After Asgore and Frisk left them he began to feel as if things weren't right. Perhaps it was the fact that the kid wasn't there to distract him from the little differences around them or perhaps he was getting rusty. Regardless he found himself constantly patrolling the forest edge quite regularly waiting to see if his doubts would be confirmed. Stopping in his tracks, he stared past the trees narrowing his eyes slightly. He could never see anything of course, he had no intention of traveling further into it. That would only be a pain not to mention he would have to confront what he felt. Any other time, he wouldn't think twice. As much as he joked about it he knew very well that he could handle himself. But if there was something in there that caused Frisk and Asgore to keep tight lipped about… Well the risk wasn't worth the insight just yet. But he could feel something in there; something waiting and watching. With a slight shrug he decided to call it quits for the morning. He was no closer to finding out what was there than he was the previous morning he was out there and besides he was sure the other's would come looking for him soon enough.

Rather Frisk would.

He walked forward and allowed his thoughts to overcome him. Whatever he was feeling in that forest he was sure it was connected to the reason why Frisk and Asgore felt the need to enter the underground. He didn't understand why Asgore would take Frisk into the underground without them. Unlike the others, he wasn't going to state that she was just a child—she had proven that she was much more than just a child. But if he felt that her presence alone was needed then was this something over their heads? There was little reason if any to involve her and not them but he knew one thing for sure. If Asgore was going through all this in an attempt to keep things under wraps as much as he could he was hiding something. Another past sin to hold him accountable for, another sin that would come out once more. Looking up, he blinked realizing that he had teleported unconsciously into his room standing just over the sleeping child. A soft huff left him as he watched over her fondly. It was just a few years ago that he was carrying this twerp on his shoulders and toting her around. Now look at her… He began to turn towards the door but when she jolted he was stopped. Thrashing back and forth, She appeared to be fighting a unseen battle in her dreams but just as he began to wonder if she was going to settled on her own he got his answer. Eyes snapping open, his nonexistent heart dropped in utter shock as he witnessed the pure white orbs that were her eyes.

Rushing to her side, Sans shook her attempting to not be violent however quickly doing so when she didn't seem to react. Instead she continued to thrash as much as his grip would allow as the battle that only she could witness ensued. "FRISK! FRISK!" What in the hell was going on?

"KID WAKE UP!"

Pushing past the fog that held her from the waking world, Frisk's eyes cleared and she gasped as the sweat that collected upon her brow fell. Instantly she began hyperventilating as she placed her head in-between her knees. Sans released her giving her the room he felt she needed to collect herself yet she had still failed to process his presence. He was real…? That skeleton….thing was real and it wasn't Asriel… At least not this time… But did that mean she was dealing with him this entire time? Was he truly the one she spoke to all those times?

Was any of it even real?

So caught up within her thoughts, Frisk failed to nothing how strong her break down was as her breaths became more ragged and out of pace. Afraid for the humans health for the moment, Sans did his best to ease her fears. And yet she hadn't even recognized he was before her. "Hey, hey! Calm, kiddo calm. You're safe now, alright? You're safe." Whoever was talking was only half heard as Frisk pulled closer onto herself and gripped her hair excessively. They reached out to touch her but she recoiled. "Don't! Don't! Just…-!" Clutching her hair closer, the human whimpered as she did her best to pull herself together. At a lost, Sans merely stood near not knowing what happened or what Frisk saw to put her in such a state. But when she finally calmed down the teen wrapped her arms around her knees never looking up. Carefully, the sentry sat down beside her and placed a hand upon her shoulder. "Frisk…?" Shaking her head softly he quickly found his face contorting into as much of a frown as it could and with slow movements he pulled her to him.

She didn't fight his touch, no, she welcomed it. Wrapping her arms around him tightly she pressed her face into his shoulder as his presence brought her into reality. She knew he didn't understand and she knew he wanted to help… But no one could help her. Not when she didn't have any idea what was going on… After a moment of hesitation the girl pulled away and rubbed her eyes. "I think the terror deflector is defective…" He couldn't help the slight amusement that filled him nor the relief. "Well, you know… When life gives you melons…" "You're probably dyslexic?" They shared in a soft chuckle but it was unsure and on Frisk's side—nervous. The silence turned more comfortable and they soon found themselves leaning upon each other. "…Wanna talk about it…?" He could feel her shut down and freeze up. She shook her head lightly but he wasn't going to let it go so easily. Not when she was just all demonically white eyed a few moments ago. Just as he was getting ready to push the subject she spoke.

