Pre-Chapter Notes: Here we are with another chapter! Before we get to it, a little warning. There is a rather large amount of swearing in this one. In context, it's perfectly justified but as some people have brought up taking issue with a lot of cussing in Undertale fics, we thought it appropriate to at least warn of it before hand so those people won't be caught off guard. As we've said, this won't be the norm… we aren't going to start dropping F-bombs every sentence but in some situations, well… you'll see when you get there.
Anyways, enough with the surgeon general's warning. Hope you all enjoy the chapter!
Chapter 11: Glowing Sight, Crimson Light
Spirits lifted after Frisk's encouragement, Lily felt as eager as he was to take in more of Snowdin. Assuming her role as guide, she took his hand and began leading him eagerly into the festive monster town.
"I think I saw a library back there? At least, I think that's what it was… the sign seemed a little off." Lily suggested, guiding the boy in that direction. "Maybe we can learn something there? Might give you an idea on that feeling you had back home."
Frisk recalled the strange feeling in his chest… it never quite went away. "Good idea."
The ghostly girl led him through the town, passed the brightly decorated tree at its center. The delicious smell of Grillby's tried to entice them but they resisted, continuing beyond it to the building right next door. It was large, built of red brick and covered in snow like everything else. Light glimmered from beyond the windows lining the front. Above the single door was a sign reading 'Librarby'. Lily's inner grammarian cringed.
"Librarby… seriously? They really need to fix this sign." She remarked, shaking her head.
"Not exactly a mistake you'd want to see from a place like that, huh?" Frisk grinned.
"Right?" Lily giggled. "Oh well, let's check it out anyway."
She guided Frisk to the door and he opened it. A breath of warm air brushed their skin as they stepped inside. The small building had only a few monsters within, all engrossed in their own books or writing. Closing the door behind him, Frisk looked to Lily who hadn't wasted a moment trying to find a good place to start. Frisk stifled a laugh. While she wasn't being particularly noisy, her enthusiasm might have turned a few heads if any of the monsters could actually notice her.
"It looks like its split into sections…" Lily observed, quietly at first before remembering only Frisk could hear her. "Let's see… There's Monster History, Facts and Figures, a children's section, Flora and Fauna, a fiction section, SOULS and Magic, and a miscellaneous section. Do any of those speak to you Frisk?" She questioned as her attention shifted to her more solid friend.
"Hm… SOULS and Magic seems interesting? Let's start there. If that's alright?" He asked. Maybe there was something there that could tell him about his strange ability.
Lily nodded and led him to the correct bookshelf, searching through the titles and stopping when she found one of note. "Monsters and Humans: The Differences.' Long name. Seems neat. Wanna read that one?" She asked, getting a quick thumbs up in response.
She took his hand and directed it to the book in question before directing them to a small table in the corner. Waiting for Frisk to settle and open the book for her to read, she glanced along the Flora and Fauna section. Her gaze settled on one titled 'Flowers and their Meanings' – She'd like to look at that one later – along with another she saw called 'Best Gardening Techniques' by someone named Fluffybuns. Her attention was drawn when Frisk finally called out to her gently, pulling her from her browsing.
Lily floated back to her friend and settled in the chair next to him. "Sorry. I saw some I wouldn't mind reading. They're about plants." She chuckled. "I guess I must really like them, huh?"
"Maybe we can look at those after?" Frisk suggested, opening the book and turning the pages until Lily stopped him at the beginning of the chapter.
"'Love, hope, compassion... This is what people say monster SOULs are made of." She read aloud. "But the absolute nature of the "SOUL" is unknown. After all, humans have proven their SOULs don't need these things to exist.' Oh… that's uh… kinda dark."
"Is that… really true?" Frisk said, somewhat sadly. From his own experiences though, he couldn't exactly say the book was wrong.
"'While humans are capable of virtue, they are equally capable of cruelty. Easily convinced of their rightness, humans are able to justify even terrible acts should they believe in them strongly enough. A prime example of humanity's moral ambiguity lies with the creation of the Barrier. Long ago, in the twilight days of the great war between our peoples, human sorcerers erected a great field of magic, imprisoning our race within the mountain. The reason for this act is a common subject for debate amongst historians. It is unlikely that we shall ever know the truth."
A wave of anger and resentment she could not describe flashed through Lily's being. Frisk choked back a gag as he was suddenly assailed by the acrid stench of iron and smoke. Hearing this, Lily turned her attention to the boy and the smell quickly became diluted as she reigned in her emotions.
"Well… I wasn't expecting something so…" Lily began but couldn't find the right word to convey her thoughts.
"A barrier…" Frisk said thoughtfully. "That's why the monsters are living under the mountain? But… why would the humans do something like that? What did they have to gain?"
"I dunno." Lily said, fighting back another feeling of discontent. She shook her head. "This is a little upsetting. Maybe go to another chapter?"
Frisk nodded quickly, anything to get the smell from his nose. 'Where… did that come from? She wouldn't have gotten that angry just because of what the book said… right?' He thought to himself, while turning the pages one by one until she told him to stop. She continued reading.
"While monsters are mostly made of magic, human beings are mostly made of water. Humans, with their physical forms, are far stronger than us. Because they are made of magic, monsters' bodies are heavily attuned to their SOULs. Should a monster not wish to fight, its defenses will weaken. And the crueler the intentions of our enemies, the more their attacks will hurt us. Therefore, if a being with a powerful SOUL struck with the desire to kill…"
Lily stopped dead at that point, a recent and unhappy memory playing through her mind. She glanced down at Frisk and noticed that his expression mirrored her own feelings.
"So, is that why Mom…" Frisk thought aloud. "Is that why I…"
"Um, let's end here, okay?" Lily said quickly, not allowing Frisk to entertain that thought any further. "I'm sure there's something else that we can find…" Frisk quickly shut the book in a silent gesture of agreement and Lily lead him back to the shelf to return it. They both made a note to never touch that book again.
Shaking himself from his stupor, Frisk sighed. "Let's try something else. We could try the books you looked at? You seemed pretty interested in them."
"Yeah. There was one called 'Flowers and Their Meanings.' I thought, since you named me after a flower it might be cool to find out what it means." The mood lightened a little as Lily directed him to the book in question.
"Oh wow. I didn't really think about what it might mean. I just thought it was pretty." Frisk admitted, retrieving the book. "I hope I didn't choose something stupid."
"Don't say that, Frisk." Lily laughed. "I bet it's something super cool. Come on!"
With the book in hand they quickly made their way back to the table. Flicking open the book to the contents section, she scanned the labels to find the right page. "Let's see… Page 37 is where 'Lilies' start…" Frisk started flicking through the pages. "Little more… There! Let's see...Oh wow. There are so many!" Her eyes grew wide as she skimmed the list.
"Well don't leave me out! Read some of them off for me!" Frisk whispered excitedly, chuckling at her facial expression.
"'Depending on the situation the lily can have several meanings. A lily's color and shape often heavily influences its symbolism. In alchemy for instance, the Lily is often associated with lunar qualities and the transitioning of the SOUL.' Hm… I kinda like that one. 'Other meanings they can have might be hope, purity, rebirth and renewal, fertility, remembrance, and promise.'"
"Wow…" Frisk breathed as she read off all the different meanings.
"I know right? It makes me love the name you gave me even more!" She said happily.
Frisk blushed softly at the praise and gave a small smile. "I'm glad you like it! I thought it suited you, but I didn't know it had so many cool meanings. I bet your real name is just as good… better even! I can't wait to learn it."
It was her turn to blush. "Thanks, Frisk. I hope I find it soon."
They looked through the book a little more, deciding to search its contents for any mention of the strange golden flowers they'd seen prominently within the Ruins. They were so strange… strong despite their frail appearance, resilient enough to grow without sunlight. And the smell, though certainly fitting for a flowering plant was beyond compare. Yet, though some of those listed within the book came close, descriptively, none quite matched the characteristics of that mysterious flora. Coming up with nothing even after exhausting most of the book's knowledge (Frisk learned more about flowers than he thought he'd ever care to), they returned it to the shelf.
