Disclaimer: I don't own Undertale

Another Guest: Sorry about that, I honestly didn't think anyone was enjoying or reading it so I didn't post the next chapter.

She could see frost on the windows, wreaths on the doors, garland decorating buildings and she could barely contain her own excitement at the sight of a giant Christmas tree in the distance. Passing by the banner, seeing it lit up with lights, she could barely contain her excitement as it reminded her of her favorite holiday.

There were people all about, and as she walked through town hearing the residents, she could almost forget that she nearly died a few times. The cold wind made her shiver, and she looked at one of the buildings saying "Shop" that seemed connected to another saying "Inn".

Do I go in?

Frisk chewed her lip, walking forward and falling into the snow as she tripped over something. She hissed, holding her knee and seeing a box and close by another star. With a quick look inside, she was surprised to see the same glove from before, sensing the same lingering magic. She cupped her hands to her face, breathing into them and rubbing them together, hoping for some heat to return.

The star's light caught her eye again, glimmering as she let her hand out, her magic on the verge of connecting to its own magic.

"Here's the tea..." Frisk smiled as she handed it to her mother, beaming at the light in the woman's eyes. She moved beside her, leaning against her as the heat of the fireplace in front of them flickered between oranges, reds, and gold. "How is it?" She turned and watched her mom take a sip, then laugh.

"Better than your other tries" She laughed, and Frisk wrinkled her nose.

"Mom!"

"It's almost Christmas, anything special you want?" There was a warm smile as Frisk thought to herself, cupping her hands together as a small star started to form.

"Maybe...just to…" Frisk began as a hand cupped over her own, and she saw a sad smile on her mom's face.

"Everything can't be saved…"

Frisk's eyes stayed on the golden star, her magic still at her fingertips and not yet interlaced with the star's magic. She stood slowly, looking at her hand and letting it dissipate as she went inside the shop's door. It was a quaint little store, reminding her of the ones at home that sold everything from tonics to clothes to garden tools. Small toys covered one area while another held something else entirely, and behind the counter was a giant rabbit.

Looking at the anthropomorphic rabbit, it made her quite curious as she searched the shelves then grabbed what she needed. Her eyes caught sight of a bandana as she grabbed clothes, much warmer than her own as well as a bag, she touched it and felt the lingering magic from it.

From another orange soul…

She looked at it perplexed, thinking back to the glove and now the bandana, she knew it's use. Everyone was taught at a young age that certain souls had a strong connection to certain items that could strengthen your magic or protect you. The supportive magic, from its last user that lingered was weak, but she sensed that there was still enough magic in it to help her defend herself.

She fingered the texture as she made her way to the counter, dropping the items there and blushed at her own amount as she looked up at the rabbit.

"Is this all?" The rabbit's tone was teasing and Frisk's face heated up more as she nodded.

"Um..." The rabbit looked at her as she started ringing her up. "Is there anywhere to sleep here that's not too much money, I mean...I'm new. And…" Frisk chewed her lip, she knew the Inn was next door but figured it was more than she could afford. The rabbit only laughed, still smiling in her direction.

"I knew you weren't from around here, everyone knows everyone in this little town." The rabbit tapped her chin a moment. "If you're looking for a place to lay your head, there's always the Inn next door, and I promise my sister doesn't charge an arm and leg for it." She gave a wink, and Frisk felt relieved. "There's even a place to eat close by called Grillby's, and if you're the reading type, we even have a library nearby."

"Oh?" Frisk looked up, wondering just what kind of books monsters may like.

"Mmhm." She chuckled and rung up another item. "But just in case you want some live entertainment, just watch outside, and you'll catch these two skeletons doing their thing."

"Just them...I mean...there's no other skeletons?" Frisk could clearly remember seeing other rabbits and seeing some other monsters where there was more than just two.

"Not here at least. Honestly, they just sorta appeared one day now that I think about it." Frisk watched the woman look away from her. "Probably the same story as the rest of us. Overcrowding, not enough food wherever they came from. We all originally came from the ruins after the war did a number on us, but the place was too small, so of course we all left there to go deeper into the cavern, and us fuzzy folk settled here. Least that's what my great-grandma used to tell us. "

"You've...never seen the sky?" Frisk asked softly, and the rabbit gave her a long look.

"Was born here. Most of us were. Not really many of us monsters left from before the barrier, ya know?" Frisk frowned, and the rabbit gave her a smile. "It's been real interesting since those brothers showed up, and though it's claustrophobic here just gotta keep hoping. One day we'll see the sky, besides it's not like we can go back to the Ruins. That door's been locked forever so unless you're a ghost or can slide under a door, you can forget it."

