A/N: Undertale and all related characters belong to Toby Fox.
Chapter 3: "The Burden of Responsibility"
Along the path, I saw the young monster from Snowdin…
"Yo! Are you sneaking out to see her, too? Awesome… She's the coolest, right!? I wanna be just like her when I grow up… Hey, don't tell my parents I'm here. Ha ha."
I met a red aquatic monster who showed me an echo flower (a blue, luminescent flower that could record voices).
(The sound of rushing water fills you with determination.)
I also talked to Sans, who was sitting at a station with fake snow on top.
"what? haven't you seen a guy with two jobs before? fortunately, two jobs mean twice as many legally required breaks. i'm going to grillby's. wanna come?"
"Sure…?"
"well, if you insist… i'll pry myself away from my work…"
Sans left his station.
"over here, i know a shortcut."
I followed him through an archway, and we somehow emerged at Grillby's.
Can Sans use magic to teleport? That would explain why he's always waiting for me to arrive…
"fast shortcut, huh? hey everyone."
Sans exchanged pleasantries with the other patrons before sitting at the bar. I followed, grabbing a whoopie cushion on the seat and putting it on the bar.
"whoops, watch where you sit down. sometimes weirdos put whoopee cushions on the seats."
Nice try, Sans.
"anyway, let's order. whaddya want…?"
"I'll have some fries."
"hey, that sounds pretty good. grillby, we'll have a double order of fries."
Grillby (a fire monster with glasses) left to get our order. Sans started to comb his skull with a blue comb.
"so, what do you think… of my brother?"
"I don't think he's cool…"
Sans looked at me.
"hey, pal. sarcasm isn't funny, okay...?"
I raised my hands in defense.
"I think he's awesome, which is much better than being cool."
Sans sat silently, waiting for me to elaborate.
"I once hung out with the cool kids at my school, and all they did was stand around and talk. Cool people are boring, but awesome people have the courage to go against the grain, like Papyrus."
After a brief pause, Sans continued.
"…my brother's a real star. he's the person who pushed me to get this sentry job. maybe it's a little strange, but sometimes… it's nice to have someone call you out on being lazy. even though nothing could be further from the truth."
That's… a really nice thing for you to say about your brother. There's more to you than I realized…
Grillby came back with two orders of fries.
"here comes the grub. want some ketchup?"
"No thanks, I prefer mustard."
"more for me."
Sans chugged down the entire bottle.
"anyway, cool or not, you have to agree papyrus tries real hard. like how he keeps trying to be a part of the royal guard. one day, he went to the house of the head of the royal guard… and begged her to let him be in it. of course, she shut the door on him because it was midnight. but the next day, she woke up and saw him still waiting there. seeing his dedication, she decided to give him warrior training. it's, uh, still a work in progress."
Work in progress? He's good with his magic, but he willingly let me go…
"oh yeah, I wanted to ask you something."
The temperature seemed to drop slightly, as Sans narrowed his eye sockets.
"have you ever heard of a talking flower?"
I froze up.
…He could be talking about the echo flower next to his station, but could he be talking about Flowey? Nah… Sans wouldn't be this cryptic if that weed posed an immediate threat to his loved ones…
I decided to play it safe.
"Yes."
"so, you know all about them. the echo flowers. they're all over the marsh. say something to them, and they'll repeat it over and over… what about it? well, papyrus told me something interesting the other day. sometimes, when no one else is around… a flower appears and whispers things to him. flattery… advice… encouragement… predictions. weird, huh? someone must be using an echo flower to play a trick on him. keep an eye out, ok?"
"I'll keep my guard up."
"thanks."
The temperature went back to normal, and Sans got up.
"welp, that was a long break. i can't believe i let ya pull me away from work for that long."
He turned to face me.
"oh, by the way… i'm flat broke. can you foot the bill? it's just 10000G."
"Very funny, Sans."
"just kidding. grillby, put it on my tab."
Sans walked to the exit.
"by the way… i was going to say something, but i forgot."
The chubby skeleton exited the building. I exited as well, replaying the conversation in my head.
So… Flowey talks to Papyrus when no one's listening… that's not surprising, considering how earnest that skeleton is… But what can I do about it? Flowey's probably an expert at hiding…
I walked back to Sans's station.
"let's hang out again sometime."
Moving forward, I came across a pink tutu. Putting it in my backpack, I walked through a patch of reeds, and saw an armored figure on the cliffs above me. I saw Papyrus approach the figure.
"H… HI, UNDYNE! I'M HERE WITH MY DAILY REPORT… UHHH… REGARDING THAT HUMAN I CALLED YOU ABOUT EARILER…"
Undyne turned to look at Papyrus.
"… HUH? DID I FIGHT THEM? Y-YES! OF COURSE, I DID! I FOUGHT THEM VALIANTLY!"
She turned away.
"WHAT? DID I CAPTURE THEM…? W-W-WELL… NO. I TRIED VERY HARD, UNDYNE. BUT IN THE END… I FAILED."
Undyne turned back to the nervous skeleton.
"…W-WHAT? YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE THE HUMAN'S SOUL YOURSELF…"
Undyne looked away again. Hesitantly, Papyrus approached his boss.
"BUT UNDYNE, YOU DON'Y H-HAVE TO DESTROY THEM! YOU SEE… YOU SEE…"
Undyne looked at Papyrus again. I couldn't see her expression, but it was enough to make Papyrus shrink back.
"…I UNDERTSTAND. I'LL HELP YOU IN ANY WAY I CAN."
Papyrus hurried away.
Honestly… that was a pretty lousy attempt to pacify the Captain of the Royal Guard… and Papyrus was shaking in his boots! Just how dangerous is this lady, anyway…?
With no other option, I quietly stepped forward.
Undyne heard my footstep, and she turned in my direction. She walked forward, summoning a glowing, blue spear. She glanced over her surroundings, but I stood motionless. Not seeing anything, she dismissed her spear and took a few steps backward, blending in with the darkness…
I exited the reeds, and the monster kid from before exited as well.
