PLDN Chapter 21

"Chapter 21: Snowdin Town Again. Boning Up On Good Times"

Sub-Entry 201:  "Underground Again!  An Unexpected Visitor's Appearance in Waterfall":
It was becoming a regular practice taking the time vehicles to the outside and inside of Mount Ebott. But even more regular was how with each revisit, I let my team expand further.

Bunnie and I took the Delorean to Hotland and landed on the Roof. Alphys was giddy with glee.

Violet took more of the team to the mouth of Mount Ebott and waited for Bunnie to open a gateway to our position. Once there...

"Y-y-your team has g-gotten even b-b-bigger.  How many are in y-your operation?"

"Pretty sizable, but you're pretty much looking at the majority of the main action team.  For...obvious reasons I couldn't bring any of my human members.  You understand."

"P-Perfectly.  Undyne would b-b-be on them like the Royal Guard on a table of Glamburgers and Steaks-In-The-Shape-Of-Mettaton's-Face."

"Burgers?  Steaks?  I can't wait to get to MTT Resort." Jon was already licking his lips.

"Easy there, big guy.  We'll get take-out from there if we have time."

"We're going to this Snowdin Town, right? THat's our ultimate destination?" Rotor asked.

"Correct.  We'll be recovering Papyrus and...*gulp*...Sans." I was hesitant.

"Come on, Commander.  You're uptight about Sansy-Pansy?" Violet taunted.

"You saw what he could do." I scolded. "You want to end up on the end of a Blue Attack?"

"You make it sound like it's a bad thing if he Blue me--"

* WHAP*

"You did not." I glared.

"Oh g-g-g-g-gawwwwd!" Alphys covered her blushing face.

"Well this outing just slipped under the PG rating." Jon joked.

"I wonder if I made a mistake?" I narrowed my eyes.

I noticed Lupe was being quiet. I had explained the whole of the Underground and briefed everyone in my crew about it, on the grounds they keep it a tight-lipped secret from Asriel. Under no circumstances could any one let even the slightest hint they'd been here let alone met the people that Asriel thought were long gone.

But I'd already beaten this closely guarded promise into the ground. It was redundant giving this reminder about Asriel's and my shared promise. Still...I had to have everyone on the same page and iron-clad in their conviction to keep it under their hats.

"Commander.   We have put too much time and effort into this mission.  We will not fail you.  Will we, Violet?" Bunnie grabbed her by the ear.

Jon chuckled.

"You're not exempt from this, either, big guy." Sally reminded. "Keep enabling Violet and I'll have Sarge add to your treadmill quota."

Jon uttered a wolfish whine at that.

"Behave, Miss Violet and Mr. Jon." Gadget also chimed in.

"So.  What's the plan?" Sally asked.

By this point, against my better judgement in some cases, I was ready to trust my team to split up and take care of their own affairs. Until we actually headed to Snowdin, they were on their own time.

"Until we head to Snowdin, you're all on your own time."

"Wait, down time on a mission?" Rotor asked.

"I trust you enough to be mindful of what you say and do.  Just remember to keep your cover stories straight and don't make any indication of where you've been prior to.  As far as anyone in Waterfall knows, we haven't been to Hotland, yet.  And as far as anyone in Hotland knows, we haven't been to New Home."

"You sure this convolution is going to work?  I mean, wouldn't be simpler to just use time travel?  And for that matter why go backwards?"

"Time travel doesn't solve anything.  Remember, quick-fixes have a way of backfiring.  By doing it this way, we're far more thorough and we can catch any details that slip between the cracks.  Each of us can personally account for what we've been through.

As for why backwards? When Frisk finishes a True Pacifist run, they...she has to walk all the way back through the underground to reach the entrance of Mount Ebott. Technically, we shouldn't have been able to come through the barrier in New Home's Castle Dreemurr...but again, with each timeline reset, True Reset, and Erasure the goddesses reshape this world in unexpected ways."

"Yup.  Those dirty little hackers."

"...well that's  the pot calling the kettle black." Mitzi crossed her arms.

"Eh.  I totally would." Violet shrugged.

The briefing at Alphys' lab was quick. We were all headed on our way in different directions.

Violet and Jon hit MTT resort and the CORE; Vi to have face time with Mettaton, Jon to darn near eat Burgerpants out of his entire inventory. Maybe I should have limited his gold budget before coming here?

Lupe decided to wander Waterfall and examine the flora that we had briefed her on.

Sally was bound for Undyne's with intention to join Mitzi, later, at Napstablook's house.

Bunnie quickly headed to Gerson's.

Gadget and Rotor stayed behind with Alphys.

Which left me to take a load off at the bench with the abandoned quiche. I hadn't really planned for a saxophone session but the more I thought about it...

"Since I haven't restored Toriel...I guess I could use the me-time and get my courage up before we all meet up at that...brrrrr...cold, cold place.  Not looking forward to it."

I folded my ears back. I'd take wet over cold. And definitely over wet AND cold. That was just the worst.

Out came the sax. I was far from Temmie Village and the other houses that my team had dropped in on. And pretty far from any of the lesser monsters. There should have been no chance that anyone would be out this way. With the timeline as modified as it was now, I guess I wasn't surprised that A.E.O.N. wouldn't have any updates for me. And KOMMAND was keeping quiet so all was going according to plan.

What could possibly deviate?

I was in a good mood so I opted for something a little more upbeat, despite it being very unfitting for the somber setting of Waterfall.

"Boots with Brass...let's kick it with some upbeat jazz."

The sax came out and I selected my discography from the late, great Boots Randolph.

The playlist went as followed: "C.C. Rider", "The Letter", "Fire and Rain",  "Viva Tirado", "We've Only Just Begun", "Light My Fire",  "Spinning Wheel", "Hi-Heel Sneakers", "I'll Be There", "(They Long To Be) Close To You", "25 or 6 to 4", and "Take A Letter Maria".

As I played C.C. Rider, I couldn't help but get images of Ripper on that motorcycle of his. I had to wonder if there was anyone in the Underground that Chameleon or his cohorts could relate to? Considering the only lizards I could think of were Alphys and Monster Kid...I think it would be in my best interest to hold of on speculating how a meeting with any of them would go.

I think Tithius would probably eat his weight in instant ramen...and probably have questions about the giant bag of dog food.

I couldn't think of anyone who'd relate to Ripper. I mean who else besides Sally was as much an adrenaline junkie?

Jennifer "Valkyrie" Riviera? One look at her and everyone would jump to the conclusion about the angel of prophecy. Plus there was always the danger that she'd be hunted as a human. Given the scenario of her vs. Undyne? Sorry, but I don't think Undyne would survive against a professional mercenary.

Which left Dragonius. Of all the monsters in the kingdom...Toriel seemed to be the closest. Pacifist by nature. Seasoned by patience and wisdom. And yes...both of them were unimaginably powerful fire-casters.

"Huh...should I really be thinking about this?" I was getting insanely ahead of myself. I'd better quit before I started speculating about other factions in Miranda. Lulu? Kid? Cid Padesh? Vidian?

As it stood there was no way our worlds could be interlinked like this. It was hard enough commuting back and forth between the Underground by what means and resources I had between both S.T.C. and KOMMAND.

I resumed practice.

Right about the time I got to "Fire and Rain", I sensed I was not alone. And sure enough the 7 or 8 foot towering form of a cloaked figure by the entrance all but hammered it home.

Well. I could think of only one person large enough to fit this description.

"A long way from New Home, my liege?"

"I suppose you could say that." No mistaking it. That was Asgore's voice.

"Why...out and about?  And without a royal escort."

"Have times changed so much that I cannot traverse my own kingdom without making a fuss?  There was a time when Tori and I could freely walk among the people.  I knew everyone's names, no one was afraid to share their thoughts or problems.  It was truly...better times..."

Today was obviously not a good day. And yet he'd probably write otherwise in his diary.

"I can't say the world's slowed down any outside this barrier. It's been...disorienting trying to adjust to this much smaller kingdom."

Asgore was said to have an infallable memory. If he and Toriel had been around before Monsters were sealed away, surely he could speak of times long past. A time before Chara's birth, in theory.

The fact is...I didn't know where...when in the timeline the event even occurred. I had clues including that first video tape in the True Lab that indicated Asriel's birth. Fluffybuns man not be able to name for beans, but I had to give him credit for shipping his and Toriel's names together. I mean...Asriel was a real name, honestly. It didn't sound like something gibberish rammed together. But...what was in a name.

"My condolences, Doctor.  But it seems you've managed to make do.  It's a humble kingdom, I suppose."

"Humble is good.  Keeping one's ego limited is how you avoid setting yourself up for a higher fall.  Too little self-esteem though and that's just as dangerous.  My second in command has always been advising me on what a delicate balancing act it is."

I rubbed the back of my head. "Gosh, I get really philosophical when I'm practicing my hobby."

"Oh yes!  I couldn't help but overhear your music.  Such a strange instrument."

I wasn't surprised that Asgore had never seen a saxophone before. And less surprised how it attracted his attention, what with being shiny gold metal. Was it really that much of an eye catch to a king?

"I'd rather not get into what I had to do to actually get a hold of one in the human world, much-less how I learned to play without revealing myself."

A lie. But every little bit reenforced my cover story.

"I'm sure it would be a fascinating story."

"Not really.  Just one I'd prefer to avoid until I come to terms with my past." I looked to the side.

That had a seed of truth.

"Do not feel you have to stop on my account." Asgore had a seat next to me.

It was a weird parallel that he'd be out and about just like Toriel was not that long ago. And even weirder that he should happen to come this way. You'd think the sign with the clue about the sea-grass puzzles would deter people from coming this way?

"I admit, it feels a little awkward.  I can't help but feel like I'm a wandering minstrel hired on as a court musician."

"Hmmm...why did I never think of that?  I'm sure it would have kept my family from being so restless..."

Asgore's face fell. Reminders of what was painfully no longer there. Reminders of what his actions had destroyed.

"Asgore?"

He sighed.

"I know.  I understand." I placed a hand on his shoulder. Jeeze...was he wearing his shoulder pauldrons under his cloak?

"I fear...today isn't as good a day as I might have written in my journal."

"I think I understand...you miss them."

Here come the tears. Damn, Volt. Did you have to go straight for the heart?

"You...understand because you are without your own family, do you not?"

"Yes, but...they're just lost outside the barrier.  I have no right to think I'm on the same level of grief as you, whose children can never come back and his wife refuses to."

"The magnitude of the pain matters not.  We are both racked with grief being separated from our loved ones."

I wouldn't go that far in my case. But yeah...I hadn't been spending time with my wife and kids, yet again. This was plucking at my heartstrings.

"I'm sorry."

"I have no one but myself to blame." His eyes disappeared under the shadow of his cloak's hood.

"My second in command...Bunnie...used to tell me that decisions made and actions taken in rage can never be taken back."

"I have had much time to learn that lesson."

I felt for him. I really did. The more I conversed with him, the more I empathized with him. I was feeling less and less like finishing my concert...or rather just the album. It just seemed...too upbeat for this situation.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out the media player Violet got me which I usually reserved for Napstablook visits in the old timeline.

"I came across this during my recon of human civilization and culture.  It plays music, apparently.  I use my electric magic to keep it charged."

"Music from something so small?"

"Indeed.  There's one song that kinda stuck out and...I don't know if it's the best thing but I think it relates to the strife that we've been through...or may still be going through."

I queued up a track called "King of Pain" by the group, Sting and the Police and played it. I don't know if it was a wise move but it was like Bunnie's wisdom said:  You can't truly know a person until you've felt their pain. I know I should be cheering him up, but...maybe I needed some time to be sad as well. I hadn't had this feeling since the old timeline shortly after the Buttercup Incident in Lupe's garden.

I could help but quietly sing along to the lyrics. It was actually kind of misting, not quite raining where we were. Appropriate setting.

"There's a ltitle black spot on the sun today.

It's the same old thing as yesterday.

There's a black cat caught in a high tree top.

There's a flag pole rag and the wind won't stop

I have stood here before inside the pouring rain

with the world turning circles, running 'round my brain

I guess I'm always hoping that you'll end this reign

but it's my destiny to be the King of Pain..."

Asgore was immediately taken by the song. It spoke to him. He related to it for obvious reason...and likely ones that weren't so apparent.

"There's a fossil that's trapped in a high cliff wall.

There's a dead salmon frozen in a waterfall.

There's a blue whale beached by a spring tide's ebb.

There's a butterfly trapped in a spider's web!

I have stood here before inside the pouring rain

with the world turning circles, running 'round my brain

I guess I'm always hoping that you'll end this reign

but it's my destiny to be the King of Pain."

As he listened, I saw the gaze in his eyes change a bit. He was still streaming tears but what I was sensing was a strange...comfort.

"There's a king on a throne with his eyes torn out.

There's a blind man looking for a shadow of doubt.

There's a rich man sleeping on a golden bed.

There's a skeleton choking on a crust of bread.

(King of Pain!  King of Pain!)"

I could see the same gears turning in Asgore's head as I had seen in Asriel's when he was younger. I had heard time and time again that between the two monarchs, Toriel was clearly the brains behind the throne.

