Monsters and Pure Ones alike gathered on each side of the tiny clearing amidst the towering pines. All three members of the Dreemurr family stepped forward along the edge of the clearing to face the Pure One monarchs and the General, who had perched of some of the convenient lower branches of the smaller trees growing there so that they could match the monster's superior height. All other lower ranks were stationed around and behind them.
"Alright, let's start this off with a few questions. You can probably imagine that I'm quite curious about all of this," the High Tyto began. "First off, how exactly did it happen that your kind was imprisoned for a thousand years?"
"Well...What really triggered the war was the humans' discovery that we monsters were capable of absorbing human SOULs. A monster with a human SOUL is an incredibly powerful being; potent enough to wipe out an entire village with one snap...Although, no monster at the time likely had the thought of that. A monster at the time did absorb a human SOUL, but only briefly before freeing it. That was how the humans of that time first found out about it, and...They decided that it made us a threat. I do see where their fears stemmed from, but to have defeated us in near-genocidal war, then taking us across the sea to the new land that'd been recently discovered...I don't know, don't you think that might be a bit on the extreme side?"
Asgore finished with a light chuckle.
"Strange...Erm...Where did you monsters first live before you were taken...here?"
"Most of monsterkind lived within Scandinavia. At the time, rumors were spreading at the time that someone had discovered a new territory off to the far west, and once we'd been defeated in the war, that was where we were sent; the remaining hundred of us were loaded up in ships and taken across the ocean. They recruited the seven most powerful mages at the time to construct the Barrier to seal us away Underground. They thought that if we did manage to re-emerge, the tribal humans living here would finish us off...Erm...Do you know if there still any humans of such kind living here?"
"What? The Native Americans?" Ginger asked. "Oh, no, no, they've long since integrated and joined the rest of humanity."
"And what of this land we live on now?" Toriel inquired. "When we first arrived it was essentially all wilderness. Seeing all of the things that came through to the garbage dump that monsterkind has come to utilize for our own use over the course of many years, I should think that humans have long since colonized this place, correct?"
"That it has been, and this place is just as well-off as advanced as the rest of the human world," Metal Beak confirmed. "Supposedly even MORE so, actually, in many regards...So says fellow bird Commander Scott, that is."
"As of you, and your homeland," the monster queen continued. "Ginger once stated that you, the Pure Ones, were a primeval force yourselves. How much so?"
"We're owls. We've lived in harmony with the wilderness for centuries upon centuries. We may be primeval compared to most of the outside, but it is that simplicity that maintains the balance within the Kingdoms. We discussed it with the eagles just a week prior; the introduction of high-grade technology and weaponry into the setting of the Owl Kingdoms would upset the balance. Not to mention, if it somehow got into the wrong set of talons, havoc would surely ensue...Which brings up another point. Besides the whole human SOUL absorption thing, have you monsters ever developed any particularly destructive weapons?"
"Weapons?"
"Dear, goodness me..." Asgore exclaimed softly. "Well, typically, the only 'weapons' we wield are those made of our own magic. And it is common for them take the form of those that can be handcrafted."
"Magic...Ah, yes, yes. I had a feeling you monsters had a heavy affiliation with the practice."
"It isn't just the practice," Toriel stated. "We monsters are actually made mostly of magic."
The monarchs' eyes widened some more, and there was some indistinct chatter among the Pure Ones behind them.
"...You're quite serious?" Nyra asked.
"Quite so. And it is from our own composition that we can harness and manipulate that magic for our own use. Like so."
As on queue, she rose a paw and summoned a flickering orange and gold fireball just above her palm. At the sight of it, the owls beholding the sight gasped, and all except Ginger herself either leaned or backed away from the potentially dangerous flames.
"Oh, do not worry yourselves," the queen reassured them. "I am able to control the temperature of these flames at my own accords. Ha...You may or may not believe it, but I could very easily make these flames cool enough for one to put their hand right in and not be burned in the slightest...Care to demonstrate, Asgore?"
"Wh-Me? Well, ah...A-alright."
The owls watched in horrified anticipation as the monster king stuck a paw right into the flames...But he didn't even so much as flinch, and when he extracted his hand, it was completely fine; the white fur on it hadn't even been slightly singed. Metal Beak was especially in awe.
"...It's incredible..." he whispered hoarsely. "...What else can you do...?"
"Mind if I step up to the plate?"
Undyne broke through to the front of the crowd, then summoned her spear in a quick flash and proceeded to twirl the weapon like a flagpole before the owls. More chatter came from the Pure Ones; some were amazed, and even thrilled by this, and others were even intimidated by the fierce aura that this magic weaponry gave off.
"Asgore's trident is cooler, trust me," Ginger whispered to Kludd, who was perched not far behind her.
"...Sorcery," Allomere concluded, actually seeming quite a bit concerned by the monsters' magical abilities. "How long has your kind wielded this power?"
"Well, for as long as we can remember, really," Asgore answered him. "Erm...I don't suppose you owls don't have any affiliation with magic, does it?"
"Not since the time of the Legends," the Ablah General replied. "Magic of both kinds has mostly died out over the past several centuries, with any remaining mages being few and far between nowadays...What exactly, may I ask, do you use your magic for, besides warfare?"
"Oh, all sorts of things," Toriel beamed. "Fire magic works especially well in the kitchen."
"Interesting...What else?"
"how's this for show?"
The smaller of the two skeleton brothers took a step forward, and his left eye flashed blue.
And then, without warning, Allomere rose right off of his branch without so much as a wingbeat!
"Wait-Wh-What is this!?"
"surprise."
All of the owls watched in utter amazement as he was lifted up by the feet and turned upside down as though he'd been fastened to a clothesline to dry out.
"Sir, I demand to know the meaning of this!"
"hey, they asked."
"SANS, WE'VE BEEN HERE FOR NOT EVEN TEN MINUTES AND YOU'RE ALREADY MAKING A BAD IMPRESSION!"
"come on; this ain't overboard."
