Disclaimer: I do not in fact own Undertale, nor any of the AU's that I may draw inspiration from. I appreciate the understanding we now have. Enjoy.
It was a strange feeling, passing through the archway. On one side, darkness broken only by a ray of light, with the other being bright, but shadowed by old and unkempt ruins around them. At least that's what they looked like, and if that was true, then papyrus sucked at his job.
"Agreed". Answered there trusty crime fighting spirit, Invisi-Bill.
"I hate you". Quickly came the cold response.
"Then it's a good thing I've got enough love for the both of us". The child answered back with an innocent smile. The mumbling that followed wasn't enough to distract the child as they gazed around the ruins before them. It also wasn't enough to distract them from something strange, a flickering light set between two stairs that curved upwards to a ledge above them, the same ledge that papyrus was currently on, seemingly waiting for them to follow with unfathomable energy.
"What do you think this light is? A firefly?" The child asked themselves and their ghostly companion, while also walking up to the flickering-.
"What light?" There companion asked as the child was no more than inches away, having crossed a rectangle of red leaves to get themselves here..
"Um, this one?" The child said while gesturing directly towards the source of the star like light.
"Hey ah, partner, are you feeling alright?" There companion asked, sounding concerned all of a sudden.
"Yeah actually, I feel better than ever I think". And it wasn't a lie. As they bathed in the lights glow, they felt far more energetic, and the pain in their soul caused from flowey, while seemingly had been healed by papyrus, was now utterly gone.
"Are you sure? Because I don't see anything…"
"Maybe because your a ghost?" The child tried to reason.
"You'd think i'd be the one seeing lights though, right". Invisi-Bill countered to the child's displeasure.
"I'm just saying is all". The ghost answered back quickly, and the child got the feeling that they were holding up their hands in surrender.
"Should we ask papyrus?"
"No". Came the swift response.
"Why not?"
"Because I don't trust him, and neither should you". The ghost answered back coldly.
"But-".
"Please partner, just trust me on this. I'm sure if there is a light there, and papyrus does know about it, then he'll tell us. Until then then, it's best we just remain silent". Invisi-Bill finished with a huff.
"Well… ok I suppose". The child answered with downtrodden puff. But before they could move on, the child herd there companion give out a long sigh before…
"The shadow of the ruins looms above, filling you with determination". There companion said with the most boisterous voice they could seemingly muster, and stunning the child in the process.
"Where did that come from?!" The child eventually thought back.
"I don't know, you seemed kinda down so I thought id cheer you up?" The ghost responded sheepishly.
"Huh, well it was really cool! You should do that more often".
"Really?" The ghost asked back somewhat timidly.
"Totally". The child responded with a sincere grin in what they hoped was the ghosts direction.
"I guess i'll give it my best shot every now and then if you want. Now then, papyrus is waiting right? We'd better get going". And though the child giggled at the ghosts embarrassment, they still went up the right flight of stairs, where papyrus was waiting for them.
"ARE YOU WELL HUMAN? IT TOOK YOU QUITE A WHILE FOR YOU TO GET UP HERE, ARE YOU SICK BY ANY CHANCE?" Papyrus asked as they finished there flight of stairs. But before the child responded they remembered there partners words, and instead elected to simply nod their head negatively to his question.
"THEN YOUR FEELING WELL?" Papyrus asked once more, concern oozing off him in waves. They gave him a nod and a thumbs up in response.
"SPLENDID THEN! I WAS WORRIED WE WERE GOING TO HAVE TO CUT THE TOUR SHORT, BUT IF ALL IS WELL THEN LET US CONTINUE ONWARD!" Papyrus shouted before moving through the ledges archway.
"He sure is boisterous huh?" Invisi-Bill pointed out.
"Like you were a second ago?" They pointed out with a grin.
"A-a-at least I don't yell out every single word!" The ghost quickly deflected.
"Well I think its funny". The child said while moving to the archway.
