Chapter Seven:

Soon the holiday season had came and passed, leaving the new year and a Frisk and Kiona going back to school. Kiona had been very hesitant, being wary of her surroundings and staying by Frisk the entire time. Frisk didn't mind. In their own way, they liked to feel like Kiona's personal guard, just in case someone tried to hurt her.

The first school day of the year is slow and boring, but on the bright side, Kiona did offer a few answers when their teachers call on her. Frisk is very proud of the development Kiona is showing. If they had never found her on the bench that morning, she wouldn't have been able to answer... She could have been dead.

Near the end of the day, Frisk and Kiona have to part ways. With it being the new quarter, Frisk has to take a health class, as Kiona has physical education. Since Frisk already took their mandatory P.E. class for the year, they have to leave Kiona by herself.

The first day of class is fine — the students are given a syllabus by their teacher, Coach Mayors, and they review it, then they do a few stretches and run around the gym. Coach Mayors is also very kind to Kiona as well, and even told Frisk that she has an autistic brother, so she promises that she would make sure to treat Kiona with care.

Everything goes smoothly for the first class of P.E., and Kiona even seems to enjoy it. The next class, however, is when things start to get difficult.

Mandatory to the rules, Kiona is expected to change into her P.E. uniform in the female locker room, but she refuses. Kiona threw a tantrum, refusing to take off any article of clothing, and quickly causes a scene.

A few of the teachers, including the Coach herself, try to calm the girl down, but their soft, sugary words are no match for her screaming and crying. Kiona ran, hiding in the shower part of the locker room, rejecting any attempt to communicate with anyone. So, they called Frisk down, since they were the only ones with a real connection with the girl.

Frisk hesitantly entered the locker room. It was eerily quiet. The tall, lanky, metal lockers were in rows adjacent to the door, and lining the walls. They glowed a dim grey in the flickering, old ceiling lights. It smelled vaguely of body odor, the kind that stuck around even after the rooms were empty — probably due to the clothes that were preserved for after class in the metal lockers. There's were two openings, one to the bathroom on the side, and the other to the back, which held changing stalls.

Frisk walked towards the changing stalls slowly, "Kiona? Are you in here?" They called, checking in each section of stalls. The walls were a pale yellow and the paint was peeling off of it. There was a few scraggily written writings in some, but Frisk didn't bother to read it.

The stalls proved to be empty, so they went to the showers. The heavy silence was interrupted by a sniffle, that echoed the tiled floors and walls.

Frisk turned, and spotted Kiona. She was sitting in the corner of the showers, leaning against the walls. She didn't seem to mind how dirty the floors were, and was only staring blankly at her worn grey shoes. "Hey, Kiona," Frisk called out, and the girl didn't respond. Holding back a sigh, Frisk stepped over to the girl, sitting beside her. It wasn't close enough to make Kiona feel trapped, and not too far to make Frisk seem distant.

"Do you think mom'll make some cookies when we get home?" Frisk wondered aloud. "Maybe she'll let us decorate them like last time." They laughed at the thought, "That was fun, wasn't it?" A small nod from Kiona and Frisk grinned.

They began to talk about anything — everything. Sometimes, it was about the Former Dog guards, or Miss Muffet's café. They talked about their fun in the Underground, meeting everyone and befriending them all. They even ventured towards giraffes, and a few animated movies with the long-necked mammals in them. It wasn't long before Kiona was laughing and talking with them, completely forgetting about the events from earlier.

Soon, it was time to go to their next class. Frisk led Kiona out of the lockers, ignoring the strange states they were given. The Coach thanked Frisk for handling the situation, and they went to their next, and final, class.

However, Kiona threw another fit in the next P.E. class, refusing to get changed. Frisk was once again to the rescue, and calmed her down. When the class ended, Coach Mayors pulled Frisk to talk to them privately.

"Look, I know you wanna help Kiona," the Coach began. "But, she needs to participate in class. Besides, you keep missing classes for her too. It's not good for either of your grades."

"I know," Frisk sighed, glancing over to the girl who was sitting on the bleachers, quietly.

"I understand her issues with not being willing to get dressed in public — my brother had the same dilemma. Why don't you have her wear her uniform to school with her?" The Coach suggested.

"My mom already tried that; it's too cold outside," Frisk sighed.

"She could wear sweatpants opposed to shorts. They're not exactly part of the uniform, but I'll let it slide in her case." Frisk looked up, surprised.

"Really?"

"Yeah," the Coach smirked. "As long as she's wearing clothes that appropriate for the class, and she participates, she'll be fine. The only time she would be in the locker room would be to put her books away."

