I am gonna work as fast as I freaking can to get this chapter done. Why? Because I want to have it done in time to post it hopefully on my birthday. If you're reading this when it was just posted…

Happy birthday to me! Here's your present! BECAUSE LOGIC

Hope you all enjoy!


ProtectorTale Ch.3


AJ quickly grew frustrated with being pinned down by the frog. He jumped to the side to dodge another attack, but this time he grabbed the frog's tongue and gripped it tightly. He pulled hard and swung the frog around him before letting go with a shout and throwing the frog into its friend, with both of them flying into the wall.

"And don't ever mess with us again!" He shouted threateningly. Both frogs looked up at him in fear before fleeing the area. "I like that! We aren't hurt, badly, and I didn't have to kill the monsters either!" He said with a smile.

"I guess…" Frisk said hesitantly. "I wish they didn't have to get hurt though."

"The monsters don't care about hurting us, you know." He pointed out.

"Yeah, you're right. As long as everyone lives in the end, I'll be happy." Frisk said with a smile before walking down the path. She quickly became sidetracked by a pile of red leaves. She jumped into the pile and disappeared, the leaves rustling as she rolled around in them. "Determination!" She shouted and giggled.

'Well she's having fun.' He thought and smiled. He could only hope that they would find ways to keep having fun until they got back to the surface.

He walked over to the room they would have gone in if they had taken a left turn. It was a dead end, but there was a stand with a bowl of candy on it. He could still see Frisk from through the doorway, thankfully. He walked around the bowl so he could look over it and keep an eye on Frisk while he took some candy from the bowl. The bowl fell over and all the candy he hadn't taken shattered on contact with the ground. "Oops." He couldn't care less for broken shards of sugar covered treats on the dirty floor, so he left the room.

"Hey, Frisk." Frisk stopped playing and looked up at him. "Do you like candy?" He asked.

Stars appeared in her eyes as she saw the items in his hand. "Yes!" She said immediately.

He chuckled. "Well here you go then." He said before holding out his hand which held three pieces of candy which she took in an instant. "Hey don't eat them all at once or you might get sick." He said quickly.

She stopped just as she was about to unwrap one of them. "Okay." She said hesitantly. "I'll save them for later." She put them in her pocket.

"Hey, what did you call that frog thing again?" He asked her as he crouched down to her level since she was sitting down in the leaves.

"Huh?" She asked, confused, and tilted her head slightly. "Oh! Froggit!" She remembered.

"Yeah… why did you call it that?" He asked, confused and curious.

"Um… I'm giving a name for every monster we meet!" She answered with a cheery smile he was starting to associate with her. She just had this carefree happiness that existed whenever she was happy, and even if she wasn't happy, it was so easy for her to go back to being happy. He hated optimists, but he couldn't hate this kid, it was too late for that. Besides, she was too adorable.

"What if that monster has a name already?" He asked just to see her reaction.

She seemed to think about it for a second. "Hm… Well, if they have a name, then they can just say their real name." She decided.

He chuckled lightly. "Fair enough." He said before standing up and starting to walk on. "It's your choice to be rude."

"I am not being rude." She argued with puffed out cheeks. She noticed a branch in the leaves and she picked it up before following him. "Now I have a weapon, just like you!" She said proudly.

He turned around and saw her holding a stick and gave her a deadpan stare. 'There is literally no way that will work, don't kid yourself, kid.' He took the branch, put it over his leg, and chopped it with his machete. It bounced off. He stared at the branch with wide eyes. "Whoa! That thing is tough!"

"Uh huh! Only the toughest stick will do for me!" Frisk said as if she had chosen this branch over a different one.

He rolled his eyes and held back a smirk at her behavior. "It's still a stick."

They got to the end of the room and went to take the door to their left when a small winged monster flew out of the room and stopped just in front of them. Both parties froze for a second before the older human reached for his weapon in case he needed to use it. The monster let out a shout of fear before going past them, crying as it flew away. Both humans blinked twice before looking at each other, highly confused and also unsure that that just happened. Having no other choice but to continue, they moved on to the next room, which was simply a straight hall with a row of red leaves in the middle of it.

The walk down the hall was peaceful until the floor broke below the leaves and the boy fell. He landed on his side roughly, and was finding it really weird that that barely hurt and that the pain was already gone.

"Are you okay!?" Frisk shouted down the hole, concerned.

He stood up easily and looked up at her, slightly confused. "Yeah."

"D-Do I need to jump down?" She asked, looking around for something to help her friend up. Suddenly AJ climbed out of a hole in the wall nearby and rolled back into the hall.

"Nope! There was a spot for me climb back up." He answered as he stood up and dusted himself off. She took his hand and they continued out of the hall.

"Hey, for the next monster we fight, can you try saying something nice to it?" Frisk asked.