"Yo… did you see the way she was staring at you…? That… was AWESOME! I'm SOOOO jealous! What'd you do to get her attention…? Ha ha. C'mon! Let's go watch her beat up some bad guys!"
The kid rushed forward, tripped, fell on his face, picked himself up, and continued to run.
Glad to see that one of us is happy today…
(A feeling of dread hangs over you… But you stay determined.)
After solving some puzzles involving Bridge Seeds (lily seeds that sprouted when they aligned in the water), and sparing Aaron (A seahorse monster that liked to flex his muscles), I got a phone call from Papyrus.
"HELLO! THIS IS PAPYRUS! HOW DID I GET THIS NUMBER…? IT WAS EASY! I JUST DIALED EVERY NUMBER SEQUENTIALLY UNTIL I GOT YOURS!
Oh, right… I forgot to give him my new phone number, but to be fair, he really should have asked for it during our "hangout."
"NYEH HEH HEH HEH! SO… WHAT ARE YOU WEARING…? I'M ASKING FOR A FRIEND. SHE THOUGHT SHE SAW YOU WEARING A BANDANNA. IS THAT TRUE? ARE YOU WEARING A BANDANNA?
Sigh… If Undyne saw me wearing a bandanna, then why did she not attack? Oh well… I should probably tell Papyrus that I'm wearing the bandanna, then put on the tutu to disguise myself. It probably won't help too much, but it's better than doing nothing…
"Yes."
"SO, YOU ARE WEARING A BANDANNA… GOT IT! WINK WINK! HAVE A NICE DAY!"
Oh god… I don't how, but he's going to find some way to screw me over later…
I equipped the old tutu (+10 DEF), encountered Woshua (a bathtub-like monster obsessed with hygiene), and I found some echo flowers…
"A long time ago, monsters would whisper their wishes to the stars in the sky. If you hoped with all your heart, you wish would come true. Now, all we have are these sparking stones on the ceiling…"
"Thousands of people wishing together can't be wrong! The king will prove that."
"C'mon, sis! Make a wish!"
"I wish my sister and I will see the real stars someday…"
"Ah, seems my horoscope is the same as last week's."
I came across a telescope pointed at the sparking stones (with a note telling me to check the far wall) and discovered a hidden path.
The last telescope I looked through was David's. David, Button and I went stargazing on a summer evening not too long ago… Well, David and I went stargazing, Button caught some fireflies in a jar…
Walking along a set of wooden planks above water, I examined some tablets mounted on the wall.
(Ancient writing covers the walls… you can just make out the words.)
"The War of Humans and Monsters."
"Why did the humans attack? Indeed, it seemed that they had nothing to fear. Humans are unbelievably strong. It would take the SOUL of nearly every monster… just to equal the power of a single human SOUL."
The monsters are really trying to guilt trip me, aren't they… I just wish I could hear the ancient humans' side of the story… It takes two sides to fight, after all…
"But humans have one weakness. Ironically, it is the strength of their SOUL. Its power allows it to persist outside the human body, even after death. If a monster defeats a human, they can take its SOUL. A monster with a human SOUL… A horrible beast with unfathomable power."
(It's an illustration of a strange creature… There's something very unsettling about this drawing.)
How was this picture drawn? If a monster had successfully taken a human SOUL, then the war likely would have turned out very differently… and if this was common knowledge in the past, then what started the war in the first place?
All I could do was press on, filled with dozens of questions.
Walking along the planks, a spear suddenly landed a few feet in front of me.
Undyne revealed herself and launched a barrage of spears at me. I rushed forward, bobbing and weaving, my heart pounding in my chest. Further on, I hid myself in another wide thicket of reeds. The Captain of the Royal Guard approached, her boots clanking with each step. She attempted to grab me, but she lifted my tag-along follower (the monster kid) instead. Undyne set the kid down, and stomped back, clanking all the way. The kid and I left the reeds.
"Yo… did you see that!? Undyne just… TOUCHED ME! I'm never washing my face ever again…! Man, are you unlucky. If you were standing just a LITTLE bit to the left…! Yo, don't worry! I'm, sure we'll see her again!"
The kid dashed forward, tripping himself again.
If this is unlucky, I dread the thought of being lucky…
Annoyed, I continued on. Passing a block of cheese encased in a crystal and an echo flower, I stopped to catch my breath.
(Knowing the mouse might one day extract the cheese from the mystical crystal… It fills you with determination.)
In addition, I saw Sans standing next to a telescope.
"i'm thinking about getting into the telescope business. it's normally 50000G to use this premium telescope… but… since i know you, you can use it for free. howzabout it?"
I would have used the telescope, but the lens was covered in red ink…
"huh? you aren't satisfied? don't worry. i'll give you a full refund."
Is Sans really that jaded? He ruined a perfectly good telescope for a cheap prank…
Storing the bandana in a dimensional box, I also bumped into the Nice Cream Salesman again.
"I relocated my store, but there are still no customers… Fortunately, I've thought of a solution! Punch cards! Every time you buy a Nice Cream, you can take a punch card from the box. If you have 3 cards, you can trade them for a free Nice Cream! They're sure to get the customers to come back!"
The dollar store back home has a similar system. Mr. Andrews always buys things there, saying that he'll just earn all of his money back… it drives his wife nuts.
I walked past a blob-shaped monster.
"What's a star? Can you touch it? Can you eat it? Can you kill it?... Are you a star?"
Please tell me that this monster is being rhetorical…
There were more echo flowers for me to listen to.
(You hear a passing conversation.)
"So? Don't you have any wishes to make?"
"… hmmm, just one, but… It's kind of stupid."
Coming across a pair of ballet shoes (+7 ATK), Papyrus called me again.
