Chapter 7
Sans led the way up the trail, carrying Frisk on his back as the terrain was rocky. He had switched his slippers for a pair of shoes to help with the journey, pausing a moment to turn and see how the others were doing.
Gaster was carrying Chara on his back and Papyrus was carrying Amelia. The kids at first had protested being carried, but when Ava explained it was very rocky terrain and the kids could get hurt, they had conceded.
He then glanced a little further and smiled at seeing the half-human and Grillby had paused on the trail and the fire elemental handed her a yellow buttercup. She smiled at him and moved closer, brushing her hand over her right ear. Smiling at her, Grillby placed the flower in her hair behind her right ear, pulling her into his arms gently and she wrapped her arms around him, the fire elemental leaning down to kiss her and she sank into his arms in bliss. Frisk giggled, trying to keep quiet. Sans glanced over his shoulder with a smile. "Yeah, it's amusing to watch them," he said.
"I like watching them," she admitted. "Because they act just like two people in love." She then sobered. "Our birth parents never acted like that, least not that I can recall."
The short skeleton gently squeezed her knee reassuringly, making her look at him. "Hey, don't let those bad memories get you down, okay?" He said gently.
She nodded, smiling again as Papyrus and Gaster caught up to them and turned to see what the two were looking at. Papyrus beamed and Chara giggled while Amelia smiled quietly and Gaster shook his head with a chuckle before gently clearing his throat.
"I'm afraid we haven't reached Love Summit yet," he said to them.
Ava and Grillby jumped in surprise and turned to the others, blushing a little. "Every summit is Love Summit for us," the half-human said.
"I'd build a house right here for us if I could," Grillby said.
The children giggled at the playful banter and the two younger skeletons chuckled. "Well, come on," Papyrus said brightly. "I can see the entrance to the Underground."
The group continued on their way, making it to the entrance where Greater Dog and Dogamy stood guard. Ava smiled and approached them. "Hello, Greater Dog! Hello, Dogamy!" She said happily.
The two at once barked happily and wagged their tails. "Ava!" They said, running up to her and hugging her, making her laugh heartily as they playfully nudged their noses into her neck, making her giggle.
"Guys," she giggled out before reaching up and giving them ear scratches, to which they settled down, panting happily as their tails wagged like crazy. "How have things been?"
"Quiet," said Greater Dog. "We watched you and Sans take care of the intruders, though is it true there are young human children in the forest?"
"Muffet came into the store grumbling about how River Person embarrassed her in front of three humans," said Dogamy.
Sans sighed. "Because she went to attack the kids that were under mine and Ava's protection," he said, making the two dogs look at him and they spied the three children. Amelia ducked her head behind Papyrus' head while Frisk looked at the two dogs curiously and Chara tightened her hold a little on Gaster, who gently squeezed her lower leg comfortingly.
Dogamy was first to approach and he went up to Sans. "May I see her?" He asked curiously.
Nodding, the skeleton let the dog monster lift Frisk off of his back. The child looked nervous and curled up a little, but Dogamy smiled at her, nuzzling her cheek to make her giggle. "Don't be afraid," he said. "Greater Dog and I won't bite you. We only bite intruders."
Greater Dog came over to Papyrus, seeing Amelia looked afraid. "Please come out, little one," he asked her gently.
Papyrus, who knew the Royal Guard dogs were gentle, turned his head to look over his shoulder at Amelia. "They may look fierce, but the Royal Guard dogs have soft spots for little ones," he said.
Chara, deciding to be brave, looked at Gaster and gestured downward. Nodding, he crouched down and let her slide off his back. Taking a deep breath, she approached Greater Dog, who smiled as she did so. "What does Royal Guard mean exactly?" She asked curiously.
"It means they guard not only the king and queen, but all the monsters," Ava explained. "Similar to a human police force."
"So they're like knights?" Amelia asked softly.
"Essentially, yes," Dogamy said with a smile before perking up. "Do you children like puppies?"
All three children perked up, making the monsters and half-human chuckle. "Well, my wife and I have six puppies that I know would love to have three new human friends to play with," he said. "Would you like to see them?"
The kids turned to their caretakers, who smiled. Ava looked at the skeletons. "What do you think, guys?" She asked, smiling.
"I think that's a great idea," said Gaster, still smiling.
"How is Dogressa doing, Dogamy?" Grillby asked politely.
