Chapter 34 weakness and helplessness
Author note: Welp I'm barely holding back, my anger. When I write this, I'm being overwhelmed and exploited. So, I'm writing instead of a rampaging against the consistent and constant abuse of my kindness. Progress, I guess. Let's see if I can type furiously enough to cause a reaction. I barely know how I'm starting this off. I'm just going to vomit on the page and work it out later. Especially since I'm working on two of the chapters simultaneously. Tell me if it sounds different, comments give me the energy to continue. Remember that because its one of the reasons I was inactive for so long to begin with.
Frisk's Perspective
I don't know if it's the concussion affecting my thought process. Maybe it's all the death-defying incidents today? The adrenaline was finally wearing off, and the fear gripping my heart since I couldn't move. I wasn't tied, but I felt a pressure on my body, keeping me still. I wasn't sure, if all of this is wasn't a hallucination, I would assume that I was dreaming. This was too bizarre to be believed. Considering in the room that had been fuzzy and spinning with King Sans gone, time was slightly getting away from me. All are drifting away the sense of time getting away from me.
But the doctors that are taking care of me? That at that moment standing in front of me that were standing around my bed right in front of me, I was still trying to comprehend the odd sight in front of me, the strangest group of monsters so far, a lizard I want to say a dinosaur as we were told they looked like when we were children. Standing there with glasses on her snout any time she spoke, there were a stutter and slight her hiss in her words and slight hunch. A living breathing emoting Crystal monster who seemed incredibly concerned and the anxiety she had hair or some equivalent cascading down her head going past her shoulders. A Fire monster, who was the oddest color purple, but who was I to judge the color of the fire monster being normal or strange shade? What did I know was normal anymore? They have a host of magical powers and abilities I can't even imagine. Was taking notes of everything said from what I gathered, if I weren't trying to keep myself conscious and noticing everything around me, I wouldn't have noticed that monster at all. I think they're trying to blend in as much as possible and trying to absorb everything disgust and whatever it is they're trying to do to me. Trying to learn quietly observe well, blending in to not be in the way.
"D-d-dear me, look at the poor state of the human at least-s-s-st you got healed. Somewhat." The lizard said, her voice sounding meek to my ears. Speaking as if I could hear her with some pity that I didn't want at this moment.
"You can see here the expertise," tugging the blanket down, trying to show her colleague something, making me realize they hadn't noticed I was awake or aware.
"T-t-t-that Toriel does have a w-w-w-way with healing magic, and you can see the lack of scar-r-r-ring for her other previous injuries from falling."
"But there are recent injuries. She sustained a fracture in her radius and her ankle. As it seems like she got injured from the earlier strike during the carnival. How did she not notice that!?" She shrugged it off and went into Snowdin! If the report of her activities is accurate." The Doctor, as unpuzzled as she sounded, looked shocked at the fact, I just kept moving on regardless of everything I had already gone through today. What's the big deal?
"The p-p-p-p-p-pain would've been unbearable, and she got SO close t-t-t-t-to Heated Heights. She was r-r-r-right next to the jungle's entrance. I-I-I-I-I-I-I have to assume this human has a lot of determination to get this far alone."
"Regardless of Undyne capturing her. I'm not sure if they realize that fact." The other Doctor seemed to chastise her colleague from what I can tell. Something I just couldn't get about whatever connection that's being hinted at or something I was just missing.
"Undyne did-d-d some damage, according to what Lance c-c-could tell us of when Undyne captured her? She punched this human in the head b-b-before taking her here. She l-l-lacked her normal restraint against an innocent. She was-s-s-s-s brutal to this human." She said her voice sounded watery like she was going to cry at the state of me. I better not look like roadkill if she seems on the verge of tears right now from what I can hear.
"Since her bloody broken nose needs to be fixed." I could hear the slight sniff as she said it seemed to exam the damage done to my nose extensively without touching it. Or my face. Not that I could really tell. Even though I was seeing through the slit of my eyes, now, they felt like they were spinning in their sockets. I could barely focus on what I saw in front of me, so I paid more focus to listen than anything else.
