Chapter 2: John Travolta Swagger

Sergio hated formal wear; it were impractical for "bidness" on the city streets, and it gave a misleading impression of him. He didn't want to present himself as anything more than your local hood rat who occasionally stole things and hurt people if necessary. Nevertheless, current evens were important enough for him to ignore his inhibitions for a while.

He dried off his face after washing it, looking at himself in a mirror. He had a somewhat oblong face with dark brown eyes that saw more than what a fifteen-year-old should have. He had a small, fading scar across his forehead, the conditions of which still leaving an invisible scar within that remained fresh.

Sergio couldn't legally acquire fancy clothes for this event, so he resorted to wearing clothes left over from when Tobias lived underground: a navy blue vest over a white Sunday shirt, navy dress pants, and black shoes. This getup was familiar to the human; he remembered a dream he had where he was wearing the same outfit, including a tie, as he met a goat version of Asriel. That both circumstances became reality was a shocking thought. He tried not to think about it as he walked out of Asgore's guest room, a black tie in his hand.

"You know how ta tie one a' these thangs?" he asked Asgore.

"Ah...I've never worn them. Your mother -" the king cleared his throat, "- Toriel was the one who knew how to do that."

As far as Sergio knew, Toriel was in Snowdin or back in the ruins. He wasn't going to make a trip all the way back just to get assistance to tie a half Windsor. He tossed it back in the guest room.

Also, he caught the king's faux pas, the statement leaving a bitter taste in the human's mouth.

Clunk-clunk-clunk. Undyne appeared in the armor she was wearing the previous night, the newly-polished pieces gleaming in the sunlight from a skylight above. Sergio's brows furrowed at the sight of her.

"You sure you wanna be wearin' all that?"

"Why not? If I'm acting as security, I may as well wear my armor in case things get rough," Undyne replied.

"Yeah, but where we goin', it's gon' be a lotta walkin'. All that arma would be countaintuitive."

"Ha! That doesn't matter to me!" Undyne scoffed. "I once wore my armor for three days straight!"

Guess she got a point. "Aight. But once we go up there, there's even betta arma that humans use nowadays, and you can move fasta in it. I know a guy who might be able ta hook you up."

"Is it chain mail?" The guard was most likely thinking of the anime they had watched the previous night.

"Heh-heh, even betta than that."

"So, I take it we're all ready?" Asgore asked. Sergio and Undyne nodded. "All right. Sergio, lead the way."

After the trio left the king's home, they were bombarded with flashing cameras and curious journalists, all asking them questions about their political expedition. One "journalist" in particular had caught Sergio's eye in a bad way...

"...walking out now with King Asgore and Captain Undyne! Sergio, darling, a moment of your time, please?" A bipedal robot attired in a purple suit beckoned the human, holding a microphone in one hand. The robot had glistening, flowing black hair that covered one eye and a charismatic smile that only made Sergio's blood boil. Beside the robot was one of many monsters pointing a camera at the trio.

Sergio and company didn't stop to answer any questions, which was fine with the human, and continued towards the once-existing barrier. Like last time, guards quickly separated from their formation, providing the trio clearance towards the underground's exit.

The path got darker and darker as they went away from the Capital. Asgore summoned a flame to illuminate the area around them. The stony ground inclined upward slightly as they got closer to the surface. Eventually, they saw a hint of daylight crawl from above. The area got brighter around them as they progressed towards the mouth of the cave.

"We're almost there. Sergio, have you any last minute advice before we taste sunlight?" Asgore requested.

Sergio thought for a minute. "Yeah. When we go out there, walk like ya own the place. Walk wit the John Travolta swagga, where ya don't even pay attention ta lookin' suckas. You care 'bout first impressions, so one that shows you ain't afraid a' humans'll make an impact."

"I see. So, how does one emulate the 'swagger' of this John Travolta fellow?"

"Heh-heh, when we get up there, I'mma show ya."

The sounds of birds chirping and wind whistling through the leaves became more prominent as they approached the cave's boundary. A solid column of sunlight shone down on the ground. After a short climb up, the three stepped out of the underground and into the surface.

