A/N: Sorry for the wait. Holidays and things got in the way.

Grillby's had only been the first of many stops in the intimate little town of Snowdin, though Frisk was a slight bit more on edge now than before. He kept it to himself though. He was probably just overreacting to what was just a simple wink from a walking, talking skeleton. The last thing he needed was for everyone to think he was paranoid.

They went to the library—sign out front misspelled to read: 'Librarby'—where Asriel explained to Frisk about the long and rather tragic history of monsters. He never knew that these subterranean creatures once roamed the surface world, ruling side-by-side with humans. And he felt guilty when he learned of their cruel fate, not only on behalf of his own kind but also at himself for having initially perceived monsters as weird and befitting of this place beneath the surface. Now it made sense why Doggerel had been so hostile toward him the day before… But… they couldn't be mad at him specifically, right? They had to know that it wasn't his choice that banished the monsters to this place but rather the choice of his kind!

A bubbling sensation distended deep within him at the thought of humanity. It was an angry tingle, one that filled his mind with a single hateful word: cowards. The word waged war inside his consciousness. He had never experienced this level of passion before and it begged him unabashedly to let it consume.

He had to muster up nearly every ounce of his resolve in order to quell the internal rebellion.

After the Library, Asriel showed him the northern cape of the town, where a group of talking stones sat around and were maybe playing? It was hard to tell, because they weren't really moving, yet they were talking excitedly as if they were in the middle of a game of tag. He also met "Ice Wolf" as Asriel called the canine who was occupied by throwing gigantic ice cubes from a conveyer belt into the sea below. The white-furred monster had explained that the ice cubes were meant to keep the Core at a regulated temperature. He had tried to explain the Core to Frisk but eventually admitted to not really knowing, himself.

Before they left town they dropped by the inn and shop. The two rabbit sisters were very respectful toward Asriel, much to his embarrassment, treating him with the utmost regard. They said a few things to Frisk, but only when his monster companion made mention of him. Frisk didn't mind though. The less he had to talk the better!

The outskirts of town were almost beautifully quiet, the only noise accompanying the two of them being the rhythm of the falling snow. It was strange to see the white flakes drifting slowly from a darkened ceiling with no clouds for them to form from, but it was still beautiful nonetheless. Frisk didn't think to question it anyway—he was in a place where monsters walked on two legs (for the most part) and talked like humans. So when it came to strange weather like this, he decided it best to just accept it and move on.

They had been walking for so long Frisk was surprised when they stopped.

"This is it!" Asriel declared, throwing his arms out in a beholding gesture. His face wore the brightness of a thousand stars, each shining with their own independent luster. "This is one of the most fun places in Snowdin. Oh! Be careful where you—"

Too late.

Frisk's foot gained a mind of its own as he stepped onto the ice, racing out from under him and causing him to fall flat on his rear in a rather unceremonious display of flailing limbs. Asriel immediately came to his aide.

"Oh, are you okay!?" The concern layered in his voice caused Frisk's cheeks to boil in unpleasant warmth and he quickly shook the monster off as he tried to help the human to his feet.

"I'm fine," Frisk grumbled sulkily, turning away from Asriel to hide the redness on his face.

"Are you sure because—"

"I said I'm fine!"

Silence filled the air, and victory overcame Frisk's senses. There, now Asriel wouldn't keep—

"You're embarrassed."

Frisk whirled around at the friendly accusation. His eyes were wide as he stared into Asriel's.

"No I'm not!" Frisk countered. Asriel's grin only grew.

"I think you are." He said. "You're trying to hide it, too. It's okay though. I've fallen here too before."

Frisk made a 'hmpf' sound, not buying the monster's statement. When he saw the unrelenting expression on the monster's face, he turned around and crouched low to the ground. He discreetly shoveled snow into his hand, shaped it with his other. After a few silent moments went by, Asriel grew worried.

"Are you okay? You're not mad are you—"

He was cut short by a hard ball of snow that nailed him square in the face. He reeled back at the force of the impact, ice beneath his feet trying to throw his balance. But he didn't fall.

Triumph and victory welled up inside Frisk as he watched the monster stand immobile in shock. He looked as if he was seeing the sun for the first time his eyes were so wide. Suddenly though, that expression shifted to one Frisk could not decipher and Asriel shook the snow out of his fur like a dog would water.

Now the monster's eyes were wild as they stared into Frisk's. "Snowball fight!" the little prince bellowed. Frisk frowned.

"Wait, we're gonna—"but it was too late. By the time he reached the middle of his sentence, the monster had already scurried across the icy terrain and claimed his territory behind the thick forest of trees.

Well, this was happening now. At least, this game was fun.

Wasting no time, he set off for the opposite side of the frozen pond, slipping a few times on the way—curse his shoes—and behind a tall bush weighed down slightly by a carpet of fine snow.

