Chapter nine:
'Frisk...' A distant yet clear voice drifts through the darkness Frisk has found herself in. 'Frisk get up... You can still make it out of this place... Please stay determined...' There's footsteps moving away as the darkness starts getting flooded with light.
Frisk blinks her eyes open halfway. Her vision is blurry, but after a few blinks it clears up. She shifts to get up only to stop with a groan. Her back, shoulders, and head hurt. She gasps and checks her bags contents. Her movements reminding her of her soreness.
Some food got squished but the camera is still intact.
Frisk takes the camera out turning it on which is still works. She puts it back and gets herself to her feet. She glances around trying to get her bearings despite her headache. She sees an area with the only source of light being the lights lining the walls, so it's not brightly lit up, the walls are mostly blue with a grey bottom, and the ground is a dark blue. She looks straight up when she remembers that she fell through a hole. She can see it and it is definitely too far to reach. She lowers her head and tries to figure out which way to go from here, her mind momentarily forgetting about her map. She notices two shadows of two figures disappear around a corner. She is put on edge at the sight of that.
Who knows what could be awaiting her up ahead.
Frisk cautiously begins to make her way forward. Her senses alert for any sign of danger, or any sign of the two she had seen. She notices that all doors have been painted over except for one. She pauses at this and stares at it for a good few moments. She finally approaches it and grabs the knob. She twists it carefully opening the wooden door to look inside. She blinks at what she finds.
There sits a teen girl who must have been trying to hide in here. She looks to be about Frisks age. She has rosy cheeks, brown hair, a green and yellow striped shirt, brown pants, and worn down black runners. She blinks her light brown eyes at Frisk. "I thought you'd assume this door was a trap. Heh. I always was the worst at hide and seek. Guess it makes sense I picked here to hide." She admits and Frisk knows that voice.
"You spoke to me just a little ago." Frisk realizes as the girl gets up from where she was sitting. "What are you supposed to be if I may ask."
"A human." The girl's response surprises Frisk. "I know. Pretty unusual for a place like this. You see. I came here awhile ago. I was escaping my abusive mother. I thought I could hide out here. Then I met one of the inhabitants. He saw my bruises from my mother beating me. He took me to get healed. The whole thing was crazy to me... At first... They were really nice though." She smiles softly for a moment to herself. "I never had anyone care about me like they did. So I stayed and played along with what they were doing. What they believed reality was." She reaches an arm across her body to rub her other upper arm before continuing.
Frisk blinks a little worriedly at the other female.
"I saw as some of them fell down so to speak. No longer having the will to continue, in depression of being trapped weirdly by their own doing, to the point they just become so sick then pass away. I knew I had to do something. Even if it risked me potentially returning to my mom. I owed them so much for accepting me as one of their own. So I talked with Asriel, who believed he was the king and queens son, and in the end we faked me being sick. Until one day I pretended to die so Asriel could take me past the barrier. Since they believed that a human and monster soul was needed. I didn't have the heart to not play along to that idea. So as much as I knew it'd hurt, I was doing it for the right reasons."
Frisk supposes she can understand that part. She knows she'd do a lot for those that she cares for. She keeps quiet as she continues to listen.
"Asriel thought that we were getting human souls to bring back. I planned to bring medical professionals... However things went horribly wrong..." The girl sighs glancing away in shame. "There was an accident and it cost us a lot. Asriel especially. We didn't make it far, but I did manage to find one of the security keycards to open the doors. So we did make it outside. Some metal rods fell from a wooden structure holding them. Asriel tried to leap out of the way. His legs were hit and some went through his legs." She shudders at the thought of it all. "I dragged him back. The door locked behind us. Everyone thought the humans attacked him. They didn't even realize I was alive. I guess the focus was on Asriel. Asriel was healed by Gaster, a scientist before Alphys, though he was kept there until Alphys made adjustments. They had to take his legs away. I hid and just snuck around. It doesn't seem to matter as everyone pretends I'm a ghost. Like an actual one not a ghost monster."
"Asriel wouldn't happen to be calling himself Flowey would he?" Frisk inquires to which the other nods softly.
