Two Worlds, Two Souls
Chapter 17: The Agreement
Frisk's Point of View:
There didn't seem to be an end in sight as the attacks came at me. The only thing I noticed is that as I continued to fight against Papyrus that things became a bit easier to bear. The weight on my chest was still heavy, as if I was trying to move through a pit of molasses.
Yet… even molasses can be worked with…
Papyrus, however, was not making it easy anymore for me. He realized early on that I had quite a few moves up my sleeves and he was really making me work to avoid getting hit, even if I wouldn't hit him. At that point, I'd pretty much hoped that I'd last long enough to tire him out that perhaps he'd give up. The only concern that ran through my head was whether my stamina or his magic would run out first.
Another factor I had to be careful with was that the storm was starting to really pick up now. Papyrus and I could hardly see each other. I think it was only as he was losing sight of me that he seemed to have a frown on his face, which showed he finally though this might have been a bad idea. I knew it had been a bad idea to come out here, I knew it was stupid and my sister was going to kill me, but… the temptation had been too good back then.
Now I wasn't so sure of that…
Bones came at me in thick waves of multiple colors. I tried to dive for the blue attacks. As long as I stilled my body before it, it would pass harmlessly through me and I would have little to worry about (save for the white bone I'd dodge right behind it…)
"It may be hard to date after you've been captured and sent to the capitol." Papyrus seemed to debate before he rolled his little white dots for eyes and pouted. "Oh forget it! Just give up already!"
"Never!" My cheer back at him caught him off guard, even as I panted in the snow after a narrow escape from the last attack. My breath normally would be a white color from the cold, however, since the entire area appeared white, it was difficult to see with the snow blasting in my face.
It was getting harder to feel. My face felt quite numb. If it wasn't for all the running around I was doing, I think I would have been in a lot of trouble…
"Alright, little human." Papyrus pulled my attention back to him. "You'd best give up or face my special attack!"
I refused to listen to him and just looked out for the next attack that would have been flying out toward me. Quickly, I wasn't surprised as bones surrounded me and closed in. I only had moments to think before I leapt over them and landed away safely. Seconds later, more bones jumped from the ground.
One of the things I recently noticed was that all the bone attacks that came at me weren't sharp. Papyrus was trying to beat me, yes, but not trying to truly hurt me. The only time he had was when he nicked my ankle with that semi sharp bone.
I still thought it was an accident…
"Yeah! Very soon I'll use my special attack!"
A bone that moved at blinding speed launched itself at me. I didn't have a good reaction time and ended up getting hit. The bone slammed into me and I felt like I'd been sucker punched in the gut. The wind was knocked out of me, and I fell to the ground landing on my side. The cold was really starting to bother me. I dared to look at my fingers… they weren't supposed to be that weird greyish purple, right? I couldn't remember…
"This is your last chance before I use my special attack!"
"Well then use it already!" I tumbled in the snow as I evaded another attack, yet my glare at the skeleton showed him just how determined I was. I would beat it, whatever he threw at me. I'd make it, and I'd get us both back home before long… hopefully…
I wondered if my sister even noticed I was gone yet?
"Fine then!" Papyrus gleefully stood with his arm above his head. "Behold my special attack!"
I whipped around my head, ever looking for the attack he was calling upon when I saw an orange glow out a few feet before me. A large bone that seemed to be almost half the size of Papyrus was in the mouth of a dog, a pomeranian I thought. Its white coat blended in with the blizzard around us, but I could see the pink of its gums as it chomped down on the bone of Papyrus'. It yipped happily when it saw me, but continued to eat that the bone.
"What the heck?" Papyrus screeched out in horror at the sight of his beloved attack being used as food or a toy. He dove after the dog that quickly dived away, eager for the chase. "That's my special attack, you stupid dog! Do you hear me! Stop munching on that bone! Come back here with my special attack!"
