Author's Note: I'm liking the new style of writing that I've got going on... it makes me feel DETERMINED to finish the chapter before I continue onward, rather than smaller bits that I feel 'meh' about. Hope y'all like it, love it, comment on it, and let me know how I can improve my style of writing... i'd really appreciate it.
P.S; I apologize for the length of time it took me to post this new chapter; a spent several days travelling by bus. That feel when no strong Wi-Fi connection. /3
Warning: This chapter includes alcohol usage. If you feel a little squeamish about the subject, do not fret! I'll add a small summary about the important parts of this chapter in the next chapter's author's note.
Disclaimer: I do not own the game/franchise Undertale. All copyright and ownership go to Toby Fox and his affiliates.
"You're quite the interesting young woman, dear Frisk. My late-wife would've loved to c-chat with you." The elderly lizard monster had a habit of stuttering, but it didn't bother Frisk one bit. Ever since she went on her break, she had decided to visit the elderly home downtown; she enjoyed hearing from both older humans and monsters... though she couldn't deny having an ulterior motive... the older monsters may know how to revert Asriel back to his former self. It was a long-shot, and had a low chance of success... but Frisk was willing to do almost anything to save a friend; even a friend she had hardly known. He looked like the human's equivalent of an Alligator, hunched in his old recliner. The elderly human nodded her head into agreement of his statement, her smile warmed the air around them.
"Ah yes yes, I'd have to agree! Deary, would you be so kind as to deliver me my basket? Ruckus and I have found a book that you may very well enjoy." This may be it! Frisk nearly tripped over herself retrieving the basket, but kept her cool while she strolled over to her seat. She placed the basket neatly on the short table before them, the gentle monster reaching his arm into the basket. The older woman gave a little drum-roll as he handed her the novel, his large smile displayed the many sharp teeth in his maw. The younger woman took it with a smile of her own, surprised by the title of the novella; Monster Species Encyclopedia. She was tempted to start turning the pages and to indulge in such information, but withheld for her leave.
"A-as a human in this world, y-y-you should know more and more about the monsters surrounding you. Now, d-d-d-don't get the idea that all monsters act like like like that book says, we ARE much more diverse than that! Still, it doesn't hurt a-a youth like yourself to know how we work. You might find a tid-bit or two about us that can get you out of a sticky situation in the future. Welp, these ol' scales are are in need of a nap. Marian! You should escort her outta here, she needs to spend her day living it up for the new year!" Marian merely shook her head while he stepped out of the room, giggling while they walked out of the Nursing Home. She waved Frisk off; the afternoon sun had shown well that day. In a way, the lack of snow was dearly missed... of all the places in the Underground that she enjoyed exploring the most, it was Snowdin. She grinned to herself, knowing that it wouldn't be too much longer before she would pass by that wonderful snow again. She entered her car and switched on the engine, with a small hope that she could learn something that would benefit her current dilemma...
It didn't take her long to arrive back home, not surprised to see the usual situation around her. Sans was busy watching television, enjoying his time off with Mettatons new Soap Opera. If she remembered correctly, Naplestook and Shyren were featured for the first time; though that business decision didn't surprise her. Ever since they starting touring the globe from the moment they came up from the Underground, Mettaton and his brand; MTT, became world renowned. The people also loved the ghost's music... there was such a massive cult following for anything scary, which suited his tunes juuuuust fine. She noticed that Undyne, Alphys, Tahoma and Papyrus were gathered around the table, enjoying a classic game of Spanish 21. Their fascination for the card games that they saw at casino's were amusing to Frisk, sitting down to enjoy the view. Toriel took delight in being the dealer, she loved to shuffle the cards and to pass out their 'currency' for the four players. The delicate pieces of candy were tantalizing, though Frisk decided to keep her hands to herself; save the scolding that she would get for indulging in the sweets being used.
"Okay Alphys, you're down to your last pieces. Let's hope that you win the round!" Toriel announced as she flipped the cards upright, all of the players very tense. Papyus seemed to be in the lead with a solid pile of chocolates and peppermint pieces, an Ace of Clubs and a Three of Spades were put in front of him. Undyne was virtually tied with the skeleton, many Easter egg candies and lollipops filled her small container on the table. She got a King of Spades and a Four of Diamonds. Tahoma was struggling to stay in the game... from what Frisk could count, she only had enough pieces for one more round, if she doesn't win this one. She ended up getting a Queen of Diamonds and Eight of Spades. Poor Alphys was on her last, having the displeasure to receive a King of Clubs and a Six of Diamonds. Their hearts skipped a beat when Toriel laid herself down an Eight of Spades. Matching the card, Toriel took several pieces from everyone and gifted it to her; Tahoma struggled to keep a straight face at her winnings!
"Humph! I don't understand why she gets SO much from matching a card! Frisk, you humans can have the DUMBEST of rules for these stupid games!" Toriel merely giggled, Alphys let out a sigh while she leaned her hand on the table.
"Oh Undyne, you wouldn't be so upset if YOU were the one to win that! Besides, humans have done a pretty decent job designing these kinds of games... the probability of such an event happening is actually pretty slim; so the payout is definitely worth the risk. Okay, Whooooooo, go on ahead Toriel." The dealer had nodded her gentle goat head, skipping the declining Alphys for her turn, flipping a card for Undyne; a five of Diamonds placing her in a comfortable Nineteen. Tahoma decided to skip, knowing that placing a hit (taking a turn) would only end up in a bust (going over 21, losing the round). Papyrus hit, tying with Undyne's nineteen with his own six of Spades. They all waited patiently while Toriel shuffled the cards, the tension in the air was enough to cut a thin slice of cake! Toriel turned her card... a fifteen with the Seven of Clubs. She turned over another card... a Six of Spades ended with a Twenty One! The disgruntled players gave up their bets, Alphys offically out of the game. Undyne turned her scaled head to see how frustrated she was, and mentally decided on an ultimatum.