But...that didnt' mean that Asgore was stupid. I could tell he wasn't as intellectual as Tori nor was he on her level of smarts and such.

Yet I just knew that he was interpretting the meloncholic poetry of this song. It was giving him something to ponder. I don't think I'd ever be able to walk him through a game of chess, but...maybe this was good enough. Maybe the fact that he, Toriel, and Asriel had music in their souls was just the common ground I'd need to bring them all together some year...

"There's a red fox torn by a huntsman's pack.

There's a black-wing gull with a broken back.

There's a little black spot on the sun today.

It's the same old thing as yesterday.

I have stood here before inside the pouring rain

with the world turning circles, running 'round my brain

I guess I'm always hoping that you'll end this reign

but it's my destiny to be the King of Pain...

(King of Pain!  King of Pain!  King of Pain!  I'll always be King of Pain!  I'll always be King of Pain...)"

I hit stop on the player.

"That was...rather sad...and beautiful.  I think...my sons would have liked it...I'm not sure Asriel would understand the reason he did but..."

"He sounds like he was wonderful.  A chip off the old block?"

"Maybe...maybe he would have grown up to be more like Toriel.  Not a sad old fool who enjoys gardening too much and cannot make the wish of his people come true."

"Don't say that. You've come this far."

"One more soul.  I've long crossed the line into too far."

"Asgore.  Be thou for the people."

Again. That bile of encouraging him to play his role when I knew what it entailed. The lesser of two evils; I was not letting him even consider his own suicide. One monster death could never atone for those fallen children. And unless Toriel returned to the throne, it would me the people would be without a ruler. In addition to that, this true pacifist timeline would become a neutral timeline. Frisk would escape. Monsters would still be trapped. How was that a good ending?

He nodded.

"I am...sorry I ended your concert so soon."

"Well...just think of it as postponed.  I still have time and more of the discography to go through.  How about it?  Feel like leaving off on a high note?"

A pause.

"Little joke there."

Asgore scratched his head. Yup. Tori was clearly the brains. She would have laughed at that.

"I uh...see."

I resumed playing and when I was finished, Asgore was definitely in a better mood. Brightening his day and getting to know him better? Nailed it.

Sub-Entry 202:  "MTT Resort.  The Rabbit and the Werewolf Paint the Town Red":
While I was under the weather with Asgore (heh, heh) Violet was enjoying her time in Hotland with her best male friend.

"...see, Jon.  This is what it's all about." Violet kicked her feet up onto the table and watched Mettaton perform on stage.

"You said it!" Jon had ordered stacks of steaks in the shape of Mettaton's face and piled them up like pancakes. Good lord, Elektra was going to freak...or at least she would if this was actually bad for his diet. I mean...food made of magic. Tastes good going down and the energy was instant.

"Imagine if every day could be like this.  I mean...why can't we just bring everyone out of the Underground to Miranda and call it a mission?  Then Volt could close the whole case file?"

"Stay with me, J.T.  I'll explain one more time.  I get you're not chrono-science savy so let me break it down like this.

We've insert ourself into a timeline that by all accounts has run its course over and over again. Its events are pretty well set in stone. We're just...reshaping them a bit with a hammer and chisel because some idiot traitor of the STC decided to deface it a bit."

"Ugh...don't get what rocks have to do with time-travel.  But okay."

"We're trying to preserve those events as best as possible to bring about this Ultimate True Pacifist Ending that Volt thinks he can get out of it."

"Okay..."

"There are other reasons as well.  For one thing we're not the InfinityVerse's solve-everything genie squad....or...something.  We're not going to complete this..."game"...world for them.  We're just evening the playing field after certain people have already hacked and cracked it for their amusement."

"Uh...sure.  Got it."

"I could list a lot more reasons why a mass exodus to Miranda City is a bad move, even though I think it would be a pretty interesting idea to attempt.  Still...I know there are lines you don't cross and even after five years, dumping all this on Asriel would just be a jerk move.

Our sparky commander knows what he's doing and he'll ease Goat Son into the truth some day when he's ready to be his own man and choose his own life. As long as he's under Scott and Callie's roof, he's not ready to know."

"Listen to you sounding all responsible and stuff."

"I know, right?  This could tarnish my reputation as a firecracker."

Mettaton cleared his...er...throat? Or at least made the sound of doing so.

"Just a common courtesy, beauties but please keep all chatter during the show to a minimum."

"Our bad!  Keep going, you sexy rectangle you!"

"Ohhh!  I can't stay mad at a flattering fan.  I hope to hear more of it after the show."

Mettaton continued his performance.

"We'll chat more in depth when Snowdrake's dad goes on stage."

"Right." Jon said as his order of Glamburgers arrived.

"Who knows glue and sequins could taste so good?"

Burgerpants just facepalmed.

After the show.

"Sorry about that.  Our Commander really wants us to be working right now but...eh."

"Sometimes you have to crack the whip, beauties, to get results.  I mean you take this peon over here..."

I'm pretty sure Burgerpants' teeth were grinding into the most forced and painful grin he could muster...I'm sure Violet could practically hear his joints squeak like the Tin Man from Wizard of Oz before getting treated with the oil can as he slowly turned his head around.

"Loyalty will only get someone so far.  I don't know what I'm going to do with him?"

"For starters, how about sending him to get dessert.  I really want to try one of those Starfaits on the menu."

"Make it two!" Jon chimed in.

"You heard the customers!  Hup-two!   Chop-chop!"

Oh boy. I made a big mistake letting them have their downtime in Hotland...........I should have called dibs on it, first!

Could it be we were unnecessarily cruel to Burgerpants? You know I *still* haven't learned what his real name is...

After the meal.

"Was everything satisfactory, my lovely patrons?"

"I'm totally giving you the highest rating shout-out on the Underground's social network.  Five Blooky's out of five all the way!"

I can see Mettaton had made a few changes online since reconnecting with his cousin. I wonder if this would impact the timeline?

It did remind me that Hyperdeath had absorbed all the souls in the kingdom in the endgame.....ALMOST all of them. I'd later learn that Napstablook was somehow left out of the equation. Wonder how that happened?

Changing subject, now, before I shudder.

"Wonderful, darlings!  I do so enjoy tangible proof of my excellent business leadership!"

Jon could have sworn he heard Burgerpants grumble under his breath.

Once he had vacated...

"Walk with me, talk with me.  Tell me more of the outside world and this other world you come from."

"Shhh!  Keep that on the down low!" Jon cautioned.

"Ahh,  cool your paws, Jonny." Violet shrugged it off. "He does have a point here.  Not in this public setting.  We are trying to keep this covert."

"Ooooh.  Mysterious, like one of those awful spy animes that Alphys has in her collection..."

"Was it something like Golgo 13?"

"Yes!  I believe that's what she called it."

Violet rubbed her chin. Was it an accident something like that was on this world or proof of Adonis' supposed long-time tampering with Undertale timelines in the Ultraverse?

"Granted they have some sexy characters in those awful cartoons, but..."

Oh boy. Mettaton ripping on anime. How was Vi going to take this?

"Eh.  What can you do?"

Lie out her furry buns. Yup. When in doubt, hide your anime passion so you don't get ostracized. You are a master-class B.S.-er, Violet Tokugawa.

"But yeah.  We'll tell you more when there aren't so many prying eyes--"

Violet slowly turned to the Hand Receptionist.

"...and fingers."

"Vi, that almost sounded dirty." Jon snickered.

"Yeeeeeah it did." She said shamelessly.

"Scandalous!" Mettaton gasped.

"So, when's your EX body going to be charged up enough that we can take in some more awesome?"

"You flatter me, darling.  But not for a while.  This new energy system that the new body has is self-recharging so I don't have to bother Alphys with new batteries all the time.  But...I wonder if that makes her feel like I don't need her any longer.  I mean...I did kind of treat her poorly after I made it big."

Mettaton was finally listening to his conscience. I hoped this had a positive effect on the timeline.

"Darn." Violet mused as she stopped to look at the fountain.

She smirked mischeivously. When Mettaton wasn't looking...

Violet clearned her throat and in a perfect mimic of Mettaton's voice.

"Burgerpants!  Cleanup on the left of the fountain!  This floor is absolutely soaked!"

She wasn't wrong though. The design of the fountain in Mettaton's image had the water spraying out of his hand...and onto the floor instead of the fountain's basin.

Sure enough, the cat cat monster arrived with a mop and bucket and began the endless task of mopping of a floor that was constantly getting soaked.

"Oh my!  I'm so good at managing my resort I don't recall actually paging Burgerpants...though I clearly have."

Goddammit, Vi. You better not have found someone you like to torture as much as Al Dente. Al actually deserved his karma. Burgerpants was an unnecessarily easy target.

"You are the machine, man." Violet tried wrapping an arm around Mettaton's boxy frame. He was too wide to reach so she settled for a pat on the shoulder.

Once out of the range of prying ears.

"You know what this reminds me of, Jon?  The day we met.  You were in the UCIAT cafeteria, eating alone...well...emphasis more on eating.  I don't think I'd ever seen anyone empty out the entire stock of food."

"Dear me!  This sounds like a juicy story."

"Which I'd appreciate you not put on the 6 o'clock news." Jon crossed his arms and folded his ears back.

"But of course not!  I wouldn't dream of slighting one of my fans."

"But I'm not--"  Jon started before Violet clamped his muzzle shut.

"He's not worthy of your praise!" Violet cut in.

Jon's low growl was muffled by Violet's action.

"Charmed, my beauties."

"Anyway, I was in a huff over having to eat like a commoner in such a place...granted, Buns had a lot of work to do on me back then when I was just getting my start as an agent of UCIAT.  You were a new recruit that Felicia brought in."

"Vi, should we really be talking so casually about our past?"

"What?  We're all friends here.  And besides, Mettaton gave us his solemn oath of secrecy."

"Excuse me if I'm a little leery--"  Jon started before Violet gestured to her Cyberdrive Gauntlet.

"Ohhhhh..." Jon got the subtle message. What she was really saying was that if for any reason Mettaton stepped out of line or broke his promise, she could remotely hack him, mute him, or even shut his body down completely. After all his new body was Light Labs hardware. And hacking a Light or Wily Bot was (supposedly) child's play to her. Well....now I knew what to do if we ever need help on Rock's world in the fugure.

Sometimes I wonder if even Violet was still figuring out how good friendship worked. This was not exactly the same leap of faith I was taking with Alphys. If anything she was taking lessons from Chameleon. Keep your friends close...and never tell them where you keep the antidote for when they betray you...

Violet continued her long-winded speech which Jon found totally embarassing.

After a "while"...

"Okay, beauties, as I've said, I'd like to keep my new body under wraps so the Underground will have quite the treat should I encounter the human."

"I must say it's going to be the best show of your career.  I've certainly seen how well it turns out in the other timelines."

"I don't quite get that timeline mumbo-jumbo, but I like what I'm hearing about my show going to be a success."

"VIolet!  Telling him about future events?"

"Relax.  It's a confidence builder."

"Volt's going to get after you for skirting the line."

"Key-word skirting it.  I know where the line is and not to cross it.  As long as I don't cause any permanant complications, it's all good.  Right?"

"Your propensity for harmless chaos is going to get us both in trouble some day."

"Wow, you really are like your father-in-law.  Always worried about something."

"Maybe I've seen enough in my past that I have a right to."

"Such passionate in-fighting!  Drama!  Despair!  Derision!  How cinematic!"

"I'm glad you're enjoying this." Jon smoldered.

"Oh calm yourself." Violet jammed a Nice Cream into Jon's mouth.

"...!"  Jon was about to protest, but with his mouth full and the taste of the Nice Cream.

"There ya go." She grinned. "He's SO easy to appease." She whispered to Mettaton.

"Where'd you get the Nice Cream, by the way?"

"When we were last in the Underground.  When I went on ahead and caught a ride with the bird-that-flies-you-over-a-disproportionate gap...I kinda doubled back to the Nice Cream vender and snagged some treats."

"Okay...I'll give you a pass on that one." Jon enjoyed the tasty treat.

"You know you're dreaming of the outside world, but have you ever appreciated how awesome it is in this Underground kingdom?"

"I never thought of it that way.  My dreams have always been too big to contain, my beauty."

"You got your own brand-name hotel, you got a cooking show, news show, you have your own production of Undertale the Musical, you've got the whole package."

"I do, don't I?"

Again. Egotistical...yet SOMEHOW charming.

"Get a room, you two." Jon stuck his tongue out.

"Whoah, whoah, whoah!  It's just innocent flirting.  I wouldn't think of catting around behind Usagi's back."

"Oh you MUST tell me about this boyfriend of yours!"

"All good things in good time, MTT."

Jon shook his head.

After the two of them finally finished spending the day with Mettaton...

* Sniff sniff*

"Hmm?  What's that...?" Jon sniffed around.

"What is it, boy?  You smell something?  Huh, huh?  Do ya?"

"I would appreciate it if you didn't use the patronizing dog cliches, Vi."

"I'm not the one who's down on all fours, sniffing around the groud." Vi crossed her arms with a grin.

"If I didn't think it was a bad idea to bite you in the rump, you'd already have fangs marks."

"Still not sure if you can pass lycanthropy on to other species?"

"You want to be the world's first rabbit-werewolf mashup?"

