Exhale..
Her eyes darted back and forth between the clock above the classroom door and the board up at the front. The afternoon seemed to drag on for an unfair eternity. She had considered that after everything had happened, the time space mechanic had finally given in and began to crumble. Resting her head in her open palm, she took a slow breath in.
Your eyes began to flutter into a vacant daydream as the teacher moaned on. The clock seemed to be ticking fine, until it started losing momentum. You sighed outward and closed your eyes, reopening them in a fixed gaze on the clock. The red seconds hand has now stopped all together. Sitting up in concern, you peered over again.
.. backwards?
The seconds hand was going backwards, and picking up speed at that.
Your first thought is to call out for help, to your classmates, your teacher, your friends at home.. but nothing escapes your mouth.
You hear a faint ringing noise as your chair begins to tip backwards. You glance behind your shoulder, noticing the now gaping black hole sucking in life around you. Oh my God.
Just as the darkness begins to seep into the corners of your vision, your head connects to something hard. Falling out of your chair and onto the ground, your routine gave a few classmates the giggles as they emptied the classroom. Your hand instinctively moves to the back of your head, rubbing the goose egg beginning to take form. The bell ceases it's ringing and the teacher shoots you a look.
"Frisk, is everything okay down there? Do you want me to get the nurse again?"
You stare at him blankly for a few seconds, grasping reality once more. "N-no, it's.. I'm all right.. just.. tired."
The professor fixes his vision on the windows, exhaling sharply. "Well, if you're not getting enough rest at home due to any.. instabilities.. please know that you can reach out anytime". He looks at you intensely.
'Yeah, not 'falling' for that one, buddy.'
You exhale quickly through your nose, containing yourself. "Everything is fine at home, but I thank you for your concern." The words fall out of your mouth without thought; You've said it so many times, all the compassion that was once behind the words are lost now. You quickly pack up your textbooks and loose papers, tossing them into your backpack unceremoniously and leave the room, not taking a second to look back.
It's been six years since the barrier was destroyed. The monsters slowly returned to the surface to a mixed reception from the humans. Who can blame them? The word 'monster' doesn't exactly do the species any favours.
You couldn't see anyone else bringing the role as much progress as you have, but in hindsight, you solemnly wished Asgore hadn't mentioned anything about being an ambassador. The role just brought so much work. Exhaustion. Frustration.
Ebott's laws had been changing and adapting over the years, to the monsters' dismay. Despite all of my efforts and discussions between the law enforcement, specifically the police captain, the restrictions have been only getting more and more severe. It started with simple requests with the identification cards that monsters had to carry on their person at all times. Now, the amendment going to vote would effectively start a curfew. Frisk has simply counted her blessings that it hadn't gotten to city segregation.. although she didn't know why she was holding her breath anymore.
Five missing persons since the barrier was broken. Roughly one person a year. Frisk had argued that it was extraordinarily prejudice to believe that it automatically had to be a monster, but the stigma was strong. Even though she had returned to the Underground each time investigating with Sans, they had found nothing. All of the monsters had been brought up to the service, anyways. It was more of an action to appease the captain, but it only seemed to further his suspicion somehow.
Buried in thought, she hadn't noticed the foot outstretched a hair past hers as she was walking out of the school and down the stairs. Before she could react, she fell forward, throwing her hands up to catch herself on the cement. She hissed inwards in pain, and shot a glance up. The captain's son, Andrew, shot you a smug grin as his two cronies doubled over in laughter, walking ahead of him. You looked up at him in frustration, and felt the colour drain from your face.
Blue..
There was a blue aura surrounding his body. Looking around frantically for him and not seeing him anywhere, you just shook your head violently. NO, DON'T YOU DO IT you thought frantically, wide-eyed.
His friends stopped walking ahead of him, and looked back at Andrew just as the aura dissipated from his body. Thank goodness.
"Y'know, Frisk, I just don't get you." You shifted your eyebrows confusedly. What's not to get? "Aren't you tired of giving a shit? I know my dad is. These.. things.. are just going to get pushed out of town. Again. What a waste of time."
You looked down to the ground, feeling futile. As much as you hated to agree with the idiot, he had a point.
You'd never let him know that, though. You pushed yourself up off the ground, wincing in pain slightly from the fresh scrapes on the palms of your hands. "Huh.. I guess.. I figured Ebott us some more time to keep the peace." You knew the short skeleton was watching, paying him homage. You walked past Andrew coldly. Reasoning, as you learned, didn't make any dent in this individual. Feeling the glares from the boys behind you, you walked around the corner of the fence and continued down the road.
You clenched your fists in pain. What the hell did he think he was doing? You were half-hoping he would use one of his shortcuts to appear in front of you and walk you home like he was planning on doing. You were sure he wouldn't, he knew he was in trouble. Sure, Andrew deserves a swift throw into a wall, you couldn't think of many humans who didn't. Maybe it'd wake them up. But that would only serve to undo all of the work and effort she's put in the last few years of maintaining the peace.
You picked up the pace, heading home to Tori's. Now you had even more work to get done tonight. Perfect.