"HUMAN!"

Frisk jolts, colliding with the concrete floor, the blanket still clutched in her hands. The light in the hall is blinding white, burning her eyes. Her breath is short, pained, only easing when a shadow passes over her.

It's Papyrus, still wearing the clashing red scarf despite the pressed, navy uniform. His one hand is propped against the cell door, the other is reaching toward her.

Frisk shrinks back, her voice barely managing a whisper. "Don't touch me."

Papyrus's smile falters, and he pulls his hand away. "MY APOLOGIES, HUMAN FRISK. I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, DID NOT MEAN TO STARTLE YOU. I MERELY WISHED TO ASSIST YOU; YOU FELL OUT OF BED."

Frisk eyes him warily, the thudding of her heart in her ears.

Papyrus tries a reassuring smile. "HUMAN, I AM HERE TO ESCORT YOU TO BREAKFA—"

"I'm not hungry," Frisk says quickly.

Papyrus gives a sympathetic look. "I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'RE CONFUSED, HUMAN FRISK. BUT ADJUSTING TO YOUR NEW LIFE HERE MEANS FOLLOWING THE SCHEDULE. AND RIGHT NOW, IT'S TIME TO EAT. WE CAN'T HAVE YOU GETTING BETTER ON AN EMPTY STOMACH."

He puffs out his chest, his scarf sweeping up dramatically. "PLUS, WHO COULD REFUSE A PLATE OF THE GREAT PAPYRUS' SPAGHETTI?"

Frisk opens her mouth to refuse again when a low growl escapes her tummy.

"TINY HUMAN, WHAT WAS THAT NOISE?" He leans in, eyeing the room suspiciously while whispering, "IS IT THE WHITE DOG AGAIN?"

"nah paps, the kid's got a tum-my of trouble for us."

Sans appears beside his brother in a matching uniform, untucked, and pink slippers. He's winking.

"PLEASE BROTHER, NO PUNS THIS EARLY IN THE MORNING. AND FIX YOUR SHIRT." Papyrus says, pointing with his hands angrily.

"c'mon paps, at least let me enjoy my tall tails—"

"SANS! ENOUGH OF YOUR PUNS!"

Sans holds up his hands. "aw, but paps, the kid loves 'em," he eyes Frisk, "don't ya, kid?"

"Punks!" Undyne shouts over the intercom. "Get in here, breakfast is getting cold!"

Frisk hastily stands, brushing off her orange jumpsuit before shuffling past the brothers. A hand stops her, and Sans looks at her slyly.

"hold up, kid, " he says, "you're not usually so quiet… what's up?"

"N-nothing."

His eyes go dark, and he tilts his head pointedly. "try again."

Frisk's breath catches. "I—look at how I'm dressed. I just—you guys aren't acting any different since Toriel… mm…"

Sans looks at her crumpled face, light slowly returning to his sockets.

"kid, why would we act any different to our friend? right, paps?"

Papyrus smiles brightly, "RIGHT BROTHER!"

Papyrus ushers Frisk to follow down the hall as he speaks. "HUMAN FRISK, YOU ARE OUR BEST FRIEND, AND THE GREAT PAPYRUS ONLY TREATS HIS BEST FRIENDS WITH LOVE AND SPAGHETTI."

Frisk shuffles beside him, "You—are you sure?"

Papyrus hovers his keycard on a console, and the cellblock door slides open. "OF COURSE HUMAN FRISK. IT'S THIS WAY TO THE CAFETERIA—I SPENT ALL MORNING MAKING BREAKFAST FOR YOU. IT'S SPAGHETTI MADE WITH LOVE."

Frisk takes in the cafeteria, a few rows of gray tables with benches. There's a kitchen with a glass screen at the left wall, and a large, empty area with more doors to the right.

Her shoulders soften. "Spaghetti, uh, sounds nice."

"REALLY, HUMAN FRISK?" Papyrus says excitedly, "OH, THIS IS FANTASTIC. I KNEW YOU WOULDN'T REFUSE!"

Sans' grin widens. "smart move, kid. my bro is a bone-afide chef, after all."

"SANS!"

Frisk sits at a cafeteria table, her face pulled in reflexively. In front of her is a plate of nearly finished spaghetti.

Papyrus is staring with his elbows propped up from across the table. "THAT PASSIONATE EXPRESSION—SANS, YOU WERE RIGHT. THE HUMAN REALLY DOES LOVE MY COOKING."

Sans is sitting on the right side of the human, absent-mindedly nursing a bottle of ketchup. He chuckles, "'course bro, you're so cool."

