Toriel kept bringing Frisk to Snowdin Forest every other day. They played in the snow, finding every single way one could play in it. She watched them with Sans, who still joked with her while Frisk had their fun. A few times she had to stop Frisk from going too far into the forest. She was still unwilling to let them venture further and potentially run into other Monsters.
Toriel found the regular journeys into Snowdin Forest to be a terrific boon to herself and Frisk. They always wore themself out afterward and slept heavily at night. As for her, Sans was a good friend to spend time with, always coming up with a new joke or pun. She hadn't even realized how lonely she had truly been until Sans became a regular acquaintance.
Days went by, and all the while, Frisk kept trying to find new ways to entertain themself. They would occasionally use fallen branches as toys, waving them around like they were swords. Toriel tried to discourage such behavior as much as she could, but that was countered by Sans more often than not. One thing about him that irked her was how lazy he was. She had found out that he was actually a sentry for the forest, yet was completely neglecting his duties to watch her and Frisk.
She didn't mind too much and having him be more attentive meant that Frisk would be exposed, and she could never allow that.
One day, Frisk had stopped making snow angels to talk to Sans.
"what'sup, kiddo?" Sans lazily asked.
"Why you talk like that?" Frisk asked.
"like what?"
"Why you… say words together?" Frisk repeated.
"it's slang, kiddo. it's how lazy people talk," Sans explained.
"Why?"
"why not?"
Frisk was befuddled by that. "Why you here every time we visit?" Frisk asked after a moment.
"it's my job. i'm a sentry in this forest."
"Huh?"
"He keeps watch, dear," Toriel explained.
"Watch for what?"
"humans. mostly," Sans answered.
"Seen any?" Frisk asked.
Frisk didn't know it at the time, but that has surprised both Toriel and Sans.
"whaddya mean?" Sans asked.
"Have you ever seen any humans?" Frisk repeated.
"uh…" Sans looked at Toriel, who was still too stunned to say anything.
"Is tha' a no?" Frisk asked. "Yeah, probably no." Frisk turned and went back to the snow, rolling around in it.
"did you never tell them?" Sans asked after a while, when Frisk was too far away to hear.
"I… I thought they already knew," Toriel said.
"i guess the kid thinks they're a monster, then," Sans said. "you're gonna have to tell them they're not at some point, ya know."
"I know."
"well, to bring the mood back up, have ya ever heard the one about the horse and the bar?"
"I do not believe so," Toriel replied.
"okay, so the joke goes like – "
"SANS!"
Toriel, Sans and Frisk all jumped at the shout.
"SANS, WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?"
Everyone turned to see a taller skeleton in a t-shirt and shorts walking up.
"uh oh," Sans muttered under his breath. "hey, bro."
"HEY, BRO? IS THAT THE BEST YOU CAN MANAGE? I CAME HERE TO CHECK ON YOU TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE NOT FALLING ASLEEP AT YOUR POST."
"i wasn't. i was just…"
"NOT KEEPING WATCH LIKE YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO," the skeleton admonished. "THE KING SAID YOU NEED TO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR HUMANS PASSING THROUGH."
"well, uh…" Sans tried to say something, but floundered when he saw Frisk walking over to the taller skeleton. Toriel was even nervously sweating as well.
"WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING? EATING KETCHUP AGAIN? SNEAKING OFF TO GRILLBY'S TO EAT? PLAYING A PRANK ON ONE OF THE DOGS?"
Before anyone could stop them Frisk poked the skeleton in the leg.
"NOT NOW, SMALL STRANGE MONSTER. I'M TRYING TO BERATE MY OLDER BROTHER FOR SLACKING OFF, AGAIN!" The skeleton opened his jaw, probably to say more, but then stopped and looked down again at Frisk.
"Hi. I am Frisk," they greeted. "Who you?"
"OH, I'M THE GREAT PAPYRUS!" the skeleton loudly proclaimed, posing dramatically. "THE COOLEST SKELETON IN THE UNDERGROUND."
"You talk funny, too," Frisk stated.
"HOW DO I TALK 'FUNNY' AS YOU PUT IT?" Papyrus asked.
"You say words together, too, like lazy people. And you are loud."
"OF COURSE. I PUT ALL MY EFFORT INTO MY SPEECH, LIKE EVERYTHING!"
Toriel walked over and picked Frisk up. "Perhaps we should go, my child."
