GAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!

*Blip*

GAAAAAAAAHHH!

*Blip*

Undyne's hands were reaching for their Soul as they fell to the ground. It shattered between her fingers. Almost as if to spite her.

"WHA- NO!"

*Blip*

GAAAAAAAAAHHH!

Undyne was bouncing impatiently.

She hated them! Hated them SO MUCH!

The only comfort she had was that they seemed just as frustrated with her. Their face was flushed red and they seemed super flustered. They were both getting tired. But Undyne was determined! Determined to end this!

"RIGHT... NOW!"

But it was so unsettling. This all felt... familiar. Somehow. Too familiar. As she thought anything, it was almost as if she had thought them before. It was dizzying.

And that feeling wasn't new. She'd had it all the while she had been chasing them. As if they had somehow eluded her before, and somehow she had always known they would continue to do so. There was this horrifying feeling she didn't acknowledge... That everything she was doing was futile. That it didn't matter. SHE REFUSED TO INDULGE THEM! SHE WOULD NEVER GIVE UP!

But the human! They moved like they knew what happened next. As if they didn't just have quick reflexes, but actually KNEW. What were they made of, seriously? REALLY WHAT WAS THIS HUMAN MADE OUT OF? They moved their sheild she had given them with ease and she could barely get a hit. At least they had for awhile. Now their luck seemed to run out in an instant. Thier teeth were gritted as Undyne got several good hits on them in a row. YES! YESS! They stood their ground, almost as if they WEREN'T a lousy coward. Almost as if their dropping HP wasn't something to worry about.

Well they should have worried-

Their Soul was her's!

It shattered, almost as if out of spite.

"WHAT- NO!"

*Blip*

Undyne stood expectantly from her spot above them. They had lead her to the perfect place for their battle. She had the hight ground. They could not escape!

The human stood there, gathering themself together, taking in deep, even breaths as Undyne glared.

"What are you waiting for?!" She shouted impatiently. They straightened up and turned back towards her. Their foot stomped down. Their eyes were serious. The Fight was beginning.

"En guarde!"

They swung at her forcefully, even if they missed...

So for all of that goody-two-shoes act they actually had a backbone when it came down to it. Way to show their true colours. They had hidden behind that child who didn't know better for too long. It enraged Undyne to think about. If somebody manipulated her friends- Undyne hit the ground with her fist. They had manipulated her friends though! Papyrus! God she hated them! She really HATED THEM. HATED THEM SO MUCH!

"For years, we've dreamed of a happy ending..." She raged. The human was twisting skillfully to block her attacks. "And now, sunlight is just within our reach!" They cut down through one of her spears, but she narrowed her eye as they got struck in the back. They screamed in pain. YES! "I won't let you snatch it away from us!"

Not again! Never agai- Again?

Yes! Again! Humanity! That was what she meant! Humanity would never take everything from them! Their hope! Their dreams!

This human risked ruining everything...

"But even if you could beat me..." Undyne felt a chill as their eyes met hers. "No human has EVER made it past ASGORE!" She hit them a few more times, they cried out, jerking in place. They seemed almost distraught. "Honestly, killing you now is an act of mercy...!

SPARE

"..." Sparing her now? What were they? Crazy? When she had said mercy she had not meant Mercy. "So STOP being so damn resilient!" The spears rained down upon them but somehow, they had stepped up their game to meet her. "What the hell are humans made out of?! Anyone else would be DEAD by now!"

The human flinched but they rose up. There was something like fire in their eyes. They seemed even more-

"Alphys told me humans were determined..." Undyne admitted. "I see now what she meant by that! But I'm determined, too!" She sent her new array of spears. "Determined to end this RIGHT NOW!"

The human finally swung their weapon purposefully; a torn notebook.

Undyne couldn't help but gasp as it struck her this time. She expected the intent, but somehow... It felt muted. It felt conflicted. Undyne's smile widened. Well... Undyne had the advantage then. She really meant it. She really was going to end this!

"RIGHT NOW!"

"...RIGHT... ... ... NOW!" Undyne was feeling drained, "Ha... Ha..."

The human lifted their head and Undyne's teeth clenched as she saw the manipulative tears in their eyes. They wiped at the bottom of their mouth with a sleeve as they panted. At least she had that-

"See how strong we are when we believe in ourselves?" They asked through staggered breaths.

Something caught inside Undyne's chest. She didn't know what. For a brief moment... She didn't feel at all confident. She felt the tiniest bit of fear she would never admit to. Of that notebook swinging down again- But she could see the fear in their eyes, too, despite what they had said.

