Alice in Undertale

By Lolitafreak88

Chapter 36 The Truth About Anime

"Let's start with the sauce!" Undyne roared powerfully before she stomped the ground.

Two tomatoes, a carrot, and a banana somehow fell from the ceiling and landed onto the counter. Ideally these would be cut down and mashed into what would compromise the sauce for the pasta in a traditional recipe. Alice couldn't help but fear Undyne might have some other way of cooking that would be unorthodox. Not that she didn't think Undyne couldn't take care of herself but more that she seemed to have a reckless and stubborn streak. She was the one who had pioneered Papyrus into hunting her down much earlier after all.

"Envision these vegetables as your greatest enemy! Now! Pound them to dust with your fists!" Undyne slammed her own fists on the table to accentuate this idea.

Alice frowned slightly and wondered if that was really the best way to prepare the vegetables. Furthermore, a banana was not really a vegetable but a fruit. Undyne had neglected to bring out any knives or proper tools for cooking which explained Undyne's keenness on having these vegetables splatter all over the place. It was not very clean or ethical for the sanctity of the dish or likely Alice herself so Alice had to resign to try to pound the vegetables in a wimpy fashion. Namely, she proceeded to pet the vegetables in an affectionate manner.

"OH MY GOD! STOP PETTING THE ENEMY!" Undyne sounded far too disgusted for what the situation actually was.

"Are ingredients really our enemy when we're cooking?" Alice asked incredulously.

"Well, these certainly are! Let me show you how it's done! NGAHHH!" Undyne clenched her fist powerfully and leaned back slightly.

"Eep!" Alice cowered and crouched down as low as she could to avoid the coming destruction.

With a glorious swing of her arm, Undyne smashed the vegetables thoroughly. Their remains splattered on the counter and upon the wall in a strange display of goop and color. Alice felt a small amount of vegetable remains drop onto her hair, prompting her to stand up quickly and wipe her hair carefully to clean it. Undyne, on the other hand, had a good amount of vegetable goop on her face, top, and hands. The red color of the tomatoes made it look like she had emerged from a bloody battle. It was actually very amusing but Alice was slightly irritated by the fact Undyne wasn't responsibly cooking or taking better hygienic care of herself. Not to mention that they'd have to resort to scooping most of this scattered mush from the walls and counter in an unsanitary fashion to put it into the mix. That simply wouldn't do.

"I don't think we can use this to cook Undyne." Alice mumbled as she succeeded in making her hair spotless.

"Uhh, we'll just scrape this into a bowl later. No big! But for NOW!" Undyne seemed to shake off her stains with her intense aura as she stomped the ground yet again.

This time a metal pot with a wooden spoon and a yellow box that seemed to contain thick, uncooked noodles plummeted onto the stove in the right places. Alice was starting to seriously wonder how these things were coming from the ceiling but Undyne carried on her cooking lesson,

"... we add the noodles! Homemade noodles are the best! BUT I JUST BUY STORE-BRAND! THEY'RE THE CHEAPEST!"

"Come to think of it, do you make any sort of money as a Royal Guard Captain Undyne?" Alice asked curiously.

"Well yeah but with how limited certain fresh foods are in the Underground, the prices for these commodities cost a lot. It tastes good enough when used for a nice recipe though! NGAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Uhh, just put them into the pot." Undyne calmed herself down after getting briefly overexcited.

Alice realized this also explained why Sans took multiple odd jobs as a sentry or hot dog seller in order to get the funds for Papyrus's spaghetti recipe. She had never considered how the economy of the Underground functioned since most of its residents seemed more intent on leaving it rather than trying to make a living off of it. Mettaton seemed to be the most wealthy of these monsters with his own hotel and food chain and prestigious television show but she had never thought about how well-off other monsters were. Muffet seemed like she would be fairly wealthy although she needed funds to help save spiders from the Ruins and… Oh dear, I'm rambling off in my head again. Alice soon came to her sense and looked embarrassed after noticing Undyne raising an eyebrow at Alice not opening the box of noodles. After doing so, she carefully started to put in the noodles into the empty pot one noodle at a time. They clanked against the empty bottom. Alice wondered if she was overdoing it on the carefulness but it wasn't like she had ever cooked before. It tended to be her sister who did the cooking as she had a natural motherly tendency to gravitate to those duties.

"Nice? Alright! Now it's time to stir the pasta! As a general rule of thumb, the more you stir… THE BETTER IT IS!"

"Oh. Well, then I'll stir it to the best of my abilities." Alice found Undyne's logic to be a bit childish but fun to apply.

"Yeah! Go at it as hard as you can!"

Alice stirred diligently through and through but Undyne seemed displeased as she did so. Undyne kept shouting at her to do it 'harder' which Alice found very difficult to do with a wooden spoon. Ultimately she felt the firm grip of Undyne's hand on her shoulder and Undyne nudging her aside. Alice felt a bit of disappointment at not meeting Undyne's high standards of stirring but then the Royal Guard Captain bellowed and did something Alice never would've expected,

"Ugh, let me do it!"

One of Undyne's spears was conjured from above and assaulted the pot full of noodles ruthlessly in a new style of stirring. It seemed to dent and pound the pot into a very unsafe shape for cooking and the noodles themselves were broken apart into smaller pieces. Alice breathed in and breathed out in a flabbergasted manner before looking at Undyne skeptically. Her idea of 'cooking lessons' seemed to perfectly combine her Royal Guard ferocity with what Alice had seen and measured about Papyrus's own cooking capabilities. Undyne didn't seem deterred in any fashion about what she had done to the pot.

"Fuhuhuhu! That's the stuff! Alright, now for the final step: TURN UP THE HEAT! Let the stovetop symbolize your passion! Let your hopes and dreams turn into burning fire!"

"I understand that cooking involves putting your heart and soul into the food you make but don't you reason you are overexaggerating a bit?" Alice nervously questioned as she eyed the dials that would no doubt turn on the flame for the oven.

"NONSENSE! It's what a good hearty cooking lesson is all about! If you play with fire like a chump, you are going to get burned! READY ALICE? Don't hold anything back!" Undyne demanded.

