Me: Honestly, not much happens here. Just the reactions to the events of the previous two chapters.
Asriel: Some didn't really come up to snuff like we thought they would, but there he did try his best.
Chara: We've all been shaken by what happened. Including me.
Asgore: As such, we realize that we need a bit of time to recover from the event, before we can move onward to the next stage. Weve been startled, but we're not discouraged.
Undyne: Shaken, but NEVER discouraged!
Me: Lemme just get this out right now. Some of you might be disappointed by how I handled the first part of this chapter, and I honestly won't blame you for it. You'll see how and why.
Chapter Start!
(The Next Day...)
Many citizens of Ebott were very deeply shaken by yesterday's events. It wasn't like anybody could blame them. Said events have more or less confirmed the fears that they've held for a long time. They resulted in Muffet's bakery being destroyed, Chara getting seriously injured, as well as plenty of humans and monsters dying in the aftermath. And judging by what Sans and Undyne heard, it's even worse than they initially thought. The magicians have kept their hatred for monsters, and they've also abandoned all of their remaining faith in humanity, as well as discarded their own completely. That alone was a dangerous combination. And their power...it wasn't something that anyone could ignore. That lightning woman could have continued obliterating the city of she was really feeling like it. Luckily she didn't seem to take much things seriously, and it allowed Sans and Undyne to chase her off. They both knew even when Sans was pinning her down, she wasn't completely trying. Neither were they, but they were making a point that they're no longer weak monsters.
However, the damage was done.
The humans were much less than amused by the fact that the one responsible for those lightning strikes was a magician. A magician who claimed to not be human anymore, and that she and her allies were officially done dealing with the hypocrisy of monsters and the foolishness of humans. This was after she very nearly killed Chara Dreemurr, who made it quite clear that despite being human and finding them tolerable for everyone's sake, he significantly prefers the company of the monsters. At the very least, the humans were able to figure out for themselves that the monsters were not responsible for the attack, and that there were just as many monster victims as there were human victims. This alone allowed them to come to an understanding...and they were both equally upset about what's happened.
It looks like waiting six years for the tension between them to die down, as well as take the time to understand one another without forcing them to coexist before they were ready, has really and truly paid off. The humans didn't recklessly assume that the monsters were responsible for the attack. They tried to get all the facts and information present first, before they came to any conclusions. Considering what had happened the last time the humans acted before they took the time to deeply think about the situation, this was considered to be a very huge step up. It filled Frisk and Asriel with relief that things wouldn't be getting dicey between humans and monsters due to an outside force interfering with them both. Though the identity of the interfering and threatening group was not to be taken lightly. The issue needed to be addressed, this much they could agree on. Good thing the Mayor ikes the monsters. Or at the very least, is fair when it comes to interacting with them.
Speaking of which, Asgore, Toriel, Gerson, and Gaster went to see the Mayor themselves in order for them to explain the situation in detail...Mayor Alvina was having a serious headache right now.
"...Okay...okay...I just wanna go over a few things before I get myself lost. Give me a second to collect myself." She said quietly, her head lying on her desk as she rubbed her temples with tightly closed eyes. "First off...Asgore and Toriel. Your sons. Are they alright?"
"Asriel and Frisk are shaken, but are otherwise fine. Chara is still taking a bit of time to recover from his wounds. Even with my healing magic, he'll be feeling those injuries for quite a while." Toriel explained, her paws lying formally on her lap. "He is a strong child, though. I suspect he'll be recovering sooner than even I expect."
"I see. That's good." The human official nodded quietly. "Alright...so one of those magician guys from the legends on your plaques in Waterfall...one of them came here and wrecked a portion of Ebott. I'm just curious as to how the hell those guys are even alive. It's been WAY past a hundred years since that war broke out. How can they even be around?"
"We suspect that it has something to do with what she inquired to Sans and Undyne before she left." Gaster spoke up, his hands behind his back. "She didn't identify herself as a human, nor does she consider herself a monster. Taking into account that humans are unlikely to live very long past the hundred mark-though I do realize it is not impossible, just unlikely-we can assume that magic is involved. Chara sensed her soul. it felt significantly older than she looked, and she looked quite youthful."
"Seriously? Centuries pass and you're telling me that some of them might not have aged a day? Damn." She shook her head in a strange mixture of irritation and envy. "Do you have any idea as to how they could manage such a thing?"
