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It was foolish to leave her lab, foolish to leave its safety, foolish to leave her post where she watched the human. But right now, Alphys didn’t care.
She had to see Undyne before she confronted the murderer.
When she reached Undyne’s house, Alphys pounded her fist against the door, hoping she wasn’t too late. Fortunately, she was not, and Undyne opened the door, half-dressed in her armor.
“Undyne,” Alphys said breathlessly as she stumbled past her, grabbing the nearby kitchen table for support. “Undyne, it’s bad. They’ve killed so many monsters and built up so much LOVE… I don’t know if you can defeat them.”
Undyne shut the door and continued to dress in her armor, pulling on her gauntlets. “I have to try, Alphys. If I don’t, more people are definitely going to die. It’s my job to protect everyone, and even if it weren’t… I’d still want to do it.” She clenched her fist. “They—they took out the whole Guard in Snowdin. Even… Papyrus. I can’t—” She formed a spear and grasped it tightly, watching it crackle with electricity, a strangely calm fury burning in her eyes. “Whatever this thing is—it must be truly evil to murder such a good guy. I can’t imagine it.” She looked back at Alphys. “I don’t want it to get to you. The Underground needs you.” She swallowed. “I need you.”
Alphys sank her claws into the sleeves of her lab coat. God, how she wished she could hear those words in an entirely different context… But she nodded. “I, uh—I know. I’m the only one who can keep watch on them.”
“That’s not what I mean.” She pulled on her boots, the last part of her armor, and knelt in front of Alphys. “You have to promise me. Whatever happens to me after this, be a leader. Get everyone out of the main streets and into a safe place, wherever you can find. I’m counting on you, and so are they.”
Alphys nodded slowly, tears leaking out of the corners of her eyes. “Th-then you have to promise me—y-you’ll fight with everything you’ve got.”
Undyne nodded too. “Of course.” She glanced at the door, then looked back to Alphys, her eyes full of sadness. Then, slowly, tenderly, she reached up to grasp Alphys’s face, pull it down, and kiss her forehead. “I never did get to know you as well as I hoped.”
Alphys reached up and grasped her wrists. Then she smiled suddenly. “Then you’d better come back.”
“I’ll do my damnedest.” Undyne stood at her full height and breathed deeply. “Goodbye, Alphys.”
Alphys could only nod in return.
As Undyne left her house that day, she was afraid.
But never in a million years would she back down from the battle. Not when Alphys and so many others were counting on her.
She would fight with her whole heart, with the determination of a thousand men. She had to.
For Alphys.
For the Underground.
For the sake of the whole world.