New Home, Underground:
"I am Seam the Weaver," the big purple cat introduced himself, bowing modestly to their guests as they entered. "But you already knew that."
Frisk looked at the many shelves and crates, where balls of wool of different sizes and colors, as well as bolts of fine fabric, had been stored. Several work tools were stored, from scissors to needles including a sewing machine. The child smelled a good smell of textiles floating in the air, while he looked at the environment, touching with his fingertips the sketches of clothes that were left on a desk.
They really knows their stuff: I wonder if Hortensia gets some of her clothes from them? Frisk wondered, looking at the clothes lying around.
Some were almost finished and were of excellent quality; Toriel looked with appreciation at a very chic outdoor tunic, recognizing the meticulous and precision work on the material. She pointed this out to the worker, greatly impressed by their talent:
"They are very beautiful works, Mr. Seam."
"Nothing a little practice and magic can't accomplish, Your Majesty... Let's see about it." The old feline replied modestly, pulling a roll of fabric from under their desk which they unearthed.
As Seam unfolded the beautiful magenta material, their button studying the bright color attentively, Asriel approached him with a curiosity that he did not hide. The monster was so intriguing: no matter how hard he tried to remember, the kid had no memory of meeting him. It's not possible, I must have seen him one day. But... nothing. He didn't understand, and the prince of monsters ended up asking:
"Have you always lived in New Home, Mr. Seam?"
"Curious young, I see..." the living stuffed animal grunted softly, too focused on their work to look at the young goat as a paw summoned a small magical pair of scissors and retrieved a roll of blue fabric. But as the cat checked the shade of the sample, he replied in a low tone: "I used to reside at the Garbage Dump. I've only lived here a short time."
"The Garbage Dump?" Frisk repeated, joining Asriel and becoming as curious as his friend. "The one you find near the waterfalls?"
Here is one of the most intriguing places in the entire Underground: not far from the Waterfall, the Landfill was a place where waste accumulated, both that of monsters and that of humans falling by who knows what means from the Surface. Whatever took them there, whether it was a river or some other unknown phenomenon, it ended in the same place and disappeared into the bottomless chasm of the mountain. For a long time, monsters had been able to make the most of the material abandoned by humanity; simple useless waste, they knew how to develop their technology, improve the living conditions under the sealed mountain and, through recovery, the people of monsters were able to make the most of what they had discovered over the years.
"There isn't another one, is there?" Old Seam muttered, smoothing the underside of their beard as they studied several strips of fabric lined up side by side.
I wonder why Seam lived here, Frisk wondered. But the monster's actions ended up intriguing him more and, forgetting this question, the human child leaned towards the table to look in turn.
They were all kinds of different shades, ranging from pale pink to almost purple-purple, and from sky blue to even more. Sometimes the colors were almost identical, but one was lighter and the other darker. All the goat monsters and human watched the stuffed animal sort through its tissues.
As they withdrew their previous choices, leaving them aside, Seam ended up keeping only a few and seemed hesitant; until then stay close to Asriel, Frisk approached to better see what he had brought when the big cat's voice rose again:
"Let me see your sweater, little one."
Saying this, the weaver crouched down and leaned towards the garment that intrigued him. The human child made sure not to move, or even breathe. This close, Frisk could count every seam on the plush's head. At this moment, the monster seemed to be concentrating very hard. His paw cautiously touched the sleeve of the sweater, feeling the fabric and discovering details that none of those present could see.
Satisfied and nodding their head slowly the monster stood up. With their paw, Seam pointed to his workbench and what remained of the fabrics he had collected. "Choose one of the two colors. Take the ones that suit you best," they only told him, moving aside to make room for the child.
Frisk didn't expect the monster's request, disconcerted by the sudden choice he had to make. "I must choose ?"
"Obviously. I don't just mend, or I wouldn't be a weaver," Seam grumbled, waving their arm around the inside of shop. "I repair, I create, I tie fabrics together, but the basis of my work must come in part from you. What you wear represents an intrinsic aspect of yourself; It is essential that you contribute to this, or my magic will not work. So choose wisely and with discernment."
And, with these strange words, the monster fell silent.
