Author's note: Well this should be up soon enough! How do you like the story so far confused, excited I just want to hear your overall judgment? Please remember comment and subscribe for the updates. This is going to be relatively long compared to my last few chapters. Sorry if been too much for anyone. Welp this is it goodbye ruins were finally outside it. I'll miss some of the camaraderie between Frisk and Toriel. But what can you expect? Frisk needs to go. The world is out there for her to explore.
Chapter Text
I started packing my bag Toriel woke me up very early. She was of the mind that that earlier up the easier it is you can get to your first rest point. Have gone over it with a plan and the map several times Snowdin inn is the best place to rest up before echoing falls where there is no place to stay and rest up at. If you can get to Heated Heights the entire trek to the barrier should be less than half a day journey. All I need to breathe in and breathe out.
I put on the cloak it was a beautiful black and with the Magic imbued it started to tighten form around me to specifics I needed to be in this disguise. I was formless. I looked at the full-length mirror in front of me if I couldn't see my purple eyes in the mirror, I wouldn't recognize myself in the mirror. Even though according to Toriel I won't need a coat with the cloak on but maybe it's my own skeptical belief about magic, but I put a coat over my cloak it was odd to look at, but Toriel always comes home dusting the snow off her clothes and her head.
We sat down and ate breakfast. She told me who to watch out for and to keep an eye out for ice puzzles there are quite a few before getting to Snowdin that if there's one thing all monster have in common is a love of puzzle creation. She told me that she knew for a fact it was one of the kids that had been able to trade rounds with, but she couldn't honestly say which one switched since they had to rush to get to those rounds and barely time to say goodbye. We chatted a bit, and I mentioned that I would miss her. And that I wish I could repay you for what you've done for me.
"You took me in housed me and made sure I'd survive outside of your home."
"It's not a problem my dear. You've been a welcome guest, and you made what usually a very lonely time with my family. All of them working and made it a fun time and it forced me to realize I need take some time for myself. If all my colleagues hadn't shown up, I wouldn't have noticed how long it's been since I've seen the friends I have."
We had quiet reflection, but we said our goodbyes. Who knew how long it would be until I saw her again.
Out the door out of the ruins, I can do this. I'm stronger than those who fell before me. There's also what Toriel said to her family job would watch out for me against the decree and better judgment this being their job to hand me over to the King. Though I never meant to rely so heavily on her help, I want to do this on my own, but at the same time, it seems their King is not playing around if he personally kills the humans comes down here for their soul. If the doctor Toriel mentioned is assured he's killing humans it because they most likely give him the bodies. That thought made me want to go back the comforts of Toriel's home. Regardless I promised Stephanie I'd make it back and send a picture to everything and everyone I may see.
I start walking but at a leisurely pace secure in my own thoughts. I stop breathing the chilly wind genuinely bothering me, but it wasn't so bad at least I'm dressed warmly then I heard a slight crunch of snow a little away from me Okay, something, no someone is following me. I can pick up a set of feet walking behind me. If I stop to look back it will slow me down, but I could see someone in my peripheral, they were just out of eyesight. When I'm a few feet down the road, I'm going to knock down and ask him who they were then asking questions. I did promise Toriel to kill no one and I never will but protecting myself is common sense. I'm not about to get murdered by some random sentry guard that isn't her family who is bound to protect me because she made them.
I felt the wind blow my hair in front my face and I felt all my thoughts and worries were confirmed. I could feel someone's presence behind me. In half a second I roundhouse kicked the stranger across the face using her feet to keep them pinned to the ground. His chest under my foot.
"If this is how you are peacefully going through the underground as mom promised. Then mom is more optimistic and naive than I ever realized." The voice underneath grunt and huffed.
"Wait..." I honestly looked at the monster I have pinned under my boot. Medium sized horns, furry face, and leaner but thin body but a heck of a lot bigger than Toriel and apparently, a guy. Something about his face gives that away with wavy locks of blonde hair. Then it clicked like a brand-new light bulb.
"You're Asriel?! Why the hell did you decide to sneak up on me!" I picked him up off the snowy ground. Repressing the urge to drop him back in the snow.
