our vices. mine happens to be a tangy condiment. got a problem with that?"

"Really? Any particular type you prefer?"

"not really. it all depends on my mood. if i wanna treat myself, i enjoy a nice dijon. if it's been a shitty day, i'll have a beer or spirited mustard. and if i'm in a pissy mood, i'll punish myself with the hot pepper stuff. but mostly i just drink the classic yellow kind."

Wow, he wasn't joking.

"Okay...Be right back with your 'drink'."

I take the dish with me out of the room and back downstairs, collecting Flowey's along the way. I do a spot of speed cleaning before putting dinner away, I'm not eating tonight. I have no appetite at the moment. But a drink is never something I turn down. I fix me up a little something, grab his mustard and napkins, then get my butt back up the stairs to his room. I find him still on his mattress only now he's apparently playing a game of solitaire with an old beat up deck of cards.

"Got bored? I was gone maybe two minutes."

He hardly bothers with glancing at me.

"it helps me relax."

I don't like that sound of that. I let him be and place the condiment bottle beside him as I get to cleaning the small stain trying to stay on his floor. I think not, stain! Not on my watch. He starts drinking while I carry on with this maid-like chore.

"what's in the glass?"

I was beginning to wonder if he'd ever notice my own drink.

"This? Got me some milk. Though, kinda wish you boys had stuff to with it is."

"like what?"

"Maybe some strawberry mixing power/syrup? I'd settle for some chocolate or cookies too."

A small chuckle escapes him.

"heh...women and their sweets."

"I know, it's cliché. But hey, think of it this way. Maybe if I had more sweets then I'd be sweet back."

He scoffs.

"yeah, i can totally see that happening. toss ya a bit of sugar and suddenly you're little miss sunshine? nah, ain't buying it."

"I did say maybe."

With the task of cleaning done, I invade his space. Moving to sit at the foot of the mattress to show that I am here taking this a bit more seriously than most of the normal shit I tend to do. He, in turn, responds by swiping the cards onto the floor in one motion and finally looking at me. His eyes are dark.

"so...seems we each know something that the other wants to know."

"Indeed. We both have stories to tell."

"true. but that implies someone might not be very truthful in the telling of their tale."

"Withholding information is very damaging. Not a very wise move, nor one I intend to make. You?"

"the line between truth and false is blurry. it's up to the listener whether to believe it's fact or fiction."

"Very well...Fact, we have never met before until I left the Ruins. We have never shared any point of our lives with each other or gone into much about our history. So far, to you, is this correct?"

"so far, you are coming up as truthful."

"Then I shouldn't know any of the following...W. D. Gaster was once the Head Scientist to the Royal Family until something happened. Something involving his study of understanding the power of souls."

He gets really quiet. So quiet that the snow falling onto the roof can be heard, snowflake by snowflake.

"lynsie...this is going to be one hell of a long night."

"That it will be, Sans. That it will be."

#undertale #underfell #Anomaly #Lynsie #sans #papyrus #gaster #grillby #grandpa semi #flowey #Asriel #asgore #toriel #chara #napstablook #frisk #mettaton #undyne #alphys

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