Underfell

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''Disclaimer'' ---- ''Customizing "Frisk"'' Throughout the story you will be given cycling choices to customize your "Frisk." You will need to select the (''RED'') text in the passage that has a cycling icon (↻). For example, please click on the word ''cat'' in the below sentence. I have a pet <<cycle "$catexample" autoselect>>\ <<option "cat">> <<option "dog">> <<option "bird">> <</cycle>>. Once you click on the red text with the cycle icon (↻) it will cycle through options. The option you leave it on becomes fact. So if you leave the sentence as I have a pet ''cat'' then you will have a pet cat throughout the story. ---- ''Rules'' Any time you see DETERMINATION the story is automatically saved to that point. If you die, you will reload to the last time you felt DETERMINATION. There are plenty of ways to die, and sometimes you have to die to gain more information so you can live later on. Don’t feel discouraged by death! Flirt is an ''ACT'' available for most “boss” monsters, however only actions with a heart (♡) indicate you want to initiate romance. Sometimes flirting can be for fun; you don’t have to pursue anyone if you don’t want to. To spare non-boss monsters you have to correctly guess the ''ACT'' actions in order or they will kill you. [[Begin Game]] [[Warnings]]

-Player death -Implied torture -References to war -References to murder -References to human death -References to monster death [[Begin Game]] [[Rules & Disclaimer]]

<<set $deaths to 0>> <<masteraudio stop>><<set $poem = 0>> Long ago, two races ruled over Earth: HUMANS and MONSTERS. One day, war broke out between the two races. After a long battle, the humans were victorious. They sealed the monsters underground with a magic spell. <<audio "once"volume 0.15 loop play>> This was all part of your history class. There are multiple monster kingdoms, although only one in your country—as far as history is aware—and where exactly they are sealed no one knows. One of the many mysteries lost to time. Or rather to war. Specifically the Great War which took a terrible toll on humanity. Since sealing the monsters centuries ago fewer and fewer humans are born with the ability to use magic. The Great War nearly wiped out the rarities that remained, and since the war, no other human has been born with the ability to use magic. Which is truly a shame as the world is still filled with magic. Humanity is coping as best can be, but it is not an easy transition. What countries remain after the Great War are largely dependent on magic; switching to an alternative power source has been difficult. The last humans who can use magic are struggling to keep up with the demand, and their aging bodies only signal humanity's time limit. You, like most of the population, cannot use magic. But that’s okay! You don’t need magic. You have something else. Something even better. You have [[you.]]

You fell. <<set $poem =1>> <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "fallendown"volume 0.15 loop play>> <<cycle "$intention" autoselect>>\ <<option "You didn't mean to.">> <<option "Or maybe you did?">> <<option "It was an accident. You think.">> <<option ". . .">> <</cycle>> It was a steep fall too. The kind of fall where you have time to actually think about your life before you hit the ground. The kind of fall where you know in the back of your head you’re going to die as soon as you hit the ground. <<set $friskhaschain = 0>><<set $mettaton = 0>><<set $mettatonbold = 0>> <<set $mettatonshy = 0>> You are going to die. You are going to //die//. As soon as that dot of yellow beneath you is within reach, you will die. The world is flying by too quickly to see. The only thing in your vision is that spot of yellow that you are hurling towards. Your body passes through something unseen and oddly tingly; a brush of vibrating energy. It’s like falling through a blanket of electrified mist. It’s such a strange sensation that it sticks out to you, even as your mind is focused on your impending death. //Death.// That's right. You are going to die. You don’t want that. You can’t die. You simply cannot. You refuse. YOU WILL NOT [[DIE.]]

<<set $deaths += 1>> <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "fallendown"volume 0.15 loop play>> You hit the ground hard and everything goes black. <<timed 3s>> <<type 135ms>>//<div align='center'>"<<if $poem eq 1>><<print either($poemTerms)>><<endif>>"</div>//<</type>> <</timed>><<timed 10s>>You open your <<cycle "$eyecolor" autoselect>>\ <<option "brown">> <<option "dark brown">> <<option "light brown">> <<option "blue">> <<option "dark blue">> <<option "light blue">> <<option "green">> <<option "dark green">> <<option "light green">> <<option "hazel">> <<option "violet">> <<option "indigo">> <<option "black">> <<option "gray">> <<option "blue and green">> <<option "blue and brown">> <<option "red and pink">> <<option "black and white">> <<option "green and brown">> <<option "red">> <</cycle>> eyes. The world is blurry. It takes you several blinks before things come into focus. Your body aches and throbs, but oddly enough it doesn’t hurt too bad. It’s more like waking up from a long sleep in a bad position, rather than the pain you’d get from falling from— You look up and squint. There is only the barest sliver of light above you. It’s so far away that it’s hardly visible. What a fall! Are you okay? [[Yes?]] [[No. . .?]] [[I don't know?]] [[Oh yeah, definitely.]] [[OBVIOUSLY NOT!]] <</timed>>

You should probably check yourself out to be sure. You feel around your body and check for any broken bones or cuts. To your astonishment, it really seems like you’re okay. You somehow fell from a magnificent height and came out unscathed. That’s a miracle! Even your clothes are fine, aside from a little dirt. That’s amazing. You’re amazing! Look at that height! You survived it. You survived! If you can survive that fall, then surely you can survive getting out of here. You are filled with DETERMINATION! Look at you go. You pat down your striped sweater. <<cycle "$stripedsweater" autoselect>>\ <<option "It was your usual look. You loved striped clothes because you absolutely could pull it off.">> <<option "It was not your usual look. This particular sweater was a gift and today happened to be laundry day so you had nothing else to wear.">> <<option "It was a look. You liked the sweater well enough although you didn’t wear it often enough to call it your look.">> <</cycle>> It was long enough to go past your <<cycle "$hipsorbutt" autoselect>>\ <<option "hips">> <<option "butt">> <</cycle>> and cover a portion of your<<cycle "$pants" autoselect>>\ <<option "leggings">> <<option "mini skirt">> <<option "skirt">> <<option "booty shorts">> <<option "shorts">> <<option "jeans">> <<option "sweats">> <<option "khakis">> <<option "cargo pants">> <</cycle>>. Youve also got on some nice <<cycle "$shoes" autoselect>>\ <<option "boots">> <<option "uggs">> <<option "sneakers">> <<option "shoes">> <<option "flats">> <<option "slippers">> <</cycle>>. Not the worst outfit to have when you fall inside a mountain. The sweater was warm and comfy and your clothes are on the sturdier side. That’s right, let’s keep focusing on the [[bright side]].

You should definitely check yourself out to be sure. You feel around your body and check for any broken bones or cuts. To your astonishment, it really seems like you’re okay. You somehow fell from a magnificent height and came out unscathed. That’s a miracle! Even your clothes are fine, aside from a little dirt. That’s amazing. You’re amazing! Look at that height! You survived it. You survived! If you can survive that fall, then surely you can survive getting out of here. You are filled with DETERMINATION! Look at you go. You pat down your striped sweater. <<cycle "$stripedsweater" autoselect>>\ <<option "It was your usual look. You loved striped clothes because you absolutely could pull it off.">> <<option "It was not your usual look. This particular sweater was a gift and today happened to be laundry day so you had nothing else to wear.">> <<option "It was a look. You liked the sweater well enough although you didn’t wear it often enough to call it your look.">> <</cycle>> It was long enough to go past your <<cycle "$hipsorbutt" autoselect>>\ <<option "hips">> <<option "butt">> <</cycle>> and cover a portion of your<<cycle "$pants" autoselect>>\ <<option "leggings">> <<option "mini skirt">> <<option "skirt">> <<option "booty shorts">> <<option "shorts">> <<option "jeans">> <<option "sweats">> <<option "khakis">> <<option "cargo pants">> <</cycle>>. Youve also got on some nice<<cycle "$shoes" autoselect>>\ <<option "boots">> <<option "uggs">> <<option "sneakers">> <<option "shoes">> <<option "flats">> <<option "slippers">> <</cycle>>. Not the worst outfit to have when you fall inside a mountain. The sweater was warm and comfy and your clothes are on the sturdier side. That’s right, let’s keep focusing on the [[bright side]].

You should check. You feel around your body and check for any broken bones or cuts. To your astonishment, it really seems like you’re okay. You somehow fell from a magnificent height and came out unscathed. That’s a miracle! Even your clothes are fine, aside from a little dirt. That’s amazing. You’re amazing! Look at that height! You survived it. You survived! If you can survive that fall, then surely you can survive getting out of here. You are filled with DETERMINATION! Look at you go. You pat down your striped sweater. <<cycle "$stripedsweater" autoselect>>\ <<option "It was your usual look. You loved striped clothes because you absolutely could pull it off.">> <<option "It was not your usual look. This particular sweater was a gift and today happened to be laundry day so you had nothing else to wear.">> <<option "It was a look. You liked the sweater well enough although you didn’t wear it often enough to call it your look.">> <</cycle>> It was long enough to go past your <<cycle "$hipsorbutt" autoselect>>\ <<option "hips">> <<option "butt">> <</cycle>> and cover a portion of your<<cycle "$pants" autoselect>>\ <<option "leggings">> <<option "mini skirt">> <<option "skirt">> <<option "booty shorts">> <<option "shorts">> <<option "jeans">> <<option "sweats">> <<option "khakis">> <<option "cargo pants">> <</cycle>>. Youve also got on some nice <<cycle "$shoes" autoselect>>\ <<option "boots">> <<option "uggs">> <<option "sneakers">> <<option "shoes">> <<option "flats">> <<option "slippers">> <</cycle>>. Not the worst outfit to have when you fall inside a mountain. The sweater was warm and comfy and your clothes are on the sturdier side. That’s right, let’s keep focusing on the [[bright side]].

Hell yeah. Although just for peace of mind it wouldn’t hurt to check yourself over. You feel around your body and check for any broken bones or cuts. To your astonishment, it really seems like you’re okay. You somehow fell from a magnificent height and came out unscathed. That’s a miracle! Even your clothes are fine, aside from a little dirt. That’s amazing. You’re amazing! Look at that height! You survived it. You survived! If you can survive that fall, then surely you can survive getting out of here. You are filled with DETERMINATION! Look at you go. You pat down your striped sweater. <<cycle "$stripedsweater" autoselect>>\ <<option "It was your usual look. You loved striped clothes because you absolutely could pull it off.">> <<option "It was not your usual look. This particular sweater was a gift and today happened to be laundry day so you had nothing else to wear.">> <<option "It was a look. You liked the sweater well enough although you didn’t wear it often enough to call it your look.">> <</cycle>> It was long enough to go past your <<cycle "$hipsorbutt" autoselect>>\ <<option "hips">> <<option "butt">> <</cycle>> and cover a portion of your<<cycle "$pants" autoselect>>\ <<option "leggings">> <<option "mini skirt">> <<option "skirt">> <<option "booty shorts">> <<option "shorts">> <<option "jeans">> <<option "sweats">> <<option "khakis">> <<option "cargo pants">> <</cycle>>. Youve also got on some nice <<cycle "$shoes" autoselect>>\ <<option "boots">> <<option "uggs">> <<option "sneakers">> <<option "shoes">> <<option "flats">> <<option "slippers">> <</cycle>>. Not the worst outfit to have when you fall inside a mountain. The sweater was warm and comfy and your clothes are on the sturdier side. That’s right, let’s keep focusing on the [[bright side]].

Oh no! Quick, look yourself over to find your mortal wound so you can see how much time you have left in this cruel, cruel world. You feel around your body and check for any broken bones or cuts. To your astonishment, it really seems like you’re okay. You somehow fell from a magnificent height and came out unscathed. That’s a miracle! Even your clothes are fine, aside from a little dirt. That’s amazing. You’re amazing! Look at that height! You survived it. You survived! If you can survive that fall, then surely you can survive getting out of here. You are filled with DETERMINATION! Look at you go. You pat down your striped sweater. <<cycle "$stripedsweater" autoselect>>\ <<option "It was your usual look. You loved striped clothes because you absolutely could pull it off.">> <<option "It was not your usual look. This particular sweater was a gift and today happened to be laundry day so you had nothing else to wear.">> <<option "It was a look. You liked the sweater well enough although you didn’t wear it often enough to call it your look.">> <</cycle>> It was long enough to go past your <<cycle "$hipsorbutt" autoselect>>\ <<option "hips">> <<option "butt">> <</cycle>> and cover a portion of your<<cycle "$pants" autoselect>>\ <<option "leggings">> <<option "mini skirt">> <<option "skirt">> <<option "booty shorts">> <<option "shorts">> <<option "jeans">> <<option "sweats">> <<option "khakis">> <<option "cargo pants">> <</cycle>>. Youve also got on some nice <<cycle "$shoes" autoselect>>\ <<option "boots">> <<option "uggs">> <<option "sneakers">> <<option "shoes">> <<option "flats">> <<option "slippers">> <</cycle>>. Not the worst outfit to have when you fall inside a mountain. The sweater was warm and comfy and your clothes are on the sturdier side. That’s right, let’s keep focusing on the [[bright side]].

Now confident that you are indeed alive, unscathed, and filled with DETERMINATION, it is time to take a look at where you fell. You landed in a bed of yellow flowers, unlike any flowers you have seen before, that have grown under the sunlight. They are cartoonish with their big petals, and lackadaisical swaying in the nonexistent wind. Bending down to give them a sniff, you notice they have no smell to them. All you can smell is the cave you’re in which smells like any other cave: musky and weird. Taking a glance around, you find that the cave walls are smooth. You don’t //think// that can happen naturally, which means someone //probably// carved these walls into the cave. From that you infer were people here at some point. Maybe an old mining compant or something similiar? Giving it some thought: you can’t recall there being any mining operations set up around the mountain. It was nearly pristine on the outside. So when was this cave carved out? Taking a few steps forward, you are caught off guard when a flower sprouts out of the ground in front of you. The flower is unlike the others. It is slightly bigger, and most noticeably has a face on it. Although the face looks badly damaged, and the petals are wilting. The flower notices you immediately and lets out a whimper. “A human? Wh-What are you doing here?” You tell the flower you fell. You point up. “Oh no. . . y-you should leave. . . this place isn’t safe.” You ask the flower what happened to it. The flower winces. “I’m not very strong, so the others like to pick on me when they see me. This spot is usually safe to hide.” The flower looks at you expectantly. You notice there is a slight tremble to it. It is afraid of you. That’s a first. Well, okay, a lot of this is a first. Surviving the fall, meeting a talking flower, //having the flower be afraid of you. . .// All of this is strange enough to make you wonder if you really did die back there and this is all a very weird afterlife. You ask the flower why it’s afraid of you. “A-Aren’t you going to k-kill me?” the flower asks. “Those are the rules of this world. It’s kill or be killed down here.” [[Oh. That's rather concerning.]] [[Those aren't your rules.]] [[You have no intentions of attacking.]] <<set $asrielrom = 0>> [[You could never hurt such a cutie.]] ♡

The flower snorts. “Concerning is an understatement. Do you not know where you are? Don’t you realize the danger you’re in?” You ask the flower to elaborate. “You’re in UNDERFELL. In this kingdom it’s kill or be killed. That goes double for humans. Every human who has fallen down here has died.” //Every// human? That is definitely a problem. It'd be a shame to survive such a spectacular fall only to die an hour later. You realize this might explain the superstition about Mt. Ebott. It is said that any who venture into the mountain do not return. It’s such a notorious legend that they no longer send search and rescue parties for those who go missing because the searchers also go missing. Do they all fall into the mountain and meet the same fate? “It’s not even a blessing you survived the fall—most don’t—because that means the monsters will get you instead,” the flower mumbles. “I don’t suppose you can climb?” You look up at where you fell. You do not think you can climb that and you tell the flower such. “Hah. . . sorry, human,” the flower said. “I wish I c-could help you, I r-really do, but I can’t even help myself. . .” The flower shrinks into itself, hunching over. You give the flower a smile and assure it you’ll be okay. Will you? [[Yep.]] [[Who knows.]] [[Not even a little bit. Fake it 'til you make it, right?]] [[Kinda wish the fall killed me.]]

The flower scoffs. “You think they’d care? Do you not know where you are? Don’t you realize the danger you’re in?” You ask the flower to elaborate. “You’re in UNDERFELL. In this kingdom it’s kill or be killed. That goes double for humans. Every human who has fallen down here has died.” //Every// human? That is definitely a problem. It'd be a shame to survive such a spectacular fall only to die an hour later. You realize this might explain the superstition about Mt. Ebott. It is said that any who venture into the mountain do not return. It’s such a notorious legend that they no longer send search and rescue parties for those who go missing because the searchers also go missing. Do they all fall into the mountain and meet the same fate? “It’s not even a blessing you survived the fall—most don’t—because that means the monsters will get you instead,” the flower mumbles. “I don’t suppose you can climb?” You look up at where you fell. You do not think you can climb that and you tell the flower such. “Hah. . . sorry, human,” the flower said. “I wish I c-could help you, I r-really do, but I can’t even help myself. . .” The flower shrinks into itself, hunching over. You give the flower a smile and assure it you’ll be okay. Will you? [[Yep.]] [[Who knows.]] [[Not even a little bit. Fake it 'til you make it, right?]] [[Kinda wish the fall killed me.]]

The flower smiles weakly. “Do you not know where you are? Don’t you realize the danger you’re in?” You ask the flower to elaborate. “You’re in UNDERFELL. In this kingdom it’s kill or be killed. That goes double for humans. Every human who has fallen down here has died.” //Every// human? That is definitely a problem. It'd be a shame to survive such a spectacular fall only to die an hour later. You realize this might explain the superstition about Mt. Ebott. It is said that any who venture into the mountain do not return. It’s such a notorious legend that they no longer send search and rescue parties for those who go missing because the searchers also go missing. Do they all fall into the mountain and meet the same fate? “It’s not even a blessing you survived the fall—most don’t—because that means the monsters will get you instead,” the flower mumbles. “I don’t suppose you can climb?” You look up at where you fell. You do not think you can climb that and you tell the flower such. “Hah. . . sorry, human,” the flower said. “I wish I c-could help you, I r-really do, but I can’t even help myself. . .” The flower shrinks into itself, hunching over. You give the flower a smile and assure it you’ll be okay. Will you? [[Yep.]] [[Who knows.]] [[Not even a little bit. Fake it 'til you make it, right?]] [[Kinda wish the fall killed me.]]

That's right. Because you have you. The flower looks up at your smile and tentatively smiles back at you. “I. . . I think introductions are in o-order. Howdy! I’m Flowey the Flower. Who are you?” Enter your name: <<textbox "$name" "">> [[Next]]

You'll be okay. You have yourself. The flower looks up at your smile and tentatively smiles back at you. “I. . . I think introductions are in o-order. Howdy! I’m Flowey the Flower. Who are you?” Enter your name: <<textbox "$name" "">> [[Next]]

That's the spirit! The flower looks up at your smile and tentatively smiles back at you. “I. . . I think introductions are in o-order. Howdy! I’m Flowey the Flower. Who are you?” Enter your name: <<textbox "$name" "">> [[Next]]

Are you okay? [[Yes.]] [[No.]]

Okay. . . You give yourself a hug because you deserve it. The flower looks up at your smile and tentatively smiles back at you. “I. . . I think introductions are in o-order. Howdy! I’m Flowey the Flower. Who are you?” Enter your name: <<textbox "$name" "">> [[Next]]

You give yourself a hug because you absolutely deserve it. You’ll be okay! You survived the trauma, you can survive living too. You’re so much stronger than you think. The flower looks up at your smile and tentatively smiles back at you. “I. . . I think introductions are in o-order. Howdy! I’m Flowey the Flower. Who are you?” Enter your name: <<textbox "$name" "">> [[Next]]

<<if $name is "Frisk">>Since you have chosen Frisk as your first, it will not be your nickname. Flowey bounces a bit in place and smiles. “That’s a funny name, but I like it.” You thank him. [[Flowey bobs his head.]] <<else>> “That’s a nice name. Is it your only name?” Your face twists. It is not. You have a nickname. Frisk. It. . . <<cycle "$frisknickname" autoselect>>\ <<option "is an embarrassing nickname that only those closest to you know about.">> <<option "is your online name so your online buddies call you that instead.">> <<option "is a funny nickname that you are okay to share.">> <<option "is your middle name that some people feel obsessed to call you by that instead of your real name as soon as they find out about it.">> <<option "is a nickname that you honestly have no idea how you got.">> <</cycle>> Flowey bounces a bit in place and smiles. “That’s a funny nickname, but I think your real name is nicer.” You thank him. [[Flowey bobs his head.]] <</if>>

You ask him how you can leave since you can’t climb. “You’ll have to go out the main barrier,” said Flowey. “Before that, you’ll need to escape these ruins.” You glance around the cave. These are ruins? “Yes, although it mostly serves as a graveyard now,” Flowey said. “Up ahead you’ll understand.” It seems like Flowey knows his way around. You ask Flowey if he could show you the way out. “M-Me? But I’m so weak. I—I can’t protect you,” the flower stammers nervously. [[You reassure Flowey that’s okay. You can protect yourself.]] [[You reassure Flowey that's okay. You can protect both of you.]] ♡

Yes, let's hope for that. You also notice a small first aid kit. You think it might help Flowey so you bring it with you. With the backpack and first aid kit in hand, you return to Flowey. The flower monster brightens up when he notices you. “You’re okay! Thank goodness,” he says. You smile at him and tell him you have something for him. “For me? What--?” You take out the first aid kit first and start to apply it. He flinches at the wipes, but then smiles at you again when you put a bandage on his face. “Thank you, human. . . no one has been so nice to me in. . . in a very long time.” Poor thing. You show Flowey the backpack and ask if he’d be okay to join you this way. “Yes, that’s perfect. Until I’m strong enough to move around again, it will do nicely.” That’s good! You’re pleased Flowey is happy. You carefully scoop dirt into the backpack, and then you gently place Flowey inside. His roots tickle your hands as you settle him. You slip the backpack on. It’s time to move on. When you re-enter the room with mounds, you spare another glance at the graves. “These are the graves of the h-humans that died from the fall,” Flowey explains. “The Ruins Keeper, Toriel, buries them here.” Toriel? Your expression of plain curiosity encouraged Flowey to continue. “She’s. . . n-not good. She’s kind of crazy.” Flowey worriedly looks around the room. “She acts nice to the humans who survive and then kills them. D-Don’t trust her. Unfortunately, the only way out of the r-ruins is through her house so we have to sneak by her somehow.” Hmm. Sounds <<cycle "$soundslikefun" autoselect>>\ <<option "like fun.">> <<option "like a challenge.">> <<option "dangerous.">> <<option "interesting.">> <</cycle>> You’ll have to get through it regardless. [[You linger at the graves. You think they look lonely.]] [[You linger at the graves. You want to offer up a prayer for them.]] [[You and Flowey press on.]]

This is true. You also notice a small first aid kit. You think it might help Flowey so you bring it with you. With the backpack and first aid kit in hand, you return to Flowey. The flower monster brightens up when he notices you. “You’re okay! Thank goodness,” he says. You smile at him and tell him you have something for him. “For me? What--?” You take out the first aid kit first and start to apply it. He flinches at the wipes, but then smiles at you again when you put a bandage on his face. “Thank you, human. . . no one has been so nice to me in. . . in a very long time.” Poor thing. You show Flowey the backpack and ask if he’d be okay to join you this way. “Yes, that’s perfect. Until I’m strong enough to move around again, it will do nicely.” That’s good! You’re pleased Flowey is happy. You carefully scoop dirt into the backpack, and then you gently place Flowey inside. His roots tickle your hands as you settle him. You slip the backpack on. It’s time to move on. When you re-enter the room with mounds, you spare another glance at the graves. “These are the graves of the h-humans that died from the fall,” Flowey explains. “The Ruins Keeper, Toriel, buries them here.” Toriel? Your expression of plain curiosity encouraged Flowey to continue. “She’s. . . n-not good. She’s kind of crazy.” Flowey worriedly looks around the room. “She acts nice to the humans who survive and then kills them. D-Don’t trust her. Unfortunately, the only way out of the r-ruins is through her house so we have to sneak by her somehow.” Hmm. Sounds <<cycle "$soundslikefun" autoselect>>\ <<option "like fun.">> <<option "like a challenge.">> <<option "dangerous.">> <<option "interesting.">> <</cycle>> <<set $friskhaschain = 0>> You’ll have to get through it regardless. [[You linger at the graves. You think they look lonely.]] [[You linger at the graves. You want to offer up a prayer for them.]] [[You and Flowey press on.]]

It's okay, surely the owners understand. You also notice a small first aid kit. You think it might help Flowey so you bring it with you. With the backpack and first aid kit in hand, you return to Flowey. The flower monster brightens up when he notices you. “You’re okay! Thank goodness,” he says. You smile at him and tell him you have something for him. “For me? What--?” You take out the first aid kit first and start to apply it. He flinches at the wipes, but then smiles at you again when you put a bandage on his face. “Thank you, human. . . no one has been so nice to me in. . . in a very long time.” Poor thing. You show Flowey the backpack and ask if he’d be okay to join you this way. “Yes, that’s perfect. Until I’m strong enough to move around again, it will do nicely.” That’s good! You’re pleased Flowey is happy. You carefully scoop dirt into the backpack, and then you gently place Flowey inside. His roots tickle your hands as you settle him. You slip the backpack on. It’s time to move on. When you re-enter the room with mounds, you spare another glance at the graves. “These are the graves of the h-humans that died from the fall,” Flowey explains. “The Ruins Keeper, Toriel, buries them here.” Toriel? Your expression of plain curiosity encouraged Flowey to continue. “She’s. . . n-not good. She’s kind of crazy.” Flowey worriedly looks around the room. “She acts nice to the humans who survive and then kills them. D-Don’t trust her. Unfortunately, the only way out of the r-ruins is through her house so we have to sneak by her somehow.” Hmm. Sounds <<cycle "$soundslikefun" autoselect>>\ <<option "like fun.">> <<option "like a challenge.">> <<option "dangerous.">> <<option "interesting.">> <</cycle>> You’ll have to get through it regardless. [[You linger at the graves. You think they look lonely.]] [[You linger at the graves. You want to offer up a prayer for them.]] [[You and Flowey press on.]]

Each step into your journey is met with an echo. The halls and caverns of these ruins are massive and empty. The silence is overbearing. If not for your footsteps, you might have gone insane in that silence. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "ruins"volume 0.15 loop play>> Flowey does not say a word. You get the feeling that the flower monster is tired; he rests his head on your shoulder as you walk. What feels like ten minutes go by until Flowey speaks. He says, “Be careful of the d-discarded traps. These ruins used to have a lot of puzzles and traps, but the last humans that came through here d-destroyed them. No one has bothered to reset them.” You see the first of these destroyed traps in the next room. There is a pit with spikes in it. Oh, scratch that, you see //several// pits with spikes in them. You peer down each one, although it is too dark to see the bottom, and your phone flashlight is not strong enough to compensate. As you progress through the dilapidated structures, you wonder what this place used to be for. It must have been something before it became ruins, right? You ask Flowey. “I don’t know,” Flowey admits. “It’s always been ruins to me. And I’m--I’m too scared to approach the other monsters by myself to ask.” You assure Flowey that’s okay. Maybe you can figure it out? The walls and floor are made with stone. They are mostly uniform. Since the monsters were sealed before the industrial revolution, the only way to obtain that uniformity would mean these stones were carved by magic. Which makes sense: this is a monster kingdom and monsters primarily use magic. This place was built into the mountain—deep inside—and there are many pillars with odd carvings into them. It might be monster writing. When monsters and humans shared the surface they developed one verbal language to use globally known as DotumChe. Each race retained their own language, however it was no longer common practice. The human language before DotumChe—known as Arial—has largely died out. Do you ask Flowey about the writings? [[Yes, you ask Flowey about the writings.]] [[No, you do not ask Flowey about the writings.]]

You motion to one of the pillars and ask Flowey about the writings. “Um,” said Flowey, squinting. “I’m s-sorry, $name. I can’t read that.” That’s okay, maybe you’ll meet a monster who can! You enter another room. To your surprise, you are not alone. “Ribbit,” croaks a gravelly voice. ''[Here comes Froggit]'' “Oh no, a monster,” Flowey’s voice cracks with fear. “R-Run away.” The frog monster is about half your size, and twice your weight. It looks at you with beady eyes. You feel something inside of you stir. There is a rush of energy, something familiar and tangible. It is a sensation similar to when you were falling in the first place. You are filled with DETERMINATION. Your heart pumps in your chest. There is a glow inside of you waiting to burst free. Flowey gasps, “Your ''SOUL''! It’s visible.” You look down at your chest. Yes, there it is. A heart in the color of <<cycle "$soulcolor" autoselect>>\ <<option "red">> <<option "blue">> <<option "purple">> <<option "pink">> <<option "green">> <<option "yellow">> <<option "orange">> <<option "gold">> <<option "white">> <<option "black">> <</cycle>>. That’s you. That’s your ''SOUL'': the culmination of your very being. But why do you see it? And why do others? “Humans with a ''SOUL'' strong enough to be visible are number one targets in UNDERFELL,” Flowey says nervously. “Now that Froggit knows you’re one of them, y-you’ll have to kill him t-to make sure he can’t tell anyone else. In this world it’s kill or be killed.” [[No, no. Those are not the rules you play by.]] [[No. There must be another way.]] [[You outright refuse to participate.]]

You decide against it. If Flowey was able to read these in the first place—and if they meant anything important about the place—he’d already know what the ruins used to be. You enter another room. To your surprise, you are not alone. “Ribbit,” croaks a gravelly voice. ‘’[Here comes Froggit]’’ “Oh no, a monster,” Flowey’s voice cracks with fear. “R-Run away.” The frog monster is about half your size, and twice your weight. It looks at you with beady eyes. You feel something inside of you stir. There is a rush of energy, something familiar and tangible. It is a sensation similar to when you were falling in the first place. You are filled with DETERMINATION. Your heart pumps in your chest. There is a glow inside of you waiting to burst free. Flowey gasps, “Your ‘’SOUL’’! It’s visible.” You look down at your chest. Yes, there it is. A heart in the color of <<cycle "$soulcolor" autoselect>>\ <<option "red">> <<option "blue">> <<option "purple">> <<option "pink">> <<option "green">> <<option "yellow">> <<option "orange">> <<option "white">> <<option "black">> <</cycle>>. That’s you. That’s your SOUL: the culmination of your very being. But why do you see it? And why do others? “Humans with a SOUL strong enough to be visible are number one targets in UNDERFELL,” Flowey says nervously. “Now that Froggit knows you’re one of them, y-you’ll have to kill him t-to make sure he can’t tell anyone else. In this world it’s kill or be killed.” [[No, no. Those are not the rules you play by.]] [[No. There must be another way.]] [[You outright refuse to participate.]]

That’s right. There has to be another way. You turn to Froggit who opens their mouth and lets out a stream of flies. The flies fly erratically at you. “Don’t let it touch your ''SOUL''!” Flowey cries out. You step back, narrowly dodging the flies. They dissipate moments later. You put your phone away to ensure you don't accidentally drop it. The time is now. You are filled with DETERMINATION. [[HERE COMES FROGGIT]]

The room is dimly lit, the only source of light comes from the flickering torches along the wall. The flames produce such a small amount of light it is difficult to see small details. It doesn't help that these ruins are made of a dark stained stone. It feels like you're in a tomb. Froggit stares at you. Life must be difficult for this monster. <<if $FroggitKiller eq 1>> Froggit jumps on top of you, squashing you like a pancake on the side of the road. ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> <<timed 3s>> //P-Please d-don’t give up, $name! P-Please. . .// [[You step back, narrowly dodging the flies. They dissipate moments later.]] <</timed>> <<else>> <<if $FroggitSpared eq 1>> You show Froggit some ''MERCY.'' You smile back at Froggit. An understanding has been reached. [[You bid the monster a good day and you head on your way.]] <<else>> [[ACT: Compliment Froggit.]] [[ACT: Threaten Froggit.]] [[ACT: Ignore Froggit.]] <</if>> <</if>>

You step back, narrowly dodging the flies. They dissipate moments later. <<set $FroggitKiller = 0>> The time is now. You are filled with DETERMINATION. [[HERE COMES FROGGIT]]

“Why did you do that? You should have killed him,” Flowey tells you, worry evident in his tone. “I-If the other monsters know about your ''SOUL'' you’ll be hunted.” You tell Flowey you’ll be okay. Oh hey! The ruins you’re in have flowers now. The flowers aren’t alive, but it’s interesting to know that there used to be living flowers here. There is no sunlight down here—there’s barely any light at all. How did the flowers grow? Magic? What else could magic do? You walk through the room and down the next tunnel. Your phone light flickers and dies out as soon as you reach the next room. A glance at your phone tells you the battery has officially died. The idea of one day charging your phone again fills you with DETERMINATION. The next area you enter has more puzzles, although they are sadly broken. Why did the humans destroy all the traps and puzzles? Some look dangerous, but others do not. You stare at some of the levers--broken and rusted--and wonder what they were used for previously. “You’re different from the other humans,” Flowey observes. “Wh-Why do you care about broken puzzles?” Hmm. Why indeed. . . Another question instead, why do monsters set up puzzles and traps? It seems like it would make things harder. “I don’t know,” Flowey admits. “N-Not all monsters like puzzles, i-it’s just that the ones that do g-go pretty hard on them.” <<set $NapstablookFlirted = 0>> Does Flowey? “M-Me? S-Sometimes, I guess? And you?” You do not have a chance to answer as you notice another monster in your way. Although this one is not a frog. The red-outlined ghost has a sinister smile on his face, and lines reminiscent to dried tears down each eye. [[HERE COMES NAPSTABLOOK]]

You compliment Froggit. Froggit doesn’t understand what you are saying but is flattered anyway. <<set $FroggitSpared = 1>> The monster fidgets in place for a moment before it hops closer to you. Froggit gives you a smile. [[HERE COMES FROGGIT]]

You threaten Froggit. Froggit doesn’t understand what you are saying but is deeply offended anyway. The monster hops towards you, nearly squashing you in the process. <<set $FroggitKiller = 1>> You have to roll out of the way, which jumbles Flowey. [[HERE COMES FROGGIT]]

The faint odor of ectoplasm permeates the vicinity. The air feels noticeably colder, as if you had stepped into a freezer. You cannot suppress your shiver. <<masteraudio stop>><<audio "ghostfight"volume 0.15 loop play>> <<if $NapstablookFlirted eq 1>> You tell Napstablook you love his smile. Napstablook’s malicious grin widens and he leans closer to you. You meet him halfway, and at once the ghost passes through you. His deathly touch around your heart causes it to seize. Your heart is no longer beating, it has become petrified. With your heart no longer beating you cannot breathe anymore and you collapse. Your world grows dim as you hear Napstablook whisper, “. . . liar. . .” ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> <<timed 3s>> //. . . why. . . no one. . . loves me. . . so why. . . // [[You bid the monster a good day and you head on your way.]] <</timed>> <<else>> <<if $NapstablookSpared eq 2>> [[ACT: Cheer Napstablook One More TIme]] [[ACT: Flirt with Napstablook♡]] <<else>> <<if $NapstablookSpared eq 1>> [[ACT: Cheer Napstablook Again]] [[ACT: Flirt with Napstablook]] <<else>> [[ACT: Cheer Napstablook.]] [[ACT: Flirt with Napstablook]] [[ACT: Ignore Napstablook.]] <</if>> <</if>> <</if>>

You assure Napstablook that all is forgiven. He mumbles, “oh gee. . . i usually come here to get away from all the. . . mean monsters. . . and liars. . . but today i met someone nice. . .” You tell Napstablook you think he is nice as well. “but i. . . would have killed you. . . you know. . .?” You remind Napstablook that you’re alive now and you smile at him. [[Napstablook’s form quivers and then fades away.]]

You assure Napstablook that all is forgiven, and you give him a wink. <<if $asrielrom eq 2>> You think you hear a noise of disgust from the backpack, but it's so quiet you can't be sure. <</if>> “oh,” mumbled Napstablook, a slight pinkish tinge to his face. [[Napstablook’s form quivers and then fades away.]]

You smile patiently at Napstablook. Napstablook’s expression changes. His sinister smile slowly recedes. <<set $NapstablookSpared = 1>> [[HERE COMES NAPSTABLOOK]]

You tell Napstablook a little joke. Napstablook’s expression changes. He is now frowning. His demeanor shifts. His body brightens from crimson red to a pale white. He says in a quiet voice, “. . . i. . . i. . . i’m sorry. . . can you forgive me. . .” <<set $NapstablookSpared = 2>> [[HERE COMES NAPSTABLOOK]]

You tell Napstablook he has a charming smile. Napstablook’s expression changes. Napstablook’s smile widens <<set $NapstablookFlirted = 1>> [[HERE COMES NAPSTABLOOK]]

<<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "ruins"volume 0.15 loop play>> The path is clear and you must carry on with your journey. “Y-You aren’t even //trying// to attack them,” Flowey says, his tone dubious. Why would you? “Do you not think they’ll k-kill you? It’s kill or be killed in this world. The humans before you understood that.” Did they really? “O-Of course they did. Humans and monsters. . . th-there might be some odd exceptions every now and then, but as a whole. . . there’s no way we can all get along.” Hmm. You disagree. Flowey smiles weakly up at you. “I admire your DETERMINATION even if it’s misplaced.” You disagree again. Your DETERMINATION is what makes you //you//. It hasn’t lead you wrong yet. You don’t think monsters and humans can’t get along. Quite the opposite. You think they could get along very well. You tell this to Flowey who gives you a wane smile. The two of you carry on in silence for many more minutes. The path through the ruins is linear, and you do not come across any new monsters. Eventually you reach your destination. There is a house ahead of you. At the front of the house is a dead tree that is so old and rotted it’s a small wonder it's still standing. The black stone steps leading up the house are cracked and falling to pieces. The dark paint is peeling on the outside of the house and the windows are boarded shut. It’s a culmination of every horror movie house you have ever encountered. You know you must go through it. You survived the fall. You can survive this. [[You are filled with DETERMINATION.]]

Flowey stretches up from his spot in the backpack. He gently nudges into your neck. “You can do this, $name. L-Let’s get through this together!” With a firm nod, you head up the stairs. The front door, a dark thing made of old wood, offers no resistance as you push it open. Contrary to the outside, the inside is well-kept. There are numerous candles that cast a warm glow around the front room. Stepping inside, your $shoes sink into a golden carpet. There is a hallway to your right, a hallway to your left, and right in front of you are stairs. Flowey whispers, “The way out is down the stairs. Hurry, before Toriel notices us.” You follow Flowey’s advice and head down the stairs. They lead to a long, empty hallway. It feels rather strange to be going further down in order to ultimately climb up and out of the mountain. But this whole ordeal is strange, so what’s a little more strangeness? When you make it out of here, you’re certain the other humans will want to meet the monsters. There’s so much magic in the world, and with little to no wizards left monsters are the only ones who can use magic. You’re positive the majority of humans would be thrilled to have monsters rejoin the surface. Hmm. You wonder why the monsters—who can use magic—have not destroyed the barrier? It would be very old by this point and thus should be easy to destroy. You may not be a wizard, but it’s common knowledge that spells deteriorate with time. That’s one of the reasons why magic-users are so valued in your society: they’re the only ones who can refresh century old spells that have kept cities running. The fact that the barrier still exists is unexpected. You very much doubt the spell is strong enough to keep an entire kingdom of monsters out for centuries, so then why. . .? You have reached the end of a long hallway and arrive at a massive door. There is a padlock in front of the door, and a quick jimmy shows that it’s locked tight. “A human?” You turn away from the locked door and face a tall monster. Her voice is soft and gentle, a contradiction to the uneasy feeling you get when you stare into her big yellow eyes. She, like Froggit, has animal characteristics. She is most like a goat, with her head shaped that way and two white horns atop her head. She is wearing tattered robes, and her large, clawed hands are clutched tightly together. “You don’t want to go out that way,” she says. “It’s Toriel,” Flowey whispers in your ear. “Run!” You ask Toriel why not. “They’ll be much crueler. Come, human. You must be tired, right? Why don’t you join me for some tea?” “Don’t trust her,” Flowey warns. “She’ll kill you." You [[choose to trust Toriel]] [[choose to not trust Toriel]]

“Oh no,” Flowey moans as you agree to follow Toriel. “We’re so dead.” Toriel smiles at you, although you can’t shake the feeling there’s something off with her gaze. She motions for you to follow her and you do. You head back up the stairs and she guides you to a quaint little kitchen. You watch as she brews some tea. She places sugar and milk on the table for you to use. She pours you a cup of tea, and then one for herself. “You must have many questions,” she says. “Run while you can,” Flowey whispers. “I see the key on her belt, grab it and run.” You [[Decide not to. You drink the tea.]] [[Decide to do exactly that.]]

<<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "heartache"volume 0.15 loop play>> You square your shoulders and tell her no. She flinches. “Human, please.” You tell her no. You tell her you want to leave. “You can’t. It’s too dangerous out there. Please come with me. Everything will be much better with me.” You remain firm. You want to leave. You kindly ask her to unlock the door. Toriel’s demeanor shifts. Her eyes harden and her clawed hands clench into fists. “No. You do not understand what you are asking, human. You do not know, but I am giving you a ''MERCY''. Please accept this ''MERCY'' and come with me.” You tell her no. Toriel eyes close. “Very well.” She re-opens them. “You will have to pry the key from my dust, human.” Whoa that escalated quickly. You refuse to fight her. You are filled with DETERMINATION. Flames appear around her hands and she throws them at you. You reflexively try to move out of the way, just barely dodging it. Your ''SOUL'' has flared to life on your chest, steadily beating. Its light shines a bright $soulcolor. She does not respond to you, but you see her face twists into a grimace. [[She throws another fireball at you which you must dodge.]]

Mm. It’s delicious. Toriel smiles patiently at you. “I’m glad you came with me. In this world, I may not have much of a choice, but if I can spare some ''MERCY''. . . You understand that, don’t you? That’s why you agreed to come with me. That’s why you agreed to drink.” You’re feeling oddly sleepy now. Your limbs are tingly and warm. “It’s a gentle death,” she says kindly. “If you die in the ruins, your ''SOUL'' can float back up and pass through the barrier. You won’t stay trapped here.” Oh dear. Your stomach is starting to burn, and your head is swimming in a sea of clouds. Everything is so dizziyingly light. You feel like one good wind would blow you away. “Please rest well,” Toriel says. “This is the only ''MERCY'' I know.” Darkness edges your vision as you slip into a slumber you cannot wake up from. ''You have died.'' <<timed 5s>> <<set $deaths += 1>> <<type 135ms>>//Sleep well, dear human.//<</type>> [[You are filled with DETERMINATION.]]<</timed>>

You feign a sip on the tea, waiting for Toriel to sit down. Your whole body is tense, wired with adrenaline at what you’re about to do. You curl your toes in anticipation. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "heartache"volume 0.15 loop play>> The moment she settles down, you flip the table over. It startles her, and while she is struggling to get free from the table you bend over and grab the key from her belt. You sprint out of the room and <<if $TorielThirdDeath eq 1>> <<set$TorielSecondDeath = 0>> [[You know how this goes, but you are better prepared. You will survive this time!]] <<else>> [[Jump over the railing to land on the steps.]] [[Quickly run to the edge of the stairs.]] <</if>> <<if $TorielSecondDeath eq 1>> ''You'll be faster this time. You can do this, don't give up.'' [[Jump over the railing to land on the steps then immediately duck in anticipation of the fireball.]] [[Quickly run to the edge of the stairs then immediately duck in anticipation of the fireball.]] <<else>> <</if>> <<if $TorielAltDeath eq 1>> [[Jump over the railing to land on the steps then immediately duck in anticipation of the fireball.]] <<else>> <</if>> <<if $TorielAlttDeath eq 1>> [[Quickly run to the edge of the stairs then immediately duck in anticipation of the fireball.]] <<else>> <</if>>

You are hit in the back of the head by something painfully hot and your world explodes into crimson. ''You have died.''<<set $TorielAltDeath = 1>><<set $deaths += 1>> <<timed 3s>> <<type 135ms>>//Please don't do that, human.//<</type>> [[You are filled with DETERMINATION.]]<</timed>>

You have almost made it down the second step when you notice a giant fireball thrown right at your head. It hits your face, instantly melting your flesh. Lava-hot pain sears through you and your world explodes into crimson. ''You have died.''<<set $TorielAlttDeath = 1>><<set $deaths += 1>><<timed 3s>> <<type 135ms>>//Please don't run away, human.//<</type>> [[You are filled with DETERMINATION.]]<</timed>>

<<if $TorielSecondDeath eq 1>>Down the steps you run! You sprint as fast as can be down the hall. Your heart is pounding, your hands aren’t as shaky as last time so it’s much easier to unlock the door. You already have it open by the time Toriel shrieks, “STOP!” You are past the door and slamming it shut before the fireball ever reaches you. “Oh golly gosh that was close,” Flowey whispers. “I can’t believe we made it.” You smile at Flowey. The door bursts open from extreme magical pressure and fire. It slams into you and you are squashed underneath its weight. Ah. Probably should have kept running. ''You have died.''<<set $TorielThirdDeath = 1>><<set $TorielAlttDeath = 0>><<set $TorielAltDeath = 0>><<set $deaths += 1>> <<timed 3s>> <<type 135ms>>//Please stop this, human.//<</type>> [[You are filled with DETERMINATION.]]<</timed>><<else>><<set $TorielAlttDeath = 0>><<set $TorielAltDeath = 0>> Your heart is pounding, your hands are shaking, and you are struggling to unlock the door fast enough. “STOP!” she shrieks at you but you are too quick. The door is unlocked and you flung it open just as a fireball hits your entire body and you instantly turn to ash. ''You have died.''<<set $TorielSecondDeath = 1>><<set $deaths += 1>> <<timed 3s>> <<type 135ms>>//Please don't run away, human.//<</type>> [[You are filled with DETERMINATION.]]<</timed>><</if>>

<<if $TorielSecondDeath eq 1>>Down the steps you run! You sprint as fast as can be down the hall. Your heart is pounding, your hands aren’t as shaky as last time so it’s much easier to unlock the door. You already have it open by the time Toriel shrieks, “STOP!” You are past the door and slamming it shut before the fireball ever reaches you. “Oh golly gosh that was close,” Flowey whispers. “I can’t believe we made it.” You smile at Flowey. The door bursts open from extreme magical pressure and fire. It slams into you and you are squashed underneath its weight. Ah. Probably should have kept running. ''You have died.''<<set $TorielThirdDeath = 1>><<set $TorielAlttDeath = 0>><<set $TorielAltDeath = 0>><<set $deaths += 1>> <<timed 3s>> <<type 135ms>>//Please stop this, human.//<</type>> [[You are filled with DETERMINATION.]]<</timed>><<else>><<set $TorielAlttDeath = 0>><<set $TorielAltDeath = 0>>Your heart is pounding, your hands are shaking, and you are struggling to unlock the door fast enough. “STOP!” she shrieks at you but you are too quick. The door is unlocked and you flung it open just as a fireball hits your entire body and you instantly turn to ash. ''You have died.''<<set $TorielThirdDeath = 1>><<set $TorielSecondDeath = 0>><<set $TorielAlttDeath = 0<<set $TorielAltDeath = 0>><<set $deaths += 1>> <<timed 3s>> <<type 135ms>>//Please don't run away, human.//<</type>> [[You are filled with DETERMINATION.]]<</timed>><</if>>

You ump over the railing to land on the steps then immediately duck in anticipation of the fireball. Down the steps you run! You sprint as fast as can be down the hall. Your heart is pounding, your hands aren’t as shaky as last time so it’s much easier to unlock the door. You already have it open by the time Toriel shrieks, “STOP!” You are past the door and slamming it shut before the fireball ever reaches you. You do not stop. You keep on running. You hear the door being blown open behind you, and you do not pause for even a second. You run and run and run until you reach the end of the tunnel. There is another door. This one is also locked. You are out of breath. You tell her you don’t want to fight. She hiccups something between a laugh and a sob. “I do not either. You do not understand, human. What awaits you out there is a fate worse than death. If your SOUL is strong enough to linger, they will take it. They will inflinct unimagineable pain on you. There is no way out of Underfell. You are destined to die.” You will not die. You are filled with DETERMINATION. <<cycle "$TorielLastWords" autoselect>>\ <<option "You tell her you will not die.">> <<option "You soothingly reassure her you will not die.">> <<option "You promise her you will make it out of here.">> <<option "You ask her to beliebe in you.">> <</cycle>> Her eyes are watery. “I wish. . . I want to believe you. . . I. . .” She folds her clawed hands together as she searches your face. After several momnets of tense silence she gives you a wobbly smile. “You’re. . . very strong. So much stronger than I am, so perhaps you will be okay. Okay, human. . . I will unlock the door for you.” She moves slowly, pulling out a hidden key from her sleeves. You move aside to let her open the door. “Go ahead,” she whispers. “Good luck, human.” You tell her you don’t need luck. You have you. She smiles at that. “Then do your best not to get killed, okay?” You tell her okay. [[Before you go, you give Toriel a hug.]] [[Before you go, you pat Toriel's arm in a comforting manner.]] [[You leave the ruins without glancing back.]]

You have almost made it down the second step when you notice a giant fireball thrown right at your head. It hits your face, instantly melting your flesh. Lava-hot pain sears through you and your world explodes into crimson. ''You have died.''<<set $TorielAlttDeath = 1>><<set $deaths += 1>> <<timed 3s>> <<type 135ms>>//Please don't run away, human.//<</type>> [[You are filled with DETERMINATION.]]<</timed>>

She trembles in your arms. There is only a split second of hesitation and then she is returning your hug, just as fiercely. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "ruins"volume 0.15 loop play>> <<set $torielhug = 1>> “Oh,” she says, her voice wobbly. “Oh it’s been so long. . . Oh, thank you. . . human. . .” You squeeze her tighter. “Aha. . . I don’t want to let go now. . . but I know. . .” Toriel swallows loudly. “Please, please take care human. I cannot bear the thought of more SOULS being trapped in agony.” You offer her a kind smile. "What. . . What is your name?" You tell her your name. Toriel smiles at you. "$name. I will remember you. Thank you, $name." [[You leave the ruins.]]

"Goodbye, human," you hear Toriel whisper behind you. <<audio "heartache" stop>> <<audio "ruins"volume 0.15 loop play>> You do not stop. [[You leave the ruins.]]

She gives you a wobbly smile. “Thank you, human. Please take care.” <<masteraudio stop>><<audio "ruins"volume 0.15 loop play>> You tell her again that you will. [[You leave the ruins.]]

''END OF THE RUINS'' <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "menu"volume 0.15 loop play>> ---- <<if $deaths eq 2>> You have only died twice. That is the lowest amount of deaths possible here, good job! <<else>> You died <<print $deaths>> times. You could have died less, but that's okay! Maybe the next area will be kinder. <</if>> <<if $asrielrom eq 2>> It seems like you and Flowey are on the way to become two peas in a pod! <<else>> No one's caught your eye yet, huh? <</if>> <<if $friskhaschain eq 1>> You've obtained a mysterious chain. It looks important. <<else>> You missed an item. Is that okay? <</if>> <<if $torielhug eq 1>> You hugged Toriel. She won't forget your warmth. <</if>> [[Bright light blinds you momentarily as you step out out of the ruins.]]

You refuse to fight. <<timed 2s>> She looks away from you briefly, her body shaking. “Stop.” She hurls more fire at you. You refuse to fight. <</timed>> <<timed 4s>> You jump away, stumbling but quickly catch yourself. You right yourself up just in time for her to throw more fireballs at you. You refuse to fight. She is quivering. “STOP!”<</timed>> <<timed 6s>> You refuse to fight. Flowey shouts at you to defend yourself at the very least. You will not. Her whole body is shaking. Her yellowed eyes do not seem to be looking at you anymore, but rather through you. Her voice cracks, “Stop.” She shoots a plume of fire at you. You only have a split second to dodge— <</timed>> <<if $BurnedByToriel eq 1>> <<timed 8s>> [[UNDER! You roll under the flames.]] <</timed>> <<else>> <<timed 8s>> [[You dodge left to avoid the flames.]] [[You dodge right to avoid the flames.]] <</timed>> <</if>>

<<set $BurnedByToriel = 1>> You do not succeed in dodging. The flames hit you, scorching you until you are nothing but ash. ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> <<timed 3s>> //Why did you make me do this?// [[She throws another fireball at you which you must dodge.]] <</timed>>

You roll under it and pop back up right in front of her. You are close enough to hit her. You could hurt her. You will not. "Attack her! F-Fight!" Flowey's voice is shrill in your ears. You tell her you don't want to hurt her. She scrambles away from you, and shrieks, “YOU THINK I DO?!” You tell her you don’t want to fight. Toriel screams at you, “You must! YOU MUST! Fight back!” She throws more <<link "fireballs">><<replace "#fireballs">>but they wildly soar around you. "Are y-you insane, $name? A-Attack her," Flowey yells at you. But you refuse. "What are you doing?" Toriel's voice cracks, her yellowed eyes wide and manic. "Stop. I'll hurt you!" You will not attack her. “DO SOMETHING! ANYTHING!” she screams, her form shaking. Her fire flickers in an out of existence. “FIGHT ME! ATTACK ME!” But you refuse. She shrieks, sending a wall of flames at you. There is no way to dodge, and you brace yourself for death. However the fire has no heat to it. The magic inside has lost its malice. Toriel falls to her knees, clutching her head. “I don’t understand. . . I don’t understand. . . I don’t understand. . . I. . . I will kill you. I have to. It’s kill or be killed in this world.” You [[MERCY: You tell her it doesn't have to be this way.]] [[ACT: You hug Toriel.]] <</replace>> <</link>> @@#fireballs;@@

You give her a smile and say you don’t want to hurt her. <<audio "heartache" stop>> <<audio "ruins"volume 0.15 loop play>> [[ACT: You hug Toriel.]] [[MERCY: You tell her you can be friends.]]

<<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "ruins"volume 0.15 loop play>> You drop to your knees and hug her. She shudders under your touch and at once her arms envelop you. <<set $torielhug = 1>> She is shaking in your arms. “It is so much crueler out there, sweet human,” Toriel whispers. “At least here I would have put your ''SOUL'' to rest. I. . .” You pat her back. She squeezes you tightly, burying her face in your shoulder. “Thank you,” she whispers, her voice coming out in a raspy croak. "Thank you. . . It has been so long. . ." You tell her you are happy to be her <<link "friend">><<replace "#friend">> “I wish that were true,” she whispers. You ask her why she doesn’t think that way. “My husband. . .” Toriel trails off. “You. . . you should avoid him. Sneak past him if at all possible. He. . .” Toriel trails off, a distant look in her eyes. When you give her a squeeze, she startles and hugs you back fiercely. She blinks her golden eyes at you and offers you a wobbly smile. “I wish you good luck, sweet human,” she says. “I hope. . . you do not meet any other monster down here, so you may be spared their cruelty.” She seems reluctant to let you go, but after another minute of hugging she does. "I will unlock the doors for you. Please. . . do your best to survive, okay, human?" You assure her you will. She hesitates. "May I know your name, dear human?" You tell her your name. Toriel smiles. "$name. I will not forget you. I hope, very dearly, that you do not lose your kindness in this world." You hope so too. It's time for you to leave. [[You leave the ruins.]] <</replace>> <</link>> @@#friend;@@

“I wish that were true,” she whispers. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "ruins"volume 0.15 loop play>> You ask her why she doesn’t think that way. “My husband. . .” Toriel trails off. “You. . . you should avoid him. Sneak past him if at all possible. He. . .” Toriel trails off, a distant look in her eyes. When you reach out to her, she startles. She blinks her golden eyes at you and offers you a wobbly smile. “I wish you good luck, sweet human,” she says. “I hope. . . you do not meet any other monster down here, so you may be spared their cruelty.” You give her a smile. Toriel swallows roughly. “You’re. . . very strong. So much stronger than I am, so perhaps you will be okay. Okay, human. . . I will unlock the doors for you. Please. . . do your best to survive, okay, human?" You assure her you will. It's time for you to leave. [[You leave the ruins.]]

<<set $sanslove to 0>><<set $papslove to 0>><<set $friendshiproute = 0>> You have left the ruins. <<set $harem = 0>> <<set $grillbylove = 0>> <<set $silencedeath = 0>> “I can’t believe you made it out. . . without killing //anyone//,” Flowey says. He lifts his head off your shoulder and beams at you. “Y-You’re amazing.” <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "Snowy"volume 0.15 loop play>> [[Yes, you are an amazing woman.]] [[Yes. you are an amazing man.]] [[Yes, you are an amazing person.]]

You take your next step through the snow. It’s deep enough that your entire foot sinks into it. Luckily, your $shoes are the water-resistant kind. You walk through the snow and keep your gaze sharp to look for any potential monsters or traps. If monsters loved puzzles so much, you expect to run into them at some point. It is completely silent in the snowy-forest except for your footsteps. You wonder what you will face. //Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.// Flowey raises his head. “I--I haven’t left the ruins in a long time. The monsters outside are much stronger. Y-You have to be careful.” //Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.// You imagine the snow isn’t comfortable for the flower either. //Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.// Flowey chuckles. “Yeah. P-Past Snowdin it warms up. It only snows here.” //Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.// Oh? You’re about to ask why when-- //Crunch. Snip-Snap. Crunch.// Snip-Snap? You stop walking. [[“What’s wrong?” Flowey asks.]]

The monster is a skeleton, you think. He is short in stature, but has a roundness to him that should be impossible for a skeleton. He wears black with yellow-striped shorts, a red turtle neck, and a black jacket with a fur-lined hood. He laughs at your reaction. “HA! Yeh that scared of lil’ ‘ol me, $eyecolor-eyes?” You explain to the skeleton that you were startled by his sudden appearance. You apologize if your reaction offended him. “Offended? //Me?// HAH. Yeh got yerself a funny bone, human.” The skeleton offers you a hand. “Put ‘er there.” <<set $sansfirstnickname = "$eyecolor-eyes">> <<if $SansBuzzed eq 1>> [[You say you would rather shake his other hand.]] <<else>> [[You accept the skeleton’s red gloved hand.]] <</if>>

The monster is a skeleton, you think. He is short in stature, but has a roundness to him that should be impossible for a skeleton. He wears black with yellow-striped shorts, a red turtle neck, and a black jacket with a fur-lined hood. He leers at you. “What a cute noise. What other sounds do yeh make when poked, $eyecolor-eyes?” [[You blush from the strange skeleton’s words.]] ♡ [[You coyly flirt with the strange skeleton. There are ways to find out what noises you make. Fun ways.]] ♡ <<if $SansBuzzed eq 1>> [[You simply say it's nice to meet you and introduce yourself without offering a hand.]] <<else>> [[You apologize to the skeleton and hold your hand in a friendly handshake.]] <</if>>

The monster is a skeleton, you think. He is short in stature, but has a roundness to him that should be impossible for a skeleton. He wears black with yellow-striped shorts, a red turtle neck, and a black jacket with a fur-lined hood. He grins at you. “Hey there, $eyecolor-eyes. What’sa human like yeh doin’ out here?” You explain to him you fell down. “That much is obvious, human. I meant whatcha doin’ //still alive//?” The skeleton’s grin feels malicious. Oh dear. You decide to do your best to keep the conversation civil. You introduce yourself. “What a dumb name,” he says. You ask to hear his name. “Me? I’m Sans. Sans the skeleton.” The skeleton offers you a hand. “Put ‘er there.” <<set $sansfirstnickname = "$eyecolor-eyes">> <<if $SansBuzzed eq 1>> [[You say you would rather shake his other hand.]] <<else>> [[You accept the skeleton’s red gloved hand.]] <</if>>

Sans chuckles. “All right. Have it yer way.” He offers his other hand, which you take. You live. “Yeh seem like the bland type, howsabout yeh come with me?” Sans shrugs. “Not like yeh have much of a choice. Only one way forward ‘less yeh wanna try to go through the woods?” The woods are very dense and you are likely to get lost if you try to go through them. Try anyway? [[You decided to try to go through the very dense forest anyway.]] [[You realize you don’t have much choice with such a linear pathway, so you agree.]]

The moment you touch his hand a jolt of energy shoots through you. Your entire body shakes violently and convulses. You cannot breathe and your heart beats so quickly and erratically you are certain you’ll die. You do. ''You have died.'' <<set $SansBuzzed = 1>> <<set $deaths += 1>> <<type 135ms>>//Knock knock. . . who’s there? Not you, $sansfirstnickname. //<</type>> [[You thank Flowey. You feel much better about your journey now.]]

You make it a solid five minutes in and get completely lost. You have no sense of direction, and somehow your footsteps have been covered up. Flowey whispers, “I feel a lot of magic in these trees, $name. I think we should try to go back to the path.” Hmm. Hopefully Sans will be gone, so you agree. You try. You really do. You do not succeed. Two minutes in and you trip on a hidden root and fall in a perfect manner where your skull breaks against a rock underneath the snow. ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> <<timed 3s>> //Really had yeh’ trippin to get away, huh?// [[You thank Flowey. You feel much better about your journey now.]] <</timed>>

"Be careful," Flowey whispers in your ear. "I don't trust this guy." "I'm hurt," Sans sarcastically drawls out, his grin never leaving. "Come on, human. You want to get out of the cold, don't you?" You do. Flowey's magic is appreciated, but it's not flawless. You shouldn't stay out in the snow longer than necessary. Sans takes the lead. You notice he doesn’t sink into the snow like you do. In fact he doesn’t leave any footsteps behind, the snow quickly morphing and filling up behind him. It’s a curious thing to watch. You glance behind you and notice that your footsteps are also being refilled by surrounding snow, although it happens at a much slower rate. You ask Sans about it. "Why the fuck would I know?" he mutters. You ask Flowey. "W-Well. . . I think it's because the enviornment is enriched with magic?" Flowey bounces in the backpack, his face scrunching up. "I've only been here once when it was snowing, and I saw it leak out of th-those crystals above us." Flowey points to the red-glowing stalacites. That's interesting. Where does the water come from? "There's a marsh past Snowdin," explains Flowey. "A river runs through the wh-whole kingdom." A marsh? Underground? How does anything grow without sunlight? "Magic," says Flowey. Ah. Yes. Of course. "Keep up, $sansfirstnickname," says Sans. <<if $asrielrom eq 2>> "What a jerk," Flowey mutters in your ear. <</if>> [[You pick up the pace.]]

<<set $sanslove += 1>> The skeleton’s grin seems to widen. The red lights in his sockets brighten. “Yer interestin’. Tell yeh what. Yeh do well, we’ll see what other color I can make yeh.” Oh my. <<set $sansshy = 1>> <<set $sansbold = 0>> [[You are so red in the face you think you might spontaneously combust.]] ♡ [[You shyly ask the skeleton if that’s a promise.]] ♡

<<set $sanslove += 1>> <<set $sansbold = 1>> <<set $sansshy = 0>> The skeleton almost seems to grimace and abruptly looks away from you and starts clearing his throat. “Oh y-yeah? Huh. Tell yeh what. Yeh do well, and we’ll see what other noises yeh can make.” <<if $asrielrom eq 2>> Flowey snorts quietly. <</if>> [[You purr if that’s a promise.]] ♡

The moment you touch Sans’ hands a jolt of energy shoots through you. Your entire body shakes violently and convulses. You cannot breathe and your heart beats so quickly and erratically you are certain you’ll die. You do. ''You have died.'' <<set $SansBuzzed = 1>> <<set $deaths += 1>> <<timed 3s>> //Knock knock. . . who’s there? Not you, $sansfirstnickname. // [[You thank Flowey. You feel much better about your journey now.]] <</timed>>

"Heh, that so? Nice to meet yeh too. . . human. The names Sans. Sans the skeleton." You tell him your name. He doesn't seem interested. “Yeh seem like the bland type, howsabout yeh come with me?” Sans shrugs. “Not like yeh have much of a choice. Only one way forward ‘less yeh wanna try to go through the woods?” The woods are very dense and you are likely to get lost if you try to go through them. Try anyway? [[You decided to try to go through the very dense forest anyway.]] [[You realize you don’t have much choice with such a linear pathway, so you agree.]]

You bury your face in your hands and let out an odd squeaky noise. It takes you a minute to recover, during which the skeleton keeps chuckling at you. <<set $sansshy += 1>> You finally manage to calm yourself enough to meet his gaze. [[You shyly ask the skeleton if that’s a promise.]] ♡

<<set $sansfirstnickname = "sweetheart">> “Heheh. Sure, $sansfirstnickname.” <<set $sansshy += 1>> You smile. You still feel shy as you hold out your hand and introduce yourself. The skeleton adjusts his red gloved hands for a moment before he accepts your hand. “‘Ice ta meet yeh, $sansfirstnickname. The names Sans. Sans the skeleton.” [[You tell Sans it’s very nice to meet him too.]]

<<set $sanslove += 1>> Sans lets out a small //heh//. You notice his teeth are carnivorous sharp and he has one gold tooth on his upper left side. “Yeh should come with me, $sansfirstnickname. Meet my brother,” Sans says. <<if $asrielrom eq 2>> "Don't waste your time on this smiley trash bag, $name. Y-You can do a lot better," Flowey loudly whispers in your ear while glaring at Sans. <<else>> “That screams like a trap, $name. Don’t trust this smiley trash bag,” Flowey loudly whispers in your ear. <</if>> “Hey, hey, hey, wanna speak up and say that ta my face, yeh weed?” Sans snarls. “Whatchya doin' with that thing, $sansfirstnickname?” <<if $asrielrom eq 2>> "W-We're companions, y-you bully!" Flowey stammers out, bristling. "I doubt a brute like you even knows wh-what that term means." <<else>> “We’re friends, y-you bully,” Flowey stammers out. “Something a brute like you couldn’t understand.” <</if>> “Hah, is that so?” Sans asks. “Yeh talk a big game fer a weed in backpack. Howsabout yeh hop outta that thing and we can have a nice lil ''HEART'' to ''HEART''.” Flowey shrinks behind you, burying himself against the back of your neck. You offer a sweet smile and hold up your hands in a calming gesture. There’s no need to fight. You’d be happy to meet his brother. Especially if his brother is anything like him! Sans seems mollified. “Well. . . eh, all right. Lil' shit ain’t worth the effort. Come on, $sansfirstnickname.” Sans takes the lead. You notice he doesn't sink as deep into the snow like you do. In fact, he doesn’t leave any footsteps behind. The snow quickly morphs and fills up the holes behind him. It’s a curious thing to watch. You glance behind you and notice that your footsteps are also being refilled by surrounding snow, although it happens at a much slower rate. You ask Sans about it. “Eh? What, surface snow doesn’t?” Sans asks you. You tell him no. “Pro’lly ‘cause of magic then,” says Sans. He shrugs. “Yeh don’ have a lotta magic on the surface, do yeh?” You actually do. “Huh.” Sans pauses in his walking. He looks up and squints at the ceiling. “Then pro’lly ‘cause. . . see, yer weather goes through a pattern, right? Water falls, gets hot and rises, makes clouds, which then snows or rains. . . rinse and repeat?” You confirm that’s correct. You are impressed about his knowledge about surface weather. “‘S whatever,” he says, although you notice he is smiling. “Here the temps' the same in each zone. Chilly here, hot in Hotland, so on so forth. But the magic. . .” Sans taps the snow with his foot. “It’s everywhere here. //Everywhere.// Whole place is so drenched in magic that the environment sometimes does its own thing. We don’t get //clouds// for snowy days. Snow leaks outta the ceiling. Pro’lly pulled from one of the rivers, absorbed into the stone, and since it’s cold here it turns to snow.” That’s amazing! Your $eyecolor eyes sparkle with wonder. Sans coughs and looks away from your earnest expression. “Not that neat, $sansfirstnickname.” It is! And it’s wonderful that he knows enough about it to explain it to you. You sincerely thank him for that. You think you see his skull turn red, but he starts to stomp ahead of you before you can get a good look. “Whatever! Come on, $sansfirstnickname. Keep up, will yeh?” [[You happily follow behind Sans.]]

<<set $sansfirstnickname = "dollface">> <<set $sansbold += 1>> The skeleton coughs into his red gloved hands. You notice little beads of red sweat on his forehead. “Sure, sure, $sansfirstnickname.” You beam. You hold out your hand and introduce yourself. The monster adjusts his red gloved hands for a moment before he accepts your hand. “‘Ice ta meet yeh, $sansfirstnickname. The names Sans the skeleton.” [[You tell Sans it’s very nice to meet him too.]]

The path through the snowy forest leads out to a wide clearing. Sans stops at the end of the path and points to the far right. “That’ll way will take yeh to Snowdin,” says Sans. “‘Course, yeh’ll have to get approved to enter by the boss first.” Boss? “Ye-ep.” Sans puts his hands in his pockets. “He should be here any second, $sansfirstnickname. Sit tight, okay?” You smile and agree. “This is really suspicious,” Flowey whispers. <<cycle "$itsfine" autoselect>>\ <<option "It's fine, he's cute.">> <<option "Yeah, but he's cute so it's okay.">> <<option "Nah, I completely trust him.">> <<option "No, yeah, I don't care 'cause he's cute.">> <</cycle>> Sans twitches. You didn’t say it very loud--you were whispering back to Flowey--but you get the feeling that he heard you. Flowey gives you a pitying look. “I’m starting to doubt your judgment again.” [[That’s okay! You still have you. You’ll be okay.]]

Testing set up. <<set $name = "Reneé">> <<set $eyecolor = "green">> <<set $intention = "You didn't mean to.">> <<set $shoes = "boots">> <<set $soulcolor = "green">> <<set $pants = "leggings">> <<set $hipsorbutt = "butt">> <<set $gender = "woman">> <<if $gender eq "woman">> <<set $she = "sheTEST">> <<set $her = "herTEST">> <<set $she = "SheTEST">> <<set $her = "HerTEST">> <<set $shes = "she'sTEST">> <<set $hers = "her'sTEST">> <</if>> <<set $deaths = 69>> <<set $shyrenspared = 1>> <<set $sanslove = 6>> 6 <<set $papslove = 0>> <<set $papshy = 1>> <<set $asrielrom = 0>> <<set $friendshiproute = 0>> <<set $alphyssaved = 1>> <<set $friskhasstick = 1>> <<set $undynesaved = 1>> <<set $friskhaschain = 1>> <<set $curse = "biscuits">> <<set $Curse = "Biscuits">> <<set $thosepoorhumans = "Those poor humans.">> <<set $sweaterbasecolor = "black">> <<set $sweaterstripecolor = "red">> <<set $sansshy = 1>> <<set $sansbold = 0>> <<set $sansfirstnickname = "sweetheart">> <<set $helpedwing = 1>> <<set $wingdingpaper = 1>><<set $torielhug = 1>> <<set $chaincolor = "rose gold">> <<set $wingdinggetssaved = 1>> [[It never touches you.]] [[But it never touches you.]]

Filled with DETERMINATION, you tell Papyrus that you are ready. <<if $flirtwithsans1 eq "You blush. Sans looks pleased with himself.">><<set $sansshy += 1>> <</if>> “THIS FIRST PUZZLE IS ONE I ONLY RECENTLY ADDED,” says Papyrus. “YOU SEE THIS SPACE BETWEEN US? THERE IS A TRAP BURIED UNDERNEATH THE SNOW. ANY NON-MAGICAL LIVING CREATURE WHO STEPS ONTO THE TRAP WILL BE. . . SHOCKINGLY UNHAPPY. MWAH HAH HAH HAH." <<if $flirtwithsans1 eq "You wink. Sans immediately coughs and turns his head away from you.">><<set $sansbold += 1>> <</if>> Papyrus laughs to himself. It's an infectious laugh that you can't resist smiling from. “How can you cross something like that?” Flowey’s voice is drenched with worry. “DO NOT WORRY, HUMAN. I AM A MONSTER WITH INTEGRITY. ALL OF MY PUZZLES HAVE SOLUTIONS, EVEN FOR CREATURES LIKE YOU. THERE IS A PATH WHERE THE TRAP WILL NOT ACTIVATE. FOR THIS PUZZLE, ALL YOU MUST DO IS FIND THAT PATH.” Papyrus drags a foot through the snow in front of him to create a line. “IF YOU CAN REACH ME HERE, YOU WILL SUCCEED AND I WILL ALLOW YOU TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT PUZZLE.” <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "Snowy"volume 0.15 loop play>> Simple enough. You can do this! [[You turn left.]] [[You turn right.]] [[Forward you go.]]

You take a step to the left. As soon as your foot touches the ground, you cannot move. There is energy coursing through you. Your entire body seizes up except your heart which pounds a million beats per seconds. It explodes inside your chest. You do not have time to register what has happened because your brain has been completely fried. ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>><<set $diedinthemaze = 1>> <<type 135ms>>//SHOCKING, ISN’T IT?//<</type>> [[The idea of getting to conquer monster puzzles fills you with DETERMINATION.]]

You take a step to the right. As soon as your foot touches the ground, you cannot move. There is energy coursing through you. Your entire body seizes up except your heart which pounds a million beats per seconds. It explodes inside your chest. You do not have time to register what has happened because your brain has been completely fried. You have died. <<set $deaths += 1>><<set $diedinthemaze = 1>> <<type 135ms>>//SHOCKING, ISN’T IT?//<</type>> [[The idea of getting to conquer monster puzzles fills you with DETERMINATION.]]

You take a couple steps forward. So far so good! Which way now? [[You turn left.]] [[You go right.]] [[You go forward.]]

You take a step to the right. Still alive. Nice! Which way now? [[You hop forward.]] [[You turn left.]] [[You turn right.]]

You step forward. As soon as your foot touches the ground, you cannot move. There is energy coursing through you. Your entire body seizes up except your heart which pounds a million beats per seconds. It explodes inside your chest. You do not have time to register what has happened because your brain has been completely fried. ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>><<set $diedinthemaze = 1>> <<type 135ms>>//SHOCKING, ISN’T IT?//<</type>> [[The idea of getting to conquer monster puzzles fills you with DETERMINATION.]]

You hop forward. You’re doing fantastic! Which way now? [[You turn right.]] [[You go forward.]] [[Let's go left.]]

You go left. Every bit of you is doing fine. Well done. Which way now? [[Forward!]] [[You turn left.]] [[You turn right.]]

Forward it is! You move forward. Good choice. Which way now? [[You turn left.]] [[FORWARD!]] [[You turn right.]]

FORWARD! You cross the line drawn in the snow. You did it! You made it through the puzzle. <<if $diedinthemaze eq 0>> “Wow,” says Sans. “First try. Beginner’s luck, eh?” “$name is very smart,” Flowey loudly says behind you. “WELL DONE, HUMAN,” says Papyrus. <<else>> “BEGINNER’S LUCK, HUMAN,” says Papyrus. “I dunno. Looks like it took the human a couple tries,” says Sans with a sardonic smile. “DON’T BE STUPID, SANS. THE SQUISHY HUMAN WOULD BE DEAD IF THAT WERE TRUE.” Aha. “$name has enough DETERMINATION to make it to the end,” Flowey loudly says behind you. <</if>> You smile. Papyrus’s eyes narrow. “DO NOT GET COCKY, HUMAN.” You say you’re looking forward to the next puzzle. “THEN LET US NOT DALLY. COME, HUMAN. THIS NEXT PUZZLE WAS PUT TOGETHER BY MY BROTHER.” “Ohhh,” goes Sans, looking uncomfortable. Papyrus notices immediately. “WHAT IS WRONG, BROTHER?” “Ehhh, we-ell-ll, see boss I’ve been //meanin'// to set it up, really, I jus' didn’t find the time--” “WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DIDN’T FIND THE TIME?! ALL YOU DO IS SLEEP OR DRINK AT GRILLBY'Z! IF YOU SPENT A FRACTION OF THE TIME YOU SPEND LOAFING AROUND ON YOUR PUZZLES--” Papyrus stomps the ground, the red gleam in his eyes brightening. Sans winces from Papyrus’ lecture. You offer to wait for Sans to put the puzzle together. Papyrus sighs loudly. “NO, NO. THEN WE WOULD BE HERE ALL DAY. LET US SIMPLY MOVE ON TO MINE.” You agree. You say you are looking forward to the next puzzle. Papyrus gives you an undeciphrable look. You can’t tell if he is dubious of your claim, or pleased. [[You hope he’s pleased.]]

You cross the plains. <<if $sanslove eq 2>> You decide to walk beside Sans. He gives you a wink when he notices. It makes you feel warm and happy inside. <<else>> You decide to walk between the two skeletons. <</if>> <<if $asrielrom eq 2>> Flowey keeps his head on your shoulder in a gesture of support as you walk. <</if>> There are many dead trees on the outskirts of the plains along with patches of ice that is difficult to walk. Papyrus and Sans remain completely unbothered by the terrain. Either the skeletons can use magic to make their journey easier, or they are simply accustomed to it. You look around as you walk. There’s not much more to see aside from snow, ice, a cave ceiling, and dead trees. After some minutes of trekking through the snow, you can start to feel your toes go numb. You think it would be nice to get out of the snow soon. It is then that you spot a wooden bridge, and on the other side of the bridge you can see buildings. A town! “STAY HERE, HUMAN,” says Papyrus as he and Sans cross the bridge. You take the time to inspect the bridge. It covers a chasm between the forest and town. The chasm stretches to your right and left as far as your eyes can see. You wait for them to cross. Once Papyrus and Sans arrive on the other end of the bridge, Papyrus awards you with a smile. “YOUR MANNERS HAVE IMPRESSED ME, HUMAN. YOU ARE THE FIRST OF YOUR KIND TO DO SO.” That surprises you. Were the other humans not polite? Your question makes Sans and Papyrus laugh. “HAH. Good joke, $sansfirstnickname,” Sans laughs. “THE HUMANS I HAVE ENCOUNTERED WOULD NORMALLY ATTACK ON SIGHT,” says Papyrus. “OR START ACTING HYSTERICAL.” “Sobbing, screaming, pleading. . . ‘was embarrassin’ to watch,” sneers Sans. Oh. <<cycle "$thosepoorhumans" autoselect>>\ <<option "Those poor humans.">> <<option "How uncomfortable.">> <<option "What a terrible situation.">> <<option ". . .">> <<option "Oh well.">> <</cycle>> “BUT AS YOU HAVE REMAINED CIVIL COMPANY, I WILL GIVE YOU A CHANCE FOR THE HONOR TO FACE ME,” says Papyrus. “IF YOU MAKE IT ACROSS THE BRIDGE.” You do not want to fight him-- Wait. What’s wrong with the bridge? “GOOD OF YOU TO ASK, HUMAN.” You notice Papyrus has his hand on a pedestal at the end of the bridge. He pulls out a red crystal from the pedestal and the bridge disappears. You and Flowey gasp. “THIS IS A MAGICAL BRIDGE. IT WILL ONLY EXIST AS LONG AS IT HAS MAGIC.” Papyrus hoists the crystal into view. “THIS IS THE CRYSTAL THAT SUPPLIES THAT MAGIC.” Papyrus places the crystal back onto the pedestal. The wooden bridge reappears. “I WILL ASK YOU A QUESTION. IF YOU ANSWER IT CORRECTLY, YOU MAY ADVANCE. IF YOU DON’T, I WILL REMOVE THE CRYSTAL AND YOU WILL FALL TO YOUR DEATH.” You take a glance at the chasm between you and the village. “YOU MAY, OF COURSE, REFUSE THIS CHALLENGE. ANOTHER SNOW STORM IS DUE TONIGHT SO YOU WILL LIKELY FREEZE TO DEATH IF YOU REMAIN OUT THERE.” Papyrus laughs. “MWAH HAH HAH. NOT MUCH OF A CHOICE, IS IT?” No. Not really. “THIS BRDIGE IS THE ONLY WAY INTO SNOWDIN,” says Papyrus. “YOUR ONLY WAY IS FORWARD. EITHER FREEZE TO DEATH FROM INACTION, FALL TO YOUR DEATH FROM STUPIDITY, OR DIE BY MY HANDS IN BATTLE.” None of those options are appealing. But you think at least one of those choices can be changed. You take a step onto the bridge and give Papyrus a grin. You are filled with DETERMINATION. You will take on his challenge. [[And you will win.]]

“GOOD. LET’S START OFF WITH SOMETHING EASY.” Papyrus taps on the crystal with a clawed, red-gloved hand. “I SPEAK WITHOUT A MOUTH AND HEAR WITHOUT EARS. I HAVE NO BODY, BUT I COME ALIVE WITH THE WIND. WHAT AM I?” [[An echo.]] [[A name.]] [[I don’t know?]] [[Music.]] [[Flute.]]

“YOU MAY TAKE A FEW STEPS FORWARD, HUMAN,” says Papyrus. You do so. The bridge creeks underneath you. You stop when Papyrus holds up his hand. He smiles at you when you do. You get the feeling it is a warmer smile than before. “NEXT QUESTION: I ADD SIX TO ELEVEN AND GET FIVE. WHY IS THIS CORRECT?” [[He’s not, it’s a trick question.]] [[He’s dreaming.]] [[Time. As in hours.]]

<<set $deaths += 1>> “PATHETIC.” Papyrus removes the crystal and the bridge disappears from underneath you. You have a moment to let out a small gasp as you tumble forward. You try to brace yourself for the fall, but you do not have enough time. You hit your head at the perfect angle for an instant death. ''You have died.'' <<type 135ms>>//YOU WERE NOT AS SMART AS I THOUGHT YOU WERE.//<</type>> [[Let’s try this bridge again.]]

<<set $deaths += 1>>“PATHETIC.” Papyrus removes the crystal and the bridge disappears from underneath you. You have a moment to let out a small gasp as you tumble forward. You try to brace yourself for the fall, but you do not have enough time. You hit your head at the perfect angle for an instant death. ''You have died.'' <<type 135ms>>//YOU WERE NOT AS SMART AS I THOUGHT YOU WERE.//<</type>> [[Let’s try this bridge again.]]

<<set $deaths += 1>>“PATHETIC.” Papyrus removes the crystal and the bridge disappears from underneath you. You have a moment to let out a small gasp as you tumble forward. You try to brace yourself for the fall, but you do not have enough time. You hit your head at the perfect angle for an instant death. You have died. <<type 135ms>>//YOU WERE NOT AS SMART AS I THOUGHT YOU WERE.//<</type>> [[Let’s try this bridge again.]]

You take a step onto the bridge and give Papyrus a grin. You are filled with DETERMINATION. You will take on his challenge. [[And you will win.]]

<<set $deaths += 1>>“PATHETIC.” Papyrus removes the crystal and the bridge disappears from underneath you. You have a moment to let out a small gasp as you tumble forward. You try to brace yourself for the fall, but you do not have enough time. You hit your head at the perfect angle for an instant death. ''You have died.'' <<type 135ms>>//YOU WERE NOT AS SMART AS I THOUGHT YOU WERE.//<</type>> [[Let’s try this bridge again.]]

<<set $deaths += 1>>“PATHETIC.” Papyrus removes the crystal and the bridge disappears from underneath you. You have a moment to let out a small gasp as you tumble forward. You try to brace yourself for the fall, but you do not have enough time. You hit your head at the perfect angle for an instant death. You have died. <<type 135ms>>//YOU WERE NOT AS SMART AS I THOUGHT YOU WERE.//<</type>> [[Let’s try this bridge again.]]

<<if $silencedeath gt 1>> Hello, it looks you have died to this riddle more than once. Would you like to force skip? [[Click here to skip to the winning page.]] <</if>> Time, you explain. Six hours to eleven AM would make it five PM. Papyrus nods approvingly, his smile widening. “YOU MAY REACH HALFWAY. I WILL ASK YOU ONE MORE QUESTION, HUMAN.” You’ve made it halfway. One more question to go. You’ve got this, $name. “WHAT DISAPPEARS AS SOON AS YOU SAY ITS NAME?” What? Um. “Uh,” says Flowey. What is the answer? <<textbox "$papriddle" "">> <<set $drunkdog = 0>> <<set $deer = 0>> <<set $storegraffiti = 0>> <<set $helpedsnowdin = 0>> <<set $grillbyz = 0>> [[Next.]]

<<if (($papriddle is "Silence")) or ($papriddle is "silence")>> “CONGRATULATIONS, HUMAN. YOU HAVE THE BARE MININUM OF INTELLIGENCE NEEDED TO FIGHT ME,” says Papyrus. You thank Papyrus for the compliment. You think he's happy for a moment, but then his smile drops. His posture shifts to stand-offish again. He clears his throat. “I WILL LET YOU PASS. YOU MAY VISIT SNOWDIN FOR YOUR FINAL MEAL. I WILL BE WAITING FOR YOU AT THE END OF TOWN. IF YOU KEEP ME WAITING TOO LONG, I WILL HUNT YOU DOWN, SO DO NOT DALLY, HUMAN.” It’s nice he’s letting you pass now. That’s one step closer to <<cycle "$papintentions" autoselect>>\ <<option "being his friend">> <<option "smooching him">> <<option "getting out of here">> <</cycle>>. The thought of it fills you with DETERMINATION. Papyrus waits for you to reach the end of the bridge. As soon as your feet touch solid ground, you are instantly relieved. “Welp. Enjoy your stay, $sansfirstnickname,” says Sans. He waves goodbye to you as he leaves. “We made it to Snowdin, $name,” says Flowey. Yes. Yes you did. [[Enter Snowdin.]] <<else>> <<set $deaths += 1>> “WRONG. GOODBYE, HUMAN. YOU WERE CLOSE TO GREATNESS,” says Papyrus as he withdraws removes the crystal.. <<set $silencedeath +=1>> The bridge disappears from underneath you. You are falling again. Unlike last time, it is not very long. You barely have time to register the fact that you are falling when you suddenly hit the ground. Immediate pain slams into your entire body. You cannot register anything else aside from pain. It is neither hot, nor cold. It is not sharp, nor dull. It is simply pain: pure and simple. It is the only thing you can think of. You cannot move your broken body. You cannot breathe, for your ribs have bowed in and punctured your lungs. All you can do is lay there in silent pain. Oh. Silent. [[The answer is silence.]]<</if>>

Snowdin. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "Snowdin"volume 0.15 loop play>> It's a cute village, you think. The path from the bridge leads to the main street. There are many shops lined up along the main street, and behind those shops are rows and rows of houses. There are lamposts lined along the pathway, each with a red crystal that dully glows. It's picturesque of a snow town you'd see in family friendly movies. Not at all what you'd imagine to be a monster town. There is snow on each roof. You can see smoke billowing out of the chimneys. The smoke spirals lazily into the air before being absorbed into the cave ceiling. The red stalacites from above have cast everything in a reddish hue. You notice some monsters in the road. They ignore you. At least they're not attacking you. "Snowdin is one of the few villages outside the kingdom," Flowey explains. "Th-The monsters here t-tend to stay disconnected." Why is that? "I--I don't know." Hmm. <<if $sanslove eq 2>> Maybe you can ask Sans about it later. <<else>> Maybe you can ask another monster about it later. <</if>> For now, you should decide what to do. Papyrus doesn't want to be kept waiting, but it feels like it'd be a waste to ignore the town. At the very least you want to go inside somehwere to warm up your poor little toes. Or. . . Maybe you'd rather explore elsewhere before venturing further into Snowdin? [[Leave Snowdin. It’d be nice to explore a bit more since you didn’t get a chance to earlier.]] <<if $drunkdog eq 0>> [[You hear groans down an alleyway.]] <</if>> <<if $storegraffiti eq 0>> [[You notice a bunny struggling to clean up toilet paper.]] <</if>> <<if $deer eq 0>> [[You notice some kind of deer monster rubbing his antlers frantically against a brickwall.]] <</if>> <<if $grillbyz eq 0>> [[You notice a bar at the far end of the village named Grillby’z. You go inside.]] <</if>> <<if $helpedsnowdin eq 3>> [[It looks like it’s time to press on and meet with Papyrus.]] <</if>>

Knowing how amazing you are fills you with DETERMINATION! <<set $sansshy = 0>> You clap your hands together and enthusiastically step forward. <<set $sansbold = 0>> Your $shoes crunch into snow. <<set $papshy = 0>> Snow? <<set $papbold = 0>> Snow! For some reason there is snow outside the ruins. The path leading up to the ruins’ door is mostly untouched, which means no one has come out of the ruins since it last snowed. Inside a mountain. It snowed //inside// a mountain. Will wonders ever cease? You look up and ponder if you will see clouds. Unsurprisingly, you do not see clouds. The cave ceiling is mucher higher out here than in the ruins, but it is still certainly a cave ceiling. The ceiling is mostly a dark brown with stalacites that hang from the ceiling and glitter a faint red. While the ceiling is tall, you do not think it is tall enough to allow change in the weather. You squint your eyes. Then again this is a magical kingdom. What you know as logical is likely irrelevant here. You shiver. It is rather chilly, isn’t it? Your $eyecolor eyes peer around. There’s not much to see aside from snow, and leafless black trees. A small wind picks up snow flurries that dance around your $pants. “A-Are you cold?” Flowey asks with concern. You admit you aren’t well dressed to be trekking through snow. Flowey places his leaves on your back. There is a tingly sensation and suddenly you are much warmer. <<if $asrielrom eq 2>> “I don’t have m-much magic, but I can at least keep you w-warm,” Flowey says with a shy smile. You turn your head to better face him and he bumps your nose against his in a nuzzling manner. "A-And s-since you're protecting //both// of us. . . y-you should keep warm." Aww! You gently bump your head against his. <<else>> “I don’t have m-much magic, but I can at least keep you w-warm,” Flowey says with a shy smile. How sweet! <</if>> [[You thank Flowey. You feel much better about your journey now.]]

Off the main road there is an alleyway squashed between two buildings. The building on the left appears to be some kind of bar named Grillby'z, and the building on the right says Cinny'z. You notice a lot of the building use a z instead of an s. Must be a monster thing. The alleyways seem to serve as side roads to connect the shopping road to the homes behind. Down this particular alleyway you hear low groans. You see a dog monster laying half-buried in the snow. "Kill him," says Flowey. What? No! "Don't you see his armor? He's from the Royal Guard," Flowey protests. "H-He'll kill you as soon as h-he notices you." No! You are not going to kill //anyone.// "$name. . ." <<if $asrielrom eq 2>> You turn your head to gently bump your head against Flowey's. He smiles at you. <<else>> You gently pat Flowey. It'll be okay. <</if>> You approach the monster. He has black and white fur and wears a spiked collar. You bend down to gently shake the monster. He lets out another low groan. You ask the monster if he needs help. "He. . . he. . . elp. . .? I don'. . . I don'. . ." the monster slurs his words then hiccups. He struggles to move, and only ends up flailing in the snow. ". . . Yesth." Thankfully the dog monster is very light weight. You move the backpack to face front, and then you hoist the dog onto your back. He weighs less than a standard bicycle which surprises you as he's an average height. He hiccups into your ears. "Gross, he's drunk," Flowey complains. "My. . . home. . ." He hiccups again and vaguely points off to the right. With much effort--his added weight makes you sink further into the snow with each step--you manage to carry him to his home. He fumbles with his keys before opening the front door. You take him inside, place him on his couch, and give him a good pat because he is a very good boy. You tell him he is a good boy. His tail wags. You then take your leave, satisified with what you have done. <<set $drunkdog = 1>> <<set $helpedsnowdin += 1>> [[Enter Snowdin]]

You notice a purple bunny woman trying to pry toilet paper off the front of a store. She is muttering under her breath as she does it. She has a lot of toilet paper to remove. It will likely take her a long time. You decide to offer a hand. Flowey senses your intentions right away. "Wh--What are you doing? Why? Sh-Shouldn't we be focusing on getting past Papyrus?" You'll be okay. It doesn't hurt to help someone else. "Here, it does! These monster m-might not be attacking you right now, but if given the chance they will k-kill you. It's kill or be killed down here, you know!" You aren't dead now, and neither are any monsters. Those aren't the rules you go by. Flowey doesn't know how to argue that. He wilts. "I--I just don't want you to get hurt. Please be careful." You reassure him that you will. You approach the woman with a smile. She warily eyes you. "What do you want?" You offer to help clean up. "Why?" Why not? She squints at you. "Were you let in?" Yes. She leans back and peers down to the end of the road. You both can see Papyrus waiting for you. She lets out a sigh. "Sure. Knock yourself out." You smile and step up beside her. The two of you work on pulling the toilet paper down. It's trickier than you anticipate as the toilet paper has been soaked by the snow so it tears easily. "What's your name?" she asks. You introduce yourself. "I'm Violet," she says. "If it's not obvious, I own this shop." You inquire about what she sells. "General goods," she says. "Some candy." [[Oooo, monster candy?]] [[FLIRT: Is it sweet like her?]]

You notice a deer monster frantically rubbing his antlers against the side of one of the shops. You approach the deer and hear him cursing. "STUPID. FUCKING. BRATS." <<if $sanslove eq 2>> Oh //deer.// <<else>> Oh no. <</if>> You ask the deer monster if he needs help. He whirls around. You notice he has the body of a reindeer with a mouth that opens sideways and has many sharp teeth. His antlers go in many different directions, and are covered in odd ornaments. "From //you//? Aren't you a human?" he demands. Yes, you are. "No! Fuck off." You point out that you have two hands and opposable thumbs. He stares at you. You stare at him. "You try anything, //ANYTHING//, and I'll gut you," he warns. You understand. [[Help remove the ornaments.]] [[Help remove the ornaments. . . and try something.]]

<<set $grillbyz = 1>> You step inside are immediately greeted by warm air, the smell of greasy food, and loud chatter. Loud chatter that immediately dies as soon as you step inside. There are dozens of monsters in the bar. Each of them wear a uniform vaguely similar to Papyrus. <<if $sanslove eq 2>> "Oh, $sansfirstnickname," drawls out Sans from the bar. "Yer cute, but not that smart, huh?" <<else>> "Yer a fuckin' dumbass, aren't yeh?" laughs Sans from the bar. "Yeh enter a bar filled with Royal Guards--REALLY?" <</if>> <<if $asrielrom eq 2>> "Shut up, you smiley trashbag!" Flowey snaps at Sans. <</if>> You don't have a chance to respond because one of the dog guards throws an ax the size of //you// [[right at your head.]]

Your $shoes crunch into the snow covered road. You can see Papyrus at the end of the village. You feel much warmer after spending time in Violet's shop. Flowey hugs your back. "A-Are you ready?" Flowey asks. Yes. You are. You are filled with DETERMINATION. [[HERE COMES PAPYRUS]]

What now? <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "Snowdin"volume 0.15 loop play>> <<if $drunkdog eq 0>> [[You hear groans down an alleyway.]] <</if>> <<if $storegraffiti eq 0>> [[You notice a bunny struggling to clean up toilet paper.]] <</if>> <<if $deer eq 0>> [[You notice some kind of deer monster rubbing his antlers frantically against a brickwall.]] <</if>> <<if $grillbyz eq 0>> [[You notice a bar at the far end of the village named Grillby’z. You go inside.]] <</if>> <<if $cuddledgreaterdog eq 1>> [[Greater Dog is trying to catch your attention.]] <</if>> <<if (($grillbyz eq 1)) and ($drunkdog eq 1)>> [[In the corner of your eye, you see something bright that catches your attention.]] <</if>> <<if $helpedsnowdin eq 3>> [[It looks like it’s time to press on and meet with Papyrus.]] <</if>>

You carefully pluck each ornament off and toss it into the snow. Some of it has been entangled with his antlers so it takes you several minutes. He sighs with relief once you are done. "Thanks, uh. . . human." You introduce yourself. "I'm Gyftrot," he says, "Must say, it's rare to see a human. Alive, at least. How did you avoid those skeletons?" You didn't. Papyrus gave you permission to see the village. He's waiting for you at the end. "Oh. My condolences." It's a sweet thought, but you find it unnecessary. You won't die. Gyftrot dips his head to you. "I hope you can enjoy what time you have left." <<set $helpedsnowdin += 1>> You'll enjoy your time in Snowdin as best you can. <<set $deer = 1>> [[Enter Snowdin]]

As soon as you start something the deer monster rams his antlers into your gut and rips them out. That. Is an extremely painful way to die. Your intestines spill out onto the snow. It is cold when you first fall into it, but it warms up as your blood pools out. You can weakly lift your head to see the gaping whole in your abodomen where your stomach, intestines, and so on used to be. All you can feel is the burning of their absence. The pain is so overwhelming your brain tries to block it out. Adrenaline and dopamine rush into your system as you slowly, //slowly// die. ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> <<timed 3s>> //What did yeh think was gonna happen, $sansfirstnickname?// [[Enter Snowdin]] <</timed>>

She laughs a little. "What other candy would we have down here? The humans that have arrived don't exactly offer their wares." You check your pockets. Do you have any human candy? Sadly not. Only your dead phone. She notices. "That a working phone?" You explain it works--it's just dead. She holds out her hand. You give her your phone and she looks at the port. "Shame the port doesn't match up." She would have let you charge your phone in her store? "Sure. Why not? You're going die anyway," she says. You will not. She gives you an odd smile. The two of you work in tandem for a solid ten minutes. You get the toilet paper off, but your fingers are very cold and stiff. She looks you over. Her gaze lingers on your fingers. "Since you were sweet and all," she says, "why don't you warm up inside for a bit?" Oh! Yes, that sounds nice, doesn't it? <<set $helpedsnowdin += 1>> You gratefully accept the offer. <<set $storegraffiti = 1>> [[Enter Snowdin]]

She snorts and starts to loudly laugh. "What a cheeky thing you are!" You beam. You ask if she has anything else at her store. "What? Like human candy?" Violet teases you. "As if. The humans that have arrived don't exactly offer their wares." You check your pockets. Do you have any human candy? Sadly not. Only your dead phone. She notices. "That a working phone?" You explain it works--it's just dead. She holds out her hand. You give her your phone and she looks at the port. "Shame the port doesn't match up." She would have let you charge your phone in her store? "Sure. Why not? You're going die anyway," she says. You will not. She gives you an odd smile. The two of you work in tandem for a solid ten minutes. You get the toilet paper off, but your fingers are very cold and stiff. She looks you over. Her gaze lingers on your fingers. "Since you were sweet and all," she says, "why don't you warm up inside for a bit?" Oh! Yes, that sounds nice, doesn't it? <<set $helpedsnowdin += 1>> You gratefully accept the offer. <<set $storegraffiti = 1>> [[Enter Snowdin]]

Papyrus is standing between you and the only way out of Snowdin. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "Papyrusfight"volume 0.15 loop play>> “You can do this,” Flowey whispers encouragingly in your ear. Yes you can! There is a thrum of warmth inside of you. You can feel your ''SOUL'' reacting to the battle. Its $soulcolor light illuminates the world around you. Papyrus stares at it. “ENJOYED A FINAL MEAL, HUMAN?” Papyrus asks you, his gaze focused on your ''SOUL''. Sadly not. “IT’S TIME. I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WILL DEFEAT YOU HERE AND NOW, HUMAN. AS THE STRONGEST MEMBER OF THE ROYAL GUARD, I WILL NOT FAIL. YOU WILL DIE TODAY, HUMAN.” Papyrus holds out a hand to you. “STEP FORWARD AND MEET YOUR DEMISE.” You tell Papyrus you don’t want to fight. “YOU DON’T HAVE A CHOICE. IF YOU WILL NOT COME TO ME, I WILL HUNT YOU DOWN.” You take a step forward and tell Papyrus you have no intentions of hurting him. “THAT’S GOOD. BECAUSE YOU WON’T HAVE A CHANCE.” <<if $papdeath eq 1>> [[You anticipate the bone beneath you and quickly step back.]] <<else>> [[The ground rumbles between your feet.]]<</if>>

You anticipate the attack beneath you and quickly step back. <<cycle "$papfightreact" autoselect>>\ <<option "Your eyes widen in surprise.">> <<option "You gasp in surprise.">> <<option "You struggle to not react.">> <<option ". . .">> <</cycle>> Where you once stood is now a glowing orange bone. You realize this must be what impaled you before. “CONGRATULATIONS, HUMAN. YOU WERE FAST ENOUGH TO SURVIVE THE FIRST MOVE,” says Papyrus. You cannot tell if he is being sarcastic or not. You thank him anyway. Papyrus tilts his head, his red pupils glow dully inside his eyesockets. “HM. REMAINING POLITE WILL NOT GET YOU FAR, HUMAN. AS A MEMBER OF THE ROYAL GUARD, I HAVE A DUTY TO KILL YOU. WORDS WILL NOT DISSUADE ME.” You tell him you don’t want to fight him. “I CAN CLEARLY SEE THAT, BUT--” <<if $papdeath2 eq 1>> [[You bend backwards to avoid the next attack.]] <<else>> [[You barely see something in the peripheral of your vision.]]<</if>>

<<set $papdeath = 1>> The ground rumbles between your feet. You look down. You only have a second to register the orange glow when you suddenly have no vision. <<set $deaths += 1>> There is pain between your eyes. ''You have died.'' <<type 135ms>>//AT LEAST YOU DIED IN BATTLE, HUMAN. THAT IS THE ONLY MERCY I KNOW.//<</type>> <<set $papdeath = 1>> [[HERE COMES PAPYRUS|HERE COMES PAPYRUSTry Again2]]

Another orange bone pierces the air where you were. You take another step back. Papyrus seems to frown. “YOUR REACTIONS ARE BETTER THAN I EXPECTED, HUMAN. I’LL HAVE TO STEP IT UP.” Oh dear. Sounds like you’ll need to focus. You brace yourself for the oncoming attacks. The ground rumbles beneath you and you remember from your earlier death what that means. You jump out of the way as several orange bones shoot up from the snow covered earth. Through the corner of your eye you see orange dots and you are ducking without thought. <<if $papdeath3 eq 1>> [[You roll forward to avoid the barrage.]] <<else>> [[You dodge three more attacks, but you are a smidgen too slow for an abrupt barrage.]] <</if>> <<if $papdeath4 eq 1>> [[You roll forward to avoid the barrage, AND POP BACK UP BEFORE YOU HIT THE NEXT ATTACK.]]<</if>>

<<set $papdeath2 = 1>> You barely see an orange dot in the peripheral of your vision before you feel something slam into the side of your head. <<set $deaths += 1>> Your whole body goes numb and tingly, except your head. Your head is on fire. The pain is so intense you want to scream out, [[but you cannot.]]

