PLDN Chapter 10

"Chapter 10: Hotland Awaits. A Shocking Twist is Revealed"

Sub-Entry 091: "Hotland Is Still Hot as Hell and I'm Loving It":
Reappearing in the Underground once more, our aluminum-wrapped, stainless steel framed time machine flew high over the sweltering geotheormal entrance to the place known as Hotland.

"You seem to be in a good mood."

"It's Hotland, Major.  I missed this place so much." My eyes were as lit as the gallons of molten magma surrounding the rocky formations leading back to the L.E.D. sign welcoming all to Hotland.

"What about you?  You going to be okay in this heat?"

"I am ninja.  I adapt to my environment, whatever it may be."

"Good enough for me."

"We should put together a plan, quickly."

I rubbed my chin.

"Should we check in on Undyne?  She suffered some pretty severe heat stroke once she crossed the bridge into this place.  Then she took a beating from you afterwards and got knocked out a second time."

"Hmm...her house is in Waterfall, is it not?"

"Yup."

"You should go visit her.  I will guard the time vehicle."

I considered that as I landed the Delorean, making sure the coast was clear. I didn't need Sans dropping in on us or some random monsters discovering our entrance.

"Looks like all is good.  I'm going to park off to an area out of view and cloak her.  You stand by and watch out for anyone who comes this way."

"Simple enough plan."

"Hopefully simple enough that nothing will go wrong."

Damn you, Volt. You just gave Madam Fate a challenge...

Once I parked the car and we got out.

"Ahhhhhhhhhh.  Feel that heat.  Acrid sulphurous fumes laced with carbon ash just stinging of methane and traces of ammonia and volcanic rock.  The mundane bubble of molton lava boiling up from a geothermal vent into magma pools accompanied by the cacophany of rising air currents and faint electronic machinery deeper within this heliotropic maze.  The yellows, oranges, reds, and whites dividing this place from the blackness above.  All of it warped and wavy from all that heat!"

Bunnie smirked briefly.

"I could live here if it were possible. Maybe set up an auxilliary monitoring station."

It was a moment of jubilee I took in and savored. "What do you think?"

No answer.

"Major...?" Bunnie was wearing a strange expression.

"What is it?"

She narrowed her eyes as she approached the Delorean's bonnet trunk in the front of the car.

Suddenly I heard it. Inside the storage space.

"What the..." I approached...then popped the trunk space open.

"Kuso..." Bunnie swore.

"No.  NO.  NOO.  NONONONONONONO!"

"Uh.  Hi guys!  This is...a bit awkward."

"Goddammit, Violet..." I growled as Bunnie facepalmed.

Violet had squeezed herself into the trunk space. This is one of those times her smaller size worked in her favor. And against ours.

"Do you realize what you've done?!?" I screamed. "This is--"

"A violation of STC rules and reg?  Color me skeptical but Bunnie's not exactly in your organization.  Technically she's an outsider, too."

"...!"  Outsmarted that quick.

"We WILL have a discussion about this." Bunnie thwapped Vi over the head.

"Totally worth it!" She rubbed her head then climbed out. "Worth the sauna treatment just to tag along and check out Azzy's home."

"This is not up for discussion.  We have a plan...had a plan.  But you've gone and--"

"Ah, you'll adapt, Commander.  In the mean time, let's stave off some boredom.  Time for sight-seeing!" Violet shoved up her sleeve, revealing the GTR-084. The holo-iris opened and Glitter appeared in holographic splender.

"Yo, Glitz.  Call up the map I've been making from Volt's research logs."

"You WHAT?!" I freaked out.

"Well.  I"m going to drop in on Goat Mom. Peace out, b****es!"

"Violet, NO!  You are not--"  Too late. Vi had already fired up her jet pack's Kinneceleron Burners and soared up to a sizable height and tore off toward Waterfall which would lead to Snowdin and back to the Ruins."

"Son of a gun..."

"Bunnie, we can't have her risk messing up the timeline for her chaotic antics."

"I'll intercept her."

"There's a shortcut back to Snowdin." I scribbled on a piece of paper. "Here's how to find the River Person.  Have them take you back to Snowdin and head Vi off at the pass.  Do whatever it takes to keep her out sight from anyone.  Just...reign in her insanity.  This mission isn't some joke for her to take enjoyment in.  If this messes up my research, the Council won't waste a moment to point it out to Daimyou.  They'll demand I be removed."

"I will not fail."

Bunnie hurried off to find her way to the River Person.

My plans had changed. Alphys would have to wait. I needed to check up on Waterfall and make sure Frisk hadn't snuck back and made another attempt. Granted...they hadn't with Toriel or Papyrus. But...better safe than sorry.

"Let's get a move on..." I dug into the trunk and found what I was looking for. Asriel's old hoverboard before he upgraded to the NX.

I'd have explaining to do if anyone it. The Delta Rune and the Prince's name engraved on it would draw a lot of suspicions.

"Why do you do these things, Violet--"   I started before...

*ping*

Sub-Entry 092: "Strike Three Means the Race is On..."
"...oh.  I've been Blue Attacked." I was suddenly tractor-beamed toward Sans' sentry station where I could smell the scent of hot dogs.

I quickly stowed the Hoverboard in an E.N.G.I.N.E. dot as I was being dragged.

"Don't get up on my account."

I folded my arms.

"You don't waste a minute, Sans."

"You know why I'm doing this, right?"

"Kid went after Undyne."

"You know what three strikes mean."

I narrowed my eyes.

"They're going to have a bad time, whether they face it headon or run from it."

"You're a smart cookie."

"I guess promises don't mean much to you."

"I already said I don't like making them."

"They say when you deceive you kill a part of your soul."

"Heh.  You should know."

"I'm not denying it.  But my word is at least good for something." I narrowed my eyes.

Sans closed his eye sockets. "As much as I want to put my faith in you...as much as I owe you...the number of resets...the number of timelines stolen from us because of those kids..."

"You're fooling yourself, Sans, if you think you'll be able to put an end to these games.  You've tried.  You've failed.  They just reload and reset.  You have to know that."

"A lifetime of lifetimes of not caring hasn't worked out for me.  Besides.  It's not as cast-iron as you think.  The rule is right in front of us, you know."

"What do you mean?"

"As long as they have determination...they can keep this up.  So.  If they lose that they lose the drive to keep playing the game.   I've been thinking...maybe determination has its foil?  For us monsters...when we lose hope, that's when we lose what little we have.  But for humans...ones like the brat...well...ones like them constantly refuel that determination with the drive to keep trying until they win.  The more they want that win the stronger their determination gets."

"Where are you going with this?"

"But maybe if I can't get them to lose hope...maybe I just have to overwhelm their determination with another feeling.  This feeiling that has building up in me for timeline after timeline.  You know what that feeling is?"

"Frustration." I narrowed my eyes. "You want to make them rage-quit this so they don't come back."

"You sound like you're familiar with this, Arcade."

"Every rookie gamer, just starting out knows this feeling.  When you have yet to develop the patience, the reflexes, the experience, the timing, and the sixth sense about things...it's an endless barrage of game overs.  Even veterans and pros sometimes go through that with new challenges that raise the bar and make them forget what they know.  From the bullet-Hell games to the ones with cheap death scenarios, to the bosses that are unfairly hard.  Yeah.  I know."

"Well then.  I guess I'm just going to have to raise to bar and beat them down until they get the message that this isn't fun anymore.  For all of us."

"You don't think they won't remember your old patterns?  Or are you going to break this "game" and follow the weed's example.  Follow the Chara-Wraith's strategy from the last timeline?"

No answer. Just that grin.

"I see."

"Welp.  Chase after me if you must but know if you challenge me in a race to catch up with the kid..."

"I'm going to have a bad time." I glared.

"What do you know?  My legally-required break's over.  Time to get back to work..."

And with that he vanished in another skele-port. Blue Attack wore off but Sans already had a head start.

"This mission is tanking again..." I growled. "Major, come in.  Sans just gave me a warning.  We're on the clock now and the search for Frisk is into the bottom of the ninth inning."

"Understood.  Let us make haste."

Well. This is plenty to heap on the plate. First things first. Check for Frisk's presence in Waterfall...and make sure Undyne's okay.

Sub-Entry 093: "Waterfall Revisited/Bringing Violet's Fun to A Halt":
I skidded to a stop. I know it was probably a waste of time but I checked in with Gerson. I waded through all his familiar stories and explanations--word-for-word.

"...so have you seen the human?"

"Oh yeah!  They bought some things and moved on."

"They haven't...doubled back have they?"

"Eh?  Well...I'd think I'd remember something like that......but then again I can't remember what I had for breakfast this morning!  Wah-hah-hah-hah!"

Oh brother.