Sergio knew to stop for a minute when they got to that point. Asgore and Undyne were speechless as they viewed the lush, green grass and the browning leaves in the tall trees. They were in a more heavily wooded area of the park, with an open field just up ahead.

"It's...beautiful," Undyne commented, her voice laced with awe. She pointed at the clear, golden brightness in the sky. "Is that...?"

"The Sun," murmured Asgore. "I never thought something so simple could be so divine."

Sergio rolled his eyes, but he understood where they were coming from. Being underground for a couple of days made him realize that he took the plainest aspects of surface life, such as the Sun, grass, the gentle breeze, and the changing seasons for granted. What he felt when he saw the surface again couldn't have compared to what the other two were feeling. The thought that those emotions would be magnified a lot if everything went smoothly sent a warm feeling in Sergio's chest.

He cleared his throat to get rid of the mushy feelings inside. I'm jest doin' a fava, nothin' more. The sound brought the monsters back to Earth, and they continued on their way.

From their perspective, there was a group of college-aged kids playing ultimate frisbee in the far left side of the field. A large family was having a picnic at a dining area. A yoga class was having a lesson outdoors as they contorted their bodies in strange ways on their tie-dyed mats. A few ladies were walking small dogs on a cement path. As the trio emerged from the woods, all of these events appeared to cease, almost suspended in animation. Soon enough, every eye was transfixed upon the well-dressed teenager accompanied by two strange-looking creatures.

Sergio felt all of the humans' stares as they walked towards the business district, certain that the monsters felt the same thing. Their gaits all faltered in response to the sudden attention. Sergio expected a frenzied exodus from the park as humans ran for their lives.

But nothing of the sort happened. In his peripheral vision, Sergio saw a few people take out their phones, the cameras pointing directly at them. The crowd murmured as they most likely photographed or recorded the monarch, soldier, and hood rat.

"They're taking this...rather well," said Asgore.

"Are they taking reconnaissance photos?!" Undyne surmised, gnashing her teeth.

"Heh, relax, Undyne. Ain't no spies 'round here." As far as I know. "Come on, we got a City Hall ta go to."

Sergio began strutting towards the cement path that led to the park's exterior, walking to the beat of a familiar Bee Gees song playing in his head.

"Is this the 'John Travolta swagger' you've talked about?" Asgore questioned.

"Uh-huh. Eyes forward, shouldas movin' back and forth, and head held high. Show the rest a' the world what's good."

"I like it," Undyne appraised. Sergio glanced backward at the two; Asgore walked with a slower, regal gait, while Undyne marched in a militant manner, her back erect and shoulders square. It wasn't exactly John Travolta-like, but they didn't look as pitiful as they were a minute ago.

"How does it breathe out of water?" Sergio heard somebody say.

"Did they lose their way to a convention or something?" another human said.

"What ELSE is in that forest?"

More humans reacted in a similar vein as the trio reached the streets of Lower Manhattan. Tall structures surrounded the landscape, large banners and electronic screens attached to them. Sergio eyed the street signs posted on every intersection, quickly remembering where they were. He was positive that their presence had stopped traffic numerous times, incessant honking coupled with barrages of swear words from angry drivers.

The trio stopped at the corner of Warren and Broadway, stopping behind a crowd of pedestrians. A child holding her mother's hand noticed the strange creatures behind her. Instead of an expression of shock or fear, she had a curious look on her face.

"Are you a real goat?" she chirped, looking at Asgore.

The king chuckled, as if taken aback by the inquiry. "Why, yes I am."

"Hannah, don't talk to strange..." The child's mother turned toward the two creatures, hardly registering the hood rat. The mother's reaction contrasted with the child's, her jaw falling to the floor, her eyes as wide as headlights.

"Howdy, there, ma'am," Asgore greeted, bowing his head slightly. The mother gasped loudly, her grip on her child's hand tightening. A few more people turned around to investigate the cause of the mother's distress. Murmurs arose from the crowd, some nudging others to direct their attention to this phenomenon.

"How is it talking?" someone said.

Bewildered, Asgore replied, "How are you talking?"