"Oh well." Lily sighed. She seemed disappointed. "Maybe we can try something else later."
"Yeah." Frisk agreed. "Papyrus is probably ready to go by now. We can always come back again."
Returning the book to where they found it, the children bid the librarian farewell and exited the building back into the forever-winter of Snowdin town. Ultimately, while they weren't able to find anything on Frisk's mysterious ability, the experience as well as everything they did learn made it worth it. They were just about to head back to the skeletons' home to meet up with Papyrus when his cheery voice rang out to them from across the way.
"OH, HUMAN FRISK! WHAT PERFECT TIMING!" He greeted, jogging up to them. "AND I ASSUME THE INVISIBLE LILY IS PRESENT AS WELL?"
Frisk giggled. "Yeah, she's right here."
"ARE YOU READY TO JOIN THE GREAT PAPYRUS ON HIS BRAVE PATROL OF DERRING-DO AND PUZZLE-FILLED FUN?" The skeleton asked enthusiastically.
Frisk could hear the joy in the skeleton's voice and it made him smile. Lily however, noticed his appearance and stifled a giggle. Papyrus seemed to have gone to great lengths to look his best for the patrol. His scarf, gloves, briefs, and tights were freshly washed, and his boots scrubbed. His armor had been meticulously polished so that it glimmered in the light cast from the Librarby's windows.
The boy nodded vigorously at the question and the tall skeleton beamed proudly.
"NYHEH! THEN LET US BE OFF!"
"He's really into it, isn't he?" asked a grinning Lily, as she led Frisk after Papyrus.
The boy had to jog to keep up at first, but this time the boots made it a little easier to traverse the snow. They made a quick stop at the box near the Lapin family's store and Frisk transferred his old shoes from his satchel. Papyrus waited patiently for him to catch back up, slowing his pace a little to be a bit less strenuous on his human companion as they moved into the forest beyond town.
"I AM PLEASED YOU TOOK THE TIME TO PREPARE YOURSELF, HUMAN." Papyrus complimented. "YOU SEEMED RATHER UNCOMFORTABLE AROUND THE COLD AND SNOW WHEN WE FIRST MET."
"Yeah… I wasn't expecting it to be so chilly here." Frisk said. "The Ruins were cool, but not nearly this cold. I was really surprised."
"AND WHAT ABOUT YOU, INVISIBLE LILY?" Papyrus asked. "ARE YOU ALSO COLD?"
"Not really…" Lily said. "A little, but its more like standing in a breeze while you're wet. It isn't uncomfortable, and I barely even notice it unless I'm thinking about it."
Frisk acted as a medium, relaying her message to Papyrus.
"AHA! I SEE." The skeleton grinned. "YOUR SKELETON ANCESTORY MUST RUN VERY DEEP INDEED!"
"What?" Frisk and Lily both said in unison.
"YOU SEE, I'VE ALWAYS HAD A THEORY THAT HUMANS ARE DESCENDED FROM SKELETONS." Papyrus explained, causing both children to lift a brow. "WE SKELETONS ARE QUITE RESISTANT TO THE COLD. IF YOU ARE AS WELL, THAT MEANS YOU MUST HAVE A RICH FAMILY HERITAGE AMONG THE SKELETON RACE!"
"I'm… not sure it works like that." Lily said, but couldn't help but smile at Papyrus' unique brand of logic, somehow managing to be sort of right, and completely off base at the same time.
Frisk called forth his SOUL, and they made their way through the forest, checking on Papyrus' puzzles and making sure they were all in working order. The only one that seemed to need some work was the tile-changing puzzle from earlier. The tiles had sense reverted back to their neutral grayscale form during the time they'd been gone.
"Hey, hold on…" Lily blinked a couple of times. "Where… where's the machine?"
She was right. The machine that Papyrus had used to activate the puzzle before was absent. Even the instructions were gone. Papyrus didn't seem to pay it much mind. The puzzle hadn't worked as intended anyway, so it just made it easier to replace it with something better later. The thought alone set the enthusiastic bone man to a multitude of absurd ideas for new puzzles. Frisk and Lily marveled at his uncanny ability to find the best in every situation.
They moved on to the hidden-map puzzle, and Frisk helped Papyrus in settling the snow back into place to obscure the solution. At Lily's suggestion, they also added a few small stones and twigs into the mix to make the cover look a bit more natural. By the time they'd finished, the camouflage was barely distinguishable from the snow around. The Dogi were sure to be pleased when they came this way on their own patrol.
Frisk was practically bouncing with excitement, eager to move on to the next puzzle and thinking of all the ways they could improve it. He'd was having so much fun that he didn't notice the large rock in his path until his foot caught against it, and he fell forward, landing face-first into the snow and dirt.
"Ohw… ptheh!" He groaned, spitting out a bit of powder as he pushed himself from the cold ground.
"Frisk!" Lily darted to his side, helping him stand. "You need to be more careful…"
The young human was covered from head to toe with a light dusting of snow. He shivered, patting down his clothes to remove as many of the cold flakes as possible. A few had already started to melt, leaving him cold and damp despite the jacket and gloves. Embarrassment burned his cheeks in uncomfortable contrast to the rest of his body.
"Sorry…" He said softly, hanging his head.
"FRISK… ARE YOU OKAY?" Papyrus asked in concern. His voice was surprisingly quiet for him.
"Y-yeah. I'll be fine." Frisk wrapped his arms around himself. "I didn't mean to worry you. Either of you."
Everyone was silent for a good long while as they waited for Frisk to get his bearings again. Even Papyrus who had easily been the most enthusiastic of all of them put it aside for the sake of his human companion. His eyelights dulled, and a thoughtful expression molded itself onto his skull. He looked like he was trying to think of what to say.
"Papyrus?" Frisk asked, sensing the skeleton's difficulty. "What's wrong?"
"I… DON'T KNOW HOW TO ASK THIS. I KNOW IT MIGHT SOUND RUDE, BUT…" He hesitated. "WHEN YOU TOLD ME ABOUT YOUR EYES, YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT 'ACCIDENTS'."
Frisk blanched. He knew where this was going.
"YOU SEE, I HAVE A FRIEND…" He admitted. "ONE DAY, SHE LOST ONE OF HER OWN EYES IN AN ACCIDENT. I WAS WONDERING IF… THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO YOU?"
Lily turned her attention to Frisk. She'd never been able to find the way to ask exactly how he lost his sight. The boy stared at his folded hands and stayed silent. The wind blew up a flurry of snow around them.
"It's okay, Frisk…" She soothed, drifting over to her friend's side. "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."
The boy shook his head. "Thanks but… I really should. I've just… never been able to talk about it before. I don't really even remember much. It happened when I was baby, so what I know mostly comes from what others have told me."
"YOU DO NOT NEED TO FORCE IT." Papyrus encouraged. "JUST LET IT COME. I KNOW YOU CAN DO IT."
"Well, um…" Frisk began. "Like I said, it happened when I was a baby. I'm not sure what caused it… no one seemed to be able to tell me. But, well… there was a fire. A really big one. Half of the town was caught in it. My house… the one I lived in with my… my parents…" He paused. "It caught on fire too. While it was burning, I guess something… wood or glass, I don't know… it broke and the pieces cut up my eyes and face, and took my sight with it. Sometime after that I was saved. But my mom and dad…"
"Oh my god…" Lily breathed. Papyrus just watched without saying a word. "Then that's why… with Mom, and… and Mr. Grillby…"
She couldn't bring herself to finish but Frisk understood well enough. "I was too young to remember it. But sometimes, when I least expect it… I can still feel it and it hurts. Because of that, I've always been afraid of fire… I don't want to feel that again."
"Oh, Frisk…" Lily said, hugging him close.
"I AM… SORRY FOR BRINGING UP SUCH A PAINFUL MEMORY, FRISK." Papyrus apologized. He was starting to regret asking.
