-.-.-.-.-
13:
True Hero
Sans, Undyne, and Frisk
(Third POV)
-.-.-.-.-
The trio walked along the path, the grass becoming taller with every step. Frisk squeezed Sans' hand for comfort before running forward into the grass, flicking her eyes over the shadowed surroundings, unsure but excited about what was next.
The group traveled for hours, edging to the borderline of Waterfall and Hotland, only meeting a few rebellious monsters along the way. Frisk managed the confrontations with her usual flare, causing the males to laugh and be amazed at how beautiful she moved.
And, of course, the Angel only showed mercy, earning her more friends.
But right now, Frisk just was the excitable, childish girl Sans loved as she awed at the nightly beauty of Waterfall and giggled while she ran her hand in the water as she walked. Sans grinned at the sight, not wanting to ruin her cute fun, but a stern look from her brother stopped the fun:
"Sans, I know she's cute, but we need to—"
"Yeah, yeah. I know, be more careful. But, damn, Frisk's fucking adorable." The skeleton mumbled gravelly, the last part to himself before he walked to her and tenderly grabbed her arm, guiding her to overgrown grass.
"Frisk, baby doll, you need to be careful. There are more monsters out here." Sans whispered amusedly to her, chuckling when she pouted before ducking her head down to hide.
She was so cute as he watched her weaving in the grass. G just wanted to watch her all day, to find all the hidden gems about Frisk. He wanted to know everything, every little detail, about her.
Sans always prided himself on knowing her like the back of his holed hand. But now, Frisk has become a whole new breed. The little girl he helped raise faded into this shy but strong woman without Sans noticing it. Bolder and assertive, despite all she went through:
And G needed to unravel all that she was and love her like he wasn't a faded memory in her head. He just needed her.
"You got it bad, Thrash Bag." Asriel chuckled as dirt crunched under his hoofs, coming to his side, and crossed his arms with a smug expression. Sans growled at him playfully, sort of:
"Shut it, weed. Can you blame me after last night? Let me just be giddy, won't yah? I haven't felt like this in a while…."
That shut him up.
It was true. For the first time in a long while, Sans was Sans. As usual, not the shadow that was G. Asriel's friend slowly returned to the Pun master, all thanks to Frisk. The girl could change anything gloom about Sans back into the monster Asriel remembered.
Frisk just didn't know what she started.
Asriel laughed as he remembered this morning, despite being woken up so rudely. Sans almost looked boyish as he explained excitedly, getting that dreamy look in his sockets. That look was something Asriel oddly missed.
But…
The goat monster was a little worried about 'G.' That side of Sans was coming out increasingly as Frisk earned friends and admirers. Unfortunately, he became much more possessive over her while the journey continued. And that might cause them problems later, even though Asriel knew how Sans felt:
Asriel had been there before, staring into blood-red eyes instead of cool blue. Those that made his younger self's heart go wild. They made him go crazy, even at that early age:
But that feeling is dangerous when a soul gets more assertive and when their soulmate is as strong. It seemed that Sans wasn't too jealous of her teasingly flirtatious nature before, knowing that was just her way of calming the monsters. But Asriel noticed the jealousy grew slowly after he became 'G.' One wrong move on a poor unexpecting monster's part could beAsriel's worst nightmare right now.
Suppose Sans attacked someone to protect Frisk. If he murdered someone, Asriel knew there might be no coming back. He would lose her, and that will kill him. Sans would no longer exist but instead, a shell.
The goat was going to voice a warning, but a shriek interrupted his words, and the males whipped their heads to the sound when gasps escaped their mouths:
"UNDYNE! PLEASE, LOOK! SHE'S HELPING HIM!" Papyrus's voice rang as the other males spotted Frisk on her stomach, struggling to keep the now teenaged Monster Kid from falling by his sweater. And Papyrus tried to keep Undyne from attacking.
Just like many times before.
"Paps! The human has the seventh soul. The King will become a God with the soul, and we can be free! Why are you helping it? Humans locked us down here to rot. It deserves to die!" Undyne growled, her spears pointing right at Frisk. Her red eyes held nothing but hate for the small Angel.