"WELL, IF THIS ISN'T 'OVERBOARD,' THEN I'M AFRAID TO KNOW WHAT YOUR IDEA OF 'OVERBOARD' IS!"
Allomere groaned, rolling his slate-grey eyes. At east he knew that this little practical joke was only made in good fun.
"Would you at least care to put me down?" he asked.
"huh? oh, yeah, sure. i won't leave you hangin'."
Sans lowered the owl back onto the branch and allowed him to grasp it in his talons.
"Yes, yes...Pun intended?"
"absolutely."
"I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN..."
"They can manipulate the outer world with their own minds..." Metal Beak realized.
"well, that's just me, really. don't know anyone else who can. it, uh...only comes around to a select few, i think."
"Is that so?"
"yep."
Magic weaponry... the Sooty Owl marveled. The Guardians of Ga'Hoole would be cowering at our talons with that on our side.
"Ah...How effective is this magic against opponents? Does it have a different effect on more physical beings as it does your own kind?"
"Well, kids might get into scuffles now and then and use their weaker magic against each other," Asgore told him. "But we're all aware that if it's used the right way, magic can be deadly. To human, monster and...well...really any other living thing. We have certain laws in place that prohibit the use of specially formed magic bullets against each other; those are the dangerous kind. Just a few hits can dust someone in a snap."
"'Dust'?"
"Oh, yes...I suppose you didn't know. When a monster dies, the magic constructing their body dissembles, and...The small amount of physicality our bodies have takes the form of a white, sort of powdery substance. Almost like..."
He shuddered.
"...Baking flour. Never thought I'd make that analogy...How morbid."
"At least you don't have to deal with the smell of decay," Nyra remarked. "...Well, my Lord, I think it safe to assume that it isn't nachtmagen that they wield."
"Uh...'Nachtmagen'?"
"Dark magic. Hagscraft," the High Tyto explained. "Used by the hagsfiends in the time of the Legends. Vile creatures, they were; half owl and half crow, and they did the most despicable things; transforming innocent owlets into their own kind against their will to increase their numbers, seeking to destroy all owlkind with their powers...Well...One would have to read the Legends themselves to fully grasp it, but trust me. And what I've seen here is nothing of the sort...except maybe the whole business with the Barrier, and young Ginger having to live in the pelt of a human for several days. Shapeshifting magic was a staple of the hagsfiends."
"But the Barrier was constructed by humans, not monsters," Ginger defended. "And monsters didn't really aid in its construction."
"Yes, that part I remember from Commander Scott explaining the tale to me...Seven human mages, right? But I find it hard to believe that they made it with the intention for it to turn one creature into something entirely different..."
"I, uh, I-I could be wrong, y-your, um...Your Pureness, sir, but I do have a hypothesis."
The king and queen of monsters parted, and the comparatively small creature in the lab coat stepped forward, somewhat shakily, to face the High Tyto.
"What do you propose, Doctor?" Asgore inquired.
"W-well...This might be a little 'out there,' but, hey, e-even we monsters don't f-fully understand how magic works...Um...So...I've been thinking, and I thought that the initial transformation might have something to do with the subject's...DETERMINATION? A-and how it interacted with the magic composing the Barrier, maybe?"
Metal Beak was confused by this.
"What would one simply being determined have to do with anything?"
"Oh, well, y-you see, DETERMINATION is far more than just an emotional trait. It is an actual substance, th-that resides within the SOUL. It's the very thing that gives one the will to live, a-and go on, even when facing a life-or-death situation. It's what allows the SOULs of humans t-to persist after the death of the host...SOULs vary in the traits they imbue, though, s-so some might have more DETERMINATION than others...But all human SOULs have it to some degree. And...um...I have a question."
"Ask away."
"Do the SOULs of owls last after death? I, um...don't know how much DETERMINATION your kind possesses, so..."
Alphys trailed off, and the old Sooty Owl saw the beads of sweat forming along her brow.
"They do, in fact. But they do not always remain in the mortal realm. Most of them pass on to the afterlife...Though there are several exceptions. If an owl has any unfinished business on earth, their SOULs stay here in the form of a scroom, and have a living owl, perhaps a loved one or another acquaintance, carry out their duties for them before they depart for the next life. Where we live, there is actually a specific place for these disembodied spirits to congregate: the Peninsula of the Spirit Woods."
"So...Your SOULs do indeed p-possess the DETERMINATION to live on after death?"
"Well, don't yours as well? You obviously possess the mental capacity to harbor such; you aren't lowly worms."
"No, we aren't," Asgore agreed. "But the thing is...Most monsters typically possess very little, if any DETERMINATION at all. Our SOULs are extremely weak compared to those of owls or humans. Once our bodies die, our SOULs follow suit. They shatter and disperse into nothingness."
The High Tyto and his mate looked particularly disturbed by this.
"...So what you mean to say is..." the Ablah General confirmed. "When a monster dies, there IS nothing for them beyond the mortal realm? The conscious state of being simply... ceases to exist?"
"I'm afraid so. Only the SOULs of we Boss Monsters can persist in the outside world...and even so, only for a few moments before shattering."
Silence shrouded the owls. They were horrified for the monsters by this aspect; yes, there were owls who were skeptical about the existence of Glaux, but how could one go on living knowing for absolute certain that there was nothing for them beyond death? No glamora for the good and just to be given peace? No hagsmire for the evil and corrupt to be brought to justice? Just...eternal oblivion?
"And...You aren't the least bit bothered by this?"
"Well...Not typically. In fact, we consider eternal rest a state of peace. No more suffering, no more sorrow...Even if it IS a bit unnerving to think about constantly. But isn't the death of any other creature a heavy topic?"
"Yes, I...suppose that's true..." Metal Beak finished. "...Where were we...? Oh, yes. You. Doctor. Where were you going with your theory on shapeshifting?"
