So after considering some ideas and brainstorming a few possible plot points, I've decided what was originally going to be a one-shot will instead be a full-fledged story. I'm hoping it'll be an enjoyable one, so let me know your thoughts, ideas, or (civil) complaints, and I'll see what's what. For know though, enjoy!
Chapter Two:
A New Dawn
"... And, yeah. That's it." Frisk let out a heavy sigh. Who knew that such intense storytelling to make one so out of breath?
The others had nothing to say. They couldn't. After all, it wasn't everyday you found out you were brought back from the dead through the ashes of a child, with the help of a soul-fueled flower nonetheless. At least Frisk hoped not, anyway.
Toriel was the first to pipe up. "My Child, are you feeling alright? Perhaps this was all just a bad dream?" She asked hopefully. That earned an unbelieving look to Toriel from everyone in the room, even the jovial Papyrus. Frisk shook her head and tried again.
"I know, it may seem a bit much to take in all at once, but you have to believe me! Why would I make up something like this?" She added in her famous puppy eyes, hoping that they would be convinced.
Toriel still seemed unsure, but Undyne looked up from twiddling her claws. "It's cool, dude, we believe ya, we just don't believe our eyes is all." She gave a weak smile in order to lighten the mood.
Frisk looked at her friends. Toriel was holding back a few tears, Undyne was grinning, whereas everyone else nodded at her gently. Then she looked over at Sans, and saw that he was still glancing around the place, left eye bright, and shifting a bone in his hand. Frisk walked over to Sans and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into a warm embrace.
"It's okay Sans. They're both gone." She said soothingly, knowing full well what was on the skeleton's mind. Sans looked down at the human, eyes becoming black voids for a second before returning to their surprisingly welcoming white eyes.
"*yeah, i know…" He said, defeated by the humans comforting actions. "but if what you said is true, his aftereffect of wielding those souls should wear off soon, and when that happens, i'll be surprised if As-" He bit down on where his tongue would have been if he had one, stopping himself from talking. He chanced a look at Toriel, who had managed to regain herself, and didn't seem to notice Sans' almost-error. he quickly go back on track.
"*... if FLOWEY." He emphasised quietly. "*didn't try something."
Frisk noticed too, but decided there was no need to bring it up. Instead, she shook her head gently. "No, if he does come back, it won't be out of anger, trust me." She did her best to give Sans a convincing smile. Luckily, it worked. Sans sighed, letting the bone dissipate into nothing.
"*alright, alright. You got me." He gave a low chuckle and ruffled Frisk's hair. "*now how about we get the heck outta here?" Frisk nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, that sounds good." With that, Sans offered his hand, in which she gladly accepted.
"Uh, I hate to break the relaxed mood, but we still got a problem." Undyne cut it. Everyone turned to look at her to ask her what she meant. She simply sighed and jerked her thumb over her back. Everyone looked behind Undyne, and realised what she was talking about. Behind Undyne came the sound of howling wind and with it, a long, tall corridor-shaped passage, alternating between light and dark. Despite Frisk saving her friends and being reunited with them, the barrier was still there, and with the souls no longer in Asgore's possession, it looked like it was there to stay.
A collective silence followed for the longest of time, only to be broken by a mumbled "Rats" escaping Toriel's lips.
However, dark moods weren't Papyrus' speciality, and he was the first to perk up. "HEY! LET'S NOT GET DOWN, EVERYONE!" This sudden outburst caused everyone to jump slightly, even Sans, who would have jumped out of his skin if he had any.
"*pap, the barriers still up, we're to getting to the surface anytime soon." Sans said, his head hanging so low it threatened to roll off of his shoulders.
"BE THAT AS IT MAY, IT IS NOT AS IF WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING DOWN HERE!" Toriel and Alphys nodded their heads slowly in agreement. "WE HAVE FOOD, WARMTH, GOOD FRIENDS!" Papyrus continued. "AND ALTHOUGH WE CAN'T REACH THE SURFACE JUST YET, WE HAVE MORE TIME TO ADJUST TO THE POSSIBILITY OF IT, RIGHT?" In truth, everyone was gobsmacked, even Frisk. No one had ever expected such a reasonable argument for such a dire situation to come from the least serious of them all. Even Sans had to admit, he was pretty impressed.