Yet the dog refused to listen to him. It took off in record time and hid itself in the storm or snow so that we couldn't find it. I breathed at a chance for a break, and it looked like Papyrus was finally starting to get worn too.
Perhaps he'd finally used so much of his magic that he was wearing himself thin?
Papyrus returned only a few moments later, out of breath when he'd lose the dog in the snow. "Gosh darn it! Oh well, I'll just use a really cool regular attack." He shook his head before he sighed. "Here's an absolutely normal attack…"
I really had to ask him sometime what his definition of normal was!
I dove quickly as hundreds of bones came racing at me that left me with no choice but to jump over them as quickly as I could. The bones had actually outlined words as they had come at me and I was almost stunned. The words "Cool Dude" flew underneath me before a barrage of bones came right after them. I hardly had a chance to get my feet under me before I was flying through the air again to avoid the bones.
I had to admit, used a bit of my magic to escape him…
Papyrus saw this as I hovered in the air for a moment from my jump before he summoned a bone taller than the houses in town. I squealed in shock.
I wasn't going to be able to escape that!
I was too high up in the air for Papyrus to see me or I to see him, so I dared to use my magic. My sister had told me hundreds of times not to use my magic because I still struggled with not using too much of it at once. Control was hard for me. The only thing I'm good at using my magic for is increasing my endurance. Summoning chains has always been difficult. I couldn't understand just how my sister made it look so easy. She was like a rock all the time. All those chains constantly weaved around her like a protective, flexible shield. I hoped she'd have a chance to teach me more someday…
But now was not the time to hesitate, I had to use it or I'd be smashed back into the ground.
Summoning the magic in my hand to create a red glow, I felt something push away from my chest and from my thrown arm shot out a chain. I cheered as it wrapped around the tall bone. I only had seconds as I struggled to keep its hold physical before I yanked myself up higher into the air. Only moments later did the chain fade, but I squealed out of excitement and fright as I soared into the air, skimming the top of the bone by mere centimeters, before ceremonially plummeting into the ground.
With only seconds to think, I wrapped myself up in chains just before I hit the ground, which caused the earth the shake. Papyrus' startled cry caught my attention as I dug myself out of the snow. A sudden yipping sound to my side had me diving away as the same dog that was eating Papyrus' special attack came rushing through. The long bone would have smashed right into my face if I'd stayed in my spot.
The bones slowed after that, the blue color coating my soul vanished and Papyrus leaned over on his knees. I finally felt like I could truly breath again, but I watched him from a distance just in case.
Papyrus lifted his arm, for what seemed like the hundredth time, to send more bones at me. However, he was exhausted. The bones that did appear were small in size and snail's speed in acceleration. I was easily able to step around them with little trouble, closing in on the skeleton.
"Well-" Papyrus huffed dramatically as he tried to catch his breath. "It's clear you can't… defeat me…"
"Really?" I couldn't stop the words before they flew out of my mouth. My jaw dropped in astonishment from his comment.
"Yeah! I can see you shaking in your boots!" The truth of the matter really was that he was shaking in his own from his tired he was. I didn't say anything to try and avoid hurting his feelings, or more so having to deal with another fight when we were both so tired. "Therefore, I the Great Papyrus, elect to grant you pity!"
"Oh thank God!" I sunk into the snow then, relief echoed in my features as I sat there, cold and very much done for the day. I didn't want to move… but I knew I needed to in order to avoid freezing in the blizzard.
"Nyh heh… I can't even stop someone as weak as you… Undyne will be so disappointed in me… I'll never join the royal guard… and my friend quantity will remain stagnant…"
"Well…" I paused as I prayed that maybe he would finally agree to this. "Let's be friends then!"
"What? You want to be friends… with me?" Papyrus paused in his astonishment at my statement. "Well then… I suppose…. I can make an allowance for you! Wowie! I haven't even been on a date with you yet and I hit the friend zone!"
