Alice in Undertale
By Lolitafreak88
Chapter 35 Part of Your World
"Undyne…?" Napstablook was very surprised all things considered.
As a neighbor to Undyne, they had occasionally run into one another but it wasn't as though she visited often. She hadn't expressed interest in the snails, she was ok with but didn't really offer any feedback on his music, and was so busy scouting as the Royal Guard Captain that he never had the opportunity to fully interact with her. The fact she hunted Alice was of no benefit to her reputation either. Hearing Alice expressed full resolution in going to see her was something he wasn't sure how to respond to. He believed everything she said and stood for and if Undyne was crucial to their freedom then he would not stop her. But if she had just come back from a RESET… then she had to have discovered something in particular that confirmed this. Something particularly serious…
"Yes. You see, it appears as though by not attempting to understand and befriend her, I've left the circumstances of the Underground in jeopardy." Alice humbly admitted her mistake as she began to stride down back the way she had come originally.
"...so it was bad huh?" Napstablook commented sadly.
"Well… I did lose my hope briefly. Strangely enough, Flowey came to my aid. He told me what I needed to do and inspired me not to give up again. I believe in him…" Alice said as they found themselves in the Hall of Judgement again.
"but he killed you…"
Alice easily noticed the protective, angered tone in which Napstablook spoke. She was about to take a rather large risk all things considered by going to Undyne. Hearing his concerns made this scenario feel even riskier. She wanted the friends she had made in the Underground to at least know some of the truth. If she couldn't yet tell the king or queen, the ones who most realistically needed to know about Flowey's true identity, then it was important to start with those she knew who wouldn't question it. After all, if I was ever to fall it'd be crucial to have at least one person who might be able to see Flowey for who he really is. Alice considered this to be very good advice for herself.
"... Flowey is the lost prince Napstablook. His true name is Asriel. It seems his current state as Flowey lacks the empathy that the story I was told described him as having."
"Is that so…? …" Napstablook sounded strangely calm but out of disbelief.
"It does sound rather mad and it's only a theory of mine but I believe I've gathered enough clues and reasoning about the matter to confirm it's true. Flowey is Asriel." Alice said as she and Napstablook crossed the entrance and headed for the elevator.
"...I guess that'd explain how he knew where the throne room was… um… but how did he… become that? he died didn't he?" Napstablook felt afraid of sounding stupid to Alice.
"That I do not know either. As a ghost, you are your own type of monster Napsta. So even if Asriel died, I don't think he'd have become a ghost… Or a skeleton like Sans or Papyrus, assuming they had died previously. Though that is… oh dear, I am feeling stumped." Alice grimaced as she felt like she hit a wall in her deductions.
The pair got into the elevator leading back down to where the Core was, their goal was to reach Waterfall. The quickest route seemed to be going through the Core into the MTT Resort and perhaps take advantage of the River Person who seemed to offer their boat services between the Resort and Waterfall. It was a long walk and while they had to be discreet about their conversation and knowledge in the more crowded Resort, here in the isolated Core they could converse rather freely. Continuing down the long hallway after the elevator took them back to the Core, Napstablook responded to Alice's insecure admission.
"i-it's ok alice… i believe you… so what you mean to say is that Flowey is good at heart…?"
"Or at least that he is not fully Asriel… he's almost like a caricature of him… or maybe a soulless husk would work better given the terminology of SOULS and magic. We cannot kill him and whereas he may not work with us in this timeline, he may be important to freeing the Underground." Alice said softly.
Walking into the room where Mettaton had powered down and Alice had scolded Alphys severely brought back awkward memories and reminded Alice that she needed to make peace with the Royal Scientist in this timeline too.
"...then what should we do…? it sounds like we're not going to see the king then… or tell him about this…" Napstablook did his very best to figure out exactly what Alice had in mind.
"Telling him now would just complicate things and he wouldn't believe us. Who's to say he's even met Flowey?" Alice articulated firmly.
'Curious. I've never seen a plant… Cry before." He sounded much less scared than she expected.'
The dream with 'Alice' seemed to indicated that Asgore had no idea of Flowey's existence prior to either Alice arriving at the throne room. So even if she told him about Flowey, the king would have plenty of good reason to doubt her words. She told Napstablook because of their ordeals together and their strong connection as friends. Considering Sans had seemingly left her and Napstablook to do their duty with Asgore, he possibly did not know of this truth either. Telling him would be a bit more complicated when the time eventually came so she wanted only Napstablook to know for now.
"... that's right… so he told you to meet undyne…" Napstablook looked anxious to find out where this was going.
"And he gave me valuable clues to Frisk's location. I think it's safe to say I'll do things differently when I encounter him again." Alice finished her suggestion with a nod.
"alone…?" Napstablook sounded quiet from what appeared to be distance.
Alice stopped walking and looked behind her to notice Napstablook had remained floating in place some meters back. Suddenly she felt seized by a pang of great guilt, that she was going to leave Napstablook behind despite Sans's suggestion of them working together. Even if he remembered what happened during the fight, he still wanted to work together with her and stay at her side. It was incredibly touching but it was also incredibly painful. She didn't want him in harm's way ever again and she certainly did not want his life to be sacrificed for the barrier's breakage. She also felt as though she had to go at this alone just as she had with all the other trials prior to now. Meeting Undyne with Napstablook at her side would be somewhat awkward after all and if Papyrus was already there it just made more sense for Alice to be the only one coming for a visit. Everything beyond that was unknown and even a bit scary but Alice didn't want Napstablook to go through the unknown again. After all, if Flowey was still going to be her enemy then anyone who was close to her would be threatened by him. Alice turned to face her first true friend in the Underground (And she suspected her first true friend in her whole life as well) and clarified her decision.