"That a good idea!" Frisk grinned, "Thank you!"

"I'm a teacher. That's what I'm here for," Coach Mayors said with a small shrug. "Lemme write you two a late pass, so you don't get in trouble with Jackson."

"Thanks," Frisk thanked the coach again.

"Don't mention it. Now, you two go on and skedaddle!"

~•~•~•~

It turns out, Coach Mayor's plan to have Kiona wear sweatpants instead of shorts worked very well. Soon, she was participating with the other students in her class. Despite her height and lightweight — which was gradually increasing — she was very athletic and soon gained the title of fastest runner in their class.

This title, and her favouritism from their teacher, came with jealousy from her other classmates. Frequently, they would tease Kiona, calling her names, or hiding her books when she needed them. Not every student participated in her teasings. However, the ones who didn't made no move to tell a teacher of what was happening.

One day, Coach Mayors was sick with the flu — an illness that was going around a lot of the students too — and was replaced with a substitute.

The substitute wasn't very stern. She simply told the students that they were to do their stretches, run their usual laps, then play either four square or basketball. So, the class went by rather smoothly, and after finished, the sub went to hide in her office or the rest of the day.

Kiona was taking her books out of her locker when some of the other female students began to crowd around her. Kiona looked up, confused, and one of them spoke. "Did you have fun in class, retard?" She asked. The student was tall for her age, and had short blonde hair. She had already changed out of her uniform and was wearing a plain white tee shirt and jeans.

"I need to go," Kiona said, trying to push through the crowd of girl, but they pushed Kiona back before she had the chance to escape.

"Look at her hair! I bet there's worms in them!" One of the girls said, and the others laughed.

"I bet they crawl in her ears while she's sleeping, and make nests in her brain!"

"Please," another scoffed. "Everyone knows retards don't have brains!" This caused another round of hateful laughter. Kiona felt smaller, and she tried to get away again, only to be shoved back, much harder this time, making her fall on her bottom, her books scattering across the floor as well.

"Why don't you want to change, retard?" The tall girl from earlier asked. "Too good for us?"

"She's like a reverse stripper!" Another girl exclaimed and they all laughed.

Kiona felt someone pull at her shirt, yanking it over her head. She cried out, trying to keep her shirt on, but someone else held down her hands. The girls were like buzzards, picking her clothes off her, leaving her in only her undergarments. They used her vulnerability to pinch her in sensitive areas and poke her in more private ones. Kiona would try to move, but with the girls holding her in place, it was futile.

Kiona was trembling, tears dripping down her cheeks. She could feel Zackiery's hands roaming her body, tearing her clothes off her weak limbs. He would thrust his manhood into her, or shove it down her throat until she gagged, wanting to vomit, wanting to die.

The girls dragged Kiona into the showers. Someone turned the shower head on, and drenched her clothes. They threw it at her, jeering and laughing to each other, and left.

~•~•~•~

Frisk was really late to pick up Kiona. Their class lost track of time, and was nearly ten minutes late to their class. Frisk ran down the halls, having to be told three times to slow down before finally getting to the gym.

Much to their surprise, the gym was empty. Maybe Kiona was already taken to Mr. Jackson's class? Frisk thought, and left the gym.

When they finally made it to Mr. Jackson's class, Kiona was missing. Mr. Jackson had already received word that Frisk's class would be late but was concerned when Kiona hadn't showed up to class when Frisk finally arrived. He allowed them to go back to the gym, and if they still hadn't located her, to report to the office.

Frisk dashed down the halls, undutifully ignoring the warnings of 'no running'. They made it back to the empty gym and entered the locker room.

Much like the first time they entered the room, it was eerie and silent. Frisk called out, "Kiona? Are you in here?" And gained no response. They began to search, checking the lockers, the bathroom, and the peeling paint stalls, but found nobody.

Frisk was about to give up when they spotted a small, trembling figure, in the darkest corner of the room, near a shower pole. The lightbulb above the figure was dead, so Frisk almost looked past them. Then, they moved, their entire body trembling.

Frisk walked over slowly, "Kiona...?"

"Please," Kiona's weak voice begged. "Please, no! It hurts!" Frisk stepped over, now getting a clearer view of the girl. She was without her shirt or pants, wearing simply her undergarments, but she had been trying to shakily them back on. They were wet and she wasn't focused, so causing her to have a arm in the head hole and only half a foot in the pants. Tears stained her cheeks and she was sobbing. Kiona folded her legs to her chest, her breathing getting heavily and more ragged. "No, please, Zackiery, nooo..."

