Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Rain poured heavily on clay-like dirt. Puddles collected in small furrows on the ground. Two cloaked figures ran across the dirt careful not to leave any noticeable tracks.

One pair of feet were covered in boots their owner young once full of hope for a bright future now lost. Before they tried to solve all their problems with peace. After this they realized that doesn’t always work.

The other pair were covered in yellow scales and tipped with claws with three toes on each foot. He was taller than his companion and used to get in trouble. Now he fought to protect others much like his idols.

As they ran they kept a sharp ear out for any noises other than the rain beating the ground. Sight wasn’t much use in the downpour so they had to rely on their other senses. They had to keep alert because being found meant being killed and what they carried was too precious to lose.

Suddenly the yellow one’s foot fell into a hole that appeared as soon as he put weight on a patch of dirt and the sogginess meant he couldn’t easily pull out.

“Frisk!” he called out. His companion stopped and turned back for him. He stretched out a metal arm while a pair of yellow ones in blue sleeves grabbing and pulled with all their might to get their friend out of the muck.

As they pulled they heard stomping from nearby and knew what it was. They pulled harder desperately trying to get their friend out before it found them. As the stomping grew louder the shorter one realized they weren’t going to get him out in time so they threw their cloak over the both of them and they huddled on the ground.

They lay prone under the cloak colored the same as the ground allowing them to blend in nearly perfectly. They heard the stomping stop just in front of them and through the cloak they could see a large spindly shadow over them. It lingered for several moments presumably looking for them. Eventually it gave up and its stomping resumed getting more quiet as it left.

The two waited until they were certain it was gone. The shorter one threw off its cloak and the rain began pelting them again. They reached into the folds of their cloak and pulled out a red handle which extended into a magnificent trident. Using the weapon they managed to dig their companion out and he pulled his mud-soaked foot free.

“Thanks for the save,” he said.

“No problem MK,” they replied. The trident returned to its original size which they replaced on their belt. “Now let’s get moving.”

*   *   *

After a few more minutes of travel they arrived at a nondescript pile of rocks. MK used his arms to move aside a specific rock to reveal a wheel underneath. Frisk grabbed it and turned it half a rotation clockwise. Then they yanked up and a hatch opened. Frisk and MK climbed down then the rock returned to its previous place concealing the entrance.

They went down several feet before reaching the bottom. A set of metal doors were closed before them. Frisk typed in a set of numbers and the doors unlocked. They pushed them open and walked into a spacious cavern where many Monsters sitting on the hard ground.  The two of them walked around various families many taking note of their returned friends.

MK and Frisk waved to many young children who were overjoyed to see them again and greeted the adults who were relieved to have them both back.

As they walked a tall skeleton came into view.

“Yo, Papyrus!” MK greeted.

Papyrus turned away from the family he was helping and smiled at seeing them again. He ran to bring the both of them into a hug.

“FRISK! MK! YOU’RE BOTH BACK! WE WERE STARTING TO GET WORRIED.” He set them both back down. “WE WERE EXPECTING YOU BACK THREE DAYS AGO.”

“Sorry Papyrus,” Frisk apologized. “We had to take a detour to avoid a patrol which added three days to our journey.”

“IT’S OKAY, I FORGIVE YOU,” Papyrus assured. “WHAT MATTERS IS THAT YOU MADE IT BACK AND IN ONE PIECE.”

“Did you expect anything less from us?” MK asked playfully.

“NEVER,” Papyrus said, placing his right arm – which was completely covered – to his chest. “AFTER ALL, YOU BOTH LEARNED FROM THE BEST THERE IS!”

“hey, you made it back.”

All three turned to see Sans limping up to them with his wooden leg making muted thumps.

“great to see you’re both still in one piece,” he complimented.

“Great to see you too, Sans,” Frisk returned.

“We need to see Alphys,” MK said.

“straight to the point as usual,” Sans said. “c’mon. she’s waitin’.” He turned and led them away Papyrus following.

“How’s the leg?” Frisk asked. “You’re walking better.”

“eh, still itches,” Sans answered. “you’d think being a skeleton that shouldn’t happen but nope.”

“And your arm, Papyrus?” MK asked.

“SAME AS ALWAYS,” the tall skeleton answered rolling his right arm.

The four of them entered an antechamber that was separated by a set of metal doors. Inside Alphys was working on a console directing Undyne, dressed in her armor, to move machinery to specific places.

“DOCTOR!” Papyrus shouted getting both of their attention. “OUR INTREPID EXPLORERS HAVE RETURNED.”

Alphys came over rubbing some smudges off her goggles with her gloved hand. “Thank god,” she said relieved. “I was starting to fear you both had been killed.”

“We’re fine,” Frisk assured. “And we got what you wanted.”

MK reached into a pocket and produced a vial of gold-colored liquid. “Straight from the True Lab. The last vial of Determination.” He handed it to Alphys.

She tapped the side of her goggles, analyzing the vial.

Undyne knelt next to the lizard woman. “Will it work?” she asked.

“Yes,” Alphys confirmed. “There’s just enough for the trip.”

A small mound of dirt appeared on the ground then a flower shot up from it. “Hey, just heard,” Flowey said. “Is Frisk really…?”

“Right here,” they interrupted. Flowey whirled around to face them.

“Thank goodness! I… we were all starting to get worried,” he said. He saw the vial in Alphys’ gloved hand. “So, are we sure this is the right thing to do?” he asked. “I get that trying to continue fighting is pointless; we’ve lost. But I’m not sure if this is the way to do it.”

“We have no other choice,” Undyne said. “We’ve already figured out there’s no way to change the outcome of this war.”

“But we can change another,” Alphys said. “And with this I can get my time machine working.”

“I’m still not so sure about this,” Flowey admitted. “Traveling into the past and changing things… the same power Frisk and I used to have… even I think it’s a little crazy and questionable. Frisk and I only ever went back a few days - a week at most. You’re suggesting we go back…”

“A thousand years,” Alphys finished. “And it’s not just any war we’re changing. It’s the most pivotal war in history which affected all our lives.”

“The human-Monster war,” Frisk said heavily. “We change that then we change everything.”

“Including, hopefully, this war,” MK added.

“Yes, but what happens to us?” Flowy emphasized. “That is assuming we can even change the past.”

“you and frisk were able to do that,” Sans pointed out.

“Yes, but this isn’t the same thing,” Flowey said. “After all, we’re talking about trying to change centuries of history. How do we know we can succeed? How do we know we haven’t already tried this and it failed?”

“We don’t but we’re assuming we didn’t,” Undyne said.

“Okay, but then after. What happens then?” Flowey questioned. “We have no idea at all what happens when we change history, let alone something as big as that. What will become of us?”

“We don’t know that either,” Alphys said, fiddling with the vial. “Anything could happen including us being erased.”

“BUT IT’S A RISK WE’RE ALL WILLING TO TAKE,” Papyrus said. “AFTER ALL, IF THIS DOESN’T WORK WE’RE DEAD ANYWAY.”

Flowey sighed. “Just wanted to make sure we all understood that and are okay with it.”

“If we didn’t we wouldn’t have gone to these lengths,” MK pointed out.

Undyne turned to Alphys. “How long until you can get the machine operational?” she asked.

“If I work through the night it will be operational next morning,” Alphys answered.

“Get to work,” Undyne said. “Sans, Papyrus, inform the rest we’re leaving first thing in the morning. The sooner we go back the sooner we get out of this nightmare. Frisk, MK, thank you both for your hard work. Get some rest and be ready to move out.”

“But we can’t leave just yet,” Frisk said. “We’ve got to let the other humans know. We need to give them time to get here so they can come back with us.”

When nobody immediately spoke Frisk realized something had happened.

“Nobody’s told them, yet?” Flowey asked.

“They just got back. Haven’t had the chance,” Undyne admitted.

“Told me what?” Frisk asked.

Papyrus was wringing his hands, Sans was shuffling on his feet, and Alphys looked away.

“They’re gonna find out eventually,” Flowey pointed out. “Might as well say it now.”

Frisk looked at all the adults expectantly. MK shared their quizzical look.

“W-we’ve lost contact with the remaining human bases,” Alphys eventually said. “One reported that they thought they might have been discovered and we never heard from them again. Another tried to send a message but it was garbled and got cut off abruptly. And for the last, we haven’t heard from them in five days.”

“Because of all this, including the radio silence, we’ve had to assume the worst,” Undyne told the human. “I’m sorry.”

Frisk clutched their chest trying to fight back tears and taking deep breaths to steady their heart. They took a couple shaky steps back to avoid looking anyone in the eye. MK rested a metallic hand on their shoulder. After a moment, Frisk looked up while rubbing their eyes.

“It’s okay,” they said. “If we do this and succeed then none of this matters. It will all be erased.”

“That’s the hope,” Undyne said.

Frisk shook their head slowly releasing a breath. “I’m fine.”

Undyne turned to Alphys. “Get to work.” Alphys nodded before returning to work. “You have your orders,” Undyne said to the rest. As they departed Flowey vanished into the ground to go elsewhere.

*   *   *

Frisk and MK went to a specific section of the cave that was understood to be theirs. It was separated by drapes hanging from wires. All the families had a similar setup, though Frisk and MK had the privilege of two alcoves which has been shaped into beds for them with one above the other. Frisk took off their boots and set them on the floor next to their bed. MK was on the one above taking his cloak and scarf off.

As Frisk removed their own cloak a tail was dangled over Frisk. This meant MK was asking for permission to hop down. They touched it and a moment later MK was before them.

“What is it?” they asked.

“It’s my arms,” he answered. He tried reaching behind himself but the shoulder wouldn’t rotate far enough. “I can’t reach the button. Can you do it?”

“Of course.” MK sat next to Frisk with his back to them. With MK’s scarf off, Frisk was able to see the button at the base of his neck. They pressed it and a click was heard. Frisk grabbed the arms by the shoulders as MK wiggled out of the brace as Frisk lifted them off.

“Thanks, dude,” he said. “I think something got in the servos.”

“We’ll have Alphys take a look at them as soon as possible,” Frisk assured. They laid the prosthetics next to their boots and cloak.

“So, how are you?” MK asked turning to face them.

“I said I was fine,” Frisk said.

“That’s not what I meant,” MK clarified.

Frisk didn’t respond right away. “Mostly I’m sad,” they admitted. “I know things weren’t great but we could have used their help and that might help ensure peace.”

MK nodded. “I know you have mixed feeling about humans. I just want to make sure you’re alright, dude. You’re… you’re all I have. If something happened…”

“You’ll have to deal with it someday you know,” Frisk reminded. “You’re going to live a lot longer than I will.”

“I know, but not yet,” MK said. “Not for years. Assuming this crazy plan works and we get to see the aftermath.”

“I have a feeling we will,” Frisk said with a smile. “Now we should get to sleep. We’ve been gone for days.”

MK nodded and hopped up to his bed. Frisk laid down in theirs using the cloak as a blanket and their arm for a pillow. Before they drifted they heard something emerge next to them and saw Flowey a foot away.

“Um, mind a little company?” he asked. “It’s been cold without you.”

Frisk smiled. “Not at all.”

Flowey vanished and a moment later Frisk felt him emerge beneath the cloak. Then his flower head came out from underneath and laid down next to theirs. Frisk huddled with the flower drifting off moments later.

Above MK saw it and glared. He rolled back into his alcove using his own cloak for a blanket trying to get some sleep.

*   *   *

The next day everybody was gathering in the antechamber where Alphys was building her project. Sans and Papyrus were directing people into the chamber.

Frisk and MK arrived with their cloaks hanging off their shoulders. They were greeted by everyone as they walked through the crowd.

“Please keep calm and no shoving,” Undyne shouted over the hubbub. “There’s room for everyone. We’ll get underway in a moment.”

As Frisk and MK walked to Undyne they were stopped by for a moment by a small rabbit child.

“Hey, what’s going on?” he asked.

“We’re going to be traveling to the past,” MK answered. “It’ll be safe there.”

“Do we have to?”

MK knelt down so he was eye level with the child. “I’m afraid so. We can’t survive this way. I know it’s scary but I promise it’s better than the alternative.”

“If you say so,” the child agreed. They were pulled along by their mother. Everyone was being positioned in specific places to maximize the space. Not that it was needed. With less than three hundred survivors there was plenty of elbow room for everyone in the large chamber.

“okay. that’s everyone,” Sans informed.

Undyne looked out at the crowd and only now realized how small it looked. Packed into the chamber it really drove the point home how few in number they were. The spaces between families were larger than she would have liked. And the few fighters they had were herself, the skeleton brothers, Frisk and MK, and the Canine Unit. This made it painfully clear how much of a toll the last two years had on their number since once they numbered near fifteen thousand.

“Okay everyone, listen up!” she shouted. “We’ve been planning this for months and made all the necessary preparations, but just in case, Alphys will explain this to you.”

Alphys stepped to the center. “So, this machine will take us back to shortly before the end of the human-Monster war roughly a thousand years ago. Our objective is to change the outcome of said war. We hope that doing this will erase this timeline and destroy our enemy. To be clear this is volunteer only. If you don’t feel comfortable doing this, feel free to opt out.”

When no one did, Undyne resumed. “Since we’re hoping to ultimately change things, that means we don’t need to keep ourselves a secret. However, be cautious when interacting with the locals because we aren’t sure how they’ll react to time travelers. And try not to tell anyone about our future. We don’t want to potentially mess up the timeline anymore than we are planning. You’re free to do what you want. Just be aware that the humans of that time period are at war with Monsters. If you come across one and they aren’t feeling merciful…” Undyne didn’t finish that, as everyone could guess.

“Okay, I’ll start up the machine,” Alphys said while walking to the console. She typed in various commands. She programmed the end points for their trip to be a thousand years into the past.

As she worked, Frisk heard a muted thump. It sounded again louder and again. On the fourth time Alphys stopped and everyone looked around.

“SANS ARE YOU TAPPING YOUR LEG ON THE GROUND?” Papyrus asked.

“that’s not me,” he said.

Undyne looked at Alphys. She changed her focus from getting the machine running to activating a camera she had placed outside. The screen changed to show the desolate landscape and the torrential downpour. She had it scan the land. Suddenly, a shadow fell over it and a screech was heard before the feed was abruptly cut.

Alphys jumped in shock then the thumping resumed louder and more intense than before.

“They found us,” she realized. With that people began to panic.

“Everyone, calm down!” Undyne shouted. “The doors are reinforced so it will take time for them to get through.”

“You don’t know that!” someone shouted. “They can vaporize steel. We’ve seen them do it!”

“There’s no way out of here! What do we do?”

“I’ll hold them off,” MK suggested. “I can at least slow them down.”

“There could be an army out there,” Alphys said. “There’s no guarantee you’d survive.”

“Then I’ll go with him,” Frisk suggested. “The two of us can do it.”

“We can’t lose you, Frisk,” Undyne said. “You’re our ambassador and our best hope of changing the past.”

“We’ll do it,” Doggo interrupted. “Me and the rest of the dogs will stay behind and buy you time.”

As the other four stepped forward, Undyne felt her breath hitch. The Canine Unit were the only group of fighters to have survived this whole thing and now they were going to stay behind and buy them time. And she knew they were going to buy it with their lives. “You don’t have to do this.”

“It’s our choice, captain,” Doggo said. “We don’t have time to argue but it’s okay. If you succeed and change things for the better then maybe you’ll see us again.”

Everyone knew that rang quite hollow. They wouldn’t be born for a thousand years and nobody expected to live that long. But they also knew it was partially true. If they won, everyone who died would have a second chance in a new timeline.

Undyne nodded wordlessly giving them her permission.

“It’s been an honor,” Doggo said, brandishing his swords. “We’ll give you as much as you need.” The five of them left the room and they could hear some small shuffling sounds from outside as they barricaded the door.

Alphys turned back to the console and input the last few commands before hitting ‘enter’. With that the machine began powering up. They could hear whirring all around them. Lights lit up, gears turned, and the air was filled with a feeling of static.

Just outside they heard a loud bang and then the sounds of fighting began a moment later. Barks, growls, and hisses could be heard as the five dogs fought their foes to delay them entry as long as possible.

“Can they really do it?” someone asked.

“They’re good dogs,” Frisk said. “They will.”

Suddenly, a second bang was heard. Then a loud shout.

“It’s them!” one of the dogs shouted.

“Group up!” Doggo shouted. “Hold the line! Hold the – ”

The machinery continued to increase in pitch but it wasn’t enough to drown out the sounds of fighting. With each yelp, people worried that another of the dogs had fallen. Abruptly the barks were cut off. There was a brief period of silence before the doors to the room shook.

People began to panic again.

“Alphys, how much longer?” Undyne asked.

Alphys glanced at the console. “Just a few more seconds.”

Light began to flood the room nearly blinding everyone. Even so they could still see the doors fly off their hinges. Something stepped in but not into the field of light. Frisk could just barely make out the shape of the weapon they carried and saw it pointed at the console. A blast of light emerged from the sickle-like blade heading for the controls. A second before it struck the light went completely white and all sound was abruptly cut off.

End of Prologue

Chapter Text

The first thing Frisk felt when they came to was a warmth on their skin. It was a heat which covered their entire front. It felt familiar too, but it had been so long since they felt it they struggled to recall where.

They opened their eyes and saw a dark blue sky. But the sky wasn’t the only thing they saw. They also saw trees. Tall, strong, healthy, and alive. They sat up and felt the blades of grass bend beneath their fingers. They looked down in awe. The sight nearly made them cry. When they looked up, they saw everyone else passed out around them.

Frisk got to their feet and first went to MK and shook him awake. “MK, wake up,” they said gently.

“Ohh, my head,” he groaned. “What… what happened?”

“We did it. We made it,” Frisk said.

MK’s eyes slowly opened but he started when he saw the grass. He began nuzzling it, relishing the feeling of it.

All around them the other Monsters slowly came to. As they did, they all saw the grass and began rolling in it or staring up at the rapidly lightening sky.

Undyne stood up looking over everything with both eyes wide as she took it all in. “Wow,” she muttered. “I forgot how nice trees look.”

Suddenly an intense light nearly blinded them all. They all turned to the source of it while using their hands to shield their eyes. They lowered their hands when they realized they were looking at the sun slowly rising above the horizon. It shone its light on them and every single Monster relished in the feeling of the sun’s rays.

“Wow, I forgot how nice the sun feels,” someone said.

“I’m never taking the sky for granted again,” another said.

“I’m never taking plants for granted again,” someone else chimed in.

After spending a few moments bathing in the light and warmth, Undyne turned to face the crowd smiling for the first time in months. But that smile vanished when she realized how puny their numbers were. “We need a headcount,” she said. “There’s too few of us here.”

When she said that everyone realized how uncrowded they were. People began grouping up in families. Alphys, Papyrus and Sans counted everyone. Frisk looked around for Flowey.

“Flowey?” they asked. “Flow-”

“Right here,” he said, popping up next to Frisk. “Sorry. I got too caught up in the sunlight.”

Frisk knelt down and hugged him as best they could. “I was starting to get worried.”

“I’m fine Frisk, calm down,” he assured. “See? I’m in one piece.”

Alphys, Sans, and Papyrus came over to Undyne with their heads low. “How many do we have here?” she asked.

“including us?” Sans said. “seventy-three.”

Undyne gasped. “How did we lose over two hundred people?” she demanded.

“I-I don’t know,” Alphys admitted. “I-it could have been a malfunction in the equipment or an error in the system. Maybe they didn’t even make it through, or wound up somewhere else.”

“ISN’T THERE ANYTHING WE CAN DO FOR THEM?” Papyrus asked.

“No,” Alphys said. “That vial only had enough DT for one trip. We can’t go back.”

“Even if we did, it would be right into the middle of a battle. A battle we can’t win,” Undyne said.

Papyrus let out a heavy sigh. “THIS STINKS. WE LEFT SO MANY BEHIND.”

“M-maybe they just wound up somewhere else,” Alphys suggested. “It’s… it’s impossible to be sure especially as we have no way of… contacting them.”

Everyone took a moment to mourn their losses standing there as the sun rose past the horizon.

Undyne looked around, the rising sun illuminating the area. They seemed to be in a clearing between the trees. Then, she saw something above the trees. It was a darker grey than the sky and faded the further up it went. She realized it was a pillar of smoke.

“Everyone get your things together,” she said. “We’re heading for that smoke.”

“WHY?” Papyrus asked.

“Because where there’s smoke there’s civilization,” Undyne explained. “We need to figure out where and when we are. Also, I think many of us could use a bed after everything that’s happened.”

Everybody gathered their stuff which had been strewn on the ground. Once everything was collected they began heading towards the smoke. Someone found a dirt path not too far away that went in that direction so they followed it.

After a half hour of travel, they reached the top of a hill and stopped to look at a village below them. The village wasn’t large, but it wasn’t small either. It would take another minute of walking to reach it. All the buildings were made of wood and people were already milling about.

Undyne focused on the people. Her cybernetic eye allowing her to see much further and in greater detail than normal. She saw the various colors, feathers, scales, horns, tails, and wings, and knew they were Monsters.

“This is definitely a village of Monsters,” she said.

“Then we’re definitely before the end of the war,” Alphys concluded. “Though when exactly, we won’t be able to tell without consulting people.”

“So, what do we do?” someone in the crowd asked.

“We’ll go down into the village and look around,” Undyne decided. “We need to find out where and when we are exactly. Alphys, Papyrus, Sans, MK, and Frisk will be coming with me. The rest need to stay here and make camp.”

“why us?” Sans asked.

“I trust you guys to get the answers we need,” she explained.

“Small problem,” MK said. “My arms are too advanced to show off and Frisk is human and if we arrived during the war, they’re going to have a problem with them walking around.”

“Conceal your arms beneath your cloak,” Undyne suggested. “The rest of us will do the same with our prosthetics. As for Frisk, they can hide in their cloak. For now, don’t tell anyone we’re from the future.”

“YES, UNDYNE,” Papyrus agreed, saluting her. With all that out of the way they made their way down the slope to the village. MK and Frisk adjusted their cloaks to better conceal them. Frisk brought the hood over their head and with a wave of their hand concealed their face beneath a veil of shadow.

Undyne realized she wouldn’t be able to cover her eye but figured that no one would ask if she didn’t draw attention to it.

As they walked into the village the first thing they noticed was that all the Monsters who wore clothes had clothing that was considered ancient in their time. The clothing color wasn’t as bright or as eye catching nor did they have intricate patterns or details. Many of the men were wearing tunics that went to their knees and the women were wearing gowns.

“Their clothes are definitely dated by our standards,” Alphys noted.

“Yeah, but it still doesn’t tell us where or when,” Undyne said.

“And this is before the invention of the newspaper so there’s no way to check the date except through word of mouth,” Alphys pointed out.

“perhaps we should split up?” Sans suggested. “go in groups of two to cover more ground.”

“Not a bad idea,” Undyne agreed. “Go with your brother. See if there’s a place we can stay. Alphys and I will stick together. We’ll check out the tavern, if there is one, and see if we can’t figure out where or when we are. You kids check around. See what you can hear from around the village. Meet outside the village near camp in an hour.”

“Got it,” MK agreed. “Let’s go Frisk.” He went off in a random direction with Frisk following.

“i think i saw an inn, bro,” Sans said. “let’s check it out.”

“JUST DON’T FALL ASLEEP WHILE WE LOOK AROUND,” Papyrus chided as they walked off.

*   *   *

Alphys and Undyne looked around and spotted a hut with people going in and out. They guessed this place was a tavern and headed in.

They saw people drinking from mugs that were frothy as well as munching on bread. They also both noticed that many of the people seemed to be slurring and falling over themselves.

“Well, at least getting information out of everyone shouldn’t be a problem,” Alphys snarked.

“Let’s order something,” Undyne suggested. “And try to not let any man touch you.” They walked up to the bar where a beaver Monster was polishing a keg. Undyne tapped her knuckles on the wood getting his attention.

“What can I get for ya?” he asked. “I don’t recall the last time we had a soldier in here.”

Undyne realized he was referring to her armor which she kept on at all times now. “A couple drinks and maybe some food,” she asked.

“You both look weary,” the bartender noticed. “Tough trek?”

“You could say that,” Undyne responded.

“Good god! You’re a woman,” he said. “I didn’t- I hadn’t noticed that.” He turned and started filling up a couple mugs. “Well, I guess I can fix you something. Provided you can pay, of course.”

Alphys reached into a pocket and produced a few gold coins. “Will this cover it?”

“That will do,” he said. He handed them the mugs then grabbed a few baguettes placing them on plates and sliding them to them. The two ate the bread eating slowly to be respectful even though they wanted to devour it. “So, what are a couple of ladies like yourselves doing here?” he asked.

“We’ve been traveling for a while,” Undyne said.

“And we mean a long while,” Alphys added. “It’s been so long we don’t know what day it is.”

“Well, I can help with that,” he said. “It’s the middle of September. Fall is actually just around the corner. Though some of us aren’t sure if we’re gonna get to see it.”

“How come?” Undyne asked.

“Because of the war,” he explained. “The humans are making more advances every day massacring villages. If it keeps up we might be gone before winter.”

“So the war is still going on?” Alphys asked.

“Yep. People are getting concerned,” he said. “We might have to go elsewhere if the king isn’t able to negotiate with the humans.” Another customer came in and he moved away to tend to them.

“Well, we’re definitely in the right time,” Undyne said to Alphys.

“Yeah, but near the end,” Alphys said. “Which means we have a limited window to change things.”

Undyne grabbed her mug. “Well, here’s hoping.” She clacked her mug against Alphys’ and they both drank but almost spat the drink back out. “Okay, that’s not beer.”

Alphys took another sip, and nearly retched again. “I think it is. Just very watered down compared to what we’re used to.”

“Fantastic,” Undyne said sarcastically.

*   *   *

Meanwhile Sans and Papyrus walked into the local inn. They looked around at the lobby which was very bare with only a couple tables and a few sets of chairs accessible to the public. There was a reception desk with a bunny woman behind it.

“Hello there,” she said to the two skeletons. “What can I do you for?”

They walked up to her. Papyrus handled the conversation. “HELLO. WE’VE BEEN TRAVELING FOR QUITE SOME TIME AND WERE WONDERING IF YOU HAD ANY ROOMS AVALIABLE FOR US AND OUR PARTY.”

“Party? You mean there’s more of you?” she asked.

“quite a few,” Sans said. “how much room you got?”

“Let me check the log.” She pulled out a book and began going through the pages. “While I look might I ask where you came from? Not a lot of skeletons out this way.”

“ER… WELL WE’RE FROM PRETTY FAR AWAY,” Papyrus admitted. “IN FACT THE REASON WE CAME HERE WAS BECAUSE OUR HOME WAS DESTROYED.”

“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that, hun,” she said. “A lot of people have been displaced thanks to the war.”

“you mean the war against the humans?” Sans asked.

“What other war is there?”

Sans and Papyrus shared a glance.

“Well, we do have about twelve rooms available,” she said. “How many are in your party?”

“bout seventy-three.” Sans answered.

The bunny’s eyes went wide. “Um, well we don’t have that much room for everyone so some are going to have to stay outside for a couple days. I’m sorry.”

“IT’S ALRIGHT,” Papyrus assured. “I’M SURE WE CAN FIGURE SOMETHING OUT.”

“wait. what do you mean a couple days?” Sans asked.

“We’re expecting a large entourage sometime tomorrow so we’ve had to reserve a few rooms for them,” she explained.

“are they only staying for a couple days?” Sans asked.

“Indeed. Once they leave we’ll have more space available so your entire party might be able to stay with us.”

“WELL THANKS FOR LETTING US KNOW,” Papyrus said. “WE’LL GO INFORM EVERYONE.” He turned and left, Sans beside him.

“a large entourage,” Sans muttered. “i wonder who it could be.”

“I’M SURE WE’LL FIND OUT SOON.”

*   *   *

Frisk and MK wandered around the village listening in on as much gossip as they could. They were able to figure out they had arrived during the war so they were at the right point in history. They also learned that the village was preparing to host a large group of Monsters soon. Right now they were trying to figure out who this group of Monsters was.

Eventually they found a small group that was discussing just that.

“We need to make sure the road is cleared off by then. Don’t want their carriages running over anything,” one of them said.

“Why would they be coming out this way in the first place?” another asked.

“Because the king wants to show that the royal family is thinking about us,” the first said.

Frisk and MK looked at each other when they heard that. “The king?” MK said. “Could they be talking about Asgore?”

“It’s possible,” Frisk said. “We know he was alive at this point in time.”

“So, the king is coming here,” MK realized. “That actually works out great. Part of the plan is to talk to him right?”

“Yeah. Help him and we could change this war,” Frisk confirmed. “We should go tell the others this.”

“Wait a moment,” MK said grabbing Frisk’s shoulder. “It’s Asgore that’s coming here. You know the same Asgore that took care of you,” he emphasized. “So…”

“We can’t think about that right now,” Frisk said. “It’s been an hour and we need to regroup.”

MK respectfully let it drop and followed Frisk as they left the village.

*   *   *

“Are you sure it’s Asgore?” Undyne asked. They were just outside the village and everyone was informing each other of what they had learned while there.

“Not entirely,” Frisk admitted. “After all, we don’t know when exactly he ascended to the throne.”

“if it’s not him we might have a problem,” Sans reminded. “from the little we know of his dad, he wasn’t very nice to humans.”

“Or his son,” Undyne said bitterly.

“But chances are it is Asgore,” Alphys said. “We’ve arrived late enough in history that it should be Asgore and his dad is long gone.”

“still, maybe we should take precautions?” Sans suggested. “doesn’t hurt to be too careful.”

“I agree,” Undyne said. “We’ll handle the initial meeting with the king. If it’s Asgore we’ll bring him into the fold. If it’s his dad we’ll have to be very careful. So Frisk, you and MK aren’t going to be a part of that. We’ll try and greet him when this entourage gets here and go from there.”

“NOW THAT THAT’S SETTLED, WE SHOULD FOCUS ON THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE. LIKE TONIGHT,” Papyrus said. “THERE’S NOT ENOUGH ROOM FOR EVERYONE AT THE INN. THEY CAN ONLY HOUSE THIRTY OF US.”

“We’ll sort out who sleeps in the village and who sleeps in the forest then,” Undyne decided. “It won’t have to be forever. Just for a day or two until the king’s group leaves. We’ll also be leaving with the king’s group if it is Asgore, as that is part of our plan.”

“Some of us should stay with the group in the forest,” Frisk reminded. “While our enemy isn’t here, wild animals are still a problem. I’ll be one of those.”

“I’ll be the other,” MK added. “I’m not leaving your side, dude.”

“The help is appreciated,” Frisk said.

“Frisk and MK will stay in the forest,” Undyne decided. “The rest of us will sleep at the inn.”

*   *   *

Night came and less than half went to sleep in the village. They had spent the rest of the day exploring the village to interact with the people and learn about the present circumstances. Many also found ways to entertain themselves, which was needed after the high stress of the last two years. As the sun set, those who were camping returned to the forest where tents were erected and firepits were burning.

Some bought food from the village to make dinner. Though the gold they used was minted in the future the Monsters of the past still used the same currency. They just didn’t realize that the symbols on the coins weren’t current.

Though most of the food was from the village the rest was gathered from the forest. Fruits were picked from bushes and trees and a few small animals were hunted for meat. As the sun vanished below the horizon, Frisk and MK were eating a decent stew that had been prepped over the fire.

They gathered around the various fires letting the roaring of the fire warm them. They also relaxed to the sounds of crickets and watched as fireflies buzzed about. Some of the little children tried to catch a few of the bugs. Everyone relaxed to the sounds of nature which they hadn’t heard in so long.

“I forgot how nice the surface gets at night,” someone said.

“It really is something,” MK agreed.

“So what’s the plan now?” someone asked Frisk.

“Tomorrow, the king and his escort are coming to this village,” they explained. “Undyne and the rest are going to meet him and determine if it is Asgore. Once they make contact they’re going to explain to him what’s going on and get his help. From there, we will return with him to the castle and hopefully, find a way to end this war in the Monster’s favor.”

“King Asgore? Your father?” one asked the human.

“Not the same one. He’d be a thousand years younger,” Frisk reminded. “I haven’t even been born yet.”

“Aren’t you excited to see him again?” they asked.

Frisk stared into their food as they pondered that question. “I’m not sure,” they admitted. “He won’t be the same man I knew. And right now, I don’t know if that’s good or bad.”

“What about Flowey?” someone asked. “Asgore was his dad. How does he feel about seeing him again?”

Frisk looked over at the flower who was next to them. The flower looked caught off guard by the question and was frozen for several moments as he tried to think.

“I… I don’t know,” he admitted. “On the one hand, I should be glad to see him again. On the other, I’m terrified what he’ll think when he sees me, but then I remember that this is long before I was even a thought in my dad’s head, and then I remember the last time I saw him and then I feel really sad and guilty and mad and – and…” Flowey didn’t finish.

Frisk laid a hand on his head to comfort him. “You’re not alone,” they said. “And whatever we face, we face together now.”

Flowey smiled up at Frisk. “Thanks, Frisk,” he said. “Still I’m not sure how I’m going to react to seeing him again.”

Nobody asked anything regarding the king for the rest of the night though someone had to say something while everyone was quiet.

“Um, Frisk,” they said getting the human’s attention. “I’ve been thinking and talking to some of the others and we’ve decided to stay here in this village.”

Frisk was taken by surprise. “Why?” they asked.

“Don’t get me wrong. We still support you and the others, but I’m done with all this,” the Monster said. “If these might be our last days then I want to spend them seeing this world as much as I can. Others are of a similar mind or want to settle down and enjoy a quiet life before things get worse.”

“Are you quitting, then?” MK asked.

“No. It’s just… we’re all very tired and we don’t want to fight anymore,” the Monster admitted. “We just want some peace and quiet for a while before it gets shattered.”

Frisk nodded. “If that’s what you want you can stay. You and anyone else who wants that. Undyne and my friends can handle the rest. You don’t have to keep following us.”

“Thank you, Frisk,” he said gratefully.

MK stretched and yawned. “Well, it’s late and the king’s group is going to be here early in the morning so I’m going to bed now to be up early.” He stood up setting his empty bowl on the log he had been sitting on. “I’m going to my tent.”

“I’ll take the first watch,” Frisk said. “I’ll come wake you when it’s your turn.”

“Okay. Goodnight,” he waved walking into his tent.

“The rest of us should be sleeping, too,” someone agreed. “We’ll see you in the morning.” Everybody went to their tents while Frisk put out the fire. They sat down and watched as the other fires were put out as people went to bed. Flowey stayed next to Frisk.

“Mind a little company on your watch?” he asked.

“Not at all,” Frisk said. They kept watch through the night occasionally glancing up to see the stars through the trees.

End of Chapter 1

Chapter Text

Frisk and MK went down to the village first thing in the morning, getting breakfast from a vendor. They ate as they walked, looking around for the inn where the others were staying. They both had their cloaks on. Frisk’s face was obscured by shadows and MK only took his arms out from underneath his cloak when taking a bite.

They found the inn and walked into the lobby to see it crowded with Monsters getting breakfast. They both noticed that Undyne and Alphys were not present. They walked up to the receptionist, who at first didn’t notice them. MK cleared his throat to get her attention.

“Can I help you?” she asked.

“Yes, we need to speak to Undyne,” MK said. “Might I ask what room she is in?”

The bunny looked through her log, eventually finding the room. “Room thirty-seven. She and Miss Alphys agreed to share it.”

“Thanks,” MK said. He started walking off but Frisk waited a moment before he came back. “Um, which way is it?” She pointed down the left hall. “Thanks. Let’s go.” Together they went to the designated room.

MK looked left and right to make sure nobody was looking before knocking on the door.

“Who is it?” Undyne’s voice came from inside.

“It’s us,” MK said. “We’re here with news.”

“Come in.”

MK turned the knob and shifted his cloak so it no longer hid his arms as he entered the room. Frisk pulled their hood back so they could see more freely. Inside the room, Alphys was checking a metal case with a cable hanging from the side. On the bed, Undyne was strapping on her armor.

“Something wrong?” MK asked, gesturing to the case.

“Nah, I’m all good,” Undyne assured. “Alphys was just doing a diagnostic.”

“Well, can she do the same for me?” MK asked. “My arms aren’t rotating properly.”

“I can give them a look,” she agreed. She grabbed the cable with her gloved hand and plugged it into a port on MK’s left arm. She ran a program which analyzed MK’s arms.

“So what do you have to report?” Undyne asked as she fitted her gloves.

“Some of the Monsters have chosen to stay behind,” Frisk reported. “They support us but they can’t follow us any further.”

Undyne sighed. “I get it. They finally have a moment of peace. They’re not about to let it slip away.”

“Especially since we still don’t know what will happen to us if we succeed,” MK added. “They want to enjoy their last few days while they can.”

“Understandable,” Alphys said. “The idea of settling down in this time doesn’t sound too bad.”

“We have to change things,” Undyne said. “You still in?”

“All the way,” Alphys confirmed. Her computer beeped to let her know the diagnostic was finished. “Okay, let’s check the results.” She tapped a button, and it showed everything that was wrong. “Hmm… seems you got some muck in a servo. Did you roll around in the mud while on your adventure?”

“Not willingly,” MK said.

“Well, the good news is that seems to be it. I can clean it out though I will need about an hour to do so,” Alphys said.

“Not right now,” MK said. “The convoy is going to be here any minute.”

“Well, assuming we go to the castle I could do it then,” she suggested. “I’ll have the free time and privacy to do maintenance on everyone.”

“Good idea,” Undyne said. “Though I’d check with everyone with a cybernetic who’s not going and see if they’re fine.”

“I’ll make the rounds before I leave,” Alphys said, unplugging MK’s arms. “We don’t have too many people like that but I’ll check everyone just to be sure.” She looked up at Frisk. “Oh, before I put this away, do I need to check you?”

“I’m good,” Frisk answered.

Just then a horn sounded. Alphys went over to the window and carefully pulled up the blinds to look out. People were running by shouting something. She managed to catch a glimpse of something in the distance and was able to guess what it was. “Looks like the king is here.”

“Then we’d better get ready,” Undyne said, finishing putting on her armor. “And you kids need to hide.”

“Yes, Undyne,” MK agreed, adjusting his cloak so it covered his arms again. Frisk pulled their hood up, reconcealing their face. They walked out, moving through the crowds as everyone gathered to greet the king.

As the convoy came to a halt within the village Undyne, Alphys, Sans, and Papyrus emerged from the inn, wading through the crowd. Frisk and MK were unable to see through the mass of Monsters.

“Hey, if we climb on top of one of the houses we might get a better view,” MK suggested.

“We’re supposed to hide,” Frisk pointed out.

“As long as we stay below the peak of the house we should be fine. Come on.” MK ran off and Frisk followed. He managed to find a house with a low enough awning that he could help Frisk reach. “Okay, I’ll help you up then you help me.” He cupped his hands together. Frisk placed one foot in MK’s hands and was lifted up. They were able to reach the edge, but just barely. They hauled themself onto the roof. Then they got out their trident and extended it downward, allowing MK to grab it. Then they lifted MK onto the roof beside them returning their weapon to their belt.

“That worked great,” MK said, to which Frisk agreed. They climbed up the roof until they were able to look over the peak which gave them a bird’s eye view of the convoy. As they had climbed people began coming out of the various carriages. One in particular caught their eye. It was a turtle Monster, carrying a hammer on his back and dressed in armor adorned with the Delta Rune.

“Hey. Isn’t that Gerson?” Frisk wondered.

“I think it is,” MK agreed. “I didn’t know he was around back then.”

“I think he might have mentioned it to me,” Frisk said. “Do you think he’s the captain?”

“That wouldn’t surprise me if he was,” MK said. He then caught a glance of Undyne staring at Gerson and remembered that she used to idolize him. “Bet Undyne’s really excited. She’s gonna meet her hero in his prime.”

Gerson stepped to one particular carriage. He opened the door and out stepped a Monster larger than him. He was adorned with a crown, a purple cape, and had white fur and a little gold stubble around his chin.

Frisk and MK straightened when they recognized him. He looked slightly younger but there was no doubt in their mind that it was Asgore.

“Well, that’s one worry off our minds,” MK said.

“At least it’s Asgore who’s the king,” Frisk said, keeping an eye on him. As they watched they could see the smile on his face and the way he pleasantly greeted everyone who came up to him. “Heh. He’s still a fuzzball, even now. I guess that never changed.”

MK agreed. He looked over the rest of the convoy, observing everyone else who had come. There were a few more Monsters in armor, some in robes, and a few outfits that MK thought meant they were servants of some kind. But then his eyes landed on one in particular and his mind shut down for a moment as he tried to process who he saw.

Frisk didn’t notice because they were still watching Asgore with a bit of nostalgia washing over them. They unconsciously touched the trident at their side, remembering how he was in their time. This Asgore looked a lot happier, though they could tell the effects of the war were still pressing on his mind. Out of the corner of one eye, they saw Undyne trying to make her way through the crowd to Asgore. “Since it’s Asgore, should we go down and talk to him?” Frisk asked the Monster beside them but they got no answer. “MK, you still there?”

“Frisk, look,” MK said, pointing to a robed figure from the entourage. Frisk followed MK’s sight, and froze up when they saw it.

She was dressed in a brown robe with a hood but on her chest was the Delta Rune. Her clothing looked simple but the elegant way she walked gave away who she was before either kid saw her face. She looked younger, her horns slightly shorter, but there was no mistaking Toriel for anyone else.

“Mom?” Frisk muttered. “But… is that… it can’t be…”

“Did we know she was alive during this time?” MK asked.

“No,” Frisk answered. “Then again, she never talked about her past from before her exile to the Ruins.”

MK looked at his friend and caught the flash of anger before it went away and was replaced with sadness and regret. He laid a metallic hand on theirs. “Maybe this is a good thing?” he suggested. “You could… talk to her.”

“And say what?” Frisk asked rhetorically. “I can’t just go up and tell her that I’m her adopted child from a thousand years into the future. Especially since we’re planning to use that angle with Asgore already.”

“But it could still work with her,” MK said.

“MK, take a closer look at them. Both of them,” Frisk implored. MK did and only now noticed that Toriel was a rather large distance away from Asgore and they hadn’t come from the same carriage. “We might not know her past but I can guess they aren’t married yet. By telling them that I’m their child, that implies they are married, or at least share custody of me. And from the way Toriel’s dressed, she’s neither the queen nor a princess. I wouldn’t be surprised if she thought of marrying the king to be somewhat ludicrous at this point in time, especially since we don’t know what their relationship is now.”

MK conceded the point there. “Okay. But, you know, you can’t keep that bit of knowledge a secret forever. Eventually, she might find out.”

“Maybe, but that’s not our mission,” Frisk said. They then gestured to Undyne’s group, who were just a few people away from the king at this point. “Asgore is the point of this. Toriel is not our objective, so we can worry about her later.”

MK nodded. Though he felt that Frisk at the very least needed to talk to Toriel at some point, if for no other reason than to ensure that she didn’t fall down the same path.

Meanwhile, in the crowd, Undyne finally managed to reach Asgore, who at the moment had his back to her, talking to a few people in the crowd.

“King Asgore?” she said, trying to get his attention, but he didn’t seem to notice amidst the hubbub of the crowd. “King Asgore!”

Then Gerson stepped forward. “Whoa there, lass,” he said, his voice a lot smoother than what Undyne remembered. “You can’t just walk up to the king for no reason.”

“I need to speak to him, it’s important,” she said, trying to keep her enthusiasm down in the face of her childhood hero being within ten feet of her.

Gerson eyed her, looking her over. “Interesting. You’re wearing our colors but I don’t recall asking for a lady to accompany us. What are you doing here?”

“I’ll explain that all if I can talk to King Asgore,” Undyne explained. “My companions and I need to speak with him urgently.”

“Not sure I can allow that, lass,” Gerson said. “King Asgore is very busy and doesn’t have a lot of time to speak with suspicious guards.”

A large furry hand landed on Gerson’s shoulder. “Now, now, Gerson,” Asgore said. “I’m sure I can find time to at least listen to whatever this woman has to say.” He looked over Undyne. “You dress like a guardsman though I don’t ever recall seeing you before. Are you a new hire?”

“You could say that,” Undyne answered.

“How about this,” Asgore suggested. “I can speak to you and your group during lunch at the tavern. Around noon work?”

“Noon works fine,” Undyne agreed. “Though I should warn you, some in our group might be a little… alarming and we have news that isn’t very good.”

Asgore sighed heavily. “Most news these days isn’t good. Regardless, I will listen. Now, I have a schedule to keep. Come, Gerson.”

“Yes, my king,” the turtle agreed, walking off with Asgore.

Undyne turned to her companions. “Well, that went well enough.”

“At least he’s willing to listen to us,” Alphys said.

“BUT HOW ARE WE GOING TO MAKE HIM BELIEVE US?” Papyrus asked.

“frisk might be able to help with that,” Sans suggested. “i know their feelings regarding the dreemurrs are… complicated, but i think seeing them as our ally might help.”

“I’m not sure that’s safe but it couldn’t hurt to try,” Undyne conceded.

*   *   *

At noon, Frisk and MK walked into the tavern where their friends were gathered. Both were concealed by their cloaks to avoid suspicion. They found their friends at a large table designed to seat ten. They sat down.

“So Asgore is coming here?” MK asked.

“That was the agreement,” Alphys said. “Though convincing him might be hard.”

“That’s why we want you here, Frisk,” Undyne said. “You’ll be able to prove our claims.”

“And if I’m not enough?” Frisk asked.

“I could show him my arms,” MK suggested. “They’re way too advanced to be made here.”

“As a last resort,” Undyne agreed.

Just then the door slammed open, Gerson stepping in ahead of Asgore. Both got stares from many of the patrons. Asgore looked around and spotted Undyne’s group. He walked over and sat down at the table with Gerson next to him. Conveniently, he was sitting across from Frisk, blocking people’s view of them.

“Nice to see you, again,” Asgore said. Gerson laid his hammer next to the table, the handle sitting on the edge. “Now, you said you had news?”

“Yes. And please listen to it all,” Undyne requested. “We know how crazy it sounds, but we do have proof. We need your help.”

“I’ll try and listen,” Asgore agreed. “Though I’m not sure if I’ll be able to provide help for whatever it is. The crown is pretty strained as it is.”

“We’re aware,” Undyne said. “But, in truth, we can help you as well.”

“Before we go any further, I’d like to know why you’re a guard, lassie,” Gerson demanded.

“It’s complicated,” Undyne said. “But that’s actually part of everything else.”

“Go on,” Asgore requested.

“Okay, the short version is that all of us are from the future,” she began. “Specifically, a thousand years in the future.”

“Pardon?” Gerson interrupted. “I’m not sure I heard that right.”

“We’re from the future,” Undyne repeated. “And we came back to this point in time because our people were nearly wiped out.”

“Us and the humans,” Alphys said. “In our time, a war broke out but not between humans and Monsters. A third party that appeared out of nowhere and went on a rampage across the whole world, wiping out all life. Our group are the only survivors.”

“From the future? Do you know how crazy that sounds?” Gerson asked rhetorically.

“WE KNOW HOW UNBELIEVABLE IT IS BUT IT’S THE TRUTH,” Papyrus said. “ALMOST ALL OF HUMANITY WAS KILLED, AND US MONSTERS ARE ALMOST GONE.”

“we had to escape into the past, otherwise we would’ve been killed,” Sans added.

“These things you mentioned, can they follow you here?” Asgore asked.

“According to my calculations, no,” Alphys said. “The method by which we time traveled is impossible to replicate. Not to mention that the fuel I used for my device was extracted from human Souls and there aren’t any left.”

Gerson rubbed his eyes. “Eh, not sure I’m buying any of this. It’s just too incredible.”

“Where’s this proof you mentioned?” Asgore asked.

Undyne turned to Frisk and nodded. With a gesture of their hand, they dispelled the shadows concealing their face. Then they lifted their hood back enough that Asgore and Gerson could see them. Their eyes bulged when they saw Frisk’s face and it was clear they realized what they were.

“I’m the last human alive,” Frisk said. “All the others in my time are gone.” They pulled the hood back over their face and renewed the illusion.

“Frisk was our ambassador to the humans before the war broke out,” Undyne said. “And they’ve been living with us for years.”

“T-that doesn’t prove you’re from the future,” Gerson stuttered.

“Then how about this?” MK shrugged the cloak off, exposing his arms. Both Monsters looked at the metallic limbs and could see the lack of sleeves, the servos and joints, as well as some exposed wiring. “You got anything like these now?” he asked rhetorically.

As MK reconcealed his arms Undyne spoke to the gob smacked Monsters. “We are from the future,” she reiterated. “And we came here because we’re out of options.”

Asgore closed his jaw before speaking. “But why now?” Asgore asked. “If you could go to any point in time, why back this far?”

“WELL, FOR ONE, WE ONLY LIVED WITH THE HUMANS FOR A YEAR BEFORE IT ALL CAME CRASHING DOWN,” Papyrus stated.

“But more than that, we came back to this point to change things,” Undyne answered. “We’re not just going to let what happened… happen. We traveled back in time to this point in history to change the outcome of this war. Because if we do that, we change that war, hopefully, preventing it from ever happening.”

“And why do you think you need to change this war?” Gerson asked. “I imagine plenty happens within the thousand years to affect the war in your time, some probably more relevant.”

“No, there wasn’t,” Frisk said. “Sure, things happened that were very important, but all of those were consequences of the outcome of this war. That’s why we have to change it. This is the most pivotal war in all of history, for both humans and Monsters.”

“Why?” Asgore asked. “What could have happened, or will happen, that would make a war a thousand years old to be so relevant to your war.”

“Because at the end of this war, Monsters lose,” Undyne explained. “In a few weeks time, Monsters will surrender to the humans and then they will be trapped underground by the humans with a powerful spell for a thousand years.”

Asgore straightened in surprise. He remained silent for a long time. “You… you know that for a fact?”

“Every Monster knows the story,” Alphys explained. “Every Monster here wasn’t born on the surface, but in the world we called ‘the Underground’. Entire generations were born, lived, and died beneath Mt. Ebott.”

Asgore could see the sad expressions on all visible faces and knew that they were telling the truth.

“That’s why we came here,” Frisk said. “If we can change this war, maybe negotiate with the humans for a peace of some kind, we might be able to prevent their exile to beneath the mountain, and prevent the war that destroyed our world.”

Asgore crossed his hands, thinking it over. He had to consider everything, including the ramifications of the choice he would make.

“Do you think you can convince the humans to allow for peace?” Asgore asked. “I have tried and failed.”

“Like I said, Frisk is our ambassador to the humans in our time,” Undyne answered. “They were successful once; I’m sure they can do it again.”

Gerson fixed Frisk with his eyes. “You? Ambassador? You’re just a child.”

“I was appointed by the king himself,” Frisk defended. “And I did a very good job, too.”

“The king did? What idiot would appoint a child to be an ambassador, and a human no less?” Gerson asked rudely.

“that idiot,” Sans said, pointing to Asgore.

Gerson went wide eyed when he heard that, his expression speaking volumes when he realized Sans was being honest. He went pale when it dawned on him what he had just said and nervously looked to Asgore, who’s expression was a cross between bemused, insulted, and puzzled.

“Our goal is to sue for peace with the humans,” Undyne said, cutting in. “I have every faith that Frisk can do it. If not… well, we have a few backups in mind just in case.”

Asgore pondered on the information. He knew he had to be careful in regards to this. Should he place all his hopes of peace on this child, a human child no less? Well, they were being supported by fellow Monsters, so perhaps he could give the child a chance.

“Very well,” he eventually said. “I will help you. You may come with me to the castle. I have a meeting with the human leaders in a few days. Perhaps we can try your plan then.”