"This is so trippy," another human commented.

Sergio saw that the crosswalk signal gave the pedestrians clearance and said, "Ay, some of us got somewhere ta be!"

This was enough to get the crowd moving across the six-lane street, some still staring at the armored fish and the cloaked goat. Asgore quietly muttered to Sergio, "What happened to first impressions?"

"Y'all the ones supposed ta make good impressions, not me. 'Sides, if anythang, I'mma make y'all look betta."

"You have to admit, he did clear the way for us. Although, I'd just shove anyone who stood in my way," Undyne said.

"That's still no reason to be rude."

Sergio sighed. "You'll learn."

After making two more turns, the City Hall was within sight. It was a two-story building with four flags posted on the roof, a shining clock built on top. There was moderate foot traffic going in and out of the building, some pedestrians audibly noticing the monsters accompanying the human. Undyne was behind Sergio right then, but he speculated that the guard glowered at anyone who would have posed a threat to her king. Asgore most likely waved at all who stared at them.

Sergio opened the front door, the monsters following in his path. They were in the building's main lobby, with a receptionist focused on a telephone call and data she was entering on a computer. The room buzzed with hecticness for the first few seconds they were inside. As more people saw the City Hall's newest visitors, the lobby was quickly hushed. The receptionist at the front desk was the last to notice the new arrivals. Her eyes flicked forward temporarily before moving back toward her paper. She did a double-take towards the front door, now transfixed on the visitors.

"Can I...help you?" The receptionist's wary inquiry broke the silence that surrounded the lobby. Sergio noticed her slowly reaching for a panic button under her desk. He looked at Asgore, cocking his head towards the receptionist.

The king cleared his throat. "Greetings, miss. My name is Asgore Dreemurr, accompanied by my captain Undyne and this young man named Sergio." He gestured toward the respective guard and human. "I request to convene with the president -"

Sergio coughed. "Mayor," he whispered.

"...Mayor, of this city. When would be a good time to speak with him?" He spoke with humility and tact, as if he had practiced saying something like this all his life.

The receptionist spent some time taking this all in; she may have thought Asgore and Undyne were people in suits, but seeing the goat's lips move in perfect conjunction to his words would have debunked any such theories. On the upside, the receptionist's hand moved away from the potential panic button, instead pressing a button on her desk phone. "Mr. DeMarco, I think you'll want to see this."

There was silence as the receptionist heard the mayor's reply. Then, she answered, "You have visitors. Unique visitors."

. . .

Meanwhile...

Asriel wasn't the only monster who could hardly sleep the previous night. News spread rapidly about his father's slated negotiation with the human leaders on the surface, where the king would discuss monster land rights and cooperation between two civilizations. If everything went well, the monsters would have been able to ship out of the underground before the week was over.

The prince rolled his eyes at the thought. He had a taste of what politics was like, and negotiations seldom came easily. To think that a solution would arise so quickly was laughable. The monsters were nothing if not idealistic.

He spent part of the night searching for an acceptable place to sleep, while still keeping a low profile. Anywhere in the Capital was out of consideration; knowing his father, the area would have been populated with guards to protect against encroaching humans.

Asriel had asked Sans for a favor once already, and he didn't feel like owing another one by asking to stay at his home. Even if he wanted to, he had no idea where Sans was; the skeleton was nowhere near Snowdin as far as Asriel could see, and Papyrus would have gotten too curious if the prince kept hiding his face.

He had a crazy idea to go to the ruins and reside in the first royal abode. He scoffed at the thought at first, but continued to entertain it as he sat in the middle of the Snowdin woods. From what he'd seen as a flower, his mother exiled herself to the ruins after he and Tobias "died." A pang of resentment shot through him. It's my fault they divorced.

With that knowledge in mind, he first thought that staying in the ruins would have been counterproductive. The only one living in the house in the ruins would have been his mother. He pictured the house in his mind; in one side of the house, his mother was reading in the living room, her reading glasses on, fire crackling in the background. On the other side of the house was the hallway with a couple of bedrooms. If it was necessary, Asriel could have snuck inside and crept toward his bedroom without alerting his mother.