"Yeah. After Alphys did some tests on him Asriel became revived as Flowey. I think of it as like reincarnation." The girl shrugs. "At least he's alive. I guess it is sad that all Queen Toriel and King Asgore wanted was their son back. Only for things to turn out this way."
"Queen Toriel!?" Frisk gasps as her eyes widen and the girl blinks at her curiously.
"Oh. Right. Queen Toriel fled to the ruins after a fight, one about King Asgore declaring all humans that come here will be killed. Mom... Sorry I mean Toriel, hated that declaration."
"I see. And it's okay to call her mom if you really want to." Frisk places a hand on the girls shoulder. She offers the other a smile to which the other smiles softly too. She lets her smile drop after a moment. "I gotta ask though. Why didn't you leave a second time?"
"I realized how much dad meant it. How it hurt him but he was committed. I knew that the anger wouldn't go away overnight. I became scared of what would happen. Along with feeling like I caused them enough trouble already." The girl sighs closing her eyes. "So why go out and cause more trouble? My adoptive parents split because of me, my sweet adoptive brother turned into something darker because of me, mom ran away because of me, and dad is killing humans who come here because of me. I caused the downward spiral. I didn't want to bring even more misery upon those that took me in." She opens her eyes to halfway.
"I'm so sorry that all happened." Frisk mentions to which the other softly nods a thanks. "But things can change for the better. We could get out of here together. You can have a life where you're not invisible." She offers as the other glances away thoughtfully.
"We'd have to tell people the truth if I go with you. So I'm not sure that's the best idea. I'll be fine here. I've survived on my own so far."
"I just wanted to help you. Also..." Frisk pauses realizing just as she's going to say a name, she doesn't know the other girl's name.
"Chara."
"Chara." Frisk nods to this. "You gotta face the facts. They need help. Especially now more than ever. You may feel responsible for what happened. Along with that going out will make it worse. But it's not your fault and if help is sent then they really need it. Plus you can at least help me get through to get out."
Chara lets her mind think over Frisks reasoning. She closes her eyes with a smile. "I have been following you and seen how you do against the monsters." She then pauses and seems to go over a list in her head. She blinks as something comes to her. "Okay. Since you'll need me for up ahead. Considering at least one of the monsters you haven't met yet. Plus the fact like this area is like a maze we'll have to navigate. I'll come along."
"Thank you so much!" Frisk is relieved to have a sane guide who can help her so much.
"It's no problem." Chara waves of off then seems to get an idea. "Say. Why don't we head to a certain part. I can show you how we've lasted here as long as we have."
"Sure." Frisk is kind of curious about how they've managed to do it. She isn't sure if she'd find out on her own or not.
"We can just continue down the path here, and we'll be lead to where we need to go." Chara mentions and after an agreement nod from Frisk the two set out together.
Frisk just hopes that she won't end up regretting this.
The two head off with Chara in the lead.
Frisk keeps alert just in case for any sort of sneak attacks or traps... But surprisingly she doesn't see any sign of anything of the sort.
"Right through here." Chara moves a plastic curtain and Frisk does hesitate a moment before heading through.
Frisk can hear Chara follow her. She finds that it is a storage room that looks ripped apart. She can see trampled empty boxes, some debris, and a few choice items left. She does notice that they took some of the wood but made sure to not take too much, probably to keep the building standing if she had to guess. She sees Chara head towards a back entrance. She supposes it looks like a tornado bunker entrance, with the door split in two like two separate doors. She follows the other through stepping out into a fenced off area. She notices that the sun has started to rise, it is helping to show off the backyard turned into a huge garden.
The rising sun makes Frisk wonder how long she's actually been trapped here.
"Yup. Growing our own food. Though for the meat they are using stuff in freezers in storage. Meat that I think was meant to help this place not have to go shopping too much." Chara folds her arms behind her head as she stares out at the garden. "Plus they're rather crafty. They learned how to make a few things. Like toilet paper. It's nowhere near as soft as the stuff beyond this place."
