Drinking Truths
Link held up a familiar menu, examining it to see which items were available this time. Although he had no rupees on him, he set the menu aside and looked at the other diners in the restaurant. The Monsters appeared quite different from those in Hyrule, each with a unique appearance. He wondered how many Monsters could be trapped down here. The place seemed to have improved since his last visit. A wave of guilt washed over Link as he remembered the damage he and Undyne had caused, but now it looked as if nothing had happened. All the broken tables and chairs were restored, although the scent of ketchup lingered in the air.
"Ordered the grub, should be out soon." His musings were disrupted when the small skeleton slipped into the booth seat opposite him. They found themselves at the most distant table in the corner of Grillby's, comfortably settled as the venue warmed them from their brief walk.
"So what do you think of my bro? Pretty cool guy, huh. Always trying to help out anyone he can, doesn't have a bad bone in his body." Sans leaned back into the old booth seat. Papyrus had a kind soul, he hadn't encountered anyone so selfless and trusting in a long time. It reminded him of Ilia…
"Hey bud, you gotta cool it with all that depresso espresso. I got enough going on in this noggin." Link suppressed the wave of sorrow that surged within him. There was no time for him to feel sorry for himself.
"I'm not sure if you should be doing that either, not exactly healthy Sunshine." Sans spoke, causing the Hylian to look at him in confusion.
"Your soul is kinda projecting itself to me, I can't see it entirely but it's talking a little louder than normal sometimes."
"Human souls, they're kinda the same as Monster souls but also... not. They're stronger, sure, but that doesn't mean they can't take a hit if you bottle up too much emotions. Yours though… it's a little different. Can't quite put my finger on it, but you've got more magic than the average Human. Feels closer to a Monster's magic, honestly. Pretty wild, huh?" That might make more sense, Hylians do have magic in their blood. As descendants of the goddess Hylia herself, that would explain a lot.
"But your magic is still different from a Monster's. It seems…old or richer. Hard to explain, but I'm sure you know what I'm talking about?" The Hylian nodded.
"Yeah that's what I thought. I'm not sure if that's what's messing up your stats for me." He raised a brow, urging the skeleton to explain.
"Stats describe your soul, tell me what kind of person you are. Breaks down into attack, DF, HP, and LV…and some other ones… I can't see yours, though I'm sure I can read em if I just pull out your soul." The threat was delivered in a chilling manner, Link remained motionless, continuing to gaze blankly at the skeleton.
"Heh, you're not easy to scare kid. Then again, you've probably met your fair share of Monsters." Abruptly, the bartender set several plates of food and beverages on the table between them. To ease the tense atmosphere, the fire Monster shot a sharp glance at the skeleton.
"Hey I'm behaving, just having a little fun Grillbs. Thanks for the grub too, Sunshine didn't get to try it last time." Grillby then silently faced the Hylian, and Link felt a wave of comfort radiate from the fire being. He gave a slight nod in gratitude, managing a small smile. The fire Monster appeared pleased, leaning back from the table while still gesturing towards the skeleton.
"Be nice towards the one who saved my customers Sans." The voice came with a hint of heat before the Monster retreated through the kitchen doors. Link could see that the entire kitchen was ablaze as they opened.
"Wasn't sure what ya liked so I just got ya a burg and some fries." The Hylian looked down to see a plate with a burger and fries. Two glasses stood before Link, one with a shimmering dark blue liquid, the other with plain water. He looked at the skeleton, who gestured with a bottle in offer.
"Need some ketchup?" Link shook his head. He had had his fill of that condiment for a lifetime. The scent was too sweet for him, but thank Hylia Papyrus was cleaning it from his tunic. Unsurprisingly, the skeleton tilted the bottle back to take a drink.
"Heh don't knock it til ya try it. That burger should have some extra protein too, you're kinda of a bottomless trash can when it comes to eating. And hey, if you're feelin' brave enough, go ahead and take a swing at that drink." Once more glancing at the blue drink, he shot a pointed look at it before gingerly lifting the glass to his nose. The potent mix of alcohol and magic seared his nostrils, causing him to abruptly pull the glass away, which triggered a violent coughing fit.
"Hey! Hey! I know Grillby can make a sick-ening cocktail but don't go getting queasy on me already." Link banged the glass on the counter, shooting a furious glare. He loathed alcohol intensely, and although he was old enough to buy it at Telma's bar, the only reason he ventured there was to see her. He would frequent the place more often if not for those despicable soldiers.