"Sounds like--"

"Don't." Jon warned against any furry references or web site name drops.

"Aren't we so cute when we're so mismatched?"

"I have a deeper appreciation for what Bunnie puts up with, "bestie"."

"Ouch.  I'm hurt." Violet said with not one drop of sincerity.

Sure enough Jon's nose had led him to Bratty and Catty, poking around the trashcans.

"Hey!  Check it out!"

"Yeah!  Check it out!"

We had already long-since restored Catty and Bratty's memories...though...I found it questionable what memories they'd have that would cause any conflicts. Half the time I was under the impression they didn't know when or where they even were.

"Jon, you're not seriously considering buying--"

"You should buy ALL our stuff!"

"Bratty!  We're gonna be rich!"

Violet shook her head. "Now I've seen everything."

"Junk Food.  It figures." She said with a shrug.

Soon enough...

"We're all $$$$$old out!  Mee-YOW!"

"Binging while Elektra's not around to scold you?"

"I'm a growing wolf!" Jon mused. Then quickly added. "Not.  One.  Word."

It was likely he meant not a word to Elektra as well as don't crack a joke about growing in width and depth around the stomach area.

Actually...Jon was shockingly thin and muscular around his lower torso. Granted werewolves had sky high metabolisms, but sometimes even Jon defied what should be possible.

As a favor, I asked Violet to snag the empty gun and cowboy hat. Frisk would know what to do with them...some day.

As a final purchase, Violet paid for the Mystery Key. I had a feeling she'd be paying Hapstablook's house a visit just so she could peek at Hapstablook/Mettaton's diary collection.

Jon would try to sell off one of the extra Nice Cream bars just to make room in his E.N.G.I.N.E. dots but...

"Oh my God.  Is that a Glamburger?  OH MY GOD!!!  GIMME!!!"

"God, Catty.  Try to have some self-control."

"Sorry..."

"...'Cause they OBVIOUSLY brought that Glamburger for ME."

"NO WAYYY!!!!!"

Violet couldn't help but snicker.

Of course it wouldn't be over unless Violet tried to sell something she didn't want anymore.

"Thanks, but we, like, don't really need anything."

"Oh my god, can you go get us some Glamburgers?"

"We don't."

"Really need."

"Anything.

"Wait! I'll pay you 1000G if you get Mettaton to autograph my butt!"

Violet grinned ear to ear.

"Violet, NO!" Jon protested.

"Violet, YES!" Violet nodded with a ravenous grin.

Oh brother...

Sub-Entry 203:  "From Muffet to Shyren.  A Tale of Song, Dance, and Dessert Pizza":
"At least it's a dry heat here in Hotland." MItzi intended to double time it so she could enjoy both Hotland and Waterfall in the same go.

Deciding to convince herself she didn't have any lingering issues with spiders, she dropped in on muffet and of course brought plenty of samples.

Again...I felt it prudent NOT to enlighten Mitzi on what went into Muffet's wares...and hoped and prayed that Muffet would not reveal the secret ingredients. I don't think Mitzi was ready to do her own take of that one episode of Goosebumps. And if anyone reading this log entry gets the reference, my non-existant hat's off to you.

Unlike Violet and Jon, who shamelessly gave their life stories to Mettaton, Mitzi was a little more prudent in keeping her cover story straight.

"Ahuhuhuhuh.  You can share with me, dearie.  Gossip between fellow patrons of the cullinary arts is a sacred subject."

Mitzi giggled a little.

"I suppose a little chit-chat over desserts and cider wouldn't hurt."

"Tell me of the outside world.  Are spiders treated well outside?  Do the humans appreciate us?"

"A am...afraid I'm not the authority to talk to on the subject of arachnids.  I'm just a humble chef and a singer who still dreams of stardom."

"Like that Mettaton fellow?"

"Uh...something like that..."

MItzi wasn't wrong. She dreamed of stardom, but mostly in the past tense. Though while she did sometimes have the urge to step back behind the microphone...those days were pretty much behind her.

There was no way she could spin the story of her being a former rock star without devulging any details about the human world. Even if she didn't, it would still be implied. Muffet would still ask. And honestly, that was a question none of us had answers for...yet.

"Ahuhuhuh.  Well, I might not be able to judge a person's talent in music as well as I can with cooking, but my spiders and I know how to keep a syncopated beat."

And sure enough as if on cue, one of Muffet's little helpers (somehow) directed a tiny spider band to do a rendition of Spider Dance. The rest all clapped their..er...hands to the beat of the music.

Mitzi couldn't help but think that this was like some omitted section of the Mad Hatter's Tea Party in the Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass stories. And she was strangely comfortable with it.

"Now this, on the other hand, is talent I can judge.  And you are all very impressive."

"Thank you, dearie.  We spiders try our hardest!"

Mitzi sipped the cider. A peculiar taste. All I could tell her if and when she asked was: ignorance is bliss.

"Ahuhuhuh.  We if you'd like to give it a go, by all means."

"Well...I don't have any lyrics to add...I'm not much of an on-the-spot songwriter.  I mean given some time, I'd probably think of something.  Or maybe my friend Violet would have something prepared...(gods help us all).  But for now...acapella will just have to do."

I hope MItzi was saving some of her voice for Napstablook and Shyren.

Once she got a feel for the song and heard it run a few repeats, she joined in lending her voice in acapella form. I guess she had the practice from her Toxic Audio days.

"Splendid, my dear!  Just splendid!"

The spiders' dance got all the more livelier with Mitzi giving her pipes a workout.

"I'm not much of a dancer.  That honor goes to my friend, Foxy, still trapped on the outside and in hiding."

Mitzi excused herself from the table and got to a safe distance so she wouldn't step on any of the spiders. Muffett cleared some of the webbing away to preven the faux pas from last time...

And sure enough Mitzi went to down, synching up with the spiders' chorography.

Just the thing to burn off those non-existant calories, eh, Mitzi?

"Bravo!  Bravo!  You are quite the tempting little morsel on stage.  Ahuhuhuh."

Was it creepy that she used the word "morsel"?

A bit of cool-down...ironic in a place like Hotland...and Mitzi was ready for another spot of cider. And honestly, I wondered if "spot" was the right word...

Ignorance is bliss. Let's keep it that way, Volt.

"Ahuhuhuhuh.  Any anecdotes or such?"

"I've been around the block for a bit.  I'm definitely older than I must look but...aren't we all?"

"Ahuhuhuhuhuhuh..."

"Right...anyway...I learned to sing at an early age and...while in hiding from the humans, I picked up a lot of their songs...their fads...their pop culture.  But what really interested me was learning how to cook.  And that's no easy task to do when you're trying to stay out of sight."

"Intriguing."

"Watching from shadows, borrowing cook books (without anyone knowing)..."

"Down here in the Underground we only have Cooking With a Killer Robot to teach us the ways of the kitchen."

"Eheheheh...so it would seem..." Mitzi said, resisting the urge to anime sweatdrop.

"It took a lot of gathering ingredients over time, and that was no easy task with may of them being perishable."

"Perishable?"

"Yes...human food isn't made of magic like it is here so if left out, it spoils and decomposes.  It grows mold and turns mushy, sour, or otherwise.  Everything has to be prepared with the freshest ingredients."

"How strange."

Mitzi cut another slice of the desset pizza--the cookie dough crust with strawberry jam and shaved white chocolate concoction her pizzaria had made famous.

Mitzi and Muffet chatted and ate for a long while...both running up pretty large bills, but ultimately both somehow managing to cancel each other out. So...I guess their meals were on the house.

Eventually Mitzi had to head off.

Rather than jet all the way to Waterfall with her Jet Anklets (and drawing surprise and suspicion), Mitzi took the River Person's boat to Waterfall and beelined to Napstablook's.

While this was going on...

"Thank-you again for your hospitality, Gerson-sama."

"Wahahaha!  I don't quite get your funny dialect, but it sure sounds polite!"

Bunnie smiled.

A spot of tea and some scones offered by the turtle hermit found itself with a counter-offer of a sushi roll platter and some riceballs.

"Good to see youngins these days care about what they put in their bellies.  I come across so many whipper-snappers who just gorge on junk food and sweets.  While it may be made of magic, it's not healthy, I tell ya."

"The body is a temple.  And temples must be treated as sacred, with respect and dignity."

"You've got a good head on your shoulders.  It's certainly better than having a pumpkin on it!  Wahahahahah!"

A light chuckle from the Major.

"Well, there are no secrets between us, Miss Rabbotou.  WHy don't you spin a yarn or two.  You know...about what's *really* out there."

"I suppose I can trust you with that information.  You know about the prince.  He's doing well.  He's becoming a fine man."

"If he takes anything like the King or the Queen, he's definitely gonna be great."

"I think the difference is split fairly well.  It's not my place to say, but I would like to believe he inherited their best qualities."

"As long as he's better at naming things than Ole' Fluffybuns!  Wahahahahahah!"

"Asgore seems like a good king.  But...I sense far more turmoil than what I have been told."

"What've ya heard?"

"Well..."

Bunnie was careful what she had been briefed on.

"Asgore's always been a big kid at heart.  But y'know.  Big kids can still have big tempers.  And when ya' act on anger--"

"You bring about very permanent consequences.  I certainly understand Lady Toriel's animosity."

"But y'know two wrongs don't make a right, right?"

"...that's...correct." Bunnie pondered this. It was a two-way street. How much hard time was enough of a consequence for Asgore? There was most certainly a point where it stopped being about being punished for bad choices and just being punished by someone on a high horse.

How do you quantify how much Asgore deserved when weighed against his sins. Certainly he knew the weight of his own sins. He knew he'd have to answer for declaring a war on the humans and taking the lives of six human children as the personification of his wrath.

But...the thing about Toriel wanting him to suffer for his cowardice...was that she'd forgotten that as a father who lost his own children...he was already suffering and grieving. He didn't intend to lose his people. too. And the only way he knew how to keep control was to keep them united with the decree.

"What you are saying is that maybe the time for the Queen's silent rage needs to come to an end.  If only there were something or someone that could tie it all together and bring about the events that will let them both heal."

"Don't play coy with me, missy.  You know darn well you and your friends have an ace in the hole.  That eighth youngin' out there in the great unknown expanse of this big ole' InfinityVerse."

"So you do know about Frisk, even though--"

"Even though you tried to erase my memories of the tyke.  Back when they were a tyke.  Now they're leaving adolescence and about to enter ten years.  Am I wrong?"

"Your perception is nothing short of amazing."

"Ah fiddlesticks and balderdash!  You give an old monster too much credit!"

"But it's true.  No one else but the royal scientist and her creation have this knowledge."

"Aren't you forgetting someone?"

"...Sans?"

"He may more than you think...or he may know less.  With the timelines shifting around so much, who can say anymore?  Wahahahahahah!"

"Hmm..."

"Don't look so pensive, youngster.  You can't do anything about it now so why worry?"

"Agreed.  Worrying is what the Commander does.  There are still a lot of variables out there."

"Bah.  The First Fallen isn't even the first.  Who knows how many First Fallen's there have really been."

"But Flowey the Flower probably knows." Bunnie rubs her chin.

"Good eye, Miss Rabbotou!"

"But you know he's the--"

"Perhaps.  Or is he just a collective of memories with a consciousness?  It's not up to me to judge.  Still, the little troublemaker's put us through the ringer a few times, hasn't he?"

"He's not acting alone."

"Now that guy...he's one you gotta watch out for." Gerson paced a bit. "Memory of the past timeline's a little off...but I know he had me fooled.  Don't underestimate him."

"So my Commander has warned.  I have not met him.  But you have.  Is there anything you can tell me?"

"I think you know what I'd say, youngin'."

"Kuso." Bunnie closed her eyes and bowed her head, crossing her arms. Yeah. If Gerson was fooled way back then...

It was clear Bunnie wasn't going to learn anything else about the enemy.

"I have stayed too long.  I must meet up with the others."

"I don't think I need to tell you not to be in a hurry."

"I shall not be.  Haste is the enemy of good politics."

"The bowl metaphor?"

Bunnie did a doubletake. How did Gerson know about Sally's life philosphy? Something was amiss here.

"No, youngin.  He didn't tell me that.  Just common advice."

Maybe there was something to the Coincidence Theory?

"Well don't stand there all day gawkin'.  Get a move on!   Time doesn't wait for anyone!  Wahahahah!"

"Of course.  Thank you, Gerson-sama.  You have been most enlightening."

"Eh?  What's that about laundry and whites that needs brightening?"

Bunnie smirked then went on her way.

"I do so hope Sally is handling Undyne with proper decorum..."

Sub-Entry 204: "Roughing It at Undyne's Before Dropping In On the House of Napstablook"
"FU-HAHAHAHAHAH Now this is more like it!"

Oh boy. Sally just had to scratch that itch that Undyne always had; the itch of battle.

"You're pretty good." Sally rubbed her cheek where she took a hard punch.

"I owed ya for knockin' my helmet off during our spar.  Now we're even!"

"Even is only a temporary state in PvP, Undyne?" Sally forged the Vortex Lance from her Xi-Mode Tengu Suit.

"That fancy armor of yours has a lot of tricks, don't it?"

