Chapter Text
Even though Frisk's skin was on the darker side, her knuckes were white as she clasped them tightly on the table. She was seated next to Undyne, who was sitting next to Asgore. Directly across from them was a table full of representatives of the human world, staring them down. The room was concealed. There was no press, which seemed a bit odd to Frisk, but she put it out of her mind. Of course the humans would want to keep the events of this meeting on the low-down.
After a bit of sitting in silence, a man sitting close to the center stood up.
"Will the visiting monsters rise and state their position and objective?" the man boomed.
Asgore stood up and began to speak. "I am Asgore Dreemurr, King of the Monsters." he boomed. "I have been King for about five centuries. I have lived through the Great War between the humans and monsters long ago, and tried to keep my people's hope of seeing the surface againt eventually alive." He sighed. "All that we have lived for is to see the stars again. I ask that you not deny that hope now."
A few of the humans nodded and murmured, but one directed her gaze at Frisk. "Why," she asked, as the room fell silent once more, "if I may ask, is a human sitting with you?"
"Well, I'm sure this human would like to answer this for herself. Frisk?" Asgore nodded to her.
"Yes, me. Um. I'm here, because I fell into the Underground and helped break the magical barrier that held the monsters captive."
"And why would you do this?" She was staring directly into Frisk's eyes. "Did they treat you with only respect and kindness when you fell?
G A M E O V E R
"Of course they did." Frisk replied without hesitation. "I was helped to reach the Capitol, and there, after an incredible string of events involving a monster absorbing every other monster SOUL in the Underground, the barrier was broken and monsters were allowed to go free."
"And are they free now? How many monsters have been living underneath us all this time?"
"A few thousand," Asgore said gently.
There was an uneasy stir. The lady stared at Asgore with piercing eyes.
"We understand that you wish to do what is best for your kingdom. However, we as rulers as well must take into account the safety of our own citizens. Do you understand this?"
Asgore nodded. "Of course."
"Keeping in mind that your entire population was able to survive for five hundred years underground, what exactly is the neccessity of coming to the surface? You weren't doing fine down there as it was?"
Asgore merely shifted in his seat, but Frisk could barely restrain herself from leaping to her feet. "Excuse me. If I may add a personal opinion to this?" she demanded. "I was only stuck underground for about half a year, and it was suffocating." She glared at the woman, who only raised an eyebrow. "It was suffocating.
"Do yo know what it's like to not see the sun rise and fall, to not smell the fresh rain, to not see the stars? Do you have any idea what it's like to be forced to scavenge for food that a race who forced you underground for no good reason tossed into landfills?" She stared around at every human at the table. "No. None of you have ever experienced anything like it.
"Well, I have. Monsters deserve to see the surface again. It was heartbreaking to see them suffering like that, but there was hope. The only thing that kept them going. The hope that one day, they would be able to see the sun rise again. And now, you're telling us that since they barely managed to hold onto that hope and survive, they must have been doing fine?"
She shook her head. "And their King doesn't even declare war upon resurfacing. He makes honest attempts to make peace, even keeping those monsters underground until you give the word. If you do not allow them to come back to the surface," she spat, "they would be fully within their rights to attack."
Frisk sat back, going silent. The woman, looking unimpressed, cleared her throat.
"King Dreemurr, do you recall what the cause for war was in the first place?"
Asgore, who had been sitting stock-still during Frisk's display, shifted uncomfortably. "I believe it was because humans were afraid of the power that monsters possessed."
"Do you know something interesting?" she asked quietly. "The human history available to the public holds no mention of monsters anywhere."
The silence was defeaning.
"Do you think that if all of your monsters resurfaced, these issues that caused the war to begin with would stop existing?" She raised her eyebrows. "Despite what your human friend may believe, we are fully concerned about both races. However, we feel that staying under the mountain for the time being would be best for everyone."
"Until when?" Frisk demanded.
The woman paused. "Until humans get accustomed to the idea that monsters exist, and are convinced that they are safe."
"And just so monsters understand us fully... it was not the government that caused the war in the first place. The FIGHTs were instantaneous and unprovoked. They were all initiated by a powerful band of rebellious humans, and they were the ones who sealed you underground."
"I thought human history held no records of monsters," Frisk said suspiciously.
She looked at Frisk contemptuously. "I said human history available to the public."
Asgore stood up. "We are willing to negotiate. My monsters can survive underground. However, I refuse to allow them to remain trapped for longer than another year." He made his way over to the table. "I wish for peace... I have had enough of bloodshed."
The lady smiled. "We can work out the specific negotiations later. For now, we leave you with this message." Her face grew quite solemn. "We will do what is best for both races, and we will ensure that monsters do not remain trapped in the underground any longer than they need to."
Asgore and the woman shook hands, and Frisk breathed again. She leaned over to Undyne. "Hey, do you think anybody'd mind if I went outside to get a breath of fresh air?"
"Be quick," Undyne whispered. "They're going to start negotiations, and you should know the details."
It was dark and drizzling outside.
Frisk stood underneath the overhang, with water dripping around her. It was quiet and cold. The feeling of solitude filled her with determination again to help the monsters find peace with the humans. Suddenly, a flicker of movement caught her eye.
On the corner, a block away, a small, hooded figure was watching her. Alarmed, she began to turn back inside, but then her eyes narrowed as she recognized the short, stocky frame.
"What are you doing here?" she demanded loudly.
The figure turned to face her and pulled down his hood.
"why wouldn't I be here?" sans asked, grinning.
"Get over here." She was not amused.
"sure thing." Instantly he was standing next to her under the overhang. "whaddaya need?"
"Why did you follow us here?" she asked. "I told you that Undyne was coming. She's plenty of security."
"you mean you genuinely didn't expect me come anyway?" He actually sounded amused.
"Well- I-- Yeah, actually!" Frisk huffed. "We specifically told you that we didn't need more security, and--what are you doing, who do you think you ARE, revealing yourself in public??"
"well, funnily enough, I actually do have a good reason to follow you." he grinned.
Her eyes narrowed further. "And what's that?"
"the humans picked you up right at the base of Mt. Ebott, correct?" He looked at her for confirmation, and she nodded. "and that means that these humans do not know we're living on the surface officially, correct?"
"But what does that have to do with--"
"and that means, the only thing keeping us safe from, say, an bomb strike, or some kind of covered-up attack?"
Her mouth was open. She closed it. "They don't know where we're living."
"yeah. and they could probably find out. but I decided, hey, since it's late, why don't I be in charge of taking you guys home?" He snapped his fingers. "no need for a car driven by possible enemies?"
Frisk recovered. "You have no idea what was going on in there," she hissed.
"i can guess." He cracked his knuckes. "they're doing their best to keep us underground as long as possible without suspicion. they can easily demand more time when that time runs out. they'll claim that knowing monsters exist will wreak havoc on humankind, when it was them who tried to eliminate us from existence in the first place. am I wrong?"
Frisk shuddered. "Do you really think that they'd attack us?"
"i'm sure of it. if they knew where we lived, they'd try to kill all of us as quickly as possible. especially if they knew all the most powerful monsters were living under one roof on the surface..."
She sighed deeply. "We can still make this work, sans. I'm sure of it." Drawing herself up, she turned to go back inside. "I've taken too long already. I'll tell Undyne and Asgore you're here to bring us home."
"ok, ok. Good luck with the humans."
She flinched. Shrugging it off, she walked back in and shut the door behind her.
After she was inside, sans turned to the outside again. Leaning on the railing, he stared out into the dark mist with a much more serious expression than he'd been wearing a second before.