Here's chapter thirteen, enjoy!
P.S I apologize for any mistakes I make in advance.
Lucy panted as she ran after Happy. This was probably the tenth hallway she had been in and she was nearly out of breath. The layout of the guild didn't help her much either. The whole place was like a maze! She probably wouldn't be able to get back to where she was before without some help. How Happy remembered how to get back to the place he was at before was a mystery to her.
Luckily, she wasn't the only one with some problems running. Doctor Alphys (N-no, no, just call me Alphys please!") was doing worse than her. A quick glance over her shoulder showed that the lizard seemed to be on the verge of passing out. Erza noticed this and stopped briefly to sling the lizard over her shoulder. Then, she continued to run with Alphys slung over her back. For some reason, Alphys had suddenly blushed a bright red. Then her expression turned into one of sadness.
Lucy shook her head. It wasn't her place to question such a strange reaction. Though her past was too painful, she knew her friends had experiences with that. Alphys could talk when she was ready to.
Finally, the group skidded to a stop in front of a metal gray door. It looked like one of those vault doors you would find at the bank.
Lucy bent over to catch her breath. "So- huff- Happy, is this the-huff- place you-huff- were-huff- talking about?"
"Yeah! I tried to get in to help but I couldn't open the door."
Natsu raised an eyebrow inquisitively. "How'd you know someone needed help? There's not like a sign right here that says 'help nee-"
Suddenly, a piercing scream rang through the air. Everyone could tell it came from behind the door.
Natsu stared at the door. "Fair enough," he said, while cracking his knuckles, "now let's get this door open."
Then, Natsu walked over to the door and drew back his fist. Suddenly, flames lit up his fist as he drove it into the metal door.
Clang!
Everyone's eyes widened in surprise; the door didn't even budge. Though there was a small, smoking scorch mark on the door itself, the actual damage to the door was less than none.
"Was that supposed to do something pyro?"
"Shut up you perv," Natsu snapped to Gray, "If someone needs us, then we better hurry up."
Natsu backed up as far back as he could go. Flames started lighting up his body and the hum of magic could be felt in the air.
Everyone unanimously took a large step away from Natsu.
"FIRE DRAGON'S SWORD HORN!"
As Natsu's attack hit the door, everyone stared with anticipation. This attack surely would succeed in breaking the door.
Eventually, as the smoke cleared out, everyone gasped in shock at the sight that greeted them.
Natsu was breathing hard, sweat pouring down his face. His body was still smoking from the attack. However, the iron door was still standing.
"What the hell?!" he cried out angrily, "How is this door still standing?!"
Erza walked over and took a closer look at the door. Then, as she examined the bottom, she noticed something.
Erza waved Lucy over and asked, "Lucy, could you decipher these ruins for us?"
Lucy gave a nod as she took Erza's place at the bottom of the door. She read the ruins closely and muttered a few words to herself. Eventually, she stood up and addressed the group.
"Okay, these ruins were a bit tricky to decipher, but they say that any magic used on the door will be sucked away. That means this door won't be opened using our magic. Also, anyone who doesn't have permission to go in here won't be able to go in. That means plain old brute force won't work either."
"How about the surrounding area?" asked Gray, "Will the ruins affect that too?"
Lucy gave the ruins a closer look and responded, "Any magic past this whole wall will be sucked away."
Gray let out a sigh and crossed his arms. "Do you think you can rewrite the ruins to let us in Lucy?"
She frowned and thought about it for a moment before saying, "I could, but it would probably take too long. From what I can tell, these ruins are pretty advanced. Sorry guys."
"It's fine Lucy." Ezra said reassuringly, "But we need to think of a way to get in fast. Someone needs our help."
"Yeah," growled Natsu angrily, "these Midnight Baram folks must be some sick bastards if they think they can get away with this! Man, I can't wait to-"
"Hey Lucy, do you know what this is?"
Lucy's head whirled around to see what Happy was pointing at. Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion at what she saw. It was a small metal box next the door, with a panel on the side. In the middle of the box was a deep gouge running down the length of the box. Lucy wracked her brain for ideas on what it could be. She came up blank.