"Of course you would…". Invisi-Bill muttered to themselves as they seemingly followed behind there compatriot.
Thy entered a chamber of sorts after moving through the archway, with the path arching left before arching right again to form a, well arch, towards a closed door. There were also buttons to the right of the arched path, six total laid out in a set of two triangles, and finally a lever to the doors right, and a sign to its left, though it was too far away to read. A second later and the chamber, if not all of the ruins, where filled with the sound of papyrus.
"HUMAN! THIS HERE IS THE FIRST STEP TO RETURNING TO MY ABODE. NOW, WATCH AND BE AMAZED AS I, PUZZLE MASTER PAPYRUS EXTRAORDINAIRE-". And as papyrus spoke, he began moving over some of the buttons on the floor in a seemingly random, if not zig zagging pattern, until he was standing next to the lever on the doors right.
"SOLVE THE FIRST OF MANY PUZZLES!" He finished by moving back to the middle of the room where he had been previously.
"YOU SEE HUMAN, THE RUINS ARE FILLED TO THE BRIM WITH TRICKS AND TRAPS, A STAPLE OF BOTH MONSTER SECURITY AND ENTERTAINMENT".
"BUT DESPAIR NOT HUMAN, FOR I'M SURE YOU'LL GET USED TO THEM IN A JIFFY! HOWEVER, IF YOU'RE EVER HAVING TROUBLE WITH A PARTICULARLY HARD ONE, JUST LET ME KNOW AND MASTER TRAPPER PAPYRUS WILL SHOW YOU THE ANSWER!" Papyrus said with a flare of confidence, which they answered with a quick nod and a smile. It seemed his energy was rubbing off on them already.
"It better not be, your already energetic enough". Invisi-Bill stated, and was promptly ignored for there efforts.
"I will not be ignored!"
Getting back on track, they followed papyrus to the previously locked door, but stopped from going through unlike papyrus, and instead looked to the sign from before and…
"I can't read this". The child stated.
"Wait, what do you mean you can't read it? I can read it perfectly". Invisi-Bill answered back.
"You can? Well… what's it say?" They asked.
"You really can't read it? Huh, well it says, um…". A few seconds of silence passed before they spoke once more in a boisterous voice.
"Only the fearless may proceed. Brave ones, foolish ones. Both walk not the middle path". Invisi-Bill finished dramatically.
"Well that's… confusing. What do you think it means?" The child asked their boisterous companion.
"Um well, maybe it the puzzles question?"
"You think so?" The child asked still very much confused.
"Probably. I mean look at the buttons on the floor. He stepped on all of them except the ones in the middle. Just like the riddle". There companion pointed out.
"Huh, I guess that makes sense… WOW, you really are a detective!" The child suddenly said, stars in their eyes.
"Well, I wouldn't say that-".
"Also, you sounded a lot like papyrus when you were reading that, are you taking notes?" The child interrupted, turning Bills proud achievement into history as they stuttered and denied the accusation.
The next room was far different than the one before hand, being more like a long hallway that ran towards the right, yet still surprisingly open. There were also small streams running through every now and then, with tiny bridges going over to avoid the water below them. Papyrus stood ahead of them, at the point where the trail veered right and where another sign had been placed.
"I SEE YOU WERE ABLE TO FOLLOW ME THROUGH THE DOOR HUMAN, MOST IMPRESSIVE! HOWEVER ANOTHER PUZZLE YET BLOCK OUR WAY, BUT QUAKE NOT HUMAN, FOR I HAVE ADDED A FEW NOTES TO HELP YOU IN YOUR PUZZLE SOLVING!" Papyrus said before moving down the path, and stopping a little ways away from a intersection that broke off left from the path and towards a lever
"Well, I suppose we have no choice". Invisi-Bill said as papyrus patiently awaited them. They then moved towards the sign that papyrus had been standing next to.