"You know what the scariest thing about this being is more than determination…?" He didn't respond and she took that as a note to continue. "You never know what to expect. With determination alone it was just my will. Just my inner desires pushing me on. I understood that. I could grasp that…" Holding out her hand the teen frowned deeply and for the first time he recognized an emotion he thought he would never see upon her face. Fear.

"But this isn't something I can fully grasp. Every time I gain control some slips through my fingers. I used to say I understood when you told me in other time lines that I couldn't understand what it meant to never be in control… But I didn't. I could have never understood and I was a stupid kid for thinking that I could." She brought her hand back and placed it over her heart. "I still don't understand how it feels to be displaced in time… I could never. But what I do have a slight understanding of now is being utterly and completely out of control. And no amount of training could have prepared me for that."

Closing her eyes, Frisk clutched her shirt. "Sans…I am thankful for the day I promised you I wouldn't reset." Wide eyed with worry he turned and looked at her fully. "…I don't think I would have been able to resist if I didn't have a reason to be strong. Once again, I was wrong on that account… Very wrong." It was exactly what he had wanted to avoid. Honestly, he was surprised even in spite of the promise that she held her word. He stared at her and reached out but just as he was getting ready to speak to Toriel could be heard calling them down for breakfast. They could hear the voices of Papyrus, Alphys and Undyne, the happy bickering as they all came to settle into the dining room. It was unspoken but they knew the moment they entered that room the events that transpired in the forest would come out to the open… And the happiness would disperse with it.

Without a word he reached out and waited patiently for Frisk to take his hand. For a moment she merely stared at it, knowing that doing so would sign her commitment to telling the full story and breaking the peace she had just achieved. But not telling it would only make the peace a lie. With a heavy heart she took his hand and held it tight as she followed Sans down the stairs. Asgore stood next to Toriel at the oven's side helping with a jovial expression. Undyne sat between Alphys and Papyrus commanding them to eat 'like winners' as her razor like teeth tore into a sausage. Worried about her girlfriend chocking, Alphys sputtered her worries to her as Papyrus told her not to worry. For he, the great Papyrus, would never allow his friends to choke. It was a scene she had witnessed over and over with her friends this sense of amity. But twas not to last. Hiding her eyes behind her bangs she allowed Sans to bring her to her seat and took it without a word successfully interrupting their conversations.

"FRISK! THIS WILL NOT DO! TURN THAT FROWN UPSIDE DOWN! I THE GREAT PAPYRUS WILL NOT STAND FOR UNHAPPINESS."

Looking up just a bit, Frisk smiled gently before reaching out and grabbing an apple as Toriel and Asgore finally joined them. They had waited for the mood to change but neither hers nor Sans did even though the latter's was a bit harder to read. Before she could be asked however she opened her mouth and spoke softly. "There are things that I don't completely understand about my training. And things that I know will…cause strain… But I promised that I would explain everything and I will with Asgore." Asgore frowned. "Sweet heart, it can wait until after breakfast, yes? No need to discuss—" Simultaneously, Frisk and Sans looked to Asgore; one with determination another with a silent threat. Adverting his gaze he sighed. "I suppose it is time." "I don't get what the big deal is. You guys just found a cool spot to train in. It's not like it's a big deal or anything." Asgore smiled just a bit at Undyne. "It is a bit more complicated than that Undyne… But I believe I should begin… It would not be fair for Frisk to do so when she too has been left out of the loop to some degree. Alphys I believe I will need your to correct me on things I may have forgotten."

The yellow monster started looking extremely worried. "W-Why? I w-wasn't even t-there…" Eyes softening he spoke gently as to not frighten her off. "I'm afraid this involves you as well… More than you know." Taking Toriel's hand he intertwined their fingers and held them tight earning a worried look from her. He said nothing more however as he focused on her presence and when it began no one said a word.

