I'm BAAACK! *random confetti appears*
When I checked the first chapter for feedback, I was like "Wow! People like this thing! XD". So here it is, the second chapter! I hope you all enjoy it! I would have posted this a week ago too, buuuuut my laptop decided to break down. Thank you to those who reviewed!
"Howdy! I'm Flowey!"= Normal conversation
'Oh boy, this is gonna hurt'= Thoughts
"Stronger than you!" Song Lyrics
I do not own anything, not even the music.
This song was made by NateWantsToBattle. He's got some pretty sweet tunes bruh.
Thank you to Kaidas for suggesting this song...even if you misspelled it.
Chapter 2: Unaligned
Frisk smiled as he walked alongside Toriel through the purple corridors. Ruins was blaring in the background, to which the pacifist child happily hummed along to. They had already passed the first two puzzles, and Frisk had once again talked to the training dummy. This made Toriel very happy, especially since this was proof he wasn't 'corrupted by that no-good flower monster'. Frisk pitied Flowey, even if he knew that he wouldn't accept it. It's not easy being disliked by your own birth mother.
Not that Frisk would know what it would feel like; he was an orphan all his life.
"My child…." It seemed Frisk's attention had wandered. He turned back to Toriel, who smiled politely and held out her hand. "If you would kindly take my hand, we can complete the puzzle before us".
'Puzzle….?' Frisk turned to his right, and was greeted to the sight of many rows of spikes. 'Huh, so we're at this puzzle now.'
He nods and grasps her fur-covered hand. Smiling, he allowed himself to be led through the spike-filled puzzle. He had long since memorized the correct way to bypass this, but…..he loved the motherly aura that Toriel always seemed to emit. Kind, caring and full of love (not the Genocidal kind), these were the traits that defined the Queen of the Underground the most.
"So….you have a talent for singing." He perked up as Toriel spoke once more. "There aren't many monsters here in Ruins who are interested in musical talents, except perhaps for that ghost monster that seems to love napping in certain areas. Who knows, maybe you'll run into him. Then the both of you can bond over music." She smiled at the human child, who returned the grin wholeheartedly. She was quite eager for the child to make new friends, since she assumed Frisk would be staying with her for a long time in the Underground.
Frisk on the other hand, was wondering how Toriel knew about Napstablook's love for music.
They quickly finished the puzzle and proceeded to the next room: the long corridor where Toriel's independence test happened. However, it seemed that the test wouldn't be happening this run, as Toriel wanted to talk some more.
She did release Frisk's hand the moment they entered the next room.
"My child….normally, I would try to test your independence. However…I have this feeling inside me that you would be able to take care of yourself. So, let's talk some more, shall we?"
Frisk looked at the motherly goat, a bit shocked. In all his runs, the independence test had been one of the many constants. For Toriel to forgo the test, it made him very confused. It also instilled in him a sense of hope, that maybe this little change could be a hint to the end of the RESET loops.
Toriel, unaware of the thoughts inside Frisk's head, smiled and motioned for him to follow her. "My child, I noticed you…..oh my! I've forgotten to ask what your name was. How terribly rude of me…"
She blushed a bit, before regaining her motherly smile. "What is your name?"
This variation from the normal timeline was a bit less surprising. Frisk had already experienced this particular change during some of his runs. "Frisk. My name is Frisk."
"It's nice to meet you Frisk. How old are you?"
"I'm only nine ma'am." Physically of course; he was pretty sure he aged a bit over the course of the many, many resets.
"My my….how in the world did you fall down here? Don't you have any parents or guardians?" Frisk flinched at this. This wasn't the first time he's been asked that question, but the memories still stung.
"I'm an orphan Ms. Toriel…..and the people I was with weren't nice. Let's leave it at that."
She frowned thoughtfully but let it be, not wanting to pressure the child too much just for information. She decided to switch topics.
"That is a lovely microphone you have Frisk. It's well decorated." Toriel's statement was true. The body held a green and yellow-striped color scheme, with a thick brown stripe around the speaking part of the mic. Around the end of the base were small pictures of a knife, a chocolate bar, and a buttercup. A red heart, which Toriel guessed was the on and off switch, glowed briefly. All in all, it was a well-designed object, even if it creepily reminded Toriel of someone she cared for long ago.
"Why thank you! I had a little help designing it."
If she was paying close attention to Frisk, she would have seen his grin turn a tad smug for a brief moment.
They talked a bit more, their conversation being the ones that usually happened over the phone, with Toriel blushing and laughing as Frisk casually flirted with her. Soon, both realized they had reached the end of the room. Toriel turned to Frisk, produced a cell phone out of her pocket, and handed it to him. "I must attend to some business, little one, and you must stay alone for a while. You can use this cell phone to contact me anytime."
