"In the times before the War, Both Monsters and Humans were united into a single civilization. The reason for this was not for virtue or a desire for cooperation but rather a needed protection against a mutual fear. Fear of Ancient Spirits that hunted and stalked us for generations. These spirits took the form of young human woman with layered garb, pale skin, and glowing eyes. With unique characteristics based on the color of the eye. Red eyes who tortured unsuspecting victims with deadly incantations, pink eyes who cause mischief and misfortune to anyone and anything they see, and the indigo eyes who are able to materialize ornate weaponry to slaughter their prey. We called these spirits Hackwitches for their brutality, whereas the human dubbed them simply as Colors based on their unique eye distinctions.
Ruthless, unpredictable, and lacking in morality, the Hackwitches raided both monster and human settlements alike. Stealing food, burning houses, slaying whole villages just because they could, the Hackwitches gave no quarter to man, woman or child that had the misfortune to be in their way. So to better protect themselves from these attacks Monsters and Humans increased their affinity to the various resources the surface provided. We increased our knowledge of magic by researching and manipulating the leyline energy the earth is abundant with, whereas the humans increased their knowledge by experimentation with the more material aspects of their environment.
It was our drive for knowledge that created the 6 basic arts of magic that all monsters can use: Fire, Water, Rock, Light, Dark, and Weapon.
It was humanity's drive for knowledge that led them to discover their own magic art. The only art humans are able to use.
The humans named their magic: Python
Monsters are not able to learn this magic, and any inquiry into the matter was met with derision and fear by the master practitioners. Our leaders concluded that whatever this strange magic was, the Hackwitches seemed to fear it more than anything, and in desperation we turned a blind eye while the humans continued their research into this Python magic.
It will be this research that started turning the gears that led to the near extinction of humanity and the subsequent exile of all Monster-kind to the Underground."
- Gerson
Human/Monster Relations: An Anthology
pg:27
…
"There is another puzzle in this room," Toriel instructed entering a room with a zig-zag trail in the middle. "I wonder if you can solve it."
Frisk barely heard her as they braced for their first encounter. Ok, just complement the Froggit when the FIGHT begins, no muss, no fuss, no dust.
They followed Toriel past the pattern and into the hallway. As they went around the corner, Frisk felt their soul vibrate.
The area around them darkened as the FIGHT barrier encircled them.
They were determined.
But as soon as the FIGHT Arena appeared, the darkness cracked apart. There was no Froggit to complement. When Frisk regained their vision their determination was immediately replaced by horror when they saw the message the FIGHT arena gave them in response.
*but nobody came...
W-what? Frisk's mind went into knots as they tried to rationalize what just happened. No, that- that can't be true. I-I didn't do anything.
Toriel looked across the long row of spikes in the room ahead. She was about ready to call out to Ed but saw a good number of puddles on the wooden dock at the other end of the puzzle. Despite the gnawing guilt she was harboring she couldn't help but complement his problem solving skills. She then felt Frisk bump into her which brought her and the child back to reality.
"Oh, sorry I didn't mean to stop so suddenly, this puzzle is a little dangerous now that I think of-," She mused turning back to Frisk. What she saw made her heart sink. Frisk looked like a deer in headlights, trembling with balled up fists. "Frisk, what's wrong?"
Finding no reason to make excuses, Frisk just squeaked out. "I- was pulled into a FIGHT."
"What?" Toriel asked surprised. She then turned angry. "Who tried to attack you? Where are they now?"
"I didn't see anything. Just the words "but nobody came"," Frisk answered, despite seeing that message before in less "savory" runs their morbid curiosity got the better of them. "I- I don't know what that means."
Toriel knelt down to the child's eye level with a stern expression. "Are those the exact words the Fight arena gave you?"
Toriel's expression made the child uneasy. "Yes I believe so." They answered.
"I see," Toriel closed her eyes. Frisk felt heat rising around Toriel. "I'm sorry I have to do this but I need to leave you alone for a bit then, will you be alright by yourself after I guide you through the puzzle ahead?" The seriousness in her voice reinforced the general idea the child had about the matter. They nodded quickly. Toriel brought out her hand and Frisk grabbed on.
"I'm sorry if I sound rash now," Toriel rationalized as the two went down the path. Spikes receding as they went. "But if it's like what you said, I need to take action before this situation gets any worse."
"What's going on?" Frisk asked.
"What you saw is called a BNC warning," Toriel explained over the small sounds of spike movement. "Meaning that the FIGHT dimension detected a dangerous threat in the area. If the warning is sent out it's the job of a monster with a powerful soul to stop the threat before it can cause more harm."
"So, you're going to fight whoever is causing this warning?" Frisk replied.