"Alright you sissies, I have a proposition for yah! ALL OR NOTHING!" She shoved her stockpile of sweets to the middle of the table, nearly slamming her sharp elbow on the tabletop while she faced her competitors. Tahoma could feel a bead of sweat wanting to escape from her forehead... though she's known Undyne for nearly half a year already, she hasn't gotten used to her intensity. Papyrus merely smirked while adding his winnings to the pile, crossing his arms in a pre-disposition victory pose.
"I, the Great Papyrus, take on your challenge. What say you, Tahoma?" He had his bare hand on her pile... the sight itself made Tahoma a little uncomfortable. He removed his cotton gloves to play this game... the cards kept slipping between his fingers through the fabric. She shook off the feeling while she verbally agreed to the challenge, the entire stash was then pushed to the side; Alphys gently spoke with her sharp-toothed counterpart.
"Undyne, you don't have to do this! I-I don't mind watching, and I wouldn't want you to end early..." She was quickly answered with a large, one armed hug.
"OH it's fine Alphys! This game is starting to get boring anyway! Besides, there's NO WAY that these losers will win this match!" She taunted from her seat as the cards were placed, a ferocious smile plastered on her face; A King of Diamonds and Queen of Spades greeted her. Tahoma sighed in defeat, her loss quickly displayed itself with A King of Hearts and Eight of Diamonds. Papyrus was the only one left to stand against his counterpart, sighing in defeat to his Jack of Hearts and Seven of Spades.
"HAH! I TOLD you losers that I would win! C'mon Alphys, let's take th-"
"Wait now, I have to of yet drawn my cards; keep in mind, the dealer can win. Let me have my turn... then you can do with the sweets whatever you'd like." Her gentle reminder cooled Undyne's excitement by just a short amount, flipping her first card for a Queen of hearts. She then flipped again... to everyone's surprise, it was an ace! Toriel was such a kind soul, deciding to redraw again under the notion that she had an eleven instead. Her next draw surprised everyone... a Jack of Spades! Undyne cringed at the draw, taking all of her strength to keep her mouth shut while Toriel smiled at her luck... she normally would've started to smack talk the loser that beat her... but her former queen was the exception.
"Oh my! That is indeed good luck on my part. Hehe, Frisk, why don't YOU take my earnings? I must go to the store for tonight's' meal... Barbecue it was? Oh I must get going! It's already 3:30!" She quickly rushed for her lavender coat, Sans already waiting for her at the door. Frisk could feel the jealous eyes of the players shooting through the back of her skull while she watched the duo leave out the door. The human felt a small shiver crawl down her spine as she examined her prize, deciding to push the pile in the middle and to invite everyone for whatever they wanted; she loved sweets, but also loved to share... and the expression on Undyne's face was pretty terrifying. Luckily her smile of content kept her from crushing the table inward, she and Tahoma exchanged nervous glances while they all partook in their treat of choice. Alphys used the moment of silence to set out a piece of paper, the action gave her the attention that she needed to voice her question.
"...So, did everyone have a New Years Resolution this year? I-I don't particularly care for them, because the statistics for the success of the resolutions are quite low, but it can be fun!" Her grin showed off her sharp canines; her rubbery beak acted like a curtain, closing their view of her maw. Papyrus began to clap excitedly at her question, the clap reminded him of his absence of gloves with the sheer sound of bone clashing against bone. He took a moment to look around, but no red could be seen in sight. He sighed while a small snort could be heard from the recliner; Dave reading a novel in the corner. It surprised Frisk for a moment... she had no knoweldge of his presence here. Then again, he was awfully small, quiet to boot. She could faintly see him turning a dial on his new collar, an amused smirk slapped itself across his face while he climbed onto Tahoma's lap, and onto the table.
"Heh, if you're looking for the gloves, slow-for bones took 'em. Guess you'll have to wait for them to come back; dimwit." His English made Alphys jump back a bit, but was then filled with a feeling of pride. For Christmas, she had given Dave a translator... if it worked as well as she hoped, she planned to release the device within the following year! He wore it like the collars that their dog monsters used, save the spikes and tags. The dial on the side activated the translation as Dave had pleased... from what the scientist had observed thus far, he only turned it on if there was no one around that could understand his original speak. She wrote out her new-found goal to make her invention global with a great enthusiasm, Dave merely shook his head back and forth.
"Y'know, I never cared for that Resolution crap myself either. You can do whatever you set your mind to at ANY point in the year, so why the hell would you wait? Sounds like procrastinating to me." The white gremlin shrugged his shoulders while he spoke, taking out his phone to show his boredom with the continuing conversation. Undyne sat in contempt for a moment, then hoisted herself upright while unleashing a punch onto the table. Even at her lightest, she left a small crack in the fine wood; ignoring the damage she caused while she up-roared.
"HEY! Setting yourself a goal at a certain time can be EMPOWERING! What could be better for working hard towards a goal than the new year?! Old man, I GOT my goal this year! THIS YEAR, I plan on opening THREE NEW GYMS! You heard that right, THREE! HaHA!" She struck a strong pose... a habit copied from Papyrus. Alphys got to work writing down her revelation, feeling inspired from her speech for her own goals. Frisk nodded her head with approval, explaining that her new goal was to keep her grades nice and high; visiting the Nursing home at least once a week. Papyrus and Undyne gave her a large thumbs up to show their endorsement of her decision, Alphy's chubby fingers kept her pen steady while she wrote; the small kitty head bouncing back and forth from the top of it's cap. Papyrus stood up from his seat to strike his famous pose; Arms on his hips with his aged scarf hanging daintily from his neck.