A drop in on Napstablook was unfortunately no more helpful.

"......ohhhhhh........sorry...I didn't see them since they dropped in and kept me company.  They did some snail racing and they moved on..."

"I see."

Temmie village offered even less.

"Hooman!  Such a cute!"

I facepalmed. I asked if they had seen the human, not a description of the human.

I combed my way back through it all until I found Undyne's house. Good. Not on fire, yet.

"Huh." I'd never stopped to notice the door was made of pirhanna teeth. When it opened, the fangs opened wide.

I peered in through the window. No Papyrus-shaped hole in it. I had arrived WAY early before his private cooking lesson.

"Hmmm..." Nothing going on inside the house. At least in the main room. I couldn't see into the bed room.

I slipped on my scanner glass and examined through the doorway. It soon locked onto a Boss Monster soul. Yup. That was Undyne. The readouts showed she was fast asleep.

"Huh.  Maybe this was a waste of time." I pondered.

Meanwhile...

"...Tra la la.  Temmie Village...  ...the room before the darkening lantern room." River Person muttered offhandedly as they carried their lone passenger across the waterway.

"..."  Bunnie remined silent, standing up, cross-armed, head bowed and eyes closed. I'm sure had I been there, the scene would have reminded me of the opening to Ninja Ryukenden, the arcade version. "Ninja in the U.S.A." indeed.

Violet had landed at Papyrus' barricade.

"Guess this is the price I pay for coming as is." Vi shrugged, realizing her kimono and sandals were not the best thing for winter.

"Oh well.  Hope Tori's got a sense of humor." She strolled up to the door and raised her hand to knock--

"...!!!"  She didn't expect the hand to grab her wrist. She whirled.

"Uh...hey, Buns."

Bunnie had caught up in record time. She glared.

"Uh...no?"

Bunnie shook her head.

"Okay.  Okay.  I promise I won't bug Toriel." She conceded before being released.

"Wise choice."

"But I never said anything about going to the Bone Zone!" She suddenly dove, tumbled and fired up her jet pack.

"Grrrr...!" Bunnie whirled. "She's actually improving in her training...the one time it would have benefited me for her to slack off on it..."

Bunnie took only a moment to examine the path to the Gate. "Hmm?  How curious."

More snow had fallen and long covered up my tracks and Bunnie's from earlier as well as Frisk's...but there were new tracks leading to it. Violet's sandal prints. Bunnie's own sandal prints...

...and an older set of footprints. No shoes. Three-toed. Having recognized the shape of Asriel's feet, it meant only one thing...

"Toriel has left the Ruins?" Bunnie pondered. "Could she be in Snowdin?"

Bunnie hurriedly headed back toward Snowdin Town, trying to catch up to Violet. At least Vi was keeping her word about not interacting with any monsters or alterning things that could impact the timeline.

As time passed...

"...where are you, Violet?" Bunnie stopped outside of Snowdin Town.

* ping*

"Hey.  Can you spell 'REMATCH'?"

Sans. He double-backed all this way just to catch up to Bunnie and take her out of the equation?

"Arcade has too many resources and surprises.  So let's re-balance things?  I think it's time I nerfed a few of the aces up his sleeve."

Bunnie narrowed her eyes.

"And just to make sure.  Let's not have this again." Sans reached in and grabbed the Soul Candy container. "Now.  I have questions."

"You will get nothing from me." Bunnie's mind was a fortress and she had survived interrogations and tortures far worse than what Sans could probably do.

"Not a good answer.  Why don't we try again?"

Bunnie found herself levitated over the bridge.

"I do not fear death.  For my Commander I will do what I must, even if it costs my life." Bunnie narrowed her eyes.

"You're really no fun." Sans could see that she'd be a harder nut to crack.

That was when the Karmic Retribution came into play.

"This is...like poison!" Bunnie narrowed her eyes. She was no fan of poison. The difference between her and her half-sister, Bunnette.

"I know what you must think.  But really.  This isn't personal."

"I know.  You will do what you must."

"It's a shame.  I really thought we could be friends.

That was when a pair of hands covered Sans' eye sockets from behind. "You know what John Cena and the Invisible Man have in common?"

"...uhhhh...what?" Sans asked.

"When you try to make an appointment with them, they're always telling you 'you can't see me'!" Vi chuckled.

"Heh heh heh...not sure who the other guy is...but good one."

"You know it's funny you should mention fun.  Because you sure seem like a lot of laughs." Violet grinned.

During that distraction Bunnie loosened up enough to let the Shodouphone drop out of her sleeve and quick-script.

"Bakudou no nijuu-san: Sekienton "

And with that Bunnie collapsed into a shrinking wisp of smoke before no trace of her was around.

"Arcade has an answer for everything, doesn't he?"

"But what's an answer without a question?  How about asking me...who are you, for starters?"

"Eh.  You already asked it for me."

"Name's Violet.  I'm like a fungus.  I'll grow on you pretty quick."

"Good one, kiddo."

"Kid?  I've got got 8-track tapes at home younger than I am.  But thanks for the flattery."

"You're gonna be a hoot to clash with, I can tell."

"Yeah.  I get that." Violet let go as Sans teleported behind her.

"Well.  Now what?"

"I'd love to stay and chat but my interest in this world is like a rocket.  It's taking off!" Vi suddenly fired up the Kinneceleron Burners full charge, shooting straight into the atmosphere.

"Fliers must grow on trees." Sans reasoned. "I guess she's no...paper hero."

Oh. Paper. Flier. Nice, Sans. Nice.

And so...

"...I suppose you want me to thank you?"

"Ohhh not really, Buns." Violet shrugged as Bunnie dragged her through the back alley of Snowdin Town, behind the buildings.

"I hope you had your fun for the day.  This chaotic fun-loving of yours is over."

"Yeah, I'm good...for now."

"I know you too well.  I have a feeling I know what you're really interested in."

Bunnie narrowed her eyes as Violet couldn't resist sneaking out to peek through the keyhole of the Skelebrothers' residence. Yup. She was watching TV. And since the only channel in the Underground was...

"Don't.  Even.  Think about it."

Sub-Entry 094: "A Saxophone Serenade Leads to Soul Searching With Goat Mom":
I had a seat on the bench. Underneath was the abandoned quiche. I left it lay where it was.

A lone Echo Flower had sprouted nearby.

"I just wasn't ready for the responsibility..."

A lone recording from an unknown source. And yet it resonated with me.

Was I ready for the responsibility back then? Asriel would tell me not to be so hard on myself; that I did the best that I could and he was grateful for what I had done.

"Damn."

I had spent a lot of time shadowing Frisk. I had been around them so much. I had yet to encounter them yet.

It felt like things were falling apart again. I couldn't allow that. This was a second chance with this world that I couldn't squander. I had to get it right.

But honestly...even after resting up in Miranda...even though I had just resumed this mission...I felt weary.

I needed some soul-searching. I needed reassurance. I needed...

"Saxophone therapy."

I released my saxophone case from the E.N.G.I.N.E. dot on my black belt.

Fiery Nights was kind of inappropriate in a place like this. Back in Snowdin it was kind of ironic. It fit because I was in the company of Toriel, the most powerful fire-caster I'd met.

What would be appropriate here? Benny Hill's Yakity Sax? I don't think so. Too bouncy and whimsical for this setting. Glenn Fray's "The Heat is On"? No. Rock and roll didn't fit the moon.

I thought for a moment and dug into the entirity of Boots Randolph's "Boots With Strings Album". Twelve songs that felt...some degree of appropriate in a moody place like Waterfall--"The Shadow of Your Smile", "What Now My Love", "Days of Wine and Roses", "Yesterday", "You've Lost That Loving Feeling", "What Kind of Fool Am I?",  "Moon River", "Michelle", "Stranger On the Shore", "I Left My Heart in San Francisco", "Dear Hearts", and "Unchained Melody". Yeah. Good selection.

I fit the horn together and played it all, top to bottom.

While I thought myself rusty, in all likely anyone would argue otherwise. This was good. This was nice.

I think had paused after "Yesterday" to catch my breath. That was when I noticed I wasn't alone.

A purple, hooded cloak, pulled shut. Two furry white feet.

What was it I said about lightning striking twice?

"Do not stop on my account."

Toriel sat at the other end of the bench.

A moment had passed and then we exchanged heart-shaped gestures with the hands.

"...I...didn't expect to find you out here."

"Your advice had...wisdom that was...worth heeding." Toriel raised her head a little so I could see her underneath the hood. "I have lost touch with my kingdom."

"You sound like you still don't want to acknowledge your royal heritage."

"Acknowledging it and abandoning it accomplish equally very little.  Does it not matter which action I take?"

