#retold!papyrus

[ask-retale]

[all-of-my-yesterdays]

Retold: Cross... Epic: Cross what did you do? Cross: What I had to do... My hand slipped, a oneshot fic below - 3571 words

Cross was sitting beside the door that led out of the prince's chamber. His back was against the wall, and a knee brought up so he could comfortably rest his arms on top of his leg. He allowed himself to smirk as his charge grimaced as he tried to stretch his aching limbs.

The training Cross was subjecting Epic to was difficult, and it often left the other one feeling stiff and bruised. But with each passing day, Epic became a little bit better at dodging and parrying attacks. He had yet to land a hit on Cross, but Cross would have been a terrible guardian if a novice like Epic could successfully land a hit on him.

The comfortable silence of the day winding down was shattered. A panic screech echoed off the corridor walls, causing the guardian to jump to his feet. Magic quickly condensed into a large red sword, and he took a defensive position standing between the door and his charge.

"What was that?!" Epic asked, as he twisted around so he was facing the door and his guardian.

"I don't know..."

There was a brief pause before the screaming continued.  The guardian did not have much time to decide what he was going to do. The scream came from a room close by, and the only rooms located in this area were various private chambers. The King's and Prince's room being the biggest target for any assassin. Whatever was happening, would likely result in harm to his charge if he was not careful.

"I'll go investigate. Stay here and bar the door… Sire." Cross replied, almost forgetting propriety.

"Woah, I'm not hiding here while you put yourself in danger."

"Sire, please..." Cross began, trying to figure out how to best convince his charge this was safer, after all only his life was disposable.

"I'll go with you!" Epic declared, as though Cross not planning to investigate a potentially dangerous situation where multiple assailants could be preparing the prince’s demise. "We've already established I'll be safer with you by my side."

Cross took a deep breath, pinching the bridge of his nose as his own words were being thrown back at his face.  He briefly thought about the pros and cons about allowing the prince to follow.  Being locked in the room would mean Epic could be stuck if the assailant managed to successfully overwhelm him, but it screamed idiotic to allow the other to follow him. But perhaps it was better that Epic come with him, after all, Epic would likely decide to follow him regardless.

"Fine, but you will stay close to me sire." The guardian conceded.

"Of course."

Slowly opening the door, Cross quickly surveyed the hallway. He saw that there were various servants anxiously whispering to each other, confusion clear on their faces. He deemed the immediate hallway as safe enough, despite everything. With a quick gesture, Epic diligently followed him as he opened the door. The closest of the guards that was on duty was a captain. The captain noticed the guardian and prince, and immediately stood at attention.

"Captain, are you aware of what's happening?" Epic asked, half shielded by Cross, who stood between him and the direction the chaos seemed to be coming from.

"NO SIRE, BUT I SENT PAPYRUS TO CHECK." The captain said.

A few moments later, Papyrus appeared, rushing towards them. "CAPTAIN!" He shouted, before freezing as he realized the prince and guardian were present.

"PAPYRUS! STOP GAWKING, TELL US, WHAT HAPPENED?" The captain demanded, drawing the startled guard's attention back to himself. Papyrus swallowed nervously, as he stared at Epic. "THE KING IS DEAD MY LORD...." The sudden movement prompted Cross to tense ready to strike if the other were to attack, but the tall skeleton fell to one knee with his body facing the prince. "LONG LIVE THE YOUNG KING."

Epic stared at the guard, feeling sweat begin to condense on his skull. His father couldn't be dead, he was in good health. It felt impossible to draw any breath and he could practically feel his soul beat in his throat. The pregnant silence was finally broken by Cross.

"Explain." Cross commanded.

"GUARDIAN, NO ONE KNOWS WHAT HAS HAPPENED YET. THE ROYAL HEALER, SCI, IS CURRENTLY IN THE KING'S CHAMBER" Papyrus reported. "THE KING HAD BEEN ENJOYING HIS EVENING TEA. HE FELL TO THE GROUND AND APPARENTLY STARTED TO SEIZE. HE...HE DIED BEFORE THE HEALER COULD HELP."

"THAT SOUNDS LIKE A STROKE." The captain said.

Epic's eye light was completely extinguished as Papyrus recounted what had happened. The prince and guardian had their suspicions.  The symptoms sounded like cyanide poisoning.  It was likely that a poison was slipped into the tea or pastries the King would like to indulge in. Neither would be certain which poison it was that killed the King, but Cross was willing to bet his blade that the smell of bitter almonds clung to the tea and treats. The scent of almonds could be easily ignored considering the King enjoyed a sweet fragrant tea and occasionally had toasted almond pastries.

Taking a deep breath, Epic gathered his thoughts. "Captain, may I have your name?" He asked.

"BLUE, YOUR MAJESTY."

"Blue, no one leaves the palace until I order. Compile a list of everyone who had access to the King and his food in the last day. I expect a report tomorrow morning. You both are dismissed." Epic ordered, his first order as King.

"OF COURSE, YOUR MAJESTY." Blue bowed before hurrying off to follow through with the order, Papyrus close behind to assist his captain.

Epic took a deep breath, before turning heel towards the King's chambers. He did his best to remain calm, but his hurried walk betrayed him compared to how calm Cross appear to be,. However his stoic appearance belied the racing frantic thoughts. Cross tried to recall who would have benefited from killing the King?  A few names came to mind, but he would need evidence to determine if they would have attempted to murder the King.  He would probably have a better idea of who would want the King dead, if they were able to determine what the killer was gaining.  After all, if the King was murdered, then what was stopping the killer from targeting the prince next? Since the King was likely poisoned, Cross planned on making sure Epic's food was even more strictly monitored.  It would not be surprising that the killer would attempt the same trick.  He would need to vet loyal food tasters and chefs. In the meantime, Cross would have to taste test all of Epic’s food until they were sure the food would not be tampered with.  The guardian was so caught up in his own thoughts he almost missed what his charge was saying to him.

"Cross, please, I think you would be able to protect me just as effectively from, perhaps, a few feet away… I doubt I'd be in anymore grave danger if you just took a step or two back."

Cross paused, realizing that he was crowding into Epic’s space. Part of him wanted to argue that Epic needed to be even more wary now considering there is probably a killer amongst them, but it was clear that tension and stress thrummed in the prince's marrow. Even if he did not want to move back, Cross was more than capable of protecting Epic from a foot or two away if it meant easing a tiny bit of the other's tension.

As Cross took a step back, Epic gave his guardian a small grateful smile when the other complied without complaint.  It was clear that Cross wanted to object, but the clench of his jaw showed that he restrained himself.  Normally the close proximity was welcomed, but Epic’s anxiety felt like it was strangling him.  The feeling of claustrophobia was only made worse by Cross’s natural insistence of being practically attached to him during any perceived threat.

When they had finally entered the King's chamber, they were greeted with a weeping yellow dinosaur monster standing in a corner of the room by the table.  The bed was surrounded by a few guards, while Sci and the King’s advisor, Gaster, spoke in hushed tones.  The King’s own guardian, Retold, face was hidden underneath his hood, as he stood by the head of the bed.  The older guardian almost blended into the background, it was as if he were a statute.

Epic cleared his throat, and everyone fell silent, all eyes directed at his presence.  Cross twitched, his hand clenching the hilt of his blade as he glared at everyone. There was too much attention on his charge, but there was nothing he could do about the collective shock the others were probably feeling upon seeing the young King.  Gaster was the first to recover.

“Sire… Your majesty.” He corrected, bowing to Epic.

“Gaster,” Epic greeted, eye light not leaving his father’s corpse. 

If he did not know what had occurred, he would have assumed that the other was just asleep.  But the lack of chest rising and falling, and the loud snoring, would have immediately alerted everyone to the fact that no life resided in the body. The only thing that kept the body from dusting was the continual magic pouring into it by the healer. If the servant girl had not been present, then there would not have been a body to preserve for investigation.

“Tell me, what happened.” He said, dragging his attention solely to Gaster.

“The former King felt weak during his tea and when he tried to stand to go to his bed, he fell to the ground and began to seize.” Gaster said. “So far we suspect a stroke.”