"This old thing?  My engineer on the outside is still working on a new one.  This armor hasn't had a revision or service pack update in ages!"

"Heh!  Is that so?  If you think you're all that, then I got news for ya!  I'm just getting started!"

"That's the spirit!  I don't fight weaklings and those without fighting spirit aren't worth my time!"

"Hey, that's my line!"

The two of them kept clashing.

One thing that Sally had noticed was...Undyne's training dummy was gone.

Then she realized...she may have kinda exploded it with her Fist of the North Star exhibition.

I hope that didn't have any permanent rammifications.

"Let's make this interesting, scrub!  Real warriors aren't afraid to fight without armor!"

"I was hoping you'd say that..." Sally slapped her OGPX icon and compressed all her gear and bio-ware down to nanotomic, matter-wave storage. Her Overdrive Sandals, collapsed down a bit, leaving still-metal but slimmer and trimmer forms, the lights and displays going out or being covered up entirely.

Undyne gave a mighty RAAAAAARGHHH as her armor split apart and dropped off, leaving her black tank-top, jeans, and boots form. Lankier than that heavy armor but still bulging with muscles. Yup. She could suplex a boulder. And did just that.

"Cool move.  Can't say I have anything to top that.  But even without my gear, you're gonna have to be quick to keep up with me."

Since magic wasn't exactly banned from the battle (though it wasn't exactly no-holds barred either) Sally took that to mean that use of her Hybrid Ability was fair game. It was okay...she'd need it if Undyne went all out. And as hyped as she was getting...she was gonna do just that--

"FUHAHAHAHAHAHAH!"

Wow. The spear rain this early on in the match.

"No kid gloves, Captain of the Royal Guard!"

"I'd never ask for any, Terrain Master!"

And the clashes came. Sally has switched out the Vortex Lance for the Tidal Polearm from the Mu-mode. Without the Tengu Suit on, its elemental power was offline. But it still made a good tool to deflect an onslaught of spears.

The sparring session raged on before Undyne unleashed something even I would have trouble with. A near 360 degree spherical cloud of spears all around Sally.

"I've been developing this technic for some time now!  I've been waiting to try it on a human!  But I suppose a friendly sparring session is as good as any!  Don't cry now!"

The spears all converged.

"Heh."

Sally was already in motion as her hybrid ability kicked in. And in that moment.

FWOOOOSH

The spherical shockwave scattered every last spear in every direction.

"Whoah!  Hey!" Undyne had to dodge her own attack.

"Grrr....heh..heh.....FWUHAHAHAHAHAHAAHA!"

"I've been working on a few things of my own."

"You get me really pumped up!  My (metaphorical) blood is boiling!  I want to be so pissed at you but I can't help but laugh and beat my chest in a war cry!  This is what it's all about!"

"I couldn't agree more!  I've been waiting my whole life for a challenge this grand!"

"Then come at me!  Come at me with everything you've got!"

"No mercy!"

Both sailed toward each other, fists outstretched.

Undyne's and Sally's knuckles collided...there was a momentary silence as both were horizontal in the air...then the backlash kicked in and the air was blasted back out from the compressed vacuum space of their mighty impacts.

KABOOOOOM!

Undyne went flying backward, before clawing into the ground in a crouch, actually barrelling backward through the fence that divided her house's property from Napstablook's next door.

Sally did the same, crashing through the barricade on the other side of the property.

Both had dug an impressive trench in opposite directions before landing.

But neither took even a moment to recover as they both charged toward each other from that brief millisecond after coming to a complete stop.

And with that both drew back...

"YEAH!"

"DAMN RIGHT!"

And gripped each other's hands in the most tomboyish of overly firm handshakes.

"You're alright, Undyne."

"You're not so bad yourself, Sally."

"Man...we ate up all that time with our fight, we didn't have time to sit down and chat."

"Fwuhuhuhuhuhuh!  I'm not really a conversationalist!  True warriors can trade blows at the same level and know what the other's thinking.  Like that anime Alphys showed me about ninjas!"

Oh boy. How did the complete series, Naruto Shippuden end up on this world? More of Adonis' tampering? Or was more of our world leaking into theirs.

Maybe...I had started a chain reaction I wasn't aware of?

Or maybe it was Umblical Cord Theory or Coincidence Theory in action? It stood to reason that it was entirely possible for things to exist on both our worlds, completely by chance. Unlikely...but possible.

I mean I couldn't blame EVERYTHING on Adonis. Could I? That would just be petty. And I wasn't about to be petty. He did that enough for both of us.

Still...I wonder...

"It was great catchin' up with you, Undyne."

"Keep on the lookout for any humans."

"Darn right."

Sally switched to Gamma Mode and tore out of there to Napstablook's house where Mitzi was already soaring in by means of Jet Anklets.

"Hey."

"Hi, Sally."

"Make any friends while you're out?"

"well, actually..."

Shyren peekedout from behind where she was holding onto Mitzi...then quickly ducked behind and covered her face.

"Oh, I see.  Shyren, I presume."

"The same.  She's not one for words but once I learned to two-step a bit while performing a duet with her, I made sure to make a...foot note about artful dodging."

"Did you just make a pun?"

"You-know-who  taught me well." Mitzi said, rubbing the underside of her nose with the top of her index finger..as I'd seen Goat Son do when he was trying not to sound awkward.

"Heh.  Nice." A Sis-Fist between girls and they were on their way in to Napstablook's.

Sub-Entry 205: "While Mitzi and Sally Entertain the Shy Ones, Lupe is Discovered By the Weed":
"...ohhhh...!  i have guests...  ...you were here last time..."

"Hey, Nap-Nap.  Sup?" Sally avoided calling him Blooky since that was Mettaton's nickname for his cousin.

"Greetings, Napstablook.  Have you been taking care of yourself?"

"...ghosts don't need  to do much to take do that...  ...i'll be fine...  i can make it on my own......but i still miss my cousin...ohhhhh..."

"You're good ghostie, Napstablook." Mitzi gave him a little peck on his ectoplasmic cheek.

"...ohh!" Napstablook blushed deeply.

"So, Violet thought it would be a good idea if we had a jam sesson.  You up for it?"

"...music would be nice..."

And so while Sally set up RVG-Gamma in turntable mode, Mitzi did some warmup with Shyren.

Once all was ready.

"Count it off, Sally!"

"One, two, three, four!"

And so...

"Not again!  Not again!  What even goes on in that pathetic ghost house?!?" Aaron held his ears...while somehow still managing to flex.

"Filthy.  Grungy.   Dirty." Washua complained.

"Let's get out of here!"

"Maybe we should move to Snowdin.  It has to be cleaner than this."

When the jam session wound down...

"Yeah!  That's just the way we used to rock it, Mitzi!"

"I could get used to these sounds."

"...it was...nice..."

And low and behold, Shyren was smiling.

"Take a bow,  girls...and guy." Sally brought them in close.

But while this was happening...

"Hmm..." Lupe continued to study the strange flora.

"I want to take samples...but I don't know if I should.  Disturbing the environment of a world that is not mine...perhaps I just don't have what it takes to be a scientist."

Lupe had tried to pursue academia, if not for the memory of her parents. A better life with better education. She would be respected as a scientist and it would be a step up for her people. But...

There were some practices that just didn't seem to fit Lupe's druidic upbringing. There was nothing wrong with seeking knowledge...but...maybe the way that science went about it...through taking samples and experimentation...maybe it wasn't for her.

Lupe seemed completely distracted by the plants and the setting. There was no way she would notice something tunneling through the ground behind her. Or that something burrowing up.

"Hee-hee-hee...what a perfect opportunity.  Now...let's take your--"

Flowey's vines hit something that must've been invisible...like a force barrier.

"Grrr...!  Come...on...you stupid--!"

"I've been waiting to meet you for a long time now, Flowey, was it?" Lupe didn't even turn around, remaining in her kneeling sit.

"Ohhh.  You're one of Arcade's cronies.  It figures." Flowey smoldered.

"And I know who you are...who you were."

"Stop!  It's bad enough I get reminded by that megavolt mutt, but getting it from another fang face?"

"Your whole family had fangs.  It seems to be a curious adaptation of your species--"

"Stop it, stop it, stop it!  You're ruining everything!"

"You mean the part where you wish to take my soul.  I wish you luck in your attempt but I fear that my mana energy may dissuade you from that notion."

"Ma...na...?  What?  What are you going on about?  You can't be magical!  You're not a monster."

"Nor are you.  Not any more.  You are something neither human nor monster.  Alphys' words exactly.  Am I wrong?"

"Curse that weeb lizard...who would have thought she'd make this harder without even knowing it."

"Why do you do it, Flowey?" Lupe asked, still calm and unspoken. Not even phased by Flowey's intent or the fact that he was...well...a freakin' talking flower.

"What do you mean?"

"You must have your reasons.  You act without accountability.  Without remorse.  You don't even have to think about what you intend to do.  You just...do things."

"You have me allllll figured out, doncha?"

"Not really."

"Grrr...your responses are really kinda pissing me off."

"I suppose they do." Lupe was offering little if any resistance.

"Come on!  Do something!  Fight back!  Insult me!  At least Arcade was willing to snipe me with smug comments and was quick to turn my words against me!"

"But that is not me.  I am a druid.  I seek harmony and commune with nature.  It is my way.  My people's way."

"Druid?  What even is that?"

"We are people of the earth.  People of life.  People of the plant, animal, and elemental.  We sense the life force of all living things.  We synergize with it...synchronize with it...we are caregivers, healers; the shepards of our world, maintaining the balance of all good creatures and greenery of this and every other world."

"Laaaaame."

"You did not used to think so.  Was it Chara that give you this dour outlook on life?"

Flowey drooped over, hiding his angry eyes. "You leave that traitor out of it.  I should have had a better sibling than them.  I'm glad they're gone."

"You do not really believe that."

"You know nothing!!!" Flowey roared and sent a spikey vine in Lupe's direction...which froze, stopping a centimeter from Lupe's ponytail; in the approximate spot of the base of her skull.

"What...what did you do to me?!"

"A third of my powers involves influence or control over plants.  While I usually have no qualms about borrowing flora to extend my powers, this is the first time I've had to use them on a plant that has sentience.  And yet...you are souless but able to think and act of your own accord."

"S...so what?  Is it really that fascinating to you?  You planning to put me under a microscope like the lizard did, trying to make me the vessel hold souls?"

"I am sorry."

"Don't be sorry!  Be quiet!  You don't know--"

"But I do.  I have met you.  The real you.   I wept for putting you through that experience in my buttercup garden."

"He isn't me!  He was the previous one.  He didn't even end up like...like THIS!"

"I know.  You used to be him but you lost yourself.  Your compassion.  Your love.  But certainly you and he had much in common."

"Tch...you don't get it!  We didn't just have much in common...we're all clones of each other in this stupid game!  Every monster is just a copy of the previous timeline's copy.  Nobody, even that melted skeleton freak can possibly know who were the originals."

"The Commander has explained everything.  The whole sad story.  Again.  My condolences."

"Why do you keep saying that?!  Are you really sorry or are you just trying to act like you're so superior to me?!  Like that humbleness is supposed to mean something to me?!"

"Please.  Do not get so worked up.  We are having a conversation.  That's more than I could have asked for."

Flowey sent more and more vines from underground but each one stopped before it could pierce Lupe.

"When will you understand!  I.  Don't.  Have.  A.  Soul.  I can't--"

"...feel anything.  And that's the saddest truth of all.  But...is it completely true...or..."

"What are you getting it?"

"Strange.  I have never seen a flower...cry before.   Does that not sound familiar?"

"The old goat doesn't know what he's--"

"He is not lying.  You know that."

"What do you want from me?!  What?!  Am I supposed to say that was all an act?  Crocodile tears?"

"I did not say anything, nor am I putting words in your mouth.  You are defensive about a point I haven't even made.  Let's just forget about all this.  You are backing yourself into a corner."

"I don't want your pity!  I don't want your charity!  And I don't want you to look at me with those compassionate eyes!  Your words and your kindness are wasted!"

"If I give them freely of my own accord then I have wasted nothing.  I know there is good in you, Flowey."

"This...this isn't....this isn't fun...why won't you just...why won't you just leave me alone...?!" Flowey ducked underground.

".........but you came to me.  I'm sorry I could not be your friend.  I really am.   For extending the olive branch...I hope......that you will not forgive me.  It's just what a pacifist fool deserves."

Lupe shed a tear. "Am I so lacking in karma that even a flower will reject my existence?"

She reached up and touched the scar under her eye, remembering how the Vorostovian solders stepped all over her and her people.

Lupe's T.A.O. link went off. "Miss Lupe!  This is Gadget!  We're all en route to the entrance of Waterfall now!  We'll meet you in Snowdin Town."

"O-okay."

"Miss Lupe?  Are you crying?  Did something happen?  Are you hurt?"

"No.  It's nothing, Gadget.  I am on my way.  Please forgive me if I am tardy.  I just...lost track of time with the flowers..."

"Okay!  See you then!"

Lupe stood up and headed on her way.

".......stupid wolf." Flowey grumbled as he sprouted up again. "Why does she remind me of that old goat lady in the Ruins...?"

