Chapter Seven

The lab was dark at first with a computer screen only focused on the human which made her feel odd, and disturbed the positive voice. Finally the lights went on as a yellow dinosaur-like monster walked out of a room with a lab coat and glasses on. Upon seeing the human, the scientist freaked out as she spoke,

"Oh! My gosh! I didn't expect you to show up so soon! I haven't showered, I'm barely dressed, it's all messy, and… Ummm… H-h-hiya! I'm Dr. Alphys. I'm Asgore's royal scientist! B-b-but, ahhh, I'm not one of the "bad guys!" Actually, since you stepped out of the RUINS, I've, um… been "observing" your journey through my console. Your fights… Your friendships… Everything! I was originally going to stop you, but… watching someone on screen makes you root for them. S-So, ahhh, now I want to help you! Using my knowledge, I can easily guide you through Hotland! I know a way right to Asgore's castle no problem."

"R-Really? You want to help me do that? That's… pretty nice of you. Okay! Show me the way!" the child said with hope shining in her eyes.

+ A helper?

- Yeah right!

"… Well actually, umm, there's just a tiny issue. A long time ago, I made a robot called Mettaton. Originally I built him to be an entertainment robot. Uh, you know, like a robotic TV star or something. Anyway, recently I decided to make him more useful. You know, just some small practical adjustments. Like um… Anti… anti-human combat features? Of c-course, when I saw you coming, I immediately decided… I have to remove those features! Unfortunately, I may have made a teensy mistake while doing so. Um… Now he's an unstoppable killing machine with a thirst for human blood? Ehehehe. But hopefully you won't run into him," Alphys said, as the child grew a little nervous.

+ … this isn't right… how you made him worse just as I arrived…?

- She said it was a mistake

+ … From what I understand of the underground and her being a scientist… that's a bit fishy to me… I really only trust Papyrus…

And as this conversation occurred, the shining star of the underground burst through the wall and introduced himself in all his boxed up one wheeled and gloved handed glory, while the child and the positive and negative voices' eyes were widened.

"OOHHH YES! WELCOME BEAUTIES… TO TODAY'S QUIZ SHOW! OH BOY! I CAN ALREADY TELL IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT SHOW! EVERYONE GIVE A BIG HAND FOR OUR WONDERFUL CONTESTANT! NEVER PLAYED BEFORE, GORGEOUS? NO PROBLEM, IT'S SIMPLE! THERE'S ONLY ONE RULE… ANSWER CORRECTLY… OR YOU DIE!" Mettaton said with such robust fervor.

The child participated in the game show and was able to answer all of the questions correctly while revealing that Alphys seemed to have a crush on a few people. Afterward, Mettaton said his ending lines and left,

"Next up, more drama! More romance! More BLOODSHED! Until next time, darlings!"

Alphys walked a little closer to the human and said, "Well, that was certainly something. Wait, wait! Let me give you my ph-phone number! Th-Then… m-maybe… If you need help, I could… Wh… where'd you get that phone?! It's ancient! It doesn't even have texting. W-Wait a second, please. Here, I upgraded it for you. It can do texting, items, it's got a keychain… I even signed you up for the underground's No. 1 social network! Now we're officially friends! Ehehehe! … I'm going to the bathroom!"

Alphys ran off to the room she came from, and the child examined the phone while looking around the lab.

+ …

- What?

+ … I'm very suspicious now.

- Why though? She fixed your phone.

+ So that she can track me? Or attack me with my phone? She built a robot murderer!

- … Woah, I didn't think about that.

Sensing the distrust of the positive voice to the scientist, the child knew at this point they haven't steered them wrong, although she did want to at least give the scientist a chance. She also noted how the supposed human history was anime which would be inaccurate in reality, so she decided to move on ahead out of the other side of the lab back to the hot terrain of Hotland. A few feet outside the lab, Curtain also walked out of the lab and tapped her shoulder.

"Eek! Oh! Curtain, you startled me," the child said, relaxing her tiny hands that were ready to chop.

"Pfft. Sorry about that. Just wanted to say those guys gave me some interesting information of a few monsters who passed by, but it looks like I'll have to find a certain skeleton to help me. Though I'm not sure where he is since it looks like the stand he was sleeping in is empty," Curtain said.

"Oooh. Oh! Since we have some time, how has your flying been lately?"

"I think my wings are too small. I can't seem to get enough air."

"Too small? Can I see them? I don't think I've seen them before."

"Oh yeah! Well, sure thing!" Curtain said as she breathed out and put her palms together.

An aura of white appeared around her and concentrated on her back as it formed into two purple wings, though one had less purple feathers then the other. The span reached just about Curtain's arm width, and the child also noted that Curtain's hair seemed to become more feathery too.

"Woooah, those wings even make your hair have feathers! That so cool," the child complemented as Curtain grew bashful.