"Perhaps.  But the former at least validates your existence.  You were our people's queen.  Nothing can change that.  The past is our anchor.  But it is also a force.  Driving us.  Pushing us forward.  What's past is prologue."

Toriel nodded. "You sound...seasoned by experience.  What a life you must've had outside this mountain prison."

"The grass is always greener.  Our people do deserve freedom but...you know things are never as simple as what our hopes and dreams paint them to be.  There are going to be complications.  There are going to be those who still oppose us; those who value the stories of old.

Those that sealed us away are dead and their tales have become legends. Many are still supersitituous. Many rumors and jaded stories still carry on the breath of man, woman, and child. And unfortunately, try as we may to stay in the shadows, some of us have spawned more stories and urban legends to fuel the fire."

"It sounds as if you're quite prepared to guide us the day of Prophecy."

"Ah.  So you know Gerson's story."

"You have made much progress in such a short amount of time.  As for Gerson?  Gerson was legendary back in days of old.  He was the Hammer of Justice.  I have...not thought about him in a long time."

I pondered.

"Do you...recall much about the Royal Scientist?"

"The current one I know very little if anything about.  And...oddly enough...I know even less of the previous one.  I know there...was a previous Royal Scientist but...my memories of them are......" Toriel looked like she was trying to remember but couldn't.

"You speak as though he disappeared into thin air."

"Supposedly...he had.  Asgore...didn't tell me much but...what was said was that the previous Royal Scientst had fallen into his creation and never seen again."

"The Core." I reasoned. In some of the unstable timelines I had at least made a record of their existence, the construction of the Core was something I couldn't nail down, either. Some cases it happened before the founding of New Home. Some during. Some afterward.

Toriel nodded.

Silence.

"The child?"

I shook my head.

More silence.

"Well...I did not mean to interrupt your performance.  It was quite beautiful."

"I had...many mentors on the surface.  I was but a child when I acquired my first saxophone.  I collected one of each type over time and practiced quite a bit.  I find my center...my inner peace when I play.  It's the best thing for when I have a troubled soul.  I suppose it is true what they say; music soothes the savage beast."

A smile.

Without delay I resumed, picking up at "You Lost that Loving Feeling" and continued until I finished the album.

When I finished. "You have great talent.  It...makes me think of...Asriel's piano lessons."

"He took piano?"

"Yes.  The head of the Royal Guard taught him.  She was so young but she was...very rough around the edges.  Violent but...I don't think she really intended to hurt anyone.  She just wanted to be stronger.  When Asriel was old enough to walk and get around on his own, she wanted to train him to defend himself.  But..."

"Yeah.  I think I follow."

"After a while I forbid the training.  She didn't take it well but Asriel was relieved.  We finally agreed to a compromise; piano lessons."

I smiled.

"I think I would have really liked to know the late Prince." I then turned serious. "I've...caught up with my friend, very recently."

"Bunnie is a wonderful person.  You are so lucky to have someone so loyal and capable."

"Heh.  You should meet the family.......I miss them so much." Okay, that was a tug at the heart-strings. But I didn't intend it to be. It just...segued that way."

"If your friend has returned to you, there is hope for your loved ones."

"Thanks.  I think I needed to hear that."

In my mind I was turning it around; that maybe Toriel's faith wasn't misplaced. We just needed more time to fit more puzzle pieces together. But I was getting ahead of myself. I think I was prepared for Alphys now. I just needed Bunnie to check in.

We bid each other farewell and once I had given Waterfall a final once-over and confirmed Frisk hadn't backtracked, I hurried back to Hotland. I'd have the Major check in on Undyne again. Now...what to do about Violet?

Sub-Entry 095: "Back to the Lab Again":
I had reached the Delorean again, still on lockdown and still cloaked. I extracted some more equipment by the time Bunnie reappeared.

"Mission accomplished."

"Hi ya, boss!" Violet waved with a big grin. "Sans seems like a lot of fun!"

"Goddammit, Vi.  You're playing with fire if you mess with him." I frowned. "And not just that.  You of all people should understand the Butterfly Effect.  Do you know what you almost did to the time stream just to stave off your boredom?"

"Ah relax.  I made an art out of dancing in between the danger zones." Violet shrugged. "So, when do we get to MTT Resort--"  Vi started before her eyes went wide. She slowly turned to see Bunnie with the tranquilizer gun.

"...I guess an apology is out of the question?"

"It would help your disposition."

"...I meant...from you......" Violet collapsed. Bunnie quickly bound her and gagged her and put her in the driver's side seat of the Delorean.

"Thanks, Major." I said as I locked her out of the Delorean's systems, making sure Vi wouldn't try to hack them or hotwire the car. As a final step I piloted the car back to Snowdin via the GPS transponder I left in the cave.

"We're probably underestimating her." Bunnie said as she handed over the tranquilizer gun and the rest of Lupe's darts.

"She is our Anti-bio-terrorism specialist in addition to our head of software development and many other things.  I wouldn't put it past her to have a concealed counter-agent to a tranq-dart on her person, programmed to inject if she enters lucid dream state. She's read Callie's research on brainwaves and how to capture them into digital format."

"Anyway.  You head on to Alphys' lab."

"And you keep an eye on Undyne.  If I signal you, head toward my locator signal and catch up to me.  We might have to deal with Muffet and likely Mettaton."

"And Alphys?"

"I'll handle her." I had been pondering what to do about her all this time...and I think I made up my mind.

"Watch out for Sans."

"And Flowey."

"We both know what we have to do."

"A lot of ground for you to cover, Commander."

"I know my way around here.  You're just seeing it for the first time.  Not bad navigating all this way, by the way."

"A ninja is one with their environment.  And becomes so with one that is not their own."

"Yeah.  You never cease to surprise me with that.  Anyway.  If you have to cybermorph for any reason--"

"Level 1 chips only.  Level 2 only if necessary.  Anything above is unacceptable."

"You're on the ball.  Try to stick to Mojikara."

"Until we meet again." Bunnie darted back into Waterfall. I pressed on to the Lab. It was a short path. Three-way fork in the road. To the left...the Royal Guards, 01 and 02, blocking the Elevator. To the right, the River Person's dock. Straight ahead...the Lab.

I looked upon the white building. It was hued reddish from the ambiant glow of the flames and magma. A pair of bubble windows on the side. A pair of connecting pipes above the door.

Speaking of the door, it was standing wide open. Sloppy, Alphys--

* SLAM*

...oh. Nevermind. Guess she had gotten paranoid from the video surveilance.

Hopefully we weren't too reckless to be caught in the instances of cameras thus far. But really...I wasn't holding my breath. The only thing I could bank on was a low chance that Alphys was too distracted by the human to notice any of us.

"Well.  If it worked for Rex..." I pressed my hand to the door and did a little...reprogramming. And sure enough the door opened.

The lights were out. A main computer with my image on the security feed.

On the computer desk...empty ramen containers stacked upon empty ramen containers. Tons of papers. The computer with her reasearch out in plain view, covered in yellow sticky notes. Mew Mew Kissy Cutie resin model kits already assembled. The lone refrigerator...and the giant back of dog food.

"Alphys..." I muttered. It never stopped being disheartening.

The wall was undamaged. Mettaton hadn't shown up yet.

"Hmm." A bathroom door. There was an outline of a lizard-shaped monster on the sign next to it. Well. There you had it. The more evolved monsters of the Underground had definitive digestive tracks. I mean...why else would Alphys need a bathroom?

You know what. Consider that question rhetorical. This was something Violet (or Sans) would certainly make low-brow humor over.

That was the moment the door opened and Alphys exited. I had my arms crossed when she turned in my direction.

A gasp.

"W...what are y-y-you d-doing here?  You're...you're n-not the human.  I-If it's about a m-member of your family, I-I-I'm s-still w-working on--"

"We need to talk."

"T-T-Talk?"

"I know, Dr. Alphys.  I know."

Sub-Entry 096: "Forget Subtlety, I'm Telling Alphys the Truth":
A gasp. Followed by Alphys turning around and holding her head with both hands.

"Kn-know?  I d-don't know what you m-mean."

I spelled it out without warning.

"True.  Lab."

Alphy's eyes widened.

"Almagamates."

Her eyes widened even more.

"A Golden Flower."

She was starting to tremble.

"And injections of...Determination."

At that Alphys' knees buckled and she dropped to her hands and knees and hung her head...and started to sob.

"I...g-g-g-guess you're here to punish me.  I d-don't know h-how King Asgore found out...but it's finally time isn't it?  It's time for me to pay for what I've d-done."

"I'm not here to punish you, Alphys.  I'm here...to help you."

"W...what?"

"Dr. Alphys.  I'm about to tell you something that's going to change everything.  It's going to blow your mind.  It might actually give you hope."

"H-H-Hope?"