Sub-Entry 206: "To Snowdin Town":
"...and the entire body folds up and collapses into his boxy form so it can self-repair while going into power-saving mode."

Out of all of us, Gadget heard Alphys speak without her stutter more often than not. Something about my little sister made it easy for her to be at her most relaxed and not be so self-conscious.

It still meant that she could use a shower and a change of lab coat. I was surprised she hadnt' driven off Endogeny downstairs with her body odor. But B.O. was a sign of hard work and dedication. In spite of the low self-esteem.

"Golly, Miss Alphys.  You're so amazing and brilliant!

Gadget and Rotor would finish with their visit with Alphys, far ahead of schedule, but I'm getting ahead of myself...or....behind myself. Which was it? Huh...

"I'm glad you don't mind us intruding upon your lab and using your resources and tools like this.  Sometimes the scientist in me wakes up and has to remind me why I used to be the assistant of the Minster of Science in Ecotropia." Rotor finished tighting the screws on his tech before integrating it into his Hazard Suit.

"I-It's quite alright, R-Rotor.  It's j-just going to waste now that Mettaton's body is all finished and he barely needs m-me for maitenance anymore."

"Maybe the Commander had his new body built TOO well..." Rotor rubbed a tusk. "I mean he did commission the father of modern human robotics to build it."

"It was built by a human?" Alphys was surprised.

"Well...yeah.  A genius by the name of Dr. Thomas Light.  You'd like him if you met him.  But...Volt would tell me I'm getting ahead of myself."

"So much w-w-waiting until that d-day..."

"Hey, cheer up, Miss Alphys!  You've still got the surface of this world waiting for you!  We'll always be around and some day you'll be able to see our world, too!"

"B-but....it's still a w-w-waiting game for the eight fallen child to come back to us and f-finish what she started."

"Big brother knows what he's doing.  He'll bring her back here, when she's feeling better."

"I hope you're r-right."

A meloncholic silence.

It was Alphys that tried to brighten the moment.

"You've really inspired me with this makeshift technology.  It brings me back to my youth when I'd do a lot of selective junk collecting!"

"Really?"

"Yeah...back before I was the Royal Scientists I was friends with these two kids...Bratty and Catty.    They were good people...a little...umm...."

"Airheaded?" Rotor asked.

"Uh..."

Gadget giggled.

"I was g-g-going to say free-spirited but...y-yeah...I g-guess so."

"I taught them everything they learned about sorting the best garbage and pickingout what was still good and useful..." Alphys sighed. "Then...I abandoned them when I moved on.  I heard about this human fanclub in Waterfall at these two droopy houses.  Th-th-the ghosts there were very kind.  Well...most of them.  The third one of them h-had...umm...anger issues."

Mad Dummy, no less. I hadn't heard from him in a while. But I always wondered...he mentioned a relative inhabiting the Training Dummy in the Ruins. And then there was Undyne who had a training dummy outside...which seemed to be missing.

"H-he left and called our group a b-b-bunch of f-failures.  But...y'know...maybe he's not wrong--"

"Noo!  He's totally wrong!  You're not a failure, Alphys!  He's just a grumpy grump person." Gadget comforted.

"Who probably needs some therapy sessions."

"Anyway...that's where I m-met Mettaton...before he was...well...Mettaton."

"Big Brother told me about how he was Hapstablook.  He had big dreams of stardom that being incorporeal just couldn't contain.  That's why he came to you to build him a body, right?"

"W-well...I did g-give him the idea with when showing off pieces from my Anime collection  But..yeah...he asked me to build him a body so he could realize his dreams.  I showed him s-sketches and...well...I came up with the p-plan to pass him off as my invention to impress Asgore...and that's how I got the job as Royal Scientist."

"I see." Rotor scratched a tusk.

"So here we are now.  He's famous and I'm just hiding in my shame and misery.  I d-deserve it after--"

"Stop.  Alphys, whatever it is that you did that you've talked to the Commander about, it's not as bad as you think.  Whatever happened, you didn't know any better."

"Ignorance isn't much of an excuse when--"

"Doctor.  As a man of science, myself, I know there's a difference between causing a problems, even disasters because you didn't know better...and doing so because you DID know better.  Whatever you did wrong, you did it because you were searching for the truth; trying to help people."

"It'll work out, Miss Alphys!  When the time is right, you'll tell the truth and say you're sorry.  They can't fault you for good intentions gone wrong.  And if they do, then they should understand how much you tortured yourself over it.  They'll understand."

"Why do you all m-make it s-sound so easy?"

"Easy is a matter of perspective.  But the key is that self-confidence Bunnie talked to about.   How can you expect everyone to forgive you if you won't forgive yourself.  Right?"

"R-Right."

"C'mon.  Big group hug." Gadget insisted that they bring it in.

Alphys reluctantly agreed, closing her eyes and uttering a sad moan. We were convincing her...very slowly but surely. Every time we dropped by she'd backslide a little, but we'd get her back on track toward progress. It was getting easier to comfort her. She was starting to come around.

Out of all of our groups, Gadget and Rotor finished up first and made the trek to Snowdin Town in record time. By the time the six of us had all converged at the entrance to Waterfall, the two of them had been waiting at the edge of the fog.

"You got here fast.  You out to take my title, old friend?" Sally prodded.

"Perish the thought.  A walrus isn't exactly known for speed."

"But we did get finished at Alphys' first." Gadget beamed, unaware that she might have been bragging a little. It was more of an excitement than a show of arrogance, really. I could just tell she was still pure and still a bit naive (to my relief). I still worried if she'd end up maturing all at once and go through all those dreaded phases of teenage and young adult years in one blur.

Lucky for me, things indicated it would never happen. I hoped the same was true with Asriel.

"Things go smoothly?"

"Smooth as glass, Rotor." Bunnie mused. "Gerson had much to tell and a lot of it gave me plenty to think about.  Plenty of insight to ponder."

"Undyne was a lot of fun." Sally rubbed her slightly bruised cheek. "I'd like to say she got a shiner in tradeoff, but that's hard to do when you're missing an eye."

"Oh you." I shook my head.

"I take it you and Violet raised the roof at MTT Resort?"

"More like ate them out of house and home." Violet joked.

"Hey!"

I grinned. "Well just look at it this way.  You're paying Burgerpants' salory.

"Muffet and Napstablook were very kind to us.  I think they enjoyed our music." Mitzi rippled her tail. "I got to meet Shyren, too.  Not much to say, but I could get used to her voice."

I nodded.

"So...what about you, Lupe?  Anything exciting?"

Lupe sighed, folding her arms.

My expression fell.

"I see...so...you met Flowey."

We were all ominiously silent.

"You don't have to explain anything." I put my hand on her shoulder.

"He really is Asriel's echo in the mirror.  There was life in him...there was consciousness...but...there was so much missing.  It was like...he was overloaded with memories.  And not just his own."

"And still trying to sell that line about not being able to feel anything.  It's true he doesn't have a soul, but...there may be specks of...something still there.  Something that allows him to reach deep and make contact with what was once there."

Wasn't sure if that made sense. It felt more like a metaphor for something.

"Can we help him?"

"I don't know.  I think at this point he doesn't even know if he wants to help himself let alone accept it from others.  Flowey knows how bad a deal he's made and right now he doesn't see it as any worse than the alternatives.  He'll learn though.  He'll learn that this won't turn out as entertaining, let alone rewarding as he thinks it may."

On that note we decided to close the subject and proceed on to Snowdin Town and Snowy beyond.

Upon the first step, the fog swallowed us up. Gadget clung to me and Jon clung to her.

"Gadget, you're allowed to hold onto me.  Jon, will you grow a spine?"

Volt, you nacist fool. You've really gotta learn that there can be no favortism between family members. But...still...when Gadget did it, it was endearing. When Jon did it, it was just embarassing.

"Thicker than pea-soup." Mitzi muttered.

I was nervous. Still feeling the vibrations of my battle with Evil-Chara while trying to protect Papyrus on this very bridge.

And once the fog cleared...

"...goddammit..." I yanked my lab coat shut.

Jon on the other hand. "Blimey, Volt!  It's Paradise!"

"It's Purgatory.  I smoldered.

"I guess dressing warm was probably something we should have considered."

"Gee.  It's not like there was an obvious clue about it in the name." Violet trolled.

I rolled my eyes.

"Well have a very quick look around but be ready to gather at the house of the Skelebros."

"That's it over there?" Mitzi pointed to the house done up in Christmas lights with two mailboxes. One empty and one stuffed so full, the letters were spilling out.

While one theory is that all those were bills that Sans was too lazy to pay...experience with how popular he was around town...pointed to otherwise. Sorry, Paps.

Jon and I took a moment to say hi to Icewolf.

I had to scold Jon for trying to actually eat one of the ice blocks. I think he wanted to make the largest shaved ice slushie in the world out of it.

Violet, Jon, Rotor, and Gadget did some exploring around northern Snowdin and discovered the Slime family. Suffice to day it became an interesting expanded game of Monsters and Humans.

Bunnie and Lupe took a load off on the bench I had neglected to bring back with me. Jon was probably still sore over losing his favorite sleeping spot. But heck. I'd make it up to him. He could always rest for a spell on it if he got bored while we were in this winter wonderland.

I on the other hand...just suffered alone in the cold. I still hated snow and ice.

When I could take the cold no more, I called everyone back.

"Time?"

"Time.   Let's do this."

We went up to the door.

Sub-Entry 207: "No Bones About the Ultimate Spaghetti Warehouse":
"Well.  Brace yourselves."

"Is Mr. Papyrus really someone to watch out for?"

"No.  But his spaghetti is.  And gods knows we're in for lots of it."

"What's so bad about spaghetti, Volt?" Jon was already licking his lips.

"You'll be sorry, Jon." I sighed.

All eight of us had gathered in front of Papyrus' home. This was as cumbersome a group as it got. I don't think I'd be able to bring many more of us to the Underground at a time.

For the time being, eight was our limit. And besides, there weren't that many of us left who could go to the Underground. Scott, Callista, Drew were all human. And Pit would be mistake for one until someone noticed his wings. And then the whole Prophecy dilema would likely spiral out of control, causing either mass excitement or mass hysteria. Neither boded well for us.

I knocked at the door.

Shufflling around. No shouts at Sans to open the door.

I plugged in Papyrus' memory tube. It was orange. Strange...he used blue attacks, but iteratiosn of him had always had glowing orange eyes. Come to think of it...I don't recall him actually using orange attacks. Or maybe they were red attacks? Either way as I'd recall blue attacks could be avoided completely by staying still while red/orange attacks could be dodged completely by charging through them.

This certainly didn't do anything to help me understand magic any further.

"One my mark and not a moment sooner..." I urged everyone to lower their ray-ban shades.

The door opened.

"Greetings!  I, the Great Papyrus wish to welcome you to--"

* FLASH*

"Nyeeeh?!?'

Okay...did Papy's seemingly empty eye sockets grow a pair of bulging cartoon eyes for that moment...and where they spiraling in equally cartoonish form?

We really need a standardized rule set of the behavior of monster morphology. Supposedly skeletons were an especially rare breed. With each AU and each timeline having so much variation on the whims of the goddesses...who could say?

"I must've gotten a brilliant idea...can't quite remember what it was, but it must've been a bright idea!  It just now came to me in a flash--"  Papyrus stopped short.

"NYEEEEEEEEH!!!" He anguished over his own pun. "I can't believe myself!  Sans, you are becoming a terrible influence on me!"

"Uh...hey...you okay there?" We all stowed our shades and I pocketed the Neurolizer."

"You look kind of dazed--"

"Volt Arcade, my good friend!  You have returned from yoru exploration!  I must say this is a pleasant surprise!"

At least he remembered me.

"I knew you'd return!  I have to thank you for Captain Skull Man's wonderful second-in-command!  He really completes the collection!  Nyeheheheh!"

"Well, you know--"

"And you've brought your friends, too!"

"Hey ya!  What's cookin', tall, dark, and soon-to-be-Royal Guard?"

No one could bootlick like Violet when it came to pulling people's strings and winning them over. Still, I could sense she wasn't COMPLETELY insincere. I think Pappy was growing on here. After all...one cinnamon roll inspires as much as another. Wouldn't Asriel agree?

"The Great Papyrus is extra great!  Just look how the number of my adoring fans flourishes!"

Bunnie smiled briefly.

"Yeah they do!" Sally fist-pumped.

"And some new faces, too!  Did you come from outside the barrier as well?"

"You could say that." Rotor acknowledged.

Lupe just waved, holding back the urge to sweatdrop. I think it was her shyness and introverse nature being overwhelmed by Pappy's larger-than-life personality.

"Have you encountered any humans out there?   They are slippery little snails, you know (not that I've ever encountered one...).   It's unthinkable that one could slip by my impregnable defenses and keen sense without being spotted!  I never miss a detail!  Nyeheheh!"

"No, I can't say we've come across any since arriving here." Mitzi followed the script well.

"Dude, sorry, dude.  Can't help you, dude." Violet shrugged. Did she have to fit that many instances of the word, "dude" into one sentence?

"We'll...keep our eyes open." I rubbed the back of my head.

"Well don't just dawdle out there!  Come in!  I insist!   As a Royal Guard (in training) I must set a good example by being a great host!  My hospitality knows no bounds!"

