I like to think of this particular story being designed like a TV series (Chapters being episodes). Each Season usually is a sign that something big will or has changed. If you need or want to stop, season breaks are a great time to do that.
Season 1: The Reckoning Test
Season 2: Escape
Season 3: Second Chance
Season 4: Blue Stop Signs
Season 5: The New Next Door Neighbor
Season 6: The Snag
RECKONING TALE
SEASON TWO: ESCAPE
Eighteen Years and One Month Ago . . .
Frisk looked around her little self. She dusted herself off. Where had she been? She walked down a small area for a little bit before meeting a nice goat monster. At first, she was a bit scared. She felt like she might be able to take out the monster by her own hands if she had to, but she didn't want to. Especially after it smiled and talked to her so kindly.
Frisk followed her, and listened to her words of wisdom when she was told to fight a dummy. In the end, the dummy fell over, and nothing else happened. The next encounter was scary, with a real enemy. Well, a frog thing. But, the nice goat named Toriel helped drive it away with just a glare.
"Your soul is quite different, child," Toriel said as each of them started to walk. "It's two colors. Not a solid two colors, but a strange mix of the two. Like paint. Can you please explain this?"
"Nah." For some reason, she seemed to know the monster's language too. She ran to the path ahead and pointed. "It's awful pointy."
"Yes, child. I will show you how to cross." Toriel led her across it, the spikes going down each time. Soon Toriel tested her on her own, and she found her at the end of a pillar, hiding. Then, she left her. Frisk was supposed to stay for five minutes, but Frisk was never one to wait around. She continued on and discovered yummy candy. She figured out puzzles by reading signs and watching the walkways. She fell a few times too, but for some reason, it never really hurt. She'd just get up and dust herself off again.
Later on, Toriel met her again and took her home, surprising her with a yummy pie. But, Frisk was tired too. Real tired. Like, real tired. She rubbed her eyes. She usually didn't get that tired. She crawled into bed but heard Toriel come in. Her soul appeared above her again.
"I still don't understand. This is quite alarming, child. You are human, but you are monster too. A little. Maybe fifteen or twenty percent? It's hard to tell, it's just swirling like paint." Toriel checked over toward her again, but Frisk could barely keep her eyes open. "You are quite tired, aren't you? Well, get some rest. The pie will be here when you wake up." She looked back toward her soul in worry once more before closing the door.
"Human?"
Frisk woke up on the floor. "Huh?"
"I am so sorry!" Toriel managed to pull her up again. "I tried to wake you and nothing worked, so I yanked you a little too hard. You didn't wake up until you fell out of bed. Are you okay? I had no idea humans slept so hard."
"Uh." Frisk just rubbed her eyes. "I'm fine." She looked at the pie on the floor. "Is that mine?"
"Yes, it is," Toriel said. Frisk went straight over to the floor, sat down cross-legged, and started eating it. "Child? How are you feeling?"
"Fine," Frisk said in between bites. "This is good pie."
"Oh. Good. Um. About your soul?" Toriel bent down towards her. "Little one? Why does your soul have some monster in it? You are clearly human, the red of it very apparent. But you have grey mixed within."
Frisk just shrugged. She was just all about the pie right then. She didn't know much about souls or anything.
"Well, come to the fireplace when you are done," Toriel insisted.
Frisk finished her pie and then headed over. But, she didn't want to hear just snail facts. "Toriel? I need to go home. My parents are waiting for me. At least, my mom. Please let me go home?" They had to argue it for a little while, until Toriel actually went . . . not so good.
Frisk didn't like the thought of fighting, so she did what she could to not get hit. Towards the end, Toriel wasn't even trying to hit her anymore, so she just stayed in one place. She liked Toriel, but she needed to go home.
After a long goodbye, and a promise that she would never come back, Frisk left with a heavy heart. If she didn't have such a nice life on the other side, she might have stayed. Then again, the Ruins wasn't exactly her idea of fun either. While leaving though, she found herself unable to move. Not cool. She put some more effort into it, and found she could move just fine across a bridge that was too wide to stop her.