"Hopefully it won't come to that," Toriel sighed tensely. "I dislike solving conflicts by might. It wasn't how I was taught to deal with things, and it isn't what I want to teach you two now. But- if I can't convince whoever is doing this to stop and a FIGHT does happen, I will do what's necessary to protect everyone who lives here. That is my job as a Caretaker."
Frisk stayed silent and the two went down the next room. In the middle of a long corridor, Toriel pulled out a small gray flip-phone. "I got you this in case you and Ed wanted to wander around on your own," She offered. "It's not very up-to-date but it serves all the basic functions you may need."
"Toriel," Frisk spoke in concern.
Seeing her child worried made the monster's guilt grow again. She gave the phone to them and embraced them slowly. "Everything will be alright Frisk, sometimes the warning goes off and there isn't even a problem. Once it's settled we'll find Ed, get a few things from the store, and we'll have a very delightful evening. Does that sound like fun?"
Pushing aside what happened before when they end up at Toriel's house, Frisk nodded.
"On the bright side, monsters won't be able to fight you during a BNC so aside from a few puzzles I didn't explain yet it's relatively safe for you to walk around now," Toriel gave a shaky smile. "Just call me if you need help with something alright?"
"I will," Frisk affirmed.
"Ok, Be good," The goatwoman turned away and started walking. But after a few paces she stopped and lowered her head. "Oh and Frisk? If you see Ed before I do, would you tell him I'm not angry at him for breaking that door, and that I'm very impressed with his independence? I'm worried that our little moment may have upset him."
"O-of course," Frisk answered. A bad thought crept into their head but they tried to not let it show. Could Ed be the threat?
"Thank you my child," Toriel replied sounding relieved. "I'll see you soon."
When Frisk couldn't see Toriel anymore they pulled out the phone and through hasty taps pulled up the check feature from the phone's menu. On the green screen were two options: CHECK Frisk and CHECK Ed
Frisk first choose themselves.
"Frisk"
LV: 1
HP: 20/20
AT: 0(0)
DF: 0(0)
EXP: 0
NEXT: 10
WEAPON: Stick
ARMOR: Bandage
GOLD: 0
Ok that's normal. Frisk thought to themselves. They then chose Ed.
"Ed"
LV: 1
HP: 20/20
AT: ?
DF: ?
Fun: ?
EXP: 0
NEXT: 10
WEAPON: None
ARMOR: Armband
GOLD: 0
These stats gave me more questions than answers. Frisk concluded not entirely surprised by the result. But Ed is not killing anyone so I can be happy about that.
The child was curious about Ed's armor so they entered his inventory. They selected the Armband.
Armband: White strap with the word "Dog" written in marker. It's singed in places.
They glanced at their bandage. Must be something very important to him. I'll have to ask about it later. Maybe it will help jog his memory. They then noticed the Training Dummy in the menu. They clicked it.
Training Dummy: Along for the ride. Whether it wants to or not.
And that solves the missing mannequin mystery. Frisk smiled at their alliteration.
Something else really caught their eye. Under the Dummy was the item "U2NhcmFiJ3MgRXll". Frisk clicked the item description.
And the phone restarted itself.
I should probably stop looking through his things without permission. Frisk rationalized as they began their trek to the end of the Ruins. Trying to ignore the loud screeching the phone made before it restarted.
When the phone finished its boot cycle, it slightly vibrated as a notification came up.
Five Spider Donuts and three Spider Ciders were entered into Ed's INV. 489 remaining slots available.
So he's at the bake sale. W-wait- Frisk got sidetracked by the rest of the notification. "489 slots available?!" Frisk placed their hands to their mouth in surprise. They felt a weight fall off their shoulders as they remembered their money making technique. They giggled a little. "Ed you beautiful man, where have you been all my life?"
Frisk's outlook on their new run brightened significantly. Ok, money and food will be taken care of later, now all we have to worry about is staying alive. And that shouldn't be too hard.
Until now, it was pretty much the only thing I could do.
Frisk moved forward but had to stop as a cold hollow feeling crept into their chest. With it came a strong almost primal fear. They looked around but their surroundings gave them no answer as to why. The only thing they seemed to notice was a growing stench.
The air in the Ruins was starting to smell like sweet flowers, growing out of sun-baked roadkill.
Frisk rushed forward. Something about that smell made them feel like they were about to figure out the threat very soon. And like everything else that happened to them already they felt completely unprepared for it.
And they greatly feared Toriel and maybe Ed are unprepared for it as well.
Ruins - Act 4
"Pleasure doing business with you~" Chirped the ceiling over the webs that served as the registers for the bake sale. Ed waved happily back to the massive cluster of white webbing and lavender arachnids as he left with a massive gift box and the emptied fly jar. A doughnut with pink icing and crunchy dough dangling from his mouth like anime morning toast. He found his friends in the room north of the fork. Claire was trying to console some of her crying sisters on the ceiling. Vi was sulking in the corner.
