Only a Matter of Time
Chapter 1: Don't Trip
It's been about one month since the barrier has been broken. Unfortunately it was around Halloween time, so as monsters of all sorts started pouring out of the Underground, people thought it was just some well-coordinated costume competition or something. It wasn't until the King, Asgore you think it was, arrived accompanied by the child who helped break it down, that people realize it wasn't a joke, and that the centuries of a monster free world was over. Things were changing quickly with new monsters arriving every day; New towns are being built, monster business are starting to sprout one by one, and organizations to help monsters settle formed.
Most fellow humans were rather accepting of their new neighbors, but of course there are bad eggs. Pathetic groups tried working together to keep monsters out of human society, but they never lasted long. Hate crimes have been low, but it's disgusting when they happen. To be honest, you didn't even think monsters existed. Like the majority of the population, it was just a rumor that the race was real, or that the old war even happened. Look at the world now! It wasn't like you didn't care that monsters existed, you're no scrub. You'd be lying if you didn't get spooked every now and then when turning the corner to be face-to-face with sweating, muscular horse⦠thing, but the novelty of surprise has been wearing off.
Every new encounter reminded you of how ignorant you are about monster culture and society. Life was changing so fast for you personally that time was never put into the schedule to explore the roots of monster and human history. Today you're going to take this mistake of yours in a rather literal sense.
Today is the day you choose to climb Mt. Ebott.
It's been a while since you climbed a mountain, a neglected hobby of yours. None of your friends enjoyed most forms of exercise, not that you don't hate it either, but nature is kickass. The weather was reaching that odd point of being in between cold enough to snow, but never actually snowing. You opt for a tank top, jeans, tall black boots, and your long black cardigan. Man, you love that cardigan. The sleeves are just the right length, its long and witchy, making you feel all cool, and it even has massive pockets! Very convenient.
You also silently thank whatever god is out there that you are always over heated. Even though the temperature is dropping to the 20's, it's still enough to make sweat with the few layers you have were missing something, however. Ah, yes, your necklace. How could you forget? You bought it the first Human-Monster Fair a few weeks back, the memory still fresh.
The autumn breeze rolled along your skin and the warm colored leaves complimented the hues of the crowd. The smell of new spices from the Underground filled the air and chatter between cultures bloomed in this small corner of the world. Stalls run by both human and monster alike sold their crafts in a celebration of bringing two worlds together.
Food, drink, and friends is all you really need, isn't it? This annual fair reminded you of that, and with the addition of the monsters this year, it only brightened the future up to everyone, introducing everyone to new customs, humor, and bonds with monsters, even if it's only for a kind passing moment. You spent the whole day helping out your friends stand, and finally had a few hours to spend exploring the fair and see what you could spend your earned bills on. You really wanted to spend it on a monster owned business, or at least one that is equally human and monster run.
Amongst all the grand and decorative attractions and shops, one truly caught your eye. It was a dinky looking thing, and didn't seem to have a lot to offer, but seemed welcoming. Walking over, it only had two people manning it. A humanlike monster, maybe a skeleton, sat asleep on a folding chair while accompanied by a small human child, with messy hair and stripped shirts. You couldn't really remember either of their faces. Hm, maybe this memory wasn't as fresh as you thought.
The child waved warmly towards you, pointing at a sign sitting next to an empty flower pot, even though you swore there was something yellow a moment ago.
"Please take a moment to browse our wares! Everything here is made in honor of those who made sacrifices in releasing Monsterkind from the Underground. Any donations go to real spiders."
The child hummed and busied themselves with climbing the snoozing monster, apparently trying to get under the puffy jacket donning them, and fiddled with parts of the coat. You took a moment to look over the table. It had keychains of ballet slippers, varying sizes and patterns of aprons, hand-made bandannas with embroidered muscles, and things of similar caliber across the table. On the end of the table with the pot and sign had a small jewelry display. All it held was six necklaces, all fake gemstone hearts in every color but red. Damn, reds one of your favorite colors. Oh well. The next best was the dark blue, which you politely asked the child to purchase. The child hopped down from the napping monster to put the necklace in a cute little package and waved at you again. You think they might've given you a smile, but the memory was too blurred. It seemed likely, considering how sweet the kid was.