The human child did not understand everything exactly. When he walked forward, Frisk looked at the strips of fabric Seam had selected for him. In total, there were six: three of the same color, those of his sweater. Faced with this choice, Frisk wanted to try something : his Soul trembled and began to react. Once again, this message appeared:
What do you choose?
|BLUE|❤ |MAGENTA|❤
|BLUE|❤ |MAGENTA|❤
|BLUE|❤ |MAGENTA|❤
Is this some kind of joke? Frisk wondered with a disappointed pout, deciding to ignore it to concentrate again. Yet, despite his efforts, it looked exactly like the colors of his clothing and everything would suit him. But when Frisk glanced at Seam, the feline seemed to be watching for the slightest movement.
His last words came back to him: Seam had certainly not said that to him by chance. I must make a wise and logical decision, he reminded himself, guessing that there was some trick behind it. Frisk took more time and looked for the slightest difference that would catch his eye.
Intrigued, Asriel looked at the same time as his human friend. The monster's intuition told him that this Seam was looking for a more elaborate choice than simple chance. While Frisk seemed to struggle to find a difference, the young Boss Monster wanted to help and observed any detail that could help Frisk.
But he soon gave up, unable to do better than Frisk who was struggling as much as him, and rubbed a bushy ear. He was really baffled by this riddle. And by the Angel, he was a monster! He knew riddles well, though, even if Asriel was not as gifted as his mother or as passionate as Papyrus was. "I feel like they are exactly the same, but I think there is a trick."
I agree with Asriel: something must be missing to me, Frisk realized, trying harder to figure out what. However, he still couldn't find what he was looking for. The little human hesitated again, afraid of doing something stupid when he knew nothing about it. "I...I can't decide."
Toriel had also played the strange game of the weaver and had tried it too. The former queen was no more able than her son to discover her secret, which seemed important for this Seam to use his magic. As a great practitioner herself, Toriel knew from experience that it met specific requirements depending on who employed it. Some were stranger than just a few people and this monster, Seam, seemed to be one of those people.
He waited for his answer, and the monster only looked at the human child.
If that's it, then only Frisk can meet they demands, she guessed.
Which meant that neither she nor Asriel could guide Frisk. But the latter seemed on the verge of giving up too. No matter how much Frisk forced himself to make up his mind, however, he couldn't do it. Seeing that her child was undecided, Toriel decided to give him the little push he needed.
She placed a comforting white paw on his hair, making Frisk look up at the Boss Monster who was smiling warmly. Toriel tells:
"Trust yourself, my child. Look carefully: I'm sure you'll make the right choice."
Her soft and confident voice pulled Frisk out of turmoil; in his mind, the colors mixed together and formed an indistinct mass, making him sick. Toriel's spoken words brought him out of it, and the child looked at his adoptive mother gratefully.
"So, have you made your decision?" Seam suddenly asked him, remaining silent until now.
The time was over: now the monster demanded his answer. Frisk took a deep breath and turned towards the workbench one last time. He prepared to choose.
Right next to him, Asriel didn't waste a second and encouraged him in mind : You can do it, Frisk! I know you can! He was sure Frisk could do it: he was able to accomplish anything.
Frisk raised a hand, pointing his index finger at two strips, one blue, the other magenta: "I'll take this one and that one, please."
Seam took the strips of fabric that the human child had asked for, all the while observing Frisk. "Are you sure?"
"Yes."
The monster didn't insist, then turned away from them to put away the rest of their things. Asriel took the opportunity to whisper in the human's ear: "What made you decide?"
"I took the ones I liked the most," Frisk replied simply. Faced with Asriel's stunned face, he tried to explain himself better: "Let's say I trusted my intuition. I liked these colors more than the others, so I chose them. I… don't really know how to describe it."
"For me, there was no difference," Asriel shook his head, unable to understand his friend's reasoning. But Frisk didn't seem to regret his choice, and that was the main thing.
Toriel also asked, "Is this okay with you, Frisk?" Frisk nodded eagerly, and the child gurgled a laugh when she gently patted the top of his head, "So it's fine," the former queen said, delighted.
"Child, can you give me your sweater? I have to start my work," Seam demanded.
Frisk was a little reluctant to take off his clothing; However, he complied and slipped out, remaining only in a white t-shirt. It wasn't cold here, and even rather warm, but without his sweater, the child couldn't help but shiver and feel uncomfortable. Frisk briefly clutched his favorite outfit, then gave it to the weaver who delicately retrieved it.
"You care a lot about this, I can sense it," the stuffed monster commented, his gruff tone becoming strangely kinder. "It's perfect: the strong emotions bottled up inside will help the magic to work."
"The emotions ?" Frisk questioned, having little knowledge of magic despite living with creatures that use it. So he didn't know how emotions were involved in this, since it wasn't something innate to him.
