A/N Everything Undertale belongs to Toby Fox; Ginny, as well as anything unfamiliar, is of my creation.

The following day, which was a free one from the restaurant, Ginny took to wandering the streets. Papyrus had sent her home with a container of spaghetti. She didn't have the heart to try and say he didn't need to, as he had been so ecstatic that she enjoyed it. She wondered if he and Toriel always gave samples of their cooking to new friends, or if she just looked thin, and they were looking out for her.

Hugging her arms around her middle, she kicked a pebble as her thoughts turned down a slightly darker path. Though Frisk didn't talk much, they told her enough; that Toriel had basically become a mom to them. The best mom they could ask for. In fact, several monsters, including the brothers, Undyne, and Alphys, were like a tight-knit family. They looked out for each other, and cared for each other. And despite being a human, that was no exception for Frisk.

Ginny wondered what it would be like, to be part of a family again. It had been so long since she had one, she nearly forgot what it felt like. She knew Frisk barely remembered what it was like, having been in the orphanage for nearly their whole life. Back then, the only family they had was each other.

What did it feel like, to have a huge family?

She froze when she heard her name being called. Looking in the direction, she saw Toriel and Frisk, walking hand in hand towards her. "I thought that was you," she smiled. In her other paw were some plastic bags. "Frisk and I just got done shopping, and were going to visit someone. Would you like to come?"

She nearly refused, telling them that she didn't want to impose. But Frisk looked up at her with pleading eyes, completing the look with a quivering lip. She sighed softly. She could never resist that look. "That sounds fun," she nodded.

"Well, maybe not so much fun," Toriel confessed as they walked towards the monster neighborhood. "At least, for me."

"What do you mean?"

"We'll be visiting the king today, Asgore. And... my ex-husband."

Her eyes widened at that realization; that Toriel was the queen of the monsters. Or was? She knew with human monarchs, when a king and queen divorced, one would no longer be able to keep their title. Maybe it was different with monsters?

At any rate, they soon arrived at the house. It was a cute little cottage, surrounded by golden flowers. The house itself had darker golden colors, and just looked generally cozy.

At the door, they were greeted by another goat monster. This one was taller than Toriel, with more yellowed fur. He had a golden yellow mane and beard, and long horns that curved backwards. He wore a purple cloak, with golden pauldrons on his shoulders, and a crown on his head. His eyes were a similar color to Toriel, but a few shades lighter.

"Howdy," he greeted with a smile. His voice was deep and gruff, but warm.

"Asgore," Toriel nodded in an icy tone. She walked past him, ignoring his saddened face, as well as Frisk's soft sigh.

Shaking his head as if a fly had landed on him, Asgore opened his eyes and turned to Ginny, smiling yet again. "And you must be Ginny."

"I am... Y-Your Highness," she stammered, curtsying. She glared at Frisk's snicker.

"Oh, no need for that," he chuckled kindly. "Just plain ol' Asgore will do. I've heard quite a bit about you, my dear."

"I'm the new gossip in the neighborhood, I suppose?" She had noticed after that first day, when she would walk past the monster houses, the inhabitants would wave and wish her a good day, either calling her by name, or verbally recognizing her as Frisk's sister. Unlike humans, they seemed to have the decency to not whisper about her, as she walked by, as if she were deaf.

"In a way, yes. Everyone was so excited that you had been found, ever since Frisk—"

"—I thought we had business to discuss." Toriel cleared her throat, standing by a closed door with an expectant expression.

"Er, yes," Asgore replied, steeling himself into a serious form. "Frisk, you can show Ginny around while Tori-Toriel and I talk." He patted their head before joining Toriel.

As they went through the door, Frisk gestured for Ginny to follow them down a hall. They pushed a door open, revealing a bedroom that was obviously decorated for a child. To her surprise, there was a large flower pot on a table; in the pot was a single golden flower. Though, that wasn't the surprising part.

The surprising part was the fact that the flower had a face. A face that was emoting.

"Ugh, you're back," he groaned in a squeaky voice. He looked up at Ginny as Frisk patted his head. "And who're you?"

Someone who doesn't know my name? What are the chances? "Ginny, Frisk's older sister," she answered, crossing her arms. She didn't appreciate how rude this flower was. "Who're you?"

He drew his head back in surprise, but then grinned widely. "Flowey! Flowey the flower!"

"... Flowey?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"What? What's wrong with that?" he snapped, glaring childishly.

"Nothing," she shrugged, sitting down on the ground.

"So... Ginny, how're you feeling about monsters?" Flowey asked with a smirk.

"They're okay... why?"

"Oh, nothing much," he shrugged—somehow. "How much have you learned about them?"

"Learned in the way of personalities... or how they tick?"

"Ooh, you're a smart one!" he cooed. "I mean about their souls."

Ginny had heard talk of souls. How all monsters and humans had souls. That they were the very culmination of one's being. And that while monsters had white souls, humans had one of seven colors. It was mostly from overhearing gossip, news reports, or from newspapers. She said as much.

