Two Worlds, Two Souls
Chapter 56: Self-Worth
Frisk's Point of View:
I felt dizzy when I finally woke up.
I rolled over from where I lay and glanced around the darkened room to see if I could see the clock. I felt over to the nightstand for my phone… only to feel it not there. My hand landed on nothing.
I leapt up in the bed and turned to see quickly there was, indeed, no nightstand. Not even my phone was nearby as I tried to remember the dark room I was in. It was nearly entirely black, if not for some softly glowing blue-white lights on the first inch off the floors and on the walls. It provided just enough glow to show me where I was able to walk before I glanced around.
It seemed like I was in a lab of some sort. I could hear the sound of a heart monitor and an oxygen tank giving air. An observation room was just out of sight where I saw someone rummaging around, though I couldn't see their face.
And then I saw my sister.
Beside me on the bed where I'd laid was Angel, hooked up to many monitors, bags of fluids, and her arm wrapped up in thick gauze.
Well, half her arm anyway.
In those moments in when I felt the memories hit me like a car crash. It left me feeling very whiplashed and dizzy. I grabbed onto the metal railing of the medical bed I was in to hold myself up.
And then I remembered.
We'd run away from Sans and Papy.
We made it to Waterfall before Undyne found us.
Sis got acid on her arm.
We were chased to Hotland.
Undyne fainted from heat stroke and we saved her.
Angel… cut off her arm…
I couldn't reach the guys. I called Alphys instead.
With a heavy sigh, I realized that I was in the secret room Alphys had made for my sister and I. It was still dark, though I wasn't sure how much time had passed since I'd fallen asleep. I could only remember the others going after Undyne… or at least keeping an eye on her.
Looking back at my sister, I pulled the sheets a bit more over her to keep her warm, even if her remaining arm had to be exposed for the wires. I hoped she would be okay for a few minutes while I got some food and stretched for a bit.
As much as I hated to leave, Mother Nature was calling.
"Little Frisk!" An excited whisper caught my attention as I saw the door open and a lanky figure stand in the doorway. "You are awake!"
"Papy?" There was only one person I knew that spoke like he did and with such a high-pitched voice. The lanky figure soon turned into my best friend who looked at me with a rather exhausted look upon him.
"Yes! It is I! The Great Papyrus!" His words were followed by a tired laugh. "Granted… I could go for a nap… Having Undyne drill me with questions has left me quite tired."
"You're tired?" I blinked before an idea hit me. "Would you maybe take your nap with Sis? She can't sleep well without someone sleeping with her. Just holding her hand or touching her somewhere will be enough."
"I most certainly can do that!" And just like that, the joyous skeleton walked around me and managed to curl himself into the side of my sister's bed and nestle with her, tiredly snuggling in. My sister didn't move at all during those moments, but with it still being so recent to when she was hurt, it didn't surprise me.
I left the room then. Papyrus would be there for my sister. I wasn't worried as he laid there and I was able to take off to relieve myself.
Alphys had been kind enough to show me where a bathroom had been before I'd slept. Once I'd taken care of my needs. I was eager to find the others and see what they were doing, or if there was any food lying around. I was a tad hungry.
More than anything, I wanted to find Sans. I wanted to know if there were things he could help with me. There was so much I needed to do to catch up to my sister, practicing magic, improving just everyday skills like reading, and school work. Papyrus had told me a few times that he was really smart, especially with science and math, and that's where I struggled the most.
Especially math….
I just wanted to be more useful. I didn't want to be the dead weight I knew I was this last time as my sister protected me from Undyne.
I headed out of the secret lab area that Alphys had hidden us in when I saw the TV on only a few feet away from me. I glanced up at the lanky figure that laid on the couch there, fast asleep and felt my blood turn cold.
It was Undyne.
She had returned from whatever place she had been to in the time my sister and I had left. She was deeply asleep on the couch and seemed not to hear my faint squeal in surprise from seeing her there. I honestly wasn't expecting it.
