The hour flew by much faster than Kris was anticipating, a shiver running down their spine as they closed the book. The old carpet pressed against Kris's palm as they pulled themself up from their seated position in one of the corners of the Library, walking to the table. Carter was already quietly speaking with Frisk as they pulled a third chair back, taking their seat.
"Did a bit of digging around here," Frisk began. "Even got a bit of history on the people chasing us. Remember how there was that prince I talked about earlier? Whole royal family as it turns out. The King, Asgore they call him, primarily runs the kingdom with his wife Toriel. Asriel is their eldest son, but they also have a second one, Ralsei, that was born a few years later.
"I couldn't find a whole lot about the scientist unfortunately. I got his name though, W.D. Gaster. Not a lot about him here, all I really know was that he's the Chief Royal Scientist, though he had a brief stint where he fought in some war on the surface."
"I know which one you're talking about." Kris cut in. "Monsters, as it turns out, used to live up on the surface with us humans. Pretty peacefully too. But, one day war just kind of...broke out between them. There's no explicitly stated reason why they started fighting, but the most common theory is humans were afraid monsters would grow too powerful, so they tried to snuff them out first. So Asgore, the king you mentioned Frisk, struck a deal to have monsters sealed below Mount Ebott instead."
Carter shook his head. "Well, that explains why they want to find us so bad...Frisk did you find anything about where this Gaster is staying now?"
"No, no mention of it. There were only two pages about him in here, and it mostly highlights construction of something called the CORE? Apparently it was this big machine he built or something.
"I can help with that." Carter piped up, quickly opening his book and riffling through the pages.
"Here it is. The CORE is a large machine constructed by plans provided by Doctor W.D. Gaster in Hotland. It gets real convoluted but essentially it's a massive power generator using the heat from Hotland to generate electricity throughout the Underground, that's what they call this place we're stuck in."
Kris leaned back in their chair, folding their arms. "So if we can find this CORE, we may be able to track down Gaster himself, or at least start on it."
Carter shook his head immediately. "Don't bet on it, due to the nature of the CORE it's closed to the general public except for occasional school tours. We wouldn't be able to get in."
"I don't get it. Creating something like that generator is huge I'd imagine for the people down here. But he's barely talked about? That doesn't add up." Kris stood up, walking back to the main desk. The bird looked up again, already appearing annoyed just at being approached.
"Do you have any books written by or at least about Gaster?"
"The scientist?" The bird scoffed, a smug grin spreading across his beak. "You sure you have the intellect to handle such compositions?" In an instant Kris reached across, grabbing the bird by his white shirt collar, pulling him in close.
"Listen to me you little whelp, all I want to know is where we can find those books. Do you have them here or not?!"
The bird's eyes widened and pointed a feathered wing towards the door. "Of course we don't have any here you simpleton! They're all in the Royal Library at the castle, check there!" Kris released the bird's collar, brushing off of his shoulders before they turned back around. Both Frisk and Carter had stood up from the sudden outburst. Kris jerked their head to the door.
"Nothing here, let's go." Frisk muttered under his breath as he quickly made for the exit, stepping outside with Kris, Carter paused at the desk.
"Sorry about all that...do you know anybody that knows the doc at all?"
The bird indignantly straightened the collar, before folding his wings. "Not personally, but if you're really trying to find him quickly, go talk to Gerson. He's got an antique shop just down the road."
"Thanks, sorry again." Carter mumbled before passing through the door where Frisk and Kris were waiting. Carter quickly took the lead, turning up the street.
"I don't know about you guys but I'm not about to walk into a castle considering they're looking for us. Somebody named Gerson might know him though, come on."
"Gerson...I think I recognize that name." Frisk frowned, trying to remember where in the book he had seen it. Sure enough, four buildings down a humble sign hung out over the street. As Carter pushed the door open, a little bell jingled over their heads. The front of the shop appeared devoid of any customers, or even employees. The trio fanned out, taking in the many strange artifacts around them.