Undyne played her part well, too well for both the two friends. It made them nervous. She was too into this, dangerously into this. Did Undyne forget that she should be careful, that this was Frisk, not just another soul to capture anymore?
Sans started to rush in. but as much as he wanted to himself, Asriel stopped the fuming monster with a grab of his arm.
"Sans, we can't step in, you know that. She has to fight on her own."
"But, As—"
"I want to, too, Sans. But I'm sure Undyne won't do anything with Alphy watching. You know how much that lizard loves Frisk. If she hurts her, Alphs will not talk to Undyne for months." He tried to soothe his friend, fighting to hold him back, but it got more challenging as time went on.
Sans growled, struggling against Asriel's hold, ready to jump the stupid fish. But then, he saw Frisk wiggling the armless monster back on the bridge before she mouthed something to Kid. The armless creature nodded and ran off. With a relieved smile, Frisk turned to signal to Papyrus to move.
Papyrus shook his head feverishly, saying something into her ear. But Frisk wasn't budging. Instead, she feverishly gestured to Sans, ordering the innocent being to go to his brother, not giving him room to argue. Papyrus gave a slight growl before stomping toward the other males.
Then, as the three males held their breath, with one fighting to help, Frisk turned to the scowling warrior with firm but gentle eyes and a slight smile:
"You think you can fool me with a sweet smile like them?" She huffed, sending a glare over the younger female's shoulder. But Frisk didn't seem fazed as she shrugged, shaking her head:
'I'm not trying to fool anyone, madam. I just want to free the monsters.'
That made Undyne laugh like a madwoman, fueling Sans' anger as the scene went on, and bent down to stare into Frisk'sblues coldly while hissing through clenched fangs.
"You want to free everyone, human? Okay, wanna know how? IF YOU WERE DEAD! That's right, human! Your continued existence is a crime! Your life is all that stands between us and our freedom! Right now, I can feel everyone's hearts pounding together! Everyone's been waiting their whole lives for this moment! But we're not nervous at all. When everyone puts their hearts together, they can't lose! Now, human! Let's end this, right here, right now. I'll show you how determined monsters can be! Step forward when you're ready! Fuhuhuhu!"
Frisk smiled again, taking a step back before high-trailing it past the surprised fish, laughing as she skillfully dodged the falling spears. Undyne screamed, shrieked, and yelled each time the young heroine jumped and danced out of the way:
"Stop running and fight me! Be like the humans in anime and face me head-on!"
The boys fought laughter while they followed behind, their pride for Frisk growing as they watched her tire the stubborn Royal Captain.
Frisk knew she couldn't fight Undyne without getting hurt, so she fought her in her own style. Like the first time, that time long ago, she decided to spare Undyne:
"Stop being a wimp!" The fish growled, multiplying the number of her glowing blue spears, but Frisk only grinned over her shoulder at her and picked up her speed, making the other female screech in frustration.
Sans laughed then, unable to hold it back anymore, and he didn't care. Frisk became increasingly confident and fiercer, and Sans loved this new flower. Her past no longer held her back:
Frisk wasn't the lost girl who fell several months ago, the one that clung to her brother for comfort and assurance. This Frisk knew who she was, and she wasn't going to back down again, no matter what the monsters threw at her.
"That's our girl. See, Sans? I told you there was nothing to worry about." As nudged him, winking when Sans, earning the goat a heart-filled chuckle while he shifted his sockets back on her running form.
"I should've known better. That girl is as strong as any monster here. Damn, I love her."
The goat monster chuckled, nodding as his sister finally skidded to a stop when Undyne passed out on the path. Unfortunately, the heat of the beginning of Hotland eventually affected the fish.
Frisk sighed, shaking her head before she searched for water. Sans smiled small as he watched when she finally found a water dispenser. Then, with a low hum, Frisk brought the whole glass in front of her, loving the familiar sight before he saw Frisk sit down.
He moved towards her, but his brother placed a hand on his arm with a gentle head shake.
"Not yet, brother. It's not over."
The older Skeleton Brother scowled, but he hesitantly obeyed, not wanting to be why Error had to follow through with his futile threats of following the rules.
But, there again, Error slowly became more friend than foe. Sans wouldn't be surprised if the rules were mute now, especially after what they discovered.