He wasn't very good at this game, admittedly. He knew how to make a snowball at least, that was more than some could claim, but he fell miserably short when it came to throwing. At close range he could hit a stationary target, but anything further than fifteen feet…they might as well be shrouded by a deflective force field. And more humiliating than that, he could only throw about that far, and it would have to be with an underhand throw as well.

He was a weakling, and he hated it with all his might.

But Asriel didn't know this. As far as the monster was concerned, Frisk was strong and cool. And Frisk was going to make sure it stayed that way, even if the monster was just trying to befriend him because he was a human and not because he actually liked him as a person.

So he had to get in close before he struck, the pond was far too wide for his flimsy arms to attempt a long distance shot. But he had to get over there somehow… Charging straight across would result in him blasted with a face full of snow and ice and there didn't seem to be any visible paths around the solidified body of water to lead to the other side. He was at an impasse. He could try to wait and see if Asriel would wander over to him and then ambush him, but that wouldn't be impressive on his part. No, he wanted to inspire awe into this monster and the only way to do that would be to pull off something completely unexpected. But what could he do that the innocent little fur-ball wouldn't see coming?

Suddenly and idea spawned in his mind, clandestine and tactical. Peering around his defense, he took note of the battlefield, quiet and watchful in anticipation of the impending war. Asriel was nowhere to be found which set a stone of disconcert in Frisk's stomach. Had the monster already figured out a way over here and was about to attack? He seemed to have a deep understanding of these lands so it wouldn't be implausible.

Paranoia crept slowly on his shoulders and he quickly got to work crafting an arsenal of snowballs. This way if Asriel tried a sneak attack, Frisk could at least have ammunition to fire in retaliation. He wasn't going down alone!

The snow was painfully cold to handle without gloves, but the lack of restriction allowed for his fingers to craft a better more rounded shape. These snowballs wouldn't fall apart midair and could endure some rough handling if he needed to move quickly.

Once he finished shaping the last ball, he carefully gathered the spherical ammunition into a pile by his feet and waited.

He waited…waited for the impending assault of snowball to come at him. But something different happened, something unexpected.

A flame—small and bright—suddenly appeared above the bush he was using for cover. Frisk's eyes widened in shock and bewilderment as he noticed the glowing orange ball as it danced exotically. The bush was on fire?! How had that happened? He didn't remember doing anything—

His thoughts all faded as he realized something peculiar about the flame: it was floating. He rubbed his eyes as if they were playing a trick on him, but was puzzled when the flame didn't go away.

What was going on?

Then, all at once, the snow covering the bush dripped and melted away leaving a leafless brown vine shrub in its wake. Now anyone could see him through the bush, especially—

Asriel stood in the center of the frozen pond, snowball clutched in one hand and the other one extended out as if reaching to catch an object. There was a blameworthy smile on his face, playful and somewhat bashful.

"Your defenses are gone now!" he announced and there was a conscious effort in the voice to not come across as arrogant.

The monster's pose suddenly made sense. He had created that flame! So Asriel possessed the power of magic just like his mother? Did that mean his father did as well? And if he was using it during this supposedly friendly snowball fight did that mean he was trying to hurt Frisk? The flame Asriel had created didn't seem to have been aimed at him personally but rather the bush. Even so he knew his current position was no longer safe and decided to retreat into the surrounding woods.

By the sound of crunching snow behind him he could tell that the monster was hot on his trail and it only heightened his determination to get away. He had no idea how fast Asriel was. For all he knew, the monster could be faster than a car. He was a magic-wielding monster after all.

"I'm gonna get ya!" a small voice taunted from a distance behind. There was no malice in the tone; in fact it came across as playful and almost cute. But despite this, Frisk couldn't fight the primordial fear of being hunted and continued navigating around the closely standing trees.

When the sound of snow-padded footfalls behind him ceased he let out a sigh of relief, but kept moving through the trees. He could hear the monster's small voice shouting his name as if trying to warn him of something. He thought nothing of it, assuming it to be just a trick to get him to stop running. But as he continued on his course he suddenly had to claw his hands into a tree to stop from plummeting off a massive cliff.

Frisk clung to the bark like a cat with no lives left. Where the heck did this cliff come from!? It was solid ground just a second ago! He glanced carefully over the edge, still clinging to the tree. Vertigo struck sharply. Man, what a drop! There was certainly no surviving that fall. The snow-topped trees lining the bottom were a pretty sight though, even if they would have been the things that killed him.

With carefully calculated movements he backed away from the precipice and further and further onto solid ground. Okay so maybe Asriel wasn't trying to trick him, but that still didn't mean he was going to run back to the little monster with open arms. He felt his slate had finally been cleaned in this world underground, to the point where he wasn't some misfit loser. And he wasn't going to start it off by losing. He was determined not to.

