OK I KNOW IT'S BEEN 2 WEEKS SINCE THE LAST CHAPTER, I'M SORRYYYYYYY (also I have a co-author now, she's pretty cool)
And here'ssss a great story I would definitely recommend! So you've heard probably heard of the Dreemur Reborn AU, right? Well there is an amazing fanfic about Asriel and Monster Kid on a quest to save their friends, it's packed full of action, friendship and can also really hit you in the feels. If this is enough to convince to check out this gem of a story, it's called 'Crownquest' by Sub-Par Grief. It really deserves more love so please give it a try!
Now on with the story...
''There.''
Frisk looked up.
There, on the horizon, was a towering complex of pipes and machinery glowing red in the light of the lava that surrounded it. Metal cables connected to the structure from the ceiling of the cave, and pipes rose out of the lava and away back into Waterfall, and away into a distant city.
''That's the Core, Frisk, in the center of The City. It powers all of the underground'' said Toriel, ruffling Frisk's hair.
''It's very...'' Frisk's face scrunched up, as they struggled for a word to say, ''...Big.''
''yup, it's pretty intimidating,'' commented Sans, standing next to Frisk.
Frisk jumped in surprise before relaxing again. ''Oh hey Sans!'' they signed cheerily.
''heya,'' replied Sans.
''What are you doing here?'' Toriel asked, smiling at him.
''well I couldn't help overhear you guys talking over here, so, uh, I was just wondering, Toriel, would you like to grab some dinner with me before you get going? i mean if the kid doesn't mind.''
''Oh you wouldn't want to hang out with an old lady like myself,'' said Toriel. ''And who would look after Frisk?''
''paps offered to look after them, he seemed very excited at the idea of me getting out of the house for once.''
''Well then I accept your offer,'' said Toriel. ''I'll go drop off Frisk.''
''um I don't think that's gonna be a problem, they've already gone,'' he said, watching Frisk run off into the lab.
''Hi!'' Frisk signed, bursting into the lab.
''AH!'' yelped Alphys, before glancing over into the back of the lab and diving beneath a table.
Frisk looked at them in confusion. ''What are you doing?'' They signed.
''I'm cowering in fear!''
''Um... what?'' signed Frisk.
Then they spotted Mettaton sweeping up the confetti on the floor, humming.
''Sorry, what's going on?'' he asked, looking up. ''Oh hey Frisk!''
He got back on with his cleaning.
''Oh Frisk'' Said Alphys, ''I'm so afraid of the strong and mighty Mettaton-'' Mettaton blushed ''-But um... I-I will save you! RUN WHILE YOU STILL CAN! I'll h-hold him off!'' Alphys yelled, jumping out from under the table and pushing Frisk out the door, before closing it.
Frisk shrugged and walked over to the RiverPerson who was humming on their boat.
''Hello,'' signed Frisk. ''Do you think you could take me to Snowdin on your boat?''
RiverPerson nodded and Frisk got on as they started to sail off.
''Somewhere in the world, it's Wednesday. Or is it Tuesday? I don't really know,'' the RiverPerson mused.
Frisk nodded and hopped off the boat, trudging through the snow to Papyrus's house.
They knocked on the door.
''I'M BUSY!'' Papyrus's voice shouted through the door. ''UNLESS IT'S YOU SANS, THEN I ASSUME YOUR DATE DIDN'T GO VERY WELL AND THEN YOU CAN COME IN AND BE COMFORTED.''
Frisk shrugged and started to walk away.
''OH AND IF IT'S THE HUMAN, COME IN HERE AND SAVE ME BECAUSE I'M BEING INTERROGATED.''
Frisk burst through the door dramatically and did a pirouette before landing on the ground.
Papyrus gave a wild round of applause.
Doggo was overwhelmed by all this movement.
''QUICK!'' shouted Papyrus, leaping up from his chair. ''WE CAN ESCAPE WHILE HE'S STUNNED!''