"The Amalgates were not the first attempt at infusing determination into monsters in an attempt to harness souls. It was the second… The first attempt Alphys and I spoke of ways to get it to work and believed, at the time, we had to go to the source… But human souls were too precious to use. We could not go around using them when our people wanted freedom so badly. But having a chance to see the effects of determination on a soul was too much to pass up. So many of our people were starting to lose hope even with the collection of a human soul around that time… So we did what we could in hopes of moving forwards." Looking up he allowed the information to sink in to some degree surprised that Toriel's hand was even still in his.

"Do you know what a lost soul is…?" Sans had been listening but had no shown no true visible interest in what was being said until that question hit him. Looking up, the shorter skeleton brother narrowed his eyes as his mind began to grasp the pieces of the missing puzzle. The others exchanged looks of confusion but he noticed Frisk was not one of them. "The name is exactly what it implies. Lost souls are unable to move on because of how they died, business left behind or even for lighter reasons such a fear. Human souls are much denser than monster souls but monsters hold an emotional capability that humans cannot… That emotional weight leaves them more susceptible to losing their way once their time is up. Some lost souls are weak. Unable to make contact or do much else besides be. Others however, are strong and hold the ability to appear, remember and even maintain their identities. Despite natural magical abilities not all monsters can access these souls. Determination, however attracts them like flies to trash and sometimes to the point where they are willing to spend the energy it takes to show themselves to those who otherwise could not see."

Looking to Alphys, who had turned her head away in utter shame, Sans glared at her harshly. "And now it makes since why you would try to inject monsters with determination." Alphys started and began to stamper before looking down at her hands unable to truly process the situation at the moment. Turning his eyes back to Asgore, Sans sneered. "You sunk to a whole new low." "We made our share of mistakes Sans… I'll make no excuses for it… The experiments spanned the time of a year and at first things looked promising as they always do. But soon the true effects started to pop up. The stronger souls were becoming powerful. Able to harness the determination, those who maintained their identity began to use it to complete small goals. Ones we placed in order to help them grow… Soon however they began to make their own goals… And once it was clear we had no intention of allowing them to leave they began to grow violent…" Finally, Toriel removed her hand away from Asgore and he closed his eyes in order to hide the hurt.

"After a lab assistant was thrown into critical condition I ordered the project to be shut down. Things were getting out of control and in time they would have escaped without any way to stop them. Their determination was a one way street it appeared… They could hurt us but what could we do against something that was merely air in its simplest form?" He hesitated searching for the right words but as he did he opened himself up for questions that had been brewing. "…I do not understand. Your people would never want such experiments even at the risk of our own future." In a rare moment of seriousness, Papyrus' look turned to one of disdain. "I also do not understand what past failures have to do with the here and now." "…When we moved to get rid of the lost souls it was easy enough to disperse the lesser souls… But we could not do the same for the stronger ones. It got to a point where we believed we were going to be over thrown by them. Quite honestly I expected it… It was a foolish venture—" "And yet you didn't learn the first time. Surprise, surprise."

Ignoring, Sans' remark the ex-patriarch continued on. "But there was one soul… A familiar soul I am quite sure I've never met before… Every attempt to inject determination into them was a failure and in the end that was our greatest success. I am… Still not sure what it did but through its actions the enraged souls were laid into dormancy… The only physical evidence we possessed of his involvement was broken machinery. In the days to follow the project was laid to rest and all research was subsequently destroyed in order to prevent such a thing again… Although we know the next story after that… It was some time before we left for training that I began to get word of entities roaming the forest. Violent beings set on attacking anything on sight but I checked over the forest again and again before I took Frisk off. I never came back with a shred of evidence and was able to dismiss the claims at the time. It lead me to take her into the forest with confidence that she would be safe." He spared a glance towards Toriel who merely looked down at her hands processing everything she was hearing.

"…We remained in the forest for a year without incident. Frisk was able to handle most of what I taught her with little frustration and when she did have issue she usually got over it with time and patience. On the first week of the second year is when the…incident, changed our course…"

Messing with souls wasn't child's play. It had repercussions; prices to be paid that normally would outweigh the reward. And when those debuts seemed to inch further and further away it was easy to forget them completely…But they always came back to bite you in the ass when you least expect it.

And always when you had something precious to protect.