Gerson nodded. "Prince Asriel and Little Red suspect that they have absorbed Boss Monster Souls. I confirmed their suspicions, as I was there when they did so." He removed his monocle for a bit and closed his eyes. "Whether you have a monster absorbing a human soul, or a human absorbing a Boss Monster Soul, we'll still end up with something that will strike fear into others. I've felt that fear...and it's a miracle that I'm one of the few who survived the ordeal. A rather terrifying force, they've become. And it doesn't look like they'll be heading back into hiding anytime soon."
"So what I'm hearing is that they're back for good, and they just let everyone know that they're not on the side of monsters or humans. And we don't know what they plan on doing about it, which only makes me worry even more about what might happen. This is beyond seriously bad. They have the power to back up their hatred. A lot of us know where that might head. More chaos and disarray..." She sighed as she held her head in her hands, slowly shaking it. "What are we supposed to do about these maniacs? Our best bet is to stop them before they get the chance to do more damage to Ebott. But how...?"
Asgore slowly lowered his head. "We realize that the event has put us both in quite a precarious position. This is not something the world will ignore. They will try and do something about this. Hunt down those magicians themselves and try to end them themselves." He closed his eyes. "...We don't wish for that to happen."
"I dont understand?"
Asgore took a deep breath, then sighed before continuing. "We don't want you to exhaust your resources over something like this. Resources that can be much more useful elsewhere. This is not to say that the problem should be ignored. Being wary of them is important, and the safety of all citizens of Ebott takes priority. Which is why we're going to confront the magicians ourselves, and stop them from progressing with whatever they have in mind. Butting heads with them is inevitable, so we'd rather do so on their turf rather than bring the conflict here. We know that our family is the main target, so we'll come to them. A disadvantage for us perhaps, but the danger to Ebott will be lessened significantly."
"We will confront them ourselves. They are under the impression that the monsters are still weak. They'll think the encounter with Sans was...I believe they call it a 'fluke'...?" Toriel tilted her head towards Gaster. He nodded in confirmation, and she nodded back. "We'll catch them off-guard with this false air of inferiority, and then strike when they believe we're not powerful enough to resist. And even if they do become aware of our newfound strength...we shall overcome them anyway."
Alvina blinked, both in confusion and concern. "You're...you're actually going to go take those guys on? You're not worried that they might be stronger than you can handle? Because the last time..."
"Things change." Asgore said simply. "We monsters have been fully ready to accept this change to the world. The humans weren't as prepared as we were for change. We understood this, which is why we spent an extra six years Underground not just living out our sentence as well as honing our magic, but to also make sure we reduce the chances of several conflicts between us becoming reality. Taking the time to understand one another without forcing ourselves to coexist before we're ready. Preparing them for the change before actually going through with it."
"It appears that the Seven Magicians are not only in disapproval of this mass change, they want to destroy it altogether. But we won't let them." Gerson narrowed his eye. "They wanna punish the monsters for comin' back to the Surface, and they also wanna pubish the humans for allowin' that to happen without a fight."
"That's stupid!" Alvina shouted, slamming her hands on her desk. "These guys think they can just waltz back into existence and raise hell all because the world changed in their absense and they don't like it? Are these guys even thinking!?" She raised a hand, lowering her head. "You know what, don't answer that. They've already did it for me. And man, I'm not happy about it. My head seriously hurts, I've got a lot of paperwork to do, and...ugh..." She groaned in irritation. "If there's one type of person that really annoys me, is that people are so used to the old age that they can never give the new age a chance. Nostalgia is one thing, and this is NOT nostalgia. They just outright deny it completely like it's the freaking plague. Believe me, as mayor, I gotta deal with that all the time. It's a good thing that at least an elder that I know is lenient enough to accept change."
"Wa ha ha!"
"Yeah. Talkin' to you, Gerson. You've been a great help in helping me understand the monsters. All four of you have. Humans are getting along with monsters more than they ever did in the past, once we actually take the time to sit down and try to understand one another." She narrowed her eyes, concerned once again. "Are you sure you wanna go through with this, though? We can give you support. Anything you need, I'll see what I can do to provide it."
"...We may be the King and Queen, but we'd like to take direct action in this new crisis. We don't want to sit back and risk endangering everyone. We really don't want the humans to use up your resources for this. I have the utmost confidence that we will be able to handle this conflict without endangering everyone else." Asgore stated.