<<set $papdeath4 = 1>> You roll forward to avoid the barrage. It is a frantic and thoughtless move to avoid the barrage. <<set $deaths += 1>> [[Unfortunately, in your panic to not die painfully again you put too much effort into your roll.]]

<<set $papdeath3 = 1>> You dodge three more attacks, but you are a smidgen too slow for an abrupt barrage. <<set $deaths += 1>> In rapid succession, you are impaled by several separate attacks. One in your leg, one in your arm, one in your gut, one in your shoulder, and one in your lungs. Tearing, burning, debilitating pain fills you. Your mouth fills with blood as you drown in your own fluids. You cannot speak. You cannot make any noise aside from low gurgles as [[you choke and die slowly.]]

You have popped back up in front of Papyrus. You offer him a small smile and say you don’t want to fight. Papyrus steps back from you, his hands clenched into fists. “IT DOESN’T MATTER, HUMAN. I HAVE TO DO THIS. IN THIS WORLD IT’S KILL OR BE KILLED.” You disagree. You tell him you don’t have to fight. “HAH,” he scoffs. You tell him neither of you have to fight. “AND WHAT WOULD YOU SUGGEST?” Papyrus snaps at you. “I LET YOU GO, AND WHAT? YOU WILL DIE ANYWAY.” You will not. (Or, well, you won’t //stay// dead.) You offer him a smile. You won’t die, and neither will any monster. You don’t want to hurt anyone. . . and you think Papyrus feels the same. You want to show him ''MERCY'', and you ask he does the same to you. “ABSURD! ME? SHOW A HUMAN ''MERCY''?! MWAH HAH HAH!” Papyrus throws back his head and laughs. It feels forced. “I AM THE GREAT PAPYRUS. I HAVE THE HIGHEST COUNT, HUMAN. DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT MEANS? IT MEANS THAT I HAVE CAPTURED AND KILLED MORE HUMANS THAN ANY OTHER ROYAL GUARD. IT’S ALL I DO. IT’S ALL I CAN EVER DO.” You disagree. You remind him about his puzzles. “PUZZLES TO TRAP AND KILL HUMANS!” Regardless of intentions, they were nice puzzles. They have similar things on the surface--minus the lethality-- He shakes his head fiercely. "STOP TRYING TO DISSUADE ME, HUMAN. YOU WILL DIE. IF NOT BY ME, BY SOMEONE ELSE." You won't die. He doesn't have to fight you. He hesitates. “WHY. . . ARE YOU TRYING SO HARD, HUMAN?” [[You want to be his friend.]] [[You want to be more than his friend.]] ♡ <<if ((($sanslove eq 2))) and (($friskhasstick eq 1)) and ($torielhug eq 1)>> [[You tell Papyrus that you like him. . . and Sans!]] ♡ <</if>>

“I DO NOT UNDERSTAND. I TRIED TO KILL YOU. REPEATEDLY. YOU DON’T EVEN SEEM ANGRY. . .” Papyrus shifts his weight uneasily. It’s hard to read his expression, but you get the distinct feeling he is uncomfortable. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "Snowy"volume 0.15 loop play>> Remorseful. You remind him that you are alive now. “BUT I. . . DO YOU NOT THINK I AM CAPABLE OF IT, HUMAN?” No, no. You are quite sure he //could// kill you. However, you also think he could //not// kill you, too. You think you two could be friends. Really good friends. You give him a smile and hold out your hand. You would like to be his friend, if he would accept it. Papyrus stares at your hand for several seconds. His hands are clenched into fists. You keep your hand out, patiently waiting. His voice is small when he asks, “Why?” <<if $sanslove eq 2>> [[You tell Papyrus it’s because you want to be on good terms with your future in-law.]] ♡ <</if>> [[You think he’s great.]]

<<set $sanslove = 0>><<set $grillbylove = 0>> <<set $papslove += 1>> “YOU. . . WHAT?” <<if $asrielrom eq 2>> "What?" Flowey whispers softly behind you. "Why him. . .?" <</if>> You repeat yourself. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "Snowy"volume 0.15 loop play>> “YOU MEAN LIKE A BEST FRIEND?” No. Well. Yes, but also no. That is part of the process. “I DO NOT UNDERSTAND. I TRIED TO KILL YOU. REPEATEDLY. YOU DON’T EVEN SEEM ANGRY. . .” Papyrus shifts his weight uneasily. It’s hard to read his expression, but you get the distinct feeling he is uncomfortable. Remorseful. You remind him that you are alive now. BUT I. . . DO YOU NOT THINK I AM CAPABLE OF IT, HUMAN?” No, no. You are quite sure he //could// kill you. However, you also think he could //not// kill you, too. You think the two of you could become something wonderful. “SOMETHING. . . WONDERFUL?” Papyrus mulls over your words. Yes! “I HAVE BEEN TOLD HAVING A BEST FRIEND--” Oh dear it looks like he’s going to keep having this misunderstanding. [[Red-faced and shy, you try to clarify.]] ♡ [[You waste no time in clarifying.]] ♡

<<set $papslove += 1>> With the adrenaline of the battle faded, you find yourself having to rely on your normal confidence. <<set $papshy = 1>> That is not good. You make odd gestures with your hands as you try to get the words out. Your face burns. You almost wish you were in a life or death situation again so you could think clearly. Why are things easier when your life depends on it? It takes a few minutes but you do get your point across. “ER. . . I DO NOT KNOW YOU, HUMAN,” Papyrus says. “I CANNOT RECIPROCATE YOUR FEELINGS.” That’s okay! That’s what dating is for. “OH.” Of course, that’s only if he’s okay with giving you a chance. Is he? Papyrus thinks it over. “VERY WELL, HUMAN. I WILL GIVE YOU A CHANCE. STAY ALIVE, AND WE WILL GO ON A DATE. BE GRATEFUL, HUMAN. I AM SPARING YOU. FOR NOW.” The burst of happiness inside of you gives you the confidence to reach forward and hug Papyrus. He stiffens immediately at your contact. Your cheeks burn, but you persist. If you can handle dying a few times, you can handle hugging your crush! It takes him a solid ten seconds of processing what you have done before he starts to awkwardly pat your back. “ER. . . HUMAN? ARE YOU BROKEN?” You tell him this is what friends (and possibly maybe hopefully couples) do. “I SEE.” Papyrus hesitantly hugs you back. Yay! You did it! You survived Snowdin and made a friend who might one day be your boyfriend. “IS THIS NORMAL?” Papyrus asks Flowey while he hugs you. “Yeah,” says Flowey. “STRANGE.” <<set $asrielrom = 0>> “Yeah,” agrees Flowey. <<set $papsloveance = 1>> [[It’s time to leave Snowdin.]]

<<set $papslove += 1>> You point-blank tell him that you mean romantically. <<set $papbold = 1>> You like him. You would like to date him. “ER. . . I DO NOT KNOW YOU, HUMAN,” Papyrus says. “I CANNOT RECIPROCATE YOUR FEELINGS.” That’s okay! That’s what dating is for. “OH.” Of course, that’s only if he’s okay with giving you a chance. Is he? Papyrus thinks it over. “VERY WELL, HUMAN. I WILL GIVE YOU A CHANCE. STAY ALIVE, AND WE WILL GO ON A DATE. BE GRATEFUL, HUMAN. I AM SPARING YOU. FOR NOW.” You immediately hug him. He stiffens immediately at your contact. It feels like he’s a little shy. How cute! It takes him a solid ten seconds of processing what you have done before he starts to pat your back. “ER. . . HUMAN? ARE YOU BROKEN?” You tell him this is what friends (and couples) do. “I SEE.” Papyrus hesitantly hugs you back. Yay! You did it! You survived Snowdin and made a friend who might one day be your boyfriend. “IS THIS NORMAL?” Papyrus asks Flowey while he hugs you. “Yeah,” says Flowey. “STRANGE.” “Yeah,” agrees Flowey. <<set $papsloveance = 1>> <<set $asrielrom = 0>> [[It’s time to leave Snowdin.]]

<<if $asrielrom eq 2>> You think you hear the sound of someone choking in the background, but you can’t be too sure because Flowey loudly sighs. "You can do so much better than that trashbag, $name." <<else>> You think you hear the sound of someone choking in the background, but you can’t be too sure because it’s so faint. <</if>> Papyrus cocks his head to the side. “I DO NOT FULLY UNDERSTAND YOUR WORDS, BUT I THINK I GET YOUR INTENTIONS.” You also tell him you think he’s great. That makes him smile. “I AM. VERY WELL, HUMAN. I WILL GIVE YOU A CHANCE. STAY ALIVE, AND I WILL LET YOU CALL YOURSELF A FRIEND OF THE GREAT PAPYRUS. BE GRATEFUL, HUMAN. I AM SPARING YOU. FOR NOW.” You give Papyrus a hug. He stiffens immediately at your contact. It takes him a solid ten seconds of processing what you have done before he starts to awkwardly pat your back. “ER. . . HUMAN? ARE YOU BROKEN?” You tell him this is what friends (and future family members) do. Again you think you hear that choking sound, but you really can’t be too sure. How strange! “I SEE.” Papyrus hesitantly hugs you back. Yay! You did it! You survived Snowdin and made a friend. “IS THIS NORMAL?” Papyrus asks Flowey while he hugs you. “Yeah,” says Flowey. “STRANGE.” <<set $asrielrom = 0>> <<set $grillbylove = 0>> “Yeah,” agrees Flowey. <<set $sanslove += 1>> [[It’s time to leave Snowdin.]]

Papyrus carefully considers your words. <<if $sanslove lt 3>><<set $friendshiproute += 1>><</if>> “I AM. VERY WELL, HUMAN. I WILL GIVE YOU A CHANCE. STAY ALIVE, AND I WILL LET YOU CALL YOURSELF A FRIEND OF THE GREAT PAPYRUS. BE GRATEFUL, HUMAN. I AM SPARING YOU. FOR NOW.” <<if $papslove lt 2>><<set $friendshiproute += 1>><</if>> You give Papyrus a hug. <<if $asrielrom lt 2>><<set $friendshiproute += 1>><</if>> He stiffens immediately at your contact. It takes him a solid ten seconds of processing what you have done before he starts to awkwardly pat your back. “ER. . . HUMAN? ARE YOU BROKEN?” <<if $grillbylove eq 1>><<set $friendshiproute = 2>><</if>> You tell him this is what friends do. “I SEE.” Papyrus hesitantly hugs you back. Yay! You did it! You survived Snowdin and made a friend. “IS THIS NORMAL?” Papyrus asks Flowey while he hugs you. “Yeah,” says Flowey. “STRANGE.” <<if $asrielrom eq 2>> "Yeah," agrees Flowey. He smiles and shakes his head. "It's b-both wonderful and infuriating." <<else>> “Yeah,” agrees Flowey. <</if>> [[It’s time to leave Snowdin.]]

''END OF SNOWDIN'' <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "menu"volume 0.15 loop play>> ---- <<if $deaths eq 6>> You have only died six times. That is the lowest amount of deaths possible here, way to go! <<else>> You died <<print $deaths>> times. You could have died less, but that's okay! Maybe the next area will be kinder. <</if>> <<if $friskhasstick eq 1>> You got a stick! Wonder what that could mean? <</if>> <<if $sanslove eq 3>> You are currently romancing Sans. Good luck! <<elseif $papslove eq 2>> You are currently romancing Papyrus. Hope you can get that date! <<elseif $asrielrom eq 2>> You are currently romancing Flowey. Hope your relationship can //grow// some more! <<elseif $harem eq 1>> You’re. . . romancing both skeleton monsters? Wow. Look at you go! <<elseif $grillbylove eq 2>> You’re on the Grillby route. Hot stuff! <<elseif $friendshiproute eq 3>> You are on the friendship route! That's so wonderful! <</if>> [[You enter a narrow cavern.]]

The flower gives you a confused look. "W--What?" <<set $asrielrom += 1>> You smile and reassure the flower you will not attack. The flower smiles weakly at that. “Do you not know where you are? Don’t you realize the danger you’re in?” You ask the flower to elaborate. “You’re in UNDERFELL. In this kingdom it’s kill or be killed. That goes double for humans. Every human who has fallen down here has died.” //Every// human? That is definitely a problem. It'd be a shame to survive such a spectacular fall only to die an hour later. You realize this might explain the superstition about Mt. Ebott. It is said that any who venture into the mountain do not return. It’s such a notorious legend that they no longer send search and rescue parties for those who go missing because the searchers also go missing. Do they all fall into the mountain and meet the same fate? “It’s not even a blessing you survived the fall—most don’t—because that means the monsters will get you instead,” the flower mumbles. “I don’t suppose you can climb?” You look up at where you fell. You do not think you can climb that and you tell the flower such. “Hah. . . sorry, human,” the flower said. “I wish I c-could help you, I r-really do, but I can’t even help myself. . .” The flower shrinks into itself, hunching over. You give the flower a smile and assure it you’ll be okay. Will you? [[Yep.]] [[Who knows.]] [[Not even a little bit. Fake it 'til you make it, right?]] [[Kinda wish the fall killed me.]]

“I-If you’re sure. . . okay. Although I can’t move right now. I’m too weak. I had to use most of my magic to escape.” In that case you’ll have to find something to carry Flowey in. He mentioned there were other humans who fell before you. Perhaps they might have left something behind when they fell? You don't see anything in your immediate area, so you'll have to look ahead. You tell him you’ll be right back. There’s only one way forward, so that’s the path you take. From the flowerbed, you enter a long, dark corridor. There’s next to no light and you find yourself reaching for your phone in your pocket. It doesn’t have much of a charge left and—unsurprisingly—there’s no signal. Although finding that it isn’t even cracked from your fall immediately fills you with DETERMINATION. Using your phone light, you make your way down the hallway. It is made up of dark, cracked cobblestone. There are numerous fractured lines running across the walls and ceiling. You run your hand along the wall and find that it is rough and crumbly. A pebble frees itself from the wall and falls onto your $shoes. You blink your $eyecolor eyes upon exiting the tunnel. As soon as you step out, torches flare to life inside a large room. It is a wide room with cobblestone walls and decaying pillars. It’s not much different than the tunnel, except the dirt floor has many, many mounds in it. To your right you see dozens upon dozens of mounds with a stone perched upon each of them. It is plainly obvious these are graves. There is a discarded pile of junk in the back corner. Some of it is familiar. You inch closer and you recognize many of the old items. Backpacks, an old bicycle, camping gear, and so on. . . You realize, with a sinking feeling, that these are the items that must have fallen with the other humans. It must not be everything. There are at least fifty graves and this is a small pile. The monsters likely took what they deemed useful and the rest was left to rot. You notice a sturdy pet backpack among the pile—the kind designed to carry cats or small dogs around on walks. Small enough to not be burdensome, but big enough you could fill it with dirt and place Flowey inside. [[You reluctantly take the bag. You hope its previous owners had a quick death at least.]] [[You take the bag. You need it. They don't.]] [[Hesitantly take the bag.]]

Flowey looks startled. "B-Both of us? Y-You would protect //me?//" <<set $asrielrom += 1>> Absolutely! "I--I don't know what to say." Flowey lowers his head. He falls silent for a minute before he looks back up and offers you a weak smile. “I-If you’re sure. . . then. . . thank you. I--I want to come with you. Although I can’t move right now. I’m too weak. I had to use most of my magic to escape.” In that case you’ll have to find something to carry Flowey in. He mentioned there were other humans who fell before you. Perhaps they might have left something behind when they fell? You don't see anything in your immediate area, so you'll have to look ahead. You tell him you’ll be right back. There’s only one way forward, so that’s the path you take. From the flowerbed, you enter a long, dark corridor. There’s next to no light and you find yourself reaching for your phone in your pocket. It doesn’t have much of a charge left and—unsurprisingly—there’s no signal. Although finding that it isn’t even cracked from your fall immediately fills you with DETERMINATION. Using your phone light, you make your way down the hallway. It is made up of dark, cracked cobblestone. There are numerous fractured lines running across the walls and ceiling. You run your hand along the wall and find that it is rough and crumbly. A pebble frees itself from the wall and falls onto your $shoes. You blink your $eyecolor eyes upon exiting the tunnel. As soon as you step out, torches flare to life inside a large room. It is a wide room with cobblestone walls and decaying pillars. It’s not much different than the tunnel, except the dirt floor has many, many mounds in it. To your right you see dozens upon dozens of mounds with a stone perched upon each of them. It is plainly obvious these are graves. There is a discarded pile of junk in the back corner. Some of it is familiar. You inch closer and you recognize many of the old items. Backpacks, an old bicycle, camping gear, and so on. . . You realize, with a sinking feeling, that these are the items that must have fallen with the other humans. It must not be everything. There are at least fifty graves and this is a small pile. The monsters likely took what they deemed useful and the rest was left to rot. You notice a sturdy pet backpack among the pile—the kind designed to carry cats or small dogs around on walks. Small enough to not be burdensome, but big enough you could fill it with dirt and place Flowey inside. [[You reluctantly take the bag. You hope its previous owners had a quick death at least.]] [[You take the bag. You need it. They don't.]] [[Hesitantly take the bag.]]

It's narrower than any of the previous areas. The walls are smooth to the touch, and embedded in them are red crystals that faintly glow. They look identical to the stalacites that hung in Snowdin, and to the larger crystal that fueled the bridge. <<set $shyrenspared = 0>> You can only conclude that these red crystal grow exclusively in Mt. Ebott. You had heard about magical crystals before--crystals that can retain magic--but they are very rare on the surface. Any cave or mining operation that finds magical crystals is exponentially more valuable than finding untapped diamonds or oil. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "waterfall"volume 0.15 loop play>> You are not a wizard or magic-user, so you have not been trained in magic. What you know is basic second-hand knowledge. The Great War was started over magic crystals. With magic users on the decline, finding charged magic crystals became a top priority for many governments. You reach out to touch the crystals. You've already seen more magical crystals down here than most humans in your generation would see in their entire life. Heh. . . <<cycle "$curse" autoselect>>\ <<option "hell">> <<option "heck">> <<option "biscuits">> <<option "shit">> <<option "shoot">> <<option "gosh">> <<option "golly">> <<option "fuck">> <</cycle>>, you've already seen more //magic// than most humans would see in their entire life. UNDERFELL is filled to the brim with magic, all likely because of the monsters. The monsters are made up of magic and exude it with each breath they exhale. You cannot help but think there might be a correlation to the decline of magic-users and sealing away all the monsters. Although perhaps, in doing so, the monsters were ultimately saved. When the monsters were sealed centuries ago humanity had turned against each other. There were many smaller wars that resulted in countries cannabilising each other. Each battle--each victory and loss--left a scar on humanity as a whole. The Great War was the final toll to push humanity to the brink of near extinction. It was a dangerous time. The peace that exists now is one painfully achieved. The handful of countries that remain are so tightly knit together they practically operate as one country. Everyone speaks the same language, everyone uses the same currency, everyone has to obey the same laws. To be honest, you're not sure what differentiates the countries anymore outside an address and who supports what sport team. Humanity is at a place where you are certain they would warmly welcome the monsters. If the monsters hadn't been sealed. . . perhaps they would have been the focus in the wars. Were they sealed because of that? The wizards of long past. . . did they foresee humanity's potential for cruelty and thought to spare the monsters? [[You'd like to believe that.]]

As has become standard for your journey, things fall silent aside from your footsteps. <<if $asrielrom eq 2>> Flowey keeps his head on your shoulder. <</if>> It's nice that the crystals provide enough light to see the way forward. Your phone is still dead so you have no other option. <<set $shryenhum = 0>> You tug down on your striped sweater so it more comfortably covers your $hipsorbutt. <<set $shyrenencounter = 0>> <<if $stripedsweater eq "It was your usual look. You loved striped clothes because you absolutely could pull it off.">> You do so love your striped sweater. It's your favorite one. <</if>> <<if $stripedsweater eq "It was not your usual look. This particular sweater was a gift and today happened to be laundry day so you had nothing else to wear.">> You might not have had a choice in wearing it, but at least it's comfy. <</if>> <<if $stripedsweater eq "It was a look. You liked the sweater well enough although you didn’t wear it often enough to call it your look.">> Striped sweaters aren't your thing, but at least this one has been holding up well. <</if>> "Hey. . . $name?" You cock your head to show you are listening as you continue to walk. "H-How did you fall?" Ah. That's right, this all began because you fell. $intention <<if (($intention eq ". . .")) or ($intention eq "Or maybe you did?")>> At your silence, Flowey falls quiet again. You do not need to say it out loud for him to understand. "I'm sorry," he whispers to you. <<else>> "A-Although it was an a-accident, I'm. . . I'm kind of glad you fell. S-Since I've been with you I haven't felt so em--um--I've felt better. I feel better. S-So thank you. For falling." You give Flowey a big smile and tell him you were happy to! <</if>> [[You notice a big red flower.]]

You are finally leaving the narrow cavern and at the end there's a large red flower. It goes up to your waist with petals as large as your face. At the center of the flower it is a glistening starlight white. What a pretty flower! Although you notice there are a lot of things //red// down here. You look down at your striped sweater. It's <<cycle "$sweaterbasecolor" autoselect>>\ <<option "black">> <<option "white">> <<option "blue">> <<option "green">> <<option "purple">> <<option "red">> <<option "orange">> <<option "yellow">> <<option "pink">> <</cycle>> with two <<cycle "$sweaterstripecolor" autoselect>>\ <<option "black">> <<option "white">> <<option "blue">> <<option "green">> <<option "purple">> <<option "red">> <<option "orange">> <<option "yellow">> <<option "pink">> <</cycle>> stripes. [[You reach out a hand to touch the flower.]]

It is not an immediate change. It's a subtle enough transition it takes you a moment to realize what is happening. It's getting dark. Your immediate thought is to check the path your on to make sure it stays linear. It does not. It branches off. You look behind you. It's already dark behind you. You have no idea where you should go, and the light from the flowers and mushrooms are starting to dim. Flowey realizes this, too. "Uh oh. I--I think I remember why I don't come here v-very often." Will it brighten up again if you stay put? "No," says Flowey. "The--the mushrooms and flowers feed on magic fumes. Only monsters with a s-strong magical presence can keep them bright. I--I'm not strong enough, and you don't have any magic." So it will stay dark until a powerful monster comes through? Oh $curse. "Yes. We--We should hurry." Yes, but hurry where? The path branches: you have no idea which one to choose. If only your phone was charged! Wait. Don't you already have a light? You know. . . the one inside you? Your beautiful, vibrant, bright, $soulcolor ''SOUL''. Have you not seen how brilliantly it lights up in battle? You don't need a phone. You don't need a flashlight. [[You only ever need you.]]

You raise a hand to your chest where your ''SOUL'' usually appears. You've never been able to call on it before you fell. But things are different now. You have your DETERMINATION. You know you can do this. You close your eyes. Your DETERMINATION is there. Your will, your drive, your //everything// beats in tandem to your heartbeat. It propels your ''SOUL'' to constantly move forward. You will not stop. You will not give up. You will not //fail.// You can do this. Warmth blooms out from your chest. The darkness is chased away by $soulcolor light. Seeing your ''SOUL'' in all its beauty light up the world around you fills you with DETERMINATION. Now it's time to figure a way out of this marsh. [[Take the path on the left.]] [[Take the path going forward.]] [[Take the path going right.]] [[Choose not to take any paths and trudge through the marsh.]]

With the light of your $soulcolor ''SOUL'' illuminating the path, you march forward. As you walk, you brush against the echo flowers on the path. You hear a passing conversation. ". . . la la la. . ." ". . . what are you singing. . ." ". . . don't know. . . it just came to me. . ." ". . . can you teach me. . ." ". . . okay. . . la la la. . ." ". . . la la la. . ." Your $shoes get caught on a stray rock. You nearly trip but catch yourself. <<if $asrielrom eq 2>> "A-Are you okay, $name?" Flowey asks in alarm. <<else>> "Are you okay?" Flowey asks worriedly. <</if>> You reassure Flowey you are okay. You continue to walk along the path and hear another conversation. ". . . the ruins. . ." ". . . what happened. . ." ". . . a few humans came through. . ." ". . . what?. . ." ". . . they attacked on sight. . ." ". . . no surprise. . ." ". . . humans know best, don't they. . ." ". . . it's kill or be killed. . ." This path has taken you to a dead end. You must turn around and choose a different path. [[Take the path going forward.]] [[Take the path going right.]] [[Choose not to take any paths and trudge through the marsh.]]

<<if $shyrenspared eq 0>> With the light of your $soulcolor ''SOUL'' illuminating the path, you march forward. As you walk, you brush against the echo flowers on the path. You hear a passing conversation. ". . . hear about the human. . ." ". . . the one who. . ." ". . . yes, they had a strange weapon. . ." ". . . I heard about that. . ." ". . . good thing the Royal Guard stopped them. . ." ". . . humans are dangerous. . ." As you reach the end of the path, you notice someone. There is a red and purple fish-like monster at the end of the pathway. [[HERE COMES SHYREN.]] <<else>> ". . . thank you. . ." ". . . thank you. . ." ". . . thank you. . ." ". . . thank you. . ." ". . . thank you. . ." ". . . thank you. . ." ". . . thank you. . ." ". . . thank you. . ." ". . . thank you. . ." ". . . thank you. . ." You reach a dead end. You have to turn around. [[Take the path going right.]] [[Take the path on the left.]] [[Choose not to take any paths and trudge through the marsh.]] <</if>>

With the light of your $soulcolor ''SOUL'' illuminating the path, you march forward. As you walk, you brush against the echo flowers on the path. You hear a passing conversation. ". . . why is everything red. . ." ". . . what's wrong with red. . ." ". . . nothing, but it's all we see. . ." ". . . because it's all we know. . ." ". . . what do you mean. . ." ". . . did you know humans bleed red. . ." ". . .?. . ." ". . . but monsters don't. . ." ". . . when we die, we turn to ash. . ." ". . . yes. . ." ". . . in the war against the humans. . ." ". . . all we saw was red. . ." ".. all they saw was red. . ." ". . . ashes stained red. . ." ". . . they can die. . ." ". . . they can bleed. . ." ". . . we can survive them. . ." ". . . we can't forget that. . ." ". . . humans are strong. . ." ". . . but we can be stronger. . ." ". . . our king's magic turned red the day we were sealed. . ." ". . . so he won't forget. . ." ". . . and now none of us can forget. . ." ". . . red stained ashes. . ." [[Your foot connects to solid ground.]]

You chose not to take any of the paths. You hop off the path you are on and sink knee-deep into the marsh. <<if $asrielrom eq 2>> "Wh-What are you doing, $name?" Flowey nudges your cheek. "I don't think this is safe.>> <<else>> "Wh-What are you doing? This doesn't seem very smart," Flowey exclaims. <</if>> You reassure Flowey you'll be okay. You start to trudge forward, carefully moving forward. Two steps in and you immediately sink up to your chest in thick gunk. It rushes around you, pulling you under within seconds. You cannot move, cannot blink, cannot //breathe//. Drowning in sludge is slow. For minutes you are painstakingly filled to the brim with sludge. Every orfice is overtaken. You become heavy. Too heavy. You sink into an abyss. <<timed 3s>> //Why d-did you do a silly thing like that, $name?// <<set $deaths += 1>> [[You only ever need you.]] <</timed>>

The flower bobs at your touch. <<if $curse eq "hell">> <<set $Curse = "Hell">> <</if>> <<if $curse eq "heck">> <<set $Curse = "Heck">> <</if>> ". . . boo. . ." <<if $curse eq "biscuits">> <<set $Curse = "Biscuits">> <</if>> You stare at the flower, uncertain if you heard the voice from the flower. Flowey senses your confusion. He explains, "It's an echo flower. They remember the last conversation when someone touches it." <<if $curse eq "shit">> <<set $Curse = "Shit">> <</if>> Oh! Magic sure is fascinating. <<if $curse eq "shoot">> <<set $Curse = "gosh">> <</if>> You imagine how delighted the humans on the surface would be to encounter such a thing. You cannot help your smile as you admire the pretty flower. <<if (($sweaterbasecolor eq "red")) or ($sweaterstripecolor eq "red")>> You look down at your sweater. It has red like you! <</if>> You step around the flower and your $shoes sink into something squishy and wet. It feels like you are now walking on a soaked sponge. You look down and see red-tinted sludge. "We're in the marshlands now," Flowey says. "I--I haven't been here very often. T-To be honest I don't remember why I stopped c-coming here." <<if $curse eq "gosh">> <<set $Curse = "Gosh">> <</if>> Do a lot of monsters live here? <<if $curse eq "golly">> <<set $Curse = "Golly">> <</if>> "No. N-No monsters live here, I think. Once we go through here w-we should reach Hotlands which connects to the c-city. Most monsters live in the city. Snowdin is one of the rare exceptions." <<if $curse eq "fuck">> <<set $Curse = "Fuck">> <</if>> You suppose that makes sense. They're in a limited space. They don't have much room to expand without breaking the barrier-- Again, you're back to that thought. Why //is// the barrier still standing? Do the monsters //want// to stay underground? That's the only explanation you can think of. With all the magic you've seen, you feel confident to say the monsters could destroy an old barrier with little fuss. The only reason the barrier is standing is because the monsters want it to stay up. They want to stay underground. You know they aren't fond of humans--their hostility to you is plain--but is that enough reason to trap themselves? While the underground is beautiful, it must be. . . stifling. There is no real wind here: the air is stagnant. There is no sunlight: the atmosphere is cold and disquiet. There is no freedom: everyone and everything is restricted. It's beautiful and vibrantly red. . . but the limitations must get old. You take another look at your sweater. <<if $sweaterbasecolor eq $sweaterstripecolor>> Although the base and stripes are the same color they're different shades so the stripe still pops. <</if>> You run your hands down your sweater to feel its soft, yet durable texture. To stay indefinitely in the underground would be awfully similar to wearing this striped sweater every day for the rest of your life. Tiresome. "What are you th-thinking about?" Flowey asks you. You explain your thought process to the flower monster as you continue to walk again. There is a pathway through the marshes, although your $shoes get wet. Each step is met with a squelch. You sure do hope the next area will be dryer, your poor toes are still recovering from the little frostbite they had in Snowdin. The pathway is hard to discern from the other bits of the marsh. Most of the land is filled with a dark water. In the water there are hundreds of blooming echo flowers and white mushrooms flourishing. The mushrooms and echo flowers seem to be the only source of light in the room, as the red crystals found in the previous cavern are nowhere to be seen. "Ah," says Flowey once you are done explaining. "Yes. . . I th-think the other monsters would agree." So why do they stay? "$name, y-you have to realize you're the first human whose. . ." Flowey gestures to you with his leaves. "Nice?" [[As you walk, you realize it's starting to grow dark.]]

You did it! You made it out of the marshes. <<if (($shyrenspared eq 0)) and ($harem gt 0)>> <<set $harem = 0>> <<set $friendshiproute = 3>><</if>> <<if (($shyrenspared eq 1)) and ($harem eq 1)>> <<set $harem = 2>><</if>> The thought of no longer having wet toes fills you with DETERMINATION. Your ''SOUL'' pulses once then disappears. The light is no longer needed. "Good thinking," Flowey praises you. "W-We got out of there pretty quick, huh?" <<if $asrielrom eq 2>> You turn your head to give Flowey a gentle headbutt and nuzzle. He does a small laugh in response. <<else>> You hold up a hand over your shoulder and Flowey taps it with his leaf. <</if>> "You're--You're really cool, $name," says Flowey. Yes, you are! You walk along a wooden path. It seems the water from the marshes runs underneath the wood, and as you walk you hear the water moving. "The Hotlands aren't far from here," says Flowey. "We cross the waterfall, a-and then one more bridge to connect." The wooden path splits off to one side and continues down the cavern. On the right it opens up to a wide deck. There are railings along the edge of the deck, except at one spot where they have been hacked to pieces so only bits of poles remain standing. There are more red crystals on the ceiling. The room is significantly brighter than the tunnels have been. It takes a moment for your eyes to adjust. You blink away the spots and notice you and Flowey aren’t alone. Gathered around that hole is a group of small monsters. Most of them are peering over the edge and into the darkness below. Gosh, what a precarious spot to be. Anyone could sneak up behind them and shove them over. [[You walk up behind them and say hello.]] [[You walk past them and continue on your journey.]]

You walk up behind them and say hello. The monsters jump, all turning around. “WHOA! You’re a human!” The monster who exclaimed that is the shortest one, and looks remarkably like Violet—the bunny monster from Snowdin. Yes you are! “YOU HAVE STRIPES!” A monster that comes up to your hips jumps up and down at this revelation. You notice this monster is yellow and orange striped with spikes down the back. He has a black jacket on. Yes you do! The group of monsters swarm around you, chattering excitedly. What a nice change of pace. “Are you really human?” “I don’t sense any magic from you. Where’s your magic?” “What kind of stuff do humans eat?” “What’s it like on the surface?” “Do all humans wear stripes?” The questions come nonstop, you do not have a chance to answer them. Thankfully, Flowey intervenes on your behalf. He pops up from his spot in the backpack, stretching himself up so he can glare at the children over your shoulder. “St-Stop bombarding $her. One question at a time. A-And r-remember your manners. Introduce yourselves.” The bunny monster hopped in front of you. Her long ears flopped with each movement. She wore a baggy black hoodie and dark purple pants. She said, “I’m Puffers! Are you really human?!” Yes, you are human. You take the time to introduce yourself. “Whoa,” they all go. “We aren’t allowed to talk to humans,” Puffers excitedly explains to you. “This is so cool, we’re such rule breakers!” Why aren’t they allowed to talk to humans? “‘Cause humans are super dangerous!” The striped monster hops from one foot to another. You notice he doesn’t have any arms. “They’re all evil so all kids are supposed to stay away from them. OH! I’m Mon.” A third monster blurts out, “Are you evil?” You do not think so. “What’s the surface like? Where do you live? AH! I’m Ravamp,” the third monster gives you a toothy smile. They’re the tallest among the group with an elastic oozy body that constantly shifts. Like a lava lamp! You live. . . [[In a large city. You have a small apartment that you live in alone.]] [[In a large city. You have a large apartment that you live in alone.]] [[In a large city. You live on campus of the university you attend.]] [[On the outskirts of a large city near the forest.]] [[On the outskirts of a large city near the ocean.]] [[On the outskirts of a large city near Mt. Ebott.]]

"We have a city here, too!" "I wonder if your city is as big as ours?" asks Ravamp. You aren't sure. You haven't visited the monsters' city yet so you cannot compare. The children accept this answer. A monster in the shape of a candle’s flame bobs up and down. “I’m Wicc. Answer my question next! What do you do?” You. . . [[You are a full time student.]] [[You are a part time student. You have a part time job as a barista.]] [[You are a part time student. You do commission work to help fund your day-to-day life.]] [[You have a full time office job.]] [[You do freelance work.]]

“A forest—like Snowdin?” You explain it’s similar, although your forest changes seasons and has many different trees and flowers. They ask for specifics and you spend a solid ten minutes describing your home until they are satisfied. A monster in the shape of a candle’s flame bobs up and down. “I’m Wicc. Answer my question next! What do you do?” You. . . [[You are a full time student.]] [[You are a part time student. You have a part time job as a barista.]] [[You are a part time student. You do commission work to help fund your day-to-day life.]] [[You have a full time office job.]] [[You do freelance work.]]

“What’s an ocean?” You explain it. The children are flabbergasted. “Water as far as the eye can see?” Puffers is dubious. “That’s hard to imagine.” “Are waves that different than running water?”Mon asks. Exceedingly so. A monster in the shape of a candle’s flame bobs up and down. “I’m Wicc. Answer my question next! What do you do?” You. . . [[You are a full time student.]] [[You are a part time student. You have a part time job as a barista.]] [[You are a part time student. You do commission work to help fund your day-to-day life.]] [[You have a full time office job.]] [[You do freelance work.]]

Your answer only sparks more questions. You have to fully explain what you do until they are satisfied. The children exchange glances, and you realize this is your chance to ask a question of your own. Why do they want to talk to you if it’s against the rules? “Because it’s cool to break the rules! AND WE’RE THE COOLEST!” What are they doing out here? “See this edge?” Puffers points at it. “We’re daring each other to jump off it.” You peer over the edge. It’s pitch black. You can only hear the sound of rushing water. “It’s the waterfall,” Puffers explains. “There’s starrmoss at the bottom so it’ll light up once we touch it.” Is it not dangerous? “No! Undyne’s jumped off lots of times before,” Mon is quick to explain. “Yeah, we’re gonna be cool like her!” “Super cool!” “The coolest!” “Hey human, do you want to jump with us?” Revamp asks. “Yeah, yeah! You’re cool, right?” “Jump, jump, jump!” Puffers cheers. Hmm. What will you do? [[Jump down the waterfall with all of them because HELL YEAH!]] [[Gently discourage them from doing something so dangerous.]]

“WOOOO!” Puffers screams at your encouragement and immediately turns around and jumps. <<set $jump = 1>> “YEAAAAAHAHAHA!” Ravamp shouts and follows behind her. “LET’S GOOOOOOO!” Wicc jumps off the edge. It’s only you and Mon now. Mon looks uncomfortably over the edge. “Uhh. . .” You offer to jump with him. “Or we could //not// jump off a waterfall?” Flowey nervously asks. Where’s the fun in that? Mon grins at you. “That’d be cool Thanks, $name!” You pick up the child. Despite the fact that he comes up to your waist, he barely weighs more than a house cat. You’re starting to notice a trend with monsters weighing significantly less than you think they should. Is it because they are made of magic? A curious thought. Once Mon is adjusted in your arms, you jump off the waterfall. <<cycle "$battlecry" autoselect>>\ <<option "WEEEEEEE!">> <<option "WOO HOO!">> <<option "YOU INSTANTLY REGRET THIS!">> <<option ". . .">> <<option ". . .!">> <<option "HAHAHAHAHA!">> <</cycle>> You and Mon land in cool water with a resounding splash. Your world brightens as the starrmoss flare to life from your touch. You hold Mon above the water as you spit out and cough the water that went up your nose. The children are laughing in delight. "Over here, $name!" Puffers shouts at you. You notice the bunny monster beckons you over from land. You swim over to her, grateful to get out of the chilly water with Mon. "That was AMAZING!" Mon shouts. "I can't believe we did that," Wicc utters, his flames now a dull blue instead of their previous red. "We're so cool." "We're the coolest," Ravamp agrees. "C'mere everyone," says Puffers. Everyone gathers around her and you see white magic in her paws. Wind swirls in her paws, enveloping you and the other children. Within seconds everyone has been dried off. The bunny puffs up her chest proudly. "Mama showed me that one." "Thanks, Puff," Wicc says, back to being a vibrant red. "Uncle woulda yelled at me if I came home blue. C'mon, let's go back to the top." "You're pretty cool for a human," Ravamp tells you as you all start walking back up to the top of the waterfall. There's some steps built in to the side of the waterfall apparently. Her statement amuses you. What other human can she compare you to? You ask the children if they’ve met any other human. “Not directly,” says Ravamp, her body morphing like a blob dropped onto concrete. “W-We’ve heard about them though!” “Yeah, the last human was caught by Mr. Papyrus,” says Puffers. “He’s part of the Royal Guard. He’s a human hunting maniac, he’s caught the most humans.” You think back to your fight with Papyrus and his remorseful undertone. Every death by his hand did not feel it was done with joy. Wait, caught—? Not killed? “Mama says there are only two humans Mr. Papyrus had to kill before,” Ravamp says. Wicc adds, “He’s really good at his job. He always keeps us safe. That’s why he’s the //boss// of Snowdin!” Boss of Snowdin? You had heard Sans refer to Papyrus that way before, but you hadn’t realized it was an actual title. “Yeah! He’s really cool, like Undyne!” And Undyne is. . .? “She’s the Captain of the Royal Guard,” Mon shouts, he jumps up and down in excitement. “All humans who make it out of Snowdin, don’t get past her! She catches all of ‘em.” The monster children look up at you with sparkling eyes. “She’ll probably try to catch you too,” says Puffers. “So cool! I’m so jealous.” Aha. <<if $sanslove eq 3>> [[There is a lull and you know you have a chance to ask more questions.]] <<elseif $papslove eq 2>> [[There is a pause and you know you have a chance to ask more questions.]] <<elseif $harem eq 2>> [[There is a moment of silence and you know you have a chance to ask more questions.]] <<elseif ((($asrielrom eq 2))) or (($grillbylove eq 2)) or ($friendshiproute eq 3)>> [[There is a lull and you know you have an opportunity to ask more questions.]] <</if>>

The monster children all made noises of disagreement. It took several minutes of persuasion but they did relent. <<set $nojump = 1>> If only all monsters could be talked down like that! “Fine, fine, fine,” Puffers sighs dramatically. “We won’t jump.” “Why does it even matter to you?” Ravamp groans. “You’re not our parent.” Even so. Monsters or not, you can’t stand by and watch children put themselves in needless danger. “Do human children not jump off waterfalls?” Not that you are aware of. “Well that makes sense,” says Mon. “Humans are really weak, right?” You playfully poke Mon. And monster children aren’t? “We’re not weak!” Mon protests. The armless monster hops forward to you, trips on nothing, and proceeds to face plant into the ground. The other children laugh. [[You carefully help Mon back up.]] [[You laugh alongside the other children.]]

Mon gives you a sheepish ok as you help him. You brush off the dirt from his stripes. “Eheheh. Thanks, $name.” You ask the children if they’ve met any other human. “Not directly,” says Ravamp, her body morphing like a blob dropped onto concrete. “W-We’ve heard about them though!” “Yeah, the last human was caught by Mr. Papyrus,” says Puffers. “He’s part of the Royal Guard. He’s a human hunting maniac, he’s caught the most humans.” You think back to your fight with Papyrus and his remorseful undertone. Every death by his hand did not feel it was done with joy. Wait, caught—? Not killed? “Mama says there are only two humans Mr. Papyrus had to kill before,” Ravamp says. Wicc adds, “He’s really good at his job. He always keeps us safe. That’s why he’s the //boss// of Snowdin!” Boss of Snowdin? You had heard Sans refer to Papyrus that way before, but you hadn’t realized it was an actual title. “Yeah! He’s really cool, like Undyne!” And Undyne is. . .? “She’s the Captain of the Royal Guard,” Mon shouts, he jumps up and down in excitement. “All humans who make it out of Snowdin, don’t get past her! She catches all of ‘em.” The monster children look up at you with sparkling eyes. “She’ll probably try to catch you too,” says Puffers. “So cool! I’m so jealous.” Aha. <<if $sanslove eq 3>> [[There is a lull and you know you have a chance to ask more questions.]] <<elseif $papslove eq 2>> [[There is a pause and you know you have a chance to ask more questions.]] <<elseif $harem eq 2>> [[There is a moment of silence and you know you have a chance to ask more questions.]] <<elseif ((($asrielrom eq 2))) or (($grillbylove eq 2)) or ($friendshiproute eq 3)>> [[There is a lull and you know you have an opportunity to ask more questions.]] <</if>>

Mon pops up and laughs with all of you. Puffers and you help brush off the dirt from his stripes as you continue to giggle. “What were you saying earlier?” Flowey teases. Mon laughs. “Never mind then!” You ask the children if they’ve met any other human. “Not directly,” says Ravamp, her body morphing like a blob dropped onto concrete. “W-We’ve heard about them though!” “Yeah, the last human was caught by Mr. Papyrus,” says Puffers. “He’s part of the Royal Guard. He’s a human hunting maniac, he’s caught the most humans.” You think back to your fight with Papyrus and his remorseful undertone. Every death by his hand did not feel it was done with joy. Wait, caught—? Not killed? “Mama says there are only two humans Mr. Papyrus had to kill before,” Ravamp says. Wicc adds, “He’s really good at his job. He always keeps us safe. That’s why he’s the //boss// of Snowdin!” Boss of Snowdin? You had heard Sans refer to Papyrus that way before, but you hadn’t realized it was an actual title. “Yeah! He’s really cool, like Undyne!” And Undyne is. . .? “She’s the Captain of the Royal Guard,” Mon shouts, he jumps up and down in excitement. “All humans who make it out of Snowdin, don’t get past her! She catches all of ‘em.” The monster children look up at you with sparkling eyes. “She’ll probably try to catch you too,” says Puffers. “So cool! I’m so jealous.” Aha. <<if $sanslove eq 3>> [[There is a lull and you know you have a chance to ask more questions.]] <<elseif $papslove eq 2>> [[There is a pause and you know you have a chance to ask more questions.]] <<elseif $harem eq 2>> [[There is a moment of silence and you know you have a chance to ask more questions.]] <<elseif ((($asrielrom eq 2))) or or (($grillbylove eq 2)) or ($friendshiproute eq 3)>> [[There is a lull and you know you have an opportunity to ask more questions.]] <</if>>

You answer with //silence.// “CONGRATULATIONS, HUMAN. YOU HAVE THE BARE MININUM OF INTELLIGENCE NEEDED TO FIGHT ME,” says Papyrus. You thank Papyrus for the compliment. You think he's happy for a moment, but then his smile drops. His posture shifts to stand-offish again. He clears his throat. “I WILL LET YOU PASS. YOU MAY VISIT SNOWDIN FOR YOUR FINAL MEAL. I WILL BE WAITING FOR YOU AT THE END OF TOWN. IF YOU KEEP ME WAITING TOO LONG, I WILL HUNT YOU DOWN, SO DO NOT DALLY, HUMAN.” It’s nice he’s letting you pass now. That’s one step closer to <<cycle "$papintentions" autoselect>>\ <<option "being his friend">> <<option "smooching him">> <<option "getting out of here">> <</cycle>>. The thought of it fills you with DETERMINATION. Papyrus waits for you to reach the end of the bridge. As soon as your feet touch solid ground, you are instantly relieved. “Welp. Enjoy your stay, $sansfirstnickname,” says Sans. He waves goodbye to you as he leaves. “We made it to Snowdin, $name,” says Flowey. Yes. Yes you did. [[Enter Snowdin.]]

There is a lull and you know you have a chance to ask more questions. While you are curious about Undyne—since she’ll likely be the next monster you have to face—your mind wanders over to a certain skeleton. You ask the children about Sans. Their faces scrunch up immediately. “He’s mean,” says Mon. “And smelly.” “He tells terrible jokes too,” says Puffers. “It’s hard to believe he’s related to Mr. Papyrus.” “Yeah he doesn’t do //anything// but hang out at Grillby'z or patrol. He’s a loser.” You think back to Sans. You don’t think he’s a loser. Rather, you found him very charming. “Not for the first time, I question your judgment,” Flowey whispers in your ears. The children give you pitying looks. Puffers says, "Humans are surprisingly weird, huh. . .?" Um. //Your// preference aside, you don't think the children should be saying those things about Sans. "Why not?" Ravamp asks you. "Eh. . . I guess. He //does// work for Mr. Papyrus," says Mon. Is Sans part of the Royal Guard? “Don’t think so. . .?” The children exchange looks, each of them frowning. Puffers smooths out her hoodie. “A-Actually he might be? Otherwise he wouldn’t be allowed to patrol.” “But that can’t be right—to join the Royal Guard, don’t you have to be really strong?” “Yeah, no way that mustard-smelling lazybones is strong. Maybe Mr. Papyrus asked for an exception for Sans to be able to patrol in Snowdin.” The children nod amongst each other. Hmm. So in order for Sans to be allowed to patrol, he’s supposed to be part of the Royal Guard. . . but the children don’t think he’s strong enough for that. What do you think? <<cycle "$sansroyalguard" autoselect>>\ <<option "You think he’s part of the Royal Guard.">> <<option "You think there’s more to this situation than the children know.">> <<option "You aren’t sure what to think.">> <<option ". . .">> <<option "You don’t really care.">> <</cycle>> <<if $sansshy gt $sansbold>> Thinking back to your first encounter, you can feel your cheeks turning red. You wonder when you’ll run into him again. . . you’d love to spend more time with him! <<else>> Thinking back to your first encounter, you feel your lips tug up into a smirk. You wonder when you’ll run into him again. . . you’d love to tease him some more! <</if>> You clear your throat. You ask the children about Undyne. It only makes sense. You have a good feeling that Undyne will be your next obstacle. “Undyne’s the coolest!” “She’s Captain of the Royal Guard,” Puffers says. “She was trained by King Asgore himself.” “She actually patrols this area,” says Mon. “Her house is in the marshes.” Wow, really? The marshes? Then again, if Undyne is the Captain of the Royal Guard she must have a powerful magical presence. It likely never goes dark in the marshes when she walks through. “She doesn’t come to Snowdin often so we’ve only seen her a couple of times,” Wicc explains. “She has a wicked cool attack--” [[“Enough, children.”]]

You ask the children about Papyrus. “Oh the boss?” Mon asks. “He’s really cool! He makes a lot of traps and puzzles on the outskirts.” “He and Undyne are the strongest members of the Royal Guard,” Puffers adds. She giggles to herself. “And the loudest.” “You know those scars over his eye?” Wicc asks you. You recall the slashes around Papyrus’s right eye socket. There are two gouges across his left eyesocket. “He got ‘em from fighting with King Asgore!” Why did he fight King Asgore? The children all shrug. “He’s one of the few monsters who’s ever fought King Asgore and lived,” Ravamp says, wonder in her voice. “Isn’t that so cool?!” Revamp’s body twists and expands in excitement. “Also! Also! He makes the //best// lasagna.” At the mention of Papyrus’ lasagna, the children sigh dreamily. “I have dreams about that lasagna,” Mon whispers. “It was //so// good,” Wicc agrees. It sounds like something you’ll have to try for yourself. “Did you face him?” Puffers asks. You did. “And you WON?!” This revelation earns gasps from the children. They look at you in plain reverence. In a way you did. You convinced Papyrus not to attack you, and potentially go on a date with you. “Ew dating,” says Mon. “Gross,” agrees Ravamp. “That sounds romantic,” Puffers protests on your behalf. “And super-duper forbidden. A Royal Guard dating a //human//? That’s gotta break like a hundred different rules.” You hope there aren’t a hundred rules against that. It might make your journey to smooch that skeleton unnecessarily difficult. Not that you aren’t prepared for that! <<if $papshy gt $papbold>> Your cheeks warm at the thought of going on a date with Papyrus. You hope he’ll give you a chance! <<else>> You smirk to yourself at the thought of going on a date with Papyrus. If he’ll give you a chance, you know the two of you could have a lot of fun together! <</if>> You ask the children about Undyne. It only makes sense. You have a good feeling that Undyne will be your next obstacle. “Undyne’s the coolest!” “She’s Captain of the Royal Guard,” Puffers says. “She was trained by King Asgore himself.” “She actually patrols this area,” says Mon. “Her house is in the marshes.” Wow, really? The marshes? Then again, if Undyne is the Captain of the Royal Guard she must have a powerful magical presence. It likely never goes dark in the marshes when she walks through. “She doesn’t come to Snowdin often so we’ve only seen her a couple of times,” Wicc explains. “She has a wicked cool attack--” [[“Enough, children.”]]

You ask the children about Undyne. It only makes sense. You have a good feeling that Undyne will be your next obstacle. “Undyne’s the coolest!” “She’s Captain of the Royal Guard,” Puffers says. “She was trained by King Asgore himself.” And to think you'll have to face such a person--and likely soon. Sounds $soundslikefun “She actually patrols this area,” says Mon. “Her house is in the marshes.” Wow, really? The marshes? Then again, if Undyne is the Captain of the Royal Guard she must have a powerful magical presence. It likely never goes dark in the marshes when she walks through. “She doesn’t come to Snowdin often so we’ve only seen her a couple of times,” Wicc explains. “She has a wicked cool attack--” [[“Enough, children.”]]

There is a sharp voice that cuts through the sound of running water. The monster children all jump around to face the owner of the voice. Flowey rests his head on your shoulder to whisper, “That’s her. That’s. . . Undyne.” Undyne, Captain of the Royal Guard, is a tall fish-like monster. She has blue scales and long red hair. Her right eye is as yellow as Toriel’s, although much sharper. And more dangerous, you think to yourself. She has an eyepatch over her other eye. She wears a black shirt cut off at her midriff with a red outline of a heart on it, long red gloves. She has black leather pants with long red boots. It’s a similar design to Papyrus. You wonder if there is a Royal Guard uniform. Undyne steps up to you and the children, her wide grin shows off her many rows of sharp teeth. You politely introdu-- “Shut up. I don’t care. Kids, get behind me,” Undyne orders. You see in her right hand there is a glow of red. Suddenly magic forms and solidifies into the shape of a red spear that Undyne grips tightly. <<if (($nojump eq 1)) and ($gender eq "person")>> “B-But--” Puffers looks between you and Undyne. “It’s okay, Undyne. $name is harmless.” Revamp bobs her head. “Yes. $name talked us out of jumping down the waterfall because they were worried about us.” “Yeah,” Mon agrees. “$name’s really weird like that, but it’s totally fine.” <<elseif (($nojump eq 1)) and ($gender eq "woman")>> “B-But--” Puffers looks between you and Undyne. “It’s okay, Undyne. $name is harmless.” Revamp bobs her head. “Yes. $name talked us out of jumping down the waterfall because $she was worried about us.” “Yeah,” Mon agrees. “$name’s really weird like that, but it’s totally fine.” <<elseif (($nojump eq 1)) and ($gender eq "man")>> “B-But--” Puffers looks between you and Undyne. “It’s okay, Undyne. $name is harmless.” Revamp bobs her head. “Yes. $name talked us out of jumping down the waterfall because $she was worried about us.” “Yeah,” Mon agrees. “$name’s really weird like that, but it’s totally fine.” <<elseif (($jump eq 1)) and ($gender eq "person")>> “B-But--” Puffers looks between you and Undyne. “It’s okay, Undyne. $name is cool.” Revamp bobs her head. “Yes. We all jumped down the waterfall together. It was so much fun.” “Yeah,” Mon agrees. “$name helped me down, They jumped with me and kept me above the water.” <<elseif (($jump eq 1)) and ($gender eq "man")>> “B-But--” Puffers looks between you and Undyne. “It’s okay, Undyne. $name is cool.” Revamp bobs her head. “Yes. We all jumped down the waterfall together. It was so much fun.” “Yeah,” Mon agrees. “$name helped me down, $she jumped with me and kept me above the water.” <<elseif (($jump eq 1)) and ($gender eq "woman")>> “B-But--” Puffers looks between you and Undyne. “It’s okay, Undyne. $name is cool.” Revamp bobs her head. “Yes. We all jumped down the waterfall together. It was so much fun.” “Yeah,” Mon agrees. “$name helped me down, $she jumped with me and kept me above the water.” <</if>> The children take a few steps forward. They subtly position themselves between you and Undyne. Oh. That’s a first. For the first time since you fell, a monster has made a gesture to shield you from harm. <<if $asrielrom eq 2>> Although you are certain if Flowey was capable of it, he would too! <</if>> It is a small gesture--you wouldn’t want any child to jump on a spear for you, after all--but considering what you have already faced it means. . . <<cycle "$childreact" autoselect>>\ <<option "A lot. You are genuinely touched.">> <<option "So much. You are filled with hope.">> <<option "You are speechless.">> <<option ". . .">> <<option "You are overjoyed.">> <</cycle>> You have already come so far in your journey. You have stayed alive and befriended hostile monsters. And now you have monsters wanting to help you. At once, you are filled with DETERMINATION. Your ''SOUL'' flares to life and you step out from behind the children. [[You choose to flee]] [[You will not back down]]

You tell Undyne you don’t want to fight her. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "Undyne"volume 0.15 loop play>> Undyne twirls her spear around, her sharp yellow gaze focused in on you. Her lips curl into a sneer and she starts to laugh at you. “OF COURSE YOU DON’T. Why would you? I’m going to rip you to shreds, human.” You tell the children to step away and give you room. “You really think this’ll work out for you?” Undyne loudly laughs at you again. “You’re FINISHED!” She lunges a spear at you. You’ve gotten much better at dodging hostile objects since you’ve fallen into UNDERFELL so you successfully roll out of the way. Then you feel an odd sensation over your ''SOUL''. You look down at your $soulcolor glow and you notice there is an extra light now outlining it. It’s a lime green. Your whole body feels stiff and uncomfortable. You can no longer move your legs. “Not one more step, human,” Undyne smirks. “Goodbye.” She hurls a spear at you and pierces your skull in one throw. <<timed 3s>> ''You have died.'' <<type 135ms>>//Good riddance.//<</type>> <<set $deaths += 1>> [[You will not back down.]]<</timed>>

You tell Undyne you don’t want to fight her. Undyne twirls her spear around, her sharp yellow gaze focused in on you. Her lips curl into a sneer and she starts to laugh at you. “OF COURSE YOU DON’T. Why would you? I’m going to rip you to shreds, human.” You ask the children to hold Flowey for a moment. You slip off the backpack and give it to Puffers. Flowey looks horrified at you. “$name!” <<if $asrielrom eq 2>> "Please don't--please don't le--please be safe--//please!//" Flowey stresses, a shrill fear in his voice. The flower monster is trembling as he looks up at you. <<set $asrielrom += 1>> <<cycle "$wordsforflowey" autoselect>>\ <<option "You bump your head against his.">> <<option "You promise Flowey you'll keep him safe.">> <<option "You give Flowey a reassuring smile.">> <<option "You give his head a pat.">> <<option ". . .">> <</cycle>> "$name. . ." <</if>> “You really think this’ll work out for you?” Undyne loudly laughs at you again. Yes. It will. “You’re FINISHED!” She throws a red spear at you. You catch the spear. The magic burns your hands and leaves them bloody and raw. “HA! Maybe you aren’t such a pathetic wimp after all,” Undyne raises her hands, a newly generated spear in each hand. You feel that odd sensation over your ''SOUL.'' You don’t even look down at this point. You know it will be outlined in that familiar lime green. Your whole body feels stiff and uncomfortable. You can no longer move your legs. Undyne smirks. “Goodbye.” She hurls a spear at you and you swing your spear down. You are expecting the second spear so you quickly swing back up. “Hooo? Think you’re tough shit ‘cause you deflected a couple spears?” Undyne smirks. You grip the spear tightly and meet her gaze. You will not attack her. “That won’t stop me,” she says. That’s fine. She can’t stop you. [[Your soul pulses again and you are filled with DETERMINATION.]]

She hurls a spear directly at your face. [[Swipe up.]] [[Swipe right.]] [[Swipe left.]] [[Swipe down.]]

You swipe up. It knocks the spear out of the way. There’s enough force behind the throw that it shakes your entire arm from the vibration of deflecting it. Your hands throb painfully, the magic spear you are holding feels so hot it's cold. Undyne is unrelenting in her follow up. She hurls more spears at you and you are forced to move fast to deflect them. Each time you deflect, the vibration causes pain to shoot up your arms. It’s not enough to stop you. [[You deflect to the right.]] [[You deflect to the left.]] [[You deflect up.]] [[You deflect down.]]

You swipe right but you go too far. When her follow up attack launches at you, you cannot move the spear back in place to defend yourself. It pierces through your neck. Cold-hot pain tightens around your throat and the world tilts. Your head has been sliced clean off. <<timed 3s>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> <<type 135ms>>//I won’t fail.//<</type>> [[Your soul pulses again and you are filled with DETERMINATION.]] <</timed>>

You swipe left but you go too far. When her follow up attack launches at you, you cannot move the spear back in place to defend yourself. It pierces through your neck. Cold-hot pain tightens around your throat and the world tilts. Your head has been sliced clean off. <<timed 3s>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> <<type 135ms>>//I won’t fail.//<</type>> [[Your soul pulses again and you are filled with DETERMINATION.]]<</timed>>

You swipe down. It knocks the spear out of the way. There’s enough force behind the throw that it shakes your entire arm from the vibration of deflecting it. Your hands throb painfully, the magic spear you are holding feels so hot it's cold. Undyne is unrelenting in her follow up. She hurls more spears at you and you are forced to move fast to deflect them. Each time you deflect, the vibration causes pain to shoot up your arms. It’s not enough to stop you. [[You deflect to the right.]] [[You deflect to the left.]] [[You deflect up.]] [[You deflect down.]]

Your palms are coated in your blood, it drips down the burning spear you hold. You deflect her oncoming attacks. “Is that all you can do?!” she howls and jumps at you. The grip over your ''SOUL'' has disappeared. You can move your legs again! You brace yourself as she swings one of her spears down like a massive sword. You block it, but she raises her leg and kicks you hard in the midsection. You are sent hurtling through the air. You slam into the cavewall, hitting it hard enough that your world spins and you lose your breath. “$name!” Flowey cries out alarm. “Roll!” Trusting in your companion, you roll forward before you even have time to catch your breath. Everything is spinning, your chest is burning, your hands are throbbing-- Adrenaline forces you back on your feet as you gasp for air. You see something blue and red rushing to you, but your vision is doubled and blurred. You jump away. You have no choice but to dodge until your vision refocuses and you can obtain another spear. You have to keep moving. You rely more on instincts and adrenaline to keep yourself alive until you can blink away the spots and no longer feel pain in your chest when you breathe. Undyne is unrelenting. She launches spear after spear at you. It’s getting increasingly difficult to dodge. “$name, catch!” Flowey shouts. You see vines pick up a discarded spear. Flowey, while still in the backpack, picks up a spear and throws it at you. You catch it with one hand just in time for Undyne to hurl several more spears at you. In rapid succession, you deflect each one. You squeeze the spear tightly in your hands. It’s hard to keep hold of because of how horrifically you’re bleeding. It feels like you don’t have any skin left on your palms. “ARGH! You can’t keep this up forever!” Undyne snaps at you. She raises her arms high above and conjures a dozen spears. Ah $curse. [[Dash forward and focus on dodging.]]

Your grip slips, the blood coating the spear making it near impossible to keep hold of. When you swing up, you accidentally use too much force and the spear escapes your grasp. You are not able to defend yourself from the next attack. The spear pierces your right eye for a clean instant kill. <<timed 3s>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> <<type 135ms>>//I have to keep everyone safe.//<</type>> [[Your soul pulses again and you are filled with DETERMINATION.]] <</timed>>

Your grip slips, the blood coating the spear making it near impossible to keep hold of. When you swing down, you accidentally use too much force and the spear escapes your grasp. You are not able to defend yourself from the next attack. The spear pierces your right eye for a clean instant kill. <<timed 3s>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> //I have to keep everyone safe.// [[Your soul pulses again and you are filled with DETERMINATION.]] <</timed>>

No time to think any further. You break out into a sprint. You hear the spears whizzing through the air. They are moving too fast for you to keep up with your eyes. One after other it’s a nonstop assault of bright red spears raining down on you and you barely dodging them. They clip against your $sweaterbasecolor and $sweaterstripecolor striped sweater, leaving behind tears and scratches. Each successful evasion only enrages Undyne further. Your ability to stay alive--without fighting back--positively infuriates her. You can feel her malice and anger radiate from the spears, most especially the one in your hands. You can feel the echo of her resentment and resolve against you. Most notably, however, you can feel that spark of confusion that rests deep inside her magic. And then-- --//you see something bad is about to happen.// It’s through the corner of your eye. The world seems to slow down when you notice it. A red spear launched in fury was off its mark. It was headed straight to Mon and Flowey. Your ''SOUL'' flickers, your heart stops, your breath is caught. Everything comes to a screeching halt in your mind. You would be okay. They would not. You slam hard on your heel and you use every bit of strength and DETERMINATION you have inside of you to throw yourself in the way. Your abrupt change in direction immediately alarms Undyne. You drop the spear and you lose your ability to feel the echo of her emotions, but not before you catch a glimpse of horrified realization from her. You body tackle into the monster children. Something whizzes by you. You tense, expecting the spear to dig into your vulnerable back. Nothing happens. “$name?” Flowey whispers to you. “Wha--What just happened?” Mon asks you. You slowly sit up. Undyne has reached you. All spears have evaporated, leaving nothing but gouges in rocks. “You. . .” Undyne growls lowly at you. Her single eye is narrowed in disdain. “What do you think you’re doing?” You don’t get a chance to respond when Undyne grabs you by the collar and lifts you up above her. “HUH?!” <<if $gender eq "person">> “L-Leave them alone!” Puffers protests. <<else>> “L-Leave $her alone!” Puffers protests. <</if>> “Yeah! $name saved--” Undyne drops you on the ground, incensed. Her hands are clenched tightly into fists. You look up at her, bleeding, sore, and battered. You give her a weak smile. She looks at you with disgust. “You. . .” She sighs and runs her hands over her face. “Fuck. Let’s go children. I’m taking you all back to Snowdin.” “Wha--what about--?” Undyne grabs each of them by the back of their collars and starts to drag them away. She glares over her shoulder at you. “One pass, human,” she snaps. “You get one day to get the hell out of here.” You tell her it was nice to meet her. “EAT SHIT.” [[You are soon left alone.]]

Well. Not entirely. Flowey’s vines encircle your hands. He carefully twists them around so the two of you can better examine the damage. <<set $undynefought = 1>> It’s not pretty. There doesn’t seem to be much skin left. <<audio "Undyne" stop>> <<audio "waterfall"volume 0.15 loop play>> “If only I was stronger,” he whispers, staring at your bloodied palms. “I. . . I’m sorry, $name.” It’s okay. You can deal with this! “Come on, $name,” says Flowey. “There’s a laboratory in Hotlands. I’m sure there’s s-some healing supplies we can use.” <<if $asrielrom eq 3>> You lower your head to gently nuzzle against Flowey. He sighs into you. “What am I going to do with you?” <<else>> You give Flowey a smile. You’d offer a high-five, but. . . well. . . Flowey shakes his head. “Let’s go. You need treatment.” <</if>> Yes, that sounds good. [[Enter the Hotlands.]]

''END OF WATERFALL'' ---- How are you shaping up so far? <<masteraudio stop>><<audio "menu"volume 0.15 loop play>> You are a $gender. You fell into the UNDERFELL while in a $sweaterbasecolor sweater with two $sweaterstripecolor stripes. It is long enough to cover your $hipsorbutt. You're wearing $pants with $shoes. You have beautiful $eyecolor eyes, and a charming $soulcolor ''SOUL''. <<if $eyecolor eq $soulcolor>> They always say the eyes are the windows to the soul, and it looks like that's the case for you! <</if>> <<if $torielhug eq 1>> You gave Toriel a hug before you left the ruins. I'm sure she hasn't forgotten your kindness. <</if>> When meeting Papyrus for the first time you immediately thought: //$firstimpression// <<if $diedinthemaze eq 0>> You completed the maze on your first try. Way to go! <<else>> It took you more than one try to get through the maze. That's okay! <</if>> <<if $deaths eq 7>> You have died seven times. That is the lowest amount of deaths possible. Wow. Do you actually have some kind of self-preservation? <<else>> You died <<print $deaths>> times. You could have died less, but that's okay! At least the next area will be warmer. Your poor toes can finally have a break. <</if>> <<if $friskhasstick eq 1>> You have a stick! Wonder what that could mean? <</if>> <<if $friskhaschain eq 1>> You still have a mysterious chain. It looks important. What do you think it is for? <</if>> <<if $shyrenspared eq 1>> Shyren will remember your song. <</if>> <<if $undyneskipped eq 1>> You didn't meet Undyne. <</if>> <<if $undynefought eq 1>> You saved a child. What a hero! Hopefully you can get your hands treated soon. <</if>> <<if $undynesaved eq 1>> You saved Undyne. What a kind soul you have. Hopefully you can get treatment soon. <</if>> <<if $sanslove eq 3>> You are currently romancing Sans. Maybe you'll get to see him in the next area! <<elseif $papslove eq 2>> You are currently romancing Papyrus. Maybe you'll get to see him again soon! <<elseif $asrielrom eq 3>> You are currently romancing Flowey. He really seems fond of you. <<elseif $harem eq 3>> You are currently romancing Papyrus and Sans. Wowza! <<elseif $grillbylove eq 2>> You are currently romancing the fire monster. Hot stuff. <<elseif $friendshiproute eq 3>> You are on the friendship route! That's so wonderful! <</if>> <<if $undynesaved eq 1>> [[The air is hot and dry.]] <</if>> <<if $undynefought eq 1>> [[You hold your hands close to your chest.]] <</if>> <<if $undyneskipped eq 1>> [[Hotlands is definitely hot.]] <</if>>

You do not want the children to see such violence. You cock your head to Undyne and tell her it would be best if the two of you moved away. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "Undyne"volume 0.15 loop play>> Undyne twirls her spear around, her sharp yellow gaze focused in on you. Her lips curl into a sneer. “What an irritation you are.” Her only visible eye flickered to the children watching on. She scoffed. “All right. Since you weren’t a complete scumbag I’ll give you a head start. Run, human.” “I would definitely take that chance,” Flowey whispers to you. “Take the path on the right, it goes to Hotlands.” You tell Undyne you don’t want to fight, and so you will take her up on that offer. You run away. She laughs as you flee. "Right, right, right," Flowey urges you as you sprint. "That's right, you wimp! //RUN!//" You do not falter. Your legs move as fast as they can carry you as you run. You take a right as Flowey instructs. The flooring is uneven. The path you have traveled on has never been smooth, but as you are running like your very life depends on it you find it unusually difficult to traverse. There are many little pebbles that you can feel under your $shoes. You kick them up as they run, some of them are kicked with enough force they bounce off the ceiling above you. A thought occurs to you as you run. If Undyne attacks you from behind--it will be Flowey who takes the brunt of it. He's on your back, after all. <<if $asrielrom eq 2>> [[No! You'll keep him safe!]] ♡ <</if>> [[You can't let that happen! He's your friend.]] [[You won't let that happen. He's here because of you.]] [[. . . Damn it.]]

That's right. He's your friend. He's been with you since you started this journey through UNDERFELL. He's been your guide and stayed by your side through everything so far. He didn't have to come with you, yet he did. He doesn't have to guide you. . . and yet he does. He's your friend. You shrug the backpack off your shoulders as you continue to run. Flowey lets out a, "H-Huh?" You move to place him in front of you, now carrying the backpack front-facing. You hug it close to you. "$name?" Flowey whispers to you, disbelief on his face. "A-Are you shielding me. . .?" <<cycle "$wordsforflwey" autoselect>>\ <<option "You tell Flowey to keep his head down, it'll be dangerous.">> <<option "You promise Flowey you'll keep him safe.">> <<option "You give Flowey a reassuring smile.">> <<option "You give his head a pat.">> <<option ". . .">> <</cycle>> Flowey tucks his head against your chest. ". . . $name. . ." With your friend in your arms, you continue to flee from Undyne. You aren't alone in this. You have to stay alive, not just for yourself. . . but for your friend too! You are filled with DETERMINATION! And then something hits the back of your head and your vision goes black. <<timed 3s>> You have died. <<type 135ms>>//HEADSHOT!//<</type>> <<set $deaths += 1>> [[It's not just you anymore!]]<</timed>>

He's been with you since you started this journey through UNDERFELL. He's been your guide and stayed by your side through everything so far. He didn't have to come with you, yet he did. He doesn't have to guide you. . . and yet he does. You owe him, and. . . You shrug the backpack off your shoulders as you continue to run. Flowey lets out a, "H-Huh?" You move to place him in front of you, now carrying the backpack front-facing. You hug it close to you. "$name?" Flowey whispers to you, disbelief on his face. "A-Are you shielding me. . .?" <<cycle "$wordsforflwey" autoselect>>\ <<option "You tell Flowey to keep his head down, it'll be dangerous.">> <<option "You promise Flowey you'll keep him safe.">> <<option "You give Flowey a reassuring smile.">> <<option "You give his head a pat.">> <<option ". . .">> <</cycle>> Flowey tucks his head against your chest. ". . . $name. . ." With your friend in your arms, you continue to flee from Undyne. You aren't alone in this. You have to stay alive, not just for yourself. . . but for Flowey too! You are filled with DETERMINATION! And then something hits the back of your head and your vision goes black. <<timed 3s>> You have died. <<type 135ms>>//HEADSHOT!//<</type>> <<set $deaths += 1>> [[It's not just you anymore!]]<</timed>>

<<set $asrielrom += 1>> That's right! You told him so after all. He's been with you since you started this journey through UNDERFELL. He's been your guide and stayed by your side through everything so far. He didn't have to come with you, yet he did. He doesn't have to guide you. . . and yet he does. He's your dear companion. You shrug the backpack off your shoulders as you continue to run. Flowey lets out a, "H-Huh?" You move to place him in front of you, now carrying the backpack front-facing. You hug it close to you. "$name?" Flowey whispers to you, disbelief on his face. "A-Are you shielding me. . .?" You bump your head against his. <<cycle "$wordsforflwey" autoselect>>\ <<option "You tell Flowey to keep his head down, it'll be dangerous.">> <<option "You promise Flowey you'll keep him safe.">> <<option "You give Flowey a reassuring smile.">> <<option "You give his head a pat.">> <<option ". . .">> <</cycle>> Flowey tucks his head in the crook of your neck. ". . . $name, please. . ." With your friend in your arms, you continue to flee from Undyne. ". . . please stay safe. . ." You aren't alone in this. You have to stay alive, not just for yourself. . . but for Flowey too! You are filled with DETERMINATION! And then something hits the back of your head and your vision goes black. <<timed 3s>> You have died. <<type 135ms>>//HEADSHOT!//<</type>> <<set $deaths += 1>> [[It's not just you anymore!]] <</timed>>

You stumble for a second. Coming back is disorienting. One moment you are nothing: limbless, blind, and floating. Then you are suddenly forced back into //everything// with only your DETERMINATION. You do not have the luxury to ponder the transition, however, because you have to duck--NOW! You duck and a red spear wizzes overtop your head. It's quickly accompanied by several more. You instinctively start twisting your body side to side and randomally ducking or jumping as you run. The spears are unrelenting, and more than once you feel a burning sensation tear across your limbs. You cannot stop, though. You have to press on. Your heart is pounding. Your breathing is uneven. Your chest feels tight. Your limbs are burning. Adrenaline pumps through you. You can keep going. You can do this. You can do this! You duck again at random. Three more spears shoot over you. They embed themselves into the ground, their red light distractingly bright. You have to manuever around them. "Left at the fork," says Flowey. You take a left when the tunnel splits. You can see light ahead, and you hear Undyne's footsteps thundering behind you. She is gaining on you. You burst through the tunnel to a cavern of hot air. The air is dry and scorches your throat with each breath. [[There! A bridge.]]

. . . Oh $curse. You shrug the backpack off your shoulders as you continue to run. Flowey lets out a, "H-Huh?" You move to place him in front of you, now carrying the backpack front-facing. You hug it close to you. "$name?" Flowey whispers to you, disbelief on his face. "A-Are you shielding me. . .?" <<cycle "$wordsforflwey" autoselect>>\ <<option "You purse your lips, refusing to answer.">> <<option "You tell Flowey to keep his head down, it'll be dangerous.">> <<option "You promise Flowey you'll keep him safe.">> <<option "You give Flowey a reassuring smile.">> <<option "You give his head a pat.">> <<option ". . .">> <</cycle>> Flowey tucks his head against your chest. ". . . $name. . ." You aren't alone in this. You have to stay alive, not just for yourself. . . but for Flowey too! You are filled with DETERMINATION! And then something hits the back of your head and your vision goes black. <<timed 3s>> You have died. <<type 135ms>>//HEADSHOT!//<</type>> <<set $deaths += 1>> [[It's not just you anymore!]]<</timed>>

It's a bridge very similar to the one over the chasm in Snowdin, although this one crosses lava. Up ahead and across the bridge you spot the pedestal and you can see the red crystal used to power it. You continue your sprint across the bridge, Undyne close on your heels. The bridge creaks and shakes with each step. More and more spears zoom around you. You reach the end of the bridge as a spear slices through the red crystal on the pedestal. Debilitating agony shoots through your right leg: a spear has gone through you. Your knees buckle under their intensity. You fall forward, just barely catching yourself on your elbows so you don't crush Flowey. Your head whips around. Your eyes widen as Undyne nears you-- There are sparks of red coming off the bridge. Time slows. --but she doesn't reach you. Blinding light shoots off from all over the bridge, lightning and thunder cracking through the air as raw magic bursts free. You flinch under the light, although it only lasts a second. As soon as it is gone, you realize immediately that the bridge is also gone. And as for your pursuer-- Undyne is falling. She is falling into the lava. She will die. Unless you save her. You do it without thought. Your panic lets you forget all the pain for a moment as you scramble forward. You reach out a hand and she grasps it in her own. You catch her before she completely tumbles. You are expecting a great weight, but to your surprise she does not weigh that much. "What are you doing?" Flowey asks you. "D-Drop her. She'll kill you." She is shaking. You realize she is struggling to keep a grip on you. The attack from earlier electrocuted her. You aren't familiar with how magical electricity affects monsters, but you suppose some form of paralysis or slight seizures would make sense. It'll be up to you to pull her up. "$name! Don't do this. Y-You'll get yourself killed." [[You pull up with all your might.]]

If the drunk dog from earlier weighed the same as a bicycle, you'd estimate Undyne was the same, plus a basket. <<set $undynesaved = 1>> It's curious how light monsters are. They don't have traditional organs or even a consistent skeletal construction. They're nothing but magic. <<audio "Undyne" stop>> <<audio "waterfall"volume 0.15 loop play>> Although she is not too heavy, it is still difficult. You only now notice how covered in scratches you are. Your skin throbs, your joints ache, and there is a consistent pain in your right leg. Despite it all, adrenaline and DETERMINATION gives you the strength to pull her up. Flowey sighs as you do. Undyne lays on her side, grimacing as she shakes. You suck in a gulp of air, your heart hammering in your chest. One beat. Two beats. Undyne stops shaking. Three beats. Undyne sits up. Four beats. She looks at you, her expression difficult to read. Her only visible eye is narrowed, and her lips are tugged down in a frown. Silence stretches between the two of you. She stands up and starts to walk away. "One day, human," she says quietly. "Leave UNDERFELL by tomorrow. I will not hunt you." She crosses another bridge into Hotlands and you are left alone. "$name! Your leg," Flowey frets. Ah. That's right. You never have to be alone again, you know? You take a look at your right leg. In addition to the numerous scratches covering your body now, there is a gaping gash in your right calf. Its oozing enough blood that you know if you don't get it patched up soon you'll be in trouble. Flowey is frantically wrapping vines around the injury. "S-Sorry this will hurt--" He tightens it. The pain is so significant you feel you might throw up and pass out. You don't. Somehow. Your vision darkens as you woozily teeter. Although you are seated, you feel a desire to lay down. “If only I was stronger,” he whispers, staring at your leg. “I. . . I’m sorry, $name.” It’s okay. You can deal with this! It won't be comfortable to walk, but surely can you can hobble. Or hop. You can hop! “Come on, $name,” says Flowey. “There’s a laboratory in Hotlands. I’m sure there’s s-some healing supplies we can use.” <<if $asrielrom eq 3>> You lower your head to gently nuzzle against Flowey. He sighs into you. “What am I going to do with you?” <<else>> You give Flowey a smile. You offer him a high-five. He accepts. Flowey shakes his head. “Let’s go. You need treatment.” <</if>> Yes, that sounds good. [[Enter the Hotlands.]]

The marsh is silent. The only light comes from you. <<if $shyrenhum lt 1>> Shyren hides in the corner but somehow encounters you anyway. <<else>> Smells like music. <</if>> <<if $shyrenencounter eq 3>> Shyren watches you warily. You suddenly hear a raspy, croaking tune erupt from her. It is barely above a whisper, and yet it is gratingly loud in your head. Sound blares in your brain, you cannot hear anything else but that horrible melody. It brings you to your knees and blinds you from the pain. Blood drips out of your nose and ears. The agony is brought to a chaotic climax and at once everything falls silent. You have died. <<set $deaths += 1>> <<type 135ms>>//. . .//<</type>> [[You only ever need you.]] <<else>> [[You give a friendly smile.]] [[You do nothing.]] [[You turn around and walk away.]] <</if>> <<if $shryenhum eq 0>> [[You hum.]] <</if>> <<if $shryenhum eq 1>> [[You hum again.]] <</if>> <<if (($shryenhum eq 2)) and ($shyrenencounter lt 4)>> [[You hum thrice.]] <</if>>

You hum a little tune. Shyren shifts around in the marshy waters. Her voice is barely above a murmur as she hums back, “Si re, si re si mi si mi.” <<set $shryenhum += 1>> Musical notes are generated into the air but they disappear like foam off a wave. There’s no heart to her music. [[HERE COMES SHYREN.]]

<<if $shryenhum lt 2>> You give a friendly smile. <<set $shyrenencounter += 1>> Shyren is uncomfortable. <<else>> You give a friendly smile. Shyren shyly smiles back at you, but you get the feeling she'd rather not. <</if>> [[HERE COMES SHYREN.]]

<<set $shyrenencounter += 1>> You do nothing. She does nothing. Nothing happens. [[HERE COMES SHYREN.]]

[[Take the path going forward.]] [[Take the path going right.]] [[Take the path going right.]] [[Choose not to take any paths and trudge through the marsh.]]

Shyren seems warmed up. She’s a talented signer, and is looking to you. With both of your vocal chords sufficiently warmed up, it’s time to start your debut! You clear your throat and start to sing, “<<textbox "$shyrenlyrics" "">>.” [[Shyren listens to you.]]

Shyren repeats your words, “<<print "$shyrenlyrics">>.” As she sings, the marshlands light up around you. Colorful notes appear in the air and dance to the tune. They circle around the two of you, their magic warming the air. What a lovely sound! She is tapping a little beat with her fins. It’s time for a second verse. You sing, “<<textbox "$shyrenlyricstwo" "">>.” [[Shyren happily listens to you.]]

She sings your words back to you, joy in her voice. Then she adds lyrics of her own which you repeat back. Your voices raise in harmony, loudly echoing against the marsh. The echo flowers pick up on your words and start to repeat them. The two of you have created your own concert. You sing together, your voices melding together like peanut butter and chocolate. You are in a whirlwind of her musical magic and you can catch echoes of her hopeful delight. At the end of your song, Shyren looks at you with a smile on her face. “Thank you,” she says. “Thank you,” the flowers echo. [[MERCY - You give her a bow.]] [[MERCY - You give her a curtsy.]] [[MERCY - You hum a farewell song.]]

She dips her head in farewell to you as she slowly sinks into the marshy waters. “Wow,” says Flowey. All falls silent again. <<if $asrielrom eq 2>> “You’re incredible,” he says softly. You turn your head to bump your forehead against his face in an affectionate nuzzle. <<else>> “I feel like I shouldn’t be surprised by this point,” Flowey jokes. You raise your hand in a high-five. He slaps it with his leaf. <</if>> <<set $shyrenspared = 1>> It's time to return. [[Take the path going right.]] [[Take the path on the left.]] [[Choose not to take any paths and trudge through the marsh.]]

She hums it back to you as she slowly sinks into the marshy waters. “Wow,” says Flowey. All falls silent again. <<if $asrielrom eq 2>> “You’re incredible,” he says softly. You turn your head to bump your forehead against his face in an affectionate nuzzle. <<else>> “I feel like I shouldn’t be surprised by this point,” Flowey jokes. You raise your hand in a high-five. He slaps it with his leaf. <</if>> <<set $shyrenspared = 1>> It's time to return. [[Take the path going right.]] [[Take the path on the left.]] [[Choose not to take any paths and trudge through the marsh.]]

“You’re not going inside?” Flowey asks you. You explain to Flowey you want to take a look around. It’s not every day you get to explore a magical kingdom. <<set $encounterdeath = 0>> <<set $playgreaterdog = 0>> <<set $petgreaterdog = 0>> <<set $beckongreaterdog = 0>> "This isn't much of a kingdom anymore," Flowey remarks. Maybe so. You follow the path outside of Snowdin and cross the bridge. There’s a divide in the road. The path going straight is where you came from--it will take you back to the ruins--but the paths on your right and left are new. Who knows where they could lead? [[Take the snowy path on the right.]] [[Take the snowy path on the left.]]

Your $shoes crunch into the snow. All is silent. There is a wind that picks up bits of snow. You stretch out your hand. Snowflakes hit and melt against your hand. Why does the wind blow underground? You look up at the stalacites. Is it all caused from magic--can magic really do so much? You don’t have any other explanation. This whole ecosystem seems dependent on magic. Humans rely on magic as well, but not to this extent. The wind blows from gases moving from high pressure areas to low pressure areas. It rains because the sun heated up the water to start a cycle. There’s night and day because the world rotates. None of that is magical, it’s all learned science. Yet underground there is only magic to make these things happen. Why? What moves magic to behave in such a way? If one day it decided to stop--for what reason did it have to start in the first place?--how would the monsters adapt? It’s a curious thought. They’re clearly doing well for themselves considering their limited space. If the situations were reversed. . . could the magic-less humans be able to live underground? <<cycle "$humanadapt" autoselect>>\ <<option "No. You don’t think so.">> <<option "Yes. You think they could adapt.">> <<option "You’re not sure. ">> <<option ". . .">> <</cycle>> There is a heavier crunch in the snow behind you. You turn around and realize you have been followed. There is a massive monster in spiky black armor in front of you, yet their head is that of a white dog. [[HERE COMES GREATER DOG]]

It's cold. The air smells like wet dog. <<if ((($playgreaterdog gt 0))) and (($petgreaterdog gt 1)) and ($encounterdeath lt 6)>> >> [[MERCY - CUDDLE THE GREATER DOG]] [[MERCY - SPARE THE GREATER DOG]] <</if>> <<if $encounterdeath eq 6>> Greater Dog decides you are too boring. At once they bound to you. They come at you with the full force of a derailing train and you are completely crushed under their weight. It's a near instant death. ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> <<type 135ms>>//No stick for you.//<</type>> [[Enter Snowdin.]] <<else>> [[Beckon Greater Dog.]] [[Play with Greater Dog.]] [[Ignore the Greater Dog.]] <</if>><<if $petgreaterdog eq 0>> [[Pet the Greater Dog]] <</if>> <<if $petgreaterdog eq 1>> [[Pet the Greater Dog.]] <</if>> <<if (($petgreaterdog gt 1)) and ($encounterdeath lt 6)>> [[Pet Greater Dog.]] <</if>>

<<set $beckongreaterdog = 1>> You call the Greater Dog. Greater Dog's ears perk up. They bound toward you, flecking slobber into your face. [[HERE COMES GREATER DOG]]

<<if $playgreaterdog gt 1>> Greater Dog doesn't want to play anymore. <<set $encounterdeath +=1>> [[HERE COMES GREATER DOG]] <<else>> You make a snowball and throw it for the dog to fetch. It splats on the ground. Greater Dog picks up all the snow in the area and brings it to you. You praise them for being such a good puppy. This immediately pleases them. You make another snowball and throw it. They bring you more snow. You now have enough snow to make a snowfort. The two of you decide to make a snowfort with Flowey watching on. It is a beautiful snow fort. Until Greater Dog sneezes and everything falls apart. That's okay, at least you had fun! <<set $playgreaterdog += 1>> [[HERE COMES GREATER DOG]] <</if>>

<<if $beckongreaterdog eq 0>> They are not close enough to be pet. [[HERE COMES GREATER DOG]] <</if>> <<if (($beckongreaterdog gt 0)) and ($petgreaterdog eq 0)>> Greater Dog curls up in your lap as they are pet by you. You smoosh their squishy cheekies and they let out a little //yip.// <<set $petgreaterdog += 1>> [[HERE COMES GREATER DOG]] <</if>>

Greater Dog inches closer. <<set $encounterdeath +=1>> [[HERE COMES GREATER DOG]]

<<set $cuddledgreaterdog = 1>> You hook your arms around the back of Greater Dog's neck and you give them nose boops and nuzzles. Greater Dog enthusiastically returns your hug. They squeeze you uncomfortably tight. The two of you enjoy a nice friendly cuddle fest in the remains of your snow fort. After some time, Greater Dog must leave. The two of you say goodbye to each other. It's time to go to Snowdin. [[Enter Snowdin]]

You and the Greater Dog have had enough for the day. You thank them for their time and they wave goodbye to you. You decide your cold toes have had enough of the snow. It's time to go to Snowdin. [[Enter Snowdin]]

<<set $cuddledgreaterdog = 2>> You spot a familiar face. It’s your cuddle buddy! Greater Dog bounds over to you, their armor clanking with each step. They have something in their mouth. When they bend over to show you, you see that it is a stick. They are offering you the stick. You realize this is very important to Greater Dog. This stick. . . it is a treasured stick. You carefully accept the stick. Greater Dog nuzzles your face. Their nose is cold and wet. They lick your cheek. <<if $asrielrom eq 2>> “What? Don’t do that!” Flowey squeaks from behind. “D-Don’t ki-kiss $name!” <</if>> You giggle from how ticklish their tongue is on your cheek. They pull away, their tail wagging happily. You thank them for the stick. You decide to keep it in the backpack with Flowey. <<if $asrielrom eq 2>> “It’s just a stupid stick,” Flowey mutters. <<else>> “Why a stick?” Flowey wonders as he helps you put away the stick. <</if>> You have gained a stick! Congratulations! <<set $friskhasstick = 1>> [[Enter Snowdin]]

As you pet the dog, they sink their entire weight into you. . . You pet decisively. Pet capacity reaches 100 percent. The dog flops over with their legs hanging in the air. <<set $petgreaterdog += 1>> [[HERE COMES GREATER DOG]]

Tummy rubs are forbidden. Great Dog has been pet enough. <<set $encounterdeath +=1>> [[HERE COMES GREATER DOG]]

You hum again, a little louder that time. The water splashes as she turns to face you more. She hums back, “Si Fa Si Fa So Fa So Mi Re Re.” <<set $shryenhum += 1>> More musical notes pop up into the air. The flowers start to glow a bit more from her magical notes. For a brief moment, the marshlands aren’t so dark. But it lasts only a moment. Shyren is still too quiet. [[HERE COMES SHYREN.]]

You hum loudly and tap your foot against the squelchy path. Shyren turns to face you fully. She hums, “Mi So Mi So Mi Si Mi La Si So.” The music notes pop into the air with more color and vibrancy than before. They are beautiful. <<set $shryenhum += 1>> [[HERE COMES SHYREN]]

You walk past the group of children and continue on your way. Flowey guides you through the rocky passages, and within minutes you reach a familiar bridge. It's a bridge very similar to the one over the chasm in Snowdin, although this one crosses lava. Up ahead and across the bridge you spot the pedestal and you can see the red crystal used to power it. <<set $undyneskipped = 1>> The air is crisp, dry, and uncomfortably hot. It's no surprise since the area is mostly filled with lava that radiates heat. Still, you must press on and so you do. [[Enter the Hotlands.]]

You linger at the graves. Over fifty humans fell and died here. None of the mounds have names on them. You recall the superstition around Mt. Ebott. There are many people who have gone missing. These humans died alone, and their families have never received closure. It was kind of the monsters to bury them, although judging from the state of the mounds it looks like that was the only kindness shown. The rocks placed upon each grave are caked in dirt. There are no flowers for these deceased, nor names upon their stones. They are as alone in death as they were when they died. You think back to the flowers at the start of your journey. Beautiful, vibrant, and joyfully bright. It is not much, but. . . You head back to the patch of flowers and you take a few. There is not enough to give to each grave, but you hope the sentiment will be appreciated. You place the flowers at the center of the graveyard. You do not have the time to clean each one--you do not know how long your journey will take, and it would be for the best if you tried to make it back out before it gets dark--but you can at least offer your company. You take a seat at the front row of graves. A wind blows through the cavern. <<cycle "$partingwords" autoselect>>\ <<option "You tell them they won't be lonely for much longer. You promise to tell the others about them when you return to the surface.">> <<option "You say you're sorry that they died. You hope they can find peace now.">> <<option "You promise you won't forget them. You'll carry their deaths in your heart.">> <<option "You hope they like the flowers. It's not much, but they should know you do care.">> <<option "You don't say anything. Your presence alone speaks of your intent.">> <</cycle>> You feel gazes on you. They are not unkind. You sit in silence. You are not unnerved by the sensation of being watch. You instinctively know they mean you no harm. There is suddenly an extra weight in your pocket. It is a startling sensation. You reach into your pocket and pull out a <<cycle "$chaincolor" autoselect>>\ <<option "gold">> <<option "rose gold">> <<option "black">> <<option "white">> <<option "silver">> <</cycle>> chain. It has a clasp and hook on it which tells you it belongs as part of a necklace or locket. Although it looks like it's missing the other piece. It does not belong to you. You have no reason to have such a thing. Where did it come from. . .? The gazes are gone. You look down at the chain and you understand. As you get up, you think you catch an echo of //thank you.// <<set $friskhaschain = 1>> [[You and Flowey press on.]]

You linger at the graves. Over fifty humans fell and died here. None of the mounds have names on them. You recall the superstition around Mt. Ebott. There are many people who have gone missing. These humans died alone, and their families have never received closure. It was kind of the monsters to bury them, although judging from the state of the mounds it looks like that was the only kindness shown. The rocks placed upon each grave are caked in dirt. There are no flowers for these deceased, nor names upon their stones. They are as alone in death as they were when they died. You think back to the flowers at the start of your journey. Beautiful, vibrant, and joyfully bright. It is not much, but. . . You head back to the patch of flowers and you take a few. There is not enough to give to each grave, but you hope the sentiment will be appreciated. You place the flowers at the center of the graveyard. You do not have the time to clean each one--you do not know how long your journey will take, and it would be for the best if you tried to make it back out before it gets dark--but you can at least offer your company. You take a seat at the front row of graves. A wind blows through the cavern. <<cycle "$partingwords" autoselect>>\ <<option "You offer them a prayer of peace.">> <<option "You offer them a prayer of hope.">> <<option "You offer them a prayer of comfort.">> <<option "Your prayer is silent. Your presence alone speaks of your intent.">> <</cycle>> You feel gazes on you. They are not unkind. You sit in silence. You are not unnerved by the sensation of being watch. You instinctively know they mean you no harm. There is suddenly an extra weight in your pocket. It is a startling sensation. You reach into your pocket and pull out a <<cycle "$chaincolor" autoselect>>\ <<option "gold">> <<option "rose gold">> <<option "black">> <<option "white">> <<option "silver">> <</cycle>> chain. It has a clasp and hook on it which tells you it belongs as part of a necklace or locket. Although it looks like it's missing the other piece. It does not belong to you. You have no reason to have such a thing. Where did it come from. . .? The gazes are gone. You look down at the chain and you understand. As you get up, you think you catch an echo of //thank you.// <<set $friskhaschain = 1>> [[You and Flowey press on.]]