“M-my king, I urge caution,” Gerson said. “Y-you’re allowing a human to waltz right into your home if you d-do this. Perhaps we s-should think on this a little longer?”

“We have little choice, Gerson,” Asgore rebutted. “We are already losing the war. If I can sue for peace, I have to take the chance no matter how dangerous it is.”

“We have a few others who are willing to come,” Undyne said.

“Are they also from your time?” Asgore asked.

“Yes, though a few are choosing to stay behind and carve out a life for themselves,” she answered.

“Very well. My entourage leaves tomorrow morning,” Asgore said as he stood up. “Bring all those willing to come, and we will try to find a way to fit them in.” He began leaving, gesturing for Gerson to follow. “I will see you then.”

As he left, attention was drawn away from Undyne’s group. “That went well.”

“BETTER THAN EXPECTED,” Papyrus added.

“we’d better inform everyone what the plan is,” Sans suggested.

“Do you think those we’re leaving behind will be fine?” Alphys asked.

“I think they will,” Undyne said. “They’ll find a way to survive.”

“Frisk and I will go inform everyone in the forest,” MK said.

“Be sure to get what you need ready by tonight,” Undyne suggested. “We’re leaving with Asgore’s group when they do, which could be early in the morning.”

“We’ll be ready by then,” Frisk assured her.

“See you both then,” Undyne said.

“Wait, there’s one more thing we need to report,” MK said before they left. “We saw Toriel come out one of the carriages.”

The other Monsters present froze when they heard that. “Y-you sure it was the former queen?” Alphys asked.

“It was her,” Frisk confirmed.

“Did we know she was around during this point in time?” Undyne asked Alphys.

“I don’t think so,” she answered.

“Well, we’ll have to deal with that later,” Undyne said. “For now, try not to say anything to her, especially what her relationship with Asgore will end up being.”

“Yes, sir,” MK agreed. Then he and Frisk ran out. “So, what should we do first?” he asked Frisk.

“We need to get a pot first,” Frisk said. “Flowey is coming with us and I’d prefer to carry him rather than have him burrow through the ground.”

“Alright. Think I saw a floral shop here. We’ll try there, first,” MK agreed.

They ran off, plans for the day forming in their heads, and hopes for the future looking brighter.

End of Chapter 2

Chapter Text

Frisk and MK walked through the village, Frisk carrying Flowey, as they headed for the entourage. They had to wade through the crowd that surrounded all the carriages. Flowey kept silent, doing his best to not draw attention to himself. Frisk and MK were concealed by their cloaks.

After pushing through the crowd, they emerged near the group of carriages. Many Monsters in armor were already there. The two of them looked around for Gerson, eventually spotting the turtle. They went over to him and Frisk tapped his leg to get his attention. He looked down at them and it was clear he recognized them.

“Is everyone else here?” MK asked.

“Just waiting on the king and your group,” he answered. “How many are coming with you?”

“About fifteen,” MK said. “The rest are staying behind.”

“Well, I think we can find room for them all,” Gerson said. “It might be crowded though.”

Just then, Undyne, Alphys, Sans, and Papyrus emerged from the crowd with the fish woman shoving others aside. “We’re here,” Undyne said.

“Good. I take it you’re the leader of your group?” the turtle asked.

“Not officially, but yes,” Undyne answered.

“You’ll be traveling with the king then,” Gerson decided. “I’ll be there as well. The rest will be going with the various guards.”

“What about Frisk?” MK asked.

“They’ll be with me as well so I can watch them,” Gerson explained.

“I’m going with them,” MK announced. Before Gerson could protest, MK spoke. “I’m their bodyguard. It’s my job to watch them.”

“Very well.”

More Monsters eventually emerged from the crowd, all from Undyne’s group. Gerson and a few other guards sorted out who went with whom. After a while, Asgore arrived.

“Are we ready to depart, captain?” he asked.

“Yes, my king,” Gerson answered.

“Then let’s go.” He boarded his personal carriage first, followed by Gerson, Undyne, Frisk with Flowey, and finally MK. The king bid farewell to everyone before Gerson closed the door. They sat down on benches in the carriage and Gerson tapped a knuckle on the front to let the driver know to go. Horses pulled the lead carriage away, followed by the rest.

Gerson sat down next to Asgore in the front, while Undyne, Frisk, and MK sat in the back.

For a while, the six of them sat in silence. Frisk removed their hood now that they were safe. The carriage shook with every bump in the road, which occasionally unsettled them.

“Something wrong?” Asgore asked.

“Just used to the ride being smoother,” Frisk explained. “In our time, the wheels have a system to suspend them to absorb impacts.”

“And they aren’t drawn by horses either,” MK added.

“How do your carriages move them if not by horse?” Gerson asked.

“Not sure we’d be able to explain in the time we got,” Undyne said. “That would require explaining a thousand years of technological development.”

“What about your arms?” Asgore asked, pointing to MK. “How do those work?”

“And how did you lose them?” Gerson asked.

“Actually I never had arms,” MK said. “Doctor Alphys made these for me so I could fight better.”

“Doctor? I’m not familiar with that title,” Asgore said, puzzled.

“That won’t be invented for a few centuries,” Undyne said. “But she’s basically our most advanced scholar.”

“And as for how they work, that explanation is lengthier than the one for our self-pulling carriages,” MK said.

“So where are we headed?” Frisk asked.

“To the Delta Keep,” Asgore explained. “It’s the castle where I live as well as the capitol of my kingdom.”

“As in the original castle of Monsters?” Undyne asked.

“There hasn’t been many others,” Asgore said.

Undyne turned to Frisk and MK. “The Delta Keep used to be the center of the Monster kingdom as well as the seat of power for our king. It was rumored to have been created hundreds of years prior to the war as a safe haven for Monster kind.”

“Does the castle not exist in your time?” Asgore asked.

“No,” Frisk answered. “It seems to have been destroyed a long time ago.”

“Wow. We’re gonna get to see a lost part of Monster history,” MK mused. “This is going to be so cool!”

Gerson and Asgore looked at each other in confusion.

“Um, might I ask what becomes of me in your time?” Asgore asked.

“We’d rather not say,” Undyne said. “Sure, we’re trying to change things but you need to understand we’re trying to change them for the better.”

“I understand,” Asgore agreed. “I will admit I am curious, but perhaps it is for the best I don’t know.”

“So you people are trying to change your past?” Gerson asked. “Which is our future, which…”

“Don’t think on it too hard. You’ll hurt your head,” Flowey said rudely, startling the two Monsters across from him.

“That flower can talk?” Gerson asked, surprised.

“Name’s Flowey. Flowey the flower,” he said.

“Flowey the… guess our king isn’t the only one who’s bad at names,” Gerson said with a teasing smirk.

“Hey, I’m not that bad,” Asgore lightly protested.

“Wa ha ha ha! You are. You got it from your father, who got it from his, and so on,” Gerson laughed.

That got a chuckle from everyone present. After it died down, Gerson tried to get his thoughts back in the right direction. “But as I was asking, you’re trying to change history. But if you do what happens to all of you?”

The four across from him sobered up. “We don’t know,” Frisk admitted. “Alphys has been trying to figure that out, but with no success. Theoretically, though, the moment we entered the past we’ve already changed things and put our existence at risk.”

“But nothing we do could matter in the end, either,” MK said. “One theory she had was that we can’t actually change history, and if we try things happen in a way to correct what we do.”

“Or we’re in a time loop,” Flowey said. “Doomed to repeat this cycle over and over and over for all eternity, unable to actually affect anything because it’s all set in stone.”

“But we’re hoping we can change it,” Undyne added. “Who knows. If we succeed we erase that future, but we will still continue to exist.”

“But you don’t know that for certain,” Asgore pressed.

“Alphys has done more research on it than anyone,” Frisk said. “But even she can’t give a definitive answer.”

Gerson and Asgore shared a concerned glance. “Are you sure you’re all up for this?” the king asked.

“It’s not like we have much other choice,” MK pointed out. “We either do this or we go extinct.”

Asgore sighed. “Perhaps we should talk about happier things,” Asgore suggested. “Is there anything remotely like that?”

“We do have a few other things we could share to fill the time, I guess,” Undyne said.

“Perhaps about the time you spent before the war?” Asgore asked. “There must be many happy memories from that time?”

“Quite a few,” Undyne said with a smile. “But where to start…”

*   *   *

For the next few hours, Undyne, Frisk and MK told Asgore and Gerson about their times after the Monsters returned to the surface. Both had been mildly surprised when Undyne said that she and Alphys had started living together. They did their best to avoid talking about Frisk’s relationship with Asgore in the future outside their work. They also avoided memories that lead into the war because those ended in tragedy.

Eventually, MK spotted something through the window over the hill. Undyne and Frisk leaned over to look through said window. They could see the top spires of a castle.

“You kids see the Delta Keep?” Gerson asked with a smile.

“We see the top of it,” Frisk answered. A few moments later, they crested over the hill and the full castle came into view. The sight made the jaws drop of those who had never seen it.

It was certainly larger than the one in the Underground and the bricks were mostly purple in color. There were three towers, two taller than the third, with wing adornments on the taller ones and a structure behind them which was the main keep of the castle.

“Whoa,” was all Frisk could say. It was certainly more elaborate than what was in the Underground. Frisk looked down and saw a village around the castle walls. There was an ocean on the other side with a few ports visible next to the castle.

They went through the village first. Many Monsters waved at the carriages as they passed. Frisk drew their hood over their face as a precaution in case anyone looked inside. The doors of a massive gate were opened, allowing the horses to pull the procession inside. They stopped after they passed through a second gate which promptly closed behind them.

Frisk looked out and saw many Monsters in armor, probably all Royal Guards. They started to think this might have been a bad idea. Any of those Monsters would be inclined to have them killed on sight for just being human. They weren’t sure why but that thought prompted a sense of déjà vu.

Asgore must have picked up on their tension because he had an idea. “Perhaps you should stay here for now, Frisk. At least until Gerson has convinced the guards you aren’t a threat.”

“They can’t just sit here,” Undyne protested. “If someone checks on them that would probably end badly.”

“I can hide under my cloak,” Frisk suggested. “As long as I don’t draw attention to myself, nobody should notice.”

“Very well, but I’d stick as close to your companions as possible,” the king emphasized. With that, the door opened and Gerson stepped out first, followed by Asgore. All the guards welcomed him back, waving to the king as he left the carriage. Because of that, no one noticed Undyne step out a moment later, or the concealed human with a flower in their hands, or MK behind them. Everyone else disembarked from the rest of the carriages, and once empty the drivers took them back to the stables.

Alphys, Papyrus, and Sans came over, surrounding Frisk as inconspicuously as possible. Asgore turned to them. “Perhaps you all could wait in the throne room while my captain and I inform everyone of this development.”

“Um, try to keep any mentions of the future out,” Alphys suggested.

“Don’t worry,” Asgore assured. He gave them directions to the throne room, pointing to the entrance across the courtyard that led into the castle proper. They walked amongst the purple-brick walls and pillars to the throne room. Undyne threw the doors open and everyone followed her inside.

The throne room, unlike the rest of the castle, was golden in color. Pillars kept the ceiling up and tiles covered the floor. There were stained-glass windows lining the walls with a rather large one behind the throne, the Delta Rune built into the frame. The throne, however, wasn’t very fancy. It wasn’t overly large or ornate like one would expect. It was more akin to a padded chair, with purple fabric and a golden frame, the Delta Rune emblazoned on the backrest. It was very similar to the throne room in the Underground, minus the backdoor and the garden.

No one was sure what to do now, so they decided to sit down and wait. Frisk, though, walked closer to examine the throne. They were fairly certain it was the same one they saw in the Underground. Did Asgore just bring it with him when they were forced to flee underground?

“Golly. It’s almost identical,” Flowey said, echoing Frisk’s thoughts.

“I think that’s because it’s the same one,” Frisk said.

“Not to mention the general design of the castle,” Flowey added. “The layout is different but it seems to have been built to be similar to both castles that would be later built in the Underground, both in the Ruins and in New Home.”

“Huh. Did Asgore try to have them built as a homage to his home from the surface? Minus the cozy houses, of course,” Frisk wondered.

Just then, the doors to the throne room opened and a few Monsters were standing there with Toriel amongst them. Frisk was still concealed by their cloak, their face covered by shadows to obscure their features.

“By order of the king we are to take you all to the guest rooms,” Toriel explained. “We have managed to prepare three of them and you are free to divide yourselves however you please.”

Undyne stood up and began addressing the Monsters, sorting them into three groups. She, Alphys, Sans, Papyrus, Frisk, and MK would stick together. She divided the remaining Monsters up as best she could. Once sorted, Toriel and two other Monsters began escorting them to the prepared rooms with Toriel leading Undyne’s group.

A short walk through the halls and they arrived at a wooden door. Toriel opened it, allowing the group to walk inside. She followed behind them, leaving the door open.

“The king requested that you get one of the better rooms. This one has an extra room connecting to it that you can use for bathing,” Toriel explained. “If you need something to eat,” she gestured to a rope, “pull this, and someone from the kitchen will be over quickly to take your order.”

“Thank you, miss,” Undyne said stiffly. It was weird addressing Toriel as such since Undyne only ever knew her as the exiled queen. Right now, she wasn’t even queen yet.

“You are welcome,” Toriel said with a bow. “Now, if you will excuse me I must attend to my studies.” She left the room, closing the door behind her.

“Okay, that was weird,” Undyne said after she left.

“INDEED. MISS TORIEL IS USUALLY NOT SO… LIKE THAT,” Papyrus said.

“and she’s usually wearing fancier clothes than that,” Sans pointed out.

“Well, this is a thousand years before we all met her,” MK said.

“It seems she’s some sort of aide to the royal family,” Alphys realized. “So this would be before she became queen.”

“And a long time before she had me,” Flowey muttered sadly.

Frisk looked around the room. It had the same purple bricks for the walls and was pretty simple in terms of decorations. There was a door on one side which was probably the ‘bathroom’ Toriel mentioned. There were also five beds.

And there were six them.

“Uh, how are we going to do this?” Alphys wondered.

“MAYBE TWO OF US COULD… SHARE ONE?” Papyrus suggested.

“uh, none of the beds look big enough for that to be comfortable,” Sans observed.

“Well, uh, Frisk and I aren’t too big,” MK said. “We could… share one?”

Frisk glared at MK, making the lizard shrink slightly.

“You might have to do it that way. Unless you want to sleep on the floor,” Undyne said.

Frisk huffed. “Fine. But only until Asgore can work something else out.”

MK smiled nervously. “Um, doc, can you fix my arms now?” he asked.

“I think I can do it,” Alphys agreed.

“We should probably lock the door, first,” Undyne suggested. “Don’t want any random Monster seeing our prosthetics.”

“well, yours, anyway,” Sans said, swinging his wooden leg.

Frisk put Flowey in the windowsill before helping MK detach his arms and handed them to Alphys. Carefully, she pulled apart the shoulder joints. Reaching into her metallic case she grabbed a rag and began wiping the gears down.

“I could use some water,” Alphys requested. “A wet rag will clean this gunk off better than a dry one.”

“I’ll see what I can do,” Frisk said, walking out of the room. They pulled their cloak tight and covered their face looking for a water bucket that they could borrow.

*   *   *

Asgore paced back and forth in his room thinking over all these latest developments. He was interrupted by a knock on the door. “Come in.”

Gerson opened the door and stepped in then closed it behind him.

“Ah, Gerson. Have you informed all the guards yet?” Asgore asked his captain of the guard.

“Everyone who needs to know has been informed and the rest should hear about it by the end of the day,” the turtle answered.

“Good, but I take it that’s not what you’re here for,” Asgore observed.

“No. As your captain I must advise against you bringing a human into the castle,” he said.

“They are a child, Gerson.”

“But you saw it; they can cast spells,” Gerson pointed out. “That makes them very dangerous.”

“I am not unaware of the risks, Gerson,” Asgore said. “Still, I believe them when they say they are no threat.”

“You really want to take this chance?” Gerson asked seriously. “They could be here to assassinate you and with their ability to cast spells, they’re a greater threat than an ordinary one.”

“I know, I know,” Asgore insisted. “It’s not like I’m blind to the risks, Gerson. But if we remain afraid of humans our whole life, if all we do is see the bad in them, then we are no better.”

Gerson had to concede the point there. “But do you believe their story? About being from the future, trying to prevent a horrible one from coming to pass?”

“You saw the arms. There’s no greater proof than that,” Asgore rebutted.

“Yes, but it’s still just too incredible to believe,” Gerson insisted.

“Whether or not it’s true, they needed our help and we need theirs,” Asgore insisted. “Perhaps this human, Frisk, could be the key to ending this war.”

“You’re really letting them come along?”

“I must. This next summit could be our last chance to avoid further dustshed, and with Frisk, we might be able to negotiate something reasonable.”

“Other than being sealed underground,” Gerson said, reminding Asgore of that detail they shared.

“Hopefully,” Asgore agreed. “If not, we might have to prepare for further battle.”

Gerson sighed. “I still don’t like the idea of this meeting, going to talk to the leaders of the war, the humans’ most powerful wizards.”

“Me neither. But this time we will have one of our own.”

“I still doubt the wisdom in having a child act as a negotiator,” Gerson said.

“Me too, but nonetheless we must try,” Asgore said. “If my future self was willing to appoint them to such a position it must have been for a reason. This will allow them to try and prove it.”

*   *   *

Frisk lugged a full bucket back to the room. They opened the door, knocking first to let them all know they were coming in. Sans had let them in, picking up one end of the bail to help them carry it in while he shut the door. They set it next to Alphys.

“Thanks, Frisk,” she said, dunking the rag in and then squeezing the excess water out, before using the now wet rag to clean the servos of MK’s arms.

Frisk looked around and noticed the case was still open, a screen on it with numbers running across the screen. Frisk saw the cable and followed it with their eyes to Undyne.

“Another diagnostic?” they asked.

“My eye is a bit on the fritz,” Undyne explained, and it was then Frisk realized she was out of her armor. “So Alphys is trying to figure out what’s going on.”

“And while that works, I can clean this,” Alphys said, still working on MK’s arms. The lizard was sitting on a bed which Frisk took to mean he had claimed it for both of them, giving how everyone was sitting on different beds.

After another few moments, Alphys finished cleaning the servos. “Okay. They should be good now.” MK walked over, picking the arms up with his tail. With practice, he plugged them into the implant on his back. A moment passed as the arms booted up until they stopped hanging limp at his sides. He flexed them, then spun both around on the shoulders to test them.

“Finally, they work again,” he said, relieved. “Thanks.”

“No problem,” Alphys said, putting the rag down, squeezing the water out into the bucket.

“Any chance we can use that water to bathe?” Undyne asked.

“Not in your condition,” Alphys advised. “The best you could do is wipe yourself down, considering that… you know…”

Undyne raised both of her metallic arms in understanding. “Yeah, I figured.” She lowered her arms back down.

“IS THERE ANY REASON YOU COULD NOT MAKE THESE WATERPROOF?” Papyrus asked, raising his right arm.

“I didn’t have the means to do so,” Alphys answered. “I can cover the circuits, wires, and joints with metal plates, but I didn’t have any rubber or plastic to seal them up.”

“at least you guys got limbs that respond to your thoughts,” Sans said, tapping his wood leg.

There was a knock at the door. MK quickly went to it and held it closed before someone could try open it. “Who is it?” he asked.

“It is me,” came Toriel’s voice. “May I come in?”

“Sorry, but no,” MK said.

“Okay, then,” came Toriel’s voice. “Well, I have been sent to inform you that the king requests you dine with him tonight.”

MK looked at everyone and they were all surprised by that.

“Um, can we discuss this real quick?”

“Of course. I just need your answer,” Toriel said.

MK turned to the rest, continuing to lean on the door.

“We should probably agree,” Alphys said. “At the very least to not seem rude.”

“It would also give us guest-rights protection,” Undyne mused. “But I need to be presentable.”

“I THINK WE ALL DO,” Papyrus pointed out.

“Give us about an hour,” Frisk suggested. “We’ll be there by then.”

MK relayed that to Toriel, who left shortly after.

“Well, let’s get ready for dinner,” Undyne said.

End of Chapter 3

Chapter Text

Everyone got dressed in the best clothes they could manage before going to the banquet hall. Undyne lead the way wearing armor to conceal her arms. She wished she had something else to wear but at the moment, she didn’t.

A servant led them to the banquet hall then departed to attend to his duties. Undyne opened the doors to see Asgore sitting at the head of the table with Gerson to his right.

“Ah, welcome,” the king announced. “I’m glad you could make it.”

The fifteen Monsters sat down in seats, Undyne sat to Asgore’s left and across from Gerson. “Well, we don’t want to be rude,” Undyne said. She noticed that no one else was present.

“I thought you all might like some privacy,” Asgore said, anticipating her question. “That way we can talk freely and you don’t have to conceal anything.”

“When’s the food getting here?” MK asked, pointing to the empty table.

“My chefs are fixing a hearty meal as we speak,” Asgore explained. “I thought after what you’ve gone through you must be starving.”

“Hell yeah,” MK said excitedly, getting a kick to the leg from Frisk. “Ow.”

“Well, while we wait we have much to discuss,” Undyne said, resting her chin on her crossed hands.

“Yes. You’ve told us a few things about your plans but nothing in detail,” Asgore said.

“We need to know what your plans are if this is to continue,” Gerson added.

“Well, the overall goal is to change the outcome of the war, but you already know that,” Undyne said.

“But you haven’t told us how you plan to do it,” Gerson reminded.

“Well, first we’re going to try negotiating,” Undyne explained. “We need to talk to the humans and sue for peace. We hope Frisk can aid that.”

“You still think a child can accomplish what our most experienced diplomats can’t?” Gerson asked skeptically.

“I’m thirteen,” Frisk resented.

“Frisk is really good,” MK defended, rubbing his leg.

“Please understand,” Asgore requested civilly. “We are at war with your species and, well, we have our doubts.”

“We understand,” Alphys said. “But we had a year of peace thanks to Frisk’s efforts. We believe in them.”

Asgore nodded. “Well, luckily for you, there is a meeting I must attend with the humans next week. It’s our last hope for peace.”

“What will you be doing?” Undyne asked.

“Trying to negotiate a cessation of hostilities between our two species,” Asgore explained. “That means…”

“I know what it means,” Frisk interrupted.

“I don’t,” MK said.

“Well, if you think you can manage, perhaps you’d like to accompany me?” Asgore asked.

“Sure thing,” Frisk agreed.

“I’ll tag along as well,” Undyne said. “For extra security.”

“My guards can do just fine,” Gerson said.

“I don’t doubt it, but Frisk is still my responsibility so I have to go,” Undyne defended.

“I’ll go too,” MK added. “It’s my job.”

“Absolutely not,” Gerson denied. “We’re going to be talking to the most powerful wizards the humans have. I’m not bringing a child along.”

“I’m Frisk’s personal guard,” MK insisted.

“MK is one of the toughest Monsters under my command,” Undyne explained. “He can handle himself.”

“Eh, I doubt that, laddie,” Gerson dismissed.

“I can prove it,” MK said determinedly. “Put me up against one of your guards. I’ll kick their butts.”

Gerson almost looked amused by that statement. Asgore chuckled. “Perhaps you should let him prove it,” the king suggested. “And if he is so confident, how about you be his opponent, Gerson, so you can get a first-hand look at how powerful he is.”

Gerson chuckled lightly. “A kid, a monster child, going up against the captain of the Royal Guard? I’d defeat him in ten seconds.”

“How about you put your money where your mouth is,” MK challenged. “I could last way longer if I didn’t defeat you. Three minutes.”

Undyne chuckled at his enthusiasm. “This is almost poetic if you think about it.”

“Sounds like this needs to be resolved before we head out,” Asgore suggested. “Perhaps you could make time for a challenge?”

“Two days,” Gerson agreed. “In the training yard at noon. We’ll see what you’re made of then, laddie.”

“I’ll be there,” MK promised.

Just then, doors swung open and several Monsters in white outfits entered carrying platters with food. “Dinner is served,” said the head chef.

“Finally!” MK said excitedly, getting another kick in the leg from Frisk. “Ow.”

The Monsters placed the food on the table before departing. “Enjoy,” the head chef said before leaving.

Nearly everybody there began tearing into their food. The smell was so good after subsisting on rather poor stuff for months. A few managed to keep their manners about them, using the utensils rather than bare hands.

After a few moments, Asgore resumed conversing with Undyne. “Well, hopes for negotiations aren’t high. I worry that even with Frisk it might fail. If it does, what do you plan to do then?”

Undyne paused tearing a lamb leg apart to answer. “If we can’t negotiate, then we need to leave, but not to the mountain,” she explained.

“To where?” Gerson asked. “The humans could follow us anywhere we went.”

“Not by sea,” Undyne said. “Monsters during this time control the waters so we can sail away from the humans.”

“But to where?” Gerson emphasized. “We’d have to land at some point and humans control the land.”

“Not necessarily,” Alphys said. She swallowed her food before continuing. “There’s a landmass to the north the humans haven’t inhabited yet. In fact, they haven’t even discovered it yet.”

“How do you know about it?” Gerson asked.

“We’re from the future, duh,” MK pointed out, getting kicked by Frisk again. “Ow! You’re bruising my leg.”

“We know of this landmass because the humans do discover it,” Undyne said. “Eventually, it is inhabited, but by a different group. We can sail there and colonize it before the humans can.”

“Would they be willing to just let us go?” Gerson questioned.

“We do have to sail quite a way to reach it and their ships wouldn’t have the range,” Alphys said. “Plus, they don’t know it exists so they wouldn’t be able to know.”

“But it’s a last resort,” Undyne explained. “Our best hope of changing the future for the better is living in peace with the humans. We’d only go there if peace isn’t possible.”

“It sounds like a good plan,” Asgore said. “If all else fails, it might just be our best hope.”

Gerson nodded in agreement. “As much as I’d like to think otherwise it might just have to be that way. We can’t fight the humans because they’re too powerful. Some might not like it but I think the majority would understand.”

“Then we should start preparing for that eventuality,” Undyne suggested. “We should begin making preparations, just in case.”

“Perhaps you could start by showing us where this land we’d be retreating to is,” Asgore suggested.

“Give me a map, and I can roughly draw it in,” Alphys requested.

“Also, we should prep all the ships for a long journey,” Undyne advised. “The land we’d be sailing to would take several weeks, if not months, to reach. And we’d be taking every Monster we could with us.”

“I’ll have my messengers make the journey to every village still intact but I won’t send them until negotiations fail,” Asgore said.

“And I’ll have everyone I can get the ships ready though we do have quite a few that will take a few days to recall,” Gerson said.

“Do that now. By the time they make port, negotiations will have either failed or succeeded and we can begin our backup,” Frisk suggested.

“I’d also suggest having all the ship dock here. The castle can defend the ports better than other places, as well as provide an easy way to get everyone on the ships quickly,” MK advised.

“Very well,” Asgore agreed.

*   *   *

After dinner everyone returned to their rooms. Frisk’s group finalized their sleeping arrangements as well as take turns bathing themselves.

While Frisk was waiting, a knock came from the door. They opened it to find a cat-like Monster standing there with bundles of clothes in her arms. “A gift from King Asgore,” she said. “He thought you might need these.”

Frisk took the cloth from the Monster, unfolding them to reveal multiple sets of pajamas. “Give my thanks to king Asgore,” Frisk said. The Monster nodded before leaving, closing the door.

Frisk passed the clothes out to everyone. They were loose-fitting but comfortable and sized very well for everyone. They all changed into the clothes, finishing up their nightly routine in the process. MK took his arms off and the sleeves dangled from his shoulders. Everybody laid in their own bed to get the first goodnight sleep they had in a long time. Frisk and MK had to share a bed.

Frisk, though, struggled to sleep. They never shared a bed before and sleeping next to MK was making them uncomfortable. They kept rolling over, trying to find a comfortable position to sleep, with little success.

“Can’t sleep?” Flowey whispered.

“This feels awkward,” Frisk admitted. “Plus, it’s so different from all the… excitement of the past two years.”

Flowey nodded in understanding. “Yeah, it’s hard to get used to the quiet.”

Frisk sighed. “Sure you can’t come over here?”

“Can’t be out of the soil for too long,” Flowey reminded. “And you’re not sleeping on the ground.”

Frisk quietly groaned. “Wanna talk for a while?”

Flowey nodded. Frisk carefully got up and walked over to Flowey, who was sitting in the windowsill. They looked out through the glass, getting a view of the village beneath.

“So, did you know this place existed?” Frisk asked.

“Nope,” Flowey admitted. “Though, in hindsight, I should have expected it. Kings usually live in castles, after all.”

“And your mom is around, too,” Frisk reminded. “She’s… different.”

“Well, she’s not married to dad for one,” Flowey pointed out. “She also hasn’t lost me, Chara, and six others over a hundred years. She also hasn’t had to watch dad declare war on humanity and see her own people support it.”

Frisk could see that. “I just realized this could be our chance to get answers about her that she never would have shared otherwise.”

“But we need to be sure she doesn’t wind up like she does in our time,” Flowey said.

“You sure?”

“I… I don’t want her to go down that path, Frisk,” Flowey said. “I don’t want her to wind up…” He couldn’t bear to say it, and he didn’t need to.

“I’ll see what I can do,” Frisk promised. “I can’t guarantee we can change her, if we even can change the past, but we’ll try. But, for safety’s sake, let’s not tell her about her future.”

“Agreed. Keep that to ourselves, and not tell her that we’re her future children,” Flowey said.

“So, anything else to discuss?” Frisk asked.

“We gotta got to sleep at some point,” Flowey pointed out.

“We will, just… need to get tired, first,” Frisk said.

“Okay. Let’s see…”

Frisk and Flowey continued to converse for a long while until Frisk eventually got tired enough to sleep. They were careful when they slipped back into bed to not disturb MK, but as it turned out, they needn’t have bothered. The lizard hadn’t fallen asleep either and overheard it all, slightly resenting Flowey for talking to Frisk. Fortunately, hearing them talk had tired him out as well and he dropped off shortly after Frisk returned.

*   *   *

A few days went by. The castle’s newest inhabitants got new clothing from the king, after going to a tailor to ensure the best fit, though Undyne emphasized very forcefully that she wasn’t going to wear a dress.

Frisk got a tunic and set of pants made for them. The shirt was light blue and the pants a dark brown, with brown boots for their feet. They had a belt where they stored their trident in its compact form.

MK got a yellow shirt with sleeves, as well as a pair of black gloves for his hands and brown pants designed to accommodate his tail. He still wore his red scarf over his shirt.

Undyne got a suit that was black and blue, gloves for her hands, black boots, and a pin on her chest with the Delta Rune on it.

Alphys got a white dress with a short hem, along with a glove for her right hand and a yellow coat.

Papyrus was hesitant to let his battle body go, but it was so worn out, he had no choice, going for a red vest with a white coat and red gloves, along with blue pants and red boots.

Sans got a blue vest with black pants and black boots on his feet.

Alphys worked with the castle’s cartographer to chart the approximate location of where the land they would flee to was located.

Undyne was made part of the Royal Guard. Gerson was already captain, so she was demoted to lieutenant. She also made sure Papyrus joined as well, serving at her side.

Meanwhile, MK was preparing for his fight with Gerson, determined to prove himself to the turtle that he had what it would take.

Frisk worked with Asgore in regards to the upcoming meeting. The Boss Monster made sure Frisk was up to date on the political affairs of the era. Though he was surprised at how practiced Frisk was at the planned proceedings. He needed to teach Frisk very little in regard to etiquette.

While all of this was going down, Frisk used their free time to look around the castle, trying to find Toriel there. They knew she lived here but they had no clue where she lived and the castle was rather large, so locating her was taking a while with how little time they had to look each day.

*   *   *

Eventually, the day of the fight came. Alphys gave MK’s arms a look-over to check their functionality. The young Monster had been practicing for the past couple days to get ready for his fight.

“So, any tips for fighting Gerson?” MK asked Undyne as he stretched.

“Not really. He had retired by the time I joined the guard,” Undyne said. “Though I’d be careful of his hammer. It probably packs a wallop.”

“Noted. Anything else?”

“You’re smaller and younger,” Frisk pointed out. “Use that to your advantage.”

“I was already planning to do that,” MK said.

“There’s really not a whole lot we can give you,” Flowey pointed out. “None of us ever knew this Gerson.”

“Fantastic,” MK snipped.

“You know, people are going to be watching this,” Frisk pointed out. “How are you going to keep your arms hidden?”

“I’ve already thought of that,” Undyne said. She pulled out a pair of metallic sleeves. “These should do better than the cloth.”

“Thanks,” MK said, slipping them on. The chainmail slid right over, protecting the joint, while the metal plating concealed a majority of the arms. There were shoulder pads that MK connected to his joints, laying the scarf over them. “Okay, I’m ready.”

*   *   *

They arrived at the training arena at the specified time. Gerson was already waiting there, leaning on his hammer. There were a few other guards there, obviously eager to see the fight go down. As Frisk walked behind MK they saw a few Monsters exchanging gold coins. They were placing bets.

“Well, step to one side, have your friends go to the benches and we’ll get started,” Gerson advised. MK walked up to one side of the arena and turned to face Gerson. Frisk and their friends sat down next to the guards present. All of them were cheering for their captain, expecting the fight to last a few moments at most.

“You can have the first move,” MK said, getting into a stance.

Gerson hefted his hammer and charged. He swung, going slow enough that he wouldn’t damage MK, but the lizard ducked out of the way of the weapon, then raised a hand. Before Gerson could react, a bone shot from the ground and hit him square in the jaw, sending him back several feet.

The cheering of the guards went silent when they saw that. Gerson sat up, rubbing his jaw. He looked at the bone jutting from the ground in front of MK. He smirked before the bone vanished.

“Huh. Neat trick,” Gerson said. But he got back up and swung his hammer around in a display. “But it won’t help you.” He charged again, bringing his hammer down this time, MK side stepping to avoid the strike. Then with a wave of his hand another bone materialized and struck Gerson in the side of his head and before he could recover, another hit him from above.

Then MK materialized a very long bone and grabbed it with his hands, charging. Gerson saw the attack and raised his hammer to parry. The two clashed weapons, MK’s bone club against Gerson’s hammer. Eventually, MK’s bone shattered. Gerson started going on the offense but MK summoned a barrage of bones and flung them at Gerson. The turtle used his hammer to deflect the projectiles and sent them away. He tried to get MK with his hammer again but the lizard easily avoided the strike.

Seeing he wasn’t going to get anywhere like this, MK decided to up the ante. He stretched his hand out to the side and magic materialized in his hand, solidifying into a blue spear. He started swinging the spear at Gerson, who was trying to deflect the strikes with his hammer, but MK summoned another spear in his other hand, and started dual wielding them. Gerson was having trouble keeping up with MK’s assault. He had to admit it, he underestimated the kid.

Pretty soon, MK started trying to attack from different angles, maneuvering around Gerson to try and strike him from another position, though the turtle’s natural armor combined with his metallic one made that difficult. Still, he wasn’t going to be deterred and the cheering from his friends encouraged him to keep going.

Eventually, Gerson managed to find an opening in the young Monster’s defenses, thrusting his hammer forward and jabbing MK in the gut, sending him back. MK managed to get a grip on the ground, preventing him from skidding any further. Gerson started winding up for a rather devastating blow, but MK had a few more tricks up his sleeve that he was eager to play. He dispelled one spear then raised the now free hand, summoning several more above it. Gerson froze when he saw the spears and just barely got his hammer up in time before MK sent them at him. He deflected all those that would have struck him and the ground became littered with spears.

Gerson took a moment to assess his opponent and noticed that MK wasn’t panting yet. The kid must have a well of energy if he isn’t winded yet, the turtle thought. Gonna have to end this fight the hard way.

MK was standing with spear raised, ready for Gerson’s next attack, which came when the turtle slammed his hammer on the ground and sending a crack MK’s way. He leapt into the air to avoid it, flinging another spear at Gerson to keep him off balance. But the turtle recovered fast, anticipated where MK would land and sent another crack that way. MK realized what had happened and flung a spear into the ground and landed on it which sunk into the crack, but he was able to propel himself off the spear, staying off the ground.

Gerson tried to figure out where MK would land this time but he landed before he could strike, and MK sent another spear his way, forcing Gerson to deflect it. He charged MK, quickly closing the distance and tried to bring the hammer down to knock him out. MK raised his arms and caught the hammer, keeping it from his head. It turned into a struggle of strength, a struggle which Gerson noted he was starting to lose, as the hammer was gradually lifted away from MK.

Gerson kicked MK in the chest, sending him sprawling onto the ground. He tried to hit MK again, only for the lizard to stretch his hand out, Gerson readied himself for another bone or possibly a spear. What he didn’t expect was a monstrous horned skull to appear, a light appearing in its jaw and then fire it in a beam of energy that Gerson blocked with his hammer, but the energy sent him back several feet.

He looked at MK and now noticed that he was panting. That last attack must have taken a lot more energy which explained why he didn’t use it at the start. MK summoned another spear, charging at him, but Gerson decided it was time to stop holding back. He swung his hammer into the ground again, producing five cracks that all circled around to MK. The younger Monster managed to avoid the first two, used a spear to halt the progress of a third and used the same spear to launch himself into the air to avoid the last two. He landed, only to duck again to avoid another swing of Gerson’s hammer. He thrust his spear but the turtle spun his hammer to deflect it, then with his reverse grip, swung his hammer and sent MK flying back. He landed on the ground hard and it was clear that one strike nearly beat him.

He struggled to his feet, using a spear for support but Gerson slammed the ground with his hammer again, this time producing a wave of earth that headed straight for the young fighter. MK managed to leap to avoid it, only to wind up face-to-face with Gerson, who had jumped up to him. Gerson swung but MK summoned another of those skulls which blasted Gerson’s hammer out of his hands. MK swung the spear he had at Gerson, knocking him to the ground, MK landing a moment later.

Gerson managed to get up quickly, adjusting his helmet. He was surprised MK was able to adjust tactics so fast. The Monster by this point had more than proven himself. He wouldn’t be able to take many hits but he was able to avoid strikes and Gerson had to get creative just to hit the slippery kid. Still, he wasn’t planning to let MK win this fight. He retrieved his hammer, located his opponent, and smashed the ground again, producing another wave of earth that MK wasn’t able to avoid this time. He was tossed into the air by the wave, landing on his back. He tried to get up, but Gerson ran over and held his hammer right above MK’s chest.

Realizing he lost, MK dispelled the spear and collapsed. Gerson pulled back, and Frisk, Undyne and Papyrus rushed to his side.

“MK, you okay?” Frisk asked, cradling his head.

“I hurt all over, so no,” he groaned.

“NOT TO WORRY, I SHALL HEAL YOU,” Papyrus assured, a green glow coming from his left hand, which he placed on MK, the pain fading away.

“You were impressive,” Gerson complimented.

“I lost,” MK said.

“Yes, but you held out longer than I thought,” Gerson said.

“And longer than they thought,” Undyne said, gesturing to the guards. “They were taking bets about how long you’d last and they all thought it would last than less than half a minute.”

“But you held out for a long time,” Frisk said. “That was very impressive.”

“Thanks.” MK faced Gerson. “So… do I get to go on the mission?”

“I guess so,” Gerson agreed. “You’ve more than proven you have what it takes.”

“Thank you, sir,” MK said, now healed up.

“Well, when you’re able, we’ll get you fitted with some armor to make it official,” Gerson decided. He turned and started leaving. “See you around, MK.”

Frisk helped MK stand, letting him lean on them. “Guess you’re coming with.”

“Guess so.”

“We’ll have this summit in the bag,” Undyne said.

End of Chapter 4

Chapter Text

A week had passed since Frisk and the others had arrived at Delta Keep. By then they had all integrated into the lifestyle of the place. MK now had a suit of armor and Gerson had made him an honorary guard, but placing him at the bottom of the ranking. They all spent time preparing for the upcoming meeting with the humans. Asgore informed Frisk of the world’s current state.

Undyne and Alphys were working on the contingency plan, charting a course to the land they found, as well as planning how to fill the ships with all the remaining Monsters.

On the side, Frisk was still looking for Toriel, trying to find the woman. However, the castle’s size and how little free time they had made that difficult. Some of the others were trying to help out but there was only so much they could do.

Asgore was planning the trip out to the summit. Frisk and Undyne would be traveling with him. Gerson, as captain, would also be present in his carriage, along with MK who had made it clear his place was at Frisk’s side. Asgore had to fill out the entourage with advisors, carefully choosing who would come with him.

*   *   *

Eventually the day came where Asgore had to make his journey to the summit. He sent a servant to let Frisk and Undyne know. Undyne put on her armor and packed her suit, along with a container of lubricant provided by Alphys.

Frisk was given two options to wear: a dress or a suit. Ultimately, they chose a dark blue suit to wear.

MK put on his own guard outfit which had some chest armor along with guards for his legs.

As they prepped, Alphys and Undyne spoke. “It might be best if you start preparing the ships while we’re gone,” Undyne suggested.

“I’ll be doing everything I can,” Alphys assured.

“You’ll do great,” Undyne encouraged. “Keep working on the course to the land.”

“Frisk and I are all done,” MK said. “What about you?”

“Just a few last things.”

“You sure you won’t come?” Frisk asked Flowey.

“You’re gonna be too busy to worry about me,” Flowey said. “Besides, you don’t need the distraction. I’ll be waiting right here until you get back.”

Frisk sighed. “I’ll make sure Papyrus looks after you.”

“YES, DO NOT WORRY,” the tall skeleton assured. “I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU UNTIL FRISK RETURNS.”

“We’re going, Frisk,” MK announced.

“Coming. See you in a few days.”

*   *   *

Outside, Gerson supervised the boarding of the carriages. Everyone was assigned to a specific one. Eventually, Undyne’s group appeared.

“Ah, good, you’re here,” the turtle said. “You’ll be traveling with the king and me.”

“Great. We’ll get loaded up,” Undyne said, hefting a case.

Frisk glanced around at the others in the procession. As they did they saw a tall white shape walking to one of the carriages. They froze when they realized it was Toriel. She was coming?

“C’mon, Frisk,” MK said, taking their hand in his gauntlet, pulling them into the carriage. They sat down on the back bench, waiting for the rest to join. After a while, Asgore entered and sat in the front. Gerson entered a moment later.

“Okay, we’re all here,” the turtle said.

“Then let’s head out,” Asgore said.

Gerson tapped the front of the carriage, signaling the driver. The carriage lurched forward as the horses began pulling. Behind them, the others followed.

“Alright, we should arrive at the summit meeting by nightfall,” Gerson estimated. “We’ll set up camp then talk to the humans the next day.”

“Um, if I may ask, why are you bringing other people with you?” Frisk asked.

“Most are advisors,” the king answered. “They are also meant to be representatives of my people so the humans see just who they’re negotiating with.”

“Why the curiosity, lad?” Gerson asked.

“I noticed one of the advisors in particular was joining us,” they answered. “Her name is Toriel.”

“Ah, her,” Gerson said. “Yes, the king felt like she should be brought along.”

“Why?” Undyne asked.

“She is a scholar that works for my family,” Asgore explained. “She was hired by my mother a few years back. I thought it best to bring a scholar along.”

“Is that the only reason?” MK asked.

“Yes, why? Should there be another one?” Asgore asked.

“Well, have you met her?” Frisk asked.

“Briefly, when she first started working for my parents,” he answered.

“Why you kids asking about her?” Gerson asked. “Seems like a really random Monster to ask about.”

“She’s a Boss Monster, for one,” MK said, which was apparently news to the other two. “She’s also hugely important in our time.”

“W-how do you know she’s a Boss Monster?” Asgore asked.

“She’s just like you, for one,” Frisk pointed out. “Horns, floppy ears, paws instead of hooves.”

“Did you not know she was a Boss Monster?” Undyne asked, puzzled.

“No,” Gerson said. “Boss Monsters are rare and all of the remaining ones are known.”

“Remaining ones?” Frisk asked.

“Boss Monsters were among the first to be killed by the humans for their power,” Gerson explained. “Our king is one of a handful left.”

“Well, Toriel is another,” MK said.

“That makes no sense,” Asgore said. “She’s a nobody. She works for us because she has no family of her own.”

“You sure?” Frisk asked.

“She was raised by her mother, who died years ago,” Gerson said. “At least, that’s what she told us.”

“And Boss Monsters don’t age if they have no parents,” Asgore reminded.

“Well has she aged at all in recent years?” Frisk questioned. “Actually, don’t bother. Not enough time would have passed for it to be obvious.”

Asgore and Gerson shared a glance at each other, amazed by this revelation. “Did my parents know?”

“Not sure, but it wouldn’t surprise me if your father knew and kept it from you,” Gerson told Asgore. “After all, you’re supposed to marry a princess. It’d be bad if you married a scholar.”

Asgore looked to Frisk. “Is there some other reason we should know her?”

Frisk looked at their companions, all of them debating whether or not to tell him. “Um, I’m not sure we should tell you,” Frisk said. “We… we don’t want to mess with things too much.”

Gerson wanted to press, but refrained. If they felt the knowledge had to be unknown then he would let it be. Sure, they were trying to change things, but they made it clear there was a limit to what they were willing to reveal in case they changed the wrong things.

“If you feel uncomfortable then we will not press,” Asgore said.

“Well, with that out of the way, what do we do when we get to this summit?” MK asked.

“You’re gonna stick by Frisk’s side during the whole thing,” Gerson said. “Undyne, I want you with me. We’ll be watching over the meeting place.”

“So, what should we be expecting when we get there?” Undyne asked.

“Odds are the humans will have arrived first,” Gerson said. “But this is a peace meeting, so they shouldn’t try anything.”

“You’re bringing guards anyway,” Frisk pointed out.

“Precautions,” Gerson answered.

“So, we should expect the humans to be doing the same,” Undyne said.

“If I might be so bold,” Asgore began, “does your ‘future knowledge’ happen to know how this meeting plays out?”

“Well, from what we were told, Monsters attempt to negotiate with the humans but their leader rejects their pleas,” Undyne informed.

“I find that a little difficult to believe,” Asgore said. “I know the human king. Sure, he’s cautious, but he respects us and our lands well enough.”

“King? He’s going to be there?” MK asked.

“It’s a meeting of kings, laddie,” Gerson explained. “Of course he’ll be there.”

“Regardless, humans still declared war so I think it might be safe to say that respect is gone,” Undyne said.

“I don’t believe that. Which is why we’re doing this,” Asgore said. “We’re going to meet and I hope I can make my case to him to leave us in peace.”

“Well, history says you fail,” MK said.

“Hopefully I can change that,” Frisk spoke up. “It’s why we came.”

“I pray you’re right,” Asgore said.

*   *   *

The ride was long. They passed the time discussing their plans for the summit.

As the sun began to set they arrived at the designated meeting grounds, which seemed to be an abandoned city. Tents were already set up on one side and the humans were walking amongst them. Asgore’s procession went to the other side, away from the humans. As they traveled, Frisk got a look at some of the people there. Many were wearing armor and carrying swords or spears but others were wearing robes and holding ornate staffs. Oddly, those wearing robes were in all sorts of colors. They were orange, blue, green, yellow, teal, and purple, though there was only one wearing red.

Frisk looked at the one wearing red and saw the red sword on his belt, along with the black cape. When he turned, Frisk got a look at his face, and something about it seemed familiar. But more than that, Frisk felt uneasy looking at him, a shiver going up their spine.

“You okay, Frisk?” MK asked.

“Something about that red wizard… unsettles me,” Frisk said. MK followed their gaze, and his eyes narrowed when he saw the one in question.

“Red wizard?” Asgore questioned. “That must be Volos. He leads the wizards.”

Frisk continued to stare at the man until he disappeared behind a pillar. Only then did they look away. Eventually, the carriages came to a stop. Gerson opened the door as Frisk pulled their hood up. The turtle stepped out first with Asgore following a moment later. As he stepped onto the cobblestones, a few humans in armor showed up, led by a human draped in green.

“King… Asgore, is it?” the wizard asked.

“Indeed,” Asgore said.

“I’m Dobromil,” the wizard introduced himself.

“Pleased to meet you,” Asgore extended a hand in greeting, but all the humans in armor were on edge, nearly drawing their weapons. Meanwhile, Frisk, MK, and Undyne stepped out, standing behind the larger Monster.

Dobromil didn’t take Asgore’s hand but he didn’t react with fear like the others. “The summit will be at noon tomorrow,” he said.

“Good. I will be seeing your king then,” Asgore said pleasantly.

“Oh, our king is not present for this meeting,” Dobromil said, surprising the others. “He has more important matters to attend to. Volos will be leading these talks. See you tomorrow.” With that, he turned and left, the guards following.

Undyne faced Asgore. “I thought you said the human king would be here.”

“He should be,” Asgore said. “I don’t understand.”

“Sounds like we’re going to be dealing with the leader of the armies instead,” Gerson said.

“That’s bad,” MK voiced.

Frisk was pondering on this development, wondering why it was going this way and how it was going to affect their plans.

“Well, I’ll get the supplies unloaded and have everybody start setting up tents,” Gerson informed.

“I’ll establish a watch, just in case those humans try anything funny,” Undyne said, getting a nod from Gerson.

*   *   *

Night fell, and everybody was preparing for sleep. Asgore had already changed into more comfortable clothes and Gerson was standing outside his tent as guard. He was looking over some scrolls when the tent flap was raised by the turtle.

“My king, you’ve got guests.” Gerson stepped aside to allow Frisk and MK to walk in. Frisk took off their hood when they entered and Gerson let the flap fall.

“Howdy, children. How can I help you?” Asgore greeted.

“We need to talk,” Frisk said. “About… Volos.”

Asgore gestured for the two of them to sit down. Though he was puzzled as to why they sat on their legs, hands on their knees. “What about him?”

“How much do you know about him?” MK asked.

“Well, he’s the leader of the humans’ wizards for a reason,” Asgore began. “He’s their most powerful sorcerer. He’s a tactical genius and formidable on the battlefield. I think he has a son who has recently come of age. Not much beyond that.”

“Anything else?” Frisk pressed.

Asgore pondered on it for a while. “I… I don’t think so. I think he might be of noble blood but I can’t be certain. Why?”

Frisk and MK shared a glance before speaking. “We’ve been discussing it,” Frisk began. “And we think he might be the reason for the war.”

“What? Why would you think that?” Asgore asked.

“Sir, the human king isn’t here, but he should be,” MK pointed out. “Instead, a leader of the military is present. Not the best person to send for negotiations.”

“And from what you’ve told us, we doubt the king wouldn’t at least try to make time for this,” Frisk said. “We think Volos came instead of the king on purpose. How, we don’t know, but we’re sure he might have either lied or downplayed what this summit was about and made it so he went instead.”

“Why would you think that?” Asgore asked.

“To sabotage the peace talks,” MK said. “He might be trying to prevent an end to the war and keep the fighting.”

“And why would he do that? What reason would you have to suspect that of him?” Asgore asked.

“Sir, there’s… something wrong with him,” Frisk said hesitantly. “Like… there’s a lack of feeling. An emptiness inside. A desire to… kill.”

Asgore was puzzled. “How can you tell?”

Frisk clutched their arm, MK resting a hand on their shoulder. “I’ve… met someone like that before,” they answered. “I know what to look for.”

Asgore was a mix of astonished and afraid. “Are… you referring to… LOVE?”

Frisk nodded. “We suspect his is… very high.”

MK took over. “Because of that we think he might desire for the war to continue and will seek to ensure it keeps going, no matter what. And because of that… we’re afraid we won’t be able to… negotiate with them.”