He nodded in response, carefully tucking the phone away in his pocket. He had always wondered how Toriel had gotten the phone, and how it was able to fit so many items into it. He had chalked it up to a Determination thing. It turns out, interestingly enough, that phones first started to exist in the underground during the time of the human of integrity. When she fell down, she carried a cell phone within her tutu. Alphys predecessor, W.D. Gaster, mass produced her version of the phone when her soul was taken, adding new features to the phone such as the inventory setting. Alphys later continued Gaster's work on the phone, adding and adapting to the times with each new version that accidently fell into the Underground. Asgore sent Toriel the two copies of the cell phone as a birthday gift, probably because the Underground hadn't heard the concept of 'charging' at that time. As much as Toriel expressed her disdain for the Monster King, she accepted and kept both cell phones. Why she did, Frisk hasn't found out yet.
Toriel started speaking once more. "It's dangerous to explore by yourself. I would ask you to remain here, but….you have the look of an adventurer on you." She said, ruffling Frisk's brown hair. "Just be careful, and always show mercy to the monsters you meet okay? Maybe you'll even meet that ghost monster who loves music."
"Okay mom, I promise."
Toriel gasped a little and blushed, to which Frisk just grinned cheerily at her.
"My child…." She knelt and hugged the human tightly, surprised but happy about the child's words. Frisk closed his eyes and tied to hug as much of Toriel as possible. The hug lasted for a full minute, neither wanting to let go.
Sighing, the goat monster released Frisk from the hug and smiled at him. "Be good Frisk." She ran off further into the Ruins.
Frisk came into the next room, which contained the Froggit, the adjacent candy room, and another SAVE point. His phone started ringing. He picked up to hear Toriel's voice.
"Hello? This is Toriel. You have not left the room, have you?
…..what am I saying, of course you have."
Frisk snorted a little at her wry tone. She continued.
"There are a few puzzles up ahead that I have yet to explain. I wonder if you can try and solve them for yourself.
Be good, alright?" The call ended. Frisk talked to the Froggit for a while, before heading to the candy room. He only took one, as per the instructions. He didn't want to look at what he would do if he took any more, nor did he want to feel like the scum of the earth.
He exited, greeting the Froggit once more and saving. He playfully crinkled through the leaves, filling him with Determination.
As he continued walking, he thought about his previous runs (both good and bad), and his many attempts to find an ending where EVERYONE can be happy. Out of the three possible routes available, he always made sure to choose the lighter two. Pacifist routes were always the best of course, with him sparing everyone he comes across. This also leads to him fighting Asriel in his God of Hyperdeath form, but any amount of time spent with Asriel in his true not-a-plant form was time worth spending to Frisk. Pacifist routes also gave him a larger range to experiment without any particular form of repercussion.
The routes he hated the most were the Genocidal routes. These paths were first used when he discovered Chara, who also happened to be the one supplying those nifty text boxes when it matters. Further questions revealed that he was able to produce the text boxes even when he was considered 'asleep' due to his and Frisk's Determination, like a sort of passive ability. Of course it was also discovered that Chara was a megalomaniac, who kept trying to get Frisk to kill monsters, and flat out took control of his body when he got bored of Frisk's pacifism. They went through several Genocide routes; Chara ignoring Frisk's pleas as he slaughtered the Underground over and over again. Even Sans, who managed to stop Chara most of the time, faltered occasionally and was defeated by the Fallen Child. However, Frisk managed to gain enough Determination over the Genocide runs and take control over his body once more with the help of a few friends.
The last route known is the Neutral route, which we all know is Frisk's first run and every route where he kills some and spares some. Frisk didn't like killing, but he didn't rule out the possibility of some deaths being necessary. Chara's influence didn't help, and neither did Frisk's curiosity. After the end of the Genocide routes, Frisk tried not to kill as much as possible. He especially didn't like seeing Toriel's betrayed expression, Papyrus' shocked look, Sans calling him out on his brother's death, Undyne refusing to be friends with him since he killed monsters, and depressing Alphys even further. Seeing Asgore die by Flowey, since Frisk never kills Asgore after his second neutral run, is also very heartbreaking to him.
He still kills Jerry every time he comes across him in Snowdin. Because honestly, who likes that moron?
'Hmmm…..the brave and foolish walk not the middle road huh? Wonder what I am then...' He thought to himself as he spared a Moldsmal and pushed a rock, allowing the spikes to fall. He proceeded to the room containing the leaf puzzle.
"Am I brave, foolish….or simply unaligned?"
He paused, thinking to himself.
"Neutral routes…unaligned…..
Hey! I can make a song out of that!"