Neither Cross nor Epic commented on the fact that the story was almost identical to what Papyrus had reported.  They took note that there seemed to be consistency with the fact that the “illness” that befell the King was sudden and his health had rapidly deteriorated.

“Were there any witnesses?”

“Just the servant girl.” Gaster said, pointing to Alphys who looked even more panicked now that the royal advisor and young King briefly stared at her.

While Epic and Gaster continued to converse, Cross took the opportunity to inspect the King’s last meal. He expected to find a shattered teacup, perhaps food scattered on the floor, but the table had been completed cleared. There were no signs of broken teacups, puddles of cold tea or ruined food. His brow ridge narrowed, and he turned to the dinosaur monster.

“What happened to the King’s supper?” He growled, with a glare that caused even the most confident of monsters to falter with fear.

“T-they t-took it all a-away…” She whispered, terrified of the guardian’s legendary wrath against those who may harm their charges.

“They!? They who?” Cross demanded.

“I’m sorry! I don’t know! Please don’t kill me…” Alphys was quaking in fear, tears clouding her vision.

Cross blinked, she was shaking like a leaf and clearly terrified.  Considering she was the last person to see the king alive, it was not shocking.  Anyone would be suspicious of her, and there was no reason to assume she would not be accused of murder. In fact, she probably believed one of the two guardians in the room would likely be her executioner for a crime she did not commit.

“I won’t kill you, but I want the truth. Who took the King’s evening tea away?” Cross asked again, trying to be less intimidating this time.

“I d-don’t know… The K-king had finished his tea like usual b-but said he didn't feel right… W-when he attempted to stand, he f-fell, hit the table a-and pastries fell to the ground… I-it all happened so f-fast, and when I w-went to him I s-saw he was seizing." Alphys stuttered, looking at her feet as she tried to calm herself as she recounted the events. "I s-screamed for help, and t-then were soldiers trying t-to maneuver the K-king into his bed… At some point the r-royal healer was there t-trying to help… I guess s-someone else was told to c-clean everything up.” Her voice barely a whisper. “I d-did n-nothing wrong, p-please believe m-me.” She begged.

Cross gave a noncommittal hum. “What is your name?”

“A-Alphys, sir g-guardian… S-sir.”

Nodding, the guardian committed her name and face to his memory before returning to his charge’s side.  Epic and the royal advisors were now discussing funeral rites and the coronation.  Cross’s mismatched eye lights drifted towards the older guardian, who still remained perfectly still.  His soul hurt in a brief moment of sympathy knowing that the price of being a guardian was about to come due for the other.  All guardians knew the price of their failure, and they were prepared to face the payment, hopefully they each would face it with dignity.

The evening dragged on as arrangements were made, and the morning light had begun to filter in.  Everyone else had slowly filtered out of the former King’s chamber.  The only one who remained was the older Guardian.  He spent the whole night impassively observing the events unfold in front of him.  In fact, Epic had almost forgotten about Retold.  He knew Retold had always acted more like a shadow in comparison to his own guardian, quietly observing the world, but this was not normal for the other.

“Retold?” Epic asked, looking at the hooded guardian with concern, repeating his name a few times to get his attention.

Retold’s eye lights flickered as he came back to the present. Epic assumed he must have been in his head all night since it never took this long to get the other’s attention. He guessed it was probably caused by shock that kept Retold from reacting all night.  The guardian had been close with his father for as long as Epic remembered.  It should not be surprising that the other was reacting so differently. At least he appeared more alive than he had in the last few hours.

“Your majesty?” His voice flat, devoid of any emotion, shocking Epic.

The lack of any type of emotion made chills travel down Epic’s spine. While his father was alive, Retold had always had a hint of levity during tense moments like these. He always seemed to believe humor helped make the best of any situation. The stark difference between the monster before him and the monster from his memory made Epic uneasy, like something bad was going to happen.

“Retold, can you recall anything else?”

“I apologize your majesty, but I do not.”

The silence was deafening. Epic didn’t know what to think about Retold's hunched shoulders and averted eye lights. His body language was unlike anything the young King had seen from the older guardian. Everything about the other felt wrong.

Retold bowed as he spoke, “Forgive me, your majesty. I have failed my duty to protect your father.”

“Well, if it was a stroke, no one would be responsible for his death.” Epic attempted, but it just caused the two Guardians to give him a look of disbelief, knowing the young King had already concluded otherwise.  Epic raised his hands in mock appeasement. “Fine, based on the circumstances, it does seem to be murder… But there is no proof currently.”

 “I believe you or Cross will find proof at some point your majesty.” Retold attempted to encourage Epic, but the lack of affect left it falling flat.

Epic frowned, catching the fact that Retold did not include himself in the list of those who would discover proof of his father’s murder. Of everyone in the castle, he expected Retold to be the most anxious to begin investigation. The older guardian had always taken the attempted assassinations investigations seriously.  He would act as the King's judge and executioner after presenting his findings to the King.

“It almost sounds like you are not planning on helping us… You are going to help, aren’t you?”

“No, your majesty. My duty is over." The look of confusion prompted Retold to continue. "My life was forfeited the moment the King died.”

Epic immediately wanted to argue otherwise, but he knew that fact. Gaster had explained the duties of a guardian when he had finally been assigned one of his own.  However, he never really thought much about what that would mean in practice. It struck him, "until our deaths" always meant that the guardians would follow their charge's, even to their own death. He had just been willful ignorance of what the oath actually entailed.

Retold will dutifully follow his charge to the grave and Cross would dutifully follow him to his own grave.

“Yeah, no.” Epic blurted out.  The hooded skeleton and the monochromatic skeleton tilted their head.  Both were absolutely confused as to what Epic seemed to be objecting to. “No, I forbid you from killing yourself.”

The two guardians exchanged a look, before Retold took his hood off, revealing a small, appeasing smile.  It was the most the other has expressed all evening.

“As much as I appreciate the kindness you have extended me, your majesty, this is the way.” Retold said as gently as he could, talking to Epic as he did when he as a baby bones. “The way of the guardians cannot be overruled, even by a King...”

Epic would attempt to intervene, but Cross stopped him by placing a hand on his shoulder.

“It’s late, sire. You have been up all night; you should go try and get some rest.”

Retold bowed for Epic for the final time, before he pulled his hood back over his head.  He was once again hidden behind the shadows the hood granted him.  Cross could tell Epic wanted to say something to him, but waited until they were out of the King’s chamber to shake the guardian off his shoulder.

“You are going to let him kill himself?!" Epic demanded. "You’re a guardian, you have to know of a way to convince him that this is ridiculous?”

“I am a guardian, so I know better than anyone what our duty is and what is expected of us. We all have a price we must pay sire… This is our price for failing our duty.” Cross softly murmured. “It is a price we all abide by, there are no exceptions.”

“Even you?”

“Yes sire, there are no exceptions.”

Cross watched as the distress flickered through Epic’s expression.  He could almost pin the exact moment when the other had truly felt the weight of the truth that all guardian’s lived by.  The exhaustion was clear in Epic’s stance, and the understanding that Cross would end his own life upon Epic’s own untimely death did not help.  Epic almost would have preferred to not have realized that Cross would loyally follow him in death, if it meant that Cross would die by his own hand.

“Go inside and rest sire, I’ll be back soon.” Cross said, as he ushered Epic back to his room.

“Where are you going?”

“I have a duty that I must attend to.”

Epic wanted to demand an explanation, but he could feel Cross's anguish, even as he desperately tried to hide it behind his stoic appearance. The young King was smart enough to at least infer the duty was linked to Retold.  He may not know what Cross needed to do with Retold, but it made sense there may be traditions unknown to him regarding how a guardian forfeits their life. Although, he would have to wait for Cross's return if he were to get actual answers to some of his new questions.

Cross returned to the King’s room; the other guardian remained where the pair had left him.  Although his face was obscured, the younger guardian knew he was being watched. With each step Cross took toward the Retold, the weight of what was about to transpire settled in his marrow.  His soul ached with regret, but this was the least he could do for his fellow guardian.

“Cross.” Retold said, acknowledging the other guardian, when he finally stood in front of him.

