A/N: I know the last chapter wasn't much of a chapter so much as half-random void stuff and half-random Wingdings, so here's another chapter just because I'm nice.
Frisk stood at the box, glove on her hand. The lid swung closed in front of her.
why did we come back to here?
I'm not sure. But it doesn't matter, does it? We can just pick up where we left off. Heat sparked around her as she teleported back to the forest.
Sans's footprints crunched in the snow behind her as she came up to the gateway.
"human."
Frisk immediately spun around. "Howdy, Sans." She held out her hand, and with a questioning look in his eyes Sans took it.
Pffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffft.
"Huh," Frisk held up her hand. "We both tried the 'whoopee-cushion-in-the-hand' trick on each other at the same time."
Just as before, Sans fell into a fit of uncontrollable laughter. Yet Frisk didn't even smile, her mind fixated on Sans's grin as he reached to help her up... and then his charred dust swirling in the wind, and Papyrus's anguished attack.
Sans must have seen something in her eyes, because he asked gently, "Hey, kiddo, is something the matter?"
"No." Frisk said, and then amended her statement, "Nothing you can help with, anyway."
"okay." Sans didn't press it, although there was a small amount of questioning in his eye sockets. "anyway, you're a human, right? that's hilarious."
Frisk already knew what he was going to say, and tuned him out.
not very nice, kid.
What can I say? It's a little boring.
you're boring. at any rate, you can't ignore what people are saying just because you think you know what they're going to say.
"hey! kid, you listening to me? we're heading up ahead!"
Frisk snapped out of her semi-trance. "Yeah. Sure."
Trying hard to concentrate as she walked forward, Frisk was embroiled with panic. What do I do to make sure that doesn't happen again? Even if I don't trip this time, I could just-
hey. relax, okay? everything's going to be okay.
No! No, it won't!
"quick, behind that conveniently-shaped lamp." Sans said.
Obediently Frisk walked over to the lamp. Strangely, she felt as if she was moving on autopilot, like she wasn't controlling herself anymore.
Almost in a trance, she listened to Papyrus's footfalls, his monologue about his hopes and dreams, interrupted occasionally by one of Sans's bad puns.
uh, frisk? you okay?
I don't know. I don't know anything anymore.
"okay, you can come out now."
But Frisk stayed in place behind the lamp. It was strange, like her legs had locked up, her arms pinned to her sides, and her jaw been wired shut.
"hey! kid! can you hear me? you can come out now." Sans said.
The ceiling of the cavern suddenly seemed to tilt above her as everything faded.
Frisk heard a sound like wind, but intermixed with something else... laughter?
In the darkness, a voice sounded, speaking in a language she'd never heard before.
Her eyes flickered open. Two faces swirled above her, one concerned and one triumphant.
She closed her eyes.
Frisk opened her eyes. The snow whirled past beneath her. Something had a grip on her ankles, and something else was supporting the weight of her upper body.
"Huh? What?" Frisk flailed for a moment before falling face-first into the snow.
"OHO!" a familiar voice cried out. "THE HUMAN AWAKES!"
"hey, take it easy, papyrus. kid's probably chilled to the bone."
"SANS, I SHALL MAKE NO COMMENT ON THAT."
"look, if the human freezes to death, you won't be able to take her to undyne."
"HMM. YOU DO MAKE A GOOD POINT, BROTHER. I KNOW WHAT WILL BRING THEM BACK TO NORMAL- HOME-COOKED SPAGHETTI! I WILL MAKE SURE TO PREPARE SOME IMMEDIATELY!"
Strong arms gripped Frisk and lifted her off the ground. "take it easy, kid. everything's gonna be okay, alright?" then, quieter, "your soul won't be taken." A small hesitation. "i promise."
Everything faded again.