She heard something behind her and turned around. There was nothing there. "Hey, this isn't funny." She headed back forward. Toriel warned her it would be dangerous out there, but, she had to deal with it. Who wanted to be trapped in a mountain all their life?
She felt herself unable to move again a little past the bridge she crossed. This time, she couldn't budge from the effort.
"Human. Don't you know how to greet a new pal? Turn around and shake my hand."
Frisk felt herself slowly turning. She grabbed the hand she saw and heard a fart. And a laugh. And she laughed too. The unexpected fart was cool, but the laugh of the skeleton that was there was way neater. He was even her size.
"You're good for a human. How'd you break my hold on you the first time?"
Frisk just shrugged. "I just did, Mister Skeleton." He explained that his name was Sans, Sans the Skeleton, and that he was supposed to be looking for humans, but wasn't going to go after her. That was a relief. But, his brother was a human hunting fanatic. That was scary!
Sans told her to run behind some weird shaped lamp. She heard a funny conversation between the Skeleton brothers. She talked to Sans a bit before taking off.
Then, she felt frozen again. He was telling her his brother always wanted to see a human and some such other stuff. While he spoke, she was starting to fight off the freezing spell again. That was annoying. Who froze a little girl like that?
While she moved through strange puzzles, she met Papyrus, another skeleton. She saw Sans around the area, here and there. He even seemed to be in two places at once. But, he looked at her kind of strange. The same odd kind of weirdness she got from Toriel. When she moved on the side of spikes, she was hoping he might give her a clue as to how to solve the puzzle.
"You're weird, kid. How did you fight off my magic hold on you again?" Sans asked. "I put more effort into it that time."
Frisk shrugged. "I don't know, but that's rude. Don't do that to a lady."
Sans cracked up laughing. "Lady? You're a kid. I thought you were a boy."
Frisk just crossed her arms and left him on the side, to figure out the puzzle herself. Rude. Thought she was a boy? She knew the new haircut didn't work out too well. Or, maybe monsters just hadn't seen many humans?
Come to think of it, she still didn't really know how she got down there. She just knew that she had to leave. Sans' brother though was a real card. He beat her twice, and she was scared, but he kept putting her in a shed that she could get out of easily.
In the end, she used a flirting move that her momma used on her dad sometimes. It seemed to stop Papyrus. He even wanted to go on a date. It was crazy, her first date at eight. But, she followed him his own goofy way back to his place.
Sans was there. Watching. Frisk waved, but he didn't say much. Maybe people weren't supposed to talk on dates? After the date, Frisk took back off on her way.
Then, she saw Sans again. He invited her to Grillby's.
As she got a burger, a big burger that barely fit in her mouth, she heard Sans from next to her.
"Why do you have a strange soul, kid?" He asked her. "When you were fighting Papyrus, I saw it. You've got monster in you, but it's swirling around."
"Like paint," Frisk said. "I know. It's a grey and red mixture. It's weird. I don't get it."
"Explains why you can fight some of my magic. You don't know how it got like that?" He asked. "You want catsup on your . . . nevermind, it's about gone. You're a hungry little kid, aren't you?"
Frisk patted the burger that was sticking out of her mouth more into it and just shrugged. After Grillby's, Frisk continued on. She met more people and more monsters along her way. She was really good at fighting it seemed, but she never actually killed anyone. In some cases, she just fled because she was too afraid to strike. Especially Undyne. Luckily, she met another kid like her. Unfortunately, he was so obsessed with Undyne, he wasn't much of a help to her.
Sans and Papyrus' House . . .
Sans hadn't checked the thing in ages, but he had to. Something weird was going on. Okay, the human coming down wasn't an ordinary thing, but humans had done that before. Not a big thing. But, the soul. The soul to that human had monster in it, swirling around.
