It had been a week since the spell was cast to remove the harsh blizzard. The king had already orchestrated the secret expedition into the snowy beyond. It was hard getting everyone into being silence about the other area, but he did it.
Even the two guards who found out kept quiet, even if it took Undyne some convincing.
Speaking of which, Undyne was passively observing Muffet on why she is unnerved of the next area. Undyne rather not get Muffet into a fit because of her own prying eye.
While wondering on Muffet's uncertainty, she narrowly dodged a misplace jab by said spider. "Nice one, a little to the left and you would have got me!" She complmented as she summoned two spears to pin Muffet to the ground. Muffet had a better reaction, but the lack of arms for balance made the dodge impossible.
Muffet sighed as she stared at the ceiling in slight contempt. "Like yesterday the results repeat." She grumbled as he pried the spears off of her. "Is that all for today?" Undyne nodded and just as Muffet was leaving, she initiated her own agenda.
Undyne tried over the past few days to spy on her friend, but failed miserably. So this time she tried a different approach, she would ambush Muffet at the spider's own house. Granted, Muffet never told her about the little cave in the side of Home, but that hasn't stopped her yet.
A whole two hours went by as Undyne hid behind some purple boulders near the cave. The silence was driving Undyne mad as she waited for the spider monster. She grinded her sharp teeth just by the thought of her waiting any longer for Muffet. She even had the thought of just forgetting the incident in the king's basement.
However, that same memory drove her into staying put. Not confronting a friend about their problems was as close to her hatred of humans. So she sat cross legged, her head peering out from behind the boulders.
Just then, Muffet arrives in her armor, a distraught look plastered on her face. Undyne had the intense urge to lift up her cover and chase Muffet. Instead, Undyne gripped the soft dirt below and waited.
Muffet goes into the small and dark cave, Undyne watches just shy from the entrance. With one whistle from the spider monsters a huge gathering of spiders emerge from the dark.
There was silence between Muffet and the spiders. After a minute the spider monster drops her posture and sighed. "Sorry I'm late." The spiders took that apology by colliding and covering her with themselves.
Muffet made a sound of surprise as Undyne summoned a spear to protect Muffet. However, just before she threw the magic spear Muffet was laughing. This stopped the protective and confused fish from skewering the spiders.
"Ha ha, stop it, ha ha!" The spiders then jumped off of an amused Muffet. "I know that I've been gone longer then i should have..." Muffet then turned around as Undyne jerked in panic. Undyne sighed in relief as Muffet's eyes were closed in deep thought. Muffet spun around facing the spiders, with a sad look on her face. "But, I got you guys something for tomorrow." She unlatched the chest portion of the armor as dozens of doughnuts fly out. "I spent a lot for you guys, so dig in!" The spiders then took the pastries into the depths of the cave, then came back.
Undyne was entirely confused about what's happening with Muffet. Just as Muffet was about to leave the cave the spiders grab her leg. Muffet tried to shake them off, nothing happened as they combine their strength to hold her. She sighed with a seemingly deep well of regret. "I know about the cold, but I'll be fine." Just then a huge spider came out of the darkness, Undyne almost lost her cover because of how silly that spider was. It was bigger the Muffet, Undyne, and maybe even the king himself. The intimidation is lost when it looks like a strawberry cupcake, it even has a wrapper for the body.
The giant spider then bit Muffet hair like a lion cub and whined. "Come on! I won't die I swear! When the expedition is over I'll come back, I always do!" The giant spider then muttered something unintelligible. "Hey! That was an accident and it was my choice!" The giant huffed and put Muffet down before it scurried back.
Undyne had heared enough of the espionage. There was definitely something on Muffet's mind and Undyne has to know. Of course she rather do it tomorrow as stalking Muffet is more then enough to get an earful from Gerson.
Tomorrow dawned and was time for the winter exhibition to begin.
Even though the blizzard is gone, the deep cold of the area remained. Undyne, who was in the far back of the expedition with Muffet. With one eye, Undyne saw Muffet's clutched hands and semi-controlled breathing. Undyne tapped the spider with the blunt end of her spear, causing said spider to jump. "Geez, you are more nervous and jumpy then doggo." Undyne muttered, to which, Muffet resumed composure. "If anything is wrong you can tell me." Muffet stay silent, eyes on the area beyound. "Come on, we are friends! Friends help each other!" Undyne muffled her own mouth to control her volume.
Just ahead the turtle captain looked back at Undyne. She waved her hand slightly and with a huff, Gerson returned to position. Undyne sighed as she put on her helmet. Before Undyne could ask about the cave, a loud trumpet started to invade their ears.
Gerson lifted his massive warhammer and everyone saluted the turtle. "Alright soldiers, our king ordered us to explore the area outside! We must succeed in finding more space for the hope of monsterkind!" The soldiers looked on unsure of the cold outside. "If we fail, we would disgrace our king, our people, and the hope that the lands beyound would have brought!" The resolve of soldiers were tightened by the fear of failure. "Now if you are the royal guard that I've trained you to be, shout aye!"