"PFFFFFFFFFFT!" Only for Invisi-Bill to try his hardest to hold in a laugh of epic proportions.
"What?! What's it say?!" They complained, wanting to know what was so funny.
"I-it says, "To read a sign, look at it". A second later and the child was also trying to hold in a laugh of their own.
"Thanks Papyrus". They thought to themselves after there chuckle died off.
"What about that one?" The child thought to there friend at the sign on the wall in front of them.
"Huh? Oh, I didn't even see that one. Hold on just one sec". Invisi-Bill said before a couple seconds later went by and...
"It says". Invisi-Bill began, sounding farther away than normal.
"Stay on the path- oh screw you!". Bill cried out in sudden annoyance.
"Wait, that's really what it says?" They thought back while attempting to stifle another laugh.
"Yes, it does. Stupid sign.". There companion said with what sounded like a pout. They then decided to move down the trail, and when it ended they broke off to the left and towards the lever on the wall, but as they it approached they noticed that it was both surrounded by arrows and had writing to its left.
"Well?" They asked there companion.
"Yeah yeah one seconds, it's a long one. It says, "You look at the switch hesitantly, it could be a trap after all! Well worry not human, for I, Puzzle Master Papyrus, assure you that this is indeed a real switch! Now please pull it", -Papyrus". There comrade finished.
"So… should I pull it?". They asked hesitantly.
"I don't see why not".
"Weren't you the one who said not to trust them?" The asked accusingly.
"Oh yeah, I forgot about that".
"Already?!"
"Look, it doesn't look like he's going to let us pass until you pull it, might as well huh?" They reasoned back.
"Fine". They finished with a huff before grabbing the lever and pulling it down. They honestly didn't know what to expect, but a loud clicking sound resounding around them… was one of them.
"Really?"
"It's a lever, of course it's going to at least make a sound when pulled". They argued
"I suppose you've got a point there". Invisi-Bill conceded. They than began moving back towards the path, noticing that papyrus had moved farther along it and had stopped in front of a set of large and very pointy spikes.
"Hey, do you think those levers lower those spikes?" They asked their partner as they once again left the main trail to follow another one leading to not one, but two levers! Though only one had arrows surrounding it, with more writing to the left of it.
"Probably". Invisi-Bill answered with the sound of a shrug going off.
"Let me guess, I need to read it?" There partner asked as they stood in front of the levers.
"Yes please". They answered back politely.
"I can already tell this is going to get annoying fast". Invisi-Bill muttered as the child continued smiling.
"Alright, so it says, Oh no! Now there's two levers! The horror! But worry not Human, for I swear that those arrows are righteous, and that they are the correct ones! They wouldn't dare lie, especially to a friend! So please Human, reward them with trust! -Papyrus". There partner finished with another puff.
"He sure likes to see his own writing, huh". Invisi-Bill asked.
" I think it's adorable". They answered as they reached out and pulled the left lever.
"WELL DONE HUMAN! YOU'VE PASSED THE PUZZLE JUST AS I KNEW YOU COULD! NOW TO THE NEXT PUZZLE, AWAY!" Papyrus said as he moved on through the now retracted spikes and into the beyond.
"Called it". They told their companion as they made there way for the open entrance.
"Yeah yeah, whatever".
"Someone sounds jealous".
"I'm not jealous, it was an easy thing to guess is all so I don't think there's a need to brag". The ghost answered with a huff.
"So you're jealous".
"I hate you"
"And I love you!". They answered back with a sweet smile. There attention was brought back to reality however when they finally entered the next room, with this one being the most roomy of the rooms.
"That doesn't make sense". Invisi-Bill commented.
"Shush you, I wasn't done".
The room was fairly square, with supports on the corners of the wall to there right. The path diverted left quickly however, towards another door flanked by vines on each side. The only object in the room being some kinda training dummy… or something. The head was weird.
"Ain't that the truth". There companion agreed before the ruins were filled once more with the echo that was papyrus.