"I, the great Papyrus, have another goal of mine! Next year, I plan on improving my boarding tricks! I will also no longer let my ignoramus of a brother's puns bother me! If they do not bother me, then he will no longer feel the requisite to hinder me with such wordplay!" Frisk merely giggled at the thought... Sans no longer making puns? It was a ludicrous idea! Dave and Tahoma seemed to share the same idea, grinning slyly while Dave piped up.
"Heh, you REALLY think that your brother's gonna stop punning you? Pap, he's pun crazy! He'll just get worse with each passing pun..." Papyrus sat back down while he spoke, lightly tapping his bony fingers on the tabletop. His skull started to display signs of annoyance, but he chose to remain silent. Tahoma couldn't help herself, adding to Dave's sentence.
"OH yeah! Pap's mi amigo, we haven't lived here for long... but even WE pun better! The moment that Sans stops punning around is the moment that he stops talking. The fact that it bothers you STILL is a little punnersome... I mean, how could you get so punned out? They're enlightening, SUPER punny, an-" His light taps turned to harsh taps as he began to turn blue in the face... scrunching his eyes until he couldn't stand it anymore. He abruptly left his chair, pointing at Tahoma before silently walking away, trying his best to keep his word for his New Year's Resolution. The table laughed off the awkward leave, though Undyne looked concerned over the angered Papyrus.
"Hah! He really can't stand puns, even after all these years of punning up with them... Hmm... Tahoma! You were the one that made him mad, go check on him! Alphys and I gotta run to the store for our own stuff; Frisk, you should come too." Frisk shook her head for a no, explaining how her break for school would be over soon; she needed to review her work one last time before the night started. Undyne decided to let the matter go, appreciating how Frisk took her education seriously. She and Toriel had a few things in common, but the greatest similarity is their love of teaching. Undyne didn't teach traditionally with books or written lessons like Toriel did... but physically showing and instructing the people that took her classes was empowering none-the-less! Dave jumped off of the table top, walking over to the door while bypassing the women.
"Alright, FINE! I'll take her place... you idiots won't know the difference between a good ale and bath water! I know where to find the good stuff." Alphys couldn't respond in time, having to rush to catch up to Undyne. Her facial reaction was one that delighted in a challenge... she knew that it was going to be a verbal battle the entire trip through, and she wasn't looking forward to it. She secretly hoped that Dave wouldn't piss her off too much, though he didn't seem like the type to start a fight. Even with Undyne's general demeanor, she wasn't the fish-esque monster to start an argument, at least without meaning to. She sighed while her short, stubby legs reached Dave's pickup truck... this was going to be a LONG drive.
"Yo Pap! You in your room? Look, i'm sorry for messing with yah... but you gotta admit that was pretty pu- Erm, funny. Yeah, that... Pap?" Tahoma grew concerned quickly, gently opening his bedroom door. She did her best to open it slowly, for the case that he might be extremely upset, but he was no-where to be seen. The brown-haired monster looked left and right, but didn't spot him right out of the door. Papyrus never entered someone else's room without them inside... it just wasn't in his nature to snoop through their stuff. She gradually grew a grin while she checked his closet... she loved to play hide and seek! There were no skeletons there... metaphorically or physically. Frisk was about to enter her room when she heard Tahoma calling Papyrus's name, the human decided to sneak her way behind his dresser to spy on the seeker. Frisk was notorious for having quiet feet... and it didn't seem as if their guest noticed her intruding. Tahoma took a moment to look under his desk, no bones in sight.
"Oh Paaaaaapyruuuuuss, where are you dude? You can't hide from me forever, yah nerd!" Tahoma's calls had Frisk at a giggle, but she covered her own mouth to keep silent. The tallish monster stayed still for several seconds to hear for any sounds... absolutely nothing could be picked up in the pitch quiet space. She bent over to look under his covers, then under his bed. Not a trace of Papyrus even being here! The mammalian monster had played this game several times with her skeletal friend, and those were all of his casual hiding spots. She began to wonder if he hid in another room after all... he could've left through his window; but it's shut and the possibility was very slim. If she outright find him... she could taunt him out! She began to speak louder, a wicked grin plastered on her face.
"OOOOOOhhhh Pap! Gosh Papyrus, you think you're SO cool, huh? You're pretending that YOU are the ULTIMATE Hide and Seek Master, huh? Welp, you're wrooooooong, buddy! Y'know why, Papyrus? 'Cause I Knooooooow where you're hiding! You heard that right! I know EXACTLY where you are, and I CHOOSE not to find you. Yeah that's right, you're just gonna sit there until you get sooooo bored, that i'll just end up winning anway. Let's see the time... hmm, my phone says 3:47 p.m. ON the dot. I can set a timer if you'd like, or should I just chill on this bed? AW yeah, this bed is MINE now!" Tahoma decided to add insult to injury, rubbing her bum into his bed-sheets before leaning into his pillow, smugly closing her eyes to enjoy such a luxury. She had to admit, his bed was pretty damn comfy; Surprising... considering that he's a skeleton. She decided to voice her thoughts aloud, she could sense that his annoyance was reaching an all time high. Frisk had to use a lot of her energy to not burst out in a fit of laughter; knowing full well where Papyrus was hiding from the sidelines.