"I thought it would be funny. To sneak up on you instead" the monster I can only assume is Asriel said it with a smirk.
"Well, if you had tried that on the surface, creeping behind someone you don't know well? That's a way you will get your ass kicked," I say it with a bit snarkier attitude than normal. He scared me when he could've just said hello.
"Well, considering monsters is actually made of love and compassion, it's not in our nature to hurt others unless it's self-defense." He said with smile rocking back and forth on his heel. He had a happy look like he was having the time of his life talking to me. Not like I just judo kicked him to the ground.
"You know on the surface when you meet someone for the first time? They give a friendly atmosphere say hello and introduce ourselves. While keeping in mind that you're trying to become friends or at least be civil with someone you just met!"
"Fine, I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare you."
"Regardless I'm sorry I scared you." He had a sincere smile though in my heart I just couldn't trust him. I trust Toriel so I will trust him for now. Maybe he'll change my mind, and I can sense his sincerity.
"Apology accepted for now," I say it, but I set grimace while I accepted he's going to be my guide now.
"Okay," Asriel said his cheerful demeanor didn't falter, which I didn't mind but I noted it. We started to chat with me. Where he makes it clear my scent was overpowering, like stronger than his fiancée and that they need to get rid of before the dog squad goes on patrol. Making it clear that they regularly notice a slight difference in scents. They will and can interrogate the scents owner. Especially if the scent drastically different or new they need to follow up on it. A member of the dog squad more than once showed up baby monsters birth which is usually harmless but with everything that's been happening? She had to be extremely cautious about running into them. Monsters scents constantly fluctuate some become stronger or sweeter some drastically change as they developed like with monster children and one as unique as the one he makes mine out to have an added effect at getting me captured and taken to the capital. He made it clear what the plan was.
I needed to go to Berry Cherry Meadows. He made it clear we needed to get rid of the human scent, that not even magic can make it disappear at least for long. And he needed to pick up the groceries from two nearby locations. If we split up, we can get this done much quicker. And I felt guilty Since I kicked his ass? The least, I could do was go to Berry Cherry Meadows asking the general manager about getting the order Toriel asked for.
Berry Cherry Meadows as Asriel described to me was the farming town and to follow the path south of Snowdin forest. He started running making it clear where he had to go to be a long trek. Then as the wind howls and the snow seemed to consider the snowfall I felt like I had become a popsicle. I wanted to rest regardless my feet ached. Then the area started to lessen the snowfall finally began to ease up as I start to walk closer. Then altogether stop snowing I look up and see a cloudy sky and sun! Were still under the mountain, right? I start feeling like I was closer it was getting warm is like spring weather I looked around saw the stark difference there are green grass and thick snow divided by an invisible line. The trees are alive and line the path the leaves were a vibrant green and full of fruits, and I can see farmland stretching for quite a bit. I realize considering the fields, what could only be werewolves doing farm work. Right now, inside my head, I wanted to run up to one of them and hug them. I might be the only person in the world who not only loves the idea of werewolves but never saw them as a threat. How could you be threatened by something that honestly? Are so cute looking? I was never terrified of the movie monsters in the first-place; vampires, werewolves, or the swamp thing not that scary personally. For most of those monsters, I just wanted to hug them and tell them, it's okay. So, seeing the town is full of werewolves, all I could think of is this is going to be awesome. The closer I got to the main town where the barn and the town's stores were, the closer I saw people floating around with Robe or cloaks I never know the sure what the differences between the two. But I was wearing something similar. I could tell that they were taking care of the livestock. How they had Cows and pigs and sheep and goats and more different and varied animals down here, I'll never know how they had them. But the monsters in cloaks were watching and corralling the herds a few monster walking, a few in armor walking the town perimeter. I look at one of the guys in robes in the face. I can see that Toriel was right to hide me among whatever species this man was supposed to be. He gave me a wink, and I notice I'm bringing a lot of attention since I'm still covered in winter clothes. Then looking at the faces, they are kind of gorgeous. The eyes seemed to be divided in color red on one side gold on the other with a gray line between it is weird but their face while looking, human, had some really long incisors. So my first thought vampires yes! They're living in harmony like I always knew they could be. Human-like monster can't be at odds with each other; I don't care what the movies and myths say.