Don't laugh, Frisk. Don't laugh…
"Who knew that all I needed to make pals was to give people awful puzzle and fight them! You taught me a lot, Human! I hereby grant you permission to pass through, and I'll give you direction to the surface!"
I shook my head. "Don't need 'em."
"What?!" Papyrus seemed surprised by my answer. "Why not?"
"We're going to live here and be friends with everyone!" I grinned up at him. "We don't want to go back to the surface. So, there's no point in you telling me that."
"I see…" That seemed to bring a bright grin to his face. "The Great Papyrus is thrilled to have you as a friend, little human!"
Ignoring the annoyance from him calling me human again, I reached out a hand for him to shake. We were able to do so just as I heard a shout.
"FRISK!"
And I'm dead. I wonder where she'll hide my body?
Angel's Point of View:
"Frisk!" I screamed when I finally saw her standing with the tall skeleton who was shaking her hand in that moment. Both of the younger siblings of Sans and I looked back at me in surprise. With Sans' hand still in a death grip, I marched to the younger siblings, both Sans and I grabbed them by their arms, before Sans used his abilities to teleport us all into the living room of the skeleton brothers.
I couldn't help the shiver that ran through me once we were in a warm location, still feeling the brisk wind cut through my skin. Once we were out of the storm, I narrowed my eyes at the two youngest in the house.
"Sit."
My tone was not to be trifled with.
Both Papyrus and Frisk planted themselves quickly on the couch, fear in their eyes (or eye sockets) while they waited for me to have a moment to try to calm down. I pressed my fingers to my forehead before I glanced over at Sans beside me, who still had a grip on me and looked just was worn from the night we'd gone through. We'd traveled over the entire town's east side before finally finding the two of them. I'd be surprised if I could sleep after all the stress…
"Now… who wants to tell me it was a smart idea to fight in a blizzard?"
"Big human, I merely-"
"And that!" It was so hard to hold back the snarl I'd been holding in for weeks. "How many times have I told you, and your brother has told you, that our names aren't 'human'! I don't want to hear that word come out of your mouth again! Call us by our names or not at all!"
Papyrus visibly shrunk in his seat at my words. The edges of his eye sockets began to water, but I refused to let go even an inch.
"Hey Angel… maybe ya should calm down a bit?" Sans pulled on our still attached hands to get my attention while I let out a large huff of infuriated air.
"Sans, he was in a blizzard… waiting to fight us when even you clearly stated to him that it wasn't safe. He had both of us worried sick and to make matters worse, my sister was out there too where they could both freeze to death. You told me yourself that skeletons are somewhat resistant, but that doesn't mean immune!" I whipped back around to the younger skeleton. "For someone who wants to be in the royal guard, you need to think a bit more Papyrus! Do you have any idea how worried we both were? How petrified we thought you'd both become encased in ice with no hope of saving you? In order to help others, you need to make sure that you can take care of yourself first and realize when things are over your head and either ask for help or wait until a later period. Weather being one of them."
Sans sighed. "Ya know, Bro, she's right. Even the Great Papyrus would struggle out there." Sans left my side, releasing my fingers as he went to pat his brother's shoulder. "Pap…. I was really worried when ya weren't home and we found ya out there."
"Y-you were?" Papyrus glanced up at him nervously.
"Bro, y-yer all I got left." Sans let out a shaky breath before Papyrus quickly made room for his brother on the couch with him. The older brother was shaking, and from the lacking light in his eye sockets, he didn't look good.
"Brother…?" Papyrus hesitated. I could only assume that this was one of the few and first times that Sans had truly been open about his feelings on anything. But nearly loosing Papyrus I'm sure was something that he didn't want to relive. He seemed to be in a place that was neither here or anywhere, I could only guess that it was some form of PTSD when he withdrew from us and didn't recognize his surroundings.