"Oh, yeah. Um...I-I was thinking that maybe Ginger's SOUL, since it has a f-fairly high concentration of DETERMINATION, might have had some sort of magical reaction with the Barrier. S-surface animals don't typically pass through, unless it's, like, a-a snail or a bug or something; never the intelligent type we're talking about. The Barrier's pretty well-hidden, s-so not a lot of creatures would be able to find it...Except her. Anyway, if the SOUL of an intelligent animal is enough akin to that of a human, th-the Barrier could have p-potential to cause a reaction between the SOUL and the host body, which might have been what made her human...Of course, I-I don't know f-for sure, and it's just a s-speculation, but...If you wanted an answer to that question, then...that could be the case."
"That actually sounds pretty plausible," Ginger accepted. "At least...It makes sense compared to some of the OTHER things I've seen."
"I suppose it doesn't matter now, though," Nyra decided. "Seeing that the Barrier is gone, and our General is back to normal."
"C-come to think of it, Ging'..." Alphys continued. "How exactly did you find the opening to the cavern?"
"It might be easier to spot from above ground. I was flyin' pretty high when I came across the mountain, so that might have had something to do with it. There is a lot of vegetation in and around the entrance, so I can understand why it might be hard to find on foot. Not to mention the tripping hazard the vines cause for larger creatures, like humans and bigger wildlife. At first glance it just looks like an empty cave, since you can see the back wall from the opening, so I doubt many people would have found it and tried to go down the hole...But my curiosity got the best of me; I peered down the hole, saw a bed of flowers and decided to fly down there and check it out, since I thought I knew for ABSOULTE SURE that I would be able to fly back up. The next thing I know, I've traded my wings out for a pair of sticks with hands at the ends."
"So you finally admit it, huh?" Undyne teased.
"Yeah, well, that was when I took it personally. These aren't exactly sticks anymore," Ginger countered, spreading her wings for emphasis.
"Eh...Touché."
"This brings up the issue of the inhabitants of the mountain themselves," the High Tyto stated. "King Asgore, how many monsters live in the Underground?"
"The population is just under five hundred, I'd say, three fifths of which live in the capital. New Home has been suffering from increasing population density as of late, though, so a lot of its residents were planning to move into the less crowded areas of the Underground, such as Hotland and Waterfall...But now that the Barrier is finally gone, I don't think that will be an issue anymore. I'm glad of that; I'm afraid to know what might have happened in another few decades, with the population expanding faster. Even with the policies I enforced to stabilize our growth in numbers, it would have still gotten out of hand at some point."
"And, what of natural resources? How much does one monster need to sustain itself?"
"Not much; having lived underground for so long, we've become fairly resourceful creatures. Over the span of many centuries, we've learned how to use our magic to do a lot of things that would otherwise be impossible without sunlight or natural weather, and we've learned to extract food, water, and even building materials from the caverns...Come to think of it, this might have something to do with our taste for snail."
"So...Are you an agricultural people?"
"Farming? Oh, there's very little room for cultivating land en masse; most monsters prefer to grow food themselves on their own property. Yes, they do usually end up having enough to go around, but it isn't exactly 'agriculture,' being on such a small scale."
"Wait...So, you guys don't have cows, or sheep or anything like that?" Ginger asked them. "I mean, I didn't see any, but I didn't go over every single place down there."
"No, nothing big like that."
"But then where does your meat and cheese come from?"
Sans scratched the back of his head for a moment before giving the answer.
"...usually rabbits."
"So...That burger I had at Grillby's...was rabbit?"
"it usually is."
"Oh...Well...No wonder I liked it so much."
"Creatures as big as you can survive on rodents, as we owls do?"
"What can I say? We know how to use what we've got," Asgore affirmed.
"...Well...That is certainly...impressive, to say the least. Erm...Anyways. What about your advancements in technology? The General told us you were on par with humans on some things, but since you've been living beneath a mountain for so long, I'd like to know how this is possible."
"Well, we actually get a lot of our technology from humans themselves; what we find in the garbage dump is enough to work with."
"Your queen mentioned the garbage dump earlier...What exactly is this place?"
"Oh! I-I can tell you about it!"
Again, Dr. Alphys stepped up to the Pure One leaders.
"The garbage dump is our only window into the outside world! A lot of the things humans throw away ends up caught in an underground system of flowing water that leads into the Underground! W-we would often come across old machine parts, o-or stuff like that, and using what we had, we would utilize the technology for our own use! Heh...Y-you'd be pretty surprised at some of the things the humans consider garbage; quite a bit of it is actually in pretty good shape! Scrap metal, tools, DVDs, consoles, books, i-in fact that's actually where I found most of my anime, a-and...uh..."
She trailed off when she saw that Nyra and Metal Beak were looking at her in a peculiar way.
"Well...Y-you get the idea your Majest-I-I mean your Purest-I MEAN-"
"Gracious," Nyra exclaimed mildly. "And to think I made you out to be the quiet type."
"Once you get her talking about stuff at the garbage dump, it's hard to get her to stop."
"Undyne...!"
The fish monster's remark made her go pink again. The High Tyto gave off a hearty churr; he was beginning to find some of this amusing.
"Well...If we have anymore questions involving science, we'll know who to ask."
"Ah, thank you, sir. Heh...Eh..."
She stepped back, wiping some of the sweat from her head.
"And, eh...The growth of your population," Metal Beak added. "How fast do you monsters reproduce?"
"Well, I have enstated a two-child policy within the past year," Asgore answered. "That's the maximum families are allowed, at least at one time underneath the same roof. It was an attempt to try and slow the increase of our numbers; even if we are resourceful, too many monsters trapped underneath one mountain would eventually result in the drainage of resources and, henceforth, decline in living standards...Lack of living space, swift spread of disease, starvation from inefficient food supply...I wanted to avoid this gruesome potential for our species' extinction as best I could."
"I see your concern...Well, just in case, your Majesty, don't repeal that policy just yet. It may prove useful for my plan."
"Plan? Erm...What did you have in mind, your Pureness?"
"I'll explain it in good time, King Asgore...Now. You say that your bodies are mostly magic instead of pertaining to the physical elements."
