A soft breeze falling upon this place, light dazzling there, giving the field the illusion of waves. There were two paths forward here. One that was to their left, that traversed alongside the river. And the one on the right, that seemed to continue into the forest once more.
Aliza asked. "Apples?"
Chara was perplexed by this, and noticed something at the base of some of the tall wheat-like substance. She stepped over, and grasped one, tugging it up. Yanking it from the ground. Revealing, what seemed to be a dirt covered apple. Looking it over for a moment, she noticed it was in a sense, like an apple...potato. She couldn't help but feel that was a strange concept she had never imagined before.
"Apparently." Chara spoke, adding. "I dunno if they're safe though." She hummed, brushing it off. "Guess we'll find out."
"What?" Aliza asked, as her counterpart took a bite. "C-chara!"
The purple eyed girl was filled with the taste of apples. The shape was a bit different, but it appeared to be precisely what it seemed to be. Or, some strange version of it. Noticing the concerned look, she held out the odd apple by the wheat-like stock. Aliza hesitantly took it, before biting into a part that hadn't been bitten into. Seeming delightfully surprised.
Chara noted. "It's...nice, right?"
"Is apple." Aliza commented back, chewing a bit as she spoke.
Chara briefly glared. "Don't chew with your mouth open."
Aliza winced some, and swallowed. "U-uhm...sorry."
"It's just...it's gross." Chara commented.
"I...didn't mean...uhm, sorry." Aliza apologized again.
"Eh, it's fine, dork." Chara sighed. "You don't...have to apologize. Just, it's gross sounding is all"
With the apple finished, or mostly, Aliza set it over on the side of the path. The duo proceeding along. Wandering down the path that cut through the clearing. Finding that it went both left, and right. A choice, it seemed was presented to them.
Thankfully there was a sign in the center of the path that seemed to indicate which directions were what. Unfortunately, someone had scratched out the sign. The sight of which prompted Chara to stare at it for a moment. Her eyes darkening.
Chara cast |Puzzle Cube|
The space below the sign glowed, before the cube burst up. Destroying the sign in the process. Making Aliza jump in surprise.
Aliza glanced her over. "Are...you alright?"
"Yeah. Just uh..." Chara thought up an excuse. "It'll be easier to...see where we're going, ya know, can climb on the cube to hopefully tell."
"Oh." Aliza found this to be a smart idea actually. "That's clever."
"Thanks." Chara laughed nervously.
The purple eyed girl let out a breath, before running over to it. Jumping some, while gripping the top, using her feet to push her ontop of it. With a little bit of flailing, and effort. Standing upright on it, to overlook the area.
The clearing, she found, was positioned on the side of the river, and the bulk of the forest. Which, given her height advantage, she could see went on for as far as she could see. Though, there were various peaks, and cliffs much farther to the sides. But, it would take weeks maybe, to reach those.
Turning to try and get a better look over the paths, and where they went, sadly she couldn't. The trees were too high for her to get a good look at things. But she did notice cardboard cutouts on the path to the left, running alongside the river.
She pondered this, recalling there having been a river to the right side of the path before. It was likely a different one. Her focus heading towards the right path briefly. She couldn't really see anything there, in that direction.
While she had been up, and looking, however, Aliza had been waiting. Before noticing something out of the corner of her eye. The reflection of something, coming from the right path. Reflected against the wheat. Curiously, she'd begun wandering towards it.
She made sure to maintain a safe distance, however. And a line of sight with Chara. She wasn't about to be ambushed by something scary, at least, not on her watch.
When she had reached the point she could stare down the path, she found that it seemed to branch into the forest once more. But before all that, there was, what appeared to be an old television. Sitting, half sunk into the ground, overgrown with greenery. Leaning against a tree.
To the side, was what seemed to be one of the cardboard cutouts that Mettaton had made. However, it was mostly destroyed. It appeared to have one been pointing at the Tv, with some sort of sign present. She wondered what it must have once said.
The most odd detail, however, about it all, was that the Television was on. She didn't see anywhere it might draw power from. It merely seemed to be...active, somehow. The static suddenly swaying, shifting, beginning to project something. A video, or a show, of some kind.
"Chara?" She turned, seeing her counterpart facing the left, seeming to be examining one of the path options.
Aliza wondered what the television was playing. How it was playing things? Was it some sort of magic? Something, like a scratching sound in her head, beckoning her towards it. Unconsciously stepping, a bit closer. She couldn't help but...
|Proceed|
Near enough to make out the video, she tilted her head. It was...of some dark place. With cells lining the wall. Of things within. It was like, she was watching through a security camera, at a facility of some kind. Even if she didn't have a good enough frame of reference, to understand that personally.
The contents of the cells present there, visible through the clear glass, caused her some sense of distress. Attempting to process the information, as her heart began to pound in her chest. A voice beginning to screech in her mind. Eyes wide, and filled with horror.
"Aliza!" Chara yelled, snapping her from it. "Hey, what are you doing?"
