We continue walking until we reach a place the child calls "Waterfall". We saw more monsters on the way, but they seemed to sense my dark energy and smartly stayed away. It's actually kind of pretty here, with the dark caverns and the blue lights. It seems like it would be a nice place to relax.

Not that I have time for that or anything. Now that we're past Snowdin, the child seems to be in more of a rush. Every time I go to ask them a question, they shush me and keep moving forward. It angers me. They really need to make up their mind about if they want to rush or not.

~Chara...~ I start again, trying to ask them about the blue flowers that we're passing, if I'm hearing things or are they whispering, but they shush me again. I'm starting to get really annoyed now. I stop, planting myself firmly next to one of the flowers. ~Will you not hear me out!? Is this not the history I need to learn!?~

They spin around, glaring at me, their red eyes flashing. "Do you want to be caught!? You're a stranger still!" They exclaim, their voice down.

~What does that have to do with learning history?~ I ask, crossing my arms. ~Didn't you say that's what I need to know before I can do what you asked?~

"Yes but...you... you.. arrrgh!" The child tries then gives up, closing their eyes in frustration. "You don't understand. If we get caught by Gerson, we're done for."

~Gerson?~ I repeat, not bothering to lower my voice. ~Who is that?~ I don't care if we get caught. This child has been annoying me too much. Maybe I'll be able to destroy something for a change.

"He's..." Chara starts, but then a booming voice interrupts us.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing here?"

Chara mutters something under their breath and disappears, leaving me alone. I look towards the source of the voice, and soon enough, a turtle monster comes out of the shadows. He's in heavy battle armor and he's carrying a gigantic hammer on his shoulder. He has a graying beard, but his stature reeks of nothing but physical prowess.

His yellow eyes glare into me. "Did'ja hear what I said, stranger?"

Is stranger now my name or something? Why does everyone keep calling me that? Pushing aside my annoyed feelings, I focus on the monster. ~I heard you.~ I respond. ~I'm only passing through.~

"To where?" He asks, squinting at me.

I stay silent for a few moments, unsure of how to answer. I actually don't know where I'm going. I was just following the child.

~I was...~ I stop. I can't think of anything to say, or some lie to concoct. It is like my energy has just suddenly drained away. The child is gone, and my purpose has gone with them. Now I just want to sleep.

The turtle monster tilts his head at my silence. "I thought so." He sneers. "Yer trespassing."

I close my eyes. I am so tired. It's funny how one forgets this when they're busy. ~Why would I trespass?~ I ask softly. ~I have no reason to.~

"Then explain to me why you're here, and maybe I'll let you go." He replies.

... Was that a threat? I open my eyes again, feeling some of my energy return to me. A threat. That is something I can handle. There is purpose in that.

I glare at the monster. ~I already told you.~ I spit. ~I am only passing through.~ I look around the dark cavern, assessing the area. It's a narrow space, and for normal beings *cough not me cough* it would be pretty hard to see. Up ahead I can see some sort of tall weed that's filling the pathway. I bet if someone was small enough, they could easily hide in them. Wait, why am I thinking that?

Shaking my head, I focus back on the turtle monster. He is watching me with wary eyes, a ready grip on his hammer. A fight is about to happen. I can sense it. I gather energy inside of me, preparing to release it. This monster is going to die. Very soon.

Suddenly, so fast that even I could barely see it, the monster lunges towards me, swinging his hammer. I jump back just in time, feeling the swish of air from the hammer. I grin. Now this is more like it.

I laugh, and start to spin, causing my mass of dark energy to turn into a cyclone. I direct it towards the monster. His eyes widen, but he holds his ground, readying his swing. I can't help but grin. The benefit of narrow hallways? They're hard to escape from. So even if he does try to run, he won't escape.

As I get closer, he still holds his ground. I can feel triumph already. Why is he being so stupid? Standing there, unprotected? I will destroy him. Chara isn't here to stop me, no one is. It seems this monster will not be saved.

With one more burst of speed, I reach the monster. I stop before him, not able to resist the urge to gloat. I draw myself up high, a swirling vortex of chaos. ~This is quite funny, you know.~ I tell him.

He glares up at me, somehow knowing where my eyes are hidden. "And how is that?" He asks, adjusting his grip on his hammer again.

I chuckle. ~Because I was actually warned against you.~ I say. I look down at him. ~You are Gerson, correct?~ Seeing as there aren't any other monsters around as strong as him, I assume he's the one. If my knowing his name surprises him, he doesn't show it. He simply regards me with an even stare. That's fine then. He's going to die anyways.

I surge up, preparing to slam into him, but then I am stopped, frozen in mid-air. What?! I look around wildly. Why can't I move? That's when I notice it. There is a faint shimmering of green light surrounding me. Is this... magic?

Gerson's eyes widen, and he whips around, seemingly searching for something in the dark. I watch his movements, fascinated. This wasn't his doing. He's surprised. And angry. Seeing something, he marches forward into the weeds. Reaching down into the weeds, he pulls up a struggling figure. I squint, trying to see better through the green. Who is that?

"Undyne!" Gerson rebukes, shaking the girl slightly. Wait.. is that a child? The green flickers around me, and I realize something. The magic. It's coming from the girl. How is that even possible? "What were you thinking!?"

The child, Undyne, is crying. "I can't let you die!" She proclaims. "You're the hero of the Underground! You're my hero!" She tries to pull away again.

Something in Gerson's eyes soften, and he lets go of the child, causing her to sprawl against the ground. "Sometimes, Undyne." He says softly, crouching down beside her and placing his hammer down. "Making the ultimate sacrifice is the only way to be a true hero."

Undyne pushes herself up on shaky arms. "I won't let you die."

Gerson's eyes darken slightly, remembering some bad memory. "Maybe I already have." He whispers. But Undyne doesn't hear him, standing up on trembling legs.

"I need to focus, old man." She snarls, focusing a yellow eye on me; the other is covered by a black eyepatch. "He needs to stay put while you run."

Gerson guffaws. "You think yer so smart." He gets up again, picking up his hammer. "You think I fought in the war by running?" He starts walking back again towards me. My interest is piqued. War? What war? Is this the history Chara was talking about?

"NO!" Undyne yells, running to block his way. But that is the last thing she should have done, because once she does that, her concentration wavers, and the green surrounding me is broken, dissolving away. I can move again.

But I don't move. Because I see them again. Chara. They're floating just behind Gerson and Undyne. And the look they're giving me... it makes me feel ashamed. Their hatred is well directed. Mine was not. They jerk their head, an unspoken 'come on'. I look down at the monsters below me. Maybe Gerson is right. Maybe they are already dead, trapped down here. And the only way to SAVE them is by helping the child.

Sighing, I wrap darkness around myself and teleport to the other side of the weeds, where the child awaits.

A/N: Sorry for not updating in like forever. :/ Thanks for reading and have a great day!