"You can say that again." Frisk groans causing Chara to chuckle warmly. She glances to the fence. "Say. There wouldn't be a way to leave by the fence would there?"
"Not that I know of. There's no gate, the fences are made to prevent climbing, the gaps are too narrow to fit through, and it goes underground. Believe me I tried. But this place was made to keep patients in. So naturally they'd have escape proof backyard. That way if they went out alone thered be no chance of escape unless by someone miracle. I just don't dare go through the main door. Invisible or not if they see the door open behind me I worry that they'll run out. Maybe even scatter or something. So I tried finding sneaky ways until I did all I could think of." She doesn't admit it though Frisk knows she thought of it. She is also just be scared of ending up in her abusive mothers care once more. So she decided to find another escape route than the obvious one to make it harder.
Frisk sighs softly at this as she had gotten her hopes up for a moment. "Let's just go back then. It is cool to see this but I'm hoping to get out of here. I have no clue how long I've been here and it's bugging me right now."
"Well this should be the start of your second day here as far as I can tell. You probably could have gotten here sooner, but you really needed that rest at Napstablooks place."
"He was really nice and helpful. I kind of feel sorry for him. Being locked away in a place like this." Frisk admits to which Chara hums in agreement. She guesses that her friends must have figured she was a coward, and couldn't bring herself to show her face after failing her task. She supposes they could have already contacted the police though she isn't really sure.
"There's a few I feel bad for too. So don't worry you're not alone." Chara assures her. "Though you're right. We should probably get going. Hopefully we can get out that front door soon. I'm not sure you have anyone that knows where you are. But if the police do come looking it can cause all sorts of trouble."
"Maybe even letting them free without getting the help that they need." Frisk nods understanding the urgency even more than before. She badly wants out however won't bring it up to Chara.
The two head back into the building and walk through the areas. They stop, not having gotten far, as a preteen enemy leaps out at them.
This enemy has on a black witch hat hiding his eyes, a black cloak with a long curled collar, black skirt, knee length black boots, and a mischievous grin. He removes, from his cloak, two crystal balls that he holds with one each hand.
"That's Madjik." Chara identifies the other for Frisk. "Stare at his orbs. The things in his hands. If you want to continue without fighting."
Frisk nods softly grateful for the advice of Chara. She stares at the the crystal ball in the enemy's right hand.
"Abra cadabra!" Madjik shouts out and puts down the ball Frisk is staring at, so she changes her gaze to the actual enemy. He grabs some marbles out of his pocket Frisk hadnt been able to see. He throws one of them at Frisk and Chara, aiming for Frisk.
Chara leaps back and stays out of the fight.
Frisk leaps to the side and brings her attention to the other ball. She keeps alert for any signs of the enemy throwing anymore marbles.
"Alakazam!" This time Madjik throws three marbles at Frisk who ducks to dodge.
Frisk is quick to fix her gaze back on the ball in the enemy hands.
Madjik seems to be pleased about this.
Frisk stumbles to catch a stick that Chara throws at her. She manages to catch it though glances to said other girl, not really sure what she's supposed to do with it.
Madjik gasps then picks up the ball he had set down then runs away.
Frisk sighs glad that battle is over.
Chara approaches Frisk. "Sorry about the sudden stick. I wanted to make sure that Madjik would leave. He saw you as a fellow mage." She explains to which Frisk puts the stick in her back.
"We might as well keep it around in case we find Madjik's again." Frisk tells Chara who nods in agreement and the two set off once more.
They come upon a door that has a switch that needs to be pressed for it to open.
Frisk supposes that it could be a security thing from the past. She wonders if it was meant to keep something from coming through the other side. She hits the switch, hearing a ringing buzzer once they do, and the two move through the door before the sound of the buzzer ends.
The door locks loudly behind them.
Frisk notices that the area looks generally the same as where they just came from. She does notice the middle is brighter than the sides, so there could be someone lurking and watching. She also sees the floor in one section is shinier than the rest. She takes a few steps forward to continue moving forward.
"Hold on." Chakra's words make Frisk pause and glance to her. "There's lasers in this area."