Asgore sat in silence for a moment. “So, even with your help, you don’t think we can talk this out?”

Frisk shook their head. “People like him… they don’t listen to reason and they don’t stop, either.”

Asgore sighed. “We should at least try, then. Perhaps if we convinced the others?”

Frisk shrugged. “Maybe. I didn’t get a read on them, but they might be willing.”

“Then tomorrow, we will try,” Asgore decided. “Now, both of you should be off to bed.”

“Yes, sir,” they both said, departing and returning to their tent. Asgore was left alone with his thoughts, worry on his mind. Surely, Volos wasn’t that evil… right?

*   *   *

Morning came, and everyone got ready for the meeting. Asgore wondered if he should even bother given that it seemed destined to fail. But he would try anyway. If he could prevent more suffering from this war, he had to try.

Frisk decided to have their cloak on and hood up for almost the entire thing, only lowering their hood when they needed to. They obscured their face beneath shadows so the humans couldn’t see them. They didn’t want to know how they would react to seeing one of their own on the side of the Monsters yet.

Undyne was busy establishing guards amongst the Monsters, ensuring their camp didn’t get any surprise visitors.

MK was trying to help Frisk rehearse a speech they had planned for the humans as well as staying by their side the whole time. If anyone tried anything, they’d have to go through him. Though he did catch a few mocking laughs from the humans. He tried to not let it bother him but Frisk had to grab him by his tail more than once.

Gerson was checking out the dilapidated structure that would be the place the meeting would be held to ensure there were no surprises set by the humans.

Eventually, noon came and Asgore rounded up everyone that would be coming with him, which included Frisk, MK, Gerson, and Toriel. As they entered, they saw the humans already there, gathered around a stone table with wooden chairs lining it. There were seven humans present, each one a different color and Volos was in the middle.

“Well, seems the freakshow finally arrived,” the purple one said.

“I didn’t realize they were bringing children to this meeting,” the orange one said, pointing to MK.

Frisk laid a hand on their friend’s shoulder. “Easy,” they reminded. The Monsters sat down in their chairs. Asgore’s creaked under his weight.

“Well then. Shall we begin?” Asgore suggested.

The yellow wizard pulled out a gavel and banged it on the table. “At the behest of the Monsters, we call this summit to order.”

“Well, I shall start,” Asgore said. “And I do want to thank all of you for coming out here. I know it is quite a ways from your capitol.”

“Spare us the pleasantries, Monster,” Volos said harshly. “We all know what your kind is really like.”

Asgore felt his stomach sink at that. It seemed Volos was trying to enforce his fellow’s perception of him and his people.

But then Frisk spoke. “And what about your kind?” they said. “Perhaps we should save the insults for another time. We are here to discuss peace talks between your kingdom and ours.”

Asgore smiled. Frisk managed to get the discussion on track. “Indeed,” he said. “We are not here to trade insults or bandy threats. I come here to negotiate a cessation of hostilities between our peoples.”

Volos glared at Frisk, whose face was still hidden by shadows. “Very well.”

“For what reason do you make this request?” the blue wizard asked.

“My people are weary and tired of this constant fear,” Asgore explained. “Your kind have gone and killed many of us and we are unable to fight back. We just want to live in peace.”

“You said ‘negotiate’,” Dobromil said. “That implies you have something to barter with.”

“Yes. We have recently gotten an abundance of food and my people are willing to trade it,” Asgore said. “I understand you have been having a hard time as of late on your own food stores.”

The purple wizard tapped his fingers on the table in thought. “We could use the extra food. We barely have enough for the approaching winter as it is.”

“We don’t need their false generosity,” Volos said harshly. “Besides, how do we know we can even stomach their kind of food? What if it’s poisonous?”

That got some of the humans talking amongst themselves. Frisk interrupted their musings. “It won’t be poisonous,” they assured. “Besides, Monster food is made almost completely with magic, which turns into energy when eaten. It’s impossible for it to be deadly in any way.” Though it could give you a stomachache depending on how badly it’s made, they thought to themself.

The humans discussed that amongst themselves again though they seemed placated by that. Volos, however, glared even more harshly at Frisk. Internally, they smiled. He was doing his best to ruin things but Frisk was managing to counter his accusations rather well.

“I know you are wary but my people have no ill will towards your kind,” Asgore assured. “We only wish to live in peace.”

“You say that but how much do you mean it?” Volos questioned. “I know your kind well, Monster. How can we be sure you’re being honest in your intentions? How do we know this isn’t some elaborate trick to stab us in the back?”

Again, the humans were muttering to themselves.

Frisk tapped Asgore, and he leaned over so they could whisper. “They doubt your honesty. They fear you might try and take their lives. You need to make them see that isn’t what you want.”

“I’m not sure how. We have little proof beyond my word and Volos might try to counter it no matter what I say,” Asgore said.

“Well, they started this war because they fear what a Monster could do with a human Soul,” Frisk said.

“But how would we get one? It takes hundreds, if not thousands of Monsters to equal the power of a single human Soul,” Asgore said.

“Volos seems to be making them think you could take it through deception or trickery,” Frisk surmised. “You need to reassure them.”

“How?”

Frisk tried to think of a solution. There didn’t seem to be any way to prove to the humans the Monsters were harmless beyond words. Unless…

Frisk thought it through, weighed the risks and benefits. It was a rather risky ploy but it would dismantle Volos’ claim more easily than anything and would probably force the humans to question much of what the red wizard told them.

“You’re wrong, Volos,” Frisk said, making their choice. They stood up from their chair, everyone looking at them. “The Monsters aren’t like that at all. They’re not evil. They’re not demons no matter how much you say otherwise. You say that the Monsters would kill a human for their Soul but I know you are wrong, and I can prove it.”

Frisk waved their hand, the shadows receded, then they pulled their hood back, exposing themself to everyone present. All those across from them let out a gasp at the sight with a few recoiling in shock. They expected such a reaction and hoped they were realizing what it was they were seeing. After all, a human child was on the side of the Monsters, and they had heard Frisk defend the Monsters without prompting several times already.

Frisk looked at each of the wizards, all in various states of shock and surprise, except Volos. Frisk wasn’t sure what they were seeing in him but he looked like all his plans were coming undone.

End of Chapter 5

Chapter Text

Nearly all the humans in the room were stunned silent as they just saw what they thought was a Monster pull their hood back to reveal that they were actually a human. Volos had told them that the Monsters would take any opportunity they saw to take their Souls, and yet here was one, a child, unharmed and on their side.

“I am human,” Frisk assured. “Just like you but I have lived with the Monsters for years. My name is Frisk.”

“What Monster trickery is this?” Volos demanded.

“No tricks,” Frisk said. “I’m just as human as the rest. The only difference is I don’t let my fear and prejudices rule me.” There was some venom and repressed hate in those words that everyone caught.

“This can’t be,” the teal wizard said. “Why are you siding with them?”

“Because they’re my family,” Frisk said honestly. “And you people are threatening them.”

“So you’re a traitor,” Volos said.

“That would imply I was ever on your side,” Frisk stated.

“You miserable…”

“Perhaps we should adjourn for now?” Dobromil suggested. “Take some time to think on this and reconvene in, say, two hours?”

“That is acceptable,” Asgore agreed.

The green wizard nodded to the yellow one, who banged the gavel. Everyone stood up and departed. Frisk pulled their hood back up.

“Frisk, I thank you for what you did back there,” Asgore said. “I couldn’t have managed that without your aid.”

“I’m here to serve, Asgore,” Frisk said.

“Well, perhaps we should have lunch while we wait for the humans,” the king suggested. “I’ll have our cooks prepare something.”

“We’ll be in the forest,” MK said, taking Frisk’s arm. The two ran off to the trees. “Well, that was something. You made quite the sight pulling your hood off.”

“It was the only way I could think of to counter Volos,” Frisk said.

“Well, you certainly made an impression on all those humans, that’s for sure,” MK said. “What was your goal with that, anyway?”

“To show them that Volos is wrong and that the Monsters aren’t… well, monsters,” Frisk answered.

“You’ve certainly done that if not more,” MK said. “I think that red one, Volos, looked pissed when he realized what you were.”

“I’m pretty sure his plans rely on the humans being too afraid to trust the Monsters. My mere presence with you guys throws a pretty big wrench into that.”

The two laughed at that. The laughter was cut short when a spear nearly struck Frisk.

“Sorry,” someone said, running up. “Didn’t see you there.” The person in question came up, pulling the spear out of the ground. They wore rather simple brown clothes under a rather large poncho, and their hair was brown as well.

Frisk and MK had to look up slightly to see him. In the process, Frisk’s hood fell off.

“Oh, hi there, and…” the human trailed off when he saw MK, whose hands were at his sides, ready to strike.

“MK, calm down,” Frisk said, laying a hand on his shoulder. The lizard did as requested, lowering his hands. “You nearly struck us.”

“Yeah, sorry. Didn’t think there was anyone else nearby,” he apologized. “Um, you do realize you’re touching a Monster, right?”

“He’s my bodyguard,” Frisk said.

“The bodyguard has a name, you know,” MK snarked. “And it’s MK.”

“Mine’s Frisk,” they said, holding their hand out. The other didn’t take the offered hand, holding the spear close. “Um, what are you doing out here?” they asked, noticing this person wasn’t much older than themself.

“Some training,” he answered. “Father says I have to keep up my regime even if we’re on a diplomatic trip.”

“Is your dad a soldier?” Frisk asked.

“No, a wizard.”

That intrigued Frisk. “I take it you know some magic, then?”

“A few spells, nothing impressive,” he said modestly.

“Well, I know a few things, too,” Frisk said. They extended their hand out, and conjured a small red flame, surprising the taller human.

“How are you… doing that?” he asked.

“It’s easy, after a lot of time and practice,” Frisk answered. The taller human reached out, touching the flame, but not getting burned.

“That’s… incredible. Who taught you?” he asked.

“My mother, my father,” Frisk answered.

“They must be very skilled spellcasters.”

“Yeah, they were,” Frisk said sadly, putting the fire out and lowering their arm.

MK rest a hand on Frisk and the other human realized he said something wrong. “Oh, I’m sorry,” he apologized. “What happened to them?”

Frisk shrugged. “Don’t know. Just came home to find them gone. It was a few years ago and it still hurts.”

“I lost my mother a few years back,” he sympathized.

“At least you have your father,” Frisk said. “I left on… somewhat rather poor terms with my parents. Sometimes I wish I had just one more day with them or that I was there when they dusted.”

“Dusted?”

“HAWARD!”

All three jumped at the shout. They turned to see Volos marching up.

“What are you doing?”

“Training, father,” he said.

“With this scum?” Volos gestured to Frisk and MK.

“We were just talking. I startled them when I almost hit them,” Haward said.

“You should have split the Monster’s skull open,” Volos said harshly. MK stuck his tongue out in disgust. “And I don’t want you anywhere near that traitor.”

“Traitor?” the poncho-clad human asked.

“It,” Volos said, pointing to Frisk. “It sided with the Monsters and I don’t want you near it. You’re coming with me.” He grabbed Haward’s wrist and pulled him away.

“Uh, bye?” Haward said awkwardly, waving.

MK glared at Volos as he dragged his son away. “Wow, what a jerk.”

“That’s one word for it,” Frisk muttered.

“You okay?”

“Yeah. Just… he brought up some bad memories,” Frisk assured.

“From before, right?”

“Yeah, but I’m okay.”

“So, that was Volos’ son?”

“Apparently. Who knew?” Frisk pondered on that. “He was open to listening to us. Maybe we could use that.”

“Hey, is it just me, or did he look… kinda familiar?” MK asked.

Frisk shrugged. “He’s human. Maybe he just looks very similar to one you’ve seen before.”

“Maybe,” MK hesitantly agreed. “We should probably get back. Lunch must be almost ready.”

“Race you back?”

“You know who the winner would be,” MK taunted.

“Really?” Frisk sprinted ahead before MK could react. “How about now?!” they shouted back.

“Head start, no fair!” MK bolted after them.

*   *   *

Frisk and MK ate a broth that the cooks had prepped. It wasn’t very good but they weren’t about to complain. As they ate they told Asgore about their meeting with Haward.

“Interesting,” the Boss Monster said. “Do you think you convinced him that Monsters aren’t as dangerous as his father would have him believe otherwise?”

“Not sure we did that much,” Frisk admitted. “But we at least forced him to question it.”

“Hmm. I’m not sure how this can affect anything but good job regardless,” Asgore said.

“Any idea how the humans are taking the knowledge of Frisk?” MK asked.

“Nothing definitive but I would hope they are at least questioning it,” Asgore answered.

As they talked, Toriel came over a bowl in her hand. “My king, if I may, there is no room anywhere,” she said, gesturing to all the full logs.

“Oh, not at all,” he said, gesturing to the seat beside him.

“Thank you.” She sat down and began eating, being careful to not spill it on her robes.

Frisk looked at her and it seemed she was slightly nervous to be next to Asgore. They hid a smile behind their spoon.

“So, how are you children doing?” Toriel asked awkwardly.

“Doing fine so far,” Frisk answered.

“None of this is strange to you?” she asked.

“I’ve lived with Monsters for three years. Nothing is strange to me,” Frisk said.

“Three years?” Toriel questioned. “Why are you living with them?”

“Well, I was adopted by this nice couple,” Frisk explained. “They were very kind to me and treated me like their own.”

“Adopted?”

“It means Frisk was taken in by Monsters and made their child legally,” MK explained.

“What about your original parents? Your human ones? Do they not miss you?”

Frisk looked down. “Never knew them,” they answered. “The Monsters are the only family I’ve ever known.”

“Oh, I am sorry,” Toriel said. “I know how you feel. I never knew my parents, either.”

Frisk looked up and Asgore was surprised by that.

“I thought you said you lived with your mother before she died?” Asgore questioned.

“Well, she was not my birth mother,” Toriel admitted. “She found me as a baby and raised me.”

Frisk wasn’t sure how to take that knowledge though it explained much about Toriel’s personality in the future. A thought slipped into Frisk’s mind, and they wondered if that was true, it explained even more about her.

“Why not tell us that?” Asgore asked Toriel.

She looked away, nervous, and that confirmed it for Frisk, especially when she shot them a glance.

“She was human, wasn’t she?” Frisk asked. Toriel freezing up answered it for them.

“A human? A human took care of you?” Asgore asked. Toriel nodded. He placed a hand on his head. “That… I can see why you didn’t tell us that now.”

MK leaned over to Frisk. “That would also explain why, in the future, she’s so nice to you,” he whispered. “It also explains why she has a rather out-of-proportion amount of care for humans.”

The conversation slowed down. Asgore asked a few more questions of Toriel about her past. As he did, Frisk thought they saw him softening up toward her. They wondered for a moment if this might have been how they fell in love originally. It wasn’t love yet, but it was something, certainly. Perhaps, given enough time it would become that.

“I am not mad you kept this knowledge about your mother a secret from me,” Asgore assured Toriel. “It just… surprised me is all.”

“I take it you were ignorant of a lot of things about your kind growing up, right?” Frisk asked.

“I was, yes. It is part of the reason I pursued this path in the first place, to learn about what I am,” Toriel explained.

Frisk nodded. “I take it you’re also unaware that you’re a Boss Monster, right?”

Toriel’s bowl fell out of her hands when she heard that. “I’m a what?”

“A Boss Monster, like Asgore,” Frisk said, pointing to the king.

“W-how do you know I am a Boss Monster?” Toriel asked.

“You look just like him, for one,” MK said. “But we know a few things about you that you don’t know yet.”

Toriel just sat there in shock, Frisk trying to suppress a few giggles. “We should probably think about the summit. It’s getting time to reconvene.”

“Good idea,” Asgore agreed. “Toriel, perhaps you should close your jaw so we might discuss this.”

Toriel shook her head to rid herself of the lingering surprise. “Right, I probably should.”

*   *   *

Once the two hours were up, both parties returned to the structure and reused their seats, though Frisk didn’t bother putting their hood back on this time. Volos was glaring at them almost the whole time.

The yellow wizard picked up his gavel and banged it twice. “Alright, this meeting is back in session.”

“We have been discussing this rather recent… revelation,” the purple wizard said. “We wish to know how this child came to be with your group. We also request that you turn them over to us so we might return them to their family.”

Asgore wasn’t sure how to answer that but Frisk did it for him. “My family – my human one – is dead so I’m not going with you people.”

“And who told you they were dead?” Volos questioned.

“I did,” Frisk said decisively. “My parents abandoned me as a baby and I’ve had to survive on my own for a long time until I found the Monsters.”

For once, none of the humans had a response to that.

“I came with the king of Monsters to negotiate on their behalf,” Frisk continued. “I don’t want to see them all killed.”

“If we are done,” Asgore said. “I believe we have much to discuss.”

“What could we have to talk about now?” Volos asked harshly.

“A lot. Like establishing a system of trade between our kingdoms,” Asgore answered. “My people don’t want a war and are willing to do whatever it takes for peace.”

“Peace? We can never have peace,” Volos stated.

“Volos, calm down. Perhaps we should hear them out,” the blue wizard suggested.

“Why should we? How can we trust them? They’ve deceived that child into believing their lies,” Volos accused. “They’re trying to use it to trick us.”

“Nobody ‘deceived’ me,” Frisk protested, but Volos carried on anyway.

“You want to trade? We don’t need to trade. We’ll take your food from your dusty remains,” Volos said.

“Now, now, there’s no need for such harsh words,” Asgore said. “I am sure, if we calm down, we can talk this out.”

“You can’t exactly afford to not at least hear us out,” Frisk said. “The king has told me what’s going on. Besides, feeding an army is probably draining your stores more than anything. Surely you can see that it’s better to stay your blades for the time and work with us. I am sure we could find some way to share that would be mutually beneficial.”

“Silence, child,” Volos said, pointing a finger at them. “There is no arrangement we will accept, other than your deaths.”

“I’m with Volos,” the orange wizard said. “How can we trust these people after everything they’ve done?”

“What have they done?” Dobromil asked. “Most of what we’ve heard they’ve done doesn’t really match up with their actions from today. Besides, look at that child. Surely, that means something?”

“You’re a naive fool,” Volos accused. “These things are demons. That child is either a traitor or been tricked.”

“I agree,” the purple wizard concurred. “Yes, our knowledge is imperfect but we can’t trust them with the power they could gain.”

Frisk tried to speak up, but Volos beat them to it. “Your lies and trick won’t work on us, demon king,” he said. “Know this; there will be no peace as long as you live. Oh, and if you need proof of our intentions, take this as a warning.”

Asgore pondered on that for a moment before he could hear faint screams from outside. He rushed out, Gerson behind him. Frisk and MK followed and they saw the Monsters’ tents on fire. They were scrambling to try and save what they could but the fires were spreading fast. Frisk looked to the side and saw the human tents were in a similar condition. They were pointing fingers at the Monsters, and Frisk thought they could hear accusations coming from them.

Undyne was doing her best to guide bucket brigades to snuff out the flames, but it wasn’t working well.

“C’mon, dude. We gotta help,” MK said. Frisk nodded before both ran over to help put out the flames. MK was able to carry two buckets and they chucked the water, which were provided by Monsters able to generate water, onto the flames.

As Frisk tried dousing a flame, they saw a shape running between the tents. Curious, they followed, MK behind them. Whoever it was, they were trying their hardest to go unseen. With a wave of their hand, Frisk used the nearby fire to create a wall to stop the person in his tracks.

They turned around and Frisk realized it was a human guard, a lit torch in his hand. “Stop there!” they demanded, whipping out their trident. They heard a grunt from behind them and they turned to see MK fall to the ground unconscious. They had only a moment to realize what was happening before they were struck on the head and fell.

“Hey. Isn’t this the kid Volos told us about?” they heard a voice say.

“Yes. We’re supposed to capture them,” another said. “Tie them up.”

Frisk felt themself being bound in rope, before being hauled up. They tried to clear their mind and focus, but it was too hard. They were tossed into something and it managed to bring them back to their senses enough to realize what was going on. They were being kidnapped! They sat up and saw they were in a metal cage on a wooden cart on the other side of camp. They burned through their ropes but escaping the metal cage was a different story.

“Help! MK! Asgore! Anyone!” they shouted.

*   *   *

MK got to his feet, clutching his head. He was fortunate his was so hard from falling so much. He came to his senses quickly and realized what had happened. He ran out of the Monster camp, looking towards the human side. He saw metal cages in carts but one had a cloaked figure in it. He heard Frisk’s voice and ran for it.

As he ran, two humans had the horse start pulling them away. “Hey, stop!” MK shouted. They whipped the horses harder and began pulling the cart away fast. MK sprinted to catch up. He knew he could get to them before the horses got to full gallop.

Once close enough, MK leapt onto the cart and sure enough, Frisk was in the cage.

“MK! Thank god!” Frisk said relieved.

“I’ll get you out of there, hang on,” MK assured, conjuring a spear.

“No you don’t.” MK looked up to see the orange wizard there. “Get off, Monster, before I turn you to dust.”

MK made another spear, getting into a stance. “Make me.” The wizard whipped out a spear and swung it at MK who blocked it with his own. The wizard had the advantage of height, but MK’s arms more than made up the difference, surprising the human. He broke off, swinging a wave of fire at the lizard but MK was able to avoid the fire easily. He leapt onto the top of Frisk’s cage, throwing one of his spears in the process.

The wizard dodged it, swinging his own at MK, who again leapt to avoid it. But he landed near the driver, who had a knife on him. He swung it but MK saw it coming and jumped back to avoid it.

“MK!”

He turned just in time to see the wizard swing his spear at him. He brought up his own to defend, but it still struck him on the head, sending him flying off the cart.

The wizard proceeded to sit back down. “Well, that takes care of that.”

MK skidded on the ground for a while before he came to a stop. Slowly, he sat up, a hand to his head when he felt something wet on his forehead. Through bleary vision, he saw the cart speeding away. He ran after them, hoping to catch up and try rescuing Frisk again.

The orange wizard turned around and saw MK back up and sprinting after them. “Are you kidding me? Can’t these horses go any faster?”

“Not when they’re pulling this much weight,” the driver said.

MK was running as fast as he could but he was unable to close the gap. He refused to lose and tried pushing himself to go faster. He had to rescue Frisk.

His eyes began to glow gold and he began picking up speed as he felt a burst of energy. He let it fill him, gradually catching up. The glow got stronger and brighter, the whites of his eyes turning black. But then a ‘beep’ came from his arms and he felt something enter his system. Suddenly he was exhausted almost out of energy. The glow faded away.

“No, not now,” he panted. He tried to get it back but he couldn’t recover the lost energy. The cart was pulling away fast as he stumbled to a stop. He fell to his knees, struggling to stay upright as his vision began to spiral. “No, Frisk, I’m sorry.”

He sat there for a while, panting to get his breath back. As he felt strong enough to get up he heard a trotting behind him. He saw a horse coming up with Gerson on its back.

“What are ya doing here, lad?” Gerson asked.

“They took Frisk,” MK answered. “The humans kidnapped them.”

Gerson looked in the direction MK had been going, guessing what they were going to do. “Come on, we need to get back to camp. You look worn out.”

“We need to chase after them. They got Frisk,” MK insisted.

“If they’re taking the kid by cart I’m not sure we can catch them, at least not before they reach human territory,” Gerson advised. “If we try to cross into their lands we’ll be killed for trespassing.”

“We can’t just let them keep Frisk.”

“We won’t, but we can’t help them if we’re dead,” Gerson advised. “We need to regroup and come up with a plan before we go charging off. Now get on, I’ll give ya a ride back to camp.”

Reluctantly, MK got onto the horse’s back and Gerson had them return to the Monster’s camp.

“By the way, why did you come for me?” MK asked.

“Saw ya chasing after those humans. Took me a while to get a horse and come after ya,” Gerson answered.

MK rubbed his forehead, drops of red coming off on his hands. “Think I need healing. That wizard got me good.”

“Surprised you’re still in one piece if ya got struck,” Gerson said. “Usually someone your age would die in one hit from a guy like that.”

MK held his hand to the cut on his head, saying nothing.

End of Chapter 6

Chapter Text

Undyne threw the last bit of water on the dying fire, finally putting it out. In the meantime, the humans had left accusing the Monsters of setting their tents on fire. She couldn’t believe how dense they were. Why would the Monsters do such a thing, especially as their own tents caught fire?

“Undyne, is the fire all out?” Asgore asked.

“Yes, that was the last of it,” she confirmed.

“Who would do a thing like this?” Toriel questioned.

“Well, I can take a wild guess,” Undyne said. “The humans did it.”

“This seems a bit… extreme for them,” Toriel said. “And why would they set their own tents on fire as well?”

“To keep us at war,” Asgore answered. “This is Volos’ doing. He must have told the guards to do this to keep both factions at war and further wreck the peace.”

“But why would he do that?” Toriel questioned.

Asgore glanced at Undyne, who shared his look. “Because he wants a war,” she said. “He’s given himself over to killing and he’s just using the war as an excuse to justify his dustlust.”

Toriel gasped, seemingly unable to believe such a thing.

Just then, Gerson returned, MK just barely managing to stay awake.

“Captain, where did you go?” Asgore asked.

“The humans took Frisk,” Gerson answered. “MK tried to go after them, but failed. I saw him running.”

Asgore walked over and laid a hand on MK in sympathy. “You did your best,” he said.

“No, I didn’t,” MK said ruefully. “I could have done it. I could have.”

“He needs healing. Kid took a hit to the head,” Gerson said.

“I can heal him,” Toriel offered. “I am very skilled.”

MK leapt down, almost collapsing. Toriel helped steady him. “Goodness, are you okay?”

“I tried to catch up to them but I was unable to run as fast,” MK answered.

Toriel saw the patch of red on his head. “Did you manage to get a hit on them? You have some blood on your head.” She tried wiping it off. “Let us get a look at the… damage?” She wiped it off, but it somehow came back. She did it again and got a glimpse of MK’s cut and this time saw the blood come out of his wound.

“I tried, but he was too skilled,” MK answered.

“Wait… is this… coming out of you?” Toriel questioned, which got the attention of Gerson and Asgore. She sniffed the substance on her paw pads, and sure enough, it was blood. “It is… blood. But… Monsters do not bleed, how…?”

“Hey, can you heal him?” Undyne butted in. “I’d prefer one of my best fighters to not get an infection.”

That jolted Toriel out of her stupor for the moment. She channeled her magic to her hands, a soft green glow coming from them which she used to heal the gash on MK’s forehead. Once done, MK walked away.

“How about you rest in the carriage for now?” Undyne suggested to the lizard. “Get your strength back. We’re leaving as soon as we can.”

“Yes, Undyne,” MK agreed, walking to the carriage.

“We should get back to the castle,” Undyne suggested. “We need to implement our contingency as well as stage a rescue for Frisk.”

“I don’t think we can do that,” Asgore said. “Frisk might be in the heart of human territory.”

“We have to try,” Undyne insisted. “Let’s get everything we have left and go. Who knows, the humans might send their soldiers after us.”

“I’ll round everyone up,” Gerson said, dismounting from the horse.

“I will see what possessions are left,” Toriel said.

“I will check on my people,” Asgore decided, walking off.

*   *   *

An hour later, they were off. Undyne, MK, Gerson, and Asgore were in the lead carriage. They all felt Frisk’s absence. MK was leaning on the side, a hand to his head, moping.

“When we get back you should probably send word to all the Monster villages,” Undyne told Asgore. “We need to prepare.”

“I will do what I can,” Asgore said.

“What about Frisk?” MK asked. “We can’t leave them.”

“We won’t,” Undyne assured. “When we get back, I want to know where they might be keeping Frisk. Then I’ll start organizing a rescue plan.”

“That’s suicide,” Gerson said.

“Frisk’s done more for us. We can’t abandon them,” Undyne insisted.

“I can’t sanction such a mission, nor will I let you take any of my guards,” Gerson denied.

“Then I’ll take my people,” Undyne decided. “We’ll rescue Frisk ourselves.”

“It’s too dangerous,” Asgore said. “A single hit from one of their guards could kill you.”

MK sat up. “No, it won’t,” he said. “I got struck and I survived. We can do it.”

“How did you do that, laddie, and why were you bleeding blood?” Gerson asked. “No Monster bleeds.”

MK and Undyne shared a glance. “Think we should tell them?” he asked.

“Yeah. Probably should let them know,” Undyne decided. She faced the two Monsters across from her. “Okay, there’s another thing we haven’t mentioned about ourselves. In our time, Monsters have more matter in their bodies than they used to.” She let that sink in before continuing. “It’s why you saw MK bleed and why we can take such hits without dying. We’re more physical now than we used to be. Though this happened only recently, sometime within the last three years.”

“How?” Gerson asked. “Monsters have always been made of magic.”

“We’re not sure though Alphys has a theory,” Undyne said. “For centuries we’ve always eaten food made of magic, which is converted straight into energy once consumed. But we’ve been on the Surface for a long time eating food produced by the humans. Human food is different from Monster food in many ways, the biggest being that it goes all the way through you. Which led to some… adjustments on our end.” She blushed as she said that.

“But because of that, we took it into our bodies,” MK continued for Undyne. “As we ate their food, some of it was left behind, which we, I think the word she used was ‘metabolize’, which gave us a more physical form.”

“Which is why we can bleed,” Undyne finished. “It also allows us to withstand strikes from humans better than you would. We still turn to dust when we die, but now killing us requires a bit more effort on the attacker’s part.”

Asgore and Gerson were both astonished by that.

“If you guys aren’t willing to help us rescue Frisk, we’ll do it ourselves since we’re the ones most likely to survive,” Undyne said.

Asgore sighed. “I suppose there is no stopping you so I won’t bother trying to talk either of you out of this. I just urge caution. They might be expecting rescue.”

“We’ll be ready,” MK assured.

*   *   *

Frisk sat on the floor of the cage, meditating. They knew MK was alright. They saw him get back up, so he would be fine. They just wished he could have rescued them. They weren’t sure where they were going but other carts and carriages were around them now, the human’s convoy.

“Where’s your Monster family now, traitor,” the purple wizard mocked from his carriage. “Looks like they abandoned you.”

Frisk didn’t respond, remaining in their meditative pose.

Some of the humans were questioning why a child was in a cage so Volos was doing his best to explain the recent development.

One human walked up. “This doesn’t seem right,” they said, and Frisk recognized the voice as Haward. “They’re a child. They shouldn’t be locked up.”

“It’s a traitor, Haward,” Volos scolded. “Siding against its own kind.”

“I can’t believe a human would side with their people’s enemy,” the yellow wizard said.

“They said the Monsters rescued them,” the teal wizard said.

“That’s ridiculous. Why would the Monsters show concern for something not their own,” the orange one rebuffed. “If you ask me, they lied to this child and planned to kill it one day for its Soul.”

“Hear that, traitor?” the purple said to them. “Your so-called friends were just keeping you as a sacrifice. How does that make you feel?”

Frisk did respond by setting his cloak on fire. The wizard quickly ripped it off, tossing it out of the carriage and to the ground, where it was quickly stamped out.

“How did they do that?” the green wizard, Dobromil, asked. “They have nothing on them that could have channeled that.”

Volos stepped toward the cage. “I don’t know, but I intend to find out,” he said. “There’s a lot we need to ask them. They’ve been in enemy territory and I intend to find out what they know.”

“How, father?” Haward asked.

“By doing whatever it takes,” Volos said darkly, and Frisk could hear the menace in his voice, and knew that it didn’t bode well for them.

They traveled for a while longer, until Frisk felt a shadow fall upon them. They opened their eyes and saw a stone wall before them. They looked up and saw towers stretching up. They were heading to a wood gate which opened for them.

“Take the traitor to the prison,” Volos said. “We’ll set up an interrogation room.”

Frisk’s cart was taken to a stone structure with metal bars in the windows. They were able to guess it was an old-fashioned prison. At least, compared to the few Frisk saw in their time. The cage was dragged to a cell and they were roughly shoved in. The door was locked behind them. As their escort left, they took in their prison. The bars weren’t in the best shape with rust visible on the top and bottom. Despite that it looked strong enough to resist any attempt Frisk could make to break them.

They sat down, crossing their legs and resuming their meditative pose. They needed to break out. They knew their friends would come for them. They’d rather try to bust out so no one else had to risk their lives. Frisk also knew that they would be enacting their contingency plan, as negotiations had obviously failed, which meant Frisk had a deadline. They weren’t sure how long it would be, but eventually the Monsters would start sailing away and they would hope their friends were smart enough to not wait for them.

If that did happen, Frisk wasn’t sure what they would do. They couldn’t stay here so they’d have to try and follow their friends. They knew where to go. The problem was getting there. They didn’t know how to operate a boat, but they imagined they could figure it out. Regardless, it was smarter to escape and reach their friends first. They just needed to figure out how.

*   *   *

Alphys was working on the maps when she heard the horn. That meant the king’s convoy had returned. She ran out to greet them, Papyrus showing up with her. First out was Gerson, followed by Asgore, then Undyne, then MK. She waited, but Frisk never appeared. She looked around, but her human friend was nowhere to be seen.

Alphys walked up to MK. “Where’s Frisk?” she asked.

“Captured,” MK said ruefully.

“BY WHO?” Papyrus asked.

“The humans,” Undyne answered. “We didn’t have a chance at the summit. One of their own is provoking them into war.”

“Frisk is… captured?” Alphys asked.

“Yeah, but we’re going to get them back,” Undyne said. “We’re gonna rest first, then get a map from the King and we’ll stage a rescue.”

“I still advise against it,” Gerson cautioned. “Plus, don’t we need you to escape?”

“Well, Sans can’t go on the rescue,” Alphys informed. “And he’s just as informed on the plan as all of us. He can fill in.”

“Let’s get unpacked, then we can discuss rescue,” Undyne advised.

MK didn’t help. He just went to their room.

*   *   *

Flowey was sitting in the window, staring out at the village below. So many Monsters. He wondered if they knew what was happening.

He jumped when the door slammed. He turned around to see MK stomp in before faceplanting into his bed.

“I take it the summit didn’t go as planned?” Flowey asked. MK glared at him from the bed. “Well, there’s some things you can’t change. But, hey, we might still be able to escape. So long as we don’t wind up beneath a mountain.”

MK went back to pressing his face into his bed.

“Things on that end are going rather well, I should say,” Flowey said. “Alphys has managed to draw up enough maps so we can chart a course. We’ve made preparations to move the supplies to the ships when they get here. All da… Asgore has to do is send word to the other villages, they come here, we get them on the fleet, then we set sail.”

MK didn’t respond to that, just continued breathing into the mattress.

“Can you at least talk to me? It’s annoying that out of everyone, you’re the only one who doesn’t talk to me,” Flowey requested. “If you don’t want to talk, then get Frisk. I’m sure they’d be more willing to speak to me.”

MK seemed to sink into the mattress further with that. Immediately, Flowey realized something was wrong.

“MK, where’s Frisk?” the flower asked. “Why aren’t they here?”

MK raised his head to speak. “Captured,” he said bluntly.

“What? By who?” Flowey demanded.

“The humans,” he answered. “Their ‘leader’ hates Monsters.”

“The king?”

“No. A wizard,” MK answered. “He’s… evil.”

Flowey lowered his head. “Tell me we’re going to rescue them.”

“Undyne is. Asgore won’t. Says it’s too dangerous.”

“Well, in that he’s right, for his people,” Flowey pointed out. “Not stopping Undyne from making a rescue plan, though.”

MK sat up, keeping his back to the flower. “We’re going to get them back.”

“I know. And I’ll help,” Flowey said. MK shot him a skeptical glance. “Hey, I’m not a Monster, so I’m not in as much danger as someone from this time and I have the advantage of being small. Plus, I know Frisk would do the same. Would you really deny me this?”

MK shook his head. “No.”

“So, just let me know when we start planning. I’ll try to be there.”

“You’re in a pot,” MK pointed out.

“So? I’ll have someone carry me. I’ll find a way.”

*   *   *

It was the next day. Frisk had not gotten much sleep. There was no cot for them to sleep on, just a hard stone floor. They wished they could use magic to make it easier, but without their trident, they were limited in the spells they could cast.

They heard the door to the prison opened and in walked Volos and a couple guards. “Turn around and face the wall,” Volos said.

Frisk did as they were told, deciding to not resist for the moment. Someone walked in and bound their hands in rope. They escorted Frisk out to another building, this one with metal braces suspended from the ceiling. Frisk was bound to those, their wrists clasped in the shackles.

“What is this?” they asked.

“We have questions and you need to answer them,” Volos explained. Behind him, three other wizards stepped in, one wielding a strange staff.

“What makes you think I’ll say anything?” Frisk shot at them.

“They’re simple questions,” Volos said. “Answer them, and we will let you free.”

Dobromil stepped forward. “How are you able to cast spells?” was his first question.

“Same way you can,” Frisk answered.

“Not like us,” the purple wizard said. “That fire spell. You used your bare hands. Every wizard needs a talisman or artifact to cast. How can you do without?”

“What do you mean ‘need’? Sure, it makes some spells easier but I’ve never needed anything to cast spells.”

“That doesn’t make sense,” Volos said. “The only ones who can cast spells without aid are Monsters. Unless, of course, you’re a Monster who’s pretending to be human.”

“Nope. Pretty sure I’m human,” Frisk said. “I’ve got blood and Monsters don’t have that.”

“Then how can you cast spells without anything?” Dobromil asked. “Even the most powerful wizards, who spend years practicing, can’t do what you do.”

“Have you tried?” Frisk questioned. “Sure, it took me a while, but I manage.”

That retort seemed to catch many wizards off guard, and they shared a glance as they silently pondered that.

“Next question,” Volos decided. “You’ve been in the enemy’s castle. I want to know what you know.”

“And what makes you think I’ll tell you that?” Frisk retorted.

“You’re one of us,” Volos said.

“And that means I’m automatically on your side?” Frisk sarcastically shot. “Forget it. I know your type. You’ll use what I tell you to attack the Monsters.”

“They are our enemies,” Volos insisted. “Yours, too. Why protect them?”

“They are my friends,” Frisk retorted. “They’re my family. They’ve shown me more compassion than you people. Plus, they didn’t do this when they brought me into their home.” They shook the chains to emphasize that.

“I suggest you reconsider your allegiance or I’ll be forced to use less… civilized methods to get the answers I need,” Volos threatened. He gestured to the one behind him, who brandished the staff.

“Never,” Frisk insisted.

“Very well.” Volos motioned to Frisk, and the wizard behind him jabbed the staff into Frisk’s gut and they were promptly shocked. “That was only a taste. I suggest you tell me what I want to know or you will be struck again.”

Frisk panted from the electrocution. “No,” they spat.

“Hit it again,” Volos said.

The wizard prepared, but Dobromil stopped him. “Wait, Volos, this is a bit much,” he said. “Surely there are other ways to get them to talk?”

“Nothing works faster,” Volos retorted. “Now, hit it again.”

Frisk was jabbed in the gut and current passed through their body, which hurt like hell. They screamed in pain from the shock.

“Changed your mind?” Volos asked.

“Answer’s still no,” Frisk panted.

“Very well. Again.”

The wizard with the staff appeared hesitant. Enraged, Volos grabbed the staff and did it himself. Frisk screamed as the current that passed through was more painful than last time.

Volos pulled the staff back. “I will ask one more time. I want to know if there are any weaknesses in the Delta Keep.”

“No,” Frisk panted.

“Why are you protecting them?” Volos demanded angrily. “Why side with those things over your own kind?”

“Those ‘things’ as you call them are people and they’ve shown me more care than my own kind,” Frisk answered. “They’re not demons. They’re not evil. They are love, hope, and compassion, things you don’t understand because you gave that all up a long time ago. I would rather die than betray my family.”

Volos glared. He raised the staff and jammed it into Frisk’s gut and kept it there. Frisk screamed as the voltage ran through their body. It hurt. It hurt like hell. They wished it would stop but Volos wasn’t pulling back. The pain got worse, and Frisk was pretty sure he was trying to kill them.

“That’s enough.” Dobromil ripped the staff from Volos’ grasp, the electrocution ending when he did.

“What are you doing?” Volos demanded of his fellow wizard.

“I get why you are doing this, but this is too much,” Dobromil responded. “If you keep this up, you will kill them.”

“They’re willing to betray us and die for those things. Why would that be a bad thing?” Volos questioned.

“They are still a child. They may not know any better,” Dobromil retorted.

“You can’t seriously still believe they are innocent after all that. If they were, they wouldn’t be keeping quiet,” Volos said.

“Still, there are other ways to get information,” Dobromil said, tossing the staff back to wizard who owned it. “Let me talk to them.”

“And risk you being corrupted by their lies? I think not,” Volos denied. “If they won’t talk, then there’s no use keeping them around. And I will not have them try and spread their deception to everyone.”

“What are you saying?” Dobromil asked.

“If they won’t tell us what we need, then we’ll silence them for good,” Volos answered.

“You’re not suggesting… execution?”

“That’s exactly what I’m suggesting.”

“No, wait. Give me time. I’ll get answers out of them,” Dobromil pleaded.

Volos looked between the green wizard and Frisk. “Fine. You have two days. After that, I’m ending them.” The red-black wizard left.

“Get them down. Take them back to their cell,” Dobromil said to the guards, who took the clasps off Frisk’s wrists then dragged them back to their cell where they were roughly thrown in.

Frisk lay there, panting and curled in on themself. Their whole body hurt from the electrocution. They hoped their friends got here soon. They weren’t sure they could hold out.

End of Chapter 7

Chapter Text

Alphys was studying maps of a human castle. Asgore and Gerson both agreed it was the most likely place they were keeping Frisk. Undyne was there, along with Papyrus, MK, and Flowey. They were working on a plan to infiltrate the castle and get Frisk out.

“A siege isn’t going to work,” Gerson said. “We don’t have the means and the humans are too fortified.”

“That’s why this is going to be a stealth mission,” Undyne said. “We slip in, get Frisk, slip out.”

“Can such a thing work?” Asgore asked.

“Frisk and I have pulled off many similar missions,” MK said. “It’s more common in the future.”

“I still doubt this,” Gerson said. “The humans are usually very good at securing their criminals.”

“Every prison has a weakness,” Alphys said. “And I think I just found it.”

“What is it?” Undyne asked.

“Right here, between these guard towers,” Alphys said, pointing to the map. “There’s a blind spot. And, as luck would have it, it’s close to the detention area.”

“Thought you needed the prison?” Gerson asked.

“If we go over the wall and avoid the patrols, we can bust Frisk out and escape the way we came in,” Undyne realized.

“Uh, walls aren’t easy to go over, lassie,” Gerson said. “There’s a reason for those structures.”

“In your time, but not in ours,” Alphys said. “Looks like the walls are made of stone bricks with grout in between. Undyne and MK’s prosthetics are equipped with mechanisms that make scaling stone easy.”

“Can you make a kind of scaling rig?” Undyne asked. “Others don’t have that ability.”

“I can whip up something,” Alphys confirmed. “Even with the tech of this time, it should be no problem to build something that would allow anyone who goes with you to climb the walls.”

“THAT’S FORTUNATE, BECAUSE I WILL CERTAINLY NEED THE HELP,” Papyrus said.

“Frisk can be carried on our backs when we escape,” Undyne decided.

“How are you going to get them out of the prison?” Gerson asked. “Metal bars are very durable.”

“I can break them, no problem,” Undyne assured.

“It’ll be easier than you think, too,” Alphys said. “The bars look like they’re made of iron. Not the strongest metal.”

“Well then, you should probably get started on the climbing rigs,” Flowey recommended. “Rest of us need to prepare.”

“how are you gonna go?” Sans questioned.

“I ain’t staying in this pot,” Flowey answered. “I’ll get out when it’s time to go.”

“Okay, let’s prepare,” Undyne said. Everyone split up with that. Alphys went to the forge to begin her work and MK and Papyrus went to pack things for the journey.

“Undyne. A word?” Asgore requested, stopping the fish woman for a moment.

“What is it?”

“How certain are you about this? I mean is this really possible?” Asgore asked.

“We’ve broken out of more secure places than this,” Undyne said. “Chances are good.”

“But is it worth it?” Asgore pressed.

“Frisk is one of us,” Undyne said. “They may not be made of magic, or look anything like us, but they are a Monster to their core. We’re not going to leave them behind.”

Asgore was impressed. So much devotion for this child. They clearly held Frisk in high regard if they were willing to do this.

“Then, perhaps, might I come with you?” Asgore requested.

“Excuse me?” Undyne asked, Gerson looking at the king wide-eyed.

“May I accompany you on this journey?” he repeated. “I can aid you. I know the castle very well.”

“I’m not so sure if that’s wise,” Undyne said. “You’re not exactly built for this kind of mission. You’re… um…”

“I can be stealthy if that’s what you are afraid of,” Asgore assured.

“I’m not so sure this is wise,” Gerson cautioned. “You’re our king. If something happens to you…”

“I am certain that the Monsters will manage if something were to befall me,” Asgore said. “Alphys’ plan is quite ingenious, after all.”

“But it’s still dangerous,” Gerson insisted.

“I know. But a king must be willing to risk himself for his people,” Asgore said. “Frisk may be human, but like Undyne said, they are one of us. So I must go.”

Gerson sighed. “I can’t talk you out of this, I see,” the turtle said. “Fine, but only if I can come along.”

“I think we can work that in,” Undyne said. “Be ready, we leave before nightfall.”

*   *   *

Frisk was uncomfortable. There was nothing close to a bed in this new cell and the floor was metal. They hadn’t realized they had gotten so used to a bed, even if it was mostly feathers. A cold metal floor was just miserable. They managed to get some sleep, but it was hard.

They heard the door to their prison close and sat up, wondering who was showing up. It was Dobromil. The green wizard stopped before Frisk’s cell.

“Why are you doing this?” he asked. “Why help the Monsters?”

“I already told you. They’re more my family than any of you have ever been,” Frisk answered.

“It still doesn’t make sense to me. Monsters are vicious creatures. Why would they be so kind to you?”

“Have you ever seen them behave that way? And battles don’t count,” Frisk pressed.

Dobromil was silent. It was clear he hadn’t. “But… Volos told us that they’re mindless beasts who would not miss a chance to kill us and take our Souls.”

“Oh please. The Monsters have no desire to do that,” Frisk scoffed. “They’re peaceful creatures who are more apt to talk a problem out than fight. And besides, if they wanted a human Soul, I’d be dead.”

Dobromil had to concede a point there.

“Why do you follow him?” Frisk asked. “Volos is clearly crazy.”

“Watch your tongue,” Dobromil chided. “I admit he does seem a might… extreme, but he’s the best of our order and comes from a powerful lineage.”

“He’s dangerous,” Frisk insisted. “He’s abusing his power to satisfy his hunger for death and using his position to keep you at war with a people who don’t want to fight.”

“Aren’t you being a bit unfair? You hardly know him.”

“I know his kind,” Frisk retorted. “He’s unstable and insane. He won’t be satisfied until all Monsters are dust.”

“That’s too far. He’s just trying to protect us. He serves his fellow man.”

“If that were the case then he wouldn’t be so cruel to me.”

Dobromil took a step back, as if the words had physically struck him. He didn’t say anything back, just looked down at the floor. After a moment, he stepped out, closing the door behind him. Frisk sat back down, deciding to meditate.

Just outside, Haward had been listening in, leaning against the wall just underneath a window. When he realized that nothing more would be said, he left, debating Frisk’s words.

*   *   *

Toriel was strolling through the halls, the events of the previous day weighing heavily on her mind. As she did, she passed by the forge and heard clanging from within. She peaked inside and saw the yellow lizard working on something, banging on pieces of metal with a hammer. She was just about to continue on when she heard a crash and a ‘goddamnit’ come from within.

She turned back and saw the lizard woman clutching her gloved hand. She was walking off to the side, where a metal case sat.

“Is everything all right?” Toriel asked, startling the lizard.

“Oh, it’s you,” Alphys said. “Yeah, just a small… difficulty.” She released her gloved hand, using her other to open the case. A plane of glass on it lit up, diagrams and texts appearing on it which amazed Toriel. Alphys was fumbling with a cord, trying to pull it out, but it was clear she was struggling to do it with one hand, the other seemingly frozen.

“Do you need help?” Toriel asked.

“Um, hmm,” Alphys seemed to be debating that before giving her answer. “Yeah. Just don’t tell anyone about what you’ve seen here.”

Toriel came over and pulled the cord out, noticing an oddly shaped piece of metal on the end. Then, Alphys did something that caused Toriel to start. She grabbed her gloved hand, twisted it sharply, then pulled it off. Alphys laid the separated hand, which had half of the forearm as well, on a worktable.

“There’s a port on the back I need you to plug that into,” Alphys said, pointing to the part where the hand would connect to the arm. Toriel was hesitant to look until she saw metal and wires inside the glove. There was a hole the same shape as the metal on the cord. She pushed it in and there was a ‘beep’ from the case, which made her start again.

Alphys used her remaining hand to input commands on the screen. Toriel wasn’t able to understand a single bit of it but from what she could read, Alphys was doing something called a ‘diagnostic’ on her own hand.

“What is all this?” Toriel asked.

When Alphys finished inputting the commands, running a troubleshooter as well, she faced Toriel. “It’s a prosthetic. Just one way more advanced than what you’ve seen,” Alphys explained. She raised the arm the hand had been attached to. “I lost this a while back and had it replaced with that.”

Toriel looked at the gloved hand, so many questions running through her mind. “I’ve never seen such technology. Where are you people from? You are not ordinary Monsters.”

Alphys sighed, lifting her goggles up to rub her eyes. “Short answer, we’re from the future. I’m guessing you’ve already seen some things that point to that.”

“I saw MK bleed,” Toriel said.

Alphys sighed. “Why don’t I start from the beginning?” As quicky as she could, Alphys filled Toriel in on what the others knew. At times, she didn’t seem to believe it, but glancing at Alphys’ prosthetic and the case convinced her. Once done, Alphys answered a few questions Toriel had, but refrained from saying anything about her future.

Toriel ran her hands down her face. It was a lot to take in. She glanced at Alphys’ prosthetic, the diagnostic still running. “How did you lose it?” she asked, gesturing to the hand.

“It was a lab accident,” Alphys admitted. “An explosion went off that my hand was too close to. A piece of shrapnel got in my palm, and by the time I got medical attention, infection had already spread past my wrist. So they had to amputate to save my life. Luckily, I already had done extensive work on neural interfacing, so I was able to attach something to my stump, then build the hand which plugs into the socket.”

“The diagnostic?”

“My hand spasmed then froze,” Alphys explained. “Sometimes the interface is glitchy and the hand doesn’t do what I want. Hopefully, this fixes whatever’s wrong.”

“Can you not build a new one?” Toriel questioned.

“I don’t have the materials anymore unless you know how to make plastic.”

“What is plastic?”

Alphys turned back to the case, where the diagnostic was finished. It said that all problems had been resolved and the hand was operational again. Alphys pulled the cable out, then slipped the hand back on, spinning it around the wrist and testing all her fingers to check it out.

“So what are you building?” Toriel asked.

“Climbing gear,” Alphys answered. “Some hooks to snag between bricks and ropes to climb with.”

“I guess I will leave you to it,” Toriel said, turning to leave.

“Hey, remember. Try not to tell anyone,” Alphys reiterated. “We don’t want this information getting out.”

“I shall keep silent,” Toriel promised.

*   *   *

Frisk was sitting in their cell, meditating, when the door opened again. They looked at the newcomer and were surprised to see Haward there.

“What are you doing here?” they asked.

“Why do you think my father is crazy?” Haward asked.

“He’s lacking in empathy and compassion for others,” Frisk explained. “He cares only for killing.”

Haward shook his head. “No, that’s not true. He’s not like that.”