"...But if you truly wish to be of assistance...then do what you can to make sure that the monsters, as well the humans of this city." Toriel paused. "...Make sure that everyone manages to stay safe in our absence. I will have to take an extended leave on my job. Do inform the children and staff that I will be absent for a while, but I'll be back as soon as I possibly can." Alvina could see Toriel deflate a bit at the thought of not being able to spend time with the human children for a while. They really loved her as a teacher/principal, and vice versa. But she understood that the priority lies in dealing with the threat as soon as possible, so she could return just as quickly.
"We're placing our trust in you to keep the monsters and humans safe from possible further attacks, to the best of your ability. Do what you must, as long as everyone is safe. So we ask...are you willing to trust us to deal with the threat before it becomes unmanageable?" Gaster asked of her.
"Of course. You're placing a lot of faith in me to do what I need to do. So I'm placing a lot of faith in you so be able to deal with this without our interference. Giving you room to do what you need to do. I can help with that." Alvina nodded. "Just one thing though...how is Frisk doing?"
"Frisk is going to be coming with us." Gerson said. Alvina was shocked at this, as he continued on. "He feels the need to help repel this new threat, having a feeling that they will not be interested in repentance."
"...Frisk had to abandon a bit of his Pacifist tendencies? This must be serious if he feels the need to do that..." She muttered under her breath. She was well aware of Frisk's affinity with magic, and is actually more than happy to know that he has ways to take care of himself should trouble come his way. And trouble was most certainly coming, except he has to meet it on a collision course. "Well...I have an extra condition for you. Make sure he comes back from this alright. I entrusted him to you, you gotta make sure that he'll be okay."
"We wouldn't settle for anything less than helping him get home safely. He wishes to fight alongside us, we won't deny him. But we will protect him with everything we have." Asgore stated strongly. "Dreemurrs look out for one another. No matter what happens."
"Good. In that case...I'll trust you all to handle this. The less hassle brought to Ebott, better." Alvina smiled softly. "I'll get the public to settle down as much as I can, so that you all can proceed. Don't let us down."
"We certainly won't." Toriel nodded. She stood up from her seat, as well as Alvina from her own. The former reached out and pulled the latter into a hug. "You placed your trust in us, and you'll help the other humans place their trust in us as well. Give us time. This trust will be rewarded. That's a promise we plan to keep."
"Sure. Wow, you Dreemurrs sure like to hug..." Alvina chuckled, lightly patting Toriel's back.
"We will take our leave now. Preparations are in order." Gerson said as he turned around and began exiting the room alongside Gaster. Asgore and Toriel soon follows after, waving farewell to the Mayor.
After the door closes, she sighed and slumped back into her chair, rubbing her temples. "Geez...being this nice is gonna get me in a lot of hot water...not to mention the paperwork. They better deliver on their promise..." She briefly pressed a button on her desk. "Secretary Temmie?"
"HOi!" The doors open briefly as a Temmie pounced into the room. Her hair was wrapped in a neat bun, and she was wearing a black shirt with a red tie, as well as a gray skirt, Temmie stood in attention as she saluted the Mayor. "SeCRetaRy TemmIe aT yoUr sERvIce, MAyooor Hooman!"
"Great. Can you be a sweetheart and get me an ice pack, as well as a few Cinnamon Bunnies? I also might need help in arranging the storm of paperwork I might face. Also need your help in making a call to Toriel's school. They need to know she'll be gone for a while."
"Mayoor Hooman...sHE hAVe headAChe...faCe paPERwork...aND haV to caWl sCHoo1?" Temmie saluted once again. "Hooman no WorRy abOUT Tem! TEm wil1 gEt tasKS dOne! Tem grEAT He1p!"
"Thanks a lot! I owe you a bag of Temmie Flakes!"
"Temm1e woN't let mayoOR hoOmAn dOwn! GoIng to go now1. BOi!"Just as quickly as she came, Temmie left.
It was surprising how such a strange and unpredictable monster could become a highly effective secretary. No one would have guessed that she'd choose to be monster secretary for a human mayor. Just goes to show how much the two races are willing to trust each other and work together. Alvina also suspected that the Temmies were a lot smarter than everyone gave them credit for. It helps that this one went to colleg.
...whatever that meant. She found it best to not question it.