"Sans, I need you to focus on breathing right now." I kneeled down before my skeleton friend. He was hyperventilating, his ribs moving and expanding at a rapid pace, regardless of the lack of lungs. I quickly set my hands on his to help him focus when his head shot up and only a single eye on the left side of his head was visible that glowed blue through the pools of black in his eye socket.
"Brother!?" Papyrus quickly held Sans while he trembled. "I'm sorry Sans! I didn't know! I didn't know I scared you! Please… please don't be mad…"
It was something in Papyrus' breaking voice that seemed to clear through to Sans. He gripped tightly onto Papyrus as I, as if trying to ground himself from wherever it was that he was in his head. His eye glowed brightly, and soon Papyrus' eye sockets both reflected the same colorful eyes with a beautiful orange glow, reminding me much of a sunset.
"I'm so sorry Sans…"
Papyrus' free arm wrapped around his brother, fearful of letting him go while Sans slowly came back to reality. Frisk watched on worriedly from under Papyrus' arm, looking through to see me as both the younger brother and I tried to calm Sans.
After a few minutes passed, he seemed to be able to compose himself, after gripping harshly onto my and Papyrus' arms. His glowing eye faded and the tiny little specs of light returned to both of his eye sockets. He seemed to look around carefully a few times before he focused on the three of us there with him.
"Heh…" Sans' breathing seemed to calm down more while the grip on my hand seemed to ease and he glanced around at us. "Sorry… guess I lost my cool for a second…"
"Are you alright, Brother?" Papyrus questioned softly, still holding him regardless of the fact that he seemed a million times better than he had moments prior. Sans' breathing had calmed. His eyes (or lack thereof) were back to normal. His grip slowly loosened before he pulled back his hands and rubbed the back of his head.
"Yeah, just uh… kinda got a bit lost in my head for a second."
"Sans… are you mad?" Papyrus questioned worriedly, and it was so strange to see the normally confident skeleton so timid. I guess even the strongest of people would lose composure to the right person, and that happened to be his brother and fatherly figure, Sans.
"Not gonna lie Pap, I was really worried and pretty mad at ya. That wasn't a very smart thin' ya did." Sans let out a shaky sigh, still coming off his emotions. "Angel's right, ya could have been hurt or even died out there if we'd come any later. And her sister… she's not so strong against the cold like ya are. She could get sick or worse."
"Worse?"
"Like die, Pap."
The dramatic gasp that left Papyrus showed me that he then understood much more than he did before.
"Really Hum- I-I mean… Little Frisk?"
"Yeah, it was really cold out there," Frisk commented, her eyes hidden away from view behind her bangs as she finally pulled off her jacket to warm herself from the fire's heat across from the couch. "The snow… it felt like it was stabbing my skin with a cold knife. Battling you Papyrus was about the only thing keeping me warm."
"O-oh…" Papyrus lowered his head. "I'm so sorry… if I had known, I never would have placed us out there…"
"I hope you also realize just how scared we all were for you, Papyrus." Turning my attention back to the younger skeleton, I sighed.
"Yes… the Great Papyrus will be more careful and observant in the future of dangerous things and others feelings for me." Papyrus stood with a much happier look upon him as he stood. "Miss Angel and Little Frisk! For all your help and friendship, you should stay with us!"
"Wha-"
"Pap-"
"Really?!"
My sister squealed, jumping from the couch and running around the living room while Sans and I looked at each other with equal amounts of shock. He only could groan, covering his eye sockets with his hands.
"Papyrus, think about this!"
"What is there to think about Brother?" Papyrus tilted his head in confusion. "Both human girls are currently without a home and stay within the inn. You've been paying for all their meals due to lack of income. I have already befriended Little Frisk and hope to do so with Miss Angel as well. What better way to thank them for all that they have done but to give them a place to call home! Until they perhaps have enough to live elsewhere if they so desire?"
