Puzzles oh god. Bridge seeds are pretty useful but four in a row? Why? Four is oddly specific...who was making these puzzles? Undyne? That was a funny thought.

The first one was easy, really more of a warm up. Frisk helped me grab the huge seeds and float them into a row. Like magic, the seeds instantly bloomed into huge, waxy flowers. I placed a tentative foot on the first one, expecting it to collapse under my weight, but the petals held firm and I crossed easily.

"They're so pretty!"

Frisk enthused. I had to agree with them on that one.

The next room looked a bit more complex.

"This one looks fun!"

Frisk clapped their hands together in anticipation, then took off, hundred miles an hour like always. They failed to notice a monster standing in their way, admiring his own biceps? When Frisk bumped into him, and apologized, the monster just winked at them and said,

"Was that a challenge to me, the strong and powerful Aaron?"

He was, how would you say, a mer-horse? A fish with the head of a horse, and huge rippiling biceps. He could crack Frisk's skull like a walnut if he wanted.

"No! Frisk wasn't challenging you! I was! Flexing contest, right here, right now! If you're not too chicken."

I stepped up, and pushed Frisk behind me. We entered a Fight and I flexed nonexistent guns.

"Oh! a flexing contest huh? I won't lose ;)"

With a very audible wink at the end.

In the end, Aaron flexed himself right out of the room, and the fight.

Frisk laughed their head off at the sight of me flexing for the monster.

As they wiped tears from their eyes (once again at my expense) they said,

"He was a seahorse! Get it?" They nudged me in the ribs with their elbow.

"A seahorse!"

That set them off again, laughing happily.

"May was well just call this place the Punderground."

I grumbled good naturedly.

"Now that you've laughed at me long enough, are we gunna do this puzzle?"

There were a couple of options for this one, we could go to the right to an unknown destination, we could try and read this sign floating in the middle of nowhere, or we could go up and to the left.

The Bridge seeds were in a pile in the middle of the room and when we both reached them, we stopped a moment to ponder the situation.

"Look there's a sign over there, on that wall."

Frisk ran over to it, and called over their shoulder,

"It says "Bell blossom will call Bridge seeds back if a mistake is made."

"Oh nice. We have as many tries as we need. Which way?"

Frisk pointed to the right.

"I wanna see what's over that way."

"Let's do it."

It turned out to be a small room, only a little larger than the tutu room, with a single bench and echo flower.

"I guess we have to go up then." I said, turning around.

I walked back over the flowers, saying,

"So how are we gunna do th-Frisk?"

They had stayed in the room. Sighing, I turned back.

I them on their hand and knees looking at something under the bench.

When they stood again, they had something in their hands.

"It's...a quiche?"

Frisk giggled like a mad man and touched a petal on the echo flower. A strange voice whispered,

"I just wasn't ready for the responsibility."

They burst into a fresh round of giggles.

"Not just a quiche. It's an abandoned quiche. Can we take it? It looks actually pretty good."

"No we can't take some random food we found in the middle of no where. Plus, we don't have room in our backpack."

They shrugged and put it down on the bench.

"Guess we weren't ready for the responsibility either."

I chuckled and shook my head. This was just Frisk. Always laughing or giggling, finding joy in the strange world around them. They keep me going and filled with courage.

"So up and to the left?"

"Yep."

Once we figured it out and got to the other side my phone rang loudly in the silence from inside my pack.

"We've got a call!"

Frisk said excitedly.

I dropped my pack to the ground, trying to locate the phone.

"Is it from Mom?"

They asked as soon as I got it out.

I checked the caller ID, shaking my head.

"Paps"

"Well, answer it!"

I accepted the call and instantly heard Papyrus' shout clearly through the speaker.

"HELLO ALLIE! THIS IS PAPYRUS!"

"How'd you even get this number Pap?"

"IT WAS EASY! I SIMPLY DIALED EVER NUMBER SEQUENCIALY TIL I GOT YOURS!"

Frisk had to smother a loud giggle with their hand.

"Nice! So what were you calling about?"

"I WAS JUST WONDERING WHAT YOU WERE WEARING? MY FRIEND THOUGHT SHE SAW YOU WEARING A BANDANNA! ARE YOU WEARING A BANDANNA?"

I glanced at Frisk, who shrugged, still laughing quietly, with an expression of "i don't even know".

"Er-yes?"

"OKAY SO YOU ARE! GOT IT! WINK WINK."

The phone clicked and it was silent in the cavern room once again.

"Did he just wink over the phone?"

Frisk continued laughing into their hand.

"Well that was really really suspicious. Let's keep moving."

The next room was darker, with a plethora of echo flowers. They whispered of wishes, hope and horoscopes.

"Why would they have a telescope? The "stars" are just glowing rocks."

Frisk shrugged and pointed to the right, and then up.

"Dead ends."

"Another puzzle? Or did we make a seriously wrong turn?"

"Puzzle probably. I'll check the useless telescope."

I nodded. It made sense. There were no real places to go wrong in direction so far. Plus, monsters seemed to really like puzzles.