I finally see I'm in what I could only assume is the town square. I stop at the grocery store while some of the royal guards milled in front of the store window. I go up to the manager office the store was pretty significant this may be the only farmland in all the underground, so I'd imagine it gets a lot of orders for shipment. I waved hello to all the monsters I see. They return my smile and wave back. While I'm beyond happy like a dream come true. My favorite supernatural monsters that are not only real but peaceful of course, I'm happy. Seeing the vampire kids and the werewolf pups playing together in the store, my heart melting honestly. Okay, focus on the task at hand. I knock very quickly and I see the door the open, and I see a werewolf woman in a beautiful sundress with hair styled long and neat. She bends over to pick something up in her office where I couldn't see. A werewolf pup with a plate of strawberry in his hands and bits of berries juice around his mouth or is considered a muzzle? She picked him up and placed him on the floor standing right near where I was standing. He's so cute!
"Go play outside sweetheart." Her tone was so warm and kind of like Toriel own tone when she was talking me down.
"But mommy, I want to stay with you!" He started pouting. The little guy is attached to his mom. Best not to have a crying kid, plus he's not bothering anyone least of all me.
"It's fine ma'am, he's too adorable!" I smile at the little guy who ducks his head but smiled back shyly.
"Thank you," she said with a grin her teeth were sharp, but I loved how genuine glad she was to hear that, the little guy must be a handful and a half to take care of.
"What can I do for you?"
"Toriel called ahead for her groceries. she told me to ask the manager for them."
"Yeah, she did, but she never sent anyone who wasn't family before, I've never seen the likes of you girl! You almost look like a human?! Did you come from the capital to see the sites out here?"
"Yeah, my mom is an old friend of Toriel. She wanted me to see the sights from Glittering Fall Echoes all the way out here to Berry Cherry Meadows she wanted me to see it all. It's so beautiful here.
"If you love it here, you should see the marshes out by the glittering waterfall. There's a bunch of people living out there and some of the water monsters living out there. Not all the water monsters live there though."
"Wow, really, I should check it out when I go back that way though I do wonder if there any place here that I can buy any clothes. I didn't really pack enough clothes when I left to take me a few days walk. All the way back to lease without getting tired halfway through I want to get hurt out here you know." Knowing that Toriel only gave me enough clothes for a week and I have no idea how long it will take me.
"Check out by the general store. We have a bit of an outfitter not really varied of options for a city girl like you. To trek all the way here on foot? You plenty sturdy enough to be alright with us. The outfitter is stocked enough I think for your trip. Though If you want more variety, I think the vamps sell cloaks more fashionable. If you're kind enough to them, they tend to be shy when associating with other monsters." As she passes me the groceries. But my arms were having issues the coat was becoming stiff.
"But maybe they'll sell to one of their own kind." She said with a smile
"Thanks for the advice now the payment, oh hello Asriel!" she said with a grand smile that went all the way to her eyes.
Like he knew he was needed there, he shows up. I wonder If all monster finds out when they're needed is it just the ones I know? Regardless I'm happy to see him, he didn't give me the money to pay nor do I have the mobility to move my arms to take the money Toriel gave me for this trip.
"There you are, Frisk, I'm sorry I shouldn't have asked to do it on her own while she's capable she can barely move the arms in this coat I need a fix it with my magic I think it grew stiff from disuse here. Goodbye Mrs. Merriweather goodbye Kenny. "
"Bye, Asriel you'll come back to read to us another day, right?" He had a pout on his face. That kid will be a little heartbreaker when he grows up.
"Sure, thing kid."
As we walked out the people of the town, all the monster waved happily at seeing asking what he was up to.
"They sure know you around here. "As people waved at Asriel as we walked and talked like at ease. So many people waved and smiled the guard that was running stopped on seeing Asriel and saluted in respect and kept running.