(Dreemurr Residence)
Chara was sitting idly on the rooftop of his house. He had a full night of rest and healing, as well as an entire night to think about what's happened, and what was going to happen. He was feeling a plethora of emotions right now. The main ones were fury, humiliation, anxiety...and guilt. Out of all the emotions he felt flood through him, none of them hit as hard as guilt. Which was really saying something, because fury and anxiety are a very close second. But it was true, guilt trumped them both. He could easily be angry about the Magicians another time. For the moment, they weren't a priority.
Muffet was.
Muffet watched as he found himself on the other side of what was almost an execution. And when he barely survived the experience, she slept by his bedside since her bakery had been completely destroyed, and she cried herself to sleep. Chara hated tears. Happy tears he could work with, there was nothing wrong with tears of joy. But that was it. If the tears aren't of joy, he would hate them indefinitely. Because it meant someone was seriously upset. And as brash as he tends to be, making people cry is not something he takes pride in. Especially if they're his loved ones. Sure, his family and friends were concerned for him too, which makes things even worse for himself because he made everyone worry, even more than usual.
He especially didn't like seeing his family in tears over him. Even after all these years, he doesn't feel like he deserves their concern, their sympathy...their love. It was foolish of him, he knew this. But the fact was that that small bit of doubt in the back of his head would not go away. And now it's come to reek havoc on his emotions the second he had confirmed that the Magicians were alive.
He clenched his fist. It didn't matter to him what they were up to, or why they were going about it. The only part that matters was that they needed to be dealt with, and soon. Or else they were going to cause even heavier problems that will take more time and be significantly more difficult to deal with.
Yes. Those seven need to be dealt with. And if things were the same as before, then...
"Chara?"
He blinked at the familiar voice, and turned around to see Muffet climbing up the house with little to no effort at all, her five eyes gazing at him with concern. He lightly smiled in amusement as he thought of the female smile being able to go anywhere. But his amusement and smile vanished instantly and he turned away from her, unable to look at her. She was slightly surprised by this.
"Chara-Dearie...?"
He wouldn't look at her.
"Chara...?"
He was filled with too much shame.
"...Chara! You know it's rude to just ignore me!"
He wasn't ignoring her, he swears it. It's just that he needed a bit more time to recuperate away from her. She would want to look a-
"...Chara Dreemurr...If you don't turn around and look at me Right. This. SECOND."
He immediately found himself gazing at the spider the moment her tone became dangerous. Once he fully realized what happened, he facepalmed.
"That's better. Now I can see your cute face again." Muffet smiled. She soon walked up and sits by his side as her middle hands clasped his own, while her lower hands smoothed out her skirt, then they lied relaxed in her lap. Her top hands gently cupped him by the cheeks and turned him towards her so they could look at each other more clearly. "Chara...talk to me." Her tone becomes multiple touches softer as she releases his cheeks.
He eventually relented, not turning away from her anymore. "This...this was just so out of nowhere. I couldn't believe that after all this time, they were still alive. And what happens almost immediately afterwards? A portion of the city gets wrecked, and I got beaten into the dirt after having lightning painfully surge through me. I don't know if that was just a warm-up or they're intentionally trying to be cruel. And then it turns out that both humans and monsters are on their hate list. So that's gonna be a problem too."
"Oh dear. So many things on your mind. Though I can't say I blame you. You had me very worried. But I am glad you're alright."
"Can't say the same about your bakery, though..." He muttered. "You worked so hard on it, and for a good long while, too. And then it just gets destroyed like that without warning..."
Muffet gently palmed her face. "Goodness, Chara. Is that what you're upset about?"
"That and discovering that you were crying while waiting for me to wake up, and you fell asleep while doing so."
"Chara, of course I was crying over you! I was scared that you've been seriously hurt to the point that healing magic wouldn't do much! Your family and friends were obviously very concerned about you as well, but I didn't really have much emotional strength to stop my tears..." She sighed softly. She then wrapped her middle arms around Chara and pulled his head towards her chest, then began to soothingly pet the top of his head. She didn't do it in a teasing manner this time, now it was just completely for comfort. "Chara-Dearie...of course I'm upset that my bakery was destroyed. I'm honestly very miffed about it. But in the end, it's still just a building. It will take a lot of time and work, but I can easily set up another one and be back to work in no time. But you, Chara...I get very scared for you. Being a glutton for punishment isn't always a good thing."