"Aren't they technically harmless?" Frisk points out giving Chara a 'seriously?' look, partially wondering if Chara is more one of the crazies than originally thought.
"Yes they are. These ones are just laser pointers basically. Just with a visible beam. It's just that I think we're being watched. If we just blindly rush into it, especially with Mettaton pulling some stuff, who knows what could happen. Besides if they think you died then they might think that they have all the human souls needed. They could leave this place and just scatter in the outside world. Or even worse try to wage a war against the humans. Asgore does seem to be staying to his word about having to take out the humans. And he's the king. He has a lot of respect so the others will follow. We should continue to play by their rules for now. Not let them think they have the last human soul they need to break the barrier."
Frisk blinks at this, her eyes slightly widening, and turns to the way ahead. "I suppose you have a point there." She admits looking for a sign of a trap.
The two move cautiously forward when they hear Alphys making ringing sounds.
Frisk can't locate where Alphys is though she still answers the pretend phone.
"Stop!" Alphys calls out and a blue laser pointer is lit up that hits Frisk.
"Blue lasers mean you can't move." Chara whispers to Frisk. "Orange ones mean you can move."
"T-The lasers up ahead have t-to be passed by in a p-pattern. Orange b-blue blue. O-Okay? I'll turn off t-the one you're s-standing in so y-you can go. Go when y-you're ready." Alphys goes quiet wherever she's hiding this time.
The laser does turn off so it's not hitting Frisk anymore.
"That's weird. I was pretty sure it was blue, blue then orange." Chara blinks at the path ahead in confusion at this. "Did they change the order on us?"
"No clue." Frisk mentions with a shrug and is suddenly unsure who to really trust on the order.
Alphys has proved despite her delusions she is trying to be as helpful as she can.
Chara is actually a lot more sane than the others here and she has offered her own help.
Frisk ponders it for a few moments and decides to trust Chara over Alphys. She has Chara being saner than Alphys as her main reason. She moves forward finding the ground is slippery. She slides through the first laser that is blue, then the second blue one, and for the third that is orange she turns her body. She does so to glance at where the laser is coming from. She thinks she can faintly make out a doorway but nothing else. She tries to stop at the end though her shoes have some of the slippery substance on them. She flails her arms until she manages to grab onto an empty, probably long ago raided, wooden box. She sighs in relief as she stops sliding.
Chara manages to come sliding to a stop right by Frisk. She moves her feet up enough to dig her heels downward. She lowers her feet when stopped. "Here's a secret to make up ahead easier. Grab the mat behind that box. I use it to get rid of this substance. Don't actually know what it is. Was already here when I arrived." She shrugs and Frisk grabs the black small store or car mat.
The two wipe their feet and rehide the mat.
Frisk jumps as Alphys speaks as she completely forgot that they didn't 'end the call'.
"I-I'm so sorry! I-I didn't mean to m-mess that up! Don't worry I-I'll do better n-next time. At least you w-weren't hurt. U-Um you turn right. Y-Yes the map says right. I'll call you a-again." Alphys footsteps can be heard hurrying off with that.
"Well she's not wrong on that. We do need to turn right for the shortest path to the stairs. We can follow her instructions for now." Chara explains so the two girls turn right heading down the hallway.
"This place is so big." Frisk mentions. "And why design the lay out like this? Plus if you're right about this area, I was so focused on the main floor map, being a maze then why build the building this way?" She muses as they walk towards another hallway.
"Well from what I've been able to find in like records and stuff left behind, they were pretty successful. So the place made a lot of money. They wanted to move in more patients. Then they began that experiment. I'm sure you're already familiar with that?"
Frisk nods her head remembering what she had read about it.
"This basement sounds like they just kept adding rooms for different reasons. Until it became what it is. They must have figured it was okay since patients weren't supposed to come down here. The monsters call this place the Core. A place that supplies energy to the underground. At least they have that as being correct."
The two have come to a pause having gotten distracted with their chit chatter.
Chara slightly glances up to the basements ceiling.