To this, Toriel was happy to explain: "When we use magic, our emotions are an essential part of the form it will take. Whether it's a healing spell, or summoning fire, the magic will obey those feelings."
"It can happen that objects are imbued with powerful emotions," Seam added to Toriel's explanation. "When this happens, the magic imbued within it can change its nature and grant it unique abilities."
"I think I understand."
Indeed, Frisk remembered the items discivered during his journey, that belonged to the children who came before him. He had found them everywhere in the Underground, where other humans had traveled before him. Every item and outfit he found and used gave him abilities Frisk had never possessed before. With the Faded Ribbon, the monsters had been more reluctant to hit him hard; the Stained Apron protected and healed him. The Tough Glove enhanced his own strength. The objects collected did not only do that: thanks to the Manly Bandanna, he felt braver and more courageous than anyone, or the Cowboy Hat reinforced his self-confidence; the Cloudy Glasses made him more intelligent, clever and, with the Old Tutu, his steps became lighter.
It was as if, by carrying the old possessions of his predecessors, their attributes in their previous life became his own.
And the necklace of the first human child, too... Frisk looked at the Heart Locket Asriel wore around his neck. It had protected him when Frisk needed him most. When he had worn it, the child had been able to experience old feelings, but still so strong. A strange nostalgia had enveloped him from then on; Frisk always remembered it.
He therefore believed Seam when he affirmed that feelings could transform everything.
The latter asked their guests to move back a little; under their paws, they had gathered several balls of wool of colors identical to those of the strips that Frisk had chosen. Seam raised his arms, and a purplish glow surrounded him and the equipment. Frisk's sweater flew with the rest, remaining in the air: when its paws were free, the monster summoned a long and impressive knitting needle.
Seeing this, Frisk couldn't hold back an impressed exclamation: it was almost as incredible as when Undyne, Asgore and Asriel summoned their weapons. The young monster was as amazed as his friend; together, the children watched as Seam raised their magical tool, raising it with ease towards the garment. They didn't take their eyes off the scene.
What was he going to do now?
With the tip of the needle, the monster lightly pricked the sweater and, suddenly, the threads of the garment unraveled little by little until nothing was left. Without stopping their movement, Seam brought the balls of colored wool, which relaxed to join the mound in front of him.
"It's time for this to take shape," With a conductor's gesture, the plush toy intertwined and knotted the threads again, adding those he had taken away.
With precision, Seam guided the assembly from start to finish; each stitch linked with ease under his silent commands, without ever a hitch or an error. Little by little, the garment appeared under the amazed gazes - and especially that of Frisk - of those who watched Seam at work. When all the elements were in place, the monster pulled the needle back, and the new sweater was finally assembled.
"It's ready," they declared, looking pleased with their work. "Here, little one. I'll give it back to you," Seam made a final gesture, and the suit floated like a magnet towards its young owner.
Frisk impatiently brought his arms forward, where the garment rested. It smelled the same as the old one. Upon contact, the child felt the effect of magic pass through him entirely.
+20 DF
+2 HP
*Your defense and vitality increase
Incredible... It became like all the others. Frisk put it back at full speed; In there, he was nice and warm. This warm feeling was still there, even if his clothing was no longer quite the same. The appearance had been radically transformed: instead of the old stripes on the front and back, its sleeves and neckline had become completely magenta, while the rest was a beautiful blue. It certainly changed him from before.
An idea flashed in his head, and with a daring twirl, Frisk posed in front of Asriel and Toriel. He showed his best, most charming profile and, full of confidence, the child asked: "What do I look like now?"
Asriel gave him a thumbs up appreciatively, saying, "That looks great on you, Frisk! 10/10!"
"It's perfect, dear" their mother agreed, turning gratefully to old Seam who was putting away the equipment. "Thank you, Mr. Seam. How much do I owe you for your effort?"
"Nothing," Seam replied, without the slightest hesitation. "I have no use for money, after all, and I appreciate it when people hold things in such high value like this little human does. If I can allow them to prosper over time, I must do so: that is why I have this power."
Although their logic was surprising, Toriel could understand the argument and respected it without insisting. As for Frisk, he smiled gratefully towards the monster.
"Thank you, Mr. Seam. I promise to take good care of it."
"You are already doing it well: keep it carefully, this item of clothing could be very useful to you in the future," the old cat advised him. "The magical properties I have incorporated will protect you from most weak offensive spells. If you were injured, minor injuries would be healed almost immediately."