Without waiting another moment, I flew out over the escalator to the ground floor to see if I could find Sans or Alphys.
When my feet hit the ground floor, I was surprised to see Alphys and Sans standing around some of Alphys' monitors that were directed at the private security of the underground. They were talking softly. I couldn't make out what they were staying much then the slight irritation on their faces. Alphys wasn't really one to get angry, so it was strange to see her with a scowl.
Sans let out a huff before his eye lights lifted enough to see me. Instantly his gaze seemed to soften, which didn't go unseen by Alphys. She glanced back at me too, only for her scowl to morph into something much more like a surprised look.
"Come here, Kiddo." With a wave of his hand, and his soft brotherly words, he beckoned me toward him. My bare feet slapped the floor in my sprint before I slammed into my friend. A figure I saw as an older brother who cared about my sister and I.
My arms wrapped tightly around him, afraid of what might happen if I let go. Even with my new resolve to change, I was still scared. Was that normal? How could I be brave and scared all at the same time? My sister never was scared as we grew up and while she took care of me on the surface.
How could I be more like her?
"O-oh Frisk!" I felt Alphys come over behind me and both Sans and I as well. "I-it's so g-good to see y-you awake."
"Ya sleep alright, Kiddo?" I pulled back just enough to look at Sans' concerned face before I shrugged at him. I slept as well as I could for the situation we were in. "Welp, I'll take it over what it could be."
Alphys pulled away long enough to pat my shoulder. "W-would you l-like something to eat Frisk?"
Before I could answer, my stomach decided for me and growled loudly at her. I tried to hide the blush in my cheeks while the two older people laughed.
"I got somethin' I think ya'll like, Kiddo." Sans patted my head before I saw him reach over behind him for a bag that was left on the counter. "I know ya always 've been a fan of Grillbz's food. Got a cheese burger 'n fries with yer name on it."
Eagerly my stomach agreed with the food Sans had presented. Before I could move my lips to say my thanks, the bag was swiped from my friend into my hands with precision only know to masters. Sans was startled for only a moment before he chuckled and patted the table beside him and Alphys for me to eat at.
I didn't need the verbal command to know to sit there and dive in. I was too starved in those moments to care, especially since my sister and I had been on the run all night long and then we left for another so many hours. I still didn't know what time it was, and not having any food in me after twelve hours or so was dangerous, since I got very hangry.
Once I'd had a few bites, I lifted my head enough to look at my friends. The two of them were awkwardly standing there, watching me eat. I slowed down after about eating half of the lukewarm meal to stare in confusion.
"What?"
Alphys nervously played with her fingers. "I-is you're sister s-still o-okay?"
"I think so… she was still sleeping when Papy came up. He and I traded places so he could sleep. He said that Undyne questioning him had left him tired." I carefully looked to the second level, slightly afraid that she was awake and listening in. "When did Undyne come back?"
Sans shoulders deflated in defeat. "Ya saw her?"
"She was sleeping on the couch upstairs. I don't think she saw me. She seemed pretty out of it." Lowering my eyes to my meal, I couldn't face the others. "She's going to take us away, isn't she?"
"Now nothin's been decided yet, 'n she's keepin' quiet." Sans was quick to respond and put his hands on my shoulders, trying to show me comfort. "She agreed ta hear ya two out. She grilled Pap not too long ago for information. She also questioned both Al 'n me, separately."
"But that doesn't mean she still won't try to come after us again." I couldn't resist holding myself while trying to prevent myself from crying. "I'm scared Sans."
A sigh escaped the older male. "I know…"
Another awkward pause fell among us. I turned back to my food, still eating since I knew I needed too, even if I didn't feel too hungry anymore. Sans hand had landed on my head and was petting it slowly in a soothing manor that reminded me of my sister. She used to always trail her fingers through my hair, it always felt nice.
Even with me being afraid, it felt nice.