He heard his name called a few more times, waited a moment before creeping back into the woods. Asriel was worried right now, his defenses compromised by his emotions. This would be the opportune moment to strike. It was an animalistic plan and Frisk had no idea where it came from. He blamed it on his desperation, assuming it was just his mind's way of strategizing victory. Still, it was a foreign feeling…

He moved with the silence of a snake, gliding his way back to where his opponent was. The looseness of the snow helped to muffle his footsteps and allowed him to gain a vantage point on the furry prince who stood unaware in a space between two trees.

Now was his chance!

Rearing back he aimed a snowball to hit Asriel dead in the chest. The target was far but he could do this, all he had to do was throw the ball with all of his strength. Biting back his nerves, his muscles tensed, all power focusing into his throwing arm. With one step forward he whipped the ball at Asriel, arm coming down like a mouse trap. Time was slow as he watched the ball twirl through the air at its prey and a warm tension pulled at his heart as he realized the ball might actually make it. But before it could curve down to hit the monster, a snow-heavy tree branch caught it ending his chance for victory.

He could feel his heart shatter in that moment followed by the startled reaction of Asriel as the noise of the ball hitting the branch caught the youth's attention.

He blew his chance.

Asriel's eyes were wide and jubilant as he recognized Frisk and just as he opened his mouth to speak, the branch above him decided to dump its weight of snow on him. He was buried for a second before popping out of the pile a snow-white mess. He looked taken aback for a second before he shook the excess snow off him like a dog, his long ears slicing out like the propellers of a helicopter. When he finished there was a glow in his eyes and he looked up at the branch that had caused this.

"That was so cool!" he shouted eyes darting back to Frisk who was just as amazed. "How did you get it to do that?"

The human looked up perplexed. "I…just threw a snowball?" He looked up at the branch that had dumped its weight onto the monster. It was the one his snowball had hit! It must've caused the rest of the snow to fall off. But he hadn't meant for it to do that…

"Wow," Asriel said breathlessly, "I don't think I've ever seen a cool shot like that before! You're really good!"

A warmth filled Frisk's chest, soft and bubbling, and it made him want to cover his face in embarrassment. He had heard these types of words many times before, but never had they been directed at him. Now that they were, Frisk couldn't help the swell of emotions inside him. But despite this feeling, there was another, deep within, reminding him that the shot was an accident. Asriel must have noticed because the joy on his face shifted to concern.

"Hey, are you okay?" he asked.

"What—oh, yeah I'm fine." He forced a smile and Asriel seemed to buy it.

"Y'know," the monster said tone dropping to a very quiet pitch. His eyes refused to meet the human's as he spoke. "I'm glad you came around. You're a lot more fun than the other kids at school…" He paused. He looked as if something was bothering him, but shoveled past it, "Anyway, we should probably head home before Mom finds out I didn't go to school."

Frisk followed behind the monster puzzled by what he had just told him. Asriel really thought he was more fun than the other monster kids? Monsters must've been really boring if that was the case.

"Hey." Asriel suddenly stopped moving. His voice was very small and careful as he spoke. "You're, um…not going to tell on me, r-right?"

The response came instinctually, "Of course not!" If there was one thing Frisk was not, it was a snitch. Nobody liked a tattle-tale.

His response and the quickness of it seemed to lift a weight off the monster's shoulders and he sighed. "I didn't think you would. But…but I just had to be sure. One time, Nat—er—this big kid told on me for finishing my homework at the beginning of class and I got in big trouble when the teacher told my mom."

"Why did they tell on you?" Frisk asked.

He shrugged. "I think they're unhappy. They get upset like this a lot." He said simply as if it was okay.

"Did you get them back?" He asked. Asriel shook his head adamantly, ears whipping out at the force.

"I don't want to be mean… I don't think they have many friends." The monster frowned sadly at this, staring at his feet. "They can be pretty mean sometimes; I try not to cry when they say mean things 'cause that makes it worse. But I'm getting stronger! I don't even cry when they do mean things with their magic anymore."

It was starting to come together now. Asriel wasn't a popular kid. It was quite the opposite actually. The big-eared softy was a castaway to the other kid's. He probably didn't even have one friend. But then how was he always so happy and spirited? It seemed too genuine to be a façade, but at the same time, it didn't make sense for it to be anything else. Either way, he felt bad for the monster. Sure he might've been a bit weird, but that didn't mean he deserved to be bullied. Maybe if he was annoying it would've made more sense, but Asriel wasn't. Persistent, yes; annoying, no. He was singular—one-of-a-kind, most likely.

He was too nice for his own good.

The monster glanced observantly at the fraudulent sky, dark and imprisoning. "We'd better get back," he said. "Mom'll be really mad if she finds out what we did today."