"Aww, no stop it. It's nothing really, it just does that."

"But my hair can't do that!"

"Well… huh, that's true actually."

"Hmm… I think your wings are a good size for you though. I mean that bird I met back there could fly while holding someone if he wanted to… and some monsters don't need wings to float… though Whismur has wings but you still should be able to."

"Really? You think so? I don't know why I'm having such trouble. It's really bothersome… other Aecan monsters in my family could run and fly and all…" Curtain said while looking downward sadly.

"Aecan?" the child asked.

"Its like a hybrid of bird and wolf in simpler terms. But not a fusion necessarily, we were born that way, not made," Curtain explained.

"I see, so… is your family not able to show you?" The child asked.

".. No… from what I know I'm basically the last I know of…" Curtain said, her wings lowering.

"Aww… I'm sorry Curtain. What… What happened to them?" The child asked.

"… Well, my parents were doing what good parents do. Protecting their baby and their future," Curtain replied, her wings drooping much lower.

"… Hey Curtain. Can you show me how you fly? Maybe you just need to move your wings more," The child changed the subject to deter from the sadness as she flapped her arms like wings.

"… Hehehe. Okay, okay. I'll show you what I can do," Curtain said with a smile while her wings rose up.

As the child and Curtain traveled along Hotland with Alphys posting and calling the child to guide them while the positive voice grew more suspicious, Curtain was practicing her flying as the child tried to instruct her the best way she could. It would seem Curtain would gain a little height at least double her own height, but she couldn't sustain it long and would have to glide down. The two went through a few puzzles as they too were puzzled by Curtain's inability to stay a float. The child saved on the way, as Curtain finally asked,

"Hey so… that little light… I thought I was the only one noticing it, but you see it too… what is it?"

"Um… well, it's kind of like… heh, I don't know if you'll believe me but… when I feel most determined I can use it to like… save my progress. As if… if something happens I can go back… It might sound silly but that's what it is to me," the child replied honestly.

"… Heh. It does sound silly… but considering I see it and can't interact with it while you can… it must be special so I can't really say if it's just a joke," Curtain said, as the child felt a sense of relief from her words.

"Curtain… you're really chill about things huh? Thank you for that. I wasn't sure if you'd see me as a weirdo or something," the child said.

"Well, I'm sure some monsters might think so if they saw you reaching nothing," Curtain said, as the child pouted.

Curtain messed up her hair a bit as she also added, "And you're welcome."

They continued along to a cooking show hosted by Mettaton, which he kindly led Curtain to a seat to relax as she did so but suspiciously of him. The child grew more suspicious as she wondered how Mettaton seemed to be aware of Curtain if he didn't meet her yet. Although Curtain wanted to help the child, when it came to the flying challenge, Curtain could only watch, but noticed it was quite predictable. After the child survived the cooking show, Mettaton left as Alphys was glad they were okay, and the child half-heartedly smiled to her cheering her on, especially since the positive voice seemed to grow hostile.

"Hey… Alphys… um, can I ask… how did Mettaton know about my friend?" the child asked before Alphys hung up.

"H-Huh? Your friend? The lady with y-you? … I'm not very sure. T-Though considering he is a robot, Mettaton probably found a way to look at the cameras or j-just asked someone. He is a s-star after all so I-I wouldn't be surprised if someone… told him… anyway! We still have some more puzzles to get through! So I'll be helping you with those as w-well!"

Alphys then hung up, and after the child put her phone away, Curtain looked her over to make sure she was okay.

"You aren't hurt right? Just shaken up from the ingredients?" Curtain asked.

"Yeah, I'm okay. Just a little flour," the child replied as she flicked it off.

"Phew. That's good. Good thing he uh… was quite repetitive with those attacks," Curtain said.

"… Y-Yeah, good thing," the child said, noting that Curtain also noticed something strange about this.

The two traveled on ahead as the child saved again, and then the two felt an ominous presence as they looked out to see the Core above a lava flow. They both felt a shiver up their spines and decided to keep moving, their silence and the eerie environment spoke more words then they could.

"…"

A pair of red eyes descended quietly to the ground where they stood viewing the Core. She turned towards the Core and stared at it for a few moments, only to snort as gray smoke emitted from her mouth. As she turned towards where the girls had walked towards, she sighed as what appeared to be sparks emitting from her mouth, and then she jumped up.

The child and Curtain went through the elevator to the next floor and passed by Heats Flamesman on their way out. As they passed through they finally met Sans again at another sentry station where he sold some hotdogs that the child was eager to buy from his sales pitch of them… which wasn't much of a sales pitch, she was just very curious. As the child kept buying more, Curtain took the opportunity to speak with Sans,

"Hey Sans, since we have the opportunity, I wanted to ask if you've seen a certain kind of monster down here before. You basically know everyone as I recall."