"I'm…I'm not sure what that is." she admitted, "Guys, do you know what this is?"
The rest of the group came in for a closer look. Then, suddenly, Alphys let out a small noise.
"What is it Alphys? Do you know what it is?" questioned Erza.
"W-well, it's a keycard scanner of course!" she exclaimed loudly, "What else what it be?"
Five blank stares were given to her.
"Do you not know what a keycard scanner is?"
Alphys was met with silence.
"….Have you even seen one before?"
Somewhere from the cracks of the floorboards, a cricket started to quietly chirp.
Alphys scratched her head. "Wow…that's interesting. I mean, you guys are wizards so I guess you would only use magic instead… n-not t-that it's a bad thing it's just….I guess I expected you guys to have more advanced technology than us?" stated Alphys, her voice rising an octave at the end. And then, she frowned and mumbled to herself, "But then again, they use torches to light up places and carriages to take them from place to place…"
Alphys then shook her head to clear away her thoughts. "Anyways, enough about….your…your lack of technology knowledge. If you guys can't use magic, then I'll just hack into the scanner and open up the door!"
Natsu raised an eyebrow. "You can do that?"
"O-of course I can!" said Alphys, a bit flustered, "I am- or was I guess- the royal scientist!"
Alphys then slid over to the keycard scanner and started opening a panel on the side of it. She pulled out a few wires and muttered some instructions to herself.
"Is this keycard scanner actually a thing?" Lucy whispered flatly.
Natsu gave a shrug in return.
Suddenly, the door flew open and the wizards rushed in. However, they didn't see anyone in pain. Instead, they saw a laboratory. However, instead of the white colored one that Sans had, it was gray and illuminated with florescent lights. As the wizards scanned the room, they could see no other exits or entrances that might lead to a torture chamber of some sorts. The laboratory was filled with the standard equipment a lab should have. But, there was one thing that stood out...
Erza walked over to a nearby metal table and frowned. On it, in clear containers, was piles and piles of dust. She curiously reached over to touch it, but was interrupted with a shout.
"DON'T TOUCH THAT!"
Everyone whirled around in shock. No one had expected Alphys's outburst. Alphys's eyes were wide and her hand was outstretched towards Erza. On her face was a panicked expression.
Erza knew if Alphys was acting like this, then there was a good reason not to touch the dust. She slowly retracted her outstretched hand and walked up to the trembling Alphys.
However, Natsu had no such qualms. With a frown, he exclaimed, "Ugh, this room is so dusty and it smells terrible!" With a glance, he took a look around the room and saw many more dust containers. "Why is there so much dust here anyways?" he asked bluntly, oblivious to Alphys's panic.
Lucy smacked Natsu in the head for the second time today. "You idiot!" she hissed in his ear. "Don't you see what's going on? You can't be that dense can you?"
After hearing Lucy's words, Natsu slowly shifted his gaze towards the hyperventilating lizard. Erza was by her side trying to comfort her, as well as Happy, though he didn't seem to be doing too well. Gray stood off to the side with his arms crossed. His gaze met Natsu's and the look clearly said "idiot" in big, flashing, red letters.
"Oh…" said Natsu nervously, scratching the back of his head a bit sheepishly. "I knew that."
The pair joined with the rest of the group. Lucy crouched down to the lizard's height and asked softly, "Are you okay?"
Alphys didn't respond. Her eyes seemed distant, and unfocused.
Erza tried a different approach. "Alphys, can you tell us what that dust means?"
Alphys snapped out of her dazed state and looked at Erza with a bewildered expression. "You don't know?"
The Fairy Tail wizards exchanged glances with one another. In the end, Natsu gave a shrug and said, "Nope, no clue!"
He also received a smacking from Lucy. ("Stop being so insensitive Natsu!" "Yee-OW! Okay, I'm sorry Lucy!")
The scientist looked down and mumbled, "I thought that….w-with everything that ha- no. I u-understand why he w-wouldn't tell them…b-but…."