As Sans thought about it, he hadn't even seen Error since he revealed their actual past. Although Sans didn't fully trust Error just yet, he was slightly worried about his broken twin. He reacted like he was living a lie all along.
And in a way, he has been.
Their father put him, them, through this hell. All for a sick, twisted reason. This was their punishment for just falling in love. As a result, Error didn't have the chance to both remember who he really was and break the curse, twisting his soul to the point that it was irreversible.
But Sans had the chance now. And he had a feeling that fact made the black skeleton angry and hurt, maybe jealous of him. The other skeletal being couldn't really blame him. If the roles were reversed, Sans would also hate him.
It was better if he stayed away. For now, Sans couldn't predict if the information would keep him from following through with his plan. Sans would blast Error's ass into dust if he tried anything, helpful or not.
However, deep down, Sans felt the real reason for Error's absence was Frisk's safety. Error was trying to calm his anger before he returned. He loved her, in a way, and he would do anything for her just like any other Sanes; he wanted to give her the proper happy conclusion she deserved.
So, he would stay away to make sure his anger wouldn't hurt her:
"Why are you helping me, human? I wanted to kill you." Undyne's gravelly growl mumbled, waking the male from his mind:
He shifted his sole pupil on the two females as one gulped the water down, and the other smiled softly.
'I told you, madam, I want to help the monsters. I want to show you the pretty stars, Undyne.'
Undyne's rubies widened; shocked silence fell over the whole meadow as Frisk just smiled while she waited for the fish to speak.
Was she repeating what she heard, or did she remember her independently?
"How do you know my name?" Undyne whispered, barely audible, her eyes staring into Frisk's.
The boys could notice hope hiding within it, her uncompromising attitude melting into a much calmer one.
Frisk smiled small again, her blues shifting to Sans' sockets for a moment. Then, she moved them back to her aunt's as she bit her lip nervously. Frisk seemed unsure how to explain it away, but her hands began to dance in the air nevertheless.
'I heard Paps say it.'
Everyone could tell Frisk formed a lie but chose not to call her out on it. It'd bring up things that she clearly wasn't ready to face now. No matter how much a particular skeleton wanted to.
Undyne pursed her lips, a habit she formed when she was a young fish. And she just nodded.
"I see."
As much as she was thankful no one pointed out her blatant lie, Frisk almost hoped they would have. This was getting tiresome, but she wasn't ready to confess everything. She needed more time.
I don't know how much time you have, sis. Your comedian is more intelligent than I gave him credit for. Chara chimed in, making her eyes instinctively fall on a confused Sans with a bright blush:
He will find out; eventually, you know that, right?
She sighed deeply as she looked down at her lap upon hearing that. Frisk looked deflated; Sans wanted to comfort her. But he couldn't move a muscle. He was too shocked even to notice when she began to sign once more.
One question played on repeat in his skull:
How much did she remember, really?
'Anyway, I want to know you more tomorrow, if you don't mind?'
The fish woman smiled sweetly, hugging the more petite woman with one arm before she moved away; her armor clicked as she walked away, one hand in the air:
"Of course, punk. You are a wimp but with a big heart. We're going to be besties. I'll make sure of it!" Was the last thing from her before she faded from view, earning a smile from the newfound princess before she turned to her friends with a blush.
You are busted, Frisk. The reddish brunette teased light. Frisk felt her nudge against her skull, causing her blush across her entire face:
She couldn't help but wonder if Chara was right as she eyed Sans. Did he know the power he had over her?
-.-.-.-.-
Sans furrowed his non-existent brows, but he smiled at his sweetheart. Later, he decided, he would deal with this later. They would talk about this later. Then, they would open their souls, laying bare all their secrets.
But for now, Sans just had to be patient until the right time came.
But damn, the waiting was slowly killing the poor skeleton. Sans sighed slightly, pushing that thought into a dark corner for later. So, with a tender smile, he cuddled his princess.
"Come on, sweetheart, let's get to the hotel and feed you. You have a long day tomorrow. And I'm bone-tired, heh." He soothed, kissing her temple.
But Sans' eye sockets didn't move from her brother's, mirroring the same feelings:
Hope and love, strong as the first time when the feelings started.