"Well, other than being on the royal guard, I read to the kids here and take them to mingle with the kids of Snowdin and Evergreen town. Technically they share a school at the center of Snowdin, but other than that school they won't see each other of their own accord parents are watchful of their kid's no one fears one another, but kids have disappeared here before as strange as it is.
"That's terrifying, and no one knows what's taking the children?"
"No clues some people think it's sinkholes because the parents are still aging meaning their children are still alive. "
As we started walking out of the town, we have begun getting more candid. Including telling me about the prominent guards, we left behind the duo of red and Roxy to be wary of pissing them off since red doesn't like to forgive and Roxy is well known for her temper though she pales in comparison of his boss. When Asriel mentioned her, a shiver seems to crawl up his spine, and I noted to get her name before I set off passed Snowdin.
"Look, Frisk, I know you don't trust me. I sent you on an errand with nearly no proof and pretty much endangered your identity on the hope the monsters would trust you and to make sure you don't smell like a human. When you meet the dog patrol, they know the scent of a human they are some of the of the guards that helped us take the human to the capital. Regardless of the charm, my mom, she means well, but a person's scent is unyielding. Chara once got into a sticky situation with the guard more than once. When I've left her side while the charm would work to mask it's not foolproof and has to be maintained continuously to work. Anywhere it's why most people who passed the ruins in the past could get captured before leaving the entrance. But I need to warn you about my partner in the forest while I may oversee the sentries in Snowdin my partner is second in command of the royal guard and King's brother Prince Papyrus though he doesn't use his title often. He wants real friends, not anyone who wants his friendships for status."
"He has no idea what his brother is actually up to. So try not burst his bubble about the whole thing. He's an easygoing boss. Harsh about work ethic, but it's understandable. He's kind, and he loves his brother dearly, and the only person who can berate his brother is him, so I hope you don't let it slip what you know. Because he never lets up rarely sleeps as is. He's always patrolling so he will see if you don't let on you're not a monster. He won't know what an actual human would like the last person he saw was the fourth one who showed up a few years ago,"
"A few years ago," I say with a look of shock. That's not right. Asriel finally stopped smiling and took a curious look he start ruffling my hair
"That was a few thousand years ago," I say with a shake of my head every person who falls was recorded the town of Ebbot was meticulous about that. Record keeping is the thing this city is well known for. The city of Ebbot is one of the oldest cities and anything strange or extraordinary events they're recorded. The town was always forgotten when the entire region is talked about, but the town itself still remembers everything takes date into account.
"No that was a few years ago, I took a picture of the person on my phone, she couldn't have been more than fifteen years old."
"No, I can tell you that was thousands of years ago, for two centuries' people have gone to Mount Ebbot climbed the top and hadn't disappeared. The last person to fall before the police officer was a girl who fell 500 years ago, the people believed the monsters down here are myths. The war between us never actually happen a bedtime story to tell your kids like that Gorgons of Greece and the mermaids in the oceans. Well, that's what I believed until all of this happened to me."
"Well, I might need to take you the swamp sometime soon to let you meet some of the so-called myths. That's where most of the water monsters live. I think you'd love to meet Onion San is probably sweetest guy in all of the swamp."
"Okay, that's sounds great!" My brain felt overloaded on information. The myths are real! The underground has a lot more mysteries than I anticipated.
Final note: The chapter before this one was written spur of the moment but this was pre-written to an extent. Like maybe fifty percent of this was written before I felt I needed to add more details. This needed a lot of editing. The stories direction didn't change, but basically, my vision became more detailed, and the story needs to reflect that. Like originally there was no view of what they were doing for the week. Or the change in the guards and their roles. The fact Papyrus could join it; these were all added after the fact. What more changes are there? The only one who knows is my imagination and me. Oh, yeah sorry for the significant pause in updates. My college coursework is a killer I had five classes and the easy class I passed with a solid a. Everything else meh but I passed that's all that matters to me now. Now I'm back to form and able to write as much as I am able. So, expect chapter 15 soon since I'm working on it and follows this one. Oh, yeah thanks for reading whether for right or wrong I appreciate all my readers and I'm glad someone enjoys my work.