"Maaaaaan, this bed is comfier than mine! You're nothing but BONE Pap... why do you need such a comfy mattress? I also dig the flaming bed... is that suggesting something? Hahaha! Hah, maybe i'll look for some cool new things after a well-deserved nap. No, y'know what? This room is ALSO mine now~ Don't worry, I know how to share the space! I mean, you're pretty good at finding cool things... but are they REALLY as cool as you? Or are they far COOLER than you ar- OW!" A large, heavy weight landed full force on top of Tahoma, knocking the wind out of her lungs. Papyrus had spent the entire duration floating above the seeker, using his blue magic to keep himself stuck to the ceiling. Her rambling angered him to the point of neglecting his magic, accidentally cancelling his blue suspension spell and dropping down. It took them both a moment to recover from the landing, Papyrus rushing to stand up and began to stomp his heel against the floorboards.
"...Get off of my bed, NOW please." His cheek bones were burning with a mixture of fury and embarrassment, but then simmered down when he noticed Tahoma struggling to lift herself up. She took a large breath, sighing with relief to realize that she wasn't hurt. She looked straight at his eye sockets and began to laugh with hysterics, wiping a tear from her eye amidst the skeleton's confusion.
"Hahah, i'm sorry Pap! I guess that's just a GREAT example of Karma; here I am talking up the ass, and you were just floating RIGHT ABOVE ME. You kinda have me impressed... on one hand, you lasted as long as you did with my shit-talking you. The second hand? ... Man, you really knocked the wind out of me! I don't even understand why you're so heavy!" She gradually leaned back on the bed, Papyrus picking her up from her spot and sitting her back upright; waving his bony finger in front of her face while addressing his current issue.
"For one, watch your mouth! I don't need to remind you that we have soap in both the kitchen and the bathroom! For two, If you're going to sit on my bed, at least leave me some room! And for three, I am NOT that heavy! If anything, I just have very strong bones! I always keep a healthy dose of vitamins, minerals, and calcium in my diet to keep myself in tip top physical condition... unlike SOMEONE that I know..." He took his own seat, leaning against the wall and pillow while stretching out his legs, placing them atop of Tahoma's. She didn't mind, leaning against her opposing side of the wall while shushing Papyrus's comment. Frisk made sure to keep quiet... but also knew that she possibly screwed herself. If she left now, they were GOING to see her... but if they happened to catch her while they left, they could potentially get mad at her for spying. Papyrus wasn't one for anger... and Tahoma didn't seem to be a character with a temper, either. She decided to wait it out while they chatted; knowing that Toriel and Sans would be home any minute to interrupt their conversation anyway.
"Aw c'mon Pap, I DO eat healthy... hell, I eat at the restaurant every other day! They've got some pretty healthy stu-"
"Tay, it's Penny's. WHAT do they have there that's NOT covered in grease and salt?" Tahoma was taken aback by the new nickname, but merely shook it off to answer his question; which she felt was blunt.
"Dude, they have SALADS there! Plus they serve sides of fruit and stuff, y'know? I'm getting all that healthy stuff in me! It's not just Penny's either, I get sandwiches from the gas station all the time... and Cindy's packed me one or two really awesome lunches." She pointed out the last one without thinking much on it, though regretted it mere moments later when Papyrus jumped a little, excited like a young puppy going for a walk.
"Oh, that woman! How did your date go? I'm sure that Star Busters 3 was a sure hit!" His enthusiasm was so infectious, it only made Tahoma want to copy it herself! She took a long minute to contemplate what to say next, Papyrus waited patiently, but grew more anxious by every second of silence.
"It went... well Papyrus. It really did, and she's SUPER nice... but I guess she didn't think of me in... y'know, THAT way like she thought she did. We both agreed that it was a little awkward, dating each other. We decided to be solid friends instead." She gave a smile for confirm her story, but her friend's sadden expression told her that he simply didn't buy it. He looked at her as if she should be pitied, which began to annoy her.
"Wait, she wasn't interested in YOU? Preposterous! Is it because you're a monster? If so, then there's no reason for it to be weird! Why, I had a date a human once before, with Frisk!" Tahoma's expression changed from slightly solemn to genuinely confused... Papyrus understood what dating was? It didn't make any sense until he explained the story. How Frisk flirted with him during one of his fights... back while she was a child? She looked away for a mere second to try and not feel awkward about it... but damn! Frisk was into that kind of thing even before she hit puberty... He explained that he desperately wanted to feel the same way, but couldn't bring himself to that same type of affection for Frisk. The occasion reminded the listener just how naive Papyrus could be, his initial point nearly contradicted itself; but she got the initial idea he was trying to get across... that the species barrier was gone the moment the barrier to the Underground got shattered to bits.
"WOW Frisk was a player, I gotta give her more props! Hah, don't worry about it so much Pap... if anything, both of us just felt a little weird dating each other is all. We'll both still be really good friends, and it's probably not the only reason why she didn't wanna date me. After all, i'm not THAT experienced with dating myself.. never went out much while I was younger. She needs someone that knows what they're doing, she deserves that much." Though she was stretching the truth a bit to Papyrus, what she said was never the less how it went down. The date had gone smoothly... a movie and a dinner later, they were at her place. A drink or two later, the adult scenes were about to happen, but Cindy stepped out. It was perplexing... Cindy was the initial one to show a romantic interest in Tahoma, but in the end didn't see it the way she thought she did. After simply talking it out, they both decided on their fates, to remain friends. Papyrus leaned in for a hug, though this time Tahoma tried to struggle from his grasp.