Your leg throbs. <<set $wingdingpaper = 0>> Flowey did a good job bandaging it with his conjured vines. You won’t be bleeding out any time soon. <<set $exploredthelab = 0>> It’s tricky to stand. Moving your right leg at all causes sharp pain to shoot up your body. You have to move slowly and carefully, putting all your weight on your left side as you force yourself up. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "hotlands"volume 0.15 loop play>> You hesitantly put a little weight on your right leg. Nope. No. No good. Uh-uh. Nada. Do not. Mistakes were made. You instantly regret your hubris. “Let--let me go ahead and ch-check for some kind of cane,” says Flowey. “I--I can move through the ground here without much effort.” That would be very appreciated. Flowey tips himself out of the backpack. As soon as he hits the ground, he burrows underneath it. It’s an odd sight: like seeing a dolphin diving into the ocean, not a flower hitting the ground. He comes back a few minutes later and drags out a battered baseball bat with nails sticking out of it. You carefully take the handle and use the baseball bat as a short cane. You give Flowey a wobbly smile and thank him. “There’s a lab not too far,” he says. You notice he seems tired. “S-Sorry. Moving objects with me can be draining. C-Come on, follow me.” You do. Flowey pops and up and down in the red soil. He guides you through the Hotlands. You have to do a hodgepodge of a hobble to progress. Each step forward burns, your injury throbs. You have many more cuts. Your $pants are ripped up and partly stained from your blood. All of your other cuts are easily ignored in favor of the feverish throb in your leg. You don’t have the mentality to look around or focus on anything other than following Flowey. He stops outside a white building. “Go on in,” he says. “It’s never locked.” When you approach, the door slides open. “Dr. Alphys is. . .” Flowey tilts his head. “. . . weird. No one visits her, so she never b-bothers to lock her door.” You hobble inside and at once you are greeted by crisp, cool, air-conditioned air. You hadn’t realized you were burning up until you felt the temperature difference. It makes you shiver. You look back outside where Flowey is. “W-Wait here. Let me look for some medical supplies first,” says Flowey. You look at the tiled floor. Can Flowey walk across it with his roots? “No,” says Flowey. “I use magic to get around. I phase through things. It’s tiring, b-but since you’ve carried me all this way I’ve been able to rest. L-Leave this to me, okay?” You give Flowey a smile, and thank him for his help. You watch him slide across the tile. He moves like a fish in water. He stretches up to gently bump his head against your forehead in a gesture of affection. Then he pops underneath the floor and is gone. You count to seventy before he returns. He drops a box filled with green vials and a spray bottle. He uses his vines and leaves to attach one of the vials to the spray bottle, then he starts to spray your injuries. The vines around your leg loosen. You carefully unwrap them as he continues to spray around. The green magical liquid is cool against your injuries. You watch in amazement as your skin regrows and the dried blood evaporates. Your pain vanishes. It is replaced by a tingly, numb sensation. You have been healed. Flowey sighs. His petals are drooping. <<if $asrielrom eq 3>> You reach for him and gently pick him up. He relaxes in your arms and rests his head in the crook of your elbow. “Sorry, $name. . . guess I’m kind of tired. Can--can we stay here for a few minutes?” Of course! He closes his eyes and nuzzles into you. <<else>> You ask him if he’s okay. “Guess I’m kind of tired,” Flowey says with a small smile. “D-Do you mind if we rest for a f-few minutes?” Of course! You pull off your backpack and help Flowey back inside. Once settled, he rests his head on your shoulder and closes his eyes. <</if>> You take this time to look around. You are in a large room with white and gray tiles, white walls, and fluorescent lighting. There are shelves filled with odd contraptions you can’t identify, and books written in a language you can’t read. On closer inspection, it looks like the writings you saw in the ruins. There’s a workbench filled with tools on one end, and on the opposite end is a massive monitor with some kind of computer system set up around it. It looks like something straight out of a comic book, you’ve never seen such a set-up before. You wonder if the owner took inspiration from classic villain lairs? Wait-- The monitor is flashing red. ''WARNING: SYSTEM FAILURE.'' . . .? Taking care not to jostle Flowey, you make your way over to the computer. There are a hundred buttons to press, and it takes you a while to find the one marked as //enter//. The warning disappears, and a report is pulled up in its place. ''WARNING: UNKNOWN POWER SURGE DETECTED IN SYSTEM.'' ''SYSTEM OVERLOADED.'' ''WARNING: FIRES DETECTED IN SUBLEVELS 5 THROUGH 8.'' ''FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM ACTIVATED.'' ''WARNING: SECOND POWER SURGE DETECTED IN THE SYSTEM.'' ''SYSTEM OVERLOADED.'' ''WARNING: LOST CONNECTION WITH LEVELS 5 THROUGH 15.'' ''SYSTEM OVERLOADED.'' ''WARNING: CANNOT RECONNECT TO REPAIR BOTS.'' ''SYSTEM OVERLOADED.'' ''WARNING: PLEASE EVACUATE.'' Well that’s not good. It says to evacuate. That’s probably a good idea. “Mn. . .” Flowey raises his head. He squints as he reads the screen. “Oh, that explains some things.” At your curious expression, Flowey elaborates in an overly cheerful tone, “The place is a mess. S-Since we got what we came for, w-we should leave.” You glance at the monitor. Leaving would definitely be the safest option. As you turn to do so, a thought pops into your head. Where is Dr. Alphys? You had not encountered anyone on the way to the lab. You did not spot any alerts on the way. The only thing that tells you this place is dangerous are the warnings on the monitor. There are no sirens, no flashing lights--absolutely nothing to alert anyone outside the laboratory that something is wrong. According to Flowey, no one comes to the laboratory often either. So if there was an issue--like there currently is--would someone have found out earlier and helped Dr. Alphys? You would hope so, but. . . you don’t feel confident that’s the case. Flowey might have seen something when phasing through the lab. Maybe he can confirm if it’s empty? Should you ask? [[No. Let it go, you want to leave.]] [[You ask Flowey if he saw anyone inside.]]

<<set $alphyssaved = 0>> <<set $helpedwing = 0>>So you do. You head out of the lab. It’s your first real look at the hotlands. The rock and stone are a reddish-brown, and you can hear bubbles of lava underneath. You see there are many bridges connecting different areas--it’s a very wide and open area--and there are signposts in the corners of each area. You move over to one of the sign posts. It reads: //Snowdin (West)// //City (North)// //Core (North)// //Laboratory (South)// //Fareming (East)// "We have to go through the core to get through the city," says Flowey. What was the core? Flowey gestures to the machine out in lava. "You see that big thing in the lava?" You do. "That's the core," he says, "I-It powers most of the underground. I'm not sure how it works. P-Part of the city is inside of it." Sounds interesting! "I guess," says Flowey, although you don't think he agrees with you. "Shall we go?" Yes, let's continue the journey. You walk across the hotlands, the air prickling your skin. Each breath is uncomfortable. You can feel yourself drying out with each step. It surprises you how much the //weather// is affecting you in an underground cave. You wonder what the city will be like. Will it be snowy like Snowdin? Wet like the marshlands? Or will you finally find an area that has a pleasant climate? Looking up, you notice the stalacites have those red crystals in them, as well as some black ones. Not that this area needs the light. The lava is bright enough it forces you to squint when you look at it. As you walk, you pass by an empty sentry station. It reminds you of the ones you had seen along the path to Snowdin. Peering inside you notice some empty mustard bottles. "Gross," says Flowey. [[You move past the sentry station.]]

Flowey does not meet your gaze. <<set $alphyssaved = 1>> You gently ask him again. “. . . You’ll put yourself in danger if I tell you.” That’s your decision to make, isn’t it? “I don’t want to lose you,” he says. “I finally feel--I mean. I feel--I //feel// with you.” You blink your $eyecolor eyes at him. The way he worded that was odd. Still, it’s clear your friend is distressed. You reassure him you’ll be okay. He’s silent for a minute, sullenly looking down at the tiles. “I think Dr. Alphys is trapped in the basement.” Then you’ll have to rescue her. “Why?” he asks. “Do you know what she’s done to humans? D-Do you know what’s she’s done to her fellow //monsters//? She’s evil.” <<cycle "$stanceonmoral" autoselect>>\ <<option "You don’t believe anyone is evil. Everyone has a reason for their actions.">> <<option "You won’t judge her until you’ve met her.">> <<option ". . .">> <<option "It doesn’t matter.">> <<option " What she is doesn’t define who you are. You’re not going to turn your back on someone who needs help.">> <</cycle>> “Why are you so. . .?” Flowey looks up at you with a mixture of fondness and exasperation. “I hate that part of you.” You very much doubt that. “Oh shut up.” Flowey sighs. “I think she’s in the basement. There’s only one elevator here.” He looks at the massive steel door in the back of the room. “It looks--well. You’ll see.” Yes you will. First thing’s first--gotta get through the door! It looks like there’s a keypad on the right side of it, so you’ll need to find a password first. What are the odds of a royal scientist leaving around a physical copy of their password. . .? “Not very high,” Flowey deadpans. “You can probably take a few guesses before it locks you out though.” Hmm. . . <<if $asrielrom eq 3>> You help Flowey into the backpack while you approach the door <<else>> You approach the door. <</if>> Someone here needs help. It is up to you to save them. And you will. You are filled with DETERMINATION. You make an attempt at the keypad. Most passcodes give you three tries, so two guesses should be fine! Your first guess is completely wrong. The door light flashes red and a metal plate slides over the keypad. Ah. Okay, guess not that keypad. “Oh golly gosh, what a shame,” says Flowey. “Guess we should leave now.” . . . “I mean we can’t do anything now, right?” Flowey presses. “Come on, let’s leave. The royal scientist isn’t worth the effort. . . trust me.” . . . Nothing you can do. . .? There is a way, though. . . isn’t there? A way to undo. You’ve gone back in time before, haven’t you? As you called your ''SOUL'', surely you can call that other thing. //That sensation of coming back to life.// You focus on your ''SOUL''. It beats in tandem to your heart. You can do this, can’t you? Yes. You can. You breathe out slowly and focus on the last time you felt DETERMINATION. Your world tilts and everything goes black. [[You feel hands on you.]]

Everything seems slow and uncomfortable. There is an immediate sense of wrongness about this situation that triggers a sense of panic within you. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "gaster"volume 0.15 loop play>> Death was bodyless and you had no sensation. Here, you arguably can feel too much. You are somewhere cold and so very, very [[not alone.]]

Well that was. . . something. But you did it! You are back in the laboratory before you tried the keypad. You decide to guess a few more combinations. This might take some time, but that’s something you have plenty of. When the door locks up again, you know what you have to do. [[You go back to that void.]]

There are hands on your shoulders. There are hands on your arms. There are hands on your waist. There are hands on your legs. You cannot see. You cannot move. You are in a cold, black, inky sludge that weighs you down. Then you hear that voice again. <<type 135ms>> 👌︎☜︎👍︎✌︎🕆︎💧︎☜︎ ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎ ✌︎☼︎☜︎ ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎ //B E C A U S E Y O U A R E Y O U//<</type>> <<timed 11s>> It is a distortion. It comes out staticky and glitchy in your head, like listening to a broken radio. <<type 135ms>> ✌︎☠︎👎︎ ✋︎ ✌︎💣︎ 💣︎☜︎ //A N D I A M M E//<</type>><</timed>><<timed 19s>> It buzzes and cracks. It hurts to listen to. You want to flinch away from it, but you cannot move and it feels like it’s //inside// you. <</timed>><<timed 13s>><<type 135ms>> ✋︎ 🕈︎✋︎☹︎☹︎ ☟︎☜︎☹︎🏱︎ ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎ //I W I L L H E L P Y O U//<</type>><</timed>><<timed 30s>> The hands tighten around you. <<type 135ms>> 📁︎🖮︎📂︎🗏︎📂︎⌛︎ //0 7 1 3 1 6//<</type>> When you are back--back again, whole, warm, alive, //not in that void//--you cannot help but reflexively suck in a big gulp of air. You shudder. You feel like you need a cold shower for your ''SOUL'' to cleanse that wrongness. Death was nothingness, but when you reset, you are in a place that is neither alive nor dead. You can only call it a void because you have no other word to describe it. It was an uncomfortable place. It feels wrong. It’s very, very //wrong.// <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "lab"volume 0.15 loop play>> 071316. Those were the numbers the voice gave you. If they worked. . . what does that mean? You make your way over to the door. Your hand shakes as you type in the numbers. The door slides open. “Wow, first try! Good job,” Flowey praises you. No. Not first try. Not by yourself. You take a shaky breath. Although you are not in the void, its presence lingers on you like a wet blanket. It feels much more exhausting to reset than it does to die. What is that place? Why can you go there? Why is it so. . . horrible? “Are you okay?” Flowey asks you. You-- You are okay. You can do this. <<if $asrielrom gt 1>> You rest your forehead against his face. He stretches up and rubs his face against yours, like an affectionate cat. <</if>> You give him a tired smile. It’s time to progress. Let’s save Dr. Alphys! You enter the corridor and at once you see issues. The tiles are sterile white, as are the walls. The fluorescent lights flicker ominously. There is a partial cave in down the hallway. Wall debris is stacked upon each other as live wires and chunks of ceiling dangle from above. You cautiously walk down the hallway. You can climb through the rubble, but it’ll be a tight fit. There’s only barely enough room for you and Flowey to crawl through. You hop up on the concrete rubble and start to make your way through. The lights continue to flicker, making it difficult to see. <<cycle "$seizure" autoselect>>\ <<option "It also hurts your eyes.">> <<option "You feel a headache coming on from the constant flickers.">> <<option "You hope your epilepsy medication hasn’t worn off today.">> <<option " Thankfully you have excellent vision so it doesn’t bother you too much. ">> <<option ". . .">> <</cycle>> You finally make it through to the other side. You swing your legs down and touch the floor-- AH. There is a zing of energy. It doesn’t hurt. It’s over too quickly to hurt. Well. . . $curse. ''You have died.'' <<type 135ms>>//♓︎⧫︎🕯︎⬧︎ ❑︎◆︎♓︎♏︎⧫︎ ⬥︎♓︎⧫︎♒︎□︎◆︎⧫︎ ⍓︎□︎◆︎//<</type>> [[You waste no time in typing in the passcode again.]]<</timed>>

You move with a purpose and crawl through the debris again. This time, you take the time to properly examine the other side. It looks like when part of the wall collapsed, it caused a water leak. The floor is mostly covered in water. Thankfully the water doesn’t reach the elevator so there is a safe spot. The live wires have fallen into that water and are pumping out enough power to instantly kill you if you touch the floor. You can see the elevator on the far end. It is lit up, so there must be //some// power to it. It’s your only way forward--you see no other door or hallway--so you must try to get to it. The question is how. <<if $asrielrom eq 3>> [[You ask Flowey for suggestions.]] ♡ <</if>> [[You look at the rubble. You can toss a few pieces out and try to hop-scotch across the water.]] [[You think you saw some rope and something you can use as a hook in the first room. You can create a grapple and use it to swing across. You have faith in your upper body strength.]] [[There’s enough damage to the walls on the side to offer you grip points. You can climb vertically across.]] [[You think you saw some rope and things you can use as hooks in the first room. You can create a rope hook and drag the wires out of the water. Since water is only a conductor, it will be immediately safe to cross once the wires are removed.]]

Flowey looks at you. He then looks at the wires. <<set $asrielrom += 1>> White pellets are formed in the air in front of you. They are shot at the wires, severing their connection at the wall. The wires, now no longer connected to the power, falls uselessly to the wet floor. Flowey smiles at you. “Does that help?” It does! [[You give Flowey a kiss on the cheek as thanks.]] ♡ [[You nuzzle Flowey as thanks.]] ♡ [[You heap verbal praise on Flowey as thanks.]] ♡

With your plan decided, you get to work. You lift a chunk of concrete out of the rubble you are in and toss it out. You repeat this process for a few more and then you jump out to the first one. It’s an unsteady landing, but there’s a reason you chose this option. You have faith in your dexterity and inner balance. What agility you have! It takes time, but you do make it across to the elevator. At the elevator, you press the button to call it. There is a rumbling sound. “Don’t try to go all the way down in it,” Flowey warns you. “Wh-When I was scouting, I went down the shaft. There’s some kind of blockage halfway through.” Then you’ll have to take the elevator halfway down and try to find another way to reach Dr. Alphys. You enter the elevator. Flowey presses a button for you with one of his vines. The elevator shakes as it goes down. You hear the sound of metal grating against metal. The elevator abruptly stops, it slams to a halt with enough force that it throws you to the ground. The lights go out. Hm. You breathe out a sigh and call upon your ''SOUL'' for light. “There’s an emergency hatch above,” Flowey points out to you. You thank Flowey. He reaches up with his vines to pop the lid off for you. His vines hook around the top, and then he detaches them from himself. “They should hold our weight long enough to get out,” he says. Awww. Flowey’s kicking butt today! You thank him again for his help. He smiles weakly. “I--I like helping you. . . you’re so nice, $name. I don’t want anything b-bad to happen to you.” You feel the same way about him. You grip the vines and use them to climb your way up. <<if (($strength eq 1)) or (($skill eq 1))>> It’s pretty easy for you. <<else>> It’s a struggle. <</if>> With a hoist, you pull yourself out of the elevator. With the glow of your SOUL, you take a look at the elevator shaft. It looks like the inside of every elevator shaft you’ve seen in movies: a concrete tube with metal poles and wires. Flowey glances around with you. “We aren’t near the blockage,” says Flowey. “I--I don’t know why we stopped.” That’s okay! You would have had to get off anyway. You peer around the darkness. You can see you are part-way stopped at another floor, but the doors are closed shut. You head over to the door and try to force it open. It actually pops open with little resistance. Lucky! You enter the new hallway. <<if $shyrenspared eq 1>> It’s pitch-black and eerily quiet. While you have the light of your ''SOUL'', you cannot help but wish you also had some music. You think back to your encounter with Shyren. Her musical notes would certainly light up this hallway. <<else>> It’s pitch-black. Good thing you have your SOUL. <</if>> Time to do more exploring! The idea of getting to explore an “evil” scientist’s unstable laboratory in the dark fills you with DETERMINATION. Your ''SOUL'' casts everything in a $soulcolor shade. The sterile white and gray speckled tiles are now an off-shade $soulcolor. This hallway doesn’t look collapsed, but given the state of what you have already seen, you should be careful. You can’t see what’s happening behind the walls or ceiling, so anything could give away at any moment. You proceed. “This place gives me the chills,” Flowey mutters. He rests his head on your shoulder as you walk. It is cold, but not as bad as Snowdin. “Not what I meant,” Flowey says, then he chuckles. “Y-You really aren’t afraid of anything, are you?” That’s not true. Everyone’s afraid of something. You are not impervious. “Yeah? A-Are you afraid now?” <<if $asrielrom eq 3>> [[You’re not. You have Flowey beside you, so what’s there to be scared of?]] ♡ [[You are. But it’s okay because you have Flowey beside you. You promise to keep both of you safe.]] ♡ <</if>> [[You aren’t. You’ve already come so far. You know you’ll be okay!]] [[You are. But that’s okay! You can be brave.]] [[Yes. Absolutely. 100%. No questions about it. But you will continue on. You have to.]]

With your plan decided, you get to work. You return to the main room and quickly find the items you need. You tie everything together, then climb back through. Once on the other side you have to lean out of the rubble to try and get a good angle to toss the grapple at. It takes you a couple of tries, but there’s a reason you chose this option. You have faith in your dexterity and upper balance. Once you get it to hook around some metal pipes, you jump off the rubble and swing over. You have to build up the momentum through your core to get over, but you do! It takes time, but you do make it across to the elevator. What strength you have! <<set $strength = 1>> At the elevator, you press the button to call it. There is a rumbling sound. “Don’t try to go all the way down in it,” Flowey warns you. “Wh-When I was scouting, I went down the shaft. There’s some kind of blockage halfway through.” Then you’ll have to take the elevator halfway down and try to find another way to reach Dr. Alphys. You enter the elevator. Flowey presses a button for you with one of his vines. The elevator shakes as it goes down. You hear the sound of metal grating against metal. The elevator abruptly stops, it slams to a halt with enough force that it throws you to the ground. The lights go out. Hm. You breathe out a sigh and call upon your ''SOUL'' for light. “There’s an emergency hatch above,” Flowey points out to you. You thank Flowey. He reaches up with his vines to pop the lid off for you. His vines hook around the top, and then he detaches them from himself. “They should hold our weight long enough to get out,” he says. Awww. Flowey’s kicking butt today! You thank him again for his help. He smiles weakly. “I--I like helping you. . . you’re so nice, $name. I don’t want anything b-bad to happen to you.” You feel the same way about him. You grip the vines and use them to climb your way up. <<if (($strength eq 1)) or (($skill eq 1))>> It’s pretty easy for you. <<else>> It’s a struggle. <</if>> With a hoist, you pull yourself out of the elevator. With the glow of your SOUL, you take a look at the elevator shaft. It looks like the inside of every elevator shaft you’ve seen in movies: a concrete tube with metal poles and wires. Flowey glances around with you. “We aren’t near the blockage,” says Flowey. “I--I don’t know why we stopped.” That’s okay! You would have had to get off anyway. You peer around the darkness. You can see you are part-way stopped at another floor, but the doors are closed shut. You head over to the door and try to force it open. It actually pops open with little resistance. Lucky! You enter the new hallway. <<if $shyrenspared eq 1>> It’s pitch-black and eerily quiet. While you have the light of your ''SOUL'', you cannot help but wish you also had some music. You think back to your encounter with Shyren. Her musical notes would certainly light up this hallway. <<else>> It’s pitch-black. Good thing you have your SOUL. <</if>> Time to do more exploring! The idea of getting to explore an “evil” scientist’s unstable laboratory in the dark fills you with DETERMINATION. Your ''SOUL'' casts everything in a $soulcolor shade. The sterile white and gray speckled tiles are now an off-shade $soulcolor. This hallway doesn’t look collapsed, but given the state of what you have already seen, you should be careful. You can’t see what’s happening behind the walls or ceiling, so anything could give away at any moment. You proceed. “This place gives me the chills,” Flowey mutters. He rests his head on your shoulder as you walk. It is cold, but not as bad as Snowdin. “Not what I meant,” Flowey says, then he chuckles. “Y-You really aren’t afraid of anything, are you?” That’s not true. Everyone’s afraid of something. You are not impervious. “Yeah? A-Are you afraid now?” <<if $asrielrom eq 3>> [[You’re not. You have Flowey beside you, so what’s there to be scared of?]] ♡ [[You are. But it’s okay because you have Flowey beside you. You promise to keep both of you safe.]] ♡ <</if>> [[You aren’t. You’ve already come so far. You know you’ll be okay!]] [[You are. But that’s okay! You can be brave.]] [[Yes. Absolutely. 100%. No questions about it. But you will continue on. You have to.]]

With your plan decided, you get to work. You climb out of the rubble, and then you carefully start to make your way across the wall. Your grip slips a couple of times, but you always catch yourself. It takes you some time, but there’s a reason you chose this option. You have faith in your climbing abilities and judgment. You know your body best, and at a glance you can tell what areas you can and can’t trust. Way to go you! At the elevator, you press the button to call it. There is a rumbling sound. “Don’t try to go all the way down in it,” Flowey warns you. “Wh-When I was scouting, I went down the shaft. There’s some kind of blockage halfway through.” Then you’ll have to take the elevator halfway down and try to find another way to reach Dr. Alphys. You enter the elevator. Flowey presses a button for you with one of his vines. The elevator shakes as it goes down. You hear the sound of metal grating against metal. The elevator abruptly stops, it slams to a halt with enough force that it throws you to the ground. The lights go out. Hm. You breathe out a sigh and call upon your ''SOUL'' for light. “There’s an emergency hatch above,” Flowey points out to you. You thank Flowey. He reaches up with his vines to pop the lid off for you. His vines hook around the top, and then he detaches them from himself. “They should hold our weight long enough to get out,” he says. Awww. Flowey’s kicking butt today! You thank him again for his help. He smiles weakly. “I--I like helping you. . . you’re so nice, $name. I don’t want anything b-bad to happen to you.” You feel the same way about him. You grip the vines and use them to climb your way up. <<if (($strength eq 1)) or (($skill eq 1))>> It’s pretty easy for you. <<else>> It’s a struggle. <</if>> With a hoist, you pull yourself out of the elevator. With the glow of your SOUL, you take a look at the elevator shaft. It looks like the inside of every elevator shaft you’ve seen in movies: a concrete tube with metal poles and wires. Flowey glances around with you. “We aren’t near the blockage,” says Flowey. “I--I don’t know why we stopped.” That’s okay! You would have had to get off anyway. You peer around the darkness. You can see you are part-way stopped at another floor, but the doors are closed shut. You head over to the door and try to force it open. It actually pops open with little resistance. Lucky! You enter the new hallway. <<if $shyrenspared eq 1>> It’s pitch-black and eerily quiet. While you have the light of your ''SOUL'', you cannot help but wish you also had some music. You think back to your encounter with Shyren. Her musical notes would certainly light up this hallway. <<else>> It’s pitch-black. Good thing you have your SOUL. <</if>> Time to do more exploring! The idea of getting to explore an “evil” scientist’s unstable laboratory in the dark fills you with DETERMINATION. Your ''SOUL'' casts everything in a $soulcolor shade. The sterile white and gray speckled tiles are now an off-shade $soulcolor. This hallway doesn’t look collapsed, but given the state of what you have already seen, you should be careful. You can’t see what’s happening behind the walls or ceiling, so anything could give away at any moment. You proceed. “This place gives me the chills,” Flowey mutters. He rests his head on your shoulder as you walk. It is cold, but not as bad as Snowdin. “Not what I meant,” Flowey says, then he chuckles. “Y-You really aren’t afraid of anything, are you?” That’s not true. Everyone’s afraid of something. You are not impervious. “Yeah? A-Are you afraid now?” <<if $asrielrom eq 3>> [[You’re not. You have Flowey beside you, so what’s there to be scared of?]] ♡ [[You are. But it’s okay because you have Flowey beside you. You promise to keep both of you safe.]] ♡ <</if>> [[You aren’t. You’ve already come so far. You know you’ll be okay!]] [[You are. But that’s okay! You can be brave.]] [[Yes. Absolutely. 100%. No questions about it. But you will continue on. You have to.]]

With your plan decided, you get to work. You return to the main room and quickly find the items you need. You tie everything together, then climb back through. It takes you a few tries, but you do get the wires out of the water. You hop down and breathe a sigh of relief for not instantly dying. There’s a reason you chose this option. You always prefer to think smarter, not harder. Clever you! At the elevator, you press the button to call it. There is a rumbling sound. “Don’t try to go all the way down in it,” Flowey warns you. “Wh-When I was scouting, I went down the shaft. There’s some kind of blockage halfway through.” Then you’ll have to take the elevator halfway down and try to find another way to reach Dr. Alphys. You enter the elevator. Flowey presses a button for you with one of his vines. The elevator shakes as it goes down. You hear the sound of metal grating against metal. The elevator abruptly stops, it slams to a halt with enough force that it throws you to the ground. The lights go out. Hm. You breathe out a sigh and call upon your ''SOUL'' for light. “There’s an emergency hatch above,” Flowey points out to you. You thank Flowey. He reaches up with his vines to pop the lid off for you. His vines hook around the top, and then he detaches them from himself. “They should hold our weight long enough to get out,” he says. Awww. Flowey’s kicking butt today! You thank him again for his help. He smiles weakly. “I--I like helping you. . . you’re so nice, $name. I don’t want anything b-bad to happen to you.” You feel the same way about him. You grip the vines and use them to climb your way up. <<if (($strength eq 1)) or (($skill eq 1))>> It’s pretty easy for you. <<else>> It’s a struggle. <</if>> With a hoist, you pull yourself out of the elevator. With the glow of your SOUL, you take a look at the elevator shaft. It looks like the inside of every elevator shaft you’ve seen in movies: a concrete tube with metal poles and wires. Flowey glances around with you. “We aren’t near the blockage,” says Flowey. “I--I don’t know why we stopped.” That’s okay! You would have had to get off anyway. You peer around the darkness. You can see you are part-way stopped at another floor, but the doors are closed shut. You head over to the door and try to force it open. It actually pops open with little resistance. Lucky! You enter the new hallway. <<if $shyrenspared eq 1>> It’s pitch-black and eerily quiet. While you have the light of your ''SOUL'', you cannot help but wish you also had some music. You think back to your encounter with Shyren. Her musical notes would certainly light up this hallway. <<else>> It’s pitch-black. Good thing you have your SOUL. <</if>> Time to do more exploring! The idea of getting to explore an “evil” scientist’s unstable laboratory in the dark fills you with DETERMINATION. Your ''SOUL'' casts everything in a $soulcolor shade. The sterile white and gray speckled tiles are now an off-shade $soulcolor. This hallway doesn’t look collapsed, but given the state of what you have already seen, you should be careful. You can’t see what’s happening behind the walls or ceiling, so anything could give away at any moment. You proceed. “This place gives me the chills,” Flowey mutters. He rests his head on your shoulder as you walk. It is cold, but not as bad as Snowdin. “Not what I meant,” Flowey says, then he chuckles. “Y-You really aren’t afraid of anything, are you?” That’s not true. Everyone’s afraid of something. You are not impervious. “Yeah? A-Are you afraid now?” <<if $asrielrom eq 3>> [[You’re not. You have Flowey beside you, so what’s there to be scared of?]] ♡ [[You are. But it’s okay because you have Flowey beside you. You promise to keep both of you safe.]] ♡ <</if>> [[You aren’t. You’ve already come so far. You know you’ll be okay!]] [[You are. But that’s okay! You can be brave.]] [[Yes. Absolutely. 100%. No questions about it. But you will continue on. You have to.]]

He sways side to side, a big grin on his face. “A-Any time.” With a beaming smile, you casually walk across the once-dangerous hallway. At the elevator, you press the button to call it. There is a rumbling sound. “Don’t try to go all the way down in it,” Flowey warns you. “Wh-When I was scouting, I went down the shaft. There’s some kind of blockage halfway through.” Then you’ll have to take the elevator halfway down and try to find another way to reach Dr. Alphys. You enter the elevator. Flowey presses a button for you with one of his vines. The elevator shakes as it goes down. You hear the sound of metal grating against metal. The elevator abruptly stops, it slams to a halt with enough force that it throws you to the ground. The lights go out. Hm. You breathe out a sigh and call upon your ''SOUL'' for light. “There’s an emergency hatch above,” Flowey points out to you. You thank Flowey. He reaches up with his vines to pop the lid off for you. His vines hook around the top, and then he detaches them from himself. “They should hold our weight long enough to get out,” he says. Awww. Flowey’s kicking butt today! You thank him again for his help. He smiles weakly. “I--I like helping you. . . you’re so nice, $name. I don’t want anything b-bad to happen to you.” You feel the same way about him. You grip the vines and use them to climb your way up. <<if (($strength eq 1)) or (($skill eq 1))>> It’s pretty easy for you. <<else>> It’s a struggle. <</if>> With a hoist, you pull yourself out of the elevator. With the glow of your ''SOUL'', you take a look at the elevator shaft. It looks like the inside of every elevator shaft you’ve seen in movies: a concrete tube with metal poles and wires. Flowey glances around with you. “We aren’t near the blockage,” says Flowey. “I--I don’t know why we stopped.” That’s okay! You would have had to get off anyway. You peer around the darkness. You can see you are part-way stopped at another floor, but the doors are closed shut. You head over to the door and try to force it open. It actually pops open with little resistance. Lucky! You enter the new hallway. <<if $shyrenspared eq 1>> It’s pitch-black and eerily quiet. While you have the light of your ''SOUL'', you cannot help but wish you also had some music. You think back to your encounter with Shyren. Her musical notes would certainly light up this hallway. <<else>> It’s pitch-black. Good thing you have your SOUL. <</if>> Time to do more exploring! The idea of getting to explore an “evil” scientist’s unstable laboratory in the dark fills you with DETERMINATION. Your ''SOUL'' casts everything in a $soulcolor shade. The sterile white and gray speckled tiles are now an off-shade $soulcolor. This hallway doesn’t look collapsed, but given the state of what you have already seen, you should be careful. You can’t see what’s happening behind the walls or ceiling, so anything could give away at any moment. You proceed. “This place gives me the chills,” Flowey mutters. He rests his head on your shoulder as you walk. It is cold, but not as bad as Snowdin. “Not what I meant,” Flowey says, then he chuckles. “Y-You really aren’t afraid of anything, are you?” That’s not true. Everyone’s afraid of something. You are not impervious. “Yeah? A-Are you afraid now?” <<if $asrielrom eq 4>> [[You’re not. You have Flowey beside you, so what’s there to be scared of?]] ♡ [[You are. But it’s okay because you have Flowey beside you. You promise to keep both of you safe.]] ♡ <</if>> [[You aren’t. You’ve already come so far. You know you’ll be okay!]] [[You are. But that’s okay! You can be brave.]] [[Yes. Absolutely. 100%. No questions about it. But you will continue on. You have to.]]

He eagerly nuzzles you back. “A-Always happy to help //you.//” With a beaming smile, you casually walk across the once-dangerous hallway. At the elevator, you press the button to call it. There is a rumbling sound. “Don’t try to go all the way down in it,” Flowey warns you. “Wh-When I was scouting, I went down the shaft. There’s some kind of blockage halfway through.” Then you’ll have to take the elevator halfway down and try to find another way to reach Dr. Alphys. You enter the elevator. Flowey presses a button for you with one of his vines. The elevator shakes as it goes down. You hear the sound of metal grating against metal. The elevator abruptly stops, it slams to a halt with enough force that it throws you to the ground. The lights go out. Hm. You breathe out a sigh and call upon your ''SOUL'' for light. “There’s an emergency hatch above,” Flowey points out to you. You thank Flowey. He reaches up with his vines to pop the lid off for you. His vines hook around the top, and then he detaches them from himself. “They should hold our weight long enough to get out,” he says. Awww. Flowey’s kicking butt today! You thank him again for his help. He smiles weakly. “I--I like helping you. . . you’re so nice, $name. I don’t want anything b-bad to happen to you.” You feel the same way about him. You grip the vines and use them to climb your way up. <<if (($strength eq 1)) or (($skill eq 1))>> It’s pretty easy for you. <<else>> It’s a struggle. <</if>> With a hoist, you pull yourself out of the elevator. With the glow of your ''SOUL'', you take a look at the elevator shaft. It looks like the inside of every elevator shaft you’ve seen in movies: a concrete tube with metal poles and wires. Flowey glances around with you. “We aren’t near the blockage,” says Flowey. “I--I don’t know why we stopped.” That’s okay! You would have had to get off anyway. You peer around the darkness. You can see you are part-way stopped at another floor, but the doors are closed shut. You head over to the door and try to force it open. It actually pops open with little resistance. Lucky! You enter the new hallway. <<if $shyrenspared eq 1>> It’s pitch-black and eerily quiet. While you have the light of your ''SOUL'', you cannot help but wish you also had some music. You think back to your encounter with Shyren. Her musical notes would certainly light up this hallway. <<else>> It’s pitch-black. Good thing you have your SOUL. <</if>> Time to do more exploring! The idea of getting to explore an “evil” scientist’s unstable laboratory in the dark fills you with DETERMINATION. Your ''SOUL'' casts everything in a $soulcolor shade. The sterile white and gray speckled tiles are now an off-shade $soulcolor. This hallway doesn’t look collapsed, but given the state of what you have already seen, you should be careful. You can’t see what’s happening behind the walls or ceiling, so anything could give away at any moment. You proceed. “This place gives me the chills,” Flowey mutters. He rests his head on your shoulder as you walk. It is cold, but not as bad as Snowdin. “Not what I meant,” Flowey says, then he chuckles. “Y-You really aren’t afraid of anything, are you?” That’s not true. Everyone’s afraid of something. You are not impervious. “Yeah? A-Are you afraid now?” <<if $asrielrom eq 4>> [[You’re not. You have Flowey beside you, so what’s there to be scared of?]] ♡ [[You are. But it’s okay because you have Flowey beside you. You promise to keep both of you safe.]] ♡ <</if>> [[You aren’t. You’ve already come so far. You know you’ll be okay!]] [[You are. But that’s okay! You can be brave.]] [[Yes. Absolutely. 100%. No questions about it. But you will continue on. You have to.]]

He sways side to side, a shy smile on his face. “A-Any time.” With a beaming smile, you casually walk across the once-dangerous hallway. At the elevator, you press the button to call it. There is a rumbling sound. “Don’t try to go all the way down in it,” Flowey warns you. “Wh-When I was scouting, I went down the shaft. There’s some kind of blockage halfway through.” Then you’ll have to take the elevator halfway down and try to find another way to reach Dr. Alphys. You enter the elevator. Flowey presses a button for you with one of his vines. The elevator shakes as it goes down. You hear the sound of metal grating against metal. The elevator abruptly stops, it slams to a halt with enough force that it throws you to the ground. The lights go out. Hm. You breathe out a sigh and call upon your ''SOUL'' for light. “There’s an emergency hatch above,” Flowey points out to you. You thank Flowey. He reaches up with his vines to pop the lid off for you. His vines hook around the top, and then he detaches them from himself. “They should hold our weight long enough to get out,” he says. Awww. Flowey’s kicking butt today! You thank him again for his help. He smiles weakly. “I--I like helping you. . . you’re so nice, $name. I don’t want anything b-bad to happen to you.” You feel the same way about him. You grip the vines and use them to climb your way up. <<if (($strength eq 1)) or (($skill eq 1))>> It’s pretty easy for you. <<else>> It’s a struggle. <</if>> With a hoist, you pull yourself out of the elevator. With the glow of your ''SOUL'', you take a look at the elevator shaft. It looks like the inside of every elevator shaft you’ve seen in movies: a concrete tube with metal poles and wires. Flowey glances around with you. “We aren’t near the blockage,” says Flowey. “I--I don’t know why we stopped.” That’s okay! You would have had to get off anyway. You peer around the darkness. You can see you are part-way stopped at another floor, but the doors are closed shut. You head over to the door and try to force it open. It actually pops open with little resistance. Lucky! You enter the new hallway. <<if $shyrenspared eq 1>> It’s pitch-black and eerily quiet. While you have the light of your ''SOUL'', you cannot help but wish you also had some music. You think back to your encounter with Shyren. Her musical notes would certainly light up this hallway. <<else>> It’s pitch-black. Good thing you have your SOUL. <</if>> Time to do more exploring! The idea of getting to explore an “evil” scientist’s unstable laboratory in the dark fills you with DETERMINATION. Your ''SOUL'' casts everything in a $soulcolor shade. The sterile white and gray speckled tiles are now an off-shade $soulcolor. This hallway doesn’t look collapsed, but given the state of what you have already seen, you should be careful. You can’t see what’s happening behind the walls or ceiling, so anything could give away at any moment. You proceed. “This place gives me the chills,” Flowey mutters. He rests his head on your shoulder as you walk. It is cold, but not as bad as Snowdin. “Not what I meant,” Flowey says, then he chuckles. “Y-You really aren’t afraid of anything, are you?” That’s not true. Everyone’s afraid of something. You are not impervious. “Yeah? A-Are you afraid now?” <<if $asrielrom eq 4>> [[You’re not. You have Flowey beside you, so what’s there to be scared of?]] ♡ [[You are. But it’s okay because you have Flowey beside you. You promise to keep both of you safe.]] ♡ <</if>> [[You aren’t. You’ve already come so far. You know you’ll be okay!]] [[You are. But that’s okay! You can be brave.]] [[Yes. Absolutely. 100%. No questions about it. But you will continue on. You have to.]]

“$name. . .” Flowey whispers softly. “. . . do you really mean that?” <<set $asrielrom += 1>> Of course you do. You wouldn’t have said it otherwise. “I. . .” Flowey looks away from you. “I wish I--oh, $name. You’ve become very special to me, b-but I don’t think it’s f-fair to you. I’m not. . . I’m not a normal monster. Y-You deserve m-much more.” You reach up a hand to gently grip one of Flowey’s leaves. “I’m broken,” he says quietly. That’s okay. Everyone breaks from time to time. You can help him. “It’s. . . sweet of you to think that,” he says carefully. “But I’m damaged in a way that can’t be fixed, I think. I’m. . . I’m not even sure I d-deserve it.” You reassure him that he deserves to be happy and healthy. You’ll help him if he’ll let you. Flowey falls silent. He pulls away from you and tucks himself into the backpack. You think he needs some time. That’s okay. You can give him the time. You’ll just focus on getting to Dr. Alphys for now. [[You got this!]]

That’s right. Look at what you have already done. “You’re amazing,” Flowey sighs into your neck. “I--I wish I was like you.” You already think Flowey is amazing. You couldn’t have come this far without him. “Heh. . . I’m sure you could have,” he whispers. <<if $sanslove eq 3>> Flowey pauses for a moment then mumbles, “I bet you could have convinced that smiley trashbag to help you if I wasn’t here. . .” You shake your head. If Sans wanted to come along, he would have. Flowey is your friend. Sans is. . . well, a potential boyfriend! Flowey chuckles at that. “No accounting for taste. He stinks like mustard.” You protest that. It only makes your friend laugh harder. At least he seems happier now. <</if>> <<if $papslove eq 2>> Flowey pauses for a moment then mumbles, “I bet you could have convinced Papyrus to stay with you if I wasn’t here. . .” You shake your head. If Papyrus wanted to come along, he would have. Flowey is your friend. Papyrus is. . . well, a potential boyfriend! Flowey chuckles at that. “No accounting for taste. He’s so //loud.//” You protest that. It only makes your friend laugh harder. At least he seems happier now. <</if>> After some time of walking, Flowey rests his head on your shoulder again. You get the feeling he’s tired. He did expend a lot of magical energy to go through the lab and get the supplies to heal you, as well as use his vines to help you escape the elevator. He must be exhausted. You decide to let him rest in peace. You’ll figure your way through this on your own. [[You got this!]]

That’s right. Being afraid just means you have a chance to be brave. “You’re amazing,” Flowey sighs into your neck. “I--I wish I was like you.” You already think Flowey is amazing. You couldn’t have come this far without him. “Heh. . . I’m sure you could have,” he whispers. <<if $sanslove eq 3>> Flowey pauses for a moment then mumbles, “I bet you could have convinced that smiley trashbag to help you if I wasn’t here. . .” You shake your head. If Sans wanted to come along, he would have. Flowey is your friend. Sans is. . . well, a potential boyfriend! Flowey chuckles at that. “No accounting for taste. He stinks like mustard.” You protest that. It only makes your friend laugh harder. At least he seems happier now. <</if>> <<if $papslove eq 2>> Flowey pauses for a moment then mumbles, “I bet you could have convinced Papyrus to stay with you if I wasn’t here. . .” You shake your head. If Papyrus wanted to come along, he would have. Flowey is your friend. Papyrus is. . . well, a potential boyfriend! Flowey chuckles at that. “No accounting for taste. He’s so //loud.//” You protest that. It only makes your friend laugh harder. At least he seems happier now. <</if>> After some time of walking, Flowey rests his head on your shoulder again. You get the feeling he’s tired. He did expend a lot of magical energy to go through the lab and get the supplies to heal you, as well as use his vines to help you escape the elevator. He must be exhausted. You decide to let him rest in peace. You’ll figure your way through this on your own. [[You got this!]]

You are literally so scared you feel sick to your stomach. You’re getting goosebumps. Every sound outside of your footsteps makes your heart jump. But you have to carry on, so you do. After some time of walking, Flowey rests his head on your shoulder again. You get the feeling he’s tired. He did expend a lot of magical energy to go through the lab and get the supplies to heal you, as well as use his vines to help you escape the elevator. He must be exhausted. You decide to let him rest in peace. You’ll figure your way through this on your own. [[You got this!]]

The hallway is a dead end and every door is locked tight with passcodes. At least there’s power to some of the doors, if not the lights. Time for a repeat. You take a deep breath and feel a surge of DETERMINATION inside of you. First try! First try! First try! You do your best to try and manifest that the code you type in the first time will be it so you can skip the void! You give it a shot. It doesn’t work. $Curse! With a grimace, you start to reset. //Gah.// It somehow got //worse// than the last time. You sink into an inky, cold sludge that feels like a thousand centipedes made of goo climbing across you. Their little legs prick your skin and make it itch. Meanwhile, the sludge continues to pull you further into the darkness and weigh you down. You are simultaneously drowning in gunk while goey centipedes crawl across you. It’s not painful, but the sense of //wrongness// you feel about the situation unnerves you. You feel nauseous. Then hands are on you again. <<type 135ms>> ❄︎♒︎♏︎❒︎♏︎ ♓︎⬧︎ ♋︎ ⬥︎♋︎⍓︎📬︎ //T H E R E I S A W A Y// ☝︎□︎ ⧫︎♒︎❒︎□︎◆︎♑︎♒︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ❖︎♏︎■︎⧫︎⬧︎📬︎ //G O T H R O U G H T H E V E N T S//<</type>><<timed 20s>> You return to reality and shudder. The distorted voice echoes in your mind, reverberating against your skull. You rub your arms to try to eliminate the lingering sensation of having bugs crawl across you. The voice suggested the vents. On the surface, vents are too small to crawl through. But perhaps it’s different for monsters? You look around for an air vent. You find one at the bottom of one of the walls. It’s easy to pry off once you get a good grip. With the light of your ''SOUL'', you have no trouble finding your way inside. There is a layer of grime and dust in it, though. <<cycle "$grossgross" autoselect>>\ <<option "Gross.">> <<option "Ew.">> <<option "Ugh.">> <<option ". . .">> <<option "Oh well.">> <<option "At least it doesn't hurt you.">> <</cycle>> [[There’s a ladder attached to each vent going down so you can effortlessly move down floors.]]<</timed>>

<<set $helpedwing = 1>> You take a deep, steadying breath. You mentally prepare yourself for the discomfort you’re about to force on yourself. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "gaster"volume 0.15 loop play>> Deep breath in. Deep breath out. You can do this. //You can do this.// The thought of encountering the entity fills you with DETERMINATION. You drop yourself into the void. It’s colder than last time. For many seconds all you can focus on is the sheer cold. Your body is stiff and heavy, and your heartbeat slows to a point where it is difficult to breathe. You try to speak but you cannot. You want to ask the entity why it is helping you--<<type 135ms>> ✋︎ ✌︎💣︎ ✌︎🕈︎✌︎😐︎☜︎ 👌︎☜︎👍︎✌︎🕆︎💧︎☜︎ ⚐︎☞︎ ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎📬︎ //I A M A W A K E B E C A U S E O F Y O U// ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎ ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎ ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎ //Y O U Y O U Y O U// <</type>><<timed 20s>> Their voice echoes in your head. You shiver. You open your eyes and take a shaky breath. The void alternates in how it is uncomfortable. The only thing that is consistent about it is the sense of wrongness being there. To think anyone is still there. . . Again. You have to go in again. It’s difficult to keep yourself there. Every inch of your ''SOUL'' and body detest it. It’s a mental struggle to force yourself to go back. You already set yourself on this path. You will see it through. You give yourself time to warm up again, and then you take that plunge. You ask the entity if you can help it. You cannot imagine the void is a good place to stay. It has helped you, after all. <</timed>><<timed 30s>><<type 135ms>> ✋︎ 👎︎⚐︎ ☠︎⚐︎❄︎ 😐︎☠︎⚐︎🕈︎ //I D O N O T K N O W// 👌︎🕆︎❄︎ ❄︎☟︎✌︎☠︎😐︎ ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎ ☞︎⚐︎☼︎ ✌︎💧︎😐︎✋︎☠︎☝︎ //B U T T H A N K Y O U F O R A S K I N G// <</type>><</timed>><<timed 40s>> You want to help the entity. There must be a way. <</timed>><<timed 50s>><<type 135ms>> 💣︎✌︎✡︎👌︎☜︎ M A Y B E ⚐︎☠︎☜︎ O N E 👎︎✌︎✡︎ D A Y 👌︎☜︎✋︎☠︎☝︎ ✌︎🕈︎✌︎😐︎☜︎ ✋︎💧︎ ☜︎☠︎⚐︎🕆︎☝︎☟︎ ☞︎⚐︎☼︎ ☠︎⚐︎🕈︎📬︎ B E I N G A W A K E I S E N O U G H F O R N O W <</type>><</timed>><<timed 75s>> You can’t take it anymore. You fall back into reality and want to throw up. You bend over to your knees, gasping and wheezing for air. You feel violently ill. If you had any food in your stomach, you are certain you would have thrown it up. $Curse! $Curse! $Curse! Your body is trembling. Your legs feel weak and you are forced to take a seat. Your ''SOUL'' flickers out and you are left in the darkness to recover. It takes you a long time to feel okay. You don’t want to go back. You don’t. You really don’t. [[And yet. You have to.]]<</timed>>

<<set $helpedwing = 0>> Nothing and no one is worth going back to the void. <<if $harem gt 0>> <<set $harem = 0>> <<set $friendshiproute = 3>> <</if>> You choose to carry on. You enter the room with many tall shelves. On the shelves there are canisters and inside most of the canisters are-- You feel your heart stop. ''SOULs''. Dozens of ''SOULs'', each a different color. You know in your heart of hearts that these are human ''SOULs''. $thosepoorhumans “All these souls. . .” Flowey looks longingly at the wall of canisters. It is. . . a lot. “If only I could have a few,” he whispers. What? Flowey startles from your question, shrinking into himself. His leaves curl and uncurl anxiously. He looks away from you. “T-To tell you the truth, $name. . . I don’t think I have a ''SOUL'' anymore,” he says. “I--I was a monster before but then I died and w-woke up as this flower.” He stares down at his leaves. “I–I don’t feel much. Some days I don’t feel anything, and other days all I feel is f-fear.” He gives you a small, sad smile. “I-It’s b-been better with you. Being near your ''SOUL''. . . it soothes me. P-Probably because I’m hollow.” Oh. . . <<if $asrielrom eq 3>> You take off the backpack and gently set it on the ground. Flowey looks up you, frowning and dejected. You give him a little kiss where his forehead would be. / You give him a little nuzzle. His smile is small. It’s hard to tell if it’s sincere or not, given what he had previously told you. <<else>> You reach around to gently take one of his leaves in your hands. He rests his head against your shoulder. <</if>> You ask him, if he had these ''SOULs'', would be whole? “I think so. Definitely. . . definitely better.” He consider it. “P-Probably more magic than ''SOUL'' power, to be honest.” If you were to get magic from anywhere, a royal scientist’s lab definitely seems like the spot. You look up at the ''SOULs''. You. . . suppose it would be a similar process to organ donation. You don’t think these humans had a choice in the matter, though. [[Even so. . . if it can help your friend, you’d be okay with that.]] [[It makes you feel uncomfortable, but. . .]] [[They’re gone. If what they leave behind can help Flowey, why shouldn’t it?]] [[It’s too wrong. All these SOULs should be freed. Immediately.]]

You hate it. You hate it. You hate it. It crawls over you. It’s so //wrong.// There is no other word to describe it. It is a violation against nature itself. You are doing something terrible. You are doing something horrific. You are filled with shame, and yet, and yet, and yet-- You ask the entity: Why? <<type 135ms>> 👌︎☜︎✋︎☠︎☝︎ ✌︎💧︎☹︎☜︎☜︎🏱︎ //B E I N G A S L E E P// ✋︎ 👍︎⚐︎🕆︎☹︎👎︎ ☞︎☜︎☜︎☹︎ 💣︎✡︎💧︎☜︎☹︎☞︎ ☞︎✌︎☹︎☹︎✋︎☠︎☝︎ ✌︎🕈︎✌︎✡︎📬︎ //I C O U L D F E E L M Y S E L F F A L L I N G A W A Y// ✋︎❄︎ ✋︎💧︎ 🕈︎⚐︎☼︎💧︎☜︎ ❄︎☟︎✌︎☠︎ 👎︎✡︎✋︎☠︎☝︎ //I T I S W O R S E T H A N D Y I N G// <</type>><<timed 40s>> Yes. You can agree. Being in the void is officially worse than death. No one deserves this. ''No one.'' You want to help the voice. The hands caress your head. <<type 135ms>> ❄︎☟︎✌︎☠︎😐︎ ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎📬︎ //T H A N K Y O U// ✋︎ 👎︎⚐︎ ☠︎⚐︎❄︎ 😐︎☠︎⚐︎🕈︎ ✋︎☞︎ ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎ 👍︎✌︎☠︎📬︎ //I D O N O T K N O W I F Y O U C A N// <</type>><</timed>><<timed 85s>> You want to try. You cannot see, but you can feel, and your repeated trips into the void has allowed you to adjust how your body reacts to that world. You slowly, agonizingly slowly, reach out and grasp one of the hands. You squeeze the entity’s hand in an attempt to comfort them. They squeeze you back. <<type 135ms>> ✋︎ 🕈︎✋︎☹︎☹︎ ❄︎☟︎✋︎☠︎😐︎ //I W I L L T H I N K// 🕈︎✋︎☹︎☹︎ ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎ 👍︎⚐︎💣︎☜︎ 👌︎✌︎👍︎😐︎✍︎ //W I L L Y O U C O M E B A C K ?// <</type>><</timed>><<timed 95s>> You promise you will.<<type 135ms>> ❄︎☟︎✌︎☠︎😐︎ ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎📪︎ 💣︎✡︎ 👎︎☜︎✌︎☼︎ //T H A N K Y O U M Y D E A R// <</type>><</timed>><<timed 105s>> Okay you’re done. You are done. You are definitely done with this. You slump against the tile floor. You have never been so exhausted. [[You’re going to need some time to recover.]] <</timed>>

You still feel shaky and weak-limbed when you force yourself back up. Flowey continues to rest peacefully in the backpack. At least your friend is doing okay. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "lab"volume 0.15 loop play>> You have to lean against the walls to continue to walk. Each step feels like your world is crooked. One step at a time. You can do this. One step. Two steps. Three steps. Yes, there you go. . . . Four steps. [[Twenty steps.]]

You enter the room with many tall shelves. On the shelves there are canisters and inside most of the canisters are-- You feel your heart stop. ''SOULs''. Dozens of ''SOULs'', each a different color. You know in your heart of hearts that these are human ''SOULs''. $thosepoorhumans “All these souls. . .” Flowey looks longingly at the wall of canisters. It is. . . a lot. “If only I could have a few,” he whispers. What? Flowey startles from your question, shrinking into himself. His leaves curl and uncurl anxiously. He looks away from you. “T-To tell you the truth, $name. . . I don’t think I have a ''SOUL'' anymore,” he says. “I--I was a monster before but then I died and w-woke up as this flower.” He stares down at his leaves. “I–I don’t feel much. Some days I don’t feel anything, and other days all I feel is f-fear.” He gives you a small, sad smile. “I-It’s b-been better with you. Being near your ''SOUL''. . . it soothes me. P-Probably because I’m hollow.” Oh. . . <<if $asrielrom eq 5>> You take off the backpack and gently set it on the ground. Flowey looks up you, frowning and dejected. <<cycle "$kissornuzzle" autoselect>>\ <<option "You give him a little kiss where his forehead would be.">> <<option "You give him a little nuzzle.">> <</cycle>> His smile is small. It’s hard to tell if it’s sincere or not, given what he had previously told you. <<else>> You reach around to gently take one of his leaves in your hands. He rests his head against your shoulder. <</if>> You ask him, if he had these ''SOULs'', would be whole? “I think so. Definitely. . . definitely better.” He consider it. “P-Probably more magic than ''SOUL'' power, to be honest.” If you were to get magic from anywhere, a royal scientist’s lab definitely seems like the spot. You look up at the ''SOULs''. You. . . suppose it would be a similar process to organ donation. You don’t think these humans had a choice in the matter, though. [[Even so. . . if it can help your friend, you’d be okay with that.]] [[It makes you feel uncomfortable, but. . .]] [[They’re gone. If what they leave behind can help Flowey, why shouldn’t it?]] [[It’s too wrong. All these SOULs should be freed. Immediately.]]

It makes your stomach knot. Before you have a chance to respond, you hear a low noise in the back of the room. You move back there and find there are many collapsed shelves. Judging by the charred hole in the wall, you infer there was an explosion that knocked the shelves back. You hear the noise again. It’s underneath the shelves. You start to pick up the shelves. They’re heavier than expected, but not impossible to move. It just tires you out. Eventually you see a lump of yellow, white, and red. “That’s Dr. Alphys,” says Flowey. Dr. Alphys looks like some kind of yellow reptilian monster in a red-stained white lab coat. She looks to be in a bad shape. You take out the healing spray bottle and spray her all over. Hopefully it works on her as it did on you. She groans again as she stirs. She sits up, adjusting a pair of glasses with a swirly design on them. She peers at you. “Huh. Unexpected. You are a human?” You are. You introduce yourself. “I see you used one of my healing sprays,” she observes. She glances at the gaping hole in the wall behind her. “. . . Are you the only one here?” You gesture to Flowey in the backpack. Flowey gives her a wave. She adjusts her glasses again. “I see. And what are you doing here?” You explain you came to rescue her. You saw her monitor. “I suppose thanks are in order, human,” says Dr. Alphys with a sniff. You didn’t do it for her-- <<if $asrielrom eq 5>> [[You remember your dear Flowey.]] ♡ Warning: this locks you into the FLOWEY romance and will set the other romance variables to 0. <</if>> [[You remember Flowey.]]

Before you have a chance to respond, you hear a low noise in the back of the room. You move back there and find there are many collapsed shelves. Judging by the charred hole in the wall, you infer there was an explosion that knocked the shelves back. You hear the noise again. It’s underneath the shelves. You start to pick up the shelves. They’re heavier than expected, but not impossible to move. It just tires you out. Eventually you see a lump of yellow, white, and red. “That’s Dr. Alphys,” says Flowey. Dr. Alphys looks like some kind of yellow reptilian monster in a red-stained white lab coat. She looks to be in a bad shape. You take out the healing spray bottle and spray her all over. Hopefully it works on her as it did on you. She groans again as she stirs. She sits up, adjusting a pair of glasses with a swirly design on them. She peers at you. “Huh. Unexpected. You are a human?” You are. You introduce yourself. “I see you used one of my healing sprays,” she observes. She glances at the gaping hole in the wall behind her. “. . . Are you the only one here?” You gesture to Flowey in the backpack. Flowey gives her a wave. She adjusts her glasses again. “I see. And what are you doing here?” You explain you came to rescue her. You saw her monitor. “I suppose thanks are in order, human,” says Dr. Alphys with a sniff. You didn’t do it for her-- <<if $asrielrom eq 5>> [[You remember your dear Flowey.]] ♡ Warning: this locks you into the FLOWEY romance and will set the other romance variables to 0. <</if>> [[You remember Flowey.]]

Sorry! This route is still under construction. [[Even so. . . if it can help your friend, you’d be okay with that.]] [[It makes you feel uncomfortable, but. . .]] [[They’re gone. If what they leave behind can help Flowey, why shouldn’t it?]]

You take off your backpack and present Flowey. You tell her if she is thankful for you saving her life, then she can help save your friend. “Wh-What?” Flowey squeaks. “Your friends with a monster?” she asks shrewdly. “Hm. Ugh, I guess I do owe you. . . and saving a monster isn’t the worst thing I could do. Fine, what’s wrong with him?” You explain that he needs magic and some human ''SOULs''. “Those ''SOULs'' aren’t mine to give away,” she retorts. “They’re for my research.” Can’t Flowey count as research? She pauses. Flowey lets out a small whimper. Dr. Alphys clicks her tongue. “Fine.” She leans forward to inspect Flowey. “Hm. You seem oddly familiar. Where did you come from?” “I–I used to be a monster, I think. I–I lost my memories when I woke up as this flower,” Flowey hesitantly admits. “B-But I’m sure I was a monster before.” Dr. Alphys reaches out a clawed hand to poke the bandage you had placed on Flowey back in the ruins. “Why do you think you need ''SOULs''?” “I’m. . . ''SOULLESS'',” he hollowly admits. Alphys stiffens. She is silent for several minutes. It’s long enough to make you concerned. “All right,” she says. “To restore you. . . it will not be easy. Your body is weak and absorbing too much too fast could cause it to deteriorate.” Flowey flinches. That’s not good. Alphys takes the backpack from you. “Nothing I can’t overcome. I’m a genius, after all. Leave your little friend to me.” You hesitate. You ask Flowey if he’s okay with this. “I want to be whole again,” he says. He gives you a small smile. “Th-Thank you for helping me get this far. I–I’ll be okay. B-But will you? C-Can you continue w-without me for now?” You smile. You hold out your hand with your pinky. Flowey stares at it for a moment before his smile widens and he reaches out with a leaf. You hook your pinky around his leaf and the two of you shake. He’ll be okay, and so will you. You’ll meet again! “Promise?” he asks you. [[You promise.]]

<<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "softmoments"volume 0.15 loop play>> You take off your backpack and present Flowey. You tell her if she is thankful for you saving her life, then she can help save your dear companion. <<set $sanslove = 0>> <<set $papslove = 0>> <<set $friendshiproute = 0>> “Wh-What?” Flowey squeaks. <<set $asrielrom += 1>> “Your friends with a monster?” she asks shrewdly. “Hm. Ugh, I guess I do owe you. . . and saving a monster isn’t the worst thing I could do. Fine, what’s wrong with him?” You explain that he needs magic and some human ''SOULs''. “Those ''SOULs'' aren’t mine to give away,” she retorts. “They’re for my research.” Can’t Flowey count as research? She pauses. Flowey lets out a small whimper. Dr. Alphys clicks her tongue. “Fine.” She leans forward to inspect Flowey. “Hm. You seem oddly familiar. Where did you come from?” “I–I used to be a monster, I think. I–I lost my memories when I woke up as this flower,” Flowey hesitantly admits. “B-But I’m sure I was a monster before.” Dr. Alphys reaches out a clawed hand to poke the bandage you had placed on Flowey back in the ruins. “Why do you think you need ''SOULs''?” “I’m. . . ''SOULLESS'',” he hollowly admits. Alphys stiffens. She is silent for several minutes. It’s long enough to make you concerned. “All right,” she says. “To restore you. . . it will not be easy. Your body is weak and absorbing too much too fast could cause it to deteriorate.” Flowey flinches. That’s not good. Alphys takes the backpack from you. “Nothing I can’t overcome. I’m a genius, after all. Leave your little friend to me.” You hesitate. You ask Flowey if he’s okay with this. Flowey looks up at you, his expression furrowed with concern. “I--I’m afraid to leave you alone, $name.” You smile. You tell him you’ll be okay. “That’s not good enough,” he says. “I--I don’t want you to get hurt.” You promise him you’ll be okay. It’s more important that he gets better. He flinches at that. “I--I do. . . I do want to get better. I want to feel whole. I want to feel everything. But what I feel right now--you’re--you’re special to me.” Flowey looks down. “A-And if I stay, you’ll--you’ll leave UNDERFELL, won’t you? You’ll leave me.” While you do want to make it to the surface, you can’t imagine it being a //goodbye.// You want to see Flowey again. “Do you really?” Flowey looks back up at you hopefully. Yes! “Then--then will you--will you--wait for me--? T-To get better--?” You smile. You hold out your hand with your pinky. Flowey stares at it for a moment before his smile widens and he reaches out with a leaf. You hook your pinky around his leaf and the two of you shake. It’s a promise. Flowey sighs softly. “Okay. I’ll stay with Dr. Alphys. You. . . You better be safe. If you have s-so much as a scratch on you. . .” Flowey’s expression darkens. “I won’t forgive them.” Aww. You’ll be safe! [[You promise.]]

You use the vent ladders to climb out. It takes you several minutes to make it back up to the top. Phew! You think you've done enough exercise for the day. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "lab"volume 0.15 loop play>> As you make it back to the top, you notice the monitor is no longer flashing a warning. Instead it says: ''CONNECTION RE-ESTABLISHED. REPAIR BOTS UNDERWAY.'' ''CIVILIANS PLEASE KEEP OUT.'' That’s good. You did that. You saved someone. You are immediately filled with DETERMINATION. You head out of the lab. It’s your first real look at the hotlands. The rock and stone are a reddish-brown, and you can hear bubbles of lava underneath. You see there are many bridges connecting different areas--it’s a very wide and open area--and there are signposts in the corners of each area. You move over to one of the sign posts. It reads: //Snowdin (West)// //City (North)// //Core (North)// //Laboratory (South)// //Fareming (East)// You recall Flowey mentioned you’d have to go through the city. The core--You look over at a huge machine in the lava. You figure that’s the core. It’s a monstrosity in size, even at a distance. You move to the edge--the lava bubbles and pops underneath you--and peer at it. It’s big enough to comfortably fit a small town inside. You breathe in the hot air. Your lips and skin feel uncomfortably dry. <<set $sanshotdeath = 0>> [[It’s time to carry on.]]

It’s just you. <<masteraudio stop>><<audio "hotlands"volume 0.15 loop play>> You walk across the hotlands, the air prickling your skin. Each breath is uncomfortable. You can feel yourself drying out with each step. It surprises you how much the //weather// is affecting you in an underground cave. You wonder what the city will be like. Will it be snowy like Snowdin? Wet like the marshlands? Or will you finally find an area that has a pleasant climate? Looking up, you notice the stalacites have those red crystals in them, as well as some black ones. Not that this area needs the light. The lava is bright enough it forces you to squint when you look at it. When you cross another bridge you spot a familiar figure. It’s Sans. He seems to be seated behind a wooden sentry post. <<if $sanslove eq 3>> [[You happily go over to Sans.]] ♡ <<elseif $harem eq 6>> [[You joyfully go over to Sans.]] ♡ <<elseif $sanshotdeath eq 0>> [[You head over to Sans.]] <</if>> [[You decide to ignore Sans and carry on with your journey.]]

<<if $sansshy gt $sansbold>> Sans spots you. He gives you a wink. “Hey, $sansfirstnickname. Fancy meetin’ yeh here.” <<set $sanslove += 1>> Your face feels hot. You don’t think it’s from the weather. You tell him you’re happy to see him. He gives you a smile. “Want a chimichanga, $sansfirstnickname? First ones free jus’ for yeh.” You would love one! Thank you. Sans flicks one finger up and you watch a chimichanga float into the air. It hovers between the two of you for several seconds until it is placed atop your head. You take the chimichanga off your head, curious why he put it on your head. “Sorry, didn’t realize yeh had free hands. I was too busy starin’ at more important things.” Sans leans forward, his sharp grin turning into a crooked smirk. Like what? Sans leers. “What do you think, $sansfirstnickname?” You can’t even hide your face because your hands are full with the chimichanga. You know you’re blushing--you can feel your ears burning--but there’s nothing you can do. Flustered, you lower your gaze and fidget. “Heh-heh,” Sans chuckles, seemingly pleased by your reaction. “Take a bite. Promise it’s good.” You try the chimichanga. It is indeed good. In fact, it’s very good! “Surprised?” Sans teases. “I’m pretty good, huh? The boss makes a mean lasagna, but me? I prefer the simple food. Stuff yeh can take on the go.” Sans absentmindedly taps his knuckles against the wood as he watches you eat. You ask who’s there. He freezes at your question. His red pupils shrink—you guess that is the skeleton equivalent to wide eyes—and then suddenly he grins. “Cheese.” Cheese who? He points to you and winks. “Cheese is a very cute human.” [[Oh no. Your poor heart!]] <<else>> Sans spots you. He gives you a wink. “Hey, $sansfirstnickname. Fancy meetin’ yeh here.” <<set $sanslove += 1>> You can’t fight your grin. You make your way over to him and lean against the sentry post. You tell him you’re happy to see him. He gives you a smile. “Hey, want a chimichanga? First one's free jus’ for yeh.” You would love one! Thank you. Sans flicks one finger up and you watch a chimichanga float into the air. It hovers between the two of you for several seconds until it is placed atop your head. You take the chimichanga off your head, curious why he put it on your head. “Sorry, didn’t realize yeh had free hands. I was too busy starin’ at more important things.” Sans leans forward, his sharp grin turning into a crooked smirk. Oh. You smirk. Did he like what he saw? Sans leers. “What do you think, $sansfirstnickname?” You set the chimichanga down and put both your hands on the sentry post. You lean forward and he leans back, his face turning red. “M-Movin’ kinda fast, aren’t yeh, human?” Is he scared? He scoffs then turns his head away and coughs. “M-Me? I ain’t scared of shit.” He points to the chimichanga you had set down. “Give it a try, will yeh?” You try the chimichanga. It’s very good! “Surprised?” Sans teases. “I’m pretty good, huh? The boss makes a mean lasagna, but me? I prefer the simple food. Stuff yeh can take on the go.” Sans absentmindedly taps his knuckles against the wood as he watches you eat. You ask who’s there. He freezes at your question. His red pupils shrink—you guess that is the skeleton equivalent to wide eyes—and then suddenly he grins. “Robin,” he says. Robin who? “Robin you,” he says with a wink. [[Tease he already has you, what more could he want?]] <</if>>

You head over to Sans. The skeleton gives you a sharp grin. “Well, well, well. If it ain’t my //favorite// human. Enjoyin’ yer stay?” <<if $harem gt 0>><<set $harem = 0>><<set $friendshiproute = 3>><</if>> You tell him you are. “Heh. Say, yeh hungry?” Sans gives you a wink. “Want a chimichanga? Firs’ one’s free for humans.” Sure! You thank him. He levitates a chimichanga from behind the sentry post and places it in your hands. It looks delicious. You give it a taste. Surprisingly sweet. “Pretty good, huh?” Sans taps his red gloved fingers against the sentry post. “Not bad for a final meal.” It’s good-- Wait-- You look down at the seated skeleton with wide eyes. You open your mouth to respond, but then a burning sensation cuts through your stomach. It eats away at you, and you feel your stomach lurching. [[You need to throw up.]]

You move down the road. As you progress down the path you notice more signs. They’re stuck into the ground. Some of them light up with neon lights. They’re delightfully colorful. WATCH METTATON LIVE TONIGHT! COME TO MISS MUFFET’S BAKERY! SEE SNOWDRAKE AT THE COMEDY CLUB! PURCHASE MTT CLOTHES AT NEW MEGA MALL! TRY OUT MTT TOP RATED FOOD AT THE FOOD COURT! It looks like there are a lot of advertisement signs. It’s cute. It reminds you of the surface. Do any of those look like things you’d want to visit? <<cycle "$signreaction" autoselect>>\ <<option "Yes!">> <<option "Heck yes!">> <<option "HELL YEAH!">> <<option "No.">> <<option "Heck no.">> <<option "Meh.">> <<option ". . .">> <</cycle>> You wonder what other similarities monsters’ culture have to humans’. It’ll be interesting to compare what a monster city looks like to what you know. Everything you’ve seen so far is very similar to human architecture. The dirt path leads you to some wide stone stairs. At the base of the stairs, you see a dark blue bunny monster. He’s leaning against some kind of metal cart with a black umbrella. <<if $papslove eq 2>> The bunny monster raises a hand at you. He’s trying to catch your attention. [[You head over to him, curious.]] <</if>> <<if $sanslove eq 5>> The bunny monster raises a hand at you. He’s trying to catch your attention. [[You head over to him, intrigued.]] <</if>> <<if (($asrielrom gt 1)) or ($friendshiproute eq 3)>> [[You’re curious about the bunny monster. You decide to head over.]] [[You’re not interested in stopping. You want to get into the city.]] <</if>>

You reflexively crush the chimichanga in your hands. It makes Sans laugh as you profusely apologize for wasting the food. <<set $sanslove += 1>> “Forgeddaboutit,” he says, seemingly delighted. “Here, got plenty.” He offers you another one. The one you crushed is levitated out of your hands and placed in a trashcan behind his post. As you start to eat your next one, he looks you up and down. “Hey. Knock knock.” Who’s there? His red gaze brightens. “Waiter.” Waiter who? “Just waiter I get my hands on yeh.” You choke on your chimichanga and reflexively destroy it again in your vice-grip. “PFFFT AHAHAHA!” Sans howls. “Again, $sansfirstnickname?” You apologize, frantically trying to clean up the mess you made since the contents of the chimichanga exploded onto the sentry post. “Knock knock,” says Sans with a huge grin. You whimper as you ask who’s there? And so Sans proceed to tell an onslaught of increasingly dirty knock knock jokes that make you feel like you are bathing in the lava below. It’s delightful. Some make you squeal in embarrassment, and others have you a giggly mess. Sans eats up your reactions, genuinely delighted. He praises you for being his best audience and as thanks, he offers you his water bottle. It’s gratefully accepted. You do try to ask him some harmless questions--favorite color, taste in music, food preference--but he has a talent for side-stepping your queries. Nevertheless you still have a lot of fun with him. Unfortunately, it doesn’t last as long as you’d like. “I’ve gotta get goin’,” he says. “Gotta meet with the boss, yeh know?” You pout. “Ehh, don’t worry ‘bout it,” he says. “Knock knock, $sansfirstnickname.” Who’s there? “Owl.” “Owl who?” “Owl be seeing yeh again, right?” Oh absolutely! He winks. “Good. If yeh get through the city. . . I’ll be waitin’.” You beam. You--you hope it’ll be a date! His smile slips for a bit. You think he looks sad for a moment but then the grin is back in place. “Yeh’ll jus’ haveta find out, huh?” Then his whole body shivers out of existence and he disappears in a pop. Wow. It looks like Sans can teleport. That’s neat! Oh and he left you another chimichanga and some water. That’s sweet. [[You’re excited about your date. You want to get through the city quickly.]]

“Since when?” he retorts, but you notice a reddish hue under his eyesockets. “Heh-heh.” <<set $sanslove += 1>> Your turn. Knock knock! “Who’s there?” Sans asks, his grin widening. Alice! “Alice who?” Alice fair in love and war! Sans laughs in delight. “All right, all right. I got ‘nother one. Knock knock.” Who’s there? The two of you go back and forth with knock knock jokes. They get surprisingly raunchy as you go on, but they are no less fun. Sans prepares a second chimichanga for you and he eats one with you. He even lets you share some of his water--which is greatly appreciated, given the heat! You do try to ask him some harmless questions--favorite color, taste in music, food preference--but he has a talent for side-stepping your queries. Nevertheless you still have a lot of fun with him. Unfortunately, it doesn’t last as long as you’d like. “I’ve gotta get goin’,” he says. “Gotta meet with the boss, yeh know?” You sigh. “Ehh, don’t worry ‘bout it,” he says. “Knock knock, $sansfirstnickname.” Who’s there? “Owl.” “Owl who?” “Owl be seeing yeh again, right?” Oh absolutely! He winks. “Good. If yeh get through the city. . . I’ll be waitin’.” You beam. It’s a date. This makes him laugh. Then his whole body shivers out of existence and he disappears in a pop. Wow. It looks like Sans can teleport. That’s neat! Oh and he left you another chimichanga and some water. That’s sweet. [[You’re excited about your date. You want to get through the city quickly.]]

You move down the road with a skip in your step. As you progress down the path you notice more signs. They’re stuck into the ground. Some of them light up with neon lights. They’re delightfully colorful. WATCH METTATON LIVE TONIGHT! COME TO MISS MUFFET’S BAKERY! SEE SNOWDRAKE AT THE COMEDY CLUB! PURCHASE MTT CLOTHES AT NEW MEGA MALL! TRY OUT MTT TOP RATED FOOD AT THE FOOD COURT! It looks like there are a lot of advertisement signs. It’s cute. It reminds you of the surface. Do any of those look like things you’d want to visit? <<cycle "$signreaction" autoselect>>\ <<option "Yes!">> <<option "Heck yes!">> <<option "HELL YEAH!">> <<option "No.">> <<option "Heck no.">> <<option "Meh.">> <<option ". . .">> <</cycle>> You wonder what other similarities monsters’ culture have to humans’. It’ll be interesting to compare what a monster city looks like to what you know. Everything you’ve seen so far is very similar to human architecture. The dirt path leads you to some wide stone stairs. At the base of the stairs, you see a dark blue bunny monster. He’s leaning against some kind of metal cart with a black umbrella. <<if $papslove eq 2>> The bunny monster raises a hand at you. He’s trying to catch your attention. [[You head over to him, curious.]] <<elseif $sanslove eq 5>> The bunny monster raises a hand at you. He’s trying to catch your attention. [[You head over to him, intrigued.]] <<else>> [[You’re curious about the bunny monster. You decide to head over.]] [[You’re not interested in stopping. You want to get into the city.]]<</if>>

The bunny monster smiles at you. He’s a head taller than you and is wearing black overalls and a red turtleneck. “Hey, you’re $name, right?” <<set $papslove += 1>> You confirm. <<set $friendshiproute = 0>> “Great. I’ve got a message for you,” he says. He pulls a note out of his black overalls pocket and holds it out to you. You open it up. It reads: //MEET ME AT REQUIEM. - PAPYRUS// <<if $papshy gt $papbold>> Your heart skips a beat and your stomach does a somersault. <<else>> Your eyes widen in surprise. You cannot contain your smile. <</if>> “Papyrus was waitin’ here for you,” says the bunny. “But you took too long.” Your detour to the lab was likely the result. “Anyway, make sure you don’t keep him waiting,” he says. Then he gives you a wink. “And my niece, Puffers, sends her regards.” You beam. You tell him you were delighted to make her acquaintance. “Heh-heh. She told me,” he says. “I’m Todd, by the way. I sell Dice Cream.” Dice Cream? “The sweet treat you gamble on. It’s not always sweet,” he says. “I’d offer you one, but I think you’ll want to keep an empty stomach if you’re going to Requiem.” Where is Requiem? Todd points up the stairs. “Up the stairs, past MTT Resort. Take the path on the left.” You thank him and head on your way. [[Enter the core.]]

The bunny monster smiles at you. He’s a head taller than you and is wearing black overalls and a red turtleneck. “Hey, you’re $name, right?” You confirm. <<set $friendshiproute = 0>> “Great. I’ve got something for you,” he says. He reaches into his cart. Cold air rushes out of it. He pulls out a red-colored ice cream cone and offers it to you. He smiles. "One Dice Cream cone." Dice Cream? “The sweet treat you gamble on. It’s not always sweet,” he says. "Sans asked me to give you one." Your $eyecolor eyes brighten. Sans? "Yeah, he was here just a minute ago. Told me to make sure you got a good one," he says. You happily accept the treat. <<if $sansshy gt $sansbold>> When you take a bite, you find that it is pleasantly sweet. "He was very clear--sweet like $name," says the monster. "No gamblin' this time around." <<else>> When you take a bite, you find that it is pleasantly sweet and spicy. "He was very clear--spicy like $name," says the monster. "No gamblin' this time around." <</if>> It's delicious. The bunny takes a bow. "Why thank you!" He straightens up. "I'm Todd, by the way. If you haven't already gathered: I sell Dice Cream." You ask him if you normally have to gamble on ice cream. "Most of the time, yeah. But I make exceptions for friends," he says. "Sans isn't someone you say no to, you know?" You nod. You know. He's very charming, isn't he? Todd laughs at that. "You're funny. Oh, before I forget--"He gives you a wink. “My niece, Puffers, sends her regards.” You beam. You tell him you were delighted to make her acquaintance. “Heh-heh. She told me,” he says. You finish your dice cream too quickly. "If you're still around tomorrow, you can have a free one on me," he says. That's so nice! You thank him and head on your way. [[Enter the core.]]

The bunny monster smiles at you. He’s a head taller than you and is wearing black overalls and a red turtleneck. "Hi there. I’m Todd. I sell Dice Cream.” Dice Cream? “The sweet treat you gamble on. It’s not always sweet,” he says. "Want to try one?" You tell him you don't have any money. "That's fine. My niece, Puffers, told me about you," he says. <<if $jump eq 1>> "She had a lot of fun jumping off the waterfall with you. <</if>> <<if $nojump eq 1>> "She respects that you tried to keep everyone safe. <</if>> She sends her regards." Oh! You beam. You tell him you were delighted to make her acquaintance. “Heh-heh. She told me,” he says. He reaches into his cart. Cold air rushes out of it. He pulls out a red-colored ice cream cone and offers it to you. He smiles. "One Dice Cream cone." You give it a taste. It's sweetly sour like lemonade. <<cycle "$dicecreamreaction" autoselect>>\ <<option "Your face reflexively crunches up.">> <<option "It's so sour it hurts your teeth. You can't stop your wince.">> <<option "Mm-mm that's good.">> <<option "Now you want some lemonade.">> <<option ". . .">> <</cycle>> You finish your dice cream. "If you're still around tomorrow, you can have a free one on me," he says. That's so sweet! You thank him and head on your way. [[Enter the core.]]

You don't stop. You climb up the steps. [[Enter the core.]]

''END OF HOTLANDS'' <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "menu"volume 0.15 loop play>> ---- What a journey you've had so far! Let's see where you are. . . <<if (($helpedwing eq 1)) and (($friskhaschain eq 1))>> You currently have 2 out of the 3 necessary components to unlock the TRUE endings for the routes. Congratulations! That is the max you can have by the time you reach this point in the story. <</if>> <<if (($helpedwing eq 1)) and (($friskhaschain eq 0))>> You currently have 1 out of the 3 necessary components to unlock the TRUE endings for the routes. Perhaps you missed something in the beginning? You are on track for a NORMAL ending. <</if>> <<if (($helpedwing eq 0)) and (($friskhaschain eq 1))>> You currently have 1 out of the 3 necessary components to unlock the TRUE endings for the routes. Perhaps you missed something in this chapter? You are on track for a NORMAL ending. <</if>> <<if (($helpedwing eq 0)) and (($friskhaschain eq 0))>> You currently have 0 out of the 3 necessary components to unlock the TRUE endings for the routes. By this point, you can have 2. You are on track for a NORMAL ending, well done! <</if>> <<if $sanslove eq 3>> <<set $friendshiproute = 3>> It looks like you haven't made any progress with Sans. Are you happy with that? <<elseif (($asrielrom gt 1)) and ($asrielrom lt 6)>> <<set $friendshiproute = 3>> It looks like you haven't made any progress with Flowey. Are you happy with that? <<elseif $papslove eq 2>> It looks like you haven't made any progress with Papyrus. Are you happy with that? <<elseif $sanslove eq 5>> You are currently romancing Sans. You two seem to be getting along. Do you think he likes you? <<elseif $asrielrom eq 6>> You are currently romancing Flowey. What a sweet promise between you two! Hopefully the two of you can be reuinted soon. <<elseif $grillbylove eq 2>> You are currently romancing a fire monster you met once. You hope to meet him again soon! <<elseif $papslove eq 3>> You are currently romancing Papyrus, You have a good feeling you’ll see him again very soon! <<elseif $friendshiproute eq 3>> You are on the friendship route! That's so wonderful! <<elseif $harem eq 7>> You found a potential third monster to smooch. Are you. . . are you really going to try for all three? <</if>> <<if $alphyssaved eq 1>> You saved Dr. Alphys and in exchange she'll help out Flowey. Talk about a two for one! Good job. <<else>> You didn't save anyone. Are you okay with that? <</if>> <<if $helpedwing eq 1>> ❄︎♒︎♋︎■︎🙵 ⍓︎□︎◆︎ ❍︎⍓︎ ♎︎♏︎♋︎❒︎📬︎ <<else>> ❄︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎🕯︎⬧︎ ♋︎ ⬧︎♒︎♋︎❍︎♏︎📬︎ <</if>> You died <<print $deaths>> times and your skin feels dryer than sandpaper from the intense heat. Fingers crossed you can find some lotion in the next area! <<if $harem eq 7>> [[The Core entrance feels nice when you enter it.]] <<elseif $grillbylove eq 2>> [[The Core feels nice when you enter it.]] <<elseif $alphyssaved eq 0>> [[The Core entrance is cool.]] <<elseif ((($sanslove eq 5))) or (($asrielrom eq 6)) or ($friendshiproute eq 3)>> [[The Core entrance is pleasantly cool.]] <<elseif $papslove eq 3>> [[The Core entrance is so pleasantly cool.]] <</if>>

You move down the road with a skip in your step. As you progress down the path you notice more signs. They’re stuck into the ground. Some of them light up with neon lights. They’re delightfully colorful. WATCH METTATON LIVE TONIGHT! COME TO MISS MUFFET’S BAKERY! SEE SNOWDRAKE AT THE COMEDY CLUB! PURCHASE MTT CLOTHES AT NEW MEGA MALL! TRY OUT MTT TOP RATED FOOD AT THE FOOD COURT! It looks like there are a lot of advertisement signs. "They're all so. . . bright," says Flowey. "A-Are they like this on the surface?" Yes. "W-Would you want to visit any of them?" Flowey asks. <<cycle "$signreaction" autoselect>>\ <<option "Yes!">> <<option "Heck yes!">> <<option "HELL YEAH!">> <<option "No.">> <<option "Heck no.">> <<option "Meh.">> <<option ". . .">> <</cycle>> You wonder what other similarities monsters’ culture have to humans’. It’ll be interesting to compare what a monster city looks like to what you know. Everything you’ve seen so far is very similar to human architecture. "It has?" Flowey asks. You confirm. "Oh. I wonder wh-what's different, exactly. . .?" The dirt path leads you to some wide stone stairs. At the base of the stairs, you see a dark blue bunny monster. He’s leaning against some kind of metal cart with a black umbrella. [[You’re curious about the bunny monster. You decide to head over.]] [[You’re not interested in stopping. You want to get into the city.]]

Your hands throbs. <<set $wingdingpaper = 0>> You hold them close to your chest. As you move forward, Flowey calmly guides you. <<set $exploredthelab = 0>> “There’s a lab not too far,” he says. "Keep m-moving." <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "hotlands"volume 0.15 loop play>> You do. Each step forward burns, your injury throbs. You have many more cuts. Your $pants are ripped up and partly stained from your blood. All of your other cuts are easily ignored in favor of the feverish throb in your hands. You don’t have the mentality to look around or focus on anything other than following Flowey. He stops outside a white building. “Go on in,” he says. “It’s never locked.” When you approach, the door slides open. “Dr. Alphys is. . .” Flowey tilts his head. “. . . weird. No one visits her, so she never b-bothers to lock her door.” You walk inside and at once you are greeted by crisp, cool, air-conditioned air. You hadn’t realized you were burning up until you felt the temperature difference. It makes you shiver. “W-Wait here. Let me look for some medical supplies first,” says Flowey. You look at the tiled floor. Can Flowey walk across it with his roots? “No,” says Flowey. “I use magic to get around. I phase through things. It’s tiring, b-but since you’ve carried me all this way I’ve been able to rest. L-Leave this to me, okay?” You give Flowey a smile, and thank him for his help. Flowey tips himself out of the backpack. As soon as he hits the ground, he burrows underneath it. It’s an odd sight: like seeing a dolphin diving into the ocean, not a flower hitting the ground. You count to seventy before he returns. He drops a box filled with green vials and a spray bottle. He uses his vines and leaves to attach one of the vials to the spray bottle, then he starts to spray your injuries. He starts with your skinless hands first. The green magical liquid is cool against your injuries. You watch in amazement as your skin regrows and the dried blood evaporates. Your pain vanishes. It is replaced by a tingly, numb sensation. You have been healed. Flowey sighs. His petals are drooping. <<if $asrielrom eq 3>> You reach for him and gently pick him up. He relaxes in your arms and rests his head in the crook of your elbow. “Sorry, $name. . . guess I’m kind of tired. Can--can we stay here for a few minutes?” Of course! He closes his eyes and nuzzles into you. <<else>> You ask him if he’s okay. “Guess I’m kind of tired,” Flowey says with a small smile. “D-Do you mind if we rest for a f-few minutes?” Of course! You pull off your backpack and help Flowey back inside. Once settled, he rests his head on your shoulder and closes his eyes. <</if>> You take this time to look around. You are in a large room with white and gray tiles, white walls, and fluorescent lighting. There are shelves filled with odd contraptions you can’t identify, and books written in a language you can’t read. On closer inspection, it looks like the writings you saw in the ruins. There’s a workbench filled with tools on one end, and on the opposite end is a massive monitor with some kind of computer system set up around it. It looks like something straight out of a comic book, you’ve never seen such a set-up before. You wonder if the owner took inspiration from classic villain lairs? Wait-- The monitor is flashing red. ''WARNING: SYSTEM FAILURE.'' . . .? Taking care not to jostle Flowey, you make your way over to the computer. There are a hundred buttons to press, and it takes you a while to find the one marked as //enter//. The warning disappears, and a report is pulled up in its place. ''WARNING: UNKNOWN POWER SURGE DETECTED IN SYSTEM.'' ''SYSTEM OVERLOADED.'' ''WARNING: FIRES DETECTED IN SUBLEVELS 5 THROUGH 8.'' ''FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM ACTIVATED.'' ''WARNING: SECOND POWER SURGE DETECTED IN THE SYSTEM.'' ''SYSTEM OVERLOADED.'' ''WARNING: LOST CONNECTION WITH LEVELS 5 THROUGH 15.'' ''SYSTEM OVERLOADED.'' ''WARNING: CANNOT RECONNECT TO REPAIR BOTS.'' ''SYSTEM OVERLOADED.'' ''WARNING: PLEASE EVACUATE.'' Well that’s not good. It says to evacuate. That’s probably a good idea. “Mn. . .” Flowey raises his head. He squints as he reads the screen. “Oh, that explains some things.” At your curious expression, Flowey elaborates in an overly cheerful tone, “The place is a mess. S-Since we got what we came for, w-we should leave.” You glance at the monitor. Leaving would definitely be the safest option. As you turn to do so, a thought pops into your head. Where is Dr. Alphys? You had not encountered anyone on the way to the lab. You did not spot any alerts on the way. The only thing that tells you this place is dangerous are the warnings on the monitor. There are no sirens, no flashing lights--absolutely nothing to alert anyone outside the laboratory that something is wrong. According to Flowey, no one comes to the laboratory often either. So if there was an issue--like there currently is--would someone have found out earlier and helped Dr. Alphys? You would hope so, but. . . you don’t feel confident that’s the case. Flowey might have seen something when phasing through the lab. Maybe he can confirm if it’s empty? Should you ask? [[No. Let it go, you want to leave.]] [[You ask Flowey if he saw anyone inside.]]

So far so good in your journey. You haven't had to face any monsters in battle for a while. You're making good progress. <<set $wingdingpaper = 0>> Although you wouldn't mind walking through less. . . extreme areas. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "hotlands"volume 0.15 loop play>> The rock and stone are a reddish-brown, and you can hear bubbles of lava underneath. You see there are many bridges connecting different areas--it’s a very wide and open area--and there are signposts in the corners of each area. You move over to one of the sign posts. <<set $alphyssaved = 0>> <<set $helpedwing = 0>> It reads: <<set $exploredthelab = 0>> //Snowdin (West)// //City (North)// //Core (North)// //Laboratory (South)// //Fareming (East)// "We have to go through the core to get through the city," says Flowey. What was the core? Flowey gestures to the machine out in lava. "You see that big thing in the lava?" You do. "That's the core," he says, "I-It powers most of the underground. I'm not sure how it works. P-Part of the city is inside of it." Sounds interesting! "I guess," says Flowey, although you don't think he agrees with you. "Shall we go?" Yes, let's continue the journey. You walk across the hotlands, the air prickling your skin. Each breath is uncomfortable. You can feel yourself drying out with each step. It surprises you how much the //weather// is affecting you in an underground cave. You wonder what the city will be like. Will it be snowy like Snowdin? Wet like the marshlands? Or will you finally find an area that has a pleasant climate? Looking up, you notice the stalacites have those red crystals in them, as well as some black ones. Not that this area needs the light. The lava is bright enough it forces you to squint when you look at it. As you walk, you pass by an empty sentry station. It reminds you of the ones you had seen along the path to Snowdin. Peering inside you notice some empty mustard bottles. "Gross," says Flowey. [[You move past the sentry station.]]

You ignore Froggit. The monster hops towards you, nearly squashing you in the process. <<set $FroggitKiller = 1>> You have to roll out of the way, which jumbles Flowey. [[HERE COMES FROGGIT]]

You ignore Napstablook. Napstablook ignores you. [[HERE COMES NAPSTABLOOK]]

For several floors you move down without issue. You count the floors as you go down. <<set $farright = 0>> You recall there are eighteen buttons on the elevator, and there was only a down arrow on the elevator when summoning it from the first floor. You infer there is no floor above the ground floor, which means there are seventeen floors to go down. <<set $farleft = 0>> The elevator stopped working five floors down--so you have to climb down twelve levels. <<set $immediateright = 0>> Unfortunately before you can climb down any further you run into some blockage. There's some kind of white goo in the vent. <<set $gapinghole = 0>> You poke it. It's cold and elastic. You haven't seen anything like it, and you're not sure why it's there. You'll have to exit the vents here and try to find another section of vents to crawl down. You climb back up to an opening and kick the vent open. Gosh, who would have expected you'd get such a work out in? At least you're climbing down instead of up. Getting back out. . . you're not looking forward to that. You use the back of your sleeve to wipe away your sweat. The new floor you're on looks heavily charred. There's white foam scattered across the blackened floors and hall. It's clear to you that there was a fire on this floor. You look up and see foam dangling from sprinkler heads in the ceiling. The lab must have activated some kind of fire suppression system--the foam--and put it out. Did the fire originate on this floor? You see a gaping hole further down the hallway. You could drop below to the next floor and re-enter the vents to continue on your way. Or. . . You notice some rooms no longer have doors on them. You could explore. [[Let's continue on. You drop down to the next floor and re-enter the vents.]] [[You want to explore this floor.]]

You do not meet any other obstacles on your way down. You steadily climb down. The only time you have to pause is to wipe your sweaty palms against the back of your $pants. You can infer these vents might have been intended as an emergency exit. Which is good! That means you found your way back up once you get to Dr. Alphys. Upon arriving at the bottom, you kick out the vent and climb out. Ah! It's much cooler on the bottom floor than the vents. That feels nice. You take the time to catch your breath and chew over everything you've encountered in this lab so far. Most notably. . . that entity. That voice. . . they’ve really helped you out. While you ''strongly'' dislike going to the void, it looks like it’s the only way to communicate with the voice. When you reach the bottom floor, you kick out the vent and clamber out. . . . You could. . . You suppose. . . Purposefully visit the void to meet with the entity who helped you. Do you want to? <<set $helpedwing = 0>> [[Yes. I want to connect with the entity.]] [[No. I do not want to connect with the entity.]]

It smells like melted plastic. You hope your friend can rest through the stench. <<if $farright eq 0>> [[Enter the room on the far right.]] <</if>> <<if $farleft eq 0>> [[Enter the room on the far left.]] <</if>> <<if $immediateright eq 0>> [[Enter the room to your immediate right.]] <</if>> <<if $gapinghole eq 0>> [[Enter the gaping hole at the back of the hallway.]] <</if>> <<if (((($farright eq 1)))) and ((($farleft eq 1))) and (($immediateright eq 1)) and ($gapinghole eq 1)>> [[You've seen all you can on this floor. You jump down to the next floor.]] <</if>>

<<set $farright = 1>> Ah. As soon as you enter this room, you feel an unnatural chill. A shiver inches its way down your spine, leaving the hair on the back of your neck standing. Everything in this room was well protected from the fire because it's all mostly metal and tempered glass. This. . . this looks like. . . It's an operating room. There are metal tables in the center of the room There's a clipboard with some paper next to one of the trays. You pick it up. It's dated a month ago. There's a sticky note on top of it that reads: //Delayed dissection to prioritize expansion in the east per king orders.// ---- //TRANSCRIPT: DISSECTION OF X63// This is Dr. Alphys about to perform dissection of subject X63, brought in by THE JUDGE. Transcript for-- (sigh) Transcript for initial observations will now begin. Subject 63 was kept in a vacuum for fifteen years, six months, and three days. After death, the vacuum perfectly preserved the corpse. Because the human body is ~60% water, keeping it in a vacuum caused an interesting affect. The liquid in the body boiled, changing from liquid to gas. All tissues in the body expanded. Video shows ebullism of the body upon entry of the vaccum. All liquid and gas pulled out of the orifices and caused a near-instant freezing effect. (long pause) Death was in less than two minutes. Dissection will confirm cause of death. Re-watching the death video does support initial hypothesis that a vacuum raygun would be lethal against humans. As most monsters do not have water, it's possible they would survive a shot. (too muffled to track) I wish Dr. Gastor was here to discuss. He's much more familiar with monster anatomy. Computer, please start the camera and have it aimed at the table. Oh. Also, please confirm if ventilation system is working properly. Human corpses always reek. . . I. . . (sigh) I hope no more humans fall down. (long pause) Computer, please make a note Subject 63 has a dogtag that reads Nathaniel Cross. Please update our records to rename him. (long pause) I'm going to start now. End transcript. ---- You set the clipboard down and look at the operating tables. Or, rather. . . dissection tables. You move around the room and peruse some of the paperwork. It looks like there were many more dissections in this room. The captured humans. . . the monsters tested ways to have them effeciently killed. From the notes between the scientists they were searching for ways that would kill humans without hurting monsters. That's. . . It's not //surprising// when you stop to think about it. From what you have gathered, the monsters have not had good encounters with humans. They're isolated, closed off, and the humans who previously fell down were hostile. You know that's not the way humanity is now. Looking at these timelines, you think these humans fell down around the time of the Great War. It's understandable why they would be hostile. It's a tragedy on both sides. The monsters--the humans-- You can only hope to make things better going forward. You want to show them that humanity has changed. If you can do that then maybe. . . maybe everyone could be happy. It looks like there's nothing else you can do in this room. [[You want to explore this floor.]]

<<set $farleft = 1>> This room doesn't seem as destroyed as the hallway. The ash and char cover the walls, but the center of the room is untouched. There are book cases there and they are encased by some kind of glass wall. Perhaps a safety measure activated when the fire was detected? You approach the glass-encased bookshelves. Many of the titles are written in a language you cannot read, but you do see a few books that you can. It'd be nice to take a closer look at them. You put your hand on the glass, curious if you can find a latch or hatch. The moment your fingers touch it, the glass slides up into the ceiling. The books are free to be examined. [[Choose the book titled The Barrier]] [[Choose the book titled Boss Monsters.]] [[Choose a book titled UNDERFELL.]] [[Choose a book titled SOULMATES.]]

<<set $immediateright = 1>> You enter the room on your immediate right. Your $shoes crunch into ashes. The whole room is filled with ash. What furniture used to be in there has been utterly destroyed. When you reach out to touch what you think used to be a desk it immediately crumbles. Hmm. It doesn't look like there's anything for you in this room. [[You want to explore this floor.]]