Frisk thought over all that as she heard the woman put her stuff in a bag, and she gave her the gold for it after a quick thank you then leaving. Carrying her messenger bag, she was surprised at how light it felt as she went next door to the inn.

The sight of the small bunny peeking out over the counter was the most adorable thing the young woman had ever seen as she came closer, and watched the mother ruffle her young rabbit's hair before looking at her.

"Staying for the night?"

Frisk nodded and was glad when the price was as fair as the shopkeeper had told her. After getting her key, she quickly went to her room and flopped on the bed, purring at the warmth around her as she curled up against it. Her eyes started to close, and she yawned, feeling resolved to change her clothes later until the sound of snoring had her snap her eyes open.

With a groan, she sat up, the snoring only got worse, and if Frisk paid attention long enough, it even sounded like a melody. With a sigh, she got up and took a hot shower, wanting to feel the heat against her skin and hoped that once she was out that the snoring would be gone.

Once out, hope flung itself out the window, and Frisk let out a deep sigh as she got dressed in her new clothes and deposited the others in her bag. She tried to weigh the bag in her hand a moment, then gave up on trying to understand it as she put it on and left the room. There was no way she was getting any sleep.

"Your outfit reminds me of someone" The rabbit innkeeper smiled as Frisk gave back the key, she was happy to hear she was getting a refund.

"It does?" Frisk looked at herself and blushed at her striped parka jacket with black pants, all she needed was for the parka jacket to be blue. With a quick wave, she made her way out of the Inn while carefully putting on the bandanna, she gave her own magic time to adjust to the feel of being connected to it before moving.

She realized that it was definitely a small town as she walked, feeling glad about her snow boots with fur with the snow beneath her. The bandana made it feel as though another layer was around her, the protective aura reminded her of her mom, and she felt more determined to get back to the surface.

I can't leave her…

Grillby's looked like a nice place to hang out, and her head tilted at the "Librarby". She had to make a double-take to make sure she read that right as curiosity took over and she went inside. Several monsters were around, with each so different Frisk was starting to wonder about the species count and frowned.

She looked over at the books, they seemed categorized by color, her fingers brushing over the spines as she started opening several to read. She pictured a funeral, it sounded so close to the ones in her town yet humans didn't become dust.

"I think I would like my ashes spread over the flowers."

Frisk stiffened, she hated when her mother talked this way. "We have time, and besides you could be like a bird of fire." she laughed, trying to cover up her feelings even as she felt frail arms embrace her from behind.

"There's only one Phoenix. Only one so determined to never truly die. Not unnaturally anyway..." Frisk could feel her body shake, and her mother held her closer. "The golden ones are my favorite."

"Did you know they say your soul can still linger over them?" Frisk murmured, grasping for straws and heard a sigh, but Frisk continued. "I don't want to be more alone…"

Closing her eyes, Frisk went to the next book. It reminded her of school books, not feeling interested in reading how monsters were mostly magic and humans were water. It was something she already knew, yet she skimmed further as her head tilted at reading how humans were stronger because of physical forms and how monsters expressed themselves with their magic.

She looked at one of her hands, focusing as she felt the tingling of her own magic. At home, magic was something you studied. You learned it unless you were a non-mage. The thought of magic as an expression was unheard of back home. Magic had a purpose, a practicality to it.

She let it dissipate, still thinking back and wondering how a human could possibly be stronger than a human. Unless there was some hidden meaning, she scratched her head, giving up as she went to another book.

As she read, she started to understand with her eyes widening at the text. She thought of a monster's soul, losing the will to fight and how it would only get killed quicker because of it.

Was the war...really that horrific?

"Can't the monsters get out?" Frisk looked up from a school book her mom had got for her, unlike other children she was homeschooled.

"No, the seven ancestral mages made sure of that after the war."

"I just don't get how they lost or why...I don't get it." Frisk frowned and felt a hand stroking her hair.

"Sometimes people do things because they're scared. And honestly, I think they just gave up. Human souls don't work like monster souls, we're not as connected to them as they are. Souls are such a magical thing within itself." Her mother replied, her eyes looking far off as they sometimes did. Today had been a good day so far.

"I'm not sure if that's good or bad…"

"Good for humans, not so much for them." Her mom stopped talking a hand went to her head.

"Mommy?"

"You should go...now." The smile was sad and strained, and Frisk frowned as she got up. Soon her mom would be nothing but her duty, and her duty was to the town. Not Frisk.

