Work Text:
Probably one of the most confusing things you could wake up to, is to yourself lying on a bed of golden flowers.
Who’s to say?
…
Well.
This child was to say.
Probably.
They hadn’t really meant to climb the mountain—
…No, okay, that was a lie.
They’d been meaning to climb the mountain; but, they hadn’t meant to… Take a tumble down here.
Wherever “here” was.
…
In fact,
the child looked around, taking in their surroundings. They were in a cave of sorts, dank and damp, the only light being that of the sun still streaming from above.
When they looked down, they were lying on a bed of golden flowers.
Curiously, they felt bruised a bit, but nothing seemed broken; the flowers must’ve broken their fall, somehow…?
They frowned slightly, their curiosity piquing the more they thought. This place didn’t seem particularly dangerous—if a little foreboding—so, it wouldn’t hurt to get up and walk around, right?
(I mean, to be fair, what else were they to do?)
Gathering all their strength (which felt like not a lot at the moment), the child sat up, struggling for a bit to find their footing but they asserted themself, pushing themself off the ground and—
HELLO!!!!
They tumbled backwards back onto the flowers, startled, their heart beating heavily inside their chest. They glanced around quickly, but, there was no one to be found.
Who said that???
O-OH, SORRY!! I DIDN’T MEAN TO SCARE YOU! The voice continued, still bright but apologetic, and the child looked across both corners of the room in front of them even more frantically. WHAT’S YOUR NAME???
…
W—
OH, THAT’S A VERY NICE NAME!!! Wait what
How did you…?
As they were turning to look behind them, the thought abruptly died, limbs running cold when they saw—
…
???????
There was a… Skeleton…?
They were… Somewhat see-through, and floating behind the child like a…
Like a ghost.
…Were they a ghost?
When the ghost(?) skeleton(?) noticed the child looking back at him with wide eyes, he broke out into a huge, beaming grin—almost as blinding as the sun shining from above. Before their eyes, he gave them a gentle wave.
Other than the… Obvious, the child pondered, a few things stood out about their new companion. (If he decided to stay around that long.)
He wore faded brown jeans and a bright yellow shirt, with little orange stripes on the sleeves and one big one stretching across the middle of the shirt as a whole. And… Also bright red-orange boots on his feet instead of regular shoes. But in the end, what caught the human child’s attention most was the deep blue bandanna that hung from around his neck, tied neatly, and seemingly kept quite well. It stood out from the rest of him.
…He seemed to notice their silent staring.
UM, H-HELLO!!!! I-IT’S NICE TO MEET YOU!!!
Despite the smile, his voice echoed in their mind a bit shakily, stuttered and distant. The child studied him curiously—which they had to with a tilt of their head. He’d landed in front of them, likely to better meet their gaze, but he was still rather tall. Very tall. Almost double their height, with the young child themselves barely reaching much higher than the average kitchen counter. At the thought their face instinctively scrunched up.
And as a result the skeleton visibly deflated.
D— I-I’M SORRY, DID I SAY SOMETHING WRONG, HUMAN????? His voice echoed quickly and anxiously in their head, and the tall ghost in front of them wrung his thin hands together, fretting, I DIDN’T MEAN TO, I-I’m sorry…
The child shook their head fervently, once they realized what he was worrying over, and instinctively reached out. Their small hand phased through his sleeved arm.
I’m sorry, they thought, then. It’s…
They frowned.
How did you know my name?
OH!! The skeletal ghost perked up, right as rain, and he rang, HONESTLY I HAVE NO IDEA, IT JUST CAME TO ME!!!! …IS… IT IS “FRISK,” RIGHT??
Even then he seemed unsure of himself, so the child nodded. He continued,
YES, THEN!!!! IT REALLY JUST CAME TO ME!!! AS HAS EVERYTHING ELSE I THINK!!!!! UM!! ACTUALLY I DON’T THINK I’M SUPPOSED TO BE HERE AT ALL!
…
What’s your name? the child asked.
The smile that had diminished, ever so slightly from him as he’d talked—and seemingly without his own notice—came back full-force.
I’M THE GREAT PAPYRUS!!!!!! …OR, WELL, UM… A pause. …JUST PAPYRUS IS FINE.
…
Frisk smiled.
It’s nice to meet you, Papyrus. Do you know where we are?
Papyrus took a brief glance around, eyes narrowing slightly in contemplation.
I… DO NOT BELIEVE I’VE BEEN TO THIS PART OF THE UNDERGROUND, SO I’M AFRAID NOT. UNLESS I’M FORGETTING SOMETHING. WHICH COULD VERY WELL BE TRUE! BUT I DON’T THINK SO.
This part of The Underground…?
But you know what place this is? they asked, curiously.
UM, MAYBE? I’D HAVE TO SEE MORE OF IT FIRST!!
Well, that gave them all the reason to explore further.
Frisk stood up, inspecting their form before decidedly shrugging off the dirt that had gathered on their clothes.