"Heh… ya like that, Kiddo?"
"Angel would do that when I was upset or scared."
"Oh."
"Sans?"
"Yeah Frisk?"
"Can you help me get stronger?"
The hand on my head stopped its movements.
"Stronger?"
"So… I can protect my sister." I glanced back at his face to see surprise sitting there. "I hated how Angel was the only one who could defend us. I couldn't use my magic at all against Undyne or to protect us. I couldn't help, and it was only when I gave up on being content to act like a child, try to relive some of the years we'd lost when we ran, that I was determined enough to do it."
Sans gaped at me for a few moments before he managed to somehow shut his jaw. "Ya actually managed ta use yer magic?"
"S-she did. I-I saw i-it." Alphys commented. She carefully sat herself next to me while she fiddled on her phone. "H-here, I h-have the video of us a-arriving."
The phone was passed and Sans quickly looked it over, watching as Alphys and I had approached her building at five in the morning. I saw the look change on Sans' face as he watched me use my magic on levels I never thought I'd get to in the last couple of years, and all that I lacked was to stop being complacent and be determined enough to try because I had no choice.
"Yeah, I guess ya finally got pass that roadblock of yers, huh Frisky?" Sans handed back the phone before he ruffled my hair. I pouted at him from under his arm, feeling the prickle of humility build up in my chest.
"Only because I realized I couldn't act like a kid anymore." That stopped the movement on my head. Sans looked with a raised eye socket.
"Say that again?"
"I was… content to act like a kid. When we came here, I didn't have to hide from everyone. I wanted to play and make up for all the years I scared, hurt and only had my sister in my life. I had no friends, only Angel. This was… a dream for me. And I guess because I was so content, I didn't have the literal determination I needed to move forward and change… not until this…" Emotions swelled up inside me. Painful ones as I remembered the utter fear in the moments that Undyne had come after us. When Angel defended me and did all she could to keep us safe. "I was helpless because I had been content. I can't do that anymore. I don't want Angel to fight these battles on her own anymore, mentally, physically or emotionally. I nearly lost her… if I had… I don't-"
I couldn't finish the thought.
"Easy Kiddo." Quickly I felt a boney hand land on my back, trying to rub soothing circles to sooth me as I struggled not to cry. Tears blurred my vision as I sat there, trying so hard not to cry. I raced to wipe what tried to fall. "Ya ain't gonna loose her. Nothin' like that'll happen again."
"I don't want to be weak anymore!" The hot bubbling emotions in my chest almost seemed to want to burst from how frustrated I was at myself and how little I was able to do. "You can't lie to me and make a promise that she'll always be safe! You know she'll be hurt again with this crazy dream of hers to befriend everyone!"
"Hey, Kiddo, calm down." Sans tried to reach for me again, but I didn't want it.
I wanted my sister.
Alphys rushed around her table being closer than Sans to me in those moments. "F-firsk! Please!"
"Angel was always better! Better at everything! Better at making friends, better at magic, better at protecting others, better at everything! I never could do anything right! And yet, she would always be too kind and help me when I didn't deserve it!"
I couldn't stop yelling. I was so mad…
But I wasn't mad at my sister… I was mad at myself…
But I just couldn't say that in those moments.
"Ya know, that's about the only thing I agree with you about."
My eyes, which burned from the hot fury of tears draining out of them, jumped up to see the new voice that spoke to us.
Undyne stood there, bags under her eyes from apparent lack of sleep, crossed arms and a signature scowl to present to us. Her hair was down rather then pulled into its normal ponytail and was surprised to see her eye patch wasn't on her head, but her hair prevented me from seeing the eye she normally covers. Only the sliver of a scar that peaked out from the edge of her socket seemed visible at that moment.
Everyone was so stunned by Undyne's entrance that no one knew what to say in those moments. Even me, lost in my anger and frustration at myself, I felt my emotions go numb as I saw her there, not sure how to respond.
