Chapter 9: Undyne
When Sans finally returns, Asgore frowns looking very sullen.
"So she finally left huh? It'll be lonely with her gone," He said before letting out a sigh. "It's better just to get this over with. It's not going to be any easier telling those monster's daughter that their parents died."
"Do you want me to retrieve her?"
Asgore glanced up at Sans with sad watery eyes.
"Would you, Sans?"
Sans winced at the pitiful look on his face and felt a little sorry for him.
"Of course, your majesty."
When Sans arrives in Waterfall he heads to Undyne's house. Undyne is already there pacing outside.
"Sans, what are you doing here? Where are my parents? Why haven't they come back?"
"The king wishes to see you."
Undyne huffed.
"Well, I'm stayin here. He can come here if he wants to talk to me."
"Oh, you're pretty energetic aren't you?" It's a familiar, gruff voice coming from behind him.
Sans turns and see the king.
"I'll be alright, Sans. I can take it from here."
Sans heads back home inwardly hoping that the king doesn't have to witness her brute strength.
Unfortunately for the king, it's when Sans is finally gone that he speaks his mind.
"What did you want to see me for, punk?"
"It's bad news unfortunately. Your parents died when confronting a human."
Undyne's eyes widened. She was silent.
"It's okay to cry y'know. It doesn't make you weak."
"I'm not going to cry. I'm a big girl. How dare you think otherwise."
Asgore's eyes widen and he takes a step back.
"Oh cowering in your boots I see. You have a lot of nerve coming by my house just to tell me that. Let's have a match right now 1 on 1. We'll see who's stronger."
"Now now, we don't need to resort to violence."
"I beg to differ," She said, lunging for him with her fists. "Fight me like a man."
He easily side steps her blows.
"STOP DODGING."
"If I don't, it'll hurt. Forgive me for not wanting to feel a little pain."
"Isn't that the point?"
With time her irritation succumbs to anger and she conjures a fireball desperate to hit him with magic not caring if the attack will kill him.
"I know you're upset and I'm sorry but I won't fight you."
Her anger gives way to sobs. She clings to the king for support wanting the comfort a father figure can provide.
"I'm..." She sniffs. "... not going to apologise."
"I know."
"I mean it."
"You don't have to. I understand."
She chuckles between her sniffs. Undyne's still upset but even now she could see the positive aspects of the whole experience.
"This is so embarrassing I've never been more humiliated in my life."
"Do you want to know how to beat me?" He asked.
"Yes, of course."
"How would you like me to train you? You could become very great. One day you might even be powerful enough to join the royal guard."
"You're just saying that."
"I don't usually make it a habit to train anyone. Most of the recruits were trained by Gerson but he quit. Look I'll give you my phone number so you can call me. Let me know when you are available.
Such flattering words would have been ineffective if it had been a complete stranger but it was kind of hard to overlook the fact that the king had spared her and even offered to train her after she had been a pain in the butt.
It was still hard to cope but she's eager to train so Undyne calls him the next morning before she heads to school. It was after school that she heard some loud commotion consisting of loud frantic voices.
"Did you hear?"
"The king is missing."
"I heard the guard is out looking for him."
Undyne put her hand on one of the monsters and turned them around.
"What did you just say?"
The monster looked as though it were about to faint.
"Ah no, it's Undyne."
Both of her hands were on it's shoulders giving them no chance of escape.
"You said that the king was missing?"
"Y-yes. Can you please let go of me."
Undyne chuckled nervously.
'Hopefully he's not doing something stupid. It would be just like that nerd.'
She pictures him getting in a confrontation against a powerful monster with undodgable attacks.
"Oh, uh sure."
She runs home hoping that he answers his phone.
Perhaps he should have left a note for anyone in case they came looking for him but it was a relief not having to deal with the responsiblity for a while.
King Asgore had taken a walk across Hotland and headed for Waterfall. It was while he was trying to look for Undyne's house that he stumbled across piles of garbage scattered about.
There were a couple of monsters standing around pile of trash and a pair of yellow scaly feet sticking out of a garbage can. One of the monsters was green with a long nose wearing a long yellow wig while the other one was purple with yellow eyes, with pierced triangular eyes, wearing blue overalls and had black hair with flecks of blue and purple.