"So, then it is decided." Asgore began. "We shall return to our daily lives, but at the same time, continue working on a way to free us all. Alphys?" He turned to the scientist, whose head snapped round in his direction instantly. "I'm assuming you would be happy to conduct this chain of research?"
Alphys nodded her head eagerly. "Y-yeah! Of co-o-ourse I would!" She said uncertainly, but everyone knew she meant it.
"Good, good…" Asgore was clearly pleased with this, yet he couldn't help but trail off. Frisk suspected it was because of the fact that none of them would be going to the surface for a while. Come to think of it, that alone was enough to make anyone upset. "Well, if there are no more questions, I should very much like to get started on this plan. Alphys, would you be kind enough to lead me to your laboratory?"
Alphys nodded rapidly. "S-sure. Ri-ight this way your Maj-jesty." With that, she waddled off, Asgore's thundering footsteps not far behind.
Once the sound of the footsteps had died down, Sans was next to speak up.
"*well. if we're all done here, i'm gonna head to grillby's." Sans looked over to Frisk. "you wanna come, pal?"
Frisk gave her answer by bounding over to Sans and gripping his left arm. "Yes please." She grinned.
"Be safe you two." Said Toriel, motherly instincts already taking over. "And don't let her stay up too late Sans! I mean it this time!" She added with a harmless glare.
"nahh, we'll be fine." Sans promised, much to his disappointment, but not before shooting Papyrus a mischievous look. He noticed.
"YES BROTHER? WHAT IS IT?"
"*oh, nothing. i'm just surprised none of you brought any camping gear." Papyrus' confused expression grew.
"WHY ON EARTH IS THAT?"
"*i just thought that situation was a little…" Frisk braced herself. "in-TENTS."
She only managed to catch a fraction of Papyrus' "worst day ever" rant before Frisk felt a strong wind whipping her face. Her eyes took a moment before adjusting to her surroundings. She was met with a sight of filled booths, a broken jukebox in the corner, and a familiar flame being wiping the counter. Frisk turned to Sans with a smirk.
"You never get tired of that, do you?"
"*nope, never." Sans returned the look. "*c'mon, i'm famished."
Frisk couldn't argue, as she too was starving. Turns out fighting your evil counterpart does that to you, Frisk thought to herself. She shook off the thought, and followed Sans across the room, where he was greeted by a multitude of different monsters. Sans said hi to each and every one of them, and so did Frisk. She gave Greater Dog a little scratch behind the ear before taking a seat at the bar next to Sans.
"*so, whaddaya want?" Sans enquired. He guessed she wanted a burger. Kids love burgers.
"A set of fries, thanks." She responded with a sweet smile.
Damn it.
"*sounds good, but i'm more of a burger kinda guy."
Frisk looked him up and down before jokingly saying "Yeah, I can tell." She added in a wink for good measure.
"*you always were a sharp one kid." Sans couldn't stop himself from grinning, before turned back to Grillby. "*hey grillbz, an order of fries for the kid and a burger for me, thanks."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"Very well, one moment please." Grillby then turned and exited through the back door. Frisk always wondered what was through there, and even more confused as to why it said "fire exit". She shook her head and fiddled with a loose splinter in the counter.
About four minutes later, Grillby returned with the prized food. Frisk could already feel her mouth watering. She didn't know when she last ate but it had been far too long since she had. Grillby set the food down in front of them, and went back to cleaning the counter. Sans tapped her on the shoulder, and when she turned to him she saw he was dangling a bottle of ketchup back and forth between his fingers.
"*whaddaya say kid? want some?" He asked. Remembering what happened last time, Frisk very politely refused. "*fair enough, more for me then."
Frisk lost her ability to speak as she watched Sans down the entire bottle in one go. Not a single drop had even managed to get on his food. Once he had placed the empty bottle back on the counter and looked over at Frisk's expression, he did his best to stifle a laugh that threatened to escape. As soon as it was under control, he picked up his burger and took a bite.
"*c'mon kiddo, eat up. you need it." That was the last he spoke for a while as he chowed down on his burger. Giving up trying to understand the short skeleton, Frisk soon attacked her small tray of fries.
A couple of moments later, Sans spoke. "*hey, mind if i ask you something?"
Frisk, with a mouth full of fries, shook her head.
"*what really happened back there?"