"I'm sorry Napsta but I have to do this alone. I've seen the scariest the Underground has to offer and I feel I am better prepared for it now. Yet… seeing you fall was something that I can't forgive myself for letting it happen. I'm merciful and grateful for the forces that brought you back to me and undid that tragedy but the possibilities of it happening again are high. It'd give me the greatest peace of mind to know you were at home, safe and sound, and that I knew you were rooting for me in mind and spirit." Alice displayed maturity and responsibility despite her clenched fists betraying the difficulty of the decision
"... a-are… you sure you'll be ok alice?" Napstablook questioned after a long pause.
"Yes. I'm very positive."
"But I want to help… i'm ready to help… i already felt bad rejecting the chance to help you once… i don't know how I feel about leaving you alone again."
"I… sympathize with that. But you were able to help me deeply Napsta. There's no shame in returning home for now and leaving me to my own devices." Alice sighed.
Both of them were feeling deep regrets. Napstablook for being passive at the beginning which ultimately drove him to come to the Hall of Judgement independently and saving Alice in the nick of time. For having to bear the shame and almost lack of morality for being told to go home again and not being able to assist Alice despite being granted permission. Alice for having to willingly send Napstablook home despite knowing his determination and resolve to help her. It was rather crushing to what was originally going to be a necessary decision and both friends were silent, not sure whether it was right to apologize or object. Napstablook had to concede Alice had a point deep down inside that he had helped her greatly and being at home would probably ease her worries. It just felt like he would be taking the easy way out and turning a blind eye to what could be done for the Underground. So out of shame, Napstablook nodded weakly and said nothing in response. Alice took this as him agreeing with her but felt disheartened to have made Napstablook appear and feel so down.
The two of them continued through the rest of the CORE, safely and without any hindrances in their way. Going down one elevator and leading back to the beginning of the CORE and soon entering MTT Resort itself. The two of them were in awkward and dispirited silence but with many of the guests in their own little world of leisure, none questioned or noticed the duo. Napstablook gave a longing and even hopeful look at the fountain of Mettaton, spewing misplaced water onto the floor. He was pleasantly surprised to see such architecture from his cousin and the sight of it made him feel a bit more clear-headed. all he must've gone through after i fell… i hope he's ok now. Napstablook thought. He looked towards Alice next whose folded arms and tilted downward head seemed to suggest she was feeling uneasy about the decision she was making now. Napstablook knew it was his own fault for being stubborn (Something that surprised him as a former pushover) and crafted an idea on how to cheer her up. The quickest route to the River Person's boat would be taking the R3 Elevator in Hotland and getting to Left Floor 1 which was the crossroads between their boat and Alphys's lab. When the two friends reached that said crossroads, Napstablook put his idea into motion.
"hey, alice… i… wanted to ask you something."
"Very well Napsta. What is it that you need to ask?" Alice sounded a bit down-hearted but tried to be chipper for her friend.
"... i've been thinking about the future… that when we do break the barrier… what will be your new dream?"
Considering he had ignited doubts about Alice's confidence accidentally by showing dissatisfaction with being sent home, he wanted to reassure Alice that her decisions were her own. That whatever she felt was best certainly was the best. So instead of speaking with the low self-esteem that would've brought her spirits lower, he displayed his full trust of her in his word choice. 'When' instead of 'if'. 'What will be' instead of 'what would be'. Alice looked a bit flustered and surprised after hearing him speak in this way.
"My new dream…? Oh dear, I haven't had much time to think about that at all. Really having a world of my own was my only serious dream and that's come true. Well, not in its original conception since it's not my own but it's every bit as magical and curious as I dreamed Wonderland of being." Alice admitted as she twiddled her fingers.
"It's wonderful to have any dream come true." Napstablook smiled.
"Yes. I do wonder what my next dream will be though… The Underground has taught me you could pursue any dream you wanted no matter how silly or impossible."
"well, if you had good memories down here, maybe that could lead you to your future dream…?" Napstablook offered as they started to head down the stairs.
"You're right! I did sincerely enjoy performing with Mettaton on the stage despite my inexperience. It seemed he was proud of me for helping him reach his highest ratings as well. Perhaps becoming a performer does have some merit for me. I've also always loved fiction so perhaps a job in literature could be exceptional. Like a fiction writer or a poet or a bookkeeper. The possibilities are endless." Alice smiled with excitement.
It was very outlandish when Alice first conceived the idea of what Mettaton did but she found that there was a great deal of satisfaction in making the viewers happy. Not to mention that the techniques, appeals, and various stage effects that could complement the performance were limitless and all very exciting. While it was only a tentative thought at the moment, Alice had to admit that she understood well why Mettaton had dreamed of becoming a star. The performance's effects on those who watched could be inspiring and breathtaking to behold. Then there was her love of books and stories. Even if she hated more wordy texts with little to no pictures in them, she could admire their characters and plots of different worlds. Possessing the ability to share her imagination and creations to a wider audience sounded very promising and inspiring on a different level than performing. Alice knew she had to think harder about what she wanted to be when she grew up but the prospect of these already rewarding and rich dreams gave her great DETERMINATION.
"maybe... if you wanted to and decided to perform… you could sing a cover to one of my songs…" Napstablook shyly offered.
"A cover?"
"Oh… well, in modern music, a cover is a new performance or recording of an existing song or composition by a new artist… so you'd be singing to one of my music mixes… is that weird?" Napstablook seemed more embarrassed by his proposition after saying it.
