The night sky was vibrant with brilliant stars that twinkled along endlessly through the heavens for what was presumably an eternity. She peered through the telescope again, grinning to herself as she stared at the waning gibbous moon, staring in wonder at the detail she could see from the shadows across its face.
After a moment, she pulled her eye from the telescope and down to the paper that sat on her lap, illuminated by the light of a lit candle to her side, a bottle of ink beside it. Quickly, she dabbed a quill into the liquid, before putting it to the paper, continuing a drawing of the moon that she'd seen, cautious to meet every detail she could recall.
Her hand moved gracefully across the surface, skillfully marking every crevice and shadow to the best of her ability. She bit her lip, staring at the drawing for a moment, before going to dip for more ink- and accidentally knocked over the bottle.
Jumping, she made to catch it all too late, accidentally knocking over the candlestick in the process, and an inconvenient gust of wind blew her paper off of her lap.
"No!" she cried, making to grab for it, still too slow as it slipped past her grasp, the wind carrying it down the cliffside of Mt. Ebott.
With the candle out, she was cut from a source of light, and quickly grabbed her textbook that the candlestick had previously sat upon before chasing off after the paper that continued to drift away back down the mountain.
Without a source of light, she stumbled and tripped over roots and vines on her way after the paper, barely able to keep up with where it was through the limited light given to her by the moon, but there it was! She was so close now, just to-
Gravity shifted. Or rather, she fell, but she didn't hit the ground, instead finding herself tumbling through the air into an extensive darkness that swallowed her whole, before the world faded…
"Ribbit."
"No thank you."
"Ribbit?"
"Please, not yet."
"Rib… bit…"
She frowned. Who was croaking at her? Slowly, her eyelids cranked open and she could see golden flowers obscuring her vision. Frown increasing in severity, she lifted her head to see she was surrounded by golden flowers. She'd landed on a bed of them, sunlight cast down upon her from above.
Peering up, she squinted at the beam that glowed upon her. It looked… really high up, prompting the girl's stomach to lurch up into her throat.
"Oh no… oh nonono…" she trembled, quickly climbing to her feet (miraculously unharmed from the fall) and began to pace. How was she going to get home now? There was no way she'd be able to cover up for her sneaking out, but what if she just died down here? Maybe her father was right. Maybe women weren't supposed to be interested in science and studying if this was what happened.
No. That was stupid. Taking a deep breath, she started to calm herself, deciding to try and find a logical conclusion to her dilemma. This came quickly as an answer when a light breeze brushed against her skin, and she turned to its direction, peering through the dark and managing to see some kind of violet archway.
So this wasn't just some random cave. There was architecture, and that meant at some point there had people, and that meant there was a way out. The breeze suggested an exit, but the archway confirmed it.
Gathering herself, she looked around, feeling naked without- there it was.
She stooped over to grab her book, dismayed to find the back had been ripped off sometime in her fall or landing, or maybe when she'd been running. She wasn't certain. Either way, it was a true tragedy- though her glasses somehow remained unbroken on her face.
Shaking her head, she held the book tightly to her chest, pursing her lips as she gazed upon the archway… before she marched through.
Just as the four before her had, she journeyed through the Underground. The monsters terrified her at first. So strange and unusual and… well, everything about this world completely went against everything she'd taught herself through borrowed books. She was a woman of science, and all of this was basically a spit in her eye for it. Magic? Monsters? And those strange fixtures along the ceiling of a monster named Toriel's home? She'd called them 'lights', but the inside didn't flicker like a flame.
Were the monsters more advanced than humans were, yet trapped underground? She learned of the tale of monsters through Toriel. She learned of the great war, of how the monsters were trapped, and of how other monsters wanted to kill humans for their SOULs.
This was what scared her the most. She had to get out of here. Return to the world she knew, away from this bad dream.
Toriel tried to stop her. Pleaded and begged her not to go, warning that King Asgore would kill her. She didn't trust Toriel, but that wasn't the monster's fault. The girl didn't trust anybody.
And so she snuck her way on deeper into the underground, doing everything she could to avoid contact with anyone. She passed a settlement before the snow turned to stone, and it became a lot harder to hide without a forest to shroud her.
She passed by another settlement, the only residents outside of it being two fish-looking monsters, one with stringy black hair pulled back into a tight bun, the other with sage-green hair that was cropped short to his scalp, both playing with a much younger monster, their son presumably, who was racing in circles around them with thick, orange hair bouncing on his face.
They were distracted, enough for her to slip by. And the journey continued, where she'd been almost completely undetected. Even those that saw her didn't seem to mind. Perhaps they didn't recognize she was human? Or maybe Toriel had lied.
Either way, she wanted out of here, certain she could slip by whatever it was that trapped the monsters underground. They were in here and humans were out there for a reason… right?
She made her way through a strange laboratory, and felt the greatest temptation of exploring it. She could recognize tubes of liquids on counters, the walls, floor, and ceiling made of sleek metal. There was no doubt now that the monsters were more advanced than the humans.