While drinking their cares away, Hyrule remains in turmoil, neglecting to assist the many children and women on the streets who desperately need help. Cowering in fear, the true men perished during Hyrule Castle's last stand defending Zelda, while others remained imprisoned for their bravery. The thought of men who drank themselves to death twists his soul. They lost their children, wives, fathers—entire families—vanished, leaving a burden of grief too great to bear. Some were taken away, while others met their end at his hands.
Link didn't bother to silence these thoughts or memories as he watched the skeleton pale. The Hylian wondered what kind of magic was in the beverage. It could be something to slow him down enough for an attack, or something that would slowly poison him, stopping his heart.
"Kid, I'm not some dirty murder so get that out of your skull." Funny, like the skeleton hadn't threatened to rip out his soul on multiple occasions? The jab seemed to surprise the Monster into a look of guilt.
"Right, yea I'll take that one. Look, I'm not tryin' to make excuses or anything, but this is all a bit... new for me. A Human from a world with a Monster War, poppin' up in an underground full of, well, Monsters. Sounds like a recipe for disaster, don't ya think? I just don't wanna see anyone I care about gettin' dusted over this mess" Sans rubbed his neck while avoiding Link's gaze. The Hylian understood his perspective, even in this world, the war between Monsters and Humans had led to the entirety of Monster kind being imprisoned to the Underground. His mere presence probably stirred up some unpleasant memories. If Link found himself in Sans's position, would he react the same way? Yes, he would be protective of his friends, willing to do anything and everything to ensure their safety.
With a sigh, Link leaned back in his seat, letting go of the blue drink and his tight hold on the table. Sans glanced back as the Hylian pondered the true purpose of the magical beverage.
"Right, so not poison. It's called a Guzzle N' Honest, it's all in the name. Just something to make it sure you can't lie. Ever heard of being drunk on truth, it's a real proof of concept. But hey, if you don't wanna drink it, that's on you." Sans chuckled softly. Link could sense it was the truth, a truth potion, huh? Maybe he could use this to his advantage by demonstrating that he held no malice toward the Monsters here. He needed to offer something in order to progress forward.
'Fine, but you too.'
"Wha-?" Before Sans could speak, Link had downed half the drink in one gulp, sliding it towards the skeleton. It burned like fire down his throat and into his stomach. The magic slowly invaded like a fog creeping through the forest, and the tips of his ears felt a little warm.
"...How ya feeling bud?" The Hylian snatched the glass and drank water to wash away the nasty flavor, glaring over the cup as he drank.
"Heh, gotta say, didn't see that comin'. What makes ya think I'm gonna drink it, though, bud?" With a smile, Sans asked while holding a half-full glass. If the skeleton didn't take a sip, he could simply refuse to answer or walk away.
"Got me. Fine, I'll give ya that one. You sure got some spirit, Sunshine. But hey, might wanna eat something first. Not exactly the best idea to drink on an empty stomach." The Monster raised the glass before downing the rest of the drink, following it with more ketchup afterward. The Hylian listened to the warning before finally digging into his meal. It tasted nothing like anything he had ever had in Hyrule, the meal was greasy, fatty, and flavorful. Magic heavily coated his tongue and fingers as he ate. Link cleaned his plate in less than a minute, leaning back comfortably.
"Geez kid, you act like you haven't had a meal in weeks. That burger was supposed to make you full halfway before finishing it." Link chuckled, reflecting on the Twilight Realm and the food scarcity there.
"Is that what your world looks like? Just all dark and gloomy?" Link's mind drifted to the magnificent locations he has explored: Hyrule Castle, the Zora Domain, Gerudo Desert, Hyrule Fields, Death Mountain, Lake Hylia, Snowpeak, Farron Woods, and Ordon Village. All of which were in disarray with Monsters terrorizing the land until he managed to push past the enemy lines and tackle the curses playing those lands. It took a long time, but he managed to find and aid the other races besides Humans. The Zoras now stood firm with their prince back on the throne, and the Gorons were all over the land helping with reconstruction and aiding those in need. The Resistance were the masterminds of communication across the board, everyone was doing their part to bring peace back.
"Heh, so it's not the whole Humans vs Monsters thing goin' on, huh? Didn't think that was even possible. So these curses… they're from your world? How do we break 'em, or are we stuck with 'em like bad puns?" Link hesitated before presenting an image of the Master Sword, knowing he had defeated enemies without it, but some dark magic could only be vanquished with the Blade of Evil's Bane. He didn't know where it was, but he suspected the skeleton had hidden it somewhere.
