AN: You may notice that this is a short chapter. Well, if you caught onto this fic from the beginning you would've noticed that I did a chapter a day for just the first two chapters and took my sweet time writing chapter 3. Reason for that is SOMEBODY didn't like my pacing (when it was just two chapters at the time) So I made a 9,000 worded one to reciprocate, and now I'm gonna do the same thing. Little chapters at a time, and a big one for possibly a finale for each area. Up in the next chapter after this, more skelebros and dog marriage. Enjoy!
Snow. Snow as far as the eye can see, and trees as well, but mostly snow. The four that didn't belong in this world looked up to see that there were indeed rocks above them still, but the fact that there even was snow in here baffled them.
Sora even knelt down to touch it, and hissed as the cold seared up his fingers. "Yep, that's really snow alright… But I've never seen snow in a cave before. Hey, Frisk…How big is this cave?"
Frisk signed to Jiminy with a small smirk.
"The Underground as a whole is decently sized, and pretty long of a walk if one plans to attempt going through it without resting. But after this snowy place there's only three more sections before reaching the end where the keyhole you're looking for most likely is. And don't worry, there isn't always going to be snow once we pass through this whole area." Jiminy translated slowly.
"Oh, there's snow place like home for the holidays." Donald couldn't help but sing jokingly, as he was still in a joke spouting mood even after that heartbreaking goodbye with Toriel. Goofy chuckled at least since he recognized the song Donald was singing. However, Jiminy glared at him for the word 'home' since Sora poured out a little bit of his heart about home, but didn't make a further comment since it seemed that the duck got the message.
Without the others noticing, Frisk smiled and waved at the camera hidden in the bush that was completely covered in snow, before catching up to their friends as they all walked down the path.
As they walked, it was hard not to notice how creepy this forest was, and the foreign quartet had been to Halloween Town for Pete's sake. This forest however, gave off a very eerie vibe and couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. They came across a big branch that looked sturdy enough that there was no way it could easily be broken, and stepped on and over it with ease. A few feet later they heard a huge snap echo through the forest…It came from behind them, and they looked back to find the branch had been broken like it was nothing. Slowly, they all looked at each other to make sure they weren't imagining things. Though Frisk knew about all of this, they were playing along with their friends current emotions for the sake of the element of surprise.
They all decided to continue on the path but at a much quicker pace. Anything to get out of this forest sooner. They didn't notice the brief sounds of footsteps that weren't their own because there were four of them walking as is, Jiminy stayed on Frisk's shoulder, having wrapped himself in the child's sweater collar for the time being. But they did feel the presence of someone watching them get closer, and turned around to check and saw nothing. Frisk tried not to smile and pretended to be as scared as the rest of them since only they knew what was coming. So the group continued and came upon a poorly made gate looking thing, and found that they couldn't move…no matter how hard they tried. Their stopped movement didn't help the chill crawl up their backs as footsteps in the snow crunched in their direction from behind them. When the footsteps reached them a voice chillingly whispered directly to Sora and Frisk.
"Humans. Don't you know how to greet a new pal? Turn around and shake my hands."
Whatever or whoever it was that spoke finally allowed them some movement but only enough to let them turn around, and only see a figure reach out their hands for a handshake from both of the humans. Sora reluctantly complied as he saw Frisk slowly reach out for the handshake at the corner of his eye….
And a big, loud and long, wet fart sound echoed throughout the forest seemingly coming from Frisk and this fully revealed short skeleton's half of the handshake. The whole thing was ridiculous enough that Donald and Goofy just howled with laughter. Sora and Jiminy were frozen in their weird combination of fear and mortified shock, and Frisk couldn't help but smile warmly at the always smiling skeleton in the blue jacket and slippers before them.
"heheh…the old whoopee cushion in the hand trick. it's ALWAYS funny." The skeleton chuckled, smiling even more at the fact that the gag was very much appreciated by the two knuckleheads behind the humans and the cricket. "anyways, you two are humans, right? that's hilarious. i'm sans. sans the skeleton."
"I'm Sora, and this is Frisk." The teenager introduced himself and his fellow human, after a moment's hesitation to get himself out of the initial shock of the whole thing. The laughter from behind him finally began to die down so the quick introductions kept coming.
"Donald."
"Goofy!"
"And I'm Jiminy Cricket. It's a pleasure ta meet ya."
"pleasure's all mine… i'm actually supposed to be on watch for humans right now. but…y'know…I don't really care about capturing anybody. now my brother, papyrus…he's a human-hunting FANATIC. hey, actually, I think that's him over there. i have an idea. go through this gate thingy. yeah, go right through. my bro made the bars too big to stop anybody."
They did as they were told and came across two strangely shaped lamps that looked to be around Frisk's and Sora's height, and a sentry station that was littered with ketchup, mustard and relish.
"quick, kiddos behind those conveniently-shaped lamps, the rest of you will have to hide behind my sentry station." Sans instructed. Everyone obeyed and scampered into hiding just in time as they heard the quick, and determined footsteps of he who could only be Papyrus.
"sup, bro?" Sans greeted.
"YOU KNOW WHAT 'SUP,' BROTHER! IT'S BEEN EIGHT DAYS AND YOU STILL HAVEN'T…RECALIBRATED. YOUR. PUZZLES! YOU JUST HANG AROUND OUTSIDE YOUR STATION! WHAT ARE YOU EVEN DOING?!" Papyrus accused and questioned, even though it sounded as though this was a common thing to go through with Sans.