Plus, he had already "died" twice. He wasn't going to die a third time from hypothermia.

He headed toward the door that separated Snowdin from the ruins. His hand didn't even touch the doorknob when it seemed to open on its own accord. Realizing what was happening, he stayed behind the door as it swung open, then dove into the wooded area nearby.

"...so I said to him, 'Look, Grillb, I know you're a walking flame, but that's no reason to be a hothead.'" Only one of two people could have made a joke so bad, and the rattling of bones confirmed who it was. A mild-mannered chuckle escaped the monster who accompanied the skeleton.

Asriel initially thought the situation was a close brush with misfortune; if he had reacted a nanosecond later, his mother would have found him standing outside the door. Even though he had his hood on, there was no telling how much Toriel could see after knowing what a non-boss monster like Sans could discern.

Sans exited the ruins after Toriel, closing the door behind them. Before continuing his outing with the former queen, he looked directly at Asriel in the woods and nodded at him. Asriel waited until the two were out of earshot before clandestinely slipping inside the ruins.

He walked down the corridor that led to the house's stairwell, considering what just happened. What was almost an unfortunate event turned out to be in his favor after all. Whatever Sans had planned with his mother, it got her out of the house, at least for a little bit, so Asriel could sneak in without incident. The skeleton even nodded at the prince as if he knew Asriel would be there! How much did this skeleton know?

Asriel kicked the snow off his feet before ascending the stairwell, surprised to see the house still lit up. Wherever Toriel was going, she didn't expect to be gone long. He immediately took to his bedroom.

As expected, he got a whiff of stuffy, recycled air the moment he opened the door. He turned on a lamp on the far side of the room, viewing everything inside. He sighed when he took in the plain, yet memorable decor inside: The walls were painted scarlet, since it was his favorite color back when he lived here; an intricate, homemade rug was laid out in the middle of the wooden floor; a framed picture of himself, his parents, and Tobias sat on top of his drawer, upon which the prince looked with nostalgia.

Times were much more simple back then. Asriel met Tobias when they were both twelve years old. Despite the history between their species, the two immediately hit it off.

Knowing the human's predicament, the king and queen at the time adopted Tobias as a second son. It seemed foolish not to, seeing how well their biological son got along with Tobias. Additionally, it wasn't as if anyone knew how to surpass the barrier.

After exploring the ruins together, Toriel had called them to their house for dinner. Asriel could hardly sit still; who would have thought that he'd make friends with a HUMAN, of all beings?

The queen lifted the lid from the serving plate. "I made snail pie!"

Asriel's face twisted with disgust. "Blegh, snail pie again?"

Tobias looked at the concoction with interest. "Snail pie? Intriguing. Snails are considered delicacies in the surface."

"Well, I'd say the humans have good taste," Toriel surmised, chuckling. Asriel kept scowling at the pie before looking at his father. A look of understanding passed between them; neither of them were huge fans of the dish.

Everything about that particular memory had changed. Well, almost everything. Asriel's opinion on snail pie remained constant, even when he was a flower.

He folded his cloak and put it under his bed. After locking the door, he thoroughly buried himself under the covers, keeping in mind that his mother would come back soon.

On the morning when the initial negotiations took place, Asriel felt more tired than he had when he crashed there. As the night went on, he was plagued with more bittersweet memories involving his adoptive human brother, coupled with anxiety about whatever nefarious plans Tobias had in store for the surface. He was almost hoping he would receive a vision as to what Tobias was doing that night, but no such thing occurred.

He put his cloak back on and exited the room, stealing towards the exit. His hand almost touched the stairwell's handrail when he heard a voice behind him.

"Oh? I didn't know I had a visitor."

It was Toriel. Asriel stopped everything for a moment to look at her, his face covered by his hood again. Like his father, she hadn't aged at all since the last time he had seen her while in goat form. It was intriguing for him to witness this phenomenon all those decades as a flower. Though Toriel and Asgore were boss monsters, Asriel had never heard of any living for so long. Maybe they discovered a fountain of youth in Waterfall. Maybe they willed themselves to live until they saw their son again.