The king ran to and fro unable to fully understand what he was looking at. This. This thing simply could not be… After all this time there it was standing in front of him determined to end him, remembering the part he played in it all. He was there—he had witness the spirits disappearing all those years ago and he was so sure they had disappeared for good. Why now? Why would they return now of all times…? Unbeknownst to his family, he had been getting reports for the past year previously of creatures walking the forest with the ability to harm but not to be harmed in return… But he had always checked every time making sure that there was no way that those abominations from the past could spout up once more. It seemed his list of failures were climbing up as he tore through the forest in attempt to lose the soul. These things, these lost souls; they weren't just coming back… They were waking up.

And crawling their way out of the underground into the surface.

It seemed like hours had passed in his effort to lead the soul away from where his daughtered camped. Shoving his pitch fork into the ground, the ex-patriarch catapulted himself backwards to gain distance before thrusting himself forward. They were skirting to close to Frisk's location and he couldn't allow that. If that thing touched her… The thought alone caused rage to fill him and the king released a battle cry. He would not lose another child. Not again… Picking himself up, he threw himself into battle once more but it was to no avail. Soon the king found himself on one knee glaring up at the insatiable menace that stood before him. He had his fair share of mistakes in his life time and every one he wished he could take back. But he couldn't let this mistake overcome him. It couldn't end this way… Not with Frisk so near. Not when she could be…

"HEY DOOFUS!"

The twisted figure before him snapped its head to the side locking on to a tiny little girl with nothing but a stick in her hand. "Leave my dad alone." Was the world punishing him for his sins? Probably, but he wasn't willing to let her parish to something created by his demand. "Frisk!" She didn't acknowledge her father as he called out to her focusing her full attention on the creature that dared attack him. The soul slowly but surely slinked up to her but when he got to close she picked up a nearby rock and fling it at his face, watching as it sailed right through. That however didn't stop it from becoming enraged. She didn't wait for the demonic cry to finish before taking off deeper into the forest. And as her littler feet carried her away she prayed to every god and goddess she knew to grant her mercy. But none of them were listening as she quickly found out and soon she found herself tripping over a root protruding from the earth. She tried to scramble, to get up before she was found but once again she was not granted the luck she prayed for.

Twisted, the creature came over her and she scurried as far back as she could. This was it… She was going to die here and no amount of determination could stop it. She couldn't do it she just… Closing her tear filled eyes she flinched and waited for the killing blow.

Stay determined.

Her eyes shot open and she found herself looking up. She couldn't die… Not now. Pulling back her fist she reached down as deep as she could to pull up every bit of determination in her body. She had to finish her training. She had to come home save and sound. She had to see her mother and father together. She had to see her friends and family… She could not die. She could not.

Prevail!

Her fist struck out and the world seemed to stop the instant their hands barely touched. The pulse she released was stronger than anything she could muster previously and yet desperate situations tended to pull strength out of us all. But by the time it had passed through the lost soul it became frozen and like porcelain that had just been dropped it began to crack and crack… Until it finally shattered...

Prevail… Frisk.

"I…I am not sure what happened afterwards… She will not speak of it truth be told… But what I do know is that Frisk is the only one I've ever witnessed who was able to deal with a lost soul… Year 2 rolled away rather quickly and the sightings of lost souls began to increase more and more. It was clear we could not just avoid them because if we did they would simply seep out. And if we allowed that there would be nothing to stop the humans from discarding their faith in us." Turning his eyes to Frisk he frowned. "There was a day were all we did was deal with them… Soul after soul—they seem to be attracted to Frisk to the point where we would take watch just to sleep… in the end we would have to deal with them any way and so we moved." He didn't… "In the underground we could head them off quicker than If they came after us above ground. And with Frisk being the only one who holds some power over them it allowed us to harness her abilities and manage the threat."

He did.

The blue wisp radiated his internal rage but he wasn't the only one angry; not this time. Standing in rage Toriel's flames flicked off of her as she glared down at Asgore.

"YOU SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT HER HOME! THE DAY AFTER THAT INCIDENT YOU SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT OUR DAUGHTER HOME!"

"THIS WILL NOT STAND! WE ALL MAKE MISTAKES BUT THIS IS NEGLIGENCE! AND I THE GREAT PAPYRUS WILL NOT STAND FOR IT!" Undyne merely leered down at Alphys grilling the monster thoroughly before looking at Asgore. "You could have gotten her killed! She was only a kid, Asgore! What the hell man?!"

