It doesn't take long for the new girl at Ebott Elementary to become a handful. Within a day she has a horde of followers, all ensnared by her winding tales, her endless enthusiasm-
All kids have their obsessions; horses and dinosaurs, trains and legos, superheroes and warrior cats- Others are a bit more obscure- and with it, the scorn.
By all rights, the new girl should have been shunned because of her stories- of ghosts and horrible horrors- sending other girls shrieking across the playground.. But she had just enough confidence and, after all, she was the new girl. She had that sort of immunity all new kids have.. even if it would never last.
But even beyond that...
After all... This was Ebott.
"The mountain?" She asked in genuine interest.
"Everyone knows about the mountain."
But she wasn't everyone-
It's haunted, they told her. Honestly really, really haunted!
You go up...
You don't come down..
It was a siren's song...
...
...
... The next school she goes to... isn't so kind...
There is no immunity for a girl who won't speak, except to herself...
Who won't look you in the eyes.
And it does not matter... how much time goes on...
It does not matter how she opens up. Talks more, engages... Lies.
A haunted look to her eyes.
...
...
"U-Undyne!"
..
"... so, you don't have to lie to me- I don't want you to have to lie to anyone anymore... I want to help you become happy with who you are!"
And she knew just the training needed to do that.
"GET THOSE BONES SHAKIN'!"
Papyrus was there to support Undye, like she had asked- well, she had actually asked him to help her hunt down the human, the letter, before anything could fall to pieces, refusing to listen to him about how it wouldn't fall to pieces- About how it would all work out fine, she'd see, in the end- And look! He was right! It was fine! All that it took was an honest conversation!
It all worked out fine...
The Human is standing off to the side, having taken several steps back since Undyne's arrival and yet another step back since he's appeared. Papyrus can't help but glance their way (not that he was avoiding it, not at all, he wasn't!), and he can't help but glance and notice how shrunk in on themselves they appear.. how she can't keep his gaze either...
Papyrus wants to stop, take a moment to go over to her, but he can't...
He's once again caught that knowing look in her eyes...
But with it.. the hurt...
Pain.
It's a contrast from the love it's held before.
It's alarming. Distressing.
He doesn't know what to do-
