Chapter 2

Authors Notes: I apologise for the long delay, thanks for the reviews! Just so you have an idea as to what has happened so far relating to the setting and scene and such. Frisk has fallen down and has reset multiple times, completing several Genocide routes and Pacifist routes. During one of those journeys, something happened (I'm not quite sure as of now, Gaster could've done something?) as Frisk was fighting Asriel Dreemurr in his Final Form, and all the souls that he had taken were restored and Asriel was able to live, while the barrier remains closed. So now Asriel is in his young body and the barrier remains closed. Frisk is still there and the human's bodies and souls are nowhere to be seen. You know, I just might play Fallout New Vegas again, just to get a feel for Mr House. Again, sorry for the delay.

"My child, wait for me!" yelled Toriel, lifting the hem of her dress to run after Robert who suddenly walked away without any word.

Robert so far was not having any fun. First an unknown force had sent him to this uncharted, underground area, a talking flower mutant had tried to kill him, a goat-lady-mutant appeared and decided to take him under her care and now voices had appeared from a floating star. He was not having any of it. He entered yet another room adorned with flower petals and saw 6 buttons laying on the floor. Four of them had scuff marks on their centre, so that's what Robert stepped on. The large door that lay before him opened with a loud slam. Continuing onwards, Robert found a large hallway with yet again, floral decorations. Completing the obvious task of flipping the labelled switches, Robert broke out into a sprint when he heard the presence of the Goat mutant close behind. His kinetic-leg servos were able to quicken his already apt speed and thus create more distance between him and the mutant.

Passing a training dummy, Robert was met with more hallways. On his way to a room laid with spikes, he passed a very large and intimidating frog. It peered directly at him, unnerving him to no end. It hopped forwards one step, forcing Robert to act. Acting on the spot, Robert drew a gun from the innards of his 3 piece suit. Flicking one of the settings available to him along the side of the gun (search up Fiona's gun from 'Tales from the Borderlands'), Robert pulled the trigger and released a tranquilizer dart. It sailed through the air before landing upon the frog-mutant's forehead. Robert wasn't an idiot, he wasn't about to kill any living thing that lay in his path. If he wanted his dream of a pre-war America to become true, he may need all the help he can get. Even if his help would include mutants. Speed-walking away from the limp form of the frog, he came to an area bathed in water with a large platform raised in the centre, taking up most of the space. This platform was full of spikes. Sharp looking ones. Breathing out a sigh of frustration, Robert waited for the inevitable arrival of the goat-mutant and his Securitrons. Around 15 seconds or so later, Robert could hear the padding of feet and the familiar sound of his Securitron's tires rolling along the ground.

"My child, don't go running off like that again. What provoked you so?" was the question that Toriel asked.

"What do you know of Determination? And what of that floating star laying at the end of that hallway?" Robert replied curtly, indicating to the hallway that he had once been in with his finger.

"I-what? What are you saying my child? There is no floating star or any floating object for that matter. Have you hit your head?" Toriel queried, quite confused.

The odds that Robert had injured himself physically or mentally were unlikely, according to his diagnostics that were sent from his microchip to his Pip-Boy. Perhaps she was telling the truth, in some way, about there being no star. Maybe he could only see it, due to his retinal implants. Or it could've been that whatever powers at play that had sent him to this place had also played a part that had allowed him to see the, 'DETERMINATION Star'. Snapping out of his thoughts, Robert re-focused himself with Toriel.

"No, no, I'm fine thank you," Robert began, "Where are we, exactly?" Robert had just remembered his prime reason for coming to Mt Ebott, exploration. And running away from a source of information was counterintuitive in this case.

"Oh, of course. Welcome to the Underground, more specifically the Ruins. I can tell you all about it if you'd just follow me home." Toriel replied.

"Hmmmmm. Alright then, Toriel, I'll come with you and you'll tell me everything you know of the Underground. Securitrons, record and transmit the video footage back to the Lucky 38." Commanded Robert.

The Securitrons uttered a, 'yes sir', and began to extend an antenna from their heads.

"What are those golems of yours? Are they dangerous?" asked Toriel, quite apprehensive.

"Hehehe. Are they dangerous", chuckled Robert, "Of course they are dangerous. They're part of my army, capable of rendering entire civilizations to dust. They have X-25 Glasingtonhouse Gatling Lasers, 9mm submachineguns, G-28 grenade launchers and M-235 missile launchers. Of course they are dangerous. They can kill anyone at any time. If I give the say so, that is." Concluded Robert, a proud smile creeping onto his face.

A familiar feeling of dread and terror crept up Toriel's back. A cloudy thought of a slaughter resurfaced. A child, with their hands covered in dust and a murderous, red glint in their eyes. Her shivering and fear were soon dashed away as she heard Robert's footsteps beginning to fade.