"That's awesome, Frisk! You are wearing real powerful armor" exclaimed Asriel, amazed.
"That's incredibly generous," Toriel was moved, becoming more embarrassed that the merchant wasn't asking for any compensation. "You have my gratitude: Frisk, be kind and say thank you again to Mr. Seam."
Grateful for this gift, Frisk thanked the weaver even more but, without further emotion, the latter chased them away without further ado. "It doesn't matter: I did what I had to do. Now I want to find calm and solitude. So, get out of here!"
"Come on, Asriel! Let's go explore the city!" declared the young human, eager to discover New Home now that they were done.
Although he hesitated at first, the young prince ended up sharing Frisk's eagerness. Together, they got ahead of Toriel, who let them run through the busy streets where her children were looking for any funny thing.
-oOo-
Nearby, in New Home:
"Hey, Jack, I don't think that's a good idea... What do we do if monsters see us doing it?"
A small group of humans had slipped into the corner of a dimly lit alley. Most were hooded and their bags were overflowing with spray paint and flammable products. They had tagged on the walls of a church in the center of New Home, where several messages against monsters were now written: Beasts in cages! or Monsters Out! with threatening grins.
One of them, the youngest and nervous of the group, cast wary glances around, worried that patrolling guards would discover them.
"As if those wimps would dare do anything to us, moron!" spat the leader, who glared at the delinquent remained silent. "We do what this guy pays us to do, that's all: besides, do your job instead of whining and go set fire!"
Intimidated, the underling complied and walked away, while his companions had a field day. He stayed in the shadows, away from the crowd, and walked until he found a dumpster behind a store.
"Obviously, it's ME who does the dirty work!" he grumbled, as the thug opened the trash can.
With the bag on the ground, he retrieved a can of gasoline and emptied the contents inside. Two more followed, before the human looked in his pockets for his lighter which was nowhere to be found. He then swore that the object was nowhere.
"Where the hell is it..."
"Y-You! Don't m-move anymore!" a stuttering and frightened female voice warned him behind him, making him jump.
Immediately, the bandit grabbed his switchblade from his jacket and shakily aimed it at the monster that had just appeared: a yellow lizard with long front teeth, dressed in a white coat and looking out of breath.
Her eyes stared in terror through cracked glasses; the bandit felt in a position of strength and decided to take advantage. In a deep voice, he warns:
"You better get out of there, monster. Or else-"
"N-No, stay where you are," stammered Alphys, who did not seem to fear the threat of her attacker although she was trembling all over.
The human blushed: this weirdly geeky lizard monster thought he was a match for him? He decided to scare her and took a step towards her when his foot sank into a soft substance. He looked down at it, letting out a disgusted curse upon discovering this viscous white material.
"What is that-"
A terrible growl rose from behind him, freezing the blood in his veins. Something was standing behind him. Slowly his head turned towards the back of the street where, a moment before, he had seen nothing.
There stood a huge shapeless monster; its immense canine head, and those which jutted out from its body showed menacing fangs. Several pools of this substance flowed from him and spread on the ground.
When the human saw it, the thing growled louder: suddenly, the human felt a force exerted on his chest and, from that place, a dirty brown heart flew between him and the creature. Too numb from shock, he could no longer move as his opponent prepared to engulf the Soul in its gaping maw.
"No !" Alphys intervened, raising her hands towards the monster and producing an electric shock.
Struck, the creature recoiled and collapsed with a multiple groan; freed from its influence, the Soul torn from its vessel returned to the bosom of the bandit who regained his senses.
"Wh-What? What the hell happened?!"
"G-Get away from here, right now!" ordered the scientist, while the monster was already recovering from the blow and got up on its feet.
The human didn't ask for his rest and took to his heels. On his way, he encountered several soldiers from the Capital who ignored him and came to join Alphys. She looked with sadness at the creature that the soldiers she had called for reinforcement were now surrounding, raising their spears to prevent it from escaping.
"E-Endogeny, I need to get you back to the lab. Y-You're not in your normal state." She watched Endogeny's appearance visibly deteriorate; uncontrollable, the monster had now taken on a menacing offensive form, bristling all over and snapping with its many sharp jaws.
"GRRR" replied the Amalgamate, without seeming to recognize its friend. Not seeming to be willing to cooperate easily, the creature suddenly dissolved, escaping far from this ambush, and regained form once it emerged.
Without listening to Alphys's cries, the creature rushed towards the alleys of the Capital, right in the center of New Home.