"Augh look, i'll be alright Pap, it's fine! It's better that I knew now than down the road, y'know? Besides, I don't really care that much for dating anyway, it's eh, it's, it- ... I'll be okay, Papyrus. You don't have to hug me." She tried and failed to gently push him off, a tear began to roll down her cheek. She hated it in a way... how good of friends they both were. It wasn't the first time that Papyrus or Undyne or even Frisk had to give her a hug, and it sure wasn't to be the last. If she thought about it more-so, it was easy to tell that the grown woman could be a massive cry-baby, Dave was pretty spot-on when he called her that. During their previous conversation about New Years Resolutions... she couldn't vocally voice hers at the table. She had mentally resolved to be braver... and to stop relying on her friends; and that started now. She fished from the back of her head a tickle spot she found on Papyrus a few months ago, on one of his ribs. She went to work, finding that his second highest rib was the spot she was looking for. Then laughter ensued, immediately releasing the tickler while she continued. Both pairs of her arms and hands went to work, each hand working a known tickle-spot and finding a new one along the way; the very top of his spine. It didn't take long for Papyrus to start fighting back... like the claws of a hawk, he grabbed both pairs of her hands with his own, using just one of his arms to hold hers down while he went for the back of her neck. She resisted by hopping off of the bed, only for them to both tumble on the floor. Frisk was so tempted to join in on the fun herself, but decided against it when Tahoma began to cry.
"Oh god Papyrus, Waha! T-that's enough pleeeeeeeease. Hahahahaehehe." Despite her please, he refused to give up until he saw tears of happiness shed... instead of the tears from sadness that he saw from her all too often... besides, this was fun! It amazed him how quick her reflexes could be however, her right lower arm reached out for a blow that did get him to stop; though Tahoma found a rather interesting result attempting to tickle the lowest rib of his rib-cage. He swiped her first pair of hands, hoisting them both up and lightly letting them go while rubbing the back of his neck bones... then taking a moment to crack a part of his spine.
"..Uh Pap, what's wrong? That didn't hurt... did it?" She was perplexed by the growing heat coming from his cheeks, though she figured he was just embarrassed by losing the tickling match. He didn't look her in the face for a moment, his scrunched eye-sockets and prominent frown told Tahoma that he was pretty annoyed.
"It didn't hurt, but it felt REALLY weird. Don't do that again please." Before she could question what he meant by 'weird', Sans and Toriel could be heard entering through their door. Toriel's modest though heavy footsteps were a dead giveaway, pacing to their kitchen to drop off their haul. Tahoma decided to drop the subject and follow Papyrus outside of his room... she didn't want to get caught in ANOTHER awkward situation involving being alone with him... a situation she's been trying to avoid ever since Sans suspect her of false feelings. Neither had any idea that Frisk was hidden from immediate sight, silently pattering out of the room before it's door could be shut and to her own. She let out a huge sigh of relief, another success! She quickly smiled to herself, the scene was quite the eye-candy for her... Frisk always enjoyed watching her friends get along so well. She could tell that the two were really great friends, and that's more than what she could ask for the Great Papyrus! She picked up the novel that the monster had given her earlier, diving into it's content while awaiting her meal for the evening...
The Encyclopedia never gave the direct answer that Frisk was looking for, but it was indeed a worthwhile read. Its contents described many of the monster species she's come to know in various categories... body types, life spans... and even known magical abilities. She was surprised to find that all of her family members were there... even the skeleton brothers! She decided to bring the novel downstairs to discuss with everyone, finding that the words it contained could be a great topic that would enlighten them all... especially Alphys. The human would have to keep a careful eye on it, lest the scientist 'borrowed' her book for awhile... it wouldn't be the first time that she 'confiscated' an item of hers for science. She always returns said item within a short time period, but she would rather not risk losing her only, VERY small clue about rescuing Asriel. She finished trotting down the stairs to the delicious smells of BBQ, the spices used on the meat overloaded any other smells that had the potential to permeate the air. With it being 9:00 at night, her stomach was begging for the smells to turn into food pieces to appease it. Her neighbors had gratefully decided to remain in her abode for the New Year, Dave seeming MUCH chirpier than normal... maybe he really likes BBQ?
The dinner seemed to confirm that inquiry, such a small body devoured an entire leg of ham! The rest took their sweet time with the various meats and vegetables on the table, one by one filling themselves up to the brim. Frisk seemed to be the last one done, though that was due to her lateness to the meal. Alphys and Undyne quickly took up the space on the love seat, both feeling much to lethargic for any actions not involving channel flipping and cuddling. Though Toriel did enjoy celebrating the New Year, she was never keen on staying up any later than 10:00, bidding her farewells to the downstairs inhabitants... creating a magical barrier around her bedroom door to block out the impending noise. Frisk, Papyrus and Tahoma were all much too full to even move away from their dining seats, the trio laying their heads down in defeat while they let their stomachs settle. Sans was tempted to join them, but noticed that a certain fuzzy fur ball was nowhere in sight. His instincts told him to keep an eye on Dave tonight... his excitement was unsettling, to say the least. He waltzed over to find him viewing the overlay of their refrigerator.
"Hey Dave, why don't you CHILL out with us?" The normally disgruntled monster gave no heed to the question; instead speeding back and forth between the counters of the kitchen; each time a cup or bottle in hand. He had several cups in front of him, filling each with what Sans had assumed to be alcoholic drinks. He did a headcount and found that he had enough glasses for everyone that was still awake...including Papyrus. Dave waved his hand at Sans, the skeleton taking the queue to walk over while he brought out a specialty bottle. The container itself was a dark brown, so it was a bit of a surprise to see the clear liquid pour into two shot-glasses, each only filled to the half. The white monster passed over a large cup filled with his favorite cola, Dave wore a large grin on his face.
"Y'know, I see a cup for everyone... i'd appreciate it if you stopped messing with my brother some." His previous smile faded fast, instead replaced with an annoyed expression that made him snarl some. He cleared his throat while putting his eye-patch back on... a rare sight to see. From what the skeletal monster understood, he didn't like many people staring at his eye patch.
"Huuuuuuugh, damn kids. Heh, you don't need to worry about nothin' Sans. He might be your younger brother... and he might have the same smarts as a young froggit, but he's still an adult none-the less. I don't got anything against Pap'... I don't really like stupid people, but i'm surrounded by nothing BUT stupid; consequence for being as old as I am." It didn't seem as if the answer satisfied the older brother, leaning his arms further onto the table while staring Dave straight in the eye.