"heh. well, i'll try my best for you. who did you have in mind?" Sans replied as he started stacking the hotdogs on the child's head.

"Well, I was wondering if you've seen an Aecan," Curtain said.

"… well i've seen you, but not like you," Sans replied, continuing the stack.

"Well, not exactly how I look. Here, let me give you an example," Curtain said, as she took a picture out from her inner jean jacket pocket.

She showed Sans the bended picture as he and the child looked at it. The monster in the picture had a sharp yellow beak with a blue fur face and long purple feathers of hair that reached her lower back, along with a fluffy blue tail with a few purple feathers, and hind blue furred legs with claws on her paw feet and her hands. Her purple wings were folded up on her back, blending with her hair, and she wore dark purple robe-like clothing with a rope around the waist and slits on the sides of the legs, however she also had black leggings under it.

The child and Sans were quite fascinated by the monster, along with her kind, blue eyes and gentle smile. But then they noticed that the purple scarf the monster in the picture wore was the same scarf Curtain was wearing in the same fashion.

"… well, you know, i might have seen someone like this before. but the last i saw them was at waterfall. i haven't seen him since. he mostly kept to himself and was always busy," Sans replied.

"Waterfall, huh? Okay! I'll have to head back and search then," Curtain said, as she put the picture back in her pocket.

"… Curtain, I don't mean to bother but… is that your mom?" the child asked.

"Oh… yes, she is my mom…was," Curtain said, looking downward.

"… well, now i know where your good looks came from. i'm sure she'd be pretty proud of having a cool kid like you," Sans said, as Curtain was surprised by the kind compliment.

"I know I'm happy about that too, and she looks like a very good mom," the child said, and Curtain smiled as her eyes watered a bit.

"She really was. Cool-headed, understanding, protective, very smart too. No wonder her and my dad clicked, besides him being more outgoing," Curtain said, smiling as she remembered her parents.

"You know… I hope someone like your parents is waiting for me," the child said.

"Are… you alone?" Curtain asked the child.

"… I don't remember much from before I woke up here. I must have hit my head.. But I just know that… I want to find out when I leave here all I want to know," the child replied looking downward.

"… well if that's what you want to do… i mean, if you haven't found what you're looking for here already that it," Sans said with a wink.

The child turned towards him with a thumbs up since she was balancing the hotdogs, and then she turned to walk on ahead, as Curtain followed while catching a few hotdogs that fell from her head.

"Thanks Sans! I'll see you later!" Curtain said with a wave.

"no problem, curtain" Sans said and he waved back.

As they come across an apron that the child took, she remembered Papyrus and his spaghetti, but also realized that maybe she should go back to see what happened with him and if Undyne was still there.

"Hey Curtain, you have to go back to Waterfall right? I was going to head back there to check with Papyrus."

"Oh cool. I was about to tell ya that I wanted to go back, but I was kind of debating leaving you alone. Let's go together then," Curtain replied, and the girls went along to find the river boat person.

Upon the boat that was skipping back across the water, the child and Curtain were sitting comfortably.

"… So Curtain, I just thought… your mother looks very much like a monster."

"Well yeah, she is a monster."

"And your dad? Is he a monster like her?"

"…"

"C-Curtain?"

"…"

"I'm sorry, I'm asking too much, right?"

"Nah nah, you're okay. So about my dad… he was a human," Curtain replied, as the child's eyes widened.

"… Y-You're half human and monster?" The child clarified as Curtain nodded.

"My mom was an Aecan. They can fly really high so when the war decided for monsters to be sealed underground, half the Aecans were able to stay above ground in hiding. My father eventually through his hikes and research actually found my mother and wanted to talk to her. She avoided him, but he was so persistent and determined to talk to her that he kept finding her. So when she finally decided to trust him since he had no ill intentions and promised to not tell anyone of the hiding places… well… they became inseparable. And after a few years… baby me was born," Curtain said, as the child's eyes sparkled at such knowledge.

"Curtain… that's amazing. Your parents are amazing… they didn't fight or anything, and they loved each other, right?"

"Yep. Heh. I guess they realized how similar they actually were…"

The child smiled brightly as Curtain smiled back at her.

"Let's keep this between us three, okay?" Curtain said, and the child nodded as the two looked towards the Riverboat person.

"Tra-la-la! No need to fret! The river keeps your secrets drenched!" They replied, as Curtain and the child nodded.

"… Beware of the Man who speaks in Hands. As a token of knowledge for knowledge. Tra-la-la!" The Riverboat person said, and the two looked towards one another.

"… So, then the monsters you are looking for are someone who is Aecan?" the child asked, and Curtain nodded.

"Hopefully the lead Sans gave me can help me find them, or at least one of them since that seems to be the case," Curtain said, and the child nodded.

Upon finally reaching their stop, the two got off and headed to Undyne's house. Curtain left the child there so that she could search around, while the child said she'd meet her near the glowing light of the save once she finished what she was doing.