"Hello?"
"So what's someone like you doing down in a dump like this?" the purple monster asked.
Asgore chuckled before giving a sheepish grin.
"I'm a little lost."
"What are you looking for?" the green monster asked.
"Is there someone there?" a raspy voice echoed from the trash can.
"I'm visiting a friend. I heard that they live right next to Blook Acres."
Yellow hands grab the garbage can. Whoever they are, it's clear they are struggling to get out their head and body out from the garbage can.
"Can someone help me out of here?"
The purple monster flicked her paw out.
"I'm so sorry. She's usually not this troublesome. Bratty, can you help me get her out of there?"
Both her and the green monster headed for the trashcan. The purple one held onto the garbage can while Bratty pulled the creature out.
Bratty winced landing on her butt. She was still holding onto the creature.
"Ouch that hurt," She winced.
Asgore saw that the yellow creature that was digging around the garbage can was yellow and scaly with horns running down the back of their head. The creature also wore a small pair of round glasses over her nose. They turned to glance in his direction and to his shock their face instantly turned a dark shade of red.
"Oh my."
"What's your problem, Alphys? You don't need to be so rude."
"Catty, t-that's the king."
The purple monster's eyes widened.
"What?" She inquired in shock. Bratty shared her surprise.
"What are you doing down here, your majesty?" Alphys asked. "Don't you have kingdom to run?"
"Well, I'm supposed to be training someone. I don't remember where her house was though."
"There's no houses down here though. You probably made a wrong turn somewhere. If you turn around head north you should found more houses. Who knows maybe you might find her there."
"Ok, thank you," he said before heading back.
Bratty and Catty shared a sly grin.
"Looks like someone has a crush on the king."
Alphys felt her face heat up.
"Do not."
Catty chuckled.
"You're totally blushing."
Alphys giggled nervously.
"Don't you think he's kind of sexy though?"
"I don't know he looked a little creepy."
"I think it's his beard."
Bratty chuckled.
"Yeah, that could get in the way."
Even with all that information the only thing Alphys could think about was his eyes.
"Did you see his eyes? They looked so dreamy. I could fall in them for hours."
"Don't you think that's kind of cheesy."
"I wonder if he has a wife."
Catty sighed.
"She's hopeless."
It's five minutes after he leaves the garbage dump that Asgore nearly runs into a ghost.
"Would you happen to know where the Batter residence is?" He asked.
"i think they live on the house to the left," the ghost said.
"Thank you."
Outside her house, Asgore could see it's colored partially red and blue. He knocks on her door.
When she opens the door, Asgore can see that her red hair is disheveled and is certain that there is a bald spot on the right side of her head.
The moment her eyes meet his though, her surprise immediately changes to anger.
"What are you doing down here? You know how many monsters are out there looking for you?"
Asgore chuckled.
"Well, I thought of leaving a note but I didn't think anyone would worry about me that much."
Undyne snarled.
"If you thought of leaving a note then you should have left a note."
He shrugged.
"Well everything works in the end. At least I could finally take a walk without worrying about someone recognising me."
Undyne sighed in exasperation.
It takes a day for Zack to finally leave the ruins. He cautiously transverses the snow outside. Eventually he arrives in a small town with cabins covered in snow.
He enters the first house that he stumbles upon.
Inside the house is what looks to be a bunny rabbit wearing a yellow hat with a white apron. On the counter is a wooden chest and in the back are a couple of books and empty vials as well as a scroll hung on the back wall.
The creature glares at him.
"You're a human aren't you? I'm sorry but you're not welcome here," it says softly in a female voice.
Zack feels torn. Guilt accompanies loneliness. He feels no one will accept him after he's killed someone.
What do they call people like him? Murderers?
Something in his face seems to appeal to the bunny like creature. He recognises the frown and furrowed brows as pity.
Zack thinks he's lucky he's recieved any response at all.
He sits down on one of the chairs by the table. She kneels to the boy's level.
"How old are you?"
"6," He said.
She sighed.
"Just a kid, huh?"
He nodded.
"What's a kid like you doing in Snowdin?"