Cross said nothing, and swiftly dispatched his target.  The lack of resistance and the precision did nothing to prevent the splattering of magic being released.  Retold’s dark purple, almost black, magic splattered onto the white of his uniform.  It soaked into the walls and floors, sparking with streaks of violet energy that reeked of ozone.  The death would be seen as merciless but Cross tried his best to take comfort in the fact that Retold’s death was quick and painless.  At least it was better than having the older guardian kill himself.

Bending down, Cross moved to collect the hidden blade that Retold kept on his person. It was covered in dust and magic. He respectfully removed it and stored it in his inventory.  He would decide what to do later with the blade later, but the younger guardian briefly considered using the blade himself. It could be a way for him to honor his fellow guardian.  With the blade collected, there was nothing left for him to do but return to his king.

When Cross finally arrived back at Epic’s room, he found the young King pacing his room despite the exhaustion that the other would be experiencing.  Epic had too much anxious energy that prevented himself from changing into something more comfortable while he waited for Cross to return.  Although, he was so caught up in his own head it a few minutes before he realized that Cross had returned.  The sight of magic staining the white of Cross’ uniform had him freezing.

“Cross, what did you do?” Epic finally managed to ask, his voice hoarse in his distress.

“What I had to do.” Cross replied, not expanding on what he meant and refusing to look at Epic.

Epic should have realized that Cross's duty meant killing the guardian who failed his duty. Perhaps he was naive to want to believe it was something else, like formally dismissing Retold. The proof of what had transpired was in front of him, there was no reason for him to have asked. Epic belongs to yugogeer012 Cross belongs to jakei95 Retold belongs to me Blue belongs to AU community Sci belongs to TalkingSoup Papyrus, Gaster and Alphys belongs to Toby Fox

[frozenhi-chews]

Ask game: 🩺&🔥for uty Pancake

Hehehe thank you!!!

🩺 - What is the worst injury that you/your self-insert has sustained in canon? If so, what was the cause and did you recover? What was your f/os reaction?

Probably her eye injury. It's difficult to tell cuz she's got so many scars on her body, but, well, her eye being attacked left her half blind so. Yeah that one!

Unless we're talking about any injury that KILLED her. She's a necromancer after all, bringing herself back to life. So yeah I'd say thoae

Starlo had to sit in fear as she retold the stories about being attacked and killed and eventually cuddled her

🔥 - Do you/your self-insert have an enemy? If so, who is it and why are they so hated? What was a particularly heated moment between you two?

UNDYNE. It wasn't really a real enemy, it was a mostly one-sided thing where Undyne wanted Pancake's soul despite Pancake being only half human. Hey half a human soul is better than no soul, probably.

The rivalry stopped after Undybe speered Starlo's foot and Papyrus got her and Pancake together for a movie night with him and his brother

AND THEN THERE'S ROTTEN STAR-

Ask game here

[l1zardart1stre]

DELTARUNE QNA TIME!!!

Things have changed big time now! I've gotten rid of most of the Canon take characters, as most of them are NOT canon. also, Missing Crystals is WAY more popular and all the charas don't have talk portraits so lollllllll sorry to those who asked questions to the old guy's they might come back? unless i make Missing Crystals my canon au... which is tempting.

without further adieu, the list of characters who’ll answer the QNA!!!!

REVEALED

Michael Sperour

Min-E

Shuebert

UNREVEALED(?!?!?!!!?!?!?!)

Hospital SB Catti’s House SB

Berdly's House SB

Flower King SB

Librarby SB

Little Kids Classroom SB

Town Hall SB

COMING SOON (DONT ASK QUESTIONS TO!!!!)

Commander Rush (The Chapter In Sans And Papyrus’ House)

Asgore (Undertale: Story Retold) (Yes that au isn't dead)

[the-acid-pear]

My dream tonight was fucking insane. I'll just write bullet points.

First off all the baki anime was getting rebooted so this time they'd fucking made Baki a furry. Not as in he was anthro, no, he had to put on a fucking suit (it was a cute big cat :) ) and i was so maaad about this change because the old outfit was iconic enough and this was being made to appeal to a larger audience or something.

Also i think they killed off Jack Hanma or something i was mad about that too

Next thing i remember I was outside, in some hike. I always dream about being outside.

I don't remember shit i did except for the fact when i was tired i decided to lay down in the middle of the fucking field for no reason and i threw a pillow and a blanket and it was a wide thick blanket this magenta color, close to this one,and i laid down i started seeing in the horizon with the clouds all going down one was coming over which very clearly brought rain and i knew rain at night while i sleep on the grassy ground was like a death sentence but i just didn't feel like moving to the house a few blocks by where other people lived because i'd fumbled it pretty hard before.

My death wish wasn't granted however because one woman and some maybe male pal of hers came over. She was blonde and had an eyepatch. I pretended to be fast asleep so she wouldnt try to move me. She didn't, instead, she covered myself with a plastic wrap (head to toe btw i got scared for a second about it but decided to just trust her y'know?)

Lady said i looked cute and retold a story about one time i helped her, something related to her eye prob. I think her name was "one-eyed Jackie" btw. Also, i didnt feel like an adult in this dream, i felt like a kid, put a pin on that.

Now cozy and safe i decided to quote a poem from memory to sleep a poem which does not exist and of which i dont remember enough to write it down but the main theme was about holding on against the unstoppable crushing pressure and this was all illustrated on a comic in a dark pool where the character (fucking PG btw idk how he didnt short circuit also im really normal yes thanks for asking) started floating but then there was no water and he was just gripping the edge to not fall and he never did but the poem ended with the repetition about gripping on. It was a somber one but bc my loving nature i just wanted to save him tm and i kept (no pun intended with that last one) thinking of two people walking across different landscapes like a documentary montage. It was nice.

Unfortunately i was almost ran the fuck over while i was trying to dream in peace.

I jumped to the side and avoided the truck but my devices were there and i told to Jackie "My phone is there :( " and she was like no they retrieved it now stop worrying about that are you ok?!

I think it was then when it fully transformed into a movie, or perhaps the earlier scene with Jackie was, either way, i am now no longer me and im instead L.L.

And for dear life I'd not explain to you what happened in this movie although i think they mentioned Sam Raimi made it? It did have some horror things like uh, a fucking werewolf. Like out of our pals, he was just a werewolf and he'd transform each part whenever he wanted. It was nuts, hilarious too.

There was a big bad and his team too at one point they set our little clown shack (bc it was the size of a letrine yet like 8 people were inside it) on fire.

The ending was nutty too actually papyrus fucking died i just remembered. There was this giant freezing mechanism and he (who btw didnt look like paps he was naked his head was very rectangular and cartoony and bigger than his arms, also he was my height) was like "i'll just wait for them to come back to talk this out! :) and i was like PAPYRUS NO! but then it was too late he was head to toe frozen with a smile still on his face....... tried to whipe the moisture from his face maybe w some heat we'd save him but a girl in my team just was like cmon we need to go so i had to leave him.

And then we faced the big bad who was literally just some guy who kinda looked like uh. Hang on. Well i cant find his name but the guy from bg3 who looks like a fucking clown and people love to hate or something. Except w longer crazier hair. And he did fucking kil my epic werewolf bestie but we managed to get rid of him locking him up Somewhere i guess for him to die.

and then we were all coming back from the intensity of it all and the girl from before is like "you gotta admit, that was the best terrible movie ever" and i didnt dare to say i actually loved it

also i forgot if i mentioned this but this movie had a fandom and fanart and somoene had drawn my wolfy pal (who my brain keeps insisting on calling trevor but im pretty sure that's an unrelated werewolf. Also this guy i remembered his looks, his fur was grey and black but he was pale and blonde w short hair sticking up, like, platinum blonde) like "yeah im a werewolf despite that never being explained ¯\_(ツ)_/¯" which is why when it happened i didnt question it, ironically.

anyway i think i brought up the poem and this is when you take off that pin because now one of my childhood friends from primary school (or a representation of her) started talking about how she wrote a following poem or maybe i was talking about a different one idk but she talked about how it opened doors in her life and she annoyed me so i went to sit somehwere else.