"HELLO! THIS IS PAPYRUS! REMEMBER WHEN I ASKED YOU ABOUT CLOTHES! WELL, THE FRIEND WHO WANTED TO KNOW… HER OPINION OF YOU IS VERY… MURDERY. WELL, WORRY NOT DEAR HUMAN! PAPYRUS WOULD NEVER BETRAY YOU! I AM NOT A CRUEL PERSON. I STRIVE TO BE COMFORTING AND PLEASANT. PAPYRUS. HE SMELLS LIKE THE MOON. SO, BECAUSE OF MY INHERENT GOODNESS… I TOLD HER YOU WERE NOT WEARING A BANDANNA! EVEN THOUGH YOU TOLD ME YOU WERE! INSTEAD, I MADE SOMEHING UP! I TOLD HER YOU WERE WEARING… A DUSTY TUTU. IT PAIND ME TO TELL SUCH A BOLDFACED LIE. I KNOW YOU WOULD NEVER EVER WEAR A DUSTY TUTU. BUT YOUR SAFETY IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN FASHION. DANG! I JUST WANT TO BE FRIENDS WITH EVERYONE…"
Called it. Now I have to change clothes again… and I look stupid. Thanks, Papyrus.
Rolling my eyes at Papyrus's antics, I continued to follow the trail of echo flowers.
"Don't say that! Come on, I promise I won't laugh."
I also looked at another tablet.
"The power to take their SOULs. This is the power that the humans feared."
After talking to an octopus-like monster named Onionsan (who lived in a shallow lake) and having an impromptu humming concert with a monster named Shyren (Sans sold some tickets made of toilet paper), I examined a piano tucked away in the corner of a room. A tablet told me to look for a song down the hall, where I read some more tablets.
"This power has no counter. Indeed, a human cannot take a monster's SOUL. When a monster dies, its SOUL disappears. And an incredible power would be need to take the SOUL of a living monster."
"There is only one exception. The SOUL of a special species of monster called a "Boss Monster." A Boss Monster's SOUL is strong enough to persist after death… If only for a few moments. A human could absorb this SOUL. But this has never happened. And now it never will."
I'm fairly certain that this is going to be important later, but why? My SOUL should allow me to pass the Barrier. I feel bad for the monsters, but I don't want the king to take my SOUL…
Examining a horned statue up ahead, I noticed a slot for a thin object. I found a trash can full of umbrellas, grabbed one, and put it on top of the statue, causing a music box to play a haunting eight-note melody…
Playing the melody, a door opened. Walking in to a small room, I came across a "legendary artifact" (it was a small red rubber ball), the artifact was absorbed by the "Annoying Dog" (a little white dog), and the dog ran off. After that pointless diversion, I grabbed another umbrella and met the monster kid again.
"Yo, you got an umbrella? Awesome!"
The kid walked up to me.
"Let's go!"
Walking through the rain, Monster Kid continued to gush about his idol.
"Man, Undyne is sooooooo cool. She beats up bad guys and NEVER loses. If I was a human, I would wet the bed every night... knowing she was gonna beat me up! Ha ha."
"So, one time. We had a school project where we had to take care of a flower. The king - we had to call him "Mr. Dreemurr" - volunteered to donate his own flowers. He ended up coming to school and teaching the class about responsibility and stuff. That got me thinking... YO! How COOL would it be if UNDYNE came to school!? She could beat up ALL the teachers! Ummm, maybe she wouldn't beat up the teachers... She's too cool to ever hurt an innocent person!"
That's… an interesting claim…
Walking into a clearing, Monster Kid and I looked up at a castle in the distance, and I quietly made a wish for myself.
I wish… I wish that I can find the way home. I don't want to kill anyone… but I don't want to be killed, either.
Moving on, I put the umbrella in another trashcan, and we came to a tall ledge.
"Yo, this ledge is way too steep..."
Monster Kid helped me up to the ledge.
"Yo, you go on ahead. Don't worry about me. I always find a way to get through!"
The kid rushed off, tripping once again.
(The serene sound of a distant music box… It fills you with determination.)
In a darkened hallway, there were some more tablets.
"The humans, afraid of our power, declared war on us. They attacked suddenly, and without mercy."
"In the end, it could hardly be called a war. United, the humans were too powerful, and us monsters, too weak. Not a single SOUL was taken, and countless monsters were turned to dust…"
Stepping on to a walkway made of wooden planks, a glowing blue circle appeared in front of me. I tensed, as several more circles appeared at my feet. The circles exploded upward into spears, as Undyne appeared on a lower walkway. Dodging more spears, I was forced into a dead end. Undyne slowed marched up to me. She abruptly summoned spears to slice the bridge.
I thought her goal was to capture me, not kill me…
My half of the bridged collapsed, and I fell…
While I was unconscious, I heard a soft, high-pitched voice.
"It sounds like it came from over here… Oh! You've fallen down, haven't you… Are you okay? Here, get up… Chara, huh? That's a nice name. My name is…"
I slowly regained consciousness on another bed of flowers, and I stared at the twinkling ceiling.
I have got to stop falling down so much. What was that dream about, anyway?... And who's Chara? Sigh… this is giving me a headache…
Pulling myself to my feet, I found myself in a garbage dump with some human product brands.
(The water here seems to flow from the ceiling of the cavern… Occasionally, a piece of trash will flow through… and fall into the bottomless abyss below. Viewing this endless cycle of worthless garbage… It fills you with determination.)
Walking through the trash dump, I grabbed some bars of "Astronaut Food" and passed by another cloth dummy. To my surprise, the dummy manifested eyes and attacked. The "Mad Dummy" was a ghost that lived inside a dummy, and they were angry because they thought I was rude to their cousin (the dummy from the Ruins).
"It spooked them right out of their dummy!"
"I ONLY SAID HELLO! ARE YOU A MORON!?"
The Mad Dummy ignored me, and we were stuck in a stalemate until Napstablook interrupted with his bullet tears. The shy ghost invited me to their house out of politeness, and I followed Napstablook to a small cluster of houses.
(You feel a calming tranquility. You're filled with determination…)
Passing by a fish-themed house (and a calmer Mad Dummy), I read a sign pointing to Blook Acres, Hotland, and a place called Temmie Village. Taking a short breather, I talked to Napstablook about the latter's snail farm, played Thundersnail (a snail racing game, Napstablook gave me 30G because my snail thought it won when it got 2nd place), hung out with Napstablook (lying on the floor was surprising calming), listened to some of the ghost's mixtapes, and examined a locked house next to Napstablook's house. Checking behind the houses, I found a spare key that allowed me to enter the red house.