Frisk wanted to say something, but all he could do was nod. He was never good with words. Asriel on the other hand, was a wellspring of expression.

"We gotta hurry! There's still one more thing you have to see. And it's at Home!"

When they returned to the castle—as soon as the two children walked through the front doorway of their home—Asriel quickly directed the human straight down the staircase they had taken the day before. Only this time Frisk was not injured, and they weren't looking for Toriel.

"Where are we going?" Frisk finally asked, trying hard to keep up with the speedy ball of fur.

"You know how my dad's King, right?" Frisk nodded. "Well he's also really super strong and can defeat anybody that fights him!"

Frisk's step wavered as his features shifted in wariness. "What does that have to do with us?" He didn't like where this was going.

"We're gonna see him fight!" he cheered. "He does this really cool thing where his magic swirls around and nobody can dodge it!"

"How do you know he's fighting?"

"He always trains after I get out of school. It's him and Undyne today."

"Undyne?"

"She's one of the kids my dad trains. I don't really know her. And… she's kinda scary." He smiled timidly, a wince of fear passing as some sort of memory flashed through him. He shook it off easily. "It's fun to watch them train though. I've been trying to practice some of the things I see them do, but it's harder than it looks."

"Wait. You don't practice with your dad?" The thought sounded illogical. But Asriel shook his head.

"I'm too young to learn that kind of magic," he said with a bit of resentment. "Mom's been teaching me the basics, which are cool too! But not as cool as the stuff Dad can do." Guilt crossed him as the sentence concluded and he added: "My mom's not weak though. She's actually really strong. And she's the smartest monster in the Underground." He smiled in admiration. "My dad usually asks her for help with king-stuff and she always knows the answer."

She probably did at that, Frisk thought, if her high regard for school was any indication. She had the type of intellect that was formidable only when challenged. She was easy to be around and wasn't intimidating to talk to. But, in an argument… you'd better run for the hills. In many ways, Frisk respected her for it.

When they made it to the training room—which Frisk realized was the one where he'd meet Toriel the day prior—they noticed it was occupied by a single figure, small and standing boldly in the center of the room. The monster—Undyne he assumed—looked like she had emerged from the sea one day, and decided that she was going to live on land with everyone else. And physics was probably too intimidated by her to say otherwise. This monster looked tough. That confronting grin and jagged, untiring stare. Her cold-cut muscular frame which was covered by blue-scales, topped with a bow of hair that was the red of undying passion. A child she might have been, but Frisk wouldn't get in her way regardless.

She noticed them the moment they set foot into the room. "Hey!" the rough voice snapped. "Where's your old man?"

It took him a moment to realize that she was talking to Asriel. The little goat-like monster faltered under the demanding tone, but quickly tried to disguise it by stretching himself tall like a soldier before their commander.

"I haven't seen him." The reply was artificially deep. "Maybe he's busy running errands?"

The fish monster let out a sharp growl of annoyance, clenching her fists tempestuously. She appeared ready to smash something to pieces, her levels of patience dangerously low.

"Ngah! I'm tired of waiting here! I came here to fight not sit around like a chump! If I don't get this energy out of me soon, I'll…"

She struck a nearby pillar with a force seemingly impossible for a single creature to possess. It sent tremors like a small earthquake throughout the room rupturing dust from the ceiling. It was a wonder the pillar didn't shatter, the only discernable damage being a small system of spider web cracks where her fist had connected. She pulled the hand back unscathed. In her eyes there was an unsatisfied hunger.

"What're you lookin' at, Punk?"

The blood drained from Frisk's veins as he noticed the fish monster staring sharply at him. Her fingers furled and unfurled into fists as she looked ready to charge him. She had caught him staring? Oh God, he wasn't ready to die!

Her hands fell onto her hips. "Impressed? You should be. I'm the strongest monster in the entire underground! No human stands a chance against me! I'll kill all of them and give them back the pain and suffering they've given to us! "

As she beat her fists against her chest in glory, Frisk swallowed in a dry throat. Did she not know he was a human? Was she getting ready to strike? Should he run? One glance at Asriel revealed that the monster was alarmed by the creature's statement.

"U-Undyne!" he said, mildly horrified. "You shouldn't say that! My dad doesn't like that kind of talk…"

She waved him off. "Oh, what does he know?! …Forget I said that… But you can't tell me you don't want revenge!"

Asriel crossed his arms stubbornly and shook his head. "Not if it involves hurting people."

"Gah, you're just like your dad!" she said, disgusted by the lack of support. Her eyes suddenly locked with Frisk's. "Who are you anyway? I know everyone's face around here but yours is new."

Frisk was small under the attention. "Uh-h-h… I'm Frisk…"

"Frisk?" Her voice was as loud as a gunshot over his. "Well, Frisk, I'm Undyne. And if you do anything stupid around here, I'll pummel your face into the dirt!" She smirked savagely, smearing her fist into the palm of her other opened hand in example.