-.-.-.-.-
The group checked in the Mettaon Hotel, with two rooms: one for each gender. In the males' room, they talked about their suspicions, but the boys were only more confused as their discussion went on:
"Perhaps you should just talk to her now, brother?" Papyrus suggested, cocking his head slightly, but only earned a sigh from his older brother.
"It's not that simple, Pappy."
"But talking about feelings worked with Mettaton and me." Papyrus countered, not helping Sans' already sour mood.
He didn't mind Paps dating. Heck, he was happy he found someone that made him happy. But did it have to be the much-experienced, self-absorbed robot?
Sans didn't dislike the male. But if he had to choose a partner for his precious brother, Mettaton would be the last he would choose. Sans does not doubt that Mettaton loved him, but the skeleton wanted his brother to stay innocent for longer before Papyrus grew up. He might be a hundred in human years, but he's still a teenager in monsters' years, and a young one at that, still naive to the blackness of the world….
Sans saw enough at the mere age of hundred and nineteen to know that he never wanted his brother to know any bit of it.
And the robot, as lovely as he was sometimes, was no Frisk. Someone as sweet as the tall cinnamon roll. Someone almost as innocent as he was that is who Sans would have chosen for his brother.
The only problem was there was only one Frisk—and she was already spoken for.
If he was honest, Sans knew Frisk would be more fitting for Papyrus than this depressed skeleton. She would be good for him. But Sans would be damned if he let that happen. He was a selfish monster. Sans already claimed her as his. There was no turning back.
He breathed deeply before he turned to the matter at hand, rubbing his skull to fight a raging headache back.
"Bro, this is different. You already bonded. I was waiting until Error was dealt with. But now, there is a whole new problem." His growl was low, almost defeated, as he stood from the bed and moved to the wide window:
"Brother…."
"Sorry, bro, I'm just feeling bonely, heh."
Papyrus sucked on the bottom row of his teeth, annoyed at his slight pun, but he let it go.
He hated to see him like this and searched for something, anything, to say, but failed. Papyrus darted his small pupils to the goat for help, but he wasn't helpful. He wanted to help his brother, but he didn't know how to, and it seemed to him that the prince didn't either.
There was only one person that could now, and she was far in dreamland with no idea what was going on.
He could only hope that she would come around soon as his sockets followed Sans' movements to the balcony, telling them he needed a cigarette. The tall skeleton sighed as he turned to the prince:
"Will he be okay, Prince?" He whispered, earning a shaky breath before a reply came, another barely audible whisper.
"I don't know, Pappy, I don't know."
-'.-.-.-.-
The fourteen-year-old girl sighed softly, watching as the sun started to melt into the moon, her mind swirling with confusing thoughts:
Frisk Dreemurr had a few confusing years. The last three years brought up new experiences and feelings as she entered puberty. For example, Frisk had to look at her feelings toward her best friend, Sans the Skeleton.
They were changing, and she didn't know how to feel about the changes.
On the one hand, Frisk had to admit that she started to like him. But, on the other hand, she didn't want to ruin their formidable friendship. She didn't want to lose him if he didn't feel the same. Sans meant everything to her. If she lost him, it would feel like she was missing a piece of herself. But keeping this secret was gradually getting harder. Frisk didn't know how long she could hide this from anybody, including her punny friend.
She sighed, then a booming voice made her jump out of her skin before she spun to the side to see her loud-spoken aunt grinning at her:
"Hey, punk! Whatcha doing out here alone?" Undyne questioned, swinging her legs over the edge next to the smaller female.
Frisk bit her lip nervously, not sure how to respond. Should she tell her the truth or lie? She mused, chewing away before choosing the first, knowing her aunt was a monster lie detector. That made her excellent at her new job as a detective. Something she did while the King was away—or if she needed extra cash.
But not when you needed to lie. Frisk blew her lips before she turned to Undyne:
'I was thinking about something.' Her hands were shaking while she signed that simple statement, causing Undyne to lean back on her elbow as she narrowed her eyes playfully.
This girl was effortless to read, the fish thought, amused as her grin widened:
"Thinking about something, or someone, Frisk?"
Frisk snorted loudly, smiling slightly, and shook her head before her hands started to dance again. She needed to learn to school her expression more. She scolded herself.
