Frisk was filling in the last few circles of their test. It had been months and they had learned enough that Toriel felt comfortable giving them their placement test. They had studied hard for over a year and now they felt they were ready.

You sure you don't want any hints? the voice asked.

'No,' Frisk signed. 'I want to do this on my own. I'm not going to cheat.'

Fair enough.

Frisk answered the last question and they were done. 'Okay, now to take this to mom so she can grade it.' Frisk picked up the small stack of papers and ran out of their room. They had grown considerably after all this time. Alphys estimated that they were around seven years old now. They ran down the stairs and bolted for the kitchen where Toriel was working on her lesson plans.

They excitedly tapped the table to get her attention, waving the stapled-together papers.

"All done, I see?" she asked, Frisk nodding. "Let us see how well you did." She took the test, pushing her stuff to the side to make room for the papers. With a pen in hand, she looked over the test.

Frisk anxiously shuffled on their feet. They had never taken a test in their life so they were nervous. But with each 'good' that Toriel muttered, the nervousness abated a little. After a few minutes, she finished and tallied up Frisk's score.

"You have passed," she remarked. "Which is impressive, as you had to learn quite a bit in only a single year." She placed their test with a stack of papers. "Well, tomorrow, I will take this to Carol and we will get you in the appropriate grade."

'Will it be the same as my friends?' Frisk asked.

"You have scored high enough that it is not out of the question," Toriel answered. "I think it is safe to assume that you will be in that grade."

'Awesome!' Frisk cheered.

"Now it is your bedtime," Toriel advised. "I let you stay up this late to finish your test. But if you want to see your friends tomorrow, you need to get your rest."

'Okay, I get the message,' Frisk signed. 'I'll head to bed now.'

Frisk woke up bright and early the next day. School was out for the season, so Frisk was able to spend most of their days with MK and Noelle. They always met up in the town square, which was where Frisk was headed. Frisk saw their friends and gave a brief shout to get their attention.

"Frisk!" MK said happily. "Glad you made it, dude!"

"Me too," Noelle added as Frisk walked up.

'Got my test done last night,' Frisk answered.

"Did you pass?" MK asked.

'Mom says I did. She's going to get me enrolled and I'll be starting school with you next semester.'

"Awesome!" MK exclaimed, skipping in the snow.

"Same class as us?" Noelle asked anxiously.

'Mom is hopeful,' Frisk answered. 'She says I scored high enough.'

"It's funny, dude," MK said. "I'd think you'd be a grade or two lower but you're smart enough to be in our class."

Frisk smiled, hiding the nervousness behind it. Despite knowing these two for almost a year now, Frisk had never shared that they were a former human or that their rapid aging was unusual. The good thing about Monsters was that they didn't think too hard on anything that would seem peculiar.

'So what should we do today?' Frisk signed.

"How about we go to Hotland?" Noelle suggested. "I've always wanted to see it."

"Great idea!" MK agreed. "I've heard the king was planning something in that area and I wanna see it."

'Shall we go, then?' Frisk asked. 'It's a bit of a walk.'

"Yeah, let's go!"

An hour later, they were in the hot, molten chambers of Hotland. Frisk had been here only a couple times, so seeing it now was amazing.

'Kind of hot,' Frisk signed.

"I think that's why it's called 'Hotland'," MK joked.

"The king's really bad at names," Noelle added.

'So, where is this area that the king is planning something in?' Frisk asked.

"This way!" MK suggested, pointing the way with his tail. He led their group across the rocky floors, between the pools of magma. After a long walk, they arrived at a construction zone.

"Whoa! What's going on here?" MK wondered.

Noelle tapped the side of her head in thought. "You know, I think I heard Asgore talking about 'cavern expansions', to make more room for everyone down here."

"Is that what's happening here?" MK asked. "They're going to expand Hotland?"

'Actually, I think the plan is to make completely new caverns,' Frisk answered. 'Rather than just expand the current areas, he plans to make new ones.'

"Huh. That would help with the overcrowding problem," MK commented.

"I don't get why, though," Noelle wondered. "Aren't we close to getting out of here?"

Neither noticed Frisk's wince when she said that.

"Maybe he thinks we still need the room?" MK suggested. "I mean, just because we're close, that doesn't mean we will get out of here soon. For all we know, it could be a few more years. After all, we have to wait for another human to come here."

Frisk flinched, but still, neither noticed.

"But I thought I overheard that a few humans were already here?" Noelle said.

"What! Where?" MK asked.

"In the Ruins. Remember? They had to evacuate because a lot of humans had shown up," Noelle reminded. "It was all over the news."

"Oh, yeah. I forgot about that," MK said.

"I trust our king," Noelle said. "But if I remember right, we only need one more Soul and we're free. If there are multiple humans in the Ruins, why don't we just take one from them?"

