Frisk's group was still on the path towards the next town. Frisk was playing until Chara spoke up in his mind. He felt slightly annoyed.
"This is good, I just remembered," Chara said.
"Care to explain?"
"You know the town you're going to?" Chara's tone was one of excitement.
"Yes?" Frisk remained confused. Like always with Chara, he tends to question almost everything she does, regardless of their agreements.
"I know someone here, at least I hope they still live in this town, they have the information I need," Chara said.
"You know someone? How does a ghost know someone here?"
"Are you retarded or this your normal behaviour?"
"Tch...No, that's not- listen, I know what-"
"Are you done with your jibberish? The answer is simple; I wasn't always a spirit," Chara rolled her eyes after saying.
"I...know," Frisk glanced away.
"Noooo, I'm pretty sure you don't, I think you are a complete moron."
"You don't have to be mean I was stuck in a cage for-"
"A long time, yeah, that excuse will only get you so far with me, oh, also, you should pay attention, two monsters inbound from the right. Don't let the bushes and trees distract you." She finished ending communication with him.
He quickly glanced up towards the directions she gave. He understood immediately and jumped back.
Sarge and Gary noticed as well and followed suit drawing their weapons and preparing for the ambush.
"Frisk, it seems your skills are better then I expected," Sarge complimented.
"Call it travellers instincts," Frisk said on the spot. He summoned his strength, creating a sword out of determination.
"Distance is a monster's key weapon, Frisk, Litzy may have taught you close-quarters combat. But fighting isn't always about how you can approach an enemy. You don't need to approach," Chara said.
"Manage the distance you have and use ranged attacks," Her voice faded afterwards.
Frisk was confused again, but this time it was from her willingness to give advice. He responded by lifting his arm and carefully created darts or knives that floated above his head. His level of control over them was nowhere near Chara's level of skill.
Smashing out of the bushes was a large creature showing a lot of red.
"I DO CARE I DO CARE!" The monster shouted
It rushed them choosing to charge them without remorse.
"What is this?" Sarge said, "This isn't like their usual nature."
The two of them dodged afterwards, charging Frisk as he remained in the back. He quickly side-stepped to the side. Hopping out of the trees was another monster.
"A red carrot?" Frisk muttered.
"Farmed locally, yes, very locally, come get your fresh morning taste of DEATH!"
The monster began firing carrots from its body. They were slow and easy to dodge, however, once the carrots started bouncing, and sped up. Things took a turn.
The other one no longer charged instead followed suit and began its attack spitting out large spheres that harmonized with the carrots, interestingly.
"Gary, stop that carrot, I'll take the other. Frisk, you have priority. Use your projectiles to deal the first blow, we'll cover the rest," Sarge ordered.
Frisk could only nod as he focused on dodging the onslaughter of attacks. He was barely managing. His speed was good, but these monsters seemed more adept than before, similar to the raged drake.
Following Sarge's instructions, Gary outmaneuvered the carrot's attacks and quickly closed in. Its attacks got more concentrated, only focusing on him and allowing Frisk to promptly run up from the side and dish out a few attacks towards it. It didn't defend. The darts impaled right into its body.
Switching directions as soon as its body flinched from the damage, Gary quickly pounced upon the chance of cutting the remaining carrots in half as he advanced on it.
Sarge seemed merely dodging effortlessly against the others attacks. Frisk ran up, jumping into the air giving him some time to create a few more darts. Quickly he launched them towards the monster, stabbing it right in the center. It had a large eye; therefore, it caused it to scream uncontrollably.
Sarge smirked at Frisk's precision; he jumped evading all the attacks, swiftly he slashed down. Cutting it from head to toe and turning it to dust. Gary's end was the same.
Frisk was surprised by his ability. He didn't think that would turn out so well. Frisk swiped his hand, summoning his loadout screen again. He hovered over the numbers.
"Is it what I thought? Does it affect the mind or something? Or am I better then I thought?" Frisk scratched his head; he couldn't understand it all. Chara didn't lend any assistance, either.
"This proves something," Sarge knelt picking the dust-up and slowly allowing it to flow through the cracks of his hand, "These monsters weren't normal, but they also weren't as bad as the ones before, and, their bodies turned to dust as well" He quickly stood up, beginning to smoke something.
"What are you thinking?" Frisk asked curiously.
"There is a variety of new monsters," He said, "From what I can say, perhaps the best way to explain would be in tiers. Depending on how bad they are," He looked down at the dust pile again, "Aisha was right..." He muttered.
