May 16th, 2020: Earth
Mettaton tapped his foot impatiently, waiting for the elevator to descend into the depths of Alphys's basement.
"Honestly," he grumbled, sweeping away a strand of black hair that had fallen to his face. "What's wrong with stairs? An elevator's no good if I want to be in a hurry, now is it?"
It certainly felt like an eternity before there was the quiet ding and the doors opened. The moment he could squeeze through, he bolted down the hallway towards the metal double-doors leading into the lab.
He paused when he reached them however, running his fingers through his hair and straightening himself. It wouldn't do for a star to be seen rushing in like a madman, would it? No, he needed to make an… entrance.
Once he was satisfied, he pushed both doors open at once, bursting into the lab
"Oh, Darlings, I heard the news!" he cried dramatically. "It's… it's…" He faltered and his eyes widened at the sight before him, his mouth hanging slightly agape.
"Oh gods…" he moaned. "It's even worse than I could have imagined… Neo, what on earth happened to you!?"
The weary, battered robot glanced up from where he was working. "Hmm, do you want me to begin with the rifles? The machine guns? Or maybe the magic attacks? Or would you like me to go straight to the Abominations? All of those are very good places to start." There was a brief glimmer of amusement, but the weariness was evident.
"I just brought you back into working order!" Mettaton gestured to Alphys, who was standing at the table in the middle of the lab, trying to weld a few pieces of metal together.
"She was in the fight and she doesn't look like she lost an argument with a bear!"
"Y-you should see my suit…" the reptile murmured wryly, not even turning her head toward them.
"Hush, dear, I'm ranting!" Mettaton informed her, almost indignantly.
"I now begin to see how Blooky feels when I reprimand them for getting into trouble," Neo mused.
Mettaton put a hand on his hips, all but glowering at Neo.
"It's going to take me minutes to get you back into working order, at least," he informed his counterpart. "I was going to use those for my beauty sleep!"
"At least you have time for beauty sleep, Mettaton," the battered robot replied.
"Not anymore," the star groused, eyeing Neo up and down. "Honestly…"
"Believe me, it's not like I wanted to be shot up," Neo grumbled. "On the bright side, I'm still online."
"Well, at least that's something," Mettaton allowed. "Still. You are not allowed on any more rescue missions until further notice, understood?"
The battered one gave a snort. "Tell the other Darlings to not get kidnapped until further notice then we'll see how well that turns out, hm?"
"Plenty of others to stage a rescue it that happens, hmm? No need for your personal involvement. Besides, what will they do if something happens to you, Darling?"
"True, true. I wouldn't really go if we had another kidnapping here-but I rather avoid the fuss all together. We're all due for a vacation from organizations."
"I-i'll second that!" Alphys called, earning a laugh from Mettaton.
"I think we can all agree on that one." The robot ran his fingers through his hair, sighing dramatically. "All of this stress will make my hair fall out at this rate…"
"Ah, the flair for the dramatics," Neo replied. "If only I had the energy." There was a chuckle. "Though Alphys might shoo us both out if that was to occur. I'm told one Mettaton at full capacity is somehow enough for those around me." The words were humored. "Or at least, so Gerson claims."
"Gerson is a stick-in-the-mud," Mettaton replied dismissively. "If he doesn't like it, he can put his head in a bucket or something."
Alphys giggled at the thought.
"He's not the muddiest stick I've ever had to deal with," Neo assured. "As I'm sure Ivara will love to tease about."
"Ivara?" Mettaton questioned, looking around for a moment and finding a steel folding chair that he pulled from the wall and sat himself down in.
Neo paused. "Another difference? She and her brother are the two who ferry Monsters in the underground."
"N-not here…" Alphys murmured, finally raising her head. "Here it's just Undyne's mother who does it… and her name is Charon."
"Well Ivara is certainly not that…all these odd little differences. It's like someone used the same broad strokes with our world, but then gave it two other people to paint in the details. ...and such a confusing mess they've made."
"An interesting way of putting it," Mettaton mused. "I see you still have a bit of the poetic in you, hmm?"
"As dull as that blade is, right now, I can still manage a few sparks."
"I suppose we shall have to fix your wit as well as your body once everything calms down a bit, hmm?" Mettaton leaned forward in his chair. "Speaking of, why don't you tell me exactly what happened down there?"
"Alphys, Darling, do you want in on the storytelling, or shall I take on the challenge?"
"Y-you're better at it than me…
"Well Darlings, it sounds like that was quite the mess." Mettaton leaned back in his chair, one leg crossed over the other. "I can hardly believe what happened to Frisk…"
"You're not the only one," Alphys muttered, not looking up from where she was using the welding torch to connect an arm to the chassis that would soon be Chara's new body. "I'm just glad it all worked out…"
Neo leaned back from the reptile. "And it's going to work out even more once this download finishes," he replied, a bit of a smirk coming to him.