"It says "check wall"...what ever that means."

It was my turn to shrug.

"Let's check the walls then. I got the one up here."

I touched the smooth wall. It was slightly damp. I search it throughly, and eventually I pushed the right place on the wall. Part of the wall pushed back to reveal the path, continuing up.

"I got it Frisk!"

They sprinted up the meet me, and we walked on. The swamp obviously got very wet here because the path was now a raised walkway through a bunch of water sausages. Water hotdogs?

More signs covered the wall, telling the story of the Underground Mom had told us only 5 months ago. It felt like a life time. We reached the end of the walk with a moving platform to take us to the other side. It only fit one.

"Piggy back ride time"

After we had magically floated across, the platform returned leaving us no other choice but to continue. After Frisk had climbed down, I took their hand. I had the same uneasy knot in my stomach that I got the first time we met the fierce Undyne. It was too quiet. Too-

A single blue spear flying out of no where startled me out of my thoughts. It landed heavily at my feet, cutting into the pathway, obviously razor sharp.

"Frisk! Come on! Run!"

I dragged them on as even more spears came in our direction. Great. We zigzagged along the narrow path, our feet pounding in time with our racing hearts.

"Come on! Come on!" I shouted mindlessly. So many deadly flying spears. I yanked on Frisk's arm, pulling them out of range of three headed toward them. I could see hope in sight in the form of the tall grass that had saved our lives before. Almost there.

But I wasn't quick enough. I saw one descend on Frisk, perfectly centered on their chest. Not on my watch.

I threw myself forward, on top of my sibling. The spear struck me in my shoulder, tearing through muscle and tendons. I heard screaming.

Mine?

I blinked.

Frisk was fine.

I was aware of more spears, Frisk yelling my name, heaving me along the path. Everything was a blur of pain.

But Frisk was fine.

Sans was waiting for the two humans to come through, so he wasn't terribly surprised when one showed up.

But Frisk was alone, distressed and sobbing.

"Sans! Please, help me..."

"what happened kid?"

"Undyne almost got me with a spear but she flung herself in front of it. She didn't die but she won't move and she's covered in blood and-" They heaved a shuddering breath. "I'm scared Sans."

"show me."

Frisk led him back past the mouse hole to a grassy area. It was tall enough to hide both humans from view even standing.

"S-she's in here."

They found Allie lying in an alarmingly large pool of blood, unconcious and unmoving, like Frisk had described.

It was easy for Sans to pick the human up, and carry them clear of the grass. It occurred to him just how fragile humans were, being made of mostly water. Get 'em too cold and they freeze, too warm and they boil. Stick 'em with something pointy and they leak out. He hated to watch it.

Once he laid her on the clearer ground, he could get a better look at the problem. A wound in the right shoulder.

"She's not dead, but she won't even eat the monster food to heal," Frisk whispered, "it would easier if she was dead. I could just go back and save her."

Sans looked at Allie's pale face, his soul prickling with emotion.

"im glad she's alive. no more resets and we can still help her. the spear wound is physical and you humans can heal yourselves over time."

Frisk nodded slowly, taking it in.

"but we're gunna have to do this at my place. we can't spend much more time here with Undyne prowling."

Sans picked Allie up again, holding her small form close.

"this way. I know a shortcut."

I woke up in a lot of pain. My shoulder mostly. As I pried my heavy eyelids open, I heard Frisk's voice.

"Allie?"

Thank god they were safe. I had done my job.

I blinked slowly, taking in my surroundings. I was in Sans and Paps' house. Wait.

"What happened?" I asked thickly.

"You saved me from Undyne's spear, then passed out on me when we got into the tall grass. I got help."

I tried to sit up, but Frisk's little hand resting on my good shoulder stopped me.

"You're really gunna have to stay put for now."

"Who?"

"Who what? Oh, who did I get to help? Sans."

Great.

"You need to eat some monster food, just to help you heal faster."

But the pain made me feel nauseous.

"I don't think I can eat anything Frisk."

"Please! You have to!" They looked scared and small, and I was reminded that they were only ten. "Otherwise you'll slowly starve and not getting the nutrients you need you might get infected or you could even-"

"okay okay! I'll eat something, just for you."

They smiled, relieved.

I ended up eating defrosted spaghetti from Paps collection. It wasn't terrible, and did make my arm feel better.

Frisk hovered around the couch as I ate, and took my plate after.

"You know what would really help me feel better?"

"What? We've got lots of cinnamon bunnies or even a spider donut if you're into that or maybe even-"

"A hug."

Frisk stopped ticking healing items on their fingers and smiled slowly at me.

"Oh."

"Come here." I patted a spot on my left side were they could settle down comfortably.

They climbed onto the couch, settling down. I murmured,

"You did so good sweetheart. I'm alive and fine. We're safe. You need to rest." Frisk nodded slowly. They truly were exhausted, physically and mentally because they fell asleep almost instantly.

It reminded me of the days on the surface when we would fall asleep watching a movie together. Frisk's regular, deep breathing was a comforting noise, and soon I was drifting off as well.