Hey guys. Sorry if this update is a little late. I've been super sick for the past week. Still am, but I convinced myself to do something this time. I really hope you guys are liking it so far. I'm gonna have a little heart to heart real quick. It might be because of me being sick but it seems like a good idea right now. I started this fic as a fun little 'what if' scenario, but it has surpassed that by a long shot at this point. It's evolved and changed and has grown more than I expected. I am sorry that Alanna gets beaten up more than other protagonists in other fics. I've always imagined the underground as a very dangerous place.

Also regarding Cooper. At this point in the story we know nothing about him. Alanna has no clue. She won't find out for a while. It's hard to drag a story out of an unwilling person. Someone used to silence and distance. I love Cooper's character, but I know that for you all you know absolutely nothing other than what is shown. It's supposed to be that way. For us to learn the story right out the gate without having to break down his barriers is just too convenient for me.

I've worked really hard on this fic. But even with some hard work it's not going to be absolutely perfect. While I love writing fanfictions, and how much I love you guys as my readers, this is still a hobby for me. I have to adult a lot. I hate that but it's true. So does my co-writer. So sometimes I may update a little slow but I've really been trying.

I know this is pretty long. I usually don't do this, but I felt this needed to be said. I still appreciate every view. Every follow and favorite. I read every review the moment I get the notification. Honestly life has been really hard lately, and seeing the support from you guys is what can make my day good. I've been working on having a Positive Mental Attitude about life and having you guys helps a lot, but I'm not perfect. I have bad days. So thank you from the bottom of my heart. I do appreciate every review. It means that someone took the time out of their day to talk to me. Tell me something about what I've written. Every view makes me happier.

Sorry this was so long. Love you all.

TLDR; I'm sick so the update is late. Writing is hard. Life is harder. I love you guys. Thank you for the reviews, favorites, follows, and views.

The grey room again. Static played over her feeling stronger than ever before.

"Ah, Alanna." The voice was smooth and familiar. She turned to face Gaster almost used to the sight of his cracked and wispy form by now. "I was wondering when you would come. We have something to discuss."

"Hi." She said wandering over to him. The air felt heavy, thick like she was wading through water rather than air. "I saw you." Something felt different. He felt different. The facade he wore before seemed to have dropped. Instead of the friendly monster he seemed...sharp. Perceptive. Something in his face made her stomach uneasy.

"That Hunter will bring us nothing but trouble. You want to save them, correct?" He had his hands steepled staring her down with those dark eyesockets. From the corners of her vision the walls flickered, showing a vast expanse of darkness. It was black, but not. It was darker than black. Dark, darker, yet darker it went on forever. The sight made her want to scream. She didn't realize she had until Gaster stepped directly in front of her taking up her vision. It was so big. So empty and yet so full. A paradox filled with contradictions and her mind was trying to reject it. It took her a minute to be able to breathe properly. Another minute to answer.

"Of course." Her voice only shook a little.

"You won't be able to the way you are now. You could hardly hold your own against a pack of mutts, what makes you think you can fight Chara?"

"Fight Chara?"

"Can you think of an alternative?" Gaster flowed even closer, looming over her while wisps of his darkness curled and caressed her skin. She tried to jerk back but he was still there as if she hadn't moved in the first place. "How do you stop a creature that can slaughter an entire timeline only to ride its host back in time to do it all again. With no way to separate it unwillingly from that host."

"Frisk," Alanna breathed in horror.

"Yes." He moved around her like a shark circling prey. "The host is unable to stop this cycle. In fact, no monster in the underground can stop this cycle. Nor can I. But you, dear, with that determined soul of yours we could beat the killer at her own game. Save all monsters."

"I couldn't kill Frisk."

"Of course you can. They would want it this way. You'll be a hero."

"I can't." Alanna insisted.

"Would you rather leave them to their fate? All of those lives washed away in a parade of dust and violence." He seemed a bit more strained as he spoke. The darkness curled closer still. She shivered. "You're human, there must have been tragedy you've seen or learned about. Horrible things. You must have thought to yourself that if you could have stopped something like that…" The words teased her mind.

"Well," she said her tone already admitting he was right, "anybody would."

"You have the opportunity." He spread his hands before her. Inviting.

"I don't think I could ever-" A sudden pain as something slammed into her side.