“He is,” Frisk insisted, standing up. “He has no empathy for others. He’s given up his humanity for the sake of power and power alone.”

Haward didn’t want to believe it. “How can you be so sure?”

“I can tell. I’ve learned from a friend how to read people and can read the lack of feeling,” Frisk explained.

“But… he’s not like that. He’s… he’s nice. He was nice to me,” Haward insisted.

“Maybe when you were younger, but I imagine that’s changed recently, hasn’t it?” Frisk questioned. “He probably acts colder and is quicker to violence than he used to be, right?” Haward looked down, which answered it for Frisk. “In fact, I’m willing to bet it got a lot worse once this war started, didn’t it?”

Haward nodded. “He said it’s because he’s doing what he has to.”

“I’ll be he does,” Frisk scoffed. “But that’s what he says to hide his real intentions. He started this war to justify his desire to kill Monsters, to gain EXP, to increase his LOVE.”

Haward seemed confused. “What do those mean?” he asked.

Frisk closed their eyes as they explained. “It stands for Execution Points. A way of quantifying the pain you have inflicted on others. When you kill someone, your EXP increases. When you have enough EXP, your LOVE increases. LOVE, too, is an acronym. It stands for ‘Level of Violence.’ A way of measuring someone’s capacity to hurt. The more you kill, the easier it becomes to distance yourself. The more you distance yourself, the less you will hurt. The more easily you can bring yourself to hurt others.”

Haward had the distinct impression that Frisk was quoting someone when they said that.

“Your father’s LOVE,” Frisk said, “I have seen very few get that high and only those who completely detach themself from their humanity can get that high.”

“No,” Haward weakly denied. “He wouldn’t. He couldn’t.”

“He did and if it weren’t for the other wizards, I would have died during that interrogation,” Frisk said. “I’m a threat to his plans to keep the war going. He can’t get rid of me easily and I refuse to change sides, so he’s trying to silence me.”

“No, he couldn’t do that, not to a kid,” Haward protested lightly.

“He will. But the only way he’ll get me to stop is to kill me,” Frisk said. “I won’t betray the Monsters, so it’s what he’ll end up doing.”

“You say that like you don’t care for your own life,” Haward noted.

“I care more for the Monsters’ lives than my own,” Frisk corrected. “I owe them my life. If that means I have to die for them, so be it.”

Haward looked at them in shock. He couldn’t believe they were so willing to die for the Monsters. It flew in the face of everything his father told him. Actually, this kid’s mere existence flew in the face of everything humans knew.

“You should leave, Haward,” Frisk suggested. “Before someone sees you and reports it to your father. I don’t want to see you killed just for talking to me.”

Haward turned to leave, closing the door. Frisk sat back down and resumed their meditative pose. They hoped they got through to him. Anything they could do to weaken Volos was worth it. And it might be the last thing they ever do. Volos wasn’t about to let them live, regardless of their age.

*   *   *

Alphys presented the equipment she had built to her friends. “Okay, it’s rather crude, but it should get the job done.”

“These look like grapplers,” Undyne said, swinging the hooks on the end of the rope.

“It was the best I could do on short notice,” Alphys admitted. “These should allow you to easily scale the walls.”

“I don’t think I’ve seen anything like this,” Gerson admitted, looking over the coiled rope. He grabbed the hooks, looking at them. “You sure this will work?”

“All you have to do is sling it up, let the hooks catch on something sturdy, then climb,” Alphys informed.

“The walls are very tall,” Asgore informed. “You sure we can reach?”

“I can,” Undyne informed. “My arms make me a lot stronger and more precise. Papyrus and MK can do similar things.”

“AND THERE ARE PLENTY OF EXAMPLES OF GRAPPLING HOOKS SCALING WALLS,” Papyrus added.

“Most of those are cartoons,” MK chided. “But there are real historical examples. Of course, you guys wouldn’t know because they haven’t happened yet.”

“I have doubts about this,” Gerson said. “What if the humans see?”

“Which is why we’re doing it at night,” Undyne informed. “These hooks won’t be easily visible in the darkness.”

“And there’s no moon, so there would be less light,” Alphys added.

“I trust mine is strong enough to support me?” Asgore asked.

“You can use two lines if needed,” Alphys suggested.

“You know, someone should make sure the escape isn’t found out,” Gerson said. “I’ll stay on the ground, keep an eye on ya from there.”

Asgore nodded. “Okay, let’s go rescue Frisk.”

*   *   *

In the dead of night, five Monsters stealthily made their way to the walls of the human castle. They crouched against the bricks, glancing up.

“Any guards?” MK asked.

“None that I can see,” Undyne said.

“We need to do this quick, before a patrol comes,” Gerson advised.

Undyne stepped away from the wall, a line in each hand. She spun them around before flinging them upward to the top of the wall. They went up between the battlements and the hooks snagged on the bricks. Undyne gave a few tugs to check and both were sturdy. “They are good.”

MK and Papyrus stepped out, both carrying one line. MK threw his with both arms while Papyrus threw his with his right arm. They managed to snag a hold. They started climbing while Undyne threw up her own line while Asgore took the two she threw earlier.

“I’ll watch from here,” Gerson said, hammer in hand.

MK scales the wall faster than the rest and reached the top first. But just before he could climb over, he saw an orange light approaching. He dropped a couple feet. “Patrol,” he whispered down.

“Hold up,” Undyne suggested, everyone freezing. “Flush yourself with the wall as much as you can.”

They did their best, flattening themselves against the wall. MK kept looking up, watching as the orange light passed by. Once it was gone, he climbed the rest of the way up. “We’re good.”

Everyone resumed their climbs and made it onto the walkway. “Now what?” Asgore asked.

“We take one of the paths down,” Undyne said. “One of them opens just a few feet away from the prison.”

“What about the hooks?” Asgore asked.

“Leave them,” Undyne said. “We’ll need them for the climb back down.”

They went into one of the turrets and found a staircase. At the bottom, they were just outside the prison. They waited for a patrol to pass before making their entrance. Undyne found a window and pried the bars out. Unfortunately, only MK was small enough to slip through.

“We’ll keep an eye out while you get Frisk,” Undyne said.

MK climbed through the open window, landing on his feet. He looked through the various cells, eventually spotting Frisk curled up on the floor of one. He ran over and tapped the bars, waking Frisk up.

“Jailbreak, anyone?” MK said with a smirk.

“MK, I knew you’d come,” Frisk said relieved, standing up.

“Let’s get you home.” MK grabbed the bars and started pulling them apart. They tried to resist, refusing to budge at first, but eventually he managed to pull them far enough that Frisk could slip out.

“What’s the exit plan?” Frisk asked.

“Same way we got in,” MK informed. “Now let’s go.” He helped Frisk climb up to the window, Undyne helping them down.

Flowey popped up next to them. “Are you okay?”

“I am now that you’re here,” Frisk said. “Let’s go.”

“I’ll keep watch,” Flowey said, disappearing into the ground.

They started making their way up the turret stairs, arriving on the wall walks. But just then, a horn blew. They rushed to the ropes, but then what seemed to be a barrier went up around the walls, severing the ropes.

“What happened?” Asgore asked.

“The prisoner has escaped!” they heard someone shout.

“NOW WHAT?” Papyrus asked.

“We need a new plan,” MK said.

“Frisk, where’s the main entrance?” Undyne asked the human.

“This way,” Frisk said, running ahead, the others following. They ran down another staircase, emerging on the ground. They all ran to the gate staying to the walls.

“Intruders!” A bolt of magic nearly struck Undyne, who chucked a spear in the direction it came from.

“So much for stealth,” MK snarked.

Crossbow bolts started landing near them. Papyrus conjured several bones and used them as a wall to shield their escape. They saw the gate, but before they could get there, a wall of soldiers ran in front of it with Volos in the front. They stopped running and turned to see several wizards and guards behind them.

Realizing they were surrounded they raised their hands in surrender.

Volos stepped forward to the group. “Congrats. I applaud the effort, however futile it was,” he said. “I knew you’d come for this traitor so I placed someone I could trust on lookout duty. And when you came, the barrier spell would cut off whatever pathetic escape attempt you tried.” He turned to the guards. “Throw them into the cells.” The humans came up and bound the Monsters in chains.

“King Asgore, what a surprise,” Volos said when he recognized the tall Monster. “I didn’t think you’d be so stupid as to come here. This makes everything better for me.” He knelt down to Frisk. “Well, since I don’t need you anymore there’s only one fate for a traitor such as yourself: execution.” With a wave of his hand, the five of them were taken away.

Flowey had seen it. He wanted to intervene but realized there was nothing he alone could do. His only hope was to regroup with Gerson and come up with a plan.

Meanwhile, Haward had watched from one of the turrets. He was surprised that the Monsters came to rescue the human. Things weren’t as his father told him, it seemed. He had seen the whole thing and looked out at where the Monsters had entered the castle from and wondered.

He needed answers and there might be only one way to get them.

End of Chapter 8

Chapter Text

Gerson looked up at the castle walls in despair. The ropes had fallen down when that barrier went up. He heard the horn and realized they had been captured. He was standing against the bricks to avoid the searches on the wall walks. The orange lights from their torches were easily seen, letting him know when a patrol was nearby. Luckily, they weren’t looking down because they expected any intruders to be inside the walls.

He had been against this from the beginning and part of him was mollified to see he had been right. But what good was being right if his king was captured? He needed to rescue them, but how? He was one turtle and thinking was never his strong suit.

Flowey emerged beside him. “They got Frisk. They got everyone!” he said.

“That’s kinda obvious,” Gerson snarked.

“We gotta do something.”

“Like what? It’s just the two of us,” Gerson pointed out.

“I don’t know, but we can’t just stand here and do nothing,” Flowey said. “We gotta come up with a plan. Maybe if we tried to sneak in…”

“Already tried that. Didn’t work,” Gerson shot down. “I may be a captain, but even I can’t go toe to toe with an army of humans, especially wizards.”

Flowey huffed. “Well… we got to do something. I refuse to just let them stay there!”

*   *   *

Frisk stumbled as they were thrown into a new cell. The door slammed behind them, several others ringing out as their friends were captured as well.

“Isn’t this just delicious,” Volos said. “Here I was, wondering how to take the fight to the Monsters, then their king comes here on his own to rescue this pathetic child.”

“Frisk’s not pathetic!” MK protested. “They’re stronger than you!”

Volos snapped his fingers and one wizard slammed his staff against the bars, electrifying them and zapping MK, causing his arms to spasm.

“Leave him alone!” Undyne shouted, kicking the bars and denting them. Many of the guards there jumped at the sight of that, Volos’ eyes widening. “Yeah, that’s right. You can’t keep us in here. We’ll break out eventually.”

Volos shook his head. “Poor move to show your hand like that. Oh well, at least it explains how you got the kid out.” He grabbed the pommel of his sword, and with a wave of his hand, the bars fixed themselves and even thickened on all the cells. “Try that again and maybe I’ll enchant the bars so they aren’t just stronger next time.”

“We’re still gonna try to escape again,” MK retorted, swinging his arms around. “We broke out once, we’ll do it again.”

“Perhaps, given time,” Volos said. “Though, question is, will you have that time?” With that ominous remark, he and most of the guards left, leaving two behind to watch them.

“THIS DIDN’T GO AT ALL ACCORDING TO PLAN,” Papyrus lamented.

“You tried your best,” Frisk assured. “Thanks for coming to rescue me.”

“We’d always try,” MK said, making gestures with his hands that Frisk caught.

“Yeah, you’re one of us,” Undyne added, making her own gestures. “We’d take any risks necessary.”

Frisk read those motions, making a single gesture to inform them that they understood. Two others were still out there. Frisk could only hope they’d come up with a backup plan.

*   *   *

Dobromil walked into Volos’ chamber. “I heard we managed to capture the king of Monsters,” he said.

“Indeed,” Volos said. “I imagine he’s ‘enjoying’ his new accommodations. Never would I have predicted that they’d be so foolish as to try a stunt like this.”

“Yeah, it’s surprising,” Dobromil agreed. His talk with Frisk earlier was going through his head right now. “Perhaps we should talk to him, discuss terms of surrender.”

“And why would we do that?” Volos asked, surprising his colleague. “We have a one-time chance here. With Asgore out of the way and no clear heir the Monster kingdom will fall into chaos.”

“Out of the way?” Dobromil asked.

“We have a chance to end his bloodline for good,” Volos said with a dark tone that scared Dobromil. “If we execute him, it will be a testament to our strength and show the Monsters who is in charge. After that, we can swoop in over their villages and kill them all.”

“Isn’t that a bit… extreme?” Dobromil asked.

“This is war. Extreme is necessary for victory,” Volos declared.

“Are you sure you can do it? I mean, the other Monsters who are here might try and stop it,” Dobromil pointed out. “Not to mention the kid. They are loyal to the Monsters. If we kill them, what will they do?”

“It will not matter, because we will execute it as well,” Volos said, shocking Dobromil.

“What?”

“Prepare the guillotine and make sure everyone is gathered in the plaza,” Volos instructed. “Tomorrow everyone will see what it means to side with the enemy.”

Dobromil wanted to protest, wanted to resist, but Volos still had the backing of the king and going against him was a ticket to treason. “Very well.”

*   *   *

Haward slipped out of the gate without anyone noticing him. He had his spear in hand as a precaution and no torch so he could see better. He stuck close to the stone walls, walking in the direction the Monsters had come in. He had a feeling that not everyone who came to rescue Frisk had been captured and he still needed answers. Part of him wanted to think that Frisk might have a bias towards the Monsters, but another part wanted to believe Frisk.

As he got close to where the Monsters had entered, he heard a pair of voices. Stepping lightly, he got closer to them. Before long, he could make out words.

“Maybe if we tried to ambush them, we could bust them out,” a high-pitched one said.

“Won’t work,” said a gruffer one. “That would require knowing where they are going. Keep in mind we have no way of entering this place.”

Haward rounded around a turret and could faintly see one Monster, who looked vaguely reptilian, conversing with a flower.

“There has to be something!” the high-pitched voice said, Haward realizing it came from the flower. “We can’t just abandon them!”

“Hey, I’m just as eager as you, but we need to be smart about this,” the gruffer voice said, which came from the reptile, Haward realizing it resembled a turtle. “If we aren’t careful, we could get captured, too.”

The flower let out a growl of frustration. “It’s not fair.”

The reptile sighed, leaning against the wall, his eyes drifting, and by chance, landed on Haward. The moment he realized Haward was human, he stook up, a hammer in his hands. Haward responded by raising his spear, though he knew it would do little good.

“Who are you and what are you doing here?” the turtle demanded.

“I could ask the same about you,” Haward retorted.

“How much of that did you hear?” the flower asked.

“Enough. You’re trying to plan to rescue your fellow Monsters, but you can’t come up with anything,” Haward answered.

“So what? You gonna take that information back to your fellow man, or try to take us?” the turtle asked.

“If needed, yes,” Haward said.

Then, the turtle’s hammer lowered slightly. “Wait… are you a kid? You’re voice ain’t low enough to be full grown.”

“I’m technically an adult,” Haward said. “I’m sixteen now.”

“Still young,” the turtle said. “But don’t think that means I’m gonna lower my guard.”

Haward kept his spear up. “Neither am I.”

“Why are you out here?” the flower asked.

“To see if there were other Monsters here,” Haward answered.

“And that’s all?” the flower asked, his petal head twisting slightly.

“No. I want answers. I talked to that one kid you’ve somehow swindled onto your side,” Haward said.

“You mean Frisk,” the flower realized. “Are they okay?”

“Why do you care?” Haward asked.

“Because they’re one of us,” the flower answered.

“You mean a Monster?”

“Not in the sense you’re thinking,” the flower clarified. “They’re flesh and blood, like you. They’re just loyal to a different species.”

“Why? Why fight for you guys?”

The flower chuckled slightly. “I’m not entirely sure myself. But part of the reason is because the Monsters have shown them more kindness than you guys have.”

“Strange, they said the same thing,” Haward muttered.

“Frisk’s life before the Monsters was bad. So bad that they don’t talk about it, ever,” the flower informed. “We don’t know the whole story, but they were abandoned by their parents as a baby and survived on their own for a few years. Then they were found by the Monsters, and they took care of Frisk, fed them, clothed them, gave them everything they could ever ask for. Why wouldn’t they be loyal to the Monsters for all that?”

“But my father says you guys are evil,” Haward said. “That you’re cruel, heartless, and greedy.”

The flower’s head cocked slightly. “You sure he isn’t talking about himself? Because no Monster worth his salt is like that.”

Haward was surprised by that. Frisk had told him all of that.

“You’re Haward, aren’t you?” the flower asked. “Volos’ kid.”

“How did you know that?” the turtle asked.

“Not that hard to guess, especially considering his dad is the reason the war is still going on,” the flower said.

Haward was surprised this flower figured that out so fast. “Yes, I am Haward,” he confirmed.

The flower seemed to be pondering something. “Your father is not a good man,” he said. “He’s provoked all this to satisfy his own needs. I might not have seen him, but I’ve heard enough to know what kind of person he is. He is a real monster. He’s given in to his desire to kill and seeks to get as much power as he can. And by keeping the war going, he’s doing just that.”

“Do you expect me to believe that?” Haward asked.

“I think you already do, otherwise you wouldn’t have come alone,” the flower retorted.

Haward was stunned.

“Look, I know it’s hard, but your father has crossed a line there’s no coming back from,” the flower said. “Help us rescue our friends before it’s too late.”

“And do what? Condemn my father?” Haward retorted.

The turtle seemed to understand what was going on and lowered his hammer. “I don’t think you’re ready for that. But ask yourself what’s more important? You people have values that we respect, but take a good hard look at yourself. Do you really think this is the right thing?”

Haward was shaking, his spear no longer up. “I… I don’t know. My father says that you’re the enemy and that you would try and take our Souls for your own benefit.”

“If we wanted that, you would be dead,” the flower pointed out. “We don’t want your Soul. Help us.”

“Just to save your friends?” Haward asked.

“No, not just that,” the flower said. “To save a chance at peace. To save your own kind. To save your own Souls. Not from Monsters, but from hell.”

Haward trembled for a moment, before sighing and dropping his spear. “Okay, but what now?”

“We need to rescue our king and the others,” the turtle said.

“You don’t have much time. My father is going to execute them all tomorrow,” Haward informed.

“The three of us can’t pull it off,” the flower realized. “But if we got some more help it might be possible.”

“How? It could take days to get a message to the Delta Keep,” the turtle said.

“And the execution is going to be public,” Haward informed. “My father is going to have everyone witness it.”

“We don’t need Monsters,” the flower said. “Surely there are other humans who feel the same way you do and would be willing to help us?”

Haward wanted to say no, but realized that wasn’t quite true. “There are a few. Some wizards who want this war over with.”

“Would they be willing to pull off a rescue?” the turtle questioned.

“With some convincing, perhaps,” the flower said.

“I can talk to them,” Haward said. “Not sure how many I’ll get before tomorrow.”

“Get as many as you can,” the flower said. “By the way, my name’s Flowey.”

“And mine is Gerson,” the turtle said.

Haward nodded. “I’ll talk to the other wizards, see who I can get.”

*   *   *

Dobromil was in his chambers, looking over some papers. He didn’t like this. Executing a child, even though they were a traitor, that was going too far. But there wasn’t anything he could do.

A knock sounded at his door. “Enter.”

In stepped Haward and the young one looked like he had something on his mind. “What is it?” Dobromil asked.

“Dobromil, can I ask you something?” Haward asked.

“I guess.”

“Do you think we’re on the right side of this war?” Haward questioned.

“Where is that coming from?”

“It’s just… Frisk doesn’t seem like a traitor, and yet my father is trying to have them executed for treason,” Haward said. “And what’s more, the negotiations didn’t go like they should have.”

“The Monsters did attack us,” Dobromil said.

“Did they?” Haward asked. “Was it really them, or is that what my father wants us to think?”

“Where are you going with this?”

“We can’t let my father execute those people,” Haward said. “It’s immoral.”

“I tried talking your father out of it. Volos will not be swayed,” the green wizard said.

“I know. Which is why I’m planning to rescue them,” Haward said, surprising the man. “With the help of others, we can get them out of the castle.”

“Haward, that’s treason,” Dobromil warned.

“Maybe, but it’s better than letting my father execute a child,” Haward said. “Can you help me?”

“I can’t,” Dobromil denied. “I have to follow my orders. The king wants Frisk dead.”

“He does, or does my father?” Haward questioned. “When was the last time you got an order from the king?”

The green wizard was silent.

“I’m going to free those Monsters, but I can’t do it alone,” Haward said. “I need help.”

Dobromil sighed. “I… I can’t help you, I…” he looked at Haward, and saw the determined expression. “I can’t tell you that there are many in the barracks who are opposed to this and might be willing to listen. I would be breaking several rules to mention that.”

Haward smiled. “Thank you.” He turned and left, closing the door behind him. Dobromil was alone in his chambers with his thoughts. He grabbed a paper and quill, dipping it in an inkpot before drafting a letter. He needed to inform the king of recent developments if nothing else.

*   *   *

The next day, everyone was gathered in the courtyard where a large guillotine was set up. Frisk and the Monsters were being escorted from their cells to a stage. When Frisk came on the stage, people were murmuring to themselves, wondering why a child was up there amongst the Monsters.

In the crowd, a large cloaked figure moved between the people. If anyone paid attention, they would have found his large back odd. Haward was by their side, spear in hand. He looked around, many wizards present. He locked eyes with many and they all nodded. Up on stage, he looked at the yellow and teal wizards and they gave an imperceptible nod.

Volos stepped onto the stage. “Peoples of this kingdom, hear me and bear witness!” he declared. “I present to you, Asgore, the king of Monsters, our greatest enemy!” Many shouts were heard from the crowd as Asgore was brought forth. “For years, the Monsters have been a threat to our empire, but now their great leader is at our mercy, and today his threat will be ended! He will share the fate of his fellow Monsters for their unholiness. But that is not all, for I present to you a traitor to our own kind!”

Frisk was forced forward and people gasped.

“Your eyes do not deceive you,” Volos said. “This child has chosen to side with our enemy and go against the gods and everything we stand for. They will share the fate of all who side with the demons!” People started to cry out, asking for mercy. “Calm yourselves. This traitor to the human race will pay for its actions. Rest assured they will not continue their treachery. And for any who may dare to side against our gods, let this be a warning.”

Frisk was roughly handled, forced to the guillotine, their head placed on the wooden dip. Volos stepped forward, kneeling down so he could speak to Frisk privately. “May the gods show mercy in whatever life is next. But as for me, I’m going to enjoy this. And know that your failure is going to lead to the deaths of all your friends.”

Frisk bowed their head and they could hear their friends fighting their captors to break free.

In the crowd, Haward looked at the hooded figure, sharing a meaningful glance with them. Then he looked to the stage, where the two wizards from earlier had their hands on their weapons, ready.

One soldier was holding the rope, keeping the massive blade up, ready to release on a moment’s notice. People were crying out, trying to tell Volos to stop, but he just raised his hand.

“Ready,” Haward whispered, the cloaked figure’s hand grasping a hammer. When Volos’ hand was up all the way, he swiped it down. “Now.”

Just as the soldier released the rope, the hammer was flung, sailing through the air, smashing right into the blade, destroying it and the wooden stand. The figure tossed their cloak off and Gerson ran forward, Haward at his side.

Volos was stunned by that turn, but didn’t have time to process it as the teal wizard conjured blue tendrils that incapacitated the guards and snatched Volos’ sword. The yellow wizard then sent balls of energy at the Monster’s captors, knocking them out. Undyne and MK easily broke the iron shackles imprisoning them, then did the same to Papyrus and Asgore. The teal wizard helped Frisk to their feet just as Gerson and Haward leapt onto the stage.

A few guards tried to attack the turtle Monster, but their weapons were turned to stone by several other wizards. Haward stepped forward, holding his spear to his father’s throat.

“What is the meaning of this?” Volos demanded.

“Sorry dad, but I’m not going to let you execute these people,” Haward said.

“Traitor,” Volos accused.

“Maybe, but I’d rather be on the side of what’s right,” Haward defended.

“The Monsters are your enemy,” Volos nearly screamed.

“The only enemy here is you,” Haward shot. “You’ve murdered I don’t know how many innocent people and you were about to murder this child.”

“They’re siding against their own kind!” Volos accused.

“No, they’re trying to stop us from making a terrible mistake,” Haward said. “But you don’t want to hear that. You just want a war to satisfy your desire for death. Well, I won’t be part of that anymore.”

Volos tried to lunge for his son but the yellow wizard grabbed his hands to hold him back. He looked around,and noticed the blue wizard had his staff at the ready, alongside the teal wizard. “So you’re all traitors then? You’re going to side with the enemy over your own people?”

“Better that than be party to murder,” the yellow wizard declared.

“You will all die for this,” Volos warned. “You will be hunted down and butchered like the animals you are siding with.”

“You will try,” the teal wizard said.

One of the other wizards came up and handed Asgore back his trident. The king pointed it at Volos. “We are leaving. We have what we came for. Now we leave you in peace.”

“This way, your majesty,” Gerson said, having retrieved his hammer, going towards the crowd, people parting before them. The Monsters, Frisk, Haward, and the wizards that turned on Volos followed, a few others joining them as they left.

“After them!” Volos screamed to the guards. “Bring me their heads! And get my sword back!”

The people parted to allow the Monsters to run, but hearing Volos’ shout, they immediately blocked the path again, preventing the guards from following and even pushing back. Volos watched as the traitors escaped and the crowd preventing the army from following. What was worse, more wizards were actually joining the retreating figures. He clenched his hand into a fist, anger boiling within.

*   *   *

Haward managed to escort everyone outside the gate. There were about a hundred wizards protecting their group. Frisk was handed back their own trident.

“I don’t think they’re following us,” the teal wizard said.

“Thanks for saving us,” Frisk said. “But, why?”

Haward faced the younger human. “I thought about what you said and I realized you were right.” Haward looked to the Monsters, specifically Gerson. “I talked to Gerson, and he helped me realize the truth.”

“So you’re really willing to go with us?” Undyne asked.

“Everyone here is against Volos,” Haward said. “My father said he was doing this for us but he’s just out for himself.”

“Yeah, we want to fight for what’s right,” the yellow wizard declared. “And murdering a kid is wrong in so many ways. And waging a war against an innocent race is more so.”

“You believed him before,” MK pointed out.

“That was before you showed up,” the blue wizard said, pointing to Frisk. “You were willing to die for these people. When someone is willing to die for a cause, you have to reconsider what that cause stands for.”

“It took me most of the night to convince everyone,” Haward said. “But we will fight for you.” The teal wizard handed Haward his father’s sword. He held it up in its sheath, then placed it against his chest. “I swear to fight for you, king Asgore Dreemurr, and all Monster kind. I, and everyone here, pledges ourselves to you and your people. We will fight for you, and die if needed.”

Asgore was taken aback, before standing tall. “And I pledge that you will always have a place in my home and my castle. What’s mine is yours and always will be.”

Frisk looked on in amazement at that. This was a surprising turn, and definitely not in their history books. Perhaps history could be changed. If so, that meant they could turn the tide of this war, and perhaps instate a better future for all.

End of Chapter 9

Chapter Text

Alphys was looking over all available maps of the sea, trying to determine the best possible route. She needed to be careful of marauding pirates and the like. She also needed to be aware of wildlife and currents. If she wasn’t careful, they could lose a whole crew. A couple ships had already docked and were being loaded up with supplies and being cleared of anything that wasn’t needed.

Sans walked in, his wooden leg clacking on the stones. “how’s it going?” he asked.

“So far, so good,” Alphys answered. “I’ll need to discuss the route with Asgore when he gets back. Can’t go anywhere without his approval.”

“um, about that,” Sans said. “he and the others were supposed to be back here by daybreak. now it’s almost nightfall.”

Alphys looked up from the maps. “You don’t think they were captured, do you?”

“hope not,” Sans said. “though, if they were, we won’t be able to mount another rescue.”

Alphys sighed. “Let’s just hope they manage to get out on their own.”

Just then, a horn sounded, alerting people in the castle that someone was approaching. Alphys and Sans walked to the nearest window and looked out to the ground below. A large group of rainbow colors was approaching the gate with Asgore in front.

They ran down to the courtyard, arriving just as the gate was opened and the newcomers were let inside. Alphys realized that the people in robes were humans. But leading them was Asgore, Undyne, Papyrus, MK, Gerson, and Frisk.

“kiddo!” Sans exclaimed when he saw Frisk. He ran to them and hugged them, Alphys doing the same. “we were starting to get worried about you.”

“I’m okay, I think,” Frisk assured. “But I’m tired, hurt, and in need of a real bed.”

Alphys looked over all the humans and quickly figured out they were wizards. “What’s going on, your majesty?” she asked.

“It is alright,” Asgore assured, projecting his voice over the courtyard so everyone could hear it. “We have new guests amongst us. These humans saved our lives and are willing to help us.”

That got the Monsters murmuring to themselves. The humans could see that the Monsters weren’t fully trusting of them. They were listening to Asgore but it was clear they doubted the sincerity of these people.

Haward stepped forward, his spear strapped to his back. “I know you don’t trust us and we understand that,” he said to all the Monsters present. “We have done great harm to you all. I do not believe we can ever fully apologize for all our transgressions, but that doesn’t mean we won’t try. We followed Volos and his orders because we thought they were the right thing. But now we see, they were not. He wasn’t doing anything for us, he was doing it for himself. We can no longer stand by him because of that. We have freed your comrades and king against his wishes and now we choose to fight for you. And we promise, we will not turn on your kind ever again.”

That got a small amount of applause from the Monsters. They appreciated his words and the sincerity behind them.

Asgore turned to Gerson. “How about you try and find some quarters for our new guests? And see if you can give them a tour of the castle.”

“I’ll see what I can do, sir,” Gerson acknowledged. “This way, humans.” He walked off, many following him.

Frisk’s friends gathered together. Flowey popping out of the ground and wrapped a vine around Frisk’s leg.

“so i take it the plan didn’t go according to plan?” Sans guessed.

“That’s one way to put it,” Undyne said.

“How did you get a hundred humans to side with you?” Alphys asked.

“Well, Volos was going to execute me,” Frisk answered. “Haward managed to convince many other wizards to flip and help us escape.”

“But I don’t get why Haward would do it,” MK said. “Isn’t Volos his dad?”

“Well, I had something to do with it,” Flowey revealed. “Gerson helped out as well. Though I still don’t get why he seemed so easy to convince.”

“He came to me in my cell,” Frisk said. “I talked to him thinking I could get through to him. Apparently, I did a better job than I thought.”

“hold on. can we go back to the part where volos was going to kill you?” Sans asked.

“I was a threat to his plans so he had to kill me to end that threat,” Frisk said.

“He was going to kill the rest of us, too, if Haward and Gerson hadn’t jumped in,” Undyne said.

“Yeah, but I wish they interfered sooner,” Flowey said. “Because that was too close for comfort.”

Frisk rubbed their neck where it had laid in the guillotine.

Alphys glanced at the retreating humans, a thought going through her head. “Hey. Do we know if anything like this ever happened?” she asked.

Everyone thought on it, trying to recall what they had learned from history. “Not as far as I know,” Flowey said.

“Nor me,” Frisk added.

“Well, that’s something,” Alphys said. “A hundred humans changing sides, attempted murder and execution of a child and king respectively, especially as that king is Asgore, would leave a mark on history. If there’s no record of that, what does that mean?”

Undyne tapped a finger to her chin. “Do you think you can check what records exist? See if there’s any mention of today anywhere in history.”

“I’ll see what I can find,” Alphys confirmed.

“What do we do if she finds something?” Flowey asked.

“That depends on what she finds,” Undyne answered. “For now, we need to rest.”

*   *   *

Haward looked around at the purple-brick walls of the Delta Keep. His father had wanted to infiltrate this place and conquer it. But now he was being shown around by its captain. The wizards were all being shown to various rooms and the various facilities. Though Haward noted the lack of bathrooms might be a bit of a problem for some.

“Here’s your room,” Gerson said, opening the door. Haward and three other wizards stepped in. “Now, this isn’t permanent, of course. If you want a different room, we’ll try ta find you something. If you need food, just pull this rope.” He gestured to the hanging rope.

“Is it some kind of room service?” the teal wizard asked. “That’s fancy.”

“It’s a pretty recent addition,” Gerson said. “A few rooms don’t have it yet. But we’re working on it.”

“Thanks for letting us in,” the yellow wizard said. “After the trouble we’ve caused for your kind, it’s very generous.”

“Eh, it’s not very good to hold grudges,” Gerson assured. “Besides, you people have been deceived as well, so it’s only fair. Word of warning, though, some Monsters might be a little more hesitant, so I’d be careful when walking around.”

“We’ll keep that in mind,” the blue wizard said.

“Now then, I’ve been gone for almost a day and have a lot to catch up on,” Gerson said, leaving the humans be.

Haward sat down on one of the beds. “Feather mattress?” he wondered. “Feels soft enough.”

“Could be,” the yellow wizard said, sitting down.

“Hey, I just want to thank you guys for doing this,” Haward said. “I know it’s not easy going against my father.”

The blue wizard shook his head. “He was breaking rules torturing that kid. I couldn’t be a part of that.”

“I just wish Dobromil came with us,” the teal wizard said. “But he wouldn’t turn.”

“That’s because he doesn’t feel good fighting his own people, which might be what we’ll have to end up doing,” the yellow wizard informed.

“I hope not,” Haward said. “There must be a better solution to this than everyone trying to kill each other.”

*   *   *

Frisk was face down on their bed, loving the soft feathers. Everyone else who had gone on the mission was sitting on their own bed. Alphys was nearby, looking through various history books to try and find evidence that they changed history.

A soft knock sounded on the door and Papyrus stood up to open it and in walked Toriel.

“I just heard,” she said. Her eyes landed on Frisk. “Young one, are you alright?”

Frisk gave a thumbs up to answer.

“They’re just tired,” MK said.

“Well, I am glad that you all made it back and with many humans on our side as well,” Toriel said.

“it is surprising that so many were willing to side with us,” Sans said.

“BUT IT IS VERY APPRECIATED,” Papyrus added. “AT LEAST WE’VE GOT SOME ALLIES AMONGST THE HUMANS.”

“Was Frisk already not one?” Toriel pointed out.

“I don’t count,” Frisk said from the mattress.

“And what is Alphys doing?” Toriel wondered.

“Uh…” Undyne tried to think of an excuse.

“She already knows,” Alphys shouted. “No need to hide it from her.”

Frisk looked up at Alphys. “What? Weren’t we supposed to keep it a secret?”

“Yes, but I needed her help, so I had to explain things to her,” Alphys defended, still looking through the books.

“It is alright,” Toriel assured. “I know you must keep it secret and I have not told anyone. Though, admittedly, it is a bit difficult to believe. Monsters from a thousand years from now. I am still trying to come to terms with that.”

“And what did she tell you about me?” Frisk asked.

“Just that you are on our side,” Toriel answered. “Other than that, not much.”

Frisk quietly released a sigh.

“So, what is Alphys doing?” Toriel repeated.

“Well, as far as we know, humans turning on their kind didn’t happen,” Undyne explained. “Alphys is trying to find any mention of that in these books.”

“But so far, I’m not getting anything,” Alphys said. “I’ve scanned through everything twice, focused on this period of history, but there’s no mention of a rebellion, defection, resistance, or anything like it.”

“THAT’S ODD,” Papyrus said. “IF WE SUCCESSFULLY CHANGED SOMETHING IN THE PAST, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECORDED, RIGHT?”

“unless it wasn’t,” Sans said. “there is an unfortunate tendency in history for the victors to write the past as they see fit. it’s possible that the humans might have expunged this event from their records.”

“But what about the Monsters?” MK retorted. “Wouldn’t we have put at least a mention of this?”

“I’ve look over Monster records. Still nothing,” Alphys said.

“What does that mean?” Toriel asked.

Everyone looked at each other. “We’re not sure,” Undyne admitted. “We were planning to use those books to keep track of the changes to history.”

“It could be possible that they don’t rewrite with history,” Alphys said. “They only record the one way things go. They might not contain the information of this new history we’ve created.”

“Assuming it is new history,” Flowey said. “Perhaps the reason it isn’t in there is because things happen to undo it. Perhaps it’s impossible.”

“I don’t think so,” Undyne said. “If that were the case, wouldn’t the Asgore of our time have mentioned something? We’re not keeping anything from him. If he knew all of this beforehand, wouldn’t he have said anything to any of us?”

No one had a rebuttal to that.

“Well, either way, we need to keep to the plan,” Frisk suggested. “When we change something big, we’ll know for certain that it is possible and Monsters fleeing to a distant land will be a huge change.”

“Alphys, how goes the plans on that?” Undyne asked.

“I’ve almost got a route mapped out,” she answered. “There are just a few fine details I need to do first. Also, the first few ships have docked and we’ve begun loading them.”

“Let’s stick to that plan,” Undyne recommended. “And let’s get it done quickly. I doubt the humans, particularly Volos, is going to be happy and doesn’t try to enact some kind of revenge.”

“But he would not do that, right?” Toriel questioned. “Surely he would not be so cruel as to-”

“Yes, he is,” Frisk interrupted. “He tortured me within an inch of my life. He had me locked in a cell without food or water. He was going to execute me and enjoy it!”

Toriel took a step back, shocked at Frisk’s anger.

“I know you don’t want to believe humans can be cruel because of your mother, but you haven’t seen human cruelty firsthand. I have,” Frisk snapped. “They can be ugly, they can be abusive, they can be neglectful. And I’m tired of your bias and blindness to it.”

“But they are not all bad,” Toriel lightly retorted.

“That doesn’t mean they’re all good! Or free of sin!” Frisk shouted at her.

“Frisk, calm down,” MK cautioned.

Frisk took a few deep breaths, forcing themself to calm down. They looked at Toriel and saw that she was on the verge of tears. They weren’t going to apologize though. They were too mad with her.

“Back to the subject at hand,” Alphys said. “We might have a slight problem. The humans that are here. What do we do with them?”

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN?” Papyrus asked.

“Well, are we going to bring them with us or leave them behind?” Alphys questioned. “After all, we don’t know if we can fit everyone on all the ships. They’re going to be packed with supplies as it is.”

“We’ll figure that out when all the ships dock,” Undyne decided. “But for right now, let’s say they do come.”

“that’ll certainly change things,” Sans commented. “after all, humans and monsters don’t live together until a thousand years from now.”

“And we’ll be the greater population, too,” Alphys added. “I’ve looked over the population census, and the total number is somewhere close to three-quarters of a million.”

“And there’s only about a hundred humans on our side,” Undyne realized. “Heh. How the tide has turned.”

Toriel wiped her eyes to rid herself of her tears. “Are you certain that this is the only way?”

“We tried diplomacy and it failed,” Undyne said. “We’ve done the plans and made the preparations. This is the only way to survive what happens.”

“Should we tell the humans what we’re doing?” Alphys asked.

“maybe, but not yet,” Sans suggested. “i’m not too sure they’re all on our side. best to keep them in the dark for now, until we’re close to sailing.”

“Okay, let’s get to work,” Undyne decided.

*   *   *

Gerson was polishing his helmet when there was a knock at the door. He opened it to find Haward there. “Well, what can I do for you, kid?” he asked the human.

“Might I come in?” he requested.

“Sure.” Gerson let the human walk into his chambers.

“I’m honestly surprised your castle is so… purple,” Haward admitted.

“Monster magic, kid. Let’s us do a lot,” Gerson joked. “So, didja need to tell me something?”

“Well, I know we’ve already pledged ourselves to help your kind. I get that the other monsters don’t trust us,” Haward admitted. “And I get why. It’s thanks to my father that there’s not a lot of trust between us.”

“Yeah. It’s gonna take a lot to overcome so much mistrust,” Gerson agreed.

“Maybe I could help with that,” Haward suggested. “I’d like to join your guard for the king, or whatever it’s called.”

The turtle looked at the poncho-clad human in surprise. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me. I’d like to join your guard,” Haward repeated.

“You sure? It’s not exactly an easy job,” Gerson cautioned.

“I’m sure. Besides, I’m sixteen,” Haward defended. “My dad was originally planning to have me join the guild and this will show the Monsters that we can be friends.”

Gerson tapped his fingers together. “Hmm. Well, I can consider it. But I’d need to assess your capabilities first. Though I’m not sure how to do that. No offence, but I don’t trust you to fight one of my guards and not strike to kill.”

“Perhaps I can just demonstrate what I can do?” Haward suggested.

“I guess. Let’s go to the training arena,” Gerson decided.

*   *   *

Frisk was walking to the same arena with MK. “You sure about this, Frisk?” he asked.

“We need to keep our skills sharp,” Frisk said. “And you went down to that orange wizard faster than I would have liked.”

“I know. I tried to beat him but that driver threw me off.”

They entered the stone stadium to find Gerson and Haward already there, with the human wielding his spear.

“What’s this all about?” Frisk asked.

“I’m going to join the guard,” Haward said.

“Not before I see what you can do,” Gerson reminded. “And while you do have some skills, I can’t gauge how powerful they are without an adequate target.”

“But I can’t fight a Monster,” Haward said. “You won’t let me.”

“How about you fight me?” Frisk suggested. “I’m not a Monster and I know magic.”

Gerson looked surprised before debating it. “Well, I guess so. But try not to kill each other. This will be a sparring match, nothing more.”

“I’ll be fine,” Frisk boasted, stepping forward. Haward walked to one side of the arena, Frisk stepping to the other. The two face each other with Haward brandishing his spear.

“Alright you kids, nothing lethal and play fair. You’re not trying to win, you’re just showing me what Haward can do,” Gerson said. “Alright, begin!”

Haward took the first move, swinging his spear and sending a trail of fireballs at Frisk. They easily evaded the attack and sprinted to Haward to close the distance. The taller human sent another fireball with his free hand, but Frisk avoided that, too, retaliating with a punch to the air which sent off a stream of red fire that Haward just barely dodged.

Gerson was surprised at that. MK stood next to him. “Frisk is very skilled at fire magic,” he said. “They learned from their parents, so it makes sense.”

Haward thrust his spear forward, a jet of fire coming from the tip, but Frisk thrust their hands forward together, splitting the jet to their sides. Then they summoned a barrage of fireballs and flung them at Haward, who managed to evade them. He swung his spear, sending a wave of fire at Frisk, who dodged again. This time, they thrust their fingers forward and a jolt of red electricity struck Haward, causing him to spasm for a moment.

Frisk then whipped out their trident, brandishing it proudly. Gerson noted that it was almost identical to the one Asgore wielded. Haward swiped at Frisk with his spear a few times but Frisk easily countering each time with their trident. Then Frisk raised their trident, preparing to swing it. Their eyes flashed cyan, then orange. The first swing left behind a trail of blue. Haward tried to parry, but the swipe went right through his spear but did nothing to him. The second one left a trail of orange and sent Haward flying back several feet.

“Wait. Did they just use blue and orange magic?” Gerson questioned. “Only Monsters can do that.”

Haward realized after that attack that he was out matched. Frisk probably wasn’t even using their full power and they were beating him easily. But he still had a few tricks up his sleeve. He stood up from where he landed. Frisk walking to him with their trident at their side. Haward raised his spear and sent his own bolt of lightning at Frisk, the red jolt heading for them.

Frisk raised their trident just in time to counter it. Haward used that distraction to raise their spear, pointing it upwards, summoning a firestorm. Frisk managed to evade all the falling balls of fire, though they put their trident away to do it. One headed straight for them, so Frisk stretched their hands out and blocked it from striking them by splitting the fire in every direction.

Haward summoned more fireballs, but he could feel he was approaching his limit. Fewer fireballs went at Frisk, and they easily evaded them all. They fired off another bolt of red lightning. Haward caught it with his spear but was unable to send it back.

“Okay, that’s enough,” Gerson decided, clapping his hands. “Keep this up and you’re bound to break something.”

Haward had to agree. He was panting, but Frisk wasn’t. How were they still going after all that?

“Well, you both did admirably,” Gerson said.

“I was losing, though,” Haward pointed out.

“Yeah, but you held your own, against an opponent who is apparently your superior,” Gerson reassured. “That is impressive. Well, I think I can let you into the guard. I’ll have to ask Asgore for permission first, of course, but you’re good enough for me.”

“Thank you, sir,” Haward said.

“You should probably rest, get your strength back,” Gerson advised. With that, Haward departed.

“Well, now that that’s done, wanna train?” MK asked his friend.

“Sure, that got exciting,” Frisk said.

“I’ll say, but you were doing great,” MK praised.

Gerson left to go talk to Asgore.

“Yeah. Let me just… get my heart back to normal first,” Frisk suggested, a hand to their chest.

“Well, while you do that, let’s discuss training,” MK suggested. “I want to work on my own special attack. Maybe see if we can get my own Soul magic to work. And let’s also see what you can do with that trident. What do you think?”

Frisk tried to say something, but they couldn’t breathe. Their legs were wobbling and suddenly, they realized they couldn’t feel their heart beating.

“Frisk, something wrong?” MK asked.

“H… heart,” they got out before collapsing.

“FRISK!” MK ran to their side. “Shit, not again!” He tried pumping on their chest. “Hold on, Frisk. Frisk?”

They tried to get breath into their lungs, but it was a struggle. They could hear MK pleading for them to hang on, but they could feel it wasn’t working. As they panted, their vision grew darker, and darker…

End of Chapter 10

Chapter Text

Alphys was showing Asgore the maps she had drawn and telling him about the route they would take. Toriel was present as well, as was Sans, Papyrus and Undyne.

“…so that’s where we’re gonna go,” Alphys concluded. “This course should allow us to evade any human ports or pirates.”

“Very good, Alphys,” Asgore complimented.

“Are you sure the ships have that sort of range?” Toriel questioned. “Especially as we will be taking our entire population and the humans that have sided with us.”

“If we ration our food, we might be able to stretch it out,” Undyne recommended. “Besides, we’ll have fishing boats with us as well so that will increase the time we can spend on the sea.”

“This is a very ambitious plan,” Toriel said.

“But it might be our best bet at this point,” Asgore said. “Though, I am not sure we will have the space for everyone. Even if we loaded the ships to capacity.”

“DON’T THE HUMANS KNOW A FEW SPELLS THAT CAN HELP?” Papyrus asked. “SURELY THEY HAVE SOME WAY TO CRAM ALL OUR STUFF INTO A SMALL SPACE WITHOUT FILLING IT?”

“We could ask them,” Undyne suggested.

“But what about…”

“ALPHYS!” MK came running in, Frisk hanging from his side.

“What is it?” Alphys asked, concerned.

“It’s their heart! It froze up. Again!” MK explained.

The Monsters from the future gasped when they heard that. “Sans, case!” Alphys shouted to him, but he had already vanished.

MK laid the gasping Frisk on the table. Papyrus came up, a green glow enveloping his left hand. He laid it on Frisk’s chest and their breathing got slightly calmer. Slightly.

“What is going on?” Toriel asked.

“Frisk’s heart is acting up,” MK explained.

“But it hasn’t done that in months,” Undyne said, next to them.

Sans returned just then, Alphys’ case in his hands. Quickly, he handed it to the lizard woman. She laid it next to Frisk, pulling the cable out. MK took it from her, placing it in his mouth for the moment.

“Sorry about this,” he apologized. He grabbed Frisk’s shirt and tore the chest open. He took the cable out of his mouth then plugged it into a small port off-center of their chest.

Alphys tapped on the keys, working fast. “Okay, initiating cardiac restart,” she said, pressing a key. But nothing happened. Frisk was still gasping for breath. She tried it again, but got the same result.

“What’s going on? Restart their heart already!” MK shouted.

“I’m trying. It’s not working,” Alphys fretted. “Something must have been damaged.”

Frisk was grasping one of MK’s arms and he saw their grip loosen slightly. “We’re losing them. Do something!”

Alphys started to panic. She tried to think of something to do. Then she got an idea. She rapidly typed on the keys, a warning sound coming from the case. “Okay, get ready, I’m gonna see if I can shock the heart to trigger the mechanical failsafe.”

MK cupped Frisk’s cheek with a metallic hand, feeling their grip on his arm continue to go slack.

“Clear!” MK and Papyrus let go as Alphys pressed a key. There was a small jolt before Frisk took a big gulp of air. They tried to sit up but their arms wobbled.

“That hurt!” they said. MK then surprised them by hugging them.

Alphys looked at the screen and all the red had turned to green. “Biomechanics have restarted. Cardiac rhythm is stable. The heart is going at about seventy beats a minute. They’ll be fine.”

The adults released a collective sigh at that.

“What just happened?” Toriel asked.

“Frisk’s heart seized,” MK said. “We were about to train when they collapsed.”

“But… that is not how you usually deal with a seizure,” Toriel observed. “Why did Alphys have to plug into them?”

Everyone looked at Frisk, who sighed before nodding.

“Frisk has an artificial heart,” MK explained. “A prosthetic like what we have but theirs is internal.”

Toriel gasped, as did Asgore.

“I’ve had this heart for over a year now,” Frisk said. “It’s replaced my real heart.”

“What happened to it?” Asgore asked.

Frisk pulled their torn shirt apart a little more, revealing a jagged scar over the center of their chest. “I got stabbed. It tore my heart in two. I would have died that day, if it weren’t for Papyrus.” They pulled their shirt back together to conceal their chest. “His healing magic kept me alive long enough for Alphys to hook me up to a device that kept me alive.”

Alphys finished typing on the case, running a diagnostic. “Usually such injuries would be fatal. But medicine in our time is much more advanced. The plan was to find a donor and transplant the heart to Frisk.”

“So, what happened?” Toriel asked.

“We couldn’t find anyone compatible,” Alphys said. “You can’t just stick any old heart into anyone’s chest. They need to be compatible on a biological level for it to work. And, unfortunately, I didn’t have access to anyone remotely compatible. So, I built an artificial heart for them to substitute.”

“It took her days to make it,” Frisk said. “Those days were painful. The machine couldn’t keep me alive on its own so they had to use magic to keep my organs from failing. But it didn’t matter how much healing magic they pumped into me, eventually, my body would give out.”

“What was all that just now?” Asgore asked. “Wouldn’t the heart make you, I don’t know, immune to that kind of thing?”

“It isn’t a perfect substitute,” Alphys explained. “I didn’t have access to cutting edge technology, so the heart I built for them was built with… less than adequate materials and tech. Because of that it’s prone to failure. But if Frisk manages to remain calm and keep their heartrate down, it’s less likely to fail.”

“I have a bad feeling there is more,” Toriel said.

“There is,” Frisk said. “My body isn’t taking to the heart very well and it can’t handle the growth my body is going through. Eventually, a few years from now, my body will just give out.”

Asgore looked down in sadness. “How long…?”

“Twenty years, if I’m lucky,” Frisk answered. “But it’ll be time well spent.”

“I am sorry,” Toriel said gently.

Frisk shook their head. “I don’t want to hear it. I should have died a long time ago. Every day I’m still here is a miracle and I intend to enjoy it while I can.”

“Is there not something that can be done for you?” Toriel asked. “Alphys, can you not do something about their heart?”

The lizard didn’t respond, just stared at the screen, where the results of the diagnostic were displayed.

“Alphys, what’s wrong?” Undyne asked.

Alphys lifted her goggles off to rub her eyes. “T-the heart has been damaged,” she stammered. “Not-not like normal damage, but like, extreme damage. Many critical components have been either destroyed or badly damaged.”

“What do you mean?” MK asked.

“I’m dying,” Frisk deadpanned.

Alphys nodded. “I-I don’t know how long you have,” she said, on the verge of tears.

“ISN’T THERE SOMETHING YOU CAN DO?” Papyrus asked.

