Chara noticed the purple shining light that marked her path. The glow of it faintly reflected in her eyes. Alongside a strange feeling, like she witnessed it twice. She lingered on it for a moment, before shaking it off, just thankful it was there.

It didn't take more than a brisk walk for the pair to come across a peculiar sight that also felt strangely familiar to Chara. That being Papyrus, presently chastizing some sort of Bunny-Man standing at a cart that read 'Ice-Scream.' Which inspired a curious examination from the child.

Flowey smiled some. "He's distracted. Great, we can move on without notice. If we hurry we'll g-" She started moving. "what are you doing?"

"I'm just curious." She told him, wandering over to investigate.

"W-wait no...Chara. We can avoid him entirely!" Flowey stated in exhasperation.

"It'll be okay." She assured. "He seems nice."

Flowey visibly struggled to get out a response, as the duo drew near. Their window of escape passed, as they caught the tail end of the exchange. The flower barely processing it, frustratedly asking himself why, on loop.

"There are regulations for a reason." The skeleton stated. "If you can't mind them, I'll be forced to confiscate your cart."

"Fine, fine, angel forbid someone just try and run a business. Jeez." The bunny rolled his eyes. "I'll step away when I smoke, okay?"

Papyrus seemed exhausted. "Very well, see that you do." He noticed the duo approaching. "Flowey, Human."

"Human?" The bunny asked.

Flowey snapped from his thoughts. "It's pronounced Hugh Man, actually."

The ice cream bunny glanced Chara over. "No shit. Is your name really Hugh Man?"

The girl wasn't specifically prepared for an impromptu performance, or to lie along with something she hadn't anticipated. The world seemed to slow, as she rapidly mustered all the acting prowess lurking deep it forth, building it within her mind.

Then, manifesting it, in a moment a brilliant performance. One she was positive would be remembered and beloved for generations to come. Creating a temporary character named 'Hugh Man.'

She made her voice a little deeper and said. "yeah."

Chara internally praised herself as having 'nailed it.' Papyrus giving a raised brow at this. While Flowey just seemed stressed. Her posture shifting, to resemble a certain skeleton, as she attempted to base her creation off her present mortal foe in some fashion.

"Wow, dude." The Bunny chuckled. "That's an awful name."

Chara responded with. "yeah. names. crazy right?"

She continued to delve into this character, into the headspace of this pseudo identity. What, she wondered, motivated someone like Hugh? What drove someone to such depths of depravity, and self-destruction?

Was he a secret superhero? A super-villain? A ceo at a major corporation, subtly manipulating society by consolidating economic power among a handful of other corporations to influence and dominate society?

Na, given the tone, she wagered he was probably the kind to fake a smile, while suffering from crippling depression, more than anything else.

"Right, ya'll want anything?" The bunny asked, glancing the trio over. "I have a business to run, so."

"not really, but I'll eat anyways." She said quickly, before suddenly feeling nervous.

That wasn't part of her plan. Chara wasn't intending to ask for anything. However, she was getting a little too into this character. The role was adapting, overcoming her persona, the girl freaking out a bit internally at how real it had all become. She honestly felt critically depressed, for some reason.

She wondered briefly what Hugh had to be depressed about? It wasn't like all his friends from the past were definitely dead, and rotting somewhere all alone? It wasn't like they'd been killed by people he once called family or friends? Or that when he closed his eyes their still mangled bodies, or last choking breaths were all that he could recall?

Besides, it wasn't like the world he'd come to call home had turned into a violent hellscape. Nor that it was all his fault, that everything was so awful, that so many people had gotten hurt. That everything, and everyone was suffering, just because he couldn't even die right.

And now, she was stuck worrying about her brother, and didn't know where Toriel was, and couldn't remember right. And people kept looking through her like she wasn't really there. And she was terrified they'd abandon her, or leave her to be alone again in that dark. That dark place, darker...yet darker...

A chilled breath escaped her lips, colder than the ice and snow. It left her feeling...really, really drained. Was this what drove Hugh Man?

Raw depression, and an unwillingness to accept the reality of the situation? Trying desperately to hold onto any stupid smile, or dumb pun, and whatever slivers of his life he could remember? And the few people he remembered from it? Did it even matter, was it even real?

Flowey looked over the sign. "Ugh, fine, we'll buy something. These are your prices?"

Papyrus noted. "They're...a touch extreme, considering it's ice cream, in a snowy area."

"What a rip-off." Flowey muttered. "Here." He took the G from within the backpack, and tossed it on the counter. "2."

She snapped some from her existential crisis. "na...3."

"You're kidding me." Flowey replied, noting. "I think he's leaving, so it's not like you can give him one anyways."

With the reprieve from her thoughts, Chara noticed that Papyrus had indeed begun walking away. In truth, it was...probably a poor idea to buy ice cream for an enemy. Even if they were cool.