"Hope.  There's no reason for your hope to walk alone, Alphys."

"Why would--"

"Because I understand better than anyone the pressure of keeping secrets.  Ones so powerful that they could end you.  Or break you from keeping it bottled up inside."

"Who...who are you?"

"My name is Dr. Volt Alessandro Arcade.  I come from another world in another part of the UltraVerse where your world's AU cube intersects.  You might not believe this...but I'm a traveler...of space...of time...and of other dimensions."

Alphys slowly turned and looked over her shoulder. "...?"

"No.  This isn't a prank.  This isn't a joke.  I'm serious." I reached into my pocket and pulled out a miniaturized version of the heart of the Delorean Time Machine and set it on her computer table.

"..........."  Alphys slowly got up and approached it. "Is...that...?" She examined it. There was a speedometer attached to the top with a small arc reactor connected to it and a microprocessor with a USB interface.

"A flux capacitor.  A working flux capacitor." I had acquired this miniature version from Jules Brown, my mentor's eldest son.

He once used it on a time-travel trip to 1903. With his younger brother, Vern and Marty McFly, they attempted to correct a part of Emmett's past just so he would no longer hate fishing with a vengeance.

To make a complicated story short, they had rewritten his childhood such Emmett had become a silent film action star for a short while. it culminated with him going down Niagra Falls in a barrel. But the director was a Tanen so...that was some math that didnt' need to be done for an explanation. This flux capacitor had been attached to said barrel in order to create a teleport effect through time to prevent a very deadly stunt from going wrong.

"Is that...an Affordable Robust Compact Reactor?"

"Indeed.  And for the record, no.  It doesn't use palladium.  Stuff's too toxic and it breaks down after a while." Okay so I did let a few of Tony's secrets slip out. The bottom line was...I provided enough evidence to prove to Alphys I was telling the truth.

"...I have so many questions."

"I know.  The bottom line is...we've met before.  In another timeline."

"Before?  Another T-Timeline?"

"I don't have time to explain all the details and the quantum mechanics of your world.  But I'm sure you're aware of someone living in this Underground who would understand exactly what I'm talking about."

Alphy looked to the side like she understood for a moment. Yeah. She knew Sans. Who the Hell is Sans, indeed, Tori? Heheheh.

"But...why are you here?"

"A lot of reasons." I pulled out my T.A.O. link and scrolled through them. "But the biggest reason...is standing in this photo."

I held it up. Alphys looked upon it. She picked him out easily. It took a couple moments to recognize the goat monster species. Then another moment or two to connect the dots between him and the King and Queen. And then in the next instant, she noticed the blue sky and the clouds and the sunny day...and the unrecognized city. All the details came together. And it hit her like a ton of bricks.

The bottom line was...I had debated the risks of being up front to Alphys about all this. I was taking a chance. I was banking on lightning striking twice. And I know I was handling it probably a far cry from the best possible way to approach the situation. But...

I needed my smartest ally in the Underground on the same page as me as soon as possible. And quite frankly...I was about fed up with the lies I had to spin for everyone else. If there was at least one person I could give the unedited truth from...she was it.

I explained as muh as I could, in as much detail as I could.

By the time I had completely gotten her up to speed about Asriel and explained the eighth fallen child...

"I...I think I have to use the bathroom..." Alphys turned and ducked into the little lizard's room.

I think she took it well.

Sub-Entry 097: "Mettaton is As Big A Star As Ever":
I decided to let her have her space and check upstairs

On the upper floor I found many bookcases containing anime comics and videos. To the left of the bookcase I noticed some kind of a large machine oozing pink...slime? Something green was being stuffed down the top. Near that was a lab table with several books and tools. Above the workbench...a poster of an anime character. Alphys wa still my favorite weeb.

Beyond that...her dresser was filled with some dirty lab coats and a single clean dress. Abd there was a semblance of a "bed".

I examined the bed. I determined that when not in use, the bed folded into an "extremely easy to draw box." Right beside the leftmost elevator, a poster for a show by Mettaton was hanging on the wall.

Color me skepetical, but I don't think the bed had been actually slept in for some time.

I started to head back down when I saw Frisk enter through the doorway. "Crap." I muttered and stayed out of view, taking a moment to temporariy shut down the escalator. If I needed to, I'd just arc into the wiring.

Alphys came out of the bathroom at that moment. She looked confused at first, wondering where I disappeared to...then even more so at the sight of the intruder.

"Umm...  H-H-Hiya!  I'm Dr. Alphys..."

I listened in on the conversation. A thought had crossed my mind. Alphys...shy pal. Guess Asriel and Asgore weren't the only ones whose names were anagrams.

I knew how this went...

"Actually, since you stepped out of the RUINS, I've, um... ...been "observing" your journey through my console. Your fights... Your friendships... Everything! I was originally going to stop you, but... Watching someone on a screen really makes you root for them."

I know I didn't want to think it...but the comparison between her and Al Dente at this moment was a difficult thing to stave off.

"S-so, ahhh, now I want to help you! Using my knowledge, I can easily guide you through Hotland! I know a way right to ASGORE's castle, no problem!"

Heh. I waited out the explanation--

* BOOOM*

...oh. Right. Metal Crusher is here.

"OHHHHHH YES!!  WELCOME, BEAUTIES...  ...TO TODAY'S QUIZ SHOW!"

The neon sign reading "GAME SHOW" came down and the neon rainbow lights danced around the room.

Oh boy.

I watched every question. I watched Alphys help Frisk cheat. I watched it all play out. Mettaton's talent hadn't diminished. Still indestructable. Still vain as a peacock. Still larger than life. And yet still endearing. What was the secret to his charm? How could he be so full of himself but not be completely obnoxious like other narcissists I'd come across?

"...BUT!  BUT!  BUT!  THIS WAS JUST THE PILOT EPISODE!!!  NEXT UP!  MORE DRAMA!!!  MORE ROMANCE!!!  MORE BLOODSHED!!!  UNTIL NEXT TIME DARLINGS...!!!"

I watched as Mettaton's unicycle wheel and arms pulled into his body, followed by a jet thrust underneath him.

"Well that was certainly something..." I muttered at the same time Alphys said the same.

I hung back and watched as Alphys upgraded Frisk's phone.

"It can do texting, items, it's got a key chain... I even signed you up for the underground's No. 1 social network! Now we're officially friends! Ehehehe!"

Oh brother.

This might be an opportunity. I took out a tracer launcher and took aim. If I could snag Frisk with a homing beacon I wouldn't be so bent out of shape trying to keep up with them.

"Darn it...get out of the way, Alphys..." I grumbled. I couldn't get a clear shot.

"I have to go to the bathroom..." Alphys suddenly hurried back to the little lady's room. I didn't know if she was serious or just looking for an excuse to hide her embarrassment. One was as disturbing at the other on at least some level.

"Of all the..." I grumbled as Frisk exited the lab.

I reactivated the escalator and rode back down and waited for Alphys to return.

"Wh...where'd you go?  Wh-wh-why did you run off?"

"More complications." I explained what I could.

"So...the human...?"

"I'm keeping an eye on them.  I made a promise and I'm keeping it.  I also have to watch out for someone else trying to get to them first.  Anyway...don't do anything rash, Alphys."

"I...just don't get why all this is happening.  It feels...familiar...like I've dreamed this all...but it's so different.  So very different."

"I understand what you mean.  Anyway...you've got cameras all over the place, right?"

"Y-yes..." Alphys looked down. "I think it's time I got another advantage on my side. "  I pulled a USB dongle out of my lab coat pocket. "With your permission...I'd like to link to your survailance network."

"Wh...what?"

"Just hear me out.  My eyes in the sky can't keep up with all that's going on, so maybe it's time I upped the ante.  I want eyes on the kid.  I know you're going to...watch them and guide them..."

I meant manipulate. Mettaton and the dangers ahead were just a ruse. This was all just a setup to get Frisk to like Alphys. So that Alphys wouldn't feel so alone.

The masks we wear. And Alphys was overworking herself trying to make herself look less like a nerdy loser around the people around her.

"Okay." I plugged it into the mainframe console and linked it to my T.A.O. unit. Soon I was able to see what Alphys could see.

"I'm on my way, Alphys.  Don't worry.  I'll get to the bottom of this mystery."

Through conveyor belts I ran, trying to catch up to Frisk who had a head start.

While at the same time...

"...another of the furball's friends?  I guess I should say howdy.  I wonder what kind of soul you have--"  Flowey started.

Then he stopped and his eyes bulged as the tip of Bunnie's katana stopped before making contact with his cornea.

"..."

"I am not one to be trifled with." Bunnie wasn't even looking at the weed. She had thrust her arm backward.

"You wear a look of fear.  That is a strange feat for something without a soul...for something that cannot feel anything."