"Tra la la. Care for a ride?" A sing-song, firm voice was heard as soon as they reached the bottom of the stairs and cut through the conversation.
Alice wasn't sure what to make of the Riverperson given their brief encounter and the fact she hadn't used the ferry before, but she trusted them enough to take them to Waterfall. Truthfully she was rather excited to ride a gondola with Napstablook and she imagined they could continue their conversation at the same time.
"Yes please, Riverperson. We need to get to Waterfall." Alice nodded, not noticing Napstablook was blushing a notable amount from insecurity over what he offered.
"Then we're off." The Riverperson stated simply and gestured for them to get on board.
Alice carefully got onto the gondola and sat promptly down, Napstablook hovering and resting beside her. Strangely enough, the Riverperson appeared to not pull out any sort of oar or steering tool, not yet exposing any of their body to Alice. Somehow the boat began to move gently down the stream despite all this. Perhaps they are using magic, Alice considered as she folded her hands in her lap and enjoyed the gentle bobbing sensation of the ride. With their course drawn, Alice finally found room to respond to Napstablook.
"It's not entirely weird to sing a song to your music Napstablook. I imagine Mettaton would gladly do the same."
"Oh… that's true… I'd be really flattered if he did. It'd be nice to say I helped him with his dream in that sense after not really being able to help him like I wanted to." Napstablook sounded a bit more confident and relaxed.
"Certainly! Still, I wonder… Whether or not I become a writer or a performer, will I be able to find a new home for myself? There's no way of knowing what lies beyond Mt. Ebott or what country the mountain is within either. So the world will be all new to me and I hope that I won't be utterly out of my depth." Alice sighed.
"I think you shouldn't be too worried Alice… you've done a lot to learn about things you never knew before. a lot of monsters would be in the same boat trying to find out how much has changed on the surface. Plus you could bring your values to today's values to make it easier to understand and more developed."
"I suppose that's right. I really never imagined I'd be the first human to successfully time travel in that sense." Alice giggled to herself as she recalled this monumental fact.
"*Chuckle* You should be proud of yourself." Napstablook said with a warm smile.
"Well I'd be prouder of myself for resolving some of the mistakes I made and fully breaking the Barrier. Still, it really is nice to think about the future this way. Thank you Napsta."
"You're welcome alice."
"Tra la la. If it's hot or cold, you can count on me." The Riverperson unexpectedly chimed in on the conversation.
"I suppose if your destinations include Hotland and Snowdin you would be used to any climate." Alice said in agreement.
The rest of the ride went in reflective, jovial silence. With the Waterfall pier reached, Alice and Napstablook got off the gondola and formally thanked the Riverperson for their services.
"Come again sometime. Tra la la." The Riverperson said in appreciation.
After a short walk past Gerson's shop, they soon found themselves at the very familiar area that led to all the main houses in Waterfall. Going down to Undyne's house was the ultimate goal and no longer would it pose to be as intimidating as it once did. Papyrus would be there for certain and it was something Flowey urged her to do. Parting from Napstablook would be hard as it always was every time she separated from the ghost but he was on the same page in terms of why they'd be parting ways. Alice looked to Napstablook, who was looking at her with concern. An earnest concern born from how close they were and hoping that Alice would turn out alright.
"It's time for me to go Napsta. Again I apologize that you weren't able to fulfill San's request the way you wanted to but it's truthfully for the best in this scenario." Alice admitted.
"Helping you in any way I can is more than enough… And I hope Undyne is nicer to you now than she was before." Napstablook made a wish.
"That's difficult to say how she'll react towards me. Nonetheless, if what Papyrus has been urging me to do is true, then I think we'll be able to get along." The little girl smiled optimistically.
Napstablook nodded to Alice's statement, confirming his trust in her. He then began to float over towards his home but not without turning around to face Alice who hadn't yet moved. It seemed she wanted to see him off safely which was one of the kindest gestures he'd received lately. Truthfully, everything about his life recently had seemed to become a bit kinder to him even through death. It was all thanks to Alice. Her presence, her mind, her charity, her spirit… it brought a whole new perspective to life than Napstablook ever imagined. It also made him feel much more comfortable in himself when once upon a time he felt downtrodden as the lone snail farming ghost who was abandoned. Ultimately he couldn't accurately express his gratitude to Alice when she had gone above and beyond to free the Underground for his and many others' sake. Still, he hoped when the Barrier broke that maybe…
"Well, I'll be going now. Wish me the best of luck to achieving a life on the surface!" Alice waved good-bye cheerfully before heading down to Undyne's house.
"... i… i hope we can spend that life together… forever…" Napstablook confessed his feelings quietly to himself but with pride for taking that huge step.
It was too early to tell if it was a feeling of familial love, romantic love (Something that Mettaton would've probably teased him about in a playful manner should they start reconnecting), or close comrades. Either way, he knew himself well enough that he wanted to spend as much time with Alice as possible. It didn't even matter if they were trapped underground still or freed and on the surface, he'd be happy to still be alongside her in some shape or form. Still, he knew how much freedom meant to his cousin and Asgore in particular. He would wish for freedom just like the rest of them and look forward to new opportunities that only Alice could succeed at granting them. she will succeed… i know it… Napstablook gave his final thoughts on the matter before entrusting everything else to her and returning home.
"EH?! Sans…?! I had no idea you were here too. Goodness gracious, I must look so distracted if you were also waiting for me to show up." Alice's first response upon seeing Undyne's home again was directed towards the figures that were waiting outside.