People always forget about the spare key under the doormat…
The house was abandoned, but there were six red journals lying on the floor.
"Dear Diary: Shyren's sister "fell down" recently. It's sad. Without her sister to speak for her… She's become more reclusive than ever. So, I reached out to her, and told her… That she, Blooky, and I should all perform together sometime. She seemed to like that idea."
Fell down? Sounds ominous…
"Dearer Diary: I like to buy a new diary for every entry I make. I love to collect diaries."
"Dearest Diary: Our cousin left the farm to become a training dummy. That leaves just Blooky and I. Blooky asked me if I was going to try to become corporeal, too. They sounded so… Resigned… Come on, Blooky. You know I'd never leave you behind. And besides… I'd never find the kind of body I'm looking for, anyway."
"My Darling Diary: I met someone… Interesting today. Last week I posted that advertisement for my Human Fanclub. Today was our first meeting. Only one other person came. Honestly, she's a dork. And she's obsessed with these awful cartoons. But she's kind of funny, too… I want to see her again."
"Diary… My dear: My diary collection is going fabulously. I have like five now."
"Dear Diary: She surprised me with something today. Sketches of a body that she wants to create for me… A form beyond my wildest fantasies. In a form like that, I could finally feel like… "myself." After all, there's no way I can be a star the way I am now. Sorry, Blooky. My dreams can't wait for anyone…"
… Poor Napstablook…
Heading east, I came across another shop, with an elderly turtle monster with an explorer's hat and a magnifying glass.
"Woah there! I've got some neat junk for sale."
"Who are you?"
"I've been around a long time. Maybe too long. Studying history sure is easy when you've lived through so much of it yourself! Wa ha ha!"
"What's that winged emblem carved on the cave wall?"
"Eh? You don't know what that is? What are they teaching you kids in school nowadays…? Wa ha ha! That's the Delta Rune, the emblem of our kingdom. The Kingdom… of Monsters. Wahaha! Great name, huh? It's as I always say… Ol' King Fluffybuns can't name for beans!"
"What does it mean?"
"That emblem actually predates written history. The original meaning has been lost to time… All we know is that the triangles symbolize us monsters below, and the winged circle above symbolizes… Somethin' else. Most people say it's the 'angel,' from the prophecy…"
"Prophecy?"
"Oh yeah… the prophecy. Legend has it, an 'angel' who has seen the surface will descend from above and bring us freedom. Lately, the people have taking a bleaker outlook… Callin' that winged circle the 'Angel of Death.' A harbinger of destruction, waitn' to 'free' us from this mortal realm… In my opinion, when I see that little circle… I jus' think it looks neat! Wahaha!"
That's… vague. There are millions of humans on the Surface. If the prophecy is this simplistic, then anyone could be the 'angel.'
I asked about King Dreemurr.
"King Fluffybuns? He's a friendly, happy-go-lucky kind of guy… If you keep walking around long enough, you'll probably meet him. He loves to walk around and talk to people."
The king wants my soul… friendliness is practically irrelevant at this point.
"What's with the nickname?"
"Eh? Why do I call Dreemurr 'Fluffybuns?' Oh, that's a great story!... I don't remember it. But if you come back much later, I'm sure I'll have remembered by then."
I'll be sure to do that, then… what a cop out.
I asked the elderly monster if he could tell me about Undyne.
"Undyne? Yeah, she's a local hero around here. Through grit and determination alone. she fought her way to the top of the Royal Guard. Actually, she just came through here asking about someone who looked just like you…"
I watched the turtle monster, warily. He gave me a knowing look.
"I'd watch your back, kid. And buy some items… It might just save your hide! Wa ha ha!"
I decided to buy a set of Cloudy Glasses (+5 DEF, +9 INV frames), a Torn Notebook (+2 ATK, +6 INV frames), and some Crab Apples for healing.
Thanking the eccentric monster, I left the shop.
"Be careful out there, kid!"
Moving on, the tablets continued to tell a horrific story…
"Hurt, beaten, and fearful for our lives, we surrendered to the humans. Seven of their greatest magicians sealed us underground with a magic spell. Anything can enter through the seal, but only beings with a powerful SOUL can leave."
That's probably how I fell in here in the first place… Seems like the ancient humans made a weird oversight, though. If nothing could enter through the seal, then the monsters would have had no chance to escape…
"There is only one way to reverse this spell. If a huge power, equivalent to seven human SOULs, attacks the barrier… It will be destroyed."
Seven souls are needed, but how many more souls to the monsters need right now? Toriel mentioned that some children fell into the Underground before I did…
"But this cursed place has no entrances or exits. There is no way a human could come here. We will remain trapped down here forever."
Tempt fate, and she always delivers…
Further along, I pacified a strange, cat-like monster called a Temmie, and I came across Temmie Village, a weird place full of Temmies.
(You feel… something. You're filled with detemmienation.)
Repressing my latest weird experience, I found myself walking in pitch-blackness, and I found a new echo flower. A menacing voice sounded out.
"Behind you."
True enough, Undyne had cornered me again. This time, she spoke up.
"…Seven. Seven human souls. With the power of seven human souls, our king… King Asgore Dreemurr… will become a god. With that power, Asgore can finally shatter the barrier. He will finally take the surface back from humanity… And give them back the suffering and pain that we have endured… Understand, human? This is your only chance at redemption. Give up your soul… Or I'll tear it from your body."
"Screw you."
Undyne shifted her boots, summoned a spear in her grip, and charged at me, but was interrupted by Monster Kid.
"Undyne! I'll help you fight!"
Monster Kid looked at Undyne and I.
The kid can't be this dense…
"YO! You did it! Undyne is RIGHT in front of you! You've got front row seats to her fight!"
Let's see if he can put two and two together.
The kid looked between us some more.
"...Wait. Who's she fighting?"
Undyne dismissed her spear, and dragged Monster Kid away…
"H-hey! You aren't gonna tell my parents about this, are you?"
That was… anticlimactic.
Trudging along, I found the last field of echo flowers.