"Look... Papyrus isn't like a typical person. He's a lot more innocent than he seems, and I need to be the one that could stop him from getting messed u-"
"Oh cut the shit, Sans! Geez, and you say I don't give him as much credit! ... Kid, lemme tell you a story." Sans had no means of protest, sitting back down onto the bar stool while taking a sip of his soda, watching Dave intently while he re-cleared his throat.
"Y'see, I've been around for a loooooong time... and I've seen many things just get repeated over... and over... and OVER again! You catch on to those themes eventually... one of them prominent among-st parents and older siblings. You weren't around for it, NO ONE here was! The Underground used to a lot more of a dangerous place... when we were first shoved there, everyone was absolutely terrified. Starvation, panic... the creeping feeling of loss caused a lot of people to go crazy. If you didn't hang onto your child for long enough... then someone was gonna try to mess with them. When those gates from the Ruins opened for the first time, it was even scarier... hell, it even had ME on my toes! I had a brother back then too... he had a little brat of his own. That damn brother of mine NEVER took his son off of his parental leash...THAT was literal until he was a teenager! If you call that over-protective, you'd be putting it lightly." Dave started to phase out for a moment in remembrance, leaving an uncomfortable silence before continued.
"My brother didn't go any farther than Snowdin, the woods there were safe enough. He built himself and his son a small cottage; quaint place. He made a large mistake after they were settled... forcing his adult son into staying with him. That little bastard never went further than a few feet away from him... he never got those 'teenage years' where you could screw up, and daddy or mommy would save you. No, he had to stay at home... almost rotting away with boredom and sadness. One day, while his pops was gone, he took the initiative to explore the woods... I was damn proud of him that day. I could only be so proud of him though... few days later, h-he fell down. Got into a fight with some Froggits... FROGGITS. I'll let you in on a little secret, those guys were NOT to be messed with back then. Damn kid tried to steal from them." Sans merely scrunched his left eye in slight confusion, what was the point in telling him this story?
"Now you're probably thinking '...So what? Doesn't that PROVE I gotta keep an eye on Pap? Why would I let him be in a world like this, knowing he can get hurt?' Well, i'll put it bluntly for yah. Y'see the reason my nephew died was because he was sheltered... he was NEVER taught how the outside world worked. My brother put so much effort into protecting him, that he never bothered to teach his own son how to defend himself. Y'see, I can tell that you don't sleep much. If you're losing rest because you're worrying that much about normal life... bud, you got a problem." Sans nearly slammed his fist onto the table, but withheld to prevent the sound. He didn't want anyone to walk in the kitchen and cause a scene. Dave merely shook his head to and fro, letting out a large sigh.
"I'm telling you Sans, you gotta lay off of Papyrus. Now in the Underground... it wasn't THAT big. It was far easier to keep track of where he went... and with how some monsters could be, it was acceptable for you to baby him. But Sans, we're not there anymore. You nor I know where every nook and cranny is at.. hell, not even the HUMANS, who've been up here this entire time, know where everything is! You can't pretend that you'll always be there to protect Papyrus, in case if he does something stupid... you have to let him learn how the world works on his own. You don't have to kick him out or force him to get a job or to even get himself a girlfriend; No. You just have to let go. Breathe a little bit, and Papyrus will be juuuuuuust fine." His stern tone of voice made Sans want to cringe... he hasn't had this kind of talk for as far back as he could remember. He let out his own huff of annoyance, but after a few minutes to contemplate the elder monster's words, the skeleton was able to calm down. His permanent grin ceased to move, though began to make it's slight movements as he spoke.
"... Dave, just how old ARE you?" The tone was as layered with the serious undertone as before, though the curiosity didn't bother Dave one bit. He let out a hearty cackle while he finished preparing their beverages, placing them all onto a large platter to be delivered.
"HAHA, how old am I? Buddy, I would've seen your forth great aunt give birth to the third... if I knew how skeletons were actually brought into this world. I know that you're worried about Papyrus... and that you might not trust me. I don't really blame you for that... I am just a grump old man, after all. Trust me though when I saw, tonight's gonna be a good night that you wont regret. Tell you what, why don't we make a deal? I'll give out the drinks, and everyone'll have a good time. If something happens with anyone out there, if things go to shit, or if someone gets hurt, I give you full permission to punch my skull in until I can't count anymore... I won't do a damn thing about it. You can ask Tahoma to back me up, but i'm a man of my word. Agreed?" He hung out his hand for an eager shake, Sans taking a moment to think his over over. He mentally hoped that trusting Dave would be the best decision, shaking his hand to confirm the deal. Dave had then pressed the shot-glass into San's hand, already speaking before Sans could ask.
"Now this shit right here, this is what I wanted to show yah. You see, I got a buddy that makes this stuff special... it's completely clear and totally odorless. You can't even tell it's different from plain ol' water! But when it hits you, OH boy, does it knock your ass OUT! Just half a shot will put you at a buzz... which is why I only gave both you and I one. For lightweights, it's enough to make 'em party, and hard. It also sticks with yah too, you don't start feeling sober for at least three hours, and that's if you don't drink anymore than that." The stuffed toy looking monster lifted his shot with pride, clanking it against San's and downing it within a few seconds. He decided that if he was going to let Dave serve his brother a drink, that he should partake in his antics also. Following suit, he finished his shot and followed Dave out into the living area, both plopping down on the love-seat while they watched the four finish their game of cards... each gradually finishing their drinks. The older gentlemen watched with amusement as one by one they began to get drunker... with the exception of Papyrus. Dave slightly nudged his drinking buddy to gain his attention.