Frisk manages a few more mouthfuls before pausing. She shoots them an ashamed glance.

"Why are you having breakfast with me?"

Papyrus is confused. "WELL, WHY WOULDN'T WE HAVE BREAKFAST WITH OUR FRIEND?"

Frisk shakes her head. "Guards do like what Undyne is doing," she says, gesturing at Undyne behind security glass at the cellblock entrance. She has her feet kicked up on the desk, flipping through a clipboard.

"Behind the glass, not sitting at the same table as criminals."

"THAT'S SO SILLY, HUMAN. HOW COULD I MAKE SURE YOU'RE ENJOYING MY SPAGHETTI IF I WERE READING A CLIPBOARD? NO, FRIENDS HAVE TO STICK TOGETHER."

Her head hangs, "I'm... guys, I don't think I'm your friend."

Sans stares at her a moment before smirking, tugging the walkie stuck to his breast pocket, "undyne, we got a 10-33 in the lunchroom, I repeat, a 10-33, over."

The response they get is the clattering of a clipboard and one of the doors smashing open.

"Punk!" Undyne shouts, warden coat flapping around her in her brazen glory. "On your feet!"

Frisk stares wide-eyed, engulfed by Undyne's shadow. Sans snickers behind a skeletal hand and Frisk spins on him, "*What did you tell her?"

Sans gives a sly grin. "dunno, kid, but ya might wanna get ready. here she comes."

Frisk turns to see Undyne over her, arms folded, eye glinting. "Punk…"

She's pulled off her seat by two scaled hands, hoisted above Undyne's head. "Listen when the warden gives you an order, punk!"

With a 'Ngyaaaaah', Undyne smashes the front door open, sunlight flooding Frisk' eyes. Undyne runs into a field of grass, a tall double fence on all sides. With a toss, Frisk tumbles into the grass. She lifts a hand, pulling her limbs in defensively.

Undyne's face steps into the sunlight as she towers over Frisk. "Now you listen here, Frisk! While the King's put me in charge, I'm gonna lay out some ground rules."

She holds a finger up. "Rule one: None of this no-friend garbage. It'll make Papyrus cry, and if that happens," She crushes her knuckles in a fist, "I'll kill you."

Frisk stares up at Undyne, fingers shaking, breathing stressed.

Undyne watches her for a moment, then pinches the bridge of her nose, shaking her head.

She plants one knee, "Sorry, Frisk. I, uh, think I got carried away. You know how passionate I get, right?"

Frisk tensely watches her before giving a slow nod.

Undyne sighs, "I don't know what's changed, I used to throw you off bridges and you wouldn't even blink an eye…

"Maybe some time well-spent here with friends will help you. You and I… we're still besties, right?"

Frisk's eyes go wide for a moment before she looks away grimly.

Undyne frowns, standing back up. "Well, lucky for you, it's yard time. And nothing invigorates the spirit more than 100 laps around the fence yelling about how great you are."

She turns her head, "Papyrus!"

Papyrus is by the Warden's side, guard uniform swapped for a jogger's headband and track suit. "READY, MISS UNDYNE!"

Frisk looks toward the worn dirt track around the fence as she gets to her feet, steadying herself.

Undyne grabs Frisk's shoulder before they start, "One more—"

Her hand yanks back when Frisk starts hyperventilating, eyes shining with tears.

"Whoa, whoa, what is it? Am I that scary?"

Frisk hastily wipes her face, voice quivering, "It's n-nothing. I just—it's nothing…"

The warden purses her scaled lips. "I don't believe that for a second."

An uneasy pause passes between them as Frisk sniffles, rubbing her face on her sleeve before forcing a slow breath.

Undyne scratches the back of her head. "Don't make a habit of lying, punk. It's your first day here, so I'll let it slide. I have just one other rule for you. Okay?"

Frisk pauses, then gives a nod.

Undyne nods back, "It's easy, simple. Hard to forget. Jailbreaking? Big no."

"Jailbreaking?"

"Yeah, trying to escape. It's a criminal offence."

A glint in Frisk's wet eyes, which she covers up with a quick cough. "Uh, ahm, okay."

Undyne narrows her eyes suspiciously, then sighs and waves her hand, walking away. "They're all yours, Papyrus. Have at it."

Papyrus starts to jog, "COME ALONG, FRISK. GET THOSE FEET MOVING AND REPEAT AFTER ME: I AM GREAT!"

Frisk jogs after Papyrus. "I am, uh, great."

"ALMOST! LIKE THIS: I AM GREAT!"

Frisk scrunches her face in, "I am great!"

"THERE YOU GO, HUMAN. AGAIN!"