"… hmmm… if I say my wish... You promise you won't laugh at me?"
"Of course, I won't laugh!"
"Someday, I'd like to climb this mountain we're all buried under. Standing under the sky, looking at the world all around... That's my wish."
I heard some laughter.
"... hey, you said you wouldn't laugh at it!"
"Sorry, it's just funny... That's my wish, too."
I came to the last echo flower, which had a rather threatening message.
"Where oh where could that child be...? I've been looking all over for them... Hee hee hee. THAT'S not true. She'll find another kid, and instantly forget about you. You'll NEVER see her again."
Screw you too, Flowey. Sigh… I really hope that Toriel doesn't do something rash. She reminds me of Mrs. Reed. When her grandson died, she bought a dozen cats to replace him, and when she died, they ATE her…
I also learned that Flowey could mimic the voices of other people…
I examined the last tablet.
"However, there is a prophecy. The Angel… The One Who Has Seen the Surface… They will return. And the underground will go empty."
Return? Not arrive? That implies that the Angel would need to travel to the Surface, AND return safely…
I came to a narrow bridge. As I was crossing, Monster Kid caught up with me, panting.
"Yo!"
The kid came closer…
"Yo, I know I'm not supposed to be here, but... I wanna ask you something ... Man, I've never had to ask anyone this before... Umm... Yo... You're human, right? Haha. Man! I knew it! ... well, I know it now, I mean... Undyne told me, um, "stay away from that human."
Monster Kid hesitated.
"So, like, ummm... I guess that makes us enemies or something. But I kinda stink at that, haha. Yo, say something mean so I can hate you? Please?"
I thought for a moment.
"I think you're annoying…?"
"Huh...? Yo, that's your idea of something mean? My sister says that to me ALL THE TIME! Guess I have to do it, haha. Yo, I... I hate your guts."
There was an awkward pause.
"...Man, I... I'm such a turd. I'm... I'm gonna go home now."
Monster Kid tripped once more, and they fell. They would have fallen to the ground, but the kid's shirt got caught on the bridge. I froze up in horror.
"Yo, w-w-wait! Help! I tripped!"
To make matters worse, Undyne approached from the other end of the bridged. I had to act quickly.
Think, Frisk, think… what should I do? If I try to help the kid, then Undyne might attack while I'm a sitting duck. But on the other hand, she wasn't willing to attack when the kid was in the way before… There's a fifty-fifty chance this will backfire…
Suddenly, a memory came to me. I remembered Button's expression of fear, as he was about to plummet into the gaping abyss… and suddenly, I came to a realization.
If I had to do it over again… I wouldn't change a thing.
I cautiously walked over to the edge, lifted Monster Kid by their shirt, and set them down on the bridge. Undyne hesitated, but she stepped forward. Noticing this, Monster Kid spoke up.
"Y... y... yo... dude... If... if y-you wanna hurt my friend... You're gonna have to get through me, first."
Undyne stepped backward, and retreated…
Monster Kid turned to me.
"She's gone... Yo, you really saved my skin. Guess being enemies was just a nice thought, haha. We'll just have to be friends instead... man, I should REALLY go home... I bet my parents are worried sick about me!"
I nodded, wordlessly. The young monster ran off.
"Later, dude!"
I sat on the bridge for a moment, thinking…
I'm just glad that no one fell this time…
After my heartrate returned to normal, I walked to the entrance of a cave. At the top of a spiked ridge, Undyne was waiting for me.
"Seven. Seven human souls, and King Asgore will become a god. Six. That's how many we have collected thus far."
That answers one of my many questions…
"Understand? Through your seventh and final soul, this world will be transformed. First, however, as is customary for those who make it this far… I shall tell you the tragic tale of our people."
Sigh… I already know about your sob story… Are you seriously going to monologue right now!?
"It all started, long ago…"
Undyne paused.
"… No, you know what? SCREW IT! WHY SHOULD I TELL THAT STORY WHEN YOU'RE ABOUT TO DIE!? NGAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
That was a complete 180…
Undyne tore off her helmet, revealing a blue face, some red hair tied back in a ponytail, a yellow eye, fins, and some jagged teeth.
"YOU! You're standing in the way of everybody's hopes and dreams! Alphys's history books made me think humans were cool… with their giant robots and flowery swordswomen."
…Is she talking about anime?
"BUT YOU? You're just a coward! Hiding behind that kid so you could run away from me again!"
Up yours, hag. I stand by my decision.
"And let's not forget your wimpy goody-two-shoes-schtick! Oooh! I'm making such a difference by hugging random strangers! You know what would be more valuable to everyone? IF YOU WERE DEAD!"
Are you seriously ASKING me to KILL PEOPLE!?
"That's right, human! Your continued existence is a crime! Your life is all that stands between us and our freedom! Right now, I can feel everyone's hearts pounding together! Everyone's been waiting their whole lives for this moment! But we're not nervous at all. When everyone puts their hearts together, they can't lose! Now, human! Let's end this, right here, right now. I'll show you how determined monsters can be! Step forward when you're ready! Fuhuhuhu!"
(The wind is howling. You're filled with determination…)
You don't scare me, Captain Undyne. BRING IT ON.
I stepped forward…
"That's it, then…! No more running away!"
…and Undyne lunged.
"HERE I COME!"
She swiped at me with her spear, and my SOUL turned green. A spear manifested in front of me, and I grabbed it.
"En Garde!"
(Undyne attacks!)
(ACT-CHECK-UNDYNE: Undyne, 50 ATK 20 DEF. "The heroine that NEVER gives up.")
"As long as you're GREEN you CAN'T ESCAPE!"
Is she seriously telling me to run away…?
"Unless you learn to face danger head-on… You won't last a SECOND against ME!"
She launched three spears at me, which I blocked with my own spear. Standing my ground, I waited for my SOUL to change color. Undyne continued to hurl spears and quips at me.
"Not bad! Then how about THIS!?"
"For years, we've dreamed of a happy ending..."
"And now, sunlight is just within our reach!"
"I won't let you snatch it away from us!"
"NGAHHH! Enough warming up!"