"HUMAN! UNDERSTAND THAT I WOULD NEVER HURT A FLY, HOWEVER, I CANNOT SAY THAT EVERYONE YOU MEET WHILE BE THE SAME. THERE MAY COME A TIME WHERE YOU MAY HAVE TO FIGHT." Papyrus said to both five feet from there left and there growing worry. They had yet to meet anyone else down here after all, and yet not only was papyrus saying that there were others, but that they might try to hurt them like flowey tried?
"HOWEVER HUMAN, THIS IS EASILY FIXED!"
"It is!?" Invisi-Bill thought out loud.
"NOW LISTEN CLOSELY TO WHAT I'M ABOUT TO SAY". They nodded as he spoke.
"IF EVER A MONSTER APPROACHES YOU, I WANT YOU…".
"Yes". Invisi-Bill asked in sudden anticipation.
"TO LOOK OVER AT THE MONSTER THAT APPROACHED YOU..."
"Yes". Invisi-Bill answered back again in.
"AND DO ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!"
"YES- Wait, what did he say?!" Invisi-Bill shouted from waited breath to absolute confusion.
"I WILL COME SAVE YOU FROM IDLE CHATTER, SO THERE'S NO NEED TO WORRY ABOUT ANYTHING AT ALL HUMAN!"
"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard!" Invisi-Bill cried out to know one.
"I know you can hear me!".
"HERE, WHY DON'T YOU PRACTICE ON THIS DUMMY? THEY ARE EXPERTS AT DOING NOTHING AFTER ALL". Papyrus suggested as he made his way over to the dummy in question.
"And what would I be practicing exactly? How to not speak?" The child asked to someone in particular.
"Your already good on that end, I mean hell, you could barely form sentences when we first met". There partner answered back with snicker.
"That's because I thought I was being haunted!"
"Whatever helps you sleep scaredy cat, but I would go practice it anyways. There's something I want to try after all".
"Really? Well in that case…" They then quickly made there way over to the dummy… and then proceeded to stand in front of said dummy. And then do nothing. And continue to do nothing. Yet before the nothingness could drown them in a tide of nothing, not nothing happened, which is to say something happened. The same something that happened when flowey seemingly drew out there soul. Simply put, the world dulled and all color was replaced with nothing but black and white, and once more there chest glowed red as a heart appeared in its appropriate color. Yet unlike before, something else came into their field of view, something unexpected.
"Whoa!" The child said as they looked at the four hovering boxes and stat bar floating in front of them.
"I know right? I didn't think that would work!" Their partner answered back gleefully.
"Wait, you did this? How?"
"Well, i'm not entirely sure. All I know is that when flowey did this weird effect, I felt a bit more… there, I think is the word. And after you got hurt, I was worried that I wouldn't be able to help you like I promised. So when papyrus said we were going to fight the dummy, I was hoping that heed do this thing that flowey did, and he did!" There partner answered back with excitement.
"Ok, that's really cool but how are you doing this, and what even is this?" They asked, now more confused than surprised.
"Well, since it doesn't seem like I can interact with the world, I thought of the next thing I could do to help you, ant that was this!"
"Boxes?"
"No you idiot- well yes actually, but there not JUST boxes, their there to help you stay organized and to help you know your options. Battles can get intense, so it's best if your always aware of what you can and can't do".
"Oh, now I get it. But wait, how do you know any of that?" They asked now once again confused.
"I... Have no idea". Invisi-Bill responded, sounding quite perplexed in the process.
"Oh, um, what's this yellow bar? You know, with the numbers and the HP next to it?" They quickly asked in an attempt to distract there friend.
"It's your life, duh".
"Which means...". The child asked back even more confused.
"It means that should that number ever drop to or below zero, you'll die".
"Oh". The child respond, not entirely comfortable with how low the number was-
"Wait, why twenty?" They suddenly asked. And Immediately regretted it.
