Risks for Frisk: Chapter 3
Oh, snow! It covered everything and chilled my bones as soon as the ruin doors opened.
No wonder Frisk was trembling. That dinky sweater they wore wasn't enough for this weather.
"Squahhhh!"
Cracks was full of regret. The marsh began to freeze onto his bones.
I raised a brow, surprised he wasn't even in the mood for chewing anymore.
Good. Maybe they'd be chalk left for me.
Then, I rubbed my head.
It was happening again.
Frisk was dying but no way in hell could I tell by what. The necklace had been broken off and my finger luckily hooked into Frisk's sweater.
I called on determination again. The magic intense enough to unfreeze Cracks from the marsh.
When the magic left me...I...damn.
I was back at the beginning.
My skull was still severed from my spine. My toes and carpals were way up high.
I was in pieces and had to slowly agonize on putting myself together...again.
I hoped whatever was killing Frisk stopped.
I couldn't live like this. I refused to consider the trap determination put me in.
"Squaaa~!"
Of course, Cracks was delighted. All he knew was that he suddenly wasn't freezing.
Eventually I was together again. Knowing what to expect, I didn't bother with walking.
I ran and Cracks indignantly snapped my ribs as I jostled him and the chalk.
I didn't bother getting a piece of relief now that I knew the symbol was so prominent.
I would have ran past the marsh pile too, but Cracks refused to pass it up.
"Squack."
The dumb bird was rolling in the marsh again, having apparently forgotten all about his previous trauma.
I picked up the robe again, wanting some reference of the symbol; plus, it was easy to carry.
As soon as the ruin doors opened, I began running. Even when my peg-leg groaned from the cold and Cracks angrily detested.
I had to get to Frisk before-
It happened again…
I was at the beginning, in pieces. Whatever counted as my heart broke too.
Never had my kid died so much in one day.
I was back in the snow again and was delighted to make some progress.
I managed to be in the middle of an underground forest before determination tossed me back into pieces.
I can across many traps in the forest, but being dead meant I could walk on past them all. But with each one I understood how Frisk died.
I lost count of how many times determination had thrown me back. I didn't dwell on it…couldn't...else I'd start to go crazy.
It was like being out at sea and spotting only water for days on end.
One had to occupy the mind differently and it was the same here.
I made it to a "bridge" this time; another crime-scene. The whole area looked like it'd gone through an explosion. Trees were burnt up and what remained of the bridge was just some rope.
Leaning over the ravine revealed a bunch of dangerous junk: knives, maces, gasoline?
Is this what killed my kid? I can't say I'm surprised. I would have died to that death-avalanche too.
Whoever did this to my kid was gonna face worse.
Snowdin, wow. A thriving town underground was sure a surprise. If the place was abandoned and broken it would have seemed more real.
A rabbit, bipedal, walked through the snow. I stared at them, a bit rudely.
It was insane, a monster no doubt and this town was full of em.
I saw dogs and bears. Long-necked lunatics and even tiny rock people.
I guess that chalk had to come from somewhere...
Still, I was beginning to think I died all over again.
The first building I passed had a strange smell of cinnamon and gasoline.
My finger twitched on Frisk's necklace. I still felt a pulse, but the way it suddenly sped up told me the kid was scared.
And maybe close to death.
I sighed. No point in walking anymore if determination was gonna fling me back any moment.
So I went into the shop. A purple rabbit was manning the counter and I knew I must have looked funny because they gave me a scathing .
"You have gold this time, Sans?"
How rude. I'm not sure what "Sans" was slang for but it came off as an insult all the same.
I ignored the rabbit and my attention turned to the merchandise. There was an overabundance of black and red textiles and knickknacks.
It was ridiculous! A red stuffed bunny doll was wearing a spiked collar and a black tea-set was cursed with hideous lime green polka-dots.
I had no more time to think about what I was seeing before Frisk's pulse went out.
Determination flung me. I was in pieces again.
The bright-side was that the process was taking less time.
I recalled how the rabbit store-keep mentioned "gold."
Ha, I haven't heard that word in a while.
Before, my crew and I, would've killed each other over a measly pouch of the stuff.
Now, gold was long worthless. Ships mined the stuff straight from asteroids now.
Chalk is what replaced it.
Of course, not down here, in this magical monsterland. They didn't get the memo yet.
Walking through the ruins I actually found some gold.
A few doubloons gained from squishing a few extra spider-clusters. I placed the gold in my jacket pocket, else Cracks would've chewed them right up.
I picked up the robe and Cracks had his fun in the marsh again.
This time I made it farther into town. Folks glared at me as I passed, but I thought nothing of it-these monsters looked cuddly compared to what thrived on the surface.
A place called "Grillby's" caught my attention. It smelled better than everything else, so I went in.
Immediately, all eyes were on me. It was weird, like a zoo had all the exhibits crammed together.
I pushed past the crowd and heard a few mumbling the word "Sans," whatever that meant.
The bar-counter had empty seats so I settled down.
Other patrons had a drink in hand, others eating burgers and fries. It was surreal, like I got sucked into a painting; especially, due to the fact that dogs were playing a poker game right beside me.
The bartender came out of the kitchen and approached me. He held a platter of fries and a burger. He set it down in front of me, but seemed to hesitate.
I raised a brow. I hadn't ordered it.
Did I take someone's seat? Was it just a weird business practice or culture thing here?
I stared at the bartender. He had no face and was instead living fire shaped-like a man.
I suspected this was "Grillby," which the place referred to.
I didn't touch the food, even though it looked delectable.
I didn't have time. Frisk's pulse stopped again.
I ended up going back to Grillby's. I had gold in my pocket and I wanted to see what monster cuisine was all about. This time when the bartender came out, I already had gold on the counter.
He took the gold and I felt more comfortable eating it. I even slipped Cracks a piece.
It was a good burger.