I spared her again…
"Mercy! Ha! I still can't believe YOU want to spare ME!"
"But even if I spared YOU..."
"No human has EVER made it past Asgore!"
Thank you, Captain Obvious…
"Honestly, killing you now is an act of mercy...!"
You can try…
"…So, STOP being so damn resilient!"
No.
"What the hell are humans made out of!?"
Yes.
"Anyone else would be DEAD by now!"
I'm not anyone else. You're stuck in here with me…
"Alphys told me humans were determined..."
I get it, dumbass…
"I see now what she meant by that!"
"But I'm determined, too!"
"Determined to end this RIGHT NOW!"
"... RIGHT NOW!"
"... RIGHT... ... ... NOW!"
"Ha... Ha... NGAHHH! DIE ALREADY, YOU LITTLE BRAT!"
I grinned.
What's the matter, Captain? Feeling tired?
"I WILL NEVER TAKE MERCY FROM THE LIKES OF YOU!"
"YOU! WILL! NEVER! SPARE! ME!"
Finally, Undyne turned my soul back to red, and I disengaged. Undyne repeatedly chased me, spouting off more dumb quips.
"You won't get away from me this time!"
"Honestly, I'm doing you a favor..."
"You've escaped from me for the LAST time!"
"COME BACK HERE, YOU LITTLE PUNK!"
Honestly, she was more annoying than dangerous…
Undyne chased me through the cave, past a flashing sign titled "WELCOME TO HOTLAND," and I got a phone call from Papyrus. Undyne stopped, tapping her boots impatiently.
"HEY, WHAT'S UP!? I WAS JUST THINKING… YOU, ME, AND UNDYNE SHOULD ALL HANG OUT SOMETIME! I THINK YOU WOULD MAKE GREAT PALS! LET'S MEET UP AT HER HOUSE LATER!"
Sigh…
Running past Sans, who was dozing at another station with fake snow, I faintly heard Undyne yelling at the lazy skeleton. Taking advantage of Sans' audacity, I crossed a bridge into Hotland, which was full of lava. I was sweating heavily, but Undyne looked like she was about to have heat stroke.
"Armor… so… hot… But I can't... Give up…"
Undyne collapsed, with her tongue sticking out.
Ha… like fish in a barrel…
I helped myself to a drink of water from a nearby water cooler.
Just like fried snow… Sans, eat your heart out.
Panting heavily, I pondered what to do about the steaming fish lady.
If I give her some water, she might attack me again…she seems like the prideful, ungrateful type… But I can't exactly leave her here, either. Sans might just leave her to roast out of sheer laziness… Well, it's worth a shot…
I dumped a cup of water on Undyne and retreated to a safe distance. Undyne stood up, looked at me… and walked away. Looking around, I met a mysterious, robed monster called the Riverperson, who ran a ferry service.
I considered my options and thought about Papyrus's request.
Should I go see Undyne? I don't want her to attack me again, but seeing how aggressive she is, I'd prefer not to have her ambush me later. At least this ferry will save some time…
I asked the Riverperson to take me to Waterfall.
"Tra la la. Beware of the man who speaks in hands."
Getting off, I went to Undyne's house, and I saw Papyrus standing in front of the doorway.
"OHO! THE HUMAN ARRIVES! ARE YOU READY TO HANG OUT WITH UNDYNE? I HAVE A PLAN TO MAKE YOU TWO GREAT FRIENDS!"
"Care to elaborate?"
"OKAY! STAND BEHIND ME!"
Papyrus looked over his shoulder.
"PSST. MAKE SURE TO GIVE HER THIS!"
He pulled out a dog treat.
"SHE LOVES THESE!"
Ummm…
Papyrus knocked on the door. The door slid open, revealing the good captain herself.
"Hi, Papyrus! Ready for you extra-private, one-on-one training?"
She seems to have calmed down, somewhat…
"YOU BET I AM! AND I BROUGHT A FRIEND!"
Papyrus moved to the side, revealing my presence.
"Hi, I don't think we've…"
She trailed off after she recognized me. She grimaced.
"Why don't. You two. Come in?"
And so, three people walked inside. One was annoyed, another was ecstatic, and the third was extremely tired…
"HERE, UNDYNE. MY FRIEND BROUGHT A GIFT FOR YOU, ON THEIR OWN!"
Papyrus showed the bone treat to Undyne.
"Uhhh… thanks. I'll, uh, put it with the others."
She tossed the bone into a drawer full of identical bones.
"So, are we ready to start?"
"WHOOPSY DOOPSY! I JUST REMEMBERED! I HAVE TO GO TO THE BATHROOM! YOU TWO HAVE FUN!"
Papyrus jumped through a nearby window.
I'm not even surprised anymore… In regards to Papyrus, normal is the new weird…
Undyne glared at me.
"… So why are YOU here? To rub you victory in my face? To humiliate me even further? IS THAT IT?"
I stared back, pointedly.
"… No, I only came because Papyrus asked me to."
"Then why are you here...? Wait, I get it. You think that I'm gonna be friends with you, huh? Right?"
If I say yes… she'll probably tell me to never bother her again…
"… Yes. That is precisely what I was hoping for…"
"Really? How delightful! I accept! Let's all frolic in the fields of friendship!... NOT! If you weren't my houseguest, I'd beat you up right now! You're the enemy of everyone's hopes and dream! I WILL NEVER BE YOUR FRIEND. Now get out of my house!"
Papyrus walked up to the window from the outside.
"DANG! WHAT A SHAME… I THOUGHT UNDYNE COULD BE FRIENDS WITH YOU. BUT I GUESS… I OVERESTIMATED HER. SHE'S JUST NOT UP TO THE CHALLENGE."
The smug skeleton left. Undyne was livid.
Did he just use reverse psychology on his boss? I'd commend him for his cleverness, but he's also messing up my plan again…
"CHALLENGE!? What!? Papyrus! Wait a second…! Darnit! He thinks I can't be friends with YOU!? Fuhuhu! What a joke! I could make friends with a wimpy loser like you any day!"