And i remember this scene where someone went to sleep so we were told to be silent and a friend was looking thru my drawings adn they were all things i never drew of characters that dont exist and it had this tangible mischevious energy like we were two kids trying to not laugh annoying each other who might get in trouble.

Then i finally sat down in a corner with a friend, could have been my childhood friend (only one i still talk to who's male) or my platonic partner (eye, if you're reading this, hi! ^_^) and we just started talking about friendship, with him mentioning i'd go talk to the rest in the main table instead of lingering here alone but i conter argued i'd eventually do it, it'd just take me a long time. After all, it did take me quite a bit to get close to him, did it not? this was fine.

I woke up so groggy i wouldnt have been able to tell you my own name if you asked me but that whole thing just felt like, such a peaceful story. So fun ! Sad i couldnt save the wolf but you cant save everyone out there tbh

[listening-to-free-audiobooks]

The Snake, the Crocodile and the Dog by Elizabeth Peters (Amelia Peabody #7)

A brand-new Elizabeth Peters novel is one of the uncompromising pleasures in life. As Peter Theroux in the New York Times Book Review points out, "Her wonderfully witty voice and her penchant for history lessons of the Nile both ancient and modern keep [her] high adventure moving for even the highest brows." In her previous outing, The Last Camel Died at Noon, Amelia Peabody and her dashing husband, Emerson, discovered a fabulous lost oasis in the Nubian desert. Now, in the seventh mystery in the series, the Emerson-Peabodys are traveling up the Nile once again to encounter their most deadly adversary, the Master Criminal, who is back at his sinister best.

Amelia Peabody was unabashedly proud of her newest translation, a fragment of the ancient fairytale "The Doomed Prince." Later, she would wonder why no sense of foreboding struck her as she retold the story of the king's favorite son who had been warned that he would die from the snake, the crocodile, or the dog. Little did she realize, as she and her beloved husband sailed blissfully toward the pyramids of ancient Egypt, that those very beasts (and a cat as well) would be part of a deadly plot. The expedition began so happily....

Leaving their delightful, but catastrophically precocious, son, Ramses, back in England, Amelia hoped this romantic trip might rejuvenate her thirteen-year-old marriage and bring back the thrills that she feared were fading. She and her dear Emerson were returning to the remote desert site where they had first fallen in love, Amarna, the holy city of Akhenaton and his beautiful queen, Nefertiti. But their return would threaten not only their marriage, but their very lives with perils as chilling as a mummy's curse. An old enemy was determined to learn Amelia and Emerson's most closely guarded secret: the location of a legendary long-lost oasis and a race of people bedecked in gold. So cunning was his scheme that Amelia might overlook - until it was too late - the truth about the myst.

The Ape Who Guards the Balance by Elizabeth Peters (Amelia Peabody #10)

The Ape Who Guards the Balance begins in 1907 in England where Amelia is attending a suffragettes' rally outside the home of Mr. Geoffrey Romer of the House of Commons. It seems Romer is one of the few remaining private collectors of Egyptian antiquities, and a series of bizarre events at the protest soon embroil Amelia in grave personal danger. Suspecting that the Master Criminal, Sethos, is behind their problems, the Emerson Peabody's hasten to Egypt to continue their studies in the Valley of Kings where they soon acquire a papyrus of the Book of the Dead. As with past seasons, however, their archaeological expedition is interrupted. The murdered body of a woman is found in the Nile. Ramses, Radcliffe, and Amelia all have their theories as to the origin of the crime, but their own lives might soon be at stake if the cult of Thoth and their ancient book is, indeed, involved.

Falcon at the Portal by Elizabeth Peters (Amelia Peabody #11)

Amelia and family have arrived in Egypt for the 1911 archeological season -- after the marriage of young Ramses' best friend David to Amelia's niece Lia. But trouble finds them immediately when David is accused of selling ancient artifacts.

While Amelia and company try to clear his name and expose the real culprit, the body of an American is found at the bottom of their excavation shaft. As accusations of drug dealing and moral misconduct fly, a child of mysterious antecedents sparks a crisis that threatens to tear the family apart. Amelia brings her brilliant powers of deduction to bear, but someone is shooting bullets at her -- and coming awfully close!

[arstudios2000]

Retold!Sans brought Retold!Papyrus to the Bar of All Sanses one day. After his initial shock, he ended up doing a musical number with Jazz!Undyne.

Jazztale, Jazz!Undyne and Bar of All Sanses is by @vangold 

[ratsoh-writes]

Felt guilty about that last ask, so here is a more light hearted one.  Based off a true, personal  story.  Say they are potty training their kid (toddler age) and said kid is being stubborn/contrary about it.  They just refuse to sit on the toilet and go.  They have done it before, for their other parent, so skeledad knows they can.  

After several failed attempts and persuasion, the skeleton just gives up for that day and leaves them in the bathroom to go do something else.  Skele is griping to their brother later about how stubborn their kid is being and then said kid ambles out, carrying their little potty with them, along with some wipes, and sets the potty down right in the brothers’ line of vision.  (Bonus points if its right infront of a TV the brothers are watching)

Without further ado, training pants are dropped, business is done, wipe, and training pants righted.  On top of that, the little brat picks up the potty and wipes, makes their way back to the bathroom, and a flush could be heard.  Their kid had not only just used the bathroom in front of them, but had also emptied and cleaned their potty.  How do the skeledads react to their toddler's odd power move?

This is mainly aimed at the skeles who wanted kids (Honey, Peaches, Rust, Sugar), but I'd like to add Cash, Wine, Papyrus, Edge, and Green to the roster.

Papyrus: he’ll kinda just stare in shock for a good minute before reluctantly getting the reward M&Ms that toddler gets each time they go potty. Sans is loosing his absolute sh*t in the background

Honey: the audacity!! To be perfectly honest though, honey isn’t going to pass up a chance for some good old positive reinforcement. The kid is still getting praised. You bet he’s going to be ranting to his SO about it later though lol

Cash: mal will turn to cash and just say “THEYRE JUST LIKE YOU.” With the biggest sh*teating grin. Cash responds by burying his head in his hands and screeching in frustration

Edge: he also has to lay his head in his hands for a minute. Red is crying from laughing so hard too. This story will be retold for years. This is kids legacy now. The time they just silently burn their dad so hard he has to rage quit.

Wine: he’s so proud right now that he might even shed a tear. This truly must be his child. They got the pettiness from him clearly. Coffee shudders in horror. There’s another one

Peaches: “w-why? Why th’ hel- “LANGUGE” “I wasn’ going t’ say it”

Poor peaches is too busy making sure his brother won’t snitch about him cursing in front of the kids. He’s a good dad but nobody’s perfect lol

Sugar: “.............. I told you they coul- CHARM STOP LAUGHING!!!”

Green: G will have the smuggest evil expression as green loudly sighs, drags a hand over his face, and leaves to make sure his bathroom cleaned up properly. Looks like G has a favorite niece/nephew now lol

Rust: forget the humiliation, potty training is no joke so he’s going to be singing kids praises right now. Or at least he’ll be trying to. Noir is dying and rust is doing his best not to loose his temper with him.

[anneimaginesundertale]

Smiling slightly, you unlatch the silver box and present the dried bundles to the monsters.

“I have plenty so your companions are more than welcome to some. As I said earlier, this is blooming tea. Depending on the flower that blooms when the tea is prepared generally tell the relationship between those enjoying it. This particular blend is made with memory flowers, not that dissimilar to echo flower, but instead of a whisper wish a memory is shown. If prepared for yourself you’ll recall a pleasant memory, most likely a forgotten one. If prepared by another you’ll experience a memory of their choosing. Which is why it’s commonly used for courting. My father gifted my mother this tea to begin their courtship. And the memory he shared with her, was the first time he saw her.”

Your smile widens as you recall the love and affection in her gaze as she retold the beginning of her courtship, for what was probably the twelfth time that week. It was your favorite story. Shaking your head, you tuck the memory away for another time. You look back to the monsters and explain how to prepare the tea.

