Sometimes, the most beautiful of things could be found in the most unexpected of places.
And for Alphys, that thing was the Garbage Dump in Waterfall.
Sure, the Dump didn't carry a soothing breath of wind like a pleasant plain, nor was the atmosphere clear and cozy like a cute little house. No, instead all sorts of foreign scents of wafted throughout the Dump, and the thick, foggy humidity was basically palpable. But it was perfect.
The veil of mystery was set in the air, beckoning Alphys to explore. Amongst piles of crumbled drawings (Alphys had no idea why anyone would throw away such beautiful sketches. She could only dream that she was at least half as good. There was the occasional fine-tipped market set in the collections, though, so Alphys could practice making fanart to her heart's content.) were boxes of anime and cartoon. And was that protruding object a real human handgun or yet another mass of unwanted licorice? With an observing eye, she would find trinkets or spare parts to tinker with and snack boxes to figure out the expiration date.
Where others saw junk, Alphys saw mounds of treasure troves. The reptilian monster often liked to dig through the Dump, feeling her heart beat in excitement at the sudden inspiration for a new project, and squealing when she stumbled over a continuation to an anime like the piece of trash she was.
In other places, Alphys would have feared being ridiculed for having nerdy hobbies, for drawing her favourite manga couples. But in the small corner of solace in Waterfall, there was a safe haven. Alphys was free to gush over a beloved character, to build robotic prototypes, to be herself without hesitation. The walls were piles of disowned belongings, and the floor was a layer of murky water, but it was home.
The Garbage Dump was the place were Alphys could be her own element.
AN/ This is a (long overdue! ;n;) assignment for the Undertale forum: Underground Academy. The prompt was to write about a safe haven, and well... this fandom was lacking in Alphys, so what could be better to write about her?