It's a wonder that Papyrus himself hasn't burned anything with how eager she wants the heat turned on, Alice was beginning to find all this to be a bit amusing. Regardless, the little girl turned the dial to the right, seeing a small steady flame emerge from the under the pot. Any further would prove hazardous to the spaghetti and also the oven but for some reason Undyne wanted it to be hotter. Alice wondered if she should try to argue that it was plenty hot enough but she also had a hunch she knew where this cooking lesson was going to end up. So as she continued to turn the dial, the flame soon magnified in red hues and in size and Alice had to be careful not to burn herself.

"HOTTER, DARNIT!" Undyne shouted with impatience.

"You do realize you are going to end up imploding something at this rate yes?" Alice asked flatly as she obeyed Undyne's request.

"Take it easy! I know exactly what I'm doing! In fact, just step aside and let me do it!" Undyne shoved Alice gently but firmly aside and cranked the dial all the way to its maximum limit.

Alice calmly stepped away from the oven which now had a giant torch of flame surging up towards the ceiling. She just hoped there wasn't any gas or flammable liquids in the room considering that the room started to turn a deep and startling shade of scarlet…

"See!? This is how you-"

A flash of polarizing light. Darkness. Then finally, Alice could see that not only did the room suddenly feel as though they were in a humid environment but that everything in Undyne's house was now a magnificent shade of burning embers. Four flames had sprouted into the house and there was no doubt in Alice's mind that the house was set ablaze. The spaghetti was a lost cause, given the pot was completely charred black and a dim ribbon of grey flowed from within it. Yet strangely she didn't smell any smoke in the air nor see anything like ash or embers and could breathe normally. Furthermore, she was immensely relieved to have been unharmed from this sudden ignition of Undyne's house. Undyne herself also seemed fine although she was scratching the back of her head and looking around the soon-to-be remains of her home with embarrassment and realization.

"Ah. Man, no wonder Papyrus sucks at cooking." She admitted bashfully.

"Truthfully he has proven able to not burn a house down and he can brew a very fine tea but yes. I imagine the surface could have some chefs willing and accomplished enough to train him." Alice offered optimistically.

"There you go again with that surface thing… is it a friend thing that makes you so hopeful or what?" Undyne asked a surprisingly poignant question.

"Well in a sense, yes. I definitely want to reach the surface with everyone I care about but at the same time, I myself am a person of imagination. I've always deduced it's what helped me to find the best and most satisfying opportunities out of even the direst or drollest situations. Granted I don't think it's going to help save your house unless we can find someone skilled with water magic…"

"Well, whatever. So what's next? Scrapbooking? Friendship bracelets? …" Undyne seemed to be forcing a fake smile.

"But I'm not carrying an unused journal. Which reminds me, did you know Mettaton collects-"

"That was a rhetorical question, Alice. I have to face the music. I really screwed this up, didn't I? I can't force you to like me, human. Some people just don't get along with each other." Undyne folded her arms.

"Well while that is true there is some common ground we both can find. Like knowing Napstablook or caring about Papyrus's well-being or enjoying tea together. And even if your house is burning down right as we speak-" Alice wasn't surprised to be interrupted again.

"Yeah, I think I get the picture. Arson is not exactly an IDEAL thing two friends should be doing together. Especially when it's to one of their homes. But it's fine, I understand. Maybe we're just not compatible as friends… and that's okay. Because… if we're not friends… IT MEANS I CAN DESTROY YOU WITHOUT REGRET!" Undyne seemed all too excited for this endeavor she announced.

"Wh… what on earth…?" Alice for once was genuinely caught off-guard and instinctively took several steps away from Undyne.

Not again… She whimpered in her mind as she made her way towards the exit of the house. Undyne didn't chase after her but she did hear Undyne's magic summon a spear, the act of which compelled Alice to stop and turn around slowly to face the crouching but determined fish woman. Alice realized that Undyne did have a right to challenge her for what had just transpired. Alice hadn't been able to stop Undyne from recklessly setting her house ablaze and had technically intruded into this because of Papyrus. It was her right as a guest to see this scenario through.

"I've been defeated… My house is in shambles… I even failed to befriend you. That's it. I don't care if you're my guest anymore. One final rematch! All out on both sides! IT'S THE ONLY WAY I CAN REGAIN MY LOST PRIDE!" Undyne demanded.

Pride was very important to any warrior and Alice recognized it like this. So at that moment, Alice knew she would only be dishonoring herself and letting Papyrus down by not helping Undyne regain that pride. Besides, wouldn't a good-natured spar between them be a symbol of friendship in its own way? Maybe without the 'all out' part but even that was part of Undyne's nature. Alice clenched her fists and turned to face Undyne with as much seriousness written on her face as possible.

"If it is a challenge you want out of me then I must give you that challenge." Alice said calmly.

DETERMINATION swirled around her in response to her newcome resolve. She wanted a Wonderland entity with zeal, enthusiasm, and power. Alice watched Undyne's expression as the figure she summoned started to manifest into full being. Undyne looked eager at first with her teeth grinning somewhat disturbingly but then her expression morphed into something that looked surprised before becoming completely skeptical. Admittedly Alice felt as though this choice she was making was more of a joke than actually taking the duel seriously but it seemed somewhat fitting for the King of Hearts to finally make an appearance. As the Queen of Hearts husband and the right hand to her reign, he was more submissive to his wife's understandably dominant presence. He often found things to be jovial and would often convince his wife successfully to compromise the same way a trader would make offers and deals. His minuscule size, golden wig-like hair and beard, a fine robe of wool and silk, and giant crown that seemed much too big for him made for an individual entirely different but still as regal as his wife. Undyne's stupefaction was clear as the King of Hearts waved kindly hello to her. Alice smirked, suddenly getting an idea on how to play Undyne like how Papyrus did earlier.

"Afraid that this king will be too much for you like Asgore was?" She teased in a way that reflected newfound trust in Undyne.

"Ohhh… so that's how it's going to be. No dwarf is going to show me up! Show me what you got! COME ON! HIT ME WITH ALL YOU GOT! NGAHHHH!" Undyne roared and tensed herself to an appropriately fierce pose.