His heart beat erratically. He took a couple of deep breaths.
Periwinkle's eyes widened.
"Are you alright?"
Zack sobbed.
"You're hyperventilating. Breathe slowly in and out."
Zack slowly breathed in and out shakily. He hiccoughed.
She rubbed small circles on his back.
"You're fine."
Once Zack had looked a little better, Periwinkle brought a chair up close to him and sat down.
"It's wasn't intentional. I fell down here from the surface," He said. "I was scared so I ran away from home."
"What were you so scared of?"
Zack was silent.
"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."
"You won't kick me out will you?" He asked.
Periwinkle is silent for a moment.
"I'll do anything if you let me stay here. I have nowhere else I can go."
"Alright. You think you can help me close shop?"
Zack nodded.
After they had finished putting everything away Periwinkle heard the boy yawn.
'He must be tired.'
"Are you ready for bed?"
"Mmmmhm." He muttered groggily.
"Come along now."
She held out her paw and the boy reached out to grab it.
Periwinkle lead him to a cabin next door. Inside there was a monster behind a counter that looked like a pink bunny rabbit.
"Hey Violet."
"Oh, who's that you've got with you?"
"It's a human."
Violet gasped.
"What? You can't be serious, Peri."
"I'm completely serious. He has nowhere to go. Don't worry he wouldn't even harm a fly."
Violet sighed.
"Well come along, dear."
Zack followed Violet upstairs. There were five rooms. They walked until they reach the last room.
"This room is not usually reserved to any guests so make yourself at home," She said.
As the days flew by Zack decided to spend his time befriending the locals. There was a small monster comprised of a green flame from next door. Her father apparently owned a pub in Snowdin.
She'd often play with some of the smaller monsters who were literally rocks.
Zack often saw her playing humans and monsters, a game a lot like cops and robbers in the human world.
A purple monster with a grotesque face wearing a black shirt was standing aside from the rocks which had been split between the human team and the monster team.
"Oh great," one of the rocks says. "Don't tell me she's on our team. We're going to lose."
"Well, we already have enough team members," the monster of the green flame said.
"Come on," the purple monster said. "I'm always a human."
Filled with curiosity and excitement, Zack walked up to them.
"Can I play too?" He asked one of the stones.
"Why don't you ask Barby?"
"Who's the new kid?" The green flame asked.
Zack smiled.
"It's Zack. What's your name?"
"Barby. You look a little strange. You're not from around here are you?" She asked.
Zack frowned.
"I'm not strange," He said.
"Come on, Barby. Let him join we could use more players."
Barby huffed.
"Oh alright. You could join the human team."
The purple monster had tears running down their cheeks and it's mouth turned into a wide smile.
"Does that mean I'm on the monster team?"
Barby sighed.
"Yeah, I guess."
She sneered at the boy.
"Good luck."
Barby and the rest of the monsters ran and hid.
"Don't forget to close your eyes and count to 30," She said.
Zack closed his eyes along with the other monsters.
Once they had counted to thirty, Zack ran quickly looking around the houses for one of the monsters.
Suddenly he spotted a flicker from behind one of the trees.
He carefully walks to the tree. As he creeps closer he sees that she is on the look out for the rocks who were chasing the other rocks for the monster team.
Zack reached out and grabbed her hand.
"I caught you."
The other rocks looked at Zack with shock.
"Wow, you caught Barby."
"Good job, Zack."
"Good job."
"Wait a second," Barby retorted. "I wasn't captured."
"I caught you fair and square," Zack said.
Suddenly Zack felt his hand burning while it was in his grasp and he yelped in pain.
"Ow, that hurt. How can you be so mean?" He snapped, tears gathering at the corners of his eyes.
Zack felt like he was going to cry. He wanted to come home and he really hated this place.
"Barby!" A taller monster with orange and red flames came bursting out of the pub nearby.
"Dad?"
"Are you picking on another monster again?"
"No, I-"
"The kid looks awfully upset with you."
Barby fumed and turned to Zack.
"Sorry."
She huffed.
"Are you coming in for dinner? Your mom has been cooking some franks on the grill."
Her eyes lit up.