You smile from the pleasant memory and equipped the necklace, feeling the texture of the faux gem cut it was given. Ever since purchasing the necklace you felt uncomfortable going about the day without wearing it, and felt a sudden ping of guilt for not putting it on earlier. No time like the present! You slung a cute small black knapsack other both shoulders, containing only the essentials; some band-aids, phone, wallet, house keys, and tissues. That's all one needs, right?
Stepping out into the brisk late fall air fills you with DETERMINATION.
Crunching the leaves under you boot reminded you of the stories and myths surrounding the mountain, as the earth slowly began making a shift upward, indicating the beginning of the trek. Obviously there's the story of the war, but you also remember all the stories of people going missing around here. If you remember correctly, it was mostly children, but you have heard of people older than that going missing as well. Each case had been spaces out at random periods of time, and although you can't remember the exact time of the first official report, you know it was over 60 years ago. Despite each case of missing humans being virtually identical, there was no consistent time gaps in between. Sometimes it would be decades, months, sometimes just days. Even though everyone spoke of these six cases, you had a slight sick feeling that the number was a bit higher than that.
A branch you didn't pay attention to smacked your face, nearly knocking you into a bramble bush. Your jacket still got caught in the thorns causing a mild struggle to free yourself and progress. As you climbed higher, everything nature had to throw at you was holding you back, almost as if the world was throwing a giant sign screaming "DO NOT ENTER" at you. But you are oblivious to those kind of signs. It throws off one's sense of adventure! Man, you'd totally be one of those people to get brutally murdered in a horror film, huh?
You decide to brush off the somewhat morbid thought and continue.
Your calf muscles ached as the scale continued, and felt blessed upon realizing your boots have grip, preventing any kind of slippage from patches of smooth stone underfoot. Dirt began building under your fingernails, and elbows becoming scrapped whenever you slipped, but the pain would disappear with the assistance of the unkind, biting gale. Howling wind bred from the once calm evening breeze, whipping around the small amount of hair left on your head. Vision began blurring with tears as the sharp cold screams in your face, your glasses providing no protection. You begin doubting that your efforts to discover something to grab onto are resulting to be fruitless, until you hear a voice.
"Help!" the voice called out. It sounded like a child. Whoever it belonged to sounded panicked. The voice's desperation kicks you into high gear, and you throw a leg onto the upcoming ledge in hopes to get a look around. It brings you to a clearing with a straight forward path that appeared to be hollowed out and long forgotten, reclaimed by nature as tree roots and dying wild flowers litter the path.
"Where are you?" you call out, making a brisk pace down the path, trying your best not to trip on the roots and pitfalls.
"Keep going! I'm over here!" true to their word, the voice coming closer. As your steps slowed, a small child came into view. Their head poked out from a pit, gripping onto the earth for dear life. "I-I'm slipping! Please hurry!"
'Don't just stand there, run you dummy!' Your mind went blank as you ran towards the child, not really thinking too hard as your heart beat faster in anticipation. Right before the earth crumbled from their hands, you grabbed onto their arms.
"Don't worry kid, I got you! It'll be ok!" you pulled them up to the surface, and breathed for a moment to get the adrenaline to stop flowing. The child was breathing heavily but otherwise didn't seem to be hurt. They wore baggy jeans and a green-yellow stripped shirt, which was now stained with soil and grass. Not super noticeable, you hoped. Didn't want to get this kid's parents worried sick. You rose to your feet and offered a hand to the child, trying to give a warm smile. "It's ok, you're safe now! You got a name, kid? My name is-" before you could finish, you could feel two small hands roughly push you in the stomach, but in all honesty it felt like a punch. The force threw you backwards and over the ledge you just saved the child from. Before you slipped into the darkness, time slowed down long enough for you to witness their face distort into a grotesque shape.