<<set $gapinghole = 1>> You carefully climb through the gaping hole in the back. You are greeted by something unexpected. While the hallway looks heavily burnt, this room is untouched. It looks like some kind of work room. There are desks in the back of the room, each of them filled with stacks of papers and books. There are microscopes and several monitors spread across the other desks. The left side of the room is nothing but bookshelves filled with books written in a language you cannot read. The right side of the room has an operating table with straps on it, and some kind of weird machine over top it. The machine has metal tweezers, needles, and strange contraptions you cannot begin to guess their function. You approach the desks. There is a layer of dust over everything in this room. Not ash. . . just dust. No one has been in this room for a long time. You take a look at the papers and your face scrunches up. It's written in a strange language. You haven't seen these symbols before. 🏱︎☼︎⚐︎☺︎☜︎👍︎❄︎ ✌︎☠︎⚐︎💣︎✌︎☹︎✡︎ You know you can't read that, yet it feels like you //should// be able to. Looking at it gives you a strong sense of déjà vu. You carefully move some of the papers around, hoping to find something you can read. The second stack has a title across it: 👍︎⚐︎☠︎❄︎☼︎✌︎👎︎✋︎👍︎❄︎✋︎⚐︎☠︎ ⚐︎☞︎ ❄︎✋︎💣︎☜︎ The third stack's title reads: 💣︎✌︎☝︎✋︎👍︎ 💧︎✌︎❄︎🕆︎☼︎✌︎❄︎✋︎⚐︎☠︎ ✋︎☠︎ ❄︎✋︎💣︎☜︎ The fourth stack's title reads: ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ❖︎□︎♓︎♎︎ The fifth stack's title reads: 🏱︎❒︎□︎🙰♏︎♍︎⧫︎🖳︎ ❄︎♓︎❍︎♏︎ 🕮︎ ✞︎□︎♓︎♎︎ It doesn't look like you can read any of this. What language is this anyway? The more you look at it, the more you feel an itch in the back of your head. It looks like there's one piece of paper kept separate from the stack. You pick it up. ☼︎♏︎⬧︎♏︎♋︎❒︎♍︎♒︎ ⬧︎♒︎□︎⬥︎⬧︎ ♋︎ ♒︎◆︎❍︎♋︎■︎ ⬧︎□︎◆︎●︎ ♓︎⬧︎ ♍︎♋︎◻︎♋︎♌︎●︎♏︎ □︎♐︎ ♏︎■︎⧫︎♏︎❒︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ❖︎□︎♓︎♎︎📪︎ ♌︎◆︎⧫︎ ♓︎⧫︎ ♍︎♋︎◆︎⬧︎♏︎⬧︎ ♓︎❍︎❍︎♏︎■︎⬧︎♏︎ ⬧︎⧫︎❒︎♋︎♓︎■︎📬︎ 👍︎♋︎◻︎⧫︎◆︎❒︎♏︎♎︎ ♒︎◆︎❍︎♋︎■︎ ⬧︎□︎◆︎●︎⬧︎ ♒︎♋︎❖︎♏︎ □︎■︎●︎⍓︎ ♌︎♏︎♏︎■︎ ♋︎♌︎●︎♏︎ ⧫︎□︎ ⬧︎◆︎❒︎❖︎♓︎❖︎♏︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ❖︎□︎♓︎♎︎ ⧫︎⬥︎♓︎♍︎♏︎ ♌︎♏︎♐︎□︎❒︎♏︎ ♏︎❖︎♋︎◻︎□︎❒︎♋︎⧫︎♓︎■︎♑︎📬︎ ✋︎■︎♐︎◆︎⬧︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ❍︎⍓︎ ❍︎♋︎♑︎♓︎♍︎ ♓︎■︎ ♋︎ ⬧︎□︎◆︎●︎ ♒︎♋︎⬧︎ ♍︎♋︎◆︎⬧︎♏︎♎︎ ♓︎⧫︎ ⧫︎□︎ ⬧︎◆︎❒︎❖︎♓︎❖︎♏︎ ♐︎♓︎❖︎♏︎ ⧫︎♓︎❍︎♏︎⬧︎ ♓︎■︎ ⧫︎❒︎♓︎◻︎⬧︎ ⧫︎□︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ❖︎□︎♓︎♎︎📬︎ ❄︎♏︎⬧︎⧫︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ⬥︎♓︎⧫︎♒︎ ❒︎♏︎♑︎◆︎●︎♋︎❒︎ ❍︎□︎■︎⬧︎⧫︎♏︎❒︎ ❍︎♋︎♑︎♓︎♍︎ ❒︎♏︎⬧︎◆︎●︎⧫︎♏︎♎︎ ♓︎■︎ ♋︎ ⧫︎⬥︎□︎📫︎⧫︎❒︎♓︎◻︎ ⬧︎◆︎❒︎❖︎♓︎❖︎♋︎●︎ 🕿︎❍︎♋︎♑︎♓︎♍︎ ◻︎❒︎□︎❖︎♓︎♎︎♏︎♎︎ ♌︎⍓︎ ✌︎●︎◻︎♒︎⬧︎✆︎📬︎ ❄︎♏︎⬧︎⧫︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ⬥︎♓︎⧫︎♒︎ ♋︎■︎□︎⧫︎♒︎♏︎❒︎ ♌︎□︎⬧︎⬧︎ ❍︎□︎■︎⬧︎⧫︎♏︎❒︎ ❍︎♋︎♑︎♓︎♍︎ ❒︎♏︎⬧︎◆︎●︎⧫︎♏︎♎︎ ♓︎■︎ ♋︎ ♐︎♓︎❖︎♏︎ ⧫︎❒︎♓︎◻︎ ⬧︎◆︎❒︎❖︎♓︎❖︎♋︎●︎ 🕿︎❍︎♋︎♑︎♓︎♍︎ ◻︎❒︎□︎❖︎♓︎♎︎♏︎♎︎ ♌︎⍓︎ 💧︎♋︎■︎⬧︎✆︎📬︎ ❄︎♒︎♏︎❒︎♏︎ ⬧︎♏︎♏︎❍︎⬧︎ ⧫︎□︎ ♌︎♏︎ ♋︎■︎ ♓︎■︎♒︎♏︎❒︎♏︎■︎⧫︎ ❒︎♏︎⬧︎♓︎⬧︎⧫︎♋︎■︎♍︎♏︎ ⧫︎□︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ❖︎□︎♓︎♎︎ ♐︎□︎❒︎ ♌︎□︎⬧︎⬧︎ ❍︎□︎■︎⬧︎⧫︎♏︎❒︎ ❍︎♋︎♑︎♓︎♍︎📬︎ ✌︎ ♒︎◆︎❍︎♋︎■︎ ⬧︎□︎◆︎●︎ ♓︎⬧︎ ⬧︎⧫︎♓︎●︎●︎ ❒︎♏︎❑︎◆︎♓︎❒︎♏︎♎︎ ⧫︎□︎ ♏︎■︎⧫︎♏︎❒︎ ♋︎■︎♎︎ ●︎♏︎♋︎❖︎♏︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ❖︎□︎♓︎♎︎📪︎ ♌︎◆︎⧫︎ ♌︎□︎⬧︎⬧︎ ❍︎□︎■︎⬧︎⧫︎♏︎❒︎ ❍︎♋︎♑︎♓︎♍︎ ♓︎⬧︎ ❒︎♏︎❑︎◆︎♓︎❒︎♏︎♎︎ ⧫︎□︎ ⬧︎◆︎❒︎❖︎♓︎❖︎♏︎ ♓︎⧫︎📬︎ ✋︎ ⬥︎♋︎■︎⧫︎ ⧫︎□︎ ⬧︎♏︎♏︎ ⬥︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ♒︎◆︎❍︎♋︎■︎⬧︎ ⬧︎♏︎♏︎📬︎ ✋︎ ⬥︎♋︎■︎⧫︎ ⧫︎□︎ 🙵■︎□︎⬥︎ ⬥︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎🕯︎⬧︎ ♓︎■︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ❖︎□︎♓︎♎︎📬︎ You see in the bottom right corner there's a date. Huh. You go back through the stacks and check the dates on the other ones. It looks like this piece of paper in your hands is the latest entry, although it is two decades old. Has this room been hidden for over twenty years? Hmm. Do you want to keep the paper? [[Yes. Keep the paper.]] [[No. You don't feel comfortable taking it.]]

You do not meet any other obstacles on your way down. You steadily climb down. The only time you have to pause is to wipe your sweaty palms against the back of your $pants. <<set $exploredthelab = 1>> You can infer these vents might have been intended as an emergency exit. Which is good! That means you found your way back up once you get to Dr. Alphys. Upon arriving at the bottom, you kick out the vent and climb out. Ah! It's much cooler on the bottom floor than the vents. That feels nice. You take the time to catch your breath and chew over everything you've encountered in this lab so far. Most notably. . . that entity. That voice. . . they’ve really helped you out. While you ''strongly'' dislike going to the void, it looks like it’s the only way to communicate with the voice. When you reach the bottom floor, you kick out the vent and clamber out. . . . You could. . . You suppose. . . Purposefully visit the void to meet with the entity who helped you. Do you want to? <<set $helpedwing = 0>> [[Yes. I want to connect with the entity.]] [[No. I do not want to connect with the entity.]]

This is a large tome. ---- ''//BOSS MONSTERS//'' An introduction: Boss Monsters are the strongest type of monsters. Boss Monsters are monsters born with a significant boost to their attributes as well as unique abilities. The abilities are hereditary and will be shared among the family, although some members may have more than one unique ability.* It should be noted that Boss Monsters are the only monsters on record with the potential to retain a human SOUL, although no Boss Monster has been able to utilize the SOUL's full power. All captured SOULs can only act as a supplemental source of power to the monster's magic until the energy is depleted. In this book we will take a look at what triggers a new bloodline of Boss Monsters to appear, as well as the physical differences between a Boss Monster's magic, and a regular monster's magic. //*As noted in the Sweets and Gastor line.// ---- You turn the page. It looks like the next page is a list of names. ---- ''//Registered Boss Monsters as of XX16://'' Asgore Dreemur Asriel Dreemur (Deceased) Braker Maker (Deceased) Cinn Amon (Deceased) Gerson Revma (Deceased) Hazel Sweets (Deceased) Justice Maker (Deceased) Leetle Lam (Deceased) Mary Lam (Deceased) Ness Scotch (Deceased) Opurr Rah (Deceased) Papyrus Gastor Rivera Persona Saccharine Sweets (Deceased) THE JUDGE ~~(name redacted on request and approved by acting King)~~ Sol O. Ing (Deceased) Toriel Dreemur (Missing) Trub Ull. Ing (Deceased) Undyne Revma Velveteen Rah (Deceased) Whiskers Rah (Deceased) Wing Ding Gastor (Missing) ---- You run your fingers down the list. To think you've already encountered two boss monsters--and lived! Wow. You're pretty bad ass! You wish you had the time to really read the book in depth, but you do have someone to save. It's best to only do a cursory examination for now. You put away the book. [[Choose the book titled The Barrier]] [[Choose a book titled SOULMATES.]] [[Choose a book titled UNDERFELL.]] [[You want to explore this floor.]]

This book is more like a collection of loose paper stapled together. It's handwritten and the pages are yellowed with age. There are also several different handwriting styles on it and sticky notes attached to some pages. ---- ''//THE BARRIER//'' The barrier requires maintenance every ten years. it was initially placed over UNDERFELL by seven human wizards to keep the monsters sealed and hidden. It deteriorated over the course of a century, and without maintenance it will evaporate. Magic must be constantly supplied to the barrier, this is achieved using Dr. Gastor's CORE. Every ten years a human SOUL must be fused into the barrier to maintain the extra enchantment requested by the king. ---- You stop reading. The monsters are keeping the barrier up by choice. You flip through the pages to see if you can find a reason, but you don't. It only talks about the spell used to cast the barrier, as well as how to maintain it. You sigh as you put it back. [[Choose the book titled Boss Monsters.]] [[Choose a book titled UNDERFELL.]] [[Choose a book titled SOULMATES.]] [[You want to explore this floor.]]

The book is leather bound. It smells like an old textbook kept in the back of a library. Mm. That's a nice smell. It creaks when you open it. You think you love this book already. ---- ''//UNDERFELL//'' UNDERFELL was founded by the Dreemur Boss Monster family, a family directly adjacent to the Lucian and Dark Boss Monster families. UNDERFELL shared a main alliance with the human kingdom, Lumos, and their people, Lightners. This alliance was broken when war broke out between humanity and monsters across the world. ---- Flipping through the book you find that monster history is fairly close to what you were taught. You notice that neither side has clarified what sparked the war. Perhaps it was lost to time? One of the favorite theories is that it was done out of fear. Humans used to be inherently stronger than monsters, but as the two grew side by side monsters started to catch up. You recall an old professor of yours used to hypothesize the war was started when a hybrid was born--something that came from a monster and human parent. A being with the ''SOUL'' power of a human, and the magic of a monster. What could be stronger? Your professor guessed that was the catalyst of fear. Of course you have no way of knowing for certain. You see no mention of such a creature in the book, nor do you find a reason for the war. On the bright side, you are pleasantly surprised to find the names of other monster kingdoms. You hope you can visit those kingdoms one day! You wish you had the time to really read the book in depth, but you do have someone to save. It's best to only do a cursory examination for now. You put away the book. [[Choose the book titled The Barrier]] [[Choose a book titled SOULMATES.]] [[Choose the book titled Boss Monsters.]] [[You want to explore this floor.]]

<<set $wingdingpaper = 1>> You carefully fold the paper and put it in your pocket with your dead phone. You're determined to find someone who can read this one day. <<set $harem += 1>> You continue your walk around the room. . . . Oh? Something catches your attention on the far wall. There is a slight indent in the wall and it's a different shade of white compared to the walls around it. You push it. There is a //click//. Well done! You've found a hidden door. <<cycle "$hiddendoor" autoselect>>\ <<option "That's so cool!">> <<option "You feel like you're in a mystery movie! Where's your Watson?">> <<option "Ooo.">> <<option "Curious.">> <<option "Why does a laboratory need a hidden room? Actually, why does the hidden room need a hidden room?">> <<option "Exploring this room seems like a dangerous or stupid idea. You love it, you're going in headfirst.">> <<option ". . .">> <</cycle>> You step inside, your $soulcolor ''SOUL'''s light fills the room. You have entered some kind of hidden library. There are shelves upon shelves of binders filled with papers in that strange language. You see more desks and chairs scattered about with papers spilling over the edges. There are bulletin boards, white boards, chalk boards, and monitors hung up along the walls. On the bulletin boards are pictures and diagrams with strings pinned to connect some of them. The chalkboards have layers of chalk that was never wiped away. The white boards are, strangely enough, filled with cute little cartoonish doodles. You think some of them remind you of Papyrus. It's a chaotic mess yet you feel like you understand it. There is order to this chaos, you think. <<cycle "$messyornot" autoselect>>\ <<option "Whoever owns this room is a kindred SOUL. You thrive in chaotic mess.">> <<option "Whoever owns this room needs help. You would be glad to help them organize this mess properly.">> <<option "It physically pains you how messy it is.">> <<option "You are grateful the owner of this room did not seem to eat in there, as you can only imagine the awful state it'd be in otherwise.">> <<option "Haha. You wonder what this person's house looks like.">> <<option "You have no opinion one way or another.">> <<option ". . .">> <</cycle>> When you reach the back room you see more notes. A lot of them are scrunched up. You pick up one of the notes and smooth it out. ☟︎♏︎❒︎ 💣︎♋︎🙰♏︎⬧︎⧫︎⍓︎ ♒︎♋︎⬧︎ ❒︎♏︎❑︎◆︎♏︎⬧︎⧫︎♏︎♎︎ ✋︎ ♍︎❒︎♏︎♋︎⧫︎♏︎ ♋︎ 💧︎⚐︎🕆︎☹︎ ❒︎♏︎◻︎❒︎♏︎⬧︎⬧︎□︎❒︎ ⧫︎□︎ ♎︎◆︎●︎●︎ ♒︎♏︎❒︎ ♍︎□︎■︎■︎♏︎♍︎⧫︎♓︎□︎■︎ ⬥︎♓︎⧫︎♒︎ ♒︎♏︎❒︎ 💧︎⚐︎🕆︎☹︎💣︎✌︎❄︎☜︎📬︎ 💧︎♒︎♏︎ ♒︎♋︎⬧︎ ♋︎⬧︎🙵♏︎♎︎ ⧫︎♒︎♓︎⬧︎ ♌︎♏︎ ♍︎❒︎♏︎♋︎⧫︎♏︎♎︎ ⬥︎♓︎⧫︎♒︎□︎◆︎⧫︎ ☟︎♓︎⬧︎ 💣︎♋︎🙰♏︎⬧︎⧫︎⍓︎❼︎⬧︎ ♋︎⧫︎⧫︎♏︎■︎⧫︎♓︎□︎■︎📬︎ ❄︎♒︎♓︎⬧︎ ⬥︎♓︎●︎●︎ ♌︎♏︎ ♎︎♓︎♐︎♐︎♓︎♍︎◆︎●︎⧫︎📬︎ ✋︎ ♎︎□︎ ■︎□︎⧫︎ ♒︎♋︎❖︎♏︎ ♋︎ 💧︎⚐︎🕆︎☹︎💣︎✌︎❄︎☜︎ ⧫︎□︎ ⧫︎♏︎⬧︎⧫︎ ⧫︎♒︎♓︎⬧︎ □︎■︎📪︎ ♋︎■︎♎︎ 💧︎⚐︎🕆︎☹︎💣︎✌︎❄︎☜︎💧︎ ⧫︎♏︎■︎♎︎ ⧫︎□︎ ♌︎♏︎ □︎❖︎♏︎❒︎●︎⍓︎ ◻︎❒︎□︎⧫︎♏︎♍︎⧫︎♓︎❖︎♏︎ □︎♐︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎♓︎❒︎ ◻︎♋︎❒︎⧫︎■︎♏︎❒︎📬︎ ✋︎ ♋︎❍︎ ♍︎□︎■︎♍︎♏︎❒︎■︎♏︎♎︎ ☟︎♏︎❒︎ 💣︎♋︎🙰♏︎⬧︎⧫︎⍓︎ ⬥︎♓︎●︎●︎ ♌︎♏︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ □︎■︎●︎⍓︎ ●︎♓︎❖︎♏︎ ⧫︎♏︎⬧︎⧫︎ ♐︎□︎❒︎ ⧫︎♒︎♓︎⬧︎📬︎ ✋︎♐︎ ✋︎ ⬧︎♏︎❖︎♏︎❒︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎♓︎❒︎ ♍︎□︎■︎■︎♏︎♍︎⧫︎♓︎□︎■︎ ♏︎■︎⧫︎♓︎❒︎♏︎●︎⍓︎ ♌︎⍓︎ ♋︎♍︎♍︎♓︎♎︎♏︎■︎⧫︎ ✋︎ ♋︎❍︎ ⬧︎◆︎❒︎♏︎ ☟︎♓︎⬧︎ 💣︎♋︎🙰♏︎⬧︎⧫︎⍓︎ ⬥︎♓︎●︎●︎ ⧫︎❒︎⍓︎ ⧫︎□︎ 🙵♓︎●︎●︎ ❍︎♏︎📬︎ ✌︎♑︎♋︎♓︎■︎📬︎ 💧︎♋︎■︎⬧︎📪︎ ♓︎♐︎ ⍓︎□︎◆︎❼︎❒︎♏︎ ❒︎♏︎♋︎♎︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ❍︎⍓︎ ■︎□︎⧫︎♏︎⬧︎ ♋︎♐︎⧫︎♏︎❒︎ ❍︎⍓︎ ♎︎◆︎⬧︎⧫︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ◻︎●︎♏︎♋︎⬧︎♏︎ ♌︎◆︎❒︎■︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎❍︎ ♋︎●︎●︎📬︎ More of that odd language. It makes the back of your brain itch. You place the note back and pick up another one. There are lines you can actually read on it. 👎︎♓︎♎︎ ⍓︎□︎◆︎ ♐︎♓︎■︎♓︎⬧︎♒︎ ♌︎◆︎♓︎●︎♎︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ♓︎⧫︎✍︎ yes ✌︎■︎⍓︎ ♍︎♒︎♋︎■︎♑︎♏︎⬧︎ ⧫︎□︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ♌︎●︎◆︎♏︎◻︎❒︎♓︎■︎⧫︎✍︎ no 👎︎□︎ ⍓︎□︎◆︎ ⬥︎♋︎■︎⧫︎ ⧫︎□︎ ♌︎♏︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ □︎■︎♏︎ ⧫︎□︎ ⧫︎♏︎⬧︎⧫︎ ♓︎⧫︎ ♐︎□︎❒︎ ☟︎♏︎❒︎ 💣︎♋︎🙰♏︎⬧︎⧫︎⍓︎✍︎ are you trying to kill me ✋︎❼︎❍︎ ◻︎◆︎●︎●︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ □︎●︎♎︎♏︎❒︎ ♌︎❒︎□︎⧫︎♒︎♏︎❒︎ ♍︎♋︎❒︎♎︎📬︎ i’m pulling the i want to live card ☞︎♓︎■︎♏︎📬︎ thnx ✡︎□︎◆︎ □︎⬥︎♏︎ ❍︎♏︎ ♋︎■︎ ♏︎⌧︎◻︎♏︎❒︎♓︎❍︎♏︎■︎⧫︎📬︎ i’m pulling the i want to live card again ✡︎□︎◆︎ ♍︎♋︎■︎❼︎⧫︎ 🙵♏︎♏︎◻︎ ◻︎◆︎●︎●︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ⧫︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎📬︎ what are you going to do? kill me? in that case i’m pulling the i want to live card again 💧︎⧫︎♋︎❒︎⬧︎ ♒︎♏︎●︎◻︎ ⍓︎□︎◆︎❒︎ 💧︎⚐︎🕆︎☹︎💣︎✌︎❄︎☜︎📬︎ stars help __''yours''__ Although you can only read half of it, the exchange makes you smile. Oh! You see a smaller note taped to the wall. You can read some of the writing on it. obsessive nerd ✡︎□︎◆︎ ♒︎⍓︎◻︎♏︎❒︎♐︎♓︎⌧︎♋︎⧫︎♏︎ ♋︎⬧︎ □︎♐︎⧫︎♏︎■︎ ♋︎⬧︎ ✋︎ ♎︎□︎📬︎ ye but on cool stuff ☝︎♏︎⧫︎ □︎◆︎⧫︎ □︎♐︎ ❍︎⍓︎ ●︎♋︎♌︎📬︎ You smile. You don't need to understand the full conversation to get a positive impression. This is a note that was carefully taped up for a reason. It meant something to the owner of this room. Yet the note was also partially hidden behind some of the taped up diagrams. While important to the owner, they also didn't want others to notice it easily. How. . . surprisingly shy. Cute. You're about to read another note when you catch glint in the corner of your eye. [[Investigate the glint.]] [[You want to explore this floor.]]

You put the paper back. <<if $harem gt 0>> <<set $harem = 0>> <<set $friendship route = 3>> <</if>> It looks like there's nothing else you can do in this room. [[You want to explore this floor.]]

<<if $sanslove eq 5>> <<set $friendshiproute = 0>> <</if>> Oh my, that’s nice. <<masteraudio stop>><<audio "corecity"volume 0.15 loop play>> It is neither too hot nor too cold. It is a pleasant temperature when you enter the Core/City entrance through the double doors. It’s so lovely that it brings an immediate smile to your face. Your toesies can finally catch a break, and your poor dry skin weeps joy from no longer being in a lava cavern. There is a glistening fountain at the entrance with some monsters mingling around it. The ground is paved with a well-maintained purple brick road. There are street lights all over, each casting a soft violet-red glow. A glance up shows a tall--//very tall//--ceiling with what look to be hanging houses. You can see monsters with wings flying up to the buildings. Some of them have feathery wings. Some of them have insect wings. You even see a beautiful pair of butterfly wings that leave behind a dusty trail with each flap. The first building you see is something with a sign that reads //MTT RESORT & SPA//. There brick road splits off on the right and left side of the building where you see even more buildings. You can’t get a good look at all of them yet. It definitely feels like you’ve entered a city in a cave. A magical city. There are many more monsters around than at Snowdin. You see them coming and going down the paths. Groups of them rotate in and out //MTT RESORT & SPA//. They remind you of. . . people. Regular people going about their day. Perhaps they’re on their way to work, home, or to meet up with friends. For the first time since the start of your journey, there is no silence. You hear people--monsters--talking, laughing, and swearing. You hear shouts, yells, screams, and everything in between. You see teenagers jostling and heckling one another. Regularity. You want to say it’s nice. You want to say it makes you happy. It almost does, but you’ve been here long enough. . . you know better. If you compare what you see, to what you’d see in a human city, the difference is palpable. They laugh because they have to. Again, you think to yourself how frustrating it must be. There is no real wind here: the air is stagnant. There is no sunlight: the atmosphere is cold and disquiet. There is no freedom: everyone and everything is restricted. This city is as charming as it is stifling. The air is stale: well worn and used. The city is dully colored, an endless repeat of purple, red, and black. You see no vents, nor sewer systems. You doubt it rains here. It is a magical city, filled with powerful monsters who breathe wonder and magic. It is a sad city, filled with trapped people who have not seen a sunrise in centuries. You were told this world was kill or be killed. You don’t believe that’s necessary. The barrier stays by their own design. They can choose to be free--but are they aware they have that choice? “Human.” Two monsters in black and red armor approach you. They are tall, muscular, and imposing. Their armor is styled like knights of old, and they each carry a trident. You can conclude they are from the Royal Guard as their outfits do remind you of Papyrus and Undyne. The first one approaches you and says, “You, uh, are $name?” You confirm you are. You introduce yourself. “We were, like, ordered to keep an, uh, eye on you,” explained the other guard. “Undyne and Papyrus said not to kill you, uh, unless you, like, act aggressively.” You reassure them you have no intentions of doing that. They each give you a thumbs up. You beam and return the gesture. “What the fuck?” says a shrill voice. You and the two guardsmen are approached by a group of monsters ranging from a cat-like monster, to a mini-volcano monster, and several bat-like monsters. The cat monster growled, “You’re letting a human go? What if it attacks us?!” “Humanity is our enemy!” agrees the volcano monster. “We can’t trust it! Arrest it, at least!” [["Tut, tut, what have we here?"]]

Oh my, that’s nice. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "corecity"volume 0.15 loop play>> <<if $papbold eq 1>> <<set $papshy = 0>> <</if>> <<if $papshy eq 1>> <<set $papbold = 0>> <</if>> It is neither too hot nor too cold. It is a pleasant temperature when you enter the Core/City entrance through the double doors. It’s so lovely that it brings an immediate smile to your face. Your toesies can finally catch a break, and your poor dry skin weeps joy from no longer being in a lava cavern. There is a glistening fountain at the entrance with some monsters mingling around it. The ground is paved with a well-maintained purple brick road. There are street lights all over, each casting a soft violet-red glow. A glance up shows a tall--//very tall//--ceiling with what look to be hanging houses. You can see monsters with wings flying up to the buildings. Some of them have feathery wings. Some of them have insect wings. You even see a beautiful pair of butterfly wings that leave behind a dusty trail with each flap. The first building you see is something with a sign that reads //MTT RESORT & SPA//. There brick road splits off on the right and left side of the building where you see even more buildings. You can’t get a good look at all of them yet. It definitely feels like you’ve entered a city in a cave. A magical city. There are many more monsters around than at Snowdin. You see them coming and going down the paths. Groups of them rotate in and out //MTT RESORT & SPA//. They remind you of. . . people. Regular people going about their day. Perhaps they’re on their way to work, home, or to meet up with friends. For the first time since the start of your journey, there is no silence. You hear people--monsters--talking, laughing, and swearing. You hear shouts, yells, screams, and everything in between. You see teenagers jostling and heckling one another. Regularity. You want to say it’s nice. You want to say it makes you happy. It almost does, but you’ve been here long enough. . . you know better. If you compare what you see, to what you’d see in a human city, the difference is palpable. They laugh because they have to. Again, you think to yourself how frustrating it must be. There is no real wind here: the air is stagnant. There is no sunlight: the atmosphere is cold and disquiet. There is no freedom: everyone and everything is restricted. This city is as charming as it is stifling. The air is stale: well worn and used. The city is dully colored, an endless repeat of purple, red, and black. You see no vents, nor sewer systems. You doubt it rains here. It is a magical city, filled with powerful monsters who breathe wonder and magic. It is a sad city, filled with trapped people who have not seen a sunrise in centuries. You were told this world was kill or be killed. You don’t believe that’s necessary. The barrier stays by their own design. They can choose to be free--but are they aware they have that choice? “Human.” Two monsters in black and red armor approach you. They are tall, muscular, and imposing. Their armor is styled like knights of old, and they each carry a trident. You can conclude they are from the Royal Guard as their outfits do remind you of Papyrus and Undyne. The first one approaches you and says, “You, uh, are $name?” You confirm you are. You introduce yourself. “We were, like, ordered to keep an, uh, eye on you,” explained the other guard. “Undyne and Papyrus said not to kill you, uh, unless you, like, act aggressively.” You reassure them you have no intentions of doing that. They each give you a thumbs up. You beam and return the gesture. “What the fuck?” says a shrill voice. You and the two guardsmen are approached by a group of monsters ranging from a cat-like monster, to a mini-volcano monster, and several bat-like monsters. The cat monster growled, “You’re letting a human go? What if it attacks us?!” “Humanity is our enemy!” agrees the volcano monster. “We can’t trust it! Arrest it, at least!” <<if $papshy gt $papbold>> [[“THAT IS ENOUGH.”]] <<else>> [[“ENOUGH.”]] <</if>>

Oh my, that’s nice. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "corecity"volume 0.15 loop play>> It is neither too hot nor too cold. It is a pleasant temperature when you enter the Core/City entrance through the double doors. It’s so lovely that it brings an immediate smile to your face. Your toesies can finally catch a break, and your poor dry skin weeps joy from no longer being in a lava cavern. There is a glistening fountain at the entrance with some monsters mingling around it. The ground is paved with a well-maintained purple brick road. There are street lights all over, each casting a soft violet-red glow. A glance up shows a tall--//very tall//--ceiling with what look to be hanging houses. You can see monsters with wings flying up to the buildings. Some of them have feathery wings. Some of them have insect wings. You even see a beautiful pair of butterfly wings that leave behind a dusty trail with each flap. The first building you see is something with a sign that reads //MTT RESORT & SPA//. There brick road splits off on the right and left side of the building where you see even more buildings. You can’t get a good look at all of them yet. It definitely feels like you’ve entered a city in a cave. A magical city. There are many more monsters around than at Snowdin. You see them coming and going down the paths. Groups of them rotate in and out //MTT RESORT & SPA//. They remind you of. . . people. Regular people going about their day. Perhaps they’re on their way to work, home, or to meet up with friends. For the first time since the start of your journey, there is no silence. You hear people--monsters--talking, laughing, and swearing. You hear shouts, yells, screams, and everything in between. You see teenagers jostling and heckling one another. Regularity. You want to say it’s nice. You want to say it makes you happy. It almost does, but you’ve been here long enough. . . you know better. If you compare what you see, to what you’d see in a human city, the difference is palpable. They laugh because they have to. Again, you think to yourself how frustrating it must be. There is no real wind here: the air is stagnant. There is no sunlight: the atmosphere is cold and disquiet. There is no freedom: everyone and everything is restricted. This city is as charming as it is stifling. The air is stale: well worn and used. The city is dully colored, an endless repeat of purple, red, and black. You see no vents, nor sewer systems. You doubt it rains here. It is a magical city, filled with powerful monsters who breathe wonder and magic. It is a sad city, filled with trapped people who have not seen a sunrise in centuries. You were told this world was kill or be killed. You don’t believe that’s necessary. Flowey says to you, "I know a way to avoid the other monsters. There are a l-lot of Royal Guards here s-so. . . s-see that building on your right?" You nod. "Go behind it. There's a v-very narrow gap that will take you to the back streets. The G-Guards don't normally go down there because it's too small for them." You follow Flowey's orders. The gap is a tight squeeze, and the street behind it is so narrow it makes you claustrophobic. Still, you press on. "U-Up ahead will be an elevator." Flowey rests his head on your shoulder. "A-And I'll have to say goodbye to you there." This surprises you. "The elevator takes you to the castle," he says. "I--I hate it there. I can't st-stand to be there. But it's okay. There are no Royal Guards there, only King Asgore. You can avoid him as long as you stay out of the throne room. Th-The barrier t-to go back home is at the back of the castle." You understand. You spot the elevator. You pull off your backpack and offer Flowey a chance to leave. Flowey hops out of it. He gives you a small smile. "I-It was nice to meet you, $name." You feel the same. "Goodbye." Yes. . . goodbye. <<set $neutralroute = 1>> [[It’s time to leave the city.]]

“THAT IS ENOUGH.” The guards straighten up and the civilians immediately flinch. Papyrus strides towards your group from behind the civilians. They immediately separate, each clamoring to move out of his way. The guardsmen salute to Papyrus when he arrives. Papyrus’ eyelights waver as he assess the group as a whole. His expression is, as always, difficult to read, but you think he seems annoyed. Nonetheless, you are happy to see him. You give him your warmest, happiest smile. Papyrus smoothly steps in front of you and turns around to address the group. “THIS HUMAN IS WITH ME. DISPERSE.” There is a moment of hesitation. As Papyrus’s back is turned to you, you cannot see his face when he growls, “NOW.” But you do see that everyone visibly winced. The civilians scurried away, and the guards left after saluting Papyrus again. Papyrus turns to you. He folds his arms across his chest as he haughtily looks down at you. “WE HAVE UNFINISHED BUSINESS, HUMAN.” Oh? “YOU DID NOT HAVE A FINAL MEAL AT SNOWDIN AS PER MY ORDERS,” he says. “THEREFORE, I WILL WATCH YOU HAVE IT HERE TO MAKE SURE YOU FOLLOW THROUGH THIS TIME.” Oh! Your face burns as if you’re back in Hotlands. You shyly ask if it’s a date. Papyrus clears his throat. To your bewilderment you see a light dusting of red under his eyesockets. “CALL IT WHAT YOU WANT. LET US GO, HUMAN.” <<set $papslove += 1>> [[It’s a date! Congratulations!]] ♡

“ENOUGH.” The guards straighten up and the civilians immediately flinch. Papyrus strides towards your group from behind the civilians. They immediately separate, each clamoring to move out of his way. The guardsmen salute to Papyrus when he arrives. Papyrus’ eyelights waver as he assess the group as a whole. His expression is, as always, difficult to read, but you think he seems annoyed. Nonetheless, you are happy to see him. You give him your warmest, happiest smile. Papyrus smoothly steps in front of you and turns around to address the group. “THIS HUMAN IS WITH ME. DISPERSE.” There is a moment of hesitation. As Papyrus’s back is turned to you, you cannot see his face when he growls, “NOW.” But you do see that everyone visibly winced. The civilians scurried away, and the guards left after saluting Papyrus again. Papyrus turns to you. He folds his arms across his chest as he haughtily looks down at you. “WE HAVE UNFINISHED BUSINESS, HUMAN.” Oh? “YOU DID NOT HAVE A FINAL MEAL AT SNOWDIN AS PER MY ORDERS,” he says. “THEREFORE, I WILL WATCH YOU HAVE IT HERE TO MAKE SURE YOU FOLLOW THROUGH THIS TIME.” Oh! You gasp and excitedly ask if it is a date. Papyrus clears his throat. To your bewilderment you see a light dusting of red under his eyesockets. “CALL IT WHAT YOU WANT. LET US GO, HUMAN.” <<set $papslove += 1>> [[It’s a date! Congratulations!!]] ♡

Papyrus is a fast walker. Due to his height, each step covers a long distance. He moves quickly, and as he walks monsters scramble to get out of his way. It’s an odd thing to watch. You don’t understand their urgency. It is nice of them to move for him, but the speed behind their movements speaks of a certain level of fear. That was not at all present in the monsters from Snowdin when they talked about Papyrus. The children revered him. You know he is //capable// of being dangerous, but you also knew that is not his natural inclination. After all, you died against him. Each death against him, your ''SOUL'' brushed against his ''SOUL''. You know he has killed two humans before, and captured twenty others. Even if he did not directly kill those other twenty, he indirectly lead them to their deaths. <<if $exploredthelab eq 1 >> Perhaps they were used to test experiments like Nathanial was. <</if>> Papyrus didn’t strike you as ignorant or slow-witted. He must know what happened to those humans. And it weighs on him. He doesn’t want to hurt others. He doesn’t want to hurt anyone. //AT LEAST YOU DIED IN BATTLE, HUMAN. THAT IS THE ONLY MERCY I KNOW.// //I DON’T WANT TO DO THIS, HUMAN. WHY DID YOU COME HERE?// //I’M SORRY.// These three messages linger in your heart, for they felt the sincerest from his SOUL. He is not a bad person. In fact, you think he’d be kind if he felt he was allowed to. It is a terrible thing. . . when a kind person has to do unkind things. The weight in his ''SOUL'' is heavy. “HUMAN YOU ARE TOO SLOW,” says Papyrus. He has stopped to allow you to catch up. You mumble an apology. “HMM.” Papyrus offers you his hand. “WE WILL WALK AT YOUR SPEED.” How kind of him. You appreciate it. “I AM A MAGNIFICENT, AND HONORABLE MONSTER,” Papyrus confidently declares. “I KNOW HOW TO ESCORT SOMEONE.” You take his hand. His red gloves are cool to the touch, and his fingers are much longer than yours. <<cycle "$sizedes" autoselect>>\ <<option "You are not used to feeling so small next to someone.">> <<option "You’ve always been on the smaller side, but being next to Papyrus makes you feel petite.">> <<option "He could probably hold both of your hands in one of his due to the size difference.">> <</cycle>> You like it. You hope your palms don’t start to sweat. Your heart feels pleasantly tight in your chest, as nervous butterflies dance inside you. You realize you //very much// like holding hands with him. Papyrus matches your pace as the two of you start walking. You don’t know where to go, so you have to allow him to tug on you one direction or another. After some walking the two of you arrive at your location. It is a building partially built in the cave wall. Its walls are a deep midnight blue, and its windows are tinted violet. There is a sign above the door that reads //REQUIEM//. Papyrus lets go of your hand. You frown at that. [[He opens the door for you and you hurry inside.]]

You were not expecting the flowers. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "softmoments"volume 0.15 loop play>> The restaurant was awash in cool blues, greys, and purples. There is a black stoned fireplace crackling with azure flames. There are a dozen or so small tables with black covers and plush dark blue seats that look tantalizingly comfy. There are pillars scattered between the tables that are covered in dark green vines that stretch up and envelop the ceiling. It is the ceiling that takes your breath away. It is an intricate web of vining violet-blue flowers. The flowers cover the ceiling entirely and descend the walls and pillars. As you walk, the flowers above bloom under your presence. Tiny wisps of white light are released from their centers and hover around them. They only provide a minuscule of light, so the entire restaurant is dimly lit. Cozy. It is also, you notice, only you and Papyrus. This is. . . a lot more intimate than you expected. You wonder if Papyrus can hear how loud your heart is beating right now. A monster emerges from beside the fireplace--there must be a corner there that you can’t see--and greets you both with a wide, toothless grin. The monster is barely taller than Sans and has the characteristics of some kind of spotted lizard. Their skin is a smooth black with electric blue spots. Their eyes are closed, yet their head is pointed directly at the two of you. They’re wearing a white chef’s uniform with a black apron tied around their waist. They say, “Pap-ee! I knew I smelled you. Who is your warm-blooded friend?” “CHEF GEKKOA,” Papyrus greets with a--with a //smile?// Anyone who can make Papyrus smile like that instantly puts them in your good books. You beam at Gekkoa, although you do not know if they can see it. “THIS IS MY HUMAN,” Papyrus says. “HUMAN, INTRODUCE YOURSELF.” You politely introduce yourself. //His human?// He says it so brazenly that you can’t tell if he knew the implications of his wording. Does he? Or maybe not? //Or does he. . .?!// Either way, your heart is suddenly mimicking the sensation of being electrocuted to death (again). Except it also feels good because those giddy little butterflies are doing a cheer routine in your tummy. Your tongue is tied as you do your best to introduce yourself. Chef Gekkoa’s smile is curled. “I smell what’s going on here.” Papyrus sighs. “YES, CHEF GEKKOA. IT IS TRUE. I HAVE. . . SPARED A HUMAN. AND NOW I AM GRANTING THEM A FINAL MEAL BEFORE THEY LEAVE.” Chef Gekkoa’s head swivels left to right as he “looks” at you and Papyrus. “Uh-huh.” Papyrus clears his throat--you notice his skull is a touch redder than before--as he says, “THAT IS ALL, CHEF. THANK YOU FOR OPENING TODAY.” “Well I had to, didn’t I?” Chef Gekkoa retorts. He flicks his tail. “You sounded adorably abashed.” “I DID NOT.” “You did,” the chef dismisses. He extends a hand to you. You accept it. He bends down to sniff your hand. “I knew it. You were even holding hands.” “THAT IS IRRELEVANT, CHEF," Papyrus’ voice is starting to sound higher pitch than normal. “WE WILL TAKE OUR SEATS NOW. THANK YOU.” “Uh-huh,” was all the chef said. He turns away and heads down the hallway beside the fireplace. Papyrus clears his throat. His skull is almost as red as his gloves. [[Oh dear. Now you can feel your own face heating up to match.]]

The two of you fidget shyly (or you think it’s shy on Papyrus’ part? You’re not confident about it because why would //he// be shy? He’s so cool.) until Papyrus takes a step to one of the tables. He pulls back a seat and gestures for you to sit. You do, almost stumbling over yourself in the process. Papyrus takes his seat across from you. You worry if he’ll be comfortable--it is a low table, and low chair and he has long legs--but to your astonishment as soon as he sits down the floor sinks down several levels just in front of his chair. The table height didn’t change, there’s just now a deep divet in the floor for Papyrus to comfortably rest his feet. Papyrus notices your gaping expression. “IS THIS NOT NORMAL FOR HUMAN RESTAURANTS?” You shake your head. “SOUNDS UNCOMFORTABLE FOR TALL AND POWERFUL PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF,” he says. You nod. Humans have different tables and chair heights to compensate for that, though. There are workarounds. “I SEE,” he says. “TELL ME, WHAT IS HUMAN FOOD LIKE?” Oh, where to begin? You tell Papyrus about the cuisine on the surface. There are some foods he recognizes--burgers, pasta, cakes--and others he does not--pizzas, hot //dogs?//, dumplings, tacos, etc--so he excitedly asks you more questions. You answer each of them and ask questions in turn. Humanity’s cuisines are not as clearly defined by culture as they used to be. Since the Great War, the remaining countries had melded together like cheese in a fondue pot. There’s little distinction. Some families try to keep their culture alive, but most are happy to meld together. <<cycle "$culturecuisine" autoselect>>\ <<option "You explain you grew up with a unique culture that you strive to maintain.">> <<option "You explain you grew up in a mesh of old cultures.">> <<option "You explain your family never identified with one culture so you were happy to respect all the surrounding cultures. ">> <</cycle>> The fusion was most apparent in food. Papyrus explains to you that this is also the case for UNDERFELL. “BEFORE WE WERE SEALED,” Papyrus explains, “THERE USED TO BE MONSTER EXCHANGES BETWEEN THE KINGDOMS. WE WOULD TRADE SCHOLARS, CHEFS, WARRIORS, AND MANY MORE WITH OUR ALLIES SO WE COULD LEARN AND GROW.” Papyrus’s red gaze moves to the fireplace. “WE ARE--WE ARE STAGNANT HERE. IT’S BEEN A DECADE SINCE SOMEONE’S THOUGHT OF SOMETHING //NEW// TO EAT.” Your brow creases. “IT DOES NOT HELP,” he continues, “THAT WE ARE RESTRICTED WITH WHAT WE CAN GROW AND RAISE. THERE ARE ONLY SO MANY COMBINATIONS WITH LIMITED INGREDIENTS.” He shifts in his seat and folds his hands together. He asks you, “DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE FOOD?” <<set $ff = 1>> You do. It’s <<textbox "$favoritefood" "">>. [[His red eye lights glow brightly.]]

<<if (((($favoritefood is "lasagna")))) or ((($favoritefood is "lasagna "))) or (($favoritefood is "Lasagna")) or ($favoritefood is "Lasagnaa")>> “TRULY?!” Papyrus leans forward in excitement. He has a wide grin on his face. “LASAGNA IS YOUR FAVORITE MEAL?” You confirm that is the case. He laughs. “MWAH HAH HAH. I KNEW YOU WERE SPECIAL, HUMAN. YOUR TASTE IS IMPECCABLE. YOU SEE, DEAR HUMAN, LASAGNA IS ALSO //MY// FAVORITE FOOD. MWAH HAH HAH.” You’re so happy that you share a favorite food! You tell Papyrus you’d love to have lasagna with him. He seems utterly delighted. Oh, he’s so precious! You love that smile. <<else>> "IT SOUNDS DELICIOUS." You say it is. <</if>> “MAYBE--” Papyrus sits forward. His hand is outstretched and about to grab yours when suddenly-- “Here you are Pap-ee and cute-ee,” says Chef Gekkoa. While you feel a pang of disappointment, you are also excited to try monster food. . . . Okay, you’re still pretty disappointed. Hopefully, Papyrus will grab your hand later. To your delight, Papyrus grabs your hand. Your eyes widen in joyous surprise, even as you both blush. Chef Gekkoa places two steaming plates in front of you and Papyrus. His tail then places two tall drinks. “Enjoy!” says Chef Gekkoa. “Also I may be blind, but I still have good hearing and these walls are thin so--” “CHEF!” Papyrus squawks. “Yes, yes, yes,” he says. “Enjoy, enjoy. $name, do let me know if you can’t eat any of this. It’s been centuries since I last served humans.” You look down. None of the food is recognizable and its glowing neon. You tell the chef you will be happy to give it a try as it looks positively //magical.// “Oh you’re clever,” he says. “I like this one, Pap-ee.” Papyrus squeezes your hand. You squeeze him back. “YES,” he says. “THANK YOU, CHEF GEKKOA.” “Any time. Now I’ll be in the kitchen prepping for the week,” he says. Chef Gekko leaves the two of you. Papyrus coughs into his free hand and looks back down at your intertwined hands. “. . . YOU SEEMED UPSET EARLIER. I DO NOT WANT ANY GUEST OF MINE TO LOOK DISTRESSED. THAT IS THE ONLY REASON I AM DOING THIS.” You quietly tell Papyrus you like holding hands with him. “THAT IS, UM, GOOD TO KNOW,” he says. “BUT WE WILL NEED TWO HANDS TO EAT. SO.” Neither of you lets go. “. . . OR WE COULD TRY WITH ONE, I SUPPOSE,” he says. Yes, that sounds like fun, you agree to do that. It is not easy, but that’s what makes it fun. Some of the food requires being cut up, so you and Papyrus have to tag team it. Papyrus holds the knife with one hand, and you hold the fork with another. Together you cut up the neon blue thing that looks vaguely like a steak but somehow smells like squash. When you have one piece ready for eating, you proudly hold it up for Papyrus to take the first bite. He has to bend down to eat it. It is a silly affair, really, yet neither of you can stop smiling. You take turns feeding one another, and there are a couple times where Papyrus pretends to miss your mouth so it smears on your cheek. You laugh. He laughs. He smiles. You smile. It is a delightful experience. The food is nice. It is a strange sensation to literally feel food fizz away into nothingness in your stomach--magical food is directly absorbed as energy, it does not pass through the digestive system--but not weird enough to dissuade you. There is a nice texture to the meal, and it’s got a perfect balance of flavors. It warms you from the inside out. It’s unlike any recipe or dish you’ve had before. You try to think of anything that could remind you of it, yet nothing comes close. When the food is mostly eaten, you ask Papyrus about his relationship with Chef Gekkoa. Why did the monster call Papyrus his protégé? “Oh,” goes Papyrus in an uncharacteristically quiet voice. “That. . . THAT IS BECAUSE THE CHEF TAUGHT ME HOW TO COOK.” Is Papyrus interested in cooking? “I LIKE IT,” he says. “I AM GOOD AT IT, LIKE MANY THINGS.” You noticed Papyrus is very talented! Your praise makes him turn his head and cough. [[The meal is over too soon.]]

You want to linger. You want to draw it out. You want to spend more time with him. <<if $gender eq "person">> <<set $her = "them">> <</if>> It seems to be against Papyrus’ nature to dawdle, however. As soon as you are both done eating, he takes the plates away. He disappears around the corner and re-emerges without breaking a stride. “THERE, HUMAN. YOUR LAST MEAL,” says Papyrus. “GOOD JOB ON COMPLETING YOUR ORDER.” You thank Papyrus as he guides you out of the restaurant. His wide hand rests on the small of your back. You’re not sure if skeleton monsters have body heat, but you //swear// the spot feels like it’s on fire. That’s nice. Back on the street, you wonder what will happen next. You look hopefully up at Papyrus. Maybe you can ask him for a walk. . .? Before you can, he is already speaking. He removes his hand from your back--it is instantly colder without him--and straightens up to his full height. He says, “YOU MUST LEAVE UNDERFELL NOW, HUMAN. AND I MUST STAY. THIS IS OUR GOODBYE.” It surprises you how much that hurt your heart. The rush of disappointment is hard to ignore. But! You are not the type to give up, now are you? You disagree. Either. . . either you could come back, or-- “NO. THAT IS TOO DANGEROUS,” he says. “AS LONG AS KING ASGORE SAYS HUMANITY IS OUR ENEMY, YOU WILL ALWAYS BE IN DANGER IN UNDERFELL. YOU SHOULD NOT PUT YOURSELF IN DANGER. NOT FOR ME.” You think he’s worth the danger. <<set $papslove += 1>> His demeanor shifts. There is a softness in his voice and posture that was not there moments ago. “YOU ARE KIND TO THINK THAT.” “My, my, my~ What have we here?” coos a metallic voice. Papyrus stiffens. He straightens up to his full height and steps between you and the voice. “METTATON.” “Hello, Papyrus,” says the voice. You peek around Papyrus to get a look. The monster speaking looks like a humanoid robot. He has black hair that’s been greased back, two pairs of yellow eyes, and two sets of arms. He wears neon pink knee-high spandex boots with heels, and black spiky pants. He has tall black shoulder pads. He wears neon pink and yellow gloves and has a broken heart belt around his waist. His smile is wide and reminds you of how newsanchors smile on T.V. Not sincere, but not mean either. Mettaton winks at you with one eye. “All done talking to your human? Do you mind if I talk to $her?” “WHAT BUSINESS DO YOU HAVE?” Papyrus brusquely asks. “THE HUMAN SHOULD BE LEAVING SHORTLY.” “I merely want to ask $her some questions,” Mettaton says innocently. “You don’t mind, do you, darling?” You shake your head. “There, see? It’s all perfectly innocent. You can even sit in and watch if you want.” Papyrus’s lids lower further into a glare. “I WILL.” “How adorable.” Mettaton offers you a hand. “Come with me.” Papyrus coldly rebuffs, “PHYSICAL CONTACT BETWEEN HUMANS AND CIVILIANS ARE PROHIBITED.” “But it’s fine between a human and a Royal Guard, right?” Mettaton drawls out, his voice saccharine sweet. “YES,” says Papyrus as he takes your hand. Yay, he has your hand again! “I CAN RESTRAIN THE HUMAN EASIER THIS WAY.” . . . You choose to focus on the fact that he is willingly holding your hand again. And not too tightly, either! “Love it,” says Mettaton. “Keep that up for the show, yes? Come, come!” [[You and Papyrus follow Mettaton.]]

Mettaton guides you to a tall building with a bright pink neon sign that reads //MTT//. There are framed pictures of Mettaton on each sign post, and even a statue of his likeness is built next to another statue of a square robot with four arms. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "corecity"volume 0.15 loop play>> You are whisked inside, the air chillier than outside. It’s also much brighter. You had become accustomed to the comfortably dim streetlights, so the bright white lights inside momentarily blind you. You blink several times to help your $eyecolor eyes adjust. Mettaton does not wait for you to adapt. He continues to usher you inside with a loud, “Mind the step, darling!” You trip over it, Papyrus presses his other handa gainst your abdomen and pushes you back up. Once you are righted, he removes his hands from you and steps away. He folds his arms across his chest and says, “YOU MUST BE HONORED TO HAVE BEEN ESCORTED BY ME TWICE NOW, HUMAN.” You are. He stares at you with an incredible poker face for a solid five seconds. Then he turns red and looks away from you again. <<if $harem eq 8>> He and Sans both look so smoochable when they blush. You fight the urge to tease him more. <<else>> You match his expression and shyly look down. <</if>> Mettaton clears his throat. “Save the flirting for the camera, please.” Camera. . .? To your surprise, it looks like you walked into a set--specifically a talk show. There are two luxurious hot pink lounge chairs with yellow throw pillows at the center of the set. In between them is a black coffee table that blends in with the black tiled floor. Behind the chairs is a huge monitor that currently shows a silhouette of Mettaton and across him reads //TALKING WITH METTATON//. Outside the set you see a crew of monsters. There are many cameras, computer stations, and even a little buffet off to the side. You recognize one of the monsters. It’s Napstablook. You smile and wave at Napstablook. The ghost’s mouth wobbles before they smile back. You notice they have a pair of headphones on, and they are around several microphones. Maybe they manage the sound design? That sounds like a fun job. “Welcome to my show,” says Mettaton. “Mettaton, sir--?” one of the monsters approaches and gives you a wary look. “Change of plans everyone,” says Mettaton. “Tea time is cancelled!” There is a collection of awwws from the crew. Many hang their heads. You notice a few of them are wearing shirts with a picture of Mettaton sipping tea and it reads //METTATON KNOWS ALL THE TEA//. “We have something even better for tonight’s show,” says Mettaton. “A human.” “The arena’s reserved by the Royal Guards this week, we can’t host a death match,” a bird-like monster protests. “We’re not going to make the human fight, that’s //so// boring,” says Mettaton. The monsters look at Papyrus in alarm. One of them loudly whispers to Mettaton, “Sir! That’s a Royal Guard //right there!//” “Yes I know. I interrupted their date,” snaps Mettaton. “YOU DID NOT!” Papyrus sharply rebukes. <<if $harem eq 8>> He definitely did. <</if>> “What?” “Wait, what?” “Huh?” “That is LITERALLY the perfect news for tea time!” Mettaton claps loudly. “We. Are. Not. Doing. Tea. Time. Everyone to their places, the show starts in a few minutes. Human, darling, go take a seat. Human, darling, go take a seat.” Mettaton looks Papyrus up and down. "You can stand by the cameraman." "HMPH." You sit in the plush hot pink chair. You sink into it. You notice Papyrus has moved to stand by the crew, his arms folded across his chest. You give him a smile and wave. Mettaton sits in the chair opposite of you. He crosses his legs and says, “You must be dying to know why someone so famous has brought you here today.” You //would// like to know what’s going on. “It’s simple,” he says, “I want to ask you questions. You answer them all without issue--or lying--then I let you go and you’re free to leave.” He winks at you. “Isn’t that easy? Plus you get to spend more time with your boneboy. Don’t you want that?” You do. You very much do. You’d be happy to answer his questions when put that way. But you have some questions of your own first, if he’s okay with that? “Ask away!” [[You’d like a formal introduction. Who exactly is Mettaton?]] [[What is tea time, and why was everyone so disappointed?]] [[What is this show?]] [[Does he really not intend to attack you?]] [[You have no questions.]]

“Who am I? //I// am the brightest star in UNDERFELL,” boldly declares Mettaton. [[What is tea time, and why was everyone so disappointed?]] [[What is this show?]] [[Does he really not intend to attack you?]] <<if $mettaton gt 3>> [[Is he single?]] <</if>> [[You have no questions.]]

“Tea time is my most popular segment on my show,” Mettaton proudly explains. “I unveil all the gossip found throughout the week. Every important monster in UNDERFELL tunes in.” Gossip? “You know. . . things to stir the pot,” he says with a little twirl of his finger. “Not much else happens down here. It’s been //years// since the last human blew through here. What else can we do with our time outside work? I find something interesting, and it either escalates into a dramageddon, or it turns into a //fun// little story everyone talks about for the week.” . . . Dramageddon? Mettaton’s expression lifts. His whole posture shifts into perky cheer. “Yes! //Oh// it’s such a delight, darling." He claps his hands together. "The last one has ended in a feud between two families. They’re still fighting! The Royal Guard have had to intervene several times to keep them from dusting each other.” He leans back like a satisfied cat. “Not that it stopped the first one.” Dusting? “Dying,” he says airily. He nonchalantly continues, “It’s a kill or be killed world down here. King Asgore only wants the strong to survive and populate. The Royal Guard do what they can to protect, but if a monster dies in spite of that protection then they’re. . .” Mettaton glances away from you, his eyes lowering as he waves a hand dismissively. “. . . not worth the food.” Your heart clenches at that. His outward appearance and body language convey apathy, but you don’t think that’s the case. Your ''SOUL'' quivers from his words. You don’t need to die by his hands to hear his true thoughts. He doesn’t want anyone to die. <<if $mettaton gt 2>> You reach out and place a hand on his knee. You give it a squeeze. You tell him you're sorry to hear that, and you hope it doesn't happen again. <<else>> You reach out a hand and place it overtop one of his in a comforting manner. You tell him you’re sorry to hear that, and you hope it doesn’t happen again. <</if>> Mettaton stares at your hand for several seconds, blatantly surprised. He forces a smile and pats your hand. “That’s sweet of you to say, darling.” It should go without saying. All life is precious. [[You’d like a formal introduction. Who exactly is Mettaton?]] [[What is this show?]] [[Does he really not intend to attack you?]] <<if $mettaton gt 3>> [[Is he single?]] <</if>> [[You have no questions.]]

“This,” Mettaton exclaims with all four of his hands raised, “is //my// show. //TALKING WITH METTATON!// It’s the number one talk show in all of UNDERFELL. Mostly because it’s the only one, hahaha.” The only one? What other shows are there? Mettaton rolls his eyes. “Brutish ones. There is a tournament hosted by the Royal Guards every year to rank the strongest. In between that, there are fighting shows for the civilians to join in. A //lot// of them. They’re all basically clones of one another but with a few differences like handicaps used or a timer in place. The most popular one right now has monsters fighting over the lava pits. There are some dramas, the biggest one airing is about the mafia and gang fighting. I also host a delightful cooking show with Miss Muffet, and I do music competitions. All of my shows do the best in ratings, by the way.” Listening to Mettaton, it sounds like his shows are the only non-violent ones. “Excluding inciting dramageddons. . . yes,” he says, his flawless smile as wide as can be. He must be a pacifist, like you! His smile shrinks. “I’m sorry to say my hands aren’t squeaky clean. The last human who came through here really. . . //flipped my switch//.” Oh. Well, anyone can change. Maybe he can be a pacifist now? He seems surprised by your reasoning. “You really think that?” You do. Anyone can become a good person. “And I’m a person to you? Not a monster?” You shrug. Monsters. Humans. <<if $mettaton gt 2>> Stars. <</if>>They’re all people. His dazzling smile softens for a brief moment. [[You’d like a formal introduction. Who exactly is Mettaton?]] [[What is tea time, and why was everyone so disappointed?]] [[Does he really not intend to attack you?]] <<if $mettaton gt 3>> [[Is he single?]] <</if>> [[You have no questions.]]

Mettaton’s face scrunches up in obvious distaste. He sighs, loudly, and says in a put-upon tone, “Violence is easy to find here. I want to offer the people something //''more''//. So, //no//. As long as you play nice, so will I.” You will definitely play nice. Nice is something you’re good at. “I’ve noticed,” he says with an odd smile. <<if $mettaton eq 2>> Oh good. Then he must know he's pretty nice himself? <<$mettaton +=1>> He chuckles. <</if>> [[You’d like a formal introduction. Who exactly is Mettaton?]] [[What is tea time, and why was everyone so disappointed?]] [[What is this show?]] <<if $mettaton gt 3>> [[Is he single?]] <</if>> [[You have no questions.]]

“Good. Everyone ready?” <<if $gender eq "person">> <<set $her = "them">> <</if>> His crew echoes back with a //yes.// “Three. . . two. . . one. . . ME!” Mettaton exclaims. He stretches out his arms in a grand gesture, as he proudly sits up in his chair. The set lights brighten, and several spot lights are placed on you and Mettaton. You reflexively flinch and squint, as it takes time to adjust. It’s difficult to see past the lights, you can only focus on Mettaton in front of you. “Hello everyone!” Mettaton says in a jovial, sensual drawl. His voice lowers to a decibal you'd hear from a radio star; albeit with a synthetic edge to it. “I hope you’re all excited for today’s episode." He takes a pause here, as if savoring the excited tension his viewers are undoubtedly experiencing. "We have a special guest. . . A human!” Mettaton places one hand on your shoulder and another hand on your arm. <<if (($mettaton gt 0)) and ($mettatonshy gt 0)>> [[Your body is on fire. You fight the urge to shy away.]] <<elseif $mettaton gt 0>> [[Your shoulder and arm burns under his touch. You can't fight back your grin.]] <<else>> [[You do not react to his touch.]]<</if>>

<<if (($soulcolor eq "green")) and ($soultrait eq "kindness")>> It’s embarrassingly accurate. You are reluctant to say it out loud, but you do see yourself as a kind $gender. <<elseif (($soulcolor eq "red")) and ($soultrait eq "stubbornness")>> It’s embarrassingly accurate. You are reluctant to say it out loud, but you do see yourself as a kind $gender. <<elseif (($soulcolor eq "gold")) and ($soultrait eq "honesty")>> It's. . . surprisingly accurate. You are an open and honest $gender. <<elseif (($soulcolor eq "blue")) and ($soultrait eq "integrity")>> It’s surprisingly accurate. Your SOUL is blue because of how highly you value your integrity. <<elseif (($soulcolor eq "purple")) and ($soultrait eq "patience")>> It’s srprisingly accurate. You have always been called a patient $gender. <<elseif (($soulcolor eq "pink")) and ($soultrait eq "creativity")>> It’s surprisingly accurate. You love to stretch your imagination.<<elseif (($soulcolor eq "yellow")) and ($soultrait eq "sense of justice")>> It’s accurate. You have been one to sit on the sidelines when you see an injustice. <<elseif (($soulcolor eq "orange")) and ($soultrait eq "bravery")>> It’s surprisingly accurate. You have always faced your fears without hesitation.<<elseif (($soulcolor eq "white")) and ($soultrait eq "loyalty")>> You feel there’s a lot of accuracy. Although you have only known the monsters in UNDERFELL a short time, you feel an immediate sense of loyalty to them. <<elseif (($soulcolor eq "black")) and ($soultrait eq ". . .")>> Huh. Actually, nothing really comes to mind about //one// overarching trait. You think you are a mixed bag. There are a lot of wonderful things about you. You don’t want to pick one. They say black is a fusion of all colors. Perhaps that’s what you are. You are as stubborn as you are kind. You are as patient as you are brave. <</if>> Mettaton claps all four of his hands together. “Well? Aren’t you going to show it?” You hesitate. Oh well. You present your ''SOUL''. Mettaton gives you a bright smile. “Wonderful, darling! Everyone listening in, I’m looking at this human’s ''SOUL'' right now. It’s a very bright $soulcolor!” Mettaton extends one of his hands and hovers it beneath your ''SOUL''. His palm lights up a soft pink and you hear some dings. “Now--what’s your name?” You tell him your name. “Right, right. $name, I want you to tell me a lie. Any lie.” You tell him the sky is green. At once his whole palm lights up in red and there is an alarm sound. Mettaton's smile curls like a cat who caught a canary. The lights in his eyes brighten to convey plain giddiness. He pulls his hand away. The lights and sounds immediately turn off, and then he moves another hand underneath your ''SOUL''. “Those listening in, that was a lie detector!” Mettaton says with all the excitement and smugness of a child in a candy shop. “It has a 100% accuracy when reading off a ''SOUL''. Isn’t it marvelous?” That’s very neat! You excitedly nod your head. “Aw, aren’t you precious,” says Mettaton. “Now that we have had our little demonstration, let’s move on. $name, darling, how long have you been in UNDERFELL?” You explain you fell down earlier that day. “And you have met monsters?” Yes. “Did you attack any of them?” No. Mettaton’s smile is so wide it looks unnatural. “Yes. That’s the kicker. Viewers--we have ourselves a human who has faced Papyrus and Undyne, //lived//, and did not fight back. This human, according to our videos, has not attacked once.” Videos? “Yes, darling,” he says. “Alphy has security cameras all over UNDERFELL and I have access to most of them. Your journey has been recorded, and I’m currently playing over some of my favorite parts. For those listening on the radio instead of watching--I highly encourage you to head to our webpage where I have posted a few highlights.” Was your journey that interesting? “Interesting,” he repeats with a little laugh. “You’re the only human who has survived without hostility. In a kill or be killed world, your pacifism is fascinating. That’s why I wanted you here. I want to understand.” He nods to the camera. “And I want //them// to understand.” . . . ! You realize what this could mean. The opportunity! You sit up straight and you plainly say that it does not have to be a kill or be killed world. Peace is an option. That seems to be exactly what Mettaton was looking for. “Convince us,” he says. [[You take a deep breath and then you tell them about the Great War.]]

You tell them about the build-up to the Great War--how humanity turned against one another since the monster kingdoms were sealed. You recite your history lessons with ease because these are lessons you can never forget. You tell them about the Great War. You tell them how it nearly brought humanity to extinction. You tell them how it permanently changed humanity as a whole. You tell them about the peace between the countries. You tell them how much it is treasured. You talk about the festivals, the celebrations, and the joint exercises between governments. You say that the mistakes made cannot be repeated. Humanity has learned its lesson. Mettaton listens with rapt attention. [[You explain your personal experiences growing up.]] [[You objectively explain what it is like to grow up in the current society.]] [[You talk in length about about your experiences, adding in a few objective perspectives.]]

You say you’re not the only human who thinks this way. You say there are many others who, if in your place, would do the same. Humanity is tired of fighting. You get the feeling monsters are, too. You did not hurt anyone, and you never will. This isn’t a kill or be killed world. You smile. It’s a save or be saved world. <<if $gender eq "woman">> “You truly believe that,” says Mettaton. “Not one lie. No hesitation. And for my viewers, listening in instead of watching--she’s got quite the gaze.” Mettaton leans back, withdrawing his hand from your ''SOUL'' entirely. <<elseif $gender eq "person">> “You truly believe that,” says Mettaton. “Not one lie. No hesitation. And for my viewers, listening in instead of watching--they've got quite the gaze.” Mettaton leans back, withdrawing his hand from your ''SOUL'' entirely. <<elseif $gender eq "man">> “You truly believe that,” says Mettaton. “Not one lie. No hesitation. And for my viewers, listening in instead of watching--he’s got quite the gaze.” Mettaton leans back, withdrawing his hand from your ''SOUL'' entirely. <</if>> “Enough with the somber mood,” he says brightly. “Let’s move on to the real juicy stuff! What are human movies like?” Aha. [[You gladly talk about your favorite movie genre: horror.]] [[You gladly talk about your favorite movie genre: romcom.]] [[You gladly talk about your favorite movie genre: romance.]] [[You gladly talk about your favorite movie genre: comedy.]] [[You gladly talk about your favorite movie genre: action.]] [[You gladly talk about your favorite movie genre: fantasy.]] [[You gladly talk about your favorite movie genre: sci-fi.]] [[You gladly talk about your favorite movie genre: drama.]]

<<set $favoritegenre = "horror">> Mettaton nods along, although you don't think he's as interested in horror as you are. The questions shift to a lighter tone. Favorite books. What are human cities like? Food? Do children go to school? Can humans fly? What do they do for fun? What do //you// do for fun? What is the night? What is the day? What does the sun feel like? [[You answer each question with plain honesty. When it gets to the later questions, you feel your chest tighten.]]

<<set $favoritegenre = "romcom">> Mettaton nods along. The questions shift to a lighter tone. Favorite books. What are human cities like? Food? Do children go to school? Can humans fly? What do they do for fun? What do //you// do for fun? What is the night? What is the day? What does the sun feel like? [[You answer each question with plain honesty. When it gets to the later questions, you feel your chest tighten.]]

<<set $favoritegenre = "romance">> Mettaton nods along. He smiles widely at you. "Everyone loves a good romance." The questions shift to a lighter tone. Favorite books. What are human cities like? Food? Do children go to school? Can humans fly? What do they do for fun? What do //you// do for fun? What is the night? What is the day? What does the sun feel like? [[You answer each question with plain honesty. When it gets to the later questions, you feel your chest tighten.]]

<<set $favoritegenre = "comedy">> Mettaton nods along. The questions shift to a lighter tone. Favorite books. What are human cities like? Food? Do children go to school? Can humans fly? What do they do for fun? What do //you// do for fun? What is the night? What is the day? What does the sun feel like? [[You answer each question with plain honesty. When it gets to the later questions, you feel your chest tighten.]]

<<set $favoritegenre = "action">> Mettaton nods along. The questions shift to a lighter tone. Favorite books. What are human cities like? Food? Do children go to school? Can humans fly? What do they do for fun? What do //you// do for fun? What is the night? What is the day? What does the sun feel like? [[You answer each question with plain honesty. When it gets to the later questions, you feel your chest tighten.]]

<<set $favoritegenre = "fantasy">> Mettaton nods along. The questions shift to a lighter tone. Favorite books. What are human cities like? Food? Do children go to school? Can humans fly? What do they do for fun? What do //you// do for fun? What is the night? What is the day? What does the sun feel like? [[You answer each question with plain honesty. When it gets to the later questions, you feel your chest tighten.]]

<<set $favoritegenre = "scifi">> Mettaton nods along. The questions shift to a lighter tone. Favorite books. What are human cities like? Food? Do children go to school? Can humans fly? What do they do for fun? What do //you// do for fun? What is the night? What is the day? What does the sun feel like? [[You answer each question with plain honesty. When it gets to the later questions, you feel your chest tighten.]]

<<set $favoritegenre = "drama">> "OH I //adore// drama!” Mettaton says brightly. “Tell me the messiest movie you have ever watched!” You’ve got the tea! You clear your throat and start to describe the movie. Mettaton listens intently. He is an excellent audience member as he gasps at all the right spots, and claps with delight at the end. The questions shift to a lighter tone. Favorite books. What are human cities like? Food? Do children go to school? Can humans fly? What do they do for fun? What do //you// do for fun? What is the night? What is the day? What does the sun feel like? [[You answer each question with plain honesty. When it gets to the later questions, you feel your chest tighten.]]

You tell them the night is the time when the sun takes a nap. You describe the blanket of stars that cover a curtain of darkness. You talk in length about the moon and its cycles. It is dark like the underground, but never too dark. The day is warm and filled with light. Humans go to work or school or activities during the day so there is always movement and noise. The sun is bright. It can be hot on some days, and pleasantly warm on others. It can burn your skin like the Hotlands, but it can also warm you like a cup of tea. It’s yellow like--like--you grab Mettaton’s hand that has a yellow glove on it--like Mettaton’s glove! You also talk about things you were not asked about, like seasons and the ocean. Mettaton’s eyes are sparkling as you talk. “Oh! It looks like we have more questions coming in,” says Mettaton. He looks behind you. You turn around and see the monitor has changed to list questions. <div class="box-box1">Do humans have family?</div> <div class="box-box2">Can humans make friends?</div> <div class="box-box3">What does the surface smell like?</div> <div class="box-box1">Can you bathe in the ocean?</div> <div class="box-box2">Can humans control the seasons?</div> <div class="box-box3">How many cities are there?</div> <div class="box-box1">Do all humans look like you?</div> <div class="box-box2">Mettaton are you going to autograph the human’s SOUL?</div> In addition to the questions there are comments below. <div class="box-box3">METTATON I LOVE YOU</div> <div class="box-box1">I want to see the surface.</div> <div class="box-box2">MTT IS THE BEST!! Human you’re so lucky!</div> <div class="box-box3">@$name your encounter with Undyne was intense! Re-watching it for the hundredth time!</div> <div class="box-box1">You’re so tiny and cute! I love the color of your SOUL!</div> <div class="box-box2">I can’t believe someone like you survived this far.</div> <div class="box-box3">Mon says hi!</div> On and on. You do your best to answer the questions as they come in. As you talk, your throat starts to dry out, and Mettaton has someone bring you some water. This carries on until one question catches Mettaton’s attention. <div class="box-box3">Human, do you love anyone?</div> <<if $harem eq 8>> [[Mettaton glances at Papyrus and then looks back at you with a sly smile.]] <<elseif $grillbylove eq 3>> [[Mettaton glances at Grillby and then looks back at you with a sly smile.]] <<elseif (($papslove eq 5)) and ($papshy eq 1)>> [[Mettaton glances slyly at Papyrus.]] ♡<<elseif (($papslove eq 5)) and ($papbold eq 1)>> [[Mettaton smirks at Papyrus.]] ♡<<elseif $sanslove eq 5>> [[Mettaton leans towards you.]] ♡<<elseif $asrielrom eq 6>> [[Mettaton leans forward.]] ♡ <<elseif $mettaton eq 3>> [[Mettaton's smile continues to dazzle you.]]<<elseif $friendshiproute eq 3>>[[Mettaton claps his hands together.]] <</if>>

“Tell me, darling, is there anyone in UNDERFELL that has caught your attention?” <<set $papslove += 1>> You cannot stop yourself from immediately glancing over at Papyrus. Your heart jumps into your throat when you realize Papyrus is looking at you. “Oh my! Listening viewers, you are missing out! At our studio today we have the mighty Papyrus himself and the //look// between these two--” Mettaton looks like a cat who just learned how to work a can opener. Mischeviously pleased. You bury your face in your hands. Ah. Is it suddenly way too warm in here or is it just you? “THAT IS ENOUGH, METTATON,” snaps Papyrus. “IF YOU ARE DONE WITH YOUR QUESTIONS, THE HUMAN MUST BE GOING NOW.” <<set $snowflake = 0>> “On a date with you?” Mettaton teases. “What a tragic romance. I love it.” “THERE IS NO ROMANCE!” says Papyrus as he marches across the set, grabs your hand, and proceeds to drag you out. His skull is redder than a batch of strawberries. “Toodles! Thanks for coming on!” [[You shout your thanks back before Papyrus shuts the door behind you.]]

“Tell me, darling, is there anyone in UNDERFELL that has caught your attention?” <<set $papslove += 1>> You cannot stop yourself from immediately glancing over at Papyrus. You wink at Papyrus who stiffens in response. Even at a distance you can tell he’s turning an adorable red. $skullisred “Oh my! Listening viewers, you are missing out! At our studio today we have the mighty Papyrus himself and the //look// between these two--” Mettaton looks like a cat who just learned how to work a can opener. Mischeviously pleased. <<set $snowflake = 0>> “THAT IS ENOUGH, METTATON,” snaps Papyrus. “IF YOU ARE DONE WITH YOUR QUESTIONS, THE HUMAN MUST BE GOING NOW.” “On a date with you?” Mettaton teases. “What a tragic romance. I love it.” “THERE IS NO ROMANCE!” says Papyrus as he marches across the set, grabs your hand, and proceeds to drag you out. His skull is redder than a batch of strawberries. “Toodles! Thanks for coming on!” [[You shout your thanks back before Papyrus shuts the door behind you.]]

It's quiet outside. Papyrus lets go of your hand. He keeps his back to you. He is quiet long enough that you decide to reach out to him. He steps away from you, and turns around. His expression is difficult to read. Papyrus walks around you. He places his hands on your shoulders and turns you to face down one of the streets. "WALK DOWN THIS STREET. STAY ON THIS ROAD UNTIL YOU REACH AN ELEVATOR. IT WILL BE A LONG WALK FOR YOU AND YOUR SHORT LITTLE HUMAN LEGS," he says, "BUT DO NOT STOP. TAKE THE ELEVATOR. GO THROUGH THE HALL. WHEN YOU EXIT THE HALL YOU WILL HAVE ARRIVED AT THE CASTLE. YOU CAN AVOID THE KING AND GO STRAIGHT TO THE BARRIER BEHIND THE CASTLE. STAY OUT OF THE THRONE ROOM AND YOU WILL BE FINE." You-- He squeezes your shoulders. "GO, HUMAN." You try to turn around to face Papyrus, but his grip on your shoulders is too tight. He will not let you see him. "DO NOT. . ." He pauses. His voice becomes gentle. "Do not be killed, $name." <<cycle "$papgoodbye" autoselect>>\ <<option "Your eyes start to burn. You feel a lump in your throat.">> <<option "You clench your hands into tight fists. You feel sick to your stomach.">> <<option "You bite hard on your bottom lip. Your eyes burn.">> <<option "You feel your cheeks getting wet.">> <<option "Your chest feels tight. This sucks.">> <<option ". . .">> <</cycle>> Papyrus lets go of your shoulders. You turn around quickly, but you only see a shimmer in the air and he is gone. It's only you. [[You need a moment to recollect yourself.]]

Papyrus is a fast walker. Due to his height, each step covers a long distance. He moves quickly, and as he walks monsters scramble to get out of his way. It’s an odd thing to watch. You don’t understand their urgency. It is nice of them to move for him, but the speed behind their movements speaks of a certain level of fear. That was not at all present in the monsters from Snowdin when they talked about Papyrus. The children revered him. You know he is //capable// of being dangerous, but you also knew that is not his natural inclination. After all, you died against him. Each death against him, your ''SOUL'' brushed against his ''SOUL''. You know he has killed two humans before, and captured twenty others. Even if he did not directly kill those other twenty, he indirectly lead them to their deaths. <<if $exploredthelab eq 1 >> Perhaps they were used to test experiments like Nathanial was. <</if>> Papyrus didn’t strike you as ignorant or slow-witted. He must know what happened to those humans. And it weighs on him. He doesn’t want to hurt others. He doesn’t want to hurt anyone. //AT LEAST YOU DIED IN BATTLE, HUMAN. THAT IS THE ONLY MERCY I KNOW.// //I DON’T WANT TO DO THIS, HUMAN. WHY DID YOU COME HERE?// //I’M SORRY.// These three messages linger in your heart, for they felt the sincerest from his SOUL. He is not a bad person. In fact, you think he’d be kind if he felt he was allowed to. It is a terrible thing. . . when a kind person has to do unkind things. The weight in his ''SOUL'' is heavy. “HUMAN YOU ARE TOO SLOW,” says Papyrus. He has stopped to allow you to catch up. You protest he has a longer gait than you. “HMM.” Papyrus offers you his hand. “WE WILL WALK AT YOUR SPEED.” How kind of him. You appreciate it. “I AM A MAGNIFICENT, AND HONORABLE MONSTER,” Papyrus confidently declares. “I KNOW HOW TO ESCORT SOMEONE.” You take his hand. His red gloves are cool to the touch, and his fingers are much longer than yours. <<cycle "$sizedes" autoselect>>\ <<option "You are not used to feeling so small next to someone.">> <<option "You’ve always been on the smaller side, but being next to Papyrus makes you feel petite.">> <<option "He could probably hold both of your hands in one of his due to the size difference.">> <</cycle>> You like it. You hope your palms aren’t still sweaty from hotlands. You feel that warm tingly zing through your whole body as you look up at Papyrus. You realize you //very much// like holding hands with him. Papyrus matches your pace as the two of you start walking. You don’t know where to go, so you have to allow him to tug on you one direction or another. After some walking the two of you arrive at your location. It is a building partially built in the cave wall. Its walls are a deep midnight blue, and its windows are tinted violet. There is a sign above the door that reads //REQUIEM//. Papyrus lets go of your hand. You frown at that. [[He opens the door for you and you head inside.]] '

You were not expecting the flowers. <<masteraudio stop>><<audio "softmoments"volume 0.15 loop play>> The restaurant was awash in cool blues, greys, and purples. There is a black stoned fireplace crackling with azure flames. There are a dozen or so small tables with black covers and plush dark blue seats that look tantalizingly comfy. There are pillars scattered between the tables that are covered in dark green vines that stretch up and envelop the ceiling. It is the ceiling that takes your breath away. It is an intricate web of vining violet-blue flowers. The flowers cover the ceiling entirely and descend the walls and pillars. As you walk, the flowers above bloom under your presence. Tiny wisps of white light are released from their centers and hover around them. They only provide a minuscule of light, so the entire restaurant is dimly lit. Cozy. It is also, you notice, only you and Papyrus. This is. . . a lot more intimate than you expected. You wonder if Papyrus can hear how loud your heart is beating right now. A monster emerges from beside the fireplace--there must be a corner there that you can’t see--and greets you both with a wide, toothless grin. The monster is barely taller than Sans and has the characteristics of some kind of spotted lizard. Their skin is a smooth black with electric blue spots. Their eyes are closed, yet their head is pointed directly at the two of you. They’re wearing a white chef’s uniform with a black apron tied around their waist. They say, “Pap-ee! I knew I smelled you. Who is your warm-blooded friend?” “CHEF GEKKOA,” Papyrus greets with a--with a //smile?// Anyone who can make Papyrus smile like that instantly puts them in your good books. You beam at Gekkoa, although you do not know if they can see it. “THIS IS MY HUMAN,” Papyrus says. “HUMAN, INTRODUCE YOURSELF.” You politely introduce yourself. //His human?// You glance at Papyrus, curious if he realized the implications of his wording. Did that mean you could call him //your// skeleton? The thought makes you smile. Chef Gekkoa’s smile is curled. “I smell what’s going on here.” Papyrus sighs. “YES, CHEF GEKKOA. IT IS TRUE. I HAVE. . . SPARED A HUMAN. AND NOW I AM GRANTING THEM A FINAL MEAL BEFORE THEY LEAVE.” Chef Gekkoa’s head swivels left to right as he “looks” at you and Papyrus. “Uh-huh.” Papyrus clears his throat--you notice his skull is a touch redder than before--as he says, “THAT IS ALL, CHEF. THANK YOU FOR OPENING TODAY.” “Well I had to, didn’t I?” Chef Gekkoa retorts. He flicks his tail. “You sounded adorably abashed.” “I DID NOT.” “You did,” the chef dismisses. He extends a hand to you. You accept it. He bends down to sniff your hand. “I knew it. You were even holding hands.” “THAT IS IRRELEVANT, CHEF," Papyrus’ voice is starting to sound higher pitch than normal. “WE WILL TAKE OUR SEATS NOW. THANK YOU.” “Uh-huh,” was all the chef said. He turns away and heads down the hallway beside the fireplace. Papyrus clears his throat. His skull is almost as red as his gloves. [[You ask Papyrus if he has a favorite table to sit at.]]

He shakes his head. "NO, I HAVE SAT AT ALL OF THEM." He strides forward and pulls the seat back at once of the tables near a pillar. He gestures for you to sit. You do, gracefully sliding into the chair. You murmur a thank you to him as you do. "YOU ARE WELCOME," he says. Papyrus takes his seat across from you. You worry if he’ll be comfortable--it is a low table, and low chair and he has long legs--but to your astonishment as soon as he sits down the floor sinks down several levels just in front of his chair. The table height didn’t change, there’s just now a deep divet in the floor for Papyrus to comfortably rest his feet. Papyrus notices your gaping expression. “IS THIS NOT NORMAL FOR HUMAN RESTAURANTS?” You shake your head. “SOUNDS UNCOMFORTABLE FOR TALL AND POWERFUL PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF,” he says. You nod. Humans have different tables and chair heights to compensate for that, though. There are workarounds. “I SEE,” he says. “TELL ME, WHAT IS HUMAN FOOD LIKE?” Oh, where to begin? You tell Papyrus about the cuisine on the surface. There are some foods he recognizes--burgers, pasta, cakes--and others he does not--pizzas, hot //dogs?//, dumplings, tacos, etc--so he excitedly asks you more questions. You answer each of them and ask questions in turn. Humanity’s cuisines are not as clearly defined by culture as they used to be. Since the Great War, the remaining countries had melded together like cheese in a fondue pot. There’s little distinction. Some families try to keep their culture alive, but most are happy to meld together. <<cycle "$culturecuisine" autoselect>>\ <<option "You explain you grew up with a unique culture that you strive to maintain.">> <<option "You explain you grew up in a mesh of old cultures.">> <<option "You explain your family never identified with one culture so you were happy to respect all the surrounding cultures. ">> <</cycle>> The fusion was most apparent in food. Papyrus explains to you that this is also the case for UNDERFELL. “BEFORE WE WERE SEALED,” Papyrus explains, “THERE USED TO BE MONSTER EXCHANGES BETWEEN THE KINGDOMS. WE WOULD TRADE SCHOLARS, CHEFS, WARRIORS, AND MANY MORE WITH OUR ALLIES SO WE COULD LEARN AND GROW.” Papyrus’s red gaze moves to the fireplace. “WE ARE--WE ARE STAGNANT HERE. IT’S BEEN A DECADE SINCE SOMEONE’S THOUGHT OF SOMETHING //NEW// TO EAT.” Your brow creases. “IT DOES NOT HELP,” he continues, “THAT WE ARE RESTRICTED WITH WHAT WE CAN GROW AND RAISE. THERE ARE ONLY SO MANY COMBINATIONS WITH LIMITED INGREDIENTS.” He shifts in his seat and folds his hands together. He asks you, “DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE FOOD?” <<set $ff = 1>> You do. It’s <<textbox "$favoritefood" "">>. [[His eye lights brighten in color.]]

<<if (((($favoritefood is "lasagna")))) or ((($favoritefood is "lasagna "))) or (($favoritefood is "Lasagna")) or ($favoritefood is "Lasagnaa")>> “TRULY?!” Papyrus leans forward in excitement. He has a wide grin on his face. “LASAGNA IS YOUR FAVORITE MEAL?” You confirm that is the case. He laughs. “MWAH HAH HAH. I KNEW YOU WERE SPECIAL, HUMAN. YOUR TASTE IS IMPECCABLE. YOU SEE, DEAR HUMAN, LASAGNA IS ALSO //MY// FAVORITE FOOD. MWAH HAH HAH.” You’re so happy that you share a favorite food! You tell Papyrus you’d love to have lasagna with him. He seems utterly delighted. Oh, he’s so precious! You love that smile. <<else>> "IT SOUNDS DELICIOUS." You say it is. <</if>> “MAYBE--” Papyrus sits forward. His hand is outstretched and about to grab yours when suddenly-- “Here you are Pap-ee and cute-ee,” says Chef Gekkoa. You pout at the interruption. You immediately grab Papyrus’ hand yourself and give it a squeeze. Papyrus stiffens at your sudden contact, his red eyelights zeroes in on your intertwined hands. Oh! Red! His skull is red again. <<cycle "$skullisred" autoselect>>\ <<option "//OH!//">> <<option "So cute!">> <<option "So precious!">> <<option "You want to hug him.">> <<option "You want to tease him more.">> <<option "GAH. YOUR HEART.">> <</cycle>> Chef Gekkoa places two steaming plates in front of you and Papyrus. His tail then places two tall drinks. “Enjoy!” says Chef Gekkoa. “Also I may be blind, but I still have good hearing and these walls are thin so--” “CHEF!” Papyrus squawks. “Yes, yes, yes,” he says. “Enjoy, enjoy. $name, do let me know if you can’t eat any of this. It’s been centuries since I last served humans.” You look down. None of the food is recognizable and it's glowing neon. You tell the chef you will be happy to give it a try as it looks positively //magical.// “Oh you’re clever,” he says. “I like this one, Pap-ee.” You squeeze Papyrus’s hand. He squeezes back. “YES,” he says. “THANK YOU, CHEF GEKKOA.” “Any time. Now I’ll be in the kitchen prepping for the week,” he says. Chef Gekko leaves the two of you. Papyrus stares at your hands. You tell Papyrus you like holding hands with him. “THAT IS, UM, GOOD TO KNOW,” he says. “BUT WE WILL NEED TWO HANDS TO EAT. SO.” Neither of you lets go. “. . . OR WE COULD TRY WITH ONE, I SUPPOSE,” he says. Yes, that sounds like fun, you agree to do that. It is not easy, but that’s what makes it fun. Some of the food requires being cut up, so you and Papyrus have to tag team it. Papyrus holds the knife with one hand, and you hold the fork with another. Together you cut up the neon blue thing that looks vaguely like a steak but somehow smells like squash. When you have one piece ready for eating, you proudly hold it up for Papyrus to take the first bite. He has to bend down to eat it. It is a silly affair, really, yet neither of you can stop smiling. You take turns feeding one another, and there are a couple times where Papyrus pretends to miss your mouth so it smears on your cheek. You laugh. He laughs. He smiles. You smile. It is a delightful experience. The food is nice. It is a strange sensation to literally feel food fizz away into nothingness in your stomach--magical food is directly absorbed as energy, it does not pass through the digestive system--but not weird enough to dissuade you. There is a nice texture to the meal, and it’s got a perfect balance of flavors. It warms you from the inside out. It’s unlike any recipe or dish you’ve had before. You try to think of anything that could remind you of it, yet nothing comes close. When the food is mostly eaten, you ask Papyrus about his relationship with Chef Gekkoa. Why did the monster call Papyrus his protégé? “Oh,” goes Papyrus in an uncharacteristically quiet voice. “That. . . THAT IS BECAUSE THE CHEF TAUGHT ME HOW TO COOK.” Is Papyrus interested in cooking? “I LIKE IT,” he says. “I AM GOOD AT IT, LIKE MANY THINGS.” You noticed Papyrus is very talented! Your praise makes him turn his head and cough. [[You wish the meal would turn into dessert.]]

You want to linger. You want to draw it out. You want to spend more time with him. <<if $gender eq "person">> <<set $her = "them">> <</if>> It seems to be against Papyrus’ nature to dawdle, however. As soon as you are both done eating, he takes the plates away. He disappears around the corner and re-emerges without breaking a stride. “THERE, HUMAN. YOUR LAST MEAL,” says Papyrus. “GOOD JOB ON COMPLETING YOUR ORDER.” You thank Papyrus as he guides you out of the restaurant. His wide hand rests on the small of your back. You notice it fits perfectly there. Nice. Back on the street, you wonder what will happen next. You look hopefully up at Papyrus. Maybe you can ask him for a walk. . .? Before you can, he is already speaking. He removes his hand from your back--it is instantly colder without him--and straightens up to his full height. He says, “YOU MUST LEAVE UNDERFELL NOW, HUMAN. AND I MUST STAY. THIS IS OUR GOODBYE.” It surprises you how much that hurt your heart. The rush of disappointment is hard to ignore. But! You are not the type to give up, now are you? You disagree. Either. . . either you could come back, or-- “NO. THAT IS TOO DANGEROUS,” he says. “AS LONG AS KING ASGORE SAYS HUMANITY IS OUR ENEMY, YOU WILL ALWAYS BE IN DANGER IN UNDERFELL. YOU SHOULD NOT PUT YOURSELF IN DANGER. NOT FOR ME.” You think he’s worth the danger. <<set $papslove += 1>> His demeanor shifts. There is a softness in his voice and posture that was not there moments ago. “YOU ARE KIND TO THINK THAT.” “My, my, my~ What have we here?” coos a metallic voice. Papyrus stiffens. He straightens up to his full height and steps between you and the voice. “METTATON.” “Hello, Papyrus,” says the voice. You peek around Papyrus to get a look. The monster speaking looks like a humanoid robot. He has black hair that’s been greased back, two pairs of yellow eyes, and two sets of arms. He wears neon pink knee-high spandex boots with heels, and black spiky pants. He has tall black shoulder pads. He wears neon pink and yellow gloves and has a broken heart belt around his waist. His smile is wide and reminds you of how newsanchors smile on T.V. Not sincere, but not mean either. Mettaton winks at you with one eye. “All done talking to your human? Do you mind if I talk to $her?” “WHAT BUSINESS DO YOU HAVE?” Papyrus brusquely asks. “THE HUMAN SHOULD BE LEAVING SHORTLY.” “I merely want to ask $her some questions,” Mettaton says innocently. “You don’t mind, do you, darling?” You shake your head. “There, see? It’s all perfectly innocent. You can even sit in and watch if you want.” Papyrus’s lids lower further into a glare. “I WILL.” “How adorable.” Mettaton offers you a hand. “Come with me.” Papyrus coldly rebuffs, “PHYSICAL CONTACT BETWEEN HUMANS AND CIVILIANS ARE PROHIBITED.” “But it’s fine between a human and a Royal Guard, right?” Mettaton drawls out, his voice saccharine sweet. “YES,” says Papyrus as he takes your hand. Yay, he has your hand again! “I CAN RESTRAIN THE HUMAN EASIER THIS WAY.” . . . You choose to focus on the fact that he is willingly holding your hand again. And not too tightly, either! “Love it,” says Mettaton. “Keep that up for the show, yes? Come, come!” [[You and Papyrus follow Mettaton.]]

All of the monsters turn to the new voice. The monster speaking looks like a humanoid robot. He has black hair that’s been greased back, two pairs of yellow eyes, and two sets of arms. He wears neon pink knee-high spandex boots with heels, and black spiky pants. He has tall black shoulder pads. Neon pink and yellow gloves don his hands, and he has a broken heart belt around his waist. His smile is wide and reminds you of how newsanchors smile on T.V. [[Not sincere, but not mean either.]] [[It's flawless.]]

Mettaton guides you to a tall building with a bright pink neon sign that reads //MTT//. There are framed pictures of Mettaton on each sign post, and even a statue of his likeness is built next to another statue of a square robot with four arms. You are whisked inside, the air chillier than outside. It’s also absurdly brighter. You had become accustomed to the comfortably dim streetlights, so the bright white lights inside momentarily blind you. You blink several times to help your $eyecolor eyes adjust. Mettaton does not wait for you to adapt. He continues to usher you inside with a loud, “Mind the step, darling!” You reflexively look down to try and spot the step. You trip over it but manage to save yourself from completely falling over. <<if $mettaton eq 1>> Oh, $curse that's embarrassing. <<else>> Where exactly has Mettaton taken you? <</if>> Mettaton clears his throat. “Try not to die on camera, darling.” Camera. . .? To your surprise, it looks like you walked into a set--specifically a talk show. There are two luxurious hot pink lounge chairs with yellow throw pillows at the center of the set. In between them is a black coffee table that blends in with the black tiled floor. Behind the chairs is a huge monitor that currently shows a silhouette of Mettaton and across him reads //TALKING WITH METTATON//. Outside the set, you see a crew of monsters. There are many cameras, computer stations, and even a little buffet off to the side. You recognize one of the monsters. It’s Napstablook. You smile and wave at Napstablook. The ghost’s mouth wobbles before they smile back. You notice they have a pair of headphones on, and they are around several microphones. Maybe they manage the sound design? That sounds like a fun job. “Welcome to my show,” says Mettaton. “Mettaton, sir--?” one of the monsters approaches and gives you a wary look. “Change of plans everyone,” says Mettaton. “Tea time is cancelled!” There is a collection of //awwws// from the crew. Many hang their heads. You notice a few of them are wearing shirts with a picture of Mettaton sipping tea and it reads //METTATON KNOWS ALL THE TEA//. “We have something even better for tonight’s show,” says Mettaton. “A human.” “The arena’s reserved by the Royal Guards this week, we can’t host a death match,” a bird-like monster protests. “We’re not going to make the human fight, that’s //so// boring,” says Mettaton. The monsters stare at Mettaton in plain disbelief. Mettaton puts his hands on his hips and glares. “Are you going to argue with me?” They shake their heads. “Then let’s get a move on. Everyone to their places, the show starts in a few minutes. Human, darling, go take a seat.” You sit in the plush hot pink chair. You sink into it like a beanbag. Mettaton sits in the chair opposite of you. He crosses his legs and says, “You must be dying to know why someone so famous has brought you here today.” [[You are interested in why someone so amazing rescued someone like you.]] [[You would like to know what's going on, yes.]]

“Tell me, darling, is there anyone in UNDERFELL that has caught your attention?” You immediately think about Sans. You can’t resist smiling at the thought of him. “Oh! That looks like a yes. Care to share?” You <<cycle "$sanstatement" autoselect>>\ <<option "shyly">> <<option "boldly">> <<option "proudly">> <<option "quietly">> <<option "happily">> <</cycle>> say Sans. Mettaton’s eyes widen. “Sans? As in the annoying, stinky, skeleton with a temper as short as he is?” That is extremely not nice! “It is extremely true,” Mettaton says uncaringly. He immediately puts his hand back under your ''SOUL'' to check if you are lying. You repeat yourself so he knows you aren’t. Mettaton is aghast, “Really? //Him?//” You immediately start to defend Sans, but Mettaton cuts you off with a wave of his hands. “They say love is blind. In your case, they’re right.” You say he is very funny. “He tells //knock knock// jokes,” Mettaton says flatly, an incredulous note in his voice. As if he cannot believe anyone could find knock knock jokes funny. You reiterate that he is funny--you like his jokes. “Urgh,” is all Mettaton says in response to that. You also add that he’s been very nice to you. You talk about how he introduced himself to you, and how he guided you to Snowdin. You mention the chimichangas and how delicious they were. You tell Mettaton about the Dice Cream-- “I get it, I get it. He’s. . . polite to you,” he says reluctantly. “Is that all you really like about him?” You say you haven’t known Sans for long, you’d like to get to know him better. “That’s. . . something, I suppose,” says Mettaton. “I think that’s the strangest thing about you now.” You frown at that. Sans is very charming! “Sure, darling. Sure.” He is! You’re starting to feel offended. Mettaton is not the first monster to question your budding crush for Sans. You don’t understand why they’re so turned off from him. You’re also flabbergasted by how openly disdainful they are. Mettaton looks out at the crew behind the spotlights. He squints his eyes briefly. “Oh dear, looks like we’re out of time today. $name, darling, thank you for coming on.” You say you were happy to. “Such a dear.” Mettaton pulls your head forward and gives you a friendly kiss on your cheek. It feels like a small static shock. The spotlights and camera turn off. You rub at your cheek, it tingles. He says, “As promised, you are now free to go. Although I do recommend looking around the city before you head up.” You smile and say you will. Mettaton's smile soften as he looks at you. It doesn't feel as forced or overly excited as it did before. "You really like Sans?" You do. "Sans is--" Mettaton waves two hands. "--unique. Can't say I'm fond of him, but he is one of the few friends Alphy has, which means I'm obligated to tolerate him." You give him an unimpressed look. No one should have to //tolerate// him. Sans is fun to be around. "Agree to disagree, darling," he says. "Although I'd hate to have you leave here upset with me, so how about I make it up to you?" How so? "If Sans isn't drunk at Grillby'z, he's drunk at Snowflake," he says. "When you leave this building, go left. Follow the road until you get to an intersection with a sign that has a bird on it. Go right. There's a comedy club named Snowflake down that stretch of the path. You might find him there." <<set $snowflake = 1>> You beam. You would love to find Sans again! "I can tell," he says. Mettaton winks at you. “Break a leg, darling. Stay safe.” [[Yes. You’ll stay safe!]]

Before you leave, one of the crew members gives you a small pouch of something. "Some spending money. For your cooperation," they explain. That's sweet of them! You heartily thank them before you leave. Once outside, your eyes need a few seconds to readjust to the dim lighting. You're now free to explore the city. Where do you want to go? <<if $snowflake eq 0>> [[You decide to take a walk around the city]] <</if>> <<if $snowflake eq 1>> [[Straight to Snowflake to try and find Sans!]] ♡ <</if>>

“Tell me, darling, is there anyone in UNDERFELL that has caught your attention?” You beam. Yes! You proudly say Flowey. “Oh that little flower monster that you carried around. What happened to him?” asks Mettaton. You explain that he is with Dr. Alphys. She is helping him. “Helping. . .?” Mettaton tilts his head. “Well, if he’s with Alphy he’s in good hands. She can be eccentric, but she’s got a good heart.” You ask Mettaton how he knows Dr. Alphys. “I needed help with something. She provided that assistance. We’ve stayed in touch ever since,” he says airily. “She can get a little too obsessed with her work and need someone to pull her out every now and then. Undyne does a good job of that most of the time, but sometimes it’s up to me. Ah, the troubles of being an excellent friend.” You think back to the lab and what you saw. You wonder if anyone else works with her. “There was Dr. Gastor,” says Mettaton. “He went missing twenty years or so ago. He was the lead scientist actually.” Missing? “Missing,” he says. Twenty years is a long time. No one wants to claim he’s dead? <<set $snowflake = 0>> “Boss Monsters don’t die quietly. If he died, we’d know,” is all Mettaton says in response. He clears his throat. It sounds like static. “An-y-way. You and Flowey! You two look cute together, congratulations.” You thank him with a smile. You hope to see him again soon. “I’m sure you will, darling. Love always finds a way!” Mettaton looks out at the crew behind the spotlights. He squints his eyes briefly. “Oh dear, looks like we’re out of time today. $name, darling, thank you for coming on.” You say you were happy to. “Such a dear.” Mettaton pulls your head down and gives you a kiss on top of your head. It feels like a small static shock. The spotlights and camera turn off. You rub at the top of your head, your scalp tingly from the kiss. He says, “As promised, you are now free to go. Although I do recommend looking around the city before you head up.” You smile and say you will. Mettaton winks at you. “Break a leg, darling. Stay safe.” [[Yes. You’ll stay safe!]]

“Tell me, darling, is there anyone in UNDERFELL that has caught your attention?” Nope. “Well that’s dull,” says Mettaton. Mettaton looks out at the crew behind the spotlights. He squints his eyes briefly. “Oh dear, looks like we’re out of time today. $name, darling, thank you for coming on.” <<set $snowflake = 0>> You say you were happy to. “Such a dear.” Mettaton pulls your head down and gives you a kiss on top of your head. It feels like a small static shock. The spotlights and camera turn off. You rub at the top of your head, your scalp tingly from the kiss. He says, “As promised, you are now free to go. Although I do recommend looking around the city before you head up.” You smile and say you will. Mettaton winks at you. “Break a leg, darling. Stay safe.” [[Yes. You’ll stay safe!]]