The King of Hearts looked surprised and seemed to stammer to itself a smidgeon before ultimately giving into temptation. He dashed forward at surprisingly lithe speed and proceeded to… pretend to hit Undyne with all his might. 1 Damage was dealt. The King of Hearts looked delighted with his apparent success while Alice just shook her head playfully. The zeal he definitely had, just not as much power as his queen. Undyne took the small hit to her ego and health pool well.

"What. That's the best you can manage? Even attacking at full force… You just can't muster any intent to hurt me, huh? Even though you fought back before… is this really how far you've come?" Undyne asked.

"Yes. I've come an extremely long way just as you did when you were my age. I just hope that any future spars should be for the benefit of physical exercise and mental betterness. We're friends now aren't we?" Alice asked.

Undyne regarded Alice and the King of Hearts with a new expression: warmth. She dispelled her spear and assumed a casual position as she spoke peacefully,

"Heh, you know what? That's one of the first ideas you've had that I agree with wholeheartedly. I don't actually want to hurt you either. At first, I hated your stupid saccharine schtick and overly-sensitive reasoning, but… The way your very SOUL's magic hit me right now, it… Reminded me of someone I used to train with. Now I know you aren't just some wimpy loser. You're a wimpy loser with a big heart! And an apron for some reason. Do you cook a lot or something?"

"Truthfully it's more of a stylistic and practical choice for English fashion in my time… I can carry small things and remain pristine. Somehow though I can fit the most absurdly sized things in my pockets now. *Giggle* Must be something about the Underground." Alice fondly elaborated on it.

"Heh, you are certainly your own person Alice but you are also just like that guy in some ways… Listen though. It seems that you and ASGORE are fated to fight. But knowing him… he doesn't want to. Talk to him. I'm sure you can persuade him to let you go home."

Alice flinched, as she suddenly was brought back to that throne room and that Barrier. Where Asgore had spoken defeatedly that he had no desire to claim her SOUL but felt compelled to by the Underground's demands. As well as the despair of knowing she technically could talk him down but that Flowey would cruelly take advantage of this and ambush his majesty. The King of Hearts also frowned, reflecting the emotions that were filling Alice's mind. Undyne is surprisingly more observant than I realized even if she doesn't know I've fought him once before, Alice recalled. The Royal Guard captain was showing full belief in Alice's pacifism but failure would be certain if things didn't change from befriending her now to that moment in time. Regardless this was certainly a distinct change from the last timeline. With this in mind, Alice swallowed her initial sorrow and concern and took pride in what she had accomplished thus far with a big smile.

"Yes! That is what I am after Undyne and I won't let you down." The King of Hearts jumped up and down with joy and clapped in response to Alice's words.

"Eventually, some mean human will fall down here… And I'll take THEIR soul instead. That makes sense, right? Fuhuhu."

"In a pragmatic fashion, I guess…" Alice still wasn't keen on that idea.

"Oh, and if you DO hurt ASGORE… I'll take the human souls… Cross the barrier… And beat the hell out of you! That's what friends are for, right? Fuhuhuh! Now let's get the hell out of this flaming house!" Undyne cackled as she raced across the increasingly scorched floor of her house and out the door.

Alice smiled. She had always felt a great admiration for the female Royal Guard captain despite her brash attitude and ruthlessness in the previous timeline. Yet Alice had been no better denying the Royal Guard captain an audience after Papyrus believed so strongly the two women could get along. He was absolutely right and now Alice felt confident and comfortable in having such a loyal, powerful, confident, and adventurous friend in her life who could probably help Alice stay in great shape. A piece of the roof collapsed next to her and broke through these positive thoughts. She gasped in a flustered fashion and fleed the house with the King of Hearts right behind her. Once the coast was clear, she turned around and saw that the once fishy looking house now seemed to have a burning set of eyes and fire in its jaws. It made for a strangely appealing effect but now was not the time for admiration. Alice looked over to Undyne apologetic. Fortunately, she knew of a small detail that might help Undyne make sure she wouldn't end up homeless.

"I'm deeply sorry for your home Undyne. Perhaps you could stay with Papyrus and Sans in the meantime? I'm sure Papyrus would be honored to have you staying over.

"That's a great idea Alice! But man, that was fun, right? We'll have to hang out again sometime! Invite Alphys along too and we could even have a girl's night! Where we beat each other up with pillows and watch anime!" Undyne looked to be very inspired.

"That would be very lovely Undyne. So you'll be in Snowdin if I need you again yes?" Alice asked after nodding.

"Just dial up Papyrus's number and I'll be there in a jiffy to aid you! Or come visit as a friend would. OH! WAIT! Speaking of Alphys, I actually wanted you to deliver something for me? Papyrus suggested that I ask you. But he told me when I still hated you, so… Uh! Anyway! Here! Just take it!" Undyne, in a surprising flurry of words, pulled out a letter and handed it to Alice.

Alice once again felt a bad omen seeing a letter being meant for Alphys when so many stacked letters had been on the Royal Scientist's desk. Then again if it's from Undyne it's probably a letter Alphys would mean to actually open and respond to, Alice considered. Although I do hope Alphys won't be mad or upset that it's me being the deliverer. Alice knew that amends needed to be made and she wasn't going to give up on this chance. She still was hesitant about how things would progress in the meeting though. With a firm nod, Alice and the King of Hearts accepted Undyne's request. Undyne looked a bit more expectant though as she put her hands on her hips.

"Well, what are you waiting for!? Go deliver it! To Dr. Alphys on the double! Let me know when you've done it!"

And after saying her peace, the fish woman went away to Snowdin. Alice wiped her brow and made sure to leave the area before she felt any hotter. The King of Hearts faded away as there was no need for her to have him out anymore. Alice looked at the letter carefully, noticing it seemed to be sealed unusually strongly. Extremely strongly as she couldn't even slip a finger in to loosen it up enough to open it. It seemed unsuspecting enough but she wondered what Undyne had wanted to say to Alphys in this letter. Presumably, it would be about Royal Guard business or perhaps the SOULS in some capacity if this letter had been made prior to the RESET to after San's fight. Or it could've just been a casual 'check to see how you are doing' letter.

"I suppose the only way I'll know the contents of what's inside is if I am in the presence of the one opening this letter. Time to make haste." Alice gave herself some good advice before making the migration to Alphys's lab again.

