"If I am correct, he may not want to see you, or any version of you, suddenly pop up around him. Now. that being said, he's gone."
"...what?"
Asgore sighed, he seemed to be doing that a lot lately.
"He goes by the name of Poppy. While we were detaining his Doctor, he left.
Hey- don't give me that look! He's somewhere underground. He didn't waltz out of the barrier."
The others glare continued to bore into the king, judging his action- or Lack of action.
"Ok look, I know I shouldn't have let him just walk out of here, but he's a nice kid. I trust him."
"Looks can be deceiving, fluffy buns."
Sans sighed, dropping the glare and patting the tall monster's shoulder.
"I'll find the kid, don't worry 'bout it."
I don't like this place.
Poppy shuffled passed the water dispenser as the heat finally started to dissipate.
God this is horrible. How can anyone stand this?
The air was hot. The floor was scorching, Everything about Hotland was miserable. He was surprised to see other monsters Alive here. Then to find out those same monsters actually Liked to Live in such a place. Man, this place must be small if monsters were still here.
Hey look! We're almost out!
He swore if they had said they were almost out Again.
I don't want a repeat of the core incident.
Finding out the layout was similar to his own world was very uncomfortable.
No look! I'm sure of it this time.
…
Poppy didn't look up until his vision changed from charred ground to smoothed rocks. There was a large sign above him displaying "Welcome to Hotland" in scrolling letters.
See? Were at the border.
Poppy didn't stop to admire the screen, instead he walked even faster.
This doesn't look like the entrance to The Marsh.
Different world. Maybe… they don't have The Marsh?
…
Hey, you ok?
Why wouldn't I be.
Its been a while since… you're showing signs.
"-ter?.. Mister? Hello?"
Poppy was startled out of the conversation by a small monster lightly tugging on his shirt.
"Are you ok Mister, you're shaking bad."
His defences were immediately shattered as the kid looked up at him in concern.
"Nah, i'm good kiddo."
"But you don't look ok. You look like ma did-"
Poppy could tell something traumatizing happened to the poor soul. He quickly held on to the monster's hands, gently kneeling to the others height. Tere were so many others like this in his world, at least he knows he can help. Just for a bit.
"Hey, Hey. no don't cry, it's ok…"
He waited for the kid to calm down, tearing off a hanging scrap off his shirt to dry the tears.
"I-i'm so-sorry mister. You 'minded me of h-her i just- i'm scared."
Poppy felt a cold chill run down his spine.
"I'm sorry i scared you lil man. Can I help?"
"Mm-hmm"
The smaller monster took the scrap of cloth, using it to hide their face.
I was hoping we wouldn't have to see this again.
He nodded, it was sad, seeing the hope slowly drain. It all started from a young age.
"S-stay away f-from the humans?"
"I'm sorry?"
The young monster threw themselves into his chest, sobbing onto the tattered cloth.
"It was the humans! T-they gave mama a weird candy- they-they gave her the shakes and gave her the holes and the sad feelings!"
He couldn't do anything but hold onto the crying child, listening as he mourned at the loss of his mom.
The barrier was gone?
"Th-They dusted her! They killed my mama!"
It felt as if he was dumped into an ocean of ice. That sentence…
It was soul crushing to hear.
They killed my mama!
"Fuck- kid no-"
He tightened his embrace, ignoring the chill in his bones. The kid didn't deserve this, They were still too Young. They were still too dependent, too innocent.
Not anymore.
How could you-
They know what the world does to those they love.
The hug turned into a desperate cling as the child cried in his arms.
His magic reserves really felt like being wasted on tears again. Although that reaction would totally be justified in the moment, he couldn't afford it, so he sat.
He sat on the floor holding the sobbing child as he held back the stinging magic.
And he felt like shit.
Because he Knows, god he Knows how this addiction affects others around him and Still. Still he can't live without it.
God you're a piece of shit. You're holding a Child. A Literal Child who lost. His. mother. And you still-
I know.
"I know- I know it hurts. But you will get through this. I believe in you."
By now the kid has calmed down, settling in the hold.
"Yeah."
"Yeah. where's your- or. Do you gotta dad?"
A nod was his only response.
"You know where he is?"
Another nod.
"You wanna get him?"
There was a pause, the monster settled himself further into the hold.
"Carry me there?"
There was still an aching in his arms, and he couldn't stop the cold sweat or the exhausted shaking if he tried, but this kid. This kid was hurting. He needed to make sure they would get home alright.
"Yeah, i'll carry you there kiddo. Just tell me where to go."
Seeing the child smile, however faint it is, was enough to gather himself off the floor.
The child needed to make it home. Unharmed.
Just as he turned around, Poppy was met face to face with the doc's alternate. He looked worried and a bit scared. Poppy felt himself tense, holding the kid-
"What?"
His arms dropped, there was no kid to be found. He turned, eyes searching for the child who was just there. There was no way the kid just disappeared. There was no way he just failed at protecting the other monster.
"...hey, you ok there?"
"t-The kid! They- they were just here they-"
He cut himself off, looking towards the alternate, there was no way He would Take the kid, was there?
The alternate looked thoroughly disturbed, recoiling from his look before steeling himself tenfold.
"listen man, there was never a kid here. if you haven't noticed, nobody has passed through here for a while."
It was a Hallucination. Wasn't it.
"you ok there bud?"
"I… Yeah. must've been.. I dunno, just…Yeah i'm good."
There was a moment of awkward silence. At least on his end.
"so, um. Surface?"
"Surface?"
"Yee. sooo… were on the surface in this world, you wanna?"
The other gestured back the way he just left from.
…
"I mean, the king said he trusted you and…
The alternate shuffled in place, his eyes never looked up. Instead his face was pointed to the floor, it seemed he was in a deep battle with himself.
Sans, found the newest edition rather fast. The problem was, well…
The dude was talking. In hushed whispers. To himself. Very creepy.
He immediately used his Judge trait, Checking the other without having to pull an encounter.
Papyrus
Poppy
LV 2
HP 999/5
AT: /NA/ EXP:1
DF: /NA/ NEXT: /NA/
What the fuck are those stats!
AT Not available? Defence! Not available!?
And what the hell is up with the HP.
Noting the weird stats for later, he continued the Check.
-he's hallucinating. About to start withdrawal.
Withdrawal! The fuck. This is so twisted.
"I trust him" my non-existent ass. The dude is on Drugs"
He looked back to the monster, trying to figure out how bad it was. As long as he wasn't violent, maybe. Just maybe he could get this kid into a rehab.
"I know it hurts. But you will get through this. I believe in you."
If they would even take in monsters.