Chapter 32: The Sixth Ranger

Once he was initiated, Frisk walked over to where Sam was standing.

"So what's your name?" he asked.

Sam looked up and saw that the boy in question was glancing at him with green eyes.

"Me?" he asked. "I'm Sam."

"You aren't going to ask me for my name?" Frisk asked.

"We already know who you are? Your name is Frisk right?"

"Yeah, guess word gets around."

"Are you really called 'Hot Head'?"

Frisk sighed with exasperation.

"Don't really like to be called that."

Sam frowned.

"Oh sorry."

"It's alright."

"But the stories are true right?"

"Yeah, I white out most of the time so I don't entirely remember what happens but I did send some people to the hospital. Don't worry though. I notice it only seems to happen when I'm angry."

"Did the boss give you any work yet?" Sam asked.

"No, not yet."

"That's good."

Frisk glanced at Sam with narrowed eyes.

He grinned slyly.

"So what's your story?"

Sam snorted.

"Don't be so nosy."

"Big words coming from the person asking about me."

"I was making small talk."

"I see. I'm sorry. I'm just not used to it. I don't have a lot of friends."

"You don't say."

"Of course a part of it might be because I have a bit of an anger problem."

'Is it because you get angry over the tiniest things, or do you have a knack for picking fights? Maybe this wasn't the best idea.'

"Don't worry though," Frisk cut in. "We'll get along just fine so long as you don't piss me off."

Sam snorted and then he laughed patting Frisk on the shoulder. Something fell out of his pocket and clattered to the ground.

"You're funny. I like you."

He knelt down to pick up the object. It was a gold heart locket.

"You dropped this," Sam said handing it to him.

Frisk yanked it away.

"I'm being serious."

He looked at the locket.

"Looks like it's broke."

"Sorry, I got tape at my place. I'll repair it for you. Think of it as my treat to you," Sam said.

The two headed out. As Sam made his way back to his place suddenly there was a knife at his back.

Frisk made a move to turn.

"Move a muscle and he dies."

"Who are you?" Frisk asked. He was frowning.

"Ron?" Sam asked. "What are you doing?"

"You can't fool me. Trying to lure me into a false sense of security. Bobby said you were secretly plotting to kill me."

"What?! What are you talking about?"

"The way I see it, only one of us will be able to escape this and I intend to win. I don't intend to die."

Sam sighed.

Suddenly the knife was dropped out of his hand.

Sam grabbed Frisk's arm.

"Let's get out of here."

Frisk didn't budge as Ron had him in a chokehold.

He gasped for air as his arms tried to pry the other guy's arms off of him.

"Let him go," Sam said.

"I can't afford to die. I'll do anything even if I have to use this guy as a shield."

Sam lunged for him trying to pry his arms away from Frisk's neck. The two got in a scuffle. Ron released Frisk who was pushed to the ground.

Sam managed to push him to the ground trying to retrieve the knife as Ron tried to stab him.

Ron gasped. His arms turned slack. Ron coughed. Blood seeping from his lips.

He clutched the area where the knife had stabbed him in the chest.

"Damn it. Ron! Hang in there."

Frisk got up and approached them.

"Frisk, he's bleeding out. What do we do?" Sam asked.

"I don't know."

"Sam, please take care of my little brother for me."

"Don't say things like that, Ron. You're gonna make it," Sam said.

"The bleeding won't stop. There's nothing you can-"

He choked and then everything was deadly silent. Ron didn't blink.

"He's dead," Sam said.

"Still something strikes me odd. The boss didn't tell you to kill him at all, right?" Frisk asked. "He said Bobby told him you were intending to kill him."

Sam frowned and his eyebrows contorted with anger.

"Yeah, they have plenty of reason to want me dead. Bobby and Jeremy."

'Jeremy's the one who killed Paul. I just know it.'

"Oh yeah, what's the deal with that green light around your hands. When you waved your hand, he dropped the knife like it was on fire."