'Back there.' There was only one place he meant.
"Wha- I told you…?" Frisk said hesitantly.
Sans gave a small fake laugh and slowly shook his head. "*frisk, I know that flower didn't just kill chara and save us out of the kindness of his proverbial heart. what does he want?"
Frisk didn't feel threatened by Sans. She never did, but she'd be lying if she said she wasn't a little nervous right now.
"He wants out." She said plainly.
"*out?" He scoffed. "*kid, as soon as he gets the chance, he'll stab you in the back. and i mean he will ACTUALLY stab you in the back. Frisk shook her head frantically.
"I know you're suspicious, and you've every right to be, but he's change. I know he has." Sans gave her a "really?" look. Nonetheless, she continued. "There's still good in him. I can feel-" Frisk quickly lowered her voice. "I can still feel Asriel within him." Frisk didn't know what it was, but something about that name seemed to affect Sans in ways she didn't fully understand. At the mention of the name, Sans' expression vanished, and he simply turned back to his half-eaten burger.
"*i know" Came a painful whisper. That was the last he said before he started eating again. Frisk felt like she should say something, anything to try and comfort him, but she knew deep down that it wouldn't do any good. So, having exhausted all her option, Frisk too went back to her food.
A little while afterwards, Frisk and Sans bade the others a good night, but not before Sans insisting that he would pay up soon. They turned left and started to walk towards the skeleton Bros' house.
There was a pleasant mood about the air tonight, despite the fact Frisk had been fighting for her life and on the brink of death, literally not half an hour ago. But when she was with a close friend, enjoying life as she should, it felt like a lifetime ago. The soothing sound of their feet crumpling against the snowy ground helped too. Frisk let her eyes close and relished in the feeling of the light snowflakes dancing across her face. Even though it was about a minute's walk from the bar to the house, Frisk still managed to enjoy it. When they got to the front door, Sans turned to Frisk.
"*well, i don't know about you, but i'm freezing my bones off. 'night." Frisk received one last look from Sans before he walked towards the door.
"Wait, Sans. Wha-" But Sans had already teleported inside. "Sans you can't just leave me out here!" Frisk said with a shiver and a quick laugh knowing, well, hoping that Sans was only playing around. Frisk breathed a sigh of relief once she heard unlocking on the other side. Sans' cheeky grin appearing seconds afterwards.
"*can i help you?" He asked casually, finding it hard to maintain even a semi-serious face.
"Yes, thank you." Frisk stated, before letting herself in, past Sans, and headed straight up the stairs. As she did so, she heard Sans' form already plopping down on the sofa. She rolled her eyes to herself and kept heading up the stairs. Frisk walked along the corridor to Papyrus' room when she stopped. There was a third door. There was never a third door here before. Frisk immediately leaned over the banister to enquire about it. "Uhh… Sans?" She called out. The skeleton looked up from flicking through the TV channels.
"*yeah?"
"There's a third door here."
"*yeah?"
"Well, there wasn't last time I was here?" Frisk prompted, hoping Sans would catch onto what she meant. His eye sockets widened marginally.
"*oh yeah." He seemed to get it, finally. "*figured you'd had enough of spending your nights on the couch, so me and pap build you your very own room." He finished with a smile. This time it was Frisk's turn to widen her eyes.
"Really?!" She stood there for a moment, trying to process her own gratitude. "That's…" She paused, struggling to find the words. Luckily, Sans found them for her.
"*ah, save it kiddo. after everything you've done for us, it's the least you deserve." With a smile on his face, he turned his attention back to yet another MTT broadcast. Frisk wondered to herself how she came to having such an amazing group of friends, and with that, she turned around to open her door. She grabbed the doorknob and took a small breath, before opening the door. After the day she had had, Frisk looked forward to collapsing onto her bed and never waking up again. That was, until she noticed something unusual. Upon paying more attention to it, it was beyond awful. It was on the walls, the floor. Some of it had even managed to find its way onto the ceiling. Frisk's hands rushed to her mouth as they failed to stop the scream that escaped Frisk's mouth. Not two seconds afterwards, Sans appeared by Frisk's side.
"*frisk? what the heck is…" He trailed off as he noticed Frisk's room. "*oh." Was all he said.
The entire room was bright pink.
Hope that was enjoyable/bearable for you guys. Catch you later!