In front of the fish-like house stood Papyrus, as promised, and unexpectedly Sans. Papyrus clasped his hands together and looked thrilled upon seeing Alice's arrival while Sans appeared to grin as he was holding something in his right hand. It looked like a paper bag that one might pack some small items within it. As curious as that was, the mere appearance of Sans was somewhat unusual yet also very reassuring. If both brothers were going to help her out with befriending Undyne then she would have nothing to fear.
"OHO! THE HUMAN ARRIVES! AND JUST IN TIME. SANS AND I HAVE SOMETHING FOR YOU." Papyrus cheerfully greeted Alice.
"call it a grubbag." Sans said, holding the paper bag up to Alice.
"Hmm? What's inside it?" Alice took the bag and began to peer inside its contents.
Alice noticed that there appeared to be one of the coveted hot dogs from his Hotland hot-dog stand and what appeared to be a bottle of water. Granted the material for this bottle was very strange and not at all like a glass bottle. Perhaps it's some new futuristic material they use for bottles, Alice pondered absent-mindedly. It then occurred to her exactly why they had brought these two things for her and she couldn't help but smile warmly.
"just a hot dog and a bottle of water. figure you'd be parched and hungry from the journey over from wherever you were at to here. bone appetit." Sans winked.
"THAT'S A VERY OBVIOUS PUN BROTHER THAT I AM PRETTY SURE YOU'VE ALREADY USED." Papyrus muttered more out of disappointment than anger.
"No it's quite alright. I appreciate you taking care of me like this and trying to raise my spirits. It has been a very long journey." Alice remarked as she started to eat the hot dog.
Indeed she hadn't felt hungry or thirsty up until she had seen the contents of the grubbag for herself and it felt wonderful to satisfy those cravings. The refreshing quality of the water, in particular, made her realize how long it had been since she had any sort of beverage beyond the MTT Hotel Starfait. Truthfully she had eaten and drunken things after the Nightmare Flowey fight in the other timeline but she had felt so numb that she couldn't taste whatever she had consumed. With those heavy feelings gone and a new opportunity to set things right, things tasted just as vivid and delicious as before. Papyrus and Sans remained fairly quiet as they patiently waited for Alice to finish her meal. Once she had, Alice knew it was time to get down to business.
"Are you two here then to help me befriend Undyne?" She asked.
"ONLY IF YOU ARE READY TO HANG OUT WITH UNDYNE. ALAS, MY BROTHER WAS ONLY HERE TO WATCH OVER ME SO I WOULDN'T BE LONELY." Papyrus explained.
"yeah but don't worry alice. you can do this. undyne is a bit gruff and strong-willed but i'm sure you can get through to her with your conversation skills." Sans advised her.
"Thanks… I'm still a bit nervous but I believe I can do this now." Alice nodded.
"guess i'll leave you to watch my brother then. make sure he doesn't break anything ok?" Sans winked at her as he took the trash and leftover bottle from Alice's hands.
But when Alice looked over to Papyrus, he noticed that Papyrus also winked back to Sans. It seemed like a friendly enough gesture but the timing of them both winking back and forth to on another almost seemed to indicate they were being cheeky or up to something. Alice would've questioned this normally but she felt as though it wasn't something too strange. Maybe they are just motivating one another, she thought. Of course, the question was why they were but she was suspecting that reasoning about this was just her unconsciously trying to delay the meeting with Undyne. Tired of this perceived cowardice on her part and seeing that Sans had departed quite swiftly, she turned to the door to Undyne's house.
"So shall we properly acquaint ourselves with her?"
"OKAY! STAND BEHIND ME. I HAVE A GREAT PLAN THAT WILL SUCCEED AT MAKING YOU TWO BEST FEMALE FRIENDS. OR THE LEGENDARY BFF'S FOR SHORT." Papyrus directed Alice with so much gusto she was sure Undyne would've heard the commotion from inside.
"Bff's? That's certainly an interesting acronym." Alice commented before she noticed Papyrus pulling something out.
"PSST. MAKE SURE TO GIVE HER THIS! SHE LOVES THESE!"
It appeared to be a wrapped present of gold paper with a red ribbon but the shape of the present was what baffled Alice. It clearly looked like a dog bone. Alice did a double take but the shape still remained a dog bone. Undyne was clearly not a dog and clearly it didn't seem like a present suitable for Undyne so she suspected that she had possibly accepted these sort of presents from him in the past and humbly accepted them. It was a strangely nice act from her if that was true and further showed there was a nice side to her much like how she behaved with Monster Kid. Regardless, she wondered whether or not Undyne thought favorably about Papyrus or not if she received unusual gifts like bones from him. Furthermore, it reminded her of the bone-shaped gifts under Snowdin's Christmas Tree and perhaps Papyrus was the one who left those there…. Still, she kept these thoughts to herself as she placed herself behind Papyrus who knocked on the door. The door shaped like the fangs of an angry fish soon magically opened much like the teeth were baring open. They opened from the middle and shifted into the building, unveiling a very different vision of Undyne than what Alice had imagined.
Gone was the Royal Guard armor and what was in its place was a very casual outfit that would've turned some heads back in England. Some kind of blacktop that revealed her arms and throat and seemed loose on her figure, blue pants that looked of a fabric that was very durable, boots of a standard yet somewhat medieval cloth and visible muscles on her now exposed arms. Her hair, facial features, fins, and eyepatch were all the same and frankly, she looked a lot more approachable. If anything she looked very pretty in a sort of rebellious fashion. Alice felt her hopes rise but wondered what Undyne's reaction would be once she caught a glimpse of her behind Papyrus. Undyne seemed not to detect her yet and greeted Papyrus with a friendly smile.