"..." Frisk remained silent.
"Don't worry. There is someone better equipped at telling you all about this once we get into town. It's not far now," Sarge smiled signalling to follow.
As Sarge said, it wasn't long, at least not as long as prior. They reached the town within an hour. It wasn't a considerable town; however, it was large enough to be called one. If only barely. It was roped in the middle of a dense forest, protecting it from prying eyes at a distance. It didn't occur to Frisk that the idea of stationing people here would go unnoticed due to the town's location. The only things he knew were that he was supposed to find someone and that he would start working towards finding out the mystery behind the monsters that have been showing up.
The three of them walked up towards one of the old cabins just at the edge of town. Leaning upon one, Sarge crossed his arms overlooking the village from a distance. He saw something in the range that looked like a tiny light. He turned, looking at both Gary and Frisk.
"Right. The team knows we're here. Gary, scout the area around the town. See if any other monsters are lurking around. Don't take any unnecessary risks. Report anything you find that looks like monsters are in the area. Frisk," Sarge glanced, "You're with me. Time to meet your new friends..." Sarge scratched his head.
"You don't seem...that excited," Frisk couldn't help but respond to Sarge's lack of enthusiasm.
"Well, they aren't all bad. Some, though, are a little different," Sarge gestured, telling him to follow.
They went around the back towards where the light from earlier was.
"So-"
"Shh..." Sarge interrupted, Frisk held his tongue, lowering his head in silence as they walked towards a house with the windows shut completely. They entered cautiously. Sarge moved for a moment closing the door as Frisk joined.
It was silent. Nothing happened, Sarge puffed out smoke.
"It's us..." He merely said. The moment he spoke those words, the lights snapped on with three other people. One of them quickly rushed up frantically.
"Well, well, Sarge, you're back, good, but whose is this kid, someone you found to help us? hmm"
"Alright, Sus-" her actions momentarily stopped Sarge, she quickly came to observe him intensively, her face closer then they should be. It caused him to get nervous.
"Interesting reaction," She moved, holding his arms and looking at him from behind, grabbing his chest and waist.
"What is-" He tried to speak, but his face grabbed by her hand her eyes looked straight at him without flinching or blinking.
"..." Frisk expressed a little fear in her behaviour. Frisk glanced at Sarge for a moment seeing his expression of pity of the young man. His view cut short, however, as she pulled him back. She finally let go.
"Bad bad, very bad...Sarge, how can you bring this person here!" She cried out like some brat.
"Listen-"
"Hey, hold up...what is going on here" Frisk managed to force out some words.
"Look here, kid, you're no good..." She bluntly added.
"What does that even mean," He asked
She quickly snapped her fingers toward his eyes.
"Your eyes, they hold a deep hatred. You. Are. No. Good." She coldly added.
"Uh..." Frisk stumbled back for a moment, confused by her recent actions.
"Enough," Sarge puffed more.
"Sarge-"
"No, Susan..." He said sternly, "Davis and Litzy have recruited Frisk. He possesses a soul that makes your evaluation pointless."
"Sarge, you know that isn't how we operate. Litzy and Davis said it themselves, rules are rules in this organization," The one who sat silently in the background uncrossed her arms and displayed a mature approach to the situation. She disagreed with both of their intentions and more on Susan's side.
"Exactly," Susan smirked...
"Sorry, but this is the absolute exception" Sarge reassured once more, this time he walked out in front of Frisk. He seemed to be protecting him from Susan.
"Is that so?" The other said.
"Yes," He looked at her.
"If he is so special, what is his soul?" She asked, kindly. Sarge was silent for a moment.
"Determination" He merely said
Both Susan and the girl were surprised by the word. Susan especially, she stepped back for a moment. While both ended up remaining momentarily speechless. Sarge quickly added,
"The reason I left was to provide safe travel for Frisk to get situated here. Both Litzy AND Davis's instructions on the matter are for Frisk to learn what our motivations are here, and what we have discovered recently. Since he is apart of the team now that is the least we can do, the rest can come later."
"How-"
"Don't waste your breath, Susan; the information confirming Frisk's soul was put in detail by Litzy herself and to add to that fact, we had a recent fight an hour away from town that gave me 100% confirmation," He finished smoking. He shut down all of her complaints.
"Tsk, Lucky," She said, looking over at Frisk coldly.
"This chick pisses me off," Chara coldly replied.
Frisk heard her words, which got him thinking.
