Undyne was phoning Asgore in her yard. He had suggested that coming all the way to New Home every day just to make her report might be too much trouble, when she didn't stay for tea, but that was no reason to let other standards slip, so she wore her armor and stood to attention anyway.
"Oh, Undyne, I just remembered. There is one last thing." Asgore's voice kept its weight even through the tinny sound of the speaker.
"What is it, your majes- Asgore?"
"As I am sure you are aware, given your zeal in memorizing the law," (she involuntarily grinned) "everyone is entitled to a certain amount of vacation time each year."
"Uh-huh."
"I would like you to take tomorrow off."
"It just says I'm entitled to my vacation days. I don't have to use them."
"Oh dear." He sighed. "It is important to take a break every now and then."
"But-"
"Then you can appreciate the world on your own terms. It reminds you why you do what you do in the first place."
"Sir-"
"I think tomorrow is going to be a nice day. On nice days, you should walk around and have a good time."
"Asgore-"
"I do not like orders, but that is an order. I need you to fill your time some other way tomorrow. That means no guarding, no exercising, no armor polishing, no checking up on the other guards to see how they are doing. Just make sure to have a good time. Can you do that for me?"
She gritted her teeth. "Yeah, I guess."
"Thank you. One day is all I ask for now, but please do take more in the future."
"I, uh, won't disappoint you."
"Goodbye now."
"See ya." An odd thought welled up. "Say, when did you last -" she started, but he had already hung up.
She went to bed in a daze.
Undyne woke up the next day at 5 AM sharp.
She was halfway through her morning routine when she remembered.
This was going to be a problem.
She racked her brain for ideas. What things had she done in the past?
Thinking back, a lot of them were outright illegal, or at least irresponsible, and she was too old for much of the rest.
Perhaps she could pay Gerson a visit? He was technically not a guardsman any more.
Yeah, that'd work.
She removed her armor and strolled to his store.
She stuck her head inside. "Hiya, Gerson."
"Undyne! Not on patrol?"
"Yeah, Asgore gave me…" she swallowed. "A day off."
"Wah ha ha, I didn't think he had the guts any more! What're you going to do now?"
She shrugged.
"Sit down. I'll pour you some sea tea."
"Thanks."
"You're not the first one he's pulled that on. I remember, back in the day, the Royal Scientist - the old one, not the new one -"
"There's a new Royal Scientist?"
"Yep, she just started. Dunno much about her. Anyhoo, the old one, Asgore once…" he stopped.
"Yes?"
"Eh, I guess I don't remember after all. Never mind that."
Gerson glanced at his empty wrist.
"Oh, shoot! I almost forgot. Can you do me a favor?"
"Sure."
"There's a planetary alignment in a few minutes, and I wanted to visit an old friend. Can you tie me to my chair?"
"Uh. Tie you to your chair?"
"Yeah, and untie me when I tell you the password after the syzygy's over."
"Password?"
"Gotta make sure it's me that's using my body. It's an old old friend, can be a bit of a bother."
"Well, I guess…"
"You're a doll. Make it nice and tight, nothing I could remove myself. Rope's in the closet."
She tied his arms and legs, and he whispered the password in her ear.
"See ya in an hour."
Undyne decided to take a walk through the marsh.
She hadn't expected it, but it really was different this way. She was less focused, she could let her mind wander, and so she noticed different things. For the first time in years, she paid attention to the way the trees swayed even without a breeze. She was transfixed by the floating lights. She was giving a good look to the wonderful details she had kept glossing over.
When she closed her eyes, she started hearing the echo flowers. Like most Waterfall residents, she had learned to tune them out. But with her mind cleared of everything else, the voices started flowing in.
"I'll climb this mountain and…"
"…say there's miles of land in all directions…"
"…real stars, that only come out at night…"
"…keep you safe."
"I just want everyone to be happy…"
It felt like something unlocked in her chest.
What was she doing? Why?
She had been guarding and training every day. Hadn't she been listening to the people she protected?
She really needed to do this more.
An hour had passed. She returned to Gerson, and ignored his pleading until he said the password ("snickerdoodle"), then untied him. She waved him goodbye and went for another walk.
Her head was too tumultuous to notice where her feet were taking her. When she finally looked around, she saw she was at the garbage dump.
There was someone standing near the edge of the abyss, pensively looking down. She wore a labcoat and glasses. She looked pretty cute.
"Hey!" Undyne called out. "Do you come here often?"