"It's… okay." Frisk said. "I did need to talk about it. I just… I hope I didn't upset Mr. Grillby. He was so nice but I…"
Lily pulled him back into her embrace, shaking her head gently. "No. I think he understood. He even made sure to not wake you the other day. Anytime he went near you the cackling of his fire got really quiet. And he also took care to take your plate away as quietly as possible." She consoled him, her head resting against his. "I don't think he was upset."
"I…I'm glad. I still can't help but feel bad though." Frisk's hands worked at a loose thread on the gloves. "He didn't deserve that…"
"DO NOT WORRY FRISK! I AM SURE GRILLBY UNDERSTANDS PERFECTLY. HE IS ONE OF THE OLDEST MONSTERS IN SNOWDIN, AND HAS SEEN MANY THINGS." Papyrus strode over, offering his hand to help Frisk to his feet. "I AM SURE YOU ARE NOT THE FIRST HE'S KNOWN TO HAVE THE FIRE FEAR."
"Thanks, you guys." Frisk said gently and let Papyrus help him up. He was still a little shaky from his fall. "Do you mind if we… sit for a minute, Papyrus? Just a little. I promise." He asked the question slowly, not wanting to upset the kind skeleton. Papyrus simply gave him a thumbs up.
"OF COURSE. YOU AND LILY STAY AND REST. I SHALL CHECK ON THE NEXT PUZZLE AND BE BACK IN A MOMENT! NYEH HEH HEH!" With that, he pumped his fist in the air and headed off along the way, presumably to check on his spaghetti.
Lily snuggled deeper into the boy's side for comfort. "It'll be okay Frisk. I'll be with you every step of the way! There won't be anything we can't do together!"
"Thanks Lily. It means a lot to hear that." He replied, relaxing his shoulders.
They found a nice spot to beneath a nearby conifer. The thousands of thin nettles formed a shroud that kept most of the snow at bay, so they settled down there to rest. The two sat in a calm silence for a few minutes before Lily turned her attention back to her friend.
"Hey, Frisk? Could you.. could you pull out those shears? I can't seem to get them out of my mind..."
"Oh? Yeah, sure. " He delved into the satchel and drew out the dull bladed tool, laying it across his lap. "Here. They must be really important to you."
Their design was simple, emphasizing function rather than form. There were no adornments either. Apart from being well crafted, they seemed little different from any other tool of their ilk. And yet, something about them called to her… something familiar. She traced the edges of the two crossed blades, following their outline. Her incorporeal fingertips passed ever so slightly through their solid, metallic frame.
Just as she was about to pull away, her mind was suddenly flooded with voices and images she couldn't quite describe.
"Dad… What are these for?" A small voice, her own but… somehow younger, asked of a large, dark figure towering above her, black and formless against a canvas of vibrant color.
A memory from the past, awakened from somewhere deep within.
"Why, they are for you my dear." Responded a voice, deep and strong but exceedingly gentle. "You are old enough to be able to use them now. I know how you love the flowers. I thought, perhaps, that you would like to help your old dad take care of them?"
The smile was evident, in voice if not in expression, as the figure handed the same pair of shears to her, adorned with a small red ribbon. They were newer here, shining and untarnished in the faint light of the garden.
"I get… to help with the flowers? YEAH!" She celebrated, quickly taking the shears and removing the bow before tucking the latter into her pocket. "Uh… how do I do that?"
A deep booming laugh echoed throughout the room. "Come here. See this Jasmine? How some of the leaves are all shriveled up? It means they are not thriving like they should. When that happens, you must clip off the damaged bits. That, in turn will help the flower grow better."
"How's that work, Dad?" She asked, curiously. "How does cutting off a bad part make the rest better?"
"Hmm... Let's see... Ah. Think of it like your hair. When your hair gets damaged it doesn't grow as long or as fast?" She nodded, raising a hand to play with her locks while hanging onto the large figure's every word. "That's because those things that make your hair healthy are trying to repair the damaged part. But in doing so it takes away from the rest, which does not allow it to grow properly."
"Like when Rei and I share pie. If he gets more I get less?" She asked innocently.
"No. That's just your brother being a pie hoarder!" The large voice said, causing her to giggle.
"But as I was saying. When your mother gives you a hair cut she gets rid of the damaged hair to make the rest grow long and strong. The same can be done for plants. Remove the parts that are damaged or diseased so that the parts that remain healthy can thrive. Does that make sense, my daughter?"
"I think so. Take away the bad so the good can grow stronger? I got it!" She grinned, trying out her new present on the Jasmine in front of her.
The large figure shook his head while laughing. "Close enough. Ah, but be careful now. Don't take off too much. Here, try it like this..." As the dark figure took the small hands in his own the girl felt a familiar warmth as the vision faded away.
Lily's eyes were clouded and unfocused as she stared at the shears.
"Take away the bad... so the good can grow stronger…" Her whisper was almost imperceptible.
Frisk was worried. His hands were on Lily's shoulders, shaking her to try to snap her out of whatever trance she'd fallen into. The shears had fallen from his lap and now lay on the cold earth between them.
"Lily? Lily are you alright? Lily!" He shook her a little harder, trying desperately to get her attention.
Her head snapped up and she blinked a few times, her eyes refocusing to the world around her. They fell on Frisk, as her mind sluggishly tried to process the situation. "Huh? I'm okay... what happened?"
"You… you spaced out there. Is… Are you sure you're alright?" Concern laced his voice as she finally focused on his face, using it to anchor herself to reality.
"How long…?" She mumbled.
"About five minutes?" Frisk guessed. "You seemed like you'd gone somewhere else…"
"I think… I just remembered something…" She said slowly.
"About the shears?" Frisk guessed. She nodded.
"My dad gave them to me…" She explained. "He… we were in a garden. He gave them to me because I'd always wanted to help take care of the flowers…"
"Wait, you saw your dad?!" Frisk asked hopefully. But his face fell when she shook her head.
"I only heard his voice." She said sadly. "He was there, but I couldn't see him… just like last time." Small pinpricks of tears gathered in the corners of her eyes, and she quickly rubbed them dry, steeling herself against them. The smell of dry, wilted petals permeated the air. "I'm finally remembering something but I can't even see my own family…"
She turned to look at Frisk, apology written in her expression. "I'm sorry… I was trying to comfort you and ended up spacing out like that..."
"It's okay… you already made me feel better. And besides, I'm glad you remembered something." He gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze. "It'll be okay, right? You're getting your memories back, little by little. Don't rush it… I'm sure you'll be able to remember their faces eventually."
Lily nodded but didn't say anything else. Frisk didn't push her… the memory must have been pretty powerful to be so clear. Moreover, he was glad this one was, at least, more pleasant than the last. They'd both had a nightmare back then, though his had felt more surreal and dreamlike and he couldn't tell if there was any connection between them.
The two hadn't talked much about their strange connection. Frisk never knew how to bring up the subject, but he knew Lily thought about it almost as often as he did. There was no way to know how much of an effect he had on her… or how much of one she had on him. So he said nothing, contenting himself to simply remain at her side and give her the time she needed while they waited for Papyrus to return.
Through it all, neither child noticed the small camera hidden within the pine needles… nor did they hear the gushing squeal of the one who watched from the other side.
Papyrus tapped a bony finger to his chin, gazing at the cold plate of spaghetti on the table. It was a little off-center. Taking the plate delicately, he moved it an inch to the left. Perfect. Such brilliant culinary art deserves an equally perfect presentation, after all. The human had been kind enough to leave the pasta in hopes of sharing it with him. But that wouldn't do… not for him and his invisible friend. A meal is best eaten fresh and piping hot, and that only held truer for his incredible pasta. He would have to be sure to make a fresh batch for them when they returned. He couldn't wait to put the new techniques he'd learned from Undyne to use.
Undyne…
That's right. She'd ordered him and his brother to capture and report any humans they'd encountered. He'd nearly forgotten about that. Sans was far too lazy, so it fell to him to be the responsible sibling and file their report. If she knew he had found a human, she would have to let him join the Royal Guard. His dream was this close to fulfillment. Everything he'd ever wanted… everything he deserved. They would be his.