The Snowflake is a white and blue themed comedy club. The lighting is dimmed in the dining area. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "Raining"volume 0.15 loop play>> It is a crowded club. The bar is full, and there are only a couple of empty tables. You clutch at the small bag of money you have as you look around. You don't see Sans. Maybe he'll stop by later? Besides, while the chimichangas were delicious, you'd love to try some authentic monster food. A waitress comes by and helps you get seated. She's a falcon-like monster with pretty blue wings. She whispers to you, "I saw you on Mettaton's show. You were adorable." You thank her with a smile. Once seated, she gives you a menu and leaves. As you peruse the menu, you listen to the comedian up on stage. He's some kind of bird-snowflake monster. The comedian is good, but he can’t hold your attention. It’s not his fault. It’s just. . . well, after having so much fun with Sans it’s hard not to compare. You wish Sans was there. It’s hard to believe you’ve only known him for a day. <<cycle "$sanscrushestablish" autoselect>>\ <<option "You’ve had crushes before, but never so intense.">> <<option "You’ve never had a crush before. You wonder if they’re normally this intense?">> <<option "Calling it a crush feels too small, but you’re afraid to use any other word. ">> <</cycle>> The short skeleton has been in the back of your mind since you’ve met him, and each encounter with him leaves you wanting more. You like spending time with him. You like his smile. You like his laugh. You like his eyes. You like his jokes. You like his voice. You know it’s superficial at this point. You don’t know him as well as you’d like--he neatly sidestepped your questions--but you’d really, //really// like to change that. Your heart and ''SOUL'' tell you that you could come to truly care about him. . . if only he’d give you a chance. You think he likes you. You //hope// he likes you. “What a lovely smile you have,” says a soft voice. You look up to see a red a cat-like monster in a waiter uniform. The monster smiles at you. “You look like a $gender in love.” Butterflies swarm in your stomach. You realize you have been smiling the entire time. “Here you are,” the waiter says as he places a $eyecolor drink on your table. “Courtesy of one gentleman. He said it was for his $sansfirstnickname.” <<if $sansshy gt $sansbold>> You blush and quickly look around, hoping to spot him. You don’t see him anywhere. <<else>> Your eyes widen and you quickly look around, hoping to spot him. You don’t see him anywhere. <</if>> You frown and look back to your drink. You ask the waiter what it is. “It’s called the Final Hour,” says the waiter. “A cool, refreshing drink meant to put any mind at ease and guaranteed to give you sweet dreams if you take it a few hours before bed.” Oh. You give it a sip. Mmm. It’s delightful. You can feel the magic inside. Perhaps it’s enchanted to give sweet dreams? Although you don’t plan on sleeping anytime soon. Maybe Sans picked it out because he likes it? As the waiter leaves, you take the time to enjoy your drink. <<set $hadfinalhour = 1>> The comedian can't make you laugh, but thinking of Sans is all you need to keep the smile on your face. <<set $sanslove += 1>> [[You decide to take a walk around the city once you are done.]]

The city has grown darker. There are less people out than before. The streetlights are dimmer than when you first entered. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "corecity"volume 0.15 loop play>> It occurs to you that you do not know the time. Perhaps it is evening now? You do not know how long you have been down here, and with your phone dead you have no clock. You walk aimlessly through the streets. The city is larger than you expected, but nowhere near the size of some human cities. The handful of monsters you do see all take note of you. None approach you. However, you are pleasantly surprised that a few offer you polite nods or even cautious smiles. Maybe your time on Mettaton's show helped? It did seem like a lot of monsters were commenting. Some of the comments flew by too quickly for you to read them all. You hope it did help. If monsters aren't opposed to peace with humanity, then perhaps they'd be willing to let the barrier down and rejoin with the surface? You are so certain they would be welcomed. Actually, considering the magic-crisis you have a good feeling they'd be zealously hailed as heroes. Humanity would throw them a parade. $Curse, humanity would probably make their rejoining a holiday. That'd be nice. You'd love to get another day off in the year. You slow down as you walk. You. . . are nearing the end of your journey. . . . Is there anything you are forgetting? <<if (($helpedwing eq 1))>> [[You want to help the entity. You decide to check up on them again.]] <<else>> [[You can't think of anything. You decide to keep walking.]] <</if>>

You'll need to find a spot out of the way. You know going into the void tires you out. You move off the main road and lean against the side of one of the buildings. You take a deep breath and steady your heart. <<if $wingdingpaper eq 1>> [[You put your hands in your pocket. You feel the paper you had taken earlier.]] <<else>> [[You put your hands in your pocket.]] <</if>>

That's right. . . you took this paper. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "gaster"volume 0.15 loop play>> You pull it out and look at it again. ☼︎♏︎⬧︎♏︎♋︎❒︎♍︎♒︎ ⬧︎♒︎□︎⬥︎⬧︎ ♋︎ ♒︎◆︎❍︎♋︎■︎ ⬧︎□︎◆︎●︎ ♓︎⬧︎ ♍︎♋︎◻︎♋︎♌︎●︎♏︎ □︎♐︎ ♏︎■︎⧫︎♏︎❒︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ❖︎□︎♓︎♎︎📪︎ ♌︎◆︎⧫︎ ♓︎⧫︎ ♍︎♋︎◆︎⬧︎♏︎⬧︎ ♓︎❍︎❍︎♏︎■︎⬧︎♏︎ ⬧︎⧫︎❒︎♋︎♓︎■︎📬︎ 👍︎♋︎◻︎⧫︎◆︎❒︎♏︎♎︎ ♒︎◆︎❍︎♋︎■︎ ⬧︎□︎◆︎●︎⬧︎ ♒︎♋︎❖︎♏︎ □︎■︎●︎⍓︎ ♌︎♏︎♏︎■︎ ♋︎♌︎●︎♏︎ ⧫︎□︎ ⬧︎◆︎❒︎❖︎♓︎❖︎♏︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ❖︎□︎♓︎♎︎ ⧫︎⬥︎♓︎♍︎♏︎ ♌︎♏︎♐︎□︎❒︎♏︎ ♏︎❖︎♋︎◻︎□︎❒︎♋︎⧫︎♓︎■︎♑︎📬︎ ✋︎■︎♐︎◆︎⬧︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ❍︎⍓︎ ❍︎♋︎♑︎♓︎♍︎ ♓︎■︎ ♋︎ ⬧︎□︎◆︎●︎ ♒︎♋︎⬧︎ ♍︎♋︎◆︎⬧︎♏︎♎︎ ♓︎⧫︎ ⧫︎□︎ ⬧︎◆︎❒︎❖︎♓︎❖︎♏︎ ♐︎♓︎❖︎♏︎ ⧫︎♓︎❍︎♏︎⬧︎ ♓︎■︎ ⧫︎❒︎♓︎◻︎⬧︎ ⧫︎□︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ❖︎□︎♓︎♎︎📬︎ ❄︎♏︎⬧︎⧫︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ⬥︎♓︎⧫︎♒︎ ❒︎♏︎♑︎◆︎●︎♋︎❒︎ ❍︎□︎■︎⬧︎⧫︎♏︎❒︎ ❍︎♋︎♑︎♓︎♍︎ ❒︎♏︎⬧︎◆︎●︎⧫︎♏︎♎︎ ♓︎■︎ ♋︎ ⧫︎⬥︎□︎📫︎⧫︎❒︎♓︎◻︎ ⬧︎◆︎❒︎❖︎♓︎❖︎♋︎●︎ 🕿︎❍︎♋︎♑︎♓︎♍︎ ◻︎❒︎□︎❖︎♓︎♎︎♏︎♎︎ ♌︎⍓︎ ✌︎●︎◻︎♒︎⬧︎✆︎📬︎ ❄︎♏︎⬧︎⧫︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ⬥︎♓︎⧫︎♒︎ ♋︎■︎□︎⧫︎♒︎♏︎❒︎ ♌︎□︎⬧︎⬧︎ ❍︎□︎■︎⬧︎⧫︎♏︎❒︎ ❍︎♋︎♑︎♓︎♍︎ ❒︎♏︎⬧︎◆︎●︎⧫︎♏︎♎︎ ♓︎■︎ ♋︎ ♐︎♓︎❖︎♏︎ ⧫︎❒︎♓︎◻︎ ⬧︎◆︎❒︎❖︎♓︎❖︎♋︎●︎ 🕿︎❍︎♋︎♑︎♓︎♍︎ ◻︎❒︎□︎❖︎♓︎♎︎♏︎♎︎ ♌︎⍓︎ 💧︎♋︎■︎⬧︎✆︎📬︎ ❄︎♒︎♏︎❒︎♏︎ ⬧︎♏︎♏︎❍︎⬧︎ ⧫︎□︎ ♌︎♏︎ ♋︎■︎ ♓︎■︎♒︎♏︎❒︎♏︎■︎⧫︎ ❒︎♏︎⬧︎♓︎⬧︎⧫︎♋︎■︎♍︎♏︎ ⧫︎□︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ❖︎□︎♓︎♎︎ ♐︎□︎❒︎ ♌︎□︎⬧︎⬧︎ ❍︎□︎■︎⬧︎⧫︎♏︎❒︎ ❍︎♋︎♑︎♓︎♍︎📬︎ ✌︎ ♒︎◆︎❍︎♋︎■︎ ⬧︎□︎◆︎●︎ ♓︎⬧︎ ⬧︎⧫︎♓︎●︎●︎ ❒︎♏︎❑︎◆︎♓︎❒︎♏︎♎︎ ⧫︎□︎ ♏︎■︎⧫︎♏︎❒︎ ♋︎■︎♎︎ ●︎♏︎♋︎❖︎♏︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ❖︎□︎♓︎♎︎📪︎ ♌︎◆︎⧫︎ ♌︎□︎⬧︎⬧︎ ❍︎□︎■︎⬧︎⧫︎♏︎❒︎ ❍︎♋︎♑︎♓︎♍︎ ♓︎⬧︎ ❒︎♏︎❑︎◆︎♓︎❒︎♏︎♎︎ ⧫︎□︎ ⬧︎◆︎❒︎❖︎♓︎❖︎♏︎ ♓︎⧫︎📬︎ ✋︎ ⬥︎♋︎■︎⧫︎ ⧫︎□︎ ⬧︎♏︎♏︎ ⬥︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ♒︎◆︎❍︎♋︎■︎⬧︎ ⬧︎♏︎♏︎📬︎ ✋︎ ⬥︎♋︎■︎⧫︎ ⧫︎□︎ 🙵■︎□︎⬥︎ ⬥︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎🕯︎⬧︎ ♓︎■︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ❖︎□︎♓︎♎︎📬︎ The more you stare at it, the more you feel like you know these symbols. Why do you know these symbols. . .? You think carefully. These are not symbols you've seen on the surface, you are very certain of that. They do not look like any of the dead human languages, nor is there any similarities to the current written language. Did you see these in the ruins? But, no, you couldn't read the symbols in the ruins. These you should be able to read. Or at least you //think// you should be able to read them. Why? You squint your eyes. Then it occurs to you. The entity! These symbols--they look how the entity talks in your head. If that static language had a written one, you're positive this is it. Does this belong to the entity? Let's find out. You close your eyes and let yourself slip into the void. Hands are on you right away. That horrible //wrongness// prevails over all else, but at the hands are familiar. You know these hands. These are the entity's. Has the entity found a way out of the void? <<type 135ms>> ☠︎⚐︎❄︎ ✡︎☜︎❄︎ //N O T Y E T.// <</type>><<timed 20s>> Does he recognize the paper in your pocket? The hands move down you. You feel them sliding across your abdomen and sides. They rummage through your sweater pocket. There is a long pause.<<type 135ms>> ✡︎☜︎💧︎✏︎ //Y E S !// <</type>> [[There is excitement in the entity's voice.]]<</timed>>

You close your eyes and let yourself slip into the void. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "gaster"volume 0.15 loop play>> Hands are on you right away. That horrible //wrongness// prevails over all else, but at the hands are familiar. You know these hands. These are the entity's. Has the entity found a way out of the void? ☠︎⚐︎❄︎ ✡︎☜︎❄︎ //N O T Y E T.// That is a shame. You feel a shudder go through you. You'll have to come back later. <<set $wingdinggetssaved = 0>> You exit the void. [[You start to wander around the city, you want to walk off the feeling of being in the void.]]

The city has grown darker. There are less people out than before. The streetlights are dimmer than when you first entered. It occurs to you that you do not know the time. Perhaps it is evening now? You do not know how long you have been down here, and with your phone dead you have no clock. You walk aimlessly through the streets. The city is larger than you expected, but nowhere near the size of some human cities. The handful of monsters you do see all take note of you. None approach you. However, you are pleasantly surprised that a few offer you polite nods or even cautious smiles. Maybe your time on Mettaton's show helped? It did seem like a lot of monsters were commenting. Some of the comments flew by too quickly for you to read them all. You hope it did help. If monsters aren't opposed to peace with humanity, then perhaps they'd be willing to let the barrier down and rejoin with the surface? You are so certain they would be welcomed. Actually, considering the magic-crisis you have a good feeling they'd be zealously hailed as heroes. Humanity would throw them a parade. $Curse, humanity would probably make their rejoining a holiday. That'd be nice. You'd love to get another day off in the year. You slow down as you walk. You. . . are nearing the end of your journey. . . . Is there anything you are forgetting? <<if (($helpedwing eq 1))>> [[You want to help the entity. You decide to check up on them again.]] <<else>> [[You can't think of anything. You decide to keep walking.]] <</if>>

You walk down the path and wonder what else this journey has in store for you. The city noise has lulled to a quiet buzzing. Ebott City is never this quiet, so it feels unnatural to you. Then again, you aren’t surprised anymore. UNDERFELL is a silent place. Although it is a kingdom filled with monsters, it seems to devour noise like you inhale your favorite food after a long day. You close your eyes. Doesn’t that sound nice? <<if $ff eq 1>> You certainly wouldn’t complain if someone handed you <<print "$favoritefood">>. <<else>> You certainly wouldn’t complain if someone handed you <<textbox "$favoritefood" "">>. <</if>> The thought of it makes your mouth water. You swallow. You go into your pocket and pull out your phone to check the time. Your phone is still dead. You’re not sure why you did that when you knew your phone was dead. Your silly mistake makes you smile to yourself. Your trip to Mt. Ebott had been in the morning. It must be evening by now. Have you really been down here that long? Or are the monsters on a different time cycle? You raise a hand up to your head. [[You run your fingers through your hair. (YOU HAVE HAIR)]] [[You scratch at your scalp. (YOU HAVE NO HAIR)]]

You walk down the path and wonder what else this journey has in store for you. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "corecity"volume 0.15 loop play>> The city noise has lulled to a quiet buzzing. Ebott City is never this quiet, so it feels unnatural to you. Then again, you aren’t surprised anymore. UNDERFELL is a silent place. Although it is a kingdom filled with monsters, it seems to devour noise like you inhale your favorite food after a long day. You close your eyes. Doesn’t that sound nice? <<if $ff eq 1>> You certainly wouldn’t complain if someone handed you <<print "$favoritefood">>. <<else>> You certainly wouldn’t complain if someone handed you <<textbox "$favoritefood" "">>. <</if>> The thought of it makes your mouth water. You swallow. You go into your pocket and pull out your phone to check the time. Your phone is still dead. You’re not sure why you did that when you knew your phone was dead. Your silly mistake makes you smile to yourself. Your trip to Mt. Ebott had been in the morning. It must be evening by now. Have you really been down here that long? Or are the monsters on a different time cycle? You raise a hand up to your head. [[You run your fingers through your hair. (YOU HAVE HAIR)]] [[You scratch at your scalp. (YOU HAVE NO HAIR)]]

You reflexively go to fix your <<cycle "$hairlength" autoselect>>\ <<option "long">> <<option "very long">> <<option "short">> <<option "very short">> <<option "shoulder-length">> <</cycle>> <<cycle "$haircolor" autoselect>>\ <<option "jet black">> <<option "black">> <<option "expresso">> <<option "cinnamon">> <<option "chocolate brown">> <<option "brown">> <<option "auburn">> <<option "ruby red">> <<option "burgundy">> <<option "strawberry blonde">> <<option "golden blonde">> <<option "ashy blonde">> <<option "butterscotch">> <<option "white">> <<option "silver">> <<option "gray">> <<option "dyed">> <</cycle>> <<cycle "$hairtype" autoselect>>\ <<option "tightly curled">> <<option "loosely curled">> <<option "coily">> <<option "bouncy">> <<option "fine">> <<option "straight">> <<option "thick">> <<option "thin">> <<option "wavy">> <</cycle>> hair. You know your journey through UNDERFELL hasn’t been kind to it. You can feel that it has <<cycle "$hairissue" autoselect>>\ <<option "dried out">> <<option "become greasy">> <<option "become brittle">> <<option "frizzed out">> <<option "split ends">> <</cycle>>. You catch your reflection in one of the store windows. You turn to face it and adjust yourself. <<set $hashair = 1>> While your injuries are healed, your sweater and $pants are thoroughly ripped up. The state of your clothes speaks volumes about what you have gone through already. On the surface, any other human who saw you would panic. You can easily imagine the looks of horror and worry of your peers. That is simply who they are. The humans you know are kind. You know some of the older ones--the ones who were alive in the Great War--can be gruff, but never malicious. You hesitate to call your world a utopia--there is still crime--but it is much closer to that word than it was a century ago. You--like all humans--are taught to be empathetic and sympathetic to others. When you see someone in need, it’s common sense to help them. This is instilled in early education and remains prevalent throughout high school. Once a human graduates high school--a legal requirement--then they are given the option to work or go to a university. All higher education is paid for by the government, and students receive a monthly stipend to take care of their necessities while attending. All governments highly value education. You know some of your old classmates went that route, and others chose to go straight to work. Not everyone likes to learn, and not everyone is comfortable remaining in a classroom for longer than necessary. Fresh high school graduates who don’t want to go to school can take an aptitude test to help them find a career. There are many programs to set them up with an apprenticeship, depending on their test. There are some jobs better suited for learning on the job rather than in a classroom--like mechanics, electricians, and S&R. There are government-paid dorms set up for graduates on an apprenticeship //and// for university students. The medical system was overhauled since the Great War, too. With humanity nearly going extinct, a lot of medical breakthroughs were required to survive. Machine advancement made it easier--and significantly cheaper--to synthesize life-saving medicine and treatments. Things like insulin, salbutamol, terbutaline, epinephrine, and AEDs are essentially free. In the past ten years, there was a push for mental health to be covered in the health care system as well. It went through and now citizens prescribed medication by a psychiatrist will either receive it for free or at half-priced (depending on how rare the condition was, as you understand). There’s not much need for a military anymore, after all. Most of the money that went to maintaining and growing the military was repurposed to cover education and medicine. The countries //have// a military, but it’s mostly for show. Every other year there’s a friendly competition between the countries where they do mock battles. All weapons are swapped for paint guns, paint bombs, paint drones, and so on. Last year, one of the competitions featured a king of the hill-style game and it ended with the entire area covered in hot neon pink and electric blue. The news said the cleanup after the tournament was hectic as the soldiers turned it into another competition which escalated into a water balloon fight. The local police got involved to help calm everyone down, but they ended up joining in. So to make it fair, the police in the //other// countries drove in and it turned into a battle that lasted the entire day, night, and into the next morning. The forest was squeaky clean by the end of it, and the military even planted new trees. You wish it had been recorded. You hope something similar happens at the next tourney. The military also assists in extreme cases--natural disasters, magical malfunctions, etc--and can be dispatched to work in tandem with local police, S&R, or hospitals. A few years ago, there was an outbreak of some poxy-variant. The hospitals were overrun with patients so the military was dispatched to help the nurses and doctors. You remember the hospital giving the government a heartfelt thank you at the end because their help prevented the nurses and doctors from getting burnt out or collapsing from exhaustion. This was the world you have grown up in. It is common sense to help others in this world. It is--as you thought previously--not //perfect.// Murderers still exist. Thievery happens. Some humans are born broken. Survivors of destroyed countries resent the countries that made it out of the Great War. Centuries of hate does not dissipate easily. . . especially when it is passed down from generation to generation. But. They are the minority. You realize you have been staring at your reflection for some time. You try to tidy up your $sweaterbasecolor sweater. You wince when you notice the gaping hole in the sides, revealing your <<cycle "$undershirt" autoselect>>\ <<option "undershirt">> <<option "bare skin">> <</cycle>>. There is no saving this sweater now. When you return to the surface, you’ll have to discard it. [[Although you think you’ll want to keep it. If only for the memories.]] [[You’ll repurpose the fabric into something else.]] [[You’ll throw it in the cloth recycle bin. You don’t need a sweater to remember what has happened.]]

You scratch at your scalp. The Hotlands really dried out the skin. You hope you didn't get burned. You catch your reflection in one of the store windows. You turn to face it and adjust yourself. <<set $hashair = 0>> While your injuries are healed, your sweater and $pants are thoroughly ripped up. The state of your clothes speaks volumes about what you have gone through already. On the surface, any other human who saw you would panic. You can easily imagine the looks of horror and worry of your peers. That is simply who they are. The humans you know are kind. You know some of the older ones--the ones who were alive in the Great War--can be gruff, but never malicious. You hesitate to call your world a utopia--there is still crime--but it is much closer to that word than it was a century ago. You--like all humans--are taught to be empathetic and sympathetic to others. When you see someone in need, it’s common sense to help them. This is instilled in early education and remains prevalent throughout high school. Once a human graduates high school--a legal requirement--then they are given the option to work or go to a university. All higher education is paid for by the government, and students receive a monthly stipend to take care of their necessities while attending. All governments highly value education. You know some of your old classmates went that route, and others chose to go straight to work. Not everyone likes to learn, and not everyone is comfortable remaining in a classroom for longer than necessary. Fresh high school graduates who don’t want to go to school can take an aptitude test to help them find a career. There are many programs to set them up with an apprenticeship, depending on their test. There are some jobs better suited for learning on the job rather than in a classroom--like mechanics, electricians, and S&R. There are government-paid dorms set up for graduates on an apprenticeship //and// for university students. The medical system was overhauled since the Great War, too. With humanity nearly going extinct, a lot of medical breakthroughs were required to survive. Machine advancement made it easier--and significantly cheaper--to synthesize life-saving medicine and treatments. Things like insulin, salbutamol, terbutaline, epinephrine, and AEDs are essentially free. In the past ten years, there was a push for mental health to be covered in the health care system as well. It went through and now citizens prescribed medication by a psychiatrist will either receive it for free or at half-priced (depending on how rare the condition was, as you understand). There’s not much need for a military anymore, after all. Most of the money that went to maintaining and growing the military was repurposed to cover education and medicine. The countries //have// a military, but it’s mostly for show. Every other year there’s a friendly competition between the countries where they do mock battles. All weapons are swapped for paint guns, paint bombs, paint drones, and so on. Last year, one of the competitions featured a king of the hill-style game and it ended with the entire area covered in hot neon pink and electric blue. The news said the cleanup after the tournament was hectic as the soldiers turned it into another competition which escalated into a water balloon fight. The local police got involved to help calm everyone down, but they ended up joining in. So to make it fair, the police in the //other// countries drove in and it turned into a battle that lasted the entire day, night, and into the next morning. The forest was squeaky clean by the end of it, and the military even planted new trees. You wish it had been recorded. You hope something similar happens at the next tourney. The military also assists in extreme cases--natural disasters, magical malfunctions, etc--and can be dispatched to work in tandem with local police, S&R, or hospitals. A few years ago, there was an outbreak of some poxy-variant. The hospitals were overrun with patients so the military was dispatched to help the nurses and doctors. You remember the hospital giving the government a heartfelt thank you at the end because their help prevented the nurses and doctors from getting burnt out or collapsing from exhaustion. This was the world you have grown up in. It is common sense to help others in this world. It is--as you thought previously--not //perfect.// Murderers still exist. Thievery happens. Some humans are born broken. Survivors of destroyed countries resent the countries that made it out of the Great War. Centuries of hate does not dissipate easily. . . especially when it is passed down from generation to generation. But. They are the minority. You realize you have been staring at your reflection for some time. You try to tidy up your $sweaterbasecolor sweater. You wince when you notice the gaping hole in the sides, revealing your <<cycle "$undershirt" autoselect>>\ <<option "undershirt">> <<option "bare skin">> <</cycle>> . There is no saving this sweater now. When you return to the surface, you’ll have to discard it. [[Although you think you’ll want to keep it. If only for the memories.]] [[You’ll repurpose the fabric into something else.]] [[You’ll throw it in the cloth recycle bin. You don’t need a sweater to remember what has happened.]]

You always have been the sentimental type. You like the surface. And while your trip to UNDERFELL has not been easy, you do like it here. You like the monsters. You have a mental picture of the monsters on the surface. You imagine them seeing the sun for the first time. You perfectly picture their smiles when they feel their first breeze. And oh! When they smell the spring flowers and hear the ocean waves-- The thought warms you from the inside out. You feel a tenderness inside of you that cannot be squashed. You want to make that vision a reality. You //will// make it a reality. You are filled with DETERMINATION. [[“Human?”]]

You’re good with craftsy stuff. It’ll be a fun little project! You like the surface. And while your trip to UNDERFELL has not been easy, you do like it here. You like the monsters. You have a mental picture of the monsters on the surface. You imagine them seeing the sun for the first time. You perfectly picture their smiles when they feel their first breeze. And oh! When they smell the spring flowers and hear the ocean waves-- The thought warms you from the inside out. You feel a tenderness inside of you that cannot be squashed. You want to make that vision a reality. You //will// make it a reality. You are filled with DETERMINATION. [[“Human?”]]

Yes, that sounds nice. You like the surface. And while your trip to UNDERFELL has not been easy, you do like it here. You like the monsters. You have a mental picture of the monsters on the surface. You imagine them seeing the sun for the first time. You perfectly picture their smiles when they feel their first breeze. And oh! When they smell the spring flowers and hear the ocean waves-- The thought warms you from the inside out. You feel a tenderness inside of you that cannot be squashed. You want to make that vision a reality. You //will// make it a reality. You are filled with DETERMINATION. [[“Human?”]]

You are startled by the familiar voice. You turn around and spot Undyne exiting a building. She is carrying a red sack. You smile and greet Undyne. “Uh, yeah,” says Undyne. She walks to you, her only visible eye narrowed. She looks you up and down. “You got healed.” Yes, you did. “That’s. . . good,” she says. She shifts her bag to her other hand. You notice it’s partially filled with food. “I heard you on MTT.” You perk up. “They play it in all the stores here when it airs,” she gruffly explains. “You, uh, really believe all that?” You definitely do. You sincerely believe monsters and humans could find peace together. Undyne briefly smiles at that. “Heh. I dunno. You talk a big game, human.” You’re confident it can be backed up. “I’m a warrior. I don’t trust in words. I trust in actions,” she says. “Show me you mean it.” How? She taps her chest and raises her chin. “One punch.” You stare at her in disbelief. She wants you to //hit// her? “Yep. One punch.” You. . . [[Hesitantly punch her. You’re so reluctant to that it ends up being a slow-motion tap with a closed fist.]] [[You give her a quick punch, like you would do to a friend in their arm.]] [[You punch her once. She asked for it. Literally.]]

“It physically hurts me how pathetic that was,” she says while laughing. You wince. You go to apologize, but she waves you off. “I figured you’d do something like that,” she says. “Considering how our encounter went and all.” She grins. <<if $undynesaved eq 1>> “I know you’re strong. You pulled me up. I can also tell you don’t have an ounce of malice in you. You wouldn’t have saved me otherwise.” <</if>> <<if $undynefought eq 1>>“I know you’ve got a good heart. You risked your life for one of our kids. Someone with your kind of heart just doesn’t have what it takes to hurt someone.” <</if>> You tentatively smile. You hope that means the two of you could become friends now? “HA!” Undyne barks out a laugh. “You’ve got guts, human. Hah. . .” She rolls her shoulders. “I’m Undyne, Captain of the Royal Guards.” You introduce yourself. “Good to meet you, $name. There. We are officially acquaintances. As for friends? You’ll have to survive a lot longer in UNDERFELL for that title.” You’ll do your best! “If you don’t mind me asking--how did you get healed?” asks Undyne. You start to recount what had happened in the Hotlands. “What? Error?” Undyne immediately tenses when you explain what you saw on the monitors in the lab. She pulls out a rectangular device from her front pants pocket. She flips it open with one hand and you realize it’s a flip phone. You haven’t seen the monster version of a phone before. You take a step forward, curious to get a better look. There are many similarities to an older model of a phone, although it has more buttons and the screen is smaller. Undyne clicks through her messages using the arrow buttons below the screen--so it’s not a touch phone like yours--and sucks her teeth. “I don’t see any messages,” she mumbles. Was she expecting a message? “Alphy--well, you saw the lab?” she asks. At your nod, she continues, “You know she works alone. If there’s any incident at the lab, a notification should be pushed through for all Royal Guards.” Oh. The fact that no notification was sent out. . . that means if you had left the lab, there was a good chance no one would have found Dr. Alphys. Undyne shuts her phone with a //snap.// “She okay?” You confirm she is. You left Flowey with her. “Right. . .” Undyne puts her phone back in her pocket and scratches at her red hair. “Give me the run down of what happened at the lab.” You do. <<if $wingdinggetssaved eq 1>> [[You are reminded about the paper you took. Maybe Undyne can read it?]] <<else>> [[When you finish your story, Undyne nods at you.]] <</if>>

“What the hell was that?” she asks while laughing. “You call that a punch? The kids down here hurt a lot more.” You smile sheepishly. “I figured you’d do something like that,” she says. “Considering how our encounter went and all.” She grins. <<if $undynesaved eq 1>> “I know you’re strong. You pulled me up. I can also tell you don’t have an ounce of malice in you. You wouldn’t have saved me otherwise.” <</if>> <<if $undynefought eq 1>>“I know you’ve got a good heart. You risked your life for one of our kids. Someone with your kind of heart just doesn’t have what it takes to hurt someone.” <</if>> Your smile stretches into a grin. You hope that means the two of you could become friends now? “HA!” Undyne barks out a laugh. “You’ve got guts, human. Hah. . .” She rolls her shoulders. “I’m Undyne, Captain of the Royal Guards.” You introduce yourself. “Good to meet you, $name. There. We are officially acquaintances. As for friends? You’ll have to survive a lot longer in UNDERFELL for that title.” You’ll do your best! “If you don’t mind me asking--how did you get healed?” asks Undyne. You start to recount what had happened in the Hotlands. “What? Error?” Undyne immediately tenses when you explain what you saw on the monitors in the lab. She pulls out a rectangular device from her front pants pocket. She flips it open with one hand and you realize it’s a flip phone. You haven’t seen the monster version of a phone before. You take a step forward, curious to get a better look. There are many similarities to an older model of a phone, although it has more buttons and the screen is smaller. Undyne clicks through her messages using the arrow buttons below the screen--so it’s not a touch phone like yours--and sucks her teeth. “I don’t see any messages,” she mumbles. Was she expecting a message? “Alphy--well, you saw the lab?” she asks. At your nod, she continues, “You know she works alone. If there’s any incident at the lab, a notification should be pushed through for all Royal Guards.” Oh. The fact that no notification was sent out. . . that means if you had left the lab, there was a good chance no one would have found Dr. Alphys. Undyne shuts her phone with a //snap.// “She okay?” You confirm she is. You left Flowey with her. “Right. . .” Undyne puts her phone back in her pocket and scratches at her red hair. “Give me the run down of what happened at the lab.” You do. <<if $wingdinggetssaved eq 1>> [[You are reminded about the paper you took. Maybe Undyne can read it?]] <<else>> [[When you finish your story, Undyne nods at you.]] <</if>>

“At least your punch isn’t wimpy,” she says. “But damn it’s weak.” You pout. “I figured it’d be something like that,” she says. “Considering how our encounter went and all.” She grins. <<if $undynesaved eq 1>> “I know you’re strong. You pulled me up. I can also tell you don’t have an ounce of malice in you. You wouldn’t have saved me otherwise.” <</if>> <<if $undynefought eq 1>>“I know you’ve got a good heart. You risked your life for one of our kids. Someone with your kind of heart just doesn’t have what it takes to hurt someone.” <</if>> You grin. You hope that means the two of you could become friends now? “HA!” Undyne barks out a laugh. “You’ve got guts, human. Hah. . .” She rolls her shoulders. “I’m Undyne, Captain of the Royal Guards.” You introduce yourself. “Good to meet you, $name. There. We are officially acquaintances. As for friends? You’ll have to survive a lot longer in UNDERFELL for that title.” You’ll do your best! “If you don’t mind me asking--how did you get healed?” asks Undyne. You start to recount what had happened in the Hotlands. “What? Error?” Undyne immediately tenses when you explain what you saw on the monitors in the lab. She pulls out a rectangular device from her front pants pocket. She flips it open with one hand and you realize it’s a flip phone. You haven’t seen the monster version of a phone before. You take a step forward, curious to get a better look. There are many similarities to an older model of a phone, although it has more buttons and the screen is smaller. Undyne clicks through her messages using the arrow buttons below the screen--so it’s not a touch phone like yours--and sucks her teeth. “I don’t see any messages,” she mumbles. Was she expecting a message? “Alphy--well, you saw the lab?” she asks. At your nod, she continues, “You know she works alone. If there’s any incident at the lab, a notification should be pushed through for all Royal Guards.” Oh. The fact that no notification was sent out. . . that means if you had left the lab, there was a good chance no one would have found Dr. Alphys. Undyne shuts her phone with a //snap.// “She okay?” You confirm she is. You left Flowey with her. “Right. . .” Undyne puts her phone back in her pocket and scratches at her red hair. “Give me the run down of what happened at the lab.” You do. <<if $wingdinggetssaved eq 1>> [[You are reminded about the paper you took. Maybe Undyne can read it?]] <<else>> [[When you finish your story, Undyne nods at you.]] <</if>>

You pull out the paper from your pocket. “Whoa, that’s Dr. Gastor’s code,” she says. “I haven’t seen that in a long time.” Did she know Wingding? “Kind of. He was a royal scientist. He ran the lab back in the day,” she says. “Crazy genius. Emphasis on the crazy.” You think of your own encounters with Wingding. He didn’t strike you as crazy. Then again, how did he end up in the void? “You’re lucky you never met him. He’d have used you as a test subject in a heartbeat. Alphy said he was always obsessed with testing ''SOUL''s,” she says. Uh. Your smile becomes a little forced. You ask her if she can read the paper. “Not me,” she says. “Papyrus or Sans probably could, since Wingding is their brother.” . . .! <<if $papslove eq 6>> [[Darn! You lament the fact that you hadn’t thought to ask Papyrus when you were with him earlier.]] <</if>> <<if $sanslove eq 6>> [[Drat! You lament the fact that you hadn’t thought to ask Sans when you were with him earlier.]] <</if>><<if (($asrielrom eq 6)) or ($friendshiproute eq 3)>>[[Welp.]]<</if>><<if $harem eq 8>> [[Argh! You had JUST finished talking to Sans and Papyrus recently!]]<</if>>

“I should probably go check up on Alphy,” she says. She lightly taps your shoulder once with the back of her fist. You understand. <<if $asrielrom eq 6>> You almost ask if you could tag along. You want to check on Flowey. You don’t say it out loud, yet Undyne seems to know what you are thinking anyway. Undyne smirks. “Don’t worry. If your boyfriend is with Alphy, he’s in good hands. She’s the royal scientist for a reason.” You smile at that. <</if>> “Take care, $name.” Mn! [[It’s time to leave the city.]]

Undyne raises an eyebrow. “You were with Pap earlier?” You were. You actually went on a date. “Wait, Mettaton wasn’t lying about the romance?” Undyne’s yellow eye bulges. Her mouth curls into a huge grin that shows off her sharp teeth. “No shit?! Really?!” You happily tell her you went on a date with him. She slings an arm around your shoulder. <<if $hashair eq 1>> She ruffles your hair, laughing. <<else>> She rubs your scalp, laughing. <</if>> “That’s amazing. I can’t believe that pompous skelly’s got a crush. HA! You’re his first one, you know? This is great. Hey you want me to call him for you? We can tease him.” You do want to see Papyrus again, but you don’t want to be a bother. “No bother, no bother,” she insists. She pulls away from you and takes out her phone again. Her grin hasn’t wavered. “This is great. He will never live this down.” She puts the phone up to her ear. She only has to wait a few seconds until-- “Hey Paps, guess where I am.” “I DO NOT WANT TO.” “You really should,” she insists. She mouths to you, “Laugh!” You try to force out a giggle. It becomes easier to do when she pokes you in the side where you are unexpectedly ticklish. You squeal with your laughter. “Hear that?” Undyne cackles. “WHY IS THE HUMAN LAUGHING WITH //YOU?//” “‘Cause I know how to have fun. Do you?” Undyne relentlessly teases. “I DO!” Papyrus loudly shouts over the phone. “ST-STOP BOTHERING THE HUMAN.” Undyne only laughs in response. “Maybe I will. Maybe I won’t. Catch ya later, dweeb.” “UNDYNE!” Undyne hangs up. She grins at you. “That was fun. All right, hu--er--$name. I’ll catch you later. I need to check up on Alphy.” You smile. You look forward to seeing her again. “Yeah. . . me too,” she says. “Take care of yourself, kid.” Mn! <<set $friendshiproute = 0>> [[It’s time to leave the city.]]

“You, uh. . . were with him earlier?” she asks. You confirm that you were. It was wonderful. She stares at your smile for several seconds. “You. . . you really like //him?//” Undyne asks quietly. “Do you know. . .?” How charming he is? Yes. She gives you a look that could only be called pity. “Kid, you’ve got a good heart. Don’t give it to him,” she says. “That’s a tragedy waiting to happen.” . . .? “He’s. . .” Undyne hesitates. “He might seem friendly, but he isn’t. Especially to humans. You should do your best to avoid him.” You point out that others could have said the same about Undyne. “I’m a warrior first, guard second, monster third,” she says. “He’s a judge first, second, and third.” Judge? She shakes her head. She reaches forward and gives your shoulder a pat. “I should check up on Alphy. Take care, $name. And remember to stay away from that skeleton if you want to live.” . . . <<set $friendshiproute = 0>> [[It’s time to leave the city.]]

“I should probably go check up on Alphy,” she says. She lightly taps your shoulder once with the back of her fist. You understand. <<if $asrielrom eq 6>> You almost ask if you could tag along. You want to check on Flowey. You don’t say it out loud, yet Undyne seems to know what you are thinking anyway. <<set $friendshiproute = 0>> Undyne smirks. “Don’t worry. If your boyfriend is with Alphy, he’s in good hands. She’s the royal scientist for a reason.” You smile at that. <</if>> “Take care, $name.” Mn! [[It’s time to leave the city.]]

''END OF CORE/CITY'' <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "menu"volume 0.15 loop play>> ---- You've come so far! You died <<print $deaths>> times. But! You didn't die at all in this area. You sure do hope the next area will be the same! <<if $sanslove eq 5>> <<set $friendshiproute = 3>> It looks like you haven't made any progress with Sans. <</if>> <<if (($papslove lt 6)) and ($papslove gt 2)>> <<set $friendshiproute = 3>> It looks like you haven't made any progress with Papyrus. <</if>> <<if $papslove eq 6>> Papyrus is thinking about you. <<elseif $sanslove eq 6>> Everyone keeps warning you away from Sans. Why do you think that is? <<elseif $asrielrom eq 6>> Flowey is thinking about you. <<elseif $grillbylove eq 5>> Grillby hopes you'll come back. <<elseif $harem eq 8>> You are pursuing every skeleton monster you have seen. Good luck! <<elseif $mettaton eq 8>> Mettaton hopes you won't forget him. <<elseif $friendshiproute eq 3>> Who needs romance when you've got friends? You are on the friendship route! <</if>> <<if $wingdinggetssaved eq 1>> ✋︎ ●︎□︎□︎🙵 ♐︎□︎❒︎⬥︎♋︎❒︎♎︎ ⧫︎□︎ ⬧︎♏︎♏︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ⍓︎□︎◆︎ ♓︎■︎ ◻︎♏︎❒︎⬧︎□︎■︎📪︎ ❍︎⍓︎ ♎︎♏︎♋︎❒︎ <<else>> 👎︎□︎ ✋︎ ⬧︎♍︎♋︎❒︎♏︎ ⍓︎□︎◆︎✍︎ <</if>> <<if $friskhaschain eq 1>> The $chaincolor chain in your pocket feels warm to the touch. You have a feeling you will find the other piece before this journey is over. <<else>> You did not leave them flowers. <</if>> <<if $torielhug eq 1>> Toriel saw you on MTT. She's thinking about you. <<else>> You did not reach out to her. <</if>> <<if $friskhasstick eq 1>> The dogs in Snowdin saw the stick in your back pocket when they watched MTT. They howled so loudly that Grillby had to kick them out. <<else>> You were not given the stick. <</if>> <<if $shyrenspared eq 1>> Shyren saw you on MTT. She was so inspired by your words she wrote a song for you. She can't wait to see you again. <<else>> You did not sing with her. <</if>> <<if $alphyssaved eq 1>> Dr. Alphys listened to you on MTT. Her favorite genre is also $favoritegenre. It made her smile to know you have that in common. <<else>> You left her to die. <</if>> <<if $neutralroute eq 1>> Goodbye. <</if>> <<if $neutralroute eq 1>> [[You are alone when you step off the elevator.]] <<elseif (($sanslove eq 6)) or ($harem eq 8)>> [[You exit the elevator at the back of the city.]] <<else>> [[You enter the elevator at the back of the city.]] <</if>>

When you step off, you enter a long corridor filled with golden light. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "premo"volume 0.15 loop play>> There are stone pillars of creamy gold with chiseled designs lining up the corridor. The tiled flooring is mosaic with a beautiful swirling motif. All along the walls are windows that filter in a golden light. It reminds you of the golden hour on the surface with how softly warm it is. It has a tall ceiling–tall enough that with each step you take, it makes an echo. What a pretty place. And it looks like you aren’t alone. You see Sans. Your heart skips a beat, a surge of happy butterflies merrily dance in your stomach. You cannot stop the smile on your face as you quicken your pace to meet him. Then you notice something. Something is. . . off. Wrong. You slow down until you stop. You are more than a dozen steps away from him. You want to go to him, but something holds you back. He’s looking at you. He has a sharp-tooth grin on his face, but you don’t see any warmth to it. His scarlet eye lights are burning as they meet your $eyecolor eyes. The butterflies have turned into knots. You hesitantly smile at him. Knock knock. His grin becomes crooked. That’s better. That feels more genuine. “Who’s there?” Ben! “Ben who?” Ben thinking about you all day! For a few seconds his face looks pained. Then that sharp grin is back and you can’t read him anymore. It hurts you more than expected. He says in a quiet voice, “I know, $sansfirstnickname.” You take a step forward. He steps back. Your brow furrows. “Yeh know. . .” Sans shifts his weight side to side. “I saw yeh on that show.” You perk up. “Yeh were great,” he says. “Real cute. Real sweet. Real. . . believable.” Red beads of sweat start to form on his forehead. “I want ta. Yeh know? I want ta.” His grin stretches over his face. It’s stretched so wide it hurts to look at. You know he’s forcing it. Why is he upset? “Yer real sweet,” he says. “Real sweet. Think yeh’ll dream of me when yeh sleep?” You tell him yes. “Ha. . . I hope it’ll be a nice one then,” he says, and then you are impaled straight through the head. [[It’s an instant, painless death.]]

When you step off, you enter a long corridor filled with golden light. <<masteraudio stop>><<audio "hall"volume 0.15 loop play>> There are stone pillars of creamy gold with chiseled designs lining up the corridor. The tiled flooring is mosaic with a beautiful swirling motif. All along the walls are windows that filter in a golden light. It reminds you of the golden hour on the surface with how softly warm it is. It has a tall ceiling–tall enough that with each step you take, it makes an echo. What a pretty place. And it looks like you aren’t alone. You see Sans. He’s looking at you. He has a sharp-tooth grin on his face, but you don’t see any warmth to it. His scarlet eye lights are burning as they meet your $eyecolor eyes. Your face scrunches up as you warily eye the skeleton. Sans has already killed you before. You wonder if he’ll do it again. You greet Sans. “Y’know, the surface can’t be any better than here. I’ve seen the humans that’ve come in before. Their ''SOULS'' told a tale.” Sans puts his red-gloved hands in his pockets. “Humans kill. Children die. Yer either born with power ta survive, or yer born ta be consumed by others.” You frown. The surface is not perfect, but it’s not a kill or be killed world like UNDERFELL. “I know yeh think that,” he says. “Save or be saved, right? That’s what yeh said on the show.” Yes. “Heh.” Sans looks up at the ceiling and chuckles. “Hey, buddy. Knock knock.” [[Who’s there?]]

When you step off, you enter a long corridor filled with golden light. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "hall"volume 0.15 loop play>> There are stone pillars of creamy gold with chiseled designs lining up the corridor. The tiled flooring is mosaic with a beautiful swirling motif. All along the walls are windows that filter in a golden light. It reminds you of the golden hour on the surface with how softly warm it is. It has a tall ceiling–tall enough that with each step you take, it makes an echo. What a pretty place. And it looks like you aren’t alone. You see Sans. He’s looking at you. He has a sharp-tooth grin on his face, but you don’t see any warmth to it. His scarlet eye lights are burning as they meet your $eyecolor eyes. Your face scrunches up as you warily eye the skeleton. Sans has already killed you before. You wonder if he’ll do it again. You greet Sans. “Y’know, the surface can’t be any better than here. I’ve seen the humans that’ve come in before. Their SOULS told a tale.” Sans puts his red-gloved hands in his pockets. “Humans kill. Children die. Yer either born with power ta survive, or yer born ta be consumed by others.” You frown. The surface is not perfect, but it’s not a kill or be killed world like UNDERFELL. “Heh.” Sans looks up at the ceiling and chuckles. “Hey, buddy. Knock knock.” Who’s there? You only see a glint yellow in his right eye when you are suddenly impaled through the head. ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> //Not you.// [[HERE COMES SANS]]

He killed you! //He killed you?// Why?! You see Sans there at the end of the hallway. You raise a hand to your forehead where he had impaled you with something for an instant death. “Aha,” he says when he sees you. “Yer back, eh? Knew I was rememberin’ stuff today. Yer one of them //special// humans. Guess I shouldn’t have s’pected less from my $sansfirstnickname. Fuckin’ jus’ my luck.” He. . . knows? How much does he know? His gold tooth glints in the warm lighting as he smirks. “Yeh aint the first and yeh won’t be the last human with a ''SOUL'' strong ‘nough to hang on after death.” Sans tilts his head. “Heh. . . heheh. . .” He stretches out his arms wide. “Over a hundred humans have come to UNDERFELL. Not one has made it out alive ‘spite of their //specialness//. Can yeh guess why?” You shake your head. “Papyrus has captured twenty humans, and killed two of ‘em. Undyne killed fifteen and captured five. Who do yeh think handled the rest?” Your stomach drops. You feel a cold sweat on the back of your neck. You don’t want to say it out loud. You don’t want to consider it, but your mind has already made the conclusion. “Allow me to re-introduce myself, $sansfirstnickname.” Sans gives you a mocking bow. “I am Sans Gaster. The Judge. I have encountered sixty humans, and I have killed sixty humans.” Sans straightens up and his sharp-tooth smile is cold. “I see ‘em come through the ruins, and if they’re weak ‘nough, I let ‘em through. Wanna give Paps a chance ta have fun, yeh know? Like any good brother. But the ones with levels? I take care of ‘em. And the ones that are weak and slip through. . . I clean ‘em up here. In this hall. ''My hall''.” He puts his hands back in his pockets. <<if $exploredthelab eq 1>> You ask why Sans had his name redacted in the Boss Monster book. Sans stares at you for several long seconds. “I guess it won’t hurt to tell yeh. It’s simple. No one wants to be The Judge.” He points to himself. “But I got the lucky draw ‘cause my magic’s real special.” You give him a small smile. You $sanstatement say you were drawn to him right away. You knew he was special. “Not the kind of special one looks for in datemates, $sansfirstnickname,” he chuckles mirthlessly. “My attacks. . . my magic. . . causes intense pain for certain chums. Specifically anyone with a LVL. Yeh know what a LVL is?” You shake your head. “Figured. Yer at 0, so why would yeh. . .? LVL means Level of Violence,” he says. “It’s tracked by yer ''SOUL''. Yeh raise it when you gain EXP. By EXP I mean Execution Points.” He rolls his weight to the back of his heels. “‘For we were sealed The Judge acted as Judge and Executioner for the kingdom. Citizens up fer trial got a taste of a Judge’s magic. Their pain sealed their fate.” You ask Sans if he is Judge and Executioner. “Yep,” he says. “The previous one was my old man. I got his magic so when he dusted I took his place.” You’re sorry to hear that. “Why?” he asks. “Not gonna change what’s gonna happen to yeh.” It’s always terrible when kind people feel like they have to do unkind things. He grimaces. “Yeh don’t know shit, stop talkin’ like that.” You understand why no one would want to be The Judge. You ask him if he wants you to keep quiet about it. “Yeh’ve got nerve thinkin’ yer gettin’ out of here alive,” he mutters crossly. You feel good about your chances. You reiterate your question. “It’s not somethin’ I advertise,” he reluctantly admits. “People get wary ‘round the title. Most monsters think my pa was the last one.” Does his brother know? “One of them,” he says vaguely. “It’s really only people who //need// to know.” Oh. You assure him you will not bring it up to anyone else without checking with him first. “Ha. . . Yeh really think yer gettin out of here?” You know you will. <</if>> “I was tempted to let yeh go, darlin’,” he says. “Really was. Yer. . . yeh know. But then I saw yeh on that show. And. Well.” His grin seems self-deprecating. “Now I can’t. Fuck you.” [[You saw something red, but it was still too fast for you to process.]]

“Welcome back honey,” he mocks when he sees you. “Did yeh have a good day at work?” <<audio "premo" stop>> <<audio "judgmenthall"volume 0.15 loop play>> You tell him it’s been a long day at work. You would love to relax with him. “Shit, babe. That does sound nice, huh?” Yes. It does. You suggest they could watch a movie together. “Uh-huh,” he goes. “No.” . . . $Curse. You tell him you don’t want to fight. “I know,” he says. “That’s the fucking issue.” [[You are about to respond but you see him raise his right hand.]]

You step off the ele-- ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> You step off the el-- ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> The elevator doors opened-- ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> The elevator doors opened-- ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> The elevator doors opened-- ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> The elevator doors opened-- ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> [[You have died.]]

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<<set $deaths += 3>>Sans huffs when you walk back into the hall. “Yer still goin’? Fuck, yer determined.” Yes you are. You are filled with DE— [[Sans has summoned bones from behind you to pierce the back of your head.]]

Staying in the elevator won’t change anything, but you need a moment to recollect yourself. You have died <<print $deaths>> times. All of Sans’ kills have been instantaneous. You have not felt any pain from these deaths, but it is disorienting to go from the golden hallway to darkness and back within seconds. You take a deep breath. <<if $hashair eq 1>> You run your fingers through your $hairlength hair. <</if>> You can do this. It won’t be easy. But you can do this. You slap your cheeks and march out. “Ah fuck me,” he says when he sees you. “Do me a favor, $sansfirstnickname, and stop comin’ back. I got better things ta do with my time than keep killin’ yeh.” You take a step forward, remaining firm. “Yeh think yeh can just–just out-stubborn me?” Sans laughs. “Yeh think I’ll just throw in the towel if yeh keep comin’ back? That ain’t how this’ll work, toots. I //will// break yeh.” You continue your walk forward. He’s glaring at you the entire time. You make it a few steps, then feel his magical grip on your heart. “Stop it,” he says. “Yeh ain’t gonna win this one.” You won’t give up. “Why?” he asks. “Yeh don’t know us. Yeh don’ know me. Yeh’ve got no reason to try so hard.” You raise your chin. It’s common sense to help someone who needs it. He flinches. “I–I–//We// don’t need help.” You gesture out the window to the city below. The monsters inside speak for themselves. You feel their pain. You feel their isolation. //Their stagnation.// They deserve to feel the sun. You tell Sans he deserves to feel the sun. A shudder goes through him. His red eyelights waver in his sockets. He screams back, “THE FUCK DO YEH KNOW?!” His grip on your ''SOUL'' tightens and he throws you back. It’s not a death, but it creates a purposeful distance. He snarls with venom in his voice, “I see talkin’ to yeh is useless. Fine. If yeh won’t listen to reason, then we’ll do it the old fashion way. I ain’t gonna stop or slow down, $sansfirstnickname. Give up when yer done.” Y– ''You have died.'' It was over too quickly to even realize what had happened. <<set $deaths += 1>> You blink and barely open your mouth to speak when– ''You have died.'' It was over too quickly to even realize what had happened. <<set $deaths += 1>> You are back. You blink once to adjust yourself to the light. ''You have died.'' It was over too quickly to even realize what had happened. <<set $deaths += 1>> You return. You– ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> . . . All of your deaths have been so instantaneous you have not been able to register the pain before you are brought back to life. You’re back to life too quick to even feel his ''SOUL''. But it’s obvious what’s going on. He doesn’t want to cause you pain. All you can do right now is wait it out. That’s fine. You can do this. [[You can wait for him.]]

You lost count of how many times you have died. You keep dying and coming back until one minute–day?--you don’t. Sans stares at you, his red eyes glowing brightly. There’s enough power behind his left eye that it generates its own aura, a flickering flame of burning yellow and red. “Yer fuckin’ stubborn,” he says. “I was bein’ nice an’ all since yeh didn’t hurt anyone, but not anymore.” That was him being nice? You are abruptly impaled through both of your feet. Red bones stick out from the floor and pin your feet to where you stand. Immediate pain shoots up through you. You reflexively cry out in agony as more bones pierce through your shoulders and into one of your arms. Chunks of your flesh fall onto the floor. You can see bits of your broken bones sticking out in places they should not be in. Pain. That is the only thing you can process. Debilitating. Agonizing. Horrific. Pain. It hurts. It does not burn. It is not cold. There is no tearing. There is no sensation other than //pain.// Your whole body involuntarily shakes. You think you will die from the intensity of your agony, yet you are not allowed death. Nothing has hurt so much before. There is no comparison to this torture. No death comes close to the purposeful torment you are currently enduring. Pain. [[That is all you can process.]]

Your ''SOUL'' is beautiful. <<if $soultrait eq ". . .">> <<set $soultrait = "essence">> <</if>> <<timed 3s>> Your $soultrait is unwavering. <</timed>> <<timed 5s>> <<if ($soulcolor eq "green")>> You are the spring to this kingdom of despair. They need you. <</if>> <<if ($soulcolor eq "red")>> You shine with a ruby splendor in this kingdom of despair. <</if>> <<if ($soulcolor eq "purple")>> You shine with a dazzling wonder in this kingdom of despair. <</if>> <<if ($soulcolor eq "blue")>> You are brighter than a clear sky in this kingdom of despair. <</if>> <<if ($soulcolor eq "pink")>> You sparkle with a captivating splendor in this kingdom of despair. <</if>> <<if ($soulcolor eq "yellow")>> You are the sun they need. <</if>> <<if ($soulcolor eq "orange")>> You illuminate the world around you with your blaze. They need you. <</if>> <<if ($soulcolor eq "white")>> You are the starlight they need. <</if>> <<if ($soulcolor eq "black")>> You are the force they need. <</if>> <</timed>> <<timed 7s>> You <</timed>><<timed 9s>> are <</timed>> <<timed 11s>> ''you.'' <</timed>> <<timed 13s>> [[And you alone are enough to conquer this pain.]] <</timed>>

Your DETERMINATION flares through you. The world becomes muted. You stop trembling. You can think again. $name is $name. You are you. You are in a cage of bones. Blood drips down your limbs. Sans slowly walks towards you until he’s close enough to touch. “Hurts, don’t it?” he says softly, the red lights in his eyesockets tremble. “More will be comin, $sansfirstnickname. Lot more. Unless yeh stop. Don’t come back.” He’s finally close to you. He’s finally in reach. You can feel his ''SOUL'', although it remains hidden from sight. You. . . [[You reach out a hand to touch his cheek. You tell him knock knock]] ♡ [[You smile and tell him knock knock.]] ♡

You reach out a hand to touch his cheek. Your whole arm trembles from the gashes dug inside. You can’t even close your hand into a fist because of the torn ligaments. Your palm is drenched in your blood. <<set $touchsansface = 1>> <<audio "judgmenthall" stop>> <<audio "softmoments"volume 0.15 loop play>> Sans meets your gaze. He seems to brace himself for something. Your gentle touch is not what he was expecting. As soon as you cup his cheek, you see an array of emotions rapidly cross his face. Surprise. Horror. Disdain. Remorse. You whisper knock knock. “Yer so fuckin’ stupid,” he whispers. A bone shoots up from the floor and pierces your heart. It is a long death. You don’t die immediately from a broken heart. You still feel the pain of every injury previously inflicted–although dulled due to your ''SOUL''–and then all of that is doubled when you realize you can no longer catch your breath. Sucking in air does nothing. The agony in your chest prevents you from doing anything. You keep your hand on his cheek. You give him a smile and you see in his eyes you aren’t the only one with a broken heart. [[It’s the last thing you can do before you die.]]

Sans meets your gaze. He seems to brace himself for something. <<set $touchsansface = 0>> <<audio "judgmenthall" stop>> <<audio "softmoments"volume 0.15 loop play>> Your soft smile is not what he was expecting. As soon as your lips curl up, Sans flinches as if you had slapped him instead. You whisper knock knock. “Yer so fuckin’ stupid,” he whispers. A bone shoots up from the floor and pierces your heart. It is a long death. You don’t die immediately from a broken heart. You still feel the pain of every injury previously inflicted–although dulled due to your ''SOUL''–and then all of that is doubled when you realize you can no longer catch your breath. Sucking in air does nothing. The agony in your chest prevents you from doing anything. You keep your smile. It's a smile just for him. And he knows it. [[You see in his eyes you aren’t the only one with a broken heart.]]

When you are alive again, he starts yelling at you. “WHAT THE FUCK?! YEH WANT ME TO REALLY HURT YEH, HUH? YEH THINK I WON’T? YEH THINK I’LL JUS’ LET YEH GO IF YEH KEEP UP AND AT IT?! THAT AIN’T GONNA WORK! SO STOP IT! STOP IT, STOP IT, STOP IT!” He clutches at his skull, red sweat dripping off him. “STOP IT, STOP IT, STOP IT! YEH IDIOT. YEH DUMBASS. FUCK YEH!” Sans is distressed. Red magic blazes off him in a malicious aura. A graveyard of bones shoots up in random directions from the floor. You do your best to dodge the chaotic attack. Thankfully, you’ve actually gotten pretty good at keeping yourself alive thanks to your previous encounters. Or maybe it’s just the air in UNDERFELL. You’ve never had to fight for your life on the surface, so you don’t have any experience to compare it to. “Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck,” he chants. He’s bent over and holding his skull. You can feel his ''SOUL'' is in knots even at a distance. Your chest feels tight. Your ''SOUL'' yearns to reach out to him. Your $soultrait propels you to make the first step. You move forward. A huge push of raw magic makes you stumble, but you continue. You duck beneath a wild attack. You side step a surge of bones. You are almost there. The hallway is filled with $soulcolor light. It overtakes Sans’. You can almost reach him! “I’M DONE!” he screeches, abruptly straightening up. Two white. . . dragon. . . skulls. . .? Two white dragon skull things with four glowing red eyes materialize above him. You can feel the air humming with magic as a red light builds in the mouth. You are close enough to Sans to do something. You. . . [[Tackle into him and use your own SPECIAL ATTACK]] ♡ [[Hug him.]] ♡

You tackle into him and use your entire body weight to pin him to the ground. He barely has time to let out an //oof// when you grip either side of his skull and proceed to plant kisses all over his face. The dragon skull things immediately vanish above you. He freezes, his body stiffening in complete stupefied silence. You make it all the way to the tenth kiss before his brain unthaws and he reacts. “WH-WHAT TA FUCK ARE YER DOING!?” He screeches, shoving you violently off him. His whole skull has turned a bright red and he scrambles to pull his hood up. You can no longer see his face as he turns his body away from you. “ARE YEH INSANE?! YER CRAZY! YEH’VE DIED ONE TOO MANY TIMES YEH DUMBASS! WHY WOULD YEH THINK THAT WAS A GOOD IDEA?!” You tell Sans that you like him. His head whips around and you can see the red lights in his eyesockets have gone out in shock, and his whole skull is tinged red from his magic overloading. It is only a brief look because Sans quickly turns back away. “Yer crazy,” he uttered. “Absolutely batshit insane. I killed yeh. A lot.” You remind Sans that you’re alive right now. “That–what–//that’s not the point!//” You scoot closer to Sans and kiss the top of his head. He convulses away from you, frantically scrambling to put space between the two of you. “Stop that!” he snaps. You apologize for making him uncomfortable. You hope he’ll at least be willing to talk things out with you now instead of. . . you know. . . murdering you. Repeatedly. “And if I don’t yeh’ll jus--yeh’ll jus--gently touch my face a-and ki--ki--do dumb shit?!” he demands. You say you’d be happy to do that without him killing you. Repeatedly. He flinches. “I. . . but I. . .” You smile at him. “Stop,” he whispers. “I don’. . .” You tell him you like him. “Yeh shouldn’t,” he says quietly. And yet you do. You say you think he’d like the surface. “Pro’lly,” he agrees with a mumble. You want to see a sunrise with him. His whole body sags. He hangs his head in his hands. “Jus. . . jus go.” You scoot closer to him. “Stop,” he says. “Leave ‘for I change my mind.” <<cycle "$youhaveabetteridea" autoselect>>\ <<option "Nah, you’ve got a better idea.">> <<option "You smile.">> <<option ". . .">> <</cycle>> Knock knock. “Ha. . .” Sans gives you a tired smile. “Who’s there?” Ivana. “Ivana who?” Ivana kiss you again! He chuckles and you lean forward. He doesn’t pull away so you give him another kiss. He rests his head on your shoulder. He turns his head to press his mouth against your neck. You can feel his hot breath tickle you. “Knock knock,” he says quietly. Who’s there? “Iowa aunt, sh.” Iowa aunt, sh who? “Really? I want yeh too,” he says, lifting his head up to give you a crooked smile. You laugh. You press your forehead against his. “Ha. . . I give up,” he says. “Yeh win. If yeh say humans have changed. . . heh. . . I wanna believe in //yeh// so I will. If yer wrong. . .” He shrugs. “Fuck it. Least I’ll get ta see the sun ‘for I die.” You reassure him you won’t let him die. “Maybe,” he says. No maybe. You promise him. “Yeah. . . okay,” he says. <<if $wingdinggetssaved eq 1>> [[The two of you sit in silence beside each other for a long time until you remember the paper.]] <<else>> [[The two of you sit in silence beside each other for a long time.]] <</if>>

You hug him. Your arms wrap around him gently and you rest your cheek on top of his head. <<if $torielhug eq 1>> You can feel him shake in your arms, like Toriel once did. He needs this as much as she did. <<else>> You can feel him shake in your arms. <</if>> "What are yeh doin'?" his voice cracks. You squeeze him tighter. "<<cycle "$sanshugresponse" autoselect>>\ <<option "Holding you.">> <<option "It's okay.">> <<option "It's going to be okay.">> <<option "I'm not going anywhere.">> <<option ". . .">> <</cycle>>" He shudders. The dragon skulls vanish above you. "Yer insane," he says quietly, his voice hoarse. "Crazy. Yeh've died one too many times. Why. . . why are yeh bein' so. . ." You tell Sans that you like him. He shakes, his bones rattling. You feel him raise his arms, and then they loosely wrap around you. He grips the back of your mangled sweater. “Yer crazy,” he uttered. “Absolutely batshit insane. I killed yeh. A lot.” He tightens his grip. You remind Sans that you’re alive right now. “That–what–//that’s not the point!//” [[You kiss the top of San's head.]] [[You nuzzle into Sans and murmur how much you like him.]]

You pull it out of your pocket. “Where the fuck did yeh get this?” he asks you. You recount your journey through the lab. You also admit that you’ve met Wingding. “He’s. . . he’s what?” Sans stares at you. “In the void?” Sans looks down at the paper. He seems to read it quickly, his eyelights moving rapidly. “That dumbass.” You ask Sans what it says. “It’s–ugh. Yeh really want to know?” Yes, you do. Sans shrugs. “Okay." //R︎e︎s︎e︎a︎r︎c︎h︎ s︎h︎o︎w︎s︎ a︎ h︎u︎m︎a︎n︎ s︎o︎u︎l︎ i︎s︎ c︎a︎pa︎b︎l︎e︎ o︎f︎ e︎n︎t︎e︎r︎i︎n︎g︎ t︎h︎e︎ v︎o︎i︎d︎,︎ b︎u︎t︎ i︎t︎ c︎a︎u︎s︎e︎s︎ i︎m︎m︎e︎n︎s︎e︎ s︎t︎r︎a︎i︎n︎.︎ C︎a︎pt︎u︎r︎e︎d︎ h︎u︎m︎a︎n︎ s︎o︎u︎l︎s︎ h︎a︎v︎e︎ o︎n︎l︎y︎ b︎e︎e︎n︎ a︎b︎l︎e︎ t︎o︎ s︎u︎r︎v︎i︎v︎e︎ t︎h︎e︎ v︎o︎i︎d︎ t︎w︎i︎c︎e︎ b︎e︎f︎o︎r︎e︎ e︎v︎a︎po︎r︎a︎t︎i︎n︎g︎.︎ I︎n︎f︎u︎s︎i︎n︎g︎ m︎y︎ m︎a︎g︎i︎c︎ i︎n︎ a︎ s︎o︎u︎l︎ h︎a︎s︎ c︎a︎u︎s︎e︎d︎ i︎t︎ t︎o︎ s︎u︎r︎v︎i︎v︎e︎ f︎i︎v︎e︎ t︎i︎m︎e︎s︎ i︎n︎ t︎r︎i︎ps︎ t︎o︎ t︎h︎e︎ v︎o︎i︎d︎.︎ T︎e︎s︎t︎i︎n︎g︎ w︎i︎t︎h︎ r︎e︎g︎u︎l︎a︎r︎ m︎o︎n︎s︎t︎e︎r︎ m︎a︎g︎i︎c︎ r︎e︎s︎u︎l︎t︎e︎d︎ i︎n︎ a︎ t︎w︎o︎-︎t︎r︎i︎p s︎u︎r︎v︎i︎v︎a︎l︎ (︎m︎a︎g︎i︎c︎ pr︎o︎v︎i︎d︎e︎d︎ b︎y︎ A︎l︎ph︎s︎)︎.︎ T︎e︎s︎t︎i︎n︎g︎ w︎i︎t︎h︎ a︎n︎o︎t︎h︎e︎r︎ b︎o︎s︎s︎ m︎o︎n︎s︎t︎e︎r︎ m︎a︎g︎i︎c︎ r︎e︎s︎u︎l︎t︎e︎d︎ i︎n︎ a︎ f︎i︎v︎e︎ t︎r︎i︎p s︎u︎r︎v︎i︎v︎a︎l︎ (︎m︎a︎g︎i︎c︎ pr︎o︎v︎i︎d︎e︎d︎ b︎y︎ S︎a︎n︎s︎)︎.︎ T︎h︎e︎r︎e︎ s︎e︎e︎m︎s︎ t︎o︎ b︎e︎ a︎n︎ i︎n︎h︎e︎r︎e︎n︎t︎ r︎e︎s︎i︎s︎t︎a︎n︎c︎e︎ t︎o︎ t︎h︎e︎ v︎o︎i︎d︎ f︎o︎r︎ b︎o︎s︎s︎ m︎o︎n︎s︎t︎e︎r︎ m︎a︎g︎i︎c︎.︎ A︎ h︎u︎m︎a︎n︎ s︎o︎u︎l︎ i︎s︎ s︎t︎i︎l︎l︎ r︎e︎q︎u︎i︎r︎e︎d︎ t︎o︎ e︎n︎t︎e︎r︎ a︎n︎d︎ l︎e︎a︎v︎e︎ t︎h︎e︎ v︎o︎i︎d︎,︎ b︎u︎t︎ b︎o︎s︎s︎ m︎o︎n︎s︎t︎e︎r︎ m︎a︎g︎i︎c︎ i︎s︎ r︎e︎q︎u︎i︎r︎e︎d︎ t︎o︎ s︎u︎r︎v︎i︎v︎e︎ i︎t︎.︎ I︎ w︎a︎n︎t︎ t︎o︎ s︎e︎e︎ w︎h︎a︎t︎ t︎h︎e︎ h︎u︎m︎a︎n︎s︎ s︎e︎e︎.︎ I︎ w︎a︎n︎t︎ t︎o︎ kn︎o︎w︎ w︎h︎a︎t︎'︎s︎ i︎n︎ t︎h︎e︎ v︎o︎i︎d︎.︎ // Oh. “This must have been written right ‘for he tried somethin’. It’s pretty messy,” he says. “He does that sometimes. Whenever he gets an idea he barely ‘members to write it down ‘for he gets tunnel vision.” Sans gives you a long look. “He in the void?” You confirm he is. “He okay?” You aren’t entirely certain. “Dumbass,” he says again. “I hope he can hear me callin’ him a dumbass. //Dumbass.//” You offer to pass on the message. “Do,” he says Sans. “‘Cause he’s a huge dumbass. Goin’ into the //void// without any warnin’ or back up. Didn’t even think to tell anyone either, from the look of how hastily scribbled this note is.” Sans rubs his face. “Ugh.” You ask Sans if he knows how to help Wingding leave the void. “Not off the top of my head, angel,” he says. “Maybe I can finagle somethin’ if I can look at his notes.” Your eyes widen. Is Sans a scientist? “Ehh. . . I //was//,” he says reluctantly. “I worked with Wings ‘for he went missin’.” Oh wow! What did Sans study? “I–er–was–//am//–pretty good with machines and physics,” he says. “Helped Wings build the CORE.” That’s amazing! Sans is brilliant! A slight reddish hue forms under his eyesockets. “Not really.” You reassure him that he is. You ask what was the last project he worked on. “Uh, was a gun,” he said. “Space gun.” . . .? “Humans have been to space, right?” he asks you. At your nod, he continues, “And one of the humans that came through had uh book about space. Wanted to try and replicate it here. Asgore wanted a weapon, so. . . made a gun. Creates a bubble of vacuum that’s s’posed to mimic space.” Oh. “Only used it once,” he said. “Gave the uh. . . subject to Al to take a look at. Was a long time ago.” He rolls his shoulders. “Humans got a lot of guns, don’t they?” You suppose. Civilians aren’t allowed to own lethal guns. He smiles crookedly. “What’s a //non-lethal// gun?” You explain civilians can purchase a stasis gun if they pass their psych evaluation. It will put any living being in a stasis. They’ll be immobile, but conscious. They’re very expense, however, because they’re fueled by magic which is a dying resource. Only wealthy humans can have one. “Do yeh have one?” You have never felt the need for one. You doubt you ever will. “I can tell,” he says. “Yer too soft fer yer own good.” You give him a sly smile. You think he likes your softness. “Shut up,” he says, the crimson hue under his eyesockets spreading further across his skull. “Don’ get smug.” [[You shift your weight to press against him and rest your head on top his.]] ♡ [[You place your hand overtop his.]] ♡ [[You sit comfortably in silence beside him.]] ♡

For once the silence doesn’t feel uncomfortable to you. Rather, it seems nice. The light filtered through the gold-tinted windows is warm. You can hear Sans breathing beside you, and his ''SOUL''–while hidden–is near yours. Comfort settles over you. You enjoy the moment. You hope you can have many more moments with him. “That’s that,” he says. He stands up. In a fluid motion he tugs his hood up. “I gotta go.” Where to? “The boss first,” he says. “Don’ face Asgore without me. Sit tight. Don’ move.” Where was Asgore exactly? “He’ll be in the throne room. He’s always in the throne room,” he says. “If yeh really wanna stretch yer legs go ahead, jus stay outta the throne room.” You agree to that. “Good. I’ll be back soon as I can,” San says. “Ugh.” You ask him what’s wrong. “Nothin’,” he says. “Jus’ anticipation’ gettin’ scolded by the boss.” He offers you a half smile. “See you later, angel.” He’s gone in a shimmer of red. [[You have completed Judgment Hall.]]

“Awfully cuddly with someone who’s killed yeh. A lot,” he mutters. You can’t see his face, but his skull feels warm under your cheek. You nuzzle him. After a long moment, he leans into you. “Only indulgin’ yeh outta pity,” he grumbles. Mm-hmm. “Don’t look too into it.” Mm-hmm. Sans falls quiet. Ah. For once the silence doesn’t feel uncomfortable to you. Rather, it seems nice. The light filtered through the gold-tinted windows is warm. You can feel Sans breathing beside you, and his ''SOUL''–while hidden–is near yours. Comfort settles over you. You enjoy the moment. You hope you can have many more moments with him. “That’s that,” he says. He pulls away from you and stands up. In a fluid motion he tugs his hood up. “I gotta go.” Where to? “The boss first,” he says. “Don’ face Asgore without me. Sit tight. Don’ move.” Where was Asgore exactly? “He’ll be in the throne room. He’s always in the throne room,” he says. “If yeh really wanna stretch yer legs go ahead, jus stay outta the throne room.” You agree to that. “Good. I’ll be back soon as I can,” San says. “Ugh.” You ask him what’s wrong. “Nothin’,” he says. “Jus’ anticipation’ gettin’ scolded by the boss.” He offers you a half smile. “See you later, angel.” He’s gone in a shimmer of red. [[You have completed Judgment Hall.]]

“Awfully handsy with someone who’s killed yeh. A lot,” he mutters. You can’t see his face, but his skull feels warm under your cheek. You squeeze his hand. After a long moment, he squeezes back. “Only indulgin’ yeh outta pity,” he grumbles. Mm-hmm. “Don’t look too into it.” Mm-hmm. Sans falls quiet. Ah. For once the silence doesn’t feel uncomfortable to you. Rather, it seems nice. The light filtered through the gold-tinted windows is warm. Comfort settles over you. You enjoy the moment. You hope you can have many more moments with him. “That’s that,” he says. He pulls away from you and stands up. In a fluid motion he tugs his hood up. “I gotta go.” Where to? “The boss first,” he says. “Don’ face Asgore without me. Sit tight. Don’ move.” Where was Asgore exactly? “He’ll be in the throne room. He’s always in the throne room,” he says. “If yeh really wanna stretch yer legs go ahead, jus stay outta the throne room.” You agree to that. “Good. I’ll be back soon as I can,” San says. “Ugh.” You ask him what’s wrong. “Nothin’,” he says. “Jus’ anticipation’ gettin’ scolded by the boss.” He offers you a half smile. “See you later, angel.” He’s gone in a shimmer of red. [[You have completed Judgment Hall.]]

''END OF JUDGMENT HALL'' <<audio "premo" stop>> <<audio "softmoments" stop>><<audio "menu"volume 0.15 loop play>> ---- You've come so far! You died <<print $deaths>> times. A lot of that is from Sans. Like. . . most of that is from Sans. . . . <<if $sanslove eq 6>> <<cycle "$sansdeathsreaction" autoselect>>\ <<option "You'd be mad if you weren't romancing him.">> <<option "He's lucky he's a smoochable skeleton.">> <<option "You can't wait to tell Flowey.">> <<option "He owes you a movie date. You will collect.">> <<option ". . .">> <</cycle>> <<else>> <<cycle "$sansdeathsreaction" autoselect>>\ <<option "Trash goblin.">> <<option "What a dick.">> <<option "You hope Flowey gets a chance to avenge you.">> <<option "You'd be mad if you weren't planning to romance him next.">> <<option "He better buy you some $favoritefood in the epilogue or you will tattle on him.">> <<option ". . .">> <</cycle>> <</if>> <<if $papslove eq 6>> Papyrus hopes you are safe. <<elseif $sanslove eq 6>> Sans wants to see the sunrise with you. <<elseif $asrielrom eq 6>> Flowey is worried about you. <<elseif $grillbylove eq 5>> Grillby hopes you come back. <<elseif $harem eq 8>> You are pursuing multiple skeleton monsters. And are somehow still alive. Wow. <<elseif $friendshiproute eq 3>> Who needs romance when you've got friends? You are on the friendship route! <</if>> [[You cross the bridge and enter the castle.]]

He shivers. You can feel his skull getting hot and when you look down it's as red as his eyelights. “Stop that!” he snaps. He shoves you away from him, and you can see his eyelights wavering. You apologize for making him uncomfortable. You hope he’ll at least be willing to talk things out with you now instead of. . . you know. . . murdering you. Repeatedly. <<if $touchsansface eq 1>> “And if I don’t yeh’ll jus--yeh’ll jus--gently touch my face a-and be all s-sweet and--and--do dumb shit?!” he demands. <<else>> “And if I don’t yeh’ll jus--yeh’ll jus--smile c-cutely a-and be all s-sweet and--and--do dumb shit?!” he demands. <</if>> You say you’d be happy to do that without him killing you. Repeatedly. He flinches. “I. . . but I. . .” You smile at him. “Stop,” he whispers. “I don’. . .” You tell him you like him. “Yeh shouldn’t,” he says quietly. And yet you do. You say you think he’d like the surface. “Pro’lly,” he agrees with a mumble. You want to see a sunrise with him. His whole body sags. He sits down and hangs his head in his hands. “Jus. . . jus go.” You take a seat beside him. “Stop,” he says. “Leave ‘for I change my mind.” <<cycle "$youhaveabetteridea" autoselect>>\ <<option "Nah, you’ve got a better idea.">> <<option "You smile.">> <<option ". . .">> <</cycle>> Knock knock. “Ha. . .” Sans gives you a tired smile. “Who’s there?” Ivana. “Ivana who?” Ivana kiss you again! He chuckles and you lean forward. He doesn’t pull away so you give him another kiss. He rests his head on your shoulder. He turns his head to press his mouth against your neck. You can feel his hot breath tickle you. “Knock knock,” he says quietly. Who’s there? “Iowa aunt, sh.” Iowa aunt, sh who? “Really? I want yeh too,” he says, lifting his head up to give you a crooked smile. You laugh. You press your forehead against his. “Ha. . . I give up,” he says. “Yeh win. If yeh say humans have changed. . . heh. . . I wanna believe in //yeh// so I will. If yer wrong. . .” He shrugs. “Fuck it. Least I’ll get ta see the sun ‘for I die.” You reassure him you won’t let him die. “Maybe,” he says. No maybe. You promise him. “Yeah. . . okay,” he says. <<if $wingdinggetssaved eq 1>> [[The two of you sit in silence beside each other for a long time until you remember the paper.]] <<else>> [[The two of you sit in silence beside each other for a long time.]] <</if>>

He shivers. You can feel his skull getting hot and when you look down it's as red as his eyelights. “Stop that!” he snaps. He shoves you away from him, and you can see his eyelights wavering. You apologize for making him uncomfortable. You hope he’ll at least be willing to talk things out with you now instead of. . . you know. . . murdering you. Repeatedly. <<if $touchsansface eq 1>> “And if I don’t yeh’ll jus--yeh’ll jus--gently touch my face a-and be all s-sweet and--and--do dumb shit?!” he demands. <<else>> “And if I don’t yeh’ll jus--yeh’ll jus--smile c-cutely a-and be all s-sweet and--and--do dumb shit?!” he demands. <</if>> You say you’d be happy to do that without him killing you. Repeatedly. He flinches. “I. . . but I. . .” You smile at him. “Stop,” he whispers. “I don’. . .” You tell him you like him. “Yeh shouldn’t,” he says quietly. And yet you do. You say you think he’d like the surface. “Pro’lly,” he agrees with a mumble. You want to see a sunrise with him. His whole body sags. He sits down and hangs his head in his hands. “Jus. . . jus go.” You take a seat beside him. “Stop,” he says. “Leave ‘for I change my mind.” <<cycle "$youhaveabetteridea" autoselect>>\ <<option "Nah, you’ve got a better idea.">> <<option "You smile.">> <<option ". . .">> <</cycle>> Knock knock. “Ha. . .” Sans gives you a tired smile. “Who’s there?” Mayer. “Mayer who?” Mayer days be filled with laughter and love! He chuckles and you lean forward. He doesn’t pull away so you give him another nuzzle. He rests his head on your shoulder. He turns his head to press his mouth against your neck. You can feel his hot breath tickle you. “Knock knock,” he says quietly. Who’s there? “Iowa aunt, sh.” Iowa aunt, sh who? “Really? I want yeh too,” he says, lifting his head up to give you a crooked smile. You laugh. You press your forehead against his. “Ha. . . I give up,” he says. “Yeh win. If yeh say humans have changed. . . heh. . . I wanna believe in //yeh// so I will. If yer wrong. . .” He shrugs. “Fuck it. Least I’ll get ta see the sun ‘for I die.” You reassure him you won’t let him die. “Maybe,” he says. No maybe. You promise him. “Yeah. . . okay,” he says. <<if $wingdinggetssaved eq 1>> [[The two of you sit in silence beside each other for a long time until you remember the paper.]] <<else>> [[The two of you sit in silence beside each other for a long time.]] <</if>>

You step off the elevator, resigned to this encounter. You had a feeling this was coming since he killed you in Snowdin. You had hoped it could be avoided, but-- <<audio "hall" stop>> <<audio "judgmenthall"volume 0.15 loop play>> Well. Here you are. “Sees, I //knew// it was funny yeh didn’t take my hand,” says Sans. “Yer one of those special humans, huh? The //real// special kind. Not jus’ a visible ''SOUL''—one that stays. Damn.” Sans sighs. “Yer not gonna make this easy on me, are yeh, pal?” He. . . knows? How much does he know? His gold tooth glints in the warm lighting as he smirks. “Yeh aint the first and yeh won’t be the last human with a ''SOUL'' strong ‘nough to hang on after death.” Sans tilts his head. “Heh. . . heheh. . .” He stretches out his arms wide. “Over a hundred humans have come to UNDERFELL. Not one has made it out alive ‘spite of their //specialness//. Can yeh guess why?” You shake your head. “Papyrus has captured twenty humans, and killed two of ‘em. Undyne killed fifteen and captured five. Who do yeh think handled the rest?” “Allow me to re-introduce myself, $sansfirstnickname.” Sans gives you a mocking bow. “I am Sans Gaster. The Judge. I have encountered sixty humans, and I have killed sixty humans.” Sans straightens up and his sharp-tooth smile is cold. “I see ‘em come through the ruins, and if they’re weak ‘nough, I let ‘em through. Wanna give Paps a chance to have fun, yeh know? Like any good brother. But the ones with levels? I take care of ‘em. And the ones that are weak and slip through. . . I clean ‘em up here. In this hall. My hall.” He puts his hands back in his pockets. <<if $exploredthelab eq 1>> You ask why Sans had his name redacted in the Boss Monster book. “I’ve got no obligation ta explain that to yeh,” he says. <</if>> You purse your lips. Your ''SOUL'' shines brightly at your chest. <<if $papslove eq 6>> “Gotta admit was tempted to let yeh go for the boss’s sake,” says Sans. “Really was. But then I saw yeh on that show. And. Well.” <</if>> Sans raises his arms in a beckoning gesture. “Take one more step forward, I’m gonna have one hell of a time.” [[You take a step forward.]]

''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> [[ACT: Endure.]]

“Ah fuck me,” he says when he sees you. “Do me a favor, pal, buddy, $sansfirstnickname, and stop comin’ back. I got better things to do with my time than keep killin’ yeh.” You take a step forward, remaining firm. “Yeh think yeh can just–just out-stubborn me?” Sans laughs. “Yeh think I’ll just throw in the towel if yeh keep comin’ back? That ain’t how this’ll work, toots. I //will// break yeh.” You continue your walk forward. He’s glaring at you the entire time. You make it a few steps, then feel his magical grip on your heart. “Stop it,” he says. “Yeh ain’t gonna win this one.” You won’t give up. “Why?” he asks. “Yeh don’t know us. Yeh’ve got no reason to try so hard.” You raise your chin. It’s common sense to help someone who needs it. He flinches. “We don’t need help.” You gesture out the window to the city below. The monsters inside speak for themselves. You feel their pain. You feel their isolation. //Their stagnation.// They deserve to feel the sun. You tell Sans he deserves to feel the sun. A shudder goes through him. His red eyelights waver in his sockets. He screams back, “THE FUCK DO YEH KNOW?!” His grip on your ''SOUL'' tightens and he throws you back. It’s not a death, but it creates a purposeful distance. He snarls with venom in his voice, “Yer fuckin’ stubborn. I was bein’ nice an’ all since yeh didn’t hurt anyone, but not anymore.” That was him being nice? You are abruptly impaled through both of your feet. Red bones stick out from the floor and pin your feet to where you stand. Immediate pain shoots up through you. You reflexively cry out in agony as more bones pierce through your shoulders and into one of your arms. Chunks of your flesh fall onto the floor. You can see bits of your broken bones sticking out in places they should not be in. Pain. That is the only thing you can process. Debilitating. Agonizing. Horrific. Pain. It hurts. It does not burn. It is not cold. There is no tearing. There is no sensation other than //pain.// Your whole body involuntarily shakes. You think you will die from the intensity of your agony, yet you are not allowed death. Nothing has hurt so much before. There is no comparison to this torture. No death comes close to the purposeful torment you are currently enduring. Pain. [[The pain is all you can process.]]

Your ''SOUL'' is beautiful. <<if $soultrait eq ". . .">> <<set $soultrait = "essence">> <</if>> <<timed 3s>> Your $soultrait is unwavering. <</timed>> <<timed 5s>> <<if ($soulcolor eq "green")>> You are the spring to this kingdom of despair. They need you. <</if>> <<if ($soulcolor eq "red")>> You shine with a ruby splendor in this kingdom of despair. <</if>> <<if ($soulcolor eq "purple")>> You shine with a dazzling wonder in this kingdom of despair. <</if>> <<if ($soulcolor eq "blue")>> You are brighter than a clear sky in this kingdom of despair. <</if>> <<if ($soulcolor eq "pink")>> You sparkle with a captivating splendor in this kingdom of despair. <</if>> <<if ($soulcolor eq "yellow")>> You are the sun they need. <</if>> <<if ($soulcolor eq "orange")>> You illuminate the world around you with your blaze. They need you. <</if>> <<if ($soulcolor eq "white")>> You are the starlight they need. <</if>> <<if ($soulcolor eq "black")>> You are the force they need. <</if>> <</timed>> <<timed 7s>> You <</timed>><<timed 9s>> are <</timed>> <<timed 11s>> ''you.'' <</timed>> <<timed 13s>> [[You alone are enough to conquer this pain.]] <</timed>>

Your DETERMINATION flares through you. The world becomes muted. You stop trembling. You can think again. $name is $name. You are you. You are in a cage of bones. [[You raise your head and you meet his gaze. You will not give up.]] [[You give him a grin. You won't give up.]] [[You flip him off and flatly tell him you aren't giving up.]]

He flinches and you are impaled. And so the cycle starts again. ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> [[ACT: Stay determined..]]

He frowns and you are impaled. And so the cycle starts again. ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> [[ACT: Stay determined..]]

He laughs at that and you are impaled. And so the cycle starts again. ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> [[ACT: Stay determined..]]

''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> <<if $asrielrom eq 6>> [[Not for Flowey.]] <</if>> <<if $papslove eq 6>> [[Not for Papyrus.]] <</if>> <<if $friendshiproute eq 3>> [[Not for anyone.]] <</if>>

You linger in the elevator. Staying in the elevator won’t change anything, but you need a moment to recollect yourself. You have died <<print $deaths>> times. All of Sans’ kills have been instantaneous. You have not felt any pain from most of these deaths, but it is disorienting to go from the golden hallway to darkness and back within seconds. You take a deep breath. You think about Flowey. You close your eyes and picture him near you. He'd nuzzle you if he were with you. He'd tell you that you can do it. He'd tell you that he's with you. You made a promise to him. You'll see him again. <<if $hashair eq 1>> You run your fingers through your $hairlength hair. <</if>> You step off the elevator. Sans is giving you an odd look. Red beads of sweat cover his forehead. He wipes at them with the back of his right gloved hand. "Yer. . . ugh," Sans sighs as he clutches at his head. "Fuckin' resets." You tell Sans you won't hurt him. He stares at you a long time. You can see he is visibly tired. As much of a struggle as it's been for you, perhaps it is for him? He is aware of the resets in some capacity. Mentally going back in time must be. . . dizzying, at the very least. He hasn't attacked you. You tell Sans you don't want to hurt anyone. He continues to stare at you in silence. You ask him to please give you a chance. "If I trust yeh and I'm wrong, it ain't jus' my head on the line," he says. He won't be wrong. Sans looks up at the ceiling. He falls back onto his butt and leans back on his arms. He does not speak for several minutes. When you realize nothing else will happen, you slowly approach Sans. [[MERCY: Sit beside him.]] [[ACT: Hug Sans.]]

You linger in the elevator. Staying in the elevator won’t change anything, but you need a moment to recollect yourself. You have died <<print $deaths>> times. All of Sans’ kills have been instantaneous. You have not felt any pain from most of these deaths, but it is disorienting to go from the golden hallway to darkness and back within seconds. You take a deep breath. You think about Papyrus. You remember your date. You remember his warm touch on the small of your back. How you felt walking with him. You vividly recall his cute face when Mettaton teased you both. //Papyrus' voice was gentle gentle when he said, "Do not be killed, $name."// You'd break his heart if you stopped here. So you won't. <<if $hashair eq 1>> You run your fingers through your $hairlength hair. <</if>> You step off the elevator. Sans is giving you an odd look. Red beads of sweat cover his forehead. He wipes at them with the back of his right gloved hand. "Yer. . . ugh," Sans sighs as he clutches at his head. "Fuckin' resets." You tell Sans you won't hurt him. He stares at you a long time. You can see he is visibly tired. As much of a struggle as it's been for you, perhaps it is for him? He is aware of the resets in some capacity. Mentally going back in time must be. . . dizzying, at the very least. He hasn't attacked you. You tell Sans you don't want to hurt anyone. He continues to stare at you in silence. You ask him to please give you a chance. "If I trust yeh and I'm wrong, it ain't jus' my head on the line," he says. He won't be wrong. Sans looks up at the ceiling. He falls back onto his butt and leans back on his arms. He does not speak for several minutes. When you realize nothing else will happen, you slowly approach Sans. [[MERCY: Sit beside him.]] [[ACT: Hug Sans.]]

You linger in the elevator. Staying in the elevator won’t change anything, but you need a moment to recollect yourself. You have died <<print $deaths>> times. All of Sans’ kills have been instantaneous. You have not felt any pain from most of these deaths, but it is disorienting to go from the golden hallway to darkness and back within seconds. You take a deep breath. <<if $hashair eq 1>> You run your fingers through your $hairlength hair. <</if>> You step off the elevator. Sans is giving you an odd look. Red beads of sweat cover his forehead. He wipes at them with the back of his right gloved hand. "Yer. . . ugh," Sans sighs as he clutches at his head. "Fuckin' resets." You tell Sans you won't hurt him. He stares at you a long time. You can see he is visibly tired. As much of a struggle as it's been for you, perhaps it is for him? He is aware of the resets in some capacity. Mentally going back in time must be. . . dizzying, at the very least. He hasn't attacked you. You tell Sans you don't want to hurt anyone. He continues to stare at you in silence. You ask him to please give you a chance. "If I trust yeh and I'm wrong, it ain't jus' my head on the line," he says. He won't be wrong. Sans looks up at the ceiling. He falls back onto his butt and leans back on his arms. He does not speak for several minutes. When you realize nothing else will happen, you slowly approach Sans. [[MERCY: Sit beside him.]] [[ACT: Hug Sans.]]

"Even now. . ." Sans chuckles tiredly. "Yer not attackin'. Hah. . . yeh can run, yeh know? I ain't a chaser." <<audio "judgmenthall" stop>> <<audio "premo"volume 0.15 loop play>> <<set $gavesansahug = 0>> You say you're happy to sit with him. "Liar," he says. "Heh. . . whatever. . . do whatever yeh want." You stay seated beside him. He pulls his hood up so you can no longer see his face. "Hey, uh. . . pal. . ." . . . ? "Is the sun really warm?" he asks you. Yes. "And stars. . . yeh always see 'em?" At night, yes. "Heh. . ." Sans flops onto his back. He looks exhausted. "I guess. . . this was gonna happen one day. 'Least I'll get a view 'for I dust." You tell him he won't be dusted. ". . . Yeah. . . okay." He closes his eyes. "I'll trust yeh, $name." You give him a smile. <<if $papslove eq 6>> "I will kill yeh again if yeh hurt Paps though," he idly warns. You assure him that will //never// happen. "Mm-hmm." <</if>> [[You have completed Judgment Hall.]]

<<set $gavesansahug = 1>> You sit down and pull Sans into a hug. <<audio "judgmenthall" stop>> <<audio "premo"volume 0.15 loop play>> "Dumbass," he says. He hesitantly pats your back. You pull away and sit beside him. You give him a lopsided smile and say you'd like to be friends. "Freak," he says. "Heh. . . whatever. . . do whatever yeh want." You stay seated beside him. He pulls his hood up so you can no longer see his face. "Hey, uh. . . pal. . ." . . . ? "Is the sun really warm?" he asks you. Yes. "And stars. . . yeh always see 'em?" At night, yes. "Heh. . ." Sans flops onto his back. He looks exhausted. "I guess. . . this was gonna happen one day. 'Least I'll get a view 'for I dust." You tell him he won't be dusted. ". . . Yeah. . . okay." He closes his eyes. "I'll trust yeh, $name." You give him a smile. <<if $papslove eq 6>> "I will kill yeh again if yeh hurt Paps though," he idly warns. You assure him that will //never// happen. "Mm-hmm." <</if>> You sit in silence for a few more minutes until Sans breaks it. He says, "Knock knock." Who's there? "Sar." Sar who? "Sorry," he says and his body is gone in a shimmer of red. [[You have completed Judgment Hall.]]

You step off the elevator, resigned to this encounter. You had a feeling this was coming since he killed you in Snowdin. You had hoped it could be avoided, but-- <<audio "hall" stop>> <<audio "judgmenthall"volume 0.15 loop play>> Well. Here you are. “Sees, I //knew// it was funny yeh didn’t take my hand,” says Sans. “Yer one of those special humans, huh? The //real// special kind. Not jus’ a visible ''SOUL''—one that stays. Damn.” Sans sighs. “Yer not gonna make this easy on me, are yeh, pal?” He. . . knows? How much does he know? His gold tooth glints in the warm lighting as he smirks. “Yeh aint the first and yeh won’t be the last human with a ''SOUL'' strong ‘nough to hang on after death.” Sans tilts his head. “Heh. . . heheh. . .” He stretches out his arms wide. “Over a hundred humans have come to UNDERFELL. Not one has made it out alive ‘spite of their //specialness//. Can yeh guess why?” You shake your head. “Papyrus has captured twenty humans, and killed two of ‘em. Undyne killed fifteen and captured five. Who do yeh think handled the rest?” “Allow me to re-introduce myself, $sansfirstnickname.” Sans gives you a mocking bow. “I am Sans Gaster. The Judge. I have encountered sixty humans, and I have killed sixty humans.” Sans straightens up and his sharp-tooth smile is cold. “I see ‘em come through the ruins, and if they’re weak ‘nough, I let ‘em through. Wanna give Paps a chance to have fun, yeh know? Like any good brother. But the ones with levels? I take care of ‘em. And the ones that are weak and slip through. . . I clean ‘em up here. In this hall. My hall.” He puts his hands back in his pockets. Sans raises his arms in a beckoning gesture. “Take one more step forward, I’m gonna have one hell of a time.” You take a step forward. There is a tight grip around your ''SOUL''. You are lifted off the ground. In your place a dozen red spiked bones shoot up from the ground. You are slammed into the bones. [[You do not die instantly. You are a pin cushion of agony.]]

No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. No one comes. [[No one comes.]]

<<timed 2s>> You <</timed>> <<timed 4s>> feel <</timed>> <<timed 6s>>your <</timed>> <<timed 8s>> ''SOUL'' <</timed>> <<timed 10s>> b <</timed>> <<timed 12s>> r <</timed>> <<timed 14s>> e <</timed>> <<timed 16s>> a <</timed>> <<timed 18s>> k <</timed>> <<timed 20s>> You have died <<print $deaths>> times. <</timed>> <<timed 22s>> [[You are broken.]] <</timed>>

You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. <<click "Restart">><<script>>Engine.restart()<</script>><</click>> You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. <<click "Restart">><<script>>Engine.restart()<</script>><</click>> You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. <<click "Restart">><<script>>Engine.restart()<</script>><</click>> You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken. You are broken.

Oh my! <<set $soulmatebookread = 1>> You have heard the term before on the surface--''SOULMATE''--but it was something reserved for a very rare few. There is only one living pair of ''SOULMATES''. One is one of the remaining wizards of humanity, who is ''SOULBOUND'' to a non-magical human. A SOULBIND can only occurr if one partner has magic, so with the decline of magical humans. . . It is a romanticized concept for humanity. You are curious to know if it is equally precious to monsters. You flip through the book and stop on the glossary page near the front. ---- ''//SOULMATES//'' SOULMATES: a union binding two SOULs. SOULBINDS: the thread that ties SOULMATES. SOULACCEPTANCE: a test between two SOULs to check for compatability as SOULMATES. ---- You flip through some more pages. The pages feel glossy. ---- ''//HISTORY OF SOULMATES//'' Since the first SOULBINDING between the Lightners' knight and Darkness' prince, SOULBINDS have been accepted as a sacred union and held above all other unions. SOULMATES die together, and to forcefully sever or destroy a SOULBIND is punishable by death in all kingdoms. A SOULBINDING is revered to such an extent that in its occurrence the kingdom will close all shops and commerce for the day in honor of the sacred union. ---- Your eyes widen at that remark. As you continue to read, you realize that monsters hold ''SOULMATES'' as highly as humans. Unlike humans, however, monsters can bind much more easily. They are beings made of magic, after all. They only need to find a ''SOUL'' on the same wavelength as theirs. How envious! You wonder if, perhaps. . . could you find your own ''SOULMATE'' one day? If the monsters rejoin the surface, how many of them will take human ''SOULMATES''? You hope a lot! You hope you'll get to see so many wonderful unions in your lifetime. A thought pops into your head. You imagine a whole month of back to back daily ''SOULBINDING''s. A month where everyone simply celebrates in honor of love and joy. A constant stream of laughter, joy, and harmony. You know it's not practical--the economy would be an unhappy camper if that happened--but it's a warm thought. It makes you smile to yourself. If you were to SOULBIND with someone. . . what kind of celebration would you want? [[A large one. You would want to invite everyone the two of you knew and have a grand party.]] [[A small one. You would only want close friends and family there.]] [[An intimate one. Only you and your SOULMATE.]]

Yes! <<set $soulbindsize = "large">> Let everyone you know and like come and rejoice in the love you found. Where would you want it? [[Outside, on the beach by the ocean.]] [[Outside, by a lakeside.]] [[Outside, in a field of flowers.]] [[Partially inside and outside at a beautiful venue.]] [[Inside a grand hall.]] [[Inside a themed hall.]]

Yes, yes! <<set $soulbindsize = "small">> Only those you love should surround you on a day about love. Where would you want it? [[Outside, on the beach by the ocean.]] [[Outside, by a lakeside.]] [[Outside, in a field of flowers.]] [[Partially inside and outside at a beautiful venue.]] [[Inside a grand hall.]] [[Inside a themed hall.]]