He threw a chair out of a window, sending shards of glass everywhere and then jumped out through the window next to it.
Frisk quickly climbed out the window after the frantic skeleton.
''WE MUST RUN FOR THE HILLS!'' yelled Papyrus, putting the chair under one arm. ''BUT UNFORTUNATELY THERE ARE NO HILLS TO RUN TO, SO WE MUST GO FOR THE NEXT BEST THING!''
They began sprinting towards the forest.
''So why was Doggo questioning you?'' signed Frisk.
''THEY THOUGHT I KNEW OF YOUR LOCATION!'' said Papyrus. ''IT WAS HORRIBLE, I TELL YOU! THEY KNOCKED OVER A POT OF SPAGHETTI I'D BEEN MAKING FOR LUNCH!''
''That monster,'' signed Frisk.
''YES HE IS A MONSTER, YOU'RE THE ONLY HUMAN HERE,'' said Papyrus.
He suddenly stopped, almost having run into the exit/entrance to the Ruins. ''OOH SPOOKY DOOR!''
''It's the Ruins,'' signed Frisk. ''Do you want to go in?''
''WHOO ADVENTURE!'' Papyrus yelled, running in. Frisk walked in as well. They could hear distance woofing.
''NICE PLACE YOU GOT HERE,'' said Papyrus walking down the corridor. ''THOSEPESKY CANINES SHALL NEVER FIND US!''
''Let's see if we can find another exit,'' signed Frisk, walking through the doors ahead and into the room where they'd fought Toriel.
Papyrus sat on his chair and thought hard for a moment before springing up again.
''OK!'' he said. ''LET'S SPLIT UP AND LOOK FOR AN EXIT! I'LL GO THIS WAY AND YOU GO THAT WAY.''
Papyrus strode off.
Frisk dithered there for a moment before looking around. They walked out of the room, up the stairs and began their quest to find an exit. They turned every corner, looked in every room, searched every inch of every hallway, but couldn't find anything.
Even so, it was nice to walk around again, saying hello to all its residents who showed up. It seemed the Royal Guards unexpected entry had shaken quite a few of them up, having led such peaceful lives before.
Eventually, Frisk wound up back at Toriel's house, only to be met with a lot of police (or more Royal Guard) tape tied to it.
Seriously? They had lived in that house for barely two days and now everyone was acting like a murder scene had taken place inside?
Frisk sighed and walked back down the stairs, deciding to return to the room they are Papyrus had decided to split up to wait for him.
They bought two spider donuts and chewed one as they sat outside the door.
12 minutes... 13 minutes... 14 minutes...
Frisk sighed and spotted something glinting in the corner. It was the Toy Knife, the one Frisk had used to attack someone they now thought of as their mother.
Frisk walked over and picked it up, flipping it over to examine it.
They decided to keep it, for cutting things obviously, they had no other reason to keep it.
Well... maybe it would trigger another one of those weird dreams, but whether Frisk wanted that to happen, they weren't sure.
They were yanked out of their train of thought by a somebody talking.
''HUMAN I HAVE RETURNED!'' shouted Papyrus, the chair still tucked under his arm. ''WHAT HAVE YOU FOUND ON YOUR TRAVELS?''
''Nothing much,'' wrote Frisk. ''What about you?''
''I FOUND AN EXIT! BUT THAT'S NOT A SURPRISE, IS IT? OF COURSE THAT I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WOULD SUCCEED ON MY QUEST!'' bellowed Papyrus proudly. ''IT'S GOOD THING YOU DIDN'T FIND AN EXIT AS WELL, OTHERWISE WE'D HAVE A DILEMMA ON OUR HANDS. WHICH EXIT DO WE USE? WHICH EXIT IS BETTER? IT WOULD BE HORRIBLE! ONE OF THEM WOULD BE LEFT FEELING HEARTBROKEN, THINKING THEY WEREN'T GOOD ENOUGH FOR US TO EXIT THROUGH THEM! BUT THEN, OF COURSE, I COULD GO THROUGH MY EXIT AND YOU COULD GO THROUGH YOURS BUT THEN...''