That's what I'm afraid of.

"Well, if you insist."

"I do!  I do!"

I shrugged and led my whole team in. Only Papyrus could be this excited about getting this much company drop in out of the blue.

"You'll have to forgive the untidiness.  My brother is shirking his responsibilities.  AGAIN.  He's left so much clutter around!"

We all kinda looked around, scratching our heads trying to figure out what clutter he was talking about. All I saw was the book of quantum physics...which contained the joke book...which contained a book on quantum physics...which contained another joke book...and so on.

A weird thought came to me...and it went back to W.D. Gaster. Was Gaster even a skeleton to begin wtih? Was he even related to Sans and Papyrus? I mean...Sans didn't exactly give me the full truth. Really, he beat around the bush and gave me a vague answer.

"That's...quite all right." Mitzi assured.

"Well, I think it only proper I make sure everyone's properly introduced." I cleared my throat.

"You've already met Violet."

"Guilty as charged!" Violet waved from where she was lounging on the sofa, already. To add to that she propped her feet up and let her sandals drop to the floor.

"I apologize.  It seems she has some bad habits of her own..."

"If she didn't have so much appreciation for my Greatness, I'd swear she was another Sans." Papyrus kinda deadpanned, the shape of his eye sockets narrowing to reflect this.

"My second-in-command, Bunnie."

"Are you of any relation to the Innkeeper or her family?"

"I cannot say that I am." Bunnie shrugged.

"We do have a number of rabbit monsters around...it just seemed to make sense.  My apologies, good madam."

"It is of no consequence."

"Sally Acorn, my Terrain Master."

"A last name!   You must be very important!"

"Nah.  I'm just a gal that likes challenges and likes to keep active and alert.  It pays to be a go-getter.  Hope we don't stay in a pit stop like this for long.  No offense.  I just gotta stay active and keep in shape.  Rest when you have to.  But exercise not just because it's a good idea, but because you want to!  You feelin' me?"

Laying it on a little thick, Sally?

"Nyeheheheh!  Finally someone who gets it!  If only Sans had a fraction of your drive!"

"My nature researcher and druid, Lupe.  I wouldn't know half of what I know about animals, plants, and geology without her."

Lupe bowed her head without a word.

"Plants, you say?  Perhaps you should visit our king!  He just loves flowers!"

"I will do so."

"Do not be timid!  He will not bite!  I'm sure if you walk up to him and ask nice, "Mr. Dreemurr, could I partake in your lovely flower garden, he would be more than happy to share the greatness of his Royal garden. Though...I've...never actually seen it, myself..."

Now who's being overwhelming? Oh, Papyrus. Don't ever change.

"My hydrodynamics engineer."

"..."  Maybe that was too big a word for Papyrus?

"Er...it means he's skilled in the science and distribution of water."

"Oh!  Then you'll fit right in when you reach Waterfall!"

Yeah...when. The confusing part about keeping our stories straight when we're going backwards through the kingdom.

"Mitzi, our singer and chef!"

Papyrus gasped with hands on his cheekbones, eyes lit up and bulging with hearts. "A fellow master of the cullinary arts!"

"Master?  Oh no no no.  I just dabble.  I make a good pi...er...pasta but I wouldn't say I'm that great!"

Humble big sister. Don't think I didn't notice you catch yourself there, Mitzi. Honestly, I don't think anyone (besides Alphys and maybe Muffet, now) knew what a pizza was in the underground.

"You know the art of making the perfect food, spaghetti?  This is truly a sign!  I have been blessed by the heavens and graced with the presence of a true Unparelled Spaghettore!"

I was trying feverishly to delay the inevitable, gesturing for MItzi to change the subject.

"...but my real passion is singing.  I've had music in my heart ever since I was born."

"Music, you say?  Hmmm...Undyne does have that piano of hers.  Maybe if you meet up with her, and if she's in a good, not-boulder-suplexing-mood, she might give you some pointers on music.  You know, I never understood why she never offered to teach me music."

That...actually was something even I never thought of. Why did she choose cooking over music with Papyrus? Did it...reminder her of her lessons when teaching Asriel? I was under the impression that she was burying the memory of Azzy pretty deep. But I'm guessing that was a slight against Tori. Obviously the two of them had unresolved issues I'd have to iron out by the end of Frisk's mission.

"My cute-as-a-button little adopted sister, Gadget."

"Oh stop!  You're embarrassing me, big brother!  I'm not so little any more!"

Part of me dreaded hearing her say this.

"But thank you, anyway!" She hugged me.

But the other part was glad she was still Gadget and the rebellious phase of teenage years had passed her by.

"Adorable!  She is indeed cute as a button!  Would you like to join my ever-growing fan club, little one?  I can see you are amazed by my heroic presence.

"Not to be too forward, but she's already her big brother's biggest fan--"  I started before Gadget cut in.

"Would I ever!"

...how quick they grow up. Eheheh...

"Don't worry, big brother!  I have room for two people to admire!"

Yet, she still knows how to comfort the blow and reassure me that I'm still her hero. Hey, a little ego goes a long way!

"And finally, Jon, my son-in-law."

"I hope it's not rude, but got anything to eat?"

Jon, NO!

Inevitability is at hand.

"But of course!  I've been working and slaving away to perfect my craft and I've succeeded beyond my wildest imagination!  I'm so great, even I am perplexed by my own greatness!  Nyeheheh!"

I made the mistake of peering into the kitchen.

Oh.

Crap.

That is a LOT of spaghetti.

Boxes and boxes of already cooked spaghetti--spilling out and already topped with Papyrus' sauce and meatballs--were stacked upon each other like...like some kind of warehouse!

"I may have overdid it expanding my food museum so perhaps it's time to retire a few exhibits!  Nyeheheh!"

Papyrus wasted no time in scooping it up onto plates. Piled-mile-high plates of spaghetti for each of us.

"I don't suppose it's too late to ask if it's vegan..." Sally muttered.

"I think wrecking your diet may be the least of your problems.  Better worry more that it ends up wrecking your health."

"B...ahaha!  Papyrus, you sneaky snail!  Never again shall I walk into that infernal pun.  Eat hearty, my friends!  There's plenty more!  Do not be afraid to ask for seconds or thirds!"

Oh gods. How are we getting out of this one?

We're not.

Each of us coiled up a mass of spaghetti on our forks. Down the hatch.

"Urk...!" Mitzi's eyes bugged out.

"Mnngh!" Sally winced.

Violet's face scrunched up before about choking herself by swallowing everything whole. She panted a bit before a twisted grin crossed her face. Look out, Al Dente. You just met your match...and now you have to swallow your pride. Not to mention oodles of Papyrus' noodles. Enjoy that trip to the emergency room...or don't.

Gadget didn't say anything but I could see the "passionate" expression on her face.

Bunnie ate in silence. If she wasn't enjoying it, she hid it well. The karma she was racking up for this had to be exponential.

I didn't have to do much guessing to know what Rotor was thinking. It was something to the effect of cleaning out shower drains and toilets with unmentionable matter that had to be more edible than this.

"Such a plethera of passionate expressions!  My cullinary skills have most certainly leveled up!  Nyeheheheh!  Just when I thought my cooking greatness could not get any better, it turns out I was wrong!  So very wrong!  The Great Papyrus does it again and has elevated his friends' very taste buds to the heavenside layer!"

Try the other direction, Pappy. Granted, even Violet wouldn't DARE say that out loud.

But out of all of us...

"Seconds, please!"

One by one each of us turned to Jon who'd already cleaned his plate.

Holy schnikees. He really WILL eat anything...

Sub-Entry 208: "It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad Mew-Mew":
After THAT ordeal, monst of us had to lie down for a bit to let the war in our stomachs play out. We managed to sneak Jon most of our...second courses without Papyrus noticing. By the time he finished, he was up to about 23'rds.

I don't know if Elektra would kill him first or the food if and when it bit back...provided it actually did.

"I suppose it is alright to take a break after such wonderful cuisine.  But do not make a habit of it.  There's one too many lazybones in this household as it is."

Suffice to say...we resisted the urge to groan.

Jon was already licking the plates clean. I don't know if Papyrus was okay with that...but it reassured him there was definitely a market for his spaghetti. Or in Jon's case...a monopoly.

Papyrus insisted on taking care of the dishes.

It didn't last long for he soon came chasing the Annoying Dog out of the kitchen. And wouldn't you know it, he had Papyrus' Special Attack in his mouth. No bones about it. We were granted a reprieve.

"Hmm..."

I leered at the kitchen sink for a bit. I'd pretty much seen all I needed to. But...I couldn't shake this feeling like...there was something else there.

"Commander?  What are you...hey...where are you going?"

"Should you really be poking around inside the storage area underneath the Skeleton Brothers' sink?"

"Anyone who's curious, come with.  Otherwise it's probably not going to be anything of interest."

"I'll go!" Gadget joined me by my side.

"You got my attention." Violet grinned.

Mitzi shrugged. "Someone might as well keep Violet out of trouble.

"Jon?"

Jon stuffed his face with more of that indescribably spaghetti. "I'm good."

Bunnie was already meditating while Papyrus continued to chase the Annoying Dog.

"I'll stay with Bunnie and Sally." Lupe had a seat in front of the television.

"Same here." Rotor chimed in.

Half of us stayed behind if not to keep an eye on Papyrus and watch for Sans, should he come home. All signs seemed to indicate he was asleep at his sentry post. Huh. Usually he'd at least be dropping in on Grillby's. Or at least showed up before us via instant-teleport.

Though...I was beginning to have thoughts...or at least a theory. How much did his rampage on Evil-Chara take out of him? Maybe all that magic of his was still recharging?

I opened the doors to the overly high sink. It was pretty much a doorway into another room. One that theoretically shouldn't exist in the space that this house alotted. It wasn't the first hammerspace room I'd encountered and it would be far from the last.

It hadn't been THAT much time since I visited the dog shrine had it--

"!!!!"

Nothing could have prepared me for the sight that befell me.

"I have to say, Commander.  This is totally not what I was expecting."

"Wha...what's happened here?!" I gasped.

"This place..." Mitzi began.

"...is a WRECK!" Gadget finished.

"I...I don't understand."

The one mighty dog shrine that I had so generously funded the expansion of lay in ruin...and weirder still it looked like it lay in ruin for decades...maybe a century or two.

The wacky, inflatable, arm-waving balloon mascot thing was long since deflated in a heap and the color had faded to match Rotor's greyish fur color. Maybe a darker shade of Jon's. Both of the ropes were frayed and falling apart.

The blueprint was faded and the were red X's on it. The pictures of Papyrus were knocked over. One looked like the glass had been cracked. The dogfood dispenser in the wall had rusted and the cup and table it sat on looked rotted or petified in the low light.

The game disc was broken in half. The hanabi dango had one riceball left on it and it looked very unappetizing by this point. Possibly infested with germs and parasites by now. And the boom box was covered in moss and its batteries were likely dead.

But the shrine itself? THe whole middle of it was ripped completely out. Behind it...a door colored light blue and light red. I'd...seen this weirdly neon pattern before. Like...Azzy's NX Switchboard's joycons!

"What is this...?" Gadget eyed the lock and reached out to poke it--

Suddenly the lock dropped off and gravity pulled the doors open. It must've been tilted at an incline...maybe? It was a cinch it didn't just decide to open on its own...didn't it?

"Big brother...?" Gadget clung to me, jumping back from the sudden door opening.

"We should be careful.  We don't know what's--"

"Eh.  YOLO." Violet strutted in.

Mitzi sighed. "I guess we better go after her." She entered behind, not showing a bit of ear.

"Dammit all.  When did I lose control over this situation?"

I lead on, Gadget following behind me.

If I had said before, I didn't expect what we found...allow me to restate that.

"Awwww!" Gadget was the first to see it and quickly jumped out from behind me to examine.

"It's a doll?" Mitzi cocked her head.

"Wow.  What anime inspired THIS monstrosity.  I mean, I've seen my share of neko girls but this is too much!" She laughed.

Vi's description was threadbare...but not wrong. It seemed to be a human...humanoid anime cat girl doll in typical pretty maid attire. Big green eyes, pink medium length hair that extended into big cat gears. No human ears on the side of her head...or at least her hair covered any semblance of them up.

A hair band that had a giant bell on each end, making it look like a pair of headphones. Her maid outfit was pink with a black body suit underneath, visible on the arms and legs. Her poofy shoulders and chest broach made her attire vaguey resemble Princess Peach's from the waist up. White slipper shoes with small bells on the buckles  and white gloves. And yes...a white cat's tail.

Gadget couldn't resist petting it.

"Huh?  That's strange...I thought I could hear it...laugh just now."

"It does seem to be made out of sturdy construction." Mitzi touched the doll, trying to make sense of who made it for what cartoon.

"Wow, can you believe the anime cliches all wrapped up in one package?" Violet poked it.

"Are you upset?  Are you upset?  Are you upset?  Are you upset?"

But Violet got no response until she poked the stomach.

"...wait...I know who that's supposed to be.  That's Mew Mew Kissy Cutie--"  I started before the petting, prodding, and poking caused an unexpected reaction.