"Aww. I wan' to stay," Frisk protested.
"actually, you do need to go," Sans says. "it's late and probably your nap time as well. and i gotta get my brother here back to town, which is where he's supposed to be."
"AWW," Papyrus pouted. "WELL, BYE SMALL MONSTER AND BIG MONSTER!"
"Bye, Pap… Pap…" Frisk struggled to say.
Toriel returned to the Ruins and Sans took his younger brother home.
"Time for your nap, my child," Toriel said.
"Who was that with Sans?" Frisk asked.
"His brother, it seems," Toriel answered, setting Frisk in their bed.
"Can we see him next time?"
"I do not think so, my child," Toriel said.
"Please? He seem nice, if loud," Frisk begged.
"I shall see," Toriel promised. "Now rest. I will have supper ready by the time your nap is done."
The next day, while Frisk took their nap, she spoke with Sans through the door.
"sorry 'bout yesterday. didn't think he'd show up," Sans apologized.
"It is no trouble," Toriel assured. "Though, I must ask, will I have to be concerned about him knowing of my child?"
"eh, prolly not," Sans dismissed. "he asked about ya and the kid on our way back. so i told him you were a couple of monsters from outta town that visit on a regular basis."
"And he accepted that?"
"my bro believes almost anything," Sans explained.
"He does not know that Frisk is human?" Toriel asked.
"he doesn't seem to," Sans said. "then again, not many folks this side of waterfall know what a human even looks like."
"Frisk wanted to see him again," Toriel informed.
"funny. my bro wants the same. and, to be honest, it might do both of them some good."
"How do you mean?"
"papyrus… doesn't have any friends and struggles to make them. if your kid can put up with him, then maybe they can become friends. i also think it would do frisk some good to have someone to look up to. my brother's a good guy. he'd make a great role model for frisk."
Toriel debated on that for a while, wondering if she should take such a risk. Having at least one person outside the Ruins familiar with Frisk was dangerous in her view. A second would be pushing it. But this was Sans' brother, who clearly didn't know what Frisk was (neither did Frisk, she remembered). Perhaps… perhaps it was worth the risk.
"As long as your brother does not tell anyone what Frisk is, I will allow it," she decided.
"sure thing, old lady. i'll bring my bro with me tomorrow and your kid and he can get to know each other."
Toriel brought Frisk back to the forest the next day. She walked to Sans' sentry station, where both skeletons were present. Papyrus was pacing back and forth, looking anxious.
"Sans!" Frisk shouted once they saw him.
Both skeletons turned to see the newcomers.
"OH, GREETINGS BIG AND TINY MONSTERS!" Papyrus waved.
"Pap… Papy… Papy!" Frisk decided on.
"Greetings," Toriel said politely. She set Frisk down on the cleared path, allowing them to walk on their own.
Papyrus bent down to look at Frisk better.
"HELLO. IT IS VERY NICE TO MEET YOU AGAIN," Papyrus said pleasantly.
"Nice to see you too, Papy," Frisk returned.
"ERM, MY NAME IS PAPYRUS. NOT 'PAPY'," Papyrus corrected.
"Papy… Papyy… Papsys," Frisk was still struggling with the word. "I go with Papy. Easy to say."
"go easy on the kid," Sans said. "they're really young. the fact that they're talkin' is incredible."
"OH, I SUPPOSE SO. AFTER ALL, NO ONE CAN BE AS GREAT AS ME!" Papyrus declared.
Frisk giggled at his antics.
"Frisk, how about you and Papyrus go play while Sans and I talk?" Toriel suggested.
"You mean… play with Papy?" Frisk asked in amazement.
"Yes."
"Yay! Let go, Papy!" Frisk said excitedly, running off, the tall skeleton following.
"Are you sure your brother will not harm my child?" Toriel asked Sans.
"very sure. paps wouldn't hurt a fly," Sans said.
"I just hope he understands to be delicate. Frisk is very young," Toriel fret.
"don' worry. i made sure papyrus understood that frisk was very young and that you were very… protective. he promised he wouldn't overwhelm the kid."
"I am trusting you, friend," Toriel said. "Because I do not know what I would do if Frisk…"
"i promise, nothing bad will happen," Sans assured. "kid will be just fine."