Then… why was he hesitating?
"UGH. THERE'S NO TIME TO THINK OF SUCH THINGS!" He said to the air. "ONTO THE NEXT PUZZLE!"
He strode off into the empty clearing to the west of his culinary 'trap'. That's right. There was no puzzle here. Not anymore. This is where his brother had left the word search. The human had been so focused then, circling every word and crossing them from the list. He'd even managed to find the strange word Papyrus was never able to pronounce. He knew now that Frisk had had help, but that only meant that Lily was also passionate about puzzles, if she could help him overcome such an obstacle. The tall skeleton silently wondered if they were any good at Junior Jumble. Papyrus was very great, but even he had to admit to having some difficulty there.
He frowned. "WHY DO THEY HAVE TO BE HUMAN…? IF ONLY THEY WERE MONSTERS, WE COULD BE…"
The tall skeleton sighed and shook his skull. He'd always learned humans were vicious creatures with terrible powers and not a shred of love or compassion. All the better for Papyrus to teach them of such things. But then, why were Frisk and Lily already so nice? They certainly seemed far removed from the beasts the stories had painted of their kind. Even the dog clan, full fledged members of the Royal Guard themselves were comfortable around them. They were making friends all around… was it so wrong for Papyrus to want to count himself among them?
He hung his arms. Suddenly he felt far less enthusiastic about attending to the rest of the puzzles. This much alone time had allowed him to think, and he didn't like where his mind was leading. Even still, he couldn't deny it. He, The Great Papyrus, was beginning to doubt himself.
This wouldn't work. He couldn't give his beloved puzzles the respect they deserved when he was feeling this gloomy.
"OH MY GOD… I'M BECOMING SANS…" Papyrus said, though it came out far less exasperated than he meant to.
The only one left was the Invisible Electricity Maze anyway and he would need a few things if he wanted to improve that particular puzzle. He decided to head back, feeling that the humans must surely miss his magnificent presence by now. He wouldn't admit that he'd also begun to miss theirs. Papyrus picked himself up, straightened his posture and plastered on a grin as he made his way back to where he'd left them. He had to remain pristine and proud… it wouldn't do to worry them. His doubt could wait until they got back to town. Then…
Then… well, he didn't know what would happen next…
Lily leaned against Frisk's side as the two sat beneath their tree, doing what she could to regain her composure after the strange vision. The boy was turned from her, ears trained in the direction Papyrus had gone for any sign of the exuberant skeleton's return. He didn't seem awkward or embarrassed by the closeness, which she was glad for. Maybe her connection to his SOUL had something to do with that, but she was grateful all the same.
"Maybe when we're done here we could get something to eat? I mean a burger yesterday was good but not much when you were going all day yesterday and this morning on just that and a cinnamon bun. Plus uh… We never paid our bill to Mr. Grillby..." She trailed off sheepishly.
"Oh yeah. I hope he's not mad that we walked out. Er… got carried out anyway." Frisk replied, rubbing the back of his head before his hand dropped to his lap limply. Lily chuckled a little at his reaction, but stopped when his expression began to fall.
"And Frisk? I promise I'll help you with everything that comes our way. Fire or whatever else… just like you've helped me. We're in this together. Alright?" She said, hoping to make him feel better.
"I know Lily. Same goes for me." Though he tried to sound reassuring, he could tell from the look she gave that she wasn't buying it. Thankfully though, Lily didn't press the matter, opting to instead hug his side before drifting up from her spot on the ground.
"I'm going to float up and see if I can see Papyrus comi-"
"HUMAN FRISK AND INVISIBLE LILY! I HAVE RETURNED!" Called a familiar, high decibel voice. "I AM SURE YOU HAVE MISSED THE GREAT PAPYRUS!"
He noticed Frisk sitting beneath the tree and jogged over. He came to a stop a few feet from the small human and his invisible friend, a small puff of snow rising above him like a cloud. Lily snickered before offering Frisk a hand up. He stood, doing his best to brush off a few persistent flakes of snow off his person.
"Yeah... We missed you Papyrus. Did you finish fixing the puzzles?" Frisk asked, snuggling deeper into the jacket to hide the fact that he still felt a little down from earlier.
"YES... THEY ARE IN GOOD SHAPE ONCE AGAIN. THANK YOU FRISK AND LILY!" Papyrus forced a grin.
The trek back to town was slow and oddly silent. Only a few words were spoken between the three as they steadily made their way back to town. Each of them were distant and withdrawn, consumed by their own thoughts, wonderings, and misgivings. And all three knew it, so neither was willing to say anything. Snowdin's friendly atmosphere seemed almost ominous when at last they returned, its brightly colored welcome sign, a warning. In the end, it was Papyrus who broke the silence.
"HUMAN... ALLOW ME TO TELL YOU ABOUT SOME COMPLEX FEELINGS. FEELINGS LIKE... THE JOY OF FINDING ANOTHER PASTA LOVER. THE PRIDE OF SOLVING AND CREATING AMAZING PUZZLES WITH ONE WHO ENJOYS THEM AS MUCH AS YOU DO." He began, facing away from the two of them to hide his face. He hesitated for a moment. "THE DESIRE TO HAVE A COOL, SMART PERSON THINK YOU ARE COOL. THESE FEELINGS... THEY MUST BE WHAT YOU ARE FEELING RIGHT NOW."
Frisk looked toward the skeleton's voice, feeling a little self-conscious. "Papyrus? Are you alright?"
The red skeleton ignored him, and continued his speech. "I CAN HARDLY IMAG... I CAN HARDLY BE SURPRISED. AFTER ALL I AM VERY GREAT. BUT…" Another bout of hesitation.
"But what?" Lily voiced, though she knew he couldn't hear her. "What's going on?"
"I AM SORRY. I MUST CAPTURE YOU. PLEASE... GO PREPARE YOURSELF AND MEET ME AT THE OTHER SIDE OF TOWN... I… SHALL SEE YOU THERE…" He finished with what seemed like agonizing effort.
His bones rattled slightly as he turned to look at the small human child behind him. He quickly turned away as if stung by something, hiding the strange glowing tears that had begun to form. Shaking his head he ran into the village, leaving the confused humans at the entrance. Frisk heard the sound of his heavy footfalls and took a step forward.
"Papyrus, wait!" He cried, but it was too late. The skeleton had already vanished into the twinkling lights of Snowdin.
Sans was anxious. It was only due to his years of practice and even disposition that this didn't show outwardly. He'd seen this many times before, albeit not quite personally. The agonizing blend of unbridled hope and absolute terror fighting for supremacy within his mind. He wondered if this was how the other Sanses felt once they'd learned enough about the anomaly to predict the possible outcomes. His brother's life was in the balance now… and he had no idea.
But Sans knew. He'd seen the evidence. Frisk was capable of anything… and the blue skeleton was still no closer to ascertaining the nature of this most recent Reset. He wanted nothing more than to just retreat to his room and sleep. Wake up once the dust settled, proverbially speaking (hopefully), and go from there. At least then he'd know where he stood in this timeline. That would be the easy way.
But the easy way was also unpredictable, insofar as a child driven by determination with absolute control over the timeline could be predicted. No… a more direct approach was necessary, as loath as Sans was to admit it. There was just enough reason in this to make the effort worth it… or so he dared hope.
He'd been watching since Frisk (and presumably Lily) had left the Library and met up with Papyrus. His brother seemed to be having fun, and that was comforting for Sans in its own way. But Papyrus' words before leaving their side had brought reality crashing against his mind like a tidal wave. It was almost time. He still didn't know whether or not Frisk was sincere in his lack of memory or if it was all an act. He certainly seemed to be, but the kid was sharp, that much was clear. And with that stoic expression of his, it wouldn't be hard to hide his intentions if he wanted to… even from Sans, practiced as he was at reading such things.
Uncertainty was his drive. If he waited, he wouldn't be able to bring himself to do this. Should his brother be spared, Sans would be content enough with this timeline to simply let come what may. Should he die, Sans' reason for being would be gone, and there would be no point. It had to be now.