"Coming dad," She said before turning to the other monsters. "I guess that's my cue to leave. I wouldn't want to miss out on the Barbecue."
Most of the monsters had gone home after this because of this there was nothing to do besides look at the scenery. Unfortunately it quickly grew boring and Zack headed back to Periwinkle's shop.
On top of the counter was a pan with what looked to be four cinnamon rolls.
"You look bored, honey. Why don't you play with the other kids?"
"They left," Zack said shortly. "It's because Barby had to attend a barbecue."
"You look upset. Are you alright? Have a cinnabun."
Zack took a cinnabun off the pan and nibbled into it.
"It's lonely down here, isn't it?" He asked. "I've never felt more lonely than I do now. Does it always feel this way?"
Periwinkle's lips were curled in something between a frown and a grin. Something about this expression seemed sad.
"Yes, we try to cope though."
"Are all the monsters usually so mean?"
"Most children can be quite nasty," She said. "Not many monsters know much about being nice."
Zack looked down, his eyes hallow and empty.
"I see. I guess this is revenge huh? Is this fate's way of making me pay for what I did?"
"I can't picture you doing anything bad. It's not like you killed any monsters down here," Periwinkle said. "You're a dilligent worker too. All the customers seem to like you."
"Y'know I killed my father. It was an accident though," He said.
"What happened?" Periwinkle asked.
Zack told her the entire story.
Something about the story however didn't seem right. One question remained unanswered.
"How do you know you killed them?"
"I heard the gun. I seen my father dead."
"You didn't see the bullet pierce his chest though."
"I was scared. I couldn't see it anyway it was too dark."
Periwinkle smiled.
"You didn't kill him, hun. There's no way you could have," She said. "You were pulling out the gun at the time."
Zack's eyes widened.
"Why should you be punished when you haven't sinned? It is I who is the sinner. Y'know I killed a kid once."
"Why?" Zack asked.
"Revenge. They killed my friends. I thought they deserved to die for what they did but they were probably just lost like you were."
Periwinkle sobbed as she embraced the young boy.
"I don't think I could bear it if you leave. What if a monster tries to kill you too? The cycle just continues."
Zack returns her embrace leaning on her shoulder.
"It's alright. You don't need to worry about me."
She had sacrificed so much for his sake already taking him in as she has. It would take a blind man to be oblivious to the hatred shown from the other monsters.
On a usual day, Toriel wouldn't have gone to the entrance of ruins. There was nothing entertaining about it. Often times it only succeeded in bringing up awful memories.
In a distant memory however she could remember doing just that. The subconscious feeling that something marvelous would happen coaxed her to explore that part of the ruins so she walked.
On the way she gathered some green leaves, red berries, black berries and blue berries. She wanted to try and paint something when she came back home and hoped whoever she met loved painting.
It was as she was walking that she ran into someone.
"Ouch, oops I'm sorry are you alright?" She asked, wincing as she rubbed her head.
"It's been a while, Tori."
Toriel's eyes widened.
"Sans? What are you wearing?" She asked. Instead of the white lab coat he used to wear, Sans was wearing a blue hooded jacket, a white turtleneck, black shorts and a pair of white slippers.
"I'm sorry I couldn't afford to change my clothing. I was a little lazy," He said.
How did you get here?" she asked. "I'm certain I would have seen you if you were heading in this direction."
"It's a long story," He said before he fished a vial from within his jacket and handed it to Toriel.
"Can you drink this?"
"What is it?" She asked taking the vial from the skeleton's hand.
"It's something I want to give you. It may be a while before we ever see each other again and I wanted to thank you for everything."
"It's not like you to be so sentimental."
"This is the last thing I can ever give to you. You can thank me later because you'll have plenty of time to do so."
"Why not now?"
"You'll understand one day."
He headed in the direction he was coming from.
"Sans, wait."
Sans stopped.
"Where are you going?" She asked.
"Away," he replied. "Don't worry though I'll be back."
She ran towards him but the moment she had headed to the next room he was gone.
'Where did he go?' She wondered.
The moment she had reached the entrance to the ruins she saw a young girl had fallen in the ruins. She was wearing a white blouse, a pink tutu and pink ballet shoes.