"Don't worry Undyne! Frisk isn't a bad guy, he lives here!" Asriel said.

The fish monster's expression widened considerably, staring quizzically at the human. "You live here, Punk? So, you must be someone important then… How old are you even?"

"Ten… I think."

"You Think? How do you not know your own age?"

Frisk just shrugged. He wished he knew the answer himself.

Undyne tapped her foot rapidly in thought. "Hmm… yeah, I guess you look about ten…maybe nine… Nah, you're definitely nine! Still in the snot-nosed years like Prince Azzy over here!"

"Hey!" the little prince piped up. "You're only thirteen. You're not that much older than us!"

"I'm fourteen! And don't make me noogie you!"

Asriel shut up at that, not wanting to feel the wrath of her stony knuckles. The blue monster smiled, pleased.

"Good! Now which one of you nerds is going to be my training post while Asgore's gone?"

"I would not advise that," Asgore said emerging from the doorway. He stood in a very authoritative pose, one that reflected his title well. The only attribute that seemed unfitting was his face which looked worried and passive—ready to flinch at a butterfly's wing beat. He cleared his throat to break the silence of the room.

"There is no need for such hostilities, Undyne. I am here now."

"'Bout time!" she said cracking her knuckles in preparation. Not even the king could gain respect from her. "I've been waiting here so long I think my scales are falling off!"

"Yes, well, I apologize for the delay. Affairs in the capital required my attention and couldn't be put off." He paused glancing over at the two youngest in the room. "So, I see we joined by the presence of two others today. To what do I owe this pleasure, my children?"

Asriel's excited demeanor snapped back into life at his father's question. "I wanted to show Frisk how cool you guys are when you fight!"

"Is that so?" he asked, glancing at Frisk for confirmation. He must've seen the shyness in the human's eyes because he gave a discreet smile of understanding. It was strange how reassuring the gesture was, almost like a friendly wink. "Well perhaps this will be a good opportunity to explain how monster fighting works."

He crouched to a more familiar level, ignoring Undyne's impatient groan as he opened his palm before the human. A small flame swiftly sprouted there, steady and controlled and Frisk found himself marveling over it just as he had when Asriel summoned the one during their 'snowball fight'.

Asgore smiled fondly at the human's awe, said: "As monsters, we are made up primarily of magic. Because of this we are able to use its power outside our own bodies. However, because we are made up of magic we have to be mindful of how we use it. If we are feeling a certain way, be it angry or peaceful, our magic will be directly reflected by that emotion. And if a monster uses too much of their magic…" The flame wavered in his hand. "It is very important that magic is trained and used properly. Only with years of training can one gain control over it." He held his hand out pointedly toward Frisk. "Here, touch it."

Frisk blink in surprise. He wanted him to touch fire? Was he crazy?! Asgore just chuckled.

"Worry not young one, it is not like natural fire. This will not harm you."

Frisk stared at the flame again, considering the monster's words. He was still skeptical, and the expectant stare from Asriel wasn't helping.

Reluctantly he reached out for the flame, flinching away a few times before finally allowing his hand to ease into it. It was warm, like the rising steam from freshly cooked soup, but left no moisture on his hand. Asgore smiled for a moment before allowing the magic to diminish.

"I can see the look in your eyes young one. This is the first time you've seen magic, is it not?" Frisk didn't need his memories to know he'd never seen this before. He nodded to the Boss Monster who said: "Well then, what do you think?"

"It's really cool." The human said. Undyne snorted.

"You think that's cool? Watch this!"

She squared her shoulders, arm reaching out triumphantly above her. One-by-one, invisible particles turned to light, racing toward her hand in rapid succession. They came together—their glowing blue essence morphing into a long, vicious spear. Undyne gripped it proudly.

"This is real magic!" she said and a deep, exasperated look fell over the king.

"Undyne," he said, and it sounded like he'd said this many times before. "Remember—emotional control…"

The monster smiled sheepishly. "Oh yeah…" she let the javelin fall; the weapon disappearing before it even hit the ground.

Looking satisfied, Asgore glanced over to his son.

"Well, Asriel. Undyne and I have both had our turns. Is there anything you'd like to add to this demonstration?"

The young monster's eyes fell shyly to the ground and he tugged on one of his long ears. He simply shook his head dismissively.

"Do not be afraid my son, no one will make fun of you."

"Well…" Undyne started, but sealed her lips at the half-glare from Asgore. He seemed to be the only thing that could scare her, not that he would actually hurt her or anything. In all truth, he probably couldn't bring himself to even harm an insect. Still, the furry king just carried a sense of bravura with him that was enough to intimidate anyone no matter how gallant they may be. The king glanced back at his son with a patient smile awaiting his response.

