Authors note: Do you want to know what's the hardest thing about being a fanfiction writer? It's not stringing the words together or having a consistent upload schedule. It's the lack of interaction or the fact your works can and will be overlooked and having to deal with being overshadowed and overlooked. Though the good thing? It's that I'm not alone in this endeavor. Their other writers who feel the same way, who wish for the same thing. To be noticed remembered and acknowledged that's something all writers want. But like everything in life, it's luck of the draw. To be honest with you, I can't stop laughing right now. If you want to hear, what I marathon and binge in order to write? Music can only inspire so much and I decided only using the various method to inspire me. thatcan be found on my tumblr of the same screen name i use here.
Chapter 7 Training the Guard
10 pm Thursday evening April 11 202X Echoing falls Undyne's home
Another restless night where my dreams consisted of just angry yelling and going over the event of the last few weeks. There another barrage of angry letters at my front door. And a barrage of phone calls and voicemails yelling about my incompetence. And the deluge of emails from parents as King about their child's kidnapper, have they been apprehended, have their children been found, are they trying their hardest to find the kids? Which culminated in demanding the King allow this nonstop training session. We need to improve the guard to make them stronger as an overall purpose of the week they're getting lazy and it needs to be addressed getting stronger and better what this week will bring though I try to I hope I give my subordinates the speech and told they need to find what or who did this and get the kids back in one piece. Though finding rest with all these thoughts in my head and the fact the guards aren't doing the most to find the missing monster kids. But I'm not the best one of the best captain royal guard. If I didn't think I could get something done and finding the missing children is a good start and making the people see I am on their side. And they we are prepared and ready to do our best to find their missing children. Though I wish the guilt of not yet finding them wasn't eating away at my sleep.
The morning dawned my energy, my desire is going to be great. I try force optimism and hope infused into my soul, though I rather crawl back into the bedspread. Though even in my own my head it sounded false but I was trying. But with the number of new recruits and the guards that need this. I need to keep my focus and energy upon making damn sure they are the best, they can be. Make sure all of the guards are anything less than the strongest and can take on whatever they have to do to protect the King and the citizens. A hearty breakfast and cup of the strongest coffee brew in all the underground. Maybe it will perk me up enough to do this but getting to the training grounds all the way out in Oasis? That's going to be a long time with just my thoughts. Regardless the transport I get to go all the way out there.
To the average monsters, you didn't go to Oasis often more for it being out of the way then it being a horrible place to go to. It's considered to being its own thing as many fire monsters love the incredible heat in the desert biome. Thiers a good portion of skeletons called this place home. Including the aunt to the King and Prince, Lady Calibri who was one of the well-liked residents of the desert town. The barracks and training arena was created here for more the area being plentiful than any other reason. With the water redirected here for the skeleton to drink, they were able to create for the training area a way to create different biomes to train. The barracks themselves were nothing to sneeze at since they were outfitted and built after heated heights were expanded and explore thoroughly. With beds and mess hall and show facility it was the perfect place to have this training camp.
"Roll call, please everyone at attention and answer when your number is called. This is a mandatory attendance I hope for all of your sakes you're here. I don't want to have to put in an order for expulsion from the guard." She looked stern like she wasn't joking and absolutely serious. Which made many nervous and on their toes, Undyne was not one to mess with and she seems on edge.
"Guard one?" Undyne's voice sound worn down and tired but her face had a look of professional distance.
"Here." Guard one though you can tell even though he was in full armor he flinched at the tone of address.
"Guard two?"
"Here?" His voice was soft. He like, guard one was in full armor how he felt about who knows.
"Guard three?"
"Here." Her helmet was down and was under her arm and you can see her face she was frowning in her antenna wildly twitchy and moving randomly but her hair limp lifeless she was looking down.
"Guard four?"
"Present." She muttered, she was disappointed at the tonal shift in their Captain.
On and on it went the guards looked slight disgruntle at the very formal and proper address from Undyne. The atmosphere was thick. Formality with people your usually so friendly with and you treat like their family on any other every other day. And some of the other older parts of the guard knew that Undyne was never this formal in any other training camps not ever. She wasn't like this and since Asgore steps down as captain of the royal guard, the guard is very well coordinated handling threats like it's nothing. The guard in their own personal hasn't been this top to form since the war. All of this formality and underlying hostility was putting all of them on edge.
"Now I will have to whip you into shape though there has been any antagonism and homicidal activity in a while doesn't mean you have to lighten your guard duty or forget your purpose. There's still the issue of the missing children Berry Cherry Meadows, Evergreen Town and Snowdin. They still want their children found. And they expect the guard to apprehend what took them. To return their children back to them. Right now we are looking for a right group of chuckleheads. Worse than we have royal guards posted in each of these cities. In order to catch whatever, it is that's taking the kids we need to be stronger, faster and smarter than we have ever been. Right now, we need to show our new recruits why were the best defense within all the underground. Now give a hand to our newest and one of our youngest recruits' but most promising; monster kid!"