After taking the Riverperson's boat again (in which the boat itself seemed to somehow have contained paws fitting of the cat head of its design that sprinted gracefully and swiftly across the water) to Hotland and finding herself in front of the Lab, there seemed to be no mail slot visible on the door. The only way to get a letter into the Lab when it was locked like this would have to be by sliding it under the door. So Alice crouched down and did just that. Getting back to her feet, Alice then knocked on the door firmly to alert Alphys of the delivery. Moments later, the all-too-familiar meek voice of the lizard came through.

"... O-oh n-no, is that another letter…? I don't want to open it… C-Can't I just slide it back out…? … N… No… I can't keep doing this. I'll read this one." Alphys's reaction was extremely interesting.

Alice didn't dare say anything that'd alert her presence at the moment as she carefully listened. It seemed Alphys had a paranoia of these letters based on how she spoke so frightfully about receiving it. There was to be some admiration for her concluding that this behavior wasn't healthy on her own and that she'd decide to read this particular letter. Although based on the fact she hadn't checked who had sent it yet, it made Alice wonder if Alphys had grown used to just putting letters aside in that pile without even checking the sender.

"... Um… I-it's shut k-kind of strongly, isn't it? Wait a second…" Alphys's voice went silent as she presumably moved to somewhere in her lab.

The sound of something electrical and very powerful echoed strongly from within. Presumably, some kind of laser had been used to break the seal of the letter. That certainly was a strong seal Undyne used then, Alice thought. Moments after, the doors opened and Alphys looked down bashfully with the opened letter in her hands. Alice stood startled and caught off-guard by how sudden she had done the action and let the Royal Scientist say her piece.

"Hey, if this is a joke, it's… … Oh My God? Alice?! Did YOU write this letter? It wasn't signed, so, I had no idea who could have-"

"I assure you Alphys it wasn't me. Undyne was the writer and sender of this letter. What's it say anyway?" Alice asked curiously and tried not to make Alphys feel scared.

Alphys looked very embarrassed but also relieved. Perhaps she had been ready to jump to a conclusion based on how nervously excited her voice had gotten.

"It's asking me whether or not I wanted to go on a date with the sender. B-but it had no name so I just thought to see if t-the sender was still here… and you're here. Oh, Undyne…" Alphys hugged herself, feeling very proud.

"Alphys, if I may take advantage of this moment, I wanted to apologize for how heated I had gotten earlier. It was-" Alice was about to continue but to her surprise, Alphys dragged her strongly by the arm inside her lab and shut the door.

Clearly, the Royal Scientist was craving some privacy but also seemed poised to answer and grant Alice's request. Alphys looked deeply sad though, the euphoria of the letter wearing off fast.

"Alice… all I-I have done to you… I don't ever expect to be fully forgiven… it was cruel and thoughtless to take advantage of your hard-fought journey t-the way I did… to be as deceptive as I've been a-all my life… It's eating me up inside and while I appreciate you coming to me to deliver this and try to forgive me... *Sigh* How can I believe it?"

"Can we approach this discussion from a different angle? Why DID you become the Royal Scientist, was it a lifelong dream or a sudden opportunity I feel there's so much I need to know about you before we can actually befriend one another." Alice asked, knowing it was crucial to put Alphys at ease.

Alphys stared at her lab with a sense of longing and regret. She sighed once more and looked to Alice on the verge of tears.

"I had always had insecurities a-about myself… my role… m-my importance. But I had a gift in research and studies that m-many monsters didn't have back then. I had someone I looked up to, Asgore's original Royal Scientist… but they disappeared. Fortunately, t-they had taught me as much as I needed to inherit the Royal Scientist position and I couldn't be any more thrilled. I was on cloud nine… t-that all my nerdiness and time spent inside of the Lab rather than out had given me such a prestigious job. A-and… as Mettaton put it, allowed me to be close to someone I crushed on and thought highly of…" Alphys confessed.

"It's true you're extremely bright. And 'nerdy' I suppose. Where did all this lying begin though? I myself can't really understand where you would need to lie so much to everyone… It's what starts the tradition of lying to yourself. Or fabricating a different species' history." Alice added quite strongly.

"It goes b-beyond trying to make myself feel better… I-I've tried to impress Asgore with Mettaton… b-but I lied to him about creating a SOUL in the process. Had I really done so… w-w-we'd be free. But it goes further than that… I-I did something AWFUL. Horrendous. Sinful. I've never been able to muster up enough confidence to open up about i-it… B-b-because what I did… *Sniff* It broke lives…" Alphys couldn't help herself at this point and started sobbing large and messy tears.

Alice pitied Alphys deeply. She was an insecure and clearly haunted individual and even her genuine emotions seemed to invite people to come to her and give her compassion and feed into her tendencies of using people. Alice did know though that Alphys had genuine friendships with Mettaton, her majesty, and Undyne and that the Royal Scientist was giving everything she could into succeeding in this position. She had no right to steal that rightfulness, honor, and legacy from her when Alphys had already lost so much. Alice had once told Alphys to be more hopeful and so Alice needed to demonstrate that hope in order for Alphys to fully believe in herself again.

"I won't ask what this was… I think I get the picture that it was what was related to all those unanswered letters. And I feel you are someone who atones by doing what you can now that the promised seventh SOUL has come to the Underground. But this deceptiveness needs to end soon Alphys. If it'll take me breaking the Barrier to free you from this habit, I'll do so in a heartbeat." Alice hugged Alphys and demonstrated her hope.

There was a peaceful but sad silence as Alphys sobbed and seemed to be taking the time needed to pick herself up and compose herself. Alice did still feel like Alphys had done inexcusable things but what happened in that future… no one deserved to go without losing their majesty and creation's cousin and feel completely responsible for it. If befriending Undyne was important and vital to the future then it only made sense for Alphys to have companionship and care as well.

"H-how though….? *Sniff*"

"For starters… staying true to human history." Alice smiled reassuringly.

"... I-I never expected a human t-to come to my Lab and see those… I just wanted my friends to think my knowledge of human history was cool by making humans seem like all the anime I had seen. It wasn't right of me to do that… even if I w-would love if magical girls are real…." Alphys slowly started to calm down.

"Would I qualify as one of these magical girls…?"