"I understand that..."
"I hope that you do. Bakeries can be rebuilt, Chara. So I don't worry about that as much as I do about you."
Chara reluctantly brings his head away from her chest so he could look her in the eyes. Then he managed a very small but genuine smile. "...thanks Muffet. That was nice to hear."
"Good. I really mean it." She nodded strongly. "I don't know what happened that made you hate the Seven Magicians so much, but they are going to pay for it." He was a bit surprised by the aggressive tone Muffet took. "Destroying my bakery, I can handle. Like I said, it's not that big a deal for me. What is a big deal for me is that they hurt you deeply. Both in the past, and now in the present. That's something I simply can't let them get away with."
"You can't...?"
"Not a chance. As of this moment..." Muffet began as she slowly lifted her head, and he swore that her eyes flashed red. "They are now my prey..."
Chara heard the low, angry, predatory tone in her voice, and shivered nervously. She looked downright terrifying at the moment, her eyes flashing an angry red as she revealed her fangs for added effect. It really unnerved him. Yet at the same time, he found something about this side of her to be a bit scary...as well as highly enticing. She seemed so strong at the moment, and the idea thy she fully intends to back up these words...it's very impressive.
Chara is beginning to better understand why male Dreemurrs would prefer a strong woman in terms of willpower and/or strength. While Toriel and Red won Asgore and Asriel respectively with their amazing willpower as well as their strength, Muffet won Chara over with just the former. While in terms of power, she isn't weak at all. It's just that he found her will to be one of the main things that drew him towards her. As well as a few other things...his blush didn't help matters.
Muffet's eyes soon turned back to normal, and she smiled sweetly at Chara. "But until then, since I'm temporarily out of business, I'll just take the time to be with you. Doesn't sound like such a bad deal now, does it?~"
Chara smiled back at her. "Now that I think about it...yeah. Doesn't sound that bad. I mean, you can always rebuild. So there isn't much to worry about in that regard after all. Time together is never something I regret." He nodded while giving her a brief hug. "So, while we're sitting on a roof...what do you wanna do?"
"...Boop~" Muffet uses her top hands to briefly boop Chara's cheeks. His facial expression didn't change, but he did sweatdrop.
How I didn't see that coming is beyond me...
(Grillby's)
Papyrus obviously didn't agree to the notion of going to Grillby's to take off a bit of the tension off of his shoulders when it came to the rapidly approaching conflict. But Sans being Sans, decided to head over there anyway in order to take plenty of much-needed time to mentally prepare for what's to come. He just needed a bit of time to unwind. He wouldn't be of any help to the others if his mind wasn't completely focused on the issue. Papyrus understood by now that Sans goes to Grillby's to clear his head to the best of his ability. Plus, despite his protests, Papyrus had to admit it was a decent place to hang out. So reluctantly-VERY reluctantly-accompanied his brother to the bar.
Sans observes the scene inside. The Canine Unit, Undyne and Alphys, Asriel and Red, as well as Frisk. They all seemed to be in the middle of a common conversation. Well, most of them. Greater Dog and Lesser Dog were just lying around looking adorable and not entirely focusing on anything. Dogamy and Dogressa were nuzzling noses. Doggo was smoking dog treats. At the very least, those three were focused on the conversation at hand. He could also see Shamir and Flowey conversing about something. What it was about, he wouldn't know.
"This sucks. Did that stupid witch really have to go and destroy Muffet's bakery like that just to get a couple hits on Chara? I find that so unfair!" Red snarled angrily, her arms folded. "Not to mention that all of her sweets were in there! So I won't be able to enjoy her food as constantly as I used to!" She growled...before hungrily biting into the burger in front of her. Asriel simply watched her eat with an amused/exasperated look on his face. Of course she was also very angry with the fact that her best friends were attacked seemingly out of spite and to prove some sort of point, but her hunger has once again began speaking for her. It greatly irritated the canine that one of her favorite food places have been destroyed, and it might be a while before it's completely rebuilt.
"Alright, you all should know what you have to do during our absence." Undyne said with a strong gaze on the other canines in the room. "In case something happens, you all are gonna have to protect the citizens of Ebott alongside the human authorities. Have to make sure nothing like that happens again on your watch. I know you have the potential, and that you can live up to it. Red certainly did."
