They hurried to catch up to Frisk, his legs carrying him faster than his brother. "STOP. WE CAN'T GO ON LIKE THIS!"
The human stopped moving quite so fast. "I know. But… I need just a little more time, Papyrus. Please?"
Time. Did they have too much of it, or not enough? It was all so confusing. "FRISK… I ONLY WANT TO HELP."
"I know. And you are. You really, really are. I just can't tell you right now, okay?"
The fight drained out of him as he sighed. "ALRIGHT, FRISK. BUT PLEASE, BE THINKING ABOUT WHAT YOU NEED TO TELL ME. LET ME GIVE YOU A HINT… IT'S EVERYTHING."
Frisk shuddered at that, but nodded. "I understand. Hey, we should slow down. We're leaving Sans in the dust."
"FRISK!"
The human stopped in their tracks faster than he had.
"I KNOW THAT SANS IS A TERRIBLE INFLUENCE WHEN IT COMES TO PUNS, BUT THAT WAS ENTIRELY INAPPROPRIATE, AND NOT FUNNY IN THE LEAST LITTLE WAY!"
The human took a step back. "What do you mean? Oh… n-no! Papyrus, I didn't mean it like that at all! I just… it's just a human expression."
He crossed his arms, but tried to be understanding of the fact that humans might not realize what a cruel thing that was to say around monsters. "YES, WELL, HERE, DUST IS NO LAUGHING MATTER."
Sans caught up to them, so he decided to spare the human any further scolding that would only become uncomfortable for the three of them. Besides, he wasn't entirely sure that his brother wouldn't latch on to the word just to make him uncomfortable. He could somehow imagine innocently cleaning the living room around his napping brother, and Sans opening one eye to ask if he was going to dust him. He shuddered, deciding that he definitely preferred to believe that it was a line even Sans wouldn't cross.
His brother was giving them a calculating look.
*…
*so… what's with the face, kiddo?
Frisk ignored him, and nodded towards a rather pricey bake sale up ahead.
*muffet? no sweat. a tough negotiator, yeah, but…
Frisk shook their head. "Actually, I've got this one, thanks. Um… if it's okay with you, Papyrus. It'll make her happy."
"WELL, THEN, GO AHEAD, FRISK." They watched as the child pulled out the cell phone Alphys had modified and went to wait in line. "FRISK ASKED FOR MORE TIME."
Sans shrugged. *i know we have to ask, and i gotta admit that this whole thing's had me curious, but… if the kid's gonna say anything like i think…
He nodded. "I KNOW. IT WILL NOT BE EASY TO HEAR. AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO LISTEN. BUT I DO. I NEED TO KNOW WHAT I CAN DO TO HELP."
Sans nodded. *thanks. but i don't think this is a conversation i can miss.
"JUST… TRY NOT TO GET DISCOURAGED IF IT'S SOMETHING BAD? FRISK CAN BE GOOD… I JUST KNOW IT."
*heh, discouraged? with you fixin' things? naw.
Sans did seem less depressed than he had at first. His brother couldn't help but see the potential for good in the human, now. They just had to know exactly what they were dealing with, and then, they could leave the past behind them, and let it lie there forever.
For now, they stood there and watched as Frisk pulled several jugs of Spider Cider from the dimensional box in the phone Alphys gave them. "Here… I bought these from the spiders in the ruins, and I'd like to donate them to your cause."
The spider monster's whole demeanor changed immediately. "I… I heard such awful things about humans, but I can't think of a single monster who's helped us this much…" she turned to level a rather frightening glare at Sans, who just shrugged. She narrowed her eyes, then turned back to Frisk with a smile as she patted the human's head. "Ahuhuhuhuhu… Whatever your fight with that overgrown calculator is about, I wish you good fortune."
Frisk smiled back. "Good luck with your bake sale."
Muffet waved cheerily as they passed, and he blinked in surprise when he saw how much the goods were worth. Sans grinned at Frisk. *nice one, kid.
"INDEED, HUMAN, THAT WAS VERY KIND OF YOU TO HELP THOSE POOR SPIDERS! JUST IMAGINE HOW COSTLY IT WOULD BE TO HAVE THAT MANY FEET! IT'S HARD ENOUGH TO KEEP SANS'S SOCKS CLEAN, AND HE WEARS SLIPPERS HALF THE TIME. OF COURSE, THAT'S MOSTLY BECAUSE HE KEEPS THEM ALL IN HIS ROOM, OR ON OUR LIVING ROOM FLOOR IN PLAIN SIGHT OF EVERYONE WHO MIGHT COME TO VISIT…" He tried to mimic Muffet's glare at Sans, but it seemed to affect his brother even less, if possible. "…BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'D DO IF HE HAD EIGHT LEGS."