No one lived in the Ruins except for some real basic monsters, and his knock-knock joke buddy. He was the first monster it should have come across, so, how'd it get monster in it? Naw, he ditched his work for a bit to figure it out.
The human could probably survive a little while without him watching it. He really needed to see what was happening. He tried to run Gaster's timeline machine . . . but nothing happened. It was correctly fixed and everything, but nothing. "Really? A kid with some weird paint soul isn't changing anything Underground at all?"
Well, maybe the change was more minor. Maybe . . . eventually, it was going to have to go to sleep again. That's risky, Sans. Yeah, but, look at it. It's kind of weird. Maybe I could. What if it wakes up, tell it that it was a dream? It could hurt itself, and I can't heal.
Well, that plan was on hold for now. The kid wasn't making any big ripples. It didn't make any sense, but it wasn't doing anything yet. So, he took a shortcut back to his post. He'd eventually figure out what to do about the strange kid.
Almost at Hotlands . . .
Undyne didn't stop chasing her no matter what, she was a tough cookie. But, during most of it, it seemed like she was holding back. She asked about her weird soul too. It was like everyone cared about her soul. Then, as they got closer to really hot heat, Undyne got super slow. She looked like she might even die. Seeing water ahead, Frisk rushed to get it to her. She looked past toward the bridge and realized she had ran right by Sans who'd been sleeping too. And that sounded good right about then, especially after the Undyne encounter. Frisk almost wanted to go all the way back to Snowdin for more sleep, but it cost too much because she slept way too much. She continued on her way though. Everything in her was screaming that she needed to go home. Because . . . because her mom would miss her and . . . and . . . yummy.
"Nice cream?" Frisk bought a nice cream but curled up on the ground as she ate it. Her stomach felt better, but she was tired. Eventually, she didn't remember anything else. Not until she felt herself getting nudged awake.
"Hey. Sleeping around here isn't a good idea," the Nice cream bunny man said. "Head on out of here."
"But, guards." Frisk gestured toward the black guards standing guard that she became friends with. "Hey? Um? Can I sleep here? Please?"
They both looked at each other.
"Please?" Frisk was moving toward the ground again. Ah, they could wake her up if it wasn't cool. She felt herself being slid over by their cold metal footed uniforms. As she went to sleep, she heard Sans voice.
"Sleeping in the middle of this place, kid?"
"Yeah. We're watching it. Don't touch the child."
"Okay, okay."
When Frisk woke up, she continued on her journey until she met Sans again, right outside a restaurant. He asked her for eats, so she went with it. He told her the story about a woman, a knock-knock door, and a promise. "So, you've been following me around to keep a promise? You kind of suck at it, Sans. I almost got killed by the fish lady, Undyne."
"Yeah, but, you didn't die. You're still alive, aren't you?" he asked. "Anyhow, just remember what I said. It's really not that bad down here. Is it? Either way, I'm rootin for ya kid. Just remember, someone loves ya."
Toriel. Frisk nodded. Toriel was still kind of protecting her. What a nice lady. She was several times nicer than her mom and dad. They were only nice as . . . well, kind of like the button ACT. It was just an ACT. Maybe . . . but . . . no, it didn't work like that. She wasn't a monster and she still had school, friends and everyone to get to back home. She continued out toward the core and dealt with Mettaton himself. That wasn't fun at all! But, she watched herself real carefully, and kept lots of treats on hand. She had to, it fed her soul, and she fought with her soul. If it moved to zero, that was the end of her.
She also found out that her new friend, Alphys, had kind of been betraying her. And that she had to actually kill someone to leave the barrier. And now . . . now Frisk was really at a crossroads. She continued on, but didn't quite know what to do. Then, she stopped in a strange Judgment Hall.
Sans looked at her oddly. "You got a weird paint soul and I don't completely trust you, so, I have to judge you." Before he said that, he seemed a bit leery about something, but he seemed okay now. She knew what he was scared of though. Same as her. She didn't want to hurt herself, but she didn't want to hurt anyone either. When he seemed fine again, he just disappeared. She continued on her way and met the king.