"Heh yep, that sword has some serious magic alright. Wouldn't let me touch it and get a handle on it." The sword would only answer to its true master. The Hylian would need to obtain it soon in case more curses arose.
"So, you're sayin' you're the only one who can fix this mess, huh? Kinda convenient for you. Guess that gets you a free pass from the ol' chopping block. But that doesn't exactly guarantee you'll help us, now does it?." The skeleton replied while dipping fries into the ketchup on his plate. Offended, Link scoffed, believing he had been honest and truthful up until this very moment, not to mention the magical drink he had consumed earlier. Suddenly, a helpful memory sprang to mind.
"If you need, you could stay a little while. You've only been resting for two days, you need to rest more." She offered, hoping he would accept. He denied her offer, he couldn't wait any longer.
"You Humans are very stubborn..." She muttered under her breath, her warm brown eyes seemed to be fixed on something else before she focused on him again. Suddenly she engulfed him in a warm embracing hug, instinctively he froze at the moment of contact. He couldn't remember when he was hugged like this, a warm mother's embrace….
"…..I don't want to lose another one. I only ask you one thing, please, if you protect my child when you find them, then protect yourself as well. Promise me you won't harm any of my people." She instructed, pulling away from her embrace. The Hylian nodded in agreement before being yanked into another motherly bear hug.
"Shit you know the old lady then." The skeleton smacked his skull with a frustrated sigh. Did the two Monsters know each other?
"So you're looking for Frisk then. What, just to help out some random strangers?" Sans voiced his skepticism. Why was that so difficult to accept? The Hylian wasn't a soulless being, he believed that should be clear by now.
"Sorry Kid, It's kinda hard to believe some random Human would just pop up in the Underground and start helping us out of the kindness of their heart. Like some kinda unexpected hero or somethin'." Link thought back to his promise to Toriel, finding Frisk and bringing no harm to any Monsters. That doesn't mean he could stand by and watch them die, only a coward would let that happen.
"Seems like you got your work cut out for you then. If you mean what you say, then I guess you have a Human to hunt down." Link couldn't shake the thought of the other Human children who had fallen here. Their screams were still vivid in his memory, a reminder of the struggle and fight they put up to survive. All facing a gruesome fate.
"And how do you know about that?" Sans asked tensely, Link could feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand to attention. Magic pulsed from the skeleton as his eye lights disappeared. He recalled when he first appeared in the Underground, everything felt off. It was as if some magic plagued the land. The more he ventured, the more it smelled of death. But he couldn't find any lingering souls or piles of bodies, it was as if it had happened but didn't. Link could also sense it in the Monsters around him, everyone he met or saw radiated the same energy. Link couldn't help but notice the glitching mark on Sans' chest. It looked so real, yet it wasn't there, as if erased from existence. It was an all-too-familiar feeling, but he couldn't place its origin.
"So you can feel it? Some eyes you got on ya kid, didn't expect anyone to notice now. Only I've had the misfortune of remembering that shit." The answer confused the Hylian. What did he mean by remember?
"It's not like it would matter if I explained it to you anyways." Link felt confused by the skeleton's words. Shouldn't they have enough trust to assist each other? The Hylian crossed his arms, shooting the skeleton a disapproving glare. Sans let out a small chuckle before finishing the last bite of his burger.
"Pout all you want Sunshine, not gonna give you what you want. If you gave me the full drink, I would've been singing like a sailor, but I only drank half, so no shot. Though I do have more questions, it seems to be getting late, gotta go read my bro his bedtime story." Sans slowly extricated himself from the booth before brushing the crumbs from his shirt. The Hylian glanced back at the empty glass, lost in thought. How much would he have revealed if he had consumed all of the magic elixir?
"You coming or what?" He was snapped out of his thoughts, looking toward the Monster. The Hylian tried to stand up, but a wave of dizziness struck him. Stumbling to regain his balance, he was suddenly halted in his movements when he looked down and saw that Sans had a grip on his shoulder.
"Buy a guy one drink and you're already falling for me? Heh, you're such a softie." Sans jokes while slipping under his shoulder to help him upright. While Sans wasn't as tall as him, he was tall enough to be used as support. Link hated this, he hated alcohol, he hated the feeling of being helpless.
"Heh didn't take you as a light weigh-"
Suddenly, the bar's doors slammed, startling the duo. They both turned their heads to look at the entrance. There, in the doorway, stood a small Human child.