“ Hold the bundle for a few moments before placing it in the water. Then watch it bloom and enjoy.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Several of the monsters nodded as you explained the tea and helped themselves when you offered.  They found more mugs somewhere.  Mutt took the job of pouring hot water, then allowed everyone to prepare their own tea.  Black waited until everyone else was engrossed in their memories before making his own.  He watched as the dried flowers sent a bloom of color through the water.  When no more color spread, he took a careful sip.

“Sans?” His father’s voice was as clear as if the man were standing next to him. 

“Father?  Is Mother all right?  Is the baby here?” He couldn’t be more than five here, practically a baby bones himself, still dressed in stripes. 

“Yes and yes.”  His father’s smile was distorted by the scars on his cheeks, but his eye lights sparkled.  “Would you like to come and see?”

“Yes, yes, Father!”

Strong arms scooped him up and carried him up the hall and into his mother’s bedroom.  Her skull was streaked with sweat and she looked tired, but her smile lit the room.  “Sans, my darling!  Come meet your brother!” She held out one arm.  The other held a bundle of bones.  

Father set him on the bed and Mother wrapped her arm around him.  He looked down into the tiny face of the baby.  “This is Papyrus,” Mother said.  “Your baby brother.”

“Hello, Papyrus!” he said in awe.  

The baby looked up at him with large eye lights and cooed.  Sans felt his soul melt.  He reached out and touched the baby’s skull with a finger.  

“I love him!” he said.

Mother and Father laughed.  “Good,” Father said, “because he is your responsibility.  You’re his big brother.  We’re trusting you to protect him.”

“I will!” he said.  “I’ll keep him and you and Mother safe!  I promise!”

The memory faded and Black put his cup down.  He looked at Mutt, who was lost in his own memory.  What would their parents think of the way he was caring for Mutt now? Had he kept his promise? Was he really taking the best care of his brother and the others under his protection?  He looked over at you.  You were offering help, a way to take better care of his people.  And he was refusing you. 

“You may do whatever you like,” he said in your general direction.  “Stay here, leave.  Offer what help you can to us or walk away.  I won’t stop you. Do what you think is best. My brother seems to trust you, so I will give you the benefit of the doubt.  For now.”

[undertale-rho]

Underearth: Book 2 - Chapter 5

Entering Helios Station, Frisk proceeded through just as he did before; passing through the traps set by Mettaton, hitting the switch at the back of the hall guarded by the Elysian Guards, then facing Mettaton off in a one-on-one. Instead of attacking him and destroying his body like he did before, Frisk attracted the attention of the viewers by dancing. While he was completely awful at it, Mettaton had noticed their ratings rising, and so rolled with it by dancing along-side the Human.

If you read the events of the previous World, you know what happens. When Mettaton finally powered down, Frisk opened the door to let Alphys in, then walked to the Elysian elevator at the end of the next room's hall. Alphys follows, and Frisk tells her off for lying to him (having renewed hatred for Alphys when the story was retold to him by Mettaton). He then rose to Elysium, leaving Alphys behind in a crying mess.

The elevator ride was long and boring. Eventually, however, it finally reached the top, and Frisk exited the elevator onto Elysium. Following the linear walkway, he eventually made it to Asgore's home.

Upon seeing Asgore's home, a great sorrow suddenly weighed down on Frisk's chest for seemingly no reason. Yet, despite the sorrow, it felt as if something was drawing him inside. Heeding the call, Frisk entered.

Upon entering, he heard distant, echoey childish laughter. Looking around, he saw what looked like two faded shadows run out of the nearest door in the hall, into the foyer, and running past Frisk to the outside. One of the shadows spoke as they ran past, their voice sounding very child-like, but distant, like a far-gone memory.

"Wait up, Chara!" the shadow shouted.

Frisk's eyes began to water. Seeing that his vision was beginning to become impaired, he brought his hand up to find tears forming in his eyes.

Are these... tears? But... why? Frisk thought.

Upon asking these questions in his mind, Frisk was immediately drawn deeper into the house. Though he knew he needed to collect keys from the kitchen and hall to see Asgore, he himself seemed drawn into an extremely dusty room, strikingly similar to the room Toriel had given him back in the Citadel. This room, however, had two beds, one on each side.

Being drawn to the minimalist side of the room, Frisk once again looked around, just as he'd done in the previous World.

The nightstand next to the bed featured a picture frame so dusty it was impossible to see the picture inside, a worn dagger, and a heart-shaped locket, which had "Best Friends Forever" inscribed onto it.

Unlike before, Frisk felt compelled to pick it up and look within. Doing so, Frisk found a sepia photograph of a young goat-like Monster alongside a Human who had their face obscured by a bouquet of flowers. Upon seeing the photograph, Frisk dropped to his knees, sobbing up a storm.

Wh... Why am I crying...? He thought to himself, the tears continuing to flow. I... don't understand.

Frisk continued to sit on the ground for some time, crying while holding the locket close to his chest. Eventually, though, the tears stopped, and Frisk stood back up. Though he had no idea why he started crying, he put the locket around his neck. Leaving the dagger behind (as he didn't want to even be tempted to hurt anybody), Frisk exited the room, back in search for the keys.

After collecting one key, an Elysian Guard had appeared behind Frisk, though showing no hostility. It told him that it had been sent to tell him the tragic tale of the Monsters, being the eventual death of both heirs to the throne. The Elysian Guard finished telling him the story and had flown off just as Frisk had made it to the Judgement Hall.

Frisk started shaking in his boots. When he last passed through here, Sans had sentenced him to death in the public records and told him to never return.

I've done nothing this time, though. Frisk thought to himself. I made sure that nobody died from my actions.

Frisk took a deep breath, then entered the hall.

The Judgement Hall was a long, heavily ornamented hallway. Pillars decorated both sides, and large stained-glass windows filled the area with what seemed like sunlight.

Walking about half-way through, a curtain of dark-green energy suddenly appeared, completely surrounding him.

"So, you finally made it." a mysterious voice pierced the curtain. "The end of your journey is at hand. In a few moments, you will meet the king. Together... You will determine the future of this world. That is then. Now. You will be judged. You will be judged for every action. You will be judged for every EXP you have earned."

"What's EXP?" Frisk asked, already knowing the answer.

"It's an acronym. It stands for 'execution points'. A way of quantifying the pain you have inflicted on others. When you kill someone, your EXP increases. When you have enough EXP, your LOVE increases. LOVE, too, is an acronym. It stands for 'Level of Violence'. A way of measuring someone's capacity to hurt. The more you kill, the easier it becomes to distance yourself. The more you distance yourself, the less you will hurt. The less you will hurt, the more easily you can bring yourself to hurt others."

There was a moment of silence. Suddenly, however, the curtain dropped.

"... but you. You never gained any LOVE. 'course, that doesn't mean you're completely innocent or naive. Just that you kept a certain tenderness in your heart. No matter the struggles or hardships you faced... you strived to do the right thing. You refused to hurt anyone. You never gained LOVE, but you gained love. Does that make sense?"

Frisk nodded.

"... Now. You're about to face the greatest challenge of your entire journey. Your actions here will determine the fate of the entire world. If you refuse to fight, Asgore will take your SOUL and destroy Humanity. But if you kill Asgore and go home... Monsters will remain trapped underground. What will you do?"

What should I do? Frisk asked himself. I came back into the Underground to free the Monsters, but I don't want to die to do it...

"Well, if I were you, I would have thrown in the towel by now." Sans said. "But you didn't get this far by giving up, did you?"

"No, I didn't." Frisk said.

"That's right. You have something called 'determination.' So long as you hold on... So long as you do what's in your heart... I believe you can do the right thing."

"The right thing..." Frisk mumbled to himself.

"Oh, by the way, Papyrus wanted to tell you that Undyne has something to give you before you leave. Good luck." And with that, Sans suddenly disappeared.

Undyne wants to give me something? Frisk thought.

Thinking on that note for a minute, Frisk eventually turned around and left the Judgement Hall. Right outside the Judgement Hall was the door to an elevator. Frisk walked up to it and the doors automatically opened. The inside cabin looked extremely high-tech. When Frisk walked inside, the doors automatically closed, and Frisk felt a sudden downward lurch that stopped soon after. Suddenly, the elevator felt as though it shot at high speed sideways. After about a minute, it stopped, then rose. The doors then re-opened.