The last thought sent a fresh wave of remorse through his being. He huffed before exiting the house.

"Wait! You don't have to leave!" called Toriel, walking after him by the sound of it. Asriel sped up his pace as he descended the stairs, not daring to look back. Though Toriel still protested his abrupt departure, she eventually ceased her pursuit.

As Asriel stepped into the frigid weather of Snowdin, another dismal thought crossed his mind. His mother tried to prevent Sergio from leaving the ruins when the human first fell here. It was partly to protect him and the surface world from Asgore's wrath and partly to protect herself from the looming sense of boredom held within the ruins. It was even worse considering that Toriel's visitors arrived many years apart from one another.

He felt ambivalence toward the surprise interaction with Toriel. On the one hand, his disguise continued to work in full effect, as Toriel had no idea who stayed in her house. She also reacted quite well to seeing a potential stranger in her house, who stayed there all night without her knowledge, no less. On the other hand, with his mother's loneliness in mind, Asriel couldn't help but think that he had hurt her in some way. After her last visitor fought his way free, Toriel may have thought that she wasn't meant to have guests. As soon as she received a pleasant surprise, her new guest left without even showing his or her face.

He couldn't bear to think about what was going through Toriel's mind right then. Is it still worth concealing my identity? He saw firsthand what such an act would entail. Of course, most monsters down here didn't miss the fabled "Fallen Prince," so he wasn't hurting everyone. However, his parents were still aching from his "death," and his refusal for humiliation started to appear more selfish as time went on. Nevertheless, the public announcement of the prince's return would only add to the turmoil currently surrounding the underground. Also, once it was confirmed that Asriel was alive, Tobias would likely make a move to draw him out in the open, making the most out of the public spectacle.

First Tobias, then a reunion.

He could only hope it'd be that easy.

. . .

Meanwhile...

Willis DeMarco sat in front of the young hood rat, eyeing the monsters sitting beside the teenager, potentially still in unbelief. His fair-colored face drooped with fatigue, his light green eyes showing that he was mostly in his job for the money. The bitter scent of tobacco was seeped into his cerulean suit.

"...In conclusion, Mayor DeMarco, we ask for your support as we transition from our old home to a potential new home here on the surface," said Asgore. Sergio had to hand it to the king; he managed to succinctly summarize the underground's vast history while skillfully omitting the more damning aspects of it, such as the deaths of six human under the surface. Now, it looked as if the negotiations would come to a close one way or another.

DeMarco stared at Asgore with a cynical look, tapping his fingers on his office desk, leaning back in his chair. His face hardened. "Poverty. Homelessness. Protests blocking the streets. Allegations of police corruption. Unemployment. Tax increases and cuts. I deal with all of these issues and more, and these are just ones that we, humans, face. Now I'm hearing talk about underground civilizations and magic from a talking goat. You have to understand, Mr. Dreemurr, that I have a lot on my plate as things are. I can't see the city babysitting ten thousand funny-looking creatures that just happened to see the sun in recent times."

Sergio saw Undyne's fist clench in his peripherals. He knew she wanted to protest the mayor's claims, but a small tap indicated Asgore's foot hitting hers, prompting her to remain silent.

"I assure you, you won't have to 'babysit' the monsters in any way." Sergio could almost hear Asgore's teeth clenching as he spoke. "Actually, I'm offering an opportunity for us to synergize so that both of our groups can prosper."

"Well, if you want advice from a real politician, then continue to 'prosper' underground." DeMarco's tone was steely and terminal.

Asgore gulped. "Mayor DeMarco -"

"Before you leave, Mr. Dreemurr, I'll finish with this: This land is owned by the humans of New York. Even though you call yourself a king, you and the rest of your 'subjects' are under our jurisdiction the minute you step onto the surface. Now, there might be a day where the council will allow the monsters to roam the surface. But don't hold your breath. James," DeMarco referred to a guard standing by the doorway, "see them out."