"Aye!" The dozens of soldiers yelled out to the captain for their awnser.
Gerson nodded, proud of his soldiers. "If nay, lay down your weapon." None did so causing the turtle to smile like a madman. "Alrighty then, onward for the kingdom!" The soldiers marched down through the exit and into the snowy forest.
As soon as Muffet and Undyne exited Home, Muffet shivered.
The expedition was going well then most expected. One would expect an animal or two would inhabit the area, but that was not the case. It was more then silent, it was desolated of life. As this was apparently the case, most of the guards stow away their weapons.
After the psych up from Gerson, the guards found the area surprisingly peaceful. Except Muffet who was shivering more then a monster should.
The expedition decicded to take a break at a river and resupply water. It was still quiet and at last, after a few hours of no signs of life beside trees, Gerson sat down.
It was short lived as the bone doctor himself entered his field of vision. "Ahgh!?" The turtle filpped over in panic before picking himself back up. "You're lucky I drop my hammer or you would be bone marrow and dust right now!" The turtle proclaimed by swinging his giant warhammer like a paper airplane.
The doctor nodded before he took an eye around the group. "Seems to be going well." The doctor noted as looked at Gerson again. "More so then is should be.." The doctor face turned grim, but before Gerson could ask him, his look returned. "Oh well, could be luck! After all if there were life in here, it would have made itself known." Aster pointed at Gerson with insane glee. "Just a little further and if I'm right from my earlier assessment..." Aster took a scoop of the river's water and took a sip. "Freash water, I am right."
Gerson was confused by the doctor's antics. "What in Asgore's name are you doing?" The doctor looked at the turtle as if perplexed.
"Well, if I do tell you. You would never understand." The doctor then went behind a tree and disappeared.
Gerson mumbled as he picked up his warhammer. "Alright, breaks over lets get going." The expedition continued forward with their canteens filled.
however, Muffet felt ill and started to lag behind the guard. Undyne slowed down and made sure that the spider was okay.
Then after even more hours of walking, they made camp at a large opening in the forest.
Setting up camp was the most difficult part of the exhibition. First they had to dig out the deeper parts of the snow before even attempting to pitch a tent. That and a whole lot of troubles like fires because as soon as a monsters sets a stick on fire, it gets drenched by snow.
For Muffet it was the most difficult and hell raising. The iron armor she was wearing was making her colder and she could hardly concentrate with her hypothermia coming in.
While setting up camp, Undyne had to chop down some wood for a fire. In that time, Muffet wondered off into the woods in a dazed confusion. When Undyne got back to check on her friend whom for some reason wasn't feeling well.
"Hey, Muffet..." Undyne dropped two logs of wood and searched around the area. "Muffet, where are you!?" She felt a chill and turned around and saw Aster. Undyne narrowed her eye at the skeleton in annoyance. "What do you want?"
The doctor rolled the lights in his eyes. "Well, I was having a nice nap when, little one eyed Willy decided to wake me." The tone was entirely sarcastic and Undyne picked up on it.
Undyne spat in his direction. "Whatever, now leave me alone." Despite her words, Aster stuck around which infuriated her. "I said-"
"I don't care, but I notice that your companion is gone." Undyne snap her attention towards him. "Shame that she was here to begin with." Undyne grabbed him by the collar and lifted him up. "I suggest you put me down."
Instead of listening she growled at him. "You know something, spill it!" She shook at him, or rather his coat. "Wha-!?" She was suddenly pinned and trapped by blue bones.
"I warned you." He walked around the fish. "Small minded, lack of commen sense, and aggressive. Traits of a blood thirsty brute." Undyne thrashed around, but only damaged herself in the process.
She slowed down, her head inches from the snow. Her head dropped and she was breathing heavily as Aster picked his coat back up. "There is one way." Aster states as he leaned in front of her. She looked up at him, anger and fatigue on her face. "Say please." Undyne did a double take before getting even more angry. "If you want to know about your friend, say it."
She growled, then she looked at him straight in the eye. "Fine, please." Aster leaned with his ear as if it was a game. "Please..." He waited again which infuriated her. "I said please damn it!"
Aster stood up and with a snap of his fingers removed the bones from her. "What do you know about spiders, Willy?" She growled at him and shook her head. "Okay, first off they can only live in moderate or warm places." Undyne looked on taking on every word. "Muffet is way stronger then them, but she can only last so long before hypothermia kicks in." Undyne's eye snap open and she turned around before Aster stops her again. "Also, hypothermia causes delirium in some cases so Muffet may act differently."
Undyne growled and summoned a spear. "Why didn't you tell me, you asshole!"
As she waited for the awnser, Aster smiled with fake innocence. "You never asked." The ironic line push Undyne over the edge and she threw her spear. It only hit the tree behind him.
Undyne turned around and dashed throughout the forest. "Damn it! Hold on for a little longer Muffet!"
Little did she know that at the very edge of the snowy area, Muffet was collapsed in a pile of murky water.