There was a roar of applause the so-called monster kid was an intimidating figure with a muscular build and his arms very prominent he was an incredibly tall and intimidating as Asgore in pure enormity but he was large being the same height as Prince Papyrus and three times his width. Most of the younger recruits remember him from their youth the lack of arms was noticeable but not unexpected lizard-like monsters always grow differently than every other monster as babies they have no legs no arms and children no arms. Which most can accommodate to and live with until adulthood but for the monster kid, he was a bit of a klutzy and was always tripping over his own feet.
"Captain, can you please call me by name please it's been forever since I've been called that it's just Lance now."
"Yeah some of us don't want to be a number please." The group of guards murmuring in grumbled agreement
"Does everyone else want to speak up and say their name as well?" She gave a long glance at all the crowd of assembled monsters.
"Yeah our names aren't royal guard one and two it's Brad and Rick." Brad used a very impassionate voice too I thin King it ignited the others to speak up.
"And I'm not royal guard 3 I'm Michelle." She looks indignant and angry about the formal address from her mentor
"And I'm not royal guard 4 I'm Tiffany." She yelled out but she seemed upset about it as everyone else.
"Anyone else has a complaint or something to need to say? We only got a week and better to have it out."
In that moment, many monsters piped up. All of them a mish-mash of mixed voice and could barely hear one complaint about the other Monsters speaking. It was just a chorus of monsters stating their names and as King Undyne what was wrong. At the moment, you have the only person who was called and ignored Undyne's tone and went, back to work, Asgore who was standing in the back. Deciding to straighten up the testing weapons not meant to do any damage but meant to train with. Considering he's got the new recruits to train first.
"Ma'am, Captain Undyne sorry for interrupting your speech I know you want to motivate us but I want to make sure you call by my name I hate being a number." Lance piped up embarrassed that he started a catalyst on his first day as a royal guardsman.
"It's alright Brad, Lance, everyone else, I know that no one wants to be a number that I know. That's a pain I remember too well from when I started my guard duty so long ago. And back then I was guard Thirty-two and felt faceless against everything I did defend the monsters from the creeping ooze or defending the capital from the mole golems. We have survived and I know you recruits and the rest of the guard are more than capable now. Though I need to split you into groups. It's nothing personal but we have a lot to cover this week now. If an emergency does start while the training camp is in session for all intended purposes the training camp is over. All of you are the hardest hitters and your towns need you. The recruits, on the other hand, will have stay because you're not battle tested enough to deal with an attack." There was a grumble in the crowd but they were understanding nothing worse than dying on your first day because you want to go rogue and do your own thing on an attack if it's too much for you.
"Today's focus will all about raising your endurance and speed your instructor and commanding officer Prince Papyrus. He is the expert he one of the fast monsters in the underground able to run to every town without fail in a single day without breaking a sweat. Tomorrow is specialty weapon training and keeping cool under pressure. On that you got me." She took a moment to look at the gathered crowd of the assembled guard they looked apprehensive nervousness like they knew I was a tough instructor but I was the best in the underground.
"It's a mishmash week we've had a lot of new information presented to us and even more new tactics. Other than the first two days there isn't much they outright rigidly scheduled. Some monsters say they will show up and lend their wisdom of past fight but I can keep my hopes up about it."
New magical attacks necessary for either apprehension and to fortify an area protection the King and the royal scientist have decided to teach you how to show how to perform. They, since they came up with the technique so I'll be sitting in with all of your no ones, is exempted from training. We are the first line of defense of the underground we protect them from the worst. We might even bring up the retired guardsmen see if they can teach you techniques you don't know. I know Grillby is willing to show techniques like firewall and magical landmines. While it seems unnecessary it's always good to have the technique just in case or if you need to stall out an attack and wait for reinforcement. Hugh can tell you about guerrilla warfare tactics, he was our expert during the war and I know he would love to see his daughter showing you the tactics to how to properly do it.
With that out of the way now then does anyone else have grievances to air out we don't have all week. Undyne looked at the crowd and the beaming crowd facing her told her they got to say what they wanted to and were ready to train.
"This training might be a little grueling to the innocent fresh meat; the trainees but you'll get used to it. You are the very best, the ones to protect every town in the underground. I hand selected all of you and you are the strongest and bravest and I'm proud to be your captain. All of you are tasked as not only the protectors of the King but of all monsters of the underground. Every town and its denizens matter from the fertile fields in Berry Cherry Meadows, the serene and beauty of Snowdin and the town of Misty Mire north of the echoing falls and this very town Oasis south of heated heights and all the other towns that I haven't listed to treat every town like it's the capital. Every town is just as important as the last." She felt like she needs to drive to home that you shouldn't be upset that you're not stationed as the King's personal guard not to complain about where you are placed.