That was it. After the underground had gotten hyped about going to the surface, their first chance to do so in a civil and legal manner was shot down. Sergio wasn't too particularly surprised at the results when he looked at Asgore. The king's face remained neutral, but Sergio could tell he was disappointed in DeMarco's closed-mindedness. Asgore pulled out all the stops, giving a brief history of the underground, outlining the monsters' requests, and courteously asking for support.

"I thank you for your time, Mayor DeMarco, and I hope we can make further negotiations in the near future," said Asgore, extending a hand toward the mayor.

DeMarco stared at the clawed hand, hardly budging. "Likewise."

Asgore's hand awkwardly fell back inside his cloak. "Well...Sergio?" The hood rat couldn't tell if the king sought more advice from his human insider or told him to lead the way. Sergio assumed the latter and headed for the exit. James opened the office door to let them out.

"What a jerk!" Undyne opined, her face scrunched up with annoyance as the trio left DeMarco's office. "He treated Asgore like some little kid!"

"Heh-heh, New Yorkas feel the exact same way 'bout 'im, bruh," Sergio said. "This is jest a taste a' what New York got ta offa sometimes."

"Well, we can't give up now, not when we're so close. Mayor DeMarco's main concern is dealing with issues that may arise with with our intermingling. I thought we could convince him in a diplomatic matter, but now we'll have to use beta plan," Asgore concluded.

"What's beta plan?" Sergio asked. The hood rat opened the City Hall's front door. Immediately the trio was broadsided with camera flashes, akin to what happened underground a few hours ago. Human journalists held microphones up, everyone yelling over one another trying to get questions.

"This is beta plan," Asgore said, a winning smile across his face. He and the others walked down the exterior stairs to approach the journalists. He then raised his hands to calm the growing crowd, calling, "Please, one question at a time!"

There was an awed silence for a split second before someone from the back asked, "Who are you guys?"

"Where did you come from?" another inquired.

"My name is Asgore Dreemurr. I am the king of an underground civilization of monsters that resides here in New York. I am accompanied by my captain Undyne and our human guide Sergio."

"Wusgood?" Sergio chimed in, earning a few honest laughs from reporters.

"What are you planning to do at City Hall?" someone else questioned, camera clicks sounding in the background.

"My goal is to integrate our two civilizations in a way that promotes positive interaction and growth for both groups. After finding this wonderful city and getting a slight taste of its rich culture, my first order of business was to contact the mayor. I've talked with Mr. DeMarco already, and I am awaiting confirmation to launch the moving process," Asgore answered.

The reporters displayed genuine fascination at the king's words. It was probably surprising enough to find a talking goat walking on two legs, but to discover one that spoke so well had to leave some of them beside themselves.

"I got a question for Sergio: How did you find Asgore and Undyne?"

Stick ta the script. "I was walkin' down the park and found 'em lost, like they ain't know where they were." Sergio shrugged. "I was curious as ta what they were and what they was doin'. Then they told me they wanted ta see the mayor. Now we here."

"And what do you do?" someone asked Undyne.

"I protect King Asgore when he's on the surface," the guard answered, not breaking from her militant tone or stance.

"What will you expect to see on the surface, King Asgore?"

"Based on what I've learned from Sergio, I'm eager to see the wondrous landscapes and learn more about your history. But most of all, I anticipate meeting interesting new people such as yourselves."

Sergio looked at Asgore, nodding. Whatever "beta plan" was, it was working swimmingly with the masses. He could tell that the small group of journalists, as well as regular people who caught notice, were falling in love with the mysterious goatlike creature from underground. It was then when he realized what "beta plan" was: Asgore intended to get as many humans on his side as possible.

If only they knew the whole story.

. . .

The trio returned underground by around midday, Sergio eager to change out of his formal clothes. He was back into his black shirt and cargo pants as he traveled back to Hotland, entering Alphys's lab. When he and the others were on the surface, he got a text message from Alphys stating that she was getting access to channels she'd never seen before, and that she saw the trio on the small screen. The human had to see this.