Exiting the elevator, Frisk found that he was now where he began after coming up from Helios Station.

Heading to the elevator, Frisk returned to Helios Station. Alphys and Mettaton were nowhere to be found. Uncaring, Frisk entered the transporter located just outside the Control Room and, soon after, found himself in the first room. He then exited Helios Station.

Soon after exiting Helios Station, Frisk's phone began ringing. Surprised, he answered the call.

"Hey...! Uh, this is Undyne..." Undyne said.

"Hey Undyne, what do you need?" Frisk replied.

Undyne didn't seem to hear him, though he could hear Undyne and Papyrus bickering in the background.

"Shut up, Papyrus! This was your idea!" Undyne said away from the phone. She then turned back to the phone. "HUMAN!" She shouted. "You have to deliver something for me! Uh, please? I'm at Snowdin in front of Papyrus's. See ya, punk!"

The phone then hung up.

Is this what Sans was talking about? Frisk thought to himself, staring at the phone.

Frisk stashed the phone back in his pocket and continued on course, through the MTT Resort, and down to the R3 elevator. From within, he pressed the bottom-left-most button and waited. Once it arrived at its destination, the doors opened. The outside was dark.

Stepping out of the elevator, Frisk turned around to look at it.

"L1" Frisk read. He then turned back around and followed the path just outside it.

Walking down the path, Frisk eventually came to an opening that light, and intense heat, poured through. Outside the opening stood Alphys's laboratory.

So I was right. Frisk thought. The L1 elevator was blocked off by the guards.

Frisk then walked down to the river, where he found the Riverperson docked at the port.

"Hello." Frisk said.

The Riverperson looked over at Frisk. "Tra la la. Care for a ride?"

"Yes please, I'd like to go to Snowdin."

"Then we're off..."

Frisk stepped onto the boat. As he sat down, the boat suddenly lurched forward.

The ride wasn't all that long. Twisting every-which-way, but not long. Soon, they both arrived in Snowdin, and Frisk disembarked.

"Come again some time. Tra la la."

"Thanks." Frisk said, advancing into the town.

It didn't take him long to find Papyrus's house, as it was a building that stood out, from a jolly roger being flown above it, to a tall skeleton and amphibian messing around out front, it wasn't hard to find at all. When Frisk approached the building, they both stopped what they were doing.

"Hey Papyrus, Undyne, what do you need?"

"Um, so, I have a favor to ask you." Undyne said.

"Being to deliver something, I presume. It's what you said on the phone." Frisk replied.

"Uuuuh, I... Yeah. It's... to Doctor Alphys."

Frisk, though it was cold, felt himself heat up from hearing her name. "Alright, why don't you just do it yourself?" he asked.

Undyne seemed to be caught off guard from the question. "... um. W-well..." Her face started to develop a very subtle red hue. "I-it's kind of personal, but we're friends... so... I'll t-tell you..." she went quiet, then suddenly burst out "Hotland SUUUUCKS!!! I don't wanna have to go over there!!! So here you go."

Undyne thrust the letter into Frisk's chest, knocking him backward a bit.

Frisk looked down at the letter. The envelope was completely blank.

"Oh, and if you read it..." Undyne said. "I'll kill you."

Frisk looked up at Undyne, giving her a disbelieving look.

"Fine. I'll deliver it."

"Thanks so much! You're the best!!"

Frisk walked off, back to the Acheron River. The Riverperson was still there.

"Hey river guy, I'd like to go back to Hotland." Frisk said once he got close.

The Riverperson looked up at Frisk, then patiently waved a hand over to an empty seat. "Then climb aboard." he said.

Frisk sat down on the boat, followed by it suddenly lurching forward. Though something seemed a bit off. Instead of heading back the direction they'd come from, the boat continued upstream, toward the Citadel.

"Excuse me." Frisk said.

The Riverperson looked back at Frisk, his dark blue eyes shining. "Tra la la, what is the matter?"

"I don't mean to come across like I know the area, but aren't we supposed to be going to Mount Hot?"

The Riverperson turned his head back forward. "Tra la la, we are going to Mount Hot." he said.

"But isn't this the way to the Citadel?"

The Riverperson went completely silent, including his usual singing. After a second, he replied "Many roads lead to the same place." He then started singing again.

"I... guess so. Sorry for doubting."

The boat progressed upstream some more. Eventually, they reached a tunnel.

"Tra la la, the end of this tunnel lies Mount Hot." the Riverperson said to Frisk.

Some distance into the tunnel, Frisk started hearing the distant turning of a water wheel. Looking around, Frisk saw nothing. As they both progressed down the tunnel, the sound grew louder and louder, until eventually Frisk saw... something.

It was a water wheel...? Seemingly both there and not, as though heavily obscured in shadow on a bright, sunny day. Just beyond the water wheel, however, is what caught Frisk's attention the most. A sight that looked to be... Toriel's front yard. But, like the water wheel, it seemed to be heavily obscured in shadow, yet light shined from the house like it had before.

"Stop the boat!" Frisk said to the boatman.

The Riverperson snapped back, having stopped singing completely. "What!?" he asked, slightly alarmed.

Frisk looked at the Riverperson, his deep blue eyes, with a hint of grey, shining bright in the darkness. "I said stop the boat!" He shouted.

The boat then came to a sudden stop, so sudden in fact that Frisk fell onto the deck of it.

If I'm not just seeing things, I could say hello to Toriel! Tell her all the good I've done! He thought excitedly.

Frisk got up, but everything was gone. Even the sound of the water wheel. All replaced by the dark, damp rock of the tunnel wall.

"What did you see?" The Riverperson said.

Frisk turned to face the Riverperson, who was now holding a very wide spear, like a sharp paddle. The Riverperson's eyes were no longer shining blue but were instead glowing a magnificent dark grey.

"I... I thought I saw..." Frisk started.

"Trust nothing you see in this tunnel." The Riverperson said. "Things within will show you things to lure you in and spell your doom. It would be best if you simply closed your eyes and ignored all sounds until we arrive."

Frisk looked around. They were bobbing up and down in the slow current of the river, deep in the darkness of the cavern. The distant light from Helios Station was nowhere to be found. Just darkness.

"Alright." Frisk said, sitting back down and closing his eyes.

Frisk could feel the boat start to move again. Just as it did, the distant sound of the water wheel resumed, as if taunting him.

The rest of the voyage was not as eventful, as they eventually arrived at the base of Mount Hot. Frisk thanked the Riverperson for the safe transport and ascended the stairs that led to Alphys's laboratory.

Replay : Undyne's Phone Call

Previous First posting First of this book Next

[ask-retale]

[undertaleimaginationland]

Oh my gosh that was awesome (fighter anon)!! So, carrying on from that, if you don't mind, what would happen if when they got home, the S/O took off the turtleneck sweater they always wore and showed the bros all the old scars and tattoos they had, including a large scar dangerously close to their heart from one of their first wins where the loser pulled a knife on them and a large cloaked skeleton holding a dagger and a heart on their back from when their mentor died?

 Oh my lord, is it wildin’ time? I THINK IT’S WILDIN’ TIME!!! Seriously though, I love these badass prompts (they let me live out the life I’m too scared to pursue)

Underfell

Red-

“you were fuckin’ relentless back there, sweetheart. hell, you even had the boss tearin’ up at your story.” Red gushed, squirting a stream of mustard into his mouth as he recalled the past events. “damn, if the boss reacted like that, what the hell would undyne do?” You eyed Red cautiously as he swayed giddily in his seat. Maybe he’s had a few too many celebratory drinks.

You placed a hesitant hand on his mustard bottle. “How about we not do that and lay off a bit on the mustard while we’re at it, yeah?” You suggested, gently removing the bottle from his hands and placing it on the table.

Sans leaned back in his seat. “y’know, for being such a badass, ya’ sure are a fuddy duddy.”

You rolled your eyes. “I know that, but still. You still mean a lot to this badass fuddy duddy and I’m not gonna just stand here and watch you drink yourself to sleep.”

