(*Undyne blocks the way.)

As the world faded to the monochrome of battle, Frisk was already trying to get through to Undyne. "Why do you have to do this?"

Undyne's voice dripped with contempt as she answered. "Listen, punk, two of my best friends in the world died at the hands of humans for zero reason. So you can shut up about 'having to' do things!"

Now it was Undyne's turn to attack. She closed her eyes, put her pointer fingers to her temples, and energy spears rapidly formed and rocketed towards Frisk. They ducked, dodged, leaped, and barely managed to clear the last spear. Frisk sighed in relief, wiped their forehead, and listened to Buddy's commentary for a moment ("Undyne gives you a glare so sharp it could have cut your hair") before making their next move. "What does that have to do with me?"

Undyne's eyes narrowed and she practically spat her next words. "You humans only ever do things because you can! And because you can, you 'have to'! And that includes KILLING MY FRIENDS, APPARENTLY!"

Undyne whipped her hand upward, and Frisk's SOUL flickered into a greenish color, freezing them in place. They looked around in panic as several spears shot towards them. Mere seconds before disaster, a glowing shield materialized in their hands. Breathing a sigh of relief, they spun it around and deflected the spears. As Buddy noted that "it smells like rusted metal", Frisk asked Undyne, "Haven't you met any good humans?"

The question seemed to unsettle Undyne, who replied: "Well, there was C... I-it doesn't matter! You're nothing like them! They were always asking questions, trying to get to know me... trying to... to help me..."

Undyne made a fist, and Frisk's SOUL turned red again before spears launched towards them from all directions. They played a deadly game of Limbo, bending over and sliding out of harm's way as spear after spear rocketed over their head.

They straightened up, took a moment to rest, and then asked, as it would turn out, the deciding question.

"What makes me any different from the good human you know?"

Undyne stumbled back like she'd been kicked in the shins. Her eyes widened and her arms dropped to her sides. When she next spoke, her voice was missing its passion and anger, replaced with pure shock.

"I... I don't..."

She wildly swung her arm, and a few half-heartedly aimed spears tossed themselves at Frisk. All of them failed to hit their target.

.

Frisk asked Undyne to spare them.

.

"You haven't even attacked me once..."

.

Frisk asked Undyne to spare them.

.

"Why can't I do this?"

.

Frisk asked Undyne to spare them.

.

"Why am I only now really thinking about what I've done?"

.

Frisk asked Undyne to spare them.

.

"Why are you the only human that's really made me think about what I've done?"

.

Frisk asked Undyne to spare them.

.

"What am I even doing? You're exactly like them, there's nothing that makes you more killable than them. God, what am I doing?"

Undyne fell to her knees. Tears began to glisten in her yellow eyes. "Hah... I'm so weak, it's funny. I got defeated by words..."

Without warning, Frisk pulled Undyne into a hug. "Don't say that. It shows that you're willing to listen to reason... that you have a heart, a conscience."

Undyne wiped at her eyes. "You're right, punk. You got me to see what "doing the right thing" really means. And I definitely know it's not right to kill you!"

The human and the monster shared a laugh together before Undyne let go of Frisk and stood up. "You should go. If you keep on walking, you'll meet the Queen. She's not in a good state of mind, but I believe that you can help her just like you helped me."

Frisk nodded solemnly and stepped through the door, but before closing it they turned around. "Say, Undyne. I kept seeing red paint everywhere, like on the signs and in your sink. What was that about?"

"You know you're not the first human to fall down here, right?"

"What does that have to do with the paint?"

"...It's not paint. It's blood."

"Oh. I get it. Don't worry, I'm not mad. Everyone deserves a second chance."

"Thanks, punk. You know, we all could learn a thing or two from you."

"Don't mention it."

Frisk closed the door behind them.

They looked around. There was just darkness all around them, with a purple door at the end of the room and a withered sunflower in a patch of sunlight the only objects of interest in the room- wait. A withered sunflower. Was that-

And then Sunny answered their question for them.

"Hey again, kid. I gotta say, I expected you to die to Undyne at least once. You're just full of surprises, aren't ya?"

Frisk gritted their teeth as Sunny went on. "But noooo, not dying to her wasn't enough. You just had to get all friendly with her. Makes me sick."

"...But I'm getting off-topic. Anyhow, so you managed to go your own route. You didn't kill, and you weren't killed. But..."

Sunny's face twisted and distorted, his eye-lights flickering out and his grin melting into a twisted snarl. "What happens when you encounter someone who's sworn to kill, someone driven by vengeance who'll never let up until you're dead for good? What good will your precious pacifism do you then?"

"Heh heh heh. I can't wait to see you break. But for now... I'll let ya go. Remember, I'm always watchi- ACK!"

Not wanting to hear another word from Sunny's mouth, Frisk had stomped as hard as they could on his head before rushing towards the other end of the room. They pushed through the door and slammed it behind them, then sat down and hugged their knees for a little while.

Frisk suddenly realized that Buddy had been oddly silent for most of the fight with Undyne and their talk with Sunny. They turned to see him, and realized with a jolt that he ad obviously been crying. Seeing Frisk staring, Buddy flinched, wiped his eyes, and said nervously, "We'd better get going. Sunny might decide to come after us."

Frisk nodded mutely, pushed themself up off the floor, and walked unsteadily forward. At the end of one last long hallway was one last door. They swung it open and stepped through.

END OF SECTION ONE: THE RUINS