"Y-you certainly have the femininity and elegance and magic. But y-you'd need a transformation sequence." Alphys chuckled sweetly and wiped her tears away.

"Unless you call growing suddenly huge or shrinking to a very petite size a transformation sequence then I don't think I truly qualify," Alice said embarrassed.

"... I-I also want you to know that I don't want to objectify you as the 'Alice in Wonderland' anymore. I want to be able to recognize you as an individual person too… and an f-friend maybe? Though it was a bit amusing to think for a brief moment you sent this romantic letter to me." Alphys said.

"Again, I'm not suitably ready for romance as I am now. Would you say that there's a chance that I can help you with this upcoming date? I… don't want you to feel as though you can't be happy Alphys. And answers I seek can be discovered later. I'd rather be there for you when you need me most." Alice offered kindly.

Alphys looked deeply touched. Alice knew that Alphys did need close company before guilt and trauma consumed her. In a way, this was a calm before the storm that would be Alice trying again to see the King or even find the true solution to freedom. While Undyne's cooking lesson had been somewhat ridiculous, it had been extremely enjoyable. Her current prediction was that aiding Alphys with her date would carry very much the same effect. Although now that Alice thought about it, this letter asking Alphys out on the date was from Undyne. So didn't that mean Undyne was…?

"Y-you'd help…? U-um… I mean… that actually sounds like a great idea…! Uhhh, sorry! I need to get dressed first!" Alphys, seemingly on board with the idea of Alice helping her out, went off to her closet to get a garment.

"So Undyne seems to feel romantic feelings for Alphys… and Alphys returns them. I suppose what was said at Grillby's really does hold true for the monsters." Alice reminisced fondly about learning same-gender relationships had become socially acceptable.

She wasn't sure though now that she had offered it whether she was any good at offering dating advice. She was ten years old of all things. But it did seem to make Alphys feel extremely happy and Alice had already been through too much to back down from something as casual as this. Besides, she had gone on a 'date' with Papyrus and had shown the ability to work her way through a romantic setting. As Alphys seemed to go into her bathroom to change after securing her outfit of choice, Alice looked upstairs, debating whether or not she should steal one of the sealed letters on the desk. Ultimately she surrendered to her curiosity and headed up to look at the letters and selected the letters from Froggit, Snowy, and Doggo. Knowing them to be the most familiar faces and being the ones on top convinced her these were valuable letters to investigate later. She grabbed them and placed them into her pocket before returning downstairs to not arouse suspicion. She made it just in time as Alphys emerged from the bathroom in a surprisingly beautiful garment. It was a long, sleeveless red dress with white polka-dots on it. It flattered her proportions exquisitely and made her look a lot more confident than when wearing her lab coat.

"H-how do I look? Undyne helped me pick out this dress." Alphys asked shyly.

"I think it looks very pretty on you." Alice curtsied formally to show her approval of the new look.

"T-thanks… that means a lot coming from someone as beautifully dressed as you… Um, anyway, let's do this thing! Though I-I suppose it's only right to let you take the lead… what should I do for the date?" Alphys asked.

"Well, ideally a date starts off with a nice meal or some gifts. A complimentary token of affection and gratitude should make a very strong first impression. Do you have anything you could give to Undyne?" Alice inquired.

"Oh… t-that sounds like when you give someone items to raise their affection statistic… I sure do! I-I've been stockpiling gifts in anticipation for a date like this! F-first I've got… Some metal armor polish!" Alphys pulled out what looked like a jar of a clear black liquid.

"She wouldn't be wearing armor to a date I presume. It'd be useful for outside of the date if you decide to go with that."

"R-right… it should be something compatible with the a-atmosphere. I also brought some waterproof cream for her scales!" This time Alphys pulled out like what looked like a fancy cosmetic as she put the jar away.

"Does Undyne use make-up like that? I mean I figured she wouldn't mind getting wet being she lives in Waterfall." Alice asked as she didn't think Undyne would be that type of woman.

"Uh, well, how about… This magical spear repair kit, that I… well… devised?" Alphys was now blushing a bit as she pulled out a strangely orthodox looking box.

"I thought spears of magic couldn't break. They always seem to be dispelled by the owner anyway." Alice said.

Come to think of it, maybe I should stop being so nitpicky. Alice lectured herself as she noticed Alphys shake her head and drop the rest of the items onto the floor in a clustered fashion. In all honesty, if Alice was to get Undyne a gift on a date, she'd probably go for something more ornamental or exciting. That or some medicine or cleaning cloth for injuries since she assumed Undyne hurt herself a lot during training. Alphys's gifts seemed practical but they didn't seem like proper 'dating' gifts and more like unbirthday gifts. Papyrus's home-cooked meal on their date seemed like the best kind of dating gift but it seemed Alphys wasn't a keen cook since she hadn't mentioned anything about food. Alice decided to further comment,

"But I mean you could still give them to her at a later time. I'm not the best critic for these kinds of things after all."

"It's all right Alice. You are already doing a l-lot for me… Hey, let's forget about the items! W-what else do you think would be necessary for the date…?" Alphys asked.

"Did Undyne give you a location to go to?" Alice asked calmly.

"Oh of course…! Picking o-out a place to spend time together is very important! But where….? … I've got it! The perfect place in mind too! Let's go to the garbage dump!" Alphys's actual selection was nothing like Alice had envisioned.

Even more surprising, Alphys excitedly raced out of her lab and made her way over there. Alice didn't even have time to question why there or even feel impressed that Alphys had developed the courage to leave her lab like this. The little girl raced after Alphys and the two of them soon returned to Waterfall and the miserably wet area that was the garbage dump. Alice cringed as memories of the fight with Mad Dummy came to her mind though fortunately, Alphys seemed to have found a dry area where Alice could stand without getting her legs or skirt wet again. It did seem so weird to see Alphys in her nice dress amidst the piles of mysterious garbage but Alice reckoned it was a place that Alphys must've loved a lot to come here.

"So you chose here over any other place in the Underground? Is there something special about it?" Alice asked as she looked around.

"This is where Undyne and I come all the time… We find all sorts of great stuff in here. Heh, she's really…" Alphys looked very comforted.

"A heroine?" Alice offered.