"Now just you watch! In about five minutes, they're gonna start arguing about the next game that they're gonna play. Tahoma's gonna start laughing like a fucking maniac, Alphys is gonna start horn-doggin over that intense excuse for a fish over there. Said fish is gonna start getting angry, and fast. Frisk is gonna try and absolutely FAIL at being the peacemaker! Shes' gonna be the one to go along with whatever the hell they decide to do! Papyrus is the only one I cannot WAIT to see... he's the wild card. Hehe." His ruff giggle hardly phased the skeleton, whom was far more relaxed now that his buzz had kicked in.
"H-how the hell would you know any of that?" Again, the smaller monster let out a loud laugh in response. Sans began to notice Alphys gradually nudging into Undyne's armpit, the teal-scaled monster bringing her in for an arm hug while the sat on the longer couch. They had verbally all agreed on a multiplayer video game, the racing one being the most voted out of their options. Four controllers in hand, Alphys was the only person that decided to wait a turn. Tahoma could be heard giggling at Frisk's clumsiness, accidentally dropping the disk repeatedly until she finally managed to insert such disk into the gaming system. Sans could hear a click from his left, Dave taking a picture on his cell-phone to save for later.
"I used to be a bartender... I *hiccup* don't know what I ever quit that job. It was the best job I ever ha*hiccup*. Ehem *hic* Augh *hic*. ANYWAY, I *hic* know a thing or two about how people handle boo*hiccup*. I know how much they ca*hic* handle. Different personalit*hic*es react in strange ways when they got a dri*hic* in their system. I fucking HA*hic*TE hiccups! Damm*hic*." His chuckles did nothing to comfort Dave, finding annoyance in San's amusement.
"Heh heheh, I hiccunderstood you, don't get all hiccuped over it." He gave a sly wink, which merely frustrated the poor monster further. He full out laughed when Dave lifted up his middle finger, only to laugh himself at the sheer rage that Udyne began to show... already losing her first patch at their precious game.
Several hours of games have past, and the crew (with the exception of Sans and Dave) were hammered. Dave had personally decided to stop with his beverages for the night, wanting to saver the incredibly stupid antics that the rest were pulling. Sans decided to take his further drinking slow, remaining at a solid buzz so that he felt a bit more fair to his brother... at the same time not wanting to get fully drunk in case if something were to happen. It was almost foreign in a way... it was no secret that Sans drank sometimes at Grillbyz... and Papyrus was the one to care for him if he went overboard. It was only fair if he were to return the favor, even if it was as simple as watching him happily joining everyone in their games. Dave was disappointed that Papyrus appeared the stupidly happy drunk, his smile never faltered the entire night through. He even openly laughed at San's puns! Tahoma could be seen leaving their board game while they finished their round of monopoly, leaving for the restroom when Dave yet again nudged Sans in the gut.
"Ooop, there she goes. Was wondering when it was gonna happen tonight, I think she made a new record tonight." His small cackles were not filled with the amount of joy that Sans expected, perking up to see that she had indeed left. He looked at Dave for a split second to notice the small frown that spread across his face, only to shake his head and let out another snark.
"I forgot to mention that Tahoma's a bi-polar drunk. For the most part she giggles like a school girl that had her crush notice her... yet there'll be times that she'll just straight up cry... always for really small and stupid reasons. She'll leave the room, lock herself in the bathroom and let it out before coming back out again. It don't normally last long... longest its lasted was a solid hour. Knowing how much you guys make her happy though, she'll be out in a few minutes; tops." He assured the skeleton with a thumbs up, though his explanation merely gave Sans curiosity.
"...Dave, I've noticed awhile back that she's got a weird... sadness about her. She cries sometimes when nothing happens. Sometimes when she's over, she'll just leave before I could say any of my hilarious jokes, and won't come back until the next day. How long as she been... uh, sick?" He shrugged his shoulders while he asked the question, though no body movement could make the inquiry any lighter or easier to say. Dave gave a small huff after he sipped his cola, looking to the direction of the bathroom while he explained.
"...I'm not sure. S-she didn't know until we went to a doctor a few years back. It didn't really act up until she was a teenager... figured it was just a part of her growing up. We didn't get her any help until the stabbing incident, and have been dealing with it since then. I gotta say though... you guys have really helped her out with that. You guys are so bat-shit crazy, she NEVER has the time to stay upset for long! ...From what I noticed, that damn brother of yours or Frisk always get to her first. She'll be wanting to break a tear one minute, and then gets bombarded with hugs the next. I don't understand how the hell they can tell so damn quickly." His smirk lightened the mood, Sans following suit while offering another shrug.
"That's a hidden talent that both of them have. I've known Pap all my life... I can't keep anything away from him. Even if I wanted to, he'd sniff it out eventually. Frisk must've caught a few pointers from him without us notici- pap?" He interrupted his own sentence while watching his stumbling brother head for the hallway. He had hardly heard Undyne's yell while in mid-conversation, so he gathered that she was ordering Papyrus to check on the late Tahoma. Finishing his cup, the white monster cracked open a can while leaning even further back into his seat; relaxing to the sound of a slamming knock on the bathroom door.
The light chestnut monster wiped her face with the dry towel after a washing... she did it again! Every single time even an ounce of alcohol fills her stomach, it always ended with a solo trip SOMEWHERE to recollect herself. The drunk woman did not wish for her friends to worry about her... not ever again! She needed to stand tall, proud and confident in her own abilities to prevent future, unneeded encouragement. The knock on the door had her wanting to rush out the window, but then took a deep breath while she answered the door. Her hammered friend meekly stood there, trying his absolute best not to fall face first on the tile. His bare hand held onto the door frame, leaning all of his body weight against the door while he looked her deep in the eye.