He looked tough! She was so scared she was going to die, but, he didn't even start to fight. He was bending his head mostly down and he scared her by getting rid of the mercy button. But then, he asked the same thing everyone always did.
"Why is your soul like that? Are you completely human?"
"I am human," Frisk said, "but I don't want to die, and I don't want to kill you."
"Yes. I think. I see. I get it now." Asgore settled down even more. "Human. I don't think your strange soul could even open the barrier. It's not pure human. It may be meaningless to fight you."
"But, I'm eight," Frisk said. "I have to go home, but, I don't want to hurt you. I can't survive just being eight though and . . . and . . ." Her head was getting dizzy.
"Are you sick, human?"
Frisk curled up on the ground. Her brain felt weird and then she fell asleep again.
When she awoke she was in Asgore's Castle, with Asgore and Toriel both looking down at her.
"She's so sweet. Beautiful blue eyes."
"Yes, but . . . but Asriel?"
"I am sure it would be hard. But, we'll see how things go."
Frisk turned the other way and saw a strange little goat boy looking at her now. "Hi."
"You've slept a week. My mom's been trying to heal you for days." He wrinkled his nose lightly. "I'm not making any big promises to you. My last sister made me do something real big, and I'm not doing it again. They said I died a long time, and then the Royal Scientist somehow brought me back." He patted her head. "So no promises, and I guess you'll be an okay sister. Except for your weird soul. What's up with that?"
"Asriel!" Asgore and Toriel both scolded him.
"Ever since you've come back, your personality has been most abrupt," Toriel insisted. "Weird soul? It is unusual, not weird." She looked at Asgore. "Well?"
"Well. You cannot fight me, human child and I refuse to fight you. Your soul is compromised anyhow so we will take care of you." Asgore smiled toward her. "You shall be our daughter. You can live at the castle from now on."
"Or the Ruins," Toriel insisted.
"I . . ." Frisk sighed. She wouldn't fight the king. He wouldn't fight her. She had a new family, and even a little brother. They were a lot more affectionate, and caring than her other one too. If I really can't leave, then maybe . . . this would be okay?
She moved off the bed, feeling something funnier inside of her. She looked toward the other edge of the bed, and found herself there. "Whoah."
"Castle."
"Ruins."
"Castle."
"Ruins."
She kept moving from each side of the bed. How much further could she go? She visualized where she slept in the Ruins. She opened her eyes and was there! She closed her eyes again and imagined where she had been. And she was there, back at the castle. "Cool."
"Hey." Asriel looked toward her. "That's neat. How do you do that? That's your freaky soul again, huh?"
"Asriel!" The King and Queen shouted at him once again.
Frisk moved toward the windows and looked outside. So, there wasn't a sky. At least it would never rain on days to play. She also had a new brother. He might make a good playmate. Toriel seemed to really love her, and Asgore . . . well, he didn't kill her at least. Apparently something was wrong with her soul anyway. So, there was no way to leave.
A new family. A new home. She guessed that was just supposed to be the way it had to be.
"Eventually, we'll have to figure out who's monster power she has. She must be restored."
"Later, Asgore."
"How did she even have that happen?"
"Later, Asriel."
"Could her soul have been forced open during an encounter? That would be dangerous."
"Perhaps. I don't know, I don't care. It matters not. She is now a part of my family."
"Our family, Tori."
"My family."
"Is my soul bad?" Frisk finally asked. "Is it not a good soul?"
"No, no, it is child." Toriel moved down toward her. "It is. But, one day, when you are older? We need to fix your soul, so that we can leave the barrier."
"You're still going to kill me? One day?" Frisk asked. "Please don't?"
"No, no. When you get older, if we fix your soul, Asgore has shown me another way." Toriel hugged her affectionately. "No one in your new family will ever hurt you. I promise. We all love you very much."