Her curiosity overcame her, and she remained in the lab, exploring every inch of it she could find, searching for notes or labels, anything that she could read to tell her what was what- but there was nothing. Perhaps the scientist was smart enough to simply remember what everything was and where it was.
That theory instilled a sense of admiration into her. Despite her fear of the monsters, she knew she wanted to meet this one. Just to see him, at the very least. So she continued to look through the lab, finding nobody. It wasn't until she heard some kind of loud hum that she began to panic again.
Had she been found? Were they coming to kill her? Frantically, she looked around for cover before unwisely ducking beneath a table. No doubt she'd be spotted here, but she didn't know where the monster was and if she had the time to find a better hiding spot.
Turns out she didn't, as not even a moment later the wall itself slid open, and two monsters stepped out of a small, box-like room. Why had they been in there? She frowned at the sight of the first monster. He was tall, with a skeletal face, a pair of rectangular glasses sitting on his face, his gaze stoic. He was clearly the head scientist around here. His white robe and serious attitude screamed it.
The other was a cat-like monster who was hissing something under her breath that the girl couldn't hear. The head scientist said nothing as he strode the length of the room, coming to a stop at a counter and peering into one of the test tubes, glaring at its contents before a clipboard magically appeared in his hands and he scribbled something quickly down.
"It just won't work," the feline monster finally stated, ceasing her mumble-hissing. "You've made seventy so far. Seventy. Each one are mindless husks, not monsters. I know how much reviving the skeletons means to you, but this isn't the way."
The head scientist remained silent as he moved to another tube, peering in before writing something down as the cat continued. "Gaster, you have to listen to me. It's unethical to just keep creating more and killing them when they don't meet your expectations. They need something to make them whole. To make them truly alive. They need a SOUL."
"I'm aware, Dr. Katzchen," came Gaster's calm reply. "I have a plan for that as well."
"You mean the DT Extractor?" Katzchen asked with a frown, though Gaster merely shook his head.
"What DT do I have to extract? No, I've been working on a SOUL Splicer within the lower levels."
"You mean you plan to steal someone's SOUL?" Katzchen asked, her voice hissing the words out as her fur bristled. Gaster didn't seem to pay attention as he continued to work, taking another note before he spoke again.
"Wrong again, doctor. I will be experimenting on my own SOUL."
Katzchen fell silent at this, though her eyes were wide. Several minutes went by as Gaster moved to another table, growing closer to the human's hiding place. "They said you'd gone mad," Katzchen said, "but I always refused to believe them. You're getting old, Gaster. You're past your prime. The CORE was your best creation, but if this SOUL splicer fails, just like everything you've been trying, then that'll make the CORE your ninth symphony. You'll be replaced."
"Oh, please. Who could replace me?" Gaster asked calmly, peering into a microscope. Katzchen's nose twitched.
"I don't know, doctor, but there's rumors that the King is looking-"
"'Someone said this', 'there's rumors', tell me Katzchen. Do you rely on what you hear or on fact?" Gaster interrupted, now turning to face her. "You can believe what you want, but I assure you that my work hasn't even begun." With that, he returned to taking notes, muttering in a humored voice under his breath; 'ninth symphony'.
Katzchen took her leave without another word, returning to the small box room, the wall sliding to seal her in before the hum sounded. After a moment, Gaster spoke; "I know you're there, human. Come out."
She froze, eyes widening. Maybe this was just… something he did? Maybe he always suspected humans to hide under his tables?
She knew that wasn't the case, and after he let out a polite 'ahem', she slowly crawled out, looking up at him as he stared blankly down at her.
With a gulp, she tore her eyes from his sockets, climbing to her feet, unsure of what to say, so he spoke first.
"You're a woman of science, aren't you?" he asked. She blinked after a moment, before her insides tightened.
"I'm sorry," she said, and at this, surprise registered on his face for a moment, though it faded as quickly as it came.
"Sorry for being here? Or sorry for your passion?"
"... both…?" she began to wring her hands behind her back, not noticing the smallest of smiles on his face.
"Nothing to be ashamed of," Gaster stated. "Underground, anybody can follow their passion. We don't hold others back through social standards like I'm sure your kind does," his comment made her look back up at him, blinking.
"Even a girl?" she asked.
"Yes," he replied simply. "I will be honest, human, I… regret what will happen later, I find you interesting. Perhaps even enlightening. But you cannot stay here, I hope you realize that."
"O-oh, that's okay, I was… looking for the exit anyway," she bit her lip, eyes leaving his again.
"What's that?"
"What?" she asked, looking up for a third time to find he was looking at the book in her arms. "Oh this is… uh… my notebook, I… document my findings here, and also… draw…"
"May I?" he asked, sticking out a skeletal hand. She stared at it for a moment, hesitating, before she slowly shook her head, and his hand disappeared back into his sleeve, returning behind his back. "Very well. We should leave, then. Wouldn't want to keep you too long."