He chuckled and readied his mic, as Ruins died away and got replaced by another unfamiliar tune. The Whimsums, Froggits, and Looxs all stared as the human began to sing.
"The brave and foolish ones…they walk not on the center.
The signs are pointing every way and I don't know which route's better…"
Chara would say Genocide, while Sans would say Pacifist without any repeats. Papyrus probably wouldn't care, as long as it has spaghetti and no tiny, annoying dogs.
"Some will take the fall, and some will see tomorrow.
I could be the light or darkness, redemption or sorrow.
How could I live on with what I've done?
You took me in, showed me love when I had nowhere to run."
Frisk dragged his hand along the wall, placed his back against the wall and sang into his mic, acting like he was in some sort of music video.
The other monsters all agreed he was a weirdo, and got out of his way.
"You offered me your everything, and I threw it all away…
My indecision keeps me unaligned!"
A loud guitar sounded in the background, joining the piano and violin in creating the tune for this song. Frisk bobbed his head to the music as he sang, making his way past the puzzle and into the next room.
"A mother and a child, but one is not accepting.
They make their way out to the door, not thinking for their safety."
'Oh great, what is it now?' Mr. Rock grumbled to himself. It's been a tiring day, sitting in one place and doing absolutely nothing. Some monsters would say that Mr. Rock didn't use up any energy at all, but he begged to differ. Staying in one place, forever until moved, required real talent. At least, in his mind it made sense. Rocks weren't known for their intellect or brains after all.
They didn't have any to begin with.
The rock noticed a singing human come into the room.
"And now I must decide, if I'll create a martyr…
The voices in my head, they ask,"
Mr. Rock noticed the human heading towards the spikes, seemingly not noticing them, and chuckled inwardly.
"Poor fool. It's obvious that one of these pressure plates hold the key to lowering those spikes. Can't wait to see him smash his head painfully."
If I'm a man or monster!"
Frisk then defied all logic and jumped over two sets of pointy spikes, landing safely on the other side. If Mr. Rock had a jaw, it'd be dropping down hard.
"Wha….wha….what the…..wha…"
Frisk left the stuttering rock behind and proceeded to the next room. Drums joined the trio of instruments playing.
How could I live on with what I've done?
You took me in, showed me love, when I had nowhere to run.
You offered me your everything, and I threw it all away…
My indecision keeps me unaligned!"
The mouse decided to forgo trying to get the cheese for now, and calmly listened to the Frisk's singing. Frisk was lost in his own little world of music as he sang to his heart's content. He certainly felt the Determination.
"Keeps me unaligned
Keeps me unaligned"
Frisk grinned and mimicked playing a guitar, enjoying himself. He didn't notice where he was now.
"How could I live on with what I've done?
You took me in, showed me love, when I had nowhere to run.
You offered me your everything,
And I threw it all away…
My indecision keeps me unaligned."
Frisk posed dramatically, ending the song. Somewhere, Mettaton felt his ratings go upfor some reason. The robot shrugged and took it into stride.
Back in the Ruins, Frisk blinked as he heard a soft clapping in front of him. Focusing for real, he was pleasantly surprised to find himself in Napstablook's area, with the ghost in question clapping for him, despite the fact that Napstablook has no noticeable hands.
"Oh…..that was some pretty good music. Probably better than mine….." Napstablook said in his melancholic voice. Frisk smiled at the ghost for the compliment.
"I was trying to sleep, but I heard your music and singing….and I just couldn't help but relax and bob my head to the tune….you'll do great things with that voice of yours."
"Why thank you! I think you have some pretty great music too!" Frisk said cheerfully. Napstablook looked confused.
"But you haven't even heard my tunes….."
"I have a hunch that your music will be great anyway" He replied, winking at the depressed ghost. This made him feel a little bit better.
"Thanks….oh, I must be holding you up. I'll get out of your way now." The ghost turned to go, before stopping. Taking a deep breath, he turned back and said in a hurried tone.
"And if you manage to survive, you can come to my place in Waterfalls and listen to my Spooktunes. Okay? Okay, bye." He started to disappear, but not before hearing Frisk's happy response.
"I would love to listen to your music, Napstablook. See you there."
Napstablook disappeared fully, the ghost of a smile on his lips.
SAVE
Hmm...I'm thinking of putting in some Omakes in future chapters...what do you guys think?
Were you all expecting Napstablook's battle? *snort* Dont worry, I'm not done with him yet~
I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Reviews are always appreciated. Song suggestions are still open btw!
Also, you remember that 'one song only' thing I said last time? Yeah well, screw that :D
Next time, Toriel tries to convince Frisk to stay to the best of her ability. Which means dear readers, SHE'S GONNA SING!