"Yeah… just like an anime heroine. But real… Oh no. That's her over there. I c-can't let her see me u-until I'm ready to truly start the date!" Alphys suddenly pointed over past Alice's shoulder and looked frantic.

Alice looked over, surprised at the sudden turn of events and noticed that Undyne was indeed there, looking around anxiously. But what was even more surprising about Undyne's appearance for Alice was that she wearing a completely new look. Undyne was wearing a white turtleneck under a black leather jacket, a rose-colored scarf around her neck, pants, a sheen of red lipstick, a pastel blue eye patch, and had her hair done in a somehow more relaxed and altogether more glamorous fashion. Considering her usual tough and rugged persona and Alice was amazed at how feminine and put together Undyne appeared. She could see why Alphys was quite fond of Undyne now from a visual point of view as she looked like a lady. However, Alphys ran behind a nearby trashcan and clearly was intent on hiding. After that moment, Undyne's eyes met Alice's and a very quick reunion ensued.

"Hello, again Undyne. That's a really lovely look you have put on." Alice complimented her sweetly.

"Hey! There you are! … Thanks by the way. Ahem! I, uh, realized that if you deliver that thing, Alice… It might be a bad idea. So I'm gonna do it! Give it to me!" Undyne sounded desperate, flustered, and only a tad bit angry.

Alice realized Undyne must've realized that she had forgotten to put her name on the letter and that Alphys would've thought that whoever delivered her the letter would be the one asking her out on a date. Fortunately, Alice was more than capable of clearing up that misunderstanding but Undyne seemed concerned nonetheless. Alice wasn't sure how to approach this conversation since Alphys was hiding and probably wouldn't want to be ousted yet. Ultimately, the idea of being perfectly truthful but not clear was the idea that won out in Alice's mind.

"I apologize Undyne but the letter is not on me right now." Alice folded one arm across her chest and leaned her other arm to her face to appear unsuspecting.

"Huh!? You don't have it!? Ngggaaahhhh! Have you at least seen her!?" Undyne growled in embarrassment and frustration.

"N-no… I haven't witnessed her despite my efforts." Alice said, resisting the urge to laugh.

"No? But she wasn't at home… Where the heck could she be!? Keep an eye out for her ok Alice?!" Undyne then proceeded to sprint away into the distance.

With the coast, all clear, Alphys came out from behind the trash can.

"Oh my god. She's a-amazing… I really do like her more than I like other people. I'm sorry I made a mistake again. I shouldn't have forced you to l-lie for me… But, I mean… she's way out of my league. She's so confident… And strong… And funny… And I'm just a nobody. A fraud. I'm the royal scientist, but... all I've ever done is hurt people. I've told her so many lies, she thinks I'm… She thinks I'm a lot cooler than I actually am." The Royal Scientist went on a speech of self-deprecation.

"Well there's no need for anyone to be hurt anymore is there? And I'm sure letting her know the truth about things such as human history or your true self will set you free and genuinely impress her." Alice recommended.

"The truth…? But if I tell her that, she'll hate me. Isn't it better this way? To live a lie where both people are happy… Or a truth where neither of us are? They say 'be yourself.' But I don't really like who 'myself' is. I'd rather just be whatever makes people like me. Eheheh…" Alphys said sadly.

"Alphys. If you give up this chance to evolve upon who you really are and continue to tell lies, they'll come back to haunt you in a brutal fashion. I know we've had a rocky relationship so far but I've always admired your dedication, cleverness, and efforts to improve upon yourself. Rather than continue to tell how great you are to Alphys, it's ideal to show her for a change." Alice put her hands on Alphys's shoulders and looked her straight in the eye.

Alphys, for all her insecurities and mistakes, was still worthy of having a break and having a chance to improve her situation. Alice herself was given that same blessed opportunity several times throughout the Underground and learned how to show her intelligence and analysis rather than lecture and judge loosely. So Alice was determined to let Alphys believe in this chance and in herself that she could accomplish something she really wanted without fearing regret or rejection. Alphys seemed briefly mesmerized by Alice's gaze, perhaps in thought. Then the Royal Scientist took a deep breath and spoke with slightly more confidence,

"No, you're right. Every day I'm scared… Scared what will happen if people learn the truth on their own. They'll all get hurt because of me… But how can I properly show UNDYNE the tr… truth? I d-don't have the confidence… I'm going to mess it up! How can I practice?"

"Well, what if we tried acting it out? Like I could be Undyne and converse with you and you would be yourself and we'd be able to practice a potential scenario of what might happen. It'd help you be aware of your word choice and work on best expressing yourself." Alice suggested.

"O… oh… you mean roleplay it?" Alphys seemed to catch on quickly to what Alice was suggesting.

"Wait, is that what they call it? That sounds a bit peculiar." Alice raised an eyebrow.

It was to be considered that actors in a play did have 'roles' but somehow the combination of 'role' with 'play' made it seem more like it was an everyday thing rather than something done for performance. Still, it seemed to make Alphys feel chipper as she nodded excitedly.

"Yeah. It actually sounds kind of fun! Let's start now… Ahem. H-hi Undyne… H-how are you doing today?" Alphys asked with a courteous expression on her face.

Alice realized she would have to get into character and that was a bit of a challenge when she first thought about it. But then it occurred to Alice that she had spent so much time with Undyne recently that she knew what the Royal Guard captain was like. Or at least long enough to pick up on some of her mannerisms. Acting is more fun than lying at the very least, Alice considered, so I should find this more easy to get into. So Alice folded her arms and as opposed to her usual proper stature, was slightly slouched and had a more gruff expression on her face. She wanted to hold herself with the proper intimidation and power that Undyne had always possessed as a Royal Guard Captain. Then she spoke with an intentionally deeper voice,

"I'm fine. Just finished a very important cooking lesson with Papyrus. Ngah."

Alphys chuckled, finding the sight and sound of Alice's impression amusing.

"Ha! Ha! Glad to hear it! … Uhh, so I'd like to, um, talk to you about something."

"What is it Alphys?" Alice put a hand on her hip and looked at Alphys with the seemingly right amount of interest.