Alphys glanced back up at the wizards and said nervously, "D-did Sans ever t-tell you about what h-happened back in the u-underground?"
Gray frowned. "Back in the underground? That's where you guys were trapped right?"
Alphys gave a nod in response to Gray's question. "Yeah…" she said while nervously lacing her claws together. "But none of you know what happened?"
"Should we know what happened?" questioned Erza curiously.
Alphys gave one more look around the room and said quietly, "I-I think I know where the screams came from…"
The group's eyes widened in surprise; they weren't expecting that to come from Alphys.
Natsu crouched down into a fighting stance, fists lighting up in flames. "Really? Where? Tell me so I can take these bastards down!"
She shook her head. "No, it's too late…ohhh," she moaned softly. "Why is there so much dust here? Th-this shouldn't be possible!"
Lucy tilted her head to the side in confusion. "Alphys, what are you talking about?"
"Yeah...what do you mean by 'too late'?"
Alphys said nothing and buried her paling face further in her hands. A few tears leaked out of her eyes and dropped on to the ground.
The wizards stared at the scientist, not knowing what to do. They had no idea what caused her breakdown, and didn't want to risk it getting worse by trying to comfort her.
"AHH!"
Everyone whipped their heads towards the source of the sound. Even Alphys paused her crying to take a look.
Happy had wandered off, away from the group, to the back of the lab. Originally, there had been sheets draped over something large and rectangular. However, it seemed like Happy's curiosity had gotten the better of him. When the sheets came off, there was a cage underneath it. However, inside the cage…
Lucy let out a gasp. "What is that?"
In an instant, Happy was cowering behind her. "Don't let it eat me Lucy!"
Recovering from her surprise, Erza slowly and cautiously walked up to the creature inside the cage for closer insepection. The creature looked gooey and half-melted, but it was still wearing a smile…or that's what she thought its expression was anyways.
Erza frowned. This obviously wasn't natural. Was this the source of the screams they hear earlier?
Suddenly, in an instant, Alphys was by Erza's side, wearing an expression of surprise and…was that guilt? Erza frowned, why would Alphys be feeling guilty?
Alphys stuttered out, "V-Vulkin?! I-is that y-you?!"
An unintelligible sound came from the creature. However, Alphys seemed to have no problem deciphering its noise.
"Oh…oh no….this can't be happening!" she exclaimed. She buried her face in her hands again. "No….no….this is all my fault!"
Erza grabbed Alphys's shoulder and turned her around. She kneeled down to be at her level and fixed a steely gaze at her.
"Alphys, whatever is happening now is not your fault. I don't know why you think that, but it's obvious that you're a good person."
"But. I-I…" Alphys started to sniffle.
"Don't interrupt me!" growled Erza, shooting one of her tamer glares at Alphys. Alphys immediately stiffened.
"As I was saying, all of us can tell you're a good person. But, we need you to explain what's going on over here. You say it's your fault? Then help us fix this situation and rescue the prisoners."
Alphys sniffed and wiped away a few tears with the back of her hands. An unidentifiable expression flashed across her face. Then, she straightened up and a determined glint appeared in her eyes.
"O-okay," she said with a bit of a tremble in her voice. "I guess I should start from the beginning then."
Alphys took in a shaky breath before asking the whole group, "What do you know about Determination?"
Author's Note:
Discliamer: I don't own Fairy Tail or Undertale
Hey guys! Sorry for the later than usual update, I've been extremely busy this past month, and I haven't had that much time for writing. Combine that with major writers block and well...you know what happens. Oh yeah, that being said, I have an announcement to make.
Due to finals and other sorts of testing coming up, I will be taking a temporary hiatus until the summer comes. School comes before fanfiction, and I need the extra time to prepare. I predict that I'll be back in either June or July, depending on my schedule.
However, I might post a few sneak peaks of the next chapter I'm working on (which, I promise, will be a long one) during the months I'm inactive if I'm feeling up to it. So, be on the lookout for that.
Anyways, till next time!