"staring at these lamps. they're really cool. do you wanna look?" Sans replied. The foreign quartet all mentally cursed Sans for selling them out already, but luckily for them it was all a reverse psychology trick.
"NO! I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THAT!" Papyrus retorted as he stamped his foot like an irritated child. "WHAT IF A HUMAN COMES THROUGH HERE!? I WANT TO BE READY! I WILL BE THE ONE! I MUST BE THE ONE! I WILL CAPTURE A HUMAN!"
"or a couple." Sans quipped, glancing at the lamps.
"OH PLEASE, BROTHER! THERES NOTHING IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNDERGROUND CONFIRMING TWO HUMANS PASSING THROUGH AT ONCE, SO LET'S NOT GET OUR HOPES UP!" Papyrus denounced. Then, he paused, and posed dramatically and heroically, with his cape flapping in the wind as he continued. "THEN, I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS…WILL GET ALL THE THINGS I UTTERLY DESERVE! RESPECT…RECPGNITION…I WILL FINALLY BE ABLE TO JOIN THE ROYAL GUARD! PEOPLE WILL ASK TO BE MY 'FRIEND?' I WILL BATHE IN A SHOWER OF KISSES EVERY MORNING."
"hmm… maybe these lamps will help you." Sans suggested playfully. Again the foreign quartet sweated nervously, not noticing that Frisk merely stifled their own chuckles.
"SANS! YOU ARE NOT HELPING! YOU LAZYBONES! ALL YOU DO IS SIT AND BOONDOGGLE! YOU GET LAZIER AND LAZIER EVERYDAY!" Papyrus complained, and resumed stomping his foot in agitation.
"hey, take it easy. I've gotten a ton of work done today. a skele-ton." Sans shot back gently, and as soon as he said the punchline a rimshot was heard and Sans winked comedically to an audience that wasn't there. Donald and Goofy had to stifle their own chuckles and thankfully it went unnoticed.
"SANS!" Papyrus almost whined.
"come on. you're smiling." Sans pointed out.
"I AM AND I HATE IT! SIGH…WHY DOES SOMEONE AS GREAT AS ME…HAVE TO DO SO MUCH JUST TO GET SOME RECOGNITION…"
"wow, sounds like you're really working yourself…down to the bone." Sans quipped, and another rimshot was heard at the punchline, only this time he posed comedically to the audience that wasn't there.
"UGH!" Papyrus groaned but tried to ignore it as he continued. "I WILL ATTEND TO MY PUZZLES…AS FOR YOUR WORK? PUT A LITTLE MORE, 'BACKBONE' INTO IT! NYEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE!" Papyrus cackled and then left, but came back for one last 'HEH!' before finally leaving.
"ok, you can come out now." Sans called out to the hidden group.
Sora fell forward, tired from having to stand perfectly still and unmoving that whole time. Donald and Goofy sighed in relief and bust another gut laughing in delay of Sans' jokes. Frisk went over to help Sora up.
"i'm glad you fellas like my jokes." Sans couldn't help but admire the laughter coming from the duo.
"Welp, where we come from we live by a saying…" Goofy started.
"If ya don't have a sense of humor, you're better off dead!" Donald finished enthusiastically.
"that's a fantastic motto to live by, and I think I already got ya covered there. but, you guys oughtta get going. my brother might come back, and if he does…you'll have to sit through more of my hilarious jokes." Sans winked deviously.
After managing to get Sora back on his feet, the group couldn't help but hesitate on going in the same direction Sans' brother went. Sans noticed their hesitation, and attempted to ease their worries.
"what's the hold up? look there's nothing to be afraid of. it's just a dark cavern filled with skeletons and monsters." Sans winked.
"And Heartless." Sora quipped without thinking.
"oh, so that's what those weird things were." Sans mused, and then thought of something else to ask. "actually, hey…hate to bother ya, but could you do me a favor? I was thinking…my brother's been kind of down lately…he's never seen humans before. and seeing you two might make his day. don't worry, he's not dangerous. even if he tries to be. thanks a million. i'll be up ahead." And Sans left going the way the group came, disappearing mysteriously in a matter of seconds.
"We didn't even get to have a say in that favor." Jiminy noted worriedly. "I don't like this, the last time anybody was capturing humans, mostly young-uns, Pinoke got himself into a world of trouble and ended up with donkey ears."
"Aw, don't worry Jiminy. I'm sure this definitely ain't like that." Goofy reassured the cricket.
"Whaddaya think, Frisk? Can we trust the skeletons enough to know that they won't hurt you and Sora?" Donald asked the child. Though little red flags have been going up like crazy in Donald's head so far, he'll admit that he was wrong to think ill of Toriel, and this little kid did seem to know what's what, so he had to make sure before passing judgement.
Frisk nodded with a smile, and everyone left it that and headed onward. They found another set of save points and decided to save. The convenience of those lamps still filled them with determination…
"Hey! We forgot to ask him why he had a lamp conveniently shaped to Sora's height!" Donald couldn't help but point out. "Any ideas why kid?" The duck asked skeptically.
Frisk shrugged and shook their head, looking genuinely confused. Sans works in mysterious ways anyways, but this was even more mysterious. The world may never know.