"Kiona," Frisk said, trying to keep their shaking voice calm, if not for her sake but also for their own. What happened to her!? Frisk took a step closer, and Kiona seemed to get smaller. "Calm down. It's okay, he's not here anymore, he's—"

"It hurts! It hurts!" Kiona wailed.

They took another step, and earned a loud cry because of it. "I know, but—" They felt a familiar tugging at their soul and glanced down. Their ruby red soul was exposed and for whatever reason, was turning grey. "Wha—?!"

Suddenly, they were petrified with fear. Their eyes were wide as they saw themselves murdering everyone in the Underground. First, attacking the old dummy, then a Froggit, and then, their own mother. Her face terrified of them, a child, her child.

Soon, their hands were caked in dust and no matter how hard they tried they couldn't scrub them clean. And it only escalated, it was a Snowdrake, Ice Cap, and Papyrus. Their best friend, who was a big brother to them, dead. And they crushed his head in the snow.

And then it grew and they couldn't control themselves. Shyrens, the Temmies, Undyne. The Royal Guards, Muffet, Mettaton. Their Ton-Ton, reduced to merely scrap metal.

And then, it was Sans. His dark eye sockets boring into them. Judging every part of them, making them feel their sins crawling down their spine. He killed their dust tainted soul several times, but was never victorious.

Do kids like Frisk even have souls? Do demons like Frisk even have souls?

Frisk killed him. And then they killed Asgore and then they killed Flowey and then, Chara killed them. And even after all that, even after resetting, they would never forgive themselves for going that far. For getting too curious. For enjoying every second of it.

Frisk collapsed, gripping their head in their hands, tears streaming their cheeks. They were scared. They were terrified. Make it stop! Make it stop!

Their phone slipped out of their pocket and Frisk noticed it. Shakily, they speed dialed the first number they saw, held it to their ear. The line picked up after the second ring. "Hey, kid. Somethin' wrong? Aren't ya supposed to be in—"

"Help," Frisk sobbed, nearly dropping the phone. "Please, help."

"Where are you?" Frisk hesitated, what if he tried to kill them again? "Frisk? Tell me where you are."

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to! I–I didn't mean for it to go that far, I—"

"Frisk!" Frisk whimpered, "Listen to me, whatever you did, it doesn't matter. Forget about it. I need you to tell me where you are."

"You hate me..."

"I don't, kid. Where are you right now?"

Frisk paused for a second, breathing heavily, "Sc–School. L–Lo–Locker room. G–Girls—" the line went dead.

A moment later, Sans appeared behind them, his left eye ablaze of yellow and blue. Frisk cried out, he was going to break their soul again! He was going to kill them!

Sans blinked, observing the scene. The room was dark, and both Frisk and Kiona were crying. He almost didn't recognize Frisk's soul when he noticed it was grey.

"Oh, shit." He muttered, using his magic to levitate Frisk. They cried out, as he moved them out of the room, and into the gym. With the distance, Frisk began to get weaker as weaker until they collapsed. He sighed, and left them on the bench outside the locker room.

He went back to Kiona, who was crying harder, having been left alone. He quickly came to comfort her. "Hey, hey, shh. It's okay, it's gonna be okay." She didn't stop crying and he laid he sat down beside her and rested her head on his chest.

"Za–Zackiery. Za... It hurts..." Kiona sobbed.

"I know, I know," he whispered, Kiona'a fingers curled around his shirt, tears and mucus staining it. Sans hummed to her, stroking her sister locked hair. It felt like nearly forever, but her tears finally stopped and she was slowly breathing on his shirt. "Good job, kid..."

It took a bit of effort, but Sans convinced Kiona to come out of the showers. Since it was too far cold to have her wear the sopping wet clothes, he gave her his hoodie, which reached down to her knees. Frisk was beginning to regain consciousness as Sans led Kiona out of the locker room. "Kid? You awake?"

"Mm..." Frisk murmured, rubbing their eyes. "Ye... Yeah..." They looked around, confused. "What happened?"

"I'll explain later," he told them before teleporting the three of them away.

~•~•~•~

"She will just need a bit of rest," Toriel said after checking up on the girl. Kiona was sitting on the couch, refusing to sleep despite Toriel's requests. "She needs to learn how to control her magic, though. If she keeps this up, she could hurt someone, or even hurt herself."

"How did she turn my soul grey?" Frisk asked, sitting at the kitchen table with the others. "I thought that only boss monsters could do that."

"It's her magic," Sans explained. "She influences souls."

"But... I've never seen a grey soul before," Frisk murmured.

"What did you feel when she influenced your soul?" Sans asked.