Red seemed visibly flattered at your words, leaning towards you with a loving gaze. “oh sweetheart. ya’ sure know how to play a skeleton’s heart.”

Something about that expression he was making made you a gooey mess. “I-I guess I do, Sans.” You look from Sans to the stairs. “Hey Sans?”

“hm?” He quirks a bone brow at you, that goofy smile still fresh on his face.

You couldn’t believe you were about to do this. “I uh, wanna show you something.” Were you ready for this? Was he ready for this?

“by all means, doll.” He motioned for you to continue.

You draw in a sharp breath. “Alright then.” Okay, you were ready!

Getting up from your seat, you start to peel off your turtleneck and Sans turns fifty shades of red. “um- I uh…s-sweetheart?” He is having trouble meeting your gaze. “w-when ya’ said you were gonna show me somethin’, i uh- wasn’t expecting this- n-not that i’m complaining but-.”

His perverseness has no affect on you as your head pokes out of the turtleneck. “Oh don’t be such a baby, Sans. I didn’t mean it like that.” You throw your turtleneck to the side and look at Sans expectantly, though he’s still not budging to look over at you. “Sans. Look at me.”

You see one of his eye lights turn to you, and then his whole head followed. His jaw hung agape as he scrolled up and down your body. Scars and tattoos littered your body like a mural and boy, he sure as hell wasn’t going to look away anymore.

Red get up from his seat and slowly creeps over to you like a sailor to a singing siren. “holy shit, doll.” His hand hovers over your chest, eyeing the scar that dragged dangerously close to your heart. “wha…what did the surface do to ya’, sweetheart?” He couldn’t help himself from tracing the mark with his fingertips.

Guess its story time then, huh? “Got that one from some punk with a knife.”

Sans looked up at you with a startle, momentarily stopping his stroking. “a-a knife?” He swallowed back a bit of sour memories and continued where he left off. “shit doll, do tell.”

You straightened you slumped shoulders. “Well,” Your voice dropped down an octave. “Here I was throwing the punches, receiving the punches. Y’know, the usual, when this chump decided to pull out a knife on me. Can you believe that?” You felt yourself getting riled up as you retold your tales.

“what a slut,” He growls, looking from the scar to you. “please tell me you kicked that dickhead’s ass.” He said more as an order than a rhetorical statement.

You smirked at his concern. “Oh yeah I did. The runt had to be in hospice care, and on top of that got caught for illegal street fighting and drug possession.”

Red swung back with a laugh. “ha! serves that asshole for messin’ with my bruiser babe.” A tattoo catches his attention and he grins bemusedly. “huh.”

Oh no. You didn’t like that look he had. “What’s with that face, dork?”

You flinch as his fingertips rake at you. “guess ya’ always had a thing for skeletons even while you were on the surface.” He teased.

“Oh,” You knew exactly what he was talking about and giggled. “I guess so, huh?”

“does this skeleton perhaps have to do with that little scuffle between you and that asshole?”

You shrugged. “Perhaps so. A good amount of these were from a while back and my head’s been knocked up a few too many times to remember much of their purposes. With that being said, interpret that as you will.”

Red nodded silently and wandered to your back. “this one’s pretty cool, doll,” You feel a cool finger trail your back and the memories flood back. “what’s it for?”

You recoiled. You knew you’d have to face this question sooner or later. “It’s uh, for my mentor.” Looking down at your feet, you wistfully kick as you search for the right words. “They’re…in a better place now.”

Red notes the atmosphere of this conversation has taken an unexpected turn and he decides on leaving the subject untouched. “ah.”

You turn around to look at Red, a silence quickly filling the room. Before you could open your mouth, the front door busts down and in strides Edge and Undyne.

“HOLY SHIT, HUMAN! PAPYRUS TOLD ME EVERYTHING!!! WE GOTTA TRAIN, NOW!!!”

Edge-

“ENJOYING YOUR MEAL, PET?” Edge asked bemusedly as he witnesses you shove a fifth slice of lasagna in your mouth.

“Mhm!” You hum with a full mouth, and Edge absentmindedly smiles.

Edge huffs as he notices the mess that was, well, your ENTIRE face. Like seriously, how did you manage to get food on your forehead??? “OH MY STARS, S/O. HAVE SOME CLASS, WILL YOU?”

You simply smile cheekily at his concerns as he wipes your face to the best of his ability. You lean further into his harsh touch and gulp down the last of your meal. “Thanks, Edgy.” You purred.

He stiffens at your compliment. “Y-YOUR FLATTERY WILL NOT WORK THIS TIME, PET.” Edge’s cheekbones lit up a bright pink as he looked on at your complacent smile. “I WILL NOT ALLOW YOUR LOOKS TO WOE ME AGAIN.”

You quickly waved him off. “Fine fine, you’re no fun.” 

“HAVING FUN IS A WASTE OF VALUABLE TIME, THEREFORE YOU’RE CORRECT.” Edge points out with crossed arms and a stern expression.

“Touche, Edgy. Touche.” You look from the sleeves of your turtleneck to your callused hands. “Hey Edge? Can I show you something?”

“IS IT THAT ROLLING RICK VIDEO AGAIN?” He responded quickly. “BECAUSE IF IT IS, I’LL REFUSE AS TO EVEN SLEEP IN THE SAME ROOM AS YOU.”

His answer has you rocking with laughter. Sometimes this guy says the darndest things. Once you calm down, you pat his shoulder reassuringly. “N-no, Edge. It’s not that.”

“WELL THEN WHAT IS IT, S/O?”

“I’ll show you.” You said confidently as you began to pop your top. 

Edge’s skull flared up a bright red as he immediately pulled down your turtleneck. “W-WHAT DO THINK YOU’RE DOING, PET?!” He asked with an exasperated and cracking voice.

“Uh,” You looked at him befuddledly. “I’m about to show you something?”

“WHAT KIND OF ‘SOMETHING’ OF YOURS REQUIRES YOU TO DO SOMETHING SO…SO…SO LEWD?!” Edge seems visibly shaken as you slide his hands off you.

“Uh, obviously all my cool tattoos and scars, duh.” You answered sassily.

Edge’s edgy attitude instantly faded with your request. “C-COOL TATTOOS AND SCARS?” He tilted his head like a puppy and a smile spread across him. You yelp as he suddenly helps you to rip that annoying turtleneck off you. “WHY DIDN’T YOU SAY ANYTHING EARLIER?!”

Just as you were about to scold him for 1.) Inappropriately removing your clothes and 2.) Ruining your favorite top, you noticed his elated expression and dropped your concerns.  

His eye sockets are wide as he observes your half-naked form, scars and all. “YOU NEED TO WEAR LESS CLOTHES MORE OFTEN, S/O.” 

You flush at his sudden demand, not realizing that Edge’s request was simply an innocent observation. “T-thanks?” You stuttered out unsurely.

Edge nods in response as he notes the abnormally large and dangerous scar on your chest. “WHERE WAS THIS ONE FROM?”

You look down at your chest and smirk. “Got that one in a fight.”

“WHAT KIND OF FIGHT?”

You laugh. “An illegal one. The dope brought a knife to the place and decided to have a go at me.”

“WHAT?!” Edge suddenly shrieked, making you jump. He overwhelmed you with questions on any and every detail of the attacker, claiming he would be the one to take them down.

“Edge,” You settled him down with a pat to the skull. “It’s fine. I’m fine, really.”

He seemed to settle a bit, but the hatred still lingered in his sockets. The skeletal tat on you is the next thing to catch his attention. His facial expression shrivels up into one of disgust. “WHO’S THIS? I DEMAND THAT YOU TELL ME THIS INSTANT!”

You couldn’t stop yourself from laughing again. Like always, Edge never failed to say the most darndest of things. You decided to mess with his mind a bit more. “That one? I was born with that one.”

You had to bite your tongue as Edge’s jaw dropped. He didn’t actually believe that, did he?

“YOU’RE LYING! I JUST KNOW IT!” Edge insisted, stomping his foot furiously.

You shrugged. “I probably am lying. Great deduction skills, Edgy.” You cooed, doing a bit of jazz hands.

“DON’T MOCK ME, S/O.” Edge warned with a growl.