"I just met her," Asriel said, "I mean, golly, I'm not going to kill her, but you're not speaking for me on the love part."
"Asriel," Asgore scolded him. "You have changed mightily my son."
"Yeah, well, going up to the surface and coming back down to die then finding yourself in a strange lab and sent back home can make anyone a little cranky." Asriel crossed his arms.
"I hear near-death experiences can be life-changing," Toriel offered to Asriel.
"It wasn't near-death. I was dead for a few years." Still, Asriel didn't argue. "Your soul is probably just fine. And, and I'm sure we'll be fine."
"We will!" Toriel changed her hug from Frisk to Asriel. "We will all be a new family again. We will all be happy again." She shot a look toward Asgore as he came near them. "Not you."
"But Tori?"
"Not you." Tori hugged both Frisk and Asriel. "You are a good pair of children."
"But how will I open the barrier?" Frisk asked.
"Oh. Well." Asgore just came over and patted her on the head. "I have discussed those personal details with your mother and brother. When you get older, we'll tell you. Until then, let's not worry."
"You have to get it on with a monster," Asriel said.
"Asriel!"
"Sorry," Asriel said. "I meant to say that you have to have a baby that's 50/50 monster and human. It proves that monsters and humans can get along and there won't be these dangerous things later for you to take. You won't have to pay . . ." He snapped his fingers, thinking. " . . . a reckoning. I think that's it? 'Cause if dad continues to murder-"
"Asriel!"
"-set free the souls, then we still have to wait for more humans to come down and then force them into the tests. It wouldn't work as well."
"Asriel," King Asgore said, "we are working more on your behavior soon."
"What? I just don't want to keep secrets. It killed me once. I'm never keeping another secret again." Asriel gestured to Asgore. "Dad only told us because mom didn't understand why he wanted to fix your soul so much. Now it makes sense why Chara became my sister. Mom loves kids, but dad wants freedom."
"Asriel," King Asgore warned him. "I loved Chara too."
"Yeah, but at first?" Asriel shrugged and looked away.
"Don't worry about that, Frisk," Toriel insisted. "That is a long ways away. But, Asriel is right. When we figure out your soul, then you shall be married to someone very special, have a baby, and save the Underground. But it will not be until you are all grown up. Thirty or so, perhaps."
"Twenty," Asgore disagreed.
"Humans grow fast enough, thank you," Toriel corrected him. "Thirty."
"Twenty."
"Maybe twenty five or twenty six or something," Asriel said. "Unless she falls in love sooner. Girls do fall in love pretty fast in fairytales. Sometimes it's a prince charming, and at other times, it's a total loser."
"Oh, leave it be. We'll figure it out when it's time." Toriel smiled at her. "If Asriel doesn't find someone special."
Asriel stuck out his tongue. "Gag me."
"That's no way for a future king to act," Asgore warned him.
"Gosh, dad, the guy she marries could be the future king too," Asriel pointed out.
"Oh. Dear." Asgore looked toward Frisk. "Will you please marry someone who can handle great responsibilities and can be very alert and ready to fight in any given situation? In fact, I need to start analyzing suitable suitors. Those with the potential to possibly run a kingdom should anything happen."
"Oh, don't worry about that." Toriel hugged her gently again. "There. Now, you see? No one wants to kill you when you get older."
"Uh. Kay? Just as long as no one wants to kill me?" Frisk watched all three of them shake their heads. "Okay. Then. Okay." She smiled. All that marriage and baby business was like years and years in the future, so she didn't really even care about it. "I'll try my hardest to be a good daughter."
"Fine," Asriel said, "but what's your name?"
"Frisk," she said.
"Well, now?" Toriel smiled. "It is Princess Frisk Dreemurr. Welcome to the family, my child."
Note: Having a degree of Monster inside of her has made it easier for Frisk to move around the Underground. The longer a person also resides in the Underground, the less heavy the magic will leave a toll on the body.
End of Chapter