"Umm, you see… I… I… I... I h-haven't been exactly truthful w-w-with you… Y… you see, I… I… Oh, forget it! Undyne! I… I want to tell you how I feel! Y-you're so brave, a-and s-strong… A-and nice… Y-you always listen t-to me when I talk about n-n-nerdy stuff… Y-you always d-d-do your best to m-make me f-f-feel special… L-like t-telling me that y-you'll b-beat up anyone that g-gets in my way…" Alphys seemed to finally regain her confidence as she continued to flatter and earnest talk about what Undyne meant to her.

But then the conversation took a very abrupt and weird turn.

"UNDYNE! I CAN'T TAKE THIS ANY LONGER! I'M MADLY IN LOVE WITH YOU! HOLD ME, UNDYNE! HOLD ME!" Alphys shook with what Alice could only hope was mere anticipation and screamed somewhat lustfully.

"C-calm down Alphys! There's no need to shou- Wait… that's not what Undyne would say, would it…? Are we still role-playing?" Alice confused herself as she tried to quiet down Alphys.

As if to make the situation only more awkward for Alphys, the real Undyne ran onto the scene. From the looks of it, she had been carefully listening for Alphys during her search and naturally, Alphys's loud and somewhat heated words had definitely caught her attention.

"WHAT did you just say?" Undyne asked with a wide-eyed look.

"U… Undyne! I… was… just…" Alphys was naturally dumbfounded and embarrassed in her response.

Alice meekly waved hello as she knew it was the only thing she could do at the moment that was polite. Undyne to her credit seemed to look over Alphys with a fond expression. But as Undyne began speaking and continued to speak, her expression changed dramatically,

"Hey. whoa, wait a second! Your outfit's really cute! What's the occasion? … Wait a second. Are you two… On a date?"

"GOOD HEAVENS no!" Alice instantly blushed.

"UHH, YES! I mean, UHHH NO!" Alphys's reaction was more clumsy and didn't help Alice feel any less mortified.

"Undyne I assure you I have no interest in dating whatsoever and I was only-"

"S-she means we actually were only romantically roleplaying as you!"

Undyne's expressions became somewhat comical as she went from outraged to baffled to awkwardly smiling at what was being told to her before settling on outrage at the last part. Alice cringed deeply at the whole thing. Romantically roleplaying sounds absolutely vulgar, why Alphys?! Alice could only hope that her look of desperation and need for forgiveness would convince Undyne she had no ulterior or wrong motives for this.

"WHAT?" Undyne bellowed somewhat angrily at the idea.

"I MEAN! I mean… Undyne… I… I've been lying to you!" Alphys finally confessed something remotely resembling the truth.

"WHAT? ABOUT WHAT?"

"About… Well… Everything! I told you that seaweed was like… scientifically important… Really, I just… I just use it to make ice cream! And those human history books I keep reading… They are just dorky comic books! And the history movies… those… Those are just, uh, anime! They aren't real!"

Thank goodness, the integrity of human history has finally been saved. Alice wiped away some sweat that had formed on her forehead and breathed a sigh of relief. Alphys's rambling was the most honesty and even kindness that the Royal Scientist had shared in front of Alice and it was incredibly inspiring for her to finally be honest with herself in front of someone she clearly valued more than herself. Alphys slowly but surely approached Undyne with each new truth she confessed and Undyne for her part was taking it just as surprised and even unsure about it as she was when Alphys was trying to explain they were not on a date. Alice saw no need to intervene at this point as she felt Undyne recognized that Alice certainly was not trying to court Alphys and Alphys was speaking up for herself. So she watched and enjoyed the sight of the whole confession.

"And that time I told you I was busy with work on the phone… I… Was just eating frozen yogurt in my pajamas! That time I…"

"Alphys." Undyne stopped Alphys's rambling with a sweet and even serene tone that Alice never could've imagined her using.

"I… I just wanted to impress you! I just wanted you to think I was smart and cool. That I wasn't some… nerdy loser." Alphys sighed slightly saddened.

"Alphys." Undyne crouched slightly and started rubbing Alphys's head in an affectionate manner.

"Undyne, I… really think you're neat, OK…" Alphys's voice reflected that she was touched by the gesture.

"Alphys. Shhhh. Shhhhhh." Undyne wrapped her arms around Alphys in such a kind caress that Alice was really proud of Undyne.

"Aww…! That's extremely sweet of you Undyne." Alice remarked favorably with her hands clasped.

Undyne then picked Alphys up in… a not as kind manner, but rather strongly. Alphys seemed surprised as well considering she was completely off the ground and Undyne was still holding her in the same way but now the hold seemed tighter. Then the most flabbergasting thing Alice had ever seen in the Underground happened. Undyne hurled Alphys dramatically into the air as if she was just an ordinary object. A strange basketball hoop appeared that looked a lot more modern than ones Alice had learned about and Alphys fell straight through it. She then landed in a trash can that somehow had magically slid open its lid just as Alphys descended close to it before closing up again once Alphys crashed into it. If Alice had to define the whole situation in a single sentence: Undyne had dunked Alphys through a net and into a trash can. The net promptly disappeared as well. How on earth did any of this work?!

"... What even…? U-Undyne why-" Alice looked between the trash can and Undyne with complete disillusionment and confusion written on her face.

"Alphys! I… think you're neat, too, I guess. But you've gotta realize… Most of what you said really doesn't matter to me. I don't care if you're watching kid cartoons or reading history books. To me, ALL of that stuff is just NERDY CRAP! What I like about you is that you're PASSIONATE! You're ANALYTICAL! It doesn't matter what it is! YOU CARE ABOUT IT! 100-PERCENT! AT MAXIMUM POWER! … so, you don't have to lie to me. I don't want you to have to lie to anyone anymore. Alphys… I want to help you become happy with who you are! And I know just the training you need to do that!" Undyne went into an incredibly empowering if unexpected speech that cleared up most of Alice's concerns about what Undyne just did.

Undyne was very much on the same page as Alice in many regards towards Alphys. Wanting the Royal Scientist to love herself and be confident, wanting her to be truthful and continue to work at maximum efficiency in her role as the Royal Scientist, and to become a stronger individual and monster altogether. Even if Undyne's way of showing it was very extreme and could've been just as effective without the dunking bit, it also perfectly reflected how she thought of Alphys. This sincere and powerful approach caused the trash can to stir a bit and Alice could see Alphys's feet emerge from the bottom of the can followed by the lid being lifted enough to see Alphys's eyes and glasses.