"Well, human souls are much more powerful than monsters! They can do amazing things!"

"Like?"

"Well, that barrier that was keeping everyone under the mountain? It would have taken millions of monster souls to break that barrier. But it took seven human ones to break it."

"What are you saying? That there were actually seven humans down in the underground?"

"Not just humans... children. Children souls!" Flowey's grin was growing wider, with sharp teeth growing behind his lips. His eyes changed from thin and black to white and round, with glaring eyebrows. He looked very unnerving. "Six human children died down there! And their souls were harvested, merely for the sole purpose of breaking that barrier! Frisk was the last one to fall."

While it was horrifying to learn that other children had fallen and died, she realized it must have happened long ago, seeing as she had never heard reports of children going up into the mountain and never returning. It was concerning that they might have died at the monsters' hands, claws, or what have you, but she had already decided to judge them on their current actions, rather than their past. After all, Frisk had managed to convince them not to hurt them, so they couldn't all be bad.

When she turned to Frisk, they were frowning at Flower, looking the picture of sternness. "If you're trying to scare me, it's not gonna work," Ginny said, flicking him where his nose would be. She smirked when he grunted and pouted, and as Frisk giggled.

It was two days later when things changed. Ginny found herself, once again, in Toriel's house. Sans and Papyrus were visiting as well. Sans had made himself comfy on the new couch Toriel had bought recently, claiming he was testing to see if it was nap-worthy. If his snores were anything to go by, it was.

Papyrus was sitting on the floor, with Frisk on his crossed legs; Toriel was on the floor as well, sitting in front of them. A large puzzle box was between them. She said the local college, where she was learning to be a teacher, had given it to her to use as practice. Frisk had volunteered to be the practice student, and Papyrus happily joined in. He apparently enjoyed puzzles.

Ginny was stood in the doorway, leaning against the doorjam with her arms crossed against her chest. Though they weren't meaning to, and it might have been partially her fault, she felt left out. Not just out of the games they were currently playing, but in general. Frisk had a new family. When they spent time together for the past four days, as siblings, the monsters were all they would talk about. It seemed there was always a new monster to talk about, or something new about the previous monsters to discuss.

It was like they didn't even miss their older sister. Like they had forgotten that she and they were the only family they had. Obviously, that wasn't the case. But at the moment, it was all Ginny could think about.

She blinked out of her stewing when she realized Toriel was trying to get her attention. "Yes?" she responded, trying not to be rude despite herself.

"Come over here, please," she smiled, holding out a paw.

She gingerly approached them, laying her hand in Toriel's paw when she still held it out. "Yesterday, I was able to speak to the administrator of the orphanage you and Frisk lived at."

"... And?" The pit of her stomach felt shaky; something that always seemed to happen when something she didn't like was imminent to occur.

"Well, we had a long talk. And it's still in the works, for various reasons," she wrinkled her nose briefly as she uttered those words, but quickly brightened up again, "but I'm in the process of officially adopting Frisk!"

She had said more after that statement. Ginny had been told this later on, and she could hear her speaking now. But it sounded like she dunked her head in a bowl of water, causing the words to sound slurred and distant. All she could focus on was what she heard her last say.

"Excuse me?" she shouted, yanking her hand from Toriel's. She backed away as if she had been standing in lava. "How dare you!"

Everyone was now staring at her, utterly confused. Even Sans had snapped from his nap. Toriel tried to intervene, but Ginny interrupted, "I'm Frisk's sister! Their family! I have been working, down to the bone, for the past four years to get them out of that damned orphanage! Away from those people who tried to separate us, several times! I'm not going to let anyone else do that ever again, human or monster!"

"Th-that's not what I'm trying to do!" Toriel protested, her voice somehow remaining soft. She stood up and reached out her paws, either to calm Ginny down or try to take her hands. She wasn't sure at the time. "I'm just trying to help—"

"—I don't need your help! I don't need anyone's help! I've been working at this all on my own! Besides, what do you know about human children? That flower told me other children had died down in those ruins! Frisk is a human! How could you possibly know what's good for them?"

"Stop it!" Frisk suddenly shouted, jumping off of Papyrus's legs. "Ginny, stop it!"

Ginny stood still, panting from her shouts. Tears had been running down her face as she ranted, and her voice had been beginning to crack. Everyone was staring at her, all a mix of shock and confusion. Though she wasn't looking straight at him, she could feel Sans's judging glare on her being. It made the skin on her back crawl.

How long would it take until the other monsters were staring at her with such judgment? It may have been too late.

Finally, with a big sniffle, she turned and ran out of the house. No one called out to her, for her to stop and come back. They let her go, and heard her thudding footprints down the sidewalk, and presumably out of the neighborhood.

"... Oh dear," Toriel whispered, holding a paw to her heart. "I... I didn't mean any harm."