"That's okay," Asriel said voice small and shy. He sounded almost embarrassed of himself, like his magic was worthless in comparison to Undyne and his father's. Frisk could understand this feeling. Asgore seemed to as well, patting his son carefully on the head.

"Very well. I assume you and Frisk staying to watch our training session?"

Asriel cheered up at not having to perform and nodded vigorously.

"Then it is time to begin."

The training session lasted for about an hour. The only reason they stopped was because Asgore had ordered it. Undyne was relentless. It was clear she had a bottomless energy reserve from her ceaseless efforts to land a strike on Asgore. Try after try, spear after spear she hurled at him and with no success. And it wasn't that she was a poor shot—her accuracy was actually pretty impressive—Asgore just had the most impervious defense the world had ever seen. No matter what she threw at him, no matter how swift or sudden, he was able to deflect it with ease. It seemed like the Boss Monster was trying to teach a silent lesson, most likely about not fighting. But then again, he always seemed like he was teaching a lesson no matter what he was doing. Frisk couldn't help but wonder though how drastically things would have changed had the king decided to take on an offensive position and attacked. Safe to say it probably wouldn't have ended well for the fish-monster.

There was a rather guilty look on Asgore's face as he noticed how disappointed Undyne was. The girl wanted to defeat him so desperately. But unfortunately for her, Asgore was just too good a fighter to keep up with.

Asriel appeared completely torn on how to feel. On one hand, there was his father whom he idolized and always wanted to win. But then there was Undyne and just how extinguished she looked. It was conflicting.

As far as Frisk was concerned, Undyne just worried him. She seemed to have a strong resentment toward humans and the fact that she didn't know he was a human made him very nervous. Getting torn apart by magical blue spears wasn't something he cared to experience...ever.

So, for the time being, he would try to avoid the monster at all costs.

Asriel and Frisk loomed in the training hall a while after Asgore and Undyne left. The young prince had been so inspired by the sparring session that he danced up and down the length of the room, reenacting what he considered to be the best parts of the battle.

Through all the excitement though, Frisk noticed that Asriel had not once attempted to use any of his magic despite the certain moments where he clearly wanted to. He must've been really self-conscious about it and Frisk wondered if it truly was that pathetic.

As they headed back for their rooms they came across Toriel. She wore the most neutral look Frisk had ever seen. "Your teacher contacted me. She informed me that your friends witnessed you and Frisk walking through Snowdin when you were supposed to be in school. Explain."

The human faltered under the mother's powerful gaze and was thankful Asriel was here to talk for him.

But in a sudden fit of anger Asriel burst into tears. "I hate school!" his voice cracked and he took off for his bedroom, sobbing the whole way and slamming the door behind him.

Now it was just Frisk and Toriel.

The human's heart raced as he stared holes into the floor to avoid her glance. What the heck was Asriel so upset about? And why did he leave him alone with this frightening woman!?

"Frisk?"

He tensed at the mother's voice which wasn't as harsh as he expected it to be.

"Frisk, do you know something that I do not?" A breath passed over her. "No…that is impossible." There was a look of worry deeply pitted in her loving eyes, one only a mother's could reflect. The look remained as she glanced at Frisk; the smallest of smiles touching her lips. "Come, my child. It seems there are important matters to attend to, and I believe your input may be beneficial."

Carefully she took his hand in hers and guided him to Asriel's room. Frisk didn't really understand the gesture. He might have been a fresh face in the castle, but he at least knew his way to the room he was staying in. Maybe she just wanted him to keep up with her. She did move pretty fast after all.

As they approached the bedroom door, the moans of muffled sobs became clearer and clearer. It was an unpleasant sound, hearing someone cry. And the noise awakened a strange fear in Frisk's heart. His mind raced as it tried to locate the source of this unnamed fear, which resonated like an ancient memory. But it was useless. No matter how hard he thought or how hard he tried, his mind's eyes just couldn't seem to produce anything even remotely distinct. It seemed like his memories weren't going to come back. All that remained of his past life on the surface were but impressions and assumptions. And the worst part of it all was that he knew the memories were there but he just couldn't grasp them.

With the most delicate consideration, Toriel knocked on the door. "Asriel, dear," she said. "Frisk and I wish to talk to you. Would you mind opening the door for us?"

"I don't wanna!" The muffled sob sulked its way through the door.

Toriel simply opened the door, the wash of light and sadness splashing over her and Frisk as it escaped the room. She still held Frisk's hand as she entered the room, moving to observe her son lying face-first in his pillows. His cries had died down now that there were others present, most likely to save face in front of Frisk. The monster-child still refused to look at them, instead seeking to hide himself beneath his blankets.

Finally, Toriel released the human's hand and sat down on Asriel's bed. She placed her hand soothingly over a curled mass beneath the covers.