"Undyne… You… Y-You're gonna train me…?" Alphys's blush was clearly present in the shadows.

"Oh that's a wonderful opportunity!" Alice clapped happily.

"Pffft, what? ME? Don't get ahead of yourselves Alice and Alphys!" Undyne chuckled.

Both Alice and Alphys had expressions of confusion. Then all of a sudden, a majestic sight emerged from behind the piles of trash. The entire unfolding of this arrival, this entrance, this SCENE… was absolutely mind-boggling and nonsensical. It was very welcome though. PAPYRUS slowly emerged in a very flashy and hyper pose and a modified outfit from what she had seen from him previously. A cloth band was around his forehead with a shirt that said 'JOGBOY' on it as well as a pair of shorts and hearts on his shoulders. Alice couldn't believe it at first but then concluded in her mind it made some semblance of sense considering Undyne had told her earlier (Which apparently was less than an hour) she had gone to move in with him and Sans. So for Undyne to be out and about looking for Alice, Papyrus probably would accompany her as the loyal disciple-to-be that he was. Alice waved hello to him after recovering from the initial shock as Undyne finished her statement,

"Nah, I'm gonna get Papyrus to do it."

Alphys was not amused. Papyrus was full of amusement it seemed. He leaped from behind the pile of trash and stood in the same pose right next to Alphys.

"GET THOSE BONES SHAKIN'! IT'S TIME TO JOG 100 LAPS, HOOTING ABOUT HOW GREAT WE ARE!" Papyrus cheered excitedly.

"Oh am I to join in too?" Alice inquired curiously.

"Not until you settle things with Asgore. Once that's done, you can JOG UNTIL YOU FEEL LIKE A WARRIOR!" Alphys answered confidently.

I'll probably feel more like the opposite of that, Alice winced. It was hard to miss how nice this was of Undyne to allow her to join in on the training once all things were settled in the Underground. Perhaps the Royal Guard captain was envisioning training on the surface once Alice had successfully freed the Underground. Alice nodded with a big smile after overcoming the nerves of doing a bunch of exercising that she wasn't used to. This earned her a grin from Undyne. Undyne then turned to Alphys who looked noticeably ready if still a bit surprised.

"Ready? I'm about to start the timer!" Undyne held out what looked like a miniature clock attached to a string and held it at the ready.

"U-Undyne… I'll do my best…!" Alphys declared.

Then she and Papyrus marched off, declaring a variety of compliments about themselves and what they were doing in their wake. Alice was a bit puzzled that Alphys didn't get out of the trash can before starting the jog but perhaps Alphys thought it would make such activity more comfortable and fun for her. Alice smiled sentimentally as they faded off into the distance before a sudden abrupt cry from Undyne made her nearly scream from sudden surprise,

"OH MY GOD! She was kidding, right!? Those cartoons… those comics… Those are still REAL, right!?"

"Y-you mean the anime…? Or something else?" Alice pouted a bit as she was slightly irked at that being a priority in Undyne's mind.

"YES the anime! ANIME'S REAL, RIGHT?!" The Royal Guard captain grabbed Alice by the shoulders and made her face her eyepatched eye.

"Is this really the most pressing concern?" Alice asked, trying to buy some time on how to answer this.

"This. Will. Determine... How awesome humans have secretly been all this time and made me envy them SO BADLY! Answer ME! I can take it!"

"... Undyne. They are a complete and utter fabrication of years of civilization's growth and no such thing as 'anime' existing. I'm deeply sorry but real human history is too prestigious to allow to be mockingly misrepresented." Alice answered Undyne with words and a tone of voice that she felt her sister would've admired.

Several factors convinced Alice that telling Undyne the truth was the right thing to do in this scenario. The first was what Undyne had just said about being able to take it. Secondly, knowing how Undyne had expressed wanting Alphys to stop lying and showing great passion for the truth made it seem Undyne would appreciate Alice doing the same. Thirdly, her sister and all the history lessons she tutored Alice in made Alice realize it'd be disgraceful of her to buy into some false history. Fourth, promoting the idea of anime being real (As ironic as her own existence being apparently from a storybook was) just didn't seem consistent or plausible to her. Alice wasn't afraid of Undyne's reaction either as she knew it wasn't something as situation-defining as the SOULS. To Alice's slight surprise and amusement, Undyne seemed genuinely crushed. She fell to one knee dramatically as if trying to hold herself up from the weight of the revelation.

"No… NO! I CAN FEEL MY HEART BREAKING INTO PIECES!" Undyne cried.

"If it helps it's still something you can find great joy and inspiration in. It's just not something that ever really happened. At least not in my era and timeline." Alice offered as encouragingly as she could.

"... no, I can survive this… You alone are anime enough to make me believe in this world... I have to be strong. For Alphys. For you in a way. Thank you, Alice, for telling me the truth. I'll try my best to live in this world… as the heroine of my own anime. See you later!" Undyne got back to her feet and gave a hearty grin at Alice.

"Farewell!" Alice waved good-bye to Undyne heartily.

"..." Alphys on the other hand, found herself wishing she could be stronger.

She had run quite feverishly after Papyrus mostly to impress Undyne but also finding some small joy in pushing herself to points of stamina she never reached before. But Papyrus's physique was clearly not just for show as he had not only managed to lose her in his stride, but Alphys was too tired to try to pursue him. She had stopped over by where Temmie Village was but she had no interest in going there at the moment. In fact, she was hoping to go tend to Mettaton and other crucial errands in mind. Ultimately what Alphys had not anticipated though was a sudden bony hand from behind placing itself firmly on her left shoulder. Alphys was admittedly a bit expectant to see Papyrus once she turned around. He was attentive and upfront but always polite and courteous about it. What she never fathomed though was his brother... Sans was staring at her with a look of deathly seriousness. A blue glowing eye that seemed to be probing her for answers. If she wanted to say something to open up the conversation she couldn't because Sans stole that chance from her.

"Alphys. Royal Scientist. It's been... some time since you last... 'interacted' with my brother. We need to talk."

To Be Continued...