"Yes. Although it takes on the form of organic matter. We have beating hearts, blood that flows through our veins, other organs...The only substantial difference from magical and physical beings is that magical beings are defensively weaker. If a different entity has a will enough to harm, and is strong enough against them, it is very easy to injure, if not kill a monster. Usually, only those of our kind with substantial armor, or battle training under their belts stand much a chance against physical opponents."
"Hmm...So, say monsterkind is attacked by a pack of wild animals; coyotes, pitch devils, or even a rare horde of raccoons. Would you be able to counter this?"
"Wild animals? Likely so. Although it might cause quite a bit of damage...and likely result in a few casualties, depending on the ferocity of the creature in question."
"What, may I ask, is a pitch devil?" Toriel asked. "I have never heard of such a thing...It sounds dreadful."
"Pitch devils are carnivorous marsupials. Their pelt is black as pitch, hence the name, save for a usual white stripe across the chest, and their ears turn bright red when they get angry...which is a lot of the time. They're extremely aggressive; supposedly they don't do this on the other island they inhabit, but in the Owl Kingdoms, it's common for them to hunt in packs of up to nine or ten. They'll pick off an easy meal whenever they get the chance, including grounded owls, and their jaws are strong enough to crush solid bone."
Ginger heard Papyrus whimper from the back of the monster crowd.
"H-HOW BIG ARE THESE PITCH DEVILS YOU SPEAK OF?" he inquired, shaking in his boots.
"A bit smaller than a badger," he answered. "Actually, they may not pose that great a threat to your kind unless you invade their territory first; you yourself could probably kill one just by stepping on it hard enough. Ha!"
"OH...WELL...THAT'S A BIT HARSH, WOULDN'T YOU SAY?"
"Harsh?" Metal Beak echoed. "Well...I suppose it would be, for a race that is peaceful among its own citizens, that has been locked away from external threats for many long centuries...But now that you are on the surface, I must warn you; your kind may be free, but freedom comes at the price of the new dangers you now face up here. It does not matter if you are accepted into human society by the majority or not; you WILL have enemies. Whether they will decide to make their presence known sooner or later is up for debate, but let me tell you now, EVERY race, EVERY class of species, EVERY organization, big or small, and EVERY individual has enemies of some sort, be they few or many in number. You will have to protect yourselves from the likes of humanity, the elements, and even wildlife, in one aspect or another."
Asriel nodded solemnly. He knew this first hand.
"So...You have poor defenses, yet considerable attacking abilities. So, then, your approach to a battlefield would be sort of a 'glass cannon' strategy?"
"Well, we haven't faced an all-out battleground with full legions of enemy soldiers since the War of Humans and Monsters. We did employ such a strategy at the time, but we weren't able to keep up with the humans' durability and sheer power in numbers; there were too many for us to stand much of a chance, if we ever had one."
"I see..."
"Our defenses are somewhat better than they once were, however. We are fairly hardy against the environment, and my Royal Guard unit has gone through heavy defensive training over the past decade in preparation for..."
He faltered some, refusing to make eye contact with anyone.
"...Something...I had planned earlier on."
"Oh, really?" Metal Beak perked up, now intrigued. "What exactly were you training up your soldiers for?"
"Well..."
He turned to Toriel for permission to explain himself to the Pure Ones, and she gave him a solemn nod in response, the expression on her face a strange mixture of seriousness and sympathy. He then looked to the owl they'd all befriended, and she, too, signaled her consent.
"...I will not lie to you," he began, his head hanging lower. "...My hands, and those of a few others are smeared with human blood."
His voiced cracked on the last word, and there was instant chatter among the Pure Ones in the assembly. Asgore picked up some of what them were saying about the whole ordeal; fearing what the humans would do if they found out, debating whether or not they could intervene in such a situation, wondering if there was any way for him to cover it up somehow...praising his bold actions in what they said was a dark time for the monsters.
Not one. Not a SINGLE owl in that parliament was chastising him for his horrible crime against humanity.
Asgore was extremely confused, and even disturbed by this. Didn't these owls acknowledge that what he'd done was terrible? Yes, they were owls, so they might not see the killing of humans as vulgar as that of their own species, but even so...! They knew humans were the dominant species across most of the earth, so why were they so...casual about this? They seemed more worried over what might happen to him BECAUSE of it than the actual issue itself.
"Asgore, may I ask how deep the hole leading to the Underground from the cave is?" the High Tyto inquired.
"I...I suppose between three and four hundred feet? The humans that perished in the Underground survived the initial fall; there is a bed of Golden Flowers just at the bottom of the chasm that is strong enough to break one's fall well enough to allow for survival."
"Aha! Perfect; if they ask you about it, just gloss over that detail and tell the humans that the ones who fell just died on impact. A human could fall a mere FORTY feet and be killed, they're so heavy and clumsy. If the drop is four hundred at most, surely they'll buy it. Just be sure to dispose of any bodies if there-"
"Metal Beak."
The Boss Monster addressed the Sooty by name, earning his immediate attention. It took him a moment, but he soon noticed the tears burning in the monster's blue eyes.
"...Don't you know what I've done?" he asked him, almost as though he was pleading for him to scorn him. "I killed an innocent child. And ordered the death of five others to harvest their SOULs...Y-you aren't bothered by the fact that I..."
He trailed off, and held back the urge to sob as best he could, but with little success.
"Sir, are you quite-"
The Sooty stopped short when Asgore buried his face in his paws and turned away from him.
"Dad...?"
"Oh, Asgore..."
His wife and child embraced him as he spilled his tears for the fallen children. Undyne placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder and tried to improve the situation.
"Hey, come on, big guy...You did it for us. It'll be fine."
"But at what cost...?"
Allomere emitted a commiserating sigh as he beheld what played out before the party of owls. Nyra and her king exchanged glances with one another, then turned their gaze to the young General.
"...He never really wanted to do it," she whispered to them. "...But he felt obliged to, since...He thought it was his duty."
"Well..." Metal Beak replied. "...It was."