"You know how she feels about humans better than most…" The other Doctor sounded almost stoic or impassive. Neither mad nor sad at her colleague. I just felt clueless with everything, why would she know? What am I not getting? I don't even remember why I care so much about their personal business, but I assume that's the head trauma and the possible internal bleeding. Making me want to grip anything then fall into a coma. Come on, docs stop chit-chatting and fix me!
"Undyne isn't the only one who lost family or has veterans of the war. But she shouldn't take it out on innocents."
"That's t-t-t-true, and I'll have to talk to her, maybe ask her to see someone m-m-maybe."
"At least try to find a tactful way to her, she needs to talk out her issues instead of taking her anger out the first human she encounters."
"The first chance she got; she took to it like a fish to water, pardon the pun! It's insane, though! It's not right to hurt this human when they never fought back or attacked at all from what I can tell.
"Everyone knows Undyne anger at humanity; she never got to fight; she feels gu… "
Everything felt drowsy and woozy. I couldn't hear words soon, not even murmurs then nothing.
My eyes shut, and all I could see was darkness. I was out cold I expected as much with the number of injuries I got. I'm not surprised if they might have knocked me out. But I haven't ever been this lucid in my dream unless. I'm not alone once again in my dream.
Alphys point of view
At that moment, Alphys looked at her colleague reflectively even though she felt her nerves on end. She knew she needed to breathe and access everything logically and rationally. She was taking a moment to settle her nerves that her lousy habit of stuttering needs to stop, especially at the crucial moment. This human, the mission, the importance of not screwing up, she needs. She knew she needed to take some time off that it was getting to her. She had so much stress, so many secrets she had to hold on to that would have her killed a little punishment would be. Thus, the issue we are involved in because of Doctor Drew made me reflect and made me wonder about my colleague and her place since she was the only person, I can discuss the punishments that we will face for the inadvertent leak of government secret. Even if everyone assumes that the Doctor is a spiteful vengeful liar. Who didn't get a promotion to the castle? Something most knew he had been crowing, that he had gotten the job when he was still interviewing for it.
Crystal Pewter was an excellent doctor. Like her name, she seemed to glisten and sparkle and never seemed to panic in an emergency. Within the monster cities, there appeared to be so many problems, and incidents were a monsters' health was in danger. She had been a top-notch pediatrician and well-liked from her patients and colleagues alike. She was chosen out of so many just as capable doctors in her field.
To be fair? There were as many as her on the same level of confidence in the knowledge and education in the field of medicine. She was like myself, who has a doctorate in several sciences. She one of the top experts. She was the most accomplished Doctor to be a part of the medical research and care facility. She was a medical professor at both at Temmie college and the capital university. Was a doctor who was able to stop a plague that started creating in those who and contracted it? A rapid loss determination at an astronomical rate able to not only stop it in its track but bring those back who had started to fall because of the illness. She was someone I didn't question her ability, or her loyalty to the crown is without question. She was an asset to have on the medical staff. It would be wrong to leave her out of the operation at all.
The human in front of us was the pressing issue, and for the king, his investment in them was odd, to say the least. If I've known the king long enough to know that, he's never taken a personal investment with anyone human that's fallen down here. Usually, a human is just taken to the underground lab and worked on. Even if they are in a critical need for medical care, they were not given room to sleep in the Palace. That showed something was different about this human compared to the others in the king's mind much less taken care of on this kind of personal touchy-feely level. Making it clear that this human is important. A lot more critical than any of the others that have come before her or after is ever after because I wasn't an idiot, and neither was Crystal. This was the last human soul needed to break the barrier. As long nothing goes wrong, there will never be another soul that needs to fall down here.
"She feels guilty about not fighting in the war. You got the likes of Grillby and even Slade, who were a year older and fighting in the war outright and then imagine Undyne. Only able to be a part of the healing team. Her father fought his most laborious and lost his arm in the war. She felt responsible since she was a junior nurse. All they allowed her to do was use green magic to heal."