"I know it doesn't seem that way but here's an example Temmie village is right between misty mire and murky marsh. You would think the three cities have no value seeing how out of the way they can be and the twisting road in echoing falls makes it hard to find any of these towns much less temmie village in particular but the temmies' make our armor and know how to make steel and has a college to teach other skills you can or would need to work anywhere in the underground. Misty mire provides clean water to all the underground and where most of the water monsters tend to live, am I right Adam and Sheerina." Adam was a seahorse looking monster with long webbed feet and sunny smile on his face saying a soft yeah, at his home being mentioned Sheerina was a tall fish monster but unlike Undyne look more reminiscent of a cross between an anglerfish and an angelfish with two dorsal light fins instead of one. She cheered in glee at the shout out in front of the others in the guard.
"Then you got Pleasant Acres near the capital who are the crafters and create a lot of the masonry throughout the underground and have the only high school in the underground where most of you have studied." Doge whooped and even a new recruit Damian pumped his fist in enthusiasm.
"Don't forget every town is vital to the underground survival and if the place I assign you doesn't work you have to let me know, I would rather keep the guard in places they are at their peak not at their weakest. I know I can't be in heated heights in my standard body armor. Prince Papyrus can't go to Temmie village because he gets distracted by their way of speech and their charm."
"THEY'RE INCREDIBLY CUTE UNDYNE, I CAN'T HELP BUT BRING TEMMIE FLAKES, IF I AM THE ONE GUARDING THEM." Papyrus piped up from the front of the crowd he was standing next Asgore slightly haughty attitude at being called out but he took it in good humor.
The guard chuckled good naturally at the slight jab at their second in command, most have a soft spot for Temmies their sweet but strange monsters. At the same time, most won't chat with them for the overall confusion speaking with them can cause. But a tender-hearted monster like the Prince we could all see it.
"This is why I brought doctor Alphys on board to help the guard, she recently created all terrain armor specially made and customizable for the individual monster for a particular weakness. I know Michelle and Trax and those like them who can't be in at the beginning of the underground because the cold would kill them. Would appreciate innovation with them in mind."
The aforementioned Trax was a dragonfly-like monster whose wings do work but at the moment he was on his feet but regardless just mentioning the cold made him twitch at the idea of going to the cold of Snowdin.
And a few others that mostly bug, plant, reptilian, spider monsters were clapping at their basic needs are finally being met. Since they can't handle being farther then echoing falls, while others like the few fire monsters in the guard didn't cheer wondering if anything could be truly done to protect them and creating armor they could truly use and protect themselves from harm.
"Let's get the lead out new recruits you're with Asgore for basic training and weapon selection. Asgore is really good at know where your strength with a glance."
"As for the rest of you? Papyrus you got the floor. Let's make the maggots truly worthy of their status of the best of the best defenders and warriors in all the underground."
"THANK YOU UNDYNE!" Papyrus stood up on the platform as always his voice boomed for all to hear the few in the guard aspired to be like him. Second in command in the guard second in line for the throne. Those were the title to sneeze at a lot in the underground took notice of Papyrus for a similar reason as they would their very single King no ring means maybe you can become royalty too.
"FELLOW GUARDSMEN LET BE THE FIRST TO APOLOGIZE BECAUSE ONCE WERE DONE THROUGH ALL THESE EXERCISES, YOU WILL BE THE FAST AND STRONGEST YOU'VE EVER BEEN. IT'S A SHAME THAT YOU WILL BE TOO WORN AND TORN UP TO NOTICE THE DIFFERENCE."
"I'VE SET UP HAVE A DOZEN MAZES TRAPS LABYRINTHS AND PUZZLES ALL DEADLIER THEN THE LAST AND ALL A TEST OF SPEED AND INTELLIGENCE. TESTING AND REPLICATING THE WAY YOU DEAL WITH ENVIRONMENTS IN UNDERGROUND. HOW YOU CAN DEAL WITH THREATS."
"NOW, ARE YOU READY BECAUSE I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE HOW ALL OF YOU DO GO NOW YOU CAN SEE WERE THE PATH IS. NYHE HE HE."