The other girl jogged over to her. Aliza blinking, suddenly unable to recall what she was thinking of. Her counterpart nearing her, as she shook and shivered for reasons she didn't understand.
Turning to face the Television, it was producing static. As it always had been, at least as far as the girls memory was concerned. The sight of the strangeness drew a raised brow from Chara.
"I...uhm...there's...it's a tv." Aliza responded.
Chara hummed. "Must be...magical, to still be working." She then shifted from the thought. "It's...probably best we leave it alone." She reasoned. "Someone left it there for a reason, ya know?"
"Right." Aliza agreed, still shaking.
"Are you alright?" Chara inquired, placing a hand to her forehead. "You're...freezing."
"I-'m okay." Aliza tried to think of an answer. "It w-was just...spooky. Heh."
"I get that." The purple eyed girl offered her hand. "C'mon. We're meant to head to the left, I think. And uh..." She considered for a moment. "let's...try not to get seperated." She suggested. "Each time I've gone off on my own, it hasn't really...gone well. So."
"Sorry." Aliza apologized, taking her hand.
"Heh. Usually I'm the one apologizing." Chara noted, before saying. "But, it's okay. It uh...ya know it happens. Like...when you wander into a room, and a spider runs across the floor."
"That's creepy." Aliza agreed, as she began to be led away from the strange tv.
"I know right?" Chara smiled. "Asriel always tried to befriend them. Got a nasty bite one for his trouble."
"Asriel?" Aliza asked, as they wandered through the field.
"Yeah, he's my brother." Chara said, smiling some. "He's nice."
Passing the cardboard cutouts indicating the direction they were meant to go, the duo was granted a fairly straight shot. Save for the presence of another sentry station in the middle of the road. Both surmising it likely belonged to the two they'd met earlier.
"You have...a brother?" Aliza inquired.
"Yeah." Chara thought about him. "He's...well, he's kind of a crybaby." She noted, before adding. "But like...it's okay, cuz he's cool, so."
Aliza gave her a little smile in response to this. She never had any siblings of her own. Though, she knew her dad had other kids though. That was something she'd learned from her mother, when said individual had been wobbly one night. She didn't really like to think about them, though.
After all, they were the ones he wanted. Since she'd done so poorly as a daughter. She wasn't really sure what she did wrong, exactly, but wagered it was her lack of friends. At least, that was why she had to stay outside, and couldn't go back. So, maybe it was the same thing?
The duo got nearer to the sentry station, as she asked. "Are...we friends?"
"Huh?" The purple eyed girl raised a brow. "What do you mean?"
"L-like...u-uhm." The orange eyed girl glanced away. "I...just...w-well-"
They reached the sentry station. Their commentary being disrupted by the individual present there. A loud croaking noise, prompting the pair to jump, and refocus on the boxy little building. As there was, what appeared to be, a frog wearing armor sitting within. Giving them both a look with its big eyes, before glancing to a sheet of paper on the side of the interior.
It read 'Humans' and had a couple example photos from various stock images, which had been copied and given to the various sentries. The frog almost immediately seemed alarmed, once the information clicked. Scrambling to get up from his sentry station.
"Robbit. Ribbit." The Froggit Knight croaked. "Stop right there you two!"
The frog bounded out, and over the counter. Landing, armor clanging, in their path. The two humans taking a step back, as the world flashed purple and black. It seemed, they were being thrust into a fight.
For Chara however, this was a confusing action. True, in her memories, she recalled individuals like this blocking the path of various humans. However, given the encounters with Papyrus, and Metta, she had briefly been under the illusion that it wouldn't happen.
It seemed the Froggit Knight was here to fight. The souls of the humans shining before them.
|Chara - 20/24 HP | - | Aliza - 26/26 HP|
Chara chose to Defend. And to try and ask.
Aliza debated her actions.
|Check| - |Talk| - |Assure| - |Intimidate|
Aliza elected to talk.
A purple light shined from Charas soul, enveloping the duo in a thin layer of defense.
She asked. "Hang on a second. Why are you fighting us?"
"Ribbit. Robbit." The Froggit Knight. "Another local, influenced by dark forces. Like the King himself." He sounded worried, drawing his sword. "Worry not, child. I shall free you from this wicked humans mind control!"
Aliza tried to speak. "I...I don't...I can't mind control?" She sounded more confused than anything.
Chara felt this either some strange excuse to get violent, or a misinformed attempt to help. Humans didn't have the ability to sway the minds of others, under their control. Well, some did, but that was through a mixture of fear, money, and systematic subjugation. Things Aliza simply couldn't do.
The Froggit motioned with his sword, as various fly-style bullets began to manifest. Spreading though the air, and charging towards the duo, or, more specifically, towards Aliza. The girl stepped back, and jolting to the side to avoid the first series of bullets. Only for them to dart back, leading to several hitting her. Prompting a sound of pain.