"She's doing much better, thanks to bedrest and that wonderful soup you made to help with that medicine the doctor gave her," the dog said. "Thank you again."
"My pleasure," the fire elemental said.
Ava smiled at him, holding his hand and lacing their fingers together. He smiled back at her as Sans and Papyrus looked at each other and nodded. "We'd love to go see your kids," said the shorter skeleton.
"Come along, then," said Dogamy. "Doggo and Lesser Dog will be here shortly."
No sooner had he said that, the two arrived and Lesser Dog barked as he approached. Ava smiled and gave him an ear scratch, to which he yipped happily before seeing Chara and got down in a play bow, looking at her with a bright expression, making her giggle. "You're funny," she said.
Knowing she meant that he made her laugh, he gave a happy bark and sat down in front of her. Giggling still, she patted his head.
"Careful, Chara," Gaster said gently with a smile as Lesser Dog's tail wagged crazily.
Ava noticed and looked at Sans, who nodded and snapped his fingers, catching Chara in his magic and lifting her up just in time as Lesser Dog's head shot outward from his body right where the child had been standing moments before, his long neck extending as he howled happily.
"Whoa!" Frisk cried out, her mouth agape in surprise.
Amelia jumped, her mouth also agape in surprise. "What...? How did he do that?" She asked.
Chara was shocked. "Um...did I do that?" She asked.
Greater Dog chuckled. "When someone pets Lesser Dog, he gets so excited that his neck extends in his happiness," he explained. "It happens all the time."
"Are you okay, Chara?" Ava asked gently.
The girl nodded, still a bit shocked. The half-human chuckled. "It is a bit of a shock, huh?" She asked. "First time Lesser Dog did that around me, I got so scared I ran to Grillby in tears, thinking I had hurt Lesser."
Grillby chuckled. "Took me a bit to calm her down and explain to her that it was alright," he said.
Lesser Dog's neck sprung back and he barked happily, seeing Chara was still floating in Sans' telekinesis, but he jumped up and gave the child a friendly lick on her cheek, making her giggle again.
Doggo chuckled. "Lesser," he called, his voice light.
Greater Dog nodded as the two took over. "Thank you, Doggo," he said as he and Dogamy led the skeletons, fire elemental, children, and half-human into the Underground.
The kids looked around to see the crystals in the walls and ceiling above them. "What kind of crystals are those?" Frisk asked.
"We call them light crystals," Sans explained. "When the sun from the surface hits them, it makes them light up."
"On the other side of the mountain, where the sun sets, there are crystals that become beautiful colors that light up that side of the Underground," said Dogamy, smiling.
Amelia looked around, her eyes widening at seeing a village coming up. "There's a town in the mountain?" She asked.
"Actually, it's a village," Gaster corrected gently. "That's Snowdin that we're coming up to and there are many villages in the four areas of the Underground."
"What are the four areas?" Chara asked.
"Snowdin's one of them with a place called the Ruins," Papyrus said. "Then there's Waterfall, Hotland, and then the one where the Royal Castle is."
"Wow," Frisk said in awe. "So the Underground is bigger on the inside than the outside?"
"Got it in one, kiddo," Sans said with a chuckle.
They approached a cozy home and Dogamy entered, motioning them all in. "My love? I'm home!" He called out with a smile. "And we have guests!"
Excited barking filled the home. "DADDY!" A happy cry came and more followed before six running puppies came into view, heading for their father with happy barks. Chuckling, he kneeled down to greet his children.
"Hello, my little ones," he said. "We have some guests. Can you say 'hi' to them?"
The puppies excitedly ran over to the visitors, barking excitedly, though grew quiet as they saw the three human children. One puppy sniffed Frisk's shoe before looking up at Ava. "They're like you, Miss Ava," he said.
"They are," she said with a smile. "These three are human children and they love puppies."
Hearing that, the puppies grew excited again and jumped up on the kids in hopes of getting petted. Giggling, the three children got down on their knees and began playing with the puppies.
Dogressa, who had quietly watched the exchange with a smile, now came into the room, greeting her husband with a nuzzle and a kiss. "How was work today?" She asked.
"Quiet and boring," he said, nuzzling her back. "I missed you, my love."
"And I missed you, my love," she said before seeing the three human children were watching them and she smiled. "Hello, little ones. I'm am Dogressa."
Her motherly voice made the kids relax. "I'm Frisk," the brown-eyed child said before gesturing to her sister and friend. "This is my sister Chara and our best friend Amelia."