She nodded at this, and silently allowed him to lead her out of the lab, taking one last glance behind at the marvelous equipment.
They walked in silence on the metal walkways that stretched over the bubbling magma beneath, through another settlement before they reached the capital, an expansive city that stretched to the end of the massive cave, where a castle sat at the edge of it all. King Asgore, presumably.
Gaster led her through winding streets, past monsters that seemed to look everywhere but at her- no, at Gaster. It was almost as though they were ashamed, or perhaps fearful. Maybe even both.
Either way, Gaster didn't seem to care as he brought her to the edge of the steps into the castle, and gestured to the great doors that covered its entrance. "This is where we part."
She gulped, before quickly flipping open her notebook and showing Gaster a picture that portrayed an array of constellations that she'd worked on.
His gaze landed on it with intrigue before she slowly closed it. He looked at her questioningly, to which she gave a small smile. "To remember me by," she said, before turning and timidly climbing the steps.
Gaster blinked, watching her go, before he stared at the bottommost step for several moments until he finally turned and began to walk away.
The girl of science made her way into the castle, marveling at its interior. It was well-kept, no doubt about that. The stone was amazingly polished, the carpets without a speck of dust, the hanging portraits appearing shiny and freshly-painted, almost.
Another monster stood in the entrance with her, staring questioningly at her. He was an old turtle, a graying goatee sticking out of his chin as he gave her some kind of stink-eye. She looked back at him, and her brow creased. "Are… you King Asgore?"
"Eh?" his face split into a toothy grin. "You think I'm ol' fluffybuns? That's hilarious. Nah, youngun. I'm Gerson."
"Oh… uh… I'm Tessa. Uh… human…"
"I know what you are," Gerson replied with a shrug, though now his eyes seemed unable to look earnestly back into hers. "King's waiting for ya down this hall. First left ya take. Hard to miss, with all the flowers and how… big he is."
Tessa thanked him before cautiously making her way to the throne room, silently marveling at her surroundings until she'd entered the room. Gerson was right, this would have been impossible to miss. Golden flowers grew in a well-kept garden, covering the entire floor. A throne sat in the center, a second draped in cloth at the back of the room. The King himself looked much more like she'd expected. He was massive, with regal purple robes cloaking his body, great horns sticking from his forehead, golden hair parted down the middle, holding up a shiny crown, a beard hanging from his chin.
"Howdy!" he greeted her, putting on a forced smile- though that quickly started to fade as his eyes fell. "Er… howdy…" he repeated quietly. "I don't imagine you've… been told much."
"Some," she admitted timidly. "Am I allowed to leave?"
At this, Asgore closed his eyes, letting out a sigh. "Please, follow me," he offered her a sad smile before he turned away, leading her through a door in the back, before they went through another doorway into a room that stretched forever. Further than even the heavens themselves. It echoed and vibrated with supernatural power beyond anything she knew, further shattering her understanding of the world. This thing… it shouldn't exist.
It was infinite.
She marveled at the scene, her gaze followed by Asgore for a moment, before he looked back at her. "Beautiful, isn't it?" he asked. She gave a slow nod, and his sad smile returned. "I think so too. I used to hate it. For centuries, but now… I believe it has a pleasant aesthetic."
He fell silent, and she said nothing. She didn't know what to say.
After a minute or so, he continued. "It is the Barrier. This is what traps us underground. To break it, we require seven human SOULs. That power can break it, and finally free us."
She felt her blood run cold. They needed… human… SOULs… those things Gaster and Katzchen had spoken about.
Judging from the pained look the king was giving her, he presumed she had a SOUL.
Thinking quickly, she shook her head. "Y-your majesty, I-I don't have a SOUL," she pointed out.
He blinked, looking away for a moment. "I wish that were true, young one. I truly do, but… you cannot see it. I can."
"I d-don't believe you," she spoke quickly, now trying to buy time, maybe convince him otherwise. "No other monsters mentioned I had one!"
"Not many have my eyes," he replied. "It is a blessing, and in this case… a curse," he shook his head in despair. "I am afraid you cannot leave, human. I have to do this but…" he gave her a pained smile. "I won't forget your friendly face."
His gaze fell for a final time, becoming shrouded in darkness. "Goodbye," Was the last words he spoke to her as he swiped his left arm to the side, blowing the robe open, a scarlet trident erupting out of thin air in his hand, which he proceeded to jab at her.
She did nothing. She couldn't. What was she supposed to do? The trident pierced her mortal body, and severed her from herself. She was dead, there was no questioning it. The world was gone, and she was consumed by emptiness for eternity.
She knew that now.
Her journey was over. Perhaps it was never meant to finish. Perhaps she was always meant to die… but she would have preferred to return home. Perhaps even stay underground, work with Gaster… that would have better than hiding her passion at home.
Though… it seemed she wouldn't be doing anything ever again. Her story was over.
Maybe she'd only existed to lay a path for someone else to follow. Maybe this someone else could do what she had not. Escape. Live.
Maybe...