Frisk allowed Papyrus to ramble on for a little while before tugging on their arm.
''Want this donut?'' they asked.
''NO THANK YOU, I'M SAVING MY APPETITE FOR THE AMAZING SPAGHETTI I'M GOING TO MAKE TO HONOUR ITS DECEASED PREDECESSOR.''
''Cool. Where's the exit you found?''
''OH THE EXIT IS THIS WAY,'' said Papyrus, hoisting Frisk up and putting them on the chair. They put the donut in their bag. ''WHY DO YOU WANT TO KNOW?''
''Because we're trying to exit.''
''OHHHHHHH, I LIKE YOUR THINKING!''
They set off, up the stairs, through the corridors, Papyrus making so many twists and turns Frisk felt dizzy. But eventually, the skeleton stopped, right in front of a looming door. They stepped through to see the forest, but this time, there was no path.
Papyrus began trudging through the woods but suddenly stopped when he almost stepped into a river. Frisk almost slid off the chair and into the water if Papyrus hadn't grabbed their shirt.
Papyrus started to walk along the river until they saw River Person up ahead who seemed to be talking to theirself.
''HELLO!'' greeted Papyrus. ''COULD YOU TAKE US ON YOUR BOAT?''
''I can, but whether I will or will not is the true question,'' the River Person replied.
''WILL YOU?''
''Yes. It's my job.''
Papyrus climbed in and put the chair and Frisk down.
''TO WATERFALL PLEASE!''
The boat set off, Frisk confused.
''Tralalalalala a snowy mountain... it beckons me,'' sang the River Person as they sailed along the river. ''Here we are.''
''THANK YOU!'' said Papyrus getting up and putting Frisk on his shoulder.
He picked up the chair as well and jumped off the boat onto land. Then he set on forwards to a house shaped like a fish.
''ALRIGHT HUMAN, ARE YOU READY TO HANG OUT WITH UNDYNE?''
Frisk looked at Papyrus with surprise.
''YOU TWO ARE GOING TO BECOME BEST FRIENDS IN NO TIME! OH, THIS IS GOING TO BE SO GREAT!'' he squealed.
Frisk didn't want to ruin Papyrus' happy mood so they forced a smile. And anyway, it would be good if they could befriend Undyne.
Papyrus knocked on the door.
It opened to reveal Undyne wearing a black vest and blue jeans, much different than her terrifying armor from before.
''Hi Papyrus!'' she said cheerfully, somehow not noticing Frisk perching nervously on his shoulder. ''Ready for you extra-private, one-on-one training?''
''YOU BET I AM!'' exclaimed Papyrus. ''AND I BROUGHT A FRIEND!''
Undyne looked at the chair with a blank expression.
''NO, LOOK UP.''
Undyne eyes finally rested on Frisk who smiled nervously and gave a little wave.
''Hi,'' said Undyne, sounding as cheerful as she did when talking to Papyrus. ''I don't think we've...''
You could almost hear the light switch being switched in her head.
Her eyes widened. She fell silent. Papyrus somehow fell silent as well despite not even saying anything at the time.
''Why don't. You two. Come in,'' she said eventually, after taking much longer than Frisk would've liked.
They gulped as Papyrus did a little spin of excitement and stepped in as well.
Frisk looked longingly at Waterfall as the door swung shut, trapping them in here.
Inside the house was much neater and normal than Frisk had expected. There was your typical kitchen at the back wall, a table with two chairs in one corner and a piano in another corner. A giant sword was propped against a wall.
Papyrus put Frisk on the light blue on the yellow chequered floor and reached into his pocket to produce a golden bone with a red bow tied around it.