Sans quieted at the points that his brother brought up. He contemplated over it for a few moments while I was still stunned into silence from Papyrus declaration of letting us live with them. I was never expecting to be allowed to live with said brothers. I always figured that I'd save up enough after getting a proper job and finding a small home in Snowdin.
As much as it surprised and worried me, the idea was actually a very good one. Living among others that already lived in the town and had bank accounts, mortgage and a home under a true resident… it would actually help us to blend in until people were more accustomed to us without having to really stick ourselves out there.
However, there was also the constant nagging in the back of my mind of Captain Undyne coming to visit. She and Papyrus were good friends and from what Sans had told me, she came over at least once a week. Would we have to go back to the inn? Would it be better to be with Toriel?
Sans seemed to be thinking about these things as well as he glanced over at me before facing his brother once more.
"Okay, so let's say we do let 'em stay with us Pap. Where would they sleep?"
Okay… that escaped my warpath of ideas in my mind…
"In Father's room of course!"
My breathing hitched as I turned back to Papyrus with a startled gasp escaping me. "Papyrus… we can't take that room for you all…"
"Sans and I have had plenty of time to grieve for our father's passing, and that room hasn't been used in a long time. It's just wasted space at this current moment, and besides! I'd love to have others in the house! The Great Papyrus is fine with it!" Papyrus turned to his brother. "We'll need a day or two to clean it out for you and store Father's belongings for us to go through another time. But once it is cleaned, you'll have a perfectly large bed for the two of you to rest in! Ah… I hope that won't bother you?"
"Angel and I share a bed all the time, it won't bother us!" Frisk snickered from her spot and raced up to me, planting her hands on my knees to grab my attention. "Can we stay with them Angel, please?!"
"Ah…" I turned to Sans then, not sure what to say. It truly was his house and I wasn't about to overstep any boundaries he wasn't comfortable with.
"Alright Pap, and what do ya plan to do with Undyne once they move in?" Sans questioned his brother again. "We can't have her over with them here. Unless we can hash out a plan ta keep 'em a secret or hide their identities."
"Worry not, Brother! I, the Great Papyrus, shall have Undyne and I meet at her home for the next couple of weeks while we figure out a plan! Undyne had asked me recently anyway if I could join her there so she could get a bit more sleep… I don't see why… she always is quite passionate regardless I thought!"
"Whatever you say Pap…" Sans sighed before he glanced over at me. His eyes looked both happy yet defeated all at the same time, and I wasn't sure how to accept that. "Welp, it seems like yer our new roommates."
I hesitated, looking into the dark pools of his eye sockets in a concerned manor. "Are you sure, Sans?"
The look to him changed, it was gentler and happy. I wasn't sure what was passing on through his head, but he either really happy about this, or he was hiding his struggles very well… "If Paps is okay with it, I can live with having some girls around. Besides, that means I can be punny more with new people to entertain."
Papyrus gave Sans a deadpan look. "Don't you even start, Brother."
"But Paps is right too, it's beyond time we moved on past our dad." Sans sighed and looked up to the room on the other level. "We'll start workin' on that tomorrow. I can take you girls back ta the inn tonight and then get you checked out in the mornin'. Or if you guys are determined, as I can see yer little sister is, I can take ya back Angel and we can get ya checked out and ya can stay here tonight. But… it's up to ya."
"Can I stay the night?" Frisk eagerly questioned me, jumping and pressing on my knees where she had remained the entire time. "Please?! Papyrus and I can have a sleepover!"
"And just who do you two think you are to make such demands after tonight?" I crossed my arms and narrowed my eyes, just to make Frisk falter a bit. "If we're living together then I hope you realize I'll be a bit on the mothering side, which means… you're both grounded."
"What?!" Papyrus nearly squealed in fright. "I've never been grounded…"
My sister merely pouted. "I was hoping you'd forget that…"
I flicked her forehead. "Not on your life Frisky. You two are still in so much trouble for what you put Sans and I through…." I sighed as I saw Papyrus' depressed face and my sister's pouting. "But… I guess we can start it tomorrow…"
"Really?!" My sister leapt up into my arms then and Papyrus squealed in happiness.