"You know, you probably still don't believe so how about I just do this..." Frisk rose his hand, summoning multiple blades that shined red brilliantly.
"..." Susan glanced for a moment in shock.
It was silent for a moment, but Susan's footsteps caught their attention. She left in a hurry.
"What?" Frisk was again, confused.
"Don't worry about her..." The girl said.
"..." Frisk remained speechless still looking in the direction Susan left, "Is it fine for me to say that I feel less threatened now that she is gone," Frisk stopped showing off and innocently scratched his head.
"Not at all" She smiled with him, "Oh, by the way, my name is Karin. I sorta manage the place here when Gary isn't here,"
"Might as well say you manage the place all the time, Karin, all I do is scout and smoke. No need to give me such an important task," Sarge just kept puffing.
"Well, you still hold a position here, Sarge, let's not forget..." Karin replied.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm going to get some rest, sleeping out in the woods fucks my back- yeah, before I forget, Frisk, I'd suggest that you do the same as well. You're young, having a fucked-up back in your later years is going to suck," Sarge rambled as he waved away from them, disappearing from view.
"So..." Frisk smiled awkwardly. He stood there as Karin just merely glanced at him.
"I will give you a small tour for now, at least until we get to your room."
Karin was thorough about her tour and showed him most rooms. The lounge, kitchen, where people eat, etc. There was one place he saw, but she didn't tell or give him any notice of it.
"This is your room...I hope you liked that tour. It's been a while since I had to give one. All the other rooms I'll tell you about later, get some rest for now."
Frisk didn't hesitate and went inside to be greeted with a room entirely furnished.
"This place isn't half bad. I could enjoy it here."
Chara stepped out from beside him, she walked over to the bed and plopped her butt down.
"So glad to be out of there..." Chara stretched dramatically.
"..." Frisk could only stare at her as she said that.
"What? You believe me?"
"No."
"Of course you wouldn't - I told you about someone earlier."
"Yes, I'm currently trying to find out how I am even able to meet this person, considering you haven't told me her exact location,"
"Because I don't want YOU to meet her personally. She won't bother talking to you willy-nilly anyway. So it's best if you let me handle that-"
"Whoa - wait, no way am I doing that" Frisk quickly voiced his refusal.
"It's not a choice you have. She won't talk to you because the last time we met, I told her to trust no one. If she still lives here, then those words still mean something to her," Chara felt the bed for a moment finishing, "At least I hope she does."
Frisk sighed, Chara muttered those words looking like this person had value in her heart. Assuming she had one.
"I can easily do something in return for allowing me control. Just make sure it isn't something stupid. You wouldn't want me to find reasons to tease you now, would you?"
Frisk did remember their agreement. He crossed his arms in thought, trying to think up anything, in particular, he would want from her as much as the thought weirded him out until it clicked in his head.
"You know, without Litzy here I can't practise-"
Chara sighed, interrupting him.
"You know, Frisk, I expected this, but honestly. Me? Teaching you how to fight? That's a bit ironic, don't you think?" Chara causally stepped forward in front of him.
"You said 'something' - I don't believe it's anything stupid and as far as teasing goes. You've had your share of killing me, so I think I can handle that."
"Hahaha!" Chara laughed, "You can handle me killing you. Now that IS interesting." Chara began tapping his shoulder
"Alright, then I shall give your first lessons right now, as insurance" Chara shoved him away from her after saying, "You might need to save."
"Why-"
"I think that is a stupid question."
"Fighting on the battlefield is different then sparing and training. That imbecile that commands the army would say the same thing" Chara said
"Davis"
"No, I mean the Commander. The one he takes orders from."
"How would you..."
"Shut up..." Chara said, "Get into position."
As she said that the world faded to black, Chara's eyes were soaked red.
"As I was saying, it's different, which is why when you are training with me. You better think of me as your enemy, because I sure as hell won't treat you any different" Chara opened up her arms. Two blades appeared in both hands, and one quickly rose pointed at him.
"The best way to gain experience is out on the battlefield, and right now you are on my battlefield,"
"Chara...I've died at your hand's plenty of times now. How is this any different from before?"
Chara closed the gap instantly as he finished speaking. It wasn't like anything he has seen. She generally vanished from sight.
"Because last time I was only teasing you...this time, I'm fighting as If we're enemies."
The next thing he could see was the image of two blades reaching for his eyes, and then the world immediately went blank. Chara had killed him in mere seconds.
...