"OF COURSE YOU DID NOT, TORIEL," Papyrus shook his head. Even his voice was starting to quiver from the tension Ginny had left the room in. "SHE... SHE WAS MISTAKEN!"

"Perhaps I should go try to find her," she continued, as if she hadn't heard him. "Try and explain things better."

"nah, don't trouble yourself, tori," Sans said, letting himself slide off of the couch and onto the floor. Amazingly, he still sounded like his usual self. No betrayal of emotions. "i'll go find her."

"Are you sure?"

"sure. i'll talk to her."

As he walked to the door and swung it open, Toriel called out to him again, "Sans... please don't be too hard on her. Something about what I said... it hurt her deeply."

He remained silent for several seconds before nodding, "i'll do my best." As he left the house, he heard his brother warn him to be careful, as it was liable to rain. He waved his hand back as he shut the door and walked out onto the sidewalk.

Sure enough, as he left the monster neighborhood, fat drops began to fall from the sky. They splattered against his head, his coat, and the ground. Though it was heavy, it wasn't fast. He kept his hands shoved in his pockets as he moseyed down the sidewalk, ignoring the rain to instead think of what had just happened.

Though he didn't speak much of her, he didn't know what to make of Ginny. She seemed a pretty casual human on the surface, other than being quite shy—though he wondered if that was around everyone, not just monsters. But at the same time, he kept an eye socket on her, just waiting for her to suddenly turn and reveal herself; to show her true colors.

Was that episode she had just that turn? Maybe, maybe not. Maybe the start of her turn? It certainly didn't win any favors from him. In that moment, he thought her to be very rude and ungrateful. Here Toriel was, trying to keep Frisk in one place where Ginny could stay with them. And what thanks or gratitude did she get? Shouting in the face.

But at the same time, he could understand what she had been yelling about. If he had lost Papyrus, and found him again years later with another family, he would be possessive of him too. Especially if that family wanted to adopt him, without he himself even knowing them. Or barely, as it were. Since no one had taken either Frisk or Ginny from the orphanage, they were the only family either of them had; he and Papyrus could relate to that.

But that still didn't give her an excuse to be nasty, and he was itching to tell her that himself. But he did promise Toriel he wouldn't be too harsh on her. "geez, me and promises," he sighed, wiping water off of the top of his skull. "we just seem to keep meeting and meeting."

After some time, he saw the bridge that Papyrus had first found Ginny at. He could see a group of humans in the middle of it; he could hear them too, but not clearly enough for their voices to be crystal clear, especially through the rain. There were four in all, including Ginny herself. She was standing with her back against the railing, while the other three humans were facing her. They seemed to be talking to her. And judging by the way she was leaning back from them, they were really getting in her personal space.

maybe telling her how rude she was? figures she'd run and whine to her human friends about how mean the monsters were for taking her sibling, Sans scoffed. But he kept his hands in his pockets as he continued to the bridge, still keeping a casual pace. He wasn't in any hurry.

Before he could react, Ginny was falling backwards over the railing. She reached the concrete fast. Her head bounced off with a sickening crack. She had screamed as she fell, but didn't cry out in pain, or curl up and clutch her head. She laid on the ground, limp as a ragdoll.

Sans had froze when he heard the scream. His eyes widened in shock when he heard the crack, and once he finally registered what had happened. With a gasp, he ran to her limp form. Red blood was pooling around her head, but he tried not to panic; apparently, humans were prone to bleeding heavily from even a small scratch on the head. When he knelt down and listened, she was still breathing. But it sounded like gasps, obviously in pain.

When he looked up at the bridge, the three humans were running away. They had left their friend behind! Perhaps it was because he was a monster, and they were afraid he would do something to her. He would worry about that later.

Clenching his fists awkwardly, he carefully lifted her up into his arms, one under her knees, and the other cradling her neck as gently as he could. It surprised him that she was so light. With how bulky humans looked—at least, compared to him and Papyrus—and the clothes she was wearing, he expected her to be heavier.

He looked back the way he came, his mind racing. Should he teleport? It would get him back to the house quicker. No, it might hurt her! If there was one thing he learned about humans, it was that head injuries were nothing to take lightly. Teleporting made Frisk queasy on a good, healthy day.

With no other choice, he began to run.

He held her firmly against his body so as not to jostle her too much. But either she felt it, or she was simply coming to; at any rate, she was groaning. Her free hand slowly reached up clutch his jacket. "S-Sans?" she whimpered. "It h-hurts..."

"yeah, i know," he whispered, all negative thoughts about her temporarily wiped away. "don't worry, though. you'll be fine. you just gotta stay awake for me."

She didn't answer him verbally. She continued to whimper, and tried to push her head against his shoulder. As he approached the gate to the monster neighborhood, to his horror, he felt her grip on his jacket loosen. "hey! ginny! stay with me! you gotta stay awake! ginny! wake up!"

Her head lolled back against his arm, and her arm hung limp, swaying as he continued to run.