It was common knowledge, anyone who had veterans in their family, and we're too young to fight had a sense of survivors' guilt. But none felt it more than Undyne the undying. Gaining that title after taking out three attacks on her own on her second day of training. She didn't earn her position in the title for no reason. The reality is well for many the anger at humanity has faded somewhat. Everything that's going on with Undyne, she was still angry. She was still upset. They put her family in a place that honestly few have ever actually come back from. She had to become the adult in our family since her father was now handicapped, and her mother was distraught over this making her must mature much faster than she probably would have liked to. And there were many out there similar in thoughts and attitude about humans they don't forgive they don't forget.
Even though king sans has created decrees and laws and have made it clear that once they get above ground, all of us have to be on the same page about our new lives that we are going to try to coexist with humanity."
"Good luck telling Undyne that I doubt she would be willing or wanting to coexist with humanity! The way she rants and raves. I may not know her as well as you do," with that the Crystal side-eyeing me. I felt the blush on my face. My subtle but not overt crush on undyne was no secret to anyone who has worked around me in somewhat close capacity for longer than five minutes. Considering I've put her in almost everything, including some of my codes.
"It'll take a lot more than King Sans saying that the war and anger with humanity are over, for her to be over it. You're going to need to convince her you're going to need to explain to her show her prove to her that humans aren't the threat she thinks they are. and that once we're above ground bygones are bygones. her father will be healed her family will be reunited. her pain won't go away but at least her family's pain will be over. Something many of will just be happy with just that."
"Regardless of what happens after the barrier is broken, there might be a few that might share Undyne sentiments for some of them? The war is not over to them, they want revenge, and to make them feel what we feel to them; it's asking a lot just to coexist.
"To them, there is no agreement could make the things that could be made that would settle or make the things, they're going to have to do something a lot more drastic move into a form of isolation. which they have already prepared above ground. "
"Which even to us in the know? don't have that many details on only the highest of lieutenants know about the secondary aspects of that all that I can be assured of is that."
"Once we're above ground, we have been assured a science facility at the very least." Nodding not liking the fact we didn't know the gameplan for once the barrier is broken would they immediately move into the area that was bought up?
"The only benefit of the veteran's situation is that they have had thousands of years to set up our reemergence. A medical facility of the highest caliber and all the basic facilities needed to keep ourselves and the town up and running and to sustain itself. with all the pleasures of living under a full sky again all the monsters that now make up our population." I couldn't help the hopefulness in my voice. after all the anime I had consumed i wanted to see the aboveground for myself.
"If worse comes to worst, which I'm hoping doesn't end up happening at all but considering our reality? Even if we break the barrier, this is a possibility that will still get the hatred for it. Also though there has been no human fatality, something we realized early on when discussing the methods to break the barrier that if we wanted to live above ground again? We can't alienate but have to ingratiate ourselves the fact that we have a clean and easy chance to get from the limiting and claustrophobic feeling the barrier creates. That's not including the constant underlying fear then the surprises the wizard placed with the barrier to kill us."
"That they haven't succeeded is because of the leadership and the innovation of the king believing and seeming to value the science and the knights working in tandem instead of working as separate entities." Even Crystal was sardonically smiling because the knights stand because of the sacrifice of the veterans.
They were all heroes to live like this for so long, able to live through. I can't imagine being mentally in two places at once, something the veterans being weakened. The care we must give them the magic infusions they need so far, the faces they make the agony they are going through Felix preserve us. Honestly, what getting to the surfaces couldn't come fast enough while the food is an excellent temporary substitute but having their children and family member donating some of their magic to make sure they don't fall. Other then Grillby, who had a magic transfusion a millennium ago even then? He is a special boss monster so very few monsters are strong enough to survive this long without their full capacity to regenerate their magic at this rate. He was a special case most just don't have his caliber of magic strength the only one who comes close is Sans and Asgore.
Look at me! I'm lost in thought this important! I can already see this humans' injuries are serious. And it's obvious there's more going on here then I know, and the fact that sans has her here and was seemed worried and not carefree like he normally would be. She was important why here but none of the others had this importance. I better focus and listen to Crystal's assessment considering my expertise was just as needed. Based on our results to the king, and we need to keep her in a medical coma based on her prior actions and the fact she has already tried to wake up from low level medicated sedative? So it's clear that her determination is nothing to take lightly or sneeze at. Especially if she heard gossip that she believes will be killed.