Of course. <<set $soulbindsize = "intimate">> All you need is you and your SOULMATE. Where would you want it? [[Outside, on the beach by the ocean.]] [[Outside, by a lakeside.]] [[Outside, in a field of flowers.]] [[Partially inside and outside at a beautiful venue.]] [[Inside a grand hall.]] [[Inside a themed hall.]]

Oh my! <<set $soullocation = "by the ocean">> You can already feel the waves crashing against your feet. It's a wonderful vision. [[You hope it will come true one day.]] [[Although a nice thought, you aren't interested in actually finding a SOULMATE.]]

Oh my! <<set $soullocation = "by a lake">> You can already smell the fresh air. It's a wonderful vision. [[You hope it will come true one day.]] [[Although a nice thought, you aren't interested in actually finding a SOULMATE.]]

Oh my! <<set $soullocation = "in a field of flowers">> You can already smell the flowers. It's a wonderful vision. [[You hope it will come true one day.]] [[Although a nice thought, you aren't interested in actually finding a SOULMATE.]]

Oh my! <<set $soullocation = "inside a grand hall">> You can picture it perfectly. It's a wonderful vision. [[You hope it will come true one day.]] [[Although a nice thought, you aren't interested in actually finding a SOULMATE.]]

Oh my! <<set $soullocation = "inside a themed hall">> It'll be a lovely theme, too. You can see it perfectly. It's a wonderful vision. [[You hope it will come true one day.]] [[Although a nice thought, you aren't interested in actually finding a SOULMATE.]]

Oh my! <<set $soullocation = "both in and outside at a venue of your choice">> You can already see it. It's a wonderful vision. [[You hope it will come true one day.]] [[Although a nice thought, you aren't interested in actually finding a SOULMATE.]]

Fingers crossed! You put away the book. [[Choose the book titled The Barrier]] [[Choose the book titled Boss Monsters.]] [[Choose a book titled UNDERFELL.]] [[You want to explore this floor.]]

You put away the book. [[Choose the book titled The Barrier]] [[Choose the book titled Boss Monsters.]] [[Choose a book titled UNDERFELL.]] [[You want to explore this floor.]]

The glint comes from a wall of shelves. On the shelves are smooth black marble plates with a reddish hue. You stare at them for several seconds. You remember now where you have seen such things. Magic plates. You recognize it from your history textbooks. They were used prior to the invention of a video camera. You see a lot of them still has a glow. You pick one at random and tap it, curious if it will still work. There is a long pause and then the reddish hue vanishes. More colors take its place as a scene is built on the marble plate. It is a video with a grimy filter. The filter comes from the actual dust and grime on the marble plate. You try to rub it off to make it clearer; it doesn’t help much. These plates have not been cleaned or cared for in a long time. You choose to refocus on watching the video. You see a metal room and a table at the center. There are more tables beside it lined with tools. It’s too blurry to see the details of the tools. You infer it’s similar to an old-style operating room due to the vague shapes and placement of objects. It actually looks remarkably similar to the precious room you were in, albeit with less equipment and messy papers. The image blinks. There is someone now on the table. It’s a human woman. A knot forms in your gut as you realize she is without clothes. She is strapped down to the table. Her blue eyes are wide with blatant fear. Then you start to hear her whimpers. <<cycle "$starsno" autoselect>>\ <<option "Oh no.">> <<option "Oh no, no, no.">> <<option "No.">> <<option "Oh.">> <<option "You gasp.">> <<option "You cringe, feeling upset.">> <<option ". . .">> <</cycle>> It feels. . . unreal. You freeze, your mind doing an internal hiccup as you stare at the screen. The only time you had seen a similar situation was in a movie, but this is a vastly different situation. In a movie you know it’s not real. You know the scary things are make believe and the people in them are okay. . . . You do not think you have heard of any humans who have made it out of UNDERFELL. [[Keep watching.]] [[Turn it off and leave the room. You are done.]]

You don’t want to watch, yet you can’t look away. <<set $watchedthevideo = 1>> A tall monster walks into the room. He has a long black coat that goes to the floor. It doesn’t look normal; the ends of it waves and flickers like a candle’s shadow. <<set $harem += 1>> You feel a shiver down your spine. “Hello,” says the monster. It’s one word. It’s not a mean word. It’s a word you would use. //Hello.// There’s nothing wrong with that word. So why does it give you shivers when he says it? She’s plainly terrified out of her mind, and his voice drips with freezing apathy. The red lights in his eyes are equally apa-- No. His gaze is not that of indifference. Indifference, you feel, would have been better. You have a bad feeling about this. “I see my assistant has made you comfortable,” continues the monster. He has a deep and smooth voice, but you can’t ignore that chilling undertone. There is a cruel curiosity to this monster, and his eyes remind you of a child who found a new toy. $starsno He walks around the table and you can get a better look at him. He wears a red sweater underneath that black coat, and a pair of black pants. He looks distantly familiar. You think he reminds you of Papyrus and Sans, so perhaps he is a skeleton monster? He has long arms and white hands–perhaps bony hands? You squint to try and see. You can’t tell. More white hands are conjured in the air around him. Only hands–no arms attached to them. One hand goes over to the table and picks up a metal tool. Another picks up a clipboard beside the woman and hands it to the monster. “Please,” the woman croaks out. “Please?” the monster repeats. “I told you everything,” she whimpers. “P-Please let me go home. . .” “Yes, it is noted here that you have been very cooperative,” says the monster in an agreeable manner. “You are our first human contact since the sealing, so your. . . //kindness// has been appreciated. On behalf of UNDERFELL, we thank you. ” “S-So c-can I g-go–?” “No,” he says. “We cannot leave. Why would //you// be able to?” Her face screws up and her whimpers turn into hiccups as she starts to sob. “Ah. Yes. Crying. Because that will surely solve your situation,” he says sounding. . . amused? “Please.” she croaks. “Please. . . please. . .” “Mm-hmm,” goes the monster as he reaches around the table and pulls up another strap by her head. “Please let me–” He wraps the strap around her mouth, and she falls silent. You see a glow around the strap--perhaps magic? Was it enchanted to cancel nosie? “That’s better,” he says with a smile that gives you goosebumps. He steps back, and takes the tool that had been picked up by one of his floating hands. “I’ll be starting the dissection now.” Dissection– You realize what he holds is a scalpel and he drags the blade from the center of her chest down to her navel. You do not need to hear her scream to know she was. Even behind the strap over her mouth, her expression is contorted into agony. She writhes and thrashes against the bindings on the table, but it is to no avail. “I know humans aren’t //supposed// to turn to dust when they die, but it’s been. . . a long time. Who knows what has changed since the war? I have to be cautious, I don't want to waste this opportunity,” he says. “I will do my best to keep you alive through this process. Since I am doing my best, I hope you will also do your best to survive.” His smile stretches. “Then in the next experiment I’ll let you take something to numb the pain.” He pauses. He smiles. "Maybe." The video shuts off. The black marble plate has a reddish hue again. Red like her blood. You glance at the the rest of the crystal tablets. There must be over a hundred of them. A hundred. . . experiments. [[You feel violently sick. You are done. You are done with this. You do not want to rescue anyone who would do such a thing.]] [[You feel nauseous. This is horrible. You feel terrible for the victims. You feel terrible for the monsters.]] [[You are numb. You can’t process what you had witnessed.]] [[It is unfortunate, but it is not surprising. You can feel bad for those involved, but still accept and move on from what happened.]]

. . . [[You want to explore this floor.]]

This is it. This is the last straw. You are done with this. You leave. You leave the room. You leave the lab. You. Are. Done. No more sidestops. You are done. You want to go home. Flowey wakes up when you leave the lab. He lifts his head off your shoulder and asks, “Did you save Dr. Alphys?” No. “Good,” he says. Good, you agree. <<set $alphyssaved = 0>> <<set $helpedwing = 0>> You head out of the lab. It’s your first real look at the hotlands. The rock and stone are a reddish-brown, and you can hear bubbles of lava underneath. You see there are many bridges connecting different areas--it’s a very wide and open area--and there are signposts in the corners of each area. You move over to one of the sign posts. It reads: //Snowdin (West)// //City (North)// //Core (North)// //Laboratory (South)// //Fareming (East)// "We have to go through the core to get through the city," says Flowey. What was the core? Flowey gestures to the machine out in lava. "You see that big thing in the lava?" You do. "That's the core," he says, "I-It powers most of the underground. I'm not sure how it works. P-Part of the city is inside of it." Sounds interesting! "I guess," says Flowey, although you don't think he agrees with you. "Shall we go?" Yes, let's continue the journey. You walk across the hotlands, the air prickling your skin. Each breath is uncomfortable. You can feel yourself drying out with each step. It surprises you how much the //weather// is affecting you in an underground cave. You wonder what the city will be like. Will it be snowy like Snowdin? Wet like the marshlands? Or will you finally find an area that has a pleasant climate? Looking up, you notice the stalacites have those red crystals in them, as well as some black ones. Not that this area needs the light. The lava is bright enough it forces you to squint when you look at it. As you walk, you pass by an empty sentry station. It reminds you of the ones you had seen along the path to Snowdin. Peering inside you notice some empty mustard bottles. "Gross," says Flowey. [[You move past the sentry station.]]

It comes on in a wave of nausea. You feel your empty stomach churning and your throat burns. You swallowed repeatedly to try to keep whatever is bubbling from coming up. The room suddenly smells foul and it’s difficult to breathe. Your heart pounds painfully in your chest. Terrible, awful, //horrible//. A shudder goes through you, like a cold wind on a wet day. You violently shiver, wrapping your arms around yourself. Breathe. Breathe. Breathe. Don’t get sick. Don’t get sick. Don’t get sick. You’re okay. You’re okay. You’re okay. You get it. You hate it, but you get it. The monsters had just lost a war against humanity, were probably getting used to their isolation underground, and a human–their supposed enemy–falls into their lap. You don’t think humanity, so fresh after the war, would have been kind to a monster who escaped. It is a terrible situation–a tragedy. $Curse. $Curse. $Curse. $Curse. $Curse. Ugh. You understand--you do, you really do--but you can't //accept// it as the answer. You acknowledge the truth, but you know it could be better. You can make it better. People–monsters and humans–can do bad things. You want to show them it doesn't have to be that way. That's all you can do. [[You decide to look for more notes to read.]] [[You want to explore this floor.]]

Your mind goes blank. What? //What?// No. That didn’t– You didn’t just– Did you? Did you just–?! Breathe in. One. Two. Three. Breathe out. One. Two. Three. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Okay. You can think again. You saw a woman–//You saw a woman//– Torture. That’s the word. She was //tortured//. You did not see the entire experience, but it is not difficult for your mind to connect the dots. She likely wasn’t the last, either. You understand it intellectually, but processing it emotionally will take more time. $thosepoorhumans You get it. At least, you understand it. The monsters had just lost a war against humanity, were probably getting used to their isolation underground, and a human–their supposed enemy–falls into their lap. You don’t think humanity, so fresh after the war, would have been kind to a monster who escaped. It is a terrible situation–a tragedy, really–but it is in the past. People–monsters and humans–can do bad things. The only thing //you// can do is move forward and be better. That’s all anyone can do. [[You decide to look for more notes to read.]] [[You want to explore this floor.]]

You get it. You hate it, but you get it. The monsters had just lost a war against humanity, were probably getting used to their isolation underground, and a human–their supposed enemy–falls into their lap. You don’t think humanity, so fresh after the war, would have been kind to a monster who escaped. It is a terrible situation–a tragedy, really–but it is in the past. People–monsters and humans–can do bad things. The only thing //you// can do is move forward and be better. That’s all anyone can do. [[You decide to look for more notes to read.]] [[You want to explore this floor.]]

You find another one taped up on the wall, partially hidden by another diagram. <<set $harem += 1>> knock knock 🕈︎♒︎□︎❼︎⬧︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎❒︎♏︎✍︎ timefer ❄︎♓︎❍︎♏︎♐︎♏︎❒︎ ⬥︎♒︎□︎✍︎ :) timefer sleep you haven’t been home in a week ✋︎ ♎︎□︎■︎❼︎⧫︎ ●︎♓︎🙵♏︎ ⧫︎♒︎♓︎⬧︎ 🙰□︎🙵♏︎📬︎ it’s not a joke, stop shortcutting out of the room when i enter otherwise i will fill the entire lab with sleeping gas. go home. You wonder what shortcutting is. You reach out to touch the paper. It seems like whoever owns this room has someone who worries about them. . . . You wonder if the owner of this room is the same one who. . . . . . You see more notes. These are scrunched up. You carefully unwrap them. 💧︎♋︎■︎⬧︎ ⬥︎♋︎■︎⧫︎⬧︎ ⧫︎□︎ ⬧︎♏︎♏︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ⬧︎⧫︎♋︎❒︎⬧︎📬︎ 🏱︎♋︎◻︎⍓︎❒︎◆︎⬧︎ ⬥︎♋︎■︎⧫︎⬧︎ ⧫︎□︎ ♐︎♏︎♏︎●︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ⬥︎♓︎■︎♎︎📬︎ ✋︎⬧︎ ♓︎⧫︎ ⬧︎⧫︎❒︎♋︎■︎♑︎♏︎ ✋︎ ♎︎□︎ ■︎□︎⧫︎ ♍︎♋︎❒︎♏︎ ♐︎□︎❒︎ ♋︎■︎⍓︎ □︎♐︎ ♓︎⧫︎✍︎ 🕈︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ ♎︎♓︎♐︎♐︎♏︎❒︎♏︎■︎♍︎♏︎ ♎︎□︎♏︎⬧︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ❖︎♓︎♏︎⬥︎ ❍︎♋︎🙵♏︎✍︎ ✋︎ ⬥︎♓︎●︎●︎ ⬥︎□︎❒︎🙵 ♓︎■︎ ♋︎ ●︎♋︎♌︎□︎❒︎♋︎⧫︎□︎❒︎⍓︎ □︎■︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ⬧︎◆︎❒︎♐︎♋︎♍︎♏︎ ♋︎⬧︎ ✋︎ ⬥︎□︎◆︎●︎♎︎ ◆︎■︎♎︎♏︎❒︎♑︎❒︎□︎◆︎■︎♎︎📬︎ 💣︎⍓︎ ♓︎■︎⧫︎♏︎❒︎♏︎⬧︎⧫︎⬧︎ ⬥︎♓︎●︎●︎ ■︎□︎⧫︎ ♍︎♒︎♋︎■︎♑︎♏︎📬︎ ☠︎□︎⧫︎♒︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ♍︎♒︎♋︎■︎♑︎♏︎⬧︎📬︎ You flip it over. ✋︎⬧︎ ⧫︎♒︎♓︎⬧︎ ♋︎■︎ ♏︎♐︎♐︎♏︎♍︎⧫︎ □︎♐︎ ❍︎⍓︎ ☹︎✞︎☹︎ ♑︎□︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ◆︎◻︎✍︎ ☟︎♓︎⬧︎ 💣︎♋︎🙰♏︎⬧︎⧫︎⍓︎ ⬧︎♋︎♓︎♎︎ ⍓︎□︎◆︎❒︎ ❍︎♓︎■︎♎︎ ♍︎♒︎♋︎■︎♑︎♏︎⬧︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ❍︎□︎❒︎♏︎ ⍓︎□︎◆︎ ☹︎✞︎☹︎ ◆︎◻︎📬︎ ✋︎ ⧫︎♒︎♓︎■︎🙵 ✋︎ ◆︎⬧︎♏︎♎︎ ⧫︎□︎ ⬥︎♋︎■︎⧫︎ ⧫︎□︎ ⬧︎♏︎♏︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ⬧︎◆︎❒︎♐︎♋︎♍︎♏︎ ⬥︎♒︎♏︎■︎ ✋︎ ⬥︎♋︎⬧︎ ⍓︎□︎◆︎■︎♑︎♏︎❒︎📪︎ ♌︎◆︎⧫︎ ✋︎ ♍︎♋︎■︎■︎□︎⧫︎ ❒︎♏︎❍︎♏︎❍︎♌︎♏︎❒︎ ♋︎■︎⍓︎❍︎□︎❒︎♏︎📬︎ ☟︎♓︎⬧︎ 💣︎♋︎🙰♏︎⬧︎⧫︎⍓︎ ⬧︎♋︎♓︎♎︎ ⧫︎♒︎♓︎■︎♑︎⬧︎ ♍︎♒︎♋︎■︎♑︎♏︎ ⬥︎♒︎♏︎■︎ 💧︎⚐︎🕆︎☹︎👌︎⚐︎🕆︎☠︎👎︎📬︎ ☼︎♏︎♑︎♋︎❒︎♎︎●︎♏︎⬧︎⬧︎ □︎♐︎ ☹︎✞︎☹︎⬧︎📪︎ ♋︎ ❍︎□︎■︎⬧︎⧫︎♏︎❒︎❼︎⬧︎ 💧︎⚐︎🕆︎☹︎ ♐︎♏︎♏︎●︎⬧︎ ♋︎⧫︎ 📁︎ ⬥︎♒︎♏︎■︎ ⬥︎♓︎⧫︎♒︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎♓︎❒︎ 💧︎⚐︎🕆︎☹︎💣︎✌︎❄︎☜︎📬︎ ✋︎ ⬥︎□︎■︎♎︎♏︎❒︎ ⬥︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ ⧫︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ ♐︎♏︎♏︎●︎⬧︎ ●︎♓︎🙵♏︎📬︎ ✋︎ ♒︎♋︎❖︎♏︎■︎❼︎⧫︎ ♌︎♏︎♏︎■︎ 📁︎ ⬧︎♓︎■︎♍︎♏︎ The page is ripped at that point. You set it back down. There's where you notice a trashbin is filled with scrunched up papers. [[You dump them out on the floor and look through them.]]

There are dozens of papers with scrawled writing. Each one starts off with one line that gets scratched out. It looks like whoever wrote these greatly struggled. ==☝︎□︎□︎♎︎ ♎︎♋︎⍓︎== ---- ==✋︎ ♒︎♋︎❖︎♏︎ ⬥︎❒︎♓︎⧫︎⧫︎♏︎■︎ ⧫︎♒︎♓︎⬧︎ ⧫︎□︎== ---- ==✋︎■︎ ❒︎♏︎♑︎♋︎❒︎♎︎⬧︎ ⧫︎□︎ ❍︎⍓︎ ●︎♋︎♍︎🙵 □︎♐︎ ♍︎□︎■︎⧫︎❒︎□︎●︎ ♋︎■︎♎︎ ●︎♋︎⬧︎♒︎♓︎■︎♑︎ □︎◆︎⧫︎ ♋︎⧫︎ ⍓︎□︎◆︎== ---- ==✋︎ ♎︎♓︎♎︎ ■︎□︎⧫︎ ♓︎■︎⧫︎♏︎■︎♎︎ ⧫︎□︎== ---- ==💧︎♋︎■︎⬧︎📪︎ ✋︎❼︎❍︎ ⬧︎== ---- ==💧︎♋︎■︎⬧︎== ---- ==✋︎ ♒︎♋︎❖︎♏︎ ♐︎♓︎■︎♓︎⬧︎♒︎♏︎♎︎ ♍︎❒︎♏︎♋︎⧫︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ♋︎ ♒︎♏︎♋︎●︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ⬧︎□︎●︎◆︎⧫︎♓︎□︎■︎ ⧫︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ ⬥︎♓︎●︎●︎ ❍︎♏︎■︎♎︎ ♌︎❒︎□︎🙵♏︎■︎ ♌︎□︎■︎♏︎⬧︎ ⬥︎♓︎⧫︎♒︎♓︎■︎ ❍︎♓︎■︎◆︎⧫︎♏︎⬧︎ ⬧︎□︎ ⍓︎□︎◆︎ ⬥︎♓︎●︎●︎== ---- ==👌︎❒︎□︎⧫︎♒︎♏︎❒︎== ---- ==💣︎⍓︎ ♌︎❒︎□︎⧫︎♒︎♏︎❒︎📪︎ ✋︎ ♋︎❍︎== ---- ==✋︎ ♋︎❍︎ ⬧︎□︎❒︎❒︎⍓︎ ♐︎□︎❒︎ ♒︎◆︎❒︎⧫︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ⍓︎□︎◆︎📬︎== ---- What was so difficult for them to say? You see one more note. You pick it up and carefully unwrap it. ---- ==✋︎♐︎ ✋︎ ♐︎♓︎■︎♎︎ ❍︎⍓︎ 💧︎⚐︎🕆︎☹︎💣︎✌︎❄︎☜︎ ⬥︎♓︎●︎●︎ ✋︎ ♌︎♏︎ ♒︎♋︎◻︎◻︎⍓︎✍︎== ---- That's enough for now, you think. You hold the final note in your hands. <<if $friendshiproute eq 3>> You decide to keep this note as well. You're not sure why, you just. . . think you should. <</if>> [[You want to explore this floor.]]

<<set $poemTerms to ["yeh okay, sweet heart?", "HUMAN, ARE YOU ALL RIGHT?", "Are--Are you okay?","✌︎☼︎☜︎ ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎ 🕈︎☜︎☹︎☹︎✍︎", ". . . You better be okay."]>> <<cacheaudio "once" "music/once.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "corecity" "music/corecity.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "fallendown" "music/fallendown.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "ghostfight" "music/ghostfight.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "heartache" "music/heartache.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "hotlands" "music/hotlands.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "lab" "music/lab.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "Papyrusfight" "music/Papyrusfight.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "ruins" "music/ruins.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "Snowdin" "music/Snowdin.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "Snowy" "music/Snowy.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "softmoments" "music/softmoments.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "Undyne" "music/Undyne.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "waterfall" "music/waterfall.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "judgmenthall" "music/judgmenthall.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "menu" "music/startmenu.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "gaster" "music/gaster.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "hall" "music/hall.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "premo" "music/premo.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "Raining" "music/Raining.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "asgore" "music/asgore.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "barrier" "music/barrier.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "ending" "music/ending.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "memory" "music/memory.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "sweet" "music/sweet.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "undertale" "music/undertale.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "histheme" "music/histheme.mp3">>

<<link "Close Bar">> <<script>> UIBar.stow(); <</script>> <</link>> [[Music Selection]]

The castle is built into the cave walls. Faded gold-white stone is built beside dark stone and sparkling red crystals. There are intricate designs and murals carved into its side. You see large stained glass windows depicting the dawn. It is immaculate, beautiful, and feels terribly lonely. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "undertale"volume 0.15 loop play>> Your footsteps echo on the bridge. The castle is high above the City. You cross the bridge, you can look down and oversee the entire city as it sleeps. There are no guards at the wide castle doors. The doors open easily when you push them, although they loudly creak. You step inside. The front room reminds you a lot of Toriel's home in the Ruins, although a touch more upperscale. There are numerous candles that cast a warm glow around the front room, and the flooring is a golden mosaic with a red outline. The walls are a gray-black which only makes the golden floor pop out more. When the front doors shut behind you, you are enveloped in silence. There is another set of wide doors in front of you, and a hallway on your left. <<if (($wingdinggetssaved eq 1)) and ($friskhaschain eq 1)>> [[You think you hear a whisper to your right.]] <<else>> [[You choose to go down the hallway on the left.]] <</if>>

It tickles your ear. You turn your head to your right. You see a long. dark hallway. There is no light down it. You'll need to use your ''SOUL'' if you want to see ahead. You could have sworn you only saw one hallway when you first entered the castle. Perhaps you missed it due to how dark it is? After a moment of thought, you decide to go down it. You've gotten pretty good about calling on your ''SOUL''. It feels as natural as breathing to you now. It's hard to imagine your life //without// being able to call your ''SOUL''. The hallway has a thin layer of dust over it. You see cobwebs on the ceiling and wrapped around empty candle holders. Your $shoes leave little prints in the dust behind. There is another tickle in your left. You turn your head to it. There's a door. Well. There are many doors down this hallway, but for some reason you are compelled to be stopped by this door. Open it? [[Yes, open it.]] [[No, not yet.]]

As you walk down the hallway, you admire the paintings. All of them were handpainted and depict pretty environments. They range from mountains, to the oceans, to the night sky. You wonder who painted them. There are candle sticks in the walls. A crimson flame flickers to life as you walk by them. They must be the magical equivilant to auto-lights. How neat! <<cycle "$candlelights" autoselect>>\ <<option "You'd like to have of your own one day.">> <<option "You love magic.">> <<option "You wonder where the smoke goes.">> <<option "Do they have other colors besides red?">> <</cycle>> At the end of the hallway is a door. You push it open and are pleasantly surprised to find a magical garden. Beautiful yellow, white, and orange flowers blossom around a brick path. There are tall trees with golden leaves, and orange-colored rose bushes. There are lampposts with yellow-tinted magic crystals, their light mimicking that of the sun. Although it is without warmth. You follow the path. You take the time to stop and smell the flowers. <<if $asrielrom eq 6>> You'd like to visit this place with Flowey one day. <</if>> <<if $sanslove eq 6>> You'd like to lay in these flowers with Sans one day. <</if>> <<if $papslove eq 6>> You'd like to make a flower crown for Papyrus with these flowers one day. <</if>> The path winds around the castle and is built further into the cave. And then-- [[You see something strange.]]

At the back the castle there is a large opening in the cave. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "barrier"volume 0.15 loop play>> Noise hums all around you as you approach it. When you are close enough to get a proper look you see a wall of white. Oh. Oh! It's the barrier! This is it. You made it! Joy surges through you. You cannot stop your grin as you pick up your pace. You did it. You made it all the way out. You can leave. More than that, you can tell the other humans about UNDERFELL. They can send ambassadors, diplomats--proper professionals with the know-how to help convince the monsters. Perhaps the wizards could even destroy the barrier themselves? All the monsters could be freed. <<if $asrielrom eq 6>> You could take Flowey to see the stars. <</if>> <<if $sanslove eq 6>> You could see the sunrise with Sans. <</if>> <<if $papslove eq 6>> You could take Papyrus to your favorite restaurant. <</if>> No more deaths. No more despair. No more loneliness. This was it! <<if $asrielrom eq 6>> [[You run through the barrier, thinking of Flowey.]] <<elseif $sanslove eq 6>> [[You run through the barrier, thinking of Sans.]] <<elseif $papslove eq 6>> [[You run through the barrier, thinking of Papyrus.]] <<elseif $mettaton gt 2>> [[You run through the barrier, thinking of Mettaton.]] <<else>> [[You run through the barrier, thinking of everyone you've met along the way.]] <</if>>

He's your last thought as you cross. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "memory"volume 0.15 loop play>> Your body passes through something unseen and oddly tingly; a brush of vibrating energy. It’s like running through a blanket of electrified mist. It’s such a strange sensation that it sticks out to you. Once you are through the barrier you suck in the fresh air and look around. It looks like you are quite high up the mountain! The sky is dark, but not terribly so. You figure it's near dawn. You smile to yourself. That's good. The extra light will make it easier to go down the mountain. Oh, and look at that, you spot a little path. How nice. You start to climb down the path, a skip in your step. You can't wait to find someone. You can't wait to return and see Flowey again! You have to actively refrain yourself from sprinting down the mountain. It wouldn't do to break a bone, after all. Still. You're brimming with excitement. You want the trip back down to be over already. You want to be back in the city and-- --and. . . . . . You dazedly walk down the mountain, your mind feeling foggy. You don't even realize you made it to the bottom until your feet touch flat land and the sun is over the horizon. Gosh, were you really out all night? You go to check your phone to see the time. Weird. It's dead? You're normally so good about keeping it charged. Oh well. You yawn and stretch your arms. You feel really tired. That makes sense though! You were out all night exploring the mountain. . . . Although you don't remember why. That's okay. You don't need to. As long as you have you, you'll be okay! [[Right?]]

He's your last thought as you cross. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "memory"volume 0.15 loop play>> Your body passes through something unseen and oddly tingly; a brush of vibrating energy. It’s like running through a blanket of electrified mist. It’s such a strange sensation that it sticks out to you. Once you are through the barrier you suck in the fresh air and look around. It looks like you are quite high up the mountain! The sky is dark, but not terribly so. You figure it's near dawn. You smile to yourself. That's good. The extra light will make it easier to go down the mountain. Oh, and look at that, you spot a little path. How nice. You start to climb down the path, a skip in your step. You can't wait to find someone. You can't wait to return and see Sans again! You have to actively refrain yourself from sprinting down the mountain. It wouldn't do to break a bone, after all. Still. You're brimming with excitement. You want the trip back down to be over already. You want to be back in the city and-- --and. . . . . . You dazedly walk down the mountain, your mind feeling foggy. You don't even realize you made it to the bottom until your feet touch flat land and the sun is over the horizon. Gosh, were you really out all night? You go to check your phone to see the time. Weird. It's dead? You're normally so good about keeping it charged. Oh well. You yawn and stretch your arms. You feel really tired. That makes sense though! You were out all night exploring the mountain. . . . Although you don't remember why. That's okay. You don't need to. As long as you have you, you'll be okay! [[Won't you?]]

He's your last thought as you cross. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "memory"volume 0.15 loop play>> Your body passes through something unseen and oddly tingly; a brush of vibrating energy. It’s like running through a blanket of electrified mist. It’s such a strange sensation that it sticks out to you. Once you are through the barrier you suck in the fresh air and look around. It looks like you are quite high up the mountain! The sky is dark, but not terribly so. You figure it's near dawn. You smile to yourself. That's good. The extra light will make it easier to go down the mountain. Oh, and look at that, you spot a little path. How nice. You start to climb down the path, a skip in your step. You can't wait to find someone. You can't wait to return and see Papyrus again! You have to actively refrain yourself from sprinting down the mountain. It wouldn't do to break a bone, after all. Still. You're brimming with excitement. You want the trip back down to be over already. You want to be back in the city and-- --and. . . . . . You dazedly walk down the mountain, your mind feeling foggy. You don't even realize you made it to the bottom until your feet touch flat land and the sun is over the horizon. Gosh, were you really out all night? You go to check your phone to see the time. Weird. It's dead? You're normally so good about keeping it charged. Oh well. You yawn and stretch your arms. You feel really tired. That makes sense though! You were out all night exploring the mountain. . . . Although you don't remember why. That's okay. You don't need to. As long as you have you, you'll be okay! [[You will be, won't you?]]

Your body passes through something unseen and oddly tingly; a brush of vibrating energy. It’s like running through a blanket of electrified mist. It’s such a strange sensation that it sticks out to you. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "memory"volume 0.15 loop play>> Once you are through the barrier you suck in the fresh air and look around. It looks like you are quite high up the mountain! The sky is dark, but not terribly so. You figure it's near dawn. You smile to yourself. That's good. The extra light will make it easier to go down the mountain. Oh, and look at that, you spot a little path. How nice. You start to climb down the path, a skip in your step. You can't wait to find someone. You can't wait to return! You have to actively refrain yourself from sprinting down the mountain. It wouldn't do to break a bone, after all. Still. You're brimming with excitement. You want the trip back down to be over already. You want to be back in the city and-- --and. . . . . . You dazedly walk down the mountain, your mind feeling foggy. You don't even realize you made it to the bottom until your feet touch flat land and the sun is over the horizon. Gosh, were you really out all night? You go to check your phone to see the time. Weird. It's dead? You're normally so good about keeping it charged. Oh well. You yawn and stretch your arms. You feel really tired. That makes sense though! You were out all night exploring the mountain. . . . Although you don't remember why. That's okay. You don't need to. As long as you have you, you'll be okay! [[Isn't that right?]]

<<timed 1s>> Sans <</timed>> <<timed 2s>> hopes <</timed>> <<timed 3s>> you <</timed>> <<timed 4s>> enjoy <</timed>> <<timed 5s>> the <</timed>> <<timed 6s>> sunrise. <</timed>> <<timed 10s>> Do you? NEUTRAL ENDING - SANS ROUTE. <<click "Restart">><<script>>Engine.restart()<</script>><</click>> [[Help before restarting - what did I miss?]] <</timed>> <<timed 15s>> //knew yeh'd leave. everyone does.// <</timed>> <<timed 20s>> //why'd yeh have to be like everyone?// <</timed>>

<<timed 1s>> He <</timed>> <<timed 2s>> hopes <</timed>> <<timed 3s>> you <</timed>> <<timed 4s>> are <</timed>> <<timed 5s>> happy. <</timed>> <<timed 10s>> Are you? NEUTRAL ENDING - ASRIEL ROUTE. <<click "Restart">><<script>>Engine.restart()<</script>><</click>> [[Help before restarting - what did I miss?]] <</timed>> <<timed 15s>> //You promised.// <</timed>> <<timed 18s>> //I miss you.// <</timed>> <<timed 21s>> //What's the point of getting better if you're not here?// <</timed>>

<<timed 1s>> Papyrus <</timed>> <<timed 2s>> hopes <</timed>> <<timed 3s>> you <</timed>> <<timed 4s>> are <</timed>> <<timed 5s>> safe <</timed>> <<timed 6s>> now. <</timed>> <<timed 10s>> But are you happy? NEUTRAL ENDING - PAPYRUS ROUTE. <<click "Restart">><<script>>Engine.restart()<</script>><</click>> [[Help before restarting - what did I miss?]] <</timed>> <<timed 15s>> //THIS IS FOR THE BEST.// <</timed>> <<timed 18s>> //YOU ARE SAFE NOW, THAT IS ALL THAT MATTERS.// <</timed>> <<timed 21s>> //. . .// <</timed>>

<<timed 3s>> Is this the ending you wanted? <</timed>> <<timed 6s>> NEUTRAL ENDING - FRIENDSHIP ROUTE. <<click "Restart">><<script>>Engine.restart()<</script>><</click>> [[Help before restarting - what did I miss?]] <</timed>>

//Creak.// Your $soulcolor light illuminates what appears to be a small bedroom. There is one bed pushed off to the side. You see toys scattered around the floor, and a toy chest filled to the brim with stuffed animals at the end of the bed. There is a dresser at the back wall. There are photos lined along it. You step closer to it, intent on looking at the pictures, but feel a tug on your sweater. You look behind you. There's nothing there. You frown. You feel something small and cold grasp your hand. You freeze. By the time you turn your head to look, you see nothing there. But there is something in your hand now. A $chaincolor locket. Your $eyecolor eyes widen as you realize this is the locket to go with the chain. You pull the chain out of your pocket and sure enough it's a perfect fit for the clasp. Ah. How romantic. Lockets fell out of style before you were born, but you've seen them in movies and read about them from books. They're supposed to be used to carry a picture of someone you love, or at least someone who's in your heart. It's a warm sentiment. You hold the locket in your hand. <<if $asrielrom eq 6>> [[You can't help but think you'd like to see Flowey inside.]] ♡ <<elseif $sanslove eq 6>> [[You can't help but think you'd like to see Sans inside.]] ♡ <<elseif $papslove eq 6>> [[You can't help but think you'd like to see Papyrus inside.]] ♡ <<elseif $grillbylove eq 5>> [[You can't help but think you'd like to see Grillby inside.]] ♡ <<elseif $mettaton eq 8>> [[You can't help but think you'd like to see Mettaton inside.]] ♡ <<elseif $harem eq 8>> [[You can't help but think of certain monsters inside.]] ♡ <<else>> [[You can't help but think you'd like to see Wingding inside.]] ♡ Warning: this locks you into the Wingding romance. [[You can't help but think you'd like to see a picture of all your friends inside.]] <</if>>

That's okay, take your time. [[Yes, open it.]]

Wouldn't that be nice? //Click.// There is a clicking sound from the locket. You unfurl your hands and it pops open. A soft gasp escapes you. It //is// Sans! A smiling Sans! One who looks genuinely happy. Your heart warms and you hold the locket close to you. Your lips turn up in a smile. //Good for you.// You startle from the whisper. You look around but you don't see anyone. . . . You. . . <<cycle "$charagoodbye" autoselect>>\ <<option "You thank them. . . for the chain, and the locket.">> <<option "You quietly thank them.">> <<option ". . .">> <<option "You mumble a thanks.">> <</cycle>> You think it's time to leave the most definitely haunted room now. [[You head back out into the hallway.]]

He'd look so cute. //Click.// There is a clicking sound from the locket. You unfurl your hands and it pops open. Your brow creases. It's a monster you do not recognize. He looks kind of like Toriel: a white-furred goat-like monster with golden eyes. Unlike Toriel, however, he seems incredibly happy. Hmm. You aren't sure why, but you feel disappointed. Maybe you can replace the picture later. You can take a photo together. You slip the locket on. //Look after him, please.// You startle from the whisper. You look around but you don't see anyone. . . . You. . . <<cycle "$charagoodbye" autoselect>>\ <<option "You thank them. . . for the chain, and the locket.">> <<option "You quietly thank them.">> <<option ". . .">> <<option "You mumble a thanks.">> <</cycle>> You think it's time to leave the most definitely haunted room now. [[You head back out into the hallway.]]

Oh that'd be lovely! //Click.// There is a clicking sound from the locket. You unfurl your hands and it pops open. A soft gasp escapes you. It //is// Papyrus! A beaming Papyrus! One who looks overjoyed. Your heart warms and you hold the locket close to you. Your lips turn up in a smile. //How wonderful for you.// You startle from the whisper. You look around but you don't see anyone. . . . You. . . <<cycle "$charagoodbye" autoselect>>\ <<option "You thank them. . . for the chain, and the locket.">> <<option "You quietly thank them.">> <<option ". . .">> <<option "You mumble a thanks.">> <</cycle>> You think it's time to leave the most definitely haunted room now. [[You head back out into the hallway.]]

Wouldn't that be nice? //Click.// There is a clicking sound from the locket. You unfurl your hands and it pops open. Your eyes widen. <<if $watchedthevideo eq 1>> It's the skeleton monster from the video you had watched in the lab. The one who. . . You knew, in the back of your mind, there was a good chance that he and Wingding were the same. You think this locket confirms it. Or it's a very crazy coincidence that the magic locket pops open and shows you that picture. You knew it. . . yet you still thought of him anyway. <<else>> It's a skeleton monster. He has a skinnier face than Sans, but it's smoother than Papyrus'. His mouth looks jagged and sharp, and his red eyes stand out to you. He's not smiling, but you get the impression he is happy. Is this Wingding? It would make sense. Why else would the magic locket open at that exact time. . .? <</if>> Your heart warms and you hold the locket close to you. Your lips turn up in a smile. //I hope you make each other happy.// You startle from the whisper. You look around but you don't see anyone. . . . You. . . <<cycle "$charagoodbye" autoselect>>\ <<option "You thank them. . . for the chain, and the locket.">> <<option "You quietly thank them.">> <<option ". . .">> <<option "You mumble a thanks.">> <</cycle>> You think it's time to leave the most definitely haunted room now. [[You head out into the hallway.]]

How sweet. //Click.// There is a clicking sound from the locket. You unfurl your hands and it pops open. A soft gasp escapes you. Inside the locket is a flickering image that constantly changes between one friend to another. Your heart warms and you hold the locket close to you. Your lips turn up in a smile. //I'm glad.// You startle from the whisper. You look around but you don't see anyone. . . . You. . . <<cycle "$charagoodbye" autoselect>>\ <<option "You thank them. . . for the chain, and the locket.">> <<option "You quietly thank them.">> <<option ". . .">> <<option "You mumble a thanks.">> <</cycle>> You think it's time to leave the most definitely haunted room now. [[You head back out into the hallway.]]

//Thank you.// <<cycle "$yourewelcome" autoselect>>\ <<option "You're welcome.">> <<option "You're welcome, ghost child.">> <<option "You hope they find peace.">> <<option ". . .">> <<option ". . . You kindly ask the ghost child to not haunt you on the surface.">> <</cycle>> You go back to the front room. You look back down at the locket and admire what you see inside. It fills you with joyous bubbles and DETERMINATION. You could go down the left hallway, or you could go through the front doors. After a moment of thought, you decide to go through the front doors and head further into the castle. You push open the doors and are greeted by a long corridor with black and red tiles. You walk down it, your $shoes making a quiet //click// sound with each step. You look around as you continue. [[It feels mostly empty.]]

//Thank you.// <<cycle "$yourewelcome" autoselect>>\ <<option "You're welcome.">> <<option "You're welcome, ghost child.">> <<option "You hope they find peace.">> <<option ". . .">> <<option ". . . You kindly ask the ghost child to not haunt you on the surface.">> <</cycle>> You look back down at the locket. You wonder, if perhaps, Wingding has made any progress? While you strongly resent the void, you have opposite feelings for Wingding and that is enough to make you go back in. You first leave the hallway--you have no desire to rest against such dusty walls--and head back to the front room. [[You take a deep breath, steady yourself, and then fall into the void.]]

As you walk down the hallway, you admire the paintings. All of them were handpainted and depict pretty environments. They range from mountains, to the oceans, to the night sky. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "undertale"volume 0.15 loop play>> You wonder who painted them. There are candle sticks in the walls. A crimson flame flickers to life as you walk by them. They must be the magical equivilant to auto-lights. How neat! <<cycle "$candlelights" autoselect>>\ <<option "You'd like to have of your own one day.">> <<option "You love magic.">> <<option "You wonder where the smoke goes.">> <<option "Do they have other colors besides red?">> <</cycle>> This hallway, you are pleased to note is not covered in dust, grime, and cobwebs. At the end of the hallway is a door. You push it open and are pleasantly surprised to find a magical garden. Beautiful yellow, white, and orange flowers blossom around a brick path. There are tall trees with golden leaves, and orange-colored rose bushes. There are lampposts with yellow-tinted magic crystals, their light mimicking that of the sun. Although it is without warmth. You follow the path. You take the time to stop and smell the flowers. <<if $asrielrom eq 6>> You'd like to visit this place with Flowey one day. <</if>> <<if $sanslove eq 6>> You'd like to lay in these flowers with Sans one day. <</if>> <<if $papslove eq 6>> You'd like to make a flower crown for Papyrus with these flowers one day. <</if>> The path winds around the castle and is built further into the cave. And then-- [[You see something strange. It must be the barrier.]]

The hands are on you in an instant. They grip your face, your arms, your sides, your hips, your legs-- <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "gaster"volume 0.15 loop play>> ☟︎☜︎☹︎☹︎⚐︎📪︎ 👎︎☜︎✌︎☼︎ ☟︎🕆︎💣︎✌︎☠︎📬︎ //HELLO, DEAR HUMAN.// The distorted voice bounces in your head as you sink further into //wrongness.// You think it's gotten easier to hear the voice, however. It takes you a moment to find your voice in the sea of cold, inky blackness. You ask Wingding if he has any idea on how to free himself. ✡︎☜︎💧︎📬︎ //YES.// That's great! Is there something you can do? ✡︎☜︎💧︎📬︎ ✋︎ ☠︎☜︎☜︎👎︎ ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎☼︎ ☟︎☜︎☹︎🏱︎📬︎ //YES. I NEED YOUR HELP.// He's got it. What does he need? 🕈︎☜︎ ☞︎✋︎☼︎💧︎❄︎ 💣︎🕆︎💧︎❄︎ ☝︎⚐︎ ❄︎⚐︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ 👌︎✌︎☼︎☼︎✋︎☜︎☼︎📪︎ ✌︎☠︎👎︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎☠︎ ✋︎ 🕈︎✋︎☹︎☹︎ ☠︎☜︎☜︎👎︎ ❄︎⚐︎ 👌︎⚐︎☼︎☼︎⚐︎🕈︎ ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎☼︎ 💧︎⚐︎🕆︎☹︎ ☞︎⚐︎☼︎ ✌︎ 👌︎☼︎✋︎☜︎☞︎ 🏱︎☜︎☼︎✋︎⚐︎👎︎ ⚐︎☞︎ ❄︎✋︎💣︎☜︎📬︎ //WE FIRST MUST GO TO THE BARRIER, AND THEN I WILL NEED TO BORROW YOUR SOUL FOR A BRIEF PERIOD OF TIME.// You shiver as he talks. The void presses on you in every direction. It's almost too much: you do your best to bear with the discomfort. You'd like a little more of an elaboration on that. ✋︎ 🕈︎✋︎☹︎☹︎ 🕆︎💧︎☜︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ 🏱︎⚐︎🕈︎☜︎☼︎ ⚐︎☞︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ 👌︎✌︎☼︎☼︎✋︎☜︎☼︎ ❄︎⚐︎ ☞︎☼︎☜︎☜︎ 💣︎✡︎💧︎☜︎☹︎☞︎📪︎ 👌︎🕆︎❄︎ ✌︎ ☟︎🕆︎💣︎✌︎☠︎ 💧︎⚐︎🕆︎☹︎ ✋︎💧︎ ☼︎☜︎✈︎🕆︎✋︎☼︎☜︎👎︎ ❄︎⚐︎ ☜︎☠︎❄︎☜︎☼︎ ✌︎☠︎👎︎ ☹︎☜︎✌︎✞︎☜︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ ✞︎⚐︎✋︎👎︎📬︎ ✋︎ ☠︎☜︎☜︎👎︎ ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎☼︎💧︎ ✌︎💧︎ ✌︎📬︎📬︎📬︎ 👌︎☜︎✌︎👍︎⚐︎☠︎📬︎ //I WILL USE THE POWER OF THE BARRIER TO FREE MYSELF, BUT A HUMAN SOUL IS REQUIRED TO ENTER AND LEAVE THE VOID. I NEED YOURS AS A. . . BEACON.// That makes sense. You think. It's getting harder to focus the longer you linger. You agree. ❄︎☟︎☜︎ 👌︎✌︎☼︎☼︎✋︎☜︎☼︎ ✋︎💧︎ 👌︎☜︎☟︎✋︎☠︎👎︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ 👍︎✌︎💧︎❄︎☹︎☜︎📬︎ ❄︎✌︎😐︎☜︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ ☟︎✌︎☹︎☹︎ ⚐︎☠︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ ☹︎☜︎☞︎❄︎ ✌︎☠︎👎︎ ☞︎⚐︎☹︎☹︎⚐︎🕈︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ 🏱︎✌︎❄︎☟︎📬︎ 👎︎⚐︎ ☠︎⚐︎❄︎ 👍︎☼︎⚐︎💧︎💧︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ 👌︎✌︎☼︎☼︎✋︎☜︎☼︎📪︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎☼︎☜︎ ✋︎💧︎ ✌︎☠︎ ☜︎✠︎❄︎☼︎✌︎ ☜︎☠︎👍︎☟︎✌︎☠︎❄︎💣︎☜︎☠︎❄︎📬︎ //THE BARRIER IS BEHIND THE CASTLE. TAKE THE HALL ON THE LEFT AND FOLLOW THE PATH. DO NOT CROSS THE BARRIER, THERE IS AN EXTRA ENCHANTMENT.// You'd like to ask more, but your ''SOUL'' aches from the void's touch. You must leave. You gasp for air as soon as you leave. You dry-heave, retch, and shudder from the linger affects. $Curse you hate it there. You breathe through your nose, and out your mouth. One breath. Two breaths. . . . At thirty you no longer feel sick. Left hallway, he said. And so down the left hallway you go. [[You go down the left hallway.]]

<<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "barrier"volume 0.15 loop play>> Noise hums all around you as you approach it. When you are close enough to get a proper look you see a wall of white. It must be the barrier. Wingding said it's at the back of the castle--which is where you are now--and it's a literal wall of humming white light blocking an entire cave. The next step is to let Wingding borrow your ''SOUL''. Ah, $curse. You have to go back into the void. But! This! Could be the last time! You fervently hope! You don't give yourself time to warm up. You're excited to be done with the void forever so you fall straight in. [[And into hands that you've come to know so well.]]

You slide into that pool of darkness and tell Wingding you're at the barrier. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "gaster"volume 0.15 loop play>> ❄︎☟︎✌︎☠︎😐︎ ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎ 💣︎✡︎ 👎︎☜︎✌︎☼︎ //THANK YOU MY DEAR// You ask him what you need to do next. 🏱︎☹︎☜︎✌︎💧︎☜︎ //PLEASE// 💧︎☟︎⚐︎🕈︎ 💣︎☜︎ ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎☼︎ 💧︎⚐︎🕆︎☹︎📬︎ //SHOW ME YOUR SOUL.// That's something you can do. You're actually really good at it now! You present your ''SOUL''. The hands move to grasp it. //Oh!// You want to flinch away from their touch. It's like ice on bareskin. You don't take away your SOUL, however. You're certain he wants to leave the void as much as you do, after all. The hands tighten around it, and you feel. . . something? An echo of magic, perhaps? There is a reverberation of noise in your mind, first tangled and messy but not for long. There is a sensation of being enveloped entirely by that faint magic. You no longer feel the wrongness of the void, only that magic. His magic. Wingding's. You sink into it, body and ''SOUL''. ☝︎⚐︎⚐︎👎︎📬︎ ❄︎☟︎✋︎💧︎ 💣︎✌︎✡︎📬︎📬︎📬︎✍︎ //GOOD. THIS MAY. . .?// //This may. . .?// He cut himself off. There is surge in his magic and you catch an emotion that does not belong to you. Curiousity. Then you catch another. Surprise. And another. Delight. ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎ ☟︎✌︎✞︎☜︎ ✌︎ 💧︎🏱︎⚐︎❄︎ ☞︎⚐︎☼︎ 💣︎☜︎ ✋︎☠︎ ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎☼︎ ☟︎☜︎✌︎☼︎❄︎✍︎ //YOU HAVE A SPOT FOR ME IN YOUR HEART?// Wingding's voice feels different in your mind. While he has never been rude to you, the way he spoke to you just now feels different. Warmer. The hands around your ''SOUL'' become gentler in their grip. ☝︎⚐︎⚐︎👎︎📬︎ ❄︎☟︎✋︎💧︎ 🕈︎✋︎☹︎☹︎ ⚐︎☠︎☹︎✡︎ ❄︎✌︎😐︎☜︎ ✌︎ 💣︎⚐︎💣︎☜︎☠︎❄︎📬︎ //THIS WILL ONLY TAKE A MOMENT.// [[And the moment is over.]]

<<set $wingbold = 1>> <<set $wingshy = 0>> His smile curls further. He pulls you to your feet and into him, resting one hand on the small of your back. <<if $hashair eq 1>> With his other hand he runs his fingers through your $hairtype $haircolor hair. <</if>> "Thank you," he says in a rumbling, low voice. "You saved me." <<cycle "$happytosavewing" autoselect>>\ <<option "You say you were happy to help!">> <<option "You quietly thank them.">> <<option ". . .">> <<option "You mumble a thanks.">> <</cycle>> He leans down and presses his forehead against yours. He feels cool against your skin. "Simply thanking you feels too. . . little." You put your hands on his chest and tilt your head up to bump your nose into his face. You ask him what else he has in mind. "I can think of several things," he purrs. "What a ludicrous sight," states a deep voice. You hear a //tt// noise from Wingding as he lifts his head away from you to look at the owner of the voice. You also turn your head. It's another goat monster. He is massive in stature with gray fur, a black beard, and dark armor that glints golden in the light. His red cape flutters behind him as he strides closer to you two. On his head is a three-spiked gold crown. "Hello, King Asgore," Wingding says flatly. The king stares at the two of you for a moment. He dryly asks, "Should I have come at a later time?" Wingding and you immediately say, "Yes." King Asgore scoffs. "Now I understand why the human has been so confident traveling through UNDERFELL, and how it managed to dissuade my Royal Guards." "Oho?" Wingding cocks his head. "Managing to seduce my top Royal Scientist explains it all. You must have--" Wingding lets out a loud //ha//. "I came in much later, Your Majesty." King Asgore raises a brow at that. "Then you've no reason to be so attached. Return to my side, Gaster. We can restore the barrier by the end of the day." <<if $gender eq "woman">> Wingding rubs his right hand up and down your back. "And give up her ''SOUL''? I think not." Wingding smiles coldly. "Come now, Your Majesty. You're a smart monster. I'm a vastly smarter monster. We both know where this is going. Do we really need to drag out the pleasantries?" <<elseif $gender eq "person">> Wingding rubs his right hand up and down your back. "And give up their ''SOUL''? I think not." Wingding smiles coldly. "Come now, Your Majesty. You're a smart monster. I'm a vastly smarter monster. We both know where this is going. Do we really need to drag out the pleasantries?" <<elseif $gender eq "man">> Wingding rubs his right hand up and down your back. "And give up his ''SOUL''? I think not." Wingding smiles coldly. "Come now, Your Majesty. You're a smart monster. I'm a vastly smarter monster. We both know where this is going. Do we really need to drag out the pleasantries?" <</if>> "You've always been stupidly stubborn when something catches your attention," says Asgore with a shake of his head. "A pity it now leads to your dusting." "Attention feels too small of a word," says Wingding. "Do you honestly believe I'd fight you over something as meaingless as a passing fancy?" "Then what would would you call this?" the king gestures to you. "Isn't it clear? There's only one thing worth the fight. We both know I don't care one way or another if monsters stay underground or go to the surface. Make peace with humanity. Go to war with humanity. It doesn't matter to me. All of it pales in comparison to my work." Asgore's yellow eyes narrow into slits. "You cannot //possibly// mean to imply you have--" <<if $gender eq "woman">> "In the process," Wingding says succinctly. He waves his left hand in a dismissive manner."She is still young, you know. But her ''SOUL'' speaks for itself." <<elseif $gender eq "person">> "In the process," Wingding says succinctly. He waves his left hand in a dismissive manner."They are still young, you know. But their ''SOUL'' speaks for itself." <<elseif $gender eq "man">> "In the process," Wingding says succinctly. He waves his left hand in a dismissive manner."He is still young, you know. But his ''SOUL'' speaks for itself." <</if>> <<cycle "$excuseme" autoselect>>\ <<option "You clear your throat.">> <<option "You kindly ask for an explanation.">> <<option "You tell them to stop talking about you like you aren’t there.">> <<option "You go //um//.">> <</cycle>> "Apologies, my dear," says Wingding. "Your Majesty, do you mind?" King Asgore snorts derisively. "This I have to hear." Wingding moves his hands to your hips. He turns you to face him fully. He says, "Because you are you, and I am me, you were able to find me in the void. For twenty years, no one else has been able to achieve this. Yet you did. . . by accident no less. Can you guess why?" You shake your head. Wingding smiles at you. "My dear, do you know what a ''SOULMATE'' is?" <<if $soulmatebookread eq 1>> You do! You even read about the monsters' perspectives on ''SOULMATES'' in the lab. You happily nod. "Good. Are you familiar with the term ''SOULACCEPTANCE''?" Yes, you read about that. It's a test between two ''SOULs'' to check for compatability as ''SOULMATES''. "You could find me--you were drawn to me, and I you--because our ''SOULs'' have perfect compatability," he explains. <<else>> You have heard the term before on the surface--''SOULMATE''--but it was something reserved for a very rare few. There is only one living pair of ''SOULMATES''. One is one of the remaining wizards of humanity, who is ''SOULBOUND'' to a non-magical human. A ''SOULBIND'' can only occurr if one partner has magic, so with the decline of magical humans. . . It is a romanticized concept for humanity. You know a ''SOULMATE'' is a union between two SOULs. You know that when one ''SOULMATE'' dies, the other follows within a day. You explain what you know. "There is a little more to the process," says Wingding. "A union cannot be formed easily. A ''SOULACCEPTANCE'' must be done first: a test between two ''SOULs'' to check for compatability as ''SOULMATES''." That makes sense. "You could find me--you were drawn to me, and I you--because our SOULs have perfect compatability," he explains. <</if>> Wait. Does that mean-- Is he implying-- You and Wingding. . . could be SOULMATES? "Yes," he says. "And that is something worth fighting for." Wow. But wait, you don't want him to fight. You don't want anyone to fight. There's no need to. <<if ((($torielhug eq 1))) and (($friskhasstick)) eq 1 and ($shyrenspared eq 1)>> [["I couldn't have said it better myself, dear human."]] <<else>> [["Then fight. . . and die."]] <</if>>

<<set $wingbold = 0>> <<set $wingshy = 1>> You shyly look away. "Now, now," he says. " I want a proper look at my savior." He uses one hand to grab your chin and force you to look up at him. "There, that's better." You swallow roughly, nervous and filled with butterflies. <<if $hashair eq 1>> With his other hand he runs his fingers through your $hairtype $haircolor hair. <</if>> "Thank you," he says in a rumbling, low voice. "You saved me." <<cycle "$happytosavewing" autoselect>>\ <<option "You say you were happy to help!">> <<option "You quietly thank them.">> <<option ". . .">> <<option "You mumble a thanks.">> <</cycle>> He leans down and presses his forehead against yours. He feels cool against your skin. "Simply thanking you feels too. . . little." OH. You think you could disintegrate on the spot. You want to look away, yet you cannot. Your $eyecolor eyes are glued to his red eyelights. "Luckily, I can think of several alternatives," he purrs. "What a ludicrous sight," states a deep voice. You hear a //tt// noise from Wingding as he lifts his head away from you to look at the owner of the voice. You also turn your head. It's another goat monster. He is massive in stature with gray fur, a black beard, and dark armor that glints golden in the light. His red cape flutters behind him as he strides closer to you two. On his head is a three-spiked gold crown. "Hello, King Asgore," Wingding says flatly. The king stares at the two of you for a moment. He dryly asks, "Should I have come at a later time?" Wingding immediately says, "Yes." At the same time you try to squeak out a //no.// King Asgore scoffs. "Now I understand why the human has been so confident traveling through UNDERFELL, and how it managed to dissuade my Royal Guards." "Oho?" Wingding cocks his head. "Managing to seduce my top Royal Scientist explains it all. You must have--" Wingding lets out a loud //ha//. "I came in much later, Your Majesty." King Asgore raises a brow at that. "Then you've no reason to be so attached. Return to my side, Gaster. We can restore the barrier by the end of the day." <<if $gender eq "woman">> Wingding rubs his right hand up and down your back. "And give up her ''SOUL''? I think not." Wingding smiles coldly. "Come now, Your Majesty. You're a smart monster. I'm a vastly smarter monster. We both know where this is going. Do we really need to drag out the pleasantries?" <<elseif $gender eq "person">> Wingding rubs his right hand up and down your back. "And give up their ''SOUL''? I think not." Wingding smiles coldly. "Come now, Your Majesty. You're a smart monster. I'm a vastly smarter monster. We both know where this is going. Do we really need to drag out the pleasantries?" <<elseif $gender eq "man">> Wingding rubs his right hand up and down your back. "And give up his ''SOUL''? I think not." Wingding smiles coldly. "Come now, Your Majesty. You're a smart monster. I'm a vastly smarter monster. We both know where this is going. Do we really need to drag out the pleasantries?" <</if>> "You've always been stupidly stubborn when something catches your attention," says Asgore with a shake of his head. "A pity it now leads to your dusting." "Attention feels too small of a word," says Wingding. "Do you honestly believe I'd fight you over something as meaingless as a passing fancy?" "Then what would would you call this?" the king gestures to you. "Isn't it clear? There's only one thing worth the fight. We both know I don't care one way or another if monsters stay underground or go to the surface. Make peace with humanity. Go to war with humanity. It doesn't matter to me. All of it pales in comparison to my work." Asgore's yellow eyes narrow into slits. "You cannot //possibly// mean to imply you have--" <<if $gender eq "woman">> "In the process," Wingding says succinctly. He waves his left hand in a dismissive manner."She is still young, you know. But her ''SOUL'' speaks for itself." <<elseif $gender eq "person">> "In the process," Wingding says succinctly. He waves his left hand in a dismissive manner."They are still young, you know. But their ''SOUL'' speaks for itself." <<elseif $gender eq "man">> "In the process," Wingding says succinctly. He waves his left hand in a dismissive manner."He is still young, you know. But his ''SOUL'' speaks for itself." <</if>> <<cycle "$excuseme" autoselect>>\ <<option "You clear your throat.">> <<option "You kindly ask for an explanation.">> <<option "You tell them to stop talking about you like you aren’t there.">> <<option "You go //um//.">> <</cycle>> "Apologies, my dear," says Wingding. "Your Majesty, do you mind?" King Asgore snorts derisively. "This I have to hear." Wingding moves his hands to your hips. He turns you to face him fully. He says, "Because you are you, and I am me, you were able to find me in the void. For twenty years, no one else has been able to achieve this. Yet you did. . . by accident no less. Can you guess why?" You shake your head. Wingding smiles at you. "My dear, do you know what a ''SOULMATE'' is?" <<if $soulmatebookread eq 1>> You do! You even read about the monsters' perspectives on ''SOULMATES'' in the lab. You happily nod. "Good. Are you familiar with the term ''SOULACCEPTANCE''?" Yes, you read about that. It's a test between two ''SOULs'' to check for compatability as ''SOULMATES''. "You could find me--you were drawn to me, and I you--because our ''SOULs'' have perfect compatability," he explains. <<else>> You have heard the term before on the surface--''SOULMATE''--but it was something reserved for a very rare few. There is only one living pair of ''SOULMATES''. One is one of the remaining wizards of humanity, who is ''SOULBOUND'' to a non-magical human. A ''SOULBIND'' can only occurr if one partner has magic, so with the decline of magical humans. . . It is a romanticized concept for humanity. You know a ''SOULMATE'' is a union between two SOULs. You know that when one ''SOULMATE'' dies, the other follows within a day. You explain what you know. "There is a little more to the process," says Wingding. "A union cannot be formed easily. A ''SOULACCEPTANCE'' must be done first: a test between two ''SOULs'' to check for compatability as ''SOULMATES''." That makes sense. "You could find me--you were drawn to me, and I you--because our SOULs have perfect compatability," he explains. <</if>> Wait. Your heart starts to pound. Does that mean-- Is he implying-- You and Wingding. . . could be SOULMATES? "Yes," he says. "And that is something worth fighting for." Wow. You think you feel dizzy. But wait, you don't want him to fight. You don't want anyone to fight. There's no need to. <<if ((($torielhug eq 1))) and (($friskhasstick)) eq 1 and ($shyrenspared eq 1)>> [["I couldn't have said it better myself, dear human."]] <<else>> [["Then fight. . . and die."]] <</if>>

Asriel woke you up very early in the morning. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "softmoments" play>> Very early. The sun isn't even out, yet he has you up and about. More than that. . . he asked you to wear a blindfold. You accepted the request--you trust Asriel--but you have to admit it's a weird situation. "It's a bit of a journey to get there," says Asriel. He takes your hand. "I can guide you, or I can carry you. What would you feel more comfortable with?" [[You say you are happy to keep holding hands.]] [[You say you'd love to be carried.]]

Asriel hums an acknowledgement. His grip on your hand tightens. The two of you walk for several minutes. You feel yourself going uphill a dirt path. It is, thankfully, not uneven so it's not a difficult journey. Asriel matches your pace as he guides you with calm patience. After fifteen minutes of walking, Asriel stops and says, "We've arrived." You go to take the blindfold off with your other hand but he quickly says, "Not yet, $name." You stop. He lets go of your hand. You hear the sound of a blanket opening up. "Okay, I'm going to guide you to sit down now," he says. He takes both of your hands and you step onto some kind of fabric--likely the blanket. "Good. Now you can sit down." You sit on a fabric. <<if $hashair eq 1>> A cool breeze ruffles your hair. <</if>> It must be the blanket he opened up earlier. You hear him move to sit beside you. "I had never seen the sunlight growing up," he says. You feel his paws on both sides of your head, gently cupping your face. "Not until I was a flower, actually. There's only one spot in UNDERFELL to see the sun. . . and that's where you fell from." <<if $hashair eq 1>> He runs his fingers through your hair. <<else>> He runs a hand over your head. <</if>> Another wind, as soft as the first, blows through the area. You catch the smell of dandelions on the wind. "Even from that spot, it's so far away you can barely see any light. I thought that's what the sun was--something bright, but cold and distant," he quietly continues. "Until I came to the surface. The first time I saw a sunrise--" His voice cracks. "--It took my breath away. I almost cried, to be honest. If you hadn't passed out, I think I might have." <<cycle "$firstdateasrielsorry" autoselect>>\ <<option "You're about to apologize for that but he cuts you off with a finger pressed to your lips.">> <<option "You frown. He tugs on your lips with his fingers until you can't resist smiling.">> <</cycle>> "Now I know the sun isn't cold, nor distant. It's warm. . . and beautiful," he says. He carefully pulls off the blindfold. You blink, your $eyecolor eyes adjusting to the new light. You see Asriel in front of you. He's giving you that smile--that special, special smile saved only for //you.// It's sweet, gentle, and full of affection. Behind him is the first crack of sunlight as dawn comes over the horizon. "Like you," he whispers. <<cycle "$firstdateasriellikeyou" autoselect>>\ <<option "Your eyes widen.">> <<option "Your eyes widen as your cheeks heat up.">> <<option "You demurely glance away, your face burning.">> <<option "You smile in response.">> <</cycle>> He leans forward and bumps his nose against your yours. He nuzzles into you. "You're my sun, $name. You're beautiful, warm. . . and you take my breath away. I'm so grateful to have you in my life. And I hope, like the sun, I can see you every day now." How could you say no? He pulls you into his lap, continuing to nuzzle you. He wraps his arms around you and holds you close to his heart. You can feel it beating in tandem to your own as the two of you watch the sunrise. The first of many sunrises you two will watch together now. . . forever. [[Asriel - Judgment Hall Reaction]] (BONUS SCENE) [[The First Storm]] (BONUS SCENE) [[Asriel's Proposal]] (BONUS SCENE) [[Author's Notes]]

Asriel hums an acknowledgement. He lets go of your hand and swiftly picks you up, bridal style. You know it's no issue for him--he's very strong! You rest your head on his shoulder, comfortable and secure in his arms. "Cozy?" he teases. Yep! "Good," he murmurs. He nuzzles his nose against yours. "We'll be there soon, my $name." You murmur a response as he starts walking. You feel yourself going uphill. From the noises and smells around you, you must be in the forest. Perhaps you're climbing Mt. Ebott again? After fifteen minutes of walking, Asriel stops and says, "We've arrived." You go to take the blindfold off with your other hand but he quickly says, "Not yet, $name." You stop. He carefully sets you down on your feet. He says, "Please wait one moment." You hear the sound of a blanket opening up. "Okay, I'm going to guide you to sit down now," he says. He takes both of your hands and you step onto some kind of fabric--likely the blanket. "Good. Now you can sit down." You sit on a fabric. <<if $hashair eq 1>> A cool breeze ruffles your hair. <</if>> It must be the blanket he opened up earlier. You hear him move to sit beside you. "I had never seen the sunlight growing up," he says. You feel his paws on both sides of your head, gently cupping your face. "Not until I was a flower, actually. There's only one spot in UNDERFELL to see the sun. . . and that's where you fell from." <<if $hashair eq 1>> He runs his fingers through your hair. <<else>> He runs a hand over your head. <</if>> Another wind, as soft as the first, blows through the area. You catch the smell of dandelions on the wind. "Even from that spot, it's so far away you can barely see any light. I thought that's what the sun was--something bright, but cold and distant," he quietly continues. "Until I came to the surface. The first time I saw a sunrise--" His voice cracks. "--It took my breath away. I almost cried, to be honest. If you hadn't passed out, I think I might have." <<cycle "$firstdateasrielsorry" autoselect>>\ <<option "You're about to apologize for that but he cuts you off with a finger pressed to your lips.">> <<option "You frown. He tugs on your lips with his fingers until you can't resist smiling.">> <</cycle>> "Now I know the sun isn't cold, nor distant. It's warm. . . and beautiful," he says. He carefully pulls off the blindfold. You blink, your $eyecolor eyes adjusting to the new light. You see Asriel in front of you. He's giving you that smile--that special, special smile saved only for //you.// It's sweet, gentle, and full of affection. Behind him is the first crack of sunlight as dawn comes over the horizon. "Like you," he whispers. <<cycle "$firstdateasriellikeyou" autoselect>>\ <<option "Your eyes widen.">> <<option "Your eyes widen as your cheeks heat up.">> <<option "You demurely glance away, your face burning.">> <<option "You smile in response.">> <</cycle>> He leans forward and bumps his nose against your yours. He nuzzles into you. "You're my sun, $name. You're beautiful, warm. . . and you take my breath away. I'm so grateful to have you in my life. And I hope, like the sun, I can see you every day now." How could you say no? He pulls you into his lap, continuing to nuzzle you. He wraps his arms around you and holds you close to his heart. You can feel it beating in tandem to your own as the two of you watch the sunrise. The first of many sunrises you two will watch together now. . . forever. [[Asriel - Judgment Hall Reaction]] (BONUS SCENE) [[The First Storm]] (BONUS SCENE) [[Asriel's Proposal]] (BONUS SCENE) [[Author's Notes]]

Toriel strides through the garden. Her golden eyes are bright, and she keeps her head held high. She is not alone in her march. You see many monsters behind her. You see Froggit and Napstablook; the dogs from Snowdin; Shyren; the children you met at the waterfall; Mettaton and his staff; and the Royal Guards with Papyrus and Undyne at the lead. Even Sans is there. There's so many of them! They fill up the garden and surround you all. "Enough is enough," says Toriel. "Tori--" King Asgore stares at her in blatant disbelief. "You--You came back? To me?" "No," she coldly rebuffs. "I came for the human. For $name." She raises her chin and glowers down at Asgore. "And for monsterkind. You take one step toward that $gender and Gaster, and you will have to face //me.//" "AND ME," adds Papyrus. The dogs howl in unison, each holding up a stick. Shyren sings, “<<print "$shyrenlyrics">>.” "It's over," says Sans. He gives a sharp-tooth grin. "We're tired of this. So unless yeh wanna have a //hell of a time. . .//" Wingding chuckles. "My, my. Looks like this will be even more one-sided than I expected." King Asgore looks at the monsters around him. "Not only them," says a voice that feels familiar to you. The monsters part way to make room for a new monster. He's a goat monster with bright golden eyes and red pupils--like Toriel and Asgore. Trailing behind him is Dr. Alphys. Toriel gasps. "Asriel?!" "Oh, uh. . . hi," says Asriel(?). "I wasn't expecting to see //you// here. . . Mother." Toriel rushes to him and immediately hugs him. "Asriel. . .?" King Asgore's expression darkens to wariness. "Is that. . . truly you. . .?" “It is,” he says, awkwardly patting Toriel's back. “I see you still haven’t trimmed that awful beard of yours.” Asgore’s eyes widen and he suddenly grins and strides forward. “My boy! My son!” "One awkward family hug at a time," Asriel complains. "And besides--you were about to attack my friend." Friend. . .? You look between Asriel and Dr. Alphys. Wait. . . FLOWEY?! "Howdy, $name," says Asriel. He gives you a grin. "Glad to see you're okay. Um. . . you are okay, right?" Yes! You go to hug him, but you realize that your legs are still tired and you require Wingding for support. "$name is fine," says Wingding. "Simply tired from a. . . very long day." "Good," says Asriel. "Mother, please let me go now, I need to talk to Father." Toriel squeezes Asriel. She reluctantly lets him go. Asriel steps closer to his father, king Asgore. "Father. . . It's time this feud with humanity comes to an end. It's time that monsters return to the surface." "Asriel--" "No," Asriel cuts him off. "This isn't an argument, or something up for debate. You won't win this. You //can't// win this. I understand--I understand the war changed you. I know those memories are hard to let go. But it's time. Don't stop us. $name has shown us that humans and monsters can be friends again. Let us try." Asgore stares at Asriel. He smiles faintly. "I. . . cannot win this." Asgore looks over at you. "Human. No. . . $name. You said this world does not need to be kill or be killed. Do you truly believe that?" You meet his gaze. Yes. You do. It's not kill or be killed. It's save or be saved. You smile at Asgore. It's time for him to be saved now! ". . . Then so it shall be," he utters quietly. "The barrier is already destroyed. Together. . . let us leave." [[Yes. . . together.]]

King Asgore summons a red trident. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "asgore"volume 0.15 loop play>> "Do stay behind me, dear," says Wingding as he releases you. He steps in front of you. What--no! Don't fight! "Don't worry," says Wingding. "I only need to stall for time." What--? King Asgore shoots forward with movement you could never hope to match. Yet it doesn't phase Wingding. A wave of blackness erupts from the ground between Asgore and Wingding, stopping the king in his tracks. From that blackness huge, spiky red bones shoot out to try and impale Asgore. The king of monsters deflects each attack, but the assault is unrelenting. Levitating dragon skull heads--//Oh those look a lot like the laser things that Sans used to kill you//--materialize around Wingding. They are huge in size and a red light builds inside of them. The wall of darkness vanishes as the laser beams launch at Asgore instead. Asgore slams his trident into the ground and a cyclone of fire blocks the attacks. "Aww," cooes Wingding, his voice filled with mockery. "What a waste of a garden." The fire had destroyed the foliage around. Many trees and flowers are were set ablaze. You are surprised that you do not feel the heat-- You look down and notice a thin layer of magic is placed over you. It reminds you of the magic that enveloped you in the void. Wingding is protecting you with his magic. "I'll be sure to use your dust as fertilizer in the new one," snaps the king. You raise your voice to say that neither of them need to do this. "Keep your mate quiet!" "Mind your manners." Wingding fires several more laser beams at the king. King Asgore jumps above them, barely dodging them this time. They singe his cape. [["That is enough!"]]

“I won’t let you hurt $name.” <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "undertale"volume 0.15 loop play>> It is a new voice, yet one you think you know. Asgore drops his weapon, clear astonishment on his face. “Asriel?” Asgore whispers. Asriel. . .? It is then that you notice Alphys trailing behind him. "Good. Stalling done," says Wingding. Asriel moves to stand beside you. He winks. "Howdy, $name." Howdy–? Flowey?! Asriel smiles. “Yes. Alphys was able to restore me.” He taps his chest. “She siphoned off–” He pauses. “Well, the //how// doesn’t matter. I’m me. And I should stay as me for a long, long time.” How wonderful! “Asriel, my son, is that truly you?” Asgore steps forward, the king looking uncertain. “It is,” he says. “I see you still haven’t trimmed that awful beard of yours.” Asgore’s eyes widen and he suddenly grins and strides forward. “My boy! My son!” Asriel glares at his father. “You hurt my friend.” “I–I didn’t know.” “And how could you? You turned threw this world into madness for your own selfish reasons. Because you couldn’t be happy, no one else could,” Asriel snaps. “You blamed my death against all of humanity and dragged every one down with you. You aren’t fit to be king. You aren’t fit to be anything but in an asylumn.” Asgore flinches. “Asriel, I–” “Mother left for a reason. You never even went after her.” “I respected her–” “No. Don’t try that bullshit. You didn’t chase her down because you felt miserable. You wanted to stay miserable, and you wanted everyone around you to feel just as miserable. Congratulations, you succeeded. But no more. This ends now.” Fire flares to life around Asriel’s paws. He sternly says, “Our war against humanity has long since concluded and it’s time we move forward.” Asgore stares dully at the fire around Asriel’s hands. “You would attack me?” “In this world, it’s kill or be killed. Isn’t that what you wanted? Isn’t that what you demand?” Asriel raises his chin. “Kill me, if you can, //Father.//” Asgore falls silent. “I cannot kill you, my son. I would sooner see myself turn to dust than lose you ever again,” he says quietly. “I. . . I will. . . retract my statement.” He closes his eyes. Yay! "Good," says Asriel. He looks over at where the barrier used to be. "Then do your duty as king. Tell the others. Then we're leaving. All of us." King Asgore smiles at his son. ". . . Very well, my dear boy." Wingding returns to your side and places a hand on your hip. He smiles at you. "Ready to see the sunlight again, my dear?" Oh absolutely! "Then let's go," he says. [[You and Wingding leave.]]

Asriel immediately goes over to you and Wingding. "Do you want me to carry you?" he frets when he realizes how tired you are. "No need," says Wingding. "I can--" Wingding winces and sways. "Oh." "Are //you// okay?" Asriel asks him. "You're, uh, Dr. Gaster, right?" "Yes. $name pulled me out of the void shortly before your father arrived," explains Wingding. "We're both winded from that. We'll be fine, simply need a moment." "Just one?" drawls Sans. "BROTHER!" exclaims Papyrus as he and Sans also head over to you two. "YOU ARE BACK? WHERE WERE YOU?" "Experiment gone wrong," says Wingding. "So sorry." He does not sound sorry. "Yer a fuckin' dumbass," Sans says flatly. "And you're an impulsive foul-mouthed brat," snaps Wingding. "Yeh can't keep callin' me a brat--" "I will call you a brat so long as you act like a brat!" Papyrus stomps his right foot on the ground. "STOP. FIGHTING. GAH." You tell Wingding perhaps he should catch up with his family. You want to check up on Flo--Asriel anyway. Wingding seems reluctant to let you go. His expression becomes very pinched. You reassure him it will only be for a brief period. "Didn't miss yer own brothers at all?" Sans mocks. "Hurtful. Yer gonna make Pap cry." "I WILL NOT CRY," says Papyrus, but his voice tells a different tale. "I AM HAPPY TO HAVE OUR BROTHER BACK. THAT IS NO REASON TO CRY." You gently tell Papyrus that that is a very good reason to cry. "THANK YOU HUMAN, BUT I AM FINE." He clears his throat. Several times. You give Wingding a pointed look. "I //suppose// I did miss you two," he says with an air of reluctance. "Asriel, if you would please. . ." Asriel carefully picks you up. Wow he's strong! He beams at you. "My friend!" Your friend! You hug each other. "Gah!" you hear Wingding cry out from behind you. You pull away from Asriel long enough to see that Sans body-tackled Wingding to the ground with Papyrus. Wingding looks severely displeased as he pats both of their backs. Wingding complains, "You two are not children anymore! It was //only// twenty years!" "ONLY?!" Sans starts to hit Wingding. "YEH JACKASS." "FOR ONCE I AM IN AGREEMENT WITH SANS' TEMPER," Papyrus says. "Stop that, Sans! I am very tired and can't circulate my magic to soften your blows," Wingding protests. "GOOD!" "Why must your affection always be so violent?!" "POT MEET KETTLE," snarks Papyrus. "What was that--?" Wingding glowers. "Let's give them some space," says Asriel as he carries you away. "How are you, $name?" Good! Excited for what's to come. Asriel smiles at you. Then he notices the locket around your neck. "Oh. Where did you get that?" A ghost child. "What?" Nevermind. “The magic in the locket shows who’s in your heart,” says Asriel. He smile softens. “I used to have a matching one. May I see inside?’ You open the locket and show Asriel the picture inside. His smile softens. “In that case. . .” He holds out a hand. There is a distortion of magic in the air and a locket materializes. It falls into your lap, since he is carrying you. “I think this should go with you. You should give it to the other person.” You ask Asriel if he’s sure. “Yeah. . .” He leans down and presses his forehead against yours for a few seconds. “I want you to be happy, $name. You're my best friend." <<cycle "$bff" autoselect>>\ <<option "You tell Asriel you feel the same, he’s your best friend.">> <<option "You tell Asriel you want him to be happy too.">> <</cycle>> "My dear ones," says Toriel as she and Asgore approach you. "Are you ready?" You and Asriel exchange joyous looks. Yes. [[Together, you and the monsters leave the underground.]]

TRUE NEUTRAL ENDING - WINGDING ROUTE You died <<print $deaths>> times. Is this the ending you wanted? [[Yes, this is the ending I wanted.]] [[No, what did I miss?]]

Wonderful! <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "memory"volume 0.15 loop play>> [[Author's Notes]]

<<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "memory"volume 0.15 loop play>> <<if $torielhug eq 1>> You hugged Toriel - Good! <<else>> You did not hug Toriel. Try that in your next playthrough. <</if>> <<if $friskhasstick eq 1>> You were given a stick - Good! <<else>> You did not receive the stick. When you get to Snowdin, try immediately leaving and cuddling with a puppy! <</if>> <<if $shyrenspared eq 1>> You sang with Shyren - Good! <<else>> When exploring Waterfall, make sure you go down the forward path. <</if>> <<click "Restart">><<script>>Engine.restart()<</script>><</click>> [[Author's Notes]]

''FOR TRUE ENDING'' <<if $friskhaschain eq 1>> You got the chain - Good! <<else>> In the first chapter, revisit the graves. <</if>> <<if $wingdingpaper eq 1>> You kept Wingding's paper from the lab - Good! <<else>> Keep the paper you find in the lab. <</if>> <<if $helpedwing eq 1>> You commited to helping the entity - Good! <<else>> You must help the entity. <</if>> ''FOR HAPPY ENDING'' <<if $torielhug eq 1>> You hugged Toriel - Good! <<else>> You did not hug Toriel. Try that in your next playthrough. <</if>> <<if $friskhasstick eq 1>> You were given a stick - Good! <<else>> You did not receive the stick. When you get to Snowdin, try immediately leaving and cuddling with a puppy! <</if>> <<if $shyrenspared eq 1>> You sang with Shyren - Good! <<else>> When exploring Waterfall, make sure you go down the forward path. <</if>>

You died <<print $deaths>> times. Thank you for playing this game. This has been a journey and I feel like I've learned a lot. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "memory"volume 0.15 loop play>> ''Special thanks'' Special thanks to Rory from discord for commissioning Mettaton's route. This was a fun experience, and I hope to add tailored epilogues to this route shortly. :) ''WANT MORE UNDERTALE AU?'' I have a ''complete'' IF - DUSTTALE game. I have a ''complete'' IF - UNDERSWAP game. I have a ''complete'' IF - SIREN!SANS game. I have a ''complete'' IF - SCIENCETALE game. I have an in progress IF - MAFIAFELL game. I have an in progress IF - DANCETALE game. I have an in progress IF - HORRORTALE game. Take care of yourselves! <<click "Restart">><<script>>Engine.restart()<</script>><</click>>

With the re-entry of monsters into society, humanity rejoices. The governments that remain after the Great War all fly in to secure an alliance with the monsters. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "ending" play>> The monsters are met with overwhelming joy and positivity–they are borderline hailed as saviors. The wizards are particularly ecstatic, all of them flying to Mt. Ebott to enthusiastically welcome the monsters and offer their help with the transition. You are hailed as a hero and receive a neat little award. You'd think your time helping the monsters would end there, but no. It is almost unamiously decided by the monsters (and the wizards after they hear your story) that you are to be their ambassador. You don't really have a chance to say no. <<cycle "$ambassador" autoselect>>\ <<option "Not that you'd want to.">> <<option "You'd rather not, but they really need you.">> <<option "You'll see if you can find a substitute in a few years. You know they need you now.">> <</cycle>> While it is a happy transition, it is not easy. There are many cultural nuances that both sides have to adjust to. But! All of the governments are passionate about helping. They want this to work as badly as you do. The day the monsters re-enter the surface was officially declared an international holiday. Thousands of humans volunteeredtheir homes to be shared with monsters who want to integrate into society. Many of the monsters accept this and they fly out to far off places and see things they would have never even dreamed about. It really seems like everything is working out for the best. Your journey. . . your struggles. . . None of it was in vain. You saved them. All of them. And you didn't make it out of it alone. The Gaster family moves to the surface, right next door to you and your new home (as a VIP ambassador you had to move into a magically-secure home of your choosing in the city). You and Wingding see each other daily, and you are quick to learn you two are //very// compatible. Being with him is as easy as breathing. . . and at times as hot as jumping into lava. <<if $wingshy gt $wingbold>> He relishes in your reactions. <<else>> The two of you keep each other on your toes. <</if>> While happy to have found your potential ''SOULMATE'', you make sure not to lose touch with the friends you've made. Most notably, Asriel has become a huge part of your life. He becomes the new king of monsters and helps you integrate the two societies. You are dear friends at work and outside of it. He also gives the second best hugs! (Wingding, of course, is first in your heart.) You spend time with Toriel and Asgore every so often. Toriel bakes you a special pie and loves to give you hugs. You hang out with Papyrus and Undyne. You're a semi-regular on Mettaton's new T.V. show on the surface. You attend all of Shyren's concerts and are the first to buy her new album, //<<print "$shyrenlyrics">>//. You visited the school in Ebott City where the monster kids started to attend. They enthusiastically introduced you to their new human friends. <<if $jump eq 1>> You may or may not have done a very ill-advised field trip with them and jumped off another waterfall while screaming, "$battlecry." <<else>> You had to talk them out of trying to jump off another waterfall with their new friends. Multiple times. <</if>> You meet up with all the dogs from Snowdin every month for a game of poker. <<cycle "$poker" autoselect>>\ <<option "Which you suck at. A lot. Wingding has expressed concern for your inability to hold a poker face.">> <<option "Which you excel at. Wingding jokes about entering you into a professional tournament.">> <<option "Which is always a fun time! You did invite Wingding once. Once. You learned the hard way that he is very competitive.">> <</cycle>> Everything is as it should be. Everyone is happy. And you're the reason for it. ---- Thank you, $name. Thank you for falling into UNDERFELL. Thank you for showing them kindness. Thank you for staying DETERMINED. Thank you for being ''you.'' //''THE END''// [[Author's Notes]] [[Wingding - Judgment Hall Reaction]] (BONUS SCENE) [[The First Storm]] (BONUS SCENE) [[New Lab]] (BONUS SCENE) [[Before The Void]] (BONUS SCENE) [[WD Notes Translated]] (BONUS LORE)

He barks out a laugh. "You refuse my ''MERCY?'' The audacity. Your arrogance truly knows no bounds." It's not about arrogance. It's not even about //you.// He is King of Monsters. You understand and respect that. But as King of Monsters, surely he must do what makes his people happy? You have seen the truth of this kingdom. You have seen their despair. "You have been here a day," he sneers. "Hold your tongue, or I will cut it out." You raise your head and continue to meet his gaze. It's common sense to help someone in need, and these monsters need your help. In a save or be saved world--it's time you saved them! You are filled with DETERMINATION. You tell the king //No.// He launches a ball of red fire that engulfs you within seconds. ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> //You chose this death.// [[You know how this goes.]]

You roll to your right as soon as you say no. The fireball goes past you and slams into the door. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "asgore"volume 0.15 loop play>> You ask Asgore why this world needs to be violent. "Why?" he asks. He raises his right hand and summons a red trident. "There is no reason to it. //It already is.//" All the more reason to change. If it's violent now--let it turn peaceful. Asgore's eyes narrow. He throws his trident at you with incredible speed. You are immediately impaled. ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> [[Like dying ever stopped you anyway.]]

You roll to your right as soon as you say no. The fireball goes past you and slams into the door. You ask Asgore why this world needs to be violent. "Why?" he asks. He raises his right hand and summons a red trident. "There is no reason to it. //It already is.//" All the more reason to change. If it's violent now--let it turn peaceful. Asgore's eyes narrow. He throws his trident at you with incredible speed, but you are already expecting it. You sidestep it. It zooms past you with enough speed to whip your clothes <<if $hashair eq 1>> and hair <</if>>around. You keep his gaze. "Hah. . . your confidence is almost impressive, if it weren't so foolish," the king says. You could say the same for him. "There is no folly about my view. It is the honest truth. Close your eyes to it, if you wish," he says. "This world is kill or be killed. This night, you will experience that." He raises his hands and plumes of scarlet red fire erupt. You sprint through them. [[Weave to the left.]] [[Weave to the right.]] [[Roll underneath.]]

"Good," he says. "Go back out these doors and take the left hallway." You do. As you walk down the hallway, you admire the paintings. All of them were handpainted and depict pretty environments. They range from mountains, to the oceans, to the night sky. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "undertale"volume 0.15 loop play>> You wonder who painted them. There are candle sticks in the walls. A crimson flame flickers to life as you walk by them. They must be the magical equivilant to auto-lights. How neat! <<cycle "$candlelights" autoselect>>\ <<option "You'd like to have of your own one day.">> <<option "You love magic.">> <<option "You wonder where the smoke goes.">> <<option "Do they have other colors besides red?">> <</cycle>> This hallway, you are pleased to note is not covered in dust, grime, and cobwebs. At the end of the hallway is a door. You push it open and are pleasantly surprised to find a magical garden. Beautiful yellow, white, and orange flowers blossom around a brick path. There are tall trees with golden leaves, and orange-colored rose bushes. There are lampposts with yellow-tinted magic crystals, their light mimicking that of the sun. Although it is without warmth. You follow the path. You take the time to stop and smell the flowers. <<if $asrielrom eq 6>> You'd like to visit this place with Flowey one day. <</if>> <<if $sanslove eq 6>> You'd like to lay in these flowers with Sans one day. <</if>> <<if $papslove eq 6>> You'd like to make a flower crown for Papyrus with these flowers one day. <</if>> The path winds around the castle and is built further into the cave. And then-- [[You see something strange.]]

You are hit in the side by a fireball and catch aflame. You are burnt to ashes within seconds. ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> <<type 135ms>>//This is how it has always been.//<</type>> [[Like dying ever stopped you anyway.]]

You manage to make it through the first volley. [[Roll underneath.]] [[Weave left.]]

You are hit in the head by a fireball and catch aflame. You are burnt to ashes within seconds. ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> <<type 135ms>>//This is how it has always been.//<</type>> [[Like dying ever stopped you anyway.]]

You got through the second volley. [[Leap to the right.]] [[Leap to the left.]] [[Leap under.]]

You are hit in the side by a fireball and catch aflame. You are burnt to ashes within seconds. ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> <<type 135ms>> //It can't be any other way.//<</type>> [[Like dying ever stopped you anyway.]]

You are hit in the side by a fireball and catch aflame. You are burnt to ashes within seconds. ''You have died.'' //It can't be any other way.// [[Like dying ever stopped you anyway.]]

You dive under the third volley. Asgore is waiting for you, he has his trident raised. [[Roll to the left.]] [[Roll to the right.]]

He brings the trident down onto you. You are decapitated. ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> <<type 135ms>> //I don't deserve any differently.//<</type>> [[Like dying ever stopped you anyway.]]

The trident slams into the ground beside you as you hop up. Asgore looks at you coldly. "I see now how you managed to survive. You're agile." You've just had a lot of pratice since coming to UNDERFELL. "A day's practice means nothing in the face of hundreds of years worth of experience," Asgore rebukes. (What about <<print $deaths>> deaths?) You smile. King Asgore misinterprets your smile. "You think you can survive this?" Yes. "HA." He rushes to you and kicks you hard in the stomach. You go flying back. [[Tilt your body forward and grasp at the floor to try and stop yourself.]] [[Straighten your knees and brace to hit the wall.]]

Your hands drag against the tile. There's enough force and friction that you feel bits of your skin getting peeled off from your palms. Thankfully, you are able to slow yourself enough that when you do hit the backwall nothing breaks. Asgore jumps to you. You scramble to get out of his landing zone. He hits the floor hard enough to send a small shockwave. The floor shakes, causing you to stumble. He raises his hands and launches another barrage of fire balls. [[Zigzag left.]] [[Zigzag right.]] [[Jump over.]]

OW. BAD IDEA. BAD IDEA. You hit the wall hard enough to break //something// in your legs. You crumple to the floor and Asgore jumps to you. You cannot move before he stomps on your head, flattening your brains. ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> <<type 135ms>> //I grew up in war. I know no peace aside from solitude.//<</type>> [[Like dying ever stopped you anyway.]]

You made it through the first volley. [[Jump to your right.]] [[Jump to your left.]] [[Jump over.]]

You are hit in the side by a fireball and catch aflame. You are burnt to ashes within seconds. ''You have died.'' <<type 135ms>> //Ashes stained red.//<</type>> [[Like dying ever stopped you anyway.]]

You are hit in the legs by a fireball and catch aflame. You are burnt to ashes within seconds. ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> <<type 135ms>> //Ashes stained red.//<</type>> [[Like dying ever stopped you anyway.]]

You are hit in the side by a fireball and catch aflame. You are burnt to ashes within seconds. ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> <<type 135ms>> //Red. Red. Red.// <</type>> [[Like dying ever stopped you anyway.]]

You made it through the second volley. [[Sprint and leap over the last volley.]] [[Sprint and jump between the last volley.]]

King Asgore was expecting that. As soon as you clear the volley, he is waiting for you at the other end. You are in mid air. You have no way to dodge him when he hurls his glowing red trident at you. You are decapitated. ''You have died.'' <<type 135ms>> <<set $deaths += 1>> //Even my children could not escape the way this world works.//<</type>> [[Like dying ever stopped you anyway.]]

You burst through the volley, only the barest hint of your sweater touches the fire and is seared off. Asgore spins his trident. "Hmph." You tell him you don't want to fight. "That is not up to you," he says. Actually it is. It is //your// choice. As it is //his// choice. He glares at you. "You oversimplify the situation and disregard the truth. This is a kill or be killed world." He points to you. "Your hands may not be stained red, but that is only by sheer luck." No. "No?" he snorts derisively. It's not by luck. It's by choice. It's by your DETERMINATION. You will never harm someone. You unflinchingly meet his gaze. The past cannot be changed. But //you// in the present can. Asgore's eyes narrow. It's not a kill or be killed world. It's a save or be saved world. And that includes Asgore! You see the barest flinch in his shoulders. He grips his trident tightly. "You wax a nice tale, however, it's useless in reality. There is no hope for change. Not for anyone." You shake your head. That's not true. "And why do you think that?" You give him a grin. Because he's already talking to you. If there was truly no hope--he'd never listen to you. He's listening to you because he //wants// to be saved. You extend your hand to him. It's not too late. It's never too late! He can make peace now. He can lead his kingdom to the surface and give them happiness. ". . . Hah. . ." King Asgore looks at your hand with an unreadable expression. "You. . ." King Asgore raises his trident and lowers his head. He will no longer meet your gaze. "I cannot," he says. "Goodbye. . . $name." He conjures a second trident and throws it at you. <<if $asrielrom eq 6>> [[But it never reaches you.]] <<elseif $sanslove eq 6>> [[It never reaches you.]] <<elseif $papslove eq 6>> [[It never touches you.]] <<else>> [[But it never touches you.]] <</if>>

A pillar of flames erupt from the ground as it is thrown and knocks it off course. You barely have time to process that when you suddenly see another goat monster leaping past you and punching Asgore hard enough to send the king sprawling. . . . ! "I won't let you hurt $name anymore!" It is a new voice, yet one you think you know. You look at the monster who punched Asgore. He's a goat monster with bright golden eyes and red pupils--like Toriel and Asgore. He has white fur, and wears black robes. It is then that you notice Alphys trailing behind him. As soon as he reaches you, his gaze softens. “Howdy, $name." Howdy–? Flowey?! Asriel smiles. “Yes. Alphys was able to restore me.” He taps his chest. “She siphoned off–” He pauses. “Well, the //how// doesn’t matter. I’m me. And I should stay as me for a long, long time.” How wonderful! [[You immediately move to embrace Asriel and nuzzle him affectionately.]] [[You jump into Asriel’s arms for a tight hug.]] [[You reach for his ha–paws. He has paws–and give them a squeeze.]]

The trident is obliterated by a red laser beam. Sans appears next to you. He glares at you. He immediately scolds you, "What did I tell yeh?!" He takes off his jacket. "DON'T go into the throne room! YEH DUMMY." He puts his jacket around you. "Put this on, yer sweater is practically useless now." Ah, you hadn't noticed, but yes it is now showing a lot of your $undershirt. You slip Sans' jacket on. You can feel magic inside it that tingles your skin, and to your surprise the jacket adjusts its size to better fit you. How marvelous! It smells like Sans and mustard. "Judge," King Asgore coolly greets Sans. "Yer Majesty," returns Sans. "What brought this on?" Sans shrugs and smirks. "I wanna retire. Fuckin' tired, old shit." "You're centuries too young for that," the king says. "This wouldn't happen to have anything to do with this human $gender?" "Maybe," says Sans. "Whatssit matter?" The King of Monsters shakes his head. "Your feelings are fleeting, Sans. There is no hope for this." <<if $gender eq "person">> "Maybe" says Sans. "Honestly I don' really care one way or the other." He looks over at you, his red eyelights bright. "But. . . they do. And that's enough for me." <<else>> "Maybe" says Sans. "Honestly I don' really care one way or the other." He looks over at you, his red eyelights bright. "But. . . $she does. And that's enough for me." <</if>> "You would throw away //everything// for a single human?!" "Nah," he says. "I don' gotta throw away shit." He grins. "Right. . . Yer other Majesty?" [["Right you are, Judge," says a soft voice.]]

A wall of orange bones erupt from the ground and block the attack. Suddenly, Papyrus is on your right side and Sans is on your left. "Papyrus. . . Sans," King Asgore says slowly. "Rare to see you shortcut, Papyrus." "I DEEMED IT NECESSARY," says Papyrus. "YOUR MAJESTY, I MUST ASK YOU DO NOT ATTACK THIS HUMAN ANYMORE." ". . . You would go against me, Papyrus?" the king quietly asks. "I DO NOT WANT TO," says Papyrus. "I. . . DO NOT WANT TO FIGHT ANYONE, YOUR MAJESTY. I DO NOT WANT TO HURT YOU, NOR DO I WANT YOU TO HURT THIS HUMAN." "For what reason would you go so far for $her?" King Asgore asks. "I FEEL IT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO," says Papyrus. <<if $gender eq "woman">> "Nah he just as a crush on her," Sans remarks. <<elseif $gender eq "man">> "Nah he just as a crush on him," Sans remarks. <<elseif $gender eq "person">> "Nah he just as a crush on them," Sans remarks. <</if>> "SHUT. UP. SANS," Papyrus's voice is several notes higher and his skull turns red. "I applaud your bravery, Guardsman, but you stand for the wrong thing," the king advises. "Your feelings are fleeting. There is no hope for this." "YOU ARE CORRECT," says Papyrus. "THERE IS NO HOPE IF WE DO NOT TRY, AS NOTHING WILL CHANGE." [["I couldn't have said it better myself, Papyrus," says a soft voice.]]

A pillar of flames erupt from the ground as it is thrown and knocks it off course. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "undertale"volume 0.15 loop play>> You and Asgore look on in surprise as Toriel marches into the room. The goat monster's golden eyes are burning with ferocity. She is not alone in her march. <<if $grillbylove eq 5>> You see many monsters behind her. The first monster you spot is Grillby, who casually walks behind her. It's impossible to miss him from the way his flames draw attention. You see Froggit and Napstablook; the dogs from Snowdin; Shyren; the children you met at the waterfall; Mettaton and his staff; and the Royal Guards with Papyrus and Undyne at the lead. Even Sans is there. <<else>> You see many monsters behind her. You see Froggit and Napstablook; the dogs from Snowdin; Shyren; the children you met at the waterfall; Mettaton and his staff; and the Royal Guards with Papyrus and Undyne at the lead. Even Sans is there. <</if>> There's so many of them! They fill up the room and surround you all. "Enough is enough," says Toriel. "Tori--" King Asgore stares at her in blatant disbelief. "You--You came back? To me?" "No," she coldly rebuffs. "I came for the human. For $name." She raises her chin and glowers down at Asgore. "And for monsterkind. You take one step toward that $gender and you will have to face //me.//" "AND ME," adds Papyrus. <<if $grillbylove eq 5>> Grillby folds his arms across his chest. The dogs circle beside him and snarl, each holding up a flaming stick. <<else>> The dogs howl in unison, each holding up a stick. <</if>> Shyren sings, “<<print "$shyrenlyrics">>.” "It's over," says Sans. He gives a sharp-tooth grin. "We're tired of this. So unless yeh wanna have a //hell of a time. . .//" King Asgore looks at the monsters around him. "Not only them," says a voice that feels familiar to you. The monsters part way to make room for a new monster. He's a goat monster with bright golden eyes and red pupils--like Toriel and Asgore. Trailing behind him is Dr. Alphys. Toriel gasps. "Asriel?!" "Oh, uh. . . hi," says Asriel(?). "I wasn't expecting to see //you// here. . . Mother." Toriel rushes to him and immediately hugs him. "Asriel. . .?" King Asgore's expression darkens to wariness. "Is that. . . truly you. . .?" “It is,” he says, awkwardly patting Toriel's back. “I see you still haven’t trimmed that awful beard of yours.” Asgore’s eyes widen and he suddenly grins and strides forward. “My boy! My son!” "One awkward family hug at a time," Asriel complains. "And besides--you were about to attack my friend." Friend. . .? You look between Asriel and Dr. Alphys. Wait. . . FLOWEY?! "Howdy, $name," says Asriel. He gives you a grin. "Glad to see you're okay. Um. . . you are okay, right?" Yes! You run to hug him. Toriel notices and opens up her arms to let you also hug Asriel. Asriel hugs you both. "You seem a little singed. . . you sure you're okay?" Yep! "Good," says Asriel. "Now if you and Mother will excuse me, I need to talk to Father." Toriel squeezes Asriel. She reluctantly lets him go. You also let go. Asriel steps closer to his father, king Asgore. "Father. . . It's time this feud with humanity comes to an end. It's time that monsters return to the surface." "Asriel--" "No," Asriel cuts him off. "This isn't an argument, or something up for debate. You won't win this. You //can't// win this. I understand--I understand the war changed you. I know those memories are hard to let go. But it's time. Don't stop us. $name has shown us that humans and monsters can be friends again. Let us try." Asgore stares at Asriel. He smiles faintly. "I. . . cannot win this." Asgore looks over at you. "Human. No. . . $name. You said this world does not need to be kill or be killed. Do you truly believe that?" You meet his gaze. Yes. You do. It's not kill or be killed. It's save or be saved. You smile at Asgore. It's time for him to besaved now! ". . . Then so it shall be," he utters quietly. He drops his trident. And while he is not smiling. You think he is happy. Now there's only a couple things left to do. You tug on Asriel's sleeve. He looks over at you and smiles. "Yes, my friend?" You tell him you need to check up on a friend. You'll be right back. "Uh. . . okay." [[You slip into the void.]]