"(I'm not crying,)" singed the frog into the wall. "(It's just raining on my face.)"
"Hey guys!" Ed yelled happily. "I brought lunch."
"Ed, Vi we have a big problem," Claire finished her conversations and fluttered down.
"(Yeah tell me about it,)" grumbled Vi as he hopped closer to the human. "(I only needed 30 flies to further my ascension.)"
"Vi you can always become a Final Froggit later," Claire pointed out. "We have more pressing matters now. BNC is in effect."
"(What?!)" Vi dropped his strife with a look of shock. He then turned somber. "(H-how many have fallen already?)"
"I d-don't know, no one wants to go into the perspective room to check," Claire trembled.
"BNC?" Ed asked tilting his head.
"BNC: But Nobody Came, it's a warning that comes when too many Monsters fall down," Claire explained solemnly.
"Like what I did during the leaf puzzle?" Ed replied innocently finishing his pastry.
"(No, the puppet has been killing monsters, enough monsters that even the dimension will not allow further FIGHTs to happen,)" Vi explained.
"I think we should hold off on trying to fight her Ed," The moth shivered. "If she caused the BNC she may be too high LV for us to take on even if we could create an arena."
"If she is killing monsters that is more reason we need to capture and purify her," Ed stood his ground.
"(As much as I hate to do so, maybe we should let Toriel know what's happening, she's strong enough to handle this,)" Vi explained.
Ed shook his head. "The puppet's actions are not her own. If we let someone else handle it, an otherwise innocent soul may get killed. Theirs or hers. I can't allow that knowing we can stop this ourselves."
"(I understand your sentiments, but you don't understand the problem me and Claire are in now. Without the FIGHT Arena our offensive magic is practically useless. If we go in now we would do nothing but hold you back,)" Vi explained.
"You don't know that," Ed replied sadly.
"(No I don't, but I've seen it happen before. Monsters that tried to attack a BNC threat outside an arena never make it back. Monsters that were prouder and stronger than I could ever dream to achieve,)" Vi pleaded. "(We need to think about our families. I don't know your situation back on the surface , but I believe that the ones who love you don't want you risking your life either.)"
Ed slowly grasped the armband underneath his left sleeve and looked forlornly at the room ahead of them.
"I-I'm going to try to get Toriel," Claire resolved. "If anyone can stop the threat it would be-."
Claire was interrupted by the sound of Ed grabbing a few items from the gift box and jamming them into his pockets.
"Ed what are you doing?" Claire asked shaking. Ed answered by making a break for the "One Switch Puzzle".
"I'm sorry!" Ed yelled. "I can't lose anyone else!"
"(Ed! Don't be a hero you maniac!)" Vi commanded as he followed suite. Claire scrambled to get the caretaker as fast as her little wings could carry her. The switch puzzle was bypassed in the same way as the others before it. By the Ed-boy long-jumping over the line of spikes at the end. Vi followed but instead of making it across the spike he was sent backwards by a strong force. The froggit landed on his back with a surprised "Kero!" a few feet behind the trap. Scrambling back upright in an attempt to remain modest, Vi was able to see what made his pursuit end.
The hallway leading to the Perspective puzzle was surrounded by a nearly translucent green-colored force field. The most prominent feature this barrier had was the kanji
"補助" firmly embedded in the middle.
"(What is that?)" Vi questioned to himself. He then saw Ed turn the corner past a giant marble column obscuring a small yellow plunger. Vi was able to see two things before Ed went out of sight. One was the serious look on Ed's face, and the other was his eyes which seemed to shine for just an instant. Even though his soul was filled with fear, Vi felt inspiration by the determination the human seemed to radiate with. I'll- be rooting for you Human. Show those Shadow Beasts who's the real boss around here!
...
The first thing Ed saw in the room beyond was the dust.
In stark contrast to the lavender walls and floor of the Ruins proper, large swatches of the floor were covered in a layer of gray-white soot. Some in thin circles and others in size-able piles that built up around the columns. The piles were punctuated by outlines of otherwise invisible plungers. Not that the plungers mattered in the grand scheme of things as Ed observed at the end of the room. The spikes have already receded before he got there. And across the room through where the spikes were sat a girl that looked to be in her late teens. Laying against the wall like a discarded doll. She had long purple hair, faded purple eyes, and very pale skin. True to Claire's description the girl wore attire that could be classified as a school uniform. A white shirt under an orange vest under a gray blazer. A red ribbon tie, a dark blue knee length skirt and white inside shoes. The outfit was caked in the gray dust except for two areas: over the girl's abdomen and above the girl's left bosom. These places were stained pitch black around slender tears in the fabric.
