Chapter 7: The Traitor
Laura sat down on the large bed watching Frisk, who was curled up in fear. "Frisk, don't be frightened," she said gently, gently resting a hand on the young girl's back. "If Father brought you here, there was a reason."
The child looked up at her. "Why?" She asked softly.
"I don't know," she said softly.
"What about Dunkle Sans and Uncle Papyrus?"
Laura gave Frisk a comforting smile. "Hurricane will guard them," she said. "And he'll alert me if something's wrong."
She suddenly perked up and stood up quickly. "They're here," she said. "I must go speak to Father. But before I leave, are you hungry?"
Frisk nodded. "A little," she said.
"I'll ask my brother to bring you something," Laura promised as a portal appeared and she stepped into it and it disappeared after she was through.
"How is she?" Gaster asked softly.
"She's still afraid, Father, and very upset," the older girl answered. "Why did you kidnap her? What happened that you felt you had to?"
"Those blobs were after her," he said. "The person who ransacked our first hideout knows her well, because she ran into him before, when she first traveled through the Underground."
"This person been sending the blobs to the Classic Timeline?" Dylan asked.
"Yes," Gaster said and then paused before looking saddened. "It's one of my followers."
Amber and Laura gasped in shock. "But…I thought they disappeared after Frisk broke the barrier," Amber said.
"That's what I thought too," the tall skeleton said. "But unknown to us, one remained behind and found out that I was in the void. He's been trying to get me out."
"But…you're not trapped here anymore, thanks to Frisk breaking the barrier, Father," Laura said. "Why does this follower believe you're still trapped?"
"No doubt he believes the barrier hasn't been broken and has been stuck somewhere where he wouldn't know," Gaster explained. "But he feels he can get me out by getting to Frisk."
"Gaster," Dylan now spoke. "Did you bring her here…to keep her safe?"
"That is my intent, yes, Dylan," the scientist said. "These blobs that this follower is sending are masses of computer cells, computer cells that can be given commands to repair or damage."
Laura's eyes widened. "They were given commands to attack and could form weapons from themselves!" She realized.
"Yes," Gaster said gravely.
"We've got to figure a plan," Amber said. "Or at least find this follower."
"That might not be easy," Dylan said. "That follower could be anywhere in the Underground or even above ground."
"We'll search until we find them," Laura said. "Dylan, why don't you let Amber and I look at the cameras? In the meantime, could you make Frisk something to eat? She's rather hungry and I think some of your delicious cooking will help perk her spirits up a bit."
"Good idea," he said. "Maybe we can help her see we're trying to keep her safe."
Gaster watched as Dylan made some food for Frisk and took it in to her while Amber and Laura observed the cameras closely, but didn't spot much. Amber suddenly sat up straight. "What about the lab?" She asked. "If someone's sending the blobs through, like teleporting, wouldn't the follower need a lot of equipment?"
"She's right," Gaster said.
"I'll go search the lab," Amber said. "We may have to move again."
"I'll set up safe areas that we can access in an emergency," Laura said.
Dylan came out, empty plate in hand. "She's feeling a bit better now, but she's still wary of us," he said.
"I'll go see if I can help her," the tall skeleton said and went to his room, finding the brown-haired girl on the bed but giving him a fearful look, one that made his heart ache. "Oh, little one. I wish the circumstances of us meeting were different."
"I want to go home," she whimpered. "I want Dunkle Sans."
"I know, child. I know," Gaster cooed soothingly, placing a hand gently on her back. "But don't be afraid of us. None of us will hurt you."
Frisk sniffled. "Why did you kidnap me?" She asked.
"You were in grave danger, Frisk," he said. "I couldn't stand by and see you possibly get hurt. Those blobs are becoming more dangerous and they're after you."
"But why?" She asked and then sat up. "Are they…trapped? Is there a part of the Underground I missed when I first came here?"
"No, you didn't miss any part of the Underground," he said reassuringly. "These blobs aren't trapped, but rather, they're being sent by someone, someone who thinks that you're the key to their goals."
"What goals are those?" Frisk asked.
"I recently discovered one goal is to get me out of the void," Gaster explained. "But they don't know that I can travel out of the void now. But because they don't know that, they are going for the absolute goal."
"What's that?"
"A total RESET," the scientist said.
Frisk's eyes widened in horror. "No!" She gasped in horror. "I'll never use that RESET button again. I promised everyone. I even asked Asgore if he'd destroy it for me, but he said I'd have to lose a battle to him for him to do that."
Gaster looked thoughtful. "There might be another way to destroy it, if that's what you're looking to do," he said.
"I want to destroy it," Frisk said. "I don't want anyone to take away the happy ending I worked to get for everyone."
The tall skeleton smiled. "You are a selfless child, little one," he said and reached for her, picking her up. She flinched a bit, but he held her gently. "Shh. I won't hurt you."
She lay her head on his shoulder, soothed by his gentle touch and by his soothing words. "You scared me when you kidnapped me," she said softly.
"I know," he said regretfully. "And I'm truly sorry. But I was afraid we'd be found out if I didn't get you here fast, especially after learning what was going on."
Frisk looked up at him. "Promise you'll take me back home soon?" She said.
Gaster nodded. "I will when it is safe," he promised. "Hopefully, that will be soon."
As he held her protectively, he teleported out of his room to the main room where Dylan was working the computer and Laura was beside him, writing down notes. Amber suddenly came in, looking tired and had black smudges of dirt and brown dust on her face and hands. "Gaster," she said, sounding worried. "You might want to sit down."
He did so and motioned her to sit down too. "Amber, what happened?" He asked.
"There was another blob sent, but this time to the Ruins," she said.
Laura turned in surprise. "But there's nothing in the Ruins," she said. "Toriel and Asgore cleaned that place out when the monsters moved to the surface."
"True, but the blob did find the ribbon that Frisk might have lost at one point."
The child nodded. "I did lose it there," she said. "Did you…get it back?"
Amber smiled at her and handed her the ribbon. "I did," she said. "The blob then…teleported."
Dylan jerked around. "Teleported?" He asked.
The young dancer nodded. "It was called back and I grabbed onto it," she said.
"Amber, you could have been seriously injured," Gaster said with a gasp.
"I know," she said. "But I wanted to find where the follower was."
She paused and Laura sensed something. "Amber, who did you see?" She asked.
"It's someone we never expected," she said softly before taking a deep breath and looking at them all.
"It's Alphys."
Quite a twist, huh? But remember, some things aren't what they appear to be. Curious? Stay tuned. :)
And please leave a review, but no flames!
GoldGuardian2418