"Of course." Dogamy agreed with a nod.
"This is a time when the trust between humans and monsters is put to the test. We're putting a lot of faith in one another, so we have to make sure we live up to their expectations. And the same goes for vice versa." Alphys said, carefully adjusting her glasses. "It's such a high risk. But then again, we've taken such high risks before, and they paid off greatly."
"Yeah..." Asriel said quietly, briefly placing his paw over his chest. "High risk, great reward. But still...it seems so dangerous. To think all seven of them were still alive, and they're looking to cause some serious trouble for everyone."
"Which is why we have take them down before they get the chance. Can't let something like yesterday happen again. We won't." Undyne declared, clenching her fists.
"THIS...IS RATHER CONCERNING." Papyrus said slowly. "WE REALLY HAVE TO FIGHT THOSE MAGICIANS. WITH WHAT HAS TRANSPIRED, THEY ARE NOT INTERESTED IN MAKING FRIENDS."
"the lightning lady made it quite clear that they aren't happy with how things turned out, and want to take the situation head-on. and not in the friendly way. can't allow em' to continue pullin' stunts like that, especially when it's out of hate." Sans said.
"Yeah, I felt it too. She can sweeten her words as much as she likes, her soul was emitting some seriously strong malevolent intent." Undyne shook her head. "She made Chara's malice from tears ago look miniscule."
"There's always someone worse out there...I didn't want to believe that to be true, but I can't dent the possibilities like that. They tend to become rather noticeable through unfavorable means." Alphys said.
Asriel lowered his head a bit in recognition. "I...I don't know how they could be thinking like this. If they hate monsters so much then fine. But do they really have to hate the humans too? Just because they've accepted monsters back into the world? Are they that stuck in the past that they'd go through such extremes?"
"not everyone can agree with change. these guys however...they're takin' it way too far. it's why we gotta deal with them soon, before they can cause irreparable damage." Sans slowly turned towards the counter. "still. we might be missin' something important. chara seemed afraid of the mere mention of these guys, but he was more furious than anything. wonder what that could be about?"
"I wouldn't know. We're not going to force him to tell us, either. This seems highly personal for him. He can tell us when he feels comfortable enough to do so." Asriel said softly. While he was being truthful about this, he really wished Chara would open up to everhone about his relations to the magicians. Not only would the information be extremely useful, it'll also help everyone understand Chara better. But that's only when Chara is ready to do such a thing. He believed everyone could handle the situation without that information. They would find a way to succeed through these trying times. They had to.
"Guess it really has to be uncomfortable for him to talk about if he still hasn't opened up to anyone about it." Red assumed. "Well...don't worry, Azzy. There's no way everything we've worked for will go to waste due to the actions of seven jerks."
"I know..." Asriel nodded softly.
"Hey." Red scoots closer to him, lightly nudging his shoulder. "Don't get discouraged by this, alright? You may be fluffy and adorable, but I know you're tougher than that. And besides, you have everyone to rely on, don't you? Having me and the others will make you even stronger." Red smiled. "The more devoted I am to helping you and protecting you, the stronger the Royal Guardians become. With what's coming, it looks like I'll be getting a lot of power from them. Because your hopes and dreams relate to humans and monsters living in peaceful coexistence. I'm not gonna let anyone crush tour hopes and dreams, Asriel. So don't worry about a thing. I know you have my back, so I'm gonna do my best to have your back too! I'm not gonna let anyone trample on the Determination of the Prince of Monsters!"
Asriel beamed a bit towards her, his eyes shining with surprise. "Red...you..."
"What? You think I'm bluffing? Red doesn't bluff Azzy. When I make a vow, I plan to deliver. Buuuuut I can see why you might still have a bit of doubt left. Soooo..." Red smirked, scooting out of her booth. She soon reached forward and grabbed Asriel's paw. He was confused by this, which would only make the next few moments that much more satisfying, because he won't see it coming. "Azzy. I'll protect your happiness the way you always protect mine. This is my vow, the vow of a knight. I'm your knight in a crimson cloak, Azzy~" Red said as she knelt on one knee, then kissed the top of his paw.