Frisk slammed the book shut, feeling pain in her heart as she put up the rest of them. She couldn't stomach any more, and everything was pulling up memories and thoughts, yet nothing she needed. She needed to get out of here and to her mom, quickly.

Leaving out the library, she tried to not think any more about those memories. She tried to think of what direction to go as she kept walking. She blocked out the chatter around her and narrowly avoided a small monster with no arms.

"Hey! You're a kid! You have a striped shirt like me!" He beamed, and Frisk wondered how did her style choice mean she's a kid. With a quick look around, she noticed a lack of stripes on certain monsters before looking back at this one. She really didn't have it in her to correct him or explain how on the surface, stripes mattered little.

Maybe that's why none of them are attacking me, they think I'm a monster kid…

The thought made her more determined to just go along with it as she looked towards Grillby's, her stomach growled.

Not just yet…

She could last longer, she was sure of it. Giving a wave to the monster kid, she went in another direction. Passing by a house that she was surprised she didn't notice before, it looked like a beautiful two story house as she stared in wonder at the decorations around it. She was reluctant to stop looking as she started moving again. She pushed down her curiosity to explore the town further as she began getting farther from it.

The wind howled as the fog picked up, making it harder to see and she wished she had picked up some goggles as well.

"HUMAN!"

Frisk squinted, feeling sure she just heard Papyrus as she came closer and the fog started to clear. She suddenly remembered Sans warning as the tall skeleton stood before her, fidgeting with a perplexed look on his face.

"I'M REALLY CONFUSED RIGHT NOW." Papyrus face scrunched up, leaving Frisk still confused on how monster skeletons worked. "LIKE REALLY CONFUSED! BECAUSE SOMEONE WHO LIKES PASTA AND LIKES PUZZLES, MUST BE HAPPY TO MEET SOMEONE OF THE SAME!" Papyrus laughed, and Frisk couldn't help but smile at him. "I KNOW YOU MUST BE LONELY...VERY LONELY...BUT I…" Papyrus gave another laugh and Frisk couldn't help but feel bad for him. "I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THAT FEELS LIKE, SO I PITY YOU! YES, ALOT! SO OF COURSE, I WILL BE YOUR FR-"

Frisk looked confused at his sudden stop, watching Papyrus look down at the ground and saw a gloved hand wipe at his eye socket.

"No." Papyrus's voice was unnaturally soft, and she watched him quickly put his hand on his hip. "NO. I MUST CAPTURE YOU. I... I CAN'T BE YOUR FRIEND...I HAVE TO…" She could see his free hand tremble. "YOU'RE A HUMAN, AND WITH YOUR CAPTURE MY LIFELONG DREAM WILL COME TRUE! I WILL BE IN THE ROYAL GUARD! "He had a wide grin, and suddenly Frisk felt the tug on her chest, her soul appearing in front of her in brilliant red.

"Papyrus…" She looked at him, seeing his eyes and suddenly bones materialized and were coming at her as she moved, her soul moving with her as she dodged it. "How about instead we have some spaghetti? Just you and me?" She shouted out to him, hoping he'd listen and she watched surprise light up his face.

"HUMAN! AR-ARE YOU FLIRTING WITH ME?" He gasped, and Frisk blinked at his conclusion. "WELL...IT...IT DOESN'T MATTER, I'M A SKELETON WITH HIGH STANDARDS"

"I'm...just going to make us some spaghetti," Frisk said softly, only to hear Papyrus gasp again.

"YOU'RE MEETING ALL MY STANDARDS!" Frisk blinked at the skeleton, trying to figure what just happened as Papyrus tapped his bony chin. "I KNOW! AFTER I CAPTURE YOU WE CAN GO ON A DATE!" He laughed as Frisk stared at him, dodging again as a few bones came her way. She looked up, watching Papyrus fidget around and take out some cologne, and putting some on.

"Papyrus...what are you…"

"YOU DO NOT MIND BONE COLOGNE, DO YOU?"

"Bone cologne?"

"I KNEW I SHOULD HAVE USED THE MARINARA SAUCE!" Papyrus frowned, and Frisk kept trying to wrap her mind around what was going on, before backing away. "HUMAN! WHERE ARE YOU GOING? DO...ARE YOU NOT WANTING TO FIGHT? IS THAT IT? ARE YOU THAT EXCITED FOR OUR DATE?" He asked while Frisk was trying to figure out how to even answer any of that. "I AM SORRY, BUT I MUST CAPTURE YOU FIRST! NOW GET READY FOR MY BLUE ATTACK!"