"Ugh. Why?" He groaned. "You agree with me that we can't always be perfectly peaceful. Sometimes we have to fight, Frisk." She opened her mouth to argue. "Look, I'm trying not to kill anyone, since you and Toriel don't want that, but I don't want to get hurt trying to be nice. I've had that happen to me enough." He said depressingly.

"I know but you need to learn how to be nice!" She argued.

"I know how to be nice." He countered and crossed his arms.

"Then do it! The next monster we fight, you have to be nice to!" She challenged him.

His brow rose in amusement. "You aren't going to get me to do something to maintain my pride." He went to walk forward and a frog jumped in front of them. "But I will take care of this one as peacefully as possible since it decided to have such convenient timing." It's tongue shot out and hit him in the chest. "Ah! Nevermind!" He pulled out his machete and rushed his opponent.

The fight ended with him covered in bruises.

"You see this, Frisk?" He asked, pointing at himself with an angry frown. "This is what happens when I do things the nice way. It actually cracked my soul! It actually was really hurting me!"

"All you had to say was 'you look nice today'." She pointed out as she searched her pockets while he sat down to rest a moment.

"I did!" He pointed out.

"You kicked it in the face after that!"

"It kept attacking me!"

"You didn't say it sincerely enough!"

"Whatever! I'm done doing things the nice way…" He grumbled out and looked away from her at the rest of the room.

There was a wall of spikes in the way again. The only other things in the room were a rock, a plate on the floor, and a sign on the wall.

Frisk let out a sad sigh. "You shouldn't give up so fast… Here."

"Why are you giving me candy?" He asked, confused.

"It'll make you feel better!" She answered and smiled encouragingly.

He noticed a similarity and chuckled, despite the pain. "Frisk, this isn't a video game." She didn't waver. "I don't even like candy."

"Just take it!" She insisted.

He rolled his eyes. "Fine. If it'll make you happy." He grumbled quietly so that she didn't hear. He unwrapped the candy and chewed it quickly. It wasn't licorice, but it wasn't that bad. His eyes widened in shock as he felt the pain go away. He looked at her and she just giggled at the look on his face. He even looked down at his Soul and saw the small crack the 'Froggit' had created was gone. "Holy-"

He was cut off by the phone in Frisk's pocket ringing. She put it on speaker and answered. "Hello?"

"Hello. This is Toriel." Toriel said.

"Who else would it be?" AJ mouthed out, making Frisk chuckle a bit.

"Are you two doing well?" Toriel asked.

Seeing as he has now come to the conclusion that they have video game powers… "Yep!" The boy answered.

"Mhm!" Frisk hummed.

"Good! I am glad!" Toriel said happily. "Um… for no reason in particular… which do you two prefer? Cinnamon, or butterscotch?" She asked.

"Butterscotch!" Frisk answered immediately.

"Well I've never had butterscotch, but I've had cinnamon, so… cinnamon." AJ answered.

"Ah, I see. Thank you very much." Toriel said politely before hanging up.

"Uhhhh…" Frisk looked at him with a confused but thoughtful look.

"Is she…?" His look was more thoughtful, but they both had the same thought.

The phone rang again.

"Hello? This is Toriel. You do not dislike cinnamon, do you, Frisk?" Toriel asked.

"Um… no." Frisk answered. "Cinnamon is ok."

"Good!" Toriel responded. "And AJ, would you be willing to try something new, such as butterscotch, if it was on your plate?"

It would have been so easy to say no, like he wanted to, but if Toriel was making something for them, he would have no choice but to put up with it and try whatever she makes. Who knows, maybe he'll even like it? "If I had to, I would try butterscotch, sure." He answered.

"Wonderful! Thank you for being patient, both of you." Toriel thanked before she hung up again.

The two humans looked at each other.

"She is so making something for us." He said as if it was fact, which it might as well be.

"I know! I'm so excited!" Frisk squealed. She jumped to a standing position to try and figure out how to get past the spikes. She wanted to see what Toriel was doing as soon as possible.

AJ stood up as well and looked at the sign on the wall. " 'Three out of four grey rocks recommend you push them.' That is oddly specific." He noted.

Frisk pushed the large rock onto the plate and the spikes retracted into the floor. "Yes! Let's go!" She shouted before once again trying to drag him into the next room. Another winged monster blocked their path. "Hi Whimsun!" Frisk greeted. The creature flew away crying, just like the last one.

"I get the feeling those monsters don't want to fight." AJ commented.

"Poor thing."

"I have to agree with you there."

The next room was wide and filled with leaves.

"Well I no longer trust these red leaves, who knows what's under them? Spikes? No thank you!" The older human spoke.

"Well how else do we get by them?" The younger human asked.

They both looked around and found that there was literally nothing else in the room besides a fall waiting to happen.

"Alright… let's just walk really slowly and carefully." AJ decided. They both walked very slowly over the leaves, hearing the floor crack under them with each step. Occasionally the floor would collapse next to them in one spot, revealing that there were no spikes under them, thankfully. "Wait… is there a path below us?" He asked.