The hoodied skeleton leaned casually against the wall of the inn and waited.
The sound of snow crunching beneath a pair of newly purchased boots reached him but seconds later. They passed him without noticing.
"hey there, kiddos…" He said casually, eyesockets closed. Frisk jumped at the greeting. "have fun out there with pap?"
The boy with the ever-present squint turned to the skeleton, sighing in relief. "Sans… Yeah, it was a lot of fun."
"glad to hear it."
"What are you doing out here in the cold though?" The boy tilted his head in concern.
"eh… just chillin'." Lily gave a snort at Frisk's side at the pun.
The skeleton lazily pushed himself from the wall and stuffed his hands in his pockets before shuffling toward them.
"anyways, you mind comin' with me for a bit?" He asked.
"Huh? Um… what for?" Frisk gave him a confused look.
"nothing i can't do myself…" Sans began, having expected the question. "but, well… you know how much I love doing nothing. figured since you helped paps out you might do me a solid too. what do ya say?"
"We might as well, Frisk." Lily said. "Besides I… I really don't want to have to fight Papyrus."
"Me neither…" Frisk said, sounding a little downcast. "Okay, Sans. What do we need to do?"
"just follow me." He said. "i know a shortcut."
Frisk stared for a second before taking hold of the short skeleton's sleeve. It felt a little oily like it hadn't been washed in a while and smelled faintly of Grillby's. Lily took Frisk's other hand to help guide him while Sans looked about for a moment, confirming that no one was around before quickly turning back to the wall he'd been leaning against. Then he started to walk… straight toward it.
"Wait, where are you go-"
She never got to finish as all of a sudden the wall split open before the skeleton, ripping outward like a burst seam. The area around it seemed to warp and distort, swirling unnaturally around the widening fissure as if reality itself was trying to distance itself from the gaping maw. Darkness rippled within, occasionally giving way to the barest winks of… something on the other side. And yet despite the display, there was no sound at all. The whole thing had been strangely silent.
The skeleton gave no time for hesitation, quickly leading Frisk into the roiling darkness. Lily stifled a scream as she too was pulled through the opening an instant before its jaws slammed shut behind her.
A split second later, she tumbled unceremoniously out the other side, losing grip on Frisk's hand and barely managing to right herself before she tumbled into the cold water ahead. The portal faltered, and forced itself closed an instant later, leaving no trace of its existence. Reality snapped back into its own laws as if they'd never been broken to begin with.
Frisk looked toward Sans as the skeleton stared out over the water's quiet trickle. "they aren't here yet. good. that makes this easier."
"What… happened?" Lily said, looking around at the unfamiliar surroundings.
Frisk too sensed something was off. "Sans… what's going on?"
The skeleton sighed and his expression shifted away from his near-permanent grin to a very un-Sans like frown. "now that we're here, i can be honest. what i want from you isn't related to my duties, any of 'em. this is something much more personal, kid. to put it simply… i want answers, and you're gonna give them to me."
"Answers…?" Frisk asked hesitantly.
"our reports showed a massive anomaly in the space-time continuum." Sans explained. "timelines jumping left and right, stopping and starting… until suddenly, everything ends." He turned to the boy and his eyelights faded. Dark sockets stared down at the child beside him and he chuckled humorlessly. "That's your fault… isn't it?"
"W- what are you talking about?" Frisk took a tentative step back from the skeleton.
That's as far as he got. A force even stronger than that of Toriel ripped the boy's SOUL from his chest. His vision immediately flared, filling his narrow eyes with a magical light. Sans stood before him, right socket dark, while his left blazed with a multi-hued glow. The short skeleton drew his left hand from his pocket, surrounded by a strange blue aura, and waved it lazily before him.
An unseen pulse struck the boy's SOUL, and he gasped as its vibrant red glow was consumed by a similar blue light, flowing around it in a vaguely heart-like shape. The light felt heavy… as if a great weight had suddenly been forced upon him, threatening to drive him down into the snow. Sans immediately seized control, raising his hand into the air. Frisk's body followed, lifting from the ground as the weight suddenly shifted and pulled him upward. He struggled frantically, legs kicking, arms flailing… but nothing he did could break the skeleton's hold.
"Frisk!" Lily cried out, flying up to her friend's side. "What the hell are you doing to him!"
Sans watched, mildly curious despite everything. His Chromatis pierced the veil of perception and there he saw it, lingering near Frisk's captive body. It was somewhat distorted even to his sight, but unmistakable: the form of another human. The features suggested female, though Sans couldn't be sure. She was taller than Frisk, and paler. Green and yellow upper body, brown and black lower… clothing, most likely. Brown hair, shoulder length and… red eyes? No… they were more of a copper. She seemed to be saying something but the words were silent to Sans' earless hearing.
"so, there you are, a3." Sans said directly to the apparition. "i might have questions for you later, but for now…"
Sans dragged Frisk way from Lily's side, flinging him through the air like a ragdoll before stopping him in place a few feet off the ground. Frisk's head jerked painfully backward at the sudden stop. The blue skeleton made a few motions with his hand, conjuring a multitude of glowing bones. They shot through the air in all directions, assembling themselves around the helpless child, each one aimed threateningly at the fragile SOUL.
"Sans… s-stop, please…" Frisk said, staring in terror at the skeleton, and his blazing eye.
"nope. i think i prefer you right there, kiddo." Sans' voice was unnervingly calm. "first things first. what's with the reset? why'd you do it?"
"R-reset… what do you… mean?" Frisk rasped.
"we were all on the surface… we were happy." Sans said sadly. "it was the perfect ending… for everyone. after so long, we were finally free… so why?" His voice suddenly took an ominous tone. "Why'd ya stick us all back down here, huh?"
"What…?" Frisk asked, confusion showing despite his fear. "I didn't… I don't know what-"
"and what about those weird messages i found?" He returned to the casual tone from before with disturbing ease. "care to tell me the story behind those?"
"I don't… understand. Why are you-" Frisk began, his breath catching in his throat.
"Stop it!" Lily cried, placing herself between Sans and Frisk. Her imposition did nothing to lessen the blue skeleton's hold on the boy. "He told you he doesn't know anything! Can't you see you're hurting him?!"
Sans shuffled his way around the blurry image of the second human, ignoring her silent protests. "here's what i think: you wrote those things knowing i would find 'em. but, for some reason you didn't want me actually reading them. what's the secret, kiddo? why not share the joke with an old pal?"
"Stop… please…" Frisk murmured, tears welling up in his eyes. "I don't know… I don't know…"
It hurt so much… like he was being held up by his collar with the fabric digging into the back of his neck. Fear and confusion stormed within the boy's mind. Frisk couldn't fathom what was making the blue skeleton so angry. It had to be a mistake, right? Some other human got involved in something they shouldn't and Sans was simply mistaking him for that person.
Frisk couldn't move. He could barely talk. That terrifying eye, blazing with a cold flame bore into him with a mercilessness far beyond the infernos he feared so much. He couldn't answer because he had none to give… he couldn't lie because somehow, he knew Sans would know. He didn't want to be here… he wanted to be anywhere else but here. A golden star flashed within his mind.
Sans' grip on his SOUL tightened.
"wouldn't try that if i were you." Sans said, moving closer. "i know about your little trick. not everything, but enough to have some idea what you're thinking. technically, i can't stop you but i've already made a record just in case you tried anything. if you load your SAVE, i'll know. trust me, it'll be better for both of us if you cooperate."
"I… can't." Frisk struggled, taking short gasps of air. "I don't… know anything. Please… I'm scared…"
Lily had had enough.
"Frisk!" She cried, darting over to him once more. "I've got to do something. Think Lily, think!"
She looked around, trying to think of anything she might be able to do. Sans stood still. Glowing bones still circled ominously around the captive human SOUL, held inches above its owner. She could go after Sans, try to break his concentration, but that probably wouldn't be the best idea. He'd made it clear that he could see her now, and she wasn't even sure her incorporeal body would even be able to touch him, let alone land a blow. Pulling Frisk away wouldn't work either… Sans' hold on his SOUL made sure of that. Eventually, her eyes and thoughts turned to the SOUL itself. It was part of him. Maybe she could…
She had to try.