"Hi, Papyrus! Ready for your extra-private, one-on-one training?" She asked.
"YOU BET I AM! AND I BROUGHT A FRIEND!" Papyrus exclaimed gleefully before promptly stepping out of the way.
"W-wait just a… moment." Alice weakly reached out to Papyrus as her cover was blown instantaneously.
"Hi, I don't think we've… …" Undyne had started cordial enough but immediately repressed a giant gasp or grunt and looked to Papyrus with a strained expression.
"..." Papyrus simply smiled.
"It's… very nice to meet you?" Alice offered with an awkward curtsy.
"Don't do. That… Why don't. You two. Come in." Undyne sounded like she wanted to hit the little girl but still invited Alice in any way.
As Undyne walked into the house and Papyrus appeared overexcited as he flailed about before entering the house, Alice took a deep breath and sighed. She was feeling especially concerned about Undyne's temper at the moment and only Papyrus had the means to protect her from a sudden spear. On the positive side, she was about to see what sort of interior decorating Undyne employed in her household. So that was what ultimately prompted Alice to finally enter the household for herself. The house was oddly cheery and much less stoic and antiquated than she figured a Royal Guard captain would have. Then again it seems the houses in Waterfall are fairly modern, Alice recalled when she had peered into Mettaton's and Napstablook's. The wall-paper was a pretty blue with pink polka-dots while the floor was a sunny yellow and blue checkered print. There was a giant sword off to the right of the room as well as a big tea table with a white doily of a fish design and a small wood seat. There was also an ebony piano and a kitchen set complete with counters, refrigerator, and stove. The final points of note were a mysterious blue door that perhaps led to Undyne's bedroom and a glass window above a purple mat against a pink and blue checkered wall print. It looked somewhat barren but it also seemed to fit Undyne's personality well… sort of. Admittedly, Undyne's leering glare directed at Alice seemed out of place with the pleasant decor and was making Alice feel very self-conscious.
"HERE, UNDYNE. MY FRIEND BROUGHT A GIFT FOR YOU. ON THEIR OWN!" Papyrus pulled out the wrapped present once more.
"Uhhh… thanks. I'll, uh, put it with the others." Undyne softened her expression a smidgeon as she took the present and walked over to one of the drawers in the counter.
Upon opening it, Alice could see there were a bunch of still wrapped presents that were the exact same bone shape and even materials as the one she had just received. Alice winced and looked over to an obliviously happy Papyrus who seemed more flattered about her holding onto all these presents rather than upset she hadn't opened a single one. It was true these bones were probably not anything Undyne could reliably use compared to Papyrus himself but she figured Undyne would've found another use for them. Once more, Alice stayed quiet about this as Undyne put the new present in with the old ones and closed the drawer. Undyne walked over to them with a somewhat more relaxed expression as if she had thought of something to do.
"So are we ready to start?" Undyne asked.
"WHOOPSY DOOPSY! I JUST REMEMBERED! I HAVE TO GO TO THE BATHROOM! YOU TWO HAVE FUN!" While Alice was prepared to respond, it was Papyrus who interjected first.
To both her and Undyne's clear surprise, Papyrus made a mad sprint towards the window as if he was about to break through the window. Then with a leap that seemed more appropriate for a sporting event or a dramatic scene in a play, he did just that. The dramatic sound of glass being shattered and seeing Papyrus roll over the sill and outside Undyne's house caused Alice to gasp. Is this is his attempt to give me and Undyne alone time? Alice thought nervously. She also realized she had failed to uphold the promise she made to Sans about not letting Papyrus break anything too. Or maybe he suspected his brother would break something and was teasingly forewarning Alice? As she ran to the window and looked for him desperately, she missed Undyne folding her arms and chuckling to herself in an amused fashion.
"Papyrus! Good heavens are you alright?!" Alice called out, not seeing him.
She didn't receive a response though she did briefly catch a glimpse of Papyrus sprinting off to what was perhaps around the house's perimeter. The little girl frowned slightly at the shock and scare he had given her before she could suddenly feel a cold presence coming from behind her. Undyne's seemingly mustered up warmth was already gone and the warrior eyed Alice with the same disdain and passive aggression that she had during the hunt. Somehow this didn't scare Alice as much as she always suspected Undyne carried herself with a bit of bravado and she wouldn't suddenly lash out with Papyrus around. In fact, it even made her feel a bit braver about how to approach Undyne.
"... So why are YOU here? To rub your victory in my face? To humiliate me even further?" Undyne asked.
"Far from it. I have more humility than that." Alice replied bravely.
"IS THAT IT? Humility? I hardly believe that when it comes from someone with a penchant for long-winded speeches."
"I was hoping to make friends with you if I am to be perfectly honest. I feel we got off on the wrong foot and-"
"Really? How delightful! I accept! Let's all frolick in the fields of friendship! … NOT!" Undyne spoke with a faux-enthusiasm before denying Alice her offer.
"And why are you so against something like that?" Alice asked.
"Why would I EVER be friends with YOU!? If you weren't my houseguest, I'd beat you up right now! You're the enemy of everyone's hopes and dreams! You talk back to me like some annoying conscience! I WILL NEVER BE YOUR FRIEND. Now get out of my house!" Undyne sneered at Alice and pointed at the door.