The hands are on you in an instant. They grip your face, your arms, your sides, your hips, your legs-- <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "gaster"volume 0.15 loop play>> ☟︎☜︎☹︎☹︎⚐︎📪︎ 👎︎☜︎✌︎☼︎ ☟︎🕆︎💣︎✌︎☠︎📬︎ //HELLO, DEAR HUMAN.// The distorted voice bounces in your head as you sink further into //wrongness.// You think it's gotten easier to hear the voice, however. It takes you a moment to find your voice in the sea of cold, inky blackness. You ask Wingding if he has any idea on how to free himself. ✡︎☜︎💧︎📬︎ //YES.// That's great! Is there something you can do? ✡︎☜︎💧︎📬︎ ✋︎ ☠︎☜︎☜︎👎︎ ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎☼︎ ☟︎☜︎☹︎🏱︎📬︎ //YES. I NEED YOUR HELP.// He's got it. What does he need? 🕈︎☜︎ ☞︎✋︎☼︎💧︎❄︎ 💣︎🕆︎💧︎❄︎ ☝︎⚐︎ ❄︎⚐︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ 👌︎✌︎☼︎☼︎✋︎☜︎☼︎📪︎ ✌︎☠︎👎︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎☠︎ ✋︎ 🕈︎✋︎☹︎☹︎ ☠︎☜︎☜︎👎︎ ❄︎⚐︎ 👌︎⚐︎☼︎☼︎⚐︎🕈︎ ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎☼︎ 💧︎⚐︎🕆︎☹︎ ☞︎⚐︎☼︎ ✌︎ 👌︎☼︎✋︎☜︎☞︎ 🏱︎☜︎☼︎✋︎⚐︎👎︎ ⚐︎☞︎ ❄︎✋︎💣︎☜︎📬︎ //WE FIRST MUST GO TO THE BARRIER, AND THEN I WILL NEED TO BORROW YOUR SOUL FOR A BRIEF PERIOD OF TIME.// You shiver as he talks. The void presses on you in every direction. It's almost too much: you do your best to bear with the discomfort. You'd like a little more of an elaboration on that. ✋︎ 🕈︎✋︎☹︎☹︎ 🕆︎💧︎☜︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ 🏱︎⚐︎🕈︎☜︎☼︎ ⚐︎☞︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ 👌︎✌︎☼︎☼︎✋︎☜︎☼︎ ❄︎⚐︎ ☞︎☼︎☜︎☜︎ 💣︎✡︎💧︎☜︎☹︎☞︎📪︎ 👌︎🕆︎❄︎ ✌︎ ☟︎🕆︎💣︎✌︎☠︎ 💧︎⚐︎🕆︎☹︎ ✋︎💧︎ ☼︎☜︎✈︎🕆︎✋︎☼︎☜︎👎︎ ❄︎⚐︎ ☜︎☠︎❄︎☜︎☼︎ ✌︎☠︎👎︎ ☹︎☜︎✌︎✞︎☜︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ ✞︎⚐︎✋︎👎︎📬︎ ✋︎ ☠︎☜︎☜︎👎︎ ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎☼︎💧︎ ✌︎💧︎ ✌︎📬︎📬︎📬︎ 👌︎☜︎✌︎👍︎⚐︎☠︎📬︎ //I WILL USE THE POWER OF THE BARRIER TO FREE MYSELF, BUT A HUMAN SOUL IS REQUIRED TO ENTER AND LEAVE THE VOID. I NEED YOURS AS A. . . BEACON.// That makes sense. You think. It's getting harder to focus the longer you linger. You agree. ❄︎☟︎☜︎ 👌︎✌︎☼︎☼︎✋︎☜︎☼︎ ✋︎💧︎ 👌︎☜︎☟︎✋︎☠︎👎︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ 👍︎✌︎💧︎❄︎☹︎☜︎📬︎ ❄︎✌︎😐︎☜︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ ☟︎✌︎☹︎☹︎ ⚐︎☠︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ ☹︎☜︎☞︎❄︎ ✌︎☠︎👎︎ ☞︎⚐︎☹︎☹︎⚐︎🕈︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ 🏱︎✌︎❄︎☟︎📬︎ 👎︎⚐︎ ☠︎⚐︎❄︎ 👍︎☼︎⚐︎💧︎💧︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ 👌︎✌︎☼︎☼︎✋︎☜︎☼︎📪︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎☼︎☜︎ ✋︎💧︎ ✌︎☠︎ ☜︎✠︎❄︎☼︎✌︎ ☜︎☠︎👍︎☟︎✌︎☠︎❄︎💣︎☜︎☠︎❄︎📬︎ //THE BARRIER IS BEHIND THE CASTLE. TAKE THE HALL ON THE LEFT AND FOLLOW THE PATH. DO NOT CROSS THE BARRIER, THERE IS AN EXTRA ENCHANTMENT.// You'd like to ask more, but your ''SOUL'' aches from the void's touch. You must leave. You gasp for air as soon as you leave. Asriel and Toriel are beside you in an instant, both looking deeply concerned. $Curse you hate it there. [[But you know what to do next. You only need to catch your breath.]]

The hands are on you in an instant. They grip your face, your arms, your sides, your hips, your legs-- <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "gaster"volume 0.15 loop play>> ☟︎☜︎☹︎☹︎⚐︎📪︎ 👎︎☜︎✌︎☼︎ ☟︎🕆︎💣︎✌︎☠︎📬︎ //HELLO, DEAR HUMAN.// The distorted voice bounces in your head as you sink further into //wrongness.// You think it's gotten easier to hear the voice, however. It takes you a moment to find your voice in the sea of cold, inky blackness. You ask Wingding if he has any idea on how to free himself. ✡︎☜︎💧︎📬︎ //YES.// That's great! Is there something you can do? ✡︎☜︎💧︎📬︎ ✋︎ ☠︎☜︎☜︎👎︎ ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎☼︎ ☟︎☜︎☹︎🏱︎📬︎ //YES. I NEED YOUR HELP.// He's got it. What does he need? 🕈︎☜︎ ☞︎✋︎☼︎💧︎❄︎ 💣︎🕆︎💧︎❄︎ ☝︎⚐︎ ❄︎⚐︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ 👌︎✌︎☼︎☼︎✋︎☜︎☼︎📪︎ ✌︎☠︎👎︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎☠︎ ✋︎ 🕈︎✋︎☹︎☹︎ ☠︎☜︎☜︎👎︎ ❄︎⚐︎ 👌︎⚐︎☼︎☼︎⚐︎🕈︎ ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎☼︎ 💧︎⚐︎🕆︎☹︎ ☞︎⚐︎☼︎ ✌︎ 👌︎☼︎✋︎☜︎☞︎ 🏱︎☜︎☼︎✋︎⚐︎👎︎ ⚐︎☞︎ ❄︎✋︎💣︎☜︎📬︎ //WE FIRST MUST GO TO THE BARRIER, AND THEN I WILL NEED TO BORROW YOUR SOUL FOR A BRIEF PERIOD OF TIME.// You shiver as he talks. The void presses on you in every direction. It's almost too much: you do your best to bear with the discomfort. You'd like a little more of an elaboration on that. ✋︎ 🕈︎✋︎☹︎☹︎ 🕆︎💧︎☜︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ 🏱︎⚐︎🕈︎☜︎☼︎ ⚐︎☞︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ 👌︎✌︎☼︎☼︎✋︎☜︎☼︎ ❄︎⚐︎ ☞︎☼︎☜︎☜︎ 💣︎✡︎💧︎☜︎☹︎☞︎📪︎ 👌︎🕆︎❄︎ ✌︎ ☟︎🕆︎💣︎✌︎☠︎ 💧︎⚐︎🕆︎☹︎ ✋︎💧︎ ☼︎☜︎✈︎🕆︎✋︎☼︎☜︎👎︎ ❄︎⚐︎ ☜︎☠︎❄︎☜︎☼︎ ✌︎☠︎👎︎ ☹︎☜︎✌︎✞︎☜︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ ✞︎⚐︎✋︎👎︎📬︎ ✋︎ ☠︎☜︎☜︎👎︎ ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎☼︎💧︎ ✌︎💧︎ ✌︎📬︎📬︎📬︎ 👌︎☜︎✌︎👍︎⚐︎☠︎📬︎ //I WILL USE THE POWER OF THE BARRIER TO FREE MYSELF, BUT A HUMAN SOUL IS REQUIRED TO ENTER AND LEAVE THE VOID. I NEED YOURS AS A. . . BEACON.// That makes sense. You think. It's getting harder to focus the longer you linger. You agree. ❄︎☟︎☜︎ 👌︎✌︎☼︎☼︎✋︎☜︎☼︎ ✋︎💧︎ 👌︎☜︎☟︎✋︎☠︎👎︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ 👍︎✌︎💧︎❄︎☹︎☜︎📬︎ ❄︎✌︎😐︎☜︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ ☟︎✌︎☹︎☹︎ ⚐︎☠︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ ☹︎☜︎☞︎❄︎ ✌︎☠︎👎︎ ☞︎⚐︎☹︎☹︎⚐︎🕈︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ 🏱︎✌︎❄︎☟︎📬︎ 👎︎⚐︎ ☠︎⚐︎❄︎ 👍︎☼︎⚐︎💧︎💧︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ 👌︎✌︎☼︎☼︎✋︎☜︎☼︎📪︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎☼︎☜︎ ✋︎💧︎ ✌︎☠︎ ☜︎✠︎❄︎☼︎✌︎ ☜︎☠︎👍︎☟︎✌︎☠︎❄︎💣︎☜︎☠︎❄︎📬︎ //THE BARRIER IS BEHIND THE CASTLE. TAKE THE HALL ON THE LEFT AND FOLLOW THE PATH. DO NOT CROSS THE BARRIER, THERE IS AN EXTRA ENCHANTMENT.// You'd like to ask more, but your ''SOUL'' aches from the void's touch. You must leave. You gasp for air as soon as you leave. Papyrus steadies you. He places one hand on your back, and the other on your shoulder. "HUMAN?! ARE YOU UNWELL? DO YOU NEED A DOCTOR?" Toriel and Asriel rush over. "What's wrong?" $Curse you hate it there. [[But you know what to do next. You just need to catch your breath and reassure Papyrus first.]]

The hands are on you in an instant. They grip your face, your arms, your sides, your hips, your legs-- <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "gaster"volume 0.15 loop play>> ☟︎☜︎☹︎☹︎⚐︎📪︎ 👎︎☜︎✌︎☼︎ ☟︎🕆︎💣︎✌︎☠︎📬︎ //HELLO, DEAR HUMAN.// The distorted voice bounces in your head as you sink further into //wrongness.// You think it's gotten easier to hear the voice, however. It takes you a moment to find your voice in the sea of cold, inky blackness. You ask Wingding if he has any idea on how to free himself. ✡︎☜︎💧︎📬︎ //YES.// That's great! Is there something you can do? ✡︎☜︎💧︎📬︎ ✋︎ ☠︎☜︎☜︎👎︎ ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎☼︎ ☟︎☜︎☹︎🏱︎📬︎ //YES. I NEED YOUR HELP.// He's got it. What does he need? 🕈︎☜︎ ☞︎✋︎☼︎💧︎❄︎ 💣︎🕆︎💧︎❄︎ ☝︎⚐︎ ❄︎⚐︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ 👌︎✌︎☼︎☼︎✋︎☜︎☼︎📪︎ ✌︎☠︎👎︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎☠︎ ✋︎ 🕈︎✋︎☹︎☹︎ ☠︎☜︎☜︎👎︎ ❄︎⚐︎ 👌︎⚐︎☼︎☼︎⚐︎🕈︎ ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎☼︎ 💧︎⚐︎🕆︎☹︎ ☞︎⚐︎☼︎ ✌︎ 👌︎☼︎✋︎☜︎☞︎ 🏱︎☜︎☼︎✋︎⚐︎👎︎ ⚐︎☞︎ ❄︎✋︎💣︎☜︎📬︎ //WE FIRST MUST GO TO THE BARRIER, AND THEN I WILL NEED TO BORROW YOUR SOUL FOR A BRIEF PERIOD OF TIME.// You shiver as he talks. The void presses on you in every direction. It's almost too much: you do your best to bear with the discomfort. You'd like a little more of an elaboration on that. ✋︎ 🕈︎✋︎☹︎☹︎ 🕆︎💧︎☜︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ 🏱︎⚐︎🕈︎☜︎☼︎ ⚐︎☞︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ 👌︎✌︎☼︎☼︎✋︎☜︎☼︎ ❄︎⚐︎ ☞︎☼︎☜︎☜︎ 💣︎✡︎💧︎☜︎☹︎☞︎📪︎ 👌︎🕆︎❄︎ ✌︎ ☟︎🕆︎💣︎✌︎☠︎ 💧︎⚐︎🕆︎☹︎ ✋︎💧︎ ☼︎☜︎✈︎🕆︎✋︎☼︎☜︎👎︎ ❄︎⚐︎ ☜︎☠︎❄︎☜︎☼︎ ✌︎☠︎👎︎ ☹︎☜︎✌︎✞︎☜︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ ✞︎⚐︎✋︎👎︎📬︎ ✋︎ ☠︎☜︎☜︎👎︎ ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎☼︎💧︎ ✌︎💧︎ ✌︎📬︎📬︎📬︎ 👌︎☜︎✌︎👍︎⚐︎☠︎📬︎ //I WILL USE THE POWER OF THE BARRIER TO FREE MYSELF, BUT A HUMAN SOUL IS REQUIRED TO ENTER AND LEAVE THE VOID. I NEED YOURS AS A. . . BEACON.// That makes sense. You think. It's getting harder to focus the longer you linger. You agree. ❄︎☟︎☜︎ 👌︎✌︎☼︎☼︎✋︎☜︎☼︎ ✋︎💧︎ 👌︎☜︎☟︎✋︎☠︎👎︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ 👍︎✌︎💧︎❄︎☹︎☜︎📬︎ ❄︎✌︎😐︎☜︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ ☟︎✌︎☹︎☹︎ ⚐︎☠︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ ☹︎☜︎☞︎❄︎ ✌︎☠︎👎︎ ☞︎⚐︎☹︎☹︎⚐︎🕈︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ 🏱︎✌︎❄︎☟︎📬︎ 👎︎⚐︎ ☠︎⚐︎❄︎ 👍︎☼︎⚐︎💧︎💧︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ 👌︎✌︎☼︎☼︎✋︎☜︎☼︎📪︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎☼︎☜︎ ✋︎💧︎ ✌︎☠︎ ☜︎✠︎❄︎☼︎✌︎ ☜︎☠︎👍︎☟︎✌︎☠︎❄︎💣︎☜︎☠︎❄︎📬︎ //THE BARRIER IS BEHIND THE CASTLE. TAKE THE HALL ON THE LEFT AND FOLLOW THE PATH. DO NOT CROSS THE BARRIER, THERE IS AN EXTRA ENCHANTMENT.// You'd like to ask more, but your ''SOUL'' aches from the void's touch. You must leave. You gasp for air as soon as you leave. Sans grasps your hands. "Hey, what the fuck was that? Yeh okay? Yeh--Yeh need me to get a doc?" Toriel and Asriel rush over. "What's wrong?" $Curse you hate it there. [[But you know what to do next. You just need to catch your breath and reassure Sans first.]]

His arms tighten around you, and he returns your nuzzle with an equal amount of affection. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "undertale"volume 0.15 loop play>> “Asriel, my son, is that truly you?” Asgore stands back up. He's staring at Asriel with a feirce intensity. “It is,” he says. “I see you still haven’t trimmed that awful beard of yours.” Asgore’s eyes widen and he suddenly grins and strides forward. “My boy! My son!” Asriel pulls you behind him and glares at his father. “You hurt my dear companion.” “I–I didn’t know.” “And how could you? You turned threw this world into madness for your own selfish reasons. Because you couldn’t be happy, no one else could,” Asriel snaps. “You blamed my death against all of humanity and dragged every one down with you. You aren’t fit to be king. You aren’t fit to be anything but in an asylumn.” Asgore flinches. “Asriel, I–” “Mother left for a reason. You never even went after her.” “I respected her–” “No. Don’t try that bullshit. You didn’t chase her down because you felt miserable. You wanted to stay miserable, and you wanted everyone around you to feel just as miserable. Congratulations, you succeeded. But no more. This ends now.” Fire flares to life around Asriel’s paws. He sternly says, “Our war against humanity has long since concluded and it’s time we move forward.” Asgore stares dully at the fire around Asriel’s hands. “You would attack me?” “In this world, it’s kill or be killed. Isn’t that what you wanted? Isn’t that what you demand?” Asriel raises his chin. “Kill me, if you can, //Father.//” Asgore falls silent. He stays silent for a long time. “I cannot kill you, my son. I would sooner see myself turn to dust than lose you ever again,” he says quietly. “I. . . I will. . . retract my statement.” Yay! "Music to my ears," says a soft voice. You and Asgore look on in surprise as Toriel, the owner of the voice, marches into the room. The goat monster's golden eyes are burning with ferocity. She is not alone in her march. You see many monsters behind her. You see Froggit and Napstablook; the dogs from Snowdin; Shyren; the children you met at the waterfall; Mettaton and his staff; and the Royal Guards with Papyrus and Undyne at the lead. There's so many of them! They fill up the room and surround you all. "Enough is enough," says Toriel. "Tori--" King Asgore stares at her in blatant disbelief. "You--You came back? To me?" "No," she coldly rebuffs. "I came for the human. For $name." She raises her chin and glowers down at Asgore. "And for monsterkind. You take one step toward that $gender and you will have to face //me.//" "AND ME," adds Papyrus. The dogs howl in unison, each holding up a stick. Shyren sings, “<<print "$shyrenlyrics">>.” "It's over," says Sans. He gives a sharp-tooth grin. "We're tired of this. So unless yeh wanna have a //hell of a time. . .//" King Asgore looks at the monsters around him. Toriel then notices Asriel and gasps. "Asriel?!" "Oh, uh. . . hi," says Asriel. "I wasn't expecting to see //you// here. . . Mother." Toriel rushes to him and immediately hugs him. Asgore stares at Asriel and Toriel. He smiles faintly and then looks over at you. "Human. No. . . $name. You said this world does not need to be kill or be killed. Do you truly believe that?" You meet his gaze. Yes. You do. It's not kill or be killed. It's save or be saved. You smile at Asgore. It's time for him to be saved now! ". . . Then so it shall be," he utters quietly. He drops his trident. And while he is not smiling. You think he is happy. Now there's only a couple things left to do. You tug on Asriel's sleeve. He looks over at you and smiles. "Yes, $name?" You tell him you need to check up on a friend. You'll be right back. "Uh. . . okay." [[You fall into the void.]]

He laughs and swings you around. Wow he’s strong! <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "undertale"volume 0.15 loop play>> “Asriel, my son, is that truly you?” Asgore stands back up. He's staring at Asriel with a feirce intensity. “It is,” he says. “I see you still haven’t trimmed that awful beard of yours.” Asgore’s eyes widen and he suddenly grins and strides forward. “My boy! My son!” Asriel pulls you behind him and glares at his father. “You hurt my dear companion.” “I–I didn’t know.” “And how could you? You turned threw this world into madness for your own selfish reasons. Because you couldn’t be happy, no one else could,” Asriel snaps. “You blamed my death against all of humanity and dragged every one down with you. You aren’t fit to be king. You aren’t fit to be anything but in an asylumn.” Asgore flinches. “Asriel, I–” “Mother left for a reason. You never even went after her.” “I respected her–” “No. Don’t try that bullshit. You didn’t chase her down because you felt miserable. You wanted to stay miserable, and you wanted everyone around you to feel just as miserable. Congratulations, you succeeded. But no more. This ends now.” Fire flares to life around Asriel’s paws. He sternly says, “Our war against humanity has long since concluded and it’s time we move forward.” Asgore stares dully at the fire around Asriel’s hands. “You would attack me?” “In this world, it’s kill or be killed. Isn’t that what you wanted? Isn’t that what you demand?” Asriel raises his chin. “Kill me, if you can, //Father.//” Asgore falls silent. He stays silent for a long time. “I cannot kill you, my son. I would sooner see myself turn to dust than lose you ever again,” he says quietly. “I. . . I will. . . retract my statement.” Yay! "Music to my ears," says a soft voice. You and Asgore look on in surprise as Toriel, the owner of the voice, marches into the room. The goat monster's golden eyes are burning with ferocity. She is not alone in her march. You see many monsters behind her. You see Froggit and Napstablook; the dogs from Snowdin; Shyren; the children you met at the waterfall; Mettaton and his staff; and the Royal Guards with Papyrus and Undyne at the lead. There's so many of them! They fill up the room and surround you all. "Enough is enough," says Toriel. "Tori--" King Asgore stares at her in blatant disbelief. "You--You came back? To me?" "No," she coldly rebuffs. "I came for the human. For $name." She raises her chin and glowers down at Asgore. "And for monsterkind. You take one step toward that $gender and you will have to face //me.//" "AND ME," adds Papyrus. The dogs howl in unison, each holding up a stick. Shyren sings, “<<print "$shyrenlyrics">>.” "It's over," says Sans. He gives a sharp-tooth grin. "We're tired of this. So unless yeh wanna have a //hell of a time. . .//" King Asgore looks at the monsters around him. Toriel then notices Asriel and gasps. "Asriel?!" "Oh, uh. . . hi," says Asriel. "I wasn't expecting to see //you// here. . . Mother." Toriel rushes to him and immediately hugs him. Asgore stares at Asriel and Toriel. He smiles faintly and then looks over at you. "Human. No. . . $name. You said this world does not need to be kill or be killed. Do you truly believe that?" You meet his gaze. Yes. You do. It's not kill or be killed. It's save or be saved. You smile at Asgore. It's time for him to be saved now! ". . . Then so it shall be," he utters quietly. He drops his trident. And while he is not smiling. You think he is happy. Now there's only a couple things left to do. You tug on Asriel's sleeve. He looks over at you and smiles. "Yes, $name?" You tell him you need to check up on a friend. You'll be right back. "Uh. . . okay." [[You fall into the void.]]

He squeezes you back. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "undertale"volume 0.15 loop play>> “Asriel, my son, is that truly you?” Asgore stands back up. He's staring at Asriel with a feirce intensity. “It is,” he says. “I see you still haven’t trimmed that awful beard of yours.” Asgore’s eyes widen and he suddenly grins and strides forward. “My boy! My son!” Asriel pulls you behind him and glares at his father. “You hurt my dear companion.” “I–I didn’t know.” “And how could you? You turned threw this world into madness for your own selfish reasons. Because you couldn’t be happy, no one else could,” Asriel snaps. “You blamed my death against all of humanity and dragged every one down with you. You aren’t fit to be king. You aren’t fit to be anything but in an asylumn.” Asgore flinches. “Asriel, I–” “Mother left for a reason. You never even went after her.” “I respected her–” “No. Don’t try that bullshit. You didn’t chase her down because you felt miserable. You wanted to stay miserable, and you wanted everyone around you to feel just as miserable. Congratulations, you succeeded. But no more. This ends now.” Fire flares to life around Asriel’s paws. He sternly says, “Our war against humanity has long since concluded and it’s time we move forward.” Asgore stares dully at the fire around Asriel’s hands. “You would attack me?” “In this world, it’s kill or be killed. Isn’t that what you wanted? Isn’t that what you demand?” Asriel raises his chin. “Kill me, if you can, //Father.//” Asgore falls silent. He stays silent for a long time. “I cannot kill you, my son. I would sooner see myself turn to dust than lose you ever again,” he says quietly. “I. . . I will. . . retract my statement.” Yay! "Music to my ears," says a soft voice. You and Asgore look on in surprise as Toriel, the owner of the voice, marches into the room. The goat monster's golden eyes are burning with ferocity. She is not alone in her march. You see many monsters behind her. You see Froggit and Napstablook; the dogs from Snowdin; Shyren; the children you met at the waterfall; Mettaton and his staff; and the Royal Guards with Papyrus and Undyne at the lead. There's so many of them! They fill up the room and surround you all. "Enough is enough," says Toriel. "Tori--" King Asgore stares at her in blatant disbelief. "You--You came back? To me?" "No," she coldly rebuffs. "I came for the human. For $name." She raises her chin and glowers down at Asgore. "And for monsterkind. You take one step toward that $gender and you will have to face //me.//" "AND ME," adds Papyrus. The dogs howl in unison, each holding up a stick. Shyren sings, “<<print "$shyrenlyrics">>.” "It's over," says Sans. He gives a sharp-tooth grin. "We're tired of this. So unless yeh wanna have a //hell of a time. . .//" King Asgore looks at the monsters around him. Toriel then notices Asriel and gasps. "Asriel?!" "Oh, uh. . . hi," says Asriel. "I wasn't expecting to see //you// here. . . Mother." Toriel rushes to him and immediately hugs him. Asgore stares at Asriel and Toriel. He smiles faintly and then looks over at you. "Human. No. . . $name. You said this world does not need to be kill or be killed. Do you truly believe that?" You meet his gaze. Yes. You do. It's not kill or be killed. It's save or be saved. You smile at Asgore. It's time for him to be saved now! ". . . Then so it shall be," he utters quietly. He drops his trident. And while he is not smiling. You think he is happy. Now there's only a couple things left to do. You tug on Asriel's sleeve. He looks over at you and smiles. "Yes, $name?" You tell him you need to check up on a friend. You'll be right back. "Uh. . . okay." [[You fall into the void.]]

The hands are on you in an instant. They grip your face, your arms, your sides, your hips, your legs-- <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "gaster"volume 0.15 loop play>> ☟︎☜︎☹︎☹︎⚐︎📪︎ 👎︎☜︎✌︎☼︎ ☟︎🕆︎💣︎✌︎☠︎📬︎ //HELLO, DEAR HUMAN.// The distorted voice bounces in your head as you sink further into //wrongness.// You think it's gotten easier to hear the voice, however. It takes you a moment to find your voice in the sea of cold, inky blackness. You ask Wingding if he has any idea on how to free himself. ✡︎☜︎💧︎📬︎ //YES.// That's great! Is there something you can do? ✡︎☜︎💧︎📬︎ ✋︎ ☠︎☜︎☜︎👎︎ ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎☼︎ ☟︎☜︎☹︎🏱︎📬︎ //YES. I NEED YOUR HELP.// He's got it. What does he need? 🕈︎☜︎ ☞︎✋︎☼︎💧︎❄︎ 💣︎🕆︎💧︎❄︎ ☝︎⚐︎ ❄︎⚐︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ 👌︎✌︎☼︎☼︎✋︎☜︎☼︎📪︎ ✌︎☠︎👎︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎☠︎ ✋︎ 🕈︎✋︎☹︎☹︎ ☠︎☜︎☜︎👎︎ ❄︎⚐︎ 👌︎⚐︎☼︎☼︎⚐︎🕈︎ ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎☼︎ 💧︎⚐︎🕆︎☹︎ ☞︎⚐︎☼︎ ✌︎ 👌︎☼︎✋︎☜︎☞︎ 🏱︎☜︎☼︎✋︎⚐︎👎︎ ⚐︎☞︎ ❄︎✋︎💣︎☜︎📬︎ //WE FIRST MUST GO TO THE BARRIER, AND THEN I WILL NEED TO BORROW YOUR SOUL FOR A BRIEF PERIOD OF TIME.// You shiver as he talks. The void presses on you in every direction. It's almost too much: you do your best to bear with the discomfort. You'd like a little more of an elaboration on that. ✋︎ 🕈︎✋︎☹︎☹︎ 🕆︎💧︎☜︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ 🏱︎⚐︎🕈︎☜︎☼︎ ⚐︎☞︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ 👌︎✌︎☼︎☼︎✋︎☜︎☼︎ ❄︎⚐︎ ☞︎☼︎☜︎☜︎ 💣︎✡︎💧︎☜︎☹︎☞︎📪︎ 👌︎🕆︎❄︎ ✌︎ ☟︎🕆︎💣︎✌︎☠︎ 💧︎⚐︎🕆︎☹︎ ✋︎💧︎ ☼︎☜︎✈︎🕆︎✋︎☼︎☜︎👎︎ ❄︎⚐︎ ☜︎☠︎❄︎☜︎☼︎ ✌︎☠︎👎︎ ☹︎☜︎✌︎✞︎☜︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ ✞︎⚐︎✋︎👎︎📬︎ ✋︎ ☠︎☜︎☜︎👎︎ ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎☼︎💧︎ ✌︎💧︎ ✌︎📬︎📬︎📬︎ 👌︎☜︎✌︎👍︎⚐︎☠︎📬︎ //I WILL USE THE POWER OF THE BARRIER TO FREE MYSELF, BUT A HUMAN SOUL IS REQUIRED TO ENTER AND LEAVE THE VOID. I NEED YOURS AS A. . . BEACON.// That makes sense. You think. It's getting harder to focus the longer you linger. You agree. ❄︎☟︎☜︎ 👌︎✌︎☼︎☼︎✋︎☜︎☼︎ ✋︎💧︎ 👌︎☜︎☟︎✋︎☠︎👎︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ 👍︎✌︎💧︎❄︎☹︎☜︎📬︎ ❄︎✌︎😐︎☜︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ ☟︎✌︎☹︎☹︎ ⚐︎☠︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ ☹︎☜︎☞︎❄︎ ✌︎☠︎👎︎ ☞︎⚐︎☹︎☹︎⚐︎🕈︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ 🏱︎✌︎❄︎☟︎📬︎ 👎︎⚐︎ ☠︎⚐︎❄︎ 👍︎☼︎⚐︎💧︎💧︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ 👌︎✌︎☼︎☼︎✋︎☜︎☼︎📪︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎☼︎☜︎ ✋︎💧︎ ✌︎☠︎ ☜︎✠︎❄︎☼︎✌︎ ☜︎☠︎👍︎☟︎✌︎☠︎❄︎💣︎☜︎☠︎❄︎📬︎ //THE BARRIER IS BEHIND THE CASTLE. TAKE THE HALL ON THE LEFT AND FOLLOW THE PATH. DO NOT CROSS THE BARRIER, THERE IS AN EXTRA ENCHANTMENT.// You'd like to ask more, but your ''SOUL'' aches from the void's touch. You must leave. You gasp for air as soon as you leave. Asriel and Toriel are beside you in an instant, both looking deeply concerned. Asriel asks, "$name, what's wrong? Are you okay?" "Dear human, what's wrong?" Toriel frets. $Curse you hate it there. [[But you know what to do next. You only need to catch your breath. You just need to catch your breath and reassure Asriel and Toriel first.]]

Once you feel you can breathe properly, you explain you need to use the barrier to help a friend. Asriel and Toriel give you odd looks. "Okay," says Asriel slowly. "I trust you. Come on. . . I'll lead you there." "I'll follow behind you shortly with the other monsters," says Toriel. "I just need a few words with Gorey." You and Asriel nod to that and leave. Asriel takes you out the room and down a left hallway. As you walk down the hallway, you admire the paintings. All of them were handpainted and depict pretty environments. They range from mountains, to the oceans, to the night sky. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "undertale"volume 0.15 loop play>> You wonder who painted them. There are candle sticks in the walls. A crimson flame flickers to life as you walk by them. They must be the magical equivilant to auto-lights. How neat! <<cycle "$candlelights" autoselect>>\ <<option "You'd like to have of your own one day.">> <<option "You love magic.">> <<option "You wonder where the smoke goes.">> <<option "Do they have other colors besides red?">> <</cycle>> This hallway, you are pleased to note is not covered in dust, grime, and cobwebs. At the end of the hallway is a door. Asriel pushes it open and you are pleasantly surprised to find a magical garden. Beautiful yellow, white, and orange flowers blossom around a brick path. There are tall trees with golden leaves, and orange-colored rose bushes. There are lampposts with yellow-tinted magic crystals, their light mimicking that of the sun. Although it is without warmth. The path winds around the castle and is built further into the cave. Noise hums all around you as you approach it. When you are close enough to get a proper look you see a wall of white. "This is the barrier," says Asriel. "What's next?" The next step is to let Wingding borrow your ''SOUL''. Ah, $curse. You have to go back into the void. But! This! Could be the last time! You fervently hope! You don't give yourself time to warm up. You're excited to be done with the void forever so you fall straight in. [[And into hands of a friend.]]

Once you feel you can breathe properly, you explain you need to use the barrier to help a friend. Papyrus, Asriel and Toriel give you odd looks. "THAT IS A STRANGE REQUEST, BUT I HAVE FAITH IN YOU, HUMAN," says Papyrus. "Okay," says Asriel slowly. "I trust you, too. Come on. . . I'll lead you there." "I'll follow behind you shortly with the other monsters," says Toriel. "I just need a few words with Gorey. Papyrus, would you please help keep the monsters in order?" "YES, YOUR MAJESTY." You and Asriel nod to that and leave. Asriel takes you out the room and down a left hallway. As you walk down the hallway, you admire the paintings. All of them were handpainted and depict pretty environments. They range from mountains, to the oceans, to the night sky. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "undertale"volume 0.15 loop play>> You wonder who painted them. There are candle sticks in the walls. A crimson flame flickers to life as you walk by them. They must be the magical equivilant to auto-lights. How neat! <<cycle "$candlelights" autoselect>>\ <<option "You'd like to have of your own one day.">> <<option "You love magic.">> <<option "You wonder where the smoke goes.">> <<option "Do they have other colors besides red?">> <</cycle>> This hallway, you are pleased to note is not covered in dust, grime, and cobwebs. At the end of the hallway is a door. Asriel pushes it open and you are pleasantly surprised to find a magical garden. Beautiful yellow, white, and orange flowers blossom around a brick path. There are tall trees with golden leaves, and orange-colored rose bushes. There are lampposts with yellow-tinted magic crystals, their light mimicking that of the sun. Although it is without warmth. The path winds around the castle and is built further into the cave. Noise hums all around you as you approach it. When you are close enough to get a proper look you see a wall of white. "This is the barrier," says Asriel. "What's next?" The next step is to let Wingding borrow your ''SOUL''. Ah, $curse. You have to go back into the void. But! This! Could be the last time! You fervently hope! You don't give yourself time to warm up. You're excited to be done with the void forever so you fall straight in. [[And into hands of your friend.]]

Once you feel you can breathe properly, you explain you need to use the barrier to help a friend. Asriel and Toriel give you odd looks. "This fer that dumbass?" Sans flatly asks you. You nod. "Is it safe?" he asks you. You think so. "A'ight," he says. "Okay," says Asriel slowly. "I trust you. Come on. . . I'll lead you there." "I'll follow behind you shortly with the other monsters," says Toriel. "I just need a few words with Gorey. Sans, would you please help your brother keep the monsters in order?" Sans looks like he very much does not want to do that. ". . . Yes, Yer Majesty." You and Asriel nod to that and leave. Asriel takes you out the room and down a left hallway. As you walk down the hallway, you admire the paintings. All of them were handpainted and depict pretty environments. They range from mountains, to the oceans, to the night sky. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "undertale"volume 0.15 loop play>> You wonder who painted them. There are candle sticks in the walls. A crimson flame flickers to life as you walk by them. They must be the magical equivilant to auto-lights. How neat! <<cycle "$candlelights" autoselect>>\ <<option "You'd like to have of your own one day.">> <<option "You love magic.">> <<option "You wonder where the smoke goes.">> <<option "Do they have other colors besides red?">> <</cycle>> This hallway, you are pleased to note is not covered in dust, grime, and cobwebs. At the end of the hallway is a door. Asriel pushes it open and you are pleasantly surprised to find a magical garden. Beautiful yellow, white, and orange flowers blossom around a brick path. There are tall trees with golden leaves, and orange-colored rose bushes. There are lampposts with yellow-tinted magic crystals, their light mimicking that of the sun. Although it is without warmth. You pull Sans' jacket closer around you. The path winds around the castle and is built further into the cave. Noise hums all around you as you approach it. When you are close enough to get a proper look you see a wall of white. "This is the barrier," says Asriel. "What's next?" The next step is to let Wingding borrow your ''SOUL''. Ah, $curse. You have to go back into the void. But! This! Could be the last time! You fervently hope! You don't give yourself time to warm up. You're excited to be done with the void forever so you fall straight in. [[And into the hands of your potential other brother-in-law.]]

There is a warm breeze against your skin. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "undertale"volume 0.15 loop play>> When you open your eyes, you are no longer in the void. The magic that had enveloped you is gone. . . as is the barrier. Did it. . . work? "It did, my friend." You turn around to face the owner of the voice. He stands very tall--as tall as Papyrus, if not more. <<if $watchedvideo eq 1>> He is a dead ringer for the tall monster in the video you watched, and for the one whose face is inside your locket. The only difference is that this monster has cracks in his face. One splits from the top of his skull and goes through his right eye. Another crack forms from his left eye and goes down to his spiky mouth. <<else>> He, like Papyrus, is a skeleton monster. He has vivid red eyelights in his eyesockets, and skeletal hands with holes through the palms. He wears a long black coat that goes to the ground. It doesn’t look normal; the ends of it waves and flickers like a candle’s shadow. Underneath that jacket is a red turtleneck sweater, and black pants. He has cracks in his face. One splits from the top of his skull and goes through his right eye. Another crack forms from his left eye and goes down to his spiky mouth. <</if>> This is Wingding Gaster. He gives you a bow. You make a move to step closer to him--to greet him properly--but your legs give out from underneath you. You fall forward. Wingding catches you with ease. "There now. Pulling a monster out of the void is taxing for a ''SOUL''. Using the same ''SOUL'' to funnel raw magic to accomplish that is doubly so. You should take it easy." You thank Wingding for catching you. You do feel remarkably tired--like you had finished a marathon. You look up at him and give him a smile. He returns your smile. "Not a problem. It seems like a small thing compared to what you have done for me." "Wow," says Asriel. "$name, I feel like I shouldn't be surprised by the miracles you perform. . . yet here I am. Still surprised." <<if $gender eq "person">> Wingding chuckles. "An impressive human, are they not?" Asriel grins. "Yeah. I'm glad to count them as my friend." <<else>> Wingding chuckles. "An impressive human, is $she not?" Asriel grins. "Yeah. I'm glad to count $her as my friend." <</if>> You're happy about that, too! Once you are steady on your feet, Wingding steps back. "Now, if you do not mind, I will excuse myself. I have a pair of brothers to find." Wingding takes a bow and leaves you and Asriel alone. "Are you tired?" he asks. You admit you do feel. . . something. Tired feels too small of a word. Exhausted more like. "Then here," he says as he picks you up bridal style. "Let me carry you." He bumps his forehead against yours. "It's only fair, right? You carried me." Then he notices the locket around your neck. "Oh. Where did you get that?" A ghost child. "What?" Nevermind. “The magic in the locket shows who’s in your heart,” says Asriel. He smile softens. “I used to have a matching one. May I see inside?" <<if $grillbylove eq 5>> You open the locket and show Asriel the picture inside. “Huh,” says Asriel. “I don’t know much about him, but if you like him that’s enough for me.” Oh? "Yes. Actually. . ." He holds out a hand. There is a distortion of magic in the air and a locket that matches yours materializes. It falls into your lap, since he is carrying you. "Why don't you hold onto this one, and maybe you can give it to him one day?" You ask Asriel if he’s sure. “Yeah. . . You're my best friend." <<cycle "$bff" autoselect>>\ <<option "You tell Asriel you feel the same, he’s your best friend.">> <<option "You tell Asriel you want him to be happy too.">> <</cycle>> "My dear ones," says Toriel as she and Asgore approach you. "Are you ready?" You and Asriel exchange joyous looks. Yes. [[Together, you and your companions leave the underground.]] <<elseif $mettaton eq 8>> You open the locket and show Asriel the picture inside. "That diva? Really?" He seems incredulous. You give him a look. He smiles and shrugs. "Eh. I guess you could do worse." You roll your eyes. "Actually. . ." He holds out a hand. There is a distortion of magic in the air and a locket that matches yours materializes. It falls into your lap, since he is carrying you. "Why don't you hold onto this one, and maybe you can give it to him one day?" You ask Asriel if he’s sure. “Yeah. . . You're my best friend." <<cycle "$bff" autoselect>>\ <<option "You tell Asriel you feel the same, he’s your best friend.">> <<option "You tell Asriel you want him to be happy too.">> <</cycle>> "My dear ones," says Toriel as she and Asgore approach you. "Are you ready?" You and Asriel exchange joyous looks. Yes. [[Together, you and your companions leave the underground.|MTTEpilogue]] <<else>> You open the locket and show Asriel the picture inside. His smile softens. “In that case. . .” He holds out a hand. There is a distortion of magic in the air and a locket that matches yours materializes. It falls into your lap, since he is carrying you. “How about I wear this one? We can match." You ask Asriel if he’s sure. “Yeah. . . You're my best friend." <<cycle "$bff" autoselect>>\ <<option "You tell Asriel you feel the same, he’s your best friend.">> <<option "You tell Asriel you want him to be happy too.">> <</cycle>> "My dear ones," says Toriel as she and Asgore approach you. "Are you ready?" You and Asriel exchange joyous looks. Yes. [[Together, you and and your monster friends leave the underground.]]<</if>>

You feel strong enough to walk as soon as you smell the fresh air. <<audio "once" stop>> <<audio "histheme"volume 0.15 loop play>> Asriel gently sets you down. He keeps a paw on your shoulder in case you need help. It's dark outside, yet brightening with every second. You hear gasps from the monsters around you. You hear choked back sobs. You hear //ooohs// and //ahhhs// and whimpers and hiccups. You hear them whisper and speak to one another as they all exit the underground to stand on a ledge overlooking Mt. Ebott. The barrier had been at a cave entrance. There is a wide overlook that showcases the forest at the bottom of the hill. . . and the city that rests at the edge of that forest. Tall skyscrapers climb into the sky, each building bright with light. The monsters notice and point to look at it, their voices getting louder. And then all goes silent when the first crack of light peaks out from the horizon. No one speaks. No one moves. It is their first sunrise, and they watch it in complete silence. When you look around you see many of them openly crying, their tears falling down their faces. Some have collapsed to their knees, holding their hands over their mouths to keep from weeping aloud. You smile, your own eyes burning. Yes. . . This is it. It's not a kill or be killed world. It's a save or be saved world. And you saved them. You enjoy the feeling of the morning sunlight on your face. It looks like you had been trapped underground for almost a full day. Your DETERMINATION carried you through without rest, but now that you see the sunrise, you feel your whole body relax. Exhaustion starts to press upon you, and you sway on your feet. Asriel supports you, a knowing simple on his face. "Dear human must be tired," gently remarks Toriel as she moves to help support you. Her golden eyes are filled with warmth when she looks at you. "Understandable," quietly says Asgore. He stands behind you. Nearby, but keeping a respectful distance. "Get some rest, $name," says Asriel. "You more than deserve it." "Yes. We aren't going anywhere," says Toriel. "There is no rush when we have such a beautiful view." When put like that. . . You slowly sink to the ground. Asriel and Toriel sit on either side of you. You close your eyes and lean into Toriel, completely at ease. “Pleasant dreams, $name,” she whispers. Yes. Pleasant dreams, dear $name. Your journey has ended, and you have more than earned this rest. Sleep well with your new friends. When you wake up, know that you will be ready to face whatever comes next. No matter the obstacle. No matter the enemy. No matter the battle. You will be okay. Because you have ''you''. [[TRUE HAPPY ENDING - FRIENDSHIP ROUTE]]

You feel strong enough to walk as soon as you smell the fresh air. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "sweet"volume 0.15 loop play>> Asriel gently sets you down. He keeps a paw on your shoulder in case you need help. "I got it," says Sans. He comes to your side, Papyrus and Wingding are close behind him. Asriel looks to you. "Are you sure?" You reassure Asriel it's okay. Asriel gives you a friendly nuzzle. "Okay. Call me over if you need help. Or want me to take out the trash." "Suck my dick, weed." Asriel casually flips Sans off as he leaves. Sans doesn't care. You ask Sans if you can talk to him in private. He shrugs. He looks over at his brothers. "Ey, yeh two mind givin' us some space?" "I mind," says Wingding blandly. "Yer jus' being ornery," argues Sans. "Yes," agrees Wingding. <<if $gender eq "person">> <<set $her = "them">> <</if>><<if $gender eq "man">> <<set $her = "him">> <</if>> "Yeh literally owe $her yer life. Don't waste it by drivin' me to murder," says Sans. "So violent," Wingding clicked his tongue and shook his head disapprovingly. "COME ON, WINGS. I DO NOT WANT TO HAVE TO CLEAN UP AFTER YOU TWO IF YOU DO FIGHT," says Papyrus. "YOU ARE BOTH VERY INCONSIDERATE OF THOSE AROUND YOU." "Ouch," says Wingding and Sans. "I mean he's not wrong," agrees Sans. "Yes, maybe we should be better," remarks Wingding. The two give each other a long look. "Nah," says Sans. "Why mess with perfection?" agrees Wingding. "See you later, Sans. . . $name." He and Papyrus leave you and Sans. You tell Sans you have a gift for him. This seems to amuse him. “Oh yeah?” You hold out the locket. He gives you an odd look, but does pick it up. He examines it. “These things use’ta be pretty popular. Special magic inside. Yeh know what it does, angel?” You do. You tug on the locket around your neck and you open it up to show him. He stares at his picture inside. His scarlet eyelights shrink to nothing. He is stiff, plainly shocked by what he sees. And then at once he turns a bright red. “Wh-What?! Are yeh serious? //ME?// Yeh can do so much better—” You don’t want anyone else. You want him. “Yer crazy! Delusional! Absolutely insane,” he scolds you. “Why me. . .?” Does he really want you to list the reasons right here? He remembers the two of you are in a semi-public place and furiously shakes his head. “No, no, no. Ah, shit.” He looks down at the locket in his red gloved hand. “. . . Yeh really want me to have this one?” You tell him you do. “I—I ain’t gonna open it anytime soon, yeh hear me! Yeh can’t look inside willy nilly, got it?” Sans blusters. That’s okay. He can look inside yours any time. He covers his face with one hand. “Fuck. Stop being so damn cute or else I’m gonna get seriously pissed and kick yer ass.” You somehow doubt that. He groans, but you are right. He won’t. That being said, he shouldn’t threaten you! You have to teach him a lesson. Which obviously means— <<cycle "$sansfinale" autoselect>>\ <<option "You grab both sides of his face and then give Sans a bunch of kisses.">> <<option "You hug Sans.">> <<option "You grab both sides of his face and force him to look at you while you smile adoringly at him.">> <</cycle>> You immediately feel his magic wrap around your ''SOUL''. You are lifted up into the air. "Nah-uh, none of that!" He says, a crimson hue forming under his eyesockets. "Y-Yeh tryin' to give me a heart attack, angel. . .?" You agree to behave. "Good." He sets you back down. He holds out his hand. It takes you a few moments to realize what he is asking for. You place the matching locket inside. He slips it on. "Shut up," he warns. "Don't say a word." You wisely do not say a word. But you do smile. Widely. He grabs your hand and starts to tug you along. “Stop smiling! Yeh wanna float again?” You giggle to yourself. It's dark outside, yet brightening with every second. You hear gasps from the monsters around you. You hear choked back sobs. You hear //ooohs// and //ahhhs// and whimpers and hiccups. You hear them whisper and speak to one another as they all exit the underground to stand on a ledge overlooking Mt. Ebott. The barrier had been at a cave entrance. There is a wide overlook that showcases the forest at the bottom of the hill. . . and the city that rests at the edge of that forest. Tall skyscrapers climb into the sky, each building bright with light. The monsters notice and point to look at it, their voices getting louder. And then all goes silent when the first crack of light peaks out from the horizon. No one speaks. No one moves. It is their first sunrise, and they watch it in complete silence. When you look around you see many of them openly crying, their tears falling down their faces. Some have collapsed to their knees, holding their hands over their mouths to keep from weeping aloud. You smile, your own eyes burning. Yes. . . This is it. It's not a kill or be killed world. It's a save or be saved world. And you saved them. Sans squeezes your hand. You look over at him, his red eyelights waver in their sockets. "That's. . . that's the sun?" he asks you. Yes. "It's gorgeous," he says. Yes. "It's warm, too. But not. . . not like Hotlands." Yes. "Hah. . ." Sans looks over at you, the smile on his face small and sincere. ". . . Thank you, $sansfirstnickname." The two of you take a seat beside each other, your fingers intertwined. You enjoy the feeling of the morning sunlight on your face. It looks like you had been trapped underground for almost a full day. Your DETERMINATION carried you through without rest, but now that you see the sunrise, you feel your whole body relax. Exhaustion starts to press upon you, and you lean into Sans. He gives you a knowing look. “Go 'head and get some rest, angel,” he whispers to you. "I'll keep an eye on things from here, yeh've nothin' to worry 'bout." When put like that. . . You close your eyes, completely at ease. “Hope yeh have sweet dreams, $name.” Yes. Sweet dreams, dear $name. Your journey has ended, and you have more than earned this rest. Sleep well beside him. When you wake up, know that you will be ready to face whatever comes next. No matter the obstacle. No matter the enemy. No matter the battle. You will be okay. Because you have ''you''. [[TRUE HAPPY ENDING - SANS ROUTE]]

You feel strong enough to walk as soon as you smell the fresh air. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "histheme"volume 0.15 loop play>> Asriel sets you down, but he insists on holding your hand. "I don't want to let go," he admits. That's fine. You don't want to, either. Asriel rests his head atop your head. "Good." It's dark outside, yet brightening with every second. You hear gasps from the monsters around you. You hear choked back sobs. You hear //ooohs// and //ahhhs// and whimpers and hiccups. You hear them whisper and speak to one another as they all exit the underground to stand on a ledge overlooking Mt. Ebott. The barrier had been at a cave entrance. There is a wide overlook that showcases the forest at the bottom of the hill. . . and the city that rests at the edge of that forest. Tall skyscrapers climb into the sky, each building bright with light. The monsters notice and point to look at it, their voices getting louder. And then all goes silent when the first crack of light peaks out from the horizon. No one speaks. No one moves. It is their first sunrise, and they watch it in complete silence. When you look around you see many of them openly crying, their tears falling down their faces. Some have collapsed to their knees, holding their hands over their mouths to keep from weeping aloud. You smile, your own eyes burning. Yes. . . This is it. It's not a kill or be killed world. It's a save or be saved world. And you saved them. You enjoy the feeling of the morning sunlight on your face. It looks like you had been trapped underground for almost a full day. Your DETERMINATION carried you through without rest, but now that you see the sunrise, you feel your whole body relax. Exhaustion starts to press upon you, and you sway on your feet. Asriel supports you, a knowing simple on his face. He picks you up again, gently cradling you. “Get some rest, $name,” he whispers to you. You lean into him, a soft smile on your face. When put like that. . . You close your eyes, completely at ease. “Sweet dreams, $name.” Yes. Sweet dreams, dear $name. Your journey has ended, and you have more than earned this rest. Sleep well in his arms. When you wake up, know that you will be ready to face whatever comes next. No matter the obstacle. No matter the enemy. No matter the battle. You will be okay. Because you have ''you''. [[TRUE HAPPY ENDING - ASRIEL ROUTE]]

With the re-entry of monsters into society, humanity rejoices. The governments that remain after the Great War all fly in to secure an alliance with the monsters. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "ending" play>> The monsters are met with overwhelming joy and positivity–they are borderline hailed as saviors. The wizards are particularly ecstatic, all of them flying to Mt. Ebott to enthusiastically welcome the monsters and offer their help with the transition. You are hailed as a hero and receive a neat little award. You'd think your time helping the monsters would end there, but no. It is almost unamiously decided by the monsters (and the wizards after they hear your story) that you are to be their ambassador. You don't really have a chance to say no. <<cycle "$ambassador" autoselect>>\ <<option "Not that you'd want to.">> <<option "You'd rather not, but they really need you.">> <<option "You'll see if you can find a substitute in a few years. You know they need you now.">> <</cycle>> While it is a happy transition, it is not easy. There are many cultural nuances that both sides have to adjust to. But! All of the governments are passionate about helping. They want this to work as badly as you do. The day the monsters re-enter the surface was officially declared an international holiday. Thousands of humans volunteeredtheir homes to be shared with monsters who want to integrate into society. Many of the monsters accept this and they fly out to far off places and see things they would have never even dreamed about. It really seems like everything is working out for the best. Your journey. . . your struggles. . . None of it was in vain. You saved them. All of them. And you didn't make it out of it alone. The Gaster family moves to the surface, right next door to you and your new home (as a VIP ambassador you had to move into a magically-secure home of your choosing in the city). You and the Gasters see each other daily. Although they aren't the only monsters you see often! Most notably, Asriel has become a huge part of your life. He became the new king of monsters and helps you integrate the two societies. You are dear friends at work and outside of it. He also gives the best hugs! You spend time with Toriel and Asgore every so often. Toriel bakes you a special pie and loves to give you hugs. You hang out with Papyrus and Undyne. You're a semi-regular on Mettaton's new T.V. show on the surface. You attend all of Shyren's concerts and are the first to buy her new album, //<<print "$shyrenlyrics">>//. You visited the school in Ebott City where the monster kids started to attend. They enthusiastically introduced you to their new human friends. <<if $jump eq 1>> You may or may not have done a very ill-advised field trip with them and jumped off another waterfall while screaming, "$battlecry." <<else>> You had to talk them out of trying to jump off another waterfall with their new friends. Multiple times. <</if>> You meet up with all the dogs from Snowdin every month for a game of poker. <<cycle "$poker" autoselect>>\ <<option "Which you suck at. A lot.">> <<option "Which you excel at.">> <<option "Which is always a fun time!">> <</cycle>> Everything is as it should be. Everyone is happy. And you're the reason for it. ---- Thank you, $name. Thank you for falling into UNDERFELL. Thank you for showing them kindness. Thank you for staying DETERMINED. Thank you for being ''you.'' //''THE END''// [[The First Storm]] (BONUS SCENE) [[Author's Notes]]

With the re-entry of monsters into society, humanity rejoices. The governments that remain after the Great War all fly in to secure an alliance with the monsters. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "ending" play>> The monsters are met with overwhelming joy and positivity–they are borderline hailed as saviors. The wizards are particularly ecstatic, all of them flying to Mt. Ebott to enthusiastically welcome the monsters and offer their help with the transition. You are hailed as a hero and receive a neat little award. You'd think your time helping the monsters would end there, but no. It is almost unamiously decided by the monsters (and the wizards after they hear your story) that you are to be their ambassador. You don't really have a chance to say no. <<cycle "$ambassador" autoselect>>\ <<option "Not that you'd want to.">> <<option "You'd rather not, but they really need you.">> <<option "You'll see if you can find a substitute in a few years. You know they need you now.">> <</cycle>> While it is a happy transition, it is not easy. There are many cultural nuances that both sides have to adjust to. But! All of the governments are passionate about helping. They want this to work as badly as you do. The day the monsters re-enter the surface was officially declared an international holiday. Thousands of humans volunteeredtheir homes to be shared with monsters who want to integrate into society. Many of the monsters accept this and they fly out to far off places and see things they would have never even dreamed about. It really seems like everything is working out for the best. Your journey. . . your struggles. . . None of it was in vain. You saved them. All of them. And you didn't make it out of it alone. The Gaster family moves to the surface, right next door to you and your new home (as a VIP ambassador you had to move into a magically-secure home of your choosing in the city). You and Papyrus see each other daily. The two of you spend every evening together in the kitchen. He wants to learn how to make every human food imaginable, and he loves to hold your hand as often as possible. How can you say no? You love spending time with him. In public, he's very vocal about his affection for you and the fact that the two of you are dating. He constantly refers to you as his DATEMATE, DEAR HUMAN, PRECIOUS LOVE, and so on. <<if $papshy gt $papbold>> It makes you all warm and giggly every time he does. You love it. <<else>> And you delight in calling him affectionate names, too! You adore his reactions. <</if>> While happy to have a boyfriend / datemate, you make sure not to lose touch with the friends you've made. Most notably, Asriel has become a huge part of your life. He became the new king of monsters and helps you integrate the two societies. You are dear friends at work and outside of it. He also gives the second best hugs! (Papyrus, of course, is first in your heart.) You spend time with Toriel and Asgore every so often. Toriel bakes you a special pie and loves to give you hugs. You hang out with Undyne. You're a semi-regular on Mettaton's new T.V. show on the surface. You attend all of Shyren's concerts and are the first to buy her new album, //<<print "$shyrenlyrics">>//. You visited the school in Ebott City where the monster kids started to attend. They enthusiastically introduced you to their new human friends. <<if $jump eq 1>> You may or may not have done a very ill-advised field trip with them and jumped off another waterfall while screaming, "$battlecry." <<else>> You had to talk them out of trying to jump off another waterfall with their new friends. Multiple times. <</if>> You meet up with all the dogs from Snowdin every month for a game of poker. <<cycle "$poker" autoselect>>\ <<option "Which you suck at. A lot. Papyrus tries to coach you, but his poker face is almost as bad as yours when he gets flustered. Which is every time you give him affection. You are his weakness.">> <<option "Which you excel at. Papyrus boasts about it constantly.">> <<option "Which is always a fun time! You did invite Papyrus once. Once. The two of you got too lovey-dovey at the table so you were asked not to do it again.">> <</cycle>> Everything is as it should be. Everyone is happy. And you're the reason for it. ---- Thank you, $name. Thank you for falling into UNDERFELL. Thank you for showing them kindness. Thank you for staying DETERMINED. Thank you for being ''you.'' //''THE END''// [[The First Storm]] (BONUS SCENE) [[Papyrus is Sick]] (BONUS SCENE) [[Papyrus - Judgment Hall Reaction]] (BONUS SCENE) [[Author's Notes]]

With the re-entry of monsters into society, humanity rejoices. The governments that remain after the Great War all fly in to secure an alliance with the monsters. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "ending" play>> The monsters are met with overwhelming joy and positivity–they are borderline hailed as saviors. The wizards are particularly ecstatic, all of them flying to Mt. Ebott to enthusiastically welcome the monsters and offer their help with the transition. You are hailed as a hero and receive a neat little award. You'd think your time helping the monsters would end there, but no. It is almost unamiously decided by the monsters (and the wizards after they hear your story) that you are to be their ambassador. You don't really have a chance to say no. <<cycle "$ambassador" autoselect>>\ <<option "Not that you'd want to.">> <<option "You'd rather not, but they really need you.">> <<option "You'll see if you can find a substitute in a few years. You know they need you now.">> <</cycle>> While it is a happy transition, it is not easy. There are many cultural nuances that both sides have to adjust to. But! All of the governments are passionate about helping. They want this to work as badly as you do. The day the monsters re-enter the surface was officially declared an international holiday. Thousands of humans volunteeredtheir homes to be shared with monsters who want to integrate into society. Many of the monsters accept this and they fly out to far off places and see things they would have never even dreamed about. It really seems like everything is working out for the best. Your journey. . . your struggles. . . None of it was in vain. You saved them. All of them. And you didn't make it out of it alone. The Gaster family moves to the surface, right next door to you and your new home (as a VIP ambassador you had to move into a magically-secure home of your choosing in the city). You and Sans see each other daily. While not an active boyfriend / datemate, he is very attentive and protective of you. Due to your status, it's not uncommon to find Sans popping up at your job to ensure you're safe. After work the two of you will indulge in a variety of comfort activities like watching movies together, napping, stargazing, or playing video games. He's gotten much better about receiving physical affection, too! And while you will miss his reactions, it would be nice to not get levitated into another room every time you want to cuddle him. Sans did retire from being The Judge. It's a position no longer needed. Instead, he studies the fusion of magic and technology with Wingding. He seems much happier doing that. Well. He could just be happy because of //you.// You are his $sansfirstnickname, after all! While happy to have a boyfriend / datemate, you make sure not to lose touch with the friends you've made. Most notably, Asriel has become a huge part of your life. He became the new king of monsters and helps you integrate the two societies. You are dear friends at work and outside of it. He also gives the second best hugs! (Sans, of course, is first in your heart.) You spend time with Toriel and Asgore every so often. Toriel bakes you a special pie and loves to give you hugs. You hang out with Papyrus and Undyne. You're a semi-regular on Mettaton's new T.V. show on the surface. You attend all of Shyren's concerts and are the first to buy her new album, //<<print "$shyrenlyrics">>//. You visited the school in Ebott City where the monster kids started to attend. They enthusiastically introduced you to their new human friends. <<if $jump eq 1>> You may or may not have done a very ill-advised field trip with them and jumped off another waterfall while screaming, "$battlecry." <<else>> You had to talk them out of trying to jump off another waterfall with their new friends. Multiple times. <</if>> You meet up with all the dogs from Snowdin every month for a game of poker. <<cycle "$poker" autoselect>>\ <<option "Which you suck at. A lot. Sans finds it positively adorable and teases you about it constantly.">> <<option "Which you excel at. Sans and Wingding joke about entering you into a professional tournament.">> <<option "Which is always a fun time! Sans loves to tag along, and the group always get a good kick out of you making him blush (intentional or not).">> <</cycle>> Everything is as it should be. Everyone is happy. And you're the reason for it. ---- Thank you, $name. Thank you for falling into UNDERFELL. Thank you for showing them kindness. Thank you for staying DETERMINED. Thank you for being ''you.'' //''THE END''// [[Sans - Bad Day]] (BONUS SCENE) [[The First Storm]] (BONUS SCENE) [[Sans is Sick]] (BONUS SCENE) [[Sans' Proposal]] (BONUS SCENE) [[Before The Void]] (BONUS SCENE) [[Author's Notes]]

With the re-entry of monsters into society, humanity rejoices. The governments that remain after the Great War all fly in to secure an alliance with the monsters. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "ending" play>> The monsters are met with overwhelming joy and positivity–they are borderline hailed as saviors. The wizards are particularly ecstatic, all of them flying to Mt. Ebott to enthusiastically welcome the monsters and offer their help with the transition. You are hailed as a hero and receive a neat little award. You'd think your time helping the monsters would end there, but no. It is almost unamiously decided by the monsters (and the wizards after they hear your story) that you are to be their ambassador. You don't really have a chance to say no. <<cycle "$ambassador" autoselect>>\ <<option "Not that you'd want to.">> <<option "You'd rather not, but they really need you.">> <<option "You'll see if you can find a substitute in a few years. You know they need you now.">> <</cycle>> While it is a happy transition, it is not easy. There are many cultural nuances that both sides have to adjust to. But! All of the governments are passionate about helping. They want this to work as badly as you do. The day the monsters re-enter the surface was officially declared an international holiday. Thousands of humans volunteeredtheir homes to be shared with monsters who want to integrate into society. Many of the monsters accept this and they fly out to far off places and see things they would have never even dreamed about. It really seems like everything is working out for the best. Your journey. . . your struggles. . . None of it was in vain. You saved them. All of them. And you didn't make it out of it alone. The Gaster family moves to the surface, right next door to you and your new home (as a VIP ambassador you had to move into a magically-secure home of your choosing in the city). It's always fun to hang out with them. However, it's Asriel you see the most. He's become a huge part of your life. He became the new king of monsters and helps you integrate the two societies. Every morning he comes to pick you up personally, and the two of you have lunch and dinner together almost every day. It's always easy and fun to spend time with him, it's never tiring. A lot of the time, it's the highlight of your day. He nuzzles you every chance he gets, and when you allow him to he'll pick you up and carry you around. He leaves golden flowers for you at your desk and always brings you $favoritefood on bad days. On several occassions you two have been called the //cutest// couple and several wizards have asked if you intend to ''SOULBIND'' because of how well suited you two seem to be. Maybe one day. While happy to have a boyfriend / datemate, you make sure not to lose touch with the friends you've made. You spend time with Toriel and Asgore every so often. Toriel bakes you a special pie and loves to give you hugs. You hang out with Papyrus and Undyne. You're a semi-regular on Mettaton's new T.V. show on the surface. You attend all of Shyren's concerts and are the first to buy her new album, //<<print "$shyrenlyrics">>//. You visited the school in Ebott City where the monster kids started to attend. They enthusiastically introduced you to their new human friends. <<if $jump eq 1>> You may or may not have done a very ill-advised field trip with them and jumped off another waterfall while screaming, "$battlecry." <<else>> You had to talk them out of trying to jump off another waterfall with their new friends. Multiple times. <</if>> You meet up with all the dogs from Snowdin every month for a game of poker. <<cycle "$poker" autoselect>>\ <<option "Which you suck at. A lot. Asriel thinks it's precious, though.">> <<option "Which you excel at. It's very impressive to Asriel! He struggles with it.">> <<option "Which is always a fun time! Any time you invite Asriel it doubles the fun. He's your best friend, after all.">> <</cycle>> Everything is as it should be. Everyone is happy. And you're the reason for it. ---- Thank you, $name. Thank you for falling into UNDERFELL. Thank you for showing them kindness. Thank you for staying DETERMINED. Thank you for being ''you.'' //''THE END''// [[Asriel - First Date]] (BONUS SCENE) [[Asriel - Judgment Hall Reaction]] (BONUS SCENE) [[The First Storm]] (BONUS SCENE) [[Author's Notes]]

You and Asgore look on in surprise as Toriel, the owner of the voice, marches into the room. The goat monster's golden eyes are burning with ferocity. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "undertale"volume 0.15 loop play>> She is not alone in her march. You see many monsters behind her. You see Froggit and Napstablook; the dogs from Snowdin; Shyren; the children you met at the waterfall; Mettaton and his staff; and the Royal Guards with Papyrus and Undyne at the lead. There's so many of them! They fill up the room and surround you all. "Enough is enough," says Toriel. "Tori--" King Asgore stares at her in blatant disbelief. "You--You came back? To me?" "No," she coldly rebuffs. "I came for the human. For $name." She raises her chin and glowers down at Asgore. "And for monsterkind. You take one step toward that $gender and you will have to face //me.//" "AND ME," adds Papyrus. The dogs howl in unison, each holding up a stick. Shyren sings, “<<print "$shyrenlyrics">>.” "It's over," says Sans. He gives a sharp-tooth grin. "We're tired of this. So unless yeh wanna have a //hell of a time. . .//" King Asgore looks at the monsters around him. "Not only them," says a voice that feels familiar to you. The monsters part way to make room for a new monster. He's a goat monster with bright golden eyes and red pupils--like Toriel and Asgore. Trailing behind him is Dr. Alphys. Toriel gasps. "Asriel?!" "Oh, uh. . . hi," says Asriel(?). "I wasn't expecting to see //you// here. . . Mother." Toriel rushes to him and immediately hugs him. "Asriel. . .?" King Asgore's expression darkens to wariness. "Is that. . . truly you. . .?" “It is,” he says, awkwardly patting Toriel's back. “I see you still haven’t trimmed that awful beard of yours.” Asgore’s eyes widen and he suddenly grins and strides forward. “My boy! My son!” "One awkward family hug at a time," Asriel complains. "And besides--you were about to attack my friend." Friend. . .? You look between Asriel and Dr. Alphys. Wait. . . FLOWEY?! "Howdy, $name," says Asriel. He gives you a grin. "Glad to see you're okay. Um. . . you are okay, right?" Yes! You run to hug him. Toriel notices and opens up her arms to let you also hug Asriel. Asriel hugs you both. "You seem a little singed. . . you sure you're okay?" Yep! "Good," says Asriel. "Now if you and Mother will excuse me, I need to talk to Father." Toriel squeezes Asriel. She reluctantly lets him go. You also let go. Asriel steps closer to his father, king Asgore. "Father. . . It's time this feud with humanity comes to an end. It's time that monsters return to the surface." "Asriel--" "No," Asriel cuts him off. "This isn't an argument, or something up for debate. You won't win this. You //can't// win this. I understand--I understand the war changed you. I know those memories are hard to let go. But it's time. Don't stop us. $name has shown us that humans and monsters can be friends again. Let us try." Asgore stares at Asriel. He smiles faintly. "I. . . cannot win this." Asgore looks over at you. "Human. No. . . $name. You said this world does not need to be kill or be killed. Do you truly believe that?" You meet his gaze. Yes. You do. It's not kill or be killed. It's save or be saved. You smile at Asgore. It's time for him to be saved now! ". . . Then so it shall be," he utters quietly. He drops his trident. And while he is not smiling. You think he is happy. Now there's only a couple things left to do. You poke Sans. He turns to face you. "Yeah, angel?" You tell him you need to check up on a friend. You'll be right back. He squints. "Who?" You wink. It's a surprise. "I don' like surprises," he says. . . . Too bad! [[You go into the void.]]

You and Asgore look on in surprise as Toriel, the owner of the voice, marches into the room. The goat monster's golden eyes are burning with ferocity. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "undertale"volume 0.15 loop play>> She is not alone in her march. You see many monsters behind her. You see Froggit and Napstablook; the dogs from Snowdin; Shyren; the children you met at the waterfall; Mettaton and his staff; and the Royal Guards with Undyne at the lead. There's so many of them! They fill up the room and surround you all. "Enough is enough," says Toriel. "Tori--" King Asgore stares at her in blatant disbelief. "You--You came back? To me?" "No," she coldly rebuffs. "I came for the human. For $name." She raises her chin and glowers down at Asgore. "And for monsterkind. You take one step toward that $gender and you will have to face //me.//" "AND ME," adds Papyrus. The dogs howl in unison, each holding up a stick. Shyren sings, “<<print "$shyrenlyrics">>.” "It's over," says Sans. He gives a sharp-tooth grin. "We're tired of this. So unless yeh wanna have a //hell of a time. . .//" King Asgore looks at the monsters around him. "Not only them," says a voice that feels familiar to you. The monsters part way to make room for a new monster. He's a goat monster with bright golden eyes and red pupils--like Toriel and Asgore. Trailing behind him is Dr. Alphys. Toriel gasps. "Asriel?!" "Oh, uh. . . hi," says Asriel(?). "I wasn't expecting to see //you// here. . . Mother." Toriel rushes to him and immediately hugs him. "Asriel. . .?" King Asgore's expression darkens to wariness. "Is that. . . truly you. . .?" “It is,” he says, awkwardly patting Toriel's back. “I see you still haven’t trimmed that awful beard of yours.” Asgore’s eyes widen and he suddenly grins and strides forward. “My boy! My son!” "One awkward family hug at a time," Asriel complains. "And besides--you were about to attack my friend." Friend. . .? You look between Asriel and Dr. Alphys. Wait. . . FLOWEY?! "Howdy, $name," says Asriel. He gives you a grin. "Glad to see you're okay. Um. . . you are okay, right?" Yes! You run to hug him. Toriel notices and opens up her arms to let you also hug Asriel. Asriel hugs you both. "You seem a little singed. . . you sure you're okay?" Yep! "Good," says Asriel. "Now if you and Mother will excuse me, I need to talk to Father." Toriel squeezes Asriel. She reluctantly lets him go. You also let go. Asriel steps closer to his father, king Asgore. "Father. . . It's time this feud with humanity comes to an end. It's time that monsters return to the surface." "Asriel--" "No," Asriel cuts him off. "This isn't an argument, or something up for debate. You won't win this. You //can't// win this. I understand--I understand the war changed you. I know those memories are hard to let go. But it's time. Don't stop us. $name has shown us that humans and monsters can be friends again. Let us try." Asgore stares at Asriel. He smiles faintly. "I. . . cannot win this." Asgore looks over at you. "Human. No. . . $name. You said this world does not need to be kill or be killed. Do you truly believe that?" You meet his gaze. Yes. You do. It's not kill or be killed. It's save or be saved. You smile at Asgore. It's time for him to be saved now! ". . . Then so it shall be," he utters quietly. He drops his trident. And while he is not smiling. You think he is happy. Now there's only a couple things left to do. You poke Papyrus. He turns to face you. "YES, HUMAN?" You tell him you need to check up on a friend. You'll be right back. "VERY WELL" [[You drop into the void.]]

You are a woman. <<set $gender = "woman">> <<if $gender eq "woman">> <<set $she = "she">> <<set $her = "her">> <<set $She = "She">> <<set $Her = "Her">> <<set $shes = "she's">> <<set $hers = "her's">> <<set $Shes = "She's">> <<set $Hers = "Her's">> <</if>> If someone were to describe you they would use: $She is a $gender. $Her outfit looks nice today. $Shes going out tonight. [[You deserve all the praise!]]

You are a man. <<set $gender = "man">> <<if $gender eq "man">> <<set $she = "he">> <<set $her = "him">> <<set $She = "He">> <<set $Her = "His">> <<set $shes = "he's">> <<set $hers = "his">> <<set $Shes = "He's">> <<set $Hers = "His">> <</if>> If someone were to describe you they would use: $She is a $gender. $Her outfit looks nice today. $Shes going out tonight. [[You deserve all the praise!]]

You are a person. <<set $gender = "person">> <<if $gender eq "person">> <<set $she = "they">> <<set $her = "their">> <<set $She = "They">> <<set $Her = "Their">> <<set $shes = "they're">> <<set $hers = "theirs">> <<set $Shes = "They're">> <<set $Hers = "Theirs">> <</if>> If someone were to describe you they would use: $Shes a $gender. $Her outfit looks nice today. $Shes going out tonight. [[You deserve all the praise!]]

“My dear, would you mind passing me that?” You agree without fuss. You and Wingding are in his new laboratory on the surface. It is a gift from one of the governments as a gesture of goodwill. It’s a nice laboratory, you think, although you only have one lab to compare it to. The one in the Hotlands was literally falling apart when you ventured through it, so this one seems immensely superior. It has do-dads and whirring machines and huge computers. What more could a lab need? You pass Wingding the vial he had pointed to. His current project appears chemical-related because he has many vials filled with different colored liquids. “Thank you,” he says once he receives the vial. He places it into a strange machine that starts to spin it. “That should take some time. Are you certain you want to keep me company today? My work isn’t fun to watch.” You’re sure! You love spending time with your datemate. Wingding smiles at that. “Good.” His smile curls into a smirk. “We do have some time until I need to start the next cycle. Perhaps we should move to a more comfortable setting?” <<if $wingshy gt $wingbold>> You struggle to come up with a cohesive response, your face feeling hot. Wingding chuckles and cups your face. "When you respond that way it makes me want to tease you more.” <<else>> You smile smugly and ask what for. Wingding chuckles. “Aren’t you being coy today? When you respond that way it makes me want to tease you more.” <</if>> There is an odd beeping sound on the machine. Wingding immediately frowns and glances away. “Oh. We’ll need to raincheck, my dear. If it’s giving that kind of response already I should stay near it.” <<if $wingshy gt $wingbold>> You are torn between relief and disappointment. <<else>> You sigh.<</if>> Wingding places a kiss on your forehead. “Actually, I do have something I’ve been meaning to talk to you about.” Oh? “Your story. I have yet to hear it in its entirety. I want to know.” You hesitate. Is he sure? There might be some parts that make him uncomfortable. “All the more reason to know,” he insists. Okay. . . ---- Wingding listens to your story with an inquisitive mind. He asks you many questions–//How did that feel? Why did you decide to go that way? What made you choose that song?//–and every time you describe a death his brow furrows. And then you get to Judgment Hall and your encounter with Sans. His expression goes blank, his posture rigid. But you know your datemate / future ''SOULMATE''. A blank face means concealed emotions, and if you’re correctly interpreting the low buzz in his magic he is. . . not pleased. Not pleased in the slightest bit. You actually stop your story and ask him if he would like to take a break. “No, no, my dear. There is no need. Please continue.” So you do. And he listens. At the end he gives you a kiss and asks if you’re okay. You are! You already forgave Sans. “That’s kind of you,” he says. “Very kind.” Thank you! Wingding pulls you into a hug. “Very kind. . . very kind. . .” Hmm. He seems tense to you. You ask him if he’s okay. “I am,” he says, and you know with absolute certainty that is a lie. You remind him that you already forgave Sans. "Yes, I know, dear." Hmm. [[The next day.]]

You sniffle as Asriel takes the thermometer away from you. The goat-monster looks at you with plain concern when he sees the temperature. "I'm sorry, love, but you're sick." You sigh at that. It hurts your throat. Asriel bends down to nuzzle your nose. "My poor $name. Are you in any pain?" While uncomfortable, you've been through worse. "Worse?" Asriel frowns at that. He sits on the bed beside you. You hesitate. "What's wrong, love? What happened?" Asriel presses, sensing your reluctance. You don't want to hide it from Asriel, but you also don't want to cause an issue. You ask Asriel if he promises not to hurt anyone. "I promise," Asriel says. You tell him the truth. You talk about your journey through the kingdom, your deaths, and most importantly. . . you talk about your time in Judgment Hall. He listens. As he listens, he pulls you into his arms and holds you tightly. By the end of it you're exhausted. Your throat is spent, and all you want to do is fall asleep in his arms. "Go ahead and rest, love," he says. "I'll join you in bed in a little while." Where is he going? "Just some chores to take care of real quick. I need to take out the trash." Okay. [[You don't see Asriel again until the next morning.]]

“Hello brother,” Wingding greets Sans at work the next day. “‘Sup,” says Sans. “You know. . . I was told a funny story yesterday,” he says. “By my dear ''SOULMATE''.” “Yeah?” “Out of my affection for you, I have decided to give you a headstart,” Wingding says. “What?” “I am granting you a five minute headstart. . . to run,” he says. “Why?” Wingding smiles coldly, the red lights in his eyesockets glowing brightly with rage. “You. Judged. My. ''SOULMATE''. Dear. Brother.” Sans doesn’t wait another second to respond, he has already short-cutted away. [[The First Storm]] (BONUS SCENE) [[WD Notes Translated]] (BONUS LORE) [[Before The Void]] (BONUS SCENE) [[New Lab]] (BONUS SCENE) [[Author's Notes]]

As soon as Asriel ensured his beloved $name was asleep, he calmly walked away. He stayed calm all the way to the laboratory Wingding and Alphys worked at on the surface. He knew Sans also worked there, having retired from his Judge position. He entered the lab. He headed down the hallway until he could hear voices. Asriel stopped outside the door. He took a deep breath. And he stops being calm. He kicked the door down with enough magical force it flew across the room and destroyed the wall on the opposite side. He immediately spots Sans at the other end of it. The door had narrowly avoided hitting the startled skeleton. Fire glazes around his fists. Asriel snarl, "YOU ''JUDGED'' THE LOVE OF MY LIFE?!" Wingding, who was seated at his desk on the right side of the room, looks at Ariel. He looked at Sans. He took a drink from his coffee mug and calmly says, “Run, brother.” “Fuck,” says Sans as he shortcuts away. //“YOU ARE NOT GETTING AWAY THAT EASILY, YOU PILE OF TRASH!”// [[Asriel - First Date]] (BONUS SCENE) [[Asriel's Proposal]] (BONUS SCENE) [[Author's Notes]] [[The First Storm]] (BONUS SCENE)

You had a bad day. A very bad day. An awful day, really. The kind of day where by the end of it you go home, wrap yourself in a blanket, sit on your couch, and. . . Cry. You didn't //want// to cry, but it was a necessary catharsis. ---- The tears come unwillingly and when you start, you find it difficult to stop. Within minutes you are hiccuping and holding yourself tightly. It is then that Sans shortcuts into the room. "Hey ba--AY WHAT?" Sans does this odd erratic seizure when he notices your state. His eyelights shrink to nothing and he rushes to your side. "Why are yeh cryin'?! Don--Don' cry! What's wrong? Did I do somethin'?" You hiccup as he pulls out his phone and checks the calendar. "Did I forget the ann--no, no, not today--Valentines?--Nope--What're the others ones?" Sans's thumbs move quickly as he scrolls through the holidays. "I don't see anythin' marked for today?!" He looks back up to you, panicked. "What's wrong?" You try to explain but you keep hiccuping and crying. "D-Do you want food?" he asks, his voice getting higher pitched. "Yeh want some $favoritefood? Wh-What about watchin' a movie? Some new $favoritegenre? Y-Yeh can pick!" You shake your head. "Wh-What can I do?" he asks, flustered. You pat the spot on the couch beside you. He anxiously sits beside you. You turn to him and lay partially on him. You put your head on his shoulder, burying your face in the fluff of his hood as you sniffle. He's stiffly frozen for several long seconds. You feel him shift and his arms come around you. He places one hand on your back, and the other hand on the back of your head. He strokes the back of your head. You cry into his arms and he holds you. "I dunno what's goin' on in that pretty little head of yers," he mumbles quietly. "But I'm here." He rests his head over yours. "I'll always be be here for yeh, $name." [[Author's Notes]] [[The First Storm]] (BONUS SCENE) [[Before The Void]] (BONUS SCENE) [[Sans is Sick]] (BONUS SCENE) [[Sans' Proposal]] (BONUS SCENE)

There is the sound of someone choking in the background. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "Snowy"volume 0.15 loop play>> “Uh,” goes Flowey. <<set $harem = 1>> “YOU MEAN LIKE A BEST FRIEND?” <<set $sanslove = 0>> <<set $grillbylove = 0>> <<set $asrielrom = 0>> No. Well. Yes, but also no. That is part of the process. “I DO NOT UNDERSTAND. I TRIED TO KILL YOU. REPEATEDLY. YOU DON’T EVEN SEEM ANGRY. . .” Papyrus shifts his weight uneasily. It’s hard to read his expression, but you get the distinct feeling he is uncomfortable. Remorseful. You remind him that you are alive now. BUT I. . . DO YOU NOT THINK I AM CAPABLE OF IT, HUMAN?” No, no. You are quite sure he //could// kill you. However, you also think he could //not// kill you, too. You think the three of you could become something wonderful. Again, you hear that choking. How odd! “SOMETHING. . . WONDERFUL?” Papyrus mulls over your words. Yes! “I HAVE BEEN TOLD HAVING A BEST FRIEND--” Oh dear it looks like he’s going to keep having this misunderstanding. It's best to be firm when there's a chance to smooch two monsters. You tell him you mean romantically. You would like to date him and Sans. Flowey makes a noise of disgust the same time you hear a very faint //what the fuck// in the background. “ER. . . I DO NOT KNOW YOU, HUMAN,” Papyrus says. “I CANNOT RECIPROCATE YOUR FEELINGS.” That’s okay! That’s what dating is for. “OH.” Of course, that’s only if he’s okay with giving you a chance. Is he? Papyrus thinks it over. “VERY WELL, HUMAN. I WILL GIVE YOU A CHANCE. STAY ALIVE, AND WE WILL GO ON A DATE. BE GRATEFUL, HUMAN. I AM SPARING YOU. FOR NOW.” You immediately hug him. He stiffens immediately at your contact. It feels like he’s a little shy. How cute! It takes him a solid ten seconds of processing what you have done before he starts to pat your back. “ER. . . HUMAN? ARE YOU BROKEN?” You tell him this is what friends (and couples who could become throuples) do. “I SEE.” Papyrus hesitantly hugs you back. Yay! You did it! You survived Snowdin and are on your way to having two potential boyfriends! “IS THIS NORMAL?” Papyrus asks Flowey while he hugs you. “Yeah,” says Flowey. “STRANGE.” “Yeah,” agrees Flowey. [[It’s time to leave Snowdin.]]

You ask the children about Papyrus. <<set $harem += 1>> “Oh the boss?” Mon asks. “He’s really cool! He makes a lot of traps and puzzles on the outskirts.” “He and Undyne are the strongest members of the Royal Guard,” Puffers adds. She giggles to herself. “And the loudest.” “You know those scars over his eye?” Wicc asks you. You recall the slashes around Papyrus’s right eye socket. There are two gouges across his left eyesocket. “He got ‘em from fighting with King Asgore!” Why did he fight King Asgore? The children all shrug. “He’s one of the few monsters who’s ever fought King Asgore and lived,” Ravamp says, wonder in her voice. “Isn’t that so cool?!” Revamp’s body twists and expands in excitement. “Also! Also! He makes the //best// lasagna.” At the mention of Papyrus’ lasagna, the children sigh dreamily. “I have dreams about that lasagna,” Mon whispers. “It was //so// good,” Wicc agrees. It sounds like something you’ll have to try for yourself. “Did you face him?” Puffers asks. You did. “And you WON?!” This revelation earns gasps from the children. They look at you in plain reverence. In a way you did. You convinced Papyrus not to attack you, and potentially go on a date with you. “Ew dating,” says Mon. “Gross,” agrees Ravamp. “That sounds romantic,” Puffers protests on your behalf. “And super-duper forbidden. A Royal Guard dating a //human//? That’s gotta break like a hundred different rules.” You hope there aren’t a hundred rules against that. It might make your journey to smooch the skeleton brothers unnecessarily difficult. Not that you aren’t prepared for that! You decide to ask the children about Sans next. Their faces scrunch up immediately. “He’s mean,” says Mon. “And smelly.” “He tells terrible jokes too,” says Puffers. “It’s hard to believe he’s related to Mr. Papyrus.” “Yeah he doesn’t do //anything// but hang out at Grillby'z or patrol. He’s a loser.” You think back to Sans. You don’t think he’s a loser. Rather, you found him very charming. “Not for the first time, I question your judgment,” Flowey whispers in your ears. The children give you pitying looks. Puffers says, "Humans are surprisingly weird, huh. . .?" Um. //Your// preference aside, you don't think the children should be saying those things about Sans. "Why not?" Ravamp asks you. "Eh. . . I guess. He //does// work for Mr. Papyrus," says Mon. Is Sans part of the Royal Guard? “Don’t think so. . .?” The children exchange looks, each of them frowning. Puffers smooths out her hoodie. “A-Actually he might be? Otherwise he wouldn’t be allowed to patrol.” “But that can’t be right—to join the Royal Guard, don’t you have to be really strong?” “Yeah, no way that mustard-smelling lazybones is strong. Maybe Mr. Papyrus asked for an exception for Sans to be able to patrol in Snowdin.” The children nod amongst each other. You clear your throat. You ask the children about Undyne. It only makes sense. You have a good feeling that Undyne will be your next obstacle. “Undyne’s the coolest!” “She’s Captain of the Royal Guard,” Puffers says. “She was trained by King Asgore himself.” “She actually patrols this area,” says Mon. “Her house is in the marshes.” Wow, really? The marshes? Then again, if Undyne is the Captain of the Royal Guard she must have a powerful magical presence. It likely never goes dark in the marshes when she walks through. “She doesn’t come to Snowdin often so we’ve only seen her a couple of times,” Wicc explains. “She has a wicked cool attack--” [[“Enough, children.”]]

<<set $harem += 1>> Sans spots you. He gives you a wink. “Hey, $sansfirstnickname. Fancy meetin’ yeh here.” You can’t fight your grin. You make your way over to him and lean against the sentry post. You tell him you’re happy to see him. He gives you a smile. “Hey, want a chimichanga? First one's free jus’ for yeh.” You would love one! Thank you. Sans flicks one finger up and you watch a chimichanga float into the air. It hovers between the two of you for several seconds until it is placed atop your head. You take the chimichanga off your head, curious why he put it on your head. “Sorry, didn’t realize yeh had free hands. I was too busy starin’ at more important things.” Sans leans forward, his sharp grin turning into a crooked smirk. Oh. You smirk. Does he like what he sees? Sans leers. “What do you think, $sansfirstnickname?” You set the chimichanga down and put both your hands on the sentry post. You lean forward and he leans back, his face turning red. “M-Movin’ kinda fast, aren’t yeh, human?” Is he scared? He scoffs then turns his head away and coughs. “M-Me? I ain’t scared of shit.” He turns back to smirk at you. "And neither are you, huh? Awful bold of yeh ta make moves on me //and// my bro." What can you say? You like them both. "Heh-heh." He's not opposed to it, is he? Sans shrugs. "Never thought about it before." And now? He points to the chimichanga you had previously set down. “Give it a try, will yeh?” While you note he didn't answer you, you also note he didn't //reject// you either. Pursue until told otherwise! Within reason, of course. You know how to take a hint and you don't want to overstep boundaries when it comes to romance. You try the chimichanga. It’s very good! “Surprised?” Sans teases. “I’m pretty good, huh? The boss makes a mean lasagna, but me? I prefer the simple food. Stuff yeh can take on the go.” Sans absentmindedly taps his knuckles against the wood as he watches you eat. You ask who’s there. He freezes at your question. His red pupils shrink—you guess that is the skeleton equivalent to wide eyes—and then suddenly he grins. “Robin,” he says. Robin who? “Robin you,” he says with a wink. He's already got your heart, what more does he want? “A heart to share," he points out. Sharing is caring. "Heh-heh." Your turn. Knock knock! “Who’s there?” Sans asks, his grin widening. Alice! “Alice who?” Alice fair in love and war! Sans laughs in delight. “All right, all right. I got ‘nother one. Knock knock.” Who’s there? The two of you go back and forth with knock knock jokes. They get surprisingly raunchy as you go on, but they are no less fun. Sans prepares a second chimichanga for you and he eats one with you. You do try to ask him some harmless questions--favorite color, taste in music, food preference--but he has a talent for side-stepping your queries. Nevertheless you still have a lot of fun with him. Unfortunately, it doesn’t last as long as you’d like. “I’ve gotta get goin’,” he says. “Gotta meet with the boss, yeh know?” You sigh. You'd love to meet with them both at the same time. "Here," he says with a wide grin. He's offers you his bottle of water. You laugh as you accept. "Satiated?" he asks you. Nope! "I shoulda guessed," he said. He watches you take a drink from the water. He says, “Knock knock, $sansfirstnickname.” Who’s there? “Owl.” “Owl who?” “Owl be seeing yeh again, right?” Absolutely! He winks. “Good. If yeh get through the city. . . I’ll be waitin’.” You beam. It’s a date! This makes him laugh. Then his whole body shivers out of existence and he disappears in a pop. Oh. It looks like Sans can teleport. That’s neat! [[You’re excited about your dates. You want to get through the city quickly.]]

You move down the road with a skip in your step. As you progress down the path you notice more signs. They’re stuck into the ground. Some of them light up with neon lights. They’re delightfully colorful. WATCH METTATON LIVE TONIGHT! COME TO MISS MUFFET’S BAKERY! SEE SNOWDRAKE AT THE COMEDY CLUB! PURCHASE MTT CLOTHES AT NEW MEGA MALL! TRY OUT MTT TOP RATED FOOD AT THE FOOD COURT! It looks like there are a lot of advertisement signs. It’s cute. It reminds you of the surface. Do any of those look like things you’d want to visit? <<cycle "$signreaction" autoselect>>\ <<option "Yes!">> <<option "Heck yes!">> <<option "HELL YEAH!">> <<option "No.">> <<option "Heck no.">> <<option "Meh.">> <<option ". . .">> <</cycle>> You wonder what other similarities monsters’ culture have to humans’. It’ll be interesting to compare what a monster city looks like to what you know. Everything you’ve seen so far is very similar to human architecture. The dirt path leads you to some wide stone stairs. At the base of the stairs, you see a dark blue bunny monster. He’s leaning against some kind of metal cart with a black umbrella. The bunny monster raises a hand at you. He’s trying to catch your attention. [[Hmm. What could he want?]]

The bunny monster smiles at you. He’s a head taller than you and is wearing black overalls and a red turtleneck. “Hey, you’re $name, right?” You confirm. “Great. I’ve got a message for you,” he says. He pulls a note out of his black overalls pocket and holds it out to you. You open it up. It reads: //MEET ME AT REQUIEM. - PAPYRUS// Your eyes widen in surprise. You cannot contain your smile. “Papyrus was waitin’ here for you,” says the bunny. “But you took too long.” Your detour to the lab was likely the result. "Also--" the bunny reaches into his cart. Cold air rushes out of it. He pulls out a red-colored ice cream cone and offers it to you. He smiles. "One Dice Cream cone." Dice Cream? “The sweet treat you gamble on. It’s not always sweet,” he says. "Sans asked me to give you one." Oho? Your $eyecolor eyes brighten. "Yeah, he was here just a minute ago. Told me to make sure you got a good one," he says. You happily accept the treat. When you take a bite, you find that it is pleasantly sweet and spicy. "He was very clear--spicy like $name," says the monster. "No gamblin' this time around." It's delicious. The bunny takes a bow. "Why thank you!" He straightens up. "I'm Todd, by the way. If you haven't already gathered: I sell Dice Cream." You ask him if you normally have to gamble on ice cream. "Most of the time, yeah. But I make exceptions for friends," he says. "Sans isn't someone you say no to, you know?" You nod. You know. He's very charming, isn't he? Todd laughs at that. "You're funny. Oh, before I forget--"He gives you a wink. “My niece, Puffers, sends her regards.” You beam. You tell him you were delighted to make her acquaintance. “Heh-heh. She told me,” he says. You finish your dice cream too quickly. "If you're still around tomorrow, you can have a free one on me," he says. That's so nice! You thank him and head on your way. [[Enter the core.]]

Oh my, that’s nice. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "corecity"volume 0.15 loop play>> It is neither too hot nor too cold. It is a pleasant temperature when you enter the Core/City entrance through the double doors. It’s so lovely that it brings an immediate smile to your face. Your toesies can finally catch a break, and your poor dry skin weeps joy from no longer being in a lava cavern. There is a glistening fountain at the entrance with some monsters mingling around it. The ground is paved with a well-maintained purple brick road. There are street lights all over, each casting a soft violet-red glow. A glance up shows a tall--//very tall//--ceiling with what look to be hanging houses. You can see monsters with wings flying up to the buildings. Some of them have feathery wings. Some of them have insect wings. You even see a beautiful pair of butterfly wings that leave behind a dusty trail with each flap. The first building you see is something with a sign that reads //MTT RESORT & SPA//. There brick road splits off on the right and left side of the building where you see even more buildings. You can’t get a good look at all of them yet. It definitely feels like you’ve entered a city in a cave. A magical city. There are many more monsters around than at Snowdin. You see them coming and going down the paths. Groups of them rotate in and out //MTT RESORT & SPA//. They remind you of. . . people. Regular people going about their day. Perhaps they’re on their way to work, home, or to meet up with friends. For the first time since the start of your journey, there is no silence. You hear people--monsters--talking, laughing, and swearing. You hear shouts, yells, screams, and everything in between. You see teenagers jostling and heckling one another. Regularity. You want to say it’s nice. You want to say it makes you happy. It almost does, but you’ve been here long enough. . . you know better. If you compare what you see, to what you’d see in a human city, the difference is palpable. They laugh because they have to. Again, you think to yourself how frustrating it must be. There is no real wind here: the air is stagnant. There is no sunlight: the atmosphere is cold and disquiet. There is no freedom: everyone and everything is restricted. This city is as charming as it is stifling. The air is stale: well worn and used. The city is dully colored, an endless repeat of purple, red, and black. You see no vents, nor sewer systems. You doubt it rains here. It is a magical city, filled with powerful monsters who breathe wonder and magic. It is a sad city, filled with trapped people who have not seen a sunrise in centuries. You were told this world was kill or be killed. You don’t believe that’s necessary. The barrier stays by their own design. They can choose to be free--but are they aware they have that choice? “Human.” Two monsters in black and red armor approach you. They are tall, muscular, and imposing. Their armor is styled like knights of old, and they each carry a trident. You can conclude they are from the Royal Guard as their outfits do remind you of Papyrus and Undyne. The first one approaches you and says, “You, uh, are $name?” You confirm you are. You introduce yourself. “We were, like, ordered to keep an, uh, eye on you,” explained the other guard. “Undyne and Papyrus said not to kill you, uh, unless you, like, act aggressively.” You reassure them you have no intentions of doing that. They each give you a thumbs up. You beam and return the gesture. “What the fuck?” says a shrill voice. You and the two guardsmen are approached by a group of monsters ranging from a cat-like monster, to a mini-volcano monster, and several bat-like monsters. The cat monster growled, “You’re letting a human go? What if it attacks us?!” “Humanity is our enemy!” agrees the volcano monster. “We can’t trust it! Arrest it, at least!” [[THAT IS ENOUGH!]]

Oh my, that’s nice. <<masteraudio stop>><<audio "corecity"volume 0.15 loop play>> It is neither too hot nor too cold. It is a pleasant temperature when you enter the Core/City entrance through the double doors. It’s so lovely that it brings an immediate smile to your face. Your toesies can finally catch a break, and your poor dry skin weeps joy from no longer being in a lava cavern. There is a glistening fountain at the entrance with some monsters mingling around it. The ground is paved with a well-maintained purple brick road. There are street lights all over, each casting a soft violet-red glow. A glance up shows a tall--//very tall//--ceiling with what look to be hanging houses. You can see monsters with wings flying up to the buildings. Some of them have feathery wings. Some of them have insect wings. You even see a beautiful pair of butterfly wings that leave behind a dusty trail with each flap. The first building you see is something with a sign that reads //MTT RESORT & SPA//. There brick road splits off on the right and left side of the building where you see even more buildings. You can’t get a good look at all of them yet. It definitely feels like you’ve entered a city in a cave. A magical city. There are many more monsters around than at Snowdin. You see them coming and going down the paths. Groups of them rotate in and out //MTT RESORT & SPA//. They remind you of. . . people. Regular people going about their day. Perhaps they’re on their way to work, home, or to meet up with friends. For the first time since the start of your journey, there is no silence. You hear people--monsters--talking, laughing, and swearing. You hear shouts, yells, screams, and everything in between. You see teenagers jostling and heckling one another. Regularity. You want to say it’s nice. You want to say it makes you happy. It almost does, but you’ve been here long enough. . . you know better. If you compare what you see, to what you’d see in a human city, the difference is palpable. They laugh because they have to. Again, you think to yourself how frustrating it must be. There is no real wind here: the air is stagnant. There is no sunlight: the atmosphere is cold and disquiet. There is no freedom: everyone and everything is restricted. This city is as charming as it is stifling. The air is stale: well worn and used. The city is dully colored, an endless repeat of purple, red, and black. You see no vents, nor sewer systems. You doubt it rains here. It is a magical city, filled with powerful monsters who breathe wonder and magic. It is a sad city, filled with trapped people who have not seen a sunrise in centuries. You were told this world was kill or be killed. You don’t believe that’s necessary. The barrier stays by their own design. They can choose to be free--but are they aware they have that choice? You see someone familiar to you. A monster made of pretty flames. You can’t hold back your smile as you speedwalk over to him. Hello! The monster was looking at a shop window. He turns his head when you approach. His deep blue eyes narrow briefly, then relax when he recognizes you. He cocks his head to acknowledge you. You thank him again for the hot chocolate. His shoulders barely lift up in a shrug. He turns to look back at the shop window. A white line forms on his face as he creates his mouth to say, “Wicc told me about you.” You smile at the mention of the monster child you met. You should have known the two were related. The monster of flames turns around to face you fully. He holds out a hand to you. You accept his hand. “Grillby,” he says. You introduce yourself. [[“My, my, my~ What have we here?” coos a metallic voice.]]