"Well, humans are a lot stronger than us," MK reminded. "And if there's too many, maybe the king doesn't want to risk too many lives to get just one Soul."

"Maybe," Noelle agreed. She turned to Frisk, who she just realized had been quiet this whole time. "You okay?"

'I'm fine,' Frisk signed.

"Well, what do you think, dude?" MK asked. "You know, about freedom being so close?"

This time, they both noticed Frisk's flinch at the word 'freedom'.

"You sure you're okay?" Noelle asked.

'Yeah, why?'

"Why do you look so nervous, dude?" MK asked.

Frisk put their hands behind their back, shaking their head.

"Frisk, what's going-"

"heya."

All three jumped and turned to see Sans there.

"what'cha kids doin' here?" he asked.

"We came to see the construction," MK said. "We heard something was going on and we wanted to see."

"well, you shouldn't be here," Sans advised. "not safe for kids. you should head back up to one of the higher levels."

"Yes, Sans," Noelle and MK said together, Frisk nodding.

"off ya go," Sans gestured back the way they came. As Frisk passed, he grabbed their shoulder. "need to talk to tori's kid for a minute. they'll catch up."

Once the two were out of earshot, Sans spun Frisk around to face him.

"i overheard some of that," he said. "you're lucky alph spotted you on her cameras and sent me to get you."

'I didn't say anything to them about the surface,' Frisk signed.

"but they figured out something's up," Sans noted.

'But not the whole thing,' Frisk signed. 'They don't know what happened to it.'

"if i hadn't shown up, what would you have done?"

'Nothing,' Frisk answered. 'I don't want to hurt them, so I can't tell them the truth.'

"but you would have had to say something, right?"

'Then I'd lie,' Frisk signed. 'I would tell then anything but the truth. They want to see the surface so bad, I don't have the heart to tell them the truth.'

Sans sighed. "okay, i believe you. but you need to be careful. if people ask questions you can't give a good lie as an answer for, you'll be in trouble."

'I know. And I know it might hurt my friendship with them, but it would hurt them more to tell the truth.'

Sans nodded in understanding. "okay. think i've kept ya here long enough. time ta get ya back to your friends." They walked up the path Frisk had gone, taking them back to where MK and Noelle were patiently waiting. "see ya around," Sans saluted before vanishing.

"Now what?" Noelle wondered.

"Let's take the elevator," MK suggested. "I wanna go check out the MTT Hotel."

"Alright," Noelle agreed. "I heard they made some upgrades to it in the last year."

They went over to the elevator, which was labeled L1.

"Wonder what the 'L' stands for?" MK wondered.

'Left, probably,' Frisk signed. They entered the cab, but they hit their first snag when there.

"Um… which one is the quickest to the hotel?" MK asked, looking at the panel.

"You don't know?!" Noelle shouted inquisitively.

"I've never been there!" MK defended. "I don't know where it is."

Try L3, the voice suggested.

'Any idea why,' Frisk asked, making sure the others couldn't see.

Just a hunch.

'Maybe we should try L3,' Frisk suggested.

"Suppose it couldn't hurt," MK decided, tapping the button. The elevator doors closed and then it started its ascent. After it was over, the doors opened and they walked out onto a red platform. They walked across it and a spider-lady was set up a few feet away.

"I don't think it's this way," Noelle said. "Can we go back and try another room?"

"Don't like spiders?" MK questioned.

"Yes," she admitted. They turned to leave, but then a small line of spiders got in their way. Their appearance was so abrupt that it caused Noelle to jump away.

"Welcome to the parlor, dearie," the spider-lady said.

"H-h-h-hi," Noelle stuttered.

MK and Frisk ran to her side.

"Want some spider pastries?" the spider-lady asked. "All proceeds go to real spiders."

"No thanks," MK answered. "We don't want your goods. They don't taste very nice."

She gave MK a very creepy five-eyed glare.

Frisk tapped the table and signed, MK giving a translating as Noelle was too scared. "I'll take something," he translated incredulously.

"Wonderful!" she said happily. "A Spider Donut only costs 12G, dearie."

"Wait, what?!" MK shouted. "But my mom says your goods are way overpriced."

"Normally. But I've reduced my prices after a kid got my fellow spiders out of the Ruins during the evacuation," she answered.

Frisk's eyes widened. They remembered that. They had almost forgotten about the spiders in the Ruins. Their plan to get them out had worked! They signed again, MK translating once more.

"That was me," he translated, puzzled. "Did the Vegetoids get them all the way past Snowdin?"

"That was you?!" she shouted, impressed. "In fact, they did, dearie. You did all my hard work for me. As thanks, you can have a donut for free. In fact, both of your friends there can have one for free." In three of her arms, she held a donut. Each kid took the offered treat.