Frisk was quiet for a moment, and Toriel spoke up. "Is they don't want to say—"

"No, it's okay mom," Frisk assured. "I was... Scared, so I guess it was fear?"

"Fear?" Toriel echoed and Frisk nodded.

"She was scared too, so maybe she just relayed her emotions to me," Frisk suggested.

"How did she end up in that condition anyway?" Toriel asked, turning to Frisk, who only gave a half-hearted shrug.

"The other kids have been giving her a hard time for a while," Frisk admitted. "I try to defend her as much as I can, but I'm not in her P.E. class so I can't help her there. Usually, Coach Mayors watches out for her, but I don't think she was in class today."

"Until we can figure out who did this, Kiona will be staying home tomorrow," Toriel decided firmly. "I'll go to the school, and speak to the faculty. Sans, do you mind watching Kiona?"

"Course not," Sans grinned.

"Thank you," Toriel glanced at the spaghetti clock on the wall, "We must head out soon. I have a parent-teacher meeting in about a half hour." Sans nodded and Toriel and Frisk said their goodbyes to the skeleton and Kiona.

~•~•~•~

Sans sat beside Kiona once they left. The televisions was playing a kids' cartoon show, but Kiona seemed disinterested in it. "Want somethin' to eat?" He asked, earning no response. Kiona leaned back, bringing her knees up on the couch. There was a blanket draped over her shoulders to provide minimal warmth.

Sans picked up the remote and turned on one of the giraffe documentaries he had prepared for her. Then, he stood, "I'm gonna make us something to eat," Sans told her before disappearing to the kitchen. Five minutes later, the smell of grilled cheese sandwiches wafted through the apartment, and Kiona's stomach growled loudly. Sans hummed an unknown tune while he cooked, and once he finished, he sliced it in half and set it beside Kiona.

Kiona stared at it, and slowly took a small piece of the food, and nibbled at the end. After that, she pushed the plate away, curling into her knees tighter. Sans sighed, "You know you gotta eat more than that, kid," Sans told her, pushing the plate towards her. Kiona shook her head vigorously, but Sans was stern. "Eat half," he told her. "That's it."

Kiona whimpered, "It tastes like him."

"I know, and I'm sorry, but you can't starve yourself because of that. It's not healthy." Kiona looked at the plate. Slowly, she picked up half of the sandwich, and brought it to her lips. She took a bite, and gagged, but forced herself to swallow it. Sans watched her the entire time until she finally finished half of the sandwich, and upheld their deal.

Kiona pushed the plate away, and curled up further on the couch, tears welling in her eyes. "Good job, kid," Sans praised, rubbing her back in slow, comforting circles. Sans set the plate aside and moved closer to her. Kiona rested her head on his shoulder, quietly crying. "Shh... Shh... It's okay..." Sans comforted her.

Kiona laid on him for a while, but her breathing slowed and Kiona gradually fell asleep.

~•~•~•~

Kiona didn't like sleeping. Whenever she did, she dreamed of Zackiery. She dreamed off all the horrible acts he committed against her, all the things he forced on her. Kiona dreamed of him pinning her on her bed, squeezing her wrists until she cried out as he used her body for his own disgusting desires. She didn't want to see Zackiery. She didn't want to see him continue to use her like she was a toy for him. She didn't want him to hurt her anymore. She wanted him to go away — she wanted to go away.

Kiona woke up on the couch, trembling. The room was dark, due to the late hours of the night. The television was off, and there was a body beside her. Kiona curled up on the couch, her mind relaying the nightmare she experienced. Tears pooled in her eyes and she sobbed into her knees.

Something shifted beside her, and the body beside her sat up. "Mmm..." They murmured, sniffing. Kiona whimpered, moving away, but her back was already pressed against the side of the couch. They turned and Kiona could see the dim pinpricks of light in their eyes. It was Sans. Kiona's shoulders sagged in relief and her ragged breathing steadied. Sans blinked, "Bad dream?" He guessed.

Kiona nodded and Sans pulled her into a hug. "S'okay, kiddo," he murmured. "I get 'em too." Kiona didn't respond. She gently took Sans' hands, placing her own on them. The bony ridges tickled her soft skin, and she couldn't help a giggle. She squeezed his hand, giggling when it turned blue again. She really couldn't help it — it was so fascinating.

Sans chuckled at her amusement. "I don't understand how someone could be so cruel to ya, kid," he murmured, more to himself. Kiona looked up, and poked the side of face and he laughed. Kiona turned her attention back to his hands, interlacing her fingers with his, making a strange combination of light sienna brown and greyish-white digits. "I'm gonna find who turned you into this. And trust me when I say that they're gonna have a bad time."