The weed wanted to ask how she knew that when she wasn't even looking at him.

Flowey started to grunt in anger but then Bunnie slowly turned around and he saw the death glare. His petals drooped. He could tell Bunnie wasn't having any of it. He could tell her sense of humor was not present at the moment. He could tell he was about to play with fire if he pressed this.

"I look upon you and I weep for what you have become.  I understand now why the Commander is so torn when he encounters you.  I see him within you.  But what I see are just memories.  There is no conscience.  There is no compassion.  Are you so desperate to hold onto Chara that you would try to become them?"

Flowey was speechless.

"Think very carefully before you take your next action." Bunnie turned and continued to Undyne's house. As she neared a low overhang, Flowey attempted to tunnel his tendrils through the floor, into the cave wall and into the ceiling, hoping to dislodge a luminous rock on Bunnie from above. Sure enough it fell from the ceiling straight for Bunnie's head.

* SMAAAAAASH*

Flowey gasped as he looked at the metal form of Bunnie's cybermorphed arm and the cloud of shimmering dust falling down from the blast where she had punched the geo-crystal from underneath, a moment before it would have crushed her.

Bunnie shifted her arm to cannon mode and simply said one word. "Run."

Flowey squealed and tunneled underground. Bunnie didn't even flinch before de-morphing her arm.

"Coward." She continued her trek to Undyne's. And soon she arrived.

She peered into the window. Undyne had exited her room.

Bunnie raised an eye at the fish monster's pajamas. She looked a little woozy but in better health than before. She hadn't completely woken up yet.

Bunnie knocked on the door-teeth. There was swearing inside followed by. "I'm comin', keep your shirt on..."

Undyne opened the door. "Huh?  Hey, it's you!  The anime sword rabbit girl."

"Bunnie will suffice."

"Hey ya!  Whacha' doin' back here?"

"I was concerned for your well-being.  You had been through an ordeal and you had been in harsh conditions in Hotland.  It seems you have battled for quite a bit."

"Ahhh, you don't have to worry about me!  It'll take more than that to bring down the Spear of Justice!  FU-HU-HU-HU-HU-HU!"

Bunnie raised an eyebrow.

"Where are my stinkin' manners!  Get in here and enjoy some hospitality!  You gotta tell me about all the anime on the surface!

Oh! And let me get you some Golden Flower Tea. Alphys says that's like a big thing for the...enlightened I think she called them? The karate master senseis, right?"

"That would be nice.  Thank you."

"So.  What can you tell me about that kick-butt stuff you're so good at?"

Bunnie sighed. She decided that it was easier to humor her. So she dug into her most shameless knowledge of the things Violet got a kick out of.

"Let me tell you the story of a great warrior...by the name of Segata Sanshiro..." Bunnie mused as she entered...

Salvage the pride, Major. Salvage the pride.

By this time Frisk had solved Alphys' security puzzles and gone through the first gate. I hurried in right behind and skidded to a stop right as the lights came on in the room ahead. Uh-oh. Mettaton's cooking show...Cooking With a Killer Robot.

"This is going to be interesting..." I snuck behind the stage to just behind the table with the can of human SOUL flavored substitute.

I waited it out until Frisk walked over to get said can. I readied a tracer--

To my dismay I forgot about the telescoping table.

"Oh.  Yeah.  That."

I heard Frisk click on her phone and then watched as the device unfolded into a jetpack.

"Well.  This should be interesting..."

I released the hoverboard and decided to take  vertical climb up the backside of the tower. I heard Frisk take off as Mettaton soared upward, too

I slipped my foot into the hoverboard's strap and magnetically anchored to the board as I took a 90 degree turn and flew up the tower, hidden from the cameras. In all likelyhood the cameras would be panning up to keep on Mettaton and Frisk so I was probably in no danger of being seen. Just in case, I got ready to hit the SPECTRE function at a moment's notice.

A hail of ingredients and pies rained down courtessy of the sexy rectangle as the clock ticked down.

Unfortunately Frisk's jetpack and Mettaton's rocket booster were far more powerful than an outdated 2015 edition Mattel Hoverboard. I almost took a pie to the face trying to peer around the table tower. In the end, Frisk made it to the top with 14 seconds to spare. Nice speed-run kid.

Having failed to secure the kid or get a tracer on them, I shook my head and just headed back down, out of the camera's range with nothing to show but a pie I had caught in my hands as a consolation prize.

"Oh brother." I shook my head as I darted off after Frisk.

They were already ahead of me. Again.

I looked off to the left. There was the Core tower extending out of the deepest magma pool and the surrounding islands...where Mettaton NEO (possessed by Chara-Wraith) had done battle with me, Papyrus, Undyne, and Toriel in the old timeline. Memories, man. Memories.

I pressed on through the system of elevators, the maze of steam vent jumps, the conveyor belts, and the lasers and electric barricades. I had noticed a lot of familiar faces who paid me no heed. Fuku Fire, Tsunderplane, Vulkin, and Pyrope to name a few. I guess they thought I worked at the Core and mistook me for just another lab coat.

I lucked out as I saw Frisk detained by 01 and 02 ahead. This looked to be just the--

"Oh crap..." They headed in my direction. And 02 was now...shirtless? Darn it. Why was I having so much trouble with Hotland all of a sudden?

Sub-Entry 098: "Spider Dance Again":
I had reached the next dark room. And that's when I noticed the TV Studio set around me. Mettaton made his announcements and such before the fake set crumbled away revealing the plethora of bombs disguised as items.

"Bomb Diffusing."

The call from Alphys came in and soon Frisk was out and about, diffusing the explosives. From a dog, to a basketball, to a book, to a glass of water.

Mettaton was in the way. The kid was moving around too fast. I decided to use the SPECTRE function to get closer.

But that meant I couldn't use the tracers to tag Frisk. It was a bummer how many things were working against me.

By the time the last bomb was diffused, Frisk was already running ahead. Mettaton had already jetted off. I know it had been five years, but was I really that rusty at this?

I checked the T.A.O. link. Green light.

"Major.  Report?"

"Undyne is safe.  I just left her place after appeasing her with multiple tales of C-grade anime and old Jangese and Edoropian tropes."

"By any chance...a certain karate gi wearing fighter who beats the stuffing out of people to get them to play a certain 32-bit CD ROM game console?"

"Segata Sanshiro will forever live on in our hearts." Bunnie's smug voice rang out. "Sakura-chan approved."

"Oh gods.  A double reference.  You're going to take Violet for double, aren't you?"

"Consider it payment for what she put us through."

"Point.  I'm en route to the second set of gates now.  I'm headed to the core.  Hurry up, Major."

"I'm entering Hotland now.  I'm bypassing the Lab."

"But there's no route around the lab..........you're going over it."

"Grappling spikes on.  Talk to you later, Commander."

I shook my head and proceeded to navigate the maze of steam vents and such before reaching the second gate. It was already open so Frisk was already ahead.

There was the purple room to the right...and the cobwebs. I reached into my pockets and got out the Spider Donut and the Spider Cider.

I went in. Some of the webbing had been disturbed where Frisk had walked.

I started to slow down as I got caught in the mass of webs on the floor. By the time I reached the center...Muffet appeared to my left on the web platform.

I held up my food.

"Huh...?  Where did you get that...?  Did you steal it?  Oh, my pet ~  It's time to show them what we do with thieves ~

I didn't even bat an eyelid as the giant hairy tarantula beast came up behind and opened its maw.

"Huh?  A telegram from the spiders in the Ruins?   What?  They're saying they saw you, and...  ...you helped donate to their cause!  Oh my this has all been a missunderstanding~   I thought that you were someone who hated spiders~  The person who asked for that SOUL... They must've meant someone else...  Sorry for all the trouble~  Ahuhuhuhuh..."

I suspected Flowey's involvement. Possibly Sans.

"While I'm here.  Mind if I buy some more from you?  It really is good pastry and cider."

"Ahuhuhuh.  Flattery will get you everything...but a discount.  HOWEVER...I am not one to disappoint a returning customer."

You know it's funny...I was sure I passed by Muffet a ways back in Hotland. In fact it was right after exiting the elevator once it reached L3... Weird.

I made my selections.

"You do seem to be a new face around here.  Share some details with me, deary...I'm just starved for some new gossip."

"Not much to tell, really.  Name's Dr. Volt Alessandro Arcade." Why did I insist on giving out my full name? It was a habit, I guess. "I was a Monster in hiding on the surface world.  Till I got chased to Mount Ebott and fell into the Ruins.  I've been making my way through the whole kingdom."

"Ahuhuhuh.  How fascinating~  So..any lovely ladies in your life?"

Muffet flirting with me? Oh no. No. Just no.