A lot of the stock was what one might expect to see. Old pottery, the occasional article of clothing, collectable coins, the like. There were even old paintings occasionally dotted around the quaint establishment. However, it was a stand that caught Frisk's eyes, drawing him to one end of the shop closer to the counter. On the stand, hung an old suit of armor. Despite its obvious age with little dents, it still appeared polished. A blood red,flowing cape was draped over the suit's shoulders, with a threatening helmet sitting on the top. It looked as though the armor itself was angry.
Kris noticed it too, walking over. "Okay, I've got to admit, that's pretty cool."
"Now I remember." Frisk whispered. "Gerson Boom, he used to be a member of the royal guard! We should-"
"Right you are!" A voice piped up from close by. Turning his head, Frisk spotted an elderly tortoise-like monster slowly making his way down the stairs, donning a tan pith hat and shirt with his sleeves rolled up.
"Gerson Boom, the Hammer of Justice, at yer service." He grunted as he reached the bottom of the stairs, clasping his hands behind his back as he walked to the trio. He extended a hand up, and Frisk leaned down a bit to shake it.
"And you are…?"
"Frisk." As he retracted his hand, Frisk noticed his right eye remained shut, never so much as twitching.
"You were a member of the guard?" Kris queried, still looking over the armor suit.
"Oh, not just a member, a captain! I served under his majesty for many-a-century...retired shortly after we were sealed down here. As you can see, I spend my time uh, collecting various items I come across. Never know when you'll find someplace new. Trust me, this place may seem small, but that's only because you haven't explored every corner yet."
He let out a hearty chuckle. Carter glanced out the window, making sure no guards were coming. Frisk looked back at his friend then down at the tortoise.
"We're looking for Doctor Gaster, we heard you might know him?"
"Ol' Dings huh? Now that's a name I haven't spoken in a long time." He gazed back up at the armor stand, almost dreamily.
"He was a brilliant tactician in the war. We'd likely have lost it within a month had it not been for him...I haven't heard from him ever since he returned back to his pet projects." He slowly turned his gaze back to Frisk.
"What do you want with him?" His tone changed, sounding almost accusatory.
Frisk froze, all of a sudden feeling trapped. Kris jumped in to move things along. "We...uh, might have something about the barrier he'd be interested in."
Gerson chuckled. "You two really don't know him, do you...he's dedicated every year we've been down here to trying to find a way out. He don't think like normal people, like you, or me...he's logical. He runs through every possible scenario at his fingertips. News flash, he ain't found a way yet. So what makes you think you'll have anything new for him that he ain't already thought of?"
"That's for us and him." Kris snapped, a bit harsher than they intended. Gerson turned his one beady eye on Kris, narrowing it, as if trying to peer into their soul.
"I tell you what, the youth today are always go, go, go…" He sighed. "Never taking the time to...appreciate life around you." He paused, the ticking of an old clock ringing around the room.
"You're so set on trying to get out." Gerson's friendly smile disappeared. "Did you ever stop and think about what would be the reaction if we re-appeared? The consequences?"
He scoffed bitterly as he looked back at Frisk. "Humans...are not as accepting as they once may have been. Even if they were...with everything that happened back then...I wonder if sometimes it's for the greater good that we stay where we are."
"I wouldn't say that…" Frisk replied, trying to choose his words carefully. "I imagine humans can be complicated. But, we can change...why shouldn't they? If this barrier breaks, we can all go home! Happily ever after."
Gerson twitched, and his brow furrowed. The elderly monster hobbled behind the counter, not uttering a word as he looked up to one of the paintings hanging from the wall. In it, Gerson was depicted, though he seemed younger. Beside him, a skeleton stood straight, hands clasped behind its back, a proud expression placed upon it. The skeleton donned a near identical helmet and chestplate to Gerson's armor suit, though beneath seemed to be much more casual clothes, with simple black pants and what Frisk guessed to be a tunic completing the attire.
"No true story ever ends with a 'happily ever after.' That ain't how life works son. There are...factors that sometimes, none of us can hope to comprehend that make happy endings...lies. You may get to go home...but at what cost?"