Alphys shook her head. “Even if I could, I no longer have access to the tools I need.”

“Can you not heal them?” Toriel suggested.

“Healing magic doesn’t work on artificial body parts,” Alphys explained.

“How long do I have?” Frisk asked, their voice scarily neutral.

Alphys shrugged. “I’d have to track the deterioration, monitor the breakdown, but… it could be weeks, maybe months, before catastrophic failure.”

Frisk pulled the cable out of their chest, straightening their shirt as best they could. They got off the table, their legs wobbly, before turning to leave.

“Frisk, wait,” MK pleaded, grabbing their arm. “Where are you going?”

“Just around the castle. I… need to think.”

“I can come with,” MK suggested, preparing to hop down.

“I need to be alone,” Frisk insisted.

MK caught a small change in the tone of their voice and let them go. Calmly, they strolled out, closing the door behind them.

“There is really nothing you can do for them?” Asgore asked Alphys. She shook her head.

“The technology of this era is horribly inadequate, plus I need a sterile work area and we don’t have that,” she explained. It was clear she was close to a breakdown, so Undyne came over and hugged her, trying her best to comfort the lizard.

*   *   *

Frisk walked through the halls of the castle, eventually coming to a quiet hall, next to a window. There, they leaned against the wall and slid down, legs to their chest. They buried their face in their knees, quietly sobbing. They knew they wouldn’t get to live a full life, but this was much worse. They knew the reason for this change. Volos’ torture. It was the only thing that could have caused so much damage in such a short time.

“Frisk?” a quiet voice tentatively asked.

Frisk looked up to see Flowey next to them.

“I just heard,” he said. “Is it true. Are you…”

“Yes,” Frisk said.

Flowey looked down, his expression unreadable to Frisk. He went between the bricks of the floor to pop up closer to them. “Golly, I… I don’t know what to say to that. We… I thought we’d have more time together, you know.”

“So did I,” Frisk agreed.

Flowey chuckled. “Heh. It’s horrible. I should be extremely sad, heartbroken even. Instead, I’m just furious that we’re gonna run out of time.”

Frisk looked down. “Volos did this,” they revealed. “He tortured me electrically. It damaged my heart to the point Alphys can’t fix it.”

Flowey let out another mirthless laugh. “Is it possible for me to hate him even more than before? Because I think I do.” He leaned his head on Frisk’s arm. “Life really seems to hate us, doesn’t it? I’m stuck in this body, without a Soul. You lose your heart, doomed to die a premature death. We lose our parents, unable to reconcile with them before they are killed. We are kept apart because I’m a flower and you’re a human. And now, fate just twisted the knife even further, by killing you quicker.”

Frisk laid their hand on Flowey’s head as he leaned on their side. “Sometimes I wonder: is this my punishment? Is this the price I have to pay, for the things I did?”

“Well, at least the karma is unfair to us both, isn’t it?” Flowey almost chuckled. “We get to equally suffer in different ways.” He buried his face in their side. “I… I don’t want to lose you, Frisk. I’ve grown so attached to your presence, to lose you… I don’t think I’d survive.”

Frisk hugged him. “I can’t imagine a world without you, either.”

*   *   *

Alphys was helping Asgore with counting the supplies they were going to bring on the voyage.

“You all really do care about Frisk, don’t you?” Asgore asked. “It’s kinda clear your relationship with them is more than business.”

Alphys chuckled. “They helped all of us through a bad part in our lives, me especially,” she explained. “We’d do anything for them. I just wish there was some way to fix this.”

“There really is nothing you can do?”

“The technology of this era is too primitive,” Alphys said. “Nothing would work.”

MK entered the room just then, something in his hands. “Um, Doctor Alphys, I think you need to see this.” He walked over to her, holding out a device. “You know that equipment you brought with us? One of them started beeping.”

Alphys took the device from MK’s hands.

“What is that?” Asgore asked.

“A scanner,” Alphys answered. “I made it to detect our enemy in our time.”

“Well, it’s beeping and a dot appeared on the screen,” MK said. “I was lying on the bed when it started going off.”

Alphys looked at it. “It’s malfunctioning.”

“That’s what I said,” MK said. Alphys banged it on the table. “That’s what I did! I thought you’d do something more scientific than that.”

Alphys looked at the screen, and the red dot was moving. “This can’t be possible,” she said. “There’s no way our enemy could be here.”

“That’s what I thought,” MK added.

“Perhaps it actually is detecting them?” Asgore guessed.

“Well, the world’s not on fire, so that doesn’t make sense,” MK said.

“It’s detecting something, though,” Alphys deduced. “But what?”

“Well, how does it detect the one you built it for?” Asgore guessed.

“It scans for LV, and when it registers an extremely high amount, it alerts me,” Alphys explained.

“Perhaps it’s detecting someone else then. Someone with a very high LV,” Asgore supplied.

“Who would have an LV that high?”

MK’s eyes widened. “Volos might.”

Alphys looked up at MK, then back at the scanner. “Whoever it’s detecting, they’re less than five hundred yards away and closing.”

Asgore turned to MK. “Find Gerson, have him lock down the castle. We’ve got an intruder.”

MK nodded before running off. “Alphys, find your friends and neutralize the intruder or intruders.”

“Yes, sir,” Alphys saluted. “Um, Asgore, if it is Volos, he might be here for you.”

“My chambers are fortified against intruders. I shall head there with an escort,” Asgore assured.

“I’ll go find Undyne. We’ll stop this person.”

*   *   *

Frisk and Flowey were still curled against a wall when a horn sounded. “What’s that?” Flowey asked.

“An alert of some kind,” Frisk guessed. “We should probably find out what’s going on.”

Frisk stood up.

“I’ll be by your side,” Flowey assured before he went his own way.

*   *   *

Haward and the other humans were in their rooms when the horn sounded. “That sounds like a warning horn,” the yellow wizard said.

“Warn against what?” the blue wizard asked.

“Guess,” the teal wizard snarked. “There’s only so many people who would be so bold to attack a castle.”

“Do you think it’s dad?” Haward asked.

“He might be here for the king,” the yellow wizard guessed.

“Let’s get to his chamber and protect him,” the teal wizard suggested.

*   *   *

Alphys found Undyne with Gerson. She was trying to lead them to the intruders while the scanner was still detecting their presence.

“Can’t believe Volos would be so foolish,” Gerson said, hammer in hand.

“The guy must be desperate to increase tensions if he’s willing to do this,” Undyne guessed.

“This way,” Alphys said, turning at a junction.

“That device is neat,” Gerson said. “But I imagine Volos is going to try and sneak his way to Asgore.”

“Hopefully we get to him before then,” Undyne said.

“Turn here,” Alphys said, turning at another junction.

“This is a strange path to take to the king’s chambers,” Gerson said. “He’s back that way.”

“Maybe he doesn’t know where Asgore is?” Undyne guessed.

“He’s on a clear path,” Alphys said. “There’s no sign he’s wavering around.”

“Not to mention the humans have tracking spells,” Gerson revealed. “All they need is something from the king and they can head right to him.”

“Then why go the wrong direction?” Undyne wondered. “If he’s trying to enflame tensions, killing Asgore would do that.”

An idea occurred to Alphys and she stopped in her track, the taller Monsters almost walking into her. “He’s not here for Asgore,” she realized. Immediately, she started running, still following the tracker.

“Then who?” Undyne asked, following.

*   *   *

Haward was trying to find Asgore’s chambers with the other wizards, but they were having a hard time with that. “Which way to the king? All these hallways look the same,” Haward said.

As they ran, they came across Frisk and Flowey. “What’s going on?” the younger human asked.

“We think there might be intruders and they’re after the king,” the blue wizard explained.

“Then count me in,” Frisk said.

“Frisk, you need to rest,” Flowey advised.

“Not with Asgore in danger,” Frisk denied.

“Well, which way is the king’s chambers?” Haward asked.

“Follow me.” Frisk led the way. But a few turns in, they came across Volos, with two wizards at his side.

“Volos,” Frisk hissed.

“Well, look what we have here. A band of traitors,” Volos mocked.

“We’re not going to let you harm the Monster king,” the blue wizard declared, staff in hand. The other two stepped forward with their own staffs at the ready.

“Oh, I’m not here for him,” Volos revealed. Before anyone could react, he waved his hand and brick hands grabbed the three adult wizards and slammed them against the walls.

Haward whipped out his spear in defense. Frisk turned their hands up and conjuring red flame.

“Why risk coming here if you’re not after the king?” Frisk asked.

“Because I’m here for you,” Volos said. “You’re ruining things, turning us against each other. I’m here to end that threat.”

Haward stepped forward. “You’ll have to go through me, first,” he challenged.

The other two wizards brandished their staffs.

“Step aside, son. You’re no match for the three of us,” Volos warned. “Do the smart thing and give up.”

“Frisk is a kid. A child!” Haward insisted. “Are you really going to murder a child?”

“That child is a threat to our kingdom and its stability,” Volos dismissed. “Yes. Get Haward out of the way.”

The purple and orange wizards stepped forward, staffs at the ready. But then, an energy blast struck in front of them, forcing them to step back.

“Alphys!” Frisk exclaimed, the yellow lizard running up from an adjacent hallway. Her right hand, which was now a blaster, was smoking.

“Haward. Take Frisk and run!” she ordered.

The older teen grabbed the younger one’s hand and began running. Flowey managed to wrap his vines around Frisk’s leg and hauled himself up as they ran.

“Stop them!” Volos ordered.

Alphys stepped forward, discarding her scanner and flinging her left hand forward, white lightning leaping from it to the two wizards, shocking them.

At that moment, Undyne and Gerson caught up. The fish lady leaped to engage the orange wizard, while Gerson ran at the purple one. Both let out a battle cry as they engaged in battle.

Volos ran past while Alphys tried to stop him with another blast of lightning. Volos raised a brick wall to counter it. She turned to help her friends as they battled the wizards, charging up her hand for a stronger blast.

Haward and Frisk ran as fast as they could but Volos was taller and older. “Keep running, I’ll keep him occupied,” Haward said, turning to face his father, Frisk continuing to sprint.

“Get out of the way, Haward,” Volos menaced.

“I can’t,” Haward denied. “I won’t let you kill them.”

“It is a threat and a danger to the human race,” Volos insisted. “You’re betraying your own people by protecting it.”

“And you’re betraying ours by attacking them,” Haward shot back. “Was anything you said true? Was any of that ‘do it for the better of the human race’ real or just hogwash to deceive us?”

“Stand aside. I won’t hesitate to go through you,” Volos warned.

“Listen to yourself,” Haward insisted. “You’re threatening your own son. What kind of person does that?”

“One who will do whatever it takes,” Volos said. “Now, one last time, get out of my way!”

Haward shook his head. “I won’t.” Holding his spear in one hand, he drew his father’s sword with the other. “I will stop you.”

“Oh, Haward, you’re no match for me,” Volos said with mock sadness. “It will be a shame, but I will go through you, whatever it takes.” He charged his son, swinging his staff as Haward rose the sword to parry, the two weapons clashing.

*   *   *

Frisk stumbled to a stop. “I… need to… catch my breath,” they said, placing a hand on their chest.

“A few moments, then we need to keep going,” Flowey said. “He wants to kill you and we can’t let that happen.”

Frisk stood up, looking back at the way they came. “We can’t let Haward fight him. He’ll die.”

“So what? He’s willing to die for you,” Flowey reminded.

“He could be someone’s ancestor!” Frisk protested. “If he dies who knows how many people vanish.”

“You’re the only human left. What does that matter?” Flowey asked.

Frisk shook their head when a thought occurred to them. “Wait… what if they’re my ancestor?”

Flowey raised an eyebrow. “Yours?”

“He looks a lot like me,” Frisk said. “In fact, come to think of it, he looks like an older version of me.”

Flowey hummed, other connections falling into place. “You’re right. He could be.” He groaned. “Great, now we have to go back for him. But how are we going to beat Volos?”

Frisk smirked. “Well, I do have a special trick I haven’t done in a while,” they said knowingly. “Perhaps that would do it?”

Flowey smirked when he got the idea. “I see where you’re going with this,” he said.

“One more time?”

“One more time.”

Flowey adjusted himself, going to the back of Frisk’s shirt before sliding his roots and vines down underneath their clothes…

End of Chapter 11

Chapter Text

Haward parried another swipe from his father with the sword, thrusting with his spear, but Volos easily avoided the strike. He conjured a fireball and flung his son back with it. Haward managed to recover, standing up from the blow and retaliating with his own fire, but Volos used his staff to block it.

“Face it, Haward, you’re not as powerful as I am,” Volos taunted.

“I don’t need to be,” Haward insisted. Red lightning came from the tip of his spear. His father once more used his staff to block it. He charged with his father’s sword, but Volos easily deflected it, hitting his son in the chest with his staff, once more pushing him back, then fired his own lighting at his son, red bolts shocking the teen.

Haward tentatively raised the sword. “I won’t let you get past me,” he said weakly.

Volos stretched out his free hand and the sword flew from Haward’s grasp to Volos, the red blade turning black when he grasped it. “Looks like you don’t have a choice.” He raised his sword over his head.

“He’s not the only one.”

Volos turned to see Frisk standing there.

“Frisk, run!” Haward insisted.

“No can do. Things just got really personal,” Frisk denied.

“So what are you going to do? Challenge me to a duel?” Volos snidely asked.

“If that’s what it takes, yes,” Frisk said.

“How about I just kill you outright?” Volos raised his sword, a much more powerful fireball erupting from the tip. Frisk raised their hand and dispersed it. Frustrated, Volos pointed his staff at loose debris, then flung it at Frisk, who raised their own hands to stop it and tossesd it aside. Volos pointed his sword at the ceiling and several cracks moved across the stones before several boulders fell toward Frisk. But the smaller human raised their hands again and stopped the boulders in mid air then tossed them aside.

“You certainly are powerful,” Frisk said.

“I’m the most powerful wizard who ever lived,” Volos bragged. “Even you can’t match me.” He raised his sword with more red lighting coming from it to shock Frisk, but Frisk caught it in their hand and sent it back. Volos raised his staff in surprise, deflecting the lighting away to the wall. Mad, he tried again, but once more, Frisk caught it and sent the blast back and Volos deflected it away to the walls.

“Looks like you still have much to learn,” Frisk said.

“Seems this won’t be a simple fight,” Volos decided. “Very well. Let’s see what kind of wizard you are.” He brandished both his sword and staff. Frisk took a stance with Flowey’s head visible behind theirs. Volos charged, swinging his sword with the intent to bisect Frisk, but their trident flew from their belt to their hands, extending out and blocking the red wizard’s strike. Frisk then shoved Volos back with surprising strength.

The older man recuperated. He leapt into the air with his staff ready to strike, but Frisk leapt as well and swung their trident, nearly getting their opponent with the tines of their weapon. For a while, the two dueled with their weapons, battling and parrying each other’s blows, until Frisk conjured a sword in their other hand. The red blade clashed against Volos’ black. the move startled the wizard who was mystified at how Frisk managed that.

Eventually, Volos leapt back to create some distance, sending a wave of fire at Frisk who split it easily with their trident. They retaliated with fireballs in patterns but Volos managed to avoid the strikes. He ran forward and swung his sword, but once more, Frisk parried the blow, holding him back with one arm. Then several white pellets emerged from the air and Volos was forced to block them with his staff. Frisk swung their sword while he was distracted and cut his shirt.

Volos once more stepped back, realizing he was going to need extra space to fight. He had many more powerful spells that might work but the confined hallways limited him. He sent a fireball at the wall, blasting it and creating a hole. He leapt through it, landing on a roof and running across it.

Frisk ran to the hole and leapt through as well, landing on the same roof and pursued Volos. Haward stared in shock at the feat, as the roof was twenty feet down and ten feet away. He pondered doing the same, before deciding to just run through the halls.

*   *   *

Undyne and Gerson fought their opponents, parrying every blow and trading a few of their own. Alphys helped by occasionally firing off a blast from her hand or a bolt of white lightning. Eventually, the two wizards realized they were outmatched and decided to retreat, especially when they saw one of the walls explode.

The fish woman and the turtle followed their foes. Alphys stayed behind to free the trapped wizards.

“Hold still,” she advised, fiddling with her hand.

“Volos isn’t here for the king. He’s here for the kid,” the yellow wizard said.

“But why?” the teal wizard wondered.

“Because Frisk is a threat to the war,” Alphys said. “Their mere existence swayed you guys to our side. If Frisk’s story became public, it would get the Monsters so much sympathy that the people wouldn’t stand for this war.” She finished her adjustments. “Okay, now keep calm. This shouldn’t hurt. Hopefully.”

“What are you doing?” the yellow wizard asked fearfully as Alphys aimed at him. A moment later, a blast destroyed the bricks holding him to the wall. Alphys turned and freed the other two.

“If Frisk dies, Volos might be able to keep it secret,” the blue wizard realized. “He could brand us as traitors and the war would continue unaided.”

“I don’t think it works like that,” the teal wizard said. “He’s already been seen trying to execute Frisk and we have plenty of credibility amongst our kind. We could spread Frisk’s story just as easily. Surely, he realizes that?”

“He must be insane,” Alphys said. “If he doesn’t realize you guys could counter his efforts now, then he must be crazy.”

“We still have to stop him,” the yellow wizard decided. “It will make it easier for him to cover it up if Frisk dies.”

“Then what are we waiting for?” Alphys asked, running after her friends.

*   *   *

MK was running through the halls, trying to locate Frisk. He needed to protect them, especially since they were dying. He couldn’t bear to lose them now. He heard some kind of explosion outside and went to the nearest window to see two figures leap onto the roof of a nearby building. He figured that it was Frisk and Volos.

MK ran. Frisk was fighting Volos and that was going to make their condition worse. He had to stop them before it was too late.

*   *   *

Frisk ran across the roof in pursuit of Volos. Flowey aided by wrapping his vines around their legs, taking on some of the work of running. The red wizard slid to the side, grabbing onto the ledge before going from window to window and landed on the ground. Frisk didn’t bother with such a slow method. They leapt off the roof, falling, then thrust their hand down, their fall slowing enough that they could safely land on their feet.

Volos was already swinging his sword, but Frisk raised their trident, parrying the blow. They leapt back, conjuring another wave of fireballs that Volos had to dodge. It was then Frisk realized they were in the courtyard. That would allow both of them to use spells that require open space.

Volos started off by driving his sword into the ground, producing a crack that headed for Frisk. They drove their trident into the ground which produced an identical crack that stopped the first.

Volos growled. Frisk knew many spells that they shouldn’t and were countering his easily. But then he realized there was one that they most likely didn’t know. He pulled his sword out, then thrust it forward, the ground starting to glow. He then swung both his staff and sword to the side, the rock turning to lava when he did. Then he thrust it forward and the lava headed for Frisk.

The younger human ran when the pool of molten rock headed for them. Just as Volos thought, they didn’t know how to liquify rock. Frisk sent a wave of fireballs at Volos, but he swung his staff to counter. He controlled the liquifying rock, sending it to Frisk.

“Any suggestions?” Frisk asked Flowey.

“Try freezing it,” the flower said.

“That won’t stop it.”

“No, but it’ll give you a moment to breathe.”

Frisk turned and pointed their trident at the pool of molten rock and a blast of freezing energy came from the weapon. The lava was iced over, but Frisk could see the ice melting even as they spread it over the rest.

“Looks like you can’t stop lava, kid,” Volos taunted.

“No, but I can stop you.” Frisk skidded across the frozen lava and ran to Volos with their trident ready. Volos raised his sword to parry a blow, but before Frisk swung, their eyes flashed teal, then orange. They swung, the trident turning teal as they did, leaving a cyan swipe in their wake. Volos tried to parry, but strangely, the trident just phased through him. Frisk swung again, the weapon turning orange, and this time Volos was sent flying from the strike.

He managed to land on his feet, stunned from the display. No human knew how to do that, so how did this kid manage to use blue and orange attacks?

Frisk conjured more fire and Volos parted it with his staff. He then pointed it to the lava, liquifying more rock and this time creating a wave of the stuff, hoping to swallow Frisk with it. Frisk tried to keep it away with mental might but that didn’t work, so Flowey shot out a couple vines, wrapped them around two trees, and pulled Frisk back before the lava could hit them.

Volos sent another blast of lightning at Frisk, who once more caught it with their free hand before sending it back.

“Huh. Every single spell he’s done was with that staff or sword,” Flowey muttered. “I wonder why.”

“I think one of the other wizards said they need something to channel magic and they were puzzled why I didn’t have anything to do that when they captured me,” Frisk said, dodging another fireball.

“Wait, that’s it!” Flowey realized. “Those weapons! He needs those to use magic whereas you don’t. Destroy them and he’s powerless.”

“Sound advice,” Frisk said. They fired a blast of lightning at Volos who deflected it with his staff. “Most of what he does is with that staff.”

“Destroy that first,” Flowey recommended.

Frisk charged, conjuring their sword. They dueled Volos with weapons for a while before the wizard leapt back. He pointed his staff at a cart then sent it hurtling toward Frisk. They used their trident to cleave it in two. Volos then pointed his staff at another cart and flung it at Frisk but they slashed it with their sword and destroyed it as well. Volos then ripped a tree out of the ground and sent it at Frisk but they slashed it to pieces with both their weapons.

Irritated, Volos turned more of the ground to lava and sent a stream of the stuff at Frisk but they froze it, halting it in its tracks.

Enraged, Volos charged up a more powerful blast of lightning, hoping that this time Frisk wouldn’t be able to counter it. He fired it but Frisk raised their trident. The lightning was absorbed by the weapon. The trident was now crackling with electricity.

Frisk charged with the weapon raised, igniting their weapon as well. Volos raised his staff to block it but when the two weapons met, the trident’s blades sliced through the enchanted wood.

The staff exploded in a blast of rainbow light, flinging both participants backwards. They landed roughly on the ground, dazed from the explosion, Volos’ staff now in several pieces.

*   *   *

Everyone in the castle felt the ground shake when Volos’ staff exploded though none knew the reason for it. Alphys almost lost her footing in the shake as did the wizards behind her. “What was that?” she wondered.

“I’m not sure but I get the feeling that something was destroyed,” the blue wizard observed.

“Wait. There’s an abundance of magic in the air all of a sudden,” Alphys said. “That wasn’t there before.”

“That explosion? Could one of Volos’ weapons have been destroyed?” the yellow wizard asked.

“Is that what happens when a wizard’s tools are destroyed?” Alphys asked.

“They are enchanted objects with a massive amount of magic in them,” the teal wizard explained. “It’s why we can cast spells. If they’re damaged in a significant way all that energy is released at once.”

“But anyone who’s nearby is going to be hurt by the blast,” the yellow wizard realized.

“Frisk,” Alphys muttered, resuming her run, this time heading for the courtyard.

*   *   *

MK kept one hand on the wall as he felt the floor shake. He felt the sudden increase in magic in the air, which didn’t bode well. He hoped Frisk was alright. He continued running, trying to find a way to the courtyard when he ran into Toriel.

“What are you doing here?” she asked. “The castle is on lockdown.”

“My friend is in trouble,” MK explained. “I’m going to help them. Can you show me the most direct route to the courtyard?”

“But you should be getting somewhere safe. Humans can be dangerous,” she advised.

“My friend is in trouble and any day could be their last,” MK reminded. “Show me where to go or I’ll just fling myself out a window and get down there.”

Toriel could see he wouldn’t be deterred and decided to escort him there herself to make sure he would be alright.

*   *   *

Frisk shook their head as their senses came back to them. They hadn’t expected Volos’ staff to explode when they sliced it. They tried to sit up but they suddenly felt a tightness in their chest as their heart started to seize. A hand flew to their chest as they tried to get it under control, gasping for breath.

“Not… yet…” they panted. Their heart was still beating erratically, seizing up on occasion. “Not… yet…” they grunted. They tried to take fuller breaths to get air into their lungs. “Not… yet.” They took a huge gulp of air and forced their heart to beat regularly. They slowly sat up, panting heavily as their heart started to calm down.

They looked forward and saw Volos slowly recovering. They tried to force themself up, using their trident for support. Flowey was swaying from side to side, clearly not with it. They had to get to Volos while he was vulnerable. They had to end him now, but their body refused to cooperate, their limbs feeling like lead weights.

Volos managed to recover and stood up. He looked at the piece of his staff still in his hand before discarding it, whisps of rainbow energy leaking from the ends.

“You bitch,” he cursed.

Frisk managed to steady themself. Flowey had recovered as well and his vines tightened on Frisk’s limbs once again. “Looks like you’re down a weapon,” they taunted. “Surrender and we might show mercy.”

“You think you’ve won?” Volos mocked. “Think again. I still have one last trick up my sleeve.” He brandished his sword, a sickly light now coming from it. “I didn’t want to have to use this spell but it seems I have no choice.”

“Something’s wrong with that weapon,” Flowey warned.

“Have you ever heard of Death Touch?” Volos asked. “It’s forbidden magic because it can kill any living thing. Just a cut and you’re dead in moments. Usually, such a spell requires a lot more magic than what a single human can muster. Luckily, many Monsters have died upon this blade.” He brandished his black blade. “The power of the people you defend will now be your undoing.”

When Frisk realized what he meant, their eyes widened.

“Run,” Flowey said. Frisk heeded his advice, turning and running for it, but Volos conjured a circle of lava, surrounding them both.

“You’re not escaping this time,” Volos menaced. He marched towards them with sword ready. Frisk raised their trident, ready to defend themself. He swung his sword and Frisk used their trident to catch the blade. They tried to pull it from his grasp, but Volos held fast. He pulled his weapon free and swung again. Flowey aided Frisk in parrying it again.

Frisk sent another blast of lightning at Volos, but he deflected it with his sword. They shot fireballs at him, but he bat them aside. Flowey launched his pellets, but Volos slashed them. They continued to battle while Frisk kept him back as best they could. They managed to push him back so they could take a moment to freeze a patch of the lava for them to run across. They got out of the circle and tried to freeze Volos with a blast of ice, but he used his sword to block it.

Frisk got an idea and pushed forward with the ice spell to encase Volos’ sword in ice. The wizard growled, swinging his weapon at Frisk, who avoided the strikes. Frisk kept trying to strike Volos with fireballs, but the red wizard blocked them with his frozen sword, partially melting the ice.

Flowey summoned more of his pellets and flung them at Volos, who dodged them. Frisk got an idea and froze the ground at Volos’ feet, causing him to slip and fall on the ice. Frisk tried to strike him with their trident, but he managed to parry with his sword, some of the ice chipping off. He forced Frisk back then pointed his sword at the ice, the rock underneath turning to lava. He slid off the ice and back to solid ground before it completely melted. He then held his sword over the lava long enough for the ice to melt off.

Frisk sent a blast of lightning at him, but once more he deflected it with his sword. He then spun around and swiped Frisk’s feet from out under them, knocking them onto their back. He raised his blade and swung and Frisk just barely blocked it with their trident. The older man pressed and slowly the black blade inched towards Frisk. Flowey wrapped vines around the trident and tried to push Volos off, but he wasn’t strong enough.

Flowey then extended his vines to grab Volos’ arms and tried to pull him back, the blade slowly backing away from Frisk, allowing them to push Volos off. Fed up with Flowey, he yanked back, pulling Frisk up in the process. In desperation, they kicked Volos in the knee, but it did little good.

Flowey unwound himself from Frisk and wrapped himself around Volos’ arms, bounding them together. Volos tried to pull his arms apart, but Flowey held fast, so he shocked the flower instead, which loosened Flowey enough for Volos to throw him off.

Frisk backed up as Volos swung more madly than before, just barely avoiding each swipe. Then they backed into a corner and realized they were trapped. Volos reared back before thrusting his sword forward.

“No!” Flowey shot forward, grabbing the blade and forcing it to the side, but in the process, the blade cut his vines. He gasped when he felt a numbness start to travel up from the cut. But he didn’t have long to realize what just happened when Volos turned on him and stabbed him in his flower head.

“NO!” Volos turned back to Frisk, a smug smile on his face, which quickly vanished when white-hot fire scorched his face. The younger human poured on the fire; the red flames turned white from the intense heat.

Frisk whipped their trident forward. A blast of red lightning, stronger than any before, erupted from the tip to zap Volos, forcing the man back. But then an orange blast struck Frisk in the side, knocking the trident out of their grasp.

The purple and orange wizards came up with their staffs at the ready. They rushed to Volos’ side, a hand to his face where Frisk burned it. A blue spear struck near them as Undyne and Gerson came forth, weapons at the ready. Not too far behind, Alphys and the three wizards ran up.

Realizing they were outnumbered, the purple and orange wizard decided to retreat, the orange one blasting the castle wall to make a quick exit.

MK and Toriel arrived just then. MK flung bones at the retreating shapes while Undyne pursued them with her spears. The two capable wizards then summoned a roll of fog to obscure them and allowed the three of them to escape without pursuit.

Frisk ran over to Flowey, who lay on the ground, gasping. “Flowey!” they screamed. They cradled his head, one of his eyes gone from where Volos stabbed him.

“Frisk? I feel… cold,” Flowey gasped.

“Hold on, surely this Death Touch can’t be fatal to you,” they pleaded.

“Heh, I don’t think it matters if it is,” he said. “Everything’s getting darker.”

“No, don’t go,” they begged. “Don’t leave me, not now, not yet!”

“Heh, I wish I could do that, but I can’t,” Flowey said.

“Why would you do that?” Frisk asked. “Why take a hit for me?”

“I don’t know…” he breathed. “I shouldn’t care at all. But… in that moment, I didn’t want you to die, because I care about you. Guess I can feel.”

Frisk hugged Flowey to them. “Please, save your strength, the healers might be able to do something.”

“Heh… idiot,” Flowey gasped. “I don’t think… anything can… stop this.”

“Please, not yet, not now. It’s supposed to be me!”

“I’ll tell… mom and dad… hi for you…”

“No, please. Asriel.”

Flowey’s face disappeared. Now Frisk was holding an ordinary flower.

“No. NO! Asriel!” they screamed. “Asriel…” They started to gasp as their lungs refused to work. They couldn’t feel their heart beating again. “As…” They wavered before collapsing on the ground.

“FRISK!” MK rushed forward, cradling a now unconscious Frisk. Toriel rushed forward, a green glow coming from her hands as she placed them on Frisk’s chest. The lizard turned to Alphys, who was trying to fight back her tears. “DO SOMETHING!”

Alphys rushed forward, looking over the human as the rest gathered around, worried about their young friend.

End of Chapter 12

Chapter Text

Frisk was lying on their bed with Toriel’s hands on their chest as she channeled her magic. A cable ran from them to Alphys’ case where she was desperately trying to get the heart to restart.

Undyne, Papyrus, and Sans were all nearby, worried for their friend. Asgore, Gerson, Haward, and the three wizards were also present. Asgore held a bag of dirt with Flowey’s body planted in it. For the past couple hours, Undyne and the others informed the four humans about their purpose and their plans. They had taken it well enough, but right now, their concern was Frisk, who was just barely breathing and, according to Alphys, hanging on by a thread.

Alphys tried another shock to the heart to trigger the failsafe, but again it failed. “Come on, you damn piece of junk!” She slammed her fist on the case in frustration.

Toriel was trying to heal Frisk but she could see now why it wasn’t a matter of healing the damage done to their heart. While she was channeling her magic into them, she felt a cavity in their chest where their heart should be.

“Can no healing spell fix the heart?” the yellow wizard asked.

“Those spells only work on living things,” Alphys explained. “Frisk’s heart is not living.”

MK was at Frisk’s side holding onto their limp hand. “They can’t stay like this,” he wept, tears running down his cheeks. “They nearly died once before and even our magic couldn’t keep them alive.”

The blue wizard faced the flower in Asgore’s grasp. “Speaking of death, we all heard what Frisk said.”

“Death Touch,” the yellow wizard said. “It’s forbidden. The knowledge to use it is supposed to be lost.”

“Seems my father found it again,” Haward said.

Asgore looked down at the flower. “But if he died, shouldn’t he have turned to dust?”

“Flowey isn’t a Monster,” Undyne explained.

“Then what is he?” the teal wizard asked.

Undyne, Papyrus, Sans, Alphys and MK shared a glance.

“HE’S A FLOWER THAT WAS BROUGHT TO LIFE THROUGH… UNNATURAL MEANS,” Papyrus explained.

“What do you mean?” Haward asked.

“alph here was able to figure out what allows humans souls to persist after death and extracted it from a few of them,” Sans explained. “she then in… gave it to a flower, which gave it sentience.”

“Why?” the blue wizard asked.

“Doesn’t matter,” Alphys deflected. “But the point is, I gave Flowey life and he was an ordinary flower beforehand. That’s why he doesn’t turn to dust.”

Asgore looked at the flower in his hands. “Hmm… perhaps I might be able to do something for him, then.”

“What do you mean?” Toriel asked.

“Well, I am a rather good gardener. Perhaps I might be able to fix him,” Asgore explained.

“Good luck with that,” Undyne said.

“HOW IS FRISK?” Papyrus asked.

“I still can’t get their heart to restart,” Alphys fretted. “If it doesn’t restart, their organs might give out.”

“Perhaps there is something we could do?” Haward suggested.

“like what? this is a bit out of your league,” Sans pointed out.

“But we might have a spell that could do something,” he protested.

Alphys sighed. “At this point, I’ll try anything. I don’t know how much longer they can last.”

Haward and the three adult humans walked up to Frisk. They crossed their staffs, Haward adding his spear to the mix. Together, they concentrated, channeling their magic through their weapons, then sending it to Frisk’s body. They were enveloped in a multi-colored glow that slowly faded away. Once done, Frisk took a deeper breath, and Alphys’ case registered the heart beating at a normal rate.

“Their heart is beating correctly again,” Alphys determined.

The humans stepped back using their staffs for support. “Is Frisk’s heart okay now?” Haward asked.

Alphys ran a diagnostic, the results coming back. “No,” she said sadly.

“What is wrong?” Toriel asked, her hands by her sides again.

“The damage is worse than I originally thought and that fight clearly didn’t help,” she explained.

“How long do they have?” MK asked.

Alphys shook her head, tears in her eyes.

“Maybe give us a best to worst case scenario?” Asgore suggested. “Starting with best case.”

“Optimistically, they have a month at most,” Alphys explained, taking her goggles off to rub her eyes.

“And worst case?” the blue wizard asked.

“They might not wake up,” Alphys wept. “Their heart is so bad… at some point it will just stop beating.”

Undyne came over to hug Alphys, who sobbed into her shoulder. The lights in Sans’ eyes were gone. Papyrus hugged him. MK was still holding Frisk’s hand with his own, crying for his friend’s state. Toriel came over and laid a hand on MK’s back but that just made his crying worse.

Asgore looked down at the floor in sadness. What were they going to do now?

*   *   *

A while later, the humans were in their room discussing this latest development.

“So Frisk and those other Monsters are from a thousand years in the future where some great catastrophe wipes out the human race and nearly does the same to Monsters,” the yellow wizard repeated.

“And they came to our time hoping to change the outcome of this war because for some reason, doing so prevents the horrible future,” the teal wizard said.

“That’s a lot to take in,” Haward said. “No wonder they’re so desperate. The fates of everyone depends on this war not ending with the Monsters underground.”

“Which explains why there are so many ships docking here. They’re planning to flee,” the blue wizard said.

“At least that’s one worry off our minds,” the yellow wizard said. “We don’t have to kill our own kind.”

“We still need to stop my father,” Haward determined.

“Haward, there’s no need,” the blue wizard said. “We’ll be far away from him soon…”

“That won’t matter,” Haward interrupted. “You saw the look on my father’s face. He won’t stop. Not until all the Monsters are dead, alongside all who help them. He’ll follow us and he’s determined enough to go wherever we go.”

“What do you suggest we do then?” the blue wizard asked.

“I don’t know,” Haward admitted. “But we need to end his threat before he becomes a real problem.”

“Something doesn’t make much sense to me,” the teal wizard admitted. “If Volos is truly that desperate, why then, in the original timeline, did the Monsters survive? Wouldn’t he have had them all killed?”

“Perhaps he was overruled by the king,” the yellow wizard suggested. “It wouldn’t surprise me if the king had decided enough was enough and forced the Monsters to surrender.”

There was a knock at the door. The yellow wizard answered it to find a mouse there dressed in clothing. “Can I help you?”

“I just had the strangest delivery,” the mouse said, holding up a hand. In it was a scroll. “A raven just landed on my window and this was tied to its leg.”

The wizard took the scroll, looking at the outside of it. It was addressed to Haward. He handed it to the younger man, who unrolled it.

“It’s from Dobromil,” he said.

“What’s it say?” the teal wizard asked.

“It says… that my father is launching an attack on the Delta Keep.”

*   *   *

MK was still with Frisk. The others had left to attend to their duties. The evacuation plan was still underway, but MK wasn’t needed to prepare the ships so he was going to stay by Frisk’ side. He prayed they woke up. He didn’t think he’d be able to survive losing them too. He had already lost his whole family.

He was running a metallic hand across their cheek when he felt them stir. He perked up when their head moved. “Frisk?” he tentatively asked.

“M…K…?” Frisk gasped.

“Oh, thank god,” he breathed. “Alphys said you might not wake up.”

Frisk groaned, facing him. “Flowey?” they asked. MK looked down. “Is he really…?”

“Asgore said he might be able to do something, but… I wouldn’t count on it,” MK answered.

Frisk started to cry. A hand went to their eyes as they wept. “It should have been me,” they cried.

“Frisk, why did you fight Volos?” MK asked. “Surely you’d know that your heart wouldn’t be able to take it?”

“He was going to kill Haward,” Frisk explained. “He… he could be a big help.”

MK sighed. “Well, at least you lived.”

“Flowey didn’t,” Frisk bemoaned. “It should have been me. It would have been me if he hadn’t done that.” A thought occurred to Frisk. “MK, how long do I have?”

“You… Alphys said you have a month at the most,” MK explained.

“And at the least?”

MK didn’t say it, but Frisk got the idea. “I see. Well, at least I won’t have to suffer long.”

“But it’s too soon,” MK protested. “Far too soon. You’re not supposed to go yet.”

“Hey, we both knew I wasn’t going to live a full life when Alphys pulled my heart out,” Frisk consoled.

“But it’s still too soon!” MK shouted. “I can’t lose you, not now.”

Frisk felt bad for him. “I know it’s not ideal, but you’ll manage. I know you will.”

“It’s not just that,” he admitted. “There’s so much I haven’t gotten to say.”

“Like what?”

MK couldn’t get the words out. He wanted to, very much, but for some reason it wouldn’t come to him. Before he could try to say anything, Papyrus burst in.

“MK, EMERGENCY MEETING,” the tall skeleton said. “OH, FRISK, YOU WOKE UP. I’LL TELL THE OTHERS.”

“What is it, Papyrus?” MK snapped at him.

“HAWARD JUST GOT A MESSAGE. VOLOS IS GOING TO ATTACK THE CASTLE!”

*   *   *

MK and Papyrus ran to the war room. Asgore, Gerson, Undyne, Alphys, Sans, Haward, and the three wizards were already there.

“Volos is going to attack?” MK asked. “How do we know that?”

Haward held up the scroll. “I got this from Dobromil. He said that my father is taking the forces at his disposal and launching a full-scale attack on the Delta Keep.”

“He can’t have sanctioned such a thing so fast,” Gerson said. “How could he have gotten the king’s approval in just twelve hours?”

“He didn’t,” Haward revealed. “He’s claiming to be doing this on the king’s orders, but he’s not.”

“So how does Dobromil know that?” Undyne asked.

“The night I was convincing people to join us, he wrote a letter to the king about recent developments then sent it the next day,” Haward explained. “He got a response back shortly after my father returned. The king has decided to call a cessation of hostilities between the human and Monster kingdoms and plans to personally reach out to Asgore to discuss the recent development that is a human siding with Monsters.”

Asgore gasped. “Did the king’s letter really say that?”

“How can we know that was genuine? Where is this letter?” Gerson questioned.

“Unfortunately, it seems my father destroyed the letter after reading it, then immediately decided to plan to attack the Delta Keep,” Haward explained. “Dobromil only knows the contents of the letter because it was sent to him.”

“Volos isn’t doing this for humans anymore,” the yellow wizard said. “It’s clear this attack is of his own volition.”

“He’s insane,” Alphys stated.

“I would not put it so bluntly, but yes,” the blue wizard agreed.

“When is this attack happening?” MK asked.

“Two days,” Haward said. “That’s how long it will take for him to get his army here.”

“We’re not ready,” Undyne said. “Even if we double-timed it, worked through the night it will still take a week to get all the ships ready for departure.”

“Perhaps you should send who you can now. Evacuate as many people as you can,” the teal wizard suggested.

“The ships are not ready for such a journey,” Alphys said. “They won’t be ready to sail that distance for at least three days.”

“Isn’t there anything else you can do?” Haward asked. “Surely your future knowledge would have allowed you to know about this and account for it.”

“It doesn’t work like that,” Undyne rebutted. “The humans seem to have erased this war from their records and our own aren’t nearly as comprehensive. We didn’t even know Volos existed.”

“We don’t have a plan for this,” Alphys said. “We didn’t have time to come up with one, nor did we think it would even happen.”

“Then we stand our ground.”

Everyone turned to see Frisk leaning in the doorway.

“Frisk! You shouldn’t be standing,” MK said, running to their side. “You need to rest.”

“I’ll rest when I’m dead,” Frisk returned, pushing MK away.

“What do you mean ‘stand our ground’?” Gerson asked. “There’s no way we can stand up to an army of humans out for blood.”

“Under ordinary circumstances, maybe,” Frisk agreed. “But you guys have something the Monsters in our timeline didn’t; them.” They pointed to the wizards standing with them. “With humans fighting for you, it’s bound to level the playing field.”

“Even so, we don’t have the means to sustain against a siege,” Gerson said. “Not to mention the giant hole in the wall that Volos’ cohorts blasted when they retreated.”

“We don’t need to stand against the entire army,” Frisk said. “Most of those people were conscripted into this. Young or old men forced to fight in a war they didn’t want any part in. If they see the battle turning against them, they’re likely to retreat or surrender. If we go after the commissioned ones, the army will collapse.”

“Even then, do you think that will work?” the yellow wizard asked. “They aren’t likely to back down just because of deserters.”

“There’s one linchpin that really holds it all together,” Frisk explained. “Volos. He’s the reason for this war, preying on your fears and superstitions to encourage you to fight. Without him to stoke fires and the like, the army’s dedication will fall apart. If we remove him, do you think you can convince the other humans to stand down?”

That question was directed at the humans in the room. They looked between each other before nodding. “We might be able to do something.”

“Then if we end Volos, we end this war,” Frisk decided. “After that, talking to the human king should be a simple matter.”

“And by end, you mean… kill?” Haward asked.

“What other option is there?”

“Capture? Imprisonment?” the young wizard suggested.

“And have him continue to spread fear and mistrust? We’re trying to end that,” Frisk stated. “If we kill him, that ends his threat permanently.”

“There might be other humans that will take up his cause,” Asgore said.

“We’ll find a way around that,” Frisk assured. “But if we don’t kill him in this battle, we’ll all die.”

“I don’t like it either but it might be the best way,” the teal wizard agreed. “Volos is committing treason going against the king’s orders. That’s punishable by death.”

Asgore solemnly nodded his head. “But Volos is a formidable foe. How do we go about killing him?”

“If we bait him, give him something he can’t refuse, he’ll be where we need him,” Frisk said. “He might have backup, but we can take it out no problem.”

“What would Volos be willing to go after?” the yellow wizard asked.

“Me,” Asgore realized. “He wants to kill Monsters and it was clear during that farce of an execution that he would have enjoyed killing me.”

“I’m not so sure about this,” Gerson said. “That’s like asking him to kill you and you almost died once, my king.”

“I can be there to protect him,” Frisk said.

“Frisk, you can barely stand,” Alphys pointed out.

“I’ll be fine by the time of the battle,” Frisk assured.

“Fighting will make your condition worse!” MK exclaimed.

“Can’t get worse than this,” Frisk stated. “I could die at any moment.”

“But…”

“I’d rather go out like this than passing on in my sleep,” Frisk said. “I don’t have long so I want to make what’s left of my life count for something.”

Everyone could hear the silent plea in Frisk’s voice. They wanted to do this and denying them that could break them.

“Okay, but I’m going to be with you,” MK said. “I’m your partner so I’m going to be by your side for the whole thing.”

Frisk nodded in understanding.

“As nice as this is, that only solves the location of where Volos will be,” Gerson pointed out. “How are we going to kill him.”

“He’s powerful, but still a man,” Frisk said. “One strike to the right place and he’s done.”

“But he’s too powerful,” Gerson reminded. “How do we get past his defenses?”

“I was able to match him in battle,” Frisk said. “With MK as backup, I should be able to beat him.”

“And his sword?” the yellow wizard asked. “He can use Death Touch with it. One strike, you die.”

“But without it, he’s powerless,” Frisk said. “If we destroy the sword he’ll be vulnerable.”

“Easier said than done,” Undyne said.

“not to mention the chaos that’s going to come with the battle,” Sans added. “it’s going to be hard to isolate him or draw him out, even with bait.”

“WELL, WHAT IF WE KEPT THE FIGHTING CONTAINED TO ONE AREA?” Papyrus suggested. “LIKE, SAY, THE COURTYARD? IF WE KEPT MOST OF THE ARMY THERE, AND HAD ASGORE ELSEWHERE, HE’D HAVE TO LEAVE THE BATTLE TO GET HIS TARGET.”

“That could work,” Gerson said. “And it would have the benefit of separating him from the majority of his forces.”

“Sounds like we got the start of a good plan, here,” Undyne said.

“Yeah. We stand, we fight,” Alphys agreed.

“We kill Volos, we end the war,” Frisk added.

“Then let’s get started,” Haward said.

End of Chapter 13

Chapter Text

They spent the rest of the day planning for the upcoming battle. They worked out where to place fighters, who was teaming up with whom, and arming everyone who could fight. Undyne was advising many of the guards on battle tactics, trying to make them understand that they didn’t necessarily have to kill a human, just scare it away, and those they couldn’t scare, they were to fight at a distance.

Archers were assigned to the turrets and wall walks, guards were placed in various positions within the courtyard to ensure no one escaped. Monsters were advised to stand back while the humans on their side dealt with their kind. They agreed Volos had to be stopped and were relieved that they didn’t have to kill their brothers. It was decided that the best course of action was to contain them to keep them from coming to Volos’ aid.

As for Asgore, he was going to be in the throne room, waiting for Volos. Frisk and MK were going to be hidden in the room, ready to spring the trap when the time came.

When it was realized that some humans could break out of the courtyard and go elsewhere, it was decided that all civilians in the castle and the nearby village were to board the ships already docked and when the attack came, they were to flee. They would return to port later, after the battle was over.

As the next day began and all the preparations were started, a scout reported back that the human army would arrive by nightfall. By then, they would be ready.

*   *   *

Frisk was in the training arena, one hand on the ground. They reached into their Soul and tried to pulse it out into the ground. They could feel the dirt and rock beneath their hand. They realized they were going to need every advantage to beat Volos and learning how to turn the ground to lava would be a huge boon.

They could remember their lessons from the future. They knew how magic worked and had a grasp of it that ho human before ever had. If it weren’t for their failing body, they might have figured this out quicker. Frisk hadn’t told many people that they were in constant pain thanks to the artificial heart. It was a cold, unnatural thing in their chest that tended to fail. As such, it was a constant ache they had learned to live with. It wasn’t too bad, but it meant that in the heat of battle, Frisk had to partially concentrate to keep their heart stable lest it spontaneously fail and leave them vulnerable.

They kept their hand on the ground, trying to send their will into it; trying to heat up the dirt so it would turn to lava. They could feel the ground heat up and saw a small glow coming from the ground. They pushed harder, trying to heat the ground up more and it was almost becoming hot to the touch…

“Frisk!”

They jumped when their name was shouted, concentration broken and the ground returned to normal.

“Yes, MK?” they asked.

“I just… want to make sure you’re okay doing this,” MK said. “You know you could die in this battle.”

“That’s a given in any fight,” Frisk snarked.

“Yes, but… it’s not death by injury, I mean,” he clarified. “At any point in the fight, your heart could just cease working and then…”

“It’s a risk we have to take,” Frisk said. “And besides, this is better than a slow death over several days as my heart gradually gives out, never knowing if I may wake up.”

“I know. I just… want more time,” MK admitted.

Frisk looked down. “I’ve had more than I deserve. I think it’s time, anyway.”

MK tried to retort, but nothing would come to him.

“Just… try and survive as long as you can,” MK said. “I’m not ready to say goodbye.”

“We never are,” Frisk said sadly.

*   *   *

Alphys was helping Gerson move the non-combatants to the ships. While they had the time, they were going to evacuate everyone to reduce casualties.

“I still have some doubts about this plan, Alphys,” Gerson said.

“Hey, it’s the best we could come up with on such short notice,” she protested, ladling soup to people as they went by. “We don’t know who all lives and who dies so it’s best to try and make sure everyone survives.”

“Yeah, but we aren’t that strong when it comes to fighting humans,” Gerson said.

“Which is why we’re getting these people out of here, first,” Alphys said. “This way, at least some Monsters survive.  It’s better than all of them dying. And while their chances of surviving on their own will be low, it’s a fighting chance.”

Gerson nodded. “But if we fail, and they take the castle, they can’t ever come back.”

“Which is why I’m going with them,” Alphys revealed. “I’m not very useful in a fight and I know where the landmass is. If all else fails, I’ll lead them there.”

“You people think of everything,” Gerson said.

“We’re fighting for everyone’s survival. We can’t leave anything to chance,” Alphys said.

*   *   *

Frisk was sitting in their room, looking out the window. They knew this might be their last day so they were going to enjoy the sights as much as they could. Lines of Monsters were streaming from the village near the castle to the ports by the coast, where they were boarding the ships already there. They hoped their plan worked, though a part of them feared it might not. Volos was not easy to fight and they didn’t have Flowey helping them now.

Then a thought occurred to them. They were dying. And they and their friends had considered one last contingency plan, but the Monsters had rejected it, saying it was too extreme a measure. But, Frisk thought, they might have to consider it now.

There was a knock at the door, and they turned to see Asgore walk in, one hand behind his back.

“Howdy, Frisk,” he greeted.

“Hey,” Frisk said meekly.

Asgore frowned. “You don’t look so good.”

“Well, I am dying, so that’s no surprise,” Frisk responded.

“Are you certain there’s nothing to be done?” Asgore asked.

“If there was we would have done it already.”

Asgore nodded. “Oh, I have something for you.” He extended the arm that was behind his back to them and in it was a pot, a golden flower in the pot.

“Flowey?” Frisk asked in surprise.

“I did what I could,” Asgore explained, holding it out for them to take. “I managed to save it before it started losing any petals. But… there doesn’t seem to be any mind.”

Frisk took it, looking at the flower. There was a hole in the head where Volos had stabbed it, but there wasn’t any face that Frisk could see. They lightly stroked the petals, but the flower didn’t respond in any way. In desperation, they tried using healing magic on it.

“Frisk, I already tried that,” Asgore said. “And using magic in your condition could…”

“I have to try,” Frisk insisted, a green glow coming from their hand, spreading to the flower. They tried for several moments, trying to bring the consciousness within the flower back.

But nothing happened.

Tears came from Frisk’s eyes. “I can’t feel you.” They stopped using magic and hugged the flower close to their chest. They tried to fight the tears but some rolled down their cheeks. Asgore came over and sat next to them, the bed sagging under his weight.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “Were you two… close?”