''MY FRIEND BROUGHT A FRIEND FOR YOU, BY THEIRSELF!'' he announced, handing it to Undyne.
''Uh thanks, I'll put it with the others,'' she said flatly, putting into the drawer full of identical golden bones.
''So, are we ready to start?'' she asked eagerly.
''WHOOPSY DOOPSY THE CALL OF THE WILD IS CALLING ME,'' shouted Papyrus jumping out a window and then pulling the chair out after him.
''So why are you here?'' asked Undyne. ''To rub your victory in my face? To humiliate me even further? IS THAT IT!?''
Frisk fiercely shook their head.
''Then why ARE you here?'' Undyne questioned. Her eyes lit up. ''Wait... I get it. You think I'm gonna be friends with you, huh? Right?''
Frisk very slowly nodded but then gave Undyne a big smile.
Undyne smiled back, but it was a cruel one.
''Really? How delightful! I accept! LET'S ALL FROLICK IN THE FIELDS OF FRIENDSHIP! NOT!'' Undyne snapped. ''Why would I EVER want to be friends with YOU!? If you weren't my house guest, I'd beat you up right now! You're the enemy of everyone's hopes and dreams! I will never be your friend! Now get out of my house!'' she shouted.
Papyrus reappeared at the window.
''WHAT A SHAME,'' he said to his chair. ''HERE I WAS THINKING UNDYNE WOULD BE GREAT ENOUGH TO BEFRIEND THE HUMAN, DIDN'T YOU AS WELL, JENNY MY DARLING CHAIR? I GUESS I OVER-ESTIMATED HER. SHE'S JUST NOT UP TO THE CHALLENGE.''
He disappeared again.
''CHALLENGE!? WHAT!?'' screeched Undyne. ''Papyrus, wait a second! Darnit... he thinks I can't be friends with YOU!? Fuhuhu! What a joke! I could make friends with a wimpy loser like you any day! I'll show him!''
Frisk started to back away but completely stopped when they saw Undyne's fierce gaze.
''Listen up human!'' she said. ''We're not just going to be friends, we're going to be... BESTIES! I'll make you like me so much... you won't be able to think of anyone else! FUHUHU! It's the PERFECT REVENGE!''
She was silent for a moment and then her face changed to a lovely smile as she looked at Frisk fondly.
''Why don't you take a seat?'' she said sweetly.
Frisk sat down.
''Comfortable?'' Undyne. ''Why don't I get you a drink?''
She put some various tubes and boxes on the kitchen counter and gestured to Frisk to choose one.
They stood up and Undyne chucked a spear at the table, making it split in two.
''HEY!'' she yelled. ''YOU'RE THE GUEST! DON'T GET UP!''
She regained her posture.
''Why don't you point the spear at the drink you would like?''
Frisk picked up the spear and instantly pointed at Undyne.
''Are you... hitting on me?'' she asked slowly.
Frisk kept the spear pointed at her.
''...''
They looked at all the drinks and eventually chose the tea.
''Tea? Coming right up!'' said Undyne cheerfully. She made it and poured it into two cups, before handing one to Frisk and keeping the other for herself.
Frisk hoped it was tea in there because they couldn't see whatever the cup contained through all the steam.
''Here we are,'' said Undyne, sitting on the seat opposite of Frisk. ''Careful, it's hot.''
Frisk waited for it to cool down.
''It's not THAT hot!''
Frisk took a sip. It was scolding, but apart from that, it was pretty good!
''It's pretty good, right?'' said Undyne, drinking hers with one gulp. ''Nothing but the best for my ABSOLUTELY PRECIOUS FRIEND!''
She was quiet for a moment.
''You know it's kinda weird, you chose THAT tea. Golden flower tea. That's Asgore's favorite kind. Actually, now that I think about it...You kind remind me of him. You're both total weenies!''
She laughed, swirling the remaining tea in her cup.
''Sort of.''