With a cry she launched herself at the glowing red heart, surrounded by an aura of blue. Her weightless form weaved through the concentric, calciferous rings as she made her way toward the SOUL at their center. One grazed her against the arm and she winced, bracing herself against the expectant surge of pain. She was only mildly confused when all she got was a dull sting, her thoughts focused exclusively on the task at hand.
Upon reaching the mass of human essence, she threw herself against its glow. She strained against it, putting all her strength behind returning the precious nimbus back into her friend's chest. A burning chill, like frostbite, surged against her fingertips from the restraining aura and she grit her teeth against it.
"If… if I can just get it… back in... ugh-AHH!"
The SOUL jolted beneath her, causing her spectral body to stumble through the air. She turned a caustic glare back to the culprit. Sans' unnerving grin widened slightly and he twitched his fingers. The captive heart moved in time with them. But his mistake was in moving it directly in front of Frisk. If she couldn't push… Maybe she could pull it? That would have been the most natural way, right? Maybe it would be easier…
Frisk's fear was almost consuming, but she wouldn't let it rule her. She tempered it, turning it into fuel for her own resolve. Copper eyes darkened and a surge of energy flowed through her.
She arced through the air, placing herself between Frisk and the glowing heart in front of him, her gaze fixated upon the glowing, eerily human-like eye within the skeleton's eye socket. "Sans, you damned liar. I won't let you do this!"
The end of the sentence ripped from her throat in a yell and she grabbed hold of Frisk's SOUL. With all her effort she pulled, throwing her own body back toward her friend. And yet, the crimson heart did not heed her desire. Rather than drawing it into Frisk's body, she instead felt herself being drawn into it. She gave a shocked gasp as the familiar sensation struck her, struggling against it, even as her hands began to disperse into particles of light.
"No. No no no! Don't absorb me, you stupid SOUL! Go back into his chest! Stop, damn it! LISTEN TO ME!"
But the heart still refused to listen, even as her entire body dispersed into light.
"AAAHHHHH!" She scream in frustration, trashing around in anger as the carnelian heart consumed her spectral form.
"what the-" Sans began, cut short as a blinding flash of magic flooded over his eye. "urgh!"
He staggered back and quickly brought his metacarpals up to his left eye. Sight and magic darkened as one as his Chromatis was overloaded by the feedback from the sudden pulse. The glow faded from the crimson heart and the child dropped unceremoniously to the ground, catching himself upon shaking hands pressed against the cold snow.
Lily continued to scream, so consumed by emotion that she failed to realize that the sound was no longer coming from her own mouth. Sans blinked, and his normal eyelights flickered back into existence, his vision gradually shifting back into focus. He stared at the fallen human, confused as his arms trembled and his lowered head shook violently.
"Aaaargh, damn it! I can't even move the stupid SOUL?!" Frisk's voice spoke in a tone that clearly wasn't his own. "I'm just a useless ghost! Frisk needs me, and I can't even help him!"
The boy's head shot up and glared venomously at the skeleton. A crimson glow spilled forth from his slit right eye, flickering randomly like a dying flame. "AND YOU! You fucking traitor! How DARE you treat Frisk like this! So much for keeping an 'eyesocket' out for him, huh?! HOW IS THIS KEEPING HIM SAFE?! I don't know what crazy shit you're talking about but neither of us know what is going on! All of this is new to us! Can't you get that through your thick skull?! If you had a problem you should have said something before, not lead us on like this! WE THOUGHT YOU WERE A FRIEND!"
Sans eye sockets widened further and further as Frisk, no, Lily continued to yell at him through the boy's body. Just what the hell happened?
As Lily continued her relentless verbal lashing, Frisk fought against a wave of disorientation within his own mind. It felt like he'd been jerked aside within his own body. It took him a few seconds to recover enough to realize that he was speaking, or rather screaming at Sans. Then he recognized the tone.
"L..Lily? Wha…"
"F-Frisk!" Lily stammered, her current rant cut off midsentence. "Are you alright? Where does it hurt? I swear to God, I'll beat the absolute-!"
"I'm… I'll be fine." Frisk interrupted, though he still sounded scared. "Can… I have my body back?"
"Huh? What are you-" She trailed off as she looked down at herself, and finally noticed the physical body she was piloting. Blue and purple shirt, jacket, worn gloves… and the red SOUL. "Wait, how in the hell…?"
Sans could only watch as the odd exchange played out before him. It was downright surreal… the voice was the same, but the tone, grammar, dialect, and everything else was so distinct it was almost hard to believe they were coming from the same mouth. If he wasn't staring directly at them, he might have even thought there were two people sitting there instead of one.
"Y-yeah…" Frisk said after an awkward pause. "So um… can I have it back?"
The shock of their current situation managed to cool Lily's temper a little. She took a couple of deep breaths to bring her mind back to a clear state before responding.
"Oh… uh, yeah… sure but… h-how do I do that?" She pursed Frisk's lips and thought.
"L-last time we just kind of… focused on it right?" Frisk said, still feeling a little disoriented, which wasn't helped at all by Sans standing just a few feet away. "Let's… let's try that?"
"Yeah… O-okay. Let me try…"
She did so, focusing on removing herself from the boy's SOUL and body. It took a bit more concentration than before when she'd simply shared his senses. Her anger and frustration certainly contributed to the difficulty, but it felt like there was more to it. This was more complete, somehow. Still, eventually she managed to separate her spirit from Frisk's SOUL and body. She drifted upward, wearing her own spectral body and earthen garb once more. She turned her own eyes back to Sans and glared sharply… she wasn't willing to take them off him for a minute.
Frisk was left in full control of his body again, shaking under his own weight and breathing heavily. His throat hurt a little… most likely from Lily's screaming. He didn't take his eyes off Sans either. The skeleton stood monochrome against colorlessness, eyelights white pinpricks within the dark sockets. The boy's entire form trembled. He looked like a caged animal debating with itself whether to fight or flee, yet unable to do either.
Sans stared back into those needle-thin slits, still as a statue.
"you… really don't remember. anything?" He asked slowly. "you don't remember freeing everyone?"
"No…" came the soft reply.
"you don't remember…" Hesitation. "killing everyone?"
"No!" Frisk cried, shocked at even the thought. "I didn't… I wouldn't! I don't know what's going on! I just fell down here a few days ago. I met Lily, we were attacked by a flower and saved by a nice woman named Toriel. We lived with her for a couple of days but had to leave for… reasons." Frisk bit his tongue, not exactly willing to divulge the full details of their departure. "Then we met you and Papyrus, and… you know everything else. I don't know anything about timelines or anomalies or anything you're accusing me of! If I did something… If I hurt you somehow, I'm sorry, but I really don't know what's going on! You said you'd help me, Sans… so why are you being so mean?!"
Sans took another step back. The voice was small and shrill. It was barely loud despite the obvious attempt to be so. He continued to stare down at the tear-streaked face of the boy before him. He'd always been good at reading expressions, of discerning the truth from lies and falsehoods. But accepting those truths was another matter.
Now, he had no choice. Everything he wanted from this boy… the answers he sought: they were right here, laid bare before him. This was not the face of a saint or savior… not a killer or villain. This was a child… a confused, lost, and scared child. A child who was scared of him. Whatever happened in the last timeline, whatever had prompted the most recent Reset… it was so total that even Frisk himself did not know of it. The slate was wiped… whatever was left of the kid he might have known was gone.
Sans chuckled humorlessly. "geez… you know you messed up if you can feel like an ass without even having one…"
"You should…" Lily crossed her arms.
Frisk sniffed but made no other sound or movement.
"go on, kid. I won't stop you…" Sans sighed, feeling lousier than usual after this. "just… you're gonna be fightin' pap soon, right? let me give you some advice." He gave an agonized look to the boy in front of him. "don't, capiche? just… don't."