Frisk shrugged. “We were all we had left of each other. I saved him from making a really bad choice and he helped me out of a really dark place.”

Asgore fiddled with his hands as he considered his next words. “Might I ask you something? And you don’t have to answer if it’s uncomfortable. Did you… love him?”

The question caught Frisk off guard. They looked up at Asgore in surprise. “What makes you think that?”

“Well, the way you’re acting, the close proximity the two of you tend to have, it wasn’t hard to guess,” Asgore explained.

Frisk pondered on that, as they weren’t sure exactly what the answer was. To be honest, they never really considered it and no one questioned it. There was just an unspoken level of affection they had that no one really thought on.

“I… I don’t know,” Frisk admitted. “Maybe. I never thought of it as love and I didn’t think him capable of it, either. We just… understood each other and we usually comforted one another when we needed it. It might have been, but neither one of us felt comfortable trying to pursue such feelings.”

Asgore pat Frisk on the head. “I suppose you’re a might too young to really consider such things. But I was just curious why you would choose to love a Monster.”

“Why?” Frisk asked.

“Well, I would think you’d try and find a human as a partner. After all, you gotta consider your kind’s future, and having a Monster for a mate – “

“Hold up,” Frisk interrupted. “I’m a little young to be thinking on those lines.”

“You’re thirteen. You’re almost of age, aren’t you?”

“In our time, it’s considered better to wait until you’re eighteen,” Frisk explained. “And we actually are compatible.”

“But still, you’d have to keep in mind that once you are of age you’d have too – wait, what?” Asgore stopped when the last thing Frisk said registered in his mind.

“Humans and Monsters are compatible,” Frisk said. “Meaning we can have children.”

“But… how? We’re different species,” Asgore said.

“Well, Alphys has been doing research into that,” Frisk admitted. “At least, she was. Before the war broke out, a human and Monster got married, in defiance of social stigma and the like. A few months later, she revealed she was pregnant, with her husband’s baby. To say the internet blew up with that was an understatement.”

“Internet?” Asgore asked, befuddled.

“Alphys examined her every week to make sure the baby was developing right,” Frisk continued. “And from what we can tell, she would have come to term.”

“What happened?”

Frisk sighed sadly. “The war. A whole lot of people were killed, that couple amongst them, along with their unborn baby. We tried to rescue them, but they were long gone by the time we found them.”

Asgore sighed in sympathy. “So… were you considering having a family with him?” Asgore asked.

Frisk shrugged. “It was a bit too early for that. I just wanted him with me. Besides, I don’t think it could have worked. He’s a flower, and as far as I know, that still doesn’t work.”

Asgore pat Frisk on the shoulder. He noticed how they leaned into his touch slightly, as if they were used to being comforted by him. “Um, might I ask one last question?” Asgore asked.

“Yeah.”

“What was our personal relationship?” he asked. “I know I am still the king in your time and you’re the ambassador, but what was our relationship outside of our duties?”

Frisk looked down.

“I gather that we were close,” Asgore continued. “Were we… friends?”

Frisk looked up at him. They weren’t sure they could get the words out.

But their expression told Asgore what he wanted to know. “Oh. More than that,” he realized. “So you lived with me? I know you said the Monsters were the only family you had and I can’t imagine me not offering you a home.”

Frisk shrugged. “It’s complicated. I think it was more the other way around. And it was my idea you live with us.”

“Us?”

“Me and… my mom,” Frisk answered. “I lived with her since she adopted me. You moved in on my insistence, though she didn’t like it.”

Asgore pondered on that. “You’re mother… I take it she wasn’t my wife in that case.”

Frisk fiddled with their hands, which Asgore realized was identical to how he did it. They must have picked it up from him.

“Or she… used to be,” Asgore guessed. “But something happened between me and her that drove us apart.”

Frisk nodded. “You were like a father to me, despite her attitude toward you. You gave me a lot of advice, plenty of things, even a journal. You doted on me, which I guess was to make up for how we met.”

“I gather our first meeting was not pleasant,” Asgore surmised. “I hope I did not harm you in any way.”

“Nothing that didn’t heal with time,” Frisk deflected. “And besides, I couldn’t stay mad at you. I just wish mom was more welcoming.”

Something in Asgore’s mind clicked just then. “It was Toriel, wasn’t it?” he guessed. From the way Frisk froze, he knew he was right. “She became mad at me for something which drove us apart.” Asgore pat Frisk on the back. “Whatever it is, I promise I won’t let it happen again.”

“I hope so,” Frisk said. “Of course, if all goes right, you won’t ever have to confront that.”

Asgore smiled. “Thanks for talking to me.”

*   *   *

Haward was preparing with the rest of the wizards, going over the various battle plans. “Now remember, we don’t have to kill anyone, just keep them contained long enough for the Monsters to finish off Volos.”

“Are you sure this is wise?” one of them asked. “Your father said a Monster with a human Soul is incredibly powerful, and if we do this, who’s to say they won’t take his if they kill him.”

“I don’t think the Monsters would bother with a Soul as tainted as Volos’” the teal wizard said. “He’s just too… evil and they’re a peaceful people.”

“And it won’t be just the Monsters. Frisk will be there, too,” Haward said. “I’m certain they’ll keep the Monsters on the right path.”

“This is a dangerous plan,” another wizard said. “I’m not sure if I trust the Monsters to not take advantage of this opportunity.”

“If they wanted one of our Souls they could have taken Frisk’s at any time,” the yellow wizard reminded. “But they haven’t. That tells me that taking a human Soul is the furthest thing from any Monster’s mind.”

“And what about killing Volos? He’s the most powerful wizard there is,” someone asked.

“Frisk is exceptionally powerful on their own,” Haward answered. “And they won’t be fighting alone. They’ll have others with them.”

“But how can we be sure Frisk is up to the task? Can they really do it?” someone asked.

Haward thought on that. He hadn’t told anyone that Frisk was dying and probably wouldn’t live to see the end of this battle. They might need some extra help.

*   *   *

Frisk found Undyne talking to some of the guards with Papyrus by her side. “Undyne, can we talk?” they asked.

“Sure, one moment,” she agreed, sending away the guards. “What’s on your mind?”

“Well, I had a thought,” Frisk said. “Volos is going to be really tough to beat even if we destroy his sword. He could find something else to use his magic.”

“Yeah, that’s why we’re trying to separate him from the other humans, so he can’t use anything to channel his magic,” Undyne said.

“Right, well, I had an idea. It’s more likely to end him than anything else we got,” Frisk began.

“And the idea is…”

“Well, we did dismiss one plan earlier because it wasn’t considered practical. But… maybe now, it’s more feasible.”

“And that plan was?” Undyne asked, a bad feeling in her gut.

“Well, I’m dying, and I don’t think I’ll see the end of this battle, so what if one of you –”

“No,” Undyne interrupted.

“But it could work, if one of you –”

“No, Frisk,” Undyne denied. “We’re not doing that. It’s a bad plan.”

“But it has a better chance of working than anything else,” Frisk insisted.

“It’s the nuclear option,” Undyne said. “And we’re not there yet.”

“But shouldn’t we at least consider –”

“No. That’s an order, from one of the few people who you actually listen to,” she commanded. “We’re not doing that, period.”

Frisk wanted to protest, but Undyne clearly put her foot down. They looked to Papyrus, but he glanced to Undyne, silently conveying he backed her decision. Shut down, Frisk left.

*   *   *

Alphys was looking over a few papers in their room when the door slammed. She turned to see Undyne stomp in.

“Bad day?” Alphys asked.

“Not quite,” Undyne admitted. “It’s more Frisk. They just asked for us to consider the last resort.”

Alphys pondered what she meant before it hit her. She gasped. “Why would they think that’s an option?”

“Because they’re knocking on death’s door,” Undyne stated. “So they think that makes it okay to consider that option.”

“Well, in theory, it works, but morally, it’s horrible,” Alphys said.

“That’s why I told them to stop thinking about it,” Undyne said.

“You know that’s not likely to work,” Alphys pointed out. “Once Frisk gets an idea in their head, nothing stops them.”

“Yeah, well, hopefully this convinces them out of it,” Undyne said. “I know they’re going to die, but I’d prefer to keep them around for as long as possible.”

Alphys nodded. “Me too. We’ve lost so many. I don’t want Frisk to go too soon.”

Undyne agreed. She looked out the window and saw the sun was setting. “You know, this could be the last time we see each other.”

Alphys wanted to say something, but the words she wanted to say got stuck in her throat. “That’s more true than I’d like to think. I’d like to think we’ll get to see the end of all this, but… we could die. And if we end up changing things, we could simply vanish as well.”

Undyne nodded. “I should have married you when I had the chance.”

Alphys silently agreed. “There’s a lot I wish we could have done. Get married, move in together. Maybe… even… have a family.”

A smirk appeared on Undyne’s face. “You know, that human army will be here soon, but I think we’ve got a while.”

Alphys turned to look at her. “W-where are you going with this?”

“Well, I can think of something we could do to pass the time.” Undyne bolted the door as she said that.

Alphys had a similar smirk now. “You’re not suggesting that, are you?”

“Come on, everything’s changing. Why not take a moment with each other before it all comes crashing down?”

“Well, we do have a while, and as long as you’re not needed for anything,” Alphys agreed.

“Then get comfortable.”

*   *   *

Frisk was sitting below a window, curled up on the ground. The sun had officially set, which meant the humans would be here any minute.

All the preparations were complete, everything was in place. They just wished they had a little more time. But, they supposed, it might be better this way. They didn’t expect to survive the battle. If they weren’t killed by someone in the fighting, the odds were their heart would shut down. And this time, nothing would restart it. They just hoped they could bring Volos down with them.

“Thought I might find you here.”

Frisk looked up to see MK standing next to them.

“Papyrus told all of us about your… idea,” he said.

“It could work,” Frisk said.

“It’s too risky, not to mention immoral,” MK insisted. “I can’t believe you would even think to ask one of us to do that.”

“It’s not like I don’t deserve it and I’m going to be dead come sunrise anyway. Why not make the most of my death?”

“Because you might still have time,” MK protested. “We don’t know for certain you’re going to die in this battle. You could still have weeks left. Don’t you want to spend more time with us?”

Frisk shook their head. “Why bother? There’s nothing left for me. Flowey’s gone. Mom and dad are gone. The entire human race is gone and soon, we’ll have changed history so much we might just vanish.”

“That’s not true. You have us. You have me.”

“You don’t need me,” Frisk said sadly. “I know it’ll hurt, but you’ll all find other ways to keep going. Me? I don’t see any reason.”

MK clenched his metallic fist. “Frisk, please. Don’t do this to us,” he pleaded. “And don’t do it to me. I’ve lost just as much as you. I… I can’t survive losing you, too.”

“You will,” Frisk insisted, standing up. “You’re strong, MK. Stronger than you know. You’ll manage just fine without me.”

MK shook his head. “No, I won’t. I can’t lose you and I don’t want you to think you have nothing to live for, either.”

“Why do you care so much?” Frisk asked. “Why do you insist on being there for me?”

MK struggled with his speech for a moment. Truth be told, he cared about Frisk a great deal, but never said anything because it was clear they didn’t return the feelings, especially since they only seemed to have eyes for one person. MK wasn’t planning to tell Frisk that, not when they were mourning. It was a cruel trick and took advantage of their fragile state. But he didn’t want to lose Frisk, either, so he wrestled with that desire for a moment.

Before he could make a decision, Haward came running up.

“Hey, Frisk, can I talk to you?”

“Sure,” Frisk said, missing MK’s look of frustration.

“Do you think you’ll be able to handle my father?” Haward asked.

“MK will be there beside me,” Frisk said. “He’s more than strong enough.”

“Yes, but… what happens if your heart just… stops?” Haward pressed. “What do we do then?”

“Where are you going with this?” Frisk asked.

“I was wondering… what if I helped you?” he suggested. “I could be a bit of extra backup for the fight.”

“Haward, he could kill you,” Frisk reminded. “Hell, he almost did. If you go into this fight you could die.”

“I know. But… shouldn’t we have a backup, just in case.”

“Not with you,” Frisk said.

“He is very powerful,” MK spoke up. “Who knows? He might be able to help us.”

“The risk is too great,” Frisk said. “We can’t have him face his father.”

“What risk?” Haward asked.

Frisk sighed. “You know I am from the future, right?” Frisk asked. “So, logic states I would have an ancestor.”

“Yeah.”

“Well, Flowey and I discussed it, and we realized you could be my ancestor,” Frisk revealed, shocking both Haward and MK.

“What makes you think that, dude?” MK asked.

“Well, we know Soul traits can be inherited,” Frisk said. “His is red, same as mine. And come on, can’t you see the similarity?”

MK looked between the two humans for a moment. He noticed the yellow-ish skin, the brown hair, the similar builds, similar faces. He even knew Frisk’s eyes were brown, which Haward also had.

“Huh. Now that you mention it, you both do look very similar,” MK noted. “I guess that’s where I’ve seen you before. You’re an older version of Frisk.”

“Wait… how can you be so sure?” Haward asked. “Do you know who your family is?”

“No,” Frisk admitted. “I was abandoned as a baby. I never knew my birth parents. And we are a thousand years apart. For all we know, you could be my ancestor.”

Haward was astonished by that. “That would also make my father your ancestor, too.”

“An evil one,” MK said unironically.

“That’s why you’re protecting me,” Haward realized. “I don’t have any children yet, so you’re trying to ensure your family comes to pass. You’re protecting your own existence.”

Frisk nodded. “Mine, and one other’s,” they admitted.

Haward looked at them. “Who?”

A horn sounded, alerting them. They looked out the window and saw several torches in the distance. They could also hear the noise of hundreds of feet marching in unison. They knew what that meant.

The army was here.

The final battle was about to begin.

End of Chapter 14

Chapter Text

Gerson was sending everyone to their posts and archers were lining the walls. The human army was closing in so they had little time. The orange light from their torches let the Monsters know how close they were getting. As Gerson shouted orders to the guards, he saw Undyne and Alphys arrive, the latter running off with the rest of the civilians.

The humans on their side were going into the halls, hiding behind various pillars near the courtyard. They would be ready to spring the trap to contain all but one.

Asgore was standing on the far side of the hole in the wall, where the humans were most likely to enter. Once he was seen by the enemy, he would run to the throne room, where the trap for Volos lay. Frisk and MK were already in position, waiting in the room.

Undyne took up station with the humans, being one of the few Monsters chosen to fight with them, as she could withstand their strikes, alongside Papyrus. Sans, however, was with the archers, as he wouldn’t be able to survive even a single hit.

Haward ran up to Gerson. “Everyone’s in place. We’ll try to keep our spells to non-lethal ones.”

“Good. Our archers are under the same orders,” Gerson said. “Crippling shots, nothing fatal.”

“Can they do that in the heat of battle?” Haward asked.

“We’ll give it a try if nothing else.”

The two looked out towards the advancing wall of orange light. They didn’t plan to take out the entire army, just one person needed to die. Haward still felt bad that they had to kill his father, but he understood the necessity of it.

*   *   *

Volos stood at the head of the army. He could see the Monsters were ready, archers on the walls, ready to fire at a moment’s notice.

“This will be over swiftly,” he said.

Dobromil came up. “I’m just asking, one last time, does it have to be this way? The Monsters could just surrender to us. We have them outnumbered.”

“After what that traitor did to me?” Volos hissed, pointing to his scarred face. “Never. I don’t care what the king wants. He’s weak.”

Dobromil remained silent. He had been hoping the Monsters would have fled rather than stand their ground.

The purple wizard came up. “The army is ready,” he said.

“Good,” Volos purred. “Let’s send these freaks back to where they came from.” He pulled out his sword and pointed it at the castle. With that, the humans charged, letting out war cries.

Gerson saw the advancing battalion. Out of the corner of his eye he saw some of his archers had pulled their arrows back. “Hold,” he said.

“But… sir…”

“They’ll have a protective spell while charging. Let’s not waste shots,” Gerson advised. “Once in the castle walls, we’ll begin.”

The humans charged through the gap in the castle’s defenses and were caught off guard by the lack of immediate resistance. Many stopped when they saw the courtyard was empty and the archers hadn’t fired off a single shot yet.

“Where are they?” one of the soldiers asked.

Just then, a few wizards stepped out from hidden pathways, went over to the hole in the wall, and erected a barrier to seal the breach. The humans saw it go up and Volos realized it had been a ploy. “It’s a trap!”

The rest of the wizards came into the courtyard, engaging their counterparts. As they did, the archers up above began firing into the humans ranks, the arrows enchanted so they didn’t go too deep as well as aiming at arms or legs.

The invading army was so caught off guard by the attack that they didn’t respond to the fight right away. Eventually though, Volos managed to rally the troops to fight the opposition. The wizards on his side did their best to counter the archers up above as well as contending with those on the Monster’s side. They were reluctant to kill their brothers, which prevented any fatalities.

Undyne charged through the combatants, her spear turning green as she swung it, locking many humans in place which allowed the archers to disable them. Some of the soldiers tried to strike her but she used her arms to deflect their strikes; her metallic limbs easily turned aside the blades. She held back from actually killing anyone, though she did manage to leave a few marks that wouldn’t disappear quickly.

Volos was dual wielding two swords; one his black blade, the other an ordinary weapon. Unlike his fellows, he didn’t hold back in the battle. He slashed with lethal intent and deflected many spells sent his way. Amidst the battle, he caught sight of a large, white shape in one of the tunnels. He knew what that was. He kicked off the wizards holding him back and ran after Asgore, who turned and ran as soon as Volos saw him.

Undyne caught sight of the red-and-black robes breaking off from the fight and knew it was Volos. She ran in his direction, just to make sure no one tried to follow him. A few soldiers and wizards tried to go with him, but a wall of spears discouraged them. “You’re not going anywhere,” she menaced, brandishing two spears, one in each hand.

*   *   *

Volos pursued Asgore through the halls of the castle, disappointed that no one was following him. No matter. He would enjoy executing the king of Monsters. If he killed him, the fighting outside would fall apart as the Monsters lost spirit.

Eventually, the large king ran through a set of double doors. Volos followed a few moments later. He kicked the doors open to see Asgore standing in the middle of the room. Volos glanced around and realized this was the throne room. It also didn’t escape his notice that there were no other doors here. “Looks like you’ve trapped yourself,” he taunted. “A pity. I was hoping for a challenge.”

“I am only going to ask this of you once,” Asgore said, unafraid. “Stand down. There is no need for this. Whatever you hope to gain out of this fight, it’s not worth it.”

“That’s what you think,” Volos retorted. “I actually have everything to gain.”

“Why are you doing this?” Asgore asked. “Have we done something to offend you? Have we wronged you in some way? Tell me, and I will try to make it right.”

Volos cackled. “Oh please. I’m not doing this out of vengeance or justice, old man. I’m doing this because I enjoy it. I kill your kind because it’s easy and I take great pleasure in seeing you suffer.”

Asgore bowed his head. “I see. It’s a shame. I had hoped I could convince you not to do this.”

“Is that why you led me here? To appeal to my humanity?”

“No. I just hoped I could prevent something regrettable.”

“What? Like killing me? What could you do to me?”

“Not me. Them.”

Volos turned around just in time to block a red trident and blue spear from slicing through him.

“Remember me?” Frisk taunted, swinging their trident back before lunging again while MK mirrored their movements. Volos deflected them both, but then turned around to see Asgore swinging his own trident at him. He turned and saw Frisk and MK standing at the ready.

“Three on one? That hardly seems fair,” Volos stated.

“We’re not interested in fairness, dude,” MK said.

“Just making sure you’re ended,” Frisk added.

“Well then, brave children, come and prove it!”

The three aggressors charged Volos with their weapons, who managed to deflect the tridents and dodge the spear. Though the fight was three on one, Volos had two weapons, and the three fighters had to be careful of the black blade, as it could kill them with a scratch.

Volos fired a blast of lightening from his regular sword at Asgore, but it looped around to Frisk’s weapon, which absorbed it. They charged alongside MK. Volos kicked the yellow lizard back and parried Frisk’s strike with his plain sword, but the lightening crackling on the red weapon traveled up the blade and into Volos, briefly shocking him.

Asgore conjured a barrage of fireballs and sent them at Volos, who deflected a majority of them. The rest went past him. But then he was struck from behind by Frisk’s own barrage. He swung his black blade at them, only for a wall of bones to take the blow instead, curtesy of MK. Volos sent a wave of fire at the lizard, surprised he was still up, but the reptile avoided the fire with ease, chucking a spear at Volos in the process.

Frisk charged, swinging their trident and Volos parrying with his swords. Asgore joined the fight forcing Volos to parry both their weapons. As they fought, Asgore noticed that Frisk’s trident was essentially a smaller version of his own.

Volos tried to stab Asgore with his black blade but Asgore jumped back to avoid it. Frisk took advantage of the opening to try and get him in the gut. Volos just barely parried it with the regular blade, but a chunk of it was taken out in the process. MK joined in, swinging his spear at Volos, who tried to parry him, but MK was duel wielding his spears, making it a challenge to block blows from three weapons with only two swords.

Strike after strike, his regular sword lost its edge, until a powerful swing from Frisk sliced it in two, the top half clanging on the ground. Volos broke from the fight to inspect the damage and almost all of the weapon was gone. He was now down to his black blade. Frisk, MK, and Asgore were all primed to continue the fight, a fight Volos knew he wouldn’t win like this. He turned and ran for the windows, firing a fireball at it to destroy it before leaping out the window.

Frisk, MK and Asgore followed to see Volos land on the roof of an adjacent building near the wall.

“He’ll try and regroup with the humans,” Frisk realized.

“Well, we can’t let that happen,” MK said. He leapt out the window, landing on the same roof, running after Volos.

“He’ll get himself killed,” Asgore fretted.

“What else is new?” Frisk snarked before leaping out the same window, following their friend.

Asgore stared at the sight. The distance was by no means small and required a bit of magic to be survivable. He briefly considered following the same way, but the roof wouldn’t take his weight. Instead, he chose to find a window that was closer and pursue that way.

*   *   *

Dobromil saw Volos run off and was able to guess where he was going. He tried to follow, but the Monsters weren’t making that easy. It was clear they had time to plan all this. Time that he had given them. He also noticed that none of the arrows that were being fired were killing anyone. Legs were impaled and arms were disabled, but nothing fatal.

He ducked before the flat end of a spear could whack him in the face. He turned to face the fish lady that was facing him.

“I know you,” she said. “You were there to greet us at the meeting.”

Dobromil took in the sight of her. She was clearly ready for battle, decked out in armor, stance sturdy with a spear in hand, her hair pulled back to keep it out of her eyes, one of which was different than the other. He recognized her from that meeting.

He pointed his staff at her to keep her at a distance. “What do you want?” he asked.

“What do I want? What do you want? What are you after?” she retorted. “Why are you following that crazy man.”

“He is our leader,” Dobromil said. “He has the backing of the king.” He knew it wasn’t true. He had been the recipient of the letter he showed to Volos.

“News flash, he doesn’t. Not anymore,” the Monster said. “The king ordered you all to stand down so he could talk to us. Volos is doing this because he doesn’t want peace.”

Dobromil knew that, but Volos had ordered him to not say anything. “I still have to follow him.”

“Why?”

“I have my orders and he’s our leader.”

“Bullshit,” the Monster said. “He’s no leader of yours. He’s disobeying orders for his own benefit. And you need to call him out on that.”

“But he’s still our leader. It would be dishonorable to betray him.”

“And which is the greater dishonor?” she pressed. “Disobeying your insubordinate commander or disobeying your king?”

Dobromil lowered his staff, unable to retort.

The fish woman ran off to another part of the battle, knocking out anyone that wasn’t on her side, leaving the green-clad wizard with his thoughts.

*   *   *

Volos ran across the tops of the castles trying to find a safe way down. He needed to get back to his army so he could take those people on with all of them as backup.

A bone shot up in front of him and he turned around to see the lizard standing there.

“Running away?” MK taunted.

“You must have a death wish if you think you can take me on,” Volos taunted.

“You think you’re so powerful but I haven’t seen much from you, dude,” MK said. “Why don’t you prove it?”

Volos charged with his black blade at the ready. MK blocked the swing with a spear. He then conjured another one, attacking Volos with both of his weapons, agilely avoiding his retaliation and attacking from every angle he could.

Volos struggled to get the upper hand, unable to understand how this child was matching him. Eventually, he managed to stab MK in the arm, thinking that was it, but little sparks danced along his weapon when he stabbed the appendage. In addition, MK seemed startled but not in any pain. He smirked when Volos tried to pull the weapon back, but he twisted his arm to lock it in place.

“What’s the matter?” MK asked tauntingly. “Death Touch unable to kill inorganic limbs?”

It was then Volos realized that under the metal gauntlet was more metal, along with other bits he wasn’t able to identify, but it all looked to be made of metal. There wasn’t any flesh in those arms!

MK jabbed with his spear and Volos just barely avoided the strike. He tried to shock MK with a blast of lightening but he placed his arm in the way, which seemed to absorb the shock. MK then conjured a bone and smacked Volos with it. MK yanked his arm back trying to pull Volos’ sword from his grasp but the red-black wizard held fast.

He conjured a fireball and struck MK with it, but the lizard barely looked bothered by it. So, he tried punching MK in the face, but he didn’t seem to feel it very much. MK retaliated with a punch of his own right into Volos’ gut, causing him to topple over in pain. Fed up, he grabbed his sword with both hands and pulled with all his might, freeing his sword after a couple of tugs.

Once the blade was free, MK’s arm went limp for a moment. Volos tried swinging his blade again, only for Frisk to arrive and parry with their trident. Then they sent a blast of lightening at Volos, who managed to deflect it with his sword sending the strikes to shock many down below.

Volos fled a separate direction, unwilling to take his chance against the both of them.

“You okay?” Frisk asked MK.

“Yeah, he just got my arm,” MK assured, grabbing his semi-limp arm. “Seems Death Touch has a weakness.”

“It kinda makes sense. In a way, your arms are your weapons, and the magic doesn’t travel up weapons,” Frisk said. MK swung his arm around, reengaging it.

“We need to stop him from regrouping with the other humans,” MK said, running after the wizard with Frisk following.

Volos tried to leap off the edge of the roof but MK conjured a wall of bones to stop that. Thwarted, Volos instead ran for one of the windows near the roof. But the closest one was shattered by Asgore, who leapt the two feet onto the roof, trident in hand.

Volos came to a halt when he realized he was surrounded. As the three combatants closed in on him, he got an idea. He focused on his blade, fire appearing on the edges. He swung his sword in a pattern, the fire forming a shape. MK, Frisk, and Asgore backed up at the sight as whatever it was grew larger, bathed in flame. Volos then thrust his sword into the air and a massive serpent made of fire appeared.

The serpent attacked Asgore first, who swung his trident to knock it aside. Volos then turned to Frisk and MK, charging with his black blade. Both dodged his swing and Frisk conjured a fireball to strike Volos with, getting him in the back. The older wizard turned on them, swinging his blade at the smaller combatants but they avoided the swings with ease.

Frisk leapt into the air with trident poised to strike him but Volos kicked MK back before swinging his sword at Frisk, who just barely got their trident around in time to stop it. The parrying blow sent Frisk flying.

“Frisk!” MK shouted, running after them. Volos pursued, deciding to let his serpent take care of Asgore while he finished off the child.

Asgore quickly realized that the roof was growing unstable because the fire serpent set it aflame wherever it slithered. Realizing that staying up here was folly as the roof grew weaker with each second he returned to the castle halls. The roof gave out just after he got off and the serpent fell with it. Having lost its quarry, the serpent decided to turn to the battle, perhaps picking up its master’s desire to kill Monsters. Asgore had to stop it.

*   *   *

Frisk managed to soften their landing before they hit the stone floor of the wall walks where the archers were stationed. They briefly moaned in pain. The landing had been anything but gentle.

“kid, that you?”

Frisk looked up to see Sans standing there.

“thought you were fighting volos,” the skeleton continued.

“I was,” Frisk admitted, sitting up. “He sort of whacked me away.”

“i take it the fight against him isn’t going well, then?” Sans asked.

“He’s a lot stronger than we originally thought,” Frisk said. “And he knows more spells, too.”

“well, things aren’t going too well on this front,” Sans informed. “the humans outnumber us three-to-one, though being up here means we’re out of range of their attacks.”

Frisk managed to get to their feet, though they were unsteady and used their trident for support.

“you okay?” Sans asked, concerned.

“Not entirely,” Frisk confessed. “On the plus side, my heart hasn’t acted up, yet.”

“Look out!”

Frisk and Sans turned to see Volos marching along the wall walks, easily slicing through any Monster that got in his way, each one screaming as they turned to dust in an instant. Frisk felt a brief flash of fear at the sight. Each Monster that died could be hundreds, if not thousands, of future Monsters dead. Those could be friends vanishing before they have a chance to even exist.

“I’m not finished with you, kid,” Volos menaced.

Frisk stumbled away, Sans helping support them. “you’ll have to catch them, first,” Sans said before vanishing.

He reappeared on the opposite side of the castle, laying Frisk against a wall. “maybe you should take a break,” Sans suggested. “get your breath back.”

“You’re not seriously telling me to ‘take it easy’ now, are you?” Frisk asked. “This is the wrong time for that.”

“kid, i don’t know how much longer you can…”

“It doesn’t matter how much longer I can go for,” Frisk insisted. “I’m already dead.”

“not yet,” Sans retorted. “you still have some time.”

Frisk groaned. “Sans, I’ve heard that from MK and I’ve heard it from Undyne. I’m sick of hearing it. I know I might have an extra day, but I might not. Now I respect that you care about me and want to keep me around, but DEAR GOD ABOVE, it’s my life and I’ll decide how it ends! Not you! Not anyone! So let me do this. Let me go out on a high note rather than just passing out in my sleep. If I die, I want it to be a death worth remembering.”

Sans sighed, realizing he wasn’t talking Frisk out of this. Reluctantly, he nodded.

Frisk managed to stand up on their legs. “Now get me back there. Every Monster Volos kills could mean hundreds of friends die.”

Sans took their hand before teleporting back to where they were. Though the first thing both noticed was the amount of dust and the fewer archers present.

“There you are.”

Both turned to see Volos standing there.

“You’re not escaping this time,” the wizard threatened.

“Sans, go. I’ll handle this,” Frisk said. The skeleton tried to retort, but Frisk beat him to it. “You need to cover the fight below otherwise it could all go pear shaped.”

Sans nodded in understanding and limped away from Frisk and Volos.

“Taking me on all by yourself?” Volos taunted. “You’re either arrogant or delusional.”

“Maybe I just think I’m better than you.”

“Or perhaps you’ve forgotten how our last encounter ended.” Volos pointed his sword at the stones, which began to heat up before he conjured a wave of lava. He then sent it at Frisk.

Frisk just smirked. “A lot’s changed since then.” They thrust their own trident at the lava, which halted in its tracks, before Frisk sent it back at Volos. The older wizard just barely got out of the way in time, shocked beyond words at the feat.

“That’s impossible,” he breathed. “It took me years to figure out how to heat up rock to that point. How could you have done it in two days?”

Frisk raised their trident in challenge. “Maybe I’m just better than you at magic. After all, I’ve had great teachers.”

“Well then, let’s see what you’ve got.” Volos continued to liquify the stone bricks of the walls, sending them at Frisk, who was able to send it back and retaliate with a few lava balls of their own. The fight was now an even match.

*   *   *

Asgore ran down to the courtyard where the battle between two armies was taking place. That fire serpent Volos conjured was heading there and he had to stop it. He ran out into the area to find the battle was still in full swing. It was human versus human. Soldiers reluctantly fighting wizards, who were casting spells designed to knock out, rather than kill. Amidst the fighting, he saw Undyne and Papyrus, both fighting humans while doing their best to not kill anyone though Undyne looked like she was holding back more than the skeleton.

He ran to the two of them, knocking out a few humans in the process.

“Asgore? What are you doing here?” Undyne asked. “You’re supposed to be fighting Volos.”

“We weren’t able to contain him to the throne room,” Asgore revealed. “But we have a new problem. Volos has conjured a fire elemental.”

“WHAT’S A FIRE ELEMENTAL?”

Just then, one of the nearby buildings exploded and the serpent roared into the sky.

“That’s a fire elemental,” Asgore answered.

“WOWIE!”

“What the heck is that?” Undyne asked. Many fighters stopped to gawk at the sight.

“A creature made purely out of an element, bound to its caster’s will,” Asgore explained. “It is difficult to contend with and I fear it will try to destroy us.”

Sure enough, the massive creature glared at the fighters below and breathed a jet of orange fire at a particularly large cluster, flaming humans on both sides of the conflict.

Laser blasts and magical arrows struck the beast but it barely noticed them. It continued to attack and many wizards conjured a barrier to block the flame as best they could, but the serpent bashed it with its tail, cracking it.

“We’re gonna need help,” Undyne realized.

“FRISK MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING,” Papyrus suggested.

“Then we need to get them,” she decided. “But where are they.”

An orange glow caught their attention and streams of lava were visible up on one of the wall walks.

“PERHAPS THAT WAY,” Papyrus said. “LET’S GO!”

“Wait, Papyrus,” Undyne urged. “They’re fighting Volos. They can’t be pulled away from that.”

“FRISK MIGHT BE THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN DEFEAT THIS THING,” Papyrus insisted. “IF WE DON’T DEFEAT THIS CREATURE, IT WON’T MATTER IF FRISK WINS. THERE WON’T BE ANYONE LEFT.”

Undyne sighed. “You’re right. Let’s go.”

“I’ll come with,” Asgore suggested.

“Fat chance,” Undyne said. “Volos wants to kill you very badly and a single punch from him could do you in. And besides, you got fire as well. Keep the serpent busy while we get Frisk.” She and Papyrus ran off while Asgore turned to face this massive threat to both humans and Monsters. He had to buy them time and he would do whatever it would take.

*   *   *

Frisk fired a blast of lightning from their hands at Volos, who deflected it with his sword. He conjured a barrage of fireballs at Frisk, who tossed them aside with their trident. It was clear by now they were pretty even in terms of skill and they were struggling to land a blow. The lava had been discarded in favor of other spells, however, they were both trying to kill the other.

Frisk heard an explosion down below and glanced to see the fire serpent rampaging across the battle, indiscriminately attacking all in its way.

“Volos, stop this!” Frisk demanded. “Your creation is running amok, killing your army along with mine.”

“Who cares,” Volos hissed. “If they fall in the battle, so be it. That’s their purpose.”

“You’re insane!” Frisk shouted. “That’s your people down there and they’re dying to your own spell!”

“So what?” he snapped, firing another blast of lightning, which Frisk deflected.

“You really don’t care about anyone,” Frisk realized. “Heh. You’re just like them.”

Volos prepared another lightning strike, only for a barrage of bones to nearly get him. Frisk turned to see MK running up to them with a spear in hand.

“Did I miss anything?” MK asked.

“Nothing important.”

Volos growled before looking down at the battle. MK seemed to read his mind for he conjured a wall of bones to block him. “Nuh uh. You’re not going to them for help.”

“Then I’ll go through you,” Volos menaced, black blade at the ready.

He charged and Frisk and MK took up defensive stances. But before he could swing, another wall of bones, some of which were blue, appeared between the two sides. Frisk and MK turned to see Papyrus there, standing on a big bone, level with the walk.

“What are you doing here?” Frisk asked.

“FRISK, WE NEED YOU TO GET THE FIRE SERPENT,” Papyrus said. “IT’LL KILL ALL OF US IF YOU DON’T DO SOMETHING.”

“I can’t let Volos regroup with his fellows,” Frisk retorted.

“I KNOW. THAT’S WHY I’LL KEEP HIM HERE WHILE YOU GO FIGHT THAT THING,” Papyrus informed.

Frisk knew what he meant and realized Papyrus could die. “He’s too powerful, Papyrus. He’ll kill you.”

“MAYBE, BUT I’LL TAKE THAT RISK,” Papyrus said sadly. “JUST MAKE SURE THAT SERPENT DOESN’T HURT ANYONE ELSE.”

Meanwhile, said wizard was chopping his way through Papyrus’ barrier, slowly making progress.

Papyrus hopped onto the walk way in front of the kids. “GO. I’LL HOLD HIM OFF. AND DON’T WORRY, UNDYNE WILL BE HERE SOON.”

Frisk wanted to retort, to ask Papyrus to not do this, but knew they didn’t have time. They leapt onto the big bone with MK behind them. With a wave of his hand, Papyrus had the bone sink back into the ground. He faced Volos just as the wizard broke through.

“Taking me on all by yourself? You’re a bigger fool than you look,” Volos taunted.

Papyrus sighed. “NORMALLY I’D TRY AND ASK YOU TO STOP. I’D TRY AND REACH WHAT GOOD THERE IS IN YOU. BUT… LET’S BE HONEST. THERE IS NONE. YOU’VE CROSSED THAT LINE A LONG TIME AGO. SO EVEN THOUGH I KNOW WHAT YOU’RE GONNA DO TO ME, I HAVE TO STAND MY GROUND.” He conjured a pair of bone staffs, one in each hand.

“You must be an idiot if you think you have a chance,” Volos said.

“SOME WOULD SAY I’M BRAVE. I KNOW I’M FACING MY DOOM, BUT I DON’T CARE. I MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO KILL YOU, BUT I WILL TRY, EVEN THOUGH I WON’T LIKE IT. FOR EVERYONE’S SAKE, BOTH NOW AND FUTURE, YOU MUST BE STOPPED. AND I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WILL STAND MY GROUND AGAINST THE LIKES OF YOU, NO MATTER WHAT IT TAKES!”

Volos charged, blade at the ready, Papyrus standing with his bones raised. He was going to give this fight his all.

End of Chapter 15

Chapter Text

Frisk and MK reached the ground, taking in the sight of the battle. Though the archers up above were doing well, ultimately, they weren’t contributing much to the fight. And to make matters worse, a good chunk of the forces had been diverted to keep the fire serpent at bay. That wasn’t going too well. It was smashing through the barriers with ease and incinerating everyone it could with its fire breath, regardless of whose side they were on.

Asgore was at the head of that front, using fireballs to try and slow it down, though Monster magic didn’t do much against it. Frisk charged forward, launching a blast of lightning from their trident at it, which did get the beast’s attention. It turned to face them, only to get a face full of spears from MK. It knocked it back for a moment which allowed the two kids to run up to Asgore.

“What are we dealing with?” Frisk asked.

“A creature made of fire,” Asgore explained. “It seems to be killing anyone in its path, regardless of faction.”

“Volos really has gone off the deep end if he isn’t concerned about his own army,” MK said.

“Papyrus seemed to think you might be able to do something about it,” Asgore said to Frisk.

“I’ll see what I can do,” Frisk said.

The serpent got back up, hissing at Frisk. The human pelted it with red lightning which did send it back a ways. MK joined in, flinging a spear at its eyes, but the creature bat it aside. Worse, since it was made from flame, the injuries it was sustaining didn’t last.

“MK, if it is made of fire then we need to suffocate it,” Frisk suggested. “Without air to burn it should die quickly.”

MK understood and tried to conjure a cage made of both bones and spears. Unfortunately, the serpent was too big for him. He tried but it smashed the cage apart before it could form halfway. “I can’t contain it. It’s too big.”

It lunged for MK, only for a green barrier to block its path.

“Can we be of assistance?” Dobromil asked, a few wizards at his side.

“Can you make a barrier big enough to contain it?” Frisk asked.

“With some help, but why?”

“If we cut off its air supply, it will suffocate and die,” they explained.

“But it’s not an animal. It’s fire,” Dobromil pointed out.

“Fire needs air to burn,” Frisk explained. “A specific element in the air is what makes fires burn. Cut off the air supply and it will run out of fresh air and die.”

“I’ll do my best,” Dobromil said. With staff in hand, he conjured a massive green barrier, trying to wrap it around the serpent, but it bashed its head against it, causing it to crack. “Not sure… I can do it.”

Frisk thrust their trident forward, conjuring a red barrier of their own to complete Dobromil’s. Many other wizards joined in, adding to the barrier surrounding the creature, trying to contain it. Unfortunately, it kept bashing its head against it and breathed fire, cracking the barrier.

“It’s too powerful,” Dobromil realized. “We can’t hold it.”

An idea came to Frisk. “Volos created this thing with his sword,” they said. “Would destroying the sword also destroy this?”

“I don’t know,” Dobromil admitted. “No one’s ever tried.”

“Then try and keep it contained. I’ll go after him,” Frisk said. They ran off, MK following them. Many other wizards replacing them to try and contain the fire serpent.

“Hurry up because I don’t think we can hold it for long,” Dobromil said, struggling to keep the barrier up.

*   *   *

Undyne ran up the stairs of one of the turrets, heading for the wall walk. She didn’t like that Papyrus had used his bone as an elevator to get ahead of her and leave her to get to the wall by the normal means.

She reached the wall and ran out onto the walk. She was surprised to see the remains of lava flows on the floor. She ran across them and found Papyrus fighting Volos. The skeleton was using two long bones as weapons, parrying the human’s sword while occasionally conjuring other bones to fling at him. The human was using fire and lightning to try and strike the skeleton, but was having a difficult time making any attack connect though it looked like Papyrus was near his limit.

She charged and entered the battle holding a spear in each hand. She almost got Volos in the side but he was able to sidestep to avoid her thrust. He swung his sword to try and chop off her arm, only for the weapon to bounce off the steel limb.

Undyne swung the spear in her other arm, forcing Volos to back off lest he get cut. She then conjured multiple spears and sent them at him forcing him to use his sword to deflect them.

“Papyrus, where’s Frisk and MK?” Undyne asked.

“OFF TO GO DEAL WITH THAT GIANT SNAKE,” Papyrus answered. “WE NEED TO KEEP VOLOS BUSY.”

“No problem.” With a wave of her hand, she summoned more spears and sent them at him. Then, while he was distracted, she swung one of the spears in her hand, a green wave striking Volos and locked him in place. Papyrus got the idea and started sending bones in addition to Undyne’s spears, while Volos pivoting to block the attacks.

Undyne charged, keeping Volos’ Soul green and keeping him from moving to dodge her strikes. He had to pivot in place to block her strikes.

She alternated between long-range attacks and close-range strikes. Papyrus stayed away as Volos was forced to take defense.

After a while, Frisk and MK showed up with weapons at the ready.

“What? What are you two doing here?” Undyne asked. “You’re supposed to be dealing with that serpent.”

“It won’t go down easily,” Frisk explained. “But if we destroy Volos’ sword it might dispel the creature.”

“Papyrus and I have been pelleting Volos almost non-stop. We are not having much luck on damaging either his body or weapon,” Undyne informed.

“Human weapons are usually enchanted to help them focus their magic. He probably reinforced it,” Frisk guessed. “It will take a lot, but I think we can do it.”

“Then let’s take this guy out!” MK yelled, running forward with spears at the ready.

Now Volos was being assaulted from both sides by fire, bones, and spears, and struggled to block the attacks. Eventually, he got fed up and turned the ground around him to lava, forcing the Monsters and one human to back off. Though they still sent attacks his way, Volos had more time to see them coming and block. After a while, he realized that his lack of mobility was due to the fish woman. He needed to find a way around that.

Undyne, unsatisfied with their progress, leapt over the lava to try and strike Volos. Seeing his chance, he swung his sword high, aiming for her head. Undyne saw the attack coming and used her spear to block it, but the sword still cut the left side of her face. Sparks flew from where the sword struck and sent her backwards. She stumbled over the edge of the wall and managed to grab the ledge before she fell. The break in concentration did turn Volos’ Soul back to normal, however, and gave him movement again.

He thrust his sword at Frisk and MK, lightning lancing from the blade to the kids, who blocked the strike.

Papyrus sent a barrage of bones at him. Volos dodged several and deflected the rest with his sword. Frisk ran forward, setting their trident on fire. It had worked against his staff so maybe it would work on his sword.

Volos saw the attack coming and raised his black blade to parry. The red trident clashed against it. Frisk pushed with all their might but failed to make even a dent in the weapon.

“Nice try, but I took precautions against that,” Volos stated. He then mentally shoved Frisk back before kicking them. MK ran to them to check on them and Papyrus ran up to keep the wizard busy. He used his own Soul magic, turning the wizard blue and subjecting him to more gravity than normal, making it difficult to dodge his bones.

The two traded blows for a while, sword clashing against bone, before Volos saw an opening. He knocked Papyrus’ bone away and thrust his sword into his chest. The skeleton gasped as he was run through.

Frisk, MK, and Undyne froze at the sight. Volos pulled his sword out as the skeleton collapsed to his knees.

“WELL, I DON’T KNOW WHY I’M SURPRISED,” Papyrus said. “BUT DON’T THINK YOU’VE WON. I BELIEVE IN MY FRIENDS. AND I KNOW THEY’LL DEFEAT YOU, NO MATTER WHAT IT TAKES.”

And with that, Papyrus turned to dust.

Volos looked extremely smug at the pile of dust that used to be Papyrus.

“RrrrrrrrrrrrrrrRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Volos turned just in time to dodge a spear from Undyne, who leapt up from where she had been hanging. She then summoned a hailstorm of spears above her head and sent them at Volos in groups, forcing the wizard to block the strikes lest he be impaled times twenty.

Frisk and MK backed up, as Undyne was not being careful with her assault and a few spears almost got them.

Undyne landed on the walkway, summoned more spears and chucked them at Volos, relentlessly attacking him. He struggled to block or dodge the attacks, occasionally summoning a red barrier to block a few strikes while he recovered.

Undyne charged at him, her spears in hand, swinging with her full might as she bashed on his blade, trying to break it.

Volos tried to create more lava but Undyne’s rapid assault meant he had no time to do that. Eventually, he shoved her back with mental might then sent a barrage of fireballs at her. She blocked them before summoning another hailstorm of spears.

Volos conjured a red barrier to block the spears, giving himself a moment to breathe. But it was only a moment, as Frisk and MK joined the battle; one chucking bones while the other flung fireballs. Volos quickly realized that defeating these people was not as easy as the others. He then realized he had struck Undyne, but she didn’t appear fazed at all. It was then he realized that some of her ‘skin’ was loose on her face, revealing a metal plate underneath.

He conjured more lava under his feet, sending it toward Undyne, who was able to get out of the way in time. He then decided to focus on the children, as they would be the least dangerous and therefore the easiest to kill.

He turned on MK and sent a blast of lightning at the lizard who used a spear to block the attack. MK retaliated with a barrage of bones but Volos sent those away with a mental blast. Frisk tried to rush to their friend’s side, but Volos turned his psychic power on them, sending them back far enough that he knew they wouldn’t be able to interfere. He thrust his sword forward, pelting MK with a stream of fire. He then kicked him back. MK raised a spear to attack with but Volos knocked it aside. Then he swung his sword with the intent to kill the lizard. Frisk screamed out as Volos swung…

…and Undyne was cut in two, from shoulder to hip.

MK stared in horror as blood came from the slice in Undyne’s body. “Undyne… you’re… you’re hurt…” he whimpered, feeling a horrible sense of déjà vu.

Undyne collapsed to one knee. “It’ll be alright, just go.”

“But… Undyne…”

“I’ll deal with this guy,” she grunted. “Just get out of here. Don’t let the serpent run amok.”

MK was hauled up by Frisk, who supported him on their side as they ran. Volos tried to follow, but Undyne placed herself between him and the kids.

“What do you think you can do?” Volos mocked. “You’ve been cleaved in two and nothing survives Death Touch. Give in.”

“Never,” Undyne grunted, surprising Volos by getting back to her feet. “My body… it feels like any instant, I’ll scatter into a million pieces. But… deep in my Soul, there’s a burning feeling I can’t describe. A burning feeling that won’t let me die. This isn’t just about Monsters anymore, is it? If you win, you’ll… you’ll destroy them all, won’t you? Monsters, humans, everyone. Everyone’s hopes. Everyone’s dreams. Vanquished in an instant. But I WON’T let you do that.” She looked up at him, and to his surprise, her normal eye had turned black with a gold pupil and her fake eye was glowing gold. “Right now, everyone in the world, I can feel their hearts beating as one. And we all have ONE goal. To defeat you. Human, no, WHATEVER you are… For the sake of the whole world… I… UNDYNE… will STRIKE YOU DOWN!”

Just then, her body lit up in a flash of white; an explosion of light blinding Volos, forcing him to shield his eyes from the intensity. Many battles below stopped to gawk at the small sun that suddenly lit up.

When it faded, Volos saw Undyne standing there, the mark gone, black armor covering her body, with spiked shoulders, a red heart on her chest, her ponytail more spikey than before, hearts on her gauntlets and a beam of energy coming from her left eye socket. On the ground around her were three metal limbs, a fake eye, and various metal plates.

“You’re gonna have to try a little harder than that,” Undyne said before charging the wizard at frightening speed, just barely blocking her strike. She swung her spear multiple times, each one nearly getting Volos. He backed up from her to try and get some distance, but she quickly closed the gap and resumed her assault without pause.

Eventually, Volos managed to conjure a fireball that he flung at her, but she didn’t even flinch when it struck. She raised her spear, several blue lights appearing beneath Volos’ feet when she did. Anticipating her attack, he flung himself backwards before several spears would have impaled him.

How is she so strong? She should be dead, he thought. He managed to turn some of the bricks to lava and sent it at her but she leapt back to avoid the molten rock. Then she conjured multiple spears and sent them at him. He deflected some, but this time, there was too many and a few got him in the arms and leg.

He yanked them out and realized she might have the advantage. He leapt off the wall, landing on the ground, Undyne following. The ground cracked beneath her landing.

“You’re not escaping that easily!” she shouted before conjuring a virtual wall of spears behind herself, then sent them at Volos. The wizard raised his sword, creating a red barrier to block the spears. He summoned several fireballs and sent them at her. She deflected them with ease but he used the distraction to make more lava. He summoned a wave of the stuff and sent it at her.

Without flinching, Undyne raised her spear and jabbed the wave with it, splitting it in two and the two halves crashed to other side of her. She then sent a hailstorm of spears at Volos and again, he conjured a red barrier to block it, but the sheer number and power of the spears overwhelmed it, destroying the barrier. Volos blocked the remaining spears with his sword. But she didn’t stop there. The ground underneath Volos lit up while he was blocking and he had no time to dodge as several spears struck him from below causing him to shout in pain.

When he did, the fire serpent turned from the battle against the wizards and rushed to its master.

Volos knew that last strike weakened him, but he was not going to go down so easily. He raised his sword as Undyne charged again. He blocked the swipe of her spear, but when he pulled back, he noticed a small divot in the edge.

Undyne prepared to thrust with her spear, but a roar from behind caught her attention. The serpent opened its mouth, seemingly with the intention of eating her. She dispelled her spear and caught its jaw with her hands, keeping it from closing on her. She wrestled with the massive snake for a moment, then noticed Volos marching up, probably to run her through while she was occupied. So she conjured more water spears beneath the serpent and impaled it, the giant serpent roaring in pain from the strikes. She then got a better hold of its head before flinging it behind her. Volos ducked out of the way of his own attack.

The fire serpent recovered and reared up, roaring at Undyne, who summoned more spears and sent them at it, pelting the snake with her attacks.

Volos saw his powerful creation failing and decided to up the ante. He created a pool of lava before him then sent it at the snake. The molten rock mixed with its fire body. The serpent merged with the lava, becoming more dangerous in the process. Volos stepped aside as it roared at Undyne before breathing a jet of fire at her. She dodged to the side before chucking a spear into its mouth stopping the fire breath. It then whipped its tail at her, smacking her into a hut, but she got up with a spear in hand and charged back into battle.