Her face fell. ''Y'know, I was pretty hot-headed kid. Once, to prove I was the strongest, I tried to fight Asgore. Emphasis on tried. I couldn't land a single blow on him! And worse, the whole time, he refused to fight back! I was humiliated,'' Undyne sighed. ''Afterward, he apologized and said something goofy... 'Excuse me, do you want to know how to beat me?' I said yes, and then from then on, he trained me. One day, during practice, I finally knocked him down. I felt bad... but he was beaming. I had never seen anyone more proud to get their butt kicked! Anyway, long story short, he kept training me...and now I'm the head of the Royal Guard!''
She smiled proudly.
''So I'm the one who gets to train dorks to fight! Like, uh, Papyrus. But, um, to be honest... I don't know if I can ever let Papyrus into the Royal Guard. Don't tell him I said that! He's just, well... it's not like he's weak. He's actually pretty freaking tough! It's just that... he's... TOO INNOCENT AND NICE!'' blurted out Undyne. ''I mean look, he was supposed to capture you, and he ended up being FRIENDS with you instead! I could NEVER send him into battle! He's be ripped into little smiling shreds! That's part of why I started teaching him how to cook, you know? So, um, maybe he could do something else with his life.''
Her eyes widened.
''Oh sorry... I was talking for so long you're out tea, aren't you? I'll go get you some more!''
Undyne grabbed Frisk's cup and walked back to the kitchen counter.
But then she paused.
''Wait a second...'' she muttered. ''Papyrus... his cooking lesson... HE WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE THAT RIGHT NOW! And if HE'S not here to have it, YOU'LL HAVE TO HAVE IT FOR HIM!''
*You are filled with discomfort
Undyne leaped upwards and landed on the kitchen counter. She kicked all the optional drinks off.
''THAT'S RIGHT!'' she yelled. ''NOTHING HAS BROUGHT PAPYRUS AND I CLOSER THAN COOKING! Which means I give you his lesson... WE'LL BECOME CLOSER THAN YOU CAN EVER IMAGINE! Fuhuhuh! Afraid!? We're going to be best friends!''
She jumped over to Frisk and grabbed their head before chucking them at the wall.
They rolled off and onto the floor.
''Let's start with the sauce!'' she announced, pulling Frisk up. She kicked the ground and the ingredients rained down from the ceiling.
''Envision these vegetables as your greatest enemies! Now! Pound them to dust with your fists!''
Frisk gave the vegetables and reassuring pat and told them it was all going to be OK.
''DON'T PET THE ENEMY!'' yelled Undyne. ''Let me show you how it's done! NGAHHHHHHH!''
She smashed them to a pulp. It splattered all over the walls.
Frisk gave her a thumbs up.
''Uh, we'll just scrape that into a bowl later,'' said Undyne. ''BUT FOR NOW!''
She stamped the floor again and a saucepan and a pack of pasta fell from the ceiling.
''We add the noodles!''
Frisk looked at the completely intact ceiling and wondered how she did it.
''Home-made noodles taste the best,'' said Undyne in a matter-of-fact kind of way. ''BUT I JUST BUY STORE-BRAND, THEY'RE THE CHEAPEST! NGAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!''
Frisk wanted to go 'NGAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!' too but had to settle for doing the same pose as Undyne.
''Now you're getting it! Now put those pathetic noodles in the pot!''
Frisk threw everything into the pot as hard as they could, including the pot. It clanked against the empty bottom.
''YEAH! I'M INTO IT!'' yelled Undyne joyously. ''Alright! Now it's time to stir the pasta! As a general rule of thumb, the more you stir... THE BETTER IT TASTES! Ready? Let's do this!''
Frisk stirred.
''Stir harder!''
Frisk started stirring harder.
''HARDER!''
Frisk stirred as hard as they could.
''I SAID HARDER!''
It felt like Frisk's arm would come off.
''Urgh, let me do it!''
Undyne stabbed the poor pot with her spear.