I held up my wedding ring. "Wife and kids on the outside.  I'm hoping they'll catch up to me."

"Oh phooey.  I guess I'll just have to wait for another tasty little catch.  Ahuhuhuhuh."

No longer scared of her. But darned if some of the things she said didn't make me nervous.

"Well.  I gotta be on my way." I paid my bill and stowed my selections in additional E.N.G.I.N.E. dots. "Bye, Miss...?" I faked ignorance.

"You may call me Muffet, dearie."

"Right!  Untile next time, Muffet." I hurried off before this got awkward. And in the very next room I watched as Mettaton finished his shameless...I mean glorious ripoff...I mean retelling of Romeo and Juliette, in song no less.

"Gotcha now." I leveled the tracer launcher--

WHUMP. The trap door opened and there went the human down, down, down.

"Really?" I complained. Mettaton made his escape. I hopped on the hoverboard and hovered down.

I watched as Frisk hunched down, quivering in the middle of the colored tile floor. I soon deduced this puzzle was impossible to navigate in the time limit. The walls of fire closed in on both sides as the floor lights dimmed and turned grey.

"Cue Alphys cutting the fire." I crossed my arms. And right then and there the fire went out as Frisk answered the phone.

I watched as Mettaton "attacked". I knew that Yellow Soul mode was coming next.

The yellow lasers pew-pew'ed out and Mettaton shook before retreating. "OOH!  OOH!  YOU'VE DEFEATED ME!  HOW CAN THIS BE?  YOU WERE STRONGER THAN I THOUGHT!  ETC...ETC..."

"Oh please...if you're actually falling for this, Frisk, I'm going to be so disappointed."

A thought hadn't really occured until now. It seemed like Frisk definitely remember a lot of stuff...but other things.,..it almost seemed like she was experiencing them for the first time. Were her memories wonky too? Just what had happened in the reset?

I hadn't seen any micro-glitches either. Things were the same but different. I couldn't quite figure it out.

I knew that up ahead lay MTT Resort. Sans was probably there, too. Also...the route to the CORE lay ahead...as well as as Mettaton's center stage.

I hustled up and stopped at the Nice Cream Guy's cart. Just my luck...01 and 02 got the last of it. Oh well. I wasn't suffering in the ungodly heat. Yeah. It was still hotter than Hell.

Sans wasn't out front. That meant he hadn't arrived yet or he was inside with Frisk. Logically, it had to be the latter.

I was about to enter when I felt the hand on my shoulder. I instinctely raised my hands. "I always knew I'd get it if I didn't watch my back--"

"A bit jumpy, Commander?"

"Bunnie!"

"You seem to have had complications."

"Something like that.  You?"

"Flowey posed no threat, though he tried to make one."

"I can't tell what side game he's playing at.  Whose side he's on.  What I suspect though is...he's lost without Chara."

"Agreed."

"Well.  Let's head in." I led Bunnie in. We passed the lobby with that overblown Mettaton Fountain that was pouring onto the floor instead of the fountain basin. We got some food from Burgerpants. Still high-strung and suffering under his Boss' non-existant heel. Don't meet your heroes, indeed.

We headed to the dining area, past the stage where I saw Snowdrake's father and a number of other lesser monsters such as the Fish Receptionist, Charles, Oni, and Ficus Licker.

We sat and ate and discussed things, updating each other. That was went Sans entered with Frisk. We had gotten there ahead of them? HOW?!

I wondered...is it possible there were time anomalies in the new timeline? Wouldn't rule it out. I also wouldn't rule out that maybe the Goddesses were intervening. What was their game?

As soon as Sans recognized me, I could tell he was already scrapping his plan. It seemed he was debating his options and concluded that making a move on the kid here was not something he should try with both the Major and me around. The race may be on, but I just pulled ahead. I waved with a brief smug look. Then I looked to Frisk. She averted her eyes.

Sans' dialogue went on as normal.

"That's her?"

"That's her." I nodded.

"I sense...turmoil."

"She should feel turmoil for what she's..."

"No.  This feeling...it's more like...a feeling like...a feeling of fear and confusion...as if...they feel like they can sense they're being turned on."

"Frisk was always perceptive.  Besides why is that--"

"You misunderstand.  I'm not saying it's the case...but..."

"But?"

"I don't...quite know how to put it...it's almost like...she's starting to feel that she has to accept the consequences--"

I narrowed my eyes. Bunnie was avoiding what she really wanted to say. But it sounded like Bunnie was starting to think the kid was--

"...buddy...you'd be dead where you stand." I heard Sans say.

The whole place seemed to darken to almost pitch black for a moment.

"...hey, lighten up, bucko!  I'm just joking with you." He said with a wink. I don't think he was joking.

"...besides...haven't I done a great job protection you?  I mean...look at yourself now.  You haven't died a single time, am I right?"

That sent chills down my spine. Bunnie narrowed her eyes. And Frisk was noticeably rattled.

We looked at each other for moment then back to Sans as he continued his monologueing.

"Well.  That's all.  Take care of yourself, kid..." He started as he left the area. "...because somebody *really* cares about you....." He said in a low voice. It felt sarcastic. Plus...he was glancing in my direction.

While Frisk's eyes were trained on Sans...

"Gotcha." I landed the tracker on her. Rather than stop her for an explanation...I let her go on her way...straight to the CORE.

"Major?"

"I have your back.  Let us go." We headed out through the door with "CORE" in neon lights where the fire exit sign should have been. Once through, we looked out fro the terrace...where a bridge connected it to the extremely high-tech looking gate/doorway into the CORE.

Once inside...a main elevator in front...two doorways to the sides of it.

We decided to go left. Rather than put up with the malfunctioning lasers and conveyors, Bunnie did her ninja thing and used hienkyaku while I electromorphed and arced under their paths. As we crossed a bridge, I noticed the stream that lead all the way back to Snowdin. There were the floating ice blocks. Theyd dropped into a steamy chasm below. It became clearer why the CORE needed a constant supply of ice. A maze of these obstacles eventually lead us to a security puzzle. Once solved, we backtracked.

Once we finally made it out of the maze I recognized the neon lit doorway ahead.

"There it is, Major."

We went in.

Sub-Entry 099:  "Death By Glamour One Moment, The Power of Neo the Next...":
"OH YES. THERE YOU ARE, DARLING. IT'S TIME TO HAVE OUR LITTLE SHOWDOWN. IT'S TIME TO FINALLY STOP THE "MALFUNCTIONING" ROBOT. ... NOT!!! MALFUNCTION? REPROGRAMMING? GET REAL. THIS WAS ALL JUST A BIG SHOW. AN ACT. ALPHYS HAS BEEN PLAYING YOU FOR A FOOL THE WHOLE TIME.

AS SHE WATCHED YOU ON THE SCREEN, SHE GREW ATTACHED TO YOUR ADVENTURE. SHE DESPERATELY WANTED TO BE A PART OF IT. SO SHE DECIDED TO INSERT HERSELF INTO YOUR STORY. SHE REACTIVATED PUZZLES. SHE DISABLED ELEVATORS. SHE ENLISTED ME TO TORMENT YOU. ALL SO SHE COULD SAVE YOU FROM DANGERS THAT DIDN'T EXIST. ALL SO YOU WOULD THINK SHE'S THE GREAT PERSON... THAT SHE'S NOT.

AND NOW, IT'S TIME FOR HER FINEST HOUR. AT THIS VERY MOMENT, ALPHYS IS WAITING OUTSIDE THE ROOM. DURING OUR "BATTLE," SHE WILL INTERRUPT. SHE WILL PRETEND TO "DEACTIVATE" ME, "SAVING" YOU ONE FINAL TIME. FINALLY. SHE'LL BE THE HEROINE OF YOUR ADVENTURE. YOU'LL REGARD HER SO HIGHLY SHE'LL EVEN BE ABLE TO CONVINCE YOU NOT TO LEAVE. ... OR NOT.

YOU SEE, I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS PREDICTABLE CHARADE. I HAVE NO DESIRE TO HARM HUMANS. FAR FROM IT, ACTUALLY. MY ONLY DESIRE IS TO ENTERTAIN. AFTER ALL, THE AUDIENCE DESERVES A GOOD SHOW, DON'T THEY? AND WHAT'S A GOOD SHOW... WITHOUT A PLOT TWIST?

SORRY, FOLKS! THE OLD PROGRAM'S BEEN CANCELLED!!! BUT WE'VE GOT A FINALE THAT WILL DRIVE YOU WILD!! REAL DRAMA!! REAL ACTION!! REAL BLOODSHED!! ON OUR NEW SHOW... "ATTACK OF THE KILLER ROBOT!"

I could hear Mettaton's monologue from outside the door.