The automatic doors opened with a whoosh as Sergio approached the entrance. Immediately he was greeted by a series of TV screens that showed surveillance tapes of the underground in real time. He then noticed a yellow, reptilian monster wearing a lab coat. The monster had a hunched back, glasses, buck teeth, and a spiky back to her head resembling Lisa Simpson. She had a habit for rubbing her hands nervously, but she lightened up upon seeing Sergio.

"How many new channels ya got now?" Sergio asked.

"I'm still flipping through them as we speak!" Alphys explained, leading the human to her living quarters, or her "anime accommodations," as she called it. The room was filled with cutesy posters of an anime girl with cat ears. A plush couch stood in the middle of the room, across a moderately-sized TV. "I discovered it just when you guys left City Hall."

"Huh. So, how was it you was able ta get any surface reception? I mean, undaground internet cain't even access what the surface got."

"Have to give credit to Gaster; with the Core, we're able to have a cable and internet system, which technically shouldn't have been possible. I think when the barrier broke, we started getting your channels down here."

"That's kinda weird. Humans gotta pay cable companies ta watch TV. But y'all jest needed a broke barria. So, do this extend ta everybody in the undaground?"

"Not at first. I did a little poking around before the channels were sent out to everyone."

"Was everybody able ta see us at City Hall?"

"No, but that was only one newscast. There are more sure to come." Alphys picked up her remote and continued flipping through the channels.

"Guess you gon' have a wida selection a' anime ta watch," Sergio commented.

"Well, you're not wrong," Alphys admitted. They came across a channel that was presenting a midday report on the surface.

"New York has seen its fair share of curious events, but few come close to this: Underground creatures with their own civilization who want to make here in the city." The newscast cut to Asgore speaking to the press at City Hall.

"My name is Asgore Dreemurr. I am the king of an underground civilization of monsters that resides here in New York."

"It started in social media, where dozens of residents took notice of Asgore Dreemurr along with a guard and a human teenager at Kennedy Park. The teenager, currently only known as 'Sergio,' gave his account of what happened."

"I was walkin' down the park and found 'em lost, like they ain't know where they were," said the formally-dressed Sergio. "They told me they wanted ta see the mayor. Now we here."

Alphys knew about the script that Asgore wanted for his rhetoric, so she wasn't surprised from Sergio's words in the newscast. Nevertheless, she said, "Asgore's gonna have a heck of a day once this gets out."

"Ay, he been the king for howeva long, so he gon' be prepared."

"I know he will, but...will you?" Alphys's tone became slightly grave.

It was a fair question; even more than wearing formal attire, Sergio secretly dreaded being in the public eye. He usually preferred to remain in the shadows, practically invisible to the general population. Now, his given name and face were about to spread throughout all of New York - scratch that, the whole world. He was aware of the risks beforehand and found that these costs didn't outweigh the benefits of helping his friends.

Plus, he still had "the juice." If people stepped up to him looking for trouble, they'd get a butt-whooping deluxe with extra heat.

"'Course I can. I'm a New Yorka. One thang ya gotta know 'bout us is that we can handle anythang," Sergio said confidently.
could imagine it: A cloaked figure who wouldn't listen to her who had just defended himself against the supposed strongest monster of the underground
"But can they handle monsters?"

"That...I don't know. Guess we'll see what happens."

. . .

Meanwhile...

The king had taken to more TV appearances in the underground ever since the barrier was broken; therefore, he was currently occupied with an interview. This made Asriel's job a lot easier.

The prince was in the Capital, almost trotting to the king's residence. He opened the castle door, expecting to see someone inside, but the area was empty. The silence inside was eerie, as if an omen for him to turn back. He steeled his nerves before he descended the stairwell.

It was uneventful as he made the long walk past the cathedral corridor and down the stony hallway. After turning a corner, he noticed a platoon of guards standing watch just inside of the barrier. He couldn't fault his father for taking this safety precaution, but it he also couldn't say this helped Asriel.

He pinned his back to the stone wall, picturing different scenarios in his mind, all related to his escape. He needed to do something that would keep the guards at bay without killing any of them. He didn't know how the guards were to operate, but he didn't want to find out the hard way.