Frisk stared at Sans for a moment, eyeing him with suspicion. He didn't know if this was a trick, or a cruel joke from the unreadable skeleton. Sans noticed this and turned away, half in guilt, half as a show of good faith, and stared at the burbling water of the river. Frisk remained still for a few moments before pushing off from the ground and running as fast as his short legs could carry him back in the direction of Snowdin.
"Wait, Frisk! You'll…" Lily called out, but the boy either didn't hear or wouldn't heed her.
She took a moment to give another venomous glare at the unmoving Sans before darting off back to the village in pursuit of her friend.
Frisk kept running as the tears streaming down his eyes left red streaks against his face. He didn't care who saw him at this point… he just had to get away. Lily managed to catch up to him easily enough, and fortunately before any nasty spills. She managed to direct him around a couple of slime-based monster children playing in the snow, and into the residential area beyond. Eventually, the boy began to slow, so she decided to guide him into a nearby alleyway that seemed to be sheltered well enough from the elements.
The boy slumped to the ground against the wall, pulled his legs to his chest and cried.
Lily was at his side in a second, wrapping her arms around him and resting her chin on top of his head. "Hey, hey… it'll be okay." She said soothingly. "Big kids don't cry, right?"
"Why was he saying all those things? Did I do something wrong?" Frisk said through his sobs. "I don't understand…"
"No… no, Frisk. You didn't do anything." She said, trying to keep her anger in check so it wouldn't affect him too much. "Sans is a jerk… don't worry about him."
"But… what if he's right?" The boy asked. "I mean, you don't have your memories. And then there's that feeling I had in the Ruins… What if something happened to mine too? How would I know? What if I… What if I did something bad…? Am I… am I just like the humans in that book?"
"Shh…" She said, rubbing his arm. "Don't think about that right now. Just stay determined, okay? You're good at that."
"I don't want to hurt anyone… I don't want to be a burden." He said, narrowed eyes shimmering. "I just want to do good."
"And you have been…" Lily encouraged. "I've seen it since we both got here. You're definitely one of the nicest people I know, Frisk. I don't need memories to tell me that."
The boy managed to place a trembling hand on top of hers. "Am I, though? Sans said I…" He couldn't finish.
"Forget Sans." She stopped him. "Everyone is alive now… they're all fine. Even if he's right it doesn't change what's right here in front of us. Whatever happened then, it's been undone… you know what that means right?"
"No…" Frisk shook his head.
"You must have undone it." Lily said. "Everyone's here now… no one's dead. We've seen it before too. You brought mom back, remember? Whatever happened before, you cared enough to make it not happen. If you didn't we wouldn't even be here, having this conversation… right?"
Frisk hadn't thought of it like. "I guess… but still, I-"
"No buts." Lily cut him off. "And no more tears. Whatever happened before, it doesn't change who you are now. We'll figure it out, just like everything else, okay?"
He rubbed his eyes, still sniffling a little but at least the tears had stopped. Lily squeezed his shoulder a little like he had for her not long ago. Frisk chuckled a little and snuggled against her, grateful for the support and the small amount of comfort that came with it. He took a deep breath, the Snowdin air filling his lungs with a relaxing coolness. At last, he turned to Lily. The taller girl looked at him and smiled.
"Thanks Lily."He said sincerely. "For this and… you know, earlier."
The girl's rosy cheeks took on a deeper scarlet shade and she looked away sheepishly. "Yeah… haha… sorry about that. I don't even know where that came from. I just kind of… snapped."
"Still, I appreciate it." A minute of silence passed between them. "And also… thanks for, you know… staying with me."
"Oh come on, you sap…" She said, shoving him playfully. "You know I'm not going anywhere."
"Yeah… and that's why." The boy said honestly. "You're the one person who won't leave me. So… thanks." His words couldn't have been more heartfelt if he tried.
"Well then… you're welcome I guess?" She gave a nervous laugh at the level of faith he placed in her. "Are you feeling better?"
He nodded. "Yeah… a little. We should… probably go see Papyrus huh?"
Her face fell at the reminder of their upcoming encounter with the taller bone brother. "Yeah…" She hesitated. "I'm not exactly looking forward to it but I guess we have to, huh?
"I know what you mean, but still…" Frisk let the sentence hang. He didn't seem very eager to get up.
Lily sighed. It was clear Frisk still harbored some lingering emotions from the frightening encounter with Sans. He did his best to mask it with his concern for the other skeleton, but his true feelings were written clearly within his SOUL, and that was not so easily hidden… especially from her. She slumped against him, eliciting a small grunt from her friend. A wicked idea formed in her head, and she pressed harder against his side.
"Wha- Hey come on! You're crushing me! C- cut it out!" The boy cried as he tried to push her away. A slight laugh forced itself from his mouth, causing Lily to grin.
"Oh no... I can't move." She feigned a helpless groan and forced all of her weight against him. "It's no use, Frisk. I must squish you!"
"No!" Frisk laughed, struggling against her.
She wasn't heavy… not really. A ghost can only weigh so much, and it isn't a lot. Still, her limp form gave the small boy a fair bit of difficulty. It was a little like trying to fight his way out from beneath a blanket that had somehow gotten wrapped around his whole body. Eventually, he managed to wiggle his way out from under the girl, who then flopped comically into the snow.
"Well at least you don't get cold." He laughed, as she pulled herself from the ground. "Thanks… I needed that."
She floated upward and moved to his side, smile tracing a downward arc between her rosy cheeks. "That was the plan. Now let's go. Maybe we should get you some food first?"
Her suggestion led them once again to Grillby's. Frisk wasn't particularly hungry at the moment but decided to order something anyway. He still felt a little apprehensive around the fiery bartender but managed to finish his order of fries without making too much of a scene. They thanked Grillby, leaving enough money to cover both today and last night as well as a tip. The fiery bartender pocketed the glittering coins with a silent nod before turning his attention back to the other patrons.
Still, Frisk couldn't help the heaviness in his heart. Even a brief pet session with the dogs did little to ease his mind. They were stalling. He knew it, and Lily did too though she chose not to say anything. Sans words echoed through his mind, providing far more questions than answers. What had he meant about timelines and anomalies? If it had been anyone else, Frisk might have simply written it off as a lie meant to scare his young mind. But there was something about the way the skeleton spoke – some underlying sorrow that managed to be clear despite his frightful display – that made the boy think otherwise.
"It… it's gonna be okay Frisk." Lily's voice snapped him from his thoughts. She reached over and grasped his right hand in her left, unfurling the fist and holding it gently. "I believe in you."
"I… Thanks..." He squeezed back. At least one of them did. "I just really don't want to do this…"
Lily sighed. "Neither do I."
"Maybe… we don't have to? If we went around maybe we could just avoid him." Frisk thought aloud, though the idea still felt nasty to his mind.
Lily considered this for a moment and then spoke. "We can't do that…" She said finally. "I know you're scared, but Papyrus is waiting for us. He trusted us to meet him… it wouldn't be right to betray that."
"I know…" He admitted. "I'm sorry. I just don't want to fight him…" He chewed on his lip a little bit in an effort to ground himself. "But, you're right… Let's get it over with."
They made their way to the edge of the town, looking around the red-orange scarf and silvery armor of the taller bone brother. There were several monsters playing in the snow, but all of them were neither tall nor boney enough to be the one they were looking for. Eventually, the buildings began to thin and then stop completely. What lay before them was a large, empty path of well-trodden snow.
A thick fog obscured its true distance from even Lily as they moved nervously onward. The moist air prickled against the exposed skin of Frisk's face, making him restless. Eventually, a silhouette began to peak out, a dark blotch against the swirling white. Its features were vague, but the stature and poise were unmistakable.
"Hey… I think I see him up ahead." Lily said, spotting the figure. "We're almost there, okay Frisk?"
Frisk nodded but said nothing, head hung low as he wrestled with his thoughts. The buildings disappeared amidst the fog even as the image of Papyrus soon grew ever clearer within the thick curtain. Frisk's steps slowed as they drew closer, hesitation clawing at him, pleading with him to turn back. With a small tug on his arm Lily lent him her strength, spurring him onward toward the red brother.