And yet...it was something she, or rather, Hugh, probably wanted to do, right? The guise falling, leaving only her, trying to shake off the sensation with a little smile.

"It's...just me, Chara." She whispered to herself, before adding. "Uhm, 3."

"Ugh...fine, 3." Flowey noted, the bunny taking the cash, and giving them some Ice-Scream bars "Scam artist."

The bunny replied. "Hey, it's the perfect weather for something cold. Idiots."

Before Flowey could acquire the packaged bars of ice-cream, Chara swiped them. Turning her focus to the skeleton, she rushed over, and came sliding up next to him. The guard giving a confused look, as she held up one of the ice creams.

Chara asked. "here...for you?"

There was an awkward pause as she held it out. A feeling of anxiety drawing from within her. Wondering briefly if this was a bad decision.

Yet, the power of Hugh Man flowed within her. Awkward exchanges were his specialty and backing down was never an option. After all, what was the point in backing down, if nothing really mattered, why not do something nice?

And so she kept it held out, persevering, despite the cost.

"Human." Papyrus blinked. "Did you honestly buy your enemy a health restoring ice cream?"

Chara nodded. "yeah, uhm, I-" She quickly fell out of character. "E-er uh, yes. Heh."

She cursed Hugh, the character abandoning her in her critical hour. How could he? That fictitious jerk! She swore he'd never work in this city again.

"And you didn't advise the human that it was a poor idea?" He asked, glancing to Flowey.

Flowey sighed. "I've told her. But she thinks you're cool, or whatever, so she wanted to get you an ice cream."

Chara felt a sting of betrayal. "F-flowey!"

"I see." Papyrus took it and responded with. "This was tactically disadvantageous. However, the...desire to be honorable is appreciated. As is the sentiment." He paused some. "Thank you, human."

"Of...course, heh." She felt nervous. "Uhm, so...nice weather huh?"

Papyrus scanned the snowfall. "It has been calming today, I suppose."

"C-cool." Chara felt like a nerd, or at least her antiquated understanding of the commonly applied use of the term.

An awkward amount of time passed, once more, with nothing happening. She suddenly wished she'd kept in character. Instead, opening and eating at the ice-cream bar, anxiously. Neither of the other two really saying anything.

After a time, Papyrus put the wrapped-up ice cream into his armor. Glancing around, for a moment. He gave her a look again, and seemed to debate something, before slowly starting back on his path.

Chara suddenly remembered what she'd wanted to ask, only to blow it at the last second. It reminded her of when she met that author who wrote one of her favorite books. She froze, feeling very stupid in the process.

Flowey nudged her on. "You good?"

"T-the armor uhm I-" Her thoughts caught up. "I...was...gonna ask."

Flowey watched her shrivel at this task. Eating her ice cream with a very defeated expression. He was incredibly against this course of action, however...

"Ugh...c'mon idiot, let's see if we can catch up with him. Then you can ask about the armor." Flowey said tiredly.

"But what if he thinks we're lame?" She asked quietly.

"I don't think anyone says lame anymore, but...you'll be fine." He assured, adjusting his scarf. "Let's go."

Spurned on, she sprinted over to catch up with Papyrus, Chara came to realize where they were. Her accelerated pace rapidly slowing until she stopped. The location, the spacing of things. She recognized it from her memory with Mychal.

"We're here?" She asked nobody in-particular.

"Huh, what's up?" Flowey asked, noting. "Aren't we trying to catch up with Papyrus?" He asked, noticing her silence. "What'cha lookin at?"

"I remember this." She explained.

The location was the ice-golf course. Phantom images of herself and Mychal sliding around coming to the fore of her mind. Watching him slip and fall, with what in hindsight, was clear intent to amuse her. To make her feel a bit better.

The course was a bit more lovely then. She noted that the borders, and barriers had long since crumbled. Sure, they were just snow-walls. But people used to maintain them. Now though...the ice was splattered with snow. Even having a decent layer of snowfall over it. It seemed like nobody bothered to maintain it anymore.

"I uh...I wanna try something." She told him, while stepping to the edge.

"Hey, there's actually ice below this." Flowey warned. "Maybe don't-"

"I know." She smiled.

"What?" He gave her a look. "Chara, I don't think you can ice-skate, in those shoes."

"I can try?" She offered.

Before he could protest, she stepped out. Her feet pressing through the layer of snow. Meeting the ice, she lost the ability to stand properly almost immediately. In an effort to catch her falling self, she pressed her free foot down, managing to, with flailing arms and sounds of distress, balance herself out. All the while, slowly, sliding across. The two gradually arrived at the other side, safely.

"That was sketchy as hell." Flowey remarked.

"It wasn't so bad." She replied with a nervous laugh.