He looked back up towards the monster king; by now he had pulled himself together to some extent, and was turning back to face the band of Pure Ones.
"...My apologies, your Purenesses," he said to them, voice still creaking some. "That was...unprofessional, to say the least."
"I will pardon that," the owl nodded. "But may I say something in response to this ordeal?"
The king of the Pure Ones stepped slightly further forward on his branch, and the morning sunlight shone down through the treetops slightly more, highlighting the intricate engraving on his mu metal mask.
"It is clear to me that you are a merciful creature at heart," he began. "And in doing what you have done, you have violated your own code of morale for the greater good of your people...But that is exactly what we, as Pure Ones, find so noble of you. In putting your own ideals aside, you ultimately acquired the power needed to free your kind. That, sir, is dedication to a cause. And dedication to a cause is a core value of ours, here among the Tytonic Union."
Asgore was silent; he wasn't sure how to respond to all of this.
"And another question," the owl continued. "Yes, you say that all of the humans that fell were children...But as I said before, they are a naturally rash and impulsive species. Did any of them pose a threat at all? Perhaps a ludicrous question, but...I have had the displeasure of facing youth soldiers in combat, so I see it as necessary."
A threat...
"I will not lie about that, either," Asgore stated. "...Yes. Two of the six humans actually...dusted quite a few monsters and caused injury to many."
Toriel's eyes grew wide at this revelation; she could not believe, for the life of her, what she was hearing.
"You're not serious..." she whispered to him. Her voice was barely audible, but it had a deathly tone about it. But Asgore's solemn nod paired with the mournful light in his eyes proved that he was indeed telling the truth.
"I have camera footage of some of these events stored away for analysis...But for now, please take my word. The SOUL of Integrity fought her way through most of Snowdin and Waterfall before falling at the hands of then Lieutenant Undyne."
On queue, his Royal Guard Captain stepped up beside him and summoned a spear.
"Didn't even know what hit her. Promise," she assured him.
"The SOUL of Justice is the most recent human death. He, too, fought his way through the Underground; either shot or threatened everything that came to face off against him without a second thought, and was apprehended by Undyne in Waterfall."
Toriel put her paws over her mouth, shaking her head in denial of this shocking revelation.
"Dude put up a good fight," Undyne nodded. "And...well...I didn't exactly get off scot-free."
That was when, with the flick of her index finger, the fish monster flung open the patch over her left eye.
A series of gasps came from every owl, including the General herself, at the sight. Where the captain's eye should have been, there was instead a messy, gaping hole, filled in with gnarled scar tissue. The scaly skin in and around the battle scar was a deep russet red as opposed to her uniform teal blue.
"Sheesh..." Ginger muttered to herself. "Did you have to show if off?"
As though she heard her, Undyne flipped the patch back down to cover the unsightly picture. Nyra and Metal Beak exchanged glances once more, and then the latter turned to face the monster king and his captain once again.
"So you not only collected the SOULs...but also saved your species from further harm on two occasions? At the risk of death and disfigurement?"
They both nodded.
"Heh heh...I'm familiar with this. Very familiar. King Asgore, I swear to you, as the supreme leader of the most powerful military organization in the Owl Kingdoms, that the things you and your captain have done were no less than the duty to your people. You fight for not only your freedom, but your own safety underneath the surface world. To battle against any danger to those you stand for is something that makes a leader. It's not heartless, it's not despicable, and in this case, it's not even warmongering for your own gains. It's merely doing what's right! And doing it again, and again and again, however many times it need be!"
He rose his port set of talons up to his helmet, and then, with one swift motion...
"...Even if someday, you end up looking like THIS."
All of the owls behind and around him, ESPECIALLY Ginger and her fellow trainees, gasped even louder at the sight they now beheld. A sight that none of them thought they would ever have the chance(or honor) of seeing.
The High Tyto Metal Beak.
Unmasked.
All of the monsters stared at him, eyes wide as saucers. The Sooty Owl's face was horribly mutilated; one side of his facial disc had lost a good deal of its ashen feathers, and the other side sported a jagged scar going down his clouded, blinded eye. But the focal point of the image was his beak...Or the lack thereof. Most of the upper mandible was entirely gone, save for the unevenly broken stump of it.
"A shight for shore eyesh, no?" he remarked, now placing the mask back on his head in order to speak properly. "Well...You know first hand that sometimes victory comes at a price, Captain Undyne."
"H..." Asgore stammered. "...How did-"
"Battle of the Ice Claws. Over twenty years ago," the owl answered. "Lyze of Kiel was more formidable on the battlefield than he made himself out to be."
"So that's why they call you Metal Beak," the fish monster commented. "...Actually, that looked pretty rad."
The High Tyto churred again; it wasn't everyday that his facial disfigurements received a compliment.
"Thank you for this information, your Majesty, and Captain," the owl continued. "That is all I need to know about the issue...King Asgore. On behalf of the Pure Ones, I would like to make an offer to you and your people."
"What would that be?"
"Say the humans discover what was done under the mountain, and things end up going south for you...You wouldn't have any place to evacuate to. You said it yourself; besides the territory of Scandanavia across the Atlantic Ocean, you are unfamiliar with the geography of the outside world as we know it today, and wouldn't know where to begin."
"That is true. And you say that humans have since colonized nearly every habitable landmass on earth?"
"All but one."
All eyes, owl and monster, turned to the High Tyto.
"Corporal Spyke," he ordered. "Fetch the maps from my designated quarters."
One of the owls, whose face was hidden behind a uniform iron helmet, nodded, spread his wings, and flew into the treetops.
"Right, well...As I was saying, as a last resort, if necessary, my idea was to have you monsters take refuge from humanity in the Owl Kingdoms themselves."
"My lord, you aren't serious," Nyra gasped.
"Hear me out, my queen," he whispered to her. "This could be potential for militaristic symbiosis. Even BETTER than that with the eagles."
"Where exactly are these Owl Kingdoms, your Purenesses?" Toriel inquired.
"You'll get a bigger picture shortly. Quite literally; the maps will tell us everything we need to know."