"'Huh, h-have you been crying? ...W-why?" His smile had quickly faded while Tahoma let out a laugh, trying to cover his correct accusation. She adjusted his position via lifting his chest upwards, forcing the poor skeleton to stand on his feet and to support his own body weight. She then tried to nudge him over to the side so she could make her escape, but the attempt had failed.
"Naw Pap, my face juuuuust felt dirty. I-it happens sometimes, what with having FUR and all! I-i-i mean GEEZE Pap, you got NO idea how much it takes to maintain yourself... if you're NOT just bone! W-we should get out there now, you don't want Sans to feel BONLY, do yah?" Her pun was completely ignored. He didn't laugh like he had been all night, or leave out of her sight to get away from his hated form of word play. Instead, he took a few steps inwards, and kept going. The drunken skeleton almost seemed unaware of his sheer size, cornering the startled mammalian to the room's sink. He gradually talked in a low volume while doing so, hardly above a whisper; a total opposite of his normal tone.
"Tay, I don't understand why you gotta lie about it. We all know why you get sad sometimes... b-but you know what? That's completely okay! What you gotta do, what you have to do next time, is let the Great Papyrus know that you are sad. How can you possbalaly feel better if you do not shaaare what's up-up-upsetting you?" Tahoma quickly snapped out of her dazed state and gently pushed him away, to give herself some space. he obliged immediately, but nearly stumbled out of the hallway while she answered him the best way she knew how; with honesty.
"Ah Pap, it reaaaaally isn't that bigga deal! Iiiiiit happens a LOT when I drink... A LOT. Trust me, it ain't noooo big deal... buuuuut if it makes yah feeel bett-ett-etter, i'll let you know next time. Now let us leave for those games! ...I do NOT want to deal with Undyne when she gets all pissy." Satisfied with her answer, they had both made their way back to the group... only to be bombarded with a large group hug. Undyne had enough strength to pick everyone up in one large, fell swoop; placing them in right in front of their television. Out of annoyance, she also reached for the loveseat and picked it up with both Dave and Sans on it, taking all of her concentration to NOT throw it; instead, she placed it right next to the larger couch.
"ALRIGHT, LISTEN UP! I'm bored of these stupid board games that we've been playing, so it's now ANIME TIME! Get comfy, 'cause Alphys picked THE BEST movie that we got! Sugar lumps, throw the disk in and we'll get started!" Despite her drunken state, Undyne was as passionate as ever when it came to making everyone happy. There were no protests as Alphys gently replaced the disks, rushing to the loveseat that Undyne confiscated for the duo. Sans and Dave were simply too tired to care about their spots getting stolen, opting for the two recliners that were left over instead. Though the first was well worn, the second seemed brand new due to the lack of use, sans finding much more comfort in the plush seating. Undyne didn't seem to notice that they were just as far away as before, though the older men didn't seem to mind, the passing hours brought a lot of laughs and intense silences as the program continued through. The third disc was half-way done when Dave tapped with slumbering Sans awake, though he didn't seem deep enough asleep for it to be much of a bother.
"Hmmm, can't you see that i'm enjoying the program?"
"Didn't know that you could see through your poor excuse for eyelids. I had a question about that glowing eye of yours... what the hell is up with that? I've only seen a few monsters actually have one, but never bothered to ask."' The grump questioned with a much lighter tone, having a genuine curiosity was unlike Dave. Being as old as he claimed to be, it didn't shock Sans that he would be asking if he felt that it was relevant information. He closed his eyes again while he spoke.
"Oh this old thing? It's just a thing I got...mmmmmmagic. It only ever glows if i'm using my magic, or if I get pretty pissed off... though you probably already knew that."
"Huh, I just figured that your emotions were connected with your magic.. ain't that with every monster though?"
"Surprised that you don't know, Mr. Ancient. It depends on how strong the emotion is, or how much control you have over your magic. Like with me, mine can glow even if I don't plan on using magic... but it doesn't do that often. I end up using my magic so often that it just goes hand in hand."
"... I see." There was a brief pause of silence, which bothered the napping skeleton. He opened up one of his eyes to notice Dave snapping another photo, though his eyes had shown more general interest than humor.
"Say, what's with the sudden question anyhow? ...Just because of my magic's color doesn't mean the question's gotta be out of the blue too." He chuckled at his own pun, only for Dave to look over with slight amusement.
"Well I find it a little interesting that you're not the only one with a weird eye. Since when did Pap's glow? I thought his magic was blue like yours, yet his eye's going full on orange." The smaller skeleton stopped the sudden urge to jump up, instead gradually lifting his body to notice that Papyrus's eye was indeed glowing it's light orange. Everyone else had already fallen asleep, save for the three. Papyrus didn't seem to notice their commotion, the skeleton rubbing his eyes to indicate his drowsy disposition. Sans had seen that Tahoma had passed out on his lap, Frisk laying on top of her also. His amazed expression made Dave re-poke his side to bring him back to reality. The action prompted his next response.
"...Oh, that is pretty surprising. Pap's eye rarely glows much... probably because he's consistently happy. He's got good control over his emotions, so he must just be really, REALLY happy tonight."
"His optimism is so damn obnoxious, you'd think that he could work for a lighthouse, with how bright his damn eye glows. Keep in mind, he's still pretty drunk off his ass... and that might be a part of it too. Aw whatever, not a big deal. I'm falling asleep before the sun shows up, I'd recommend you do the same... unless you like to watch weird high-school girls screaming over nothing." Before he could finish his sentence, he could hear a light snore erupting from the small body from the adjacent recliner. Closing his eyes to the sounds of light snoozing and burps.
Author's Note: Woo! End of another chapter... .