Who could have known there was a living presence inside. But we were all shocked when we were blasted with--

"ENOUGH!!! ENOUGH!!!! ENOUGH!!!!!!

FOOL!! DON'T YOU KNOW NOT TO TOUCH PEOPLE YOU DON'T KNOW!?

ESPECIALLY!! WHEN!!! THEY'RE!!!

Ticklish.

Huh? You don't recognize me...?

Ohhh ho ho…

That's all for the better~!

Once I fuse with this PERFECT new body, mew~

A brand new, WONDERFUL life is going to begin!

... but as much as I try to fuse…

IT'S!! NOT!!! WORKING!!!!

MY EMOTIONS AREN'T PURE ENOUGH---!!

I need TENSION! CONFLICT!

Something to bring out my ANGER!!!

... That's it!!!

YOU!!!

Fight with me!!! COMBAT!! BLOODLUST!! DESTRUCTION!!

It's the perfect emotional cocktail…

To fuse with my new body, mew~

And, with my new special ability…

This battle will be TRULY INTERESTING!!"

I felt a chill go down my spine as if remembering a familiar dialogue. I had heard that phrase before. Oh yes...it may have been coincidence, but that tinge of familiarity echoed back to W.D. Gaster's notes.

"Whoah.  It talks?!  It's alive?  What's going on?"

"It must be a possessed object!  LIke Mettaton's body." I reasoned.

"We're sorry!  We didn't mean anything by it--"  Gadget started.

"I'll handle this." Violet took a swing with her Thunder Spear. "Little kitten needs to learn some maners.

"FOOL! You think you can hurt ME with that puny weapon!?  As long as my guard's up, this body is INVINCIBLE!  (And cute, mew~)

"Yeah, yeah..." Vi was not intimidated. "Excuse me if I don't feel threatened by a toy."

"Maybe you shouldn't be doing that, Miss Vi."

WERE YOU LISTENING!? You can't hurt me!!! Wait. Wait! WAIT! I get it!! You're trying to bring out my deepest feelings! Hack away, you despicable fleshling!

"Hey!  That was a little too close for comfort!" Mitzi transformed her Green Artificats into the Green Mace and launched it, missing.

"This thing's no threat.  We'll have it beaten to stuffin in no time."

I was about to remind Violet about Bunnie's words over being overconfident when it happened.

"Look out--"  MItzi suddenly shoved Violet away before is saw her soul grabbed like it was caught in a Blue Attack...and then split into two pieces--one blue and one red. And both pieces were moving independant of each other. She gasped, unable to process the feeling and sensation of this strange attack...but still surviving.

I watched Mad Mew-Mew rain attacks down on Mitzi's soul pieces before attacking with circles that came in combination colors--half grey, half blue or sometimes red, as well as a regular white attack. Somehow MItzi instinctively know how to handle the blue and red attacks, either letting her soul halves stay still or charge righ through respectively.

"Yikes!  I've heard of cat-and-mouse, but this is ridiculous!" MItzi moved her physical body to avoid the cat-shaped bullets that the angry doll fired from her wand.

"Wondering where I got this body?  WOULDN'T YOU LIKE TO KNOW!? HA HA HA!!!  Sure, I'll tell you.

I found it in... A strange place.

A... sciencey place."

"The lab?!" I reasoned. "Yeah...this doll has Alphys written all over it."

Violet managed to land a slice...and off came the head! And it still kept talking.

"Don't you think I could EASILY become the world's CUTEST dullahan!?

I just have to find a giant cat for my steed, and I'll off!

No idea what was going on THERE, but... As soon as I saw this body, I just knew --

IT WAS ME!!! ME!!! ME!!!!

So I TOOK it! You can't blame me~

Why does a scientist need a life-sized girl statue anyway!?

I probably saved it from EXPERIMENTS!!!

I'm a HERO, and I rescued MYSELF!!!"

Mitzi's weapon sailled out and was followed up by Violet's chakrams and then Gadget worked up the nerve to fire off a her makeshift heat ray and freeze beam. "Make it go away!" She was now scared of the ghost inhabiting it. It was rude and angry.

Soon it was Violet's turn to endure the half-and-half attacks and cat bullets. But despite this weird and chaotic danmaku dance of dodges and such...Mew Mew hadn't landed a single it on any of us.

"ALRIGHT, it's starting to get ANNOYING again!!!

And now, with this new body,  I've got a BRAND NEW life ahead of me!!

NEW LIFE!!! COOL LIFE!!! NEW LIFE!!! COOL LIFE!!! NEW LIFE!!!

And NOW, I'll finally be able to... I'll... finally be able to...

Uhh, continue being Undyne's Training Dummy. BUT BETTER!!!

Ah, Undyne... Sweet, violent, Undyne~

I can't wait to see the look on her face when she sees me~

She'll blast me with a storm of spears~  I'll be the world's greatest pin cushion~ "

Now it all made sense. The missing dummy that Sally blasted apart previously.

"Yeah, about that.  You might want to forget your gal crush on Undyne.  She's spoken for  And I'm not talking about any of us." Violet mused.

"Vi, what are you doing?  You're going to stir things up worse!"

H-Huh...!? That look on your face -- She's already got... ... somebody else?

...Heheheh... Heheh... Well, if she's got somebody else... THEN YOU KNOW WHAT I'M GONNA DO TO THEM!??

I'll RESPECT THEM!!! I'll RESPECT THEIR RELATIONSHIP!!! HAHAHA!!! HAPPY FOR HER!! NOTHING BUT THE BEST!!! BEST OF LUCK!!!

Enough. ENOUGH. ENOUGH!!! WHY haven't I FUSED yet!? Do I have to use my FULL POWER!?

COME ON! IS THIS ENOUGH FOR YOU!?"

This battle was tiring us out. I was using my electricity by this point. But despite all this... Our opponent didn't manage to land a single hit.

"What the hey!? You're some kind of freak, aren't you!

You dodged ALL of my attacks without getting hit!

Unbelievable. Unbelievable! UNBELIEVABLE!!! YOU! Let's see what you think of THIS, then!!

EAT THIS!!! AND THIS!!! AND SOME OF THIS!!! BUT NOT THIS!!! DON'T EAT THAT!!! IT'S FOR ME!!! I DIDN'T MEAN TO USE IT!!!

Huuuuu...!!! Don't think that was NEARLY enough to earn my praise!!! Take THIS!!!

Mewsers! That was Gnarly! Tubular! Way Cool! Awesome! Groovy! Mondo! Outrageous! Funky! IS THAT WHAT YOU WANTED ME TO SAY!? BECAUSE WE AREN'T DONE YET!!"

Enough. ENOUGH. ENOUGH!!!

WHY ISN'T IT WORKING!?

NO MATTER HOW MAD I GET, NO MATTER HOW MUCH I FIGHT, I JUST CAN'T FUSE WITH THIS BODY!!!

WHAT AM I DOING WRONG!?!?

What am I doing wrong...

READ THE ROOM!!!

What am I doing wrong...?"

"H... huh?  You mean I might have to try... ... other... ...emotions?   You mean something like... Love?  Then, I... ...You!!! Go ahead!!!

Show me what LOVE is!!! Show me what LOVE is!!!

Gadget in that moment worked up the courage to stop being afraid and walked over...and gave the doll her most demure of hugs. "I'm sorry.  I don't want to fight.  Let's just be friends.  Let's hug it out.  I

Huh...?

Such... such kindness...!

It's... making me FEEL something!

It may be a while before I can truly fuse with this body.

But, I think this is a start...!

Heh, to think that even though I hid here to be alone...

... I somehow made a friend!!!

Thank you.

Thank you!

THANK YOU!!"

And with that our battle came to an end.

"Whew."

"Well THAT was nightmare fuel."

And so we left the dog shrine and the sink itself.

"There you guys are.  Where have you been?" Rotor questioned.

"Well--"

"Yeah, what's the haps?  Paps is sitll chasing that dog, if you can believe it." Sally  mused.

"You misssed it, Sal.  A pretty gnarly, tubular, way cool, wesome, groovy, mondo, outrageous, and funky baattle with an opponent that would have been righ up your alley!"

"Wow.  With an overly descriptive endorsement like that, I'm sorry I missed out."

"Good grief..." I muttered. "For the love of Michael Faraday this job is going to break me some day."

Gadget just giggled.

Eventually after a tour of the house and making sure Jon had way more spaghetti leftover to take home than should be considered sane we resumed the mission to restore Snowdin Town's memories as well as take in its sights.

Sub-Entry 209: "Exploring Snowdin and Snowy Forest.":
Before leaving the town, I just had to take in the most significant places and sights. My crew would have questions at later dates when they could ask once Asriel was't present to overhear us. I was okay with that.

We stopped at the library...er...LIBRARBY...and explored, descretely restoring memories.

And once done so, the scholars that were Sally and Rotor were unleashed. It was like they stepped back in time to their Ecotropia days.

"Listen to this, Sally." Rotor showed a red-covered book. "It’s a school report about monster funerals. Monster funerals, technically speaking, are cool as heck. When monsters get old and kick the bucket, they turn into dust. At funerals, we take that dust and spread it on that person’s favorite thing. Then their essence will live on in that thing... Uhhh, am I at the page minimum yet?  I’m kinda sick of writing this."

"Interesting.  Takes you back, doesn't it?"

"You would have been up in arms if our mutual friend had turned in something that half-effort." Rotor chuckled. "You find anything interesting?"

Sally of course chose a blue book. She quietly recited what she read.

"While monsters are mostly made of magic, human beings are mostly made of water. Humans, with their physical forms, are far stronger than us. But they will never know the joy of expressing themselves through magic. They’ll never get a bullet-pattern birthday card..."

"Weird."

Rotor picked an orange one.

"Because they are made of magic, monsters’ bodies are attuned to their SOUL. If a monster doesn’t want to fight, its defenses will weaken. And the crueler the intentions of our enemies, the more their attacks will hurt us. Therefore, if a being with a powerful SOUL struck with the desire to kill... Um, let’s end the chapter here..."

"Eeesh.  Too morbid for me."

"Yeah...I'm staring to see why the Commander spent so much of Asriel's younger years handling him with kid gloves.  Heh...little joke there."

"Oh.  Right.  Goat.  Kid.  Nice, Sally."

Sally picked up a light green book that was the last in a quadralogy.

"MONSTER HISTORY PART 4.  Fearing the humans no longer, we moved out of our old city, HOME. We braved harsh cold, damp swampland, and searing heat... Until we reached what we now call our capital. “NEW HOME.”  Again, our King is really bad at names...?"

"Better than Violet." Rotor wrinkled his nose.

"I heard that." Violet popped up from where she had been hiding. "Man, you'd think this kingdom never heard of a Kindle Fire." She turned up her nose at the books.

Rotor selected a final dark green book.

"Love, hope, compassion... This is what people say monster SOULs are made of. But the absolute nature of “SOUL” is unknown. After all, humans have proven their SOULs don’t need these things to exist."

"Hmm..."

"This would have helped a lot way back then." Sally mused.

"All things considered, we did alright."

We left the "LIBRARBY" and headed to Grillby's next.

His pub required each of us to be crafty in order for me to restore everyone's memory of us. But despite the challenge, we prevailed.

"Welcome back, Doctor.  Usual?"

Considering I fed most of my spaghetti to Jon while Papyrus was distracted, I was still pretty hungry. And I needed more than a little sorbet to cleanse the palette.

"The usual." I paid while everyone else mingled.

"Lot o' doggos." Vi mused.

"THey seem like an all-right bunch." Jon said as he joined in Lesser Dog's game of what I pressumed was solitaire. It quickly became poker. Dogs playing poker...like the paintings by C.M. Coolidge? Uncanny.

Mitzi was drawn to the jukebox. And sure enough it was still repaired. She quickly found her own discography which I had slipped into the playlist and made her selections.

Despite how long we lingered...there was no mention of Sans. It was almost like his very presence carried his popularity with him...if that made sense.

Or maybe it was just this timeline being wonky again. Since we hadn't "met" Sans even though we had in fact met him, it was like the...well...NPC's dialogue hadn't been triggered yet.

Maybe we were all just dirty little hackers in the grand scheme of things.

"I must say, Grillby.  You grill a mean burger and fries.  Five-star rating all the way."

"Thank-you kindly.  You in town for long?"

"WIsh I could say yes, but work doesn't let us be idle.  My crew and I got exploring to do if we want to adjust to the Underground after living our lives in secret on the surface for so long."

"Can't wait to hear all about it when you publish your findings.  Sign me up for a copy of the book."

"You got it."

Cover story was still holding. Everyone still thought we had just come from Snowy Forest and the Ruins.

Speaking of which, once we restored the ruins, the whole game would be "reset" without being RESET. All I'd have to do is wait for a sign to check on Frisk. By then, she'd want to check out the other place I'd scheduled for her vacation. Between Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley, she'd be in good spirits and ready to finish what she started before I would know it.

A visit to Snowed Inn and the Snowdin Shop yielded pretty expected dialogues after restoring everyone's memories.

I think Bunnie took a liking to the shopkeep. Having reconciled with her mother must've opened her up to her Southern Heratage so it was a friendship just waiting to happen.