…UM, Papyrus began. Frisk tilted their head slightly at him. YOU WILL WASH THOSE CLOTHES LATER, RIGHT?
Hm. Was their new friend bothered by that sort of thing?
They had never really considered their appearance in that way. It wasn’t high on their priorities list, so to speak.
I wasn’t thinking about it, they told him honestly. But I could if you want me to, if it bothers you.
NO! NO, IT’S OKAY, JUST— He twisted his fingers together. Nervous. I-I DON’T REALLY LIKE DIRT. AND, A-AND, NOT BEING CLEAN CAN MAKE YOU SICK. BUT, IT’S OKAY!!! DON’T WORRY ABOUT… ME.
Frisk blinked. In their head, they had already made up their mind; but they spoke, Okay. Let’s continue, then.
Deftly they brushed themself off this time—just for the time being. Then, the child trotted off, towards an old-looking archway.
The way it appeared reminded them of old ruins, or a temple or something like that. They glanced around, and spotted their new ghost companion floating directly behind them. Does this look familiar? they wondered. He didn’t respond right away. …You don’t have to respond, if you don’t want to.
NO. I-I MEAN, NO, IT DOESN’T LOOK FAMILIAR YET? I’M NOT SURE…
Okay. The child stepped onwards, through the archway, into a brief bought of darkness—before things brightened again, and…
. . .
There was…
A flower.
On a lone patch of browning grass, somehow seeming just as aged, sat what once looked to be a golden flower. A little like the ones that had broken their fall.
This one was different.
Its petals were faded; drooping. The flower itself seemed just barely alive, hunched over in its spot, only just held upright. Parts of its stem, its petals, even its face bore jagged holes and places it must have lost part of itself over time.
…Odd.
Papyrus said nothing. Frisk turned, looking for him, but saw nothing. Briefly Frisk’s heart jumped.
I’M STILL HERE! DO NOT WORRY, HUMAN!! His voice spoke up, echoing around them. YOU JUST CAN’T SEE ME ANYMORE AT THE MOMENT. I DIDN’T WANT TO DISTRACT YOU!!
They frowned—but, he had a point. Should they run into any trouble—their Hopeful heart didn’t like the idea, but nonetheless—it’d be best they weren’t peering around their self at all times. And from the sound of it, they could still talk to him, anyway. Can you still see things that are out here?
OF COURSE!! UM, LIKE THAT FLOWER! YOU SEE HIM TOO, RIGHT?
…
Him?
Frisk glanced back toward the flower.
Which was now looking at them with dark, dark eyes.
Well. That was new.
Frisk took a tentative step forward. Might as well introduce themself? Maybe…?
“H… Hello,” their voice cracked from disuse. They didn’t like speaking all that much, but they could. Could the flower talk too?
It— He? Continued to stare at them.
They opened their mouth—maybe, to say their name, but then,
“you.”
…
Them?
“you,” the flower repeated, in a low voice. It was like… Nothing they’d ever heard. Deep, and dark, and almost ghostly.
Frisk… Didn’t understand.
Papyrus? They didn’t know what to do. Something was off, something was wrong. Wh-what should I—
In a split second, their thoughts died.
In a split second, something came hurtling at them. In a split second, searing pain flashed through their neck, cutting everything off.
In a split second,
Frisk came back, gasping for air.
What…?
FRISK!!!!!
A choked sob made their head dart up, from the golden flowers that lay beneath them. In front of them the ghostly form of Papyrus knelt, tears streaming down his face.
Instinctively, they reached out to him, to comfort him—but their hand just phased through his shaking shoulder.
They didn’t understand.
Had it all been a bad dream?
But, then, why was their friend crying…?
I’m okay, they thought. Their neck ached, though. Like something had torn clear through it…
They felt for their throat. Their throat was perfectly in-tact.
…B-but I…
They looked at him. He stared back. As though staring right through them.
I just saw you die.
.
.
.
What?
Papyrus sucked in a breath. That… Didn’t make sense. Nothing made sense, right then.
I saw you die, he managed, hoarse. That flower— Th-that— He attacked you, he killed y— He broke off, his words hitching in a throat he didn’t have.
And somehow, they still had their own.
Their own breath hitched.
They didn’t understand.
They didn’t understand.
Did they die? Did they die?
They didn’t
They
Bile rose in them, but they swallowed it back down. A lump formed in its place, but they refused it too. Don’t cry, don’t cry, don’t cry. Don’t cry, their mind repeated. They made sure Papyrus didn’t hear it. They blocked it from their Soul. Their Soul ached, but it would not let him listen. Not now.
…Human?
Let’s continue, they had it say, instead. They thanked their lucky stars their Soul's voice couldn't tremble like their real one wanted to.
But—
Frisk struggled to their feet, inch by terrible inch.
Should they still be standing? They didn’t know.
Don’t go back there. Don’t. Please. He’ll kill you again.
But they had a mission.
Even if it killed them.
…
Maybe they’d come back a second time…?
Their head went fuzzy as they tried to step—but, in an instant it was gone.