You bent down and picked up the remains of your turtleneck. “Welp, I’ll see you around, Edgy. There’s clothes to be sewn.” You turned around as you started to leave, but an emblem on your back captured Edge’s attention once more.

“WAIT! WHAT’S THAT ONE?” Edge asked.

You froze. You were sure of which tattoo he was referring to. “The heart one, right?” You were looking away from him, but you could tell he nodded.

Gulping down your past, you shuddered. “It’s for my former mentor.”

Edge seemed surprised at you answer. “REALLY? YOU HAD A MENTOR?” He smiled like a giddy little kid. Visions of you training like one of those badass ninjas crossed his mind multiple times as he looked up. “I’LL HAVE TO TRAIN WITH THEM AS SOON AS WE GET TO THE SURFACE! SURELY THEY’LL BE LEFT MARVELED BY MY INCREDIBLE AGILITY AND SKILL!”

You hugged your arm as you looked down. “They’re dead, Edge.” You admitted coldly.

Edge seemed to deflate at your answer. “OH” was all he could mutter.

He noticed your stiff manner and wraps an arm around your shoulders. “FEAR NOT, PET! FOR I SHALL BE YOUR MENTOR! WITH YOUR UNDERESTIMATED SKILL AND MY DASHING GOOD LOOKS AND CHARM, WE SHALL BE UNSTOPPABLE!”

You chuckle at his enthusiasm as tears fall down your cheeks. “Y-yeah.” You wipe your eyes clean. “I’d like that.”

Silence falls between you two until Edge speaks up again.

“S/O?”

“Yeah Edge?”

“YOU DO REALIZE THAT I WILL KILL THAT CRETIN WHO STABBED YOU, RIGHT?”

You patted his chest. “Wouldn’t put it past you, big guy.”

[kiraspook-blog]

Narcissism - Chapter 3 - Another Me

“What is Under swap like?” Sans asked, tapping his finger bones on the small table next to where he sat in Alphys’ lab. “It's sugary sweet and everyone loves everyone. The opposite of this place,” Red replied as he waited for Papyrus and Alphys to open the portal. “Is the… human there?” “Oh sure,” Red heard Sans gasp. “But this is AU’s human is kind. They spared everyone, rather than… you know…” Red trailed off. “May I come with you?” Sans asked shyly. “Yeah! Why not?” “Cause he is a distraction, that's why,” Papyrus stood with his arms crossed over his ribs. Tapping his boot impatiently. The portal now open and shining in a white rectangle behind him. “With you two fucking, you'll be affected by the sickening atmosphere of Underswap.” Both Sanses blushed furiously and put some distance between each other. “We're not fucking, Boss!! We're… just… I mean… it's complicated!” Red hollered at his brother. However, he knew that Papyrus was right. “I guess you should stay here, Blue.” “Alright,” Sans pouted slightly, then waved them off as the entered Underswap. For the first hour or so, Sans lounged in Alphys’ office. Watching TV, drinking a bottle or two of ketchup, napping on her desk. But soon the boredom got the better of him. He decided to head back to the house and wait for them there. Maybe stop at the purple fire elemental, Grillby’s, place. Maybe try that mustard stuff Red is always bragging about. He bid Alphys goodbye, though she only yelled at him for bothering her while she was working. Nothing like the kind, painfully shy royal scientist of his AU. After walking down several hallways, Sans realized he must have taken a wrong turn. This lab was much different then Undertale’s. He spent nearly 15 minutes wandering aimlessly, expecting to run up on someone who could point him in the right direction. He entered a large room, the only one that had any light coming from within the cracked open door. “Helloooo?” He hummed into the room. “Hello?! Is someone there? Can you help me…” his own voice called back to him. Sans walked farther in to the mostly empty room. In the back stood a row of 5 large cages. In the farthest right most cage stood a smaller version of himself. He looked like a cyan version of his dead brother. “Oh no… not another me! I don't understand. I just wanna go home!” The other moved as far away as he could. Light Blue tears flowed freely down his cheekbones. “Easy there, little guy. I'm not gonna hurt ya,” Sans cooed. “The others haven't hurt me either, but they took me away from my brother. And now they won't let me go home. What do you want!” He shouted angrily. “Shhh, hey. Stop shouting or someone will hear. Listen, Blueberry, I'll get you outta here but you gotta tell me everything, ok?” “Al - alright… But, how are you gonna get me out of here?” Blueberry asked nervously. Sans grinned, “Let's say I have a ‘skeleton’ key.” He held his boney hand out to the other threw the bars. “Take my hand.” Blueberry hesitantly did as told. The moment they made contact Sans teleported them to the outside of the lab. A power he nearly forgotten he even had, which explained why he got lost in the first place. Sans and Blueberry moved fast, making their way to Red’s secret cave before anyone noticed them. “...They said I needed to go with them. And that they would take care of me. But I didn't want to go with them… and they just… took me away. And because I kept trying to escape. That mean Alphys locked me in that cage,” Blueberry retold his encounter with the Fells. He went through waves of crying. The fresh and smeared tears blurring his star-shaped pupils. Sans listened in silence. They offered him the same things as Blueberry. The only difference is that Sans came willingly. “Your from Underswap, aren't you?” “Yes. Did they take you from your home too?” He asked sweetly. So cute. “No. I came because I wanted to.” “Why? Those monsters are evil. Why would you want to be with them?” Blueberry made a face of discust.” “it's hard to explain. I lost-” “Blue!” It was Red. “I knew I would find… you… here” His eye sockets grew wide when he saw Blueberry was with him. “What have you done?! Boss is gonna kill you when he finds out you let him out and brought him here!” Sans let to his feet, “You tell me is going on, Red. Why did you really bring us here?! Where you going to experiment on him? On me? Are you trying to use us to open other AUs… steal their Sans?!” “No, it's not like that, Blue you don't understand,” Red defended. He stepped toward them. Blueberry hid behind Sans, gripping his navy blue hoodie in his gloved hand. With his left pupul lit with magic, Sans summoned a small bone barrier between him and them. “Blue, will you just come with me and I'll tell yo-” “I'm not going with you anymore. You tell me now,” Sans was so pissed. “I trusted you Red. I thought you cared about me. I let you kiss me. What evil are you planning? At least the human made it clear they were sinning for fun, but you lie!” “I do care about you. And him!” Red pointed at Blueberry making him jump. He gripped onto Sans even harder. “We're not going to hurt him or you. You just have to stay here and- !!” He stopped dead, eye sockets completely black. Wide with shock, fear, or any mixture of both. He took a step back. Before Sans could open his mouth to scream at Red, Blueberry was ripped from his back. Wheeling around, his blue magic making a mark in the air in an arch about him, he saw what Red was so afraid of. Papyrus held the younger Sans in the air by his light blue scarf. Blueberry straining against the fabric choking him, his little boot clad feet kicking wildly. Red, angry magic crackled from Papyrus’ pupils, “Now your gonna have a bad time…”

[ask-retale]

The Skeleton Household

Fun Facts

Grillby was a general during the Monster Human War

Toriel had personally asked Grillby to become the Judge when the monsters had been sealed underground because of his role in the war and the fact he is one of the few remaining BOSS MONSTERS

Grillby is currently living with Sans and Papyrus in Snowdin after the CORE accident to help Sans deal with his magical outbursts

Unlike Classic, Sans trains almost constantly to help control his magic since there are concerns how magic dampeners would interact with his magic

When Sans is not training, he continues to conduct his own research in his workshop

Papyrus hides the fact he's worried about Sans health since his magic, HP and soul has drastically changed after the CORE accident

Papyrus has been practicing his own magic and often an annoying dog attempts to steal his bones

Sans preferred condiment is molasses, his favourite snack is molasses cookies/Catstella cake and he drinks black coffee

Papyrus drinks banana flavoured milk and enjoys cooking gnocchi with Sans or Grillby

Grillby enjoys almond oil and occasionally snacks on pine cones

[arstudios2000]

Toriel isn’t coming back, and she’s punning with Sans? Papyrus will share in your sorrow, Asgore.

[arstudios2000]

Retold!Wingdings sketches. 

We see a glimpse of his current and previous forms.