Volos couldn’t believe his eyes. What would it take to kill this woman? Perhaps a second dose of Death Touch would do her in? He let her get within striking distance before swinging his sword and cutting her across her chest. She did flinch from that, but kept going anyway, dual wielding her spears to try and strike Volos. The lava serpent trying to smoosh her with its tail but failed every time because she was able to get out of the way.

Undyne eventually got fed up with the serpent, so she turned her attention on it. She dodged its next tail swipe before leaping up and throwing a spear at its head, striking it. It reared back in pain. Then, while it was distracted, she grabbed its tail, uncaring of the intense heat, and spun it around, flinging it across the courtyard to the other side of the battle.

She turned to face Volos, but stumbled for a moment as her vision spiraled.

“Seems you can’t keep the effects of Death Touch from claiming you. Eventually, you will fall,” Volos declared.

“Maybe, but if this is how I die, then I’m going to give you hell!” she shouted, charging back into battle.

*   *   *

Frisk and MK reached the bottom of the turret to see the battle still in full swing though it didn’t look like many of those still fighting wanted to. The humans were losing their resolve to keep going, especially since it was clear that those who fought for the Monsters weren’t going to change sides.

An explosion caught their attention and they saw the serpent, now made of lava, crash on the opposite side of the battlefield. Both turned to see Undyne and Volos fighting, the fish woman decked out in different armor than normal and one of her eyes missing.

“She went Undying,” Frisk realized.

“That might kill her,” MK said sadly.

Frisk saw the two of them fight and they immediately noticed that Volos wasn’t using his sword as much to defend as before. In fact, he seemed to be trying to keep Undyne’s spears as far from it as possible. But if it was more durable than before, why would he be doing that?

Then it clicked. Something about Undyne’s current form was overpowering whatever enchantments Volos placed on his sword and might be damaging it.

A roar caught their attention and they saw the lava serpent attacking the armies again. “We have to contain that thing,” they realized. “Hopefully Undyne can destroy Volos’ sword while we deal with the snake.”

“Then let’s go,” MK said, spear in hand. They ran to the aid of various wizards who were using their spells to try and keep it back but failing in the process.

*   *   *

Undyne swung her spear again, trying to get Volos, but once more he dodged her swipe. He thrust with his sword, but she twirled her weapon, deflecting his strike. He tried to get her with lightning, but she conjured a spear from the ground to take the shock for her. She was getting weaker and she knew it. That magic he enchanted his blade with was sapping her life force. She tried to summon more Determination to counter it, but it wasn’t working anymore.

Volos launched an assault with his sword. Undyne just barely blocked it. She had been doing so well against him at first, but she could tell she was at her limit as the lethal spell worked its way through her body. She forced herself to keep going a while longer to at least be able to destroy Volos’ sword but she wasn’t sure if she could.

She launched one more assault with her own spear, going as fast as she could with her weapon, trying to strike Volos or his weapon, but he managed to dance around her frantic assault. Then he spotted an opening in her defenses and thrust his sword into her chest. Undyne froze when the weapon went through her. He pulled back and stepped out of striking range. Undyne fell to her knees as the spell went to work, overcoming her will.

“Damn it,” she cursed. “So… even with that power… it wasn’t enough?” She looked down for a moment before laughing, puzzling Volos. “If… if you think I’m gonna give up hope… you’re wrong. Because I’ve… got my friends behind me. Frisk has… one last plan they can try. I tried to tell them not to, but knowing them… they’ll do it anyway. They’ll reunite with Asgore… and give him the power he needs to defeat you. And with that power… you’ll finally be… beaten.”

Volos prepared to behead her to shut her up, but before he could, she turned to dust. He lowered his sword, smiling to himself. But then her last words registered in his mind. What plan? What would the traitor be planning?

Well, it sounded like they needed Asgore to do it, so if he killed the king of Monsters, he’d end whatever crazy plan they have. He spotted Asgore amidst the battle and began walking towards him. At long last, he was going to kill the king and nothing was going to get in his way this time.

*   *   *

Frisk rejoined the efforts to keep the lava serpent contained with MK by their side. The giant creature was resisting being frozen and few other things were affecting it at this point. The only thing that had any marginal effect was water and even that didn’t do much.

MK managed to summon a bone cage in an effort to hold it for a moment and allowing the wizards present a chance to regroup. Then he summoned many horned skulls and had them fire laser blasts at the creature. Those attacks did do something to it but again all it did was slow the beast down.

“This thing is too powerful,” Haward said. “It takes everything we have just to contain it.”

“Undyne’s fighting Volos so maybe she could do something,” Frisk said. “For now we’ve got to keep it away from the majority of the battle.” They raised their trident with red energy swirling around it. A red dome formed around the serpent, penning it in for the moment. Other wizards with similar spells added their own, reinforcing the structure.

But the creature rammed its head against the barrier, cracking it.

“This thing just won’t go down,” MK said. He summoned more skulls inside the barrier and had them blast the creature. It breathed its fire breath at the skulls, destroying them in the process.

Frisk grimaced. What would it take to contain this thing? They looked up and saw Sans standing on the wall with several archers beside him. They were all pointing their arrows at the beast and Frisk realized what his plan was.

“Open the top!” Frisk shouted, changing the dome into a wall that curved around the serpent, the other wizards following suite.

The serpent tried to rise above only to get pelted by a volley of magic arrows and laser blasts from Sans’ own skull blasters. It roared at them but was unable to reach its attackers with its fire breath. So it turned its attention to the barrier containing it, smashing it again and cracking it further.

Frisk looked behind them to check Undyne’s progress, only to see Volos marching across the battlefield unimpeded. They couldn’t spot her anywhere and could only guess that she had been killed. Their heart sank with that revelation.

They watched Volos a moment longer and realized he was heading in a specific direction. They looked in the direction he was heading and saw Asgore engaged in battle with several humans. He was too busy fighting them to notice Volos heading his way. Worse, Volos was cutting through anyone that got in his way, human or Monster.

They realized his plan in an instant and knew they had to stop it. “Volos is going to kill Asgore,” they said aloud. “We have to stop him.”

“If Undyne couldn’t do it, what makes you think we can?” MK pointed out.

“He’s going to kill the king,” Frisk insisted. “We have to do something.”

“Frisk, it’s taking all of us to keep this thing from rampaging,” Haward reminded them. “We can’t spare anyone.”

Frisk couldn’t accept that. They had gotten to know this Asgore almost as well as the Asgore in their time. And if Asgore died that would affect so much for the next thousand years. They couldn’t let him die.

Frisk broke formation and ran to Asgore.

“Frisk, wait! We need you!” Haward shouted.

“I’m not letting my dad die again!” they retorted, continuing their run.

“Your dad?” Haward questioned.

MK sighed, realizing Frisk wasn’t going to be talked out of that. “I’ll go help them,” he said before following them.

“MK, stop!” Haward tried to say.

“It’s breaking through!” someone shouted. Haward returned his focus to the serpent, trying to make up for Frisk’s absence. He just had to hope the kid did something.

*   *   *

Asgore knocked back several humans to give himself some room. He could see the efforts to hold the serpent back were failing and he had to get there to help out. He was holding himself back from killing anyone here as he didn’t want to confirm their fears. This fight was just as much a statement as it was survival.

He knocked back the last human that rushed him and turned in time to see a black blade swinging at him. He lurched back to avoid it and came face to face with Volos. The red wizard slashed at Asgore again, who blocked it with his trident. He then caught Volos’ weapon between the tines of his, forcing it to the ground. Before he could do anything else, Volos punched Asgore in the chest, which sent him reeling backwards, not from the force, but from the hate.

He tried to get his defenses back up, but Volos kicked him in the gut, which caused him to fall to his knees.

Volos planned to savor this as he raised his sword. At last, he was going to kill the king of all Monsters and nothing would get in his way. As he swung downward, a red trident caught his blade. But it wasn’t Asgore that blocked the strike.

“Get away from my dad!” Frisk shouted, shoving Volos back.

Volos growled at being denied again. “You won’t get in my way this time,” he hissed. He thrust his sword forward and Frisk deflected it with their weapon.

“Asgore, run!” they pleaded.

“I… can’t,” Asgore grunted.

Frisk saw how weak he was and realized he wouldn’t be able to defend himself. They would have to do it. Volos continued to attack them and Frisk repeatedly blocked with their weapon. They knew that Volos’ power came from his enchanted sword. If they destroyed it, he’d be powerless. But what could they do? Then they saw the tiny knicks in the edge of the blade. Did Undyne do those?

As they fought, they wondered what about Undyne was able to damage the weapon where everything else failed. Then it hit them: Determination. Undyne in her Undying form was extremely determined. Perhaps that was the key. Excessive Determination somehow overcame whatever enchantments Volos placed on his weapon to protect it.

Frisk knew they had a lot of Determination, more than anyone else Alphys had a chance to examine. Though it had taken a bit of a dip lately due to recent events. But perhaps, if they focused their will, they could do it.

They weren’t sure how to go about this but they tried to focus their will into their weapon, hoping that it made it stronger somehow. Volos, however, seemed unfazed. Though he did look exhausted. After fighting Undyne and back to back battles, he wasn’t at full strength. But neither was Frisk. They had been fighting almost as much as Volos and their body was already weakened due to their artificial heart.

Asgore managed to get to his feet and tried to walk away, but Volos saw it and blasted him with lightning. Asgore fell to his knees again.

Frisk tried to blast Volos with a stream of fire, but he blocked it. They swung their trident fast, alternating between blue and orange swipes, but Volos resisted the damage.

Meanwhile, the serpent was breaking out of its prison. The wizards unable to hold it back any longer.

Volos kicked Frisk in the chest, causing them to stumble, then pushed them to Asgore. Frisk landed near the downed king.

“Give up. You’ve failed,” Volos said.

“Never,” Frisk grunted, trying to get to their feet, only for Volos to strike them with a fireball.

“Frisk,” Asgore consoled. “You’ve done all you can. But you must go.”

“I’m not leaving you. Not again,” Frisk insisted.

“Then you will die with him,” Volos menaced, twirling his sword.

Asgore tried to console Frisk, placing a hand on their back. “Thank you for everything, my child.”

Volos raised his sword, the black blade glimmering.

But Frisk refused to let it end here. After everything they’ve done, all the sacrifices, all the lives lost, it couldn’t all be for nothing. They can’t have come this far for it all to be in vain!

They stood up, both hands clasping their trident as their will surged stronger than ever. They swung with all their heart and will and as they did, the trident changed color. But not to orange or blue. It turned gold with Determination.

Black blade and gold trident met…

…and the black blade shattered to pieces.

And explosion of rainbow energy blew everyone back as Volos’ sword shattered to pieces. Grey whisps emerging from the pieces and faint screams could be heard as it did.

The serpent broke out and lunged at the closest opponent, who was Haward. He screamed as it opened its massive jaw to try and consume him, but it disintegrated into ashy powder just before it struck.

Up above, Sans and the others stumbled as the ground shook. He saw the blast of rainbow light from a specific part of the battlefield and the serpent disintegrated at the same time.

“heh, the kid did it,” he chuckled, realizing that somehow, Frisk destroyed Volos’ weapon. But the battle wasn’t over yet. There were still a few skirmishes at the edge of the battle, but most combatants were knocked out by the explosion.

Slowly, awareness returned to Frisk. They felt very dizzy from that. It wasn’t the first time they had been at ground zero of such a detonation, but it still hurt. Slowly, they sat up. They looked around and saw many soldiers and wizards sprawled around them, all dazed from the explosion.

Asgore was right next to them. They crawled over to him and saw that he was unconscious.

“Asgore,” they said, shaking him. “Come on, get up. This isn’t over yet.”

Asgore groaned as he woke. “Ow. Now I know what that feels like.” He got up on his hands and knees as he pushed himself up.

“We gotta go,” Frisk insisted. “Volos could still be alive and he won’t be happy. We’ve got to get out of here and quick.”

“Too late.”

Frisk turned to see Volos standing there with the remains of his sword in hand. He thrust forward. Frisk pushed Asgore out of the way to take the blade themself and the end pierced their chest.

Everything seemed to go quiet for them when it did. Volos pulled the blade out and Frisk collapsed to their knees when he did. They heard a faint scream and felt their trident, which was still gold, fall from their fingers. They looked down at their chest and saw a patch of red spreading over their shirt.

They didn’t see Volos raising the weapon for a second strike, but they did see him get blasted by a laser which sent him to the side. MK ran up crying. They saw his lips move but couldn’t hear any words. They felt a numbness spreading up their body.

Out of the corner of their eye, they saw Volos get back up, his black blade now red with blood. Their blood. Another laser blast struck him and they saw Sans standing next to his own blaster. Haward ran up, horrified by something. They could faintly hear Sans saying something, waving them away with his hands as he faced Volos.

Frisk then felt a pair of massive hands scoop them up and found themself in Asgore’s hold. He ran with MK and Haward beside him. Frisk placed a hand on the red patch on their chest, bringing their fingers up to look at the blood on them. They realized that they couldn’t hear their heart beating as loud as before or as fast.

Volos stabbed them. He stabbed them in the heart. They were dying. For some reason, that realization almost made them laugh.

*   *   *

Sans turned to face Volos as Asgore and the others ran with Frisk’s dying body. He knew he wouldn’t last long against the wizard but he would give it his all. He summoned another barrage of bones and blasters and sent them at Volos and the wizard just barely avoiding the attack.

Volos grabbed two staffs that were lying on the ground and faced Sans. “Another skeleton thinks it can take me on?”

“nah,” Sans said nonchalantly. “just tryin’ to delay you long enough for my friends to get away.”

“How noble. And stupid,” Volos mocked. He conjured a barrage of fireballs and sent them at Sans, the skeleton side stepping to avoid them.

“yeah, but my friends need my help so i’m going to give this my all,” Sans admitted. “so, let’s get to the point.” With a wave of his bony hand, he sent another barrage of bones at Volos who deflected them with a shield. Though Sans noticed that the shield was weaker than before. Volos tried to get him with lightning but Sans side stepped again to avoid it. “what? you think i’m just gonna stand there and take it?”

Volos growled before Sans attempted to get him with several blasters. He tried to avoid them, but they came too fast and lasted too long that he got scraped by several. Sans added a few bones to the mix to try and trip the wizard up. They cut through him, but weirdly, they did very little damage. He felt himself getting weaker and images were flashing through his mind of all his kills. He launched another fireball, but once more, Sans sidestepped to avoid it.

“why are you doing this?” Sans questioned. “is there some point to seeing all of us suffer? nah. you just want to see us dead.” He then attacked Volos with several bones using his gravity magic on Volos to weaken his attempts to dodge them. Volos tried to get Sans by turning the ground beneath his feet to lava, but Sans blinked away, appearing a short distance away.

“maybe once you did this out of some misguided attempt to protect your people but that’s no longer the case, is it? no, you’re doing this because you can.” Sans then flung Volos into the wall. The wizard just barely avoided getting impaled by several bones that jutted out from the wall.

“Shut up already and die!” Volos hissed, trying to strike Sans with lightning.

“not right now,” Sans said. “gotta delay you long enough for asgore to get the kid somewhere safe.” He then summoned several blasters striking Volos again. They did very little harm initially, but they did weaken him.

“Your efforts are in vain,” Volos stated. “Frisk is dying and no magic will heal that. Whatever plan you may have that involves the king of Monsters, it’s over.”

“actually, you just helped us out a big deal by doing that,” Sans admitted, dodging a swing from Volos’ staffs. He then slammed Volos into the walls, trying to get him with bones that jutted out but Volos jumped to avoid those.

Volos tried to get Sans with lightning but the skeleton once more sidestepped to avoid it.

“our plan is pretty simple, but we all agreed to not do it because of one of the steps involved,” Sans explained. “but, thanks to you, that step is done.” He sent another barrage of bones, this time in a tight corridor that Volos had difficulty maneuvering through, many bones scraping him and draining him again. He tried to get Sans with a blast of lightning but the skeleton avoided that, too.

“so, our last contingency plan is now underway and it is guaranteed to end in your death,” Sans said. “so, if you don’t want to suffer like that, give up.”

“Never!” Volos screamed as he avoided another round of blasters. He tried to blast Sans with lightning again but though the skeleton side stepped the blast, it was clear he was getting tired.

“you’re… huff… very determined. but believe me when i say, that won’t help you against what is coming. so… in my opinion… you should quit. it’s not hard. i do it all the time.” Sans decided to go all out this time, summoning multiple blasters to fire at Volos and pelting him with barrages of bones before yanking him around by the Soul with his gravity magic, trying to get him into a wall of bones. The wizard did all he could to avoid it but Sans was nearly at his limit as he gave this attack his all.

Sans then summoned the blasters in a circle, firing them off one by one in a ring trying to get Volos, but he was able to keep pace and avoid them. Sans was tired and put his hands on his knees as he tried to recover, but that gave Volos the opening he needed and he slashed Sans across his chest.

The skeleton collapsed backwards, blood coming out of the wound. For a moment when Volos slashed him, his smile went down. He got back up looking at the wound on his chest.

“so… guess that’s it… huh? just… don’t say i didn’t warn you.” The skeleton started limping off, his wooden leg dragging behind him. “don’t worry, bro. i’m coming…”

He vanished around a corner. Volos dismissed it and continued onward, hoping to find Asgore before he did whatever plan he had.

*   *   *

Asgore ran as quickly as he could with MK and Haward by his side to the nearest room. He sat down on the floor once they got there and MK shut the door behind them.

“Frisk!” he cried, running up to them. Asgore looked down at the dying human and saw they had a faint smile on their face.

“We’ve got to do something,” Haward insisted.

“Can’t you heal them?”

“I don’t know any healing spells. At least, nothing that works for this,” Haward said.

“I’ll try,” Asgore said, a green glow coming from one hand. He prepared to place it on Frisk’s chest, but they pushed it away.

“No,” they said. “Save your energy.”

“But Frisk, you’ll die,” Asgore insisted.

“I think I’m past that point,” they said.

“It’s too soon,” MK wept. “I’m not ready to say goodbye.”

“Me neither,” Frisk admitted. “But it’s happening anyway.” They turned to faced Asgore. “Asgore, listen to me. I need you to do something.”

“What is it?”

“Volos isn’t ever going to stop. Not until he’s dead,” Frisk explained. “Though I destroyed his sword, he’s still a danger and needs to be dealt with.”

“But how? He’s too powerful,” Asgore questioned. “Even you weren’t strong enough.”

“But you will be soon,” Frisk said.

“What do you mean?”

“This war needs to be ended, no matter the cost. You have the power.” They placed their hand on their chest. “Take my Soul… and end this.”

Asgore gasped when Frisk said that. Haward glanced between the two of them.

“Frisk?” Asgore questioned.

“In a few moments, I will be dead,” Frisk explained. “When I die, you must take my Soul. Volos was wrong about many things, but he was right about one; a Monster with a human Soul wields incredible power. With my Soul, you’ll be strong enough to defeat him.”

Asgore shook his head. “I… I can’t do that. It… it’s wrong.”

“You have to. There’s no other way,” Frisk insisted.

“But… I can’t. I don’t want to,” Asgore said. “I don’t want that power.”

“That’s why I know you’re the best person to have it,” Frisk said. “You always do what is best for your people, no matter the cost to yourself. And I know you won’t use the power for your own ends.”

“But…”

“Asgore, please,” Frisk said, a hand reaching up to grasp his chest plate. “So much has gone wrong. Volos won’t stop and only you, with the power of my Soul, can stop him. I know you don’t want it, but please, for the good of your people, for everyone, you must. It’s the only way to stop him.”

A few tears appeared in Asgore’s eyes. “You really trust me that much?”

“I do,” Frisk assured. “You’re my father. I will always trust you, no matter what.”

Asgore glanced at Haward and the human was in awe. A silent question passed from Asgore to the human and Haward nodded. With permission given, Asgore agreed. “Okay. I’ll do it.”

“Thank you,” Frisk breathed, their vision darkening. “I know you can do it, dad. You’re the strongest of all Monsters and the best king to have ever lived. And I know… deep in my heart… that you’ll… do the… right… thing…”

Frisk’s arm went slack, their head bowing. Then, a long heavy breath escaped their mouth and they didn’t move anymore.

MK touched Frisk’s cheek then placed a hand on their neck but couldn’t feel anything. The tears broke and he wept. His friend was gone. He cried into Frisk’s chest. Asgore hugged them both close to him. Haward bowed his head in a silent prayer. Frisk was gone.

They stayed like that for several moments before a red glow came from Frisk’s chest. Asgore pulled back before a red heart pushed its way up out of the chest, right over where their heart was.

Asgore felt saddened at the sight. He knew what it looked like when a human died and that Soul felt like a mockery, reminding him that the human that defended him was dead. He looked to Haward for a moment, a silent request passing from him. He just wanted to know if the human was truly okay with what he was about to do.

Haward nodded. It had been Frisk’s last request and he could see the necessity of it. His father wasn’t going to stop, ever. He had to be ended for good and that Soul would give Asgore the power he needed. Though he was still afraid of what Asgore could do with it, Frisk trusted him to do the right thing, so Haward had to hope there was a reason.

With permission given, Asgore faced the red Soul and raised a hand to it. He hesitated for a moment as this felt wrong in a way. But he felt a warm pulse from the Soul, as if Frisk was trying to reassure him that it was alright. With that, he closed his hand around it, a glow spread through his whole body as he did.

MK backed away as Asgore lit up, the glow nearly blinding him and Haward. They saw Asgore’s body grow and change as the power flowed through him. He stood up as he absorbed the Soul, Frisk’s corpse still in his arms. The king of Monsters could feel the power flowing through him. He could do this. He felt like he could do this. He was filled with the will to do it. No. He was filled with Determination.

End of Chapter 16

Chapter Text

Volos once more entered the halls of the Delta Keep looking for Asgore. He saw his son and that lizard go with him, probably to save the kid he stabbed. He knew their efforts were in vain. No healing magic could regenerate a heart. While they were grieving their friend’s death, he would slay Asgore. And with his death, the war would be won.

But still, that shorter skeleton’s words would not leave his head. What did he mean? What plan did they have? Something was nagging him in the back of his mind, but for some reason, he couldn’t put it together.

He was going through another hall when he felt a tremble. Puzzled, he looked around, wondering what caused it. He felt it again and looked towards one of the walls. It felt like it came from the other side of it.

A second later, the wall exploded and a fireball, bigger than any other, struck him and sent him flying through the opposite wall and into a spare room. He got up, using the staffs for support to look at this new foe and his jaw dropped at the sight.

It was Asgore, but he didn’t look as he had earlier. He had grown a couple of feet and his armor had extended to fit him. A second pair of horns grew from his forehead and he had new spiked gauntlets. His battle skirt was longer as well, but so were his legs. His beard and hair were all braided and a cape made of fire billowed behind him, faintly looking like wings. A red heart was on his chest piece and his armor was the most brilliant shade of gold ever seen. A gold helmet also covered his head while his eyes were uncovered. His trident had also grown appropriately with a second set of tines on the bottom. He held a smaller gold trident in his other hand.

Suddenly, Volos remembered what those other Monsters had said after he struck them.

Frisk has… one last plan they can try. …They’ll reunite with Asgore… and give him the power he needs to defeat you…

our plan is pretty simple, but we all agreed to not do it because of one of the steps involved. but, thanks to you, that step is done.

That had been their plan. Asgore absorbed Frisk’s Soul and gained a great deal of power from it. The Monsters had hinted at the nature of such a plan but he had dismissed it. Now he was sorely wishing he hadn’t. Fear gripped his heart as Asgore marched toward him.

“You’re going to pay for all your crimes,” Asgore said, weapons brandished.

Volos took a defensive stance. “Not if I kill you first.” He fired a bolt of lightning but Asgore blocked it with his big trident and the red electricity was absorbed by the weapon. Asgore then conjured a barrage of red-white fireballs. Volos tried to deflect them, but they pushed him back. Asgore didn’t give him a chance to recover. The lightning Asgore had absorbed leapt from his trident to the wizard boosted by Asgore’s own power. Volos had to use both staffs to deflect the lightning, and even then, he just barely succeeded. He collapsed to his knees from the effort.

This was not going to be easy, he realized. Asgore had become much more powerful and Volos unwittingly aided in that. He needed room to fight and hope his lava could finish Asgore off. He blasted the wall behind him and ran out to the courtyard.

Asgore turned to see Haward and MK arriving. MK was carrying Frisk’s body. “He might be going to the humans for help,” Asgore guessed.

“It’s time we ended this battle,” Haward said. “I’ll talk to my people. You take care of my father.”

Asgore nodded before running off in pursuit.

“Let’s go, MK,” Haward said, gesturing for the lizard to follow.

“Right,” MK said. Haward caught onto his mood.

“We’ll avenge Frisk. I promise,” he assured.

“I know,” MK said sadly. “That doesn’t make it any better.” He started walking towards the courtyard, Haward running ahead.

*   *   *

Gerson was doing his best to lead the battle. After that fight against the serpent, some had stopped fighting altogether. Their hearts were no longer in the conflict. He was commanding the humans on his side, doing their best to repel their kind. It was a blessing that Gerson’s side wasn’t trying to kill anyone and the archers up above were still aiming to disable, not kill.

Two other wizards, one purple and one orange, were still commanding the invading forces, but it was clear their army wasn’t giving it their all anymore.

An explosion caught their attention and Volos ran out into the courtyard. He looked terrified of something. A few moments later, Asgore showed up, more imposing than ever. He engaged Volos in battle but the human struggling to match the Monster.

A little while later, MK and Haward came up to the turtle. Frisk was in the lizard’s arms.

“What happened?” Gerson asked.

“Volos killed Frisk and Asgore absorbed their Soul,” Haward explained.

Gerson looked at the body in MK’s arms. He felt sympathy for the young Monster as he cradled his friend’s corpse. “I’m sorry, lad,” he said sincerely.

MK used his tail to rub his eyes. “We need to get the army to stand down,” he said. “Get them to stop fighting. Once that’s done, we can focus on Volos.”

“Those two wizards are very determined to kill us,” Gerson said, pointing to the purple and orange wizards. “I think they’re the only reason the battle is still going on.”

“Then we defeat them, whatever it takes,” Haward decided.

“Okay,” Gerson agreed before facing MK. “You might want to lay them down. You’re gonna need both arms.”

“I can’t just leave them,” MK protested.

“We need you,” Haward said. “They’d want you to leave them.”

MK sniffled before nodding. “Okay.” He laid them against one of the halls outside the courtyard. “Nobody touches them.” He conjured a spear in hand, ready for battle. “For Frisk!”

*   *   *

Volos struggled to parry Asgore’s blows. The tridents were very strong and required magic to block. Brute force proved useless. Most of the spells Volos tried were useless as well because Asgore was able to deflect them. The king of Monsters also moved with a speed and grace that was normally not seen on someone as big as him.

Volos was outside the buildings and had access to the ground. He focused his magic into the dirt, heating it up. But it took him a while as Asgore continued to assault him.

Eventually, Volos was able to create a pool of lava. Asgore stepped back and the molten rock separated them.

“Even with all that power, you’re still flammable!” Volos shouted. With one of the staffs, he shaped the lava into a wave and sent it at Asgore.

The Boss Monster wasn’t sure what to do. He knew fire spells but lava was completely different. Suddenly he felt his arms move without his will. With a thrust of the double-ended trident, they stabbed the wave and forced it to split, going to either side of Asgore. Then, before either could react, Asgore’s whole body moved seemingly on its own and sent a stream of lava at Volos. The wizard dodged the molten rock and narrowly avoided getting burned.

Asgore was astonished. He didn’t know how to do that and he didn’t will any of that either. So who did?

Don’t worry, Asgore, I got your back.

Asgore almost started when the voice appeared in his head. “Frisk?” he questioned.

Who else would it be?

“You’re alive. But… how?”

I wouldn’t exactly call this ‘alive’, Frisk said. And we’re not sure how it works, but the Soul contains everything I am. When you absorbed it, everything I am went into you.

“Well, however it happened, I am glad.”

Me too. But don’t get distracted. Volos is still a threat.

“Right.” Asgore raised his tridents as Volos recovered.

“I don’t know how you did that but it matters little,” Volos said. “You will die by my hand!”

“You can try,” Asgore retorted.

Volos conjured a stream of fire, which Asgore blocked. Then Volos psychically grabbed various chunks of debris and sent it at Asgore. Frisk took over for the moment and used their own telekinesis to stop it. Volos took advantage of the opening to fire a blast of lightning, but Asgore blocked it with his trident.

Asgore charged with both his weapons, his eyes rapidly flashing between orange and blue. He swiped at the human with both weapons. Volos unable to keep up with the changing colors and was flung backwards from the blows.

The wizard recovered and created more lava, sending the streams at the Boss Monster. Frisk took control to counter them and retaliated by creating a pool of lava and sending it at Volos, which the wizard was forced to dodge.

They traded blows and spells for a long time with Asgore coming out on top every time. As the fight wore on, Volos began panting and his attacks were weakening. Frisk realized Volos was tiring out at last. The effort of so much magic was too much for him to handle.

Asgore pressed the advantage and engaged in more close-quarters combat. Volos tried striking the king with his weapons, but even his hatred wasn’t enough to strike an empowered Asgore down in a couple hits.

Volos began to retreat, heading for the battle in the courtyard.

“I need assistance!” he shouted.

No humans ran to help him. A few parted and Volos stopped at the sight. The purple and orange wizards were on the ground with MK, Gerson and Haward above them. The humans’ Souls were in the hands of the Monsters.

“No one’s coming to your aid, traitor,” Gerson said. “As for these…”

For a moment, Volos feared that the Monsters would absorb those Souls and turn the battle in their favor. Instead, Gerson swung his hammer down on the purple Soul in his hand, shattering it to pieces. MK tossed the orange Soul in the air and swung his spear as it came down, slicing it in two.

“No Monster would absorb Souls so foul,” Gerson said.

Volos turned to see Asgore standing before him. He looked around and saw Dobromil still there.

“Dobromil, help me,” he pleaded.

“Help yourself,” the green wizard spat.

Volos growled. “Fine. I’ll do it myself.” He fired the most powerful blast of lightning at Asgore he could and the Boss Monster once more deflected it. Volos charged, one staff tipped with fire, swinging it at Asgore. The king whacked the staff aside then struck Volos with his own weapon and sent the wizard onto his back. Volos brought up his other staff preparing to send a blast of lightning, but Asgore knocked that out of his hand as well.

Asgore raised his trident, prepared to impale the wizard, but hesitated.

“What are you waiting for? Finish me,” Volos spat.

Asgore wanted to. He really wanted to. Even Frisk was trying to encourage him. Volos had caused so much pain to everyone. Friends were gone and families were torn apart all because of his desire to kill. Frisk was dead because they stood in Volos’ way.

Asgore looked up at the humans present. All eyes were on him and it was rather clear that he had absorbed a human Soul. Asgore considered this moment carefully. He realized that this was a turning point in history. The humans had struck due to a fear of Monsters that Volos had enflamed. They were scared of him now as he was poised to kill their leader. A few had broken off, overcoming their fear to side with the Monsters, but now even those few were scared as well.

Asgore realized that what he did next would define history for a thousand years. Frisk and their friends had traveled through time to change the past to create a better future for everyone. But maintaining that future would require effort. They had to learn from their mistakes; not just this past, but from Frisk’s own and do better to create a better world. One where such a fear did not exist.

He had to make a choice, a smart one. He could recall the lessons his father had beaten into him. While not the best man, there were many things he was right about. And Asgore considered those lessons now.

The humans viewed the Monsters as creatures of destruction and death. Demons that would plague their lives and threaten their existence. But they were not. Monsters were love, hope, and compassion, and always responded to situations with those traits.

Volos was a dangerous man, but Asgore knew if he killed him, he’d just prove him right. That Monsters truly were dangerous and that peace was never possible. He would not fall for that. Not now, not ever.

Instead of impaling the defenseless man, Asgore lowered his weapon, sparing Volos.

“W-what are you doing? Finish me!” Volos shouted.

“No,” Asgore said decisively. “That’s not who we are.” He looked up at Haward. The human was nodding in approval. Asgore turned and walked away from Volos.

But Volos was a spiteful, petty and vindictive man. He grabbed a discarded sword and turned on Asgore when he turned his back.

A weapon impaled flesh and everything seemed to stop.

Asgore turned in surprise to face Volos who had the sword raised above his head…

…and a spear in his chest.

The red-black wizard looked at the weapon in shock before collapsing.

All eyes turned to Haward, hand stretched to his father, having tossed his spear at the man.

“Haward…” Gerson said, astonished.

“Attacking when someone has spared your life and when their back is turned is the most cowardly thing you can do,” Haward said.

Dobromil came up. “Volos was guilty of inciting war, treason, and murder. But when word gets out that he’s been killed there will be chaos.”

“Perhaps, but we need to learn from our mistakes if we are to live together,” Haward said. He walked over to his father’s body, retrieving his spear. “This chaos might be what brings our two species together.”

“What makes you think it’s possible for our kinds to live together,” someone asked.

“Because it’s true. Frisk proved that,” Haward said. “Frisk has lived with them for years and grew to love them like they were their own kind. A feeling that was returned. I saw several Monsters die for that kid.”

“And where is this kid now?” someone asked.

“Murdered by my father,” Haward answered. “They gave their life to protect Asgore. I saw it. That shows me that there’s more to the Monsters than we think. My people have been with them for a week. Never once have we been mistreated.”

“But the Monsters want to absorb our Souls,” someone said.

“No. You saw it. Gerson and MK had two Souls right there and they destroyed them. The Monsters aren’t going to kill us for our Souls. That’s the last thing on their minds.”

“What about the king? I think it’s clear he took a Soul.”

“Only because Frisk begged him to,” Haward explained. “I was there. Asgore resisted it. They had to beg him to do it because it was the only way to beat my father. And they were right. Now think about that. If even the king of Monsters, who at his most desperate moment didn’t want to absorb a Soul, even when that Soul was being freely offered, then what are the chances of a random Monster doing the same?”

Nobody responded to that. The answer to that was clear.

“We can live together. Frisk proved that,” Haward continued. “They sacrificed themself for the Monsters.”

“But it makes no sense,” someone cried out. “Why would they do that?”

“I don’t know the whole story but having lived with them for a week, one theory springs to mind,” Haward answered. “Frisk is loyal to Monsterkind. They love them with all their heart and gladly gave their life to defend them. Don’t any of you find that strange? Just think on it. Someone was willing to die for a species not their own. That says something about the people they were protecting. They had no loyalty to us because we never showed any to them. We need to learn about how to be better. Because if we don’t, the next Frisk might not be so merciful to us. They may resort to more deadly measures.”

The two armies, human and Monster, looked to each other at that. The humans didn’t want to fight their brothers and the Monsters weren’t interested in fighting at all. Trust would be hard but they were willing to try. Someone had to take that first step, though.

Dobromil was the first. He flung his staff to the ground making it clear where he stood. Others followed by also tossing their weapons down. And with that, everyone let their weapons fall. The battle was over and they were going to try. Human and Monster alike.

*   *   *

MK picked up Frisk’s body, cradling it in his arms. Around him, humans were reconciling with each other and Monsters aiding in healing. It had been surprising to the former invaders that the Monsters didn’t harbor any grudge over what just happened. But that was a Monster for you. They preferred peace over violence and love over hate.

A flaming arrow had been shot up into the sky, the signal for the ships to return. MK wasn’t sure what to tell Alphys when she returned. He had scoured the battlefield and Undyne was nowhere to be found. He had also been unable to find Sans, and Papyrus had dusted right before his eyes. They had changed history, but at a steep price.

MK placed Frisk’s head on his metal shoulder, nuzzling their hair. Sure, they were still conscious in Asgore now but it wasn’t the same. And on top of that, a small part of MK doubted they had succeeded in their goal. On the surface it seemed like the war was over but that depended entirely on the human king. Would he be willing and agreeable to peace with Monsters? He didn’t know and that, on top of him still being here, cast doubt on if they had changed anything.

Alphys’ research into time travel did indicate that nothing would happen to them if they changed the past but that wasn’t a guarantee. No one knew if changes to the past cause the time travelers to disappear when they altered the past.

MK walked through the halls of the castle, taking a look around. If he was going to disappear with this change to history, he wanted to be with Frisk when it happened. Though so far, it didn’t seem like anything was happening. He walked by one of the windows and spotted the ships docking at the ports below. He turned towards the entrance, deciding to be there when Alphys and the others returned.

*   *   *

Alphys strolled up the path to the castle with Toriel beside her. When that arrow appeared in the sky she knew that meant the battle was over. Judging by how humans and Monsters were helping each other recover, she guessed it went in their favor. She was going to go find one of her friends to get an account of what happened as well as who was gone.

She didn’t want to think it but there was a possibility that one or more of her friends had died in the battle. Even though she had lost so many people over the last two years, it didn’t make it easier when she learned that one of her friends had met their end.

Alphys and Toriel stepped into the courtyard with the castle’s servants and workers behind them. Alphys looked around, glad to see the humans accepting aid from Monsters and vice versa. Though there were a few, placed off to the side, that weren’t being seen to at all. She guessed that those were the fallen.

And Volos was among them.

“He’s dead,” she muttered, pointing to Volos’ corpse so Toriel would know. “They did it.” A smile lit her features as that sunk in. If Volos was dead and the humans weren’t baying for Monster dust, then it meant something had gone right. “We won.”

Toriel looked somewhat horrified at the sight. “I am still not comfortable that it had to end this way,” she said.

“It was either that or we all died,” Alphys said angrily. “Personally, I’m not bothered by it at all. I’m just glad it’s over and that we won.”

“But at a price.”

Toriel and Alphys turned to see MK walk up, Frisk in his arms.

“Frisk!” Alphys screamed, running over. Toriel was right behind her. She saw the red patch on their chest but refused to believe the evidence with her own eyes. “What happened?”

“Volos,” MK answered. “He got them in their heart. They destroyed his sword but he still killed them.”

Alphys fell to her knees, cupping Frisk’s cheek. “No… no…”

“They died protecting Asgore,” MK said in a scarily toneless voice. “Protecting all of us. We won, but the cost was too much.”

Toriel knelt down, laying a hand on Alphys’ shoulder, crying. “Did we lose anyone else?”

MK nodded. “The skeleton brothers, Papyrus and Sans, and…” MK hesitated before saying it. “And Undyne.”

Alphys looked up at MK in horror. He was being perfectly candid. There was no energy in him to lie or joke. She buried her face in her hands, crying into them.

“They all gave as good as they got,” MK informed. “They gave their lives to give us a chance.”

Toriel was a little frightened at how neutral MK’s voice was. “Are you… alright?” she asked.

“No,” MK answered. “I feel like I just had my heart ripped out. We won but at a steep price.”

Toriel felt sympathy for MK. He was too young to go through this and it was clear he was trying to suppress his emotions.

“Where is the king?” Toriel asked, still comforting Alphys.

“Trying to draft a letter to the humans with Dobromil,” MK answered. “The human king needs to know what happened here.”

Alphys wiped her eyes, putting her goggles back on as she stood up. “W-what is it going to say?” she asked.

“The truth,” MK answered. “The humans are going to know what happened here and what became of their best wizard.”

Gerson came up at that moment. “Glad you two made it back,” he greeted.

“Gerson. You survive,” Toriel said, glad.

“Of course I did. Gonna take a lot more than a few humans to put me down,” Gerson chuckled.

“I should probably go speak with Asgore,” Alphys suggested. “Make sure that he’s saying the right things.”

“You sure you don’t want to take a moment, lass?” Gerson asked. “You looked pretty broken just a moment ago.”

“If I sit and think I’ll go crazy,” Alphys said. “I need things to do or else I’ll just get trapped in my own head.” She walked past the turtle and Toriel followed her.

“Um, I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” Gerson said nervously.

“Let her go,” MK said. “She’ll find out eventually.” He followed, his feet lightly dragging.

*   *   *

Alphys arrived at Asgore’s chamber with Toriel, MK, and Gerson behind her. She opened the door without knocking.

She took a couple steps in and saw Asgore at a desk, Dobromil beside him. At first, she didn’t notice anything wrong, but when he stood up, she realized he had become a lot taller.

“Alphys, you’re back,” he greeted.

“Good heavens!” Toriel exclaimed. “What happened to you?!”

Alphys glanced back at Frisk’s corpse in MK’s arms and made the connection instantly. “The nuclear option,” she whispered. “You absorbed their Soul. Frisk’s Soul.”

Toriel looked at Alphys in shock, the king nodding. “I didn’t want to,” he said. “But we were out of options and they begged me too.”

Alphys sighed, a hand to her head. “I should have known,” she said. “Undyne told me they were considering it. I didn’t think they’d push for it, though.”

“And the humans are okay with that?” Toriel asked.

“Frisk died protecting Asgore,” Dobromil answered. “And besides, those two there had other human Souls at their disposal and destroyed them instead of absorbing them.”

Alphys and Toriel looked back at Gerson and MK who both nodded.

“So the war is over,” Alphys questioned. “The fighting is done.”

“That depends on what our king decides,” Dobromil said. “But after what happened here, I think he’ll be open to negotiations. Volos did kill a child. And that won’t sit well with the people. The king will want a full report.”

“Hence this letter,” Asgore said. “I’ve detailed it as best I could with Dobromil’s help.”

“Let me help, too,” Alphys suggested. “We need to make sure that it’s presented in the best light.”

“Are you sure?” Asgore asked. “You don’t want to take a moment to-”

“I can’t afford to. Not now,” Alphys said. “Trust me, I’ll have a major breakdown later. Right now, I need to do my part to ensure peace.”

“Very well,” Asgore agreed.

As Alphys walked over, Gerson went up to Toriel. “Um, perhaps you and MK should organize his room?” he suggested. “The lad needs something to do with his hands and… I think he needs living company.”

Toriel got the message. “Very well.” She turned to the lizard. “Come, MK.”

She walked off, MK following. Today was a victory, but he wasn’t sure it was worth the cost.

End of Chapter 17

Chapter Text

Toriel opened the door to the room MK and the others shared. The lizard was behind her, still cradling Frisk’s body. She looked over the room and realized it wasn’t messy at all. She did remember that they didn’t have anything on them when they arrived and they hadn’t spent much time in this room to begin with.

Toriel closed the door as MK walked in. “Perhaps you should lay Frisk down somewhere while we… gather up your friends’ things.”

MK walked over to the bed he shared with Frisk and laid their body down. Toriel went over to one of the beds and saw that there wasn’t anything on it.

“That’s Undyne’s bed,” MK informed.

“There is… not much here,” Toriel noted.

MK shrugged. “It’s not like she had a lot of free time or any reason to keep anything.”

“And the skeleton brothers?” Toriel asked.

MK pointed to two other beds. Toriel walked over to them. One was a little messy with a few food packets on the sheets. The other looked spotless and made, like the owner expected to return.

And again, there was not much near either one in terms of possessions.

She cleaned up the messy bed, collecting the discarded food packets. There was a place for trash that she put it in.

“And Frisk’s bed?” she asked.

MK just looked at the bed the body was laying in. Once more, there was hardly anything there. She looked around the bed, hoping to find something. She felt her foot land on something and looked down to see a book. She picked it up to inspect it.

“That’s their journal,” MK explained. “Their father gave it to them. Some kind of present, I think.”

Toriel didn’t open it. She merely looked at the covers. “This is a rather thoughtful present,” she said.

“Yeah, it is,” MK agreed.

Toriel glanced at Frisk’s body. “I am impressed at this little thing. The pages look very good and I had no idea the covers could be made like this.”

“Well, technology is very advanced in our time,” MK said.

“If I might ask, who was their father?” Toriel questioned. “You do not have to answer if it makes you uncomfortable.”

MK sighed. “Why not? There’s no harm in telling you what happens now, anyway. Their father was king Asgore.”

Toriel’s head snapped up to look at MK. “Asgore? Asgore is their father?”

“Well, unofficially,” MK said. “He didn’t have legal custody of Frisk but everyone acknowledged them as father and child. Well, almost everyone.”

“What does that mean?” Toriel asked.

MK didn’t answer right away. “You know what? I don’t have the energy to tell you outright. You want answers?” He gestured to the book in her hands. “That should give you some. It won’t answer everything, but it will say a lot.”

“Is it not it private?” Toriel questioned.

“Frisk is dead,” MK said bluntly. “It doesn’t matter anymore. And besides, I think they’d agree if it means changing your fate.”

Toriel raised an eyebrow. “My fate?”

“It’s in the book,” MK said. “Read if you want. I don’t care.” He started walking back to Frisk but Toriel stood in his way.

“I think it is best if you leave them here,” she suggested. “It is not healthy to be carrying a corpse around.”

“Why?” MK asked.

“MK, I know it hurts, but you cannot carry them around with you,” Toriel advised. “You need to let them lie. Humans do not turn to dust upon death and from what I understand, carrying a corpse around can make you sick.”

“I know that,” MK said.

“MK, I understand the pain but you need to let them go,” she advised.

MK’s expression changed and he got mad. His hand tightened like he wanted to hit her. “Get out.”

“MK…”

“Get. Out.”

Toriel politely bowed before leaving. She didn’t know why he got so mad, but she guessed she said something wrong. And as much as she wanted to stay, she was a servant in the castle and MK was a guest she had to attend to. She left and took the journal with her. She closed the door behind her but she didn’t walk away. Instead, she laid an ear on the wood door, listening to the sounds from within. After a moment, she could hear MK’s crying.

She decided to leave him alone then, leaving him to grieve.

*   *   *

Dobromil wrapped the letter to the leg of a raven before sending it off, Asgore by his side.

“Are you alright?” Dobromil asked the king.

“Well, my new height is taking some adjusting, but other than that, I am fine,” he answered.

“I do want to apologize for anything I did that might have offended you in the past,” the green wizard said. “I was following Volos’ orders and he is our leader.”

“It is alright,” Asgore assured. “I hold no malice towards you or any of your kind.”

Dobromil chuckled. “I can see why Frisk would stick with you and your kind for so long. And why they gave their life for you.”

Asgore looked down sadly. “I just wished it didn’t have to end like that.”

Dobromil had no response. He left Asgore to attend to his people.

I don’t mind at all, Frisk’s voice said in Asgore’s head.

“This is a little disorienting, I’ll admit,” Asgore said. “I’m not sure I can get used to it, either.”

That’s okay, Frisk said. I… wasn’t expecting you to keep my Soul in you forever anyway.

“What do you mean by that?”

You can let me go, Frisk explained. Release my Soul from your body. It will also return you to normal.

“But… what will happen to you?” Asgore asked nervously.

Does it matter?

“Yes.”

Frisk was silent for a long moment. Without a body to contain it, my Soul will eventually shatter on its own. It could be instantly, or it could take a few days. Either way, my Soul will break and when it does… I’ll cease to exist.

Asgore gasped. “You mean… you’ll die? For good?”

It’s not like it’ll be any different than right now, Frisk said.

“You’re not… afraid?”

Asgore, I’ve had to accept I’ll die young for a long time, Frisk explained. Ever since Alphys pulled out my bisected heart and put in that artificial replacement, my time was very limited. You’ve given me a few more hours to enjoy, but I have to go eventually.

“Frisk…”

I don’t want to stay like this, Asgore. You’ll live for a thousand years and I don’t want to do that. I’ve lost my family, my friends, my people. When I die, I’ll see them again. So… when you’re ready, just let me go and I’ll pass on.

Asgore covered his mouth with his hand, shocked at Frisk’s request. He wasn’t sure he could abide by that. After everything Frisk had done, they didn’t deserve to die.

“There… might be something we can do for…”

I don’t want it, Frisk interrupted. I won’t force you. I’ll just… rest, until it happens. I could use the peace.

Asgore agreed. “Pleasant dreams, Frisk.” He felt like a part of his mind went to sleep. He looked around his chambers, wondering if there was anything he could do for Frisk. He didn’t want to lose Frisk, but it sounded like they were ready to go. While commendable for a child, it was too much for him. Eventually, his eyes landed on the potted flower that used to be Flowey.

A thought occurred to him and wondered if it was possible. He could let Frisk’s Soul go, but would it go into the flower? There was a way to try it.

He laid a hand on the flower’s head. He focused on his will, feeling Frisk’s Soul within his form. He then tried to pull it out and into the flower. A red glow emitted from his chest, before it shot to the flower.

A flash emitted where light and flower touched blinding Asgore for a moment. When he looked again, he was back to his original height. He looked to the flower and noticed it had changed slightly. Its face was still blank, but a pair of vine-like arms extended from the stem, each one ending in three claw-like digits.

“Frisk?” he asked. He got no response from the flower. “Frisk, wake up.” He cupped the petals in one hand hoping to coax Frisk back to consciousness. But nothing happened. He sighed, rubbing the petals with his fingers. “Rest as long as you need. You deserve it.”

*   *   *

Toriel returned to her chamber and sat down in a chair. She looked to the window and saw the sun rising. She glanced at the journal in her hands. It felt slightly intrusive but MK had given her leave to read it, saying that the answers to her questions were in this book.

 She opened it and turned to the first page. She looked over the dates which were from a thousand years in the future. Frisk’s handwriting was easy to read which was better than what she had expected.

Asgore has given me this journal as a gift. I’m not sure why and he didn’t tell me, but I think it’s an apology for how we met. Well, it’s very nice. He also said that he uses his diary to collect his thoughts and that writing things down helps you understand things better.

I’m happy with this gift, but when I told mom who gave it to me, she got tense, like she always does when Asgore is mentioned. She doesn’t like that I spent even a moment of my free time with him. She never does.

That surprised Toriel. Did Frisk’s mother not approve of their relationship? Why would she be mad at the king? And what did Frisk mean by ‘free time’? She did recall Alphys mention that they were the ambassador for Monsterkind in their time so perhaps they worked close with Asgore. She read on turning the page to the next entry.

Had another meeting with the humans regarding Monster rights. Asgore was rather impressive during the whole thing. While a big fuzzy pushover, when it comes to his people being treated fairly, he’s like a brick wall. He refused to accept anything less than equality. Some of the politicians agreed, though there were a few that resisted. Luckily, I was able to persuade a few. I’m getting better at this than I thought. After the meeting, Asgore praised me for my work in there. He also gave me a few tips as well. After that, he brought me home as always. Mom was glad to see me back and treated me to a pie for my efforts.

That made a smile appear on Toriel’s face. At least Frisk’s mother was doting on them and Asgore seemed like a good father.

Doing both school and my ambassador duties is hard. A few times, mom suggested I drop the political stuff and focus on my schoolwork. But I can’t give up now. The humans listen to me and the Monsters trust me. I’m the only one who can do this. And while Asgore did make the same suggestion as mom, he accepted my choice and even offered to help with schooling. While I’m not sure that’s allowed, the thought is nice.

Toriel had to admire Frisk’s dedication. All that work and they didn’t give up. That was determination.

Winter is almost over now. I have told mom that I’m planning to make a journey up Mt. Ebbot. I haven’t told her the real reason only that there’s something up there I was planning to get when the snow thawed. I’ve made all the preparations and made several arrangements. Tomorrow, I’m going up there to bring someone back, regardless of whether they want to or not.

Toriel flipped the page to find two entries, both dated the same day.

Today’s the day. I’m going up to Mt. Ebbot to bring Flowey down from the mountain. I know he might put up a bit of a fit, but I think it would do him good to see the surface and live with us. Well, I gotta head out now. If I don’t hurry, I won’t make it back home before nightfall.

Flowey did put up a bit of a fight, insisting that he belonged down there. But in the end, he agreed to come with me. He’s in a pot, sitting on the windowsill watching me write this. At least, some of the time. Most of the time, I catch him looking out the window, watching the stars. I’ve never seen him genuinely happy before. Mom was okay with our new ‘guest’ as she put it, which was my biggest concern. But I did it. I got everyone out of that mountain at last. And while not everyone is saved, everyone is happy. This is the ending I’ve wanted and now I got it.