She staggered back, as more approached. A step resulting in a few hitting Chara. As she pulled her counterpart from harm.
|Chara - 18/24 HP | - | Aliza - 20/26 HP|
Seeing the amount of damage her counterpart took, some part of Chara was struck. Distress, Anger, and Perseverance mixing into something unwelcome. However, she choked it down. Eyes shutting for a moment, before opening with a start. The image of the Non-Humans eyes having burned in her psyche, haunting the moment.
Chara decided to defend.
|Act|
|Check| - |Converse| - |Intimidate| - |Ask|
Chara decided to ask a question.
Aliza tried to assure her enemy of something.
Chara twitched some. "Who the hell told you humans can control minds?"
The Froggit responded. "Robbit, Robbit." And nodded. "The News. It's the only source of information one can trust anymore."
Aliza frowned. "They...are mistaken...it's not...possible."
The Froggit Knight elected to ignore her. And instead began the next attack. Generating a few of the bullets. Before his eyes flashed, and he lunged out, swinging at them. The blade turning blue. Chara noticed this, and saw Aliza stepping to dodge.
Snatching her counterpart, she held Aliza steady. Getting hit by the bullets, but stopping the swing from hitting her. The knight seeming confused by the action. Aliza looked her over in worry, as the attack ended.
Whisper noted to Chara. "We need another way to defend her."
Chara muttered. "I-I know."
|Chara - 14/24 HP | - | Aliza - 20/26 HP|
Chara decided to defend.
|Spells|
She was surprised to see another spell. Initially feeling utterly perplexed at its presence. Before recalling the origin. It seemed to be a healing spell? It wasn't what she needed at the moment.
Chara cast |Phantom Hand|
Aliza tried to talk.
The purple light enveloped the two. A space between them beginning to glitch and tear. Surprising their enemy, as it appeared. A yellow ring running around the hole punched in the palm.
Aliza glanced at her counterpart. "S-stop, y-you're gonna hurt her."
"Ribbit." The Froggit Knight shifted. "I'm...I have to fight."
The frog monster attempted to manifest more of the bullets. However, they were quickly dispatched. Blasted away by the hand, much to the visible surprise of both Aliza, and the monster.
Chara decided to defend. And the converse.
Aliza tried to assure.
The purple light enveloped them, the invoker of this spoke. "It's pretty obvious that you're being misled." Chara huffed. "So c'mon, let's just calm down."
Aliza added. "We don't...wanna fight you."
The Froggit Knight appeared to consider this, but didn't respond. Instead manifesting more bullets, that began to fire out. Being blasted by the phantom hand rather easily. A set of swings with the sword following, striking out as blue attacks. However, the effort proved vain, as the two didn't move. And the hand, which seemed perpetually in motion, froze. Permitting the attacks to simply pass through, doing nothing.
Chara elected to simply converse.
Aliza decided to talk.
Chara sighed. "Listen. At this point, you can't stop us from proceeding." She noted, adding. "Not that you should be. I don't know what the news told you. But I'm guessing it was something about how dangerous humans could be?"
The Froggit Knight hummed. "Croak." He lowered the sword. "Well, yes. That humans were like the creatures, and...would just kill us."
Aliza felt bravery, and a bit more resolved. "But we're not trying to."
Notably, this seemed to have the desired effect. The monster didn't elect to attack. Instead sighing tiredly, while planting his sword in the ground. His suspicious looks not completely gone. But for two reasons, it seemed pointless to continue battling.
Aliza let out a sigh of relief, and elected to spare their enemy.
Chara had a momentary thought. Like a scratching in the back of her mind. Pondering how useful that spell of his might be. Heat-seeking bullets? If someone threatened them, someone like that non-human...she could use something like that. The dark thought coming with scratching, in the back of her mind.
Whisper commented. "But we wouldn't kill someone who was showing mercy, right?" That snapped the girl from the stray thought. Shaking it off, with a heavy breath.
Chara chose to spare.
They won the fight. 0 XP. 20 G.
The color returned to the world, ebbing back to the general calm serenity. Their opponent looking a bit confused, but also rather relieved. The frog monster giving them both a look over.
"Robbit, robbit." The Frog croaked. "Looking at you now. I guess you don't look too intimidating." He noted, gesturing to Aliza. "And...you're a human too, aren't you?" He asked Chara.
Chara shrugged. "Last check yeah."
"Ribbit." The Frog huffed. "Why would the news lie?"
"I dunno, dude. I guess...people have their owl goals." Chara suggested. "Maybe they think it's safer to assume the worst?"
Aliza frowned at the thought. "Maybe?"
"Ribbit, Croak." The Frog Knight set out a sigh. "Unless I'm being mind controlled?"
"You're not." Aliza assured him.
Chara commented. "Humans can't do that to people. It's not a power they have."
"Croak, Ribbot?" The Frog Knight asked. "What do...humans do?"
"Okay...let's...run over some basics, okay?" Chara suggested.
The duo then did their best to explain certain aspects of humanity. Getting some truly outlandish questions, and claims from the monster. Apparently all coming from the same source 'The News.' The short conversation lasting a little bit longer than either of them hoped it might.
But, at least he showed a willingness to listen. That wasn't always the case with people. As they both knew, far too well.