Frisk notices that Chara looks thoughtful, and she thinks the other has the same thought. "You are thinking about how there is still power. Aren't you?"
"Well yes. I mean I do know that it was failed at taking this place back." Chara lowers her head fixing her gaze to the path ahead, one that at least doesn't seem to have slippery stuff. "Maybe they just hoped that they'd all die. So they left the power on then walked away. They might have planned to come back later or just forgot. You never really know for sure." She doesn't even have to look to Frisk to know the other is watching her.
"Well I think you could be right." Frisk does think that Charas theory does make sense. "I mean who would think that those as far gone as those living here, no offense to you, would actually find a way to survive independently for so long." She smiles softly as relief hits when Chara waves it off.
"You are indeed rather correct. Outsiders wouldn't even think that they were capable of finding a way to live." Chara turns to look at Frisk allowing their eyes to meet. "They can be a lot smarter than we may think. And if those in power are still how I know them then they brushed the idea off. Believing the assumption without looking into it."
"Leaving those here to what they believed was death. I mean it is possible. From what I know some would just call it taken care of, then just wipe their hands clean of it so to speak."
"Very much true." Chara nods then the two turn to look ahead.
They begin heading forward... Only to be stopped by someone coming from the shadows.
This person is rather tall though quickly kneels on one knee, wearing a bulky foam suit of black armor, with a white paper bug looking part around the stomach area, two white pieces of paper going from the shoulders to the middle of his chest as if to hold a missing cloak, white gloves, a white foam helmet with a smile almost resembling some kind of jack-o'-lantern smile, a crescent moon carved out above the smile like an eye, plus two white pup cleaner horns stuck to either side of the helmet, and a staff made of a broom handle painted white with a jagged cut papers stuck together at the top, with a weird eye like symbol drawn in sharpie in the middle.
"That's Knight Knight." Chara tells Frisk as the two stare down the enemy. "She is often rather tired. She has trouble sleeping in a bed, but an easier time sleeping anywhere else. Singing with her helps her doze off. She should be pretty easy to get to fall asleep. We can go past her when she's sleeping. We do have to be careful. She is a light sleeper."
Frisk nods and sees Knight Knight prepare to attack.
"Adieu." Knight knight grabs some rocks, with a moon plus meteor flames painted on them, and throws them at Frisk and Chara aiming for Frisk.
Frisk dodges to the right as Chara dodges to the left.
Chara looks to Frisk catching her eye and nods.
Frisk, feeling a little stage freight, can't really remember any good lullabies she could sing. She finds herself starting to hum the song of the one who she believed to be Shyren.
Knight knight begins to softly hum along with her. She does seem to start to get sleepy. "Close your eyes..." She grabs some more rocks, these ones painted with a sun, at Frisk who dodges to the left this time.
Frisk lands by some of the rocks with the moon on them. She keeps up her humming as knight knight gets closer to truly dozing off. She's almost there she just has to keep going.
Knight knight seems to be getting sleepier as her head bounces like a kid dozing off.
"That's it. You've almost got her." Chara encourages from the sidelines keeping quiet. She may be seen as a ghost to the monsters but she doesn't want to take too big of a risk.
Knight knight tries to throw more rocks with moons but they're much more lazy than before.
Frisk moves back as they land in front of her. She keeps up Shyrens song and Knight knight lays down curling up on the floor. She stops the song as the other is now snoring.
Chara comes over to Frisk using careful steps.
The two move around the sleeping Knight knight. They move on forward on tiptoes until they are far enough away. They sigh in relief that they managed to get away.
"We should turn right here." Chara points to the right turn, when Alphys peeks around the corner making ringing sounds.
Frisk pretends to answer the phone for Alphys.
"O-Okay. From here y-you need to g-go right then straight ahead. T-There should be a turn w-with some lasers. I-I can take care of them when you g-get there." Alphys pretends to hang up before disappearing around the corner.
"Well I mean she is at least giving us the right directions." Chara shrugs about this to Frisk so the two head on ahead turning right.
Neither of them noticing someone watching them from the shadows.
The person moves back without really making a sound, disappearing into the darkness of a room.