"I don't know ok? It just felt right was all". There companion responded somewhat angrily.
"I'm sorry Invisi-Bill, I didn't mean to upset you". The child responded somewhat sadly.
"What-? No, you have nothing to apologize for. Its me who should be apologizing for taking my frustration out on you is all. I just hate feeling like I should know something, yet not know why at the same time". They angrily explained away until they seemed to run out of there metaphorical steam.
"It's alright, I forgive you!" The child answered back with a bright smile.
"You bounce back quickly don't you?"
"Yup! Grudges only make people sad and angry, so there's no need for them. Now then,what's this Lv One thing about?" The child asked quickly and innocently.
"Huh? Oh right, that. Yeah, i'm not really sure in all honesty. And before you ask, it was something flowey said that made me think of it. More specifically, the thing about gaining Love. I'm not really sure if its real or anything, of if we'll even use it, by why not huh?" Invisi-Bill explained, silencing most of the follow up questions the child indeed had in the process.
"And before you ask, i'll explain the stupid boxes". Invisi-Bill quickly added as there partner raised there metaphorically hand up, only to slowly raise it back down.
"The FIGHT box is simple, just click it if you want to punch someone and i'll help you find the best time to do it." Invisi-Bill explained to a now… almost sour faced child.
"I don't like that box". They said while angrily pouting.
"Then don't use it you baby, I just added it incase we do need it ok".
"Fine… still not going to use it though… and i'm not a baby-!"
"MOVING ON". Invisi-Bill proclaimed loudly, already getting the feeling that if they pushed there partner anymore they may very well burst into tears.
"The ACT button is for doing things like, well acting or looking. Maybe you want to talk, or check someone out-". Invisi-Bill most certainly tried their best to ignore the suggestive grin that sprouted over the child's face.
"-In which case you would use this button. The Items button is also pretty simple, just use it if you need to use an item, like food for instance-."
"Why wood I eat food if someone was trying to talk or… fight me?" The child asked while also interrupting there partners speech-.
"Oh! My bad, please carry on". The child suddenly said, interrupting their own thoughts in the process.
"AS I WAS SAYING! The Items box is for items. I don't know why you would eat food in combat, or a conversation, it was just an example ok? Now, the final button, the MERCY button, I made for you. Cause you know, you seem to like that sort of thing a lot. So there you go-"
"THANK YOU INVISI-BILL! Your the best crime fighting detective ghost, ever!" The child loudly exclaimed in there mind. Which was followed by a couple moments of silence to the child's sudden worry before…
"Do you really mean that?" There companion suddenly asked timidly.
"Well of course I do. Why wouldn't I?" The child answered back, confused at there companions attitude.
"I don't know, but thanks anyways. I get the feeling it means more than either of use realize". Invisi-Bill elaborated.
"Of course Ghosty, ill compliment you anytime! Now, back to papyrus… and me not doing anything… like I've been doing for the last five minutes or so...".
"It's actually only been about thirty seconds".
"Wait, really? That felt like it took longer than that".
"Well, we are talking in your… head? Yeah, lets just go with that for now. Anyways, because of this weird effect going around us, I seem to be able to slow time inside your mind in order to give you all the time you need to make adequate decisions". Invisi-Bill explained once more, sounding even prouder than before.
"Oh! So you can make things go really slow forever?"
"Well, no actually. I'm starting to get a really bad headache, and in a real situation when i'm actively helping you, doing this neat trick should only be done when we have time to think, a lull you could say, so that we can plan accordingly. Or I might pass out".
"Oh, I think I get it… sorta… kinda… maybe?" The child answered in a very not-so-sure-of-themselves way.
"Meh, don't worry to much about it, i'm sure you'll get it down once we have some practice… like right now in fact. Why don't try doing something to the dummy?" Invisi-Bill suggested, sound a bit more worn out than normal.