Frisk went still, reading herself for another bone that would be shimmering blue, one and another came as she remembered to stay still as each passed through her. She breathed in relief as they stopped, until she felt a heaviness on her soul, instead of brilliant red it was now blue. She was too much in shock to avoid the next bone, a normal one that hit her and made her wince as she cried out.

"YOU'RE BLUE NOW. HUMAN, I DID NOT HIT YOU TOO HARD, DID I? I SOMETIMES FORGET MY STRENGTH!"

She looked at Papyrus, feeling sure he was the only one that could make her feel bad for him hitting her. She gave him a nod, smiling even as more bones came at her, the weight making it harder to dodge as well as before. She could hear him talking, but was too busy with the bones he was making and sending at her.

She breathed heavy as he stopped a moment, indecision was written on his face.

"I... I'M GOING TO USE MY SPECIAL ATTACK SOON. SO...BE READY!" He yelled out as another row of bones came. Frisk moved again, trying to keep aware and feeling her own magic spark in reflex as another bone hit her, and she pulled it back

I am not hitting Papyrus…

"NOW MY SPECIAL ATTACK!"

Frisk looked around, wondering just what was coming, but as time passed nothing happened and Papyrus started to look annoyed.

"WHERE IS MY SPE-YOU!" She watched a bony finger point out and saw a dog with a huge bone. "STOP CHEWING ON MY SPECIAL ATTACK!" His foot stomped and the dog only scurried away. "THATS MINE! COME BACK!"

Frisk covered her mouth quickly, trying not to laugh. She could tell Papyrus was bothered, so got herself ready. Hoping that would make him feel a bit better, seeing that she still wanted to "battle" him.

"WELL...I CAN'T LET THE BATTLE FINISH THAT WAY. SO... I'LL JUST USE A REALLY COOL REGULAR ATTACK"

Frisk gave him a smile before the bones started coming at her, she was more careful this time as she dodged each one until blinking as a wave of bones came at her.

There's no way…

The wave only looked to get higher, and she prayed to whoever could hear her as she jumped, then suddenly she felt more weightless as she jumped over the bones and even a huge one. Her jaw dropped as she touched the ground, landing as though she was lighter than air, then the familiar weight of Papyrus blue magic that surrounded her soul hit again. She continued blinking at it.

"I SEE YOU ARE SCARED HUMAN! THEREFORE, I WILL SPARE YOU!" Frisk stopped looking where the bones dissipated into thin air and looked at Papyrus. She was not going to correct him on why she was really like this.

"Thanks?" She breathed out and watched Papyrus look away.

"BUT NOW I'M NEVER GOING TO JOIN THE ROYAL GUARD. UNDYNE WILL BE DISAPPOINTED AN-AND... I'LL NEVER MAKE ANY FRIENDS…" Papyrus managed to have a big frown, and Frisk felt worse for the skeleton.

"But..." She came closer to him and tapped on his shoulders. "We're friends. Remember?"

"REALLY?" He beamed, and Frisk nodded her head with a smile. "WOWIE! I CAN'T BELIEVE I MANAGED TO GET THE FRIEND ZONE AND WE DIDN'T EVEN HAVE OUR DATE YET! THIS IS GREAT!" Frisk couldn't help but laugh at that one and listened as Papyrus continued. "AS YOUR FRIEND, I WILL TELL YOU HOW TO GET HOME. JUST GO STRAIGHT, THEN TO THE CAPITAL AND THEN THE BARRIER. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS PASS THROUGH!"

"That's it?" Frisk tilted her head, it sounded so easy coming from Papyrus. "Just go through the barrier?"

"UH HUH! IT'S THE MAGICAL SEAL TRAPPING US HERE! ANYTHING CAN GO IN, BUT NOTHING CAN GO OUT…" Papyrus's eyes squinted a moment. "EXCEPT UM...OH, YOU NEED A POWERFUL SOUL. I CAN'T BELIEVE I ALMOST FORGOT TO TELL YOU THAT PART. AND YOURS IS REAL POWERFUL"

"But...how do you get out?"

"OH, THAT'S WHY THE KING NEEDS THE HUMAN SOULS SO THAT WE CAN USE SOUL POWER TO OPEN IT! THAT'S WHEN WE CAN BE FREE! JUST DON'T FORGET YOU must GET PASS THE KING, HE'S JUST A FUZZY PUSHOVER THOUGH" Papyrus laughed. "SO JUST TELL HIM YOU WANT TO GO HOME, I'M SURE HE'LL HELP YOU! I BETTER GET HOME, THOUGH, DON'T FORGET OUR DATE!" Papyrus grinned more as he passed by, and Frisk was sure of many things, but one stood out the most.

Papyrus, you are such a precious cinnamon roll...