The two separated, as the child met with Papyrus outside of Undyne's home and agreed to befriend the Royal Guard. As Papyrus jumped out of the window, Undyne served them tea, and the child beat the heck out of tomatoes while cooking like a mad lad with Undyne and the positive voice pressing them on. Meanwhile, Curtain was taking in the different scents around Waterfall that led her to where the piano was. She checked the area much more thoroughly and to her surprise found some blue fur on the ground. She entered into the room where the Legendary Artifact was and began searching the room more thoroughly to find a false wall when she knocked on it and listened to hear that it was hollow. Upon pushing it, the wall seemed to move and Curtain found a passageway through it.

While Undyne challenged the human to a fight that proved to her that the human wasn't a bad person in her blazing house, Curtain found a secret library of books, a desk with a globe, and a broken telescope. She sniffed the air and recognized the scent being similar to the fur and an Aecan's scent. However, no one was there, so upon that realization, she quickly ran out to look around and see if the Aecan was nearby.

"Listen, human. It seems that you and Asgore are fated to fight. But knowing him… He probably doesn't want to. Talk to him. I'm sure you can persuade him to let you go home. Eventually, some mean human will fall down here… And I'll take THEIR soul instead. That makes sense, right? Fuhuhu. Oh, and if you DO hurt Asgore… I'll take the human souls… cross the barrier… And beat the hell out of you! That's what friends are for, right? Fuhuhu! Now let's get the hell out of this flaming house!" Undyne said, as the two of them ran out of the burning inferno.

"Well that was fun, huh? We'll have to hang out again another time…! But, uh, somewhere else I guess. In the meantime, I guess I'll go hang out with Papyrus. So if you need me, drop by Snowdin, OK?! Oh! And if you ever need help… Just give Papyrus a ring, ok? Since we're in the same spot, I'll be able to talk too! Well, see ya later, punk!" Undyne said, and the child smiled and nodded.

"See you, Undyne!" The child waved, and then she went ahead to the save point.

+ Goodness… she's very… eccentric

- She still tried to kill you though

+ Well at least I don't have to worry about her again, and she's helping me now

- … I guess so

As Curtain was heading back, she happened to run into Undyne.

"…" Undyne looked at her in surprise.

"…" Curtain was surprised at first, but furrowed her brows afterward.

"… H-Hey! So I remember seeing ya when I was… fighting the human before. You helped them… I guess you're their friend, right?" Undyne asked.

"…" Curtain's eyes narrowed in an untrusting way.

"… Hey! Don't be so upset! I mean… yeah you should be. I didn't realize how much like the king the kid really was… I just befriended the little punk now so… I'm sorry about earlier, when I attacked both of you," Undyne said, lowering her head in guilt.

"… Thank you. Just don't do that again! I was running for our lives!" Curtain complained with her arms crossed.

"Y-Yeah yeah! Don't worry about that. I won't be hurting the human anytime soon. I just hope when she confronts the king that… everything goes okay, for both of them," Undyne admitted.

"… I do too. I'll be watching over her, though I do believe in her, and if the king is like her as you say… then maybe everything will go well," Curtain said, and Undyne nodded firmly.

"Hell yeah! I like your spirit! What's your name anyway?"

"Curtain, and I already know you're name from Monster Kid, Undyne. He really looks up to you."

"Fuhuhu. Yeah, he's a sweet kid, and a brave one at that."

"Reminds me of her too. Some brave kids around here, huh?"

"Yep! Well, I guess if you two decide to come back to Snowdin, I'll be there with Papyrus if you need me!"

"Sure. Thanks Undyne."

"No problem, Curtain!"

Undyne went on her to Snowdin, as Curtain ran ahead to find the child as she just used the save point.

"Hey kid! I heard from Undyne you befriended her. How did you do that?" Curtain asked as she walked towards her.

"Tea and spaghetti!" the child said, as Curtain was a little confused by that.

"It was pretty intense, but that's how Undyne is… oh! Did you find the Aecan?"

"I found where they seem to have been staying. It was a false wall where the uh… dog was with that artifact thing," Curtain said, and the child's eyes widened.

"… Well, I guess that makes sense since we didn't really look there well after that… were they there?"

"No one was there, but I can only assume they were there. So maybe they are somewhere around here… or went back," Curtain said.

"Maybe we can find more clues there, or if we wait maybe they'll come back," the child suggested.

"Alright. Let's go back then and see what we can find and if they come back. Though, are you sure you'd want to wait with me?" Curtain asked.

"Of course! I want to help you and meet one of your kin," the child said with a confident smile.

"Hehehe. Thanks, kid. Let's go then," Curtain said, and the two headed back.

Kind of glad I can just post these so quick now. Almost like a ketchup for the time I couldn't post anything, huh? :)