"My Lord..." Nyra whispered to her mate. "You ARE aware of what exactly you are disclosing to these mainlanders, right?"
"They may not be mainlanders for too long, if the humans have anything to say about it...Besides, if the eagles know about us, why can't these desperate creatures?"
"The A.F.F. is a fellow organization of birds hidden from humanity. These monsters have had contact with humans in the past, and plan for more; what if the secret gets out?"
"Why would they have any reason to talk about us? Ginger said it herself; they can keep their secrets remarkably well."
"Well, I would be more comfortable if we had more than just her word."
"And where do you expect to get proof?"
That was what made Nyra go quiet. Asgore and Toriel pretended not to pay any attention to the argument, and just cast each other an awkward shrug.
"And furthermore, the humans have not been able to find the island for as long as it has existed, with it being hidden by the forces of both the natural and supernatural; what makes you think they could now?"
"...I suppose you have a point. But I still say we cross that bridge with caution, should we ever reach it."
That was when a screech sounded from above; Corporal Spyke was coming in for a landing, and in his armed talons, he carried several scrolls of parchment.
"The maps, your Pureness. As requested," he said, placing the scrolls on the ground. just below him.
"Excellent."
Metal Beak flew down to the forest floor from his branch, followed by Nyra and Ginger. He unfurled one of the four parchments, displaying a map of only one Owl Kingdom: the Beaks, where the Pure Ones made their home base.
The king and queen of monsters sat down on the forest floor to get a better look at the maps, Asriel peering over his father's shoulder. He spied several interesting-sounding places pointed out on the map; Pure One Palace, Half Spire, Oasis of the Mirror Lakes, and several others.
"Now...We, the Pure Ones, are situated right here," the Sooty Owl stated, his black claw tapping the large spire on the map labeled as the Palace. "The Beaks is about eight thousand square miles in area, with most of the population of 3000 owls being the Pure Ones inhabiting the palace itself...Now, listen here. There's a small parcel of flat land of about five hundred acres just northeast of the Palace that is bare and uninhabited. I've been pondering what to do with it for a while, since it's just sitting there not being useful at all...Now that this issue has come up, I may be willing to grant it to you monsters if it's big enough. You said there were about five hundred of you, right?"
"Give or take a few score."
"So, shall we say 525?"
"That sounds about right."
"That would round down to one monster per acre, and with family houses taken into account, that should be a decent amount of space, right? Granted most of the monsters are human-sized or smaller..."
"Oh, my goodness," Toriel exclaimed, a smile on her face. "It's a lot bigger than the Underground's fifty. It sounds wonderful."
"The thing is, it's dry and rocky. You don't suppose you monsters, with your resourcefulness, could inhabit this wasteland?"
"If we enrich the soil and plant a few things, we could probably turn it from grey to green within a matter of months. I especially know my way around plants and gardening."
"Sounds promising," Metal Beak nodded. "And a water source? I'm unsure if there are any reserves of groundwater beneath the parcel, and while the Beaks does get frequent enough rainfall, I don't think just that will be sufficient for over five hundred."
"Actually, we have a few magic wielders that can concentrate the moisture in the air around them and cause precipitation."
"You monsters can control the weather!?" Nyra exclaimed.
"Well, it's very low to the ground and restricted to small spaces. What happens far above is beyond our realm of control."
"Oh...Well that's a relief-I MEAN, ah, that should help you collect resources."
"If you monsters end up in the Beaks, would you continue to live off what you eat now? Snails, rodents, your own plant harvests and the like?"
"Well...Maybe we could alter our diets a bit."
"I'll have to look into the Red Deer population in Silverveil and see if it's over the top yet..." he muttered to himself. "I will say this; it may not even come to this point. We don't know if your migration into the Owl Kingdoms will come to be or not; it all depends on how things go between you and humanity. But if it does, we'll at least know how to handle everything. You can never be too prepared."
"Your Pureness, you have made a very generous offer unto us," Asgore acknowledged. "Is there anything we can do in return?"
"Hmm...Well..."
Metal Beak smirked; he'd been waiting for this topic to come up the whole time.
"What about your aid in defensive warfare?"
"Erm...Warfare, sir?"
"I'll have you know something about that parcel of land; were it not so flat and uninhabitable, I'd have used it to fortify our defenses long ago. If you monsters can cultivate and populate that land, then using your magic abilities, you could form a strong offensive barricade against our enemies attacking from the north. Here, let me see here..."
He pushed the map of the Beaks to the side and unfurled another, this time revealing the entirety of the Owl Kingdoms, from Kiel Bay to Shadow Forest, across it.
"You see this body of water right here?" he pointed out.
"The 'Sea of Hoolemere'?" Asgore read aloud.
"I'm sure that by now, you've noticed the island smack in the middle of it, with the tree growing out of it."
"Yes, I have."
"That is the Island of Hoole, and up out of it is growing the Great Ga'Hoole Tree, home of our archenemies and militaristic rivals: the Guardians of Ga'Hoole. Their king's favorite thing to do in recent years is launch surprise attacks on our base from the north, right through that patch of barren land. We usually have to face the entire fleet head on whenever they come to challenge us, since it is so difficult to position support squadrons out there. They know that we have them set up nearly everywhere else they could come in, so they use that one piece of land to their advantage."
"Dear me...I see what you mean by you having to defend yourself in combat, young one."
"It's a part of life for us," Ginger told her grimly.
"If you monsters perhaps set up fort along the north of the parcel facing the direction from which the attack would approach, then using your magic against the enemy owls, you could either counter the fleet entirely or force them to turn tail. Even if they try to get past you, you'll still have the chance to at least weaken them before they reach the Palace. And with the deadly capabilities of your long range bullets and other magic weapons, it would be foolish of them to try and face any monsters..."
He turned to Undyne.
"...Especially those of you who have fought against humans in the past, to rush in blindly. The first time around, they won't even know what hit them. Heh heh heh..."
He chucked at the idea, pleased by this potential defensive support, before faltering.