"FRISK AND LILY. I AM SORRY THAT IT HAS COME TO THIS." Papyrus back was turned, but he seemed aware of their presence nonetheless. "AS YOU KNOW, MY DREAM IS TO JOIN THE ROYAL GUARD. SUCH PRESTIGE AND POPULARITY IS ONLY NATURAL FOR ONE AS GREAT AS I. TO DO THIS, I MUST CAPTURE A HUMAN." He began with a somberness ill-suited for his normally optimistic self. "YOU. I MUST CAPTURE YOU… I WISH IT DID NOT HAVE TO BE THIS WAY. I HAVE HAD SO MUCH FUN DOING PUZZLES WITH THE BOTH OF YOU…" He trailed off, gripping and then relaxing his mitted hand in an effort to steel himself. "ARE YOU PREPARED, HUMAN? BECAUSE I-"
He turned around and the sentence died on his teeth as his eye sockets finally fell upon Frisk. The boy was trembling… and it wasn't from the cold. If he were a skeleton, Papyrus thought, his bones would have been rattling more violently than any he'd ever seen. That same stick was clutched firmly in his white-knuckled hand so tightly that the skeleton was amazed it hadn't broken yet. Papyrus completely forgot his conviction from before as he steadily approached the boy.
"HUMAN? ARE YOU SICK?" He asked. Frisk shook his head and wiped his eyes with his free hand.
"No. I… I just… I don't want to fight." He said, trying his hardest not to cry. "I don't want to hurt you… I don't want to hurt anyone. I just wanna do good." His legs trembled beneath him, threatening to bring him to the ground as the tears continued to flow. "I know about the barrier… I can't imagine what that must have been like. But I… I won't be like those people. Please don't shut me away… I p-promise I'll be good..."
"Oh Frisk..." Lily lamented softly, wrapping her arms tightly around the shaking boy before her.
She looked pleadingly to Papyrus. She'd managed to help with Sans, though it hadn't exactly gone the way she'd planned. But for this… there was little she could think to say, even if Frisk did decide to let her in again. And in her heart, she knew that any sort of intervention from her would likely just complicate matters anyway. It was a completely different situation involving a completely different personality. Papyrus was kind but dutiful… he also had a dream he was passionate about. Lily wondered which aspect of the skeleton would prove the stronger.
Papyrus, for his own part, was torn as he looked down upon the trembling human. The skeleton found himself hesitating in the moment. This was the perfect chance… a human stood before him, a human who was unwilling to fight. It would be so easy to capture him now and claim his rightful place among the Royal Guard. So easy.
Everything he ever wanted…
Everything he deserved…
And yet… the image of the sightless child gave him pause.
The Royal Guard hopeful dropped to one knee before the boy, who rubbed his eyes with the sleeve of his jacket. An orange mitted hand rested itself upon the small shoulder, causing the child to look toward its source. Frisk called forth his SOUL and watched the skeleton, barely-open eyes pleading silently. Papyrus' scarf billowed behind him in the light wind making him look every bit the superhero the boy had compared him to before.
"HUMAN- NO, FRISK!" He said, surprisingly gentle despite his energetic tone. "IT SEEMS TO ME THAT YOU ARE IN NEED OF GUIDANCE. AND ONE AS GREAT AS I WOULD BE REMISS TO IGNORE A CRY FOR HELP, EVEN FROM A HUMAN. IF I AM TO ONE DAY JOIN THE ROYAL GUARD, THEN I MUST DO ALL I CAN TO HELP THOSE IN NEED RIGHT NOW." His skull widened into an ivory grin. "YOU ARE A PERSON WHO LACKS CONFIDENCE IN HIMSELF, BUT I SEE GREAT POTENTIAL WITHIN YOU! AND SO, I HAVE DECIDED! I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS WILL PROTECT YOU FROM THE SAD. WITH MY HELP, YOU WILL LEARN TO LIKE YOURSELF AS I DO, SO THAT ONE DAY YOU CAN BE AS TERRIFIC AS ME!"
"You… like me?" Frisk asked softly, eyes still glinting with tears.
"NYEH HEH! OF COURSE I DO! I LIKE YOU AND LILY AS WELL! AND MY STANDARDS ARE VERY HIGH, SO YOU BOTH MUST BE NEARLY AS COOL AS I AM!" Papyrus declared with finality. "TOGETHER WE WILL BE THE AWESOMEST OF FRIENDS!"
The small human sniffed a couple of times, and for a moment it looked almost like he was about to start crying again. Papyrus took his hand away quickly and recoiled, clearly having expected a different reaction.
"OR, YOU KNOW, I COULD JUST-"
The skeleton didn't get to finish the thought before Frisk barreled into him, wrapping his arms around Papyrus' battle body armor. All the tension and fear bled from him all at once upon Papyrus' heartfelt words and he found himself unable to contain his emotions any longer. He sobbed against the frayed fabric of skeleton's orange scarf, clinging to the bone man with all the strength his small arms could muster. Even in the cold of Snowdin, Papyrus' bones and metal armor were somehow warm to the touch. Frisk didn't bother to question that… content simply to bask in that comfort while letting his tears wash the bad feelings away.
"NO, NO… N- NOT LIKE THAT." Papyrus stammered. "YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO SMILE. LIKE THIS, SEE?"
He demonstrated with another radiant grin, causing the small child to giggle a little.
"YOU DID IT!" The skeleton pumped his fist. "I AM SO PROUD! YOU ARE ALREADY LEARNING WELL!"
Lily sighed in relief and watched as Papyrus wrapped his own boney arms around the boy. After what happened before, she wasn't sure what to expect from Sans' brother but she was glad it had worked out like this. Eccentricities and first impressions aside, Papyrus really was a good person. She was so content with everything that she almost didn't see the slight movement in the fog only a few feet away.
Almost, being the keyword.
She frowned and squinted, watching carefully as the mist roiled around a small, vague figure beneath the shroud. It parted just enough for her to catch the slightest glimpse of golden petals, swaying against the breeze. Then, in the next moment they vanished as if swallowed by the thick fog. Lily made her way over to the spot where they'd been. Sure enough the earth was displaced. It was so slight that one wouldn't notice unless they were specifically looking for it, but it was there all the same.
There could be no mistake… but at least this time he hadn't tried anything.
She sighed and made her way back to Frisk and Papyrus as the two were finishing up their hug session.
"WELL THEN!" Papyrus said. "I THINK IT IS TIME TO RETURN HOME. IT HAS BEEN QUITE A LONG AND EVENTFUL DAY!"
"Home?" Frisk asked.
"INDEED. YOU WILL BE STAYING AT MY HOUSE!" Papyrus exclaimed. "I SHALL MAKE US A FEAST OF SPAGHETTI TO CELEBRATE OUR NEW FRIENDSHIP, AND LATER WE CAN BEGIN YOUR TRAINING REGIMENT IN LEARNING TO LIKE YOURSELF!"
"That sounds great." Frisk said, a little wearily but still happy. His gaze shifted to Lily and a thought crossed his mind. "Hey, Papyrus?"
The skeleton looked at him attentively. "YES, TINY HUMAN?"
There was still one more thing to do. While the encounter with Sans had been stressful at the very least it had revealed something. Would they be able to do it now if they tried, even without that threat looming over them? There was only one way to find out. Wiping the last of the tears from his eyes, Frisk turned a smile to the tall skeleton and asked:
"Um… do you want to meet Lily?"
Authors' Notes: Phew, a lot happened in this one. Starting to delve a little deeper into our characters, aren't we? Even got a little bit of world building too.
The kids' time in the library does bring something into question: was the Barrier's creation really no more than a merciless act by the humans of that time? If humans are so much stronger physically than monsters, along with monsterkind's crippling vulnerability to killing intent… why go to the complication of imprisoning them? Something to think about…
Sans certainly gets it now, huh? Then again, considering what he's learned… it wasn't exactly a bad sentiment, just a poor execution. Not that that means much for the kids, who have no recollection of any of that.