"Oh, you have no idea, Darling." A wicked grin spread across the superstar's face."I have plans for those horrid Humans. Though to be honest, it would be better they surrender themselves to me before Muffet gets her hands on them."
Neo raised a brow. "Somehow, I don't think we should let our Muffets meet right now." There was a chuckle. "Lest we want a little bloodshed for entertainment."
"My dear Muffet is a businesswoman," Mettaton chuckled fondly. "And she makes a powerful enemy. She will be instrumental in bringing down any remnants of Overwatch and their backers, I can assure you."
"The sooner the better," Alphys mumbled. "We got lucky this time, I don't want to risk something like this again."
"I see us all in the same boat there, Darling," Neo assured. "If I never see another remnant of those organizations, it'll be too soon."
"Agreed." Mettaton cast his glance over to the table where Alphys and Neo worked, brushing his hair out of his eyes for a moment. "How is the body coming along?"
Alphys put her torch to the side and placed both hands on the arm she'd just attached, sending pulses of electrical magic through it.
"It… it should be ready soon," she assured, pausing for a moment to push her glasses back up her snout. "Maybe another week or so at most. I've made some improvements, and some additions… I think we should be able to avoid… what happened before this time."
"I'm sure Kid will be delighted to have her in a physical form again," Mettaton nearly purred, mischief twinkling in his eye.
Neo gave a soft sound of amusement. "Oh, as if you have to im-" There was a sudden pause as his eyes dulled, before sparking back to life, the smirk returning. "Well, well, Darlings, do I have news."
Mettaton rose swiftly, arching a brow at his counterpart.
"Well, don't go leaving us in suspense, Darling."
"The download is finished," Neo confirmed. "Who wants a list of names to hunt down?"
"Oh, believe me. I am all ears."
"Well, if you two are going to be looking at that," Alphys began, "Then you should probably find somewhere else to work on it. I've still got a lot of work to do here…"
"Oh, I think I have just the place, darlings." Mettaton smiled at his counterpart and ran a hand through his hair before offering his other hand to Neo dramatically.
"Shall we?"
May 19th, 2020: Earth
Neo glanced at the others sitting at the dining table in the foreign Dreemurr's home. Vigil, Sans, Grillby, Frisk, and Rex all gazed toward him as he spoke. "And that's just the tip of the iceberg, honestly," the robot replied, folding his hands. "We cut off the head of this snake, but we'll have to deal with the rest of them swiftly before they get any clever ideas in their heads."
Sans snorted in amusement.
"Yeah, cause all the ideas they've had so far have been real zingers."
"Perhaps not," Vigil murmured, the glow in his visor dimming slightly. "Yet they are still more than capable of causing trouble. This is a wound that will fester if not dealt with properly."
"We do have to proceed with caution," Grillby warned. "There are still Humans with magic, and that…" There was a harsh snap in his flames. "Red Eye is still on the loose. If the wrong group bumps into that man…"
Sans narrowed his sockets.
"Yeah, he musta gotten away… who knows who else he might have taken with him. Remind me… Red Eyes are the time-stoppers, yes?"
Grillby nodded. "We're not sure of his full range, but he can alter the flow in a radius around him."
"He could freeze a whole factory area," the little fusion mumbled. "From William's report…" Their left eye glowed. "He can't be stopped by another's time altering either, but…" There was a smile that wasn't quite the child's. "If he can't use the magic, he'll be at a disadvantage. Such is the way of Red Eyes, it would seem."
"So he doesn't have magic outside of the time stopping power?" Sans questioned, leaning forward on his chair and looking to the little Frisk intently.
Frisk shook their head. "Humans on our side only use the magic that correlates with their eye color. If his time magic is useless, then he is on the same level as your own Humans with magic. He won't have any…extra tricks magic wise. Not while some other time stopper can disrupt him."
Sans's smile seemed to turn dark.
"Well then… it's a good thing I wasn't planning on sitting this one out anyways. I've got a few tricks of my own."
"It will be good to have you along, Lord Sans," Vigil intoned.
"Damn it, Vigil…"
Grillby's flames crackled lightly. "You wouldn't object to my company would you?" he asked-his gaze landing on the fusion's bandaged hands. "I wouldn't mind getting my hands on that one if we find him."
"The more the merrier," the Shifter replied. "Overwatch will be slippery, but they are running out of places to hide. I have been receiving reports from my brethren worldwide… they are just waiting on this side's Mettaton for the information needed to fall on the rest of them."
"Speaking of, was there anything else you two learned?" Sans asked Neo. "I heard from Napstablook that Mettaton's language has been a little… extra colorful recently."
Neo chuckled. "Well, my counterpart learned that an actor he's worked with was...part of Overwatch. Needless to say, he's blown a gasket and is dead set on eliminating everything connected to said actor."
"Uh-oh," the fusion murmured, covering their face as their tail coiled into their lap.
Sans sighed.
"Can't say I blame him. That must have come as a shock."