"Oh? And what would you have done?" Taken by the voice that spoke over they looked up only to spot an enraged Frisk. Asgore wasn't innocent by any means no… But to have them think that they could do anything differently was intolerable. "Frisk?" "What would you have done?! Truly?! Sliced at thin air?! Throw bones at it?! Fire ball it to death?!" "T-There may have b-been another way." Frisk gave a bemused snort. "Have you forgotten? You can kill a person but you can't kill a soul! You can only absorb it! Remember!? That thing you all wanted to do to my soul!?" They all flinched and she regretted the words instantly. It wasn't fair to state such things and she knew it. She just… Looking to the side she frowned. "I'm sorry… I…" She fell silent before she felt her hand being squeezed. She had forgotten he was still holding it. "It's not that easy… You can't will these things away… The souls are attracted to determination… They would have come after me regardless… But you needed to know. You all needed to know. Because whether I have to or not I've absorbed another beings soul and I-…"

She thought they all knew. When Asgore told her that they needed to do their best to stop the souls she thought they all knew. She had even handed off her cellphone to him so he could make sure. If she would have known they didn't know she would have never done it. If she knew she would have never allowed herself to go any further into this, to absorb the first soul and then more… She wouldn't have done any of it had she knew… She wished she had gone back in her promise in the back of her mind. If she had she could start again… But he would have remembered, Sans always remembered.

"I don't understand…" All eyes looked up to Alphys and she willed herself to look up. "A-Absorbing a soul increases your power… But you don't have the k-kinda strength I-I'd expect f-from someone w-who has…" Looking down at her lap Frisk closed her eyes. "It's not as simple as taking them in to me. Absorbing is the word I use… It's better than stating that I destroy them… I-I don't understand it fully myself… But whenever I do it I'm…ripping the determination from them… They never remain past ten minutes after I do so…" At this point she began to shake regardless of Sans inaudible support. She felt like a monster. She wasn't helping the souls move on she was just ending them. And yet every time she wished to spare them they would have none of it. You couldn't save everyone and she knew that but it was easier to say than to live. Placing her forgotten apple down, Frisk rose and dropped Sans' hand. "I'm sorry… But they are still out there and… And we don't know what to do… When I came back I thought you all knew already… I'm sure Asgore had his reasons but we can't keep this way up. I can't just keep absorbing them all… I just can't…" Moving away, Frisk left the room for her own seeking the solace of solitude.

In her room she crawled under the covers and pulled them over her head. She knew he would make her retell the fine details they hadn't covered. She knew he would scan over her face looking for any little bit of lies in order to confirm her words. Under his gaze, Frisk was very well aware that she would crack. And in the back of her mind that made her just a little bit more forgiving of the assault he was going to lay into Asgore before her interrogation.

Toriel had left the house for home not wishing to be in the presence of Asgore any longer. Undyne followed suit uncharacteristically silent as her anger stewed within. Alphys followed lingering behind knowing full well that Undyne's anger gravitated towards her for keeping the truth from her. It left the ex-pariarch, Papyrus and Sans. By then the shorter being had contained the wisp turning to his brother with a calm disposition. "Pap… I need you to go to Frisk." "Brother?" Scratching his skull he shrugged. "You saw how she was, Pap. We don't want to leave her alone to her thoughts. Kids been through enough without us by her side. We need to make up for that. Besides, you're her hero remember?" A flame within ignited and Papyrus stood proud before saluting Sans. "THAT I AM! RIGHT! YES! I WILL TEND TO THE HUMAN AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY COME OUT OF THIS SADNESS PLAGUING THEIR HEARTS! I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WILL MAKE HER SMILE ONCE MORE!" Filled with vigor, Papyrus moved to leave but when he stepped out the doorway he turned around looking at the back of Sans' head. "AND WHAT DO YOU PLAN TO DO SANS?!" Unbeknownst to him, his brother stared directly into Asgore's eyes his own blacked over with no signs of ever changing any time soon. "Heh, don't worry Papyrus. Go ahead." He lingered for a bit before running out the door catching the last bit of his brother's words.

"We're going to have a heart to heart."

Its that time again, kiddies.

That's right, AN time.

I want to have Asgore and Sans fight each other. I'm not sure why but the thought amuses me.

By the way the fact that I can't use WingDing on this site drives me batshit. Just saying.

Later, kiddo.

~Muds