"...Of course, one can't count their owlets before they've hatched. If all goes well for you on the mainland, then we may simply employ a few of you monsters to join us there and assist in the preparation of some of this land for owl soldiers...And maybe a few monster soldiers, should you allow it. Would you allow this, if it turns out alright for you?"
"Well..."
Asgore pondered this for a moment, uncertain of what to do. The Pure Ones certainly had a lot to offer them if things went sour in the form of land and protection, and Ginger especially had already done so much for them. But it was also clear that Metal Beak was also considering his own gains. A win-win situation when put into practice? Perhaps. But what if things DIDN'T go bad with the humans? Then what would be propose?
"Say things go alright for us here on the mainland in the future," he responded. "How would be able to help you then? And vice versa?"
"Hmm..."
It took a few moments, but the High Tyto did decide on an alternative.
"In this case, instead of your entire population, you could just send in a handful of monsters. Some can sort out the land and others can train alongside us and work on defending the passage through the wasteland from enemies. Once the land is prepared for the use of Pure One soldiers, we can deploy our own troops there, but for a first time surprise, we might hold the monster soldiers in the territory. Sort of as a test run of the plan. Once that's done, everyone can return to the mainland as they so please, and one set of soldiers can be swapped out for another. And furthermore, should a few monsters decide to stay with us permanently, they will be granted the land for their own personal use."
"That's...an interesting proposal."
"And as for us providing our assistance to you as you try to integrate with human society, we could help in quite a few fields. Restricted to camping out in the open for several nights? A dozen Stormtrooper soldiers could easily defend you from hostiles, be they man or beast. Running low on a local food supply? They can hunt for you. Things in the mountain itself that you would rather the humans not know? Keep your higher ups there for a while, and my owls will help them destroy any physical evidence of your former mistakes, as well as spread the word to other monsters that it must be classified, and provide contact with us in the Kingdoms from their post in the mainland via messaging system, to alert us to any situations in which you may need further aid, or just news in general. Something for each of us, eh? How's that grab you?"
"Er...Wow..." Asgore exclaimed softly. "That...this actually all sounds very good. W-would you really do all of this for us?"
"If we have the bird power, we'll do it. And by Glaux, we have the bird power."
The king smiled. This was incredible.
"Sir, I believe I'm on board with all of this. Thank you, your Pureness. Thank you so!"
As dark wing once again met white paw, both monster and Pure One cheered the deal. Both sides would prosper, no matter the outcome.
"Marvelous," Metal Beak nodded. "Now...Only one issue remains."
"What is that?"
"Well, take a look at this."
He unfurled yet another map, and this one displayed an even bigger spread of land than the last two, being a map of the entire South Pacific Ocean, Owl Kingdoms included.
"We have found a few shortcuts via the stream of hidden air currents as of late, but each switch from one place to another will take quite some time; several days to get there and another several days to get back. Some of you can swim, but it's not as efficient as flying."
"A few of us can fly as well, actually! Very swiftly, too. And without rest for long periods."
"Oh, REALLY, now?" the High Tyto grinned. "Like who?"
"Several Whimsalot might prove useful to your force, and there are a few Snowdrakes in the Royal Guard's New Home unit! As well as a handful of dragons, and Final F-"
"Dragons?" Nyra echoed, not sure if she heard him right.
"M-hm."
"As in giant, reptilian titans that breathe fire."
"Well, they're not usually much bigger than myself. A couple also have ice or mist breath."
"You're not bluffing?" Metal Beak asked, just to be sure.
"No, sir. They are dragons. Dragons classify as monsters...Although they aren't exactly the uncivil beasts most human mythology books make them out to be."
The Sooty Owl put a wing up to his head; it was hard for him to wrap his mind around all of this.
"...Why don't you send a few in from the caverns, and...I'll see what to do from there."
"That sounds wonderful. They should serve you well."
"As will mine...Shall we swap ten each? I have two dozen stormtrooper soldiers with me now, so we can get right down to business."
"Excellent, sir!"
Another applause sounded from the Pure Ones, and the High Tyto returned to his branch.
"I'll gather my assets now. Can you do the same with your own?"
"I'll get to it at once, your Pureness. How many of each type of monster do you request?"
"At least two dragons, for sure. I'm going to have to see that for myself...Maybe five Snowdrakes and five Whimsalot, whatever they look like."
"That is fine by me."
"Good, good...And after that, I suppose we will be readying our departure for the Owl Kingdoms. We've been about ready for several days; the only reason I stayed put for an additional week was because I wondered if the young General would return...Worth the wait, it was, though. It was a great privilege to hold this meeting, your Majesty. I hope there will be more in store for our new relation besides simple military benefit."
"And I bid the same to you," Asgore bowed.
"Now...I'll have to gather a part of my fleet."
"Of course."
Metal Beak turned to face his own array of troops behind him, looking over them to decide which ones to send with the monsters. As he looked over the stormtroopers, the young trainee soldiers began to talk among themselves.
"Well, I can't say I was expecting any of this," Vaygar chortled. "'Ey, these guys are pretty neat, you know, Ging'? Say, how is it that you always know how to pick 'em?"
"I don't know..." she answered, a dull look in her gaze. She didn't seem all that excited, seeing what just went on.
"...Something wrong?" Phillip inquired.
"Eh, it's just..."
She looked back to the monster crowd; they had already turned, and were heading back out of the pine tree grove.
"...You took a liking to those few, I suppose?" Uklah surmised.
"That's the case...You know...Some of them actually reminded me a lot of...well...you guys. Honestly, for a while, I didn't think I'd ever be like this again. Thought I was going to end up stuck with them...Not gonna lie, I actually wouldn't have minded that, I don't think...Guess I got attached. And now, I'm..."
"Not ready to say goodbye yet?"
Kludd was the one to say it. Normally, he didn't show much in the way of emotion, but there was...something different about his auburn gaze. Something that Ginger hadn't seen in a while. But whenever he showed it, he always made sure he showed it to her. Her eyes grew moist, and she blinked them tightly, then nodded in response to her companion.