"NGAHHHHH! DIE ALREADY, YOU LITTLE BRAT!" They moved their sheild swiftly, something fierce in their movements. They turned back on her, but the notebook was nowhere in sight.

"NOBODY'S DYING AGAIN!" They screamed.

Wha-

FLEE

They were running under and past her. Undyne stood agape.

"HEY!" She was swiftly after them. She threw her green spear and they screamed in shock. "You won't get away from me this time!"

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Never... In the name of everyone's hopes and dreams... She would be victorious. She would defeat them!

SPARE

"I WILL NEVER TAKE MERCY FROM THE LIKES OF YOU!" She declared.

SPARE!

"YOU! WILL! NEVER! SPARE! ME!"

"... I know." Their voice cracked. Undyne eyed them curiously. "But if I did this once, I can do it again."

Undyne's eye twitched involuntarily. What was that supposed to mean?! But she couldn't demand an answer as they raced off again.

"..." Undyne put all of her strength into catching them. But something in her noticed, that, they didn't seem to actually believe in themself all that much. In fact. With the way they were acting, besides the swift blocks to her attacks, they seemed to be experimenting. Trying to get her tired and more tired. It just backfired since they were growing tired too. "You've escaped from me for the LAST time!"

But they were stronger than she thought. They kept it up, swift, and sure, and determined.

"COME BACK HERE, YOU LITTLE PUNK!"

"STOP RUNNING AWAY!"

Undyne was thankful to whoever had called them on the phone, giving her the chance to catch her breath. They did too. But it was too soon done and they were racing off again, Undyne on their heels.

But! Ah! She had the advantage! She knew the terrain! Up ahead was Hotlands, but more importantly: A sentry station! They would be outnumbered. They would be-

They raced past the station at full speed and Undyne's eye focused sharply on the one who had let them breeze by.

Sans was sleeping... Undyne stopped short for a moment in surprise. The anger was rising-

THEY WERE SO CLOSE TO THE SURFACE! THE SUN! DID HE NOT CARE?! DID HE NOT GIVE A DAMN?! HOW COULD HE BE SLEEPING AT A TIME LIKE THIS?! WHO HIRED HIM?! WHO THINKS THIS IS A GOOD IDEA WHEN THE UNDERGROUND'S SECURITY WAS ON THE LINE?! HOW COULD HE SLEEP WHEN HE KNEW THERE WAS A HUMAN?! ARRRRGH!

But she had no chance to stop long, to wake him. She had to keep going. And the worse part of it all was that now she had to face Hotlands. Already tired enough as it is! SHE HATED HOTLANDS! When she came back, she'd have a serious bone to pick- NO! She would- Would... She was dying, but she couldn't stop... It was. So hot. So...

The human had skid to a stop, sliding along the orange ground of Hotland like a baseball player reaching Home. Undyne had them! As long as she.. As long as... she...

"Armor... so... hot..." She was... was suffocating in her own armor. "But I can't... Give up.." She had to keep... going...

The human was lifting their head, panting heavily still.. They were right... there... Right...!

Undyne let out a weak breath as she collapsed.

Everything went dark.

...

..

.

Something cold was washing over her face and Undyne- Undyne was bouncing up, alarm and whatever magic she had left racing through her as her eye opened wide. She had to stop, though. She felt dizzy for a second. Like she might pass out again. Her mind was collecting the pieces, orienting itself. And soon she was focusing on the human across from her.

They looked absolutely terrified. Undyne snarled. She was going to rip- She had another dizzy spell and she breathed in sharply. The human had coward and there had been the sound of something crinkling. Undyne's eye caught sight of the cup in their hand, snapped at the sides as they seemed to hold their breath.

All the time they had took to get her worn down and out for the count and they had... They'd...

Her mind was so foggy but it was connecting the dots.

Collapsing. Water. Cup.

It didn't... make sense.

But she couldn't face them anymore. Not like this. She had to retreat. Recollect herself and then later.. she'd come after them. Yeah... She'd...

She had to turn, taking a few shakey steps away from them.

She was just too out of it. This didn't make sense. There had to be another explaination as to what had happened. Another plan on their part-

They were just taunting her. Manipulating her too.

But it wouldn't work. She'd rebound and come after them later. Yeah... Right. Rest up, regroup. Then kick their butt.

Undybe stumbled away and back into the relief of Waterfall, the air cool and wonderous. She didn't even notice Sans' station.

As she walked by, a single, lazy eye opened and peeked over towards the bridge... Towards where the human stood looking at the melting cup in their hands uncertainly. As if for once, they too had run into something new.