"Well yeah, magic tends to do that when you create fire. I would have used it for a boost in speed but then you wouldn't be able to keep up."

"Can you teach me?"

"I don't know. Not everyone can learn it."

Frisk shrugged.

"Well how do you know I can't unless you try."

"Alright."

"Say, I kinda need a place to stay. Can I stay here?"

"Why?" Sam asked. "You have some place to go don't you?"

"Nah, I'd prefer to here. It's closer to work."

"You're a weirdo."

"What do you want to do about him?"

"I guess we move him away from here and hope that someone else calls the police."

The next morning, Sam shook Frisk awake.

He groaned.

"What time is it? It feels so early."

"Well you wanted to learn some magic didn't you?"

Several months had passed. On one particular day, a job had been given to Timothy.

A couple days passed but he had never returned from his business.

Later Walter had stopped by to talk with Sam and Frisk.

"Where's Tim?" Sam asked.

"Well, let's just say he's not working with us any more. That little sneak tried to rat us out. Jeremy told me everything."

'I knew it. Damn it. We're like sitting ducks.'

"I need you two to finish what Tim had started."

Walter told them everything and then the two set off.

"What's the matter?" Frisk asked once they had left.

"I'm tired of doing this. It's only a matter of time before we're killed too."

"So why don't you just quit?" He asked.

"Shh," he said. "Not so loud. You know what they do to quitters. They kill em'."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"It's just you kind of remind me of my sister. We always looked out for each other even if I was always a lil' different," he said.

"You mean with that whole magic shtick?"

"Exactly."

"Look if anything happens to me, stay alive alright? Jeremy and Bobby have always had a vendetta against me. They won't rest until I'm dead too."

"Don't talk like that," Frisk said coolly. "You're not gonna die. I won't let you."

"Oh, you're a god now?"

"I could be if I wanted to."

"Look unless you have the power to control death, if I am killed then it's a safe bet I'm dead."

Frisk snorted.

More months passed. On one particular day, a couple of guys had dropped by. One was tall the other one was short. The tall guy had a blue cap, the shorter guy had short brown hair.

"Hey!" the guy with the blue cap said waving to them.

"Who are you?" Sam asked.

"New recruits," the shorter guy said. "I'm Greg. This is Daniel."

Greg pointed to the guy with the blue cap.

"So what's your names anyway?" Daniel asked.

"I'm Sam and this is Frisk," He said pointing to the guy in question.

"Oh the boss said he wanted Frisk to show us the ropes," Greg said. "I think he also wanted Sam to meet with him."

Sam frowned before he left.

"So what do we do?"

"Beat people up and try to avoid the coppers."

"How boring," Daniel said. "What do you usually do when there's nothing to do?"

"Well I usually take Zara to the park after school," Frisk said.

"Who's Zara?"

"He's Ron's little brother. Oh that's right you don't know about Ron do you? He used to work here but he's dead now," He said.

Once Sam had gone to see Walter, he stepped in the room and suddenly was punched in the gut. He folded over.

"Heard you told the coppers about our little operation," Walter said.

"What?! I didn't say anything."

"Oh? You know what we do to liars don'tcha?"

Sam frowned.

Suddenly he was grabbed by his arms.

He summoned fire magic which radiated through his arms. Jeremy and Bobby who had grabbed him, released him out of reflex.

Sam turned and opened the door.

"Tryin' to run? You know you won't get far."

Jeremy took out a knife and ran it down his arm.

Sam winced but ran out of the door.

"Ah did it hurt?" he taunted.

Sam spat at him and kicked him before he ran off.

"After him!" Walter yelled.

Sam ran towards Mount Ebott picking up a frying pan on the way. With magic at his hands it was surprisingly easy to evade them but he wanted a weapon just in case.

He yelped as he fell down into a cave and everything went black.

"Dear are you alright?"

Sam came to and shrank back when he saw a large creature hovering over him.

"You...stay away. I have a frying pan and I'm not afraid to use it," he said holding the pan in front of him.