They all pondered that mental image as they walked through a long, dark hall of spider webs. It was slow going through the middle, but it was a rather poor puzzle, all in all… you just had to keep walking through it. It would have been a much more clever ambush.
The webs did cling to them awfully, though, and it took him a full three minutes to get them all cleared off. He decided that he was doubly glad that Sans wasn't a spider monster, because he didn't think he'd be able to stand webs AND extra socks everywhere… it was a nightmare!
He finished brushing off his boots, and stood up to study a poster of Mettaton. "HMMM… I HAVE A FEELING WE'RE ABOUT TO BE ON TELEVISION AGAIN."
Frisk was muttering something under their breath about blue and purple and yellow.
He was about to ask why, but just then, Mettaton rushed up, wearing, a flowing, light blue ball gown? His brother didn't question it, and Frisk didn't look surprised at all, so he just waited patiently while the robot star turned to him.
"EXCUSE ME, DARLING… I'M TERRIBLY SORRY, BUT I CAN'T SEEM TO REMEMBER YOUR NAME… SOMETHING THE GREAT, WASN'T IT?"
Wowie! That was the part most people forgot! "THE GREAT PAPYRUS!"
"EXCELLENT, DARLING. BEFORE WE BEGIN I WAS WONDERING IF YOU WOULD SING THIS IN THE BACKGROUND. THE TUNE IS VERY EASY TO PICK UP ON, HERE, TRY A VERSE."
A very catchy tune started up, just off set. Wondering how this was going to help Frisk, he did as he was asked.
"METTATON,
IS IN OUR WAY,
HIS SHOW IS ON,
FOUR TIMES TODAY.
.
HE HAS TO,
PLAY OUT HIS PART.
EVEN IF,
WE'RE TORN APART."
He blinked at the lyrics he'd just sung, then glanced over at Sans, who shrugged.
"NO, NO, NO! THIS WON'T DO AT ALL! I DON'T MEAN YOU. YOU'LL BE GRAND, DARLING. BUT THIS SCENE… IT DOESN'T JUST NEED A BACKUP SINGER… NO… IT NEEDS, MORE DRAMA." Mettaton pressed his hand roughly to where his forehead would be, then snapped his fingers. "THAT'S IT! I HAVE JUST THE THING! STAY HERE, AND I'LL BE RIGHT BACK!"
He frowned at the paper in his hands. "THESE ARE SO… HARSH."
*makes ya wonder what he's got in mind now.
"HOPEFULLY NOT MORE TEARING, OR ZAPPING, OR… SANS, MAYBE YOU SHOULD WAIT THIS ONE OUT IN CASE THINGS GET MESSY. I MAY HAVE TO PROTECT FRISK."
"I'M BACK WITH YOUR NEW SCRIPT, BEAUTIES! HERE YOU ARE, AND I WAS GOING TO GET YOU A NEW COSTUME, BUT YOU LOOK FABULOUS, DARLING. I DID, HOWEVER, FIND THE PERFECT COSTUMES FOR THE TWO OF YOU."
Sans put his hands out to protect his face as Mettaton slid a sewn together pile of green plastic leaves over his head. "THERE. YOU'LL MAKE A WONDERFUL BUSH DARLING."
He tried to hide his laugh behind his hand to avoid embarrassing his brother as Metatton circled around behind him. There was a sound of rusting fabric as something red and silky, like a giant scarf, was thrown over his head.
Blinded, he sputtered, and fought his way to stick his head out of the hole in the top, only to find that he was now wearing a glittering red dress, similar to Mettaton's, if not quite so glamorous…
Sans laughed at him outright as Mettaton wheeled around the set.
"PLACES EVERYONE. YOU TWO… JUST… STAND THERE AND LOOK FABULOUS… NO, NO, NO, DARLING, THAT'S A BARRIER THAT'S GOING TO BE ACTIVATED WHEN WE START. YOU'VE GOT TO COME ON STAGE… NO, THAT'S A BARRIER, TOO. JUST… STAND HERE IN FRONT OF THE TOWER LIKE A BUSH… AS FOR YOU, BEAUTIFUL, YOU STAND IN THE MIDDLE, JUST LIKE THAT, AND FEEL FREE TO WALK AROUND TO MAKE IT MORE DRAMATIC! I'LL START UP HERE… DON'T WORRY ABOUT DROWNING ME OUT, DARLING, SING LOUD! LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION!"