I defeated you in a battle, fish-sticks. Who's the real wimp here?
"I'll show him! Listen up human. We're not just going to be friends. We're going to be… BESTIES."
I already have a bestie, and he's ten times nicer than you… Wait, who uses the word "bestie," anyways?
"I'll make you like me so much… You won't be able to think of anyone else! Fuhuhuhu! It's the PERFECT REVENGE!"
Keep telling yourself that, fish lady. Sigh… Let's just get this over with.
"… Why don't you have a seat?"
I examined a large sword lying against the wall.
"Humans suck, but their history… Kinda rules. Case in point: This giant sword! Historically, humans wielded swords up to ten times their size. RIGHT?"
"… No."
"Pfft! You liar! I've READ Alphys's human history book collection! I know all about your giant swords… Your colossal, alien-fighting robots…"
Neon Genesis Evangelion… It was super popular a few years ago…
"… Your supernatural princesses…"
Sailor Moon… The girls at my school REALLY like that one… Wait, has she seen Studio Ghibli? You can't forget about Studio Ghibli…
I examined the broken window.
"I can't believe he leapt through the window like that. Normally he NAILS the landing."
Talk about skewed priorities…
l asked Undyne about her piano.
"One time, Alphys's… Uh, friend? Came over here. All he did was lie seductively on the piano… And fed himself grapes. I don't really like that guy. But I admire his lifestyle."
Hmmm…
I observed Undyne's cooktop stove.
"This oven is some top-of-the-line MTT thing. But, y'know, as much as technology advances… Nothing beats food home-cooked with fire magic."
Sounds nice… Too bad humans don't use magic.
I briefly opened the bone drawer, and Annoying Dog was inside. It winked at me, and I closed the drawer.
Repressing this experience, I took a seat at the table.
"Comfortable? I'll get you something to drink."
The hostess grabbed some drink options from her "hot fridge," and set them down on the counter.
"All set! What would you like?"
"Ummm…"
I lifted my finger, and Undyne threw a spear at the table, breaking it in half.
"HEY! DON'T GET UP! YOU'RE THE GUEST! SIT DOWN AND ENJOY YOURSELF!"
Undyne hesitated.
"Um, why not just point to what you want? You can use the spear!"
I thought that the hostess's job was to make the guest feel COMFORTABLE…
I pointed to a blue container.
"Oh, you want some hot chocolate? Wait, wait, I just remembered… That container's empty. I stopped getting it because it was always a hassle… Asgore kept getting marshmallows stuck in his beard."
So, Undyne knows King Asgore… makes sense, considering how she's the Captain of the Royal Guard…
Putting this tidbit in the back of my head, I pointed towards a box of tea, labeled "Golden Flower."
Too bad she doesn't have ginseng tea.
"… tea, huh? Coming right up!"
The fish lady put a tea kettle on the stove.
"It'll take a moment for the water to boil."
The kettle started to whistle.
"Okay, it's all done!"
Undyne added some sugar to the tea, poured out a cup, and set it on the table.
"Here we are."
She took a seat at the opposite end of the table.
"Careful, it's hot."
I blew on the tea for a few seconds.
"It's not THAT hot! Just drink it already!"
You can't rush tea drinking, you uncultured swine…
Keeping my comments to myself, I took a sip of the tea. It was burning hot, but it was decent.
"It's pretty good, right? Nothing but the best for my ABSOLUTELY PRECIOUS FRIEND!"
Undyne paused for a moment, thinking.
"Hey… You know... It's kind of strange you chose THAT tea. Golden flower tea… That's Asgore's favorite kind."
Really? I just chose it by random…
"Actually, now that I think about it… You kind of remind me of him."
How so? He's probably not a human like me…
"You're both TOTAL weenies!"
I thought you were a patriot, Captain…
… sort of."
More awkward silence.
"Y'know, I was a pretty hotheaded kid."
Oh really? How surprising…
"Once, to prove I was the strongest, I tried to fight Asgore."
I see where this is going…
"Emphasis on TRIED. I couldn't land a single blow on him! And worse, the whole time, he refused to fight back! I was so humiliated… Afterwards, he apologized and said something goofy… "Excuse me, do you want to know how to beat me?""
There it is… Sigh, well, I can't fault her for being patriotic…
"I said yes, and from then on, he trained me. On day, during practice, I finally knocked him down. I felt… bad."
Imagine that… the aggressive fish lady felt bad when she won…
"But he was beaming…"
Ugggh…
"I had never seen someone prouder to get their butt kicked."
Sounds like you should follow his example, you sore loser.
"Anyway, long story short, he kept training me… And now I'm the head of the Royal Guard!"
Cool story… but would you PLEASE get to the point!?
"So, I'm the one who gets to train dorks to fight!... like, uh, Papyrus."
I remember Sans talking about Papyrus's "warrior training."
More silence.
"But, um, to be honest… I don't know if… I can ever let Papyrus into the Royal Guard."
So, you're keeping him busy with a snipe hunt? That's a bit cruel…
"Don't tell him I said that! He's just… Well… I mean, it's not that he's weak. He's actually pretty freaking tough! It's just that… He's… He's too innocent and nice! I mean, look, he was SUPPOSED to capture you… And he ended up being FRIENDS with you instead!"
That's what you're trying to do right now!
"I could NEVER send him into battle! He'd get ripped into little smiling shreds."
Also, did you seriously ask Papyrus to capture a human by himself? If I had wanted to hurt him, Papyrus would have been absolutely screwed…
"That's part of why… I started teaching him know to cook, you know?"
I don't know, but I'm sure you would love to explain…
"So, um, maybe he can do something else with his life."
You have your reasons, but doesn't your friend deserve the truth?
Undyne realized something.
"Oh, sorry, I was talking for so long… You're out of tea, aren't you?"
I looked down at my cup.
I've still got some tea left. I'm not a heavy drinker, unlike some people…
"I'll get you some more."
Undyne walked to the tea kettle, but she paused. She slowly turned towards me.
"Wait a second. Papyrus… His cooking lesson… HE WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE THAT RIGHT NOW!"