Alice clenched her fists, trying to summon enough patience to deal with this barrage of insults. The only thing that kept her from reacting violently was the fact Undyne was still on the side of good and that Flowey had told her to do this. This was crucial for her to appeal to Undyne in some sort of fashion and insist that they could be friends. While Alice was still on the fence about actually being Undyne's friend, she couldn't deny there were things about the Royal Guard Captain that she found interesting and wanted to learn more about. Her source of DETERMINATION. Her history with Papyrus from her perspective. Why she was so determined to make Asgore's way come to pass? And why she believed Alphys's 'human history' so easily. Even if it was a bit silly to be hung up on, Alice felt that it was unforgivable to portray history so falsely.
"No. I am not leaving so easily Undyne. All the times I've talked back to you were defenses of my pride and my species against your own biases. I won't deny at times I've ridiculed or judged the monsters unfairly but if we both are to develop a clearer perspective of each other's species we must put aside the conflict and the SOULS to actually converse with one another." Alice approached Undyne with steady footsteps.
"A-are you kidding ME?! That's ridiculous! The idea of a conversation with you exhausts me just thinking about it. FORGET IT!" Undyne looked strangely intrigued but denied her all the same.
Suddenly Alice heard someone approaching the window from outside and lo and behold it was the Great Papyrus!
"DANG! WHAT A SHAME… I THOUGHT UNDYNE COULD BE FRIENDS WITH YOU. BUT I GUESS… I OVERESTIMATED HER. SHE'S JUST NOT UP TO THE CHALLENGE." Papyrus spoke with a coy tone that made Alice suddenly develop great respect for his cleverness.
"CHALLENGE!? What!? Papyrus! Wait a second…!" Undyne took the bait brilliantly as Papyrus retreated from the window.
Papyrus was playing to Undyne's love of proving her strength and overcoming any obstacles in her way. Taking advantage of her pride as a heroine of the Underground and to her pride as a Royal Guard Captain. By stroking Undyne's ego and smugly suggesting maybe she couldn't be friends with Alice, it ignited her desire to prove him wrong and do just that. Such ingenious manipulation, it's rather scary actually. Alice's theory was proven quickly right as a stupefied Undyne continued to speak,
"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 would like you to remind you I do not like being called names and that I successfully won in escaping you." Alice pouted.
"Don't push it. Regardless, I won't lose again! I'll show him! Listen up, Alice! We're not just going to be friends. We're going to be… BESTIES." Undyne smashed her clenched left fist into her right palm as though undertaking a fight.
"Besties you say…?" Now Alice was feeling slightly concerned as that didn't sound like BFF's.
"I'll make you like me so much… You won't be able to think of anyone else! Fuhuhuhu! It's the PERFECT REVENGE!" Undyne put her hands to her cheeks with an expression of incensed glee.
"You do realize that I think about impossible things and my other friends and family often don't you….?"
"WHY DON'T. You take a seat?" Undyne then clasped her hands together and gave a closed-eye smile as she sounded mildly annoyed by Alice's point.
"I suppose so… why do you have a piano if I may ask? Is it an instrument you play?" Alice asked as she made her way towards the seat.
"It's not often and I kind of suck at it but it's fun to bang the keys. One time, Alphys's… Uh, friend? Came over here. All he did was lie seductively on the piano… And fed himself grapes. I don't really like that guy. But I admire his lifestyle." Undyne admitted.
"Mettaton is certainly… flamboyant. He does seem to make the most of his occupation for better and for worse." Alice said as she took a seat, recalling what Burgerpants and her own experiences had taught her about him.
"Humph, I think he's a bit too flamboyant if you ask me. He's supposedly Alphys's greatest invention but I hope she can invent something that's less melodramatic and more useful at hunting down humans than signing autographs."
"Speaking of Alphys, I understand that she's taught you about human history." Alice folded her hands.
"Humans suck, but their history… Kinda rules. Case in point: This giant sword! Historically, humans wielded swords up to 10x their size. RIGHT?" Undyne looked insistent which amused Alice though she still had to break the truth to her.
"Not at all. For starters, humans would not design or use such impractical weaponry. Secondly, there are no such things as giant robots that I've ever seen. Thirdly-"
"Pffft! You liar! I've READ Alphy's human history book collection! I know all about your giant swords… You colossal, alien-fighting robots… Your supernatural princesses… Heh! There's no way you're gonna fool me!" Undyne bragged.
"By supernatural princesses do you mean like… a fairy tale or some kind of urban legend about a deceased princess?" Alice asked as she was genuinely curious.
"Like princesses who can transform into super-powerful warriors and kick butt! I want to meet one as soon as we get onto the surface!"
"... Good grief." Alice sighed and decided to abandon trying to clear up the misunderstanding about human history.
I wonder if these supernatural princesses are related to that 'Disney Damsel' and 'Princess of Heart' nonsense Mettaton mentioned earlier, she thought. Fortunately, Undyne seemed ready to continue this befriending expedition.
"Comfortable? I'll get you something to drink." Undyne remarked as she pulled out four different selections from the refrigerator (That strangely seemed to emanate heat rather than coldness).
"All set! What would you like?"
"I suppose if you have some tea-" Alice got up to look and choose for herself but then she found a spear embedded into the table in front of her, splitting it into two halves.
"HEY! DON'T GET UP! YOU'RE THE GUEST! SIT DOWN AND ENJOY YOURSELF!" Undyne bellowed as her stance clearly indicated she had summoned and thrown the spear.
"Whu… bu… oh… dah… well, how am I supposed to choose if I can't get a closer look at what you are offering me?!" Alice huffed more out of annoyance than fear and sat back down crossly.
"Just point with the spear I provided towards what you want and I'll get it for you." Undyne said.