"You do not have a choice in this." His voice was empty and dark like the place outside the grey walls. "There are lives on the line. If this continues nothing will be able to fix what will break." He pulled his hand away from her side going back into the calm demeanor.

"What the hell?" She screamed at him holding her side.

"Pain is a great motivator." He explained as if that made it okay. Maybe in his eyes it did. "If you do not commit to this. Learn to fight properly, there will be no end to this destruction. The pain you have felt at their hands will be nothing compared to the endless misery will be their fate. Eventually the resets and pain will twist your timeline, shift them into something….truly monstrous. It has happened in other timelines."

"But what if I can't…" Sadness and terror competed for dominance.

"I will train you. Take you on as my apprentice. By the end, we will have the monsters freed. You're the only one who can save over Chara's death." Gaster was nearly purring. And...it made sense. It really did. Was there no other way to stop this? Even Frisk had told her that she could be the one that saved them. Gaster was saying she was the only one who could.

"I…" Her side throbbed but she found herself watching him. "I can try."

"Good." He swirled away a little bit. "Let's begin."

Alanna didn't see the blow coming, one second she was looking to Gaster and the next she was being flung into one of the walls. Her chest was burning, needles of pain shivering over the site where he hit her.

"Rule one." His voice was utterly calm. "Always know what is around you."

Alanna hissed pushing herself halfway up.

"Repeat the lesson." He ordered.

"Always know what's around me." She gasped not able to get in a full breath.

"Get up." Alanna listened feeling tears spring to her eyes. Everything felt real here. She was so tired of being in pain. "Again."

Another hit, from a different direction. Something crunched with the blow. Alanna screamed….and so it went.

Alanna exhaustedly kept an eye on the room, there was the slightest movement and she immediately moved to the side, only to drop as another dark wisp shot for her head.

"That Hunter." Gaster sounded amused and annoyed all at once. "Lesson over, for now."

"What do you-"

"Hey. Wake up!" Alanna felt the room melt away and jerked upright with Cooper's hand on her shoulder.

"What?" She groaned feeling relief at the sight of her familiar surroundings. Her side ached fiercely just as it had in the grey room.

"You tried giving this back." He laid the coin pouch on the couch. "I told you not to do it."

"You gave me way too much, Cooper." She huffed trying to hide her wince as she shifted. "I used what I needed and now I'm fine."

He watched Alanna carefully for a moment his gaze drawing her out. "I don't care if it is too much. Keep it for later." He sat on the other arm. "How did you sleep?"

"Not bad." She lied. Even now she was focusing on him expecting some sort of attack. Gaster had put her on edge. "Still tired though. How did you sleep?"

"I slept fine." He looked around. "What are your plans for today?"

Alanna sighed dropping her head into her hands. "I have to train with Papyrus. He wants to teach me to use my magic better."

He looked at her surprised. "You're actually going to train with that numbskull?" He laughed a little.

"Papyrus is a great teacher." She immediately defended.

"Right." He slowly stood and the green spark surrounded his hand for a moment. He sighed. "I guess I'll go watch."

"Watch?"

"ALANNA ARE YOU PREPARED FOR ANOTHER ROUSING ROUND OF TRAINING?" Papyrus was running down the stairs taking at least three at a time without issue. He slid to a stop in front of her, all boundless energy and she felt her heart sink. It felt as if she had hardly slept and her side hurt something fierce. But with all the hope and energy in his eyes she pulled herself slowly out of her makeshift bed.

"I have to change first." Alanna mumbled glancing at her outfit. She might as well wear the torn jeans for fighting, seeing as they already had holes.

"I'll get ready also," Cooper added stretching. Alanna sighed and headed into the laundry room changing into her new training outfit, sadly touching the rip before heading out. Papyrus was already gone as was Cooper, and a groggy Frisk looked up from the t.v. raising a hand in a half greeting.

Alanna watched the child for a moment her heart sinking. Gaster had said it was the only way to give them a happy ending. Otherwise they'd start to mutate. All of it rested on Alanna being able to kill Chara, and Frisk in the process. She turned away bile rising in the back of her throat at the thought. The cold helped chase the dark thoughts from her head. She wasn't nearly good enough to even worry about what she had to do. Right now she just needed to train, get faster and better.