Alphys seemed the most stunned out of all of us, and it seemed she struggled with holding back the embarrassing red color in her cheeks. "U-undyne... s-sorry for waking y-you..."
"Its fine Al, I wanted to talk to the little punk anyway." Undyne groaned, popping a few of her joints before she kneeled down before me, the giant woman being more of my eye level then. "Talk, kid."
"A-about what?"
"Show me why I shouldn't be dragging you to Asgore and using your soul to break us all free."
Her golden eye was intense as she glared at me. Or rather, she looked at me intently. It didn't seem like she was actually glaring the more I looked into that dedicated eye of hers. She seemed like she was judging me, my actions and what I was doing.
She... didn't look as angry as she had been last night when we were running from her. My guess was because so many people were fighting for us.
My sister... she had done all that.
Everyone was fighting for us so hard because of what she had done for them. She baked for them, looked after others, saved the friggen Snowdin Christmas Fair and so much more...
I was just her sister along for the ride...
"I... I haven't... done anything to show I'm a threat or good..." The emotions of fear suddenly came up, welling in my chest as I tried to talk. "My sister... she's the one who should be saved. She... she's done so much for everyone... but... I haven't done anything..."
Sans quickly kneeled next to me. "Kiddo, ya know it ain't like that."
Turning on him in a flash, I couldn't help but cry, and I hated myself even more that the tears fell from my burning sockets. "Don't lie to me! What have I honestly done that should tell her I can stay?!"
"Ya didn't kill Pap when ya first met 'im." Sans quick response left me angry, that wasn't anything special! "Ya 'n Angel played his puzzles with him all the way ta Snowdin, and when he challenged ya ta a fight, ya never laid a single finger on him, only wore him down until he couldn't fight anymore and ya two called it a draw."
"But-"
"And yes, ya did get complacent in the last few months. Ya had every right too when ya thought thin's were gonna be normal. Ya wanted to be a kid. Ya had four years of yer life stolen from ya since some asshat decided to make yer lives miserable. But don't ya tell me ya didn't do anythin'. Yer Papyrus' best friend. He can't imagine a world without ya. And didn't ya do yer best ta keep his spirits up when I was gone back in February?"
I looked away, not able to face him.
I felt a hand on my shoulder. "Ya have done good Frisk, ya even just realized that ya become complacent from what happened. Sure, it ain't a great way ta figure it out, but at least ya have the chance ta get better and fix yer mistakes." I felt his boney fingers on my chin and he made me look at him. "Look here, Kiddo. Ya asked me ta help ya get stronger 'n better. Ya want ta learn more thin's and be more responsible? Ya wanna help yer sister? I'll help ya do that, but the first thin' ya gotta do is prove ta Undyne yer no threat ta the underground. M'kay?"
"Yeah..."
"She really did all that?" Undyne continued to look straight at me with that intense stair of hers'.
"Who do ya think stayed with Pap when I was 'gone', Undyne?" Sans whipped around to face her. His grip on my shoulder didn't loosen, in fact, in tightened and I felt him struggle to not pull me behind him. "She may not think it, but she's done a lot for us, emotionally. Both of them have. Angel's helped me with... Dad and what not, 'n Frisk has been helpin' Pap. They've done more help for our little town then ya realize."
"I guess so."
The sigh that came out of Undyne then made me feel like she was willing to give this a try. I left even the smallest bit of hope to grow in my chest.
Sans stood up then from beside me and I saw this Cheshire like smile appear for a grin. It made me slightly nervous as he turned to the tallest woman there. "Hey, Undyne?"
She narrowed her eye at him. "What?"
"I bet'cha can't become friends with Frisk."
And that seemed to create a vein that began to bulge on her forehead. Alphys giggle lightly behind her hand while I cluelessly glanced between the few friends I had. Undyne growled and grabbed Sans' shirt roughly, lifting him off the ground in her anger.