They both looked down the holes and into the room below them. There they saw more leaves, but they made the shape of a path. "Oh yeah, it is." Frisk realized.

"Normally I wouldn't think this, but Toriel mentioned puzzles, so… What if the path below us is how we get through without falling?" He wondered.

Frisk gasped in realization. "That would make sense!"

They both began prodding the floor around them, moving the leaves and braking the floor, allowing them to see below them and see the path. They walked directly above the path as they broke the floor around them and they were able to get through without falling and possibly being trapped.

Frisk cheered and they both high fived before they went into the next room. More spikes awaited them, as well as three plates, and three more rocks.

"Oh no." AJ whined.

"What?" Frisk asked.

" 'Three out of four grey rocks…', remember?" He said. "We pushed one, and here's three more. What's the fourth one gonna do?"

"Maybe it'll just be a bit mad?" Frisk guessed.

"Maybe it'll attack us." He pointed out before walking up to the first rock. "Alright. Please cooperate." He said before pushing the large rock onto the plate. "Ok, good." He pushed the second one.

Suddenly, a large thing of gelatin hopped over in front of him. 'How exactly is this monster going to attack me?'

It wiggled.

Frisk giggled and wiggled back.

'What a meaningful conversation…' AJ mentally deadpanned.

The slime moved on.

He looked at her with a confused expression. "How do you even?"

"I don't know! I just do what I feel I should do!" Frisk answered with a grin.

'Officially enjoying herself a bit too much.' He and Frisk both stepped up to the third rock. "No, Frisk, step back." He requested. She stepped back before he braced himself and put his hands on the rock.

"WHOA there, pardner! Who said you could push me around?"

AJ jumped back and looked at the rock. "U-Um…" He wasn't really expecting Frisk to be right and didn't know what to do if it didn't attack them.

"Can you please move over for us?" Frisk asked politely as she stepped up much closer than her guardian was comfortable with.

"Hmm? So you're askin' me to move over?" The rock spoke. "Okay, just for you, pumpkin." The rock moved slightly towards the plate on the floor.

Frisk walked up to it again. "Mr. Rock, could you please move over some more?" She asked politely.

"Hmm? You want me to move some more?" The rock asked.

AJ huffed in annoyance and crossed his arms. 'So the nice way works for her, but it only gets me hurt? Okay.' He thought irritably.

"Alrighty, how's this?" The rock moved the wrong way.

"Huh? Oh, no Mr. Rock, not that way!" Frisk said, maintaining her playful vibe.

"Hmm? That was the wrong direction? Oh okay, I think I got it." The rock moved onto the plate.

"Yeah! Thank you, Mr. Rock!" Frisk thanked before they went to walk past the spikes and leave the room.

The spikes returned before they could leave.

""What?""

AJ spun around and glared at the rock before walking up to it. "Now listen here you little-" He cut himself off and let out a slow breath. "Sorry, but we kind of need you to stay on the plate."

"Hmm? You wanted me to stay there?" The rock asked.

"Yes!" The human half-shouted.

"You're giving me a real workout!" The rock commented before moving back onto the plate.

He backed up slowly and glared at the rock threateningly till he was passed the spikes. Once he knew they were safe, he took Frisk's hand and they continued on.

"You see, AJ? You don't have to always start off with fighting. You just have to try harder! Be sincerely nice! Not all these monsters want to just hurt us!" Frisk said, her cheerful smile never leaving.

Through the doorway they found a long hall. As they walked through they came across a table with cheese on it.

AJ blinked twice at the random object in the otherwise empty hall. "Why?" He asked aloud.

"Determination cheese…" Frisk whispered in awe before trying to take the cheese. It seemed to be stuck to the table, because she couldn't take it.

"Oh, look, there's a mouse hole here." The boy noted as he crouched next to the opposing wall.

A small squeek came from the hole.

"I believe in you, mouse! One day you'll get that cheese! You just have to have DETERMINATION!" Frisk shouted confidently.

The older human stopped to briefly question the sanity of the adorable child, but then he remembered that he had decided he was insane a couple years ago, so they simply continued on.


Gonna have to end the chapter here unfortunately. I kinda gotta focus on school work tomorrow (Yay procrastination!), then the next day the Division comes out, then the day after that it's my birthday so my parents are gonna force me to do stuff since it's a special day. (Yeah but it's MY special day, so I should have the choice to do nothing!) And at some point I'm gonna have to stop what I'm doing to post this for you guys… oh crap I hope I don't forget… DIDN'T FORGET

Anyway, for the next chapter, we'll meet Napstablook, and who knows what else we'll do!?

And I would just like to say real quick that I am loving all the follows and favs that I've gotten after only two chapters. Best 'welcome to the fanfic side of this fandom' that I've ever gotten! Once again I apologize for the almost inevitable disappointment. XD

Hope you enjoyed my birthday present to you all and I hope you all have a great week.