I knew she was forgetting something…
"And if HE's not here to have it… YOU'LL HAVE TO HAVE IT FOR HIM!"
Why not just reschedule the lesson?
The aggressive hostess jumped onto the countertop, kicking the drink containers to the floor.
Undyne, calm down before you get us both killed!
"That's right! NOTHING has brought Papyrus and I closer than cooking! Which means that if I give you his lesson… WE'LL BECOME CLOSER THAN YOU CAN EVER IMAGINE! Fuhuhu! Afraid!? We're going to be best friends!"
Undyne dragged me over to the countertop.
"Let's start with the sauce!"
The amateur chef stomped her left foot, causing some tomatoes to fall from the ceiling to the countertop."
"Envision these vegetables as your greatest enemy! Now! Pound them to dust with your fists!"
I imagined Flowey, and I flicked a tomato onto the countertop with my middle finger.
"YEAH! YEAH! Our hearts are uniting against these healthy ingredients! NOW IT'S MY TURN! NGAHHH!"
Undyne smashed the tomatoes, splattering juice all over the wall.
"Uhh, we'll just scrape this into a bowl later."
Ewww…
"But for NOW!"
Undyne stomped again, dropping a packet of spaghetti and a cooking pot onto the stove.
"... we add the noodles! Homemade noodles are the best! BUT I JUST BUY STORE-BRAND! THEY'RE THE CHEAPEST!"
Ahhh... store brand… the secret to a middle-class family…
"NGAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!... Uhh, just put them in the pot."
I dumped in the noodles in, like a regular person.
Wait, where's the water?
"YEAH! I'M INTO IT!"
She turned towards the pasta.
"Alright! Now it's time to stir the pasta! As a general rule of thumb, the more you stir… THE BETTER IT IS! Ready? Let's do it!"
No, seriously… WHERE'S THE WATER!?
Resigned, I slowly stir the dry pasta.
Undyne was disappointed in my stirring techniques, so she took matters into her own hands.
"Ugh, let me do it!"
The idiot fish lady repeatedly jabbed the pot with another energy spear.
"Fuhuhuhu! That's the stuff! Alright, now for the final step: TURN UP THE HEAT! Let the stove top symbolize your passion! Let you hopes and dreams turn into burning fire! READY! Don't hold anything back!"
All I want to do is go home, sleep, and enjoy the rest of spring break…
I turned up the stove to "low." Out of curiosity, I tried to turn it down.
"Left? You fool! THIS BURNER ONLY GOES ONE WAY!"
This will not end well.
"Ugh, let me do it!"
Completely ignorant of the flaw in her stove, she turned up the heat to "MAXIMUM POWER," causing huge flames to billow out.
"See!? This is how you-"
Suddenly, the dumb fish realized that her kitchen was on fire.
"Ah. Man, no wonder Papyrus sucks at cooking."
Wow, way to be supportive of your friend, Undyne…
"So, what's next! Scrapbooking? Friendship bracelets?... Oh, who am I kidding? I really screwed this up, didn't I? I can't force you to like me, human. Some people just don't get along with each other. I understand if you feel that way about me. And if we can't be friends… That's okay. Because… If we're not friends… IT MEANS I CAN DESTROY YOU WITHOUT REGRET!"
Undyne summoned an energy spear.
What happened to your sacred hospitality?
"I've been defeated… My house is in shambles… I even failed to befriend you. That's it. I don't care if you're my guest anymore. One final rematch! All out on both sides! IT'S THE ONLY WAY I CAN REGAIN MY LOST PRIDE! NOW COME ON! HIT ME WITH AL YOU'VE GOT! NGAHHHH!"
Completely fed up with Undyne's recklessness, I smacked her in the face with the torn notebook, dealing a single point of damage.
"What. That's the best you can manage? Even attacking at full force… You just can't muster any intent to hurt me, huh?"
I considered using more force, but you're just a sad, deluded person who's just not worth the effort…
"... Heh, you know what?"
She dismissed her spear.
"I don't actually want to hurt you either. At first, I hated your stupid saccharine schtick, but… The way you hit me right now, it… Reminded me of someone I used to train with."
You already told me this story…
"Now I know you aren't just some wimpy loser. You're a wimpy loser with a big heart!"
Sigh… here we go again…
"Just like him… Listen, human. It seems that you and Asgore are fated to fight. But knowing him… He probably doesn't want to."
Then why did he promise to break the Barrier?
"Talk to him. I'm sure you can persuade him to let you go home."
I can only talk to him if he doesn't interrupt me like all the other monsters down here…
"Eventually, some mean human will fall down here… And I'll take THEIR soul instead. That makes sense, right? Fuhuhu. Oh, and if you DO hurt Asgore… I'll take the human souls… Cross the barrier… And beat the hell out of you! That's what friends are for, right?"
You're not very good at persuasion, are you…
"Fuhuhu! Now let's get the hell out of this flaming house!"
Outside, I looked at the flames.
Please tell me that she has fire insurance… Wait, do they even have insurance down here?
"Well, that was fun, huh? We'll have to hang out again another time…! But, uh, somewhere else I guess. In the meantime, I guess I'll go hang with Papyrus. So, if you need me, drop by Snowdin, OK!? OH! AND if you ever need help… Just give Papyrus a ring, ok? Since we're in the same spot, I'll be able to talk too! Well, see ya later, punk!"
Undyne rushed off, and I decided to call Papyrus.
"THAT'S UNDYNE'S HOUSE. IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO… UHHH?"
I heard some heavy breathing.
"Huff… puff…! YEAH! That's MY HOUSE!"
"HI, UNDYNE! HOW'D YOU GET HERE SO FAST?"
"I ran."
"WOWIE! UNDYNE! SOMEDAY I WANT TO BE A STRONG AND SWEATY AS YOU!"
I still feel tired, but I have to keep moving…
I asked the Riverperson to take me to Hotland.
"Tra la la. Humans, monsters… Flowers."
Walking past a pair of armored monsters who were standing guard on Undyne's orders, I looked towards a white building titled "LAB."
(Seeing such a strange laboratory in a place like this… You're filled with determination.)