You know...there were a lot of rabbits in town. And boy did Violet ever notice. I don't think I'd seen her this smug about a town in a long while.

Bunnie took it in stride.

Finally...we were on our way, making sure to leave town without anyone seeing which direction we were leaving. Had to ensure everyone's stories synched up when the final memories were in place.

According to Bunnie and Callista, the way the psychic imprint worked, they'd auto-synch on schedule and meld so seemlessly with the existing natural memories, there'd be no distinction afterwords. All oiur alibies would be solid. All the time stamps would be cast-iron. And of course I'd make sure any time pieces or clocks or method of keeping track of the time in the Underground would be properly back on track. I had the S.T.C. experience to know how to make sure I had every detail down.

Everything would work out. So much convoluted inception just had to pay off. It had to. I wasn't about to lose all that progress to Adonis' tampering and Evil-Chara's sick games.

Across the bridge we went. I could see Papyrus had his final puzzle in place but not armed. It would go to waste, anyway. His big, goofy heart just wouldn't let him put a human in danger, even if it was his job to capture them.

Everyone should have a friend like Papyrus. He's too good for this world.

We had to move quickly and prudently though. Should the Royal Guard finish their lunch breaks, they'd be headed back this way to man their posts...or would it be dog their posts? Whatever. We couldn't be seen by anyone in Grillby's or it would raise questions. Anyone who HADN'T been in Snowdin Town was fair game though. Still...the idea was to make it seem like we had come from the RUINS and each memory set made sure the time-stamp gave that very illusion.

A travel across the bridge led us to Greater Dog's. A lot of Snow Poffs.

It was weird not seeing Sans anywhere in this area.

Mitzi and Gadget were too eager to help out Gyftrot. You know, Gyftro't's 90-degree inverted mouth still creeps me out. But it wasn't like that was the only place I'd seen that kind of morphology. The D.T. Extractor and of course Omega/Photoshop Flowey had the same.

Further investigation and exploration revealed Glyde's door.

It was an all-too familiar encounter which I'd prefer not to go into detail over. Way too much ego for me to be comfortable with.

We eventually found the Snow Papyrus and Snow Sans.

Back through to the dog sculputures.

"Hashtatag talent, eh, Vi?" Sally mused.

A smirk.

The tile puzzle lay ahead, not yet activated.

"So...Alphys built this?" Rotor examined the machine.

"Yeah.  Don't touch it for now.  It has to be set up for Frisk later on."

We crossed over the offline tiles with no trouble. Honestly I didn't want to have encounters with pirhanna because we smelled like oranges.

I quickly identified the sandal prints of Dogamy and Dogaressa. They were among the only mosters I remembered who wore sandals...I mean besides most of my crew and I.

"So we going to get an explanation of those weird tic-tac-toe inspired puzzles?"

"Some day." I left Vi hanging just to spite her.

This led us back to the frozen spaghetti.

"Don't even think about it, Jon.  It's stuck to the plate."

"Awwww..." He whined.

After each of us took a try at Ball Game, most of us got colored flags that represented our best traits.

Mitzi got green. Gadget got purple. Lupe got cyan. Violet got blue. Bunnie got yellow. Jon got orange. Sally and I both got red.

Box Road led us past the sentry stations.

"Everyone.  We're here.  Take positions.  I'll go in first.  You all know what to do..." I said as I let the memory tube drop into my hand. It was blue in color.

And low and behold in the last sentry station...

Sub-Entry 210: "Nothing Funny About Meeting the Skeleton Comedian":
Fast asleep at his post.

The easiest enemy.

I felt we were going to have a good/bad time. I just wasn't sure which.

I approached and tried many methods of waking him up.

But the lazy bones remained fast asleep.

I sighed. I looked behind the counter at the rows of ketchup bottles.

"Jeeze." I shook my head.

I got in close.

"Hey.  Buddy.  Don't you know how to greet an old friend?  Turn around.  And shake.  My.  Hand."

Honestly I thought that would do it.

"Bone tired."

Resorting to a pun. Yeah...as much as I wasn't in a hurry to do this...I had to be in a hurry to do this. Papyrus could show up at any time to check on his brother and well...that would merit some explaining.

"What happened to you, Sans?"

I considered a number of possibilities. Could Adonis be behind this? Was he so drained from his assault on Evil-Chara that he was darn near comatose?

What could it be--

"Hey, Commander.  Allow me."

"What?  Violet?"

She took a deep breath and shouted in Papyrus' ear hole...or where I presumed it to be.

"PAPYRUS SUUCKS!"

* PING*

There went the eye as Violet left me high and dry.

"I hate you so much much, Violet..." I grumbed as Sans came face to face with me.

"Want to repeat that for me...buddy?"

Oh crap. Oh crap. Oh crap oh crap oh crap.

"Actually...I had something else in mind."

"And what would that be?"

"Well...you're a doodoo-butt."

Sans froze a moment.

"Well.  C'mon, Legendary Fartmaster.  Don't leave me hanging."

That stunned him even further. "Well.  You know my secret codewords...why don't we start from the beginning?"

"I couldn't agree more.  But...some of us don't get a second chance to make first impressions.  Having said that.  Accept my apology."

I think I had caught him off guard. Let's hope it paid off.

"For what?"

"For this."

Down went the shades and FLASH went the Neuralizer.

"......!!!"

Sans was at a loss for words for a moment...but then the grin looked devious. "Well now, Arcade.  I think we have unfinished business."

"Yeah.  We do.  Your place or...well...yours."

"I don't think you're in any position to control this situation.

Sans started up a blue attack.

"I beg to differ."

That was when the rest of my crew had surrounded the sentry station.

"I'd say the odds aren't what you thought they were."

"Re-enforcements?  That's playing a bit dirty, don' t ya think?"

"No worse than what you pulled on me all throughout this timeline.  Also I still haven't forgotten our first meeting in the Judgement Hall.  You remember the old timeline, don't you?"

"Heh.  You really are a dirty little hacker...of time and space."

"I'll take that as a compliment and implication that I'm doing my job.  Trust me when I tell you that you should feel lucky that you're dealing with me and not my bosses."

"I'll bear that in mind, bud." He continued to glare.

"When we first met in this timeline you gave me an apology.  Was that genuine or did you really want to work together?"

"Going against you keeps proving to be more tiring than I bargained for."

"I'll ask again.  Your place?  Orrrr...your place?"

"You got me." Sans shrugged and snapped his fingers. The next thing we knew all nine of us were inside Sans' shed. It was a cramped place and it would make it hard for some of us to make a move. I think I didn't think this through. But on the other hand...

"Well, now that the venue isn't as acommodating, let's get down to business."

Sans made a move to teleport out and leave us locked in the shed. At least I was convinced that was his plan. But...plans...change.

"Tch...!" He was caught by surprise when Sally was suddenly too close for comfort.

"Heh...another patron of quantum physics?"

"Naaah.  I just move really fast.  Or maybe...  You're.  Too.  Slow." Sally was being a bit cocky.

"I'd like to see you try that--"

Sans reappeared elsewhere in the room.

"...again?" And Sally was already standing by.

"Your teleport isn't as instant as you think."

Sally was really laying it on thick with her Hybrid ability.

"All day, Skele-dude." She grinned.

"Okay.  I'm going to figure out how you're doing that.  But for now...I guess you really do got me.  So.  Spill, Arcade.  What's on your mind."

"I've really been chasing my tail, trying to clean up the mess the brat made while tryiing to fix the trauma we've all put the eighth child through."

"I guess I gotta leave the other kid alone.  But if you think I'm just going to pardon the other brat--"

"Do what you want."

"--then you got another thing...........say again?"

"Do what you want but know that even a judge isn't above the consequences."

"Okay.  You really took the fun out of that."

"And I thought comedians were supposed to make people laugh.  Or is that clowns?"

"Clowns ain't metal, Commander." Vi cut in.

"I'm just warning you it might not be that easy next time you clash with them.  Not that the enemy has revealed himself.  But then again...you've already met him, haven't you?"

Sans closed his eye sockets...and grinned eerily.

"So all the puzzle pieces are here and they're coming together, eh?   If that's true, then I guess I've been beating up on you unnecessarily."

"That's the most sideways apology I've heard in a while.

"Don't get me wrong.  You still kinda tick me off.  But Pappy likes you and Undyne seemed to accept your friends over there.  And well...the old lady?  I guess I got a soft spot for goats."

"Speaking of--"

"Relax.  Asgore's kid is off my hit-list.  I get it.  You really care for him."

It's still unnerving knowing Sans is fully aware of Asriel. Besides him, Flowey and Alphys were the only ones who know. Flowey wasn't going to spring that information on anyone, despite how much chaos it would cause and how it would stir things up; aleviating his boredom.

Alphys, had sworn a solemn oath. I didn't beleve for a second she'd talk now or ever. Not until Asriel already knew the truth and was ready to come back home.

So that left Sans. What would he do? Sure he said so. But would he?

"I'll do you a solid and forget we ever had a conversation about a Prince that's been dead for 100 years."

"That's all I ask."

"Well.  We'll give this one more go.  I'm really tempted to stick my nose hole in your business buuuuuuuuuut, that sure hasn't worked out well, has it?"

"You tell me."

"So...we cool?" VIolet extended a bro fist.

"Heh.  We're in Snowdin.  It doesn't get any cooler than this, am I right?"

"It's an "ice"thought to "chill" on the "cold shoulder" while we put the "freeze" on the brat's "frosty" bite."

"Heh!  Good ones." Sans said with a wink.

"So...are we...friends now?" MItzi raised an eyebrow.

"I believe we've come to an understanding." Bunnie crossed her arms and bowed her head, stoically.

"So what's the plan, Arcade?"

"I have one last place to restore memories and scenarios  to.  Then it's just a matter of time when I can bring the eighth child back here."

"You talk like they're not around."

"In a manner of speaking....they needed a vacation.  To get their head on straight."

"Well their head only goes on one way.  Someone should call a surgeon if it's on crooked."

"You know what I mean." I brushed aside the lame joke.

"Can we count on you for protecting the Underground and keeping watch for suspicious activity?" Lupe asked.

"Ehh.  It sounds like a lot of work.  But y'know it's kinda part of my job.  And Pappy will never let me hear the end of it if I slack off any more than I already am.   You know what?  You got a deal.  I'll stay out of your way and let you do what you need to do."

"And the eighth fallen?"

"I know how this song and dance goes.  And so do they.  If they REALLY are serious about ending the resets and letting us have our happy ending, then I guess I have no choice but to let all their past timeline activity slide.  But if they step out of line, we're going to have...a heart to heart and buddy...I'm sure there's a soul that fits into that, to."

A subtle threat. But warrented. Frisk has one last chance. And so did we.

"What about the--"

"The Weed?  I don't think he'll be a problem.  I still have issues with him being Pappy's secret life coach but as long as he doesn't do anything that he'll...regret...I guess he won't have another RESET on his vines.  Heh heh heh..."

Without the souls, and just raw determination...how much power over the reset did Flowey still have. I mean...he hasn't reset, reloaded save files or done anything with time and space since he was Omega/Photoshop...or Hyperdeath.

"Just don't mulch him.  He has a role to play...as I'm sure you already know."

"What's one more stint as a Lost Soul.   The kid will snap us out of it."

The fact Sans is this self-aware... That Flowey is that self-aware, as well... And that we've explained this all to Alphys... How much have we unbalanced this whole game in trying to counter-circumvent Madam Fate's rule changes and surprise faux pas incidents?

"Welllllllp...I think you've used up all the time my legally-mandatory break allows for.  I'm goin' to Grillby's."

"If you do, don't ask about us...yet.  You'll know when it's safe to."

"I'll know?  How does that work?"

"Just...trust us." I assured.

"Well.  Nine is a crowd.  Let's blow this place." Sans snapped his fingers and we were once again at his sentry station.

"You know you did bring up a point.  I guess whether a new friend or an old one, I should know how to greet--"

I already had my hand out.

I gripped his bony hand and shook it.

"No whoopie-cushion this time?"

"Nah.  It's not hilarious if the other guy is expecting it."

"If you say so."

"Well.   I'm off to Grillby's."

"Good luck to--"

He was gone before I turned around.

"Did anyone see him leave?"

No's from everyone.

"He does that." I shrugged and shook my head.

"Commander."

"Right."

We trudged to the Gates of the Ruins and I set down a SAVE marker. Bunnie opened a Senkaimon to the Time Train and one to the Delorean.

Finally. All the pieces were coming together. And I wasn't lowering my guard for a moment.

With Sans actually on our side, this could finally work. Strength in unity? No. Just a fellowship that would finally pay off. After all, if even one of us wasn't on the same page, how did this mission have any chance of success at all?

Bunnie and I loaded up in the Delorean. Jon shuttled himself and the others aboard the E.LB. Train. Apparently Felicia had given him pointers with operating a locomotive engine.

"Stand by for launch on our end."

"Standing by for launch on ours."

"Begin the countdown...3...2...1...!"

"Blastoff!"

We lifted up off the roof, letting Alphys admire our exit. While at the same time, outside of Mount Ebott, Jon had lifted off the Time Train.

Homeward bound again.

CRYTPOSMASHER LOGOFF

END TRANMISSION...

Chapter 22

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