"What was that?"
"Oh, I should have rephrased that, sorry." Sans' grin only grew as he stared her dead in the eye. "There is absolutely no way ya could become friends with our human friends. It's impossible for someone like ya."
"Is that a challenge, you dorky skeleton?"
"Meh, only if you're brave enough to do it."
And that seemed to shred the last bit of sanity she had on the subject.
"Fine then! I will become her friend! And her sister's too when she wakes up!" She unceremoniously dropped Sans from where she held him and I was yanked from my chair and into her arms. "Alright Punk! You and are gonna be besties! Come on! I know where Alphys keeps most of the stuff in the kitchen! Friends do shit together! So, we're gonna make spaghetti!"
Even though I was slightly fearful of this, the large grin on Undyne's face in the deep end of a challenge and doing something she enjoyed made me a bit more at ease. She seemed more like the woman I had looked up to before she found out we were humans.
"I love spaghetti!" I tried to show her the same energy she was putting out, and show her I was trying. I wanted to change. No matter what. "It's one of the few things I know how to make!"
"That's the spirit! So, move your ass, Punk!"
But you're carrying me…
Witch's Note:
Oh boy, so now Undyne's a friend of Frisk?! Man, things are moving quickly! You guys still holding on for dear life?
(Both Mystic Girl and I are doing as such while we're coming out of the newly renovated office/bomb shelter.) The workers did a lovely job on that office! Now I can work in peace! Oh! How's the pie Mystic?
(My best friend can be seen with the delicious treat stuffed into her mouth, large chucks of it were hurled into her mouth. She looked up, blinked at me. Then she smiled sheepishly.)
(I sighed.) My God, you are the reincarnate of Frisk herself…
Mystic Girl: Of course! She's my favorite! She's just like me!
Anyway, I'd better move onto reviews…
RoseCentury: Yes Rose, you definitely need your rest, so take what time you need! Every woman experience's pregnancy a little different. I sadly haven't had the pleasure yet to go through that, but Mystic Girl has. She's got a little boy that's around four and a half now. I know that she was really tired and had little energy. Anything you want to add there Mystic?
Mystic Girl: Take everyday one step at a time since your energy will be low. What was worse for me was how tired I was, I was sleeping nearly all day and had no energy. And my cravings were bad, pickles and chocolate ice cream, LOTS of flavored popcorn. Watch what you eat. And if you have any questions, just ask.
Not A Shady Guy: Well I'm glad you like the dogpiling! I know that was a fun scene to write! And really? You didn't notice any of those notes? I'm surprised, but hope your just as excited for the next book as this one. It's got our same characters, but them growing up in the above ground world and having kids and families growing. I'm just starting on chapter twenty-five currently! Trying to move as fast as I can! Because I know if I don't, you guys will be down my throat asking for more! Mystic already is there…
(Over in the corner you can see a hyped up Mystic Girl being held back outside the new door that was built for the office/bunker room. Her nails are gliding down on the glass like nails on a chalk board, creaking that awful sound. A crazed look is in her eyes as she stares at me while before my laptop.
Mystic Girl: Come on Halloween… where's the next chapter?
Ceoko: Girl! Its so good to see you! I swear you disappear off the face of the earth every time I chat with you! Where have you been?!
Thechaosmaster: Hello there! Welcome to the story! As you know I'm Halloween Witch, and I did get a chance to message you briefly Friday evening. It seems you're really getting into the story from the reviews that you sent us! I'm glad you like the story so much. Looks like Robert really put you in a mood once you met him. Ha! Our cinnamon roll… yes, he's too precious for this world! And I KNOW about Angel and Sans! The slow burn is such a killer, but its so amazing. I hope you love what I've put into the future chapters!
Whew! Another chapter done and we gotta get ready for more! Angel is down for the count for a while and we're building on the other characters! Any guesses on what may come next? I'm not telling!
See you all next week!
Halloween Witch