"Oh thank you, Miss Angel!"
"Don't thank me yet." I stood from the couch and sighed. My sister stayed nestled in my arms while she looked at me curiously. "Because this is a great night between us, Sans and I will head back to the inn and gather our things and check out. You two will stay here, and starting first thing in the morning, your punishments start. No sweets for a week for you Frisk-" she screeched out at me for that. "And Papyrus, no spaghetti for you for a week."
"B-but-but-but-" The skeleton fell to the floor in disbelief, glancing over at his brother for help. "Sans! C-can she do that?!"
"Well Bro, yer still a kid until yer next birthday. And since yer the one who said yes to her and Frisk staying, yes, I think she has every right to. She is older than ya." Sans chucked before looking at me. "I think that's a pretty good punishment for a baby bones who decided ta go fight in a blizzard."
"But Sans-"
"No buts, be thankful she's lettin' ya get away with the punishment not startin' until tomorrow." Sans snickered before standing up. "Alright, Precious. We'd better head down to the inn and get everything taken care of before the storm gets any worse. I need to get some blankets for ya guys-"
"Why can't they stay in one of our rooms, Brother?" Papyrus questioned him. "Frisk is slumbering with me, right? Why can't Angel slumber with you so she has a bed?"
"You know Pap, that's a good idea." Sans turned to me with a sly grin on his face. "Right Precious?"
"Of course, Darling." Without missing a beat, I continued with the teasing flirty tone.
"Ugg! Stop flirting with each other!" Frisk snarled as she leapt away from me to hide behind Papyrus. She looked to her tall knight of bones in despair. "Papyrus! I think this is worse than the puns!"
"Little Frisk… I think I must agree…." Papyrus gave us a deadpan look which Sans and I only laughed at the youngest siblings.
"Come on, Precious." Sans held out his hand for me, and I, suppressing my giggles, hurried toward him.
"Coming, Darling!" I only head the younger ones groan one more time before Sans' had connected to my own and we were gone, quickly we stood in the hallway of the inn, right before my door.
Once we were away from the kids did Sans and I quickly separate, a rushing flush came to my face as I thought of sharing a room with him. He was a close friend, yet it embarrassed me to be in such a personal spot for him.
"You know, Angel, I can sleep on the couch once Paps and Frisk go ta sleep." Sans told me as we stood in the hallway. He wasn't looking at me, but when I glanced back at him, I noticed the hood of his jacket was up over his skull and the fluff of its edges seemed to shield his face from me. Even if I could see through the strands and see the blue blush of his own.
I shook my head at him, even if I tried to hide the color in my cheeks behind my hair. "I'm not about to steal your bed from you, Sans."
"Well, I'm not about to let you sleep on the couch either, so let's make a deal." Sans walked into my room and I followed him inside, closing the door behind me as to prevent others from hearing our conversation. "Let's use the extra blankets or some of my sheets to put a barrier between us, we'll share the bed, half for ya and half for me."
"…If ya say so… sure I guess…"
Oh God… I'm praying to you so hard right now! Please don't let anything weird happen in the night!
Witch's Note:
Holy Fudge! They're living together now!?
Even I was stunned by what I wrote when I first did it a long time ago. Mystical Girl nearly plopped on the floor in her surprised. I thought she was going to shake my soul out of my body.
So, did anyone guess that they would move in together? Because now we have an insane amount of moments that are going to happen in that skeleton house hold! Are you all ready for that? Because it is going to be insane as the chapters progress!
And now to respond to our recent reviewers!
Ceoko: HOW DID YOU KNOW AGAIN!?
Love you all and see you next week with new adventures in the household that dares to hold these four insane people. I hope you all are looking forward to it! Looking forward to comments and reviews! Please don't forget o send them in!
Halloween Witch