They didn't have to tell the guardsmen twice what they need to do. For most of them, this wasn't their first day and Papyrus training methods while out there and very different can and has worked in the field more than once. They all started in the same place since he always leaves a start and finish for his puzzles but those are the only hint he gives. He wants a smarter guard you got to give little but influence a lot." Something he's said to those who have been trained by him directly. They know that there will be blocks you need to be fast and always check for booby trap enough to stop you or slow you down but not to kill but injury? Sure, there's a reason Nurse Mercy and Doctor Drew was on standby in the barracks just in case wouldn't be the first time in training camp some got hurt enough to need medical attention quickly. This wasn't an easy task Papyrus was second in command for a reason he wasn't easy and the labyrinth puzzle has half a dozen layers including digging swim running and mind puzzle in order to finish much less getting out before sundown. Those who don't make it always have to train extra hard with the prince at best as a soft punishment, at worst you get taken under his wing and become his apprentice. while he's great as a friend and ally he's absolutely brutal as a mentor. As many female monsters looking for more from the young prince can attest to. when he's training the guard, he not genial or kind; he's entirely and completely about making you the best royal guardsmen you can be. His emotions and personal feelings about you are completely out of his realm of thought on this. He takes training his duty to the underground completely seriously. The only time anyone seen him relax at all is he's in the drainpipe or with those he's close to, and those are far and few between. But right now the task was to get through the puzzle with minimal injuries or without embarrassing ourselves. Always keep your eyes open for traps switches and pitfalls and another new idea he comes up with. The first one to go in was Dogamy he jumped the corner and running out of the line of sight. With Doge following his lead going in the opposite direction of Dogamy and getting stuck in pink glue gunk. Everyone else was looking for the switch to turn off the traps at the begins there never was way, to turn off all the traps. Papyrus is all about quick wit on the battlefield so for him, he won't allow an easy way out. I would be surprised if the puzzles in there are ten times harder than this because he thinks we need to use our minds more in a fight. Some like Trax thought they could fly over the labyrinth taking to the sky above all of them taking his lead but they could hear them grunt and squeals and screams of surprise at something dragging them down
"NO CHEATING YOU WILL NOT GET OUT OF THIS! DO THE COURSE AS THE PARTS DICTATES? NO ONE IS FLYING OVER THE PUZZLE! TRAX BY NOW YOU SHOULD KNOW BETTER THAN TO THINK IT WOULD BE THAT EASY." Papyrus was chuckling he knew they were not seriously hurt. the trap in question was only mean drag them down and make their wings if they had them incredibly sticky and unable to fly. not every monster needed wings them to fly the vampires are living proof of that.
With that said, Doggo put his focus into making it through this course in one piece and uninjured. Even though most of his comrades in the dog squad had run ahead I stopped and every so often to pay attention to my surroundings to feel a shift at my feet I jumped to avoid a pitfall. He liked for switch he felt there were traps coming and it made his fur raise finding a button near his paws he pressed it thankful for his own cautiousness about the puzzle having to work under papyrus once before taught to be quick smart and trust his own instincts about traps or when to look for something slightly changed or even a riddle to solve on what to do for a particular trap. Wouldn't be the first time he would make it hard than average if he felt we were all slacking off. Considering I joining the guard following the family proud tradition to protect others my family has been in being a part of it for longer than we can remember. Making me this a lot more serious than my fellow guard. I didn't even style and spike my hair and dyed the fur on my head green like I wanted too. I know better, the monsters of Snowdin would never take me seriously if I did. I leave my punk style for my off days and personal life. I take this job seriously I hope that I get promoted. that I get to train the trainees instead of Asgore and he can focus solely on protecting the king. he was and is his personal guard and knight because he was a heavy hitter and he was good at protecting the king there have two direct attacks on the king and Asgore was the one who neutralized them. But a lot of his time is taken up in train recruits which can get tedious have five guards having to give up post because Asgore is worth many of them he's one of the few that got off the war in one piece and lived to tell the tale. But I need to focus worrying about promotions and personal life won't help me out here. I look at the sandstone wall were high but the chamber I walled on now was icy instead of sandy and there was a table with a note.
Please take heed in order to reach the end please take me if you don't face your peril the first is the easiest test what can be drawn on the ice be understood differently on its side and normally if you figure to say it allow the path will widen and open up incorrect answer I hope your prepared for a slight dip.
Knowing the prince think about logically not many things drawn on ice but it must be eight turned on its side it's the symbol of infinity. I yelled out eight and the ice cleared and more riddles appeared.I knew it would and that didn't mean I wasn't determined to finish this one way or another. No one said training was ever easy; especially if the princes is the one who set everything up.
While Doggo and few others were able to get through the puzzles and traps unscathed. Others weren't so fortunate, and Papyrus wasn't going easy on them either. Drilling into them to be quick with their feet as well as their mind that if you don't think your feet how you suppose to be able to protect the underground?
And the day went on like this with some monsters improving while others looked they would end up as part of the prince's personal tutelage well they knew the risk of being shoddy during these reassessment training camps.
Final Note: I decided to take the advice of a friend which is split chapter 7 into more chapters. So the next four chapters will be other days. also making the total of chapters of the story is let's see if i can make it work here if not? Welp oh well .