Papyrus had disappeared again, silent. Likely because of their insistence.
He would come to realize they were a stubborn child. His silence told them he didn’t like it, regardless.
I’ll try to avoid it this time, they assured him. I promise.
…Okay.
They weren’t sure they liked his voice that quiet. But, Frisk would be the last to tell him to cheer up.
In time, they stumbled their way into the next room. Their head cleared some, by then.
…
The flower was there. Still.
With eyes just as dark.
. . .
But…
For a moment, it was as if they could see light in that darkness.
It was as if he held himself higher, too. Fixated on them. Only them.
Were they imagining it?
“how?”
He spoke first. The child took a step back.
“how?” he growled, again. The low voice trembled. (He liked repeating things, so it seemed.) “how the hell did you…”
Frisk.
Their invisible companion's low warning reached them, just as the flower snarled at them:
“What kind of anomaly are you?”
Their Soul seized.
In a split second, the flower
STOP!!!!!!
. . .
…
Papyrus’s desperate cry seemed to ring out longer than he’d spoken it. To whom he was crying out towards, Frisk wasn’t sure—the flower couldn't seem to hear or see him.
Whatever attack he'd thrown their way had disappeared, in a matter of moments. Before it hit them.
The flower’s eyes were dark again.
…
He did not move. He stared at them. But he did not move.
Why wasn’t he attacking them?
Human?
Papyrus spoke their name, small.
Can we go now?
…
The flower had sunk down, lower into the dirt. Frisk could not read his expression.
. . .
They should have gone. Maybe. But…
Frisk hesitated.
They did not move.
The sound of feet hitting stone in the distance sent the flower recoiling, suddenly; before they could even blink he was receding deep, deep into the Earth.
Their throat felt dry.
The sound drew closer, closer; when the child finally tore their gaze away from the dirt, they were staring at…
…
A?
Lizard???
Dinosaur?? Maybe???
Probably one of the tw—
“AAAAAAAA!”
Frisk leaped back, startled, a yelp of their own tearing from their lips—with wide eyes, the, creature? shoved their hands over their mouth, as though that would? Help, somehow?
“O-o-oh my stars, oh my stars oh my stars oh my stars I’m so sorry,” a feminine voice stuttered out, quick and strained and apologetic somehow all at once. “I-I didn’t mean to—! OHMYSTARSI’MSOSORRYIDIDN'TMEANTOSCREAMINYOURFACE.”
Frisk matched her, wide eyes for wide eyes, arms held ramrod straight and tense at their sides.
“I-I DIDN’T SCARE YOU, D-D-DID I?”
Uh.
Frisk shook their head. (Even if the opposite were true.)
It… Seemed to put her at some ease, in any case.
“O-okay… Okay, okay, g-good…” Now that that was, kind of out of the way, Frisk noticed she was clad in none other than what looked to be pajamas. Pawprint-decorated pants and a long-sleeved T-shirt that had a face of a cat-creature-woman on the front, with very, very sparkly eyes.
Uhhh.
“Y-you’re!!! You’re, a human, right?” the lizard (we’ll go with that) squeaked. “I-I mean! I-I’m! Not sure what else you’d be, h— Haha!”
She laughed, rather shakily, clasping her hands together. Her eyes kind of… Resembled the cat-creature-girl.
Uhhhhhhhh.
They took a step back. Papyrus? they ventured, meekly. A silent help rung in their Soul.
IT’S OKAY, HUMAN!!!
Was it?
He sounded suddenly bright, and suddenly cheery again. With something else that filled his voice, that they couldn’t put a finger on. Wistfulness, maybe…?
THAT’S JUST ALPHYS!!!!
Oh.
He knew—?
DON’T WORRY, SHE CAN HELP YOU I THINK!!!!
“U-u-umm,” Alphys? stammered, sounding even more strained. Nervous. “Y-you? A-are you okay, h-human? Y-you’re, um, staring a-at the wall…”
Frisk nodded, quickly.
…
They thought about it.
…
Then, they gestured down at their shirt and shorts.
Her eyes lit up.
“O-oh! Y-you! Y-you need new clothes?” Frisk thought about it, then shrugged. “Y-yeah, I can h-help with that!”
She paused.
“Um. I-I think.”
. . .
“Y-yeah, s-so just! F-follow me!” Alphys turned around, quickly stepping back through the second archway up ahead that looked similar to the one before.
They took a step after her.
…
And, then.
Again.
They hesitated.
Their Soul, while still vibrant in their chest, still Hopeful, stuttered a moment.
They were…
. . .
I know.
Papyrus’s voice flooded their Soul, again. Strangely…
You can trust her.
.
.
.
Frisk pulled their trailing hand away from their neck.
They nodded. To no one but him. And, maybe themself, a little.
…It’ll be okay.
Somehow, there was an underlying thing, then. Like he wanted to assure something else.
But, their ghostly skeletal companion,
somehow their new friend…
Papyrus just said, I promise.
. . .
Somehow…
This human child believed him.