The girl didn't seem to acknowledge Ed's presence as he approached. Maintaining a deep vacant state through wheezing breaths. All the while Ed's brain replayed the rules of purification that was outlined in his comic. Ok, first step of Purification: Politely greet yourself and state your experience level to establish a common ground with the possessor. Ed lightly bowed as he entered her area of the room. "Good afternoon Miss," Ed spoke politely. "My name is Ed, and I will be your Exorcist today. I'm still in training so bear with me and I will make this as comfortable as possible." The girl didn't do much other than turn her head slowly to face him. Second step have two or more people capture or distract the possessed while the one performing the ritual begin their traversal to the Inverse. Ed looked around. I don't have two more people. I have to capture her myself. But wait- Mom said I can't fight girls.
The girl in question curled her fingers as a sliver of steel started forming inside her palm.
The Shadow Beasts are not bound by the customs of mortal man though. She obviously suffered greater offenses than I can ever comprehend. I don't want to fight but I may have to if I can ever hope to save her. But if I attack her am I no better than the beasts?
The girl's eyes started to glow indigo as a 15 cm long Santoku knife finished its formation. She seemed transfixed on Ed's eyes as she started to move her legs. Ed didn't notice this as he continued to debate himself.
The girl then seemed to remember something.
*You-
"Huh?" Ed asked turning back to the girl. He saw the girl rise to her feet.
And with a show of speed he didn't anticipate, Ed watched as the girl plunged the blade into his chest.
Ed's health: 12/20
"Bad poke!" Ed screamed as pain surged through him. The girl then twisted the blade, causing a violet colored burst of energy. The force behind it sent the boy backwards through the doorway. Ed collided into the wall causing a crater.
Ed's health: 5/20
He lifted his head a few moments with a wince. Only to find the girl staring at him with a look of utter confusion. Before he could react the girl regained her focus and growled at him. She moved her fingers together as a group of slender black needles started to grow out of the palm of her right hand. She then aimed her palm at the boy's direction and the needles shot out like bullets from a firearm. "Knitting bad for Ed!" The boy yelled ducking out of the way just before the needles reached him. They embedded themselves into the wall. One of them inadvertently bumping into an invisible plunger on Ed's right. An error noise sounded through the puzzle and a hole swallowed the boy up before the girl could take another shot.
...
"Loox, like I said before I'm not picking on you," Toriel said pinching her nose in frustration at the monster she was trying to get info from. "I just want to know if you saw anything before the BNC started."
"Then why would you ask me that?" countered a monster with the appearance of a giant eyeball with feet. "You think because of my eye, I'm able to see everything that wanders by here?"
"No, I asked you because you're were the only one that didn't run away," Toriel tried to reason but was interrupted by the monster storming off after muttering something about nobody understanding him. She made a scowl. Maybe people would stop picking on you if you had more of an spine. She struck upon an idea that lightened her frustration. Oh, eye- spine- that's pretty good. I'll have to try to make a joke for that later.
"T-toriel!" a small female voice yelled out. Toriel turned to the source and found a single Whimsun flying erratically towards her. "H-help! Help!"
"Yes, what wrong little one?" Toriel asked taken aback by the moth's uncharacteristic boldness.
"BNC! T-threat! Human! S-shadow Beasts!" The moth stammered completely frazzled. "Th-thousand year war!"
"Now now there's no need to rush," The caretaker replied with concern. "Just slow down, take a deep breath, and when you're ready explain slowly."
"N-no! There's no time! My friend's in danger!" The moth then grabbed the goatwoman's hand and started pulling. "O-over here! Hurry!"
The moth was not really strong, only succeeding in moving the caretaker's arm up and down. But Toriel believed the monster's fear, and following the tiny thing back into the puzzle plaza anyway.
…
"I- 2- buckle my shoe. 3- 4- at the store," Ed counted weakly before he gave the knife in his heart a sharp tug. With a slight grinding sound the devil was free from his udder. Ed placed his hand to the wound left behind, and placed his mouth on a pitcher of purple liquid. It only took a few moments for Ed to down the sweet cider even with the weakness the kid was feeling from losing a lot of his marinara sauce. After he was done he just let the pitcher fall into the leaves and he laid back against the wall. The pain slowly lessened and it felt like he was becoming himself again.
Ed's health was maxed out.
Her possessor must see me as an equal now. Ed thought. They would of sent her down to finish the job by now if they didn't. He picked up the blade and wiped it with a few red leaves. He then peered at the vent on the north side of the room. The possessor will give me no mercy when I head back up. I guess I really do need to fight now. I have to get ready. Ed took off his jacket and wrapped the sleeves around his waist. He then got distracted by his shirt. Cool! Even my clothes got fixed. Monsters think of everything. He then spotted his armband. He readjusted it with reverence. With that he took a deep breath, then went into the vent to head back up. He was determined to stop the girl's suffering at all costs now.