Dogressa smiled before her eyes widened in surprise as she saw the marks they bore. "So it's true," she said. "The Judge and Jury did put three children under their protection."
Ava blinked. "Word has spread around?" She asked.
"Ever since Muffet grumbled it, there's been whispers and M.K. saw River Person save three children from her," the mother dog said.
The children grew nervous, which Sans noticed. "Don't worry, baby bones," he said gently. "It just means that they all know you kids are under our protection."
"And they will not hurt you either," Grillby said soothingly.
The puppies, sensing the children's nervousness, began jumping around and giving them happy licks on their faces. "Mommy, can the humans stay and play with us?" One of the female puppies asked. "We like them."
"We actually do have a few things to discuss with the Royal Guard," Gaster said. "If it's alright with you and your husband, Dogressa, we are alright with the children playing with your pups."
"And we are alright with it too," Dogressa replied with a smile.
Dogamy smiled too and looked at his children. "Just remember to be gentle, my little ones," he said gently. "Human have skin that is more fragile than ours, so no roughhousing."
"Can we do tug of war and chase the ball?" A male puppy asked.
"As long as there is no throwing the ball," Dogressa said in a firm, but still gentle voice. "And tug of war is fine too."
"We'll be careful, Miss Dogressa," Chara promised as Frisk and Amelia nodded.
The mother dog smiled. "I know you three will be," she said gently before looking at her children. "Children, do you understand what your father and I told you?"
"Be gentle with our new friends and make sure they don't get hurt," said the female puppy that had spoken.
"That's right," Dogamy said with a smile.
Ava smiled at the three children. "If you need us, give a holler," she said. "We won't be far."
"Okay," Frisk said with a nod as the adult monsters and half-human left the room, the adults smiling as they heard the puppies happy barking and the giggles of the children.
Dogressa gestured to the dining room table. "Please sit down," she said before getting everyone drinks and sitting down herself. "Let's not beat around the bush. If you brought the children here, you're preparing for something to happen."
Sans was grateful for the mother dog's no-nonsense attitude. "You're right," he said. "Amelia's birth father hired someone to find her, but me and Ava scared him off."
"We're worried that Frisk and Chara's might do the same or Amelia's father will not be deterred by our warnings," Ava said.
Dogamy was quiet. "There hasn't been a human with bad intentions in the forest for fifty years," he said softly. "What do you suggest, our honorable Judge and Jury?"
"We don't know yet what's going to happen next, but we're keeping our eyes peeled," said Sans.
"Perhaps the children should stay with one of us at all times?" Papyrus said thoughtfully.
"That isn't a bad idea," Gaster said with a nod.
"If I may suggest something?" Dogressa asked gently.
"Please," Ava said with a nod.
"The children are going to feel a bit...shall we say...crowded if they are kept in the dark about this," she said. "If you are going to have them stay with one of you at all times, it's best to bring it into the open right away and explain why."
Sans nodded in agreement. "We did tell Amelia about the incident with her father looking for her," he said.
"And the sheriff I spoke with knows the children are here, but the police are playing a bluff by saying the children are dead in hopes of getting the truth from their birth father, but I haven't had a chance to tell Frisk and Chara yet," Ava said.
"We should talk to them when we arrive back home," Gaster said.
"Do you think they'll understand that we are worried about them and are doing this to keep them safe?" Papyrus asked. "I don't want them to feel like we are...keeping them from enjoying life."
"We made a promise to the kids to keep them safe, bro," Sans said.
"And you also promised them you'd let them decide if they want to stay with you or not," Grillby said, gently squeezing Ava's hand.
She nodded. "If we're going to keep that promise, then we have to be open with the kids about them staying with one of us at all times for their protection," she said.
Papyrus nodded. "Amelia looked afraid when Sans told her about what her birth father had done," he said. "Even Frisk and Chara were scared."
Dogressa nodded. "It looks like you have the children's best interests and well being in mind and you care about them very much," she said.
"We do," Gaster said. "We may be monsters, but we do care about children."
Ava nodded. "It's settled then," she said.
Giggling reached them and they looked to see the three kids were each playing tug of war with two puppies each and to make it fun, the puppies gave a little and then backed up and the kids did the same, making it a fun game that made the adults smile as they watched.
Looks like the kids are having a good time. :)
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GoldGuardian2418