After coming to a decision, he walked toward the group of guards, who stiffened up upon seeing him. One soldier walked in front of the rest and called in a gruff voice, "Halt! State your business!"

Asriel said nothing, his hands stuffed in his cloak's pockets. The voice belonged to one of Sergio's friends, a blue fishlike monster with long red hair. He knew her to be a formidable opponent, so he knew to tread lightly; nevertheless, he kept walking.

"I'm warning you, back off!" The captain balled her fists, standing her ground in front of the soldier formation. It looked as though Asgore didn't want anybody coming in or going out without him. He wondered if the soldiers' orders would have been the same if his mother shared the reign.

He kept pushing onward, getting ever closer to the barrier beyond the soldiers. The captain summoned a spear, placing its base on the ground. "This is your last warning! Turn back now!"

Would Asgore command his soldiers to kill anyone who didn't immediately follow his captain's directives? It didn't seem likely, but stranger things had happened. Asriel didn't know if his previous brushes with death made him more courageous, or if his goal seemed more important than the growing fear of failure. Regardless, he pressed on, keeping a tactical outlook on the captain.

When Asriel refused to stop walking to the barrier, the captain flipped her glowing spear and cast the blunt end towards the anonymous prince. He took a hand out of his pocket and summoned a two-foot magical sword to deflect the spear before it could hit him, not breaking his stride. The captain looked upon him with surprise before casting another spear by the blunt end. Asriel blocked the spear with the flat end of the sword, the spear falling to his feet before dissolving.

There was another pause as the captain tried to understand what was happening. Asriel kept getting closer, not using magic offensively. Despite his relative pacifism, the captain grunted and pointed at him. "Subdue him!" she commanded.

The legion of soldiers began to summon their own magic, dozens of beams flying towards Asriel. Now running for the exit, the prince summoned two swords now, throwing them around himself. They spun in a circular motion around the prince, creating a defensive barrier that blocked some attacks that came at him. Instead of running around or away from the captain, Asriel ran directly toward her, disorienting her to an extent. The captain formulated another spear and threw it with great force, possibly enough to break Asriel's barrier. The prince grabbed one of his swords in midair and sliced the spear before it could hit him, feeling a great vibration in the sword's handle.

Asriel was five feet away from the captain, who looked absolutely enraged. The sword barrier still surrounding him, he summoned a burst of flames below his feet, propelling him upward. He landed on the captain's shoulders, instantly bounding from one soldier to another. He moved in a sporadic pattern, keeping the soldiers guessing. One of the soldiers got smart and brought an arm up to catch the prince. Asriel dodged the arm and found a hole in their formation, landing on the ground between a small group of soldiers. The prince lifted an arm up, casting a large white star to land beside him. The star's impact with the ground shook the earth around him, causing some soldiers to stumble and fall.

Now that the prince was in the middle of their ranks, the soldiers were less likely to use projectile weapons to capture him. His swords disappeared as he ran through the hole he made in the infantry. He sensed more magic coming from behind him when he exited their ranks and summoned the swords once more, blocking three attacks. He didn't look back as he cut towards the barrier.

"COME BACK HERE AND FIGHT ME LIKE A REAL MAN...WOMAN...PERSON!" the captain taunted. Asriel was not one to fall prey to boorish jibes, so her sentiments fell on deaf ears. As the prince saw more sunlight coming in through the underground cave later on, he noticed a lack of metal clunks quickly approaching him. Despite the captain's less-than-stellar attitude towards him, she wasn't giving chase. It was either strict, yet spiteful obedience to Asgore's commands or a hidden cowardice within her.

He escaped the captain's clutches while mostly keeping his existence a secret. Now onto the hard part.

Already getting into some action, and it's only Chapter 2. Just like in TGTU.

I would like to thank those of you who have followed the story so far and everyone who read the whole chapter.

The stage for the political campaign is set as Sergio gets the two politicians introduced. The discovery of human TV channels may be more trouble than it's actually worth. And to top it all off, Asriel's reckless acts shakes the confidence of the Royal Guard. How will all of these elements affect the monsters' progress towards coexistence with humans?

Stay tuned for the next chapter of New York State of Mind!