Mettaton made it to the top of the tower, and peered out slowly.
"CAN IT BE? MY ONE TRUE LOVE? BUT WAIT..." The music started again.
"WHO IS THIS,
WITH YOU TODAY?
OH MY LOVE,
DON'T GO ASTRAY."
.
"I AM HERE,
TO CHALLENGE YOU,
TO FIND OUT,
WHO'S LOVE IS TRUE."
.
"ARE YOU NOW?
WELL WE SHALL SEE.
IN THE END,
THE VICTOR SHALL BE ME!"
.
"YOUR VALOR IS,
OF GREAT RENOWN,
BUT I SHALL PROVE,
THAT THEIR LOVE IS MY OWN."
His lyrics stopped there, and it was Mettaton's turn, but he really didn't want Frisk to get the wrong idea…
"OF COURSE I MEAN,
PLATONICLY!
THIS HUMAN IS
GOOD FRIENDS WITH ME."
The 'bush' started to shake and at first he thought Sans was improvising his own part, until he heard an almost silent chortle.
Mattaton threw his own paper aside, and lifted the hem of his dress as he descended the stairs with a loud KLUNK every time his wheel hit a step.
"HA! ONLY,
A FRIEND YOU SAY?
I SHALL PROVE,
MY LOVE TODAY!"
.
"WE SHALL SEE,
YOU'LL HAVE TO TRY.
BUT NO ONE IS,
A BETTER FRIEND THAN I."
.
"TRY I MUST,
I SHALL NOT FAIL!
YOU WILL KNOW,
HOW OUR TRUE LOVE PREVAILS!"
.
"LOVE OF FRIENDS,
DO NOT FORGET!
I SHALL WIN,
THIS BATTLE YET!"
.
"OH MY LOVE,
YOU MUST DECIDE!
WHICH ONE SHALL,
BE YOUR HEART'S GUIDE?"
.
"YES HUMAN,
YOU HAVE TO CHOOSE,
BUT WHO WILL WIN?
AND WHO WILL HAVE TO LOSE?"
The bush was doubled over, and shaking to its own snickering at this point. He tried to ignore how unprofessional his brother was being.
The music was still going, and Frisk cut Mettaton off.
"How could I,
Cause such a fuss,
'tween Mettaton,
And the great Papyrus?"
.
"OH MY LOVE,
DO YOU NOT SEE?
THE ONLY ONE FOR,
YOUR HEART IS ME."
.
"METTATON,
WE SHOULD NOT FIGHT,
I BELIEVE,
FRISK WILL CHOOSE RIGHT."
Frisk smiled and ran over to hold his hand.
"WHAT IS THIS?
YOU WON'T CHOOSE ME?
OH MY LOVE,
HOWEVER CAN THIS BE?"
.
"THE HUMAN,
MADE A GOOD CHOICE,
MY GREATNESS IS,
AS LOVELY AS MY VOICE."
.
"BUT MY LOVE,
DID YOU FORGET?
YOUR SOUL THE KING
IS OUT TO GET."
.
"WE MUST NOT,
JUST RUN AWAY.
WE WILL MAKE,
THINGS RIGHT TODAY."
.
"YOU HAVE SPURNED,
MY LOVE SO TRUE,
IT'S SO SAD THAT,
THERE'S ONLY ONE LAST THING TO DO.
"SO SAD. SO SAD THAT YOU ARE GOING TO THE DUNGEON. WELL, TOODLES!"
He pressed a button, and the three of them dropped down through trap doors to a giant version of the floor tile puzzle. Uh oh… "FRISK, DO YOU STILL REMEMBER THE RULES?"
This puzzle was so much longer, and fifteen seconds was so short a time limit, and there were flames…
"NO! THE OTHER WAY, FRISK! NOT THAT BLUE TILE! IT'S RIGHT BY A YELLOW… THAT'S PURPLE!"
All in all, Frisk seemed to have it under control, racing through the whole puzzle so fast, he barely had time to help.
He cheered when Frisk finished with a few seconds left on the clock. "YOU DID IT HUMAN! I'M A GOOD EXPLAINER."