"Uh… like this…?" Alice pointed the spear at Undyne who seemed to recoil in shock.
"... are you… Hitting on me?" Undyne asked in a stunned tone.
"Hitting you? No, I don't believe I am. I was simply pointing at you as a test to see if I was following your instructions. I don't really know how to throw a spear to hit you and-"
"N-No... I meant flirting with… you know what let's not go down that road. Just point at the thing you want to have as my guest. THAT ISN'T ME!" Undyne bellowed angrily.
Alice blushed slightly as she suspected what she had done must've been some sort of obscene gesture towards Undyne. Somehow she was having an unexpected amount of fun with this small talk and strange series of events of choosing her own item to consume. It was definitely the sort of thing that seemed to be steering the course of events towards the right future where she was friends with Undyne. But it was far from over so Alice needed to continue to appeal to Undyne's tense temper and be a courteous guest. Fortunately, she spotted something on the counter that looked just like a tea mixture and so she made her choice with the spear. Apparently, it was the blatantly correct choice which was something she could appreciate as an avid tea lover.
"Tea please." She said happily.
"... tea, huh? Coming right up!" Undyne said as she went over to start brewing the tea.
Alice could see Undyne fetching hot water from the sink and placing that and the tea mixture into a kettle. She turned on the stove so that it's powerful heat could begin to make the tea and the smell of the tea started to fill the room. Alice recognized it instantly as the coveted Golden Flower tea that Papyrus and Sans served to her for breakfast the morning after she had stayed with them. Alice smiled as having her second cup of that delectable elixir would certainly hit the spot and lighten the mood.
"It'll take a moment for the water to boil." Undyne said humbly.
"That's quite alright. My sister has made us tea many times and has shown me how it is brewed. I understand the delicate wait it takes for tea to be properly brewed." Alice remarked with a finger pointed upward.
"You had a sister huh? Was she older or younger than you?" Undyne asked, curious.
"Older. She taught me a lot of things and although she could often be much more realistic when I wanted to think fantastically, I do appreciate all she's done for me. It… hurts knowing I might never see her again but if I recall fond moments with her and practice what she taught me I can live on." Alice saw that Undyne was interested and attempted to connect with her.
"Well, I guess you know then how monsters felt the day they were imprisoned down here for the first time. Hurting knowing they would never see the surface again… I couldn't stand that obnoxious, hopeless feeling and took the first chance I got to make our freedom come to pass! It'd be easier if you were dead but I can't do that if Papyrus is set on us becoming friends at the moment." Undyne had a wistful glance before turning back to the now steaming kettle.
This is the most vulnerability she has shown to me so far, Alice realized. She was still nervous about Undyne's words implying she still wanted to claim her SOUL but her actions were giving the little girl hope on making a genuine connection.
"Okay, it's all done!" Undyne put on a somewhat forced, cheery voice as she prepared a cup of tea for Alice.
Dutifully, the herione brought it to her within a blue cup that looked the color of Alice's dress.
"Here we are. Careful, it's hot." Undyne said as she sat down on the other end of the table.
"Thank you very much." Alice blew on the cup of tea carefully before taking her sip.
It was burning… but other than that, it's pretty good. Alice could tell that it was brewed in a different fashion than what the brothers had used for their version of Golden Flower tea. Undyne's was much stronger whereas Papyrus and Sans' blend was more toned down. She preferred the brother's version but she could see how businessmen or working class individuals would likely favor Undyne's take on the tea. It also seemed very much in character for the Royal Guard captain to make her tea's flavor as strong as possible. Finally, it reminded Alice that she needed to ask for the recipe of this and Muffet's teas as soon as they were free.
"It's pretty good, right? Nothing but the best for my ABSOLUTELY PRECIOUS FRIEND!" Undyne seemed to identify that Alice was enjoying her tea.
"Well I do love tea and this blend is simply marvelous. I would love to learn the recipe for it so that I may brew it myself someday." Alice said.
"Huh, you sound like you've had it before…" Undyne raised an eyebrow.
"Papyrus gave it to me when I stayed over at their house with his breakfast spaghetti. Frankly, I kind of enjoyed the tea more… though that might be personal bias." Alice giggled while trying not to discredit Papyrus's cooking too much.
"So he DID let you off easy! BAH! I knew it… he's still too good-natured for his own good. But I guess that's why he overestimated my own friend-making skills…" Undyne leaned on her arm and huffed.
"I'm sure he wants you to get to know me better as I'd like to get to know YOU better. For instance, this blend is the king's favorite yes? Golden Flower tea. What can you tell me about Asgore?" Alice tried to cheer Undyne up with a friendly conversation.
"... Actually, now that I think about it… You kind of remind me of him. You're both TOTAL weenies! … sort of." Undyne actually gave a somber expression that made Alice worry she had failed in her attempt.
A brief silence overtook the room, the room smelling of those legendary blossoms that brought Alice back to her first meeting with the king. Undyne seemed to be in thought as well and after staring at the broken window momentarily, she finally sighed and faced Alice.
"Y'know, I was a pretty hotheaded kid. Once, to prove I was the strongest, I tried to fight ASGORE." Undyne started.
"Was this before you all were sealed into the Underground?" Alice inquired.
"Not that long! We were all down here by then and me, young and bored and reckless Undyne, tried to fight him. Emphasis on TRIED. I couldn't land a single blow on him! And worse, the whole time, he refused to fight back I was so humiliated… Afterwards, he apologized and said something goofy… "Excuse me, do you want to know how to beat me?" I said yes, and 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 someone 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! So I'm the one who gets to train dorks to fight!"