Toriel was slightly puzzled by that. Frisk’s wording in those final lines were odd but she dismissed it. She continued reading, wondering what else Frisk did.

Had a rather interesting talk with mom today. When I woke up, there was blood on the bed. When I asked, she told me that was natural. She tells me it means I’ve matured, though she was red most of the time. At least, as red as she can get while covered in fur. When I asked the others, only Asgore was able to elaborate. Now I wish I hadn’t. And to make it worse, it’s going to happen again, on a regular basis, too. Sometimes I want to go back so I don’t have to deal with it, but I made a promise. So, I’ll just have to deal with it.

Toriel blushed as she read that. She knew of periods, as some Monsters had them, including her. She hadn’t expected to read about Frisk’s first one, though. She hoped that was it regarding that. She continued reading.

Today started off nice. After school, Asgore picked me up for more of my ambassador duties. Once those were done, he took me home. But it was very late and both of us missed supper. I tried to hide my hunger the whole journey home but Asgore wouldn’t have it.

“Frisk,” he said, “you don’t have to put yourself down anymore. You have friends and family now, people who support you. You don’t need to starve yourself for any reason anymore.”

After he said that, he turned and headed for the nearest fast-food joint. He paid for both our meals. I did have some homework to do while we ate and he once more offered his help. He proved to be a great soundboard for me, helping me find the solutions without giving away the answers. It was so great. Too great, actually. Without realizing it at first, I had called him ‘dad’. When I did realize, I shut up, afraid I had offended him. But he was beaming and looked content with that. After we finished eating and wrapped up some of my homework, he drove me home. And the title stuck the whole drive.

Toriel couldn’t wipe away the goofy grin she wore as she read that. But it did vanish as she read the rest of the entry.

But once he got me home, mom showed up. She looked furious. At first, I just thought she was mad that I was out past curfew. But no, it was because I was with him for hours outside of work. She sent me to my room and it was only then the shouting started. I know she thinks I can’t hear anything, but her voice carries almost as much as Asgore’s and I was able to make out most of the words. She was furious that Asgore was near me for so long. He tried to defend himself, insisting that he was just feeding me since I missed dinner and helping me with my homework, but she refused to accept the excuse.

She sent him away and I watched from my room as Asgore walked to the car, head down in shame, back hunched, whereas before he was straight and proud. Now I feel bad I had called him ‘dad’. Worse, she hated that I called him that as well, as it slipped when I was trying to explain to her what we were doing before she sent me to my room. And even worse, Flowey heard all of it as well. He’s sitting on my bedstand, head down. And I’m not sure, but I think he’s trying to not cry, as I hear him sniffle at times.

Toriel was saddened and disgusted at once. Who was this person that Frisk addressed as mom and would shout at her own king? Asgore sounded like he was just trying to take care of Frisk and was being berated for it. That was very unfair. She should be glad that the king of Monsters has taken a shine to her adopted child and reciprocated the affection. At least, that’s what she would have done were she in this person’s shoes.

She continued on, wanting to know more.

I saw Asgore again today and he looked saddened by what happened yesterday. For just a moment, he looked the happiest I have ever seen him. Then mom opened the door and it was gone. He’s gone right back to formalities and even hesitates touching me. It’s clear to me that mom’s rant upset him. I want him to understand that I don’t care what her opinion is. But how do I do that?

I talked to my friends today, filling them in on what happened between me and Asgore and mom the other day. All of them took Asgore’s side in the argument and even appreciated that I liked Asgore enough to call him ‘dad’. They all gave me tips, but I don’t think any of them would work. I think I need to go to someone who knows them both better.

Today I talked to Gerson, letting him know about my situation. He chuckled when I called Asgore dad, appreciating that I considered him a father now, even saying that he had a bet with another Monster with how long it would take before that happened. A bet he apparently won now. But anyways, I told him about the situation and he admitted he wasn’t sure what to do in this instance. Getting dad happy again wasn’t a problem. It was doing it without upsetting mom. I asked him for advice and eventually, he gave me some.

“If you ask me laddie, I suggest you forget about your mom’s opinion,” he said. “I was kinda hoping she’d change her tune after all this time, but it seems she still hasn’t forgiven ol’ Fluffybuns – Toriel giggled as she read that – for his past actions. But I think seeing you so comfortable around him might just bring her around with time. So, don’t let your mom’s anger deter ya, lad. Just keep treating the king like you want. She’ll either explode or just accept it and finally move on.”

I’m not confident this will work, but Gerson’s probably the oldest Monster around. I just hope he’s right. I’ll tell dad this tomorrow.

Today, I’ve told dad of my decision. I’ve told him that I don’t care what mom’s opinion of the matter is. He’s my dad and always will be. And if he wants, I can be his child and we could be a family. A slightly broken, heavily traumatized family, but a family nonetheless. His response: a hug and tears. Regardless of what mom thinks when she sees me with him again, Asgore is now my dad.

Toriel smiled as she read that. No wonder Frisk was so willing to die for Asgore. They loved his future self like a father. She wished she could meet that man and possibly berate the woman taking care of Frisk.

Things are going fine now. I call Asgore dad now regardless of the circumstances. He’s also been assisting me with my homework. Letting me find the answers but still helping me find the solution. He’s a great dad and I am truly fortunate. The only wrinkle is mom. She’s still not happy about me spending time with him but I’ve made it clear where I stand on the matter and I refuse to back down. She doesn’t like it, but she understands she had no choice. She can’t forbid me from seeing him as we work together.

Flowey is also getting happier, though I can see there’s a limit to that. He’s not happy that mom and dad fight so much, but he is glad they have a child again that loves them back. If I could just figure out how to get mom to accept my choice and to stop yelling at dad, that would be great.

Now Toriel was offended on Asgore’s behalf. She wasn’t sure why Frisk continued to live with her and what they saw in this person if she was so hateful. Then again, she didn’t know this woman’s full story, so perhaps there was some bad blood between her and the king. But what would cause such a hateful reaction for so long that was obviously one sided?

Mom and dad had another fight today. I was getting ready for bed when I heard their voices from downstairs. It sounded like she was trying to tell Asgore to stop returning my affections. Beforehand, I would think he’d have just agreed. But this time, I heard him not just fight back, but yell as well.

“You can’t stop me from seeing Frisk,” I heard him say. “We work together far to closely now and we’re at a pivotal moment in negotiations.”

“I understand that, but you cannot see them during yours or their free time anymore,” she said back.

“Why? Why is this such a problem for you? Why do you not like the idea of me spending time with Frisk?”

“It is because you are dangerous. I do not want my child near a murderer.”

“I didn’t kill those children! And I would never harm Frisk. Not after all they have done for us. And besides, Frisk needs us to be there for them. After all they have suffered they need a family. They need a mother and a father.”

“I know, but it cannot be you.”

Dad was silent for a long moment before he spoke. “I think it is too late for that. They love me like family and regardless of what you say, I love them like they’re my child as well. But why can you not see that? Why do you think I would harm them?”

“You condemned innocent children in the past. Six children are dead because of you and had I not intervened, it would have been seven. Why should I trust you after all that?”

“Because I never wanted that. I didn’t want a war and I never wanted their deaths on my hands. Please understand, Tori, I love Frisk, and I would do anything for them.”

Toriel stopped for a moment, rereading that last line. Asgore had called the woman ‘Tori’. Was that a nickname? But who was this woman who was so mad and blinded by rage? And why would he address her by her nickname of all times? And what would Tori be short for?

It took her a moment to realize and when it struck her, the book fell from her hands in shock. Tori… was short for Toriel. It was her. Frisk’s mother… was her?

She couldn’t believe it. She couldn’t believe that she could ever get so mad at her king like that. She didn’t want to believe that she would be so angry with him for so long. Sure, it sounded like he did a bad thing but this all seemed like an overreaction. Why would she be so mad at him for so long?

She picked up the journal and continued to read it.

The argument went on for a while as they both shouted at each other. Eventually, the yelling stopped. After it did, I heard dad’s car pull away. I would have watched, but Flowey was in the corner holding his tears in. I had to reassure him that it wasn’t his fault. But he didn’t seem to believe me.

Toriel covered her mouth with her hand, trying to hold back the tears. She still couldn’t believe this was her. Surely it was someone else, right? Someone else who went by the nickname of ‘Tori’. But too much made sense for her to believe that. Frisk and MK clearly knew a lot about her and it would explain MK’s reaction towards her advice. The woman in this journal clearly didn’t take that lesson to heart. No wonder MK got so mad. It made her sound like a hypocrite.

Reluctantly, she kept going, afraid of what she would learn of her future, but knowing that she needed to find out to prevent this from happening.

Today’s an exciting day.

The apartment complex dad’s been staying at has been condemned. Some health code violations or something. So, dad needs a new place to live and he’s moving in with us! He first asked around, but everyone else who is willing to take him is full. Mom’s house is the only place that can fit him. All our hallways and entrances are wide and tall enough for him. She’s not too happy but I convinced her it was better this way. So, once he gets here we’ll help him carry his stuff i

Toriel was surprised the entry cut off there. She could only guess that Frisk was writing this as Asgore arrived and they just put it down and didn’t finish it. She was glad that Frisk was happy that Asgore was moving in with them. But what did her future self think? If Frisk had to convince her, she must not be too happy with it. But if her counterpart was anything like her then she would put it aside for Frisk, because it was clear to her how excited they were to have their father figure living with them.

She turned the page to keep reading.

Having dad around is super fun. He’s always willing to help me out with my homework, though Toriel insists I do some of it on my own. We’re also able to discuss ‘work’ without any sort of time limit. We also watch movies together. I had no idea dad could get so emotional. He cries during the sad parts and laughs at the funny parts. Though I guess it only makes sense. Sure, mom gives him the cold shoulder all the time and I’ve caught plenty of glares she’s thrown his way, but this is still nice. It’s like we’re a real family. I’ve always wanted one.

Toriel smiled at the wording. Frisk sounded genuinely happy and content with their place, their only gripe being their mother’s attitude toward Asgore. She also realized that it was her when she read the mention of her name. She wished she understood what drove her to become this way. Perhaps the answer was in the journal. She kept going.

Today was not a good day. Mom and dad had yet another argument. I didn’t catch most of it, but I got that it was about me. Toriel still isn’t happy that dad’s spending so much time around me and still thinks he might try to kill me. I can’t believe she’s so short sighted. Is she blind? Asgore would never do that to me. Everyone can see it, except her. What is her problem? They fought for a long time. I didn’t hear Asgore come up the stairs, so I guess he’s sleeping on the couch. But as for mom, when she came to tuck me in, she acted like nothing was wrong. She was smiling and pretended like she and dad didn’t have a shouting match. When I asked her about it, she denied anything was wrong. What is wrong with her? Does she think I can’t hear her arguments? That I don’t see her anger every time she and Asgore are in the same room? I’m not stupid. I know something’s wrong. It’s not just me that’s suffering. Flowey looked the saddest I’ve ever seen him. I try to comfort him but nothing’s working. What is it going to take to get her to stop?

Toriel felt tears fill her eyes. Again, she struggled to believe she could be so cruel. Worse, she was treating Frisk like a baby when they clearly knew something was up. Was she ignorant? Did she try to project a feeling of comfort to hide her anger from Frisk? Why would she do this? She feared what she would read if she turned the page. But she did it anyway.

Flowey ran away. When I got up this morning, he wasn’t in his pot. At first, I assumed he just went outside for some air after the argument last night. But after I got ready for the day I found a note on my desk. It was from him. He’s not happy here and he ran away back to the mountain. I’ve told both my parents. Asgore isn’t sure what to do and Toriel is no better. Flowey was my friend and I can’t believe he just up and left, leaving a note behind with a flimsy excuse. Flowey, why?

Toriel found the note clipped to the page. She pulled it out and read it. The handwriting wasn’t that great, but she was able to read it.

Frisk, I’m sorry, but I can’t stay here anymore. After last night, it’s just too much for me. Hearing them fight, I just can’t do it. This is all my fault and I can’t bear to hear their argument. She can’t forgive him for what he did, no matter what you or dad Asgore try. And seeing her act like nothing’s wrong… pretending that everything is fine when it isn’t… I just can’t do it anymore. So, I’m going back to the mountain and staying there. This is all my fault and I can’t bear the guilt anymore. I’m sorry to just leave you like this, but I can’t bear to be here anymore. So… this is goodbye.

Toriel cried as she read that. This flower seemed to believe it was his fault and ran away because of it. All because Toriel could not move on. She sat there for a few moments, ashamed of herself. In truth, she was blind to a lot of things, such as the cruelty of humans. The woman that raised her was human and had shown Toriel the kindness that was in humanity. Perhaps that blinded her to the other side of the coin. Humans could be full of malice and hate and she refused to believe that. Perhaps that was part of her future self’s problem. She only saw one side of things and refused to believe there were any alternatives. She needed to stamp that part of herself out, but how?

Perhaps if she kept reading, she might find out how Frisk fixed her future self, or have some idea on how to do it. But as she read, she was puzzled. This entry didn’t read like a journal entry. It was more of a note to their mother.

Mom, I’m not sure if you read my journal, but I suspect you do. So, I’m writing this to explain myself. If you have read this, then you know what’s going on. Flowey left. And I’m going back to Mt. Ebbot to bring him home. I’m sure you’re looking for me, but don’t bother. By the time you read this, I’ll probably be halfway up the mountain and I’m not coming back without Flowey.

Mom, let me take this chance to say that I’m mad with you. I was hoping that you’d forgive Asgore for all he’s done, but you can’t or won’t. Don’t think I haven’t noticed, because I have. I hear your arguments; I hear the shouts. I’m not blind. I know you think Asgore deserves to be punished for what he’s done, but he has been. Look, everyone’s forgiven him for his crimes. The humans cleared him of all charges, I forgave him for his battle that you interrupted. Heck, even the families of the kids he killed forgave him. So, you being mad at him is petty and selfish and I can’t stand it anymore.

I hope you read this and understand. I agreed to live with you because I thought you’d be the best person for the job. But the longer I spend with Asgore and the longer you hate him for things he’s been forgiven for, the more I think he’s a better fit. I can’t accept that. I’m not going to leave you, but I am considering it. When I come back, I expect you to take a real hard look at yourself and ask what is more important to you.

But more than that, when I come back with Flowey, there’s something else I need to tell you both. It’s a secret he made me promise to keep. But after this… I can no longer in good conscience keep it. It’s not just me you’re hurting, you’ve been killing him, too. I know you’re wondering why that matters. It matters a great deal. I won’t say it here, but I will tell you both when I come back. This family has been broken for too long, and damnit, I will fix it. See you in a few days.

Toriel read the whole thing over again just to make sure she didn’t read it wrong. And while it was directed at her counterpart, this long note hit her like a brick wall. It upset her to read it, but she understood why Frisk did it. They were at their limit with her and she had gone over the line. She wanted to read on to see where this would go. How did she react to whatever secret Frisk had kept?

But when she turned the page, the entry was dated six months after the previous one. Confused, she flipped back and forth, wondering if she missed something. Six months was the biggest stretch between entries she had seen, whereas before they had only been a couple weeks. Puzzled, she read on.

It’s been so long since I wrote in this thing. Undyne said it had been too risky to get it, but I had to try. And it wasn’t the only thing I found in the house. I found dad’s trident and brought it along with a few possessions with me. So, I guess I should explain what happened.

After I convinced Flowey to come back with me, we headed up to the surface. Only to find it under attack. These strange creatures were rampaging through the city killing everything in their path. I tried to get to my parent’s house, but I wasn’t able to make it. I found a group of Monsters led by Undyne, trying to escape the city. We ran into the woods and got away from those things before they could kill us. I tried to look for mom and dad amongst the survivors, but they weren’t there. There had been other groups that escaped, so I held out hope that they were in one such group. But… I found two piles of dust in the house, so… it’s obvious what happened.

Toriel gasped as she read that. That must have been traumatizing for them. They had planned to reconcile with their parents, only to find them murdered.

But anyways, we went on the run, going from city to city, town to town, trying to survive. Because this attack was worldwide. Every country, every nation, everywhere is being overrun with these strange things. They kill everything they find. Even the animals and plants aren’t safe. We’ve tried to push them back, to defeat them, but they’re proving to be hard to kill. Worse, every time we try to attack, we just end up with fewer people. We’ve been doing this for months. It’s become a fight for survival at this point. Nothing we do works. But it’s calmed down somewhat and we were passing by the old city and I was able to get this and dad’s trident. Before I left, mom had been giving me a few magic lessons. I’m going to continue my training so I can fight. I want to help and I’m going to learn how.

Toriel felt awful for Frisk. To lose so much so abruptly… she could scarcely imagine the days after that. But she knew it only got worse. She didn’t want to read, but she had to.

Undyne and Papyrus have been training me how to fight and how to use magic. I’m the only human who can for the time being. Some of the nations are planning a coordinated strike on the base of the things, and Undyne says I can help. MK is going along with me as backup. Maybe we can end things.

Toriel flipped the page to continue, only to find the handwriting was shaky this time. As she read, she realized it wasn’t Frisk that wrote this entry.

Frisk asked me to do this since they can’t. But the attack failed completely. We lost so many in that battle and Frisk… they’ve been hurt. Really badly.

Toriel was able to guess what happened, though the writing continued, confirming it for her.

They’ve been stabbed in the chest and Alphys said their heart was torn in two. Papyrus kept them stable long enough for her to hook them up to a machine that keeps them alive, but Alphys isn’t sure they’ll last like that. We’re trying everything we can but we can’t regenerate their heart. Alphys said she’s looking into alternatives, but she’s not hopeful. Not to mention she’s swamped with fixing everyone, using the design of my arms to make prosthetics for everyone. Frisk is just barely holding on as it is, but… Alphys fears that their body will eventually give out.

Toriel felt pity for MK, who she was certain was writing this. She already knew all this, but to read about it happening still felt horrible.

Alphys has been pumping healing magic into Frisk, hoping that will work, but all it does is keep them alive. Their heart isn’t healing. She thinks that since those cells don’t regenerate on their own that magic won’t fix it. She’s looking into an alternative, but it might not be in time. Frisk is dying and I fear that we may lose them. I…

Toriel was puzzled why it stopped there as MK’s entry didn’t continue on the next page. Perhaps he didn’t feel right doing that. She continued anyway. The next entry was once more in Frisk’s handwriting.

Alphys managed to build an artificial heart for me. It’s keeping me alive but it’s not perfect. It fails on occasion. So much has happened. More countries have fallen and almost everything has been wiped out. Our attack didn’t just fail, it showed us how powerless we are. And… it showed me that this is all my fault.

I did this. I opened the door for that person to come back. I let them in and now we’re paying the price for my mistake. I… I’ve tried to go back, to undo it all but… it’s not working anymore. No matter how hard I try, I can’t turn back time anymore. They took it from me. Somehow, someway, their will overpowers mine, preventing me from going back. This is all my fault. Asgore, Toriel, Mettaton, Gerson, Muffet, everyone. They’re gone because of me. They died because of my actions. Because of my curiosity. Because… because…

Toriel shed a few tears as she read that. She wasn’t sure what Frisk meant, but it was clear they felt tremendously guilty. She continued reading, though part of her felt bad for doing so.

We’re losing. Every day, more and more countries fall. Every day, more nations are destroyed. Every day, thousands of people die. Monsterkind is just barely holding on as it is. We once numbered in the thousands. Now we’re less than that. We keep running, evading patrols and scouts. Doing our best to avoid detection and just survive. But we pay for it with lives and limbs. Undyne’s barely recognizable anymore. So much of her body is gone, yet she holds herself together and keeps going. She’s our only real leader left. She keeps telling us to have hope, trust that we can win, but I don’t see how. Face it, Undyne, we’re losing.

The sun is gone. Clouds constantly cover the sky, blacking out all light. Plants are dying, the ground is soggy, and there’s nothing left resembling buildings of once great cities. All the governments of the world are gone, torn to shreds by them. We’ve lost this war. And soon, our lives as well.

We’re dying. Our food stores are running out. While we’ve managed to establish communication with other refugee camps, they all say the same thing; we’re running out of supplies. It’s been almost two years since the invasion. It’s not getting any better. MK is constantly by my side now since he lost his whole family. His parents are dead and his sister… has Fallen Down. We had to leave her behind for mobility. Everything’s gone to hell. Alphys thinks she might have a solution. I shouldn’t have told her about my ‘ability’. Ever since, she’s gotten this crazy idea that we might be able to change things, but we can’t. I can’t go back, neither can Flowey. We’re stuck. I just hope that when it all ends I will see my parents again and they can forgive me for what I did.

Alphys is working on something. She says there’s hope now that we can live. She proposed that we travel to the past with a time machine to alter the past. I’m not sure this is such a good idea. And besides, it might not be possible anyway. Still, I don’t want to crush her spirits. Let her continue onward.

It can be done. Alphys has proven that it is possible to time travel. Not like what me and Flowey can do, but physically transport ourselves back through time to before we ever existed. It’s possible we can change things. Perhaps if we went back and told our past selves what was going to happen, they might be prepared for it. We shall see.

We found a way. After putting together everything we know and combining it with Alphys’ theory, we’ve found a way to end this war. While we can’t stop this war from ending this way, we might be able to stop it from ever happening. There’s one event in the past responsible for this war: the same war that locked the Monsters underground for a thousand years. If we go back in time and alter the outcome of that war, we might just be able to prevent this war from ever happening. Asgore, Toriel, everyone that died, we would not only bring them back, we’d give them the lives they’ve been denied for so long. Though, we’re not sure what will happen to us, the risk is worth it. Besides, we won’t last long anyway. We’ve only got a few months before supplies run out. It’s a slim chance and it might only end up making things worse. But… what other options do we have?

Alphys has given me and MK a task. We need to head to the True Lab and retrieve something. In order for the machine to work she needs Determination. She knows there’s some left in her old lab. I would have offered mine, but she doesn’t have the equipment needed to extract it. So MK and I need to make a stealth trip back to Mt. Ebbot to retrieve a vial of the stuff and bring it back. Hopefully we can do it. Everyone’s future is riding on our success.

We did it. After ten days, we got back with the vial. Alphys is putting the finishing touches on her machine. Tomorrow, we head back in time to undo all this. If it works, we’ll be changing history. I pray it does. Because if it doesn’t… there’s no hope for any of us.

Toriel flipped the page to find the date on the next entry to be from a couple weeks ago. She continued reading it.

It worked. We made it. As I write this, we’re sitting in Asgore’s castle, getting ready to put our plan into motion. We have several backup plans in case our first one doesn’t work. But no matter what, we’re going to change things. We’ll fix it all. We’ll make it right. We’ll give everyone the hope they need to continue.

Toriel turned the page to find the last entry, dated from yesterday.

Things have gone to shit. I… I think this might be the last time I ever write in this thing. Flowey is gone. He died protecting me. The human army is marching on our castle. We have a plan to stop them and maybe end this war, but… I don’t think I’ll live to see it. I’m dying, faster than before. I have a plan of my own, but Undyne forbid me from doing it. But… if it comes down to it, I’ll go forward.

There was nothing after that. It was as far as the journal went. She breathed heavily after finishing it. Toriel was overwhelmed with the knowledge in this book. She still had trouble believing that she could be like that. And she felt pity for Frisk. They had gone through so much at such a young age. Now she could see why they behaved the way they did. It was probably more impressive that they hadn’t snapped completely from all that stress. She wasn’t sure at first what to do with this knowledge.

Perhaps she should tell Asgore about this. Show him what becomes of him. She stood up and left her room, heading for the king’s chamber, Frisk’s journal in hand.

End of Chapter 18

Chapter Text

Asgore sat in his chamber, lightly rubbing the flower’s head. He was anxious for Frisk to wake up, but the flower still showed no signs of consciousness. He placed it in the window, hoping the sunlight might do something. There was still a mark on the left side of the flower where Volos had stabbed it.

As he sat there waiting he heard a knock at the door. “Enter,” he said. In walked Toriel, surprising the king.

She startled when she saw him. “You… you are back to normal,” she observed.

Asgore nodded. “Yes. I have relinquished Frisk’s Soul, placing it within this flower,” he explained, gesturing to the plant.

Toriel looked at the flower and noticed the new arms it had. “Are you sure that was… wise?” she asked.

“I’m not ready to let them go,” Asgore explained. “I know they’ll hate it but it’s better than keeping them in me indefinitely.” He faced her. “Is there something you wanted to tell me? Gerson did send you to keep an eye on MK.”

“Yes, there is,” she said. She held up the book in her hand. “This is Frisk’s journal.”

“Is that all?” Asgore asked.

“No.” She handed it to him. “I think you should read it, though.”

Asgore took it but didn’t immediately open it. “Toriel… this is probably private.”

“I know but you need to read it. I already have.”

After a moment’s hesitation Asgore opened the book and began reading it. As he did, his expression changed numerous times. Plenty of times, though, he smiled. Other times, he looked sad, and a couple times, he seemed disgusted. As he continued, Toriel realized he was getting to the part of the attack.

When he got there, he turned the page back for a moment, thinking he had missed something. When he saw he didn’t, he continued reading.

“Oh my,” he said, horrified. “Poor kid.” His eyes continued to scan the pages, but tears began to fill them, one hand going to his mouth. Eventually, he stopped. “I can’t read any more.” He closed the book, not even reaching the end. He looked over at the dormant flower. “Frisk… no wonder you…” He couldn’t finish the sentence.

“I struggled reading it as well,” Toriel confessed. “I still cannot believe what becomes of me in their time.”

Asgore looked down at the journal. “It sounded like you had a reason to be mad.”

“But not that mad,” Toriel said. “Yes, you murdering six children is a horrible thing, but I fail to see why she – why I – would hold it against you for so long and with so much… intensity. Especially when you did not kill them yourself.”

Asgore shrugged. “Well, we’ll never know now, because they’re gone.”

Toriel looked down in shame. “I hate that woman for the way she treated you, and I am ashamed that it is me. Why would I fall so far and why pretend everything is alright around Frisk when it is not?”

Asgore had no answer.

“I am scared,” Toriel confessed. “I do not want to become that person but I am afraid I can be. Have I already started down that path? Am I just going to end up like…”

“Toriel,” Asgore said soothingly. “You are not that person and I don’t think you will become her.”

“How do you know?”

“Because now you know what becomes of you,” Asgore explained. “You know your future, know what will happen to you, so you can prevent it. You don’t have to become that person.”

“What makes you so sure of that?” she asked.

“Because I won’t become that person, either,” Asgore assured. “Yes, the me in this journal is good, but it is clear I did something awful. I will not do that. I won’t become a murderer, nor will I condone it. I will not fall down the same path my counterpart did. I will be better than that.”

“You say that with such assurance,” Toriel mused.

Asgore smiled at her. “We changed the future for the better. It’s a new world which means a new start for everyone. Including us. I’ll be better than that man. I will do my best to not succumb to the same temptations that he did. And I know you will do the same.”

Toriel smiled a little at that. “I suppose I can only try.” The smile fell. “But still, without knowing the details, how do I know that I will be able to resist something similar?”

“Then we’ll help each other,” Asgore suggested. “We can both be there for each other and keep each other strong against those weaknesses.”

Toriel chuckled. “That does sound like a good plan. I suppose we could be there for each other.”

“Rather than fight each other, as our counterparts obviously did,” Asgore agreed.

“I am not sure I can commit to a relationship quite like that, not yet anyway, but I would be willing to try.”

“As am I,” Asgore added. The two embraced as a way of sealing their promise to each other. They would help each other be strong and stop one from falling down the same path their counterpart did.

“Ugh, if you two kiss I know I’m dead.”

Both Boss Monsters snapped around to see the flower moving, a familiar expression on its head.

“Frisk!” both exclaimed, throwing themselves at the flower.

“You’re back,” Asgore said, relieved beyond words.

“Wish I wasn’t,” Frisk grumbled, rubbing their petal head with a clawed limb. “What did you do?”

“I… the only thing I could think of to save you,” Asgore confessed.

“What do you mean?” Frisk questioned, then stared at the arm they were using. They looked down and realized they were in a pot, a stem replacing their chest. “No,” they mumbled. “No, no, no, no.”

“Frisk, I know it is upsetting but it was the only way,” Asgore assured.

“Why?” they asked. “Why would you do this?”

“What else could I do? I couldn’t let you stay in my body.”

“Then let me go. Let me die,” Frisk said. “I didn’t want this. I don’t want this.”

“I couldn’t let you go Frisk!” Asgore shouted. “You saved my life. You saved all our lives. It would be wrong to just let you die.”

Frisk bowed their flower head. “You should have just let me die…” they whimpered.

Both Boss Monsters felt guilty. Asgore knew it was selfish but he wasn’t ready to let Frisk go.

“Frisk, there is something else you should know,” Toriel said, holding their journal up.

Frisk looked at it for only a moment before looking down. “Did you… read it? All of it?”

“Yes,” she confessed. “I am sorry, but I must ask.”

“Yes, you really were like that,” Frisk said before she could ask. “Mom… Toriel… was a good mom and it was clear as day she loved me, but at times she was overprotective and she wouldn’t let her anger toward Asgore go.”

Toriel looked down. “For what it is worth, I am sorry,” she said. “It was not fair for her to treat you like that.”

Frisk looked at Asgore. “What about you? Did you read it?”

“Yes, but not all of it,” Asgore admitted. “I… I couldn’t bear to keep reading after…”

Frisk got the idea.

“Is that why you protected me on the battlefield?” Asgore asked. “Do you see that man in me?”

Frisk nodded. “At times, yes. I see the Monster that drove me home and helped with my homework. But you’re happier than him. Less sad.”

“Frisk, I must admit I am scared of what my future could hold,” Toriel confessed.

“That future is gone now,” Frisk said. “The war is over. Volos is dead and I’m certain you two won’t repeat the mistakes the others did.”

“But we might still need help,” Asgore said. “Perhaps you could show us.”

Frisk looked at them, confused. “Me?”

“You knew our future selves better than anyone. Surely you can see our flaws,” Asgore explained.

“Yeah, I can see a few now,” they admitted.

“Then help us remove those parts of ourselves,” Asgore requested.

“It’s not that simple. They’re rather complex issues.”

“Then teach us,” Toriel asked. “You can fix what our problems might be and show us how to negate those flaws before they escalate.”

“I… I’m not sure. I would think someone else could…”

Asgore could see what Frisk was doing. They were trying to find an excuse. Some way out of this so they didn’t have to stay. “Please, Frisk,” Asgore begged. “You’re the only one who can help us.”

Frisk sighed. “Fine. I’ll try and help,” they agreed.

Asgore picked them up in his hands and hugged them. It surprised them, but after a moment, they returned the gesture. “Then as long as you remain here, consider yourself a guest under my care,” Asgore assured.

Frisk nodded.

*   *   *

Toriel carefully opened the door to MK’s room, the lizard still kneeling by Frisk’s bed, sniffling. He was still cupping their limp hand in his metal ones.

“MK?” she said gently, getting his attention.

“Go away,” he wept.

Toriel was keeping one arm behind her back for the time being. “There is someone who would like to see you,” she said.

“I don’t want to see anyone,” he said harshly.

“I think you might want to reconsider,” she suggested, holding her arm out, Frisk’s pot resting in her hand. MK glared at first, which morphed into surprise when he saw the face. “Flowey?”

“Not quite,” Frisk said.

“FRISK!” MK bolted for them, taking them out of Toriel’s hand and holding them in his own. “Is it you? Is it really you?”

“Yeah, it’s me,” they admitted.

“I thought for sure you would pass on,” MK said, running a metal finger over the scar that went over their left eye.

“I thought so, too,” they admitted. “But it seems there’s still more for me to do.”

MK laughed, tears still going down his cheeks. He hugged them and ran a hand over the back of their flower head. “You’re still here,” he muttered. “You’re not gone.”

Frisk hugged MK back, patting him on the back. Toriel smiled at the sight, glad to see life return to MK’s eyes.

*   *   *

Haward was helping with the clean-up after the battle. Though there was still some tension between Monsters and Humans, that was disappearing fast. Monsters helped out their former foes by healing their wounds and commending their bravery. Humans even did what they could for Monsters and using what healing they could to patch their injuries.

Dobromil came to find all that and smiled at the results. “I’m surprised the Monsters don’t hold even the slightest grudge,” he said.

“They don’t really seem to have the ability to do that,” Haward commented. “Did you send a letter to the king?”

“Yes. Now we wait for a response.”

Haward nodded. He looked over at the small pile of corpses which was just his father and two dedicated followers.

Dobromil followed his gaze, laying a hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry things between you and your father fell apart,” he said sincerely. “I was hoping he’d come to his senses for you.”

Haward shrugged. “He made his choice and I made mine.”

“What will you do now?” Dobromil asked.

“I don’t know.”

“Well, with your father dead the wizards are without a leader,” Dobromil said. “And he was grooming you to be leader one day.”

“Tempting, but no,” Haward declined. “I think, after all this, I need some time away from humans.” He looked up at the green wizard. “Besides, I think you’d be a better pick for leader than I.”

Dobromil chuckled before he realized Haward was serious. “I’m not sure. We shall see how things play out first.”

They stood there for a while before Asgore joined them. “How are things going here?”

“You’re back to normal?” Haward questioned.

“Yes. I’ll explain later, but know that Frisk’s Soul is safe,” Asgore assured.

“Well, wounds are being mended and we are fixing the damage done during the battle,” Dobromil said in answer to Asgore’s question.

“Good. What will your people do now?” he asked.

“I think I will take my army and go home after we get a response from the king,” Dobromil said. “It’s been weeks since some of them saw their families.”

“Good. And for you?” Asgore asked Haward.

“Those that want to leave may,” the young wizard said. “But, as for me, I’m not sure where to go.”

“Do you not have a family?”

“Not one I’m close to,” Haward explained.

Asgore hummed in thought before deciding on something. “Then perhaps you would be willing to stay with us?” he asked. “My castle has more than enough room for you.”

“You’re still letting me stay?” Haward questioned.

“Why wouldn’t I? You’ve proven to be a friend to Monsters and you saved my life. By all rights, I must offer you a home.”

Haward smiled. “I guess I’ll take you up on that offer.”

“But what about your wizard training?” Dobromil questioned. “There won’t be any qualified wizard to teach you staying.”

“I think we can handle that,” Asgore assured. “Frisk learned how to use magic from us.”

“Well, if you’re okay with it, then so am I,” Dobromil agreed.

*   *   *

Alphys returned to her room to find MK hugging a flower with arms. “What’s going on here?”

MK looked up and the flower turned to face her, startling her when she saw the face on it.

“Alphys, you’re back,” MK said. “Look, Frisk’s still here.”

Frisk waved with one of their clawed limbs.

Alphys walked forward then fell to her knees. “How?”

“Asgore put my Soul in Flowey’s body,” Frisk explained.

“I thought Flowey died,” Alphys said. “We saw the hole in his head.” As she said that, she spotted the scar on Frisk’s face, exactly where Flowey was stabbed.

“Asgore managed to save his body,” Frisk explained.

“So, is Flowey… there?” Alphys asked.

Frisk looked down in sadness which answered the question.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I know you two were close.”

“Part of this still doesn’t feel real,” Frisk said. “And this…” they looked at what substituted for a hand now. “This feels… alien. Like it’s… foreign. And everything feels… fake.”

MK rubbed their head. “At least you’re still here,” he said. “That’s the important thing.”

Frisk shrugged, or at least what passed for a shrug.

“On one hand, you don’t have to worry about your heart anymore,” Alphys said, trying to cheer them up.

“But I’ll still die when this body does,” Frisk said. “Which might not be long.”

“At least you have more time,” MK said, trying to improve their mood, though he could see he wasn’t having much effect.

“Well, let’s change the subject,” Alphys suggested. “We changed the outcome of this war. We did it. We changed the future.”

“Can you confirm that?” MK asked.

Alphys grabbed one of the history books they brought with them. She thumbed through the pages, looking for this event in the books. But she didn’t find anything. In fact, nothing in the book changed.

“This book still says Monsters were forced underground,” she said.

“I don’t think we can say that history glossed over it this time,” Frisk said. “This is too big an event to have been erased from the pages of history.”

“I agree. There should be at least some mention of it somewhere,” MK said.

Alphys glanced through a few other books, but found no mention. “Still nothing. In fact, they’re unchanged from when we brought them with us.”

“And we’re still here,” MK said. “Hours have passed, but I don’t see myself fading away at all or see anything similar in you two.”

Alphys closed the books. “I guess that confirms the ‘multiple timelines’ theory. We’re in a new one.”

“So, it means that everything we faced, saw, and did still happened, but in another timeline,” Frisk said. “And it means that nothing we did is altered or erased in any way.”

“It’s a new world,” MK said. “We won.”

“Yeah, we won but not without paying a cost,” Alphys said sadly, her goggles beginning to fog up. She took them off to wipe her eyes.

“Yeah. A very high one,” Frisk agreed. “We’ve lost so many friends.”

“At least their sacrifice wasn’t in vain,” MK said. “The horrors we saw will never come to pass now. And the world they’ll be born into won’t be the same as the one we were. They will know the sunlight and the surface and peace between two races.”

“Yeah, but I don’t think we’ll get to see it,” Frisk said. “If they ever are born, it won’t be for a thousand years and we’ll be dust by then.”

Alphys sat down with them, trying to hold her tears in. “We’ll never see any of them again. Sans. Papyrus. Undyne…” The dam broke then and she let out all her woes. MK and Frisk comforted her and cried along with her for a while. They knew when they came here that they might not make it out alive. That there might be casualties. But that didn’t make it hurt any less.

“How do we go on?” Alphys asked. “What can we do?”

Frisk didn’t have an answer. They just wanted to rest, but they promised Asgore and Toriel to help them first.

MK had a thought. “Well, maybe we could try to ensure this isn’t all undone easily,” he suggested. “Maybe we try and help nudge them down the path we’ve set them on.”

Frisk nodded. “Yeah. I’ve already agreed to help Asgore and Toriel correct who they are so they don’t become the people they read about in my journal.”

MK smiled. “And I’m going to ask Gerson if I can have a permanent position in the guard. Maybe I can help out.”

Both looked to Alphys, expecting something from her. She wiped her eyes before speaking. “I… I guess I could see about helping to progress technology. I might be able to advance their tech.”

“Yeah, but not by a lot,” MK said. “After all, these people haven’t even invented steam power yet.”

“S-still, it’s something for me to do,” Alphys said.

MK could see a darkness in her eyes that worried him. “Doctor, it’s going to be alright. You’ll find a way to keep going. You always have. We need you.”

Alphys sadly nodded. “I guess we’ll see.”

Frisk looked to the window. The sun was lowering in the sky. The first day of a new world was closing. They weren’t happy about staying, but to ensure that their efforts weren’t undone, they would. There was so much to do to ensure peace between humans and Monsters. And they were determined to see it stay.

End of Chapter 19

Chapter Text

MK was currently trying to fit a white coat over his arms. It was given to him for today’s occasion.

“You do look nice in white,” Frisk said from their table. A white ribbon was wrapped around their pot.

“Thanks,” MK said. “Just wish they took the time to take my measurements before making this. It’s a little tight.”

“Hey, at least you can still wear clothes,” Frisk snarked.

MK finished putting his arms through the sleeves and buttoned up the coat. “How do I look?”

Frisk nodded. “Not bad. Though it does look a little tight.”

MK was slightly disappointed with Frisk’s expression. He was hoping for something better but they still remained oblivious. It had been a few days since the battle and ever since he had been trying to clue them in on his feelings for them but they didn’t seem to get the multiple hints he dropped.

Not that he expected anything to actually happen. Frisk only ever seemed to have eyes for one person. Perhaps they just needed more time to mourn before moving on. Well, he would wait.

Or perhaps Frisk wasn’t in the mood today for such things, considering the rather sad affair that was going to happen soon.

“Well, hopefully the next suit I get won’t be as tight,” MK said after a moment.

Frisk went back to looking out the window as MK put on the finishing touches. Neither one was looking forward to today, but it had to happen.

A knock came from the door and MK went to answer it. Toriel was standing there in a white dress. “Are you both ready?”

“Yeah,” MK confirmed. “Let me get Frisk.” He picked them up carrying them in his arms.

“I don’t want to go,” Frisk weakly said.

“I don’t either but it’s what our friends would want,” MK said. He walked with Toriel as both headed for the courtyard. Alphys was already there, dressed in a white dress. Asgore was there, as was Haward, Dobromil, Gerson, and all the others of the castle. The Monsters were all in white while the humans wore all black.

Clouds hung over the courtyard, threatening rain but not releasing. Once everyone was there, they walked out of the castle heading to a forested area just beyond it. There were many headstones there, each with an object carved on it and a small epitaph. Three new graves were present, each with an urn beside them.

Asgore walked forward to stand behind the headstones. He was silent for a moment before speaking. “So much has happened in the last few days. At times it’s hard to believe. Just a short while ago we were at war with each other. At first, it seemed like we would lose the war. That humans would wipe us out. But then a small group of people arrived from a faraway land. They brought with them hope. Hope that there was a possibility for our two kinds to live in harmony.

“They believed in that hope. They would do anything to bring it about. They were willing to die for it. But what amazes me the most was that they were able to see the light where we could not. They saw the good in humanity and gave them a second chance. But they also saw the darkness and knew it had to be removed. Today, we honor those who gave their lives to see that darkness gone so that humans could find the light and become a better people. Though they were Monsters, they fought for humanity too. They believed in humans when no one else would. They shall always be remembered in our hearts as the bravest of us.”

With that, MK, Alphys, and Toriel stepped forward with Frisk in Toriel’s arms. Each went over to a different urn. Inside was the dust of a Monster.

MK took Papyrus’ urn and looked into the grave. Inside was the skeleton’s signature scarf. It was fitting that he be buried with it. MK tipped the urn, dumping the dust on the scarf.

With Alphys, she looked inside to see Undyne’s former eyepatch. She had kept it with her all this time. She struggled to hold back her tears as she dipped the urn in, coating the eyepatch in its owner’s dust.

Frisk took Sans’ urn. They looked inside the grave and there was an opened ketchup packet on the bottom. They almost laughed. It was fitting for the lazy skeleton. They tipped the urn, laying Sans to rest with his favorite food.

Once the urns were emptied into the graves the dirt was packed on top, burying the objects coated with dust.

MK, Alphys, and Toriel went back to stand with the group. Everyone bowed their heads, silent prayers going through their heads.

Frisk joined in by saying a silent prayer to their friends. I don’t know if any of you can hear me in whatever life is after death. I don’t know if there even is an afterlife for… god, I hope so. I’m sorry you lost your lives this way. I wish there had been another way. Perhaps then, I wouldn’t feel so bad. But just know that we won. We’ve changed things. And we’re still here. We’re staying to make sure that things go the right way.

I just wish you guys were here. I feel like your deaths are on my hands; that it’s my fault you died. I know you’d tell me that it isn’t my fault but I still can’t help but feel it is. After all, my actions led to this. I just hope that you can forgive me. I would join you, but I’m still needed for a while. Asgore and Toriel need me. They need me to teach them how to not be like… like mom and dad. I hope you understand. But I won’t be around forever. I’ll see you guys soon. And… tell Flowey… or Asriel, whichever he goes by now… that I miss him.

Goodbye, my friends.

Once it was over, everyone returned to the castle. The funeral was done. As they passed under the archway Frisk looked around at the courtyard of the castle. It was still being rebuilt and the massive hole in the wall slowly being fixed. They were still in Toriel’s arms with MK by their side. They looked to their friend and it was clear he was upset but holding the emotions back. Alphys, on the other side of them, was openly weeping. Undyne’s death hit her hard and it was going to take days, if not weeks or months, to come to terms with it.

Frisk didn’t blame either one of them. They felt so dead inside that their friends deaths weren’t affecting them like they should. Guilt still bubbled, sorrow threatened to overwhelm them, but it was all drowned out by a numbness.

But they were still here. They still existed. So, they just had to endure until they could finally rest for good.

*   *   *

MK got out of his tight suit in his room and put on his normal yellow tunic. Alphys got back in her normal dress, wiping off her goggles. Frisk’s pot was now bare. The ribbon was gone.

“So, what next?” MK asked once he was dressed.

“I don’t know,” Alphys admitted. “I guess I could try and see what I can make from the technology of this era.”

“Good luck,” Frisk said.

Both Monsters looked towards the flower, both concerned. Alphys stepped closer to MK so she could talk without being overheard.

“How’s Frisk holding up?”

“I’m not sure, but not good,” MK answered. “They’re not normally this bad but I think today’s really getting to them.”

“Me too. I’m struggling to think how to go on without Undyne,” Alphys admitted. “She was all that kept me sane these last couple years.”

“I’m sure you can find something,” MK assured.

“Easy for you to say. The person you need to keep going is still here,” Alphys responded, glancing at Frisk, who was in the windowsill.

MK didn’t respond to that. She had a point. They had all lost so much, but MK still had someone to hold on for. He just wished they returned the feelings.

“Is that a raven?” Frisk questioned.

Alphys and MK ran to the window. Sure enough, there was a black bird flying to a room in the castle. Curious, they decided to investigate. MK picked up Frisk and they went to the room the raven flew into where a bird Monster was already attending to it.

“We saw the bird. What is it?” Alphys asked.

“Oh, I haven’t untied it from the raven yet,” the Monster said. They took the scroll from the bird’s leg. It had its own string holding it rolled up with a wax seal keeping it that way. “This is from the human kingdom,” the Monster observed. “It has the king’s seal on it. And it’s addressed to Asgore himself.”

“We’ll take it to him,” MK offered.

“Oh, okay. Save’s me a trip,” the Monster said, handing the scroll to the lizard who adjusted his hold on Frisk so they could be held with one arm.

They three of them left the room as the Monster fed the bird some bread.

“So this must be that guy’s response to Asgore’s letter,” MK said, holding the parchment in his hand.

“Let’s hope it’s good news,” Alphys said.

*   *   *

The three of them arrived at Asgore’s chamber. Alphys knocked on the door with her real hand. “King Asgore. We need to see you. We got a message from the human king.”

“One moment,” came Asgore’s response.

They heard some shuffling from inside before Asgore said ‘come in’. They opened the door to find Asgore there, Toriel beside him.

“What’s going on here?” MK questioned, noting her presence.

“Nothing,” Toriel said. “Just talking to my king.”

Frisk didn’t fully buy that. They could see a closeness between the two of them and the fact that Toriel was here for something that wasn’t business meant the visit was personal. They held their face with their hands, groaning. “You two don’t waste any time, do you?”

Both Monsters blushed. “So, what is the message?” Asgore asked, changing the subject.

MK handed the scroll. “We haven’t opened it,” he said.

Asgore broke the wax seal, untied the knot, and unrolled the scroll.

“So what does it say?” Toriel asked.

“It is from the king,” Asgore began. “He is glad that our kingdom is alright for the most part and hopes that we are treating his soldiers well. There’s a few more formalities, but I’ll skip those. He wishes to arrange a meeting between our two kingdoms… to discuss trade negotiations.”

“What?” Alphys asked, surprised. MK and Frisk leaned forward, intrigued.

“I did tell him about our surplus of food that we have stockpiled,” Asgore explained. “He wants to discuss what we’ll accept in trade for it. He also says he’ll be coming to visit the castle in a few weeks time. He hopes to lay the groundwork for an alliance between our respective kingdoms.”

“Seriously?” MK asked, excited. “That’s like the best-case scenario.”

“Yeah, seems a little too good,” Frisk said skeptically. “Is he honest about this?”

“Either way, he and an entourage of his advisors will be arriving in a few weeks to see the Delta Keep,” Asgore said. “There’s a few more bits to the letter, but again, those are just formalities.”

“Perhaps he is being sincere,” Toriel suggested. “This is most fortunate.”

“Yeah. This will make things easy,” Alphys said. “I was expecting we’d have to haggle with him to even get that far. It might still be a challenge but at least he’s willing to negotiate.”

“Then we’d better prepare,” Asgore decided. “We’ll be having honored guests in a few weeks’ time.”

*   *   *

MK was sitting in his room with Frisk when Haward showed up. The human knocked on the door and MK opening it to let him in.

“I just heard. Is the king really coming here?” he asked.

“That’s what the letter says,” MK answered.

“It seems too easy for me,” Frisk commented. “Surely years of mistrust isn’t cast aside that easily.”

“Well, think of it from his point of view,” Haward said. “That letter Asgore wrote mentioned that you gave your life for him and a hundred of his best wizards turned to side with the Monsters. And finally, during a climatic battle that was not sanctioned by him, the Monsters chose to spare his people. He’s probably coming to see with his own eyes why a species that is supposed to be evil is so nice.”

“Not to mention that it was Volos who pushed for the war in the first place,” MK added. “Without him reinforcing it, the king’s probably open to listening.”

“Also, if you remember, when you guys first came, it was my father, not the king, who led the negotiations. My father probably thought that Asgore would sway the king to his side easily, so he went in the king’s place to prevent that.”

Frisk nodded at Haward’s statement. It made sense. Still, a part of them was suspicious of the king. They planned to keep an eye on him.

“Well, we’re getting ready for his arrival,” MK said. “Want to help?”

Haward agreed. They had a lot to do. Everyone had a part to play in the new future that was set in motion. In time, the fruits of their labor would bloom, but not for a long time. And though Frisk didn’t expect to see it happen, they had a good feeling that the future would turn out alright.

End of Chapter 20

Chapter Text

Frisk looked around. They were in an endless black void. There weren’t any features that stood out from the darkness. Where were they?

When they looked down, they were startled to see they were human again. They raised their hands up to their face to inspect them. They felt their head, their hair, and everywhere they could. How could this be? Their body was a rotting corpse now.

“Am I… dead?” they questioned the darkness.

“No. Not yet.”

Frisk froze at the sound of that voice. It was a voice they thought they would never hear again. That voice haunted their dreams for three years. So much bad was tied to it.

“W-what is this?” they asked.

“Oh, just a little space in your head where I can talk to you while you sleep.”

Frisk shivered. “No. No, no, no, no. It can’t be you. We changed the past. We erased that future. You… you’re…”

“Gone? That is what you’re trying to say, isn’t it, Frisk? Hee hee hee. But no, I’m not gone. Just as you and your little friends still exist, so do I. You can’t get rid of me that easily.”

“W-what do you want?” Frisk questioned.

“What I’ve always wanted. Did you really think escaping to an alternate timeline would keep me away. No. I know where you are.”

“I-if you k-know where I a-am, w-why not just c-come get me?”

“Oh, I could, but I like watching you suffer. So, consider this a friendly warning. One day, our paths will cross again. One day I will arrive in your timeline and I will finish what I began in this one. Everything you hold dear, everything you’ve fought to protect, everyone who you have tried so hard to save, they will die. And you will watch it happen.”

“No. We… we will stop you.”

“Oh, Frisk. In case you forgot, you couldn’t stop me in your time. What makes you think you have a chance in this one?”

“B-because we’ll be ready this time. We… we’ll prepare.”

“Won’t that be interesting. Well then, you have until my original arrival to get ready. Not that it will help you at all. It didn’t last time and it won’t this time. See you soon, partner.”

*   *   *

Frisk jolted awake, shivering in their pot. Their eyes darted around the room, seeing MK and Alphys in similar states, eyes wide with horror.

“They’re coming,” Alphys breathed. “We changed things, but they’re still coming.”

“What do we do?” MK questioned.

Both looked to Frisk, who glanced out the window. Down below, the village was lit by the full moon, a few torches burning to light the paths for those who preferred the night to roam. They couldn’t let it all be destroyed. They refused.

“We prepare.”

End