"Not bad," MK mused as he ate his donut.

"Glad you like it," the spider-lady said. "They're made for spider, by spiders, of spiders."

Noelle and MK froze when they heard that. Frisk, though, kept eating. 'I don't care. It still tastes amazing,' Frisk signed, MK providing the translation.

"Glad you like it," she said. "In fact, I'll give you one donut for free every day you drop by, courtesy of Muffet."

MK was tempted to spit out his donut, but Frisk quickly stopped him. 'She will probably be insulted if you reject it now.' MK groaned before swallowing the bite he had taken.

The three of them continued on, Noelle and MK giving their unfinished donuts to Frisk once they were out of Muffet's sight.

"That was kinda weird," MK voiced after a while.

"Eating donuts made of spiders? Yeah, it was," Noelle agreed.

MK shook his head. "Not that. That was weird, but it's what she said before that," he clarified. "Mom says her foods are normally way overpriced, now she's reduced them and is willing to give them away for free?"

"Well, didn't she say it was because the funds were to help some spiders?" Noelle asked.

"Yeah, but now they don't need the help," MK realized.

"She did say her fellow spiders were evacuated from the Ruins with everyone else," Noelle reminded.

"Frisk? Was that really you who helped them?" MK asked.

Frisk nodded. 'Yeah. Can't believe I forgot about that.'

"Well, good for you," MK said.

"Wait, how's that possible? The evacuation was over two years ago," Noelle realized. "You didn't show up until months after."

Frisk froze. Oops.

"Huh. Now that you mention it, it doesn't make a lot of sense," MK pondered. "You would have been way too small to do anything to help at the time."

Frisk wasn't sure what to do. Just keep walking, the voice suggested. Try and change topics.

"Frisk, how did you help those spiders out of the Ruins?" Noelle asked. Frisk didn't answer. How could they? They weren't able to come up with a believable excuse.

"Are you… hiding something, dude?" MK asked. "Something about the evacuation? We know it was because of humans, but what else about it?"

"There's something else, too," Noelle remembered. "Earlier, you knew something about the surface. But Sans cut you off before you answered.

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that," MK said. "What do you know about that?"

Frisk shook their head. 'Nothing. I wasn't even born.'

MK tilted his head to the side. "Why are you shaking, dude? Can't be because you're cold."

Frisk kept silent, their hands going behind their back.

Noelle was tapping her finger to her chin in thought. "Wait. There's something else. It's… all of you, actually. You're not an ordinary Monster. You're a Boss Monster, aren't you?"

"But I thought Boss Monsters…"

"Look at them, MK," Noelle interrupted. "They have all the physical traits of Boss Monsters. They look like the king, just smaller. And, come to think of it, their mom does, too and she didn't show up until after the evacuation, either."

MK tapped a foot to the floor in thought. "Yeah. Yeah and they're not a hybrid. And the speed at which they age. I just thought it was a quirk of their species. And, you do know some things, but you're completely clueless about other things. Almost like you haven't been taught properly."

Now Frisk was concerned. They had almost figured out the truth themselves.

"Dude, what are you hiding?" MK asked.

Frisk shook their head again.

"WHAT are you hiding?" MK emphasized.

"MK," Noelle said gently.

"They clearly are keeping something secret," MK insisted. "Whatever it is, they should tell us."

'I can't,' Frisk signed.

"What do you mean, you can't?" MK asked incredulously. "We're friends, aren't we? Friends don't keep secrets from each other."

'I still can't.'

"W-why? Don't you trust us?"

'Of course. Of course I trust you, but I still can't tell you,' Frisk explained. 'The king told me not to say anything.'

"Even to your friends?" MK asked. "Come on, we promise we won't tell."

'That's not good enough,' Frisk signed. 'Look, it's not that I don't trust you not to keep this secret, it's that you won't take it well.'

"What do you mean?" Noelle asked.

Careful.

'I can't say. Even that might have been too much,' Frisk explained. 'Look, trust me on this. This is something you're better off not knowing.'

"What? Now I really want to know," MK said.

Frisk slapped themself. Now they had just made it more interesting. 'Please, MK, drop this. You are my friends and I do care for you very much. That's why I'm asking you to trust me on this. This secret… it's too terrible for you to know.' When there was no immediate rebuttal, Frisk elaborated a bit. 'You guys are so happy, with dreams of going to the Surface. But if I tell you this, those dreams will be crushed. You deserve to be happy and carefree. But this secret will destroy that and I don't want to be the one to do that to you. It's too cruel.'

Noelle took a few steps forward and laid a hand on their shoulder. "It's really that bad?" she asked. Frisk nodded. "You don't have to share if you don't want to, but you don't have to carry this secret by yourself."