"My child, do not leave me again, let me show you how this puzzle works." Offered Toriel.

"No, no, that's quite alright thank you. I can easily find my way across." Robert responded.

Walking along, Robert lifted his wrist and pressed a small button on the side of his Pip-Boy, releasing a small camera outfitted with an antenna and a miniature set of helicopter blades. Swiping his fingers across the screen with the grace of a conductor controlling his band, Robert was able to get a bird's eye view of the spike puzzle. Activating the X-Ray option, he was able to see which spikes were safe and which weren't. Robert began to walk forwards, against Toriel's gasp of fear, and followed the path indicated by a glowing arrow that appeared thanks to his retinal implant.

"My child, how'd you do that? And what was that flying creature?" Asked Toriel once Robert had made it across.

"It seems that technology hasn't advanced that far yet. It's one of my many camera drones, machines that record what I tell them to record, then transmit what they've gathered back to me." Robert replied, a smirk adorned across his face.

Toriel just mouthed an 'oh' and followed along.

"What is your name, child? And where are you from?" Came yet another question from Toriel.

"For one, my name isn't 'child', it's Robert Edwin House, but Mr House is fine. I'm from New Vegas, my pre-war paradise. I came to this damned mountain to explore and further expand my reach, but something pushed me into this place." Robert responded.

"Pre-war? What are you referring to my chi-Mr House? The Monster-Human War was at least a thousand years ago, and our child Frisk hasn't told us of any war." Hesitantly came Toriel.

"You have no knowledge of the great war that took place above ground? While it was 210 years ago, I assumed you had knowledge of the war to end all wars." Robert replied in an astounded manner.

Toriel uttered a single 'no', thus forcing Robert to explain the past 210 years. He told her about his calculations of the war, how he built advanced laser cannons, what laser cannons were, the platinum chip, Las Vegas. He told her of the machine he built to keep his body alive and his mind connected to his network, he told her of the complete and utter annihilation of Earth, the abominations that now roamed the continent and of the Courier and how he had assisted in conquering the NCR and Caesars Legion. And of how the Courier had transferred his mind into a new body full of cybernetic implants.

"Oh my," began Toriel, lips trembling, "That's such a horrid world you live in. Why wouldn't Frisk tell me of this . . .?" She asked, mostly to herself however.

"Indeed it is, although with the help of the Courier and my immense knowledge, I should be able to restore order and peace to the lands." Robert concluded.

Wiping her eyes, Toriel called for Robert to follow her and the rest of their journey was left in complete silence, undisturbed by the monsters that covered the Ruins. At the end of their long walk through puzzles, that Robert let Toriel solve, they came to a nice, large house made of crumbling, purple stone. There was a dark brown tree in the middle of the pathway to Toriel's house, with many red leaves scattered around it. Toriel let out a sigh of pride and walked ahead, with Robert following close behind, examining every nook and cranny.

"Welcome to your home Robert! You'll be staying here for a little bit before we go out and meet my friends outside of the Ruins." Toriel shouted in delight.

"Hrm. If I must for the time being. You seem to resemble a human, slightly, so I assume that you have a bed of some assortment? Would you happen to have any spares?" Robert asked as he walked through the hallways.

Toriel nodded and lead him to a spare room.

"It was my husbands before he, left. You can use it now though. I doubt that the bed that I usually give to the humans that fall down here would be big enough for you." Chuckled Toriel.

"Wait, there were other humans? When did they appear? How old were they? What did they look like?" Came the bombardment of questions from Robert.

"I can tell you all about it tomorrow Robert. Just have a good night's rest and tomorrow you can ask all the questions you like", Toriel replied through laughs.

"If I must." Came the reply from Robert, albeit begrudgingly.

Walking into the room that Toriel had pointed to, he muttered a 'Good night', and descended into the room. In all honesty, for a mutant, Robert had expected a little bit more pizzazz or something along those lines. It was bland to be honest. A small bedside table with a lamp, a bookshelf, a desk, a picture of some friends. At least he had a few plant pots here and there to spruce up the place.

Sighing to himself, Robert took of his coat and placed it on the desk. Taping a few buttons on his Pip-Boy, he relayed his journey so far and transmitted it to the Courier's Pip-Boy. Before he descended into the realm of sleep, he told his Securitrons, who had silently followed along scanning everything, to patrol the area outside the house and tranquilize any harmful entities that would have ill intentions.

Robert descended into a relaxing sleep in a bed that was about 3x bigger than him and didn't hear the crack of a door opening and the light chuckle that Toriel gave off as she lay the Butterscotch and Cinnamon Pie on the ground.