'You know me too well, auntie.' Undyne laughed throatily, running her fingers through her bright red mane:
"I know you both, hun. I have seen the way he looks at you. I stare the same way at Alphys."
'What do you mean?' But unfortunately, the shaking was back in full force, making it difficult to form that question.
Undyne hummed thoughtfully, rolling her eyes to the semi-cloudy evening sky as she tried to ponder what to say.
Humans didn't understand their way, and even if she was raised around them for years, Frisk was still too young to understand this.
Humans might have their own soulmates, but the Monsters have something more potent. Something that could make any love story seem tame by comparison:
It was dubbed Soul Bonding a thousand years ago when Gods and Goddesses roamed the Earth besides the humans and lower monsters, protecting them.
It is said that when a monster meets their Bond, they instantly feel a strong pull to them. But when the Bond is still young, the being would become whatever they need them to be until they reach maturity. However, when they get to that point, their protective nature towards their Bond grows to a fever pitch as their feelings slowly turn from a tame family love to a much stronger love. A love that could not be erased.
And the change started between Sans and Frisk. First, Undyne and the others noticed the beginning signs of the bonding when Frisk hit thirteen when she, bit by bit, approached her maturity. Then, a year later, things were quickly picking up between the two.
They both were oblivious to each other's feelings, clueless to how much they meant to each other. They were simply blind to the change that was coming for them.
At first, Sans tried to keep the growing feelings buried deep, only viewing the teen as the little girl he loved. But slowly, the emotions were getting stronger to fight. He had to talk to someone about this. And Undyne was the only choice the male had, knowing that she had been in his place.
If he went to her parents about the Bond, he would've been burned to dust, and his brother would've tried to help, laying them both in trouble. But, Undyne could help. And she did, and she will. These wimps had to realize they were deep already.
She inhaled deeply, sitting up as she settled her arms on her knees while she watched night set in, dotting the sky with beautiful stars.
"You know, kid, I'm gonna tell you something I learned a long time ago. You can't hide something when your heart wants the world to know it. Eventually, everything comes to light."
Undyne winked a bit, ignoring the confused look she gave her and stood. Leaving the young teen to wonder with a bright flush upon her cheeks:
Does she know?
-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Frisk shot up, her blues wide as the dimmed tv screen lit the room. The only sound Frisk could hear was her heart drumming against her ribs. Undyne…
Her hand came around her necklace, swinging her legs off the bed, and shifted her eyes down to the red heart. Even then, she knew how Frisk felt about Sans and somewhat helped; maybe she can help her now. Perhaps she can push her in the right direction to take.
Frisk pursed her lips thoughtfully, trying to sort the rushing thoughts to a more reasonable pace before she growled in frustration.
When her eyes touched the digital clock on the table, it read seven 'o'clock, and she knew she wasn't going back to sleep. She figured the shower would calm her nerves with a sigh. After all, she had to leave for Undyne's home soon. Where Frisk would have the most nerve-wracking conversation, she would have. Next to confessing everything to Sans, of course.
A shower would be a bright idea.
But, little Frisk knew that everything would change after that talk. Her world will seem a little bit brighter.
-.-.-.-.-.-
"Are you sure you want to go alone, sweetheart?" Sans required, brushing his knuckles down her cheek.
Frisk hid a deep shiver behind a smile, nodding slowly. She stepped back, holding onto his hand for a lingering moment; their eyes held each other's gaze. That moment lasted for a few minutes more before she signed the 'okay' sign and pointed to the fish-shaped house behind her:
"Okay, okay, sweetheart. We'll be out here." Sans stated with a small laugh, slowly releasing her hand.
He watched Frsk bounce towards the house while Undyne grinned and waved the girl in.
Asriel giggled as he rested an arm on his shoulder, but Sans didn't notice; his pupils formed hearts after her. That moment was just too intense.
Man, the goat snickered amusedly. The Bond strengthened by the day. Asriel wondered who would falter first, but Asriel suspected the skeleton would be the first to break. He didn't hide his feelings very well. But there again, neither did his sister.
Frisk's face showed everything she was trying to hide, even if Sans was blind to every emotion she was giving him. As he thought before, they were the two most oblivious beings in the two worlds. Asriel snickered quietly before clearing his throat:
"You know, G, if you stare any harder there, you will burn a hole in the wall. After that, Undyne will dust your ass for destroying her house."