"There, there Asriel. Come; tell us why you are so upset." Her voice was as gentle as a harp yet it carried out so firmly that not even the mighty coil of an anaconda could break it. Asriel sniffled from his veil of fabric.

"I don't want to," he said. "It's not fair…"

"What is not fair?" Toriel pressed ever so lightly.

"You won't get it," he said. "It's stupid."

"Well it must be somewhat important if it has you in such a state." A pause, then, "Is it because you were caught doing something you knew well enough not to do?"

"They told on me…"

"Your classmates?" When the covers moved in what could only be interpreted as a nod, Toriel sighed. "I know that you do not get along well with them, but understand that they were being responsible. You were the one who was skipping school. Speaking of which there will be consequences as a result." She looked at Frisk. "My child, I know you are new to this home and therefore do not yet know the rules that stand in place here. But that does not mean I can simply let your actions go unpunished either. So for the next month the two of you are forbidden from traveling outside the castle without the supervision of another adult."

"Yes, Mom," Asriel said, echoed by Frisk. The female monster nodded approvingly.

"I hope you understand, Frisk that I hold no rancor toward you as that would be irresponsible of me. I am simply doing this for your own good. As a guardian it is my duty."

Guardian… As assuring as the word was, it felt oddly distant coming from her. It made him feel like a burden which, in all honesty, was exactly what a human in a world of monsters was. Frisk was lucky they had given him a place to stay and hadn't outright decided to kill him.

Toriel faced her son who was still hiding, asked: "Now, sweetheart, will you come out from under your blankets? I would very much like to see your face." The smile on her features was soft enough to welcome even the most ruthless of killers and slowly, the monster-child eased his way out of his fabric asylum. The fur below his innocent eyes was dampened by tears, but he didn't try to hide it. Instead he sprung up like a frog and wrapped both arms tightly around his mother's neck, burying himself within an embrace.

Frisk watched on, somewhat warmed by the sight and he wondered if he had a mother who loved him this much. Probably not. Children like him only received hugs out of pity, from people who would do it once and then leave him forever. Just like—

"Frisk?"

The mop-haired human snapped out of his thoughts to see Toriel staring down at him, her eyes full of expectance.

"My child, do not feel as if you are left out."

Before he even had the chance to question what she meant, the monster knelt and grabbed him up in an all-encompassing embrace.

He stiffened in shock, not quite prepared for the loving sentiment. The way she held him—firmly and unafraid of his body—it twisted his heart. Even though his memories of the surface were failing him, he knew he had never experienced love like this. The warmth of her fur, the soothing arms around his back—all of it was completely original to him. And it made him want to cry just like Asriel had only not in sadness. But despite himself, no tears came.

He had been so caught up in the surprise of his own emotions that he hadn't realized that he had stood still, tensed as a statue throughout the entire hug. Toriel looked concerned as she drew away from him but said nothing; that smile, like a perennial flower, returning.

"I shall give you both the chance to reconcile now. Tomorrow, Frisk, I will find something for you to do so you're not so bored while Asriel is at school."

She stood there for a moment longer before bidding a goodnight to both children and sweeping out of the room, door closing carefully shut behind her.

Frisk had no time to wonder what Toriel could possibly have in mind to keep him busy for the racket of Asriel falling out of his bed startled him out of his thoughts. He turned to face the commotion, alarmed. The monster simply laid there on the hardwood floor, features uplifted in apparent shock over what had just happened to him.

For a moment, Frisk thought he might cry, but Asriel simply shook it off, prying his foot free from a tangle of bed sheets. When he stood it was with a grin of embarrassment.

"I—I'm okay." He laughed nervously. "Just wanted to grab one of m—my toys."

Frisk stared at him wordlessly for a moment. The poor prince looked ready to crumble under the silence, those little eyes pleading for him to say something, anything to break the awkward quiet. But Frisk didn't know what to say so instead settled for an acknowledging nod. Frisk wasn't proud of himself for it. How could he not think of anything to say? It was so simple. All he had to do was pull a few words out and yet for some reason, he couldn't do it. He blamed it on his human genes. His kind seemed to be the cause of all things wrong today.

He watched silently as Asriel grabbed up a stuffed animal from his chest and hugged it tightly to him. The monster bound back to his bed, entering it cautiously so as not to fall again. Frisk followed suit, climbing into the bed this family had so generously provided him. He didn't deserve this—any of this. These monsters were so kind to him and they knew he was human—the very race that had betrayed and trapped them down here! Why were they so readily trusting of him? Was it because he was a kid? Were they going to hurt him later on? He hoped it wasn't the latter. But as his mind raced about, he couldn't think of any other reason. He bit his lip in worry. What had he done to deserve this fate?

AND WHY COULDN'T HE REMEMBER THE PAST?!