Kris glanced anxiously at Frisk as another pause stretched out. "You'll most likely find the doc at his lab in Hotland. Last I checked in on him, that's where he was spending most of his time."
"Thanks." Kris's voice was strangely quiet as they began to walk back to the door, with Frisk in tow.
"Oh, when you're out there…" Gerson's voice stopped them, and Frisk glanced back. "Be careful, would you? Bad things happen when the light runs low." Frisk gave a single nod, before pushing Kris and Carter through the door. As soon as it closed Carter let out a breath he had been holding.
"Okay, what the hell was all that?!"
"I don't know, and I don't want to know." Kris shuddered. "Let's just get going, I have a feeling we'll have the Royal Guard over here before long. Does anyone know where Hotland is? Let's start there."
Carter nodded. "Yeah I saw it on some maps. It's back out of New Home the way we came, there's a tunnel in the cliff faces just shy of that hill we hid the rifle on, that'll take us straight there."
"Okay, good. You lead the way then." Kris and Carter started off, retracing their steps. Frisk started, but paused, taking one last look at the overhanging sign, before racing after them.
The front door of the Dreemurr residence burst open as Asriel rushed inside, still leaving a crack behind him. As he started for his room Toriel appeared from the kitchen, closing the door the rest of the way. He could hear her voice calling to him as he entered his room, immediately heading for the closet.
"You are home earlier than I thought! Is it going well out there?"
Asriel called back as he rummaged through his wardrobe. "Yeah yeah, just wanting to get into something a bit nicer is all!"
"Oh! Does this have to do with your little interview coming up?"
Asriel glanced over his shoulder at the door as he quickly buttoned up a dress shirt, slipping a purple sweater over top with the royal emblem pinned on the left of the chest.
"Yeah, it is! How'd you know?"
"I have been listening to the radio while I have been reading, Mettaton has been advertising for it for the last hour or so!"
Asriel grabbed the cape, clasping the brooch just under his throat as it fluttered behind him. He cracked his neck as he stepped out of his room, pulling the sleeves of the sweater down to pause just above the wrist collar of his shirt.
"Guess that isn't too big a surprise. Are you going to be watching?"
Toriel giggled, hands clasped in front of her. "Of course! Oh, wait one moment my child." Asriel paused before he could get to the front door. Toriel approached and reached up, straightening the collar and tucking it down so it neatly covered most of the brooch from the cape. She was quick to lick her left paw, using it to smooth down a tuft of fur sticking up from his head. Asriel tried to shy away.
"Mom, come on I'm not a kid like that anymore!" Toriel persisted though, making sure the incessant tuft would not stand, before retreating.
"There you are. Go get them." Asriel sighed, brushing his hands against the sweater.
"Thanks, I'll see you later on!" The queen waved goodbye as her son stepped out of the door, where Undyne leaned against the wall, waiting patiently. As Asriel closed the door she stood up straighter, walking alongside him back to the castle courtyard.
"Hey, look at you getting all formal." She chuckled.
"Yeah well, first time going on camera, may as well look decent right? How much time do we have until the show starts?"
"Oh relax, we've got time. Got like an hour yet." Undyne's metal boots continued to clank against the cobblestone.
"You sure you didn't want to get out of all that gear? We aren't exactly human-hunting anymore, just walking to a meeting."
"Yep. Don't worry Az, any paparazzi try to get close, they'll have another thing or two coming!" She punched her encased fists together, getting a little laugh from the prince.
"But seriously though kid, MTT'll probably ask a thing or two about the family, might try to get a bit personal and all that too. If you got a question you don't wanna answer, nothing is forcing you to. Just relax! Let it be a fun little thing."
Asriel gave a little nod. The two walked in silence out of the courtyard down into the bustling city.
"Where do you think they are?"
Undyne shrugged. "Honestly, no clue. But we made good time with the Riverperson getting here, so I'd say we just have to wait for them to come to us. After your little interview we can take a little patrol around the perimeter, see what we got. How's that sound?"
"Sounds like a plan." The prince seemed to brighten, tucking his hands into his pant pockets, whistling a little melody as they strolled towards Mettaton's studio.