Papyrus and Frisk played in the snow for quite some time. Papyrus showed Frisk how snowball fights work, the two making forts and throwing balls of lightly packed snow at each other. He also showed Frisk a few places around the forest, including the river. Frisk wanted to play in it but Papyrus wisely kept them out.
"Your home is pwetty," Frisk said.
"WHY THANK YOU. SNOWDIN IS QUITE BEAUTIFUL."
"How you stand cold?" Frisk asked.
"I HAVE NO SKIN!" Papyrus answered.
"I want to see more!" Frisk said, running ahead.
"BE CAREFUL, FRISK!" Papyrus shouted, running after them. "THE GROUND CAN BE VERY – "
Suddenly, Frisk started skidding on a patch of ice. They slid across, falling down in the process. They stopped against a pile of snow, but started crying, holding their arm.
Papyrus rushed up, picking up the sobbing child. "DID YOU HURT YOUR ARM?" he asked, to which Frisk tearfully nodded. "OH NO! DO NOT WORRY, I SHALL GET YOU HELP." He ran back the way he came to find Toriel and Sans. The two were still trading jokes. It wasn't until they heard Frisk's sobbing that they turned and saw them both.
"Goodness, what happened?" Toriel asked, holding her arms out to take Frisk.
"THEY SLID AND FELL ON A PATCH OF ICE. THEIR ARM IS BROKEN," Papyrus explained. "I'M SO SORRY, I TRIED TO HELP THEM."
"It is alright," Toriel assured. She gently held Frisk's arm and a green glow coming from her hand. She wrapped Frisk's arm in her massive paw and the magic infused itself into the child. Their sobbing grew quieter as their arm healed and their bone mended easily with her magic. Once done, Frisk flexed their arm, amazed at the lack of pain. "There, all better."
"Thanks, mommy," Frisk said.
"Perhaps we should cut this visit short after that," Toriel suggested.
"AWW. THERE WAS SOMETHING I WANTED TO SHOW FRISK BEFORE YOU LEFT," Papyrus said.
"Maybe tomorrow," Toriel said.
"No," Frisk said. "I want to see it, mommy."
"You have just been through an ordeal, my child. I think some rest is better."
"Nuh uh. I want to go with Papy," Frisk insisted.
Toriel wanted to take Frisk home, but they seemed pretty eager to keep going.
"let the kid stay," Sans suggested. "it'll be easier on us if you agree. 'sides, i think they'll get naggy if ya say 'no'."
"Naggy?" Frisk asked.
Toriel sighed. "Just do not let them get hurt again," Toriel told Papyrus.
"DO NOT FEAR! I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, HAVE A FOOLPROOF METHOD TO ENSURE THEY REMAIN UNHARMED FOR THE REST OF THEIR VISIT!" He took Frisk from Toriel's arms and sat them on his shoulders behind his head. "THERE! NOW THEY WON'T SLIP AND FALL ON ICE AS I WILL BE CARRYING THEM EVERYWHERE."
"This is not comfy," Frisk complained.
"OH. WELL, IT MATTERS LITTLE. IT'S JUST A SHORT WALK," Papyrus assured. "COME, LITTLE MONSTER!" He walked off, holding their legs with his hands, carrying them on his back.
After a few minutes of walking, which went fast for Frisk as Papyrus walked fast, they reached a cliff edge which looked out to the rest of the cavern.
"Whoa!" Frisk said in awe.
"BEHOLD! OUR HOME, THE UNDERGROUND!" Papyrus declared. "BET YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THIS BEFORE."
"It so… big," Frisk said. "The ceiling is so high."
"YES. AMAZING, ISN'T IT?" Papyrus asked rhetorically. "THOUGH WE ARE TRAPPED DOWN HERE, I FIND IT BEST TO LOOK AT WHAT OUR WORLD HAS TO OFFER. AND IT IS A LOT."
"I want to see it all," Frisk said.
"WELL, YOUR MOTHER WILL PROBABLY WANT YOU TO GO HOME BY NOW, AND IT WILL TAKE DAYS TO SEE EVERYTHING," Papyrus explained.
"That okay. Someday, I want to see the whole world."
"SOMEDAY, YOU MIGHT. WHO KNOWS? THE FUTURE HOLDS SO MUCH POSSIBILITY."
They stayed there for a few more minutes, looking out at the rest of the cavern, absorbing the sights. Frisk vowed that one day, they would see all it had to offer.
End of Chapter 2