She got the reaction she wanted. His cheeks instantly turned pink as his eyes darted around in confusion. "R-Red?!" She ignored him with a smirk, kissing his paw again. "What are you doing?!" He demanded of her, the blush on his face becoming more and more defined as she kissed his paw again. "T-This isn't necessary!" His pleas went unheard, as Red continued on, placing yet another kiss on his paw. He took one of his floppy ears and tried to cover his face. "Oooooh golly...!"
"the girl kisses the prince's hand instead of the other way around. i gotta admit...i didn't see that coming." Sans said with a chuckle. It looks like Asriel couldn't handle such a phenomenon with a straight face.
"She's definitely the Alpha of the pair." Doggo chuckled.
"OUR POOR PRINCE IS FEELING RATHER EMBARASSED. I SURE HOPE HE DOESN'T OVERHEAT." Papyrus observed. "IT WOULD SEEM THAT THEN ROLES OF CHIVALRY HAVE BEEN REVERSED. WHAT AN UNEXPECTED TWIST!"
"You're taking 'fluffy pushover' in an entirely new direction, punk!" Undyne said while laughing at the ridiculousness of it all. Asriel's blush could only deepen at the other's reaction, and felt himself trying to hide his head in his sweater, but stopped once he realized that his horns could cause problems for said clothing.
Sans had to admit, though. This was good. Going into a situation with too much tension would onoy hinder their performance. Easing themselves would help a bit in the long run. Grillby sets down a bottle of ketchup for him and sticks around to clean a glass. "...Take care not to underestimste the situation. Stay vigilant. Don't allow yourself to fall behind."
"yeah, kinda got that, grillbz."
"And most importantly...come back safe and sound."
"...of course i will."
Undyne once again slammed her hands on her table. "Alright then, punks! We've to get some supplies, gather up our friends, and overall, just mentally prepare for what's to come! We're taking this situation away from Ebott, and it's bound to be a tough fight. But we gotta do it, for monsters and humans alike!" She slid out out of the booth, but immediately stopped once she saw that Alphys didn't initially follow her. She seemed spaced out. "Alph?"
"O-Oh! It's nothing!" Alphys shook her head rapidly.
Undyne wasn't convinced. She soon climbs back over and sits next to the yellow lizard, wrapping an arm around her. "Hey, don't give me that. You got something on that amazing mind of yours. What's the matter?"
Alphys looked up at Undyne. The mermaid's excitement had vanished instantly the moment she felr something wrong with her significant other. Only for Alphys, she supposed. With a bit of a sigh, Alphys decided to answer. "Really. Like everyone else, I'm just worried about how things might turn out. I'm hoping that things don't go horribly wrong for us. Though the chances definitely don't strive for an easy mission."
"Ah. Is that how it is?" Undyne wondered. "Well...don't worry. We're all plenty strong enough to handle this. There isn't anything wrong with being nervous, though. Have to admit, this whole thing's got me feeling nervous too. But I can't allow it to hold me back from what I have to do. And you can't let it hold you back either. Just keep remembering this, I'm here to help you. You know you can count on me to support you when you need it, right?"
Alphys nodded quickly, a small smile on her face as she briefly gives Undyne a kiss. "Right. I know."
"Good. Now are ya coming?" Alphys nodded readily. Undyne grinned. "Well, what are ya waitin' for? Let's go! Everyone!" With this, Undyne effortlessly scoops Alphys up on her arms and carries her out of the bar. The Canine Unit kindly paid for the food Red consumed, as she grabbed both Frisk and Asriel and pulled them along out of the bar. Sans and Papyrus also left the bar after a few more moments of speaking with Grillby. And Shamir carried Flowey in his pot and left with everyone else. With everyone gone, the fire elemental sighs as he lightly pushed up his glasses. Grillby would fully recognize the slight irony of what he says next, but he says it anyway.
"We've seen the spark, and the fire is building up. I wonder what they're willing to do to extinguish it..."
Me: I did want to go further than this, but I thought against it. This seems like a decent place to stop.
Chara: Everyone just needed a bit of time to recover from how sudden this was. Only then will we move onward to deal with the upcoming threat.
Asriel: Easing our tense nerves isn't such a bad idea, either...
Toriel: The humans have placed their trust in us to handle this situation, but we know the patience will not last long. We have to do our best to make sure we live up to that trust.
Asriel: Right. It's very important we don't let them down, and vice versa. We'll continue easing our tense nerves until we're ready to move out. The journey will offically start somewhere in the next chapter, so please be patient with us. Okay, bye for now!