"..." Alice smiled sadly as she took in every detail.
She could gather quickly why Undyne had said she reminded her of Asgore. This sounded much like how Alice had shown mercy and spared many a monster beforehand despite all the times they attacked her with harmful intent. Undyne herself had done just that and yet Alice hadn't let her boil in the heat but gave her water in Hotland. It also indicated that once upon a time, Asgore probably was following Toriel's own lessons and guidance on how to be a pacifist in the Underground and hadn't been so intent on hunting down humans. He simply was the jovial king who lacked creativity in names but treated his subjects with respect and kindness back them and wanted them to have a fulfilling life. A reminder of a defeated Asgore who confessed all he wanted was to go back and see Toriel and his son again flew through Alice's thoughts. That king who trained Undyne and was 'a weenie' was still there all along but it was because of Alice and the other human's presence that the king she encountered had been so resolute in claiming human lives and became the Asgore Toriel couldn't bear being around anymore. Maybe if the Royal Guard Captain that he trained personally was on my side though, that'd be the final step to convince him to seek another way alongside us. It sounds like what Flowey was getting at with me befriending Undyne… Alice thought with a renewed hope.
"Is… Papyrus one of these dorks I presume?" Alice tried to sound happier and succeeded.
"Yeah, exactly. I mean you can tell he's a dork the way he just crashed through the window. Normally he NAILS the landing." Undyne chuckled.
"Oh, so he's done that before…? Is that part of training or is it just his method of making a quick escape…?" Alice asked with an embarrassed tone.
"Definitely the latter. 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!"
"But it's his life's dream… Couldn't you at least imagine him being an honorary Royal Guardsman in some fashion? It seems so cruel to deny him that while he works so earnestly to become one…"
"I know… it's not the nicest thing a Royal Guard Captain should be doing. He's just… Well… I mean, it's not that he's weak. He's actually pretty freaking tough!" Undyne admitted.
"Well, he did defeat me fair and square so I can attest to that." Alice smiled but still seemed disappointed that Undyne wouldn't let Papyrus join.
"He did huh…? If he had just turned you in… we wouldn't have had this conversation and we'd all be free… and I wouldn't be trying to be your friend…" Undyne gave a bitter smile.
"... I see… so… is there any other reason he wants to join the Royal Guard? Anything beyond childish desires for popularity and the like?" Alice asked, turning away and looking up."i don't think it's that childish. you know… he's been taught a lot already and become a better person throughout his attempts to become a member of the royal guard."
Alice thought back to when she asked Sans about Papyrus's desires to join the Royal Guard back before she got to understand and really like him. Papyrus was becoming a better person by applying what he was learning as a Royal Guardsman with his own optimistic, selfless, endearing personality. Even now he had learned enough about Undyne to see the opportunity for her and Alice to be friends and to give Undyne that final push to be really up for pursuing that. Ultimately it was possible in some way that Undyne's denying of his dream but not stopping the training sessions allowed Papyrus to continue to grow and become more capable and also more mature as a living being. It was a sort of positive conditioning that Undyne was doing if Alice was right about her suspicions.
"But by letting me go and everything that has transpired from that choice… wouldn't you say that's what makes Papyrus Papyrus? And you admire that about him and so you continue to train him in the hopes of him becoming even more self-reliant and capable. And that his decision to spare me and show mercy might be a valid solution to problems in the Underground?" Alice offered.
Undyne remained silent and even looked on the verge of tears but she quickly shook off any reservations and feelings of teary-eyedness to face Alice with her usual determination.
"That's… pretty close actually. At least the part about training him still despite the fact… he's too innocent and nice! I mean becoming FRIENDS with the last SOUL we needed? UNTHINKABLE! Or at least unthinkable until I got to know you, Alice. Still, I could NEVER send him into battle! He'd get ripped into little smiling shreds. That's part of why… I started teaching him how to cook, you know? So, um, maybe he can do something else with his life." Undyne confessed with a mixture of sadness, pride, realization, and defeat.
"That's very selfless of you to do so Undyne. I know Papyrus has spoken extremely highly of you and while his cooking could still benefit from more lessons, he's on the right path. He even brewed a splendid tea for me." Alice said reassuringly.
"... I'm thrilled to hear that. Wait a second… Papyrus… His cooking lesson... "
Suddenly Undyne got up and walked into the middle of the room looking as though she had some sort of revelation. Alice was a bit nervous as to whatever this might entail and it didn't help when Undyne clenched her fists. Nor when she squatted down and held her arms up like a weightlifter. Then when she yelled,
"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!"
"I-isn't that a hasty decis-" Alice was trying to object out of sheer panic but stopped speaking when she witnessed Undyne majestically leaping onto her kitchen counter.
The Royal Guard Captain trampled along the counter, knocking down the cup, the tea mixture, and the other offerings down to the ground where the sound of glass crashing rang out twice. She doesn't mind making a mess in her own home?! Alice asked stupefied as she knew many a person in her time who would despise such uncleanliness. Alice stared at Undyne, completely at her mercy as the fish woman continued,
"That's right! NOTHING has brought Papyrus and I closer than cooking! Which means that if I give you his lesson… WE'LL BECOME CLOSER THAN YOU CAN EVER IMAGINE! Fuhuhu! Afraid!? We're gonna be best friends!"
And as Undyne leaped promptly next to Alice and with monstrous strength, picked the little girl up by her head and lifted her to the counter within another leap, Alice gulped. Then as she was set down on her feet and found herself next to Undyne she could only think, I pray that this cooking lesson goes better than the last one I endured.
To Be Continued...