"Doctor Drew's punishment is going to be just, I'm just sorry I ever recommended him to begin with."
The anger on Crystal's face was as clear as anything else and I could feel my own annoyance the idiot bubble over and getting back on task was all on my mind.
"Don't worry I'm just as sorry for the fact that I seconded your recommendation. We should have more due diligence your intern, Smolder, has shown more poise and interest in preserving the privacy of the patients then the good Doctor has shown in his whole life."
Smolder smiled the purple turned blue around the cheeks. Thank you Dr. Alphys you are too kind.
"You have earned it Smolder? You have been diligently absorbing and making sure to take notes of the issues with our patient, here right?"
Nodding turning the notebook overfilled with notes and the issues prevailing the human woman in front of us.
"Now back to the task at hand? I have no doubt the king is anxious for a report now."
"She needs to sleep to heal. As well as the fact that most of the remedies need would be administered while she's asleep, so she wouldn't be writhing in agony. She has multiple breaks and injuries covering a little under seventy-five percent of her body that's not including the lacerations and the exhaustion. I can tell she has been through the wringer and according to the security camera? she has only been walking around the underground for a few hours, but she has been accosted at every turn."
"I know the king wants his update as soon as possible and we will give him that but you and I both know not only are we aren't done here. She will need to be kept sedated for at least a week. I know I need to observe her recovery and I noticed something odd overall about her. I can't explain it without more tests, you sense anomalies yourself correct?"
"I notice a few anomalies in her souls that's inconsistent with everything already observed in the other humans as well based on what we do know about human soul development. Your right I would need to come back just to make sure she doesn't have some ailment or something that is increasing her stats in order to fight off." As I said it out loud, I realized that could be the reason for the stat increase the more sense it made in my head as the reason.
"That can happen sometimes," I started scratching my chin in thoughts of the cases that come to mind my predecessor before mentioned seeing cases before the war. They were rare but they were recorded in my files, but it wasn't public knowledge.
"There have been documented cases of humans have stat increases in order to fight off infections they didn't have medicines to cure at the time."
"I just know that having her stat that high even higher than some of the boss monsters that I know of even including the few secret bosses. that I also know love it seems very odd when her level is so low or level of violence is way too low for her attack to be this high in her defense to be this high and her speed to be ridiculously high. I would assume she was a soldier just based on the stats; the only problem is her level of violence is way too low for her to be a soldier."
"There are the other stats, I've seen these stats before, but I've rarely seen them pop up on an initial scan." I pulled up the paper copy of the stats that popped up as well as the other stats with hidden numbers which still boggled my mind at the fact that they were there at all.
"Usually when I do a scan of these kinds of stats only the big three pop up immediately. So it's strange to see 8 stats in one place in a basic scan. Her charisma stats, cuteness stats, inner strength stats, wisdom, intelligence all of her stats kind of came up! When they shouldn't have been there, to begin with! but under very weird squiggles like they needed to be seen on an initial scan but the initial scan isn't for in-depth looks into the souls of others." Taking a moment to breathe to lessen the stutter on my voice.
"It's for basic diagnostics and trying to see so much made it acts out but how was her soul able to do that. Which is very strange to make sure what I'm seeing is correct that her soul is that of a human and not something else altogether. Thought the soul seems human enough and she seems human enough. I want to run more tests, but you're right though. I just don't know how we're going to tell him that the human that had been brought before us? Is a lot different and a lot more unique than the six others have come before her? We need to bring that to him when giving our assessments, as well as the plan for her long term, stay whether she will move to the lab or not." I say even I was on certain on bringing up the differences between her and the Others before her.
Final note I'm trying my best while dealing with the freezing room. I feel like I'm a popsicle. I hope you like this the world is being set up and the groundwork is laid out. If you haven't noticed for those of you on ao3 this story is now in a series. I know some of you have noticed. I know surprise it seems like most writers are just mid panic im over here writing up a storm and doing my best. I have found my fire the sadness of not walking for my graduation as well as the fact I can't start my job hunt has made me productive leave a comment and a kudos I don't write if their not a show of support please take that time show it.