Mettaton almost looked relieved. "WELL, FAIR IS FAIR. YOU BEAT MY LITTLE PUZZLE, AND…"
The human's phone rang. "D-don't f-fall for it! I-it's a trap! B-but don't worry! I made th-those upgrades t-to your phone, remember? P-press the yellow b-button."
"OH VERY WELL. THE WISE, INTELLIGENT, CRAFTY DR. ALPHYS HAS SEEN THROUGH MY STELLAR PERFORMANCE. YOU FORGOT ABOUT THOSE GREEN TILES, DIDN'T YOU? WELL, DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU STEP ON ONE NOW? THAT'S RIGHT! YOU HAVE TO FIGHT A MONSTER. AND IT'S ME DARLING!"
"H-hurry! Press the b-button!"
Frisk pressed the yellow button, and a little antenna with a ball on the end extended from the top of the phone.
"N-now point it at M-mettaton, and f-fire!"
What?! "STOP!" He raced to throw himself in between them. "HUMAN, YOU MUSTN'T! THAT WOULD BE VIOLENT, AND YOU KNOW THAT IT'S VERY DANGEROUS TO FIGHT MONSTERS WHO DON'T REALLY WANT TO FIGHT BACK."
"N-no! It's not l-like th-that. I…"
"AND METTATON, THE SONG YOU ASKED ME TO SING SAID THAT THERE'S ONE MORE SHOW. DON'T YOU NEED THE HUMAN FOR THAT?"
"I HADN'T REALLY THOUGHT OF THAT…"
There was something odd about the robot's tone, but he ignored that to turn back to Frisk. "PLEASE…"
Frisk nodded. "Thanks Dr. Alphys, but we're going to handle this a better way… The Great Papyrus way."
"W-well I-I didn't want anyone to g-get hurt…" Alphys sounded crushed as she hastily hung up. He felt badly for implying that she wanted to do a violence. He'd have to apologize for that later. He knew that she was trying to be as helpful as she knew how to be.
Mettaton looked confused. "YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO USE IT, DARLING. I WON'T BACK DOWN."
"Not even for your fans? What will happen to your ratings?"
"VERY GOOD, FRISK!"
"YOU… CARE ABOUT MY RATINGS?"
Frisk nodded. "I know that a lot of the monsters in the Underground wouldn't know what to do without you. You're important to them, and you're all important to me."
Mettaton was silent for a moment. Then sprang to life in a display of dramatics. "OH NO! THE HUMAN HAS A LASER DESIGNED BY THE BRILLIANT DR. ALPHYS… I MUST FLEE TO HIGHER GROUND TO FIND THE BEST PLACE TO TAKE AN ALL TELEVISED FINAL STAND…"
Mettaton left, waving, and the cameras followed him out, leaving the three of them there alone.
"YOU DID IT!" He scooped Frisk up, holding the human above his head. "I AM SO PROUD OF YOU!"
Sans shuffled over, pulling the bush costume off of his head. *i gotta hand it to ya, kiddo… you're doing great.
Frisk smiled widely, snuggling into his shoulder before he set the little human down. Frisk's smile waned a little bit. "Well, we should probably keep moving. Don't want to keep the fans waiting, right? Oh… you did a good job singing, Papyrus."
*yeah, bro. i was just gonna say that it was a 'heated' performance.
He didn't bother to yell, because it wasn't even worth a yell. He just shook head, pressing a hand to his face. "SANS… MUST YOU? NOW I DON'T FEEL BADLY FOR TELLING YOU THAT I THINK YOU COULD MAKE A MORE CONVINCING BUSH."
*that was classic. i was shakin' like a leaf.
"SANS!"
His brother only winked at Frisk. *bro?
"WHAT IS IT NOW, SANS?"
Sans looked to the side, grinning. *you're still wearing the dress.
"SANS!" He really wasn't sure how that was his brother's fault. He pulled the dress off over his head, and got stuck trying to get back out. Frisk grabbed the bottom, and pulled it off to free him. "THANK YOU."
He brushed as many of the red sparkles off as he could as he strutted towards the next room.
A/N: Thanks for your continued support, 'I guest as much'! And thanks as well, 'A human' there is some spectacular Undertale fanfiction out there, and I'm so glad you're enjoying this! = )
Thanks again, Agent B Tiger, for helping me with the musical. It still probably needs work, but I think it's a lot better than it was before.
And thanks so much to everyone who's reviewed so far. I really do appreciate it! =D