"Yeah, we're your friends, dude," MK agreed. "Friends share secrets so they can help each other. It makes the knowing easier, knowing you don't know alone."

Frisk sighed. 'I know. I'm just worried that this secret will damage the both of you.'

"Isn't that for us to decide?" Noelle questioned.

"Look, just promising to not share obviously isn't enough," MK added. "Whatever it is, we won't hold it against you." MK also decided to take a stab at a guess he had. "And, if you're worried that it will change how we think of you, I promise I'll still be your friend, no matter what it is."

That surprised Frisk. They looked down for several minutes, internally debating whether or not to tell them. Part of them said no, but another part said yes and the voice was being silent. Another part argued that they had kept it hidden from others before and that hadn't worked out well.

Frisk looked up, coming to a conclusion. 'Okay. But… it's not a happy secret.'

"We kinda got that," MK snarked.

'Alright, where to begin…'

For several minutes, the three of them stood there, listening to Frisk's story. It came out slowly at first, but once they got into it, they went faster. They didn't just talk about the surface, but their life as a former human and the circumstances that lead to them being the way they were now. In it, Frisk spared no detail and didn't stop at all, explaining everything they could to their two friends. All the while, Frisk was worried about how they were taking it. They had refrained before to protect their feelings, worried they'd take the knowledge hard.

After it was over, Frisk looked up at their friends. They waited patiently to see how the two reacted, looking at their expressions. Most of the time, they appeared thoughtful. Occasionally, there was worry, sadness and fear, but mostly, they were intently thinking.

Eventually, Noelle spoke up. "So, the surface is gone?" she asked, to which Frisk nodded. "That does explain quite a bit."

"And you used to be human," MK added. "Wow. Can't believe I didn't notice it. Well, you're not a human now, but you used to be. That doesn't… bother you?"

'A little, at first,' Frisk admitted. 'But not anymore.'

"Geez, doesn't that make us enemies or something?" MK wondered.

"No," Noelle said. "No, actually. The king said the war was over and that any humans were to be captured." She looked up at Frisk as a thought occurred to her. "Wait… does he… know?"

'About me being human? Yes,' Frisk answered. 'He's the one who had Alphys make this body, to save my life.'

They both hummed in thought.

"Well, it does explain… everything," Noelle admitted.

"Man, no wonder the king is expanding the caverns. We're going to be down here for a lot longer," MK said.

'Are you two okay?' Frisk asked. 'With knowing that?'

"Are you?" Noelle asked. "You're the one who had to go through god knows what up there."

Frisk tapped their fingers together. 'It… wasn't easy. To be honest, I prefer it down here.'

"Well, that's good," MK said. "And you don't act like a bad person, so we know we can trust you."

"But… those humans in the Ruins," Noelle said. "You know them, don't you?"

'Yes, but I wouldn't trust them,' Frisk signed. 'They did a lot of bad things to survive. I won't share the details, even I don't know all of them. But they are not good people. Not at all.'

"Man, this is a lot to take in," MK said. "But, I'm glad you told us."

"Yeah. Anything you need to talk about, we're here for you," Noelle agreed.

Frisk smiled. 'Thanks. I've never had another kid my age to talk to before.'

"How old are you really, dude?" MK asked.

Frisk had to think on that. They didn't know their exact age, but they did know they were eight when they came to the Underground and it had been a little over two years since then, so… 'Ten.'

"Same as us," Noelle realized.

"That's cool," MK said. "Hey, can I ask one last thing?"

'Sure.'

"Is Frisk your real name?" MK asked. By their shocked expression, he explained. "It's just… we've known you as Frisk this whole time, but is it your real name, or did you just give yourself that name when you came here?"

Frisk just smiled. 'Doesn't really matter. You can still call me that, if you like.'

"That works," Noelle said. "Doesn't matter to me. My best friend is Frisk."

"Mine too!" MK agreed.

Frisk walked up and impulsively hugged them. 'Thanks,' they signed.

"No problem," Noelle said.

"You'll always have a place with us," MK added.

Frisk pulled back from the hug. 'Now, I believe we were on our way to the MTT Hotel?'

"Wow. Forgot about that," MK said. "With this rollercoaster, that slipped my mind." He pointed with his tail. "Well, shall we continue on?"

"Yeah," Noelle agreed.

'Onward,' Frisk signed. The three of them resumed their pace, making their way to the Hotel at the end of Hotland. Frisk was glad to have these two still around and still their friends. They had been worried that by telling them, they might hate them. But they didn't and it let a massive weight off of Frisk's chest. Sure, they had disobeyed the king, but Frisk knew they could trust these two to keep it secret. They still had friends and things were looking up.

End of Chapter 13