"It is a revelation I have had far too often," Vigil muttered, his tail lashing behind him in agitation for a moment.
Frisk stared intently down at the table, their hands clenching at their legs, digging into the cloth as they trembled harshly, while Grillby's flames snapped angrily. "It is hardly a pleasant one," the elemental stated-his tone even, but with a dangerous edge to it.
"So then," Sans looked around the table for a moment before continuing. "This is the plan then? The three of us going out to help finish up Overwatch with whatever Shifters Vigil can conjure up?"
The robot and the elemental nodded. "We'd love to snuff the rest of their dying flames out," Neo assured...before glancing to Grillby who was quietly staring at him.
"You couldn't have chosen better words?"
"I'm running on empty, you'll have to deal with a sub-par performance."
Sans raised a socket at Neo.
"You planning to join in on this? Sounds more like you would be of more help here… and close to a recharging station."
"You have many places to take down," the robot replied. "I'm sure to be able to help in the last act, at least. Besides...there's plenty of damage I can do from here with your Mettaton about ready to rampage."
"Makes sense." Sans leaned back in his chair. "Well, I've got to stick around for a little longer, we're going to give Judgement her day soon. Once that's done though…"
"We'll be at the ready," Grillby assured, while Frisk looked up.
"Just be careful," they murmured. "They may not be able to drain your magic yet, but, I'm sure they would be trying to figure out the differences…"
"I believe the key word there is trying," Vigil began. Before he could continue, the group was startled by the sound of a yelp and a thud from the direction of the stairway, quickly followed by Toriel's frantic voice and the sound of running footsteps.
The fusion gasped, slipping out of their chair, darting over, while the others started to rise. They skidded into the living room, glancing to the stairs-with Rex hot on their heels.
On the floor at the bottom of the stairs was the other Frisk, lying in a heap of feathers on the floor with one leg sticking awkwardly up into the air. Toriel was running down the stairs after him, already nearly caught up to her son
"Frisk! Are you alright? I thought I told you you weren't ready for the stairs yet!"
The Phoenix grumbled, waving the foot stuck in the air in a vain attempt to placate his mother.
"Stupid bendy legs…"
The fusion scampered over, a softer voice rising. "Frisk-" They knelt beside him, not entirely sure how they could help now that they were there.
The bird Monster managed to get his head untangled from the rest of himself and gazed up at his mother and counterpart.
"Sorry, sorry," he muttered. "I was just trying something out and… one thing led to another…"
"Please Frisk, don't do things like this," Toriel fretted, helping the bird untangle the rest of the way so he could stand up to his full three foot height again. "You're still not used to your form at all."
"You're telling me," the boy shook himself in an attempt to flatten his feathers which was only moderately successful. "How come Kid can grow another three feet and get a pair of wings and still walk around like nothing changed?"
"Fusion…" the little one mumbled. "I...couldn't figure out my tail, so I kinda just let...Alphys guide us for a while…" They shrugged. "You feeling okay?" they asked with concern.
The Phoenix rolled his shoulders and awkwardly folded his wings behind his back, though it took a few attempts.
"I'm alright… it's mostly carpet anyways." He looked up to Toriel, somehow managing a smirk on his beak. "Guess you just had to me-proof the house huh? A lot harder than baby-proofing it…"
Toriel just shook her head in amusement and slight exasperation, while the fusion attempted to stifle a giggle. "We fear you do not give yourself enough credit-" They suddenly stepped back, their orange eye flaring up. "Sans-you are not saying that." They sighed. "Such strict rules, not allowed to have any pun-SANS!"
"Easy there, Paps," Sans chuckled, striding into the room and surveying the situation, letting a hand rest on the child's shoulder. "Don't want to wake the baby, do we?"
"Perhaps we would not have an issue if your counterpart didn't insist on tormenting him," Toriel commented drily.
Grillby chuckled as he followed them into the room. "I don't think Sans could go long without tormenting his brother." He gazed down a bit fondly as the fusion opted to rest their head against the skeleton as their souls bickered inwardly.
Sans snorted softly, then glanced over to Toriel.
"So? We gonna do the fusion today, or what?"
Toriel hesitated before nodding slowly.
"I suppose so… We must uphold our end of the bargain. Judgement seemed… very unhappy to let go of the fusion so soon."
"Well, it's not like she asked for much," Sans pointed out. "Just… that wasn't the time."
A white furred hand found the Monster Frisk's shoulder, and Toriel murmured softly;
"No, it was not."
"Hey, it's alright," Toriel's son twisted his head a little so he could rub it against her side. "It's alright, I'm here now. Everything's gonna be okay once I figure out how to walk properly in this thing…"
Rex tilted their head up. "So, yo...we're actually going to see her again? That's kinda cool. Frisk wasn't able to meet her last time."
Frisk shrugged. "Kinda hard when blindfolded…" Rex growled softly at the reminder.
Sans grinned at the children.
"Well, guess today's your lucky day then…"
