There's a man of fire standing within a empty tavern, one that would usually full of life is dull and dim, within a town full of snow coated dust. Its quite for a change; the sound of drunken laughter, the shuffle of cards and not so hushed conversations have long sense faded away. The towns been evacuated but he's still here, still waiting. For whom he's not quite sure but he waits anyway hoping beyond all belief that it will be his best friend to walk through his doors.
The soft dingle of the bell causes a hand made solely of fire to pause from where it had been cleaning the same glass for what must of been the hundredth time. His SOUL drops.
The demon stands there, coated in dust, a knife in one hand and a familiar paper in the other. He watches as IT crosses half the room and tosses the paper onto the bar top, slowly he picks it up.
-'S Tab.
There's dust coating it.
"Harry, wake up!"
For a moment, there's only pain echoing through his body and a heavy weight upon his chest, before emerald eyes slowly flutter upon. A young child of ten with medium brown hair and short bangs is all but giggling down at them from their place upon his chest which explain the numbing pain.
"Frisk," His voice is soft from underuse and crackles a bit like the flames he's so fond of, "We've talked about this. I'm not a springboard."
Proper introductions are probably necessary here. This is Frisk, No last name, just Frisk. They used to share a room with him at the orphanage his Uncle- and he uses that term lightly- abandoned 'The Freak' at some seven years ago. Unfortunately due to overpopulation and lack of funds, qualified personal, ectra...
He- a nine year old at the time ended up all but raising the toddler who was his roommate. Which was how managed to attain his own little Nibbling. Recently, he won a small two bedroom cottage at the base of Mt. Ebott. It wasn't much and he was probably overworked trying to make ends due and support his younger Nibbling but they where happy.
Which brings him to the reason for his Nibbling's assault upon his person while he slept. Today was his first day off in a month and he promised to spend it helping Frisk explore the Cursed Mountain that was their backyard.
"Harry, don't fall back asleep!"
Opps. A soft groan leaves the dark haired teenager beneath the younger.
"Alright... Alright... I'm up."
Its the first timeline they recall having a Brother.
Before this one they had always spent the first twelve years of their life alone with no one but theirselves to rely upon before falling into the Underground.
Its... Strange.
He should not be here and no amount of RESETs would change the day a walrus of a man had all but thrown the obviously abused child at their orphanage. Not that They cared. One man's trash was another's treasure after all. And what a treasure they had unearthed.
Harry was a good Brother, not perfect but he tried. He had only been a child himself when he had all but raised them, even spoiling them if they where honest. He granted them so much yet asked for nothing in return.
It almost made them feel guilty for tricking him like they where. For leading him up a cursed mountain with the full intention of having him fall.
Almost.
But Almost wasn't enough. Someone had to fall and if it was just them, the Skeleton would kill them the moment they stepped out the Ruins' Door no matter who was in control. Yet maybe, Maybe if someone else fell a few years earlier they couldn't have to fall. Maybe the Monsters would escape without them having to do anything.
And if not... Well just another year and they would climb the mountain once more to fall themselves and restart their game.
"Frisk," An arm blocked their way as emerald eyes stared down at them, "Watch out for the hole."
Smiling they nodded and waited for their brother's gaze to refocus upon the entrance of the Underground before taking a breathe and shoving roughly at the small of his back. For a brief moment there was a startled noise as Harry realized the ground was no longer beneath his feet before their brother vanished into the darkness of the Underground.
"...Nothing Personal."
But someone had to fall and their Brother saved them. Why not grant him a chance to save the Monsters as well?
They turned on heel, planning to leave the cursed mountain and return to the safety of their home, but it was not to be; as the moment they turn a vine wrapped firmly around their ankle with a sharp yank. There was no ground to catch them, only open air.
It took them a moment to realize what was happening.
They where falling.
Again.