"Well, we ain't leavin' just yet," he acknowledged. "Maybe you could keep with 'em for a while longer before we head out."
"Heck; Metal Beak might even say you stick with 'em if you'd rather," Vaygar chimed in.
"...No, I...I can't do that," she declined, despite being a bit tempted by such a prospect. "I just go back, I'm not gonna leave you all again."
"Well...Whatever you decide, we'll all be here for you, alright?" Phillip assured her.
She said nothing; no words need be spoken. All she did was smile at them all for a few good, long moments before turning and approaching the High Tyto.
"Ah...Your Pureness, sir?"
"Hm? Oh, it's you, Ginger. What's on your mind?"
"Um...Since we're going to be leaving fairly soon, I was wondering if I could..."
"Could what?"
"I don't know..." she sighed. "I just wanted to...maybe stay with the monsters for a bit longer before we head out."
"Oh, I see...You've gotten fairly friendly with them, I assume?"
"Yes, sir."
"Ah, I'd suspected much...That yellow one was entertaining."
"Alphys? Yeah, she's a bit...She was in a pretty bad spot when I found her, and we ended up getting pretty close...Glad we did. If I hadn't been in the right place at the right time, something bad might have happened...Regarding her."
"So, you rescued her, in a sense?"
"You could say that."
"M-hm...Even as a human, you still kept it up down there, eh?"
"I...excursive a lot of diplomacy down there, actually," she told him. "They don't respond to conflict very well; the citizens, at least. I think that's what made everything turn out the way it did, actually...Glad nobody's dead, I'll just say that."
"Yes, that is a good thing...Well, if you want to join their party, I suggest you fly along, Tyto."
"Yes, your Pureness."
She turned, spread her wings, and flew off in the direction the monsters were heading. The crowd of seven hadn't gotten that far on foot, and she was lucky that Sans hadn't decided to use any 'shortcuts' yet. But judging from what she was hearing, it looked like she came just in time.
"I wouldn't want to keep them waiting for too long. Sans, do you think you could do that thing again?"
"huh? oh, the shortcut. yeah, sure."
"Hold on, guys!"
They heard her voice, and all turned to see the young owl-turned-human-turned-owl again coming in for a landing behind them.
"Back so soon, eh?" Undyne smirked.
"Yes...Um...Guys...You know I'm gonna be leaving soon, you know?"
"yeah..." Sans nodded. "you wanna hang with us a while longer before you head out?"
Ginger nodded.
"That's why I came."
"Child you are always welcome here with us," Toriel promised, bending down and gently lifting her head up by the chin of the facial disc. "And no matter how far away you are, you will always be with us. And us with you."
"And we could probably still come visit!" Asriel suggested. "Or you could come back here whenever you can!"
"I'll keep that in mind," the owl nodded. "Erm...Sans. I know it's eight miles, but...Do you mind if we take the long way there?"
He sighed; he didn't show it quite as much, but the skeleton wasn't ready for goodbye just yet himself.
"sure thing, kid."
"Thanks...So...I guess we should go on ahead."
They kept going forward through the pine trees until they reached the edge of the grove. Ginger had to maintain a brisk pace to keep up with her monster friends, all of which towered high above her now.
"Man..." she commented. "If there's just one thing I miss about being a human, it's the height."
Alphys giggled.
"Hey, a-at least I'm not the short one anymore. Heh heh...Even Asriel's a smidge taller than me."
"A smidge, eh?" Asgore teased, taking his son up and lifting him onto his shoulders.
"How's this for a bird's eye view, son?"
The prince held onto his father's horns as they went. Toriel smiled at the heartwarming scene; a sense of normalcy was returning to her; one she didn't think she would ever really feel again. And she was glad of it.
"...Now that everything is sorted out between the owls," she asked. "Asriel...How exactly is it that you...came back?"
The smile fell from his face. They weren't going to like this.
"I'll help ex...explain of you want..." Ginger huffed.
"Uh...N-need some help?" Alphys asked, noting that the fast walking was taking a toll on her.
"I'd fly, but it's too fast, and I'd have to keep circling around you guys...Not to mention, it isn't exactly the best way to pass the time."
"FEAR NOT! I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, HAVE A SOLUTION!"
"Dude, what are-ACK!"
In one swift motion, the taller skeleton took the owl in his gloved hands and put her on his shoulder. Ginger was so stunned by the unexpected shift that she just sat there frozen for several moments before any of what Papyrus was saying actually got into her head.
"NOW YOU NOT ONLY NEEDN'T BURDEN YOURSELF WITH WALKING, BUT ARE ALSO HIGH ENOUGH TO GAZE UPON EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US! NOT TO MENTION, YOU HAVE THE ADDED BENEFIT OF BEING MOREEASILY GRACED BY MY PRESENCE! NYEH HEH HEH HEH HEH!"
"Ha...That...This works, I guess," she finally responded.
"So...You guys wanna know what happened?" Asriel asked them as they continued.
"Do not take this the wrong way, Asriel; we...we couldn't be happier that you are alive and well. And with us again. But it is also very confusing."
"Well...I'll tell you, but...You're not gonna like it. You might not even believe it, but...I swear it's true."
"Whatever you say, Asriel, we will believe you," Asgore assured him. "I promise."
With a heavy heart and a heavy sigh, the prince told them everything.
And it all started with a flower.
A.N.: Forgive any typos or spelling errors if you see any; I had to revise and completely change a few of the scenes I originally planned out, so there might be one here or there; there usually are, and by the time I notice, the chapter's already published. XD
So, this chapter has the most 'Ga'Hoole' aspects, with all of the Pure One characters present and locations mentioned. Yeah, yeah, the Pure Ones are the villains in the canon series, but I always thought it'd be interesting to see them in the role of the protagonist force. I always liked them better than the Guardians of Ga'Hoole themselves for some stupid reason, lol.
Hey, at least I finally finished it! See you guys in the next chapter, where everything finally wraps up! :D