"Relax you're safe now. Look can I see your arm? It's bleeding really badly."

"Who are you?" he asked.

"My name is Toriel. I always come here to see if anyone has fallen down."

"You mean they're others?"

Toriel nodded.

"I couldn't save them. Please dear, let me heal your arm."

Sam showed them his arm.

A burst of white magic surrounded her hand and she brought it closer to his wound. It quickly healed in front of his eyes.

"How did you do that?"

"You mean my magic?"

"No you healed me with it. I never knew you could do that. I tried but..."

"You mean you can use magic?" she asked.

"Yeah, but I only use it for minor magical attacks and to enhance my agility, attack and defenses."

"Well healing isn't exactly easy to master. It requires incredible power and control or it can do more harm than good. Come with me."

Sam followed her through the ruins.

Eventually passing through several puzzles, Sam had run into what looked like a trio of large frogs blocking his path.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" the middle frog spoke. "You must be new around here. Here's something you should know. Monsters aren't allowed in our territory."

Sam attempted to take a step forward.

"Take another step kid and it won't end well for you."

"Yeah," the two other frogs loudly agreed.

"Why? Are you the ones in charge of this place?" Sam asked.

"Did this guy just talk back to me?" the middle frog asked.

"No."

"I think someone's asking for a deal of pain."

Suddenly white pellets appeared above the frogs and they flew towards him.

Sam sidestepped most of them and covered his chest with his arms. The pellets however were absorbed by his arms which bled from the impact.

He turned and the pellets that missed him were returning in his direction.

'Crap!'

"Ahem."

Suddenly the pellets disappeared. Sam looked up and saw the frogs had turned towards Toriel. She was scowling at them with her arms folded.

"Ah geez it's Toriel," the other frogs said.

"Toriel?" Toriel snapped. "That is queen to you."

"Run," said the middle frog.

With that the frogs scattered.

"What was that all about?" Sam asked.

Toriel's eyes however were on his arms.

"You are hurt," she said softly.

"I'm not in pain or anything."

"Still it is my fault for leaving you by yourself. If I was there they would not have hurt you."

"It's fine."

"No, it is not. We are going to Home at once. Their mother will give them a firm talking to."

With that they walked until they reached a large city with purple buildings.

After walking for some time, Toriel reached one of the buildings and knocked on the door.

"Who is it?" A soft voice asked from the other side.

"It is Toriel."

The door opened and a pink frog monster was on the other side.

"Is there something I can help you with your majesty?"

"There's really no need for you to call me that. I'm not your queen anymore."

"Nonsense, you'll always be the queen. I mean it's not like you love anyone else right?"

"N-no but-"

"Well enough small talk, is there a reason you stopped by?" The frog asked.

"Your sons tried to pick a fight with someone."

"AGAIN?! Those four are so busted when they get home."

"Four? There was only three that I seen."

The frog looked surprised.

"I have four sons: there's Lumpsy, Leapy, Sushi and Shorty. Shorty of course is the smallest of the bunch. He's so small no one can see him so I can understand if you thought I only had three sons."

"Well thank you for everything," Toriel said.

"It's Polly," the frog said. "And thank you your majesty."

As they headed back most of the monsters shied away from them much to Sam's surprise.

"Why were the other monsters avoiding me earlier?" Sam asked when they arrived at Toriel's home.

"I guess they are scared of you. It has been a while since I have seen a human with a high LV yet you are kind. That is the only way you would have allowed that injury."

"You called me a monster though."

"It has been a while since monsters have seen a human so I thought it would be a good idea to keep it a secret."

Sam blushed.

"You are kind though. Most monsters have forgotten what it is like to be kind. Kindness could save this place."

He looked surprised when she gave him food. He stored it in a bag for later. Toriel told him that it provides a lot of energy if he ever gets injured.

It's days before he lays in bed one night thinking about what Toriel said.

'Kindness could save this place.'

If it was as bad as the surface he had to help them. It's what his sister always did. It's what got her killed. He snuck out the following night.