"Oh yeah, that's why we were here to begin with huh? Alright, i'll give it a shot". And as the child looked over there new options, they remembered papyrus's advice and responded accordingly… which was to say they mentally chose the mercy option, which suddenly brought up a text box in front of their minds eye, which had two options, spare or flee. After thinking about what would happen if they turned and ran away from the dummy all of sudden, much to there companions snickering, they chose spare, which changed the choice box to a text box.
"Dummy stands around absentmindedly… what?" The child ask themselves not for the first… or last time for that matter.
"Don't worry about that, there just some personal notes I added, things I noticed and all that. You don't NEED to read them, but you might find them useful… so I guess it's up to you?" There trusted companion of a chapter and then some shyly replied.
"Wow, that's so cool! I'll make sure to read everyone of them". The child thought as the message disappeared, and now that they were concentrating on the dummy time did indeed seem to speed up, they felt the cool current from before more vividly and the dummy's swaying was far more... there than before.
And just like their partner said, the boxes and other details returned a little later, and time did seem to slow if but only a bit.
"That's so cool!" They couldn't help but comment.
"Aw, thanks". There partner said in a very embarrassed voice line. And once more they spared the dummy, with new text showing up.
"Dummy looks like its about to fall over… Really? Looks stable to me".
"Well it doesn't to me alright. These are just my notes remember, you can take them or leave them".
"Alright, alright, I trust you on this. For now". They added before once again sparing the dummy,
"Dummy tires of you aimless shenanigans- Wait, what-?" But before they could ask what that meant, the dummy did the impossible... It floated. All the way through the ceiling and into the light above… somehow.
It was at this moment that they decided to finally look over at papyrus, who had been silently watching them this whole time only to find… a text box with the words-.
"Papyrus seems pleased with you!" Hovering below papyrus himself who indeed looked very pleased at the situation.
"What just happened?" They asked anyone in hopes of getting something that made sense as an answer.
"Don't ask me, I just comment on it". There useless companion commented back.
"Useless?! Well, lets see if I ever help you again-". But before a vow of vengeance could be made, another text box showed up.
"YOU WON! You earned Zero XP and Zero Gold- wait, I can get gold?!" The child gleefully cheered.
"I don't know, maybe? Until I know what you can get, i'll just leave it at gold for now". The Ghost explained with the tact of an Anti-Air cannon, obliterating the child's dream of wealth in an exploding ball of flame.
But before They could add anything more to the situation above, Papyrus decided to remind them and everything else in a ten kilometer radiance now that he was, in fact still there. First by seemingly stopping whatever effect was dulling the world and allowing them to use there neat tricks, as evident by the text box fading away. The second was, well, just Papyrus being Papyrus.
"CONGRATULATIONS HUMAN! YOU DID ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!"
"Oh if only you knew". Invisi-Bill added.
"NOW LET'S GET A MOVE ON HUMAN, WE STILL HAVE A WAYS TO GO!" Papyrus added before moving through the door behind him, and after a quick, loving shake of there head, they to followed after, no longer worried about what would lay before them. Fools.
Hello everyone who somehow found this story and decided to read pass chapter 1, I've got… not that much to say honestly. First, let me start with something I realized I should have explained last chapter, which is to say what I think about Frisk and Chara. Or more specifically, there gender to those who care. As you've (probably) noticed, i'm trying to stick with the ambiguous pronouns, mostly because it opens some fun options later, and i'm trying to stick to the original Undertales basics as much as I can. However, I should note that I personally see both Frisk and Chara as girls (Though one is most certainly a tomboy in my Minds eye, i'll let you guess which one). Because of this, If for some reason you ever read a line that states either one or the other as a girl, that's simply because I was mindlessly typing away and accidentally inserted my own thoughts into the line. As for my explanation to the UI of Undertale, I hope you all enjoyed it. Headcanon is best canon after all. Let's see here… Other then that I think that's all folks! If you have a question, please either PM me, or review and I will get back to you as fast I can! Peace.