Sans finally woke from the spell and growled deeply, shoving his friend playfully. As much as he loved the annoying goat, he sometimes hated his smug guts.
"Shut your trap, you dirty weed eater. I'm not staring."
"Oh really? And pray to tell, why are your pupils showing and are hearts, hmm, brother?" Paps chimed in teasingly.
"Not you too, bro." The older skeleton groaned deeply into his hands, causing the other males to laugh.
While the banter continued, Sans had to admit that it was getting harder to hide how deep he was already. By the day, his soul slowly grew impatient. If Sans weren't careful, he would have given it all away before ready.
No, he was ready, but was Frisk?
Sans had a feeling that Frisk knew more than she led on, but he also knew she wasn't ready to reveal everything to them. He needed to control both his emotions for now, at least until she came to him.
-.-.-.-.-.-
Frisk smiled sweetly in thanks as the fish handed a warm mug of tea. But, inside, she was a ball of nerves. What should she say?
Frisk didn't know how to broach the subject of the memory without almost admitting that she was remembering, or worse, sounding crazy. But Frisk needed to know; she needed help.
But, how to ask?
"You look like you have something on your mind, kid." Her aunt mumbled into her own mug, startling her as she raised her eyes to the red ones.
Undyne was staring at the young woman with knowing eyes as if she knew why she was there. And it wasn't for an intense cooking lesson, like earlier meetings between the two. Frisk needed help, not a silly task.
And Undyne could see the thoughts rushing through her mind, wanting to reach out for help. Frisk just didn't know how to. The loud warrior felt terrible for the girl, but the silence needed to be ended:
They both knew that they had to talk about this. Otherwise, Frisk would have to go at it on her own. The aquatic creature didn't think the teen would be able to manage that. But, Frisk wasn't in the past, now wasn't so different.
Undyne just hoped she didn't have to pry it out of her. She wasn't so fond of pushing anyone into anything, but this was getting ridiculous. Something had to give, and that something had to happen now. Otherwise, the young pair would end up hurt and broken. And the warrior would rather die than let that happen:
Frisk breathed slowly before slowly and steady, her hands formed a statement as her tongue ran over her lips nervously.
'A friend of mine once told me that you can't hide something when your heart wants the world to know about it. Do you know what they meant by that?'
Undyne tried to hide a grin as she moved to the sink. However, she didn't turn around until the grin was under control:
"Well, I can't speak for your friend, Frisk, but what I got from it was…." She took in a steadying breath as she leaned back on the counter.
"…When you feel something that strongly, it will get harder to hide it. I've been there, punk. I fought against my heart. And, fucking hell, it almost killed me. So I'd say it's better to lay everything out with a brave face."
'What if you're not ready to do that?'
Undyne smiled at that simple, innocent question as she closed her eyes.
"Oh, honey, you will never be ready, but your heart will be. And it's coming soon. Your pull is starting."
Frisk cocked her head confused, and the fish grinned innerly, walking to her seat.
She might be pushing the limit here, but the teen needed the facts now, not later. Maybe if she had all the information and thought about it overnight, she might be honest with herself. Before it was too late for her to choose later. Undyne didn't want to lose her two best friends. They were too important to her:
"Do you know about soulmates, kid?" Undyne asked as she put a hand over hers, earning a slow nod.
'Yes, the most powerful level of love a human can have.'
"Not for a monster, kid. We have something called Soul Bonding. It is stronger than any soulmate story you have. Unlike soulmates, monsters only have one soul bond for all their lives; not even death can end it. The Soul Bond lasts a thousand years."
Frisk didn't know what to feel; a hand placed over her chest where her soul sat wiggling at the mention of Soul Bond.
Soul Bonding, where had she heard….?
Then, with a sharp pain running from her chest, she gasped loudly. Frisk tried to stay steady but failed. She crashed to the floor—memories flooded her mind as her vision darkened around Undyne's screaming face.
While the brunette faded into the colorful memories, Frisk faintly heard Sans' panicked voice filling the room. Frisk wanted to soothe him, but the familiar boot fall lulled her deeper into her mind.