''Fuhuhuhu! That's the stuff!'' she exclaimed. ''Now for the final step: TURN UP THE HEAT! Let the stove top symbolize you passion! Let your hopes and dreams turn into burning fire! READY? Don't hold anything back!''
Frisk turned up the heat.
''Hotter!''
Hotter it became.
''HOTTER, DARNIT!''
Hotter it went still.
''HOTTERRRRRRRRR!''
Hot, hotter, yet hotter.
Sparks from the stove flew everywhere, causing fire to sprout on the walls on the floor. Frisk looked around and then pot which was also a flaming inferno.
''Man, no wonder Papyrus sucks at cooking,'' laughed Undyne. ''So what's next? Scrapbooking? Friendship bracelets?''
She sighed, her face falling.
''Oh who am I kidding? I really screwed up, didn't I?'' she told Frisk glumly. ''I can't force you to like me, human. Some people just don't get along with each other... I understand if you feel that way about me. And if we can't be friends, that's OK. Because if we're not friends... I CAN DESTROY YOU WITHOUT REGRET!''
Frisk's soul retreated from their body as Undyne summoned a spear.
''I've been defeated... my house is in shambles... I even failed to befriend you. That's it,'' she snarled. ''I don't care if you're my guest anymore... One final rematch! All out on both sides! IT'S THE ONLY WAY I CAN REGAIN MY LOST PRIDE. NOW COME ON, HIT ME WITH ALL YOU'VE GOT! NGAHHHHHH!''
*Undyne is letting you make the first attack
Frisk looked at their two options: Check or Fake Attack
*Fake attack
Frisk ran at Undyne and pretended to swipe at her with all her might.
She lost 1hp.
''What?'' she muttered. ''That's the best you can manage? Even attacking me at full force, you just can't muster any intent to hurt me, huh? Heh, you know what?''
She dropped her spear, it faded away.
''I don't actually want to hurt you either, at first, I hated your stupid saccharine schtick, but... the way you hit me right now, reminded me of someone I used to train with. Now I know you're not just some wimpy loser...''
Undyne grinned.
''You're a wimpy loser with a big heart! Just like him... it seems you and Asgore are fated to fight... but knowing him, he probably doesn't want to. Talk to him, I'm sure you can persuade him to let you go home! Eventually, some mean human will fall down here, and I'll take their soul instead! That makes sense, right? Fuhuhu. Oh, and if you DO hurt Asgore... I'll take the souls, break the barrier and beat the crap out of you! That's what friends are for, right? Now let's get out this building before we burn to death.''
The two stood outside the flaming house in silence.
''Well, that was fun, huh? We'll have to hang out again another time! Guess I'll go chill with Papyrus, just drop by Snowdin if you need to see me! Oh and also, if you call Papyrus, I'll be there as well, bye punk!''
Undyne strode off, whistling a happy tune.
''THAT WAS GREAT HUMAN!'' Papyrus yelled in happiness appearing out of nowhere. ''NOW LETS GET BACK TO SANS.''
He quickly skipped off again.
Frisk smiled and began to follow when they heard mocking laughter behind them.
''Do you really think you can keep this up?'' asked Flowey. '' 'Oh look at me, I'm so innocent I spare everyone I see! I'll never ever harm a single soul!'. HA! You should know better than that. One of these days, Asgore will come for your soul and don't even think for a moment he'll fall for you goody little two-shoes act, like all the other fools you've spared. If don't fight him, he'll take your soul, and if you do, this will all of been for NOTHING!''
Frisk didn't respond.
''Sigh... Don't worry Frisk, soon you'll see it my way. Goodbye, and remember... In this world... IT'S KILL OR BE KILLED.''
Flowey laughed as he disappeared under the ground, leaving Frisk in uncomfortable silence.
But after everything Undyne had just said to them, Frisk felt like they could befriend Asgore if they tried hard enough.
They were determined to.