We skidded to a stop just as I faintly heard it. As Mettaton turned around to look into the non-existant mirror behind him, Frisk reached out and flipped the switch.

"OH??? A MIRROR??? RIGHT, I HAVE TO LOOK PERFECT FOR OUR GRAND FINALE! HMM... I DON'T SEE IT... WHERE IS IT...? DID YOU. JUST FLIP. MY SWITCH?"

"Bunnie--"  I started as she was already shielding her eyes.

We both heard the heart-shaped stage mechanically unlock and rise up into the air...the stage lights clicking on.

When I looked I could see the fog effects obscure everything. But deep within it...

"Ohhhh my. If you flipped my switch, that can only mean one thing. You're desperate for the premiere of my new body. How rude... Lucky for you, I've been aching to show this off for a long time. So... as thanks, I'll give you a handsome reward. I'll make your last living moments... ABSOLUTELY beautiful!"

"Commander." Bunnie nodded. I hopped on the hoverboard and flew up a bit higher while Bunnie launhed a grappling rope into the ceiling and climbed up. Once we could see...

Mettaton EX was revealed.

"Holy schnikees..." It never got any less overwhelming.

Even Bunnie's eyes widened. And that never happened.

That was when we noticed...

"Eheheheh...hey...this is a bit awkward." Violet waved as she rose up from the other side of the stage where she had been watching from the back.

"How did--"  I started before Bunnie shook her head. Explanations later. You can't keep Violet of all people down.

The holograms of the ratings meter wrapped around the stage in a half-circle. And they were climbing.

"Lights! Camera! Action!  Drama! Romance! Bloodshed! I'm the idol everyone craves! Smile for the camera!"

Bunnie had a look that almost said "Is this really happening?"

"This is awesome!" Violet grinned as the ratings spiked again.

"A live audience participation?  How marvelous!" Mettaton EX had noticed us.

The dance battle went on with product placements, poses, boosts, attempts at heel turns, and a...stick toss..?

All the while Violet was snapping photos. We'd have to confiscate her camera, later.

" Your essay really showed everyone your heart. Why don't I show you mine?"

Those legs and those Mettaton drones and those literal "heart attacks"...it was just insane.

"Oooh, I'm just warming up!  But how are you on the dance floor? Can you keep up the pace!?"

Also there were explosives.

"Lights! Camera! Bombs!  Things are blowing up!"

And so on.

"Time for our union-regulated break!"

It had become a crazy blur of Frisk trying to keep up.

"We've grown so distant, darling... How about another heart-to-heart?"

"Hey, I know!  Why don't I spice this up with some--"

"NO!" Bunnie and I dove for Violet as her hologram projections took shape.

"You unleashed Kuma?" I growled as the raccoon mutant landed on Frisk's head, causing the ratings to shoot up even higher.

"That's it!  That's the magic!  That's the stuff!"

As we tussled with Violet's cyberdrive gauntlet, Glitter appeared on stage with Frisk, in human size.

"What the--!"

"Three-person-battle?  I love it!  And such a stylish look!  That pink is you, darling!"

"Uh...thanks!" Glitter reluctantly went with the flow.

"When we get out of this, Vi...!" I grabbed her by the ears.

As we continued to struggle with Vi and as Mettaton EX continued the battle, the ratings soared higher and higher. In no time they exceeded 10,000...

"OOH, LOOK AT THESE RATINGS!!! THIS IS THE MOST VIEWERS I'VE EVER HAD!!! WE'VE REACHED THE VIEWER CALL-IN MILESTONE! ONE LUCKY VIEWER WILL HAVE THE CHANCE TO TALK TO ME... ... BEFORE I LEAVE THE UNDERGROUND FOREVER!!

LET'S SEE WHO CALLS IN FIRST! HI, YOU'RE ON TV! WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY ON THIS, OUR LAST SHOW???"

That was when I recognized the voice of...

"..... oh........ hi... mettaton... I really liked watching your show... my life is pretty boring, but... seeing you on the screen... brought excitement to my life... vicariously I can't tell, but... I guess this is the last episode...? I'll miss you... mettaton...... ... oh.... I didn't mean to talk so long... oh........... *CLICK*

"NO, WAIT! WAIT, BL... H... THEY ALREADY HUNG UP. ... I'LL TAKE ANOTHER CALLER!"

"Mettaton, your show made us so happy!"

"Mettaton, I don't know what I'll watch without you."

"Mettaton, there's a Mettaton-shaped hole in my Mettaton-shaped heart."

By this time Bunnie had managed to slip the Mojikara jutsu, Winding, Binding Chain on Vi, making sure she stayed out of trouble.

"AH... I... I SEE... ... EVERYONE... THANK YOU SO MUCH. ... DARLING. PERHAPS... IT MIGHT BE BETTER IF I STAY HERE A WHILE. HUMANS ALREADY HAVE STARS AND IDOLS, BUT MONSTERS... THEY ONLY HAVE ME. IF I LEFT... THE UNDERGROUND WOULD LOSE ITS SPARK. I'D LEAVE AN ACHING VOID THAT COULD NEVER BE FILLED.

SO... I THINK I'LL HAVE TO DELAY MY BIG DEBUT. BESIDES. YOU'VE PROVEN TO BE VERY STRONG. PERHAPS... EVEN STRONG ENOUGH TO GET PAST ASGORE. I'M SURE YOU'LL BE ABLE TO PROTECT HUMANITY.

HA, HA... IT'S ALL FOR THE BEST, ANYWAY. THE TRUTH IS, THIS FORM'S ENERGY CONSUMPTION IS... INEFFICIENT. IN A FEW MOMENTS, I'LL RUN OUT OF BATTERY POWER, AND... WELL. I'LL BE ALRIGHT. KNOCK 'EM DEAD, DARLING. AND EVERYONE... THANK YOU. YOU'VE BEEN A GREAT AUDIENCE!"

And with that Mettaton stopped the show as the cameras shut off and everything came to a halt.

"And how about a big hand to our mysterious live guest audience?"

"Ooh!  Ooh!  Mettaton!" Violet managed to wriggle free, knocking Bunnie's shodouphone out of her hand, causing it to clatter to the ground, but not smash. It was made out of far stronger stuff than ordinary cell phones. But that was enough to break Winding Binding Chain.

Violet handed over her autograph book and a pen. "Autograph, please!"

"Anything for the fans." Mettaton gave his most lavish signature, filling both pages. "To my dear fan..?"

"Violet, but you can call me Sexxxy Sandals."

"Ooh.  Not TV, my dear.  This is a family program.  Wait...what?  The cameras have stopped rolling?  Well then, I suppose it's okay."

Vi took her autograph book back then took a selfie with Mettaton photo-bombing. I facepalmed.

"It's all for the fans!!" Mettaton spread his arms wide, but as he did he accidentally knocked Frisk off the edge of the platform and out of our view.

"Oh crap!" I hopped off the hoverboard and landed on the floor and searched for where I thought Frisk had landed.

"Huh?  Where did she go--"

That was when Bunnie whirled toward the other side of the stage. Frisk climbed back up.

"They're okay!" Mettaton posed for the audience. I breathed a sigh of relief at first until I heard Bunnie draw her twin-shinobi katanas from their sheaths.

"Oh no..." I jumped and started climbing, magnetizing my hands and the soles of my sandals.

"What!  Betrayal?  What a twist?  And with the cameras not rolling?" Mettaton EX whirled at the sight of the Real Knife.

Mettaton EX started monologuing.

"I REALIZED... SOMETHING GHASTLY. YOU'RE NOT JUST A THREAT TO MONSTERS... BUT HUMANITY, AS WELL. OH MY. THAT'S AN ISSUE. YOU SEE, I CAN'T BE A STAR WITHOUT AN AUDIENCE.AND BESIDES... THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE... I WANT TO PROTECT.

AH HA HA. EAGER, AS ALWAYS, EH? BUT DON'T TOUCH THAT DIAL. THERE'S SOMETHING YOU HAVEN'T ACCOUNTED FOR. AS ANY TRUE FAN WOULD KNOW, I WAS FIRST CREATED AS A HUMAN ERADICATION ROBOT. IT WAS ONLY AFTER BECOMING A STAR THAT I WAS GIVEN A MORE... PHOTOGENIC BODY.

HOWEVER. THOSE ORIGINAL FUNCTIONS HAVE NEVER BEEN FULLY REMOVED. COME ANY CLOSER, AND I'LL BE FORCED TO SHOW YOU... MY TRUE FORM! FINE THEN! RRRRREADY? IIIIIIIT'S SHOWTIME!!!"

"No, no, no, no!" I released the blinding powder from one E.N.G.I.N.E. dot while Violet slipped on her fingerless flamethrower glove and fingerless ice jet glove.