The sudden urge to hit his head tingled strongly in his knuckles. He stifled it. Maybe he was here in the Underground for a reason. He could have originally came here to kill them all for all he knew. Or maybe someone threw him down here… Was it possible that monsters captured and brought him here as a part of some big plan?

He dismissed the thoughts. Thinking about this would only make him paranoid. But he still couldn't get over how strange it was that his past was so undefined. It was almost like…he had opened his eyes for the first time in those muggy ruins.

As he lay there, looping through his thoughts, he became aware of Asriel's eyes staring into him. He tried to ignore it, but the knowledge was just too galling. Well now was as good a time as ever to get this off his chest…

"Hey," he said careful and soft. "Um… about earlier… I'm sorry you got in trouble."

"No, I'm sorry," Asriel said confidently as if he'd been thinking about this for a while now. "Frisk, I was being selfish taking you out and forcing you to hang out with me. I know I'm not the most fun person to be around. I understand if you don't want to be friends…"

"I wouldn't be a good friend…" Frisk said somewhat bitterly.

"Huh?"

"You don't want to be friends with me… I'm…" he sighed heavily, chest tightening preventing the rest of the words from flowing. Asriel deserved better than him. He was no monster. His heart was human—tainted by the filth of mankind. The book in the Library had been right: human souls lack love, hope, and compassion. In the end he would only fail the pure-hearted monster. So giving up, he retreated under the covers of his bed and pretended to sleep. But he had already piqued Asriel's curiosity.

"Frisk, are you all right?" The monster asked.

"I'm fine, I'm just…tired." He drew in a deep breath to calm himself. He hoped the prince would be satiated by this response and leave him alone. But of course, it couldn't be that simple.

"Are you homesick?" he asked and it sounded almost guilty.

The question took Frisk by surprise and all he could do was answer honestly. "I don't know…"

The response seemed to suffice whatever curiosity the monster had because he didn't say anything after that. An acrid relief fell over the human at this. He just wanted to stare at the darkness of his closed eyelids until sleep came. Maybe he'd feel better in the morning.

But just as his body relaxed into the seams of the mattress, Asriel's voice came out.

"Y'know… you might not agree with me but… I think you'd be a great friend."

Frisk pressed his eyes closed tightly; sadness threatening to leak through. Those words…they were like a blade in the way they stung his heart and he had to force himself to reject them. He could not be friends with this child. He was a monster, and Frisk was a human. A friendship between them simply would not work. Not now, not ever.

The notion was the only permitted thought in his mind as he drifted into sleep.

Frisk was vaguely aware of a presence beside him as he opened his eyes to darkness. He assumed it was Asriel wandering about to get something, but as his eyes focused, he realized it was someone else entirely. His heart shrank in his chest, its beat becoming the only conscious action in his entire body.

It was the skeleton from Grillby's! How had he found him? Where the heck were they? Oh, God, this was it! He was going to die.

"i was beginning to wonder when you'd wake up." He said casually. His voice was deep and spoke as if everything was under control. "here, how 'bouta 'dog?"

"Wha—where am I? What's going on?"

"hm? haven't you been to waterfall before? guess this place's really gone down stream…" he paused to emphasize the pun. "oh well." Another pause. "after all it's not like humans come down here often."

Frisk's heart sank in his chest detecting the subtle accusation in the skeleton's tone. "Look," he said slowly. "I don't know what you want, but if you're going t-to hurt me—"

"relax, kid. if i was gonna hurt you, you wouldn'ta woke up." He winked almost menacingly at the end part sending a chill through the human's veins.

Frisk could only sit in silence. He wasn't sure he even wanted to continue this conversation anymore. The monster must've noticed this because he continued for him.

"look, i could go on and tell you all about why i'm here but…" he shrugged, "at this point, the magic's long gone."

Frisk wasn't sure what he meant by that, but it didn't sound threatening and that's all he cared about. "So what do you want from me then?"

"to go back to where you came from."

"But I can't. The Barrier is keeping me trapped down here."

He closed his eyes grimly. That repressing smile remained as he spoke, "kid, i'm tryin' to be peaceful here."

"What? It's true! The king said so himself!" How could he not believe him?!

"i'll give you till the end of the week to get outta here. if you're still here when i come back… you're gonna have a bad time."

"Why are you doing this? What did I do wrong? I haven't hurt anybody."

The skeleton let out a dark laugh at this, one that sounded something close to offended. He didn't say anything and instead turned to walk away.

"Wait! I'm not like other humans, I don't hate monsters! Please don't do this to me! Please!"

He stopped, turning to stare at the child. Frisk was virtually on his knees in plea. Every aspect of his being, from his eyes, to his quaking hands was radiating fear. He was scared. He looked just about on the edge of defeat as well, completely at the skeleton's mercy.

"one week." He reinstated before turning and walking away.