He replied. "Outside of the uh...panicked 'whoas' and 'wahs' as you nearly fell?"

"W-well, besides that." She snickered, and considered something "What's that Flowey, we have to slide to cross again?"

"I didn't...we can walk ar-C-Chara!" The flower began, as she dove back across, laughing.

She dove forward, and landed. Sliding across the ice to the best of her general capabilities. Managing to fall flat on her face in the process. Letting out a loud 'oof' and a groan. Gradually coming to slide across, safe enough.

"Owww." She whined some.

"Told you it was a bad idea." Flowey remarked.

"Maybe." She grumbled a bit.

She wondered why she couldn't emulate his actions. She knew what to do, and the feelings of it. Her mind turning to his shoes, her focus going to her own. That was probably the problem.

When she finally got up, they elected to continue onwards. Chara wondered how Mychal was able to do all that so well. Grumbling a little at her own inability. Passing into the next area, she saw Papyrus once more, alongside his brother. The area appeared to be mostly clear, save for a board game that was on the ground.

Papyrus was in the middle of tiredly rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Welcome, once more human."

"Uhm...sorry?" She apologized nervously. "S-should I come back later?"

"Hmm, oh, my exhaustion is not directed to you. It is because Sans removed the original puzzle that was intended for this spot." He explained, adding. "And then replaced it with this."

Sans chuckled. "ah c'mon bro. there's no way they get past this one." He assured his glaring sibling. "trust me."

Chara exchanged confused looks with Flowey, heading over to the board game. She blinked in surprise, to find the name of the game was 'Underfell : 7th Seal.' The board seeming to flicker in front of her eyes, the girl shaking her head.

She felt like she'd done this before. At least, seen the board. She tried to shake off the weird deja vu sensation. Whatever it was.

According to the box it was a sort of fantasy-mystery game of sorts. The front cover had a bunch of monsters exploring some strange place. With strange creatures, and humans lurking in the dark. Turning it over, the game was noted to be a game for 3 to six players.

One player was intended to be the 'Evil Scientist' who acted as the Game Master, while the others were adventurers. They had been tasked with trying to solve a mystery, while surviving the dangers of the location.

"Flowey look...it's Underfell." Chara whispered to him, wearing a michevious smile.

"I-I noticed." Flowey replied, semi-anxious. "Hey, Sans, this is a game for 3 or more players."

"oh?" Sans hummed, adding. "na, Undertale is for 2, at most."

"This is Underfell though." Chara commented, turning the box so he could see it. "See?"

"whoops, grabbed the wrong one." Sans chuckled. "guess it's unplayable, and by extension unbeatable then, isn't it?"

Observing this, Papyrus groaned. "Unbelievable Sans." He spoke. "Puzzles are meant to be beatable. Difficult, and nearly unwinnable to an unfair degree, certainly...but still winnable."

Papyrus stepped over, and with a sigh, took a seat. He politely motioned, and was handed the game. He looked it over, before opening it up, reading over the instructions and the handbooks within.

Sans asked. "what uh-"

"Get over here lazybones. We're going to make this a fair competition." The taller skeleton indicated. "And having you on their side will be considered an extra challenge."

He snickered some at his own rude humor. Sans shrugging, went over and took a seat beside the two. Chara notably, wasn't as happy with his presence, shifting herself. She tugged at her jacket, and seemed to secure herself in it more.

She asked. "Maybe...you could be on our team?"

Papyrus shook his head. "This still needs to be challenging, if this is meant to be your challenge." He heard his brother snicker. "So it only makes sense, that I play the role of your noble, well respected, villainous adversary."

Flowey glanced and inquired. "Are we...seriously doing this?"

The board was placed out in-between them all. It was surprisingly large. And there were various little figurines for the enemies, the scientist and the players. Oddly, the figurines seemed mostly blank.

Chara asked. "What's...wrong with the figurines?"

Sans spoke. "you uh, gotta shape what they look like with magic." He told her. "don't worry, someone can uh..." He watched as she picked one up, and seemed to focus on it. "help you out with that?"

The figurine seemed to warp in her hands. Melting, and melding with the intention provided. Becoming a rather well sculpted figurine, although he could barely see it from how she kept it from his sight.

Flowey grumbled. "Great. Sounds awesome."

Sans replied. "what's the matter, you ain't game for it?"

Flowey growled. "Oh no. No puns while you're on our side. We're quite serious, thank you."

Chara added. "Got that Sans?" She smirked. "You've gotta 'play' along with the team. So, you'll need to get into character. Really play your role." She joked. "Just, try not to get, board."

The duo actually managed to laugh together for a moment. Papyrus and Flowey giving their respective counterparts glares. Hoping the experience would be done sooner, rather than later. It would hopefully be a fun game, if nothing else?