"Overtime, team." She grinned.

"You're taking this too well, Vi!" I growled.

"Fall to the Earth, STAR RAIN!" Bunnie drew her zanpakutou.

I drew a Chronoton Detonator at the same time Vi took off toward the battle on the center stage. That was when Mettaton EX's transformation begin.

"What?" This was new. Last timeline Mettaton NEO was a separate body. This was a real problem.

As we all charged in, the Real Knife plunged toward Mettaton Neo's soul chamber.

I threw the blinding powder in Frisk's eyes as I hurled down the Chronoton Detonator.

Sub-Entry 100: "Frisk Can't Be in Two Places at the Same Time...":
* FLASH*

I examined the situation while everyone but me was frozen in time.

"...it can't be..." The tip of the Real Knife was already dug into the Soul Chamber...but it hadn't touched Mettaton's soul, yet. Nevertheless...it was already too late for his body. Even if I dug the blade out...I don't think I could save Mettaton.

Still...I had to try.

"Time to make use of Lorentz Forces."

To the non-science savy, in physics (particularly in electromagnetism) the Lorentz force is the combination of electric and magnetic force on a point charge due to electromagnetic fields. A particle of charge q moving with velocity v in the presence of an electric field E and a magnetic field B experiences a force, F = q E + q v × B. Violet would appreciate me keeping up on the mathematics, but what I was interested in was the practical application.

I focused a huge capacitive charge between my hands and focused them through the Real Knife. If this worked, I'd take a major obstacle out of this.

As I built the intense capacitive charge... The metal of the Real Knife began to twist and contort until...it shattered. And I was able to collect the pieces with magnetism...right as the chronoton detonator wore off.

Frisk drew back the broken weapon...and grimaced with a look of rage. I still couldn't see the eyes. But she was SUPERPISSED.

"What the--"

The damage was done, though. I don't know how it worked, I don't know why it worked. But the damage to Mettaton's body was overwhelming with just one blow.

"G... GUESS SHE SHOULD HAVE WORKED MORE ON THE DEFENSES... ... YOU MAY HAVE DEFEATED ME... BUT... I KNOW. I CAN TELL FROM THAT STRIKE, DARLING. YOU WERE HOLDING BACK.

YES, ASGORE WILL FALL EASILY TO YOU... BUT YOU WON'T HARM HUMANITY, WILL YOU? YOU AREN'T ABSOLUTELY EVIL. IF YOU WERE TRYING TO BE, THEN YOU MESSED UP.

AND SO LATE INTO THE SHOW, TOO. HA... HA. AT LEAST NOW, I CAN REST EASY. KNOWING ALPHYS AND THE HUMANS WILL LIVE ON...!"

"No, no, no, no, NO!!!"

"Oh gods..." Violet was actually horrified.

"This is--"

"No, Vi.  This isn't your fault." Bunnie consoled as I was preoccupied with how to save Mettaton.

Frisk growled angrilly.

Even though they had only breached the Soul Chamber and hadn't touched any main circuits...somehow every system was failing and falling apart.

I turned to Frisk.

"Serves you right--"  I started. Then I was greeted with an utterly horrifying sight. The Real Knife I had destroyed started reassembling itself with a neon red glow.

"Impossible."

"You...you did this!" Violet was actually angry...and in tears.

"You will not escape justice." Bunnie landed on the stage with Violet.

"Sans was right." I muttered. "You are a lost cause." I narrowed my eyes.

The three of us stared Frisk down. An angry grunt. Then she turned and jumped off the stage.

"Are you insane?!" I cried.

"Get back here you BI--(CENSORED)!!!" Violet dove to the edge. "What...it can't be...!"

"Gone?!"

I suddenly got a message on my phone. I didn't recognize the ID...but I know who it was.

"Talk to me, Dr. Alphys."

"M...Mettaton...?"

"I'm sorry, Alphys.  There was nothing we could do.  He's...not going to last long."

"No!  NO!  NOOOO!  Oh gods NONONONONONONONONO!"

"What do we do?!" Violet turned to me in a panic.

I stood up.

"I have a plan.  With a slim chance of working." I turned to Violet. "I'm going to need you to fork em' over."

"...?"

"You know what I'm talking about."

Violet sighed and ejected an optic disc from the CyberDrive Gauntlet. "The blueprints for Mettaton standard and EX bodies. I...hacked them out of Alphy's computers earlier..." I put the disc in a CD case and wrote a very detailed note and attached it to the disc.

Bunnie in the mean time was using Mojikara to seal the SOUL chamber.

I took a deep breath.

"It'll take Alphys months to build a new body for him.  He doesn't have that much time left.  But maybe this will work..." I attached the Flux Capacitor Mini to the whole thing and began magnetically spinning the whole assembly. Faster and faster until the speedometer hit 88MPH. In a flash it was gone.

"Where'd you send it?"

"And to when?"

"To a friend." I said. "Who'll send it to the only person who can help us now..."

"Huh?"

"If my calculations are correct, once it arrives to him, it'll take months to build...however..if its arrival time is six months in the past..."

"Then...!" Violet turned to me.

"You know...Chuck Denomolos may be able to play the time-travel game...but Bill and Ted did it best." I turned to my side as something fell out of a Cyber Gate.

"Volt-san...is that...?"

I grinned as I looked at the practically brand new Mettaton EX body. Its Soul Chamber was empty.

"Mettaton...if you're in there...you've got to jump bodies.  Come on...Blooky is counting on you."

Bunnie nodded and collapsed the barrier around the spark chamber. In that instance...a pink ghost with a spit-curl rose from the machine...drifted over to the new body and inhabited it.

After a few moments of waiting and holding our breaths.

"...ohhhh yeeeeeeeees..." Mettaton's eyes opened.

“Hah-haaaaaaaah!”  I high-fived Violet.

“Who’d you send it to?”

“Let’s just say, a friend called upon a friend of a friend to ask their creator for help.”

Back home, Pit looked to Rock. “Do you think they got it? Wherever they are?”

“Dr. Light’s been waiting a couple months to send it to him per his instructions. I’m not sure who this KOMMAND Is, but the instructions were very specific. They were certainly the strangest designs he ever worked from...but my father definitely improved upon them. Especially with the battery life. Took out the anti-human features as well."

Afterward...

“Alphys, darling...I was a fool. I abandoned you in your time of need after I got what I wanted...I abandoned Blooky, too. I let fame go to my head. I was selfish and awful. Can you forgive me.”

“M-Mettaton...of course I forgive you.”

Mettaton knelt down to hug his creator.

“A job well done.”

“But Frisk...that psychopath got away.”

“Do you think we stopped the Genocide Run?”  Bunnie asked me.

I couldn’t say for sure, but I was confident that this was the case. As long as all Boss Monster souls survived, as long as no regular monster souls were dusted. As long as Frisk didn’t succeed at killing anyone...there was still hope. But was there any hope for this...this traitor?

I sighed and got out my T.A.O. link and checked Frisk’s position. They were still in Hotland but not moving. Good. T hat made it easier to hunt them down.

On a whim, I decided to check the survailance cameras to see if I could get a visual.

“Hmm.”

I checked window after window until...

“There you are.”  I found the right camera with Frisk on the move back in the steam maze--

“...wait a minute...”

On the move? I compared the live feed to the tracking beacon.

I showed the position on the GPS to Alphys. She decided to hold off on the explanations of who the rest of us were. So did Mettaton as a favor to me for saving him.

“Alphys...where in Hotland is this position?”

“Th-Th-That’s the CORE room. Where you just came from.”

“What?”  I was dumbfounded. If that was accurate, then the tracer hadn’t left Mettaton’s stage.

“Commander? Are you okay?”

“Something’s weird. Alphys, can you call up this location on the mainframe monitor?”

“S-Sure.”  Alphys ran to the computer and called it up.

“Zoom in.”

She did so.

“Zoom in some more...”

And...

“One more time. Stop. Enhance the image.”

“Commander?”

“Talk to me, Sparky. What is it?”

I pointed. “There.”

At first the rabbits were confused. So was Alphys. Then Mettaton spoke up.

“Oh my! This...this would not be good for ratings if we were on the air......”

Bunnie and I stared at Mettaton rather judgingly.

“I mean...that poor human.”

It hit Bunnie immediately. Violet a moment after.

“Wait...if that’s...!”

“But...how can that be?”

I narrowed my eyes.

“Tell me something, everyone. How can the eighth fallen human child...”  I reached over and tapped away at the computer. The screen split to show the survailance of Frisk escaping through the maze of Hotland, carrying the completely intact Real Knife...

...and a live feed of the CORE room...where Frisk was lying on the ground, unconscious.

“...be in two places at the same time?”

TO BE CONTINUED...

Chapter 11

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