"THAT IS ENOUGH!" The guards straighten up and the civilians immediately flinch. Papyrus strides towards your group from behind the civilians. They immediately separate, each clamoring to move out of his way. The guardsmen salute to Papyrus when he arrives. Papyrus’ eyelights waver as he assess the group as a whole. His expression is, as always, difficult to read, but you think he seems annoyed. Nonetheless, you are happy to see him. You give him your warmest, happiest smile. Papyrus smoothly steps in front of you and turns around to address the group. “THIS HUMAN IS WITH ME. DISPERSE.” There is a moment of hesitation. As Papyrus’s back is turned to you, you cannot see his face when he growls, “NOW.” But you do see that everyone visibly winced. The civilians scurried away, and the guards left after saluting Papyrus again. Papyrus turns to you. He folds his arms across his chest as he haughtily looks down at you. “WE HAVE UNFINISHED BUSINESS, HUMAN.” Oh? “YOU DID NOT HAVE A FINAL MEAL AT SNOWDIN AS PER MY ORDERS,” he says. “THEREFORE, I WILL WATCH YOU HAVE IT HERE TO MAKE SURE YOU FOLLOW THROUGH THIS TIME.” Oh! You gasp and excitedly ask if it is a date. Papyrus clears his throat. To your bewilderment you see a light dusting of red under his eyesockets. “CALL IT WHAT YOU WANT. LET US GO, HUMAN.” <<set $harem += 1>> [[It’s a date! Your first one with a monster!!]] ♡

Papyrus is a fast walker. Due to his height, each step covers a long distance. He moves quickly, and as he walks monsters scramble to get out of his way. It’s an odd thing to watch. You don’t understand their urgency. It is nice of them to move for him, but the speed behind their movements speaks of a certain level of fear. That was not at all present in the monsters from Snowdin when they talked about Papyrus. The children revered him. You know he is //capable// of being dangerous, but you also knew that is not his natural inclination. After all, you died against him. Each death against him, your ''SOUL'' brushed against his ''SOUL''. You know he has killed two humans before, and captured twenty others. Even if he did not directly kill those other twenty, he indirectly lead them to their deaths. <<if $exploredthelab eq 1 >> Perhaps they were used to test experiments like Nathanial was. <</if>> Papyrus didn’t strike you as ignorant or slow-witted. He must know what happened to those humans. And it weighs on him. He doesn’t want to hurt others. He doesn’t want to hurt anyone. //AT LEAST YOU DIED IN BATTLE, HUMAN. THAT IS THE ONLY MERCY I KNOW.// //I DON’T WANT TO DO THIS, HUMAN. WHY DID YOU COME HERE?// //I’M SORRY.// These three messages linger in your heart, for they felt the sincerest from his SOUL. He is not a bad person. In fact, you think he’d be kind if he felt he was allowed to. It is a terrible thing. . . when a kind person has to do unkind things. The weight in his ''SOUL'' is heavy. “HUMAN YOU ARE TOO SLOW,” says Papyrus. He has stopped to allow you to catch up. You protest he has a longer gait than you. “HMM.” Papyrus offers you his hand. “WE WILL WALK AT YOUR SPEED.” How kind of him. You appreciate it. “I AM A MAGNIFICENT, AND HONORABLE MONSTER,” Papyrus confidently declares. “I KNOW HOW TO ESCORT SOMEONE.” You take his hand. His red gloves are cool to the touch, and his fingers are much longer than yours. <<cycle "$sizedes" autoselect>>\ <<option "You are not used to feeling so small next to someone.">> <<option "You’ve always been on the smaller side, but being next to Papyrus makes you feel petite.">> <<option "He could probably hold both of your hands in one of his due to the size difference.">> <</cycle>> You like it. You hope your palms aren’t still sweaty from hotlands. You feel that warm tingly zing through your whole body as you look up at Papyrus. You realize you //very much// like holding hands with him. Papyrus matches your pace as the two of you start walking. You don’t know where to go, so you have to allow him to tug on you one direction or another. After some walking the two of you arrive at your location. It is a building partially built in the cave wall. Its walls are a deep midnight blue, and its windows are tinted violet. There is a sign above the door that reads //REQUIEM//. Papyrus lets go of your hand. You frown at that. [[He opens the door for you.]]

You were not expecting the flowers. <<masteraudio stop>><<audio "softmoments"volume 0.15 loop play>> The restaurant was awash in cool blues, greys, and purples. There is a black stoned fireplace crackling with azure flames. There are a dozen or so small tables with black covers and plush dark blue seats that look tantalizingly comfy. There are pillars scattered between the tables that are covered in dark green vines that stretch up and envelop the ceiling. It is the ceiling that takes your breath away. It is an intricate web of vining violet-blue flowers. The flowers cover the ceiling entirely and descend the walls and pillars. As you walk, the flowers above bloom under your presence. Tiny wisps of white light are released from their centers and hover around them. They only provide a minuscule of light, so the entire restaurant is dimly lit. Cozy. It is also, you notice, only you and Papyrus. This is. . . a lot more intimate than you expected. You wonder if Papyrus can hear how loud your heart is beating right now. A monster emerges from beside the fireplace--there must be a corner there that you can’t see--and greets you both with a wide, toothless grin. The monster is barely taller than Sans and has the characteristics of some kind of spotted lizard. Their skin is a smooth black with electric blue spots. Their eyes are closed, yet their head is pointed directly at the two of you. They’re wearing a white chef’s uniform with a black apron tied around their waist. They say, “Pap-ee! I knew I smelled you. Who is your warm-blooded friend?” “CHEF GEKKOA,” Papyrus greets with a--with a //smile?// Anyone who can make Papyrus smile like that instantly puts them in your good books. You beam at Gekkoa, although you do not know if they can see it. “THIS IS MY HUMAN,” Papyrus says. “HUMAN, INTRODUCE YOURSELF.” You politely introduce yourself. //His human?// You glance at Papyrus, curious if he realized the implications of his wording. Did that mean you could call him //your// skeleton? The thought makes you smile. Chef Gekkoa’s smile is curled. “I smell what’s going on here.” Papyrus sighs. “YES, CHEF GEKKOA. IT IS TRUE. I HAVE. . . SPARED A HUMAN. AND NOW I AM GRANTING THEM A FINAL MEAL BEFORE THEY LEAVE.” Chef Gekkoa’s head swivels left to right as he “looks” at you and Papyrus. “Uh-huh.” Papyrus clears his throat--you notice his skull is a touch redder than before--as he says, “THAT IS ALL, CHEF. THANK YOU FOR OPENING TODAY.” “Well I had to, didn’t I?” Chef Gekkoa retorts. He flicks his tail. “You sounded adorably abashed.” “I DID NOT.” “You did,” the chef dismisses. He extends a hand to you. You accept it. He bends down to sniff your hand. “I knew it. You were even holding hands.” “THAT IS IRRELEVANT, CHEF," Papyrus’ voice is starting to sound higher pitch than normal. “WE WILL TAKE OUR SEATS NOW. THANK YOU.” “Uh-huh,” was all the chef said. He turns away and heads down the hallway beside the fireplace. Papyrus clears his throat. His skull is almost as red as his gloves. [[You ask Papyrus if he has a favorite table to eat at.]]

He shakes his head. "NO, I HAVE EATAN AT ALL OF THEM." He strides forward and pulls the seat back at once of the tables near a pillar. He gestures for you to sit. You do, gracefully sliding into the chair. You murmur a thank you to him as you do. "YOU ARE WELCOME," he says. Papyrus takes his seat across from you. You worry if he’ll be comfortable--it is a low table, and low chair and he has long legs--but to your astonishment as soon as he sits down the floor sinks down several levels just in front of his chair. The table height didn’t change, there’s just now a deep divet in the floor for Papyrus to comfortably rest his feet. Papyrus notices your gaping expression. “IS THIS NOT NORMAL FOR HUMAN RESTAURANTS?” You shake your head. “SOUNDS UNCOMFORTABLE FOR TALL AND POWERFUL PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF,” he says. You nod. Humans have different tables and chair heights to compensate for that, though. There are workarounds. “I SEE,” he says. “TELL ME, WHAT IS HUMAN FOOD LIKE?” Oh, where to begin? You tell Papyrus about the cuisine on the surface. There are some foods he recognizes--burgers, pasta, cakes--and others he does not--pizzas, hot //dogs?//, dumplings, tacos, etc--so he excitedly asks you more questions. You answer each of them and ask questions in turn. Humanity’s cuisines are not as clearly defined by culture as they used to be. Since the Great War, the remaining countries had melded together like cheese in a fondue pot. There’s little distinction. Some families try to keep their culture alive, but most are happy to meld together. <<cycle "$culturecuisine" autoselect>>\ <<option "You explain you grew up with a unique culture that you strive to maintain.">> <<option "You explain you grew up in a mesh of old cultures.">> <<option "You explain your family never identified with one culture so you were happy to respect all the surrounding cultures. ">> <</cycle>> The fusion was most apparent in food. Papyrus explains to you that this is also the case for UNDERFELL. “BEFORE WE WERE SEALED,” Papyrus explains, “THERE USED TO BE MONSTER EXCHANGES BETWEEN THE KINGDOMS. WE WOULD TRADE SCHOLARS, CHEFS, WARRIORS, AND MANY MORE WITH OUR ALLIES SO WE COULD LEARN AND GROW.” Papyrus’s red gaze moves to the fireplace. “WE ARE--WE ARE STAGNANT HERE. IT’S BEEN A DECADE SINCE SOMEONE’S THOUGHT OF SOMETHING //NEW// TO EAT.” Your brow creases. “IT DOES NOT HELP,” he continues, “THAT WE ARE RESTRICTED WITH WHAT WE CAN GROW AND RAISE. THERE ARE ONLY SO MANY COMBINATIONS WITH LIMITED INGREDIENTS.” He shifts in his seat and folds his hands together. He asks you, “DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE FOOD?” <<set $ff = 1>> You do. It’s <<textbox "$favoritefood" "">>. [[His eye lights shine a brilliant vermilion.]]

<<if (((($favoritefood is "lasagna")))) or ((($favoritefood is "lasagna "))) or (($favoritefood is "Lasagna")) or ($favoritefood is "Lasagnaa")>> “TRULY?!” Papyrus leans forward in excitement. He has a wide grin on his face. “LASAGNA IS YOUR FAVORITE MEAL?” You confirm that is the case. He laughs. “MWAH HAH HAH. I KNEW YOU WERE SPECIAL, HUMAN. YOUR TASTE IS IMPECCABLE. YOU SEE, DEAR HUMAN, LASAGNA IS ALSO //MY// FAVORITE FOOD. MWAH HAH HAH.” You’re so happy that you share a favorite food! You tell Papyrus you’d love to have lasagna with him. He seems utterly delighted. Oh, he’s so precious! You love that smile. <<else>> "IT SOUNDS DELICIOUS." You say it is. <</if>> “MAYBE--” Papyrus sits forward. His hand is outstretched and about to grab yours when suddenly-- “Here you are Pap-ee and cute-ee,” says Chef Gekkoa. You pout at the interruption. You immediately grab Papyrus’ hand yourself and give it a squeeze. Papyrus stiffens at your sudden contact, his red eyelights zeroes in on your intertwined hands. Oh! Red! His skull is red again. <<cycle "$skullisred" autoselect>>\ <<option "//OH!//">> <<option "So cute!">> <<option "So precious!">> <<option "You want to hug him.">> <<option "You want to tease him more.">> <<option "GAH. YOUR HEART.">> <</cycle>> Chef Gekkoa places two steaming plates in front of you and Papyrus. His tail then places two tall drinks. “Enjoy!” says Chef Gekkoa. “Also I may be blind, but I still have good hearing and these walls are thin so--” “CHEF!” Papyrus squawks. “Yes, yes, yes,” he says. “Enjoy, enjoy. $name, do let me know if you can’t eat any of this. It’s been centuries since I last served humans.” You look down. None of the food is recognizable and it's glowing neon. You tell the chef you will be happy to give it a try as it looks positively //magical.// “Oh you’re clever,” he says. “I like this one, Pap-ee.” You squeeze Papyrus’s hand. He squeezes back. “YES,” he says. “THANK YOU, CHEF GEKKOA.” “Any time. Now I’ll be in the kitchen prepping for the week,” he says. Chef Gekko leaves the two of you. Papyrus stares at your hands. You tell Papyrus you like holding hands with him. “THAT IS, UM, GOOD TO KNOW,” he says. “BUT WE WILL NEED TWO HANDS TO EAT. SO.” Neither of you lets go. “. . . OR WE COULD TRY WITH ONE, I SUPPOSE,” he says. Yes, that sounds like fun, you agree to do that. It is not easy, but that’s what makes it fun. Some of the food requires being cut up, so you and Papyrus have to tag team it. Papyrus holds the knife with one hand, and you hold the fork with another. Together you cut up the neon blue thing that looks vaguely like a steak but somehow smells like squash. When you have one piece ready for eating, you proudly hold it up for Papyrus to take the first bite. He has to bend down to eat it. It is a silly affair, really, yet neither of you can stop smiling. You take turns feeding one another, and there are a couple times where Papyrus pretends to miss your mouth so it smears on your cheek. You laugh. He laughs. He smiles. You smile. It is a delightful experience. The food is nice. It is a strange sensation to literally feel food fizz away into nothingness in your stomach--magical food is directly absorbed as energy, it does not pass through the digestive system--but not weird enough to dissuade you. There is a nice texture to the meal, and it’s got a perfect balance of flavors. It warms you from the inside out. It’s unlike any recipe or dish you’ve had before. You try to think of anything that could remind you of it, yet nothing comes close. When the food is mostly eaten, you ask Papyrus about his relationship with Chef Gekkoa. Why did the monster call Papyrus his protégé? “Oh,” goes Papyrus in an uncharacteristically quiet voice. “That. . . THAT IS BECAUSE THE CHEF TAUGHT ME HOW TO COOK.” Is Papyrus interested in cooking? “I LIKE IT,” he says. “I AM GOOD AT IT, LIKE MANY THINGS.” You noticed Papyrus is very talented! Your praise makes him turn his head and cough. [[You'd love it if the meal would turn into dessert.]]

You want to linger. You want to draw it out. You want to spend more time with him. <<if $gender eq "person">> <<set $her = "them">> <</if>> It seems to be against Papyrus’ nature to dawdle, however. As soon as you are both done eating, he takes the plates away. He disappears around the corner and re-emerges without breaking a stride. “THERE, HUMAN. YOUR LAST MEAL,” says Papyrus. “GOOD JOB ON COMPLETING YOUR ORDER.” You thank Papyrus as he guides you out of the restaurant. His wide hand rests on the small of your back. You notice it fits perfectly there. Nice. Back on the street, you wonder what will happen next. You look hopefully up at Papyrus. Maybe you can ask him for a walk. . .? Before you can, he is already speaking. He removes his hand from your back--it is instantly colder without him--and straightens up to his full height. He says, “YOU MUST LEAVE UNDERFELL NOW, HUMAN. AND I MUST STAY. THIS IS OUR GOODBYE.” That's no good. But! You are not the type to give up, now are you? You disagree. “NO. THAT IS TOO DANGEROUS,” he says. “AS LONG AS KING ASGORE SAYS HUMANITY IS OUR ENEMY, YOU WILL ALWAYS BE IN DANGER IN UNDERFELL. YOU SHOULD NOT PUT YOURSELF IN DANGER. NOT FOR ME, NOR MY BROTHER.” You think he and Sans are worth the danger. <<set $papslove += 1>> His demeanor shifts. There is a softness in his voice and posture that was not there moments ago. “YOU ARE KIND TO THINK THAT.” “My, my, my~ What have we here?” coos a metallic voice. Papyrus stiffens. He straightens up to his full height and steps between you and the voice. “METTATON.” “Hello, Papyrus,” says the voice. You peek around Papyrus to get a look. The monster speaking looks like a humanoid robot. He has black hair that’s been greased back, two pairs of yellow eyes, and two sets of arms. He wears neon pink knee-high spandex boots with heels, and black spiky pants. He has tall black shoulder pads. He wears neon pink and yellow gloves and has a broken heart belt around his waist. His smile is wide and reminds you of how newsanchors smile on T.V. Not sincere, but not mean either. Mettaton winks at you with one eye. “All done talking to your human? Do you mind if I talk to $her?” “WHAT BUSINESS DO YOU HAVE?” Papyrus brusquely asks. “THE HUMAN SHOULD BE LEAVING SHORTLY.” “I merely want to ask $her some questions,” Mettaton says innocently. “You don’t mind, do you, darling?” You shake your head. “There, see? It’s all perfectly innocent. You can even sit in and watch if you want.” Papyrus’s lids lower further into a glare. “I WILL.” “How adorable.” Mettaton offers you a hand. “Come with me.” Papyrus coldly rebuffs, “PHYSICAL CONTACT BETWEEN HUMANS AND CIVILIANS IS PROHIBITED.” “But it’s fine between a human and a Royal Guard, right?” Mettaton drawls out, his voice saccharine sweet. “YES,” says Papyrus as he takes your hand. Yay, he has your hand again! “I CAN RESTRAIN THE HUMAN EASIER THIS WAY.” . . . You choose to focus on the fact that he is willingly holding your hand again. And not too tightly, either! “Love it,” says Mettaton. “Keep that up for the show, yes? Come, come!” [[You and Papyrus follow Mettaton.]]

“Tell me, darling, is there anyone in UNDERFELL that has caught your attention?” You cannot stop yourself from immediately glancing over at Papyrus. You wink at Papyrus who stiffens in response. Even at a distance you can tell he’s turning an adorable red. $skullisred “Oh my! Listening viewers, you are missing out! At our studio today we have the mighty Papyrus himself and the //look// between these two--” Mettaton looks like a cat who just learned how to work a can opener. Mischeviously pleased. You slyly add that his brother is charming as well. Mettaton’s eyes widen. “Brother? You mean //Sans?// As in the annoying, stinky, skeleton with a temper as short as he is?” "WATCH YOUR WORDS," Papyrus growls from the back. "You I understand," says Mettaton as he gestures to Papyrus. "A strapping Royal Guard is always swoon-worthy." Papyrus is definitely that. "The other one I do //not// comprehend," says Mettaton. He immediately puts his hand back under your ''SOUL'' to check if you are lying. You repeat yourself so he knows you aren’t. Mettaton is aghast, “Really? //Him?//” You and Papyrus immediately start to defend Sans, but Mettaton cuts both of you off with a wave of his hands. "Well. I can't say this is a twist I expected," says Mettaton. He beams. "I love it. A love triangle between brothers. One who is obviously sup--" No, no, No triangle. "No. . . triangle?" You like them both. "Both." You don't want to choose. Mettaton looks at you as if you just grew a second head. A combination of horror and fascination. "I think I adore you," he says. "If you do survive and things work out--please invite me to that wedding." Of course! "THIS IS ENOUGH," blusters Papyrus, scarlet covers his skull. "THE HUMAN SHOULD BE GOING NOW." “On a date with you and Sans?” Mettaton teases. "CEASE YOUR MOCKERY!" says Papyrus as he marches across the set, grabs your hand, and proceeds to drag you out. His skull is redder than a batch of strawberries. “Toodles! Thanks for coming on!” [[You shout your thanks back before Papyrus shuts the door behind you.]]

Wouldn't that be nice? //Click.// There is a clicking sound from the locket. You unfurl your hands and it pops open. Your eyes widen. There are three monsters inside. On the left is Papyrus who is beaming with joy. In front of him is a happy Sans. And on the right is the skeleton monster from the video you had watched in the lab. The one who. . . You knew, in the back of your mind, there was a good chance that he and Wingding were the same. You think this locket confirms it. Or it's a very crazy coincidence that the magic locket pops open and shows you that picture. You knew it. . . yet you still thought of him anyway. Your heart warms and you hold the locket close to you. Your lips turn up in a smile. //I hope you all make each other happy.// You startle from the whisper. You look around but you don't see anyone. . . . You. . . <<cycle "$charagoodbye" autoselect>>\ <<option "You thank them. . . for the chain, and the locket.">> <<option "You quietly thank them.">> <<option ". . .">> <<option "You mumble a thanks.">> <</cycle>> You think it's time to leave the most definitely haunted room now. [[You return to the hallway.]]

//Thank you.// <<cycle "$yourewelcome" autoselect>>\ <<option "You're welcome.">> <<option "You're welcome, ghost child.">> <<option "You hope they find peace.">> <<option ". . .">> <<option ". . . You kindly ask the ghost child to not haunt you on the surface.">> <</cycle>> You look back down at the locket. You wonder, if perhaps, Wingding has made any progress? While you strongly resent the void, you have opposite feelings for Wingding and that is enough to make you go back in. You first leave the hallway--you have no desire to rest against such dusty walls--and head back to the front room. [[You take a deep breath, steady yourself, and then. . . fall into the void.]]

As you walk down the hallway, you admire the paintings. All of them were handpainted and depict pretty environments. They range from mountains, to the oceans, to the night sky. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "undertale"volume 0.15 loop play>> You wonder who painted them. There are candle sticks in the walls. A crimson flame flickers to life as you walk by them. They must be the magical equivilant to auto-lights. How neat! <<cycle "$candlelights" autoselect>>\ <<option "You'd like to have of your own one day.">> <<option "You love magic.">> <<option "You wonder where the smoke goes.">> <<option "Do they have other colors besides red?">> <</cycle>> This hallway, you are pleased to note is not covered in dust, grime, and cobwebs. At the end of the hallway is a door. You push it open and are pleasantly surprised to find a magical garden. Beautiful yellow, white, and orange flowers blossom around a brick path. There are tall trees with golden leaves, and orange-colored rose bushes. There are lampposts with yellow-tinted magic crystals, their light mimicking that of the sun. Although it is without warmth. You follow the path. You take the time to stop and smell the flowers. The path winds around the castle and is built further into the cave. And then-- [[You see something strange. You think this must be the barrier.]]

You slide into that pool of darkness and tell Wingding you're at the barrier. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "gaster"volume 0.15 loop play>> ❄︎☟︎✌︎☠︎😐︎ ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎ 💣︎✡︎ 👎︎☜︎✌︎☼︎ //THANK YOU MY DEAR// You ask him what you need to do next. 🏱︎☹︎☜︎✌︎💧︎☜︎ //PLEASE// 💧︎☟︎⚐︎🕈︎ 💣︎☜︎ ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎☼︎ 💧︎⚐︎🕆︎☹︎📬︎ //SHOW ME YOUR SOUL.// That's something you can do. You're actually really good at it now! You present your ''SOUL''. The hands move to grasp it. //Oh!// You want to flinch away from their touch. It's like ice on bareskin. You don't take away your SOUL, however. You're certain he wants to leave the void as much as you do, after all. The hands tighten around it, and you feel. . . something? An echo of magic, perhaps? There is a reverberation of noise in your mind, first tangled and messy but not for long. There is a sensation of being enveloped entirely by that faint magic. You no longer feel the wrongness of the void, only that magic. His magic. Wingding's. You sink into it, body and ''SOUL''. ☝︎⚐︎⚐︎👎︎📬︎ ❄︎☟︎✋︎💧︎ 💣︎✌︎✡︎📬︎📬︎📬︎✍︎ //GOOD. THIS MAY. . .?// //This may. . .?// He cut himself off. There is surge in his magic and you catch an emotion that does not belong to you. Curiousity. Then you catch another. Surprise. And another. Delight. 💣︎✡︎📪︎ 💣︎✡︎📬︎ 🕈︎☟︎✌︎❄︎ ✌︎ 👌︎✋︎☝︎ ☟︎☜︎✌︎☼︎❄︎ ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎ ☟︎✌︎✞︎☜︎📬︎ //MY, MY. WHAT A BIG HEART YOU HAVE.// Wingding's voice feels different in your mind. While he has never been rude to you, the way he spoke to you just now feels different. Warmer. ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎ ☟︎✌︎✞︎☜︎ ☼︎⚐︎⚐︎💣︎ ☞︎⚐︎☼︎ ❄︎☟︎☼︎☜︎☜︎✍︎ ✌︎☼︎☜︎☠︎❼︎❄︎ ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎ ☝︎☼︎☜︎☜︎👎︎✡︎✍︎ //YOU HAVE ROOM FOR THREE? AREN’T YOU GREEDY?// The hands around your ''SOUL'' become gentler in their grip. ❄︎☟︎✌︎❄︎❼︎💧︎ ⚐︎😐︎✌︎✡︎📬︎ ✋︎❼︎💣︎ ☝︎☼︎☜︎☜︎👎︎✡︎ ❄︎⚐︎⚐︎📬︎ ❄︎☟︎✋︎💧︎ 🕈︎✋︎☹︎☹︎ ⚐︎☠︎☹︎✡︎ ❄︎✌︎😐︎☜︎ ✌︎ 💣︎⚐︎💣︎☜︎☠︎❄︎📬︎ //THAT’S OKAY. I’M GREEDY TOO. THIS WILL ONLY TAKE A MOMENT.// [[The moment is over.]]

There is a warm breeze against your skin. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "undertale"volume 0.15 loop play>> When you open your eyes, you are no longer in the void. The magic that had enveloped you is gone. . . as is the barrier. Did it. . . work? "It did, my dear." You turn around to face the owner of the voice. He stands very tall--as tall as Papyrus, if not more. He is a dead ringer for the tall monster in the video you watched, and for the one whose face is inside your locket with Papyrus and Sans. The only difference is that this monster has cracks in his face. One splits from the top of his skull and goes through his right eye. Another crack forms from his left eye and goes down to his spiky mouth. This is Wingding Gaster. He gives you a bow. You make a move to step closer to him--to greet him properly--but your legs give out from underneath you. You fall forward. Wingding catches you with ease. "There now. Pulling a monster out of the void is taxing for a ''SOUL''. Using the same ''SOUL'' to funnel raw magic to accomplish that is doubly so. You should take it easy." You thank Wingding for catching you. You do feel remarkably tired--like you had finished a marathon. You look up at him and give him a smile. He returns your smile. "My, my. In the void I could only see your ''SOUL''. I had thought it was too beautiful for this world. Now I see it simply imitates the flesh." Oh! You flirt back that he's much more handsome face to face. His smile curls further. He pulls you to your feet and into him, resting one hand on the small of your back. <<if $hashair eq 1>> With his other hand he runs his fingers through your $hairtype $haircolor hair. <</if>> "Thank you," he says in a rumbling, low voice. "You saved me." <<cycle "$happytosavewing" autoselect>>\ <<option "You say you were happy to help!">> <<option "You quietly thank them.">> <<option ". . .">> <<option "You mumble a thanks.">> <</cycle>> He leans down and presses his forehead against yours. He feels cool against your skin. "Simply thanking you feels too. . . little." You put your hands on his chest and tilt your head up to bump your nose into his face. You ask him what else he has in mind. "I can think of several things," he purrs. "What a ludicrous sight," states a deep voice. You hear a //tt// noise from Wingding as he lifts his head away from you to look at the owner of the voice. You also turn your head. It's another goat monster. He is massive in stature with gray fur, a black beard, and dark armor that glints golden in the light. His red cape flutters behind him as he strides closer to you two. On his head is a three-spiked gold crown. "Hello, King Asgore," Wingding says flatly. The king stares at the two of you for a moment. He dryly asks, "Should I have come at a later time?" Wingding and you immediately say, "Yes." King Asgore scoffs. "Now I understand why the human has been so confident traveling through UNDERFELL, and how it managed to dissuade my Royal Guards." "Oho?" Wingding cocks his head. "Managing to seduce my top Royal Scientist explains it all. You must have--" Wingding lets out a loud //ha//. "I came in much later, Your Majesty." King Asgore raises a brow at that. "Then you've no reason to be so attached. Return to my side, Gaster. We can restore the barrier by the end of the day." <<if $gender eq "woman">> Wingding rubs his right hand up and down your back. "And give up her ''SOUL''? I think not." Wingding smiles coldly. "Come now, Your Majesty. You're a smart monster. I'm a vastly smarter monster. We both know where this is going. Do we really need to drag out the pleasantries?" <<elseif $gender eq "person">> Wingding rubs his right hand up and down your back. "And give up their ''SOUL''? I think not." Wingding smiles coldly. "Come now, Your Majesty. You're a smart monster. I'm a vastly smarter monster. We both know where this is going. Do we really need to drag out the pleasantries?" <<elseif $gender eq "man">> Wingding rubs his right hand up and down your back. "And give up his ''SOUL''? I think not." Wingding smiles coldly. "Come now, Your Majesty. You're a smart monster. I'm a vastly smarter monster. We both know where this is going. Do we really need to drag out the pleasantries?" <</if>> "You've always been stupidly stubborn when something catches your attention," says Asgore with a shake of his head. "A pity it now leads to your dusting." "Attention feels too small of a word," says Wingding. "Do you honestly believe I'd fight you over something as meaingless as a passing fancy?" "Then what would would you call this?" the king gestures to you. "Isn't it clear? There's only one thing worth the fight. We both know I don't care one way or another if monsters stay underground or go to the surface. Make peace with humanity. Go to war with humanity. It doesn't matter to me. All of it pales in comparison to my work." Asgore's yellow eyes narrow into slits. "You cannot //possibly// mean to imply you have--" <<if $gender eq "woman">> "In the process," Wingding says succinctly. He waves his left hand in a dismissive manner."She is still young, you know. But her ''SOUL'' speaks for itself." <<elseif $gender eq "person">> "In the process," Wingding says succinctly. He waves his left hand in a dismissive manner."They are still young, you know. But their ''SOUL'' speaks for itself." <<elseif $gender eq "man">> "In the process," Wingding says succinctly. He waves his left hand in a dismissive manner."He is still young, you know. But his ''SOUL'' speaks for itself." <</if>> <<cycle "$excuseme" autoselect>>\ <<option "You clear your throat.">> <<option "You kindly ask for an explanation.">> <<option "You tell them to stop talking about you like you aren’t there.">> <<option "You go //um//.">> <</cycle>> "Apologies, my dear," says Wingding. "Your Majesty, do you mind?" King Asgore snorts derisively. "This I have to hear." Wingding moves his hands to your hips. He turns you to face him fully. He says, "Because you are you, and I am me, you were able to find me in the void. For twenty years, no one else has been able to achieve this. Yet you did. . . by accident no less. Can you guess why?" You shake your head. Wingding smiles at you. "My dear, do you know what a ''SOULMATE'' is?" <<if $soulmatebookread eq 1>> You do! You even read about the monsters' perspectives on ''SOULMATES'' in the lab. You happily nod. "Good. Are you familiar with the term ''SOULACCEPTANCE''?" Yes, you read about that. It's a test between two ''SOULs'' to check for compatability as ''SOULMATES''. "You could find me--you were drawn to me, and I you--because our ''SOULs'' have perfect compatability," he explains. <<else>> You have heard the term before on the surface--''SOULMATE''--but it was something reserved for a very rare few. There is only one living pair of ''SOULMATES''. One is one of the remaining wizards of humanity, who is ''SOULBOUND'' to a non-magical human. A ''SOULBIND'' can only occurr if one partner has magic, so with the decline of magical humans. . . It is a romanticized concept for humanity. You know a ''SOULMATE'' is a union between two SOULs. You know that when one ''SOULMATE'' dies, the other follows within a day. You explain what you know. "There is a little more to the process," says Wingding. "A union cannot be formed easily. A ''SOULACCEPTANCE'' must be done first: a test between two ''SOULs'' to check for compatability as ''SOULMATES''." That makes sense. "You could find me--you were drawn to me, and I you--because our SOULs have perfect compatability," he explains. <</if>> Wait. Does that mean-- Is he implying-- You and Wingding. . . could be SOULMATES? "Yes," he says. "And that is something worth fighting for." Wow. But wait– You like him, definitely, but you //also// like Papyrus and Sans. [[Wingding chuckles.]]

“I am aware, dear,” he says. “A ''SOUL'' as strong as yours is more than capable of bonding with more than one.” There is a pause. “If it were anyone other than my brothers I wouldn’t tolerate it.” Lucky you. Wingding smiles at you. “It’s almost expected, really. I do adore them, so it’s only natural my companion adores them as well.” He tilts his head. “Albeit //your// affection stems from a different base–” Asgore snorts. "Enough. Regardless of your connection, it's time this comes to an end." "If you insist," says Wingding. His smile doesn't look as warm anymore. Wait, wait! You don't want them to fight-- "I couldn't have said it better myself, dear human." Toriel strides through the garden. Her golden eyes are bright, and she keeps her head held high. She is not alone in her march. You see many monsters behind her. You see Froggit and Napstablook; the dogs from Snowdin; Shyren; the children you met at the waterfall; Mettaton and his staff; and the Royal Guards with Papyrus and Undyne at the lead. Even Sans is there. There's so many of them! They fill up the garden and surround you all. "Enough is enough," says Toriel. "Tori--" King Asgore stares at her in blatant disbelief. "You--You came back? To me?" "No," she coldly rebuffs. "I came for the human. For $name." She raises her chin and glowers down at Asgore. "And for monsterkind. You take one step toward that $gender and Gaster, and you will have to face //me.//" "AND ME," adds Papyrus. The dogs howl in unison, each holding up a stick. Shyren sings, “<<print "$shyrenlyrics">>.” "It's over," says Sans. He gives a sharp-tooth grin. "We're tired of this. So unless yeh wanna have a //hell of a time. . .//" Wingding chuckles. "My, my. Looks like this will be even more one-sided than I expected." King Asgore looks at the monsters around him. "Not only them," says a voice that feels familiar to you. The monsters part way to make room for a new monster. He's a goat monster with bright golden eyes and red pupils--like Toriel and Asgore. Trailing behind him is Dr. Alphys. Toriel gasps. "Asriel?!" "Oh, uh. . . hi," says Asriel(?). "I wasn't expecting to see //you// here. . . Mother." Toriel rushes to him and immediately hugs him. "Asriel. . .?" King Asgore's expression darkens to wariness. "Is that. . . truly you. . .?" “It is,” he says, awkwardly patting Toriel's back. “I see you still haven’t trimmed that awful beard of yours.” Asgore’s eyes widen and he suddenly grins and strides forward. “My boy! My son!” "One awkward family hug at a time," Asriel complains. "And besides--you were about to attack my friend." Friend. . .? You look between Asriel and Dr. Alphys. Wait. . . FLOWEY?! "Howdy, $name," says Asriel. He gives you a grin. "Glad to see you're okay. Um. . . you are okay, right?" Yes! You go to hug him, but you realize that your legs are still tired and you require Wingding for support. "$name is fine," says Wingding. "Simply tired from a. . . very long day." "Good," says Asriel. "Mother, please let me go now, I need to talk to Father." Toriel squeezes Asriel. She reluctantly lets him go. Asriel steps closer to his father, king Asgore. "Father. . . It's time this feud with humanity comes to an end. It's time that monsters return to the surface." "Asriel--" "No," Asriel cuts him off. "This isn't an argument, or something up for debate. You won't win this. You //can't// win this. I understand--I understand the war changed you. I know those memories are hard to let go. But it's time. Don't stop us. $name has shown us that humans and monsters can be friends again. Let us try." Asgore stares at Asriel. He smiles faintly. "I. . . cannot win this." Asgore looks over at you. "Human. No. . . $name. You said this world does not need to be kill or be killed. Do you truly believe that?" You meet his gaze. Yes. You do. It's not kill or be killed. It's save or be saved. You smile at Asgore. It's time for him to be saved now! ". . . Then so it shall be," he utters quietly. "The barrier is already destroyed. Together. . . let us leave." [[Yes. . . together!]]

Asriel immediately goes over to you and Wingding. "Do you want me to carry you?" he frets when he realizes how tired you are. "No need," says Wingding. "I can--" Wingding winces and sways. "Oh." "Are //you// okay?" Asriel asks him. "You're, uh, Dr. Gaster, right?" "Yes. $name pulled me out of the void shortly before your father arrived," explains Wingding. "We're both winded from that. We'll be fine, simply need a moment." "Just one?" drawls Sans. "BROTHER!" exclaims Papyrus as he and Sans also head over to you two. "YOU ARE BACK? WHERE WERE YOU?" "Experiment gone wrong," says Wingding. "So sorry." He does not sound sorry. "Yer a fuckin' dumbass," Sans says flatly. "And you're an impulsive foul-mouthed brat," snaps Wingding. "Yeh can't keep callin' me a brat--" "I will call you a brat so long as you act like a brat!" Papyrus stomps his right foot on the ground. "STOP. FIGHTING. GAH." You tell Wingding perhaps he should catch up with his family. You want to check up on Flo--Asriel anyway. Wingding seems reluctant to let you go. His expression becomes very pinched. You reassure him it will only be for a brief period. "Didn't miss yer own brothers at all?" Sans mocks. "Hurtful. Yer gonna make Pap cry." "I WILL NOT CRY," says Papyrus, but his voice tells a different tale. "I AM HAPPY TO HAVE OUR BROTHER BACK. THAT IS NO REASON TO CRY." You gently tell Papyrus that that is a very good reason to cry. "THANK YOU HUMAN, BUT I AM FINE." He clears his throat. Several times. You give Wingding a pointed look. "I //suppose// I did miss you two," he says with an air of reluctance. "Asriel, if you would please. . ." Asriel carefully picks you up. Wow he's strong! He beams at you. "My friend!" Your friend! You hug each other. "Gah!" you hear Wingding cry out from behind you. You pull away from Asriel long enough to see that Sans body-tackled Wingding to the ground with Papyrus. Wingding looks severely displeased as he pats both of their backs. Wingding complains, "You two are not children anymore! It was //only// twenty years!" "ONLY?!" Sans starts to hit Wingding. "//YEH WENT INTO THE ''FUCKING'' VOID!// DIDN'T EVEN TELL ANYONE! NO WARNING. JUS-JUS FUCKIN' GONE! YEH JACKASS!" "FOR ONCE I AM IN AGREEMENT WITH SANS' TEMPER," Papyrus says. "Stop that, Sans! I am very tired and can't circulate my magic to soften your blows," Wingding protests. "GOOD!" "Why must your affection always be so violent?!" "POT MEET KETTLE," snarks Papyrus. "What was that--?" Wingding glowers. "Let's give them some space," says Asriel as he carries you away. "How are you, $name?" Good! Excited for what's to come. Asriel smiles at you. Then he notices the locket around your neck. "Oh. Where did you get that?" A ghost child. "What?" Nevermind. “The magic in the locket shows who’s in your heart,” says Asriel. He smile softens. “I used to have a matching one. May I see inside?" You open the locket and show Asriel the picture inside. “Wow,” he says. “I–I think that’s the first time I’ve seen //three// in one locket.” You beam. Asriel laughs. He bends his head down to affectionately nuzzle you. “I shouldn’t be surprised. You’ve got a big enough heart for it. I do have a locket similar to yours, but it’s the only one. Maybe you can commission more?” That seems like a great idea! "I'll help you find someone who can make them," he says. That won't be a bother? "No way." He leans down and presses his forehead against yours for a few seconds. “I want you to be happy, $name. You're my best friend." <<cycle "$bff" autoselect>>\ <<option "You tell Asriel you feel the same, he’s your best friend.">> <<option "You tell Asriel you want him to be happy too.">> <</cycle>> "My dear ones," says Toriel as she and Asgore approach you. "Are you ready?" You and Asriel exchange joyous looks. Yes. [[Together, you and the monsters leave.]]

You feel strong enough to walk as soon as you smell the fresh air. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "sweet"volume 0.15 loop play>><<if $gender eq "person">> <<set $her = "their">> <</if>><<if $gender eq "man">> <<set $her = "his">> <</if>> Asriel gently sets you down. He keeps a paw on your shoulder in case you need help. "I can take it from here," says Wingding. He quickly comes to your side, Sans and Papyrus close behind him. Asriel looks to you. "Are you sure?" You reassure Asriel it's okay. Asriel gives you a friendly nuzzle. "Okay. Call me over if you need help. Or want him gone." Wingding scoffs and pulls you close to him. You tell Wingding to be nice to your friend. "I am being nice," he says. "I don't share very well." "THIS IS VERY TRUE," says Papyrus. "He's a bastard," says Sans. "Our bastard. But. Still. A bastard." You like the word //our.// You, Papyrus, and Sans and Wingding move with the group, stepping out of the cave and into the fresh air. It's dark outside, yet brightening with every second. You hear gasps from the monsters around you. You hear choked back sobs. You hear //ooohs// and //ahhhs// and whimpers and hiccups. You hear them whisper and speak to one another as they all exit the underground to stand on a ledge overlooking Mt. Ebott. The barrier had been at a cave entrance. There is a wide overlook that showcases the forest at the bottom of the hill. . . and the city that rests at the edge of that forest. Tall skyscrapers climb into the sky, each building bright with light. The monsters notice and point to look at it, their voices getting louder. And then all goes silent when the first crack of light peaks out from the horizon. No one speaks. No one moves. It is their first sunrise, and they watch it in complete silence. When you look around you see many of them openly crying, their tears falling down their faces. Some have collapsed to their knees, holding their hands over their mouths to keep from weeping aloud. You smile, your own eyes burning. Yes. . . This is it. It's not a kill or be killed world. It's a save or be saved world. And you saved them. "Well done," Wingding whispers to you. You feel him press against the top of your head in a manner similar to a kiss. Oh. That's right. Your potential ''SOULMATE''! You ask Sans, Papyrus, and Wingding for their attention. "What is it?" Wingding asks. You proudly hold out your locket with it open. The brothers lean forward to peer inside. “What the fuck,” says Sans. “I WAS NOT EXPECTING THAT,” admits Papyrus. “So delightfully greedy,” Wingding says with great cheer. “I expect nothing less.” “//What the fuck,//” Sans repeats. “I. . . AM FORCED TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR SERIOUS INTENTIONS TO COURT M–ER–US?” Papyrus concedes with a curious head tilt. “Having held $her ''SOUL'' I can verify $her intentions,” adds Wingding. Sans’ crimson eyelights are fixated on the locket. “This has ta be a joke.” “It is not,” says Wingding. “These two I get,” says Sans. “But. . . //me?//” “AND WHY NOT YOU?” Papyrus’s sockets narrow as he glowers at Sans. “I–” Sans glances away. “I Judged $her.” “YOU //WHAT//–” / “Pardon, brother?” You place a hand on Papyrus and Wingding’s arms. Both monsters turn to face you, their expressions difficult to read. You firmly reassure them that you already forgave Sans. You then step toward Sans and pull him into a tight hug. He stiffens. “$name–” You remind Sans that you forgave him in Judgment Hall, and you’ve forgiven him now. You like him. You like Papyrus. You like Wingding. You want to be with all three of them, if they’re open to it. Sans squirms in your arms. He’s about to pull away when Papyrus hugs you both. At once, Sans stills. Wingding places a hand on both yours, and San’s back. “IT WILL NOT HURT TO TRY,” says Papyrus. “WILL IT, BROTHER?” “I’m not opposed to it,” says Wingding. Sans makes a strangled noise: a cross between a sigh and a groan. “Okay, okay. Yeh win. Let’s give our lil freak show a shot.” Yay! You’re so happy you could pass out! Wait, actually– Your vision doubles as you sway. You don’t fall. As soon as you began to sway, Sans hugs you around the waist while Papyrus moves his hand up to support your upper back. Wingding chuckles. “No need to force yourself to stay awake, dearest human.” “YES. REST IF YOU WISH,” says Papyrus. “We can handle the rest from here,” adds Sans. [[TRUE HAPPY ENDING - HAREM ROUTE]]

With the re-entry of monsters into society, humanity rejoices. The governments that remain after the Great War all fly in to secure an alliance with the monsters. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "ending" play>> The monsters are met with overwhelming joy and positivity–they are borderline hailed as saviors. The wizards are particularly ecstatic, all of them flying to Mt. Ebott to enthusiastically welcome the monsters and offer their help with the transition. You are hailed as a hero and receive a neat little award. You'd think your time helping the monsters would end there, but no. It is almost unamiously decided by the monsters (and the wizards after they hear your story) that you are to be their ambassador. You don't really have a chance to say no. <<cycle "$ambassador" autoselect>>\ <<option "Not that you'd want to.">> <<option "You'd rather not, but they really need you.">> <<option "You'll see if you can find a substitute in a few years. You know they need you now.">> <</cycle>> While it is a happy transition, it is not easy. There are many cultural nuances that both sides have to adjust to. But! All of the governments are passionate about helping. They want this to work as badly as you do. The day the monsters re-enter the surface was officially declared an international holiday. Thousands of humans volunteered their homes to be shared with monsters who want to integrate into society. Many of the monsters accept this and they fly out to far off places and see things they would have never even dreamed about. It really seems like everything is working out for the best. Your journey. . . your struggles. . . None of it was in vain. You saved them. All of them. And you didn't make it out of it alone. The Gaster family moves to the surface, right next door to you and your new home (as a VIP ambassador you had to move into a magically-secure home of your choosing in the city). Having three datemates turns out to be a great deal of fun. There is no jealousy between the brothers–their bond is downright unshakeable–so everything feels comfortable and easy. Whoever is free will spend time with you, and it’s always “the more the merrier.” Wingding and Papyrus tend to keep busiest, so you do see Sans the most often. However, both workaholics make it a point to set aside time for you a couple times in the week. It’s always a grand time when all three of them are available. The four of you will make a night of it, either playing games, watching movies, or accidentally starting a fan war between Mettaton and Shyren’s fans. Papyrus is courteous and attentive, Wingding is charming and eccentric, and Sans is a firecracker of affection. And you? You’ve got a big enough heart and ''SOUL'' to love them all equally. You fit perfectly into their lives, a piece they never noticed was missing before. While happy to have your datemates', you make sure not to lose touch with the friends you've made. Most notably, Asriel has become a huge part of your life. He becomes the new king of monsters and helps you integrate the two societies. You are dear friends at work and outside of it. He also gives the second best hugs! (Wingding, of course, is first in your heart.) You spend time with Toriel and Asgore every so often. Toriel bakes you a special pie and loves to give you hugs. You hang out with Undyne (who honestly became the biggest supporter of your romantic adventures and is looking forward to acting as the officiant). You're a semi-regular on Mettaton's new T.V. show on the surface. You attend all of Shyren's concerts and are the first to buy her new album, //<<print "$shyrenlyrics">>//. You visited the school in Ebott City where the monster kids started to attend. They enthusiastically introduced you to their new human friends. <<if $jump eq 1>> You may or may not have done a very ill-advised field trip with them and jumped off another waterfall while screaming, "$battlecry." <<else>> You had to talk them out of trying to jump off another waterfall with their new friends. Multiple times. <</if>> You meet up with all the dogs from Snowdin every month for a game of poker. <<cycle "$poker" autoselect>>\ <<option "Which you suck at. A lot. Wingding and Papyrus have expressed concern for your inability to hold a poker face.">> <<option "Which you excel at. Wingding and Sans joke about entering you into a professional tournament.">> <<option "Which is always a fun time! Sans loves to tag along, and the group always get a good kick out of you making him blush (intentional or not). You did try inviting Wingding and Papyrus once but they. . . get competitive. Very competitive.">> <</cycle>> Everything is as it should be. Everyone is happy. And you're the reason for it. ---- Thank you, $name. Thank you for falling into UNDERFELL. Thank you for showing them kindness. Thank you for staying DETERMINED. Thank you for being ''you.'' //''THE END''// [[BONUS - The First Storm.]] [[Before The Void]] (BONUS SCENE) [[Author's Notes]]

You turn your head to look. <<set $grillbyz = 2>> <<if $gender eq "woman">> <<set $girl = "girl">><</if>><<if $gender eq "man">> <<set $girl = "boy">><</if>><<if $gender eq "person">> <<set $girl = "pup">><</if>> You see a monster in the shape of a man step out the side of Grillby’z. The monster is made of purple flames with a magenta center. The flames darken near the end. You can kind-of remember seeing the monster in the back of Grillby’z right before you took an ax to the face. The monster has stepped out into the small alleyway where you previously helped carry the drunk dog monster home. You can have a better look at him now. He's wearing black suit pants and a dark jacket with a white-furred hood lining. It looks similiar to Sans'. It looks like he’s searching for something, if judging by the way his head swivels left to right is an indication. You start to walk over to him, curious if he needs help. “Please don’t go near the fire monster,” Flowey whimpers. You reassure him the two of you will be okay. “It’ll be hot enough when we reach Hotlands,” Flowey insists. Everything will be fine! You approach the monster with a smile on your face. He turns his head to look at you. You don’t see a mouth, but he does have narrow dark blue eyes. It’s hard to tell if he’s glaring at you, or if that’s how he normally looks. You offer your help. The monster looks down at you. You smile up at him. He cocks his head to the side. A white light slowly cracks through the bottom of his face. A mouth is formed. He asks you, “Did you see a dog?” Oh wow. That is a voice. That is a very, very nice voice. It’s a soft murmur with a warm crackle underneath it. It’s not a voice a human throat could ever generate, and hearing it soothes you the same way standing next to a campfire soothes a pyromaniac. <<cycle "$grillbyvoice" autoselect>>\ <<option "Very pleasant voice. You hope that means this monster could be a very pleasant friend!">> <<option "This voice has done something to you. You’re not sure what. But it’s something.">> <<option "You feel like something inside you has been awakened.">> <<option " You have determined you want to smooch this monster.">> <</cycle>> You’re happy to give the monster good news. You did in fact see a dog! You helped him home. You point in the direction you carried the dog monster home. The monster’s eyes narrow into slits. His mouth disappears into his purple flames. The two of you continue to stare at one another for several long seconds. [[He’s. . . hot. Pun partially intended.]] ♡ [[You wonder what it’d be like to hug fire. Maybe if you make friends with him, you’ll get to find out.]]

He is definitely hot. <<set $grillbylove += 1>> His colors are mesmerizing to look at. Although there is a polite distance between the two of you, you can feel the warmth of his flames tickle against your skin. You subconsciously shuffle closer. He reacts by shifting away from you. You apologize but he waves you off. He turns around and immediately heads back inside. “Rude,” mutters Flowey. Hmm. [[Linger. You’re. . . curious about something.]] [[Enter Snowdin]]

He turns around and immediately heads back inside. “Rude,” mutters Flowey. Hmm. [[Enter Snowdin]]

You stay put and stare at the alleyway door to enter Grillby’z. “What are you waiting for?” asks Flowey. Something. “Like what?” You shrug. Flowey rests his head on your shoulder. “Okay. . .?” [[Keep waiting.]] [[Enter Snowdin]]

You count the minutes. <<set $grillbylove += 1>> When you get to seven, the door reopens. The flame monster looks down at you. He creates his mouth again, a part of it curling up to the side in a half-smirk-half-smile manner. He leans close to you, his soft voice a warm purr as he goes, “Good $girl.” //Oh.// Your face feels warm from his proximity. You’re not confident it’s exclusive from his flames. He pulls away, the Snowdin air noticeably colder than before. He holds out a mug of something to you. It’s a large mug filled with a thick brown liquid. On top of the liquid are a few white rectan– It’s hot chocolate with marshmallows! You happily accept the mug. It’s delightfully warm in your cold fingers. The monster places his hand at the top of the mug. His amethyst-colored flames gently burn the marshmallows. When he pulls his hand away, you have perfectly toasted marshmallows now. You take your first sip. <<cycle "$firstsipcoco" autoselect>>\ <<option "Mm-mm!">> <<option "You sigh happily.">> <<option "You let out a small groan of approval.">> <<option "Delicious!">> <<option ". . . !">> <</cycle>> The monster seems amused by your reaction. He says, “If you were a dog, your tail would be wagging.” Very true. You thank him for the hot chocolate. He chuckles, the colors of his flames brighten. You gulp down the hot chocolate, its warmth seeps through you with each swallow. It’s the perfect amount of dark chocolate bitterness and milky sweetness. <<cycle "$hotcocoreact" autoselect>>\ <<option "You’ve always loved hot chocolate, but you think this one is the best one you’ve ever had.">> <<option "You’ve never cared for hot chocolate, but you can care about this one.">> <<option "You don’t like hot chocolate, but this one you strangely do. Perhaps it's magical?">> <</cycle>> When you finish, the monster takes the mug back. His flames flicker outward and graze against your fingers. The heat tickles you. . . . Both of your hands are lingering. You look up at the monster. You smile. His eyes crease upward. His mouth is gone so you cannot see a smile, but you get the impression he’s pleased with you. He walks back inside. “Worth the wait?” asks Flowey. You lick your lips of any remaining hot chocolate. Definitely. [[Enter Snowdin]]

You and Grillby turn to look at the new voice. The monster speaking looks like a humanoid robot. He has black hair that’s been greased back, two pairs of yellow eyes, and two sets of arms. He wears neon pink knee-high spandex boots with heels, and black spiky pants. He has tall black shoulder pads. He wears neon pink and yellow gloves and has a broken heart belt around his waist. His smile is wide and reminds you of how newsanchors smile on T.V. Not sincere, but not mean either. "I hope I'm not interrupting something?" asks the monster with a wide, wide smile. You and Grillby glance at each other. . . .? It surprises you that Grillby hasn’t made any effort to refute. [[Deny there is something going on.]] [[Shuffle closer to Grillby.]]

"Great! Then you don't mind coming with me, do you?" the monster asks. If he introduces himself. <<set $grillbylove = 0>><<set $friendshiproute = 3>> "Oh, darling, so sorry about that. I'm Mettaton. I'd love to have you as a guest at my work." Sure. [["Fantastic!" he says.]]

The first time you moved closer to Grillby, the fire monster stepped away. <<set $grillbylove += 1>> He doesn’t this time. He’s close enough to you that the flames from the back of his hand flicker out and tickle against yours. It’s as delightfully warm as it was last time. The monster looks gleefully smug. "Isn't that interesting?" You ask the monster what he wants from you. "To talk, of course!" The robotic monster's smile stretches. "Mostly with you, darling human, but your friend is welcome to come along." Talk? "Talk," reassures the monster. You hesitate. You don’t want to drag Grillby into something if he doesn’t– You feel a hot pressure on your lower back, as if someone pressed a hot rock into your skin. You flinch in surprise. You soon relax when you notice that it’s Grillby’s hand on your back. The flame monster stares silently at you. A smile pulls your lips up. Well. If he wants to come along, you aren’t going to say no. You agree as long as the monster wouldn't mind introducing himself first. [["Of course, darling! I'm Mettaton, the star of UNDERFELL."]]

Mettaton guides you to a tall building with a bright pink neon sign that reads //MTT//. There are framed pictures of Mettaton on each sign post, and even a statue of his likeness is built next to another statue of a square robot with four arms. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "corecity"volume 0.15 loop play>> You are whisked inside, the air chillier than outside. It’s also much brighter. You had become accustomed to the comfortably dim streetlights, so the bright white lights inside momentarily blind you. You blink several times to help your $eyecolor eyes adjust. Mettaton does not wait for you to adapt. He continues to usher you inside with a loud, “Mind the step, darling!” Grillby already pointed it out to you. You step over it without issue. It looks like you walked into a set--specifically a talk show. There are two luxurious hot pink lounge chairs with yellow throw pillows at the center of the set. In between them is a black coffee table that blends in with the black tiled floor. Behind the chairs is a huge monitor that currently shows a silhouette of Mettaton and across him reads //TALKING WITH METTATON//. Outside the set you see a crew of monsters. There are many cameras, computer stations, and even a little buffet off to the side. You recognize one of the monsters. It’s Napstablook. You smile and wave at Napstablook. The ghost’s mouth wobbles before they smile back. You notice they have a pair of headphones on, and they are around several microphones. Maybe they manage the sound design? That sounds like a fun job. “Welcome to my show,” says Mettaton. “Mettaton, sir--?” one of the monsters approaches and gives you a wary look. “Change of plans everyone,” says Mettaton. “Tea time is cancelled!” There is a collection of awwws from the crew. Many hang their heads. You notice a few of them are wearing shirts with a picture of Mettaton sipping tea and it reads //METTATON KNOWS ALL THE TEA//. “We have something even better for tonight’s show,” says Mettaton. “A human.” “The arena’s reserved by the Royal Guards this week, we can’t host a death match,” a bird-like monster protests. “We’re not going to make the human fight, that’s //so// boring,” says Mettaton. The monsters stare at Mettaton in plain disbelief. Mettaton puts his hands on his hips and glares. “Are you going to argue with me?” They shake their heads. “Then let’s get a move on. Everyone to their places, the show starts in a few minutes. Human, darling, go take a seat.” You glance at Grillby, uncertain if he can come with you. However, a tall cat-like monster with brown fur approaches Grillby first. "Uh, if you want to stand in the back with us--" Grillby nods and follows behind the cat. You watch him leave then go take your seat. You sit in the plush hot pink chair. You sink into it. Mettaton sits in the chair opposite of you. He crosses his legs and says, “You must be dying to know why someone so famous has brought you here today.” You //would// like to know what’s going on. “It’s simple,” he says, “I want to ask you questions. You answer them all without issue--or lying--then I let you go and you’re free to leave.” He winks at you. “Isn’t that easy? Think of it as paying me back for helping you.” You’d be happy to answer his questions when put that way. But you have some questions of your own first, if he’s okay with that? “Ask away!” [[You’d like a formal introduction. Who exactly is Mettaton?]] [[What is tea time, and why was everyone so disappointed?]] [[What is this show?]] [[Does he really not intend to attack you?]] [[You have no questions.]]

“Tell me, darling, is there anyone in UNDERFELL that has caught your attention?” <<set $grillbylove += 1>> You can’t help glancing over at Grillby. The flame monster makes that half-smirk-half-smile motion with his mouth. You answer Mettaton with a coy //Maybe.// "Oh you are a //delight,//" he says. ” Mettaton looks out at the crew behind the spotlights. He squints his eyes briefly. “Oh dear, looks like we’re out of time today. $name, darling, thank you for coming on.” You say you were happy to. “Such a dear.” Mettaton pulls your head down and gives you a kiss on top of your head. It feels like a small static shock. The spotlights and camera turn off. You rub at the top of your head, your scalp tingly from the kiss. He says, “As promised, you are now free to go. Although I do recommend looking around the city before you head up.” You smile and say you will. Mettaton winks at you. “Break a leg, darling. Stay safe.” [[Yep! You'll stay safe!]]

Wouldn't that be nice? //Click.// There is a clicking sound from the locket. You unfurl your hands and it pops open. Oh! It //is// Grillby! His flames are several shades lighter than you've previously seen. He looks so happy. Your heart warms and you hold the locket close to you. Your lips turn up in a smile. //How heart-warming.// You startle from the whisper. You look around but you don't see anyone. . . . You. . . <<cycle "$charagoodbye" autoselect>>\ <<option "You thank them. . . for the chain, and the locket.">> <<option "You quietly thank them.">> <<option ". . .">> <<option "You mumble a thanks.">> <</cycle>> You think it's time to leave the most definitely haunted room now. [[You head back out into the hallway.]]

You and Grillby are escorted out of the studio. Once outside, your eyes need a few seconds to readjust to the dim lighting. Even with Grillby's flames at your side, the city has significantly darkened. You look over at him with a smile. "Coy response back there," he says, his voice cracks like logs over a flame. It tickles your ears. “Are you trying to start something, human?” Is he against it? “Not out of principle,” he says. “But you’re leaving. What’s the point?” You do intend to exit UNDERFELL, but you also intend to return. You don’t want to say goodbye to anyone. Grillby studies you. “Intentions do not guarantee actions,” he says. Hmm. You beckon with your finger for him to bend down. He does. [[Be sweet–go for the cheek!]] [[Be spicy–go for that mouth!]]

You're quick as you stretch up and peck his cheek. You then move to pull away, but you find a hot arm has slipped around your waist. You are pressed into Grillby. <<set $grillbylove += 1>> He uses his other hand to grip the back of your neck. He drags his thumb forward and presses it under your thumb to tilt your head back. “Cute,” he says, his voice crackles like splintering firewood. The flames from his body flicker brightly around him. The heat and magic that rolls off him seeps into you and makes you shiver. You hadn’t realized you were cold until you found yourself in the arms of a fire monster. You admit to him that you are pretty dang cute. He chuckles. “You better take responsibility for that,” he says. How so? You can’t help it if you’re cute. “Like this,” he says and he presses his mouth into yours. His fire warms your face and makes your lips tingle like you chugged some spicy sauce. It burns pleasantly. You sink into him, the two of you share a long and passionate kiss. Until he pulls back and you are left dizzy-headed because you forgot to breathe. “If you come back,” he says, “we can pick up from where we left off.” . . . You are definitely coming back. He kisses your forehead and steps away from you fully. “Good $girl.” [[Mm-hmm.]]

You grip both sides of his head to ensure your aim is accurate as you press your lips against his mouth. <<set $grillbylove += 1>> The moment your lips make contact, they tingle like a sunburn. It quickly turns into a pleasant burning sensation. You release him and pull away, happy with what you have done. You move to step back, but you find a hot arm has slipped around your waist. You are pressed into Grillby's chest. He uses his other hand to grip the back of your neck. He drags his thumb forward and presses it under your thumb to tilt your head back. “Good $girl,” he says, his voice crackles like splintering firewood. The flames from his body flicker brightly around him. The heat and magic that rolls off him seeps into you and makes you shiver. You hadn’t realized you were cold until you found yourself in the arms of a fire monster. //Oh.// He turns your head to the side and bends down to whisper into your neck, “How about a treat?” The way he breathes that into your neck makes you shiver. A treat–? There is a pinching sensation on the side of your neck, along with that pleasant burn that comes from his flames. Grillby nuzzles his way up your neck, pressing his mouth against your sensitive skin in a trail of kisses before he settles on your lips. The two of you sink in to each other as you kiss. It’s a long, hot, magical moment. And it’s over far too soon as he pulls back. You are left dizzy-headed because you forgot to breathe. “If you come back,” he says, “we can pick up from where we left off.” . . . You are definitely coming back. He kisses your forehead and steps away from you fully. “Good $girl.” [[Mm-hmm.]]

You watch him walk away, his flames several shades lighter than before. You grin to yourself, pleased with what you have done. You're now free to explore the city. [[You decide to take a walk around the city]]

You feel strong enough to walk as soon as you smell the fresh air. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "sweet"volume 0.15 loop play>> Asriel gently sets you down. He keeps a paw on your shoulder in case you need help. You are not left alone with your friend for much longer. Grillby casually walks up beside you two. Grillby pulls off his jacket and offers it to you. You gratefully slip it on, happy to have something cover the numerous tears in your sweater. The two of you silently stare at one another. "Um," goes Asriel. "I think, uh, I should. . . go talk to my mother. See you, $name." Yep! See you later, Fl--er--Asriel! You glance up at Grillby and smile. He seems amused by you. You ask him if he still wants to wait for you to //come back.// A mouth forms across the flames. "Cheeky $girl." You smirk. You can always walk down and back up the mountain if he really wants to wait-- He grabs both sides of your face and presses his fire against your lips. It tingles pleasantly. Grillby pulls away before you have a chance to really enjoy yourself. Rude. He takes your hand and tugs you along. The two of you join the dog monsters from Snowdin who happily greet you with yips and tail wags. As a group, the monsters leave the mountain. It's dark outside, yet brightening with every second. You hear gasps from the monsters around you. You hear choked back sobs. You hear //ooohs// and //ahhhs// and whimpers and hiccups. You hear them whisper and speak to one another as they all exit the underground to stand on a ledge overlooking Mt. Ebott. The barrier had been at a cave entrance. There is a wide overlook that showcases the forest at the bottom of the hill. . . and the city that rests at the edge of that forest. Tall skyscrapers climb into the sky, each building bright with light. The monsters notice and point to look at it, their voices getting louder. And then all goes silent when the first crack of light peaks out from the horizon. No one speaks. No one moves. It is their first sunrise, and they watch it in complete silence. When you look around you see many of them openly crying, their tears falling down their faces. Some have collapsed to their knees, holding their hands over their mouths to keep from weeping aloud. You smile, your own eyes burning. Yes. . . This is it. It's not a kill or be killed world. It's a save or be saved world. And you saved them. [[TRUE HAPPY ENDING - GRILLBY ROUTE]]

With the re-entry of monsters into society, humanity rejoices. The governments that remain after the Great War all fly in to secure an alliance with the monsters. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "ending" play>> The monsters are met with overwhelming joy and positivity–they are borderline hailed as saviors. The wizards are particularly ecstatic, all of them flying to Mt. Ebott to enthusiastically welcome the monsters and offer their help with the transition. You are hailed as a hero and receive a neat little award. You'd think your time helping the monsters would end there, but no. It is almost unamiously decided by the monsters (and the wizards after they hear your story) that you are to be their ambassador. You don't really have a chance to say no. <<cycle "$ambassador" autoselect>>\ <<option "Not that you'd want to.">> <<option "You'd rather not, but they really need you.">> <<option "You'll see if you can find a substitute in a few years. You know they need you now.">> <</cycle>> While it is a happy transition, it is not easy. There are many cultural nuances that both sides have to adjust to. But! All of the governments are passionate about helping. They want this to work as badly as you do. The day the monsters re-enter the surface was officially declared an international holiday. Thousands of humans volunteeredtheir homes to be shared with monsters who want to integrate into society. Many of the monsters accept this and they fly out to far off places and see things they would have never even dreamed about. It really seems like everything is working out for the best. Your journey. . . your struggles. . . None of it was in vain. You saved them. All of them. And you didn't make it out of it alone. The Gaster family moves to the surface, right next door to you and your new home (as a VIP ambassador you had to move into a magically-secure home of your choosing in the city). You and the Gasters see each other daily. You're on your way to becoming fast friends with them. Of course, you also see Grillby //very// often. The fire monster opens a bar on the surface and names it //Fellby'z//. It becomes an immediate hit with the humans who are utterly fascinated by monster food and monster booze. Enough to the point where he only opens it three days in the week, and is able to make more than enough from those sales. Although you privately think the exclusivitiy of it contributes to its popularity. Where most humans have to make a reservation or wait in a very long line to get in, you are always welcomed. Perks of dating the owner! Grillby, you come to notice, doesn't care much for talk. He thinks mouths can be put to better use. Not that you complain. Most of the time. He and the Gasters aren't the only new constants in your day to day. Most notably, Asriel has become a huge part of your life. He became the new king of monsters and helps you integrate the two societies. You are dear friends at work and outside of it. He also gives the second best hugs! Grillby wins first place by default. You spend time with Toriel and Asgore every so often. Toriel bakes you a special pie and loves to give you hugs. You hang out with Papyrus and Undyne. You're a semi-regular on Mettaton's new T.V. show on the surface. You attend all of Shyren's concerts and are the first to buy her new album, //<<print "$shyrenlyrics">>//. You visited the school in Ebott City where the monster kids started to attend. They enthusiastically introduced you to their new human friends. <<if $jump eq 1>> You may or may not have done a very ill-advised field trip with them and jumped off another waterfall while screaming "$battlecry." <<else>> You had to talk them out of trying to jump off another waterfall with their new friends. Multiple times. <</if>> You meet up with all the dogs from Snowdin every month for a game of poker. <<cycle "$poker" autoselect>>\ <<option "Which you suck at. A lot. Grillby has taken it upon himself to rectify this.">> <<option "Which you excel at. Grillby has forbade you from acting as a card shark unless he has a camera ready.">> <<option "Which is always a fun time! Grillby makes you lots of hot chocolate while you play.">> <</cycle>> Everything is as it should be. Everyone is happy. And you're the reason for it. ---- Thank you, $name. Thank you for falling into UNDERFELL. Thank you for showing them kindness. Thank you for staying DETERMINED. Thank you for being ''you.'' //''THE END''// [[Author's Notes]]

It’s the very first thunderstorm to come into the area since the monsters have returned to the surface. As soon as you saw the weather forecast, you immediately insisted on getting your friends together to watch the storm. The Gasters have a nice, wide living room with a magnificent window at the front. It’s the perfect place to watch. The monsters were amused by your enthusiasm and agreed. Most of them never been through a storm before. They have “rain” when water leaks down the stalacites in the marshes but it’s always gentle and refreshing. This storm was supposed to be intense, the first “severe” one of the year to signify spring’s approach. You were so excited to witness their reactions. [[An hour before the storm arrives.]]

You’ve got snacks and drinks all prepared when you head over to the Gaster’s. One of the benefits of being neighbors means your trip doesn’t take long.<<if $gender eq "person">> <<set $her = "their">> <</if>><<if $gender eq "man">> <<set $her = "his">> <</if>> <<if $papslove eq 6>> “GOOD DAY, MY LOVE,” Papyrus greets you at the door. He immediately offers to help you carry your armful of goodies. “WHAT IS ALL OF THIS FOR?” “Exactly how long is this storm party s’posed to last?” Sans asks warily from behind Papyrus. At Papyrus’s sharp glare, Sans quickly adds in a nervous tone, “No ‘ffense or ‘nything.” <<else>> “GOOD DAY, TINY HUMAN,” Papyrus greets you at the door. He immediately offers to help you carry your armful of goodies. “WHAT IS ALL OF THIS FOR?” “Exactly how long is this storm party s’posed to last?” Sans asks warily from behind Papyrus. <</if>> However long they want it to, you tell them. While you //hope// the monsters will be interested in the storm, you did prepare a scary movie to watch with it going on in the background. It’s not your favorite movie, but the scares make it well suited to watch during a thunderstorm. “Great, ‘cause I’ve got plans tonight,” says Sans. “Grillby’s testin’ his menu tonight. Free food’n’booze for all taste-testers.” <<if $sanslove eq 6>> You pout. “Don’ worry, angel. I’ll bring yeh back yer faves.” You beam. <</if>> You step into their front room and take off your shoes–Wingding and Papyrus //need// a clean home or they will turn into grumpy bears. The Gaster family home is well kept, and is a strange collage of intensely-edgy-dark and so-minimalistic-it’s-clinical decor. It’s hard to tell which brother chose what. It’s all very. . . them. Papyrus and Sans follow behind you as you enter their living room. <<if (($wingbold eq 1)) or ($wingshy eq 1)>> Wingding immediately greets you by stepping out of the shadows and pulls you in for a deep kiss. Sans makes an annoyed noise. “Go ta yer room if yer gonna do that shit here.” Wingding pulls away from you to give his brother a dry look. “Don’t you have some video game to play in the corner like the child you are?” Sans shifts his weight as he glowers. “Why would I need that when I’ve got my favorite punching bag here?” Wingding smiles coldly. “Dearest brother, if you insi–” You clear your throat. Both go silent. <<else>> Wingding steps out of the shadows and greets you with a smile. "Hello my dear." You beam and open your arms for a hug. Wingding chuckles as he obliges. "It is good to see you again." "Yeh saw $her this morning," Sans says dubiously. Wingding's eyes narrow. "Your point?" "Why the need to greet $her like it's been ages--?" "Are you trying to get on my nerves, darling brother?" Sans sneers. "That a tone yeh takin' with me, yeh impulsive dumbass?" "You--" You clear your throat. Both go silent. <</if>> You step away from Wingding and ask your companions if they would help you get ready for the storm now. Of course they agree. At your insistence the Gasters help move the furniture. They turn the couch around to face their huge living room window. Wingding takes down the curtains to ensure an unobstructed view. Papyrus grabs more pillows and blankets to make a cozy sitting area around the couch. Sans levitates a table into the room to set the food and drinks down. By the time the area is set up, the next guest arrive. Asriel is first. <<if $asrielrom eq 6>> Your datemate warmly greets you with nuzzles. “Hello, $name. I’ve missed you.” You saw him yesterday. “But then you went home.” You chuckle and hug him. "Yeh and Wings would probably get along well," Sans remarks. "Probably," agrees Asriel. <<elseif $sanslove eq 6>> Your best friend enthusiastically greets you with nuzzles. “My friend!” You hug him tightly. Sans makes a noise of disgust. Asriel squeezes you tighter. He whispers to you, “Pat my back once if you need help escaping.” “Take a dunk in lava, weed.” “After you, trash.” You clear your throat. Both go quiet. Papyrus snidely goes, “GLAD TO KNOW THAT //ALWAYS// WORKS.” “$name’s real power is not $her DETERMINATION, but rather the ability to //clear $her throat//,” Wingding drawls out. “Shaddap,” says Sans the same time Asriel goes, “Hush.” Papyrus sighs. He steps forward. <<else>> Your best friend enthusiastically greets you with nuzzles. “My friend!” You hug him tightly. “HELLO YOUR HIGHNESS.” Asriel beams. “Hello to you as well Papyrus. Thank you for the invitation.” <</if>> You step away from Asriel to let him come inside. [[Scarcely a few minutes go by when the next guests come.]]

Undyne and Alphys confidently stride into the Gaster home. You knew they would come--Undyne is friends with Papyrus, and Alphys is friends with Wingding and Sans--but you hadn't expected a third guest to be joining them. Mettaton swoops in. "Darling!" Mettaton! You //have// to hug Mettaton. Especially when he opens his arms expectantly for a hug. It was thanks to his help that you were able to reach out to so many monsters and inspire them to come to the surface. That's forever placed him as one of your favorite people. Mettaton pats your back then kisses both of your cheeks. <<if (($wingbold eq 1)) and ($wingshy eq 0)>> Familiar hands are immediately placed on your waist and you are yanked away from the monster. You are pulled up into the air by levitating hands. "Apologies my dear, they simply have a mind of their own," says Wingding, his tone too innocent to be sincere. Mettaton looks deeply amused. "Pay it no mind. Jealousy is adorable to watch." "Jealousy implies insecurity." "Why wouldn't you be? Have you //seen// me?" Mettaton cooes. He claps his hands together. "I'm ecstatic to watch this thunderstorm or whatever. Where are we doing it?" Wingding's eyes narrow. You politely ask your datemate to please let you down. Wingding takes a seat on the recliner and then gently lowers you into his lap. "There, dear, is this better?" You smirk and make yourself comfortable. Yep! "Aww," goes Mettaton. "And here I am without my camera." <<elseif (($wingbold eq 0)) and ($wingshy eq 1)>> Familiar hands are immediately placed on your waist and you are yanked away from the monster. You are pulled up into the air by levitating hands. "Apologies my dear, they simply have a mind of their own," says Wingding, his tone too innocent to be sincere. Mettaton looks deeply amused. "Pay it no mind. Jealousy is adorable to watch." "Jealousy implies insecurity." "Why wouldn't you be? Have you //seen// me?" Mettaton cooes. He claps his hands together. "I'm ecstatic to watch this thunderstorm or whatever. Where are we doing it?" Wingding's eyes narrow. You politely ask your datemate to please let you down. Wingding takes a seat on the recliner and then gently lowers you into his lap. "There, dear, is this better?" Your face is molten. You fidget shyly in his lap. "Aww," goes Mettaton. "And here I am without my camera." "Good," says Wingding with a cold smile. "I'd hate to have to break it." <<elseif $sanslove eq 6>> "Eyyyy, what the fuck," says Sans. "It's a greeting, Sans," says Mettaton with a roll of his eyes. "Very popular in Hollywood." "Is this Hollywood?" "No--?" "Then don't do it." Mettaton stares at Sans for a long moment. He then looks to you. He looks back at Sans. He smiles. He immediately kisses your cheeks again. "Okay buddy," says Sans, his eyelights flickering between yellow and red. "Wanna have a hell of a time?" Oh no. You hurry over to your boyfriend to give him face nuzzles and kisses. Sans skull turns an adorable shade of red. "St-Stop tryin' to dissuade me, angel! Some people need an ass kickin'." "Mm-hmm," goes Mettaton. "Mettaton be nice," sighs Alphys. "But //Alphy~//" "Yeah Alphy," echoes Asriel. "If Mettaton wants to kick Sans' ass let him." No, no, no, no! No fighting! "You won't win that one," says Undyne, patting Mettaton's back. "Trust us. //Don't// antagonize." Mettaton sighs. "Fine. I'm sorry for hurting your fragile little ego, mustard-boy." Mettaton! You glower. Mettaton makes a noise of annoyance but does soften his tone, "I am //sorry//, Sans." Sans glares but is mollified. It probably helps that you're holding him and nuzzling your cheek into the top of his skull. "Okay," says Sans. "No problem." <<elseif $papslove eq 6>> "WHY?" asks Papyrus. "Why what?" Mettaton inquires with a tilt of his head. "YOU--BOTH CHEEKS?" Papyrus asks. "It's a greeting in Hollywood," explains Mettaton. "Very popular with humans." "OH. IS THAT TRUE, MY LOVE?" You nod happily. Papyrus smiles. "THAT IS GOOD TO KNOW." He frowns. "IT'S NOT. . . //REQUIRED// RIGHT?" Mettaton and you laugh. You reassure Papyrus it's not mandated. It's simply how some humans like to greet each other. "DO YOU?" Papyrus asks you. You prefer hugs. "I KNOW THAT," he says. "YOU HUG EVERYONE." Yep! "IT IS WEIRD." Eh. "BUT IT IS SOMETHING I ADMIRE ABOUT YOU," he continues. "YOUR CONFIDENCE TO SHOW AFFECTION TO FRIENDS IS SECOND TO NONE." Papyrus' smile widens as he looks at Mettaton. "WELCOME TO OUR HOME, METTATON. I AM GLAD TO SEE YOU AGAIN. I WANTED TO APOLOGIZE ABOUT MY RUDE DEPARTURE LAST TIME." "Oh you are just a doll," cooes Mettaton. "Think nothing of it! Thank you so much for having me." "OF COURSE." <<else>> You usher Mettaton inside with the others. Papyrus quietly shuts the door behind you. <</if>> With Mettaton's arrival, there's only a few minutes left until the storm is meant to arrive. "It's gotten dark outside," remarks Undyne as she glances out the window. "That's normal, right?" Yes. Since everyone's here, it's time to for everyone to grab their seat. <<if $papslove eq 6>> You take a seat beside Papyrus on the couch. He comfortably puts his arm around your shoulders. You lean into him. <<elseif $sanslove eq 6>> You take a seat beside Sans on the floor. You lean into each other. <<elseif (($wingbold eq 1)) or ($wingshy eq 1)>> You rest your head in the crook of Wingding's neck. He gently runs his fingers up and down your arms. <<elseif $asrielrom eq 6>> You sit beside Asriel on the floor. He takes your hand and place it in his lap to hold. You smile at him and he smiles back. <<else>> You sit in between Asriel and Sans on the floor. Sans levitates a bowl of chips over to the three of you to share. <</if>> [[The storm arrives.]]

The darkness that the storm overcasts rivals that of the underground. "Are you //sure// this is normal?" Mettaton asks you. "It looks like night." Yep! Alphys adds, "From what I've read it gets dark because the clouds are blocking the sun." "Isn't the sun supposed to be the brightest star?" "The sun is //a// star," Sans explains. "It's also hella far away. 'Nything big enough 'nd in between us and the sun will block it." "It's one thing to read about it," Wingding remarks, "but seeing it in person is a different experience." "Yeah," agrees Sans. "Books didn't mention the smell either." He can smell it from inside? "SANS HAS EXCELLENT SENSES," Papyrus says. "HIS HEARING IS SUPERB." Sans coughs, a red tint under his eyesockets. "Ehh." "WHICH IS WHY IT IS SO AGGREVATING WHEN HE DOES NOT UTILIZE HIS FULL CAPABILITIES." "Aw c'mon boss," Sans complains. Papyrus's eyelights shine briefly. "I AM NOT WRONG. THERE IS NOTHING MORE FRUSTRATING THAN SEEING A TALENTED MONSTER WASTE HIS TIME. YOU HAVE NO EXCUSE TO KEEP THAT UP ON THE SURFACE AND SO HELP ME IF I CATCH YOU SLACKING AT WORK--" "Why yeh gotta compliment me in the same breath yeh threaten me--?" "Listen to your baby brother, Sans," Wingding chides. "He only wants what's best for you." "Ugh," goes Sans. "If you ever get tired of your work, you're more than welcome to help me with mine--" "I'm pulling my //I want to live card// again." "Sans! I would //never// put you in a dangerous situation for my job," Wingding cooes. "What if I paid you?" Asriel wonders out loud. Wingding tilts his head. "How much?" "EYY WHAT THE FUCK?" Sans loudly asks. You see he has a grin on his face. <<if $sanslove eq 6>> You ask if everyone would please leave your boyfriend alive and healthy. You'd be very sad if he was hurt. "Only for you," sighs Asriel. "I suppose we can oblige," Wingding echoes Asriel's sigh. "Thanks," Sans says dryly as he chuckles. <<else>> You ask if everyone would please spare Sans. He owes you many, many $favoritefood and you intend to collect. "Why does he owe you so much?" Asriel asks. "Ehhh no reason," Sans coughs. . . . Yes. No reason. <</if>> The first streak of lightning shoots across the sky. It's close enough that it lights up the entire room. At once you hear gasps. Sans' eyelights shrink as his sockets widen. "WHAT THE FUCK?!" Mettaton gasps as Alphys yelps, "STARS ABOVE!" "Huh," goes Wingding. And then the thunder claps. It's a //massive// storm, and the thunder that comes from it is powerful enough to shake the house. <<if (($wingbold eq 1)) or ($wingshy eq 1)>> Wingding's arms tighten around you. You feel him tense underneath you. He's read ahead on storms, but as mentioned it's different to read about it than to experience it. He logically knows the thunder won't hurt you. But it still unnerves him enough that he feels compelled to keep you close. He's on edge, his eyes narrowed as he stares intently out the window. "What the fuck was that?" Undyne demands. Thunder, you explain. You watch as Papyrus and Sans get up from their spots and move to sit on the floor in front of you and Wingding. "Is it normally so loud?" Asriel asks. It can be. "It's harmless," Wingding says in a surprisingly gentle tone. He's looking at his brothers. "IT DID NOT SOUND HARMLESS," says Papyrus. "Sans' trombone can be loud enough to shake a house. Think of it like that," says Wingding. He conjures two detached hands in the air. He places each one on his brothers' shoulders. "We're all safe. I promise." "I wasn' worried," Sans muttered crossly. "Mm-hmm," goes Wingding. "I AM ENTIRELY UNBOTHERED," says Papyrus. "NOTHING CAN FRIGHTEN THE GREAT PAPYRUS." "Mm-hmm." Neither of them push Wingding's hands away, nor do they return to their original spots. <<elseif $sanslove eq 6>> You knew Sans read ahead about what a storm was like. But as mentioned, reading about it on paper and experiencing it first hand are vastly different. He clearly was not expecting such a sudden and powerful //boom,// He reacts purely on instinct. One hand grabs you, and another hand raises up. Your vision of the outside world is immediately obscured by crimson bones that have been conjured around the house. He shielded the house. He wasn't the only monster to react. Papyrus moved off his spot on the couch to crouch beside Sans, a vermilion glow in his left eye. His right hand was raised, magic around it, as if he was prepared to summon his own shield of bones. "What the fuck was that?" Undyne demands. Thunder, you explain. "It's harmless," says Wingding. He's gotten up from his seat on the recliner and moves to sit beside Sans. He places one hand on Sans, and the other on Papyrus. "It's okay." "IT DID NOT SOUND HARMLESS," says Papyrus. "Is it normally so loud?" Asriel asks. It can be, you answer. Sans lets out a slow breath and drops his barrier. Lightning flashes again. You count out loud. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight-- //BOOM// You tell them that the storm is eight miles out. "The storm isn't even here yet?" Alphys asks. Nope! You explain that we're on the outskirts. "Oh," says Sans in a surprisingly small voice. You kiss his cheek. You tell him you can go over to your house to grab some noise cancelling headphones if he wants. "Go?? //Outside?!//" Sans looks at you in disbelief. "In--in this weather?!" It's actually very safe! "LIGHTNING CAN KILL A HUMAN," says Papyrus. "IS THAT NOT LIGHTNING OUT THERE?" Ehh. You'd be fine. "Uh," goes Mettaton. "I don't think that's a good call darling." "I trust $name," says Asriel with a shrug. "If $she says it's safe, then it's safe." $Curse yeah! Asriel and you exchange a high-five. Hooray for friendship and trust! At Sans' uncomfortable expression, you relent. You promise him you won't go out in this specific storm. "Not that I was worried or 'nything," he mumbles. "It's yer choice 'n all." You and Wingding go //mm-hmm// at the same time. <<elseif $papslove eq 6>> Papyrus immediately grabs you with one arm, reaches down and grabs Sans with his other hand. He hoists you both into his arms in the same moment he stands up. Within one step--thanks to his long legs--he has reached Wingding in the recliner. Wingding conjures four hands to hold them up between him and Papyrus. "Papyrus, we are not in any danger, //do not try to pick me up,//" Wingding firmly says. "BUT--" "Do not. Try. To pick. Me up." "//BUT--//" "''Do not.''" Wingding gestures to the spot on the floor in front of him. "Sit down, babybones, and let your datemate and brother go." Papyrus sits down. As he does, he sets you and Sans on your feet. You take a seat next to Papyrus and grab one of his hands to hold. You smile encouragingly up at him and reassure him it's safe. Sans sits on Papyrus's other side. He's close enough that their legs are touching. Wingding leans forward in his recliner and places a hand on each of his brothers. "It is entirely harmless." "IT DOES NOT SOUND HARMLESS," says Papyrus. "IT SHOOK THE HOUSE." "It will do that," says Wingding pleasantly. "All the time?" Mettaton asks. A lot of the time, you add. "Are we safe here?" Undyne warily inquires. Yes. No threat of a tornado, just a thunderstorm. "I. . . SEE," Papyrus says slowly. He shifts around anxiously. You squeeze his hand. He squeezes yours back. You offer to go over to your place and grab some noise canceling headphones if he'd like to use them. "GO //OUTSIDE//?! ABSOLUTELY NOT! THAT IS FAR TOO DANGEROUS!" It's actually not! "NO!" Papyrus says sternly. "WHAT IF YOU CATCH A COLD? IT'S POURING." Okay, okay. Lightning flashes again. You count out loud. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight-- //BOOM// You tell them that the storm is eight miles out. "The storm isn't even here yet?" Alphys asks. Nope! You explain that we're on the outskirts. "Huh," says Sans. "All weather this intense on the surface?" Oh no! This is very mild. "//This is mild!?//" Undyne asks in alarm. "Stars above, no wonder you were fuckin' fearless." "How often does bad weather happen?" Mettaton asks. You shrug. A lot more in the spring than any other season. <<elseif $asrielrom eq 6>> "Wow," says Asriel. "That's neat." "What the fuck was that?" Undyne demands. Thunder, you explain. "It's harmless," says Wingding. You notice that Papyrus and Sans have immediately moved to sit beside Wingding. The eldest Gaster places a hand on each of them and says, "It's okay." "IT DID NOT SOUND HARMLESS," says Papyrus. "Is it normally so loud?" Asriel asks you. It can be, you answer. He frowns. "I might need to buy some earplugs then. That already hurt my ears." Aww. You have some noise canceling headphones at your place. You offer to grab them. "That does not sound like a good idea, darling," frets Mettaton. "Is it safe?" Asriel asks. Definitely! "Hmm." Asriel considers this. "If it bothers me too much I'll grab them." Is he sure? You don't mind-- Asriel smiles. He nuzzles his nose against yours. "You said it's safe and I trust you. That being said, there's no reason for you to get wet in this rain." Aww. You kiss his nose. Lightning flashes again. You count out loud. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight-- //BOOM// You tell them that the storm is eight miles out. "The storm isn't even here yet?" Alphys asks. Nope! You explain that we're on the outskirts. "Huh," says Sans. "All weather this intense on the surface?" Oh no! This is very mild. "//This is mild!?//" Undyne asks in alarm. "Stars above, no wonder you were fuckin' fearless." "No one is braver than $name," says Asriel proudly. You chuckle. <<else>> "Wow," says Asriel. "That's neat." "What the fuck was that?" Undyne demands. Thunder, you explain. "It's harmless," says Wingding. You notice that Papyrus and Sans have immediately moved to sit beside Wingding. The eldest Gaster places a hand on each of them and says, "It's okay." "IT DID NOT SOUND HARMLESS," says Papyrus. "Is it normally so loud?" Asriel asks you. It can be, you answer. He frowns. "I might need to buy some earplugs then. That already hurt my ears." Aww. You have some noise canceling headphones at your place. You offer to grab them. "That does not sound like a good idea, darling," frets Mettaton. "Is it safe?" Asriel asks. Definitely! "Hmm." Asriel considers this. "If it bothers me too much I'll grab them." Is he sure? You don't mind-- Asriel smiles. "You said it's safe and I trust you. That being said, there's no reason for you to get wet in this rain." Aww. You promise to go with him. "But--" Best friends get soaked in the rain together. You don't make the rules. He laughs at that. "Ah. I see. Okay." You offer him a high five. He slaps his hand against yours. Lightning flashes again. You count out loud. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight-- //BOOM// You tell them that the storm is eight miles out. "The storm isn't even here yet?" Alphys asks. Nope! You explain that we're on the outskirts. "Huh," says Sans. "All weather this intense on the surface?" Oh no! This is very mild. "//This is mild!?//" Undyne asks in alarm. "Stars above, no wonder you were fuckin' fearless." You chuckle. <</if>> You and the monsters sit at the window and watch the storm. As it would turn out, you had no need to bring the movie. They were captivated by the lightning, rain, and thunder. And when the storm passed hours later, everyone agreed to watch the next one together. <<if $sanslove eq 6>> [[Sans - Bad Day]] (BONUS SCENE) [[Sans is Sick]] (BONUS SCENE) [[Before The Void]] (BONUS SCENE) [[Sans' Proposal]] (BONUS SCENE) <<elseif (($wingbold eq 1)) or ($wingshy eq 1)>> [[Wingding - Judgment Hall Reaction]] (BONUS SCENE) [[New Lab]] (BONUS SCENE) [[Before The Void]] (BONUS SCENE) [[WD Notes Translated]] (BONUS LORE) <<elseif $asrielrom eq 6>> [[Asriel - First Date]] (BONUS SCENE) [[Asriel - Judgment Hall Reaction]] (BONUS SCENE) [[Asriel's Proposal]] (BONUS SCENE) <<elseif $papyruslove eq 6>> [[Papyrus is Sick]] (BONUS SCENE) [[Papyrus - Judgment Hall Reaction]] (BONUS SCENE) <</if>> [[Author's Notes]]

"Wait, what? Both of them?" Yes. You hung out with Sans at his sentry station, then went on a date with Papyrus. “Wait, Mettaton wasn’t lying about the romance?” Undyne’s yellow eye bulges. Her mouth curls into a huge grin that shows off her sharp teeth. “No shit?! Really?!” She slings an arm around your shoulder. <<if $hashair eq 1>> She ruffles your hair, laughing. <<else>> She rubs your scalp, laughing. <</if>> "You can't like anyone nicer than Papyrus," she says approvingly. Then she frowns. "But you also can't pick anyone worse than Sans." It sounds like the perfect balance then! Although you would like to add that you don't think Sans is bad. She snorts. "Your optimism borders on delusional. Wish you and Pap the best, but do yourself a favor and stay away from Sans." You tease Undyne that it sounds like she's worried about you. She huffs. "Worried about Papyrus more than you. If that dweeb likes you and Sans hurts you. . . it won't end well for anyone. Don't be too greedy, human." You'll never reach your dreams if you don't even try. "And your dream is for two skeleton monsters at the same time?" she dryly asks you. . . . Maybe three. "HAHAHAHAHAHA!" Undyne starts to howl with laughter. "FUCK THAT'S HILARIOUS. I--//HAHAHA//--OH STARS--//HAHAHA.//" She laughs so hard she has to bend over and clutch at her gut. "Stars if that works out, hahaha, I'll fucking officiate for you, hahahaha, that's so stupid hahaha." You'll hold her to that! She claps your back as she snickers. "Take care of yourself, $name. I'm rooting for you now if only to see what is either going to be the greatest relationship of all time, or the most dramatic dumpster fire of toxicity come to life." You're aiming for the first. "Yeah I bet you are, hahahaha." <<set $friendshiproute = 0>> [[It’s time to leave the city.]]

You’ve got snacks and drinks all prepared when you head over to the Gaster’s. One of the benefits of being neighbors means your trip doesn’t take long. <<if $gender eq "person">> <<set $her = "their">> <</if>><<if $gender eq "man">> <<set $her = "his">> <</if>> “GOOD DAY, MY LOVE,” Papyrus greets you at the door. He immediately offers to help you carry your armful of goodies. “WHAT IS ALL OF THIS FOR?” “Exactly how long is this storm party s’posed to last?” Sans asks warily from behind Papyrus. At Papyrus’s sharp glare, Sans quickly adds in a nervous tone, “No ‘ffense or ‘nything.” However long they want it to, you tell them. While you //hope// the monsters will be interested in the storm, you did prepare a scary movie to watch with it going on in the background. It’s not your favorite movie, but the scares make it well suited to watch during a thunderstorm. “Great, ‘cause I’ve got plans tonight,” says Sans. “Grillby’s testin’ his menu tonight. Free food’n’booze for all taste-testers.” You pout. “Don’ worry, angel. I’ll bring yeh back yer faves.” You beam. You step into their front room and take off your shoes–Wingding and Papyrus //need// a clean home or they will turn into grumpy bears. The Gaster family home is well kept, and is a strange collage of intensely-edgy-dark and so-minimalistic-it’s-clinical decor. It’s hard to tell which brother chose what. It’s all very. . . them. Papyrus and Sans follow behind you as you enter their living room. Wingding immediately greets you by stepping out of the shadows and pulls you in for a deep kiss. Sans makes an annoyed noise. “Go ta yer room if yer gonna do that shit here.” Wingding pulls away from you to give his brother a dry look. “Don’t you have some video game to play in the corner like the child you are?” Sans shifts his weight as he glowers. “Why would I need that when I’ve got my favorite punching bag here?” Wingding smiles coldly. “Dearest brother, if you insi–” You clear your throat. Both go silent. You step away from Wingding and ask your datemates if they would help you get ready for the storm now. Of course they agree. At your insistence the Gasters help move the furniture. They turn the couch around to face their huge living room window. Wingding takes down the curtains to ensure an unobstructed view. Papyrus grabs more pillows and blankets to make a cozy sitting area around the couch. Sans levitates a table into the room to set the food and drinks down. By the time the area is set up, the next guest arrive. Asriel is first. Your best friend enthusiastically greets you with nuzzles. “My friend!” You hug him tightly. Sans makes a noise of disgust. Asriel squeezes you tighter. He whispers to you, “Pat my back once if you need help escaping.” “Take a dunk in lava, weed.” “After you, trash.” You clear your throat. Both go quiet. Papyrus snidely goes, “GLAD TO KNOW THAT //ALWAYS// WORKS.” “$name ’s real power is not $her DETERMINATION, but rather the ability to //clear $her throat//,” Wingding drawls out. “Shaddap,” says Sans the same time Asriel goes, “Hush.” Papyrus sighs. He steps forward. You step away from Asriel to let him come inside. [[BONUS - Scarcely a few minutes go by when the next guests come.]]

''The original paper you keep:'' R︎e︎s︎e︎a︎r︎c︎h︎ s︎h︎o︎w︎s︎ a︎ h︎u︎m︎a︎n︎ SOUL i︎s︎ c︎a︎pa︎b︎l︎e︎ o︎f︎ e︎n︎t︎e︎r︎i︎n︎g︎ t︎h︎e︎ v︎o︎i︎d︎,︎ b︎u︎t︎ i︎t︎ c︎a︎u︎s︎e︎s︎ i︎m︎m︎e︎n︎s︎e︎ s︎t︎r︎a︎i︎n︎.︎ C︎a︎pt︎u︎r︎e︎d︎ h︎u︎m︎a︎n︎ SOULS h︎a︎v︎e︎ o︎n︎l︎y︎ b︎e︎e︎n︎ a︎b︎l︎e︎ t︎o︎ s︎u︎r︎v︎i︎v︎e︎ t︎h︎e︎ v︎o︎i︎d︎ t︎w︎i︎c︎e︎ b︎e︎f︎o︎r︎e︎ e︎v︎a︎po︎r︎a︎t︎i︎n︎g︎.︎ I︎n︎f︎u︎s︎i︎n︎g︎ m︎y︎ m︎a︎g︎i︎c︎ i︎n︎ a︎ s︎o︎u︎l︎ h︎a︎s︎ c︎a︎u︎s︎e︎d︎ i︎t︎ t︎o︎ s︎u︎r︎v︎i︎v︎e︎ f︎i︎v︎e︎ t︎i︎m︎e︎s︎ i︎n︎ t︎r︎i︎ps︎ t︎o︎ t︎h︎e︎ v︎o︎i︎d︎.︎ T︎e︎s︎t︎i︎n︎g︎ w︎i︎t︎h︎ r︎e︎g︎u︎l︎a︎r︎ m︎o︎n︎s︎t︎e︎r︎ m︎a︎g︎i︎c︎ r︎e︎s︎u︎l︎t︎e︎d︎ i︎n︎ a︎ t︎w︎o︎-︎t︎r︎i︎p s︎u︎r︎v︎i︎v︎a︎l︎ (︎m︎a︎g︎i︎c︎ pr︎o︎v︎i︎d︎e︎d︎ b︎y︎ A︎l︎ph︎s︎)︎.︎ T︎e︎s︎t︎i︎n︎g︎ w︎i︎t︎h︎ a︎n︎o︎t︎h︎e︎r︎ b︎o︎s︎s︎ m︎o︎n︎s︎t︎e︎r︎ m︎a︎g︎i︎c︎ r︎e︎s︎u︎l︎t︎e︎d︎ i︎n︎ a︎ f︎i︎v︎e︎ t︎r︎i︎p s︎u︎r︎v︎i︎v︎a︎l︎ (︎m︎a︎g︎i︎c︎ pr︎o︎v︎i︎d︎e︎d︎ b︎y︎ S︎a︎n︎s︎)︎.︎ T︎h︎e︎r︎e︎ s︎e︎e︎m︎s︎ t︎o︎ b︎e︎ a︎n︎ i︎n︎h︎e︎r︎e︎n︎t︎ r︎e︎s︎i︎s︎t︎a︎n︎c︎e︎ t︎o︎ t︎h︎e︎ v︎o︎i︎d︎ f︎o︎r︎ b︎o︎s︎s︎ m︎o︎n︎s︎t︎e︎r︎ m︎a︎g︎i︎c︎.︎ A︎ h︎u︎m︎a︎n︎ SOUL i︎s︎ s︎t︎i︎l︎l︎ r︎e︎q︎u︎i︎r︎e︎d︎ t︎o︎ e︎n︎t︎e︎r︎ a︎n︎d︎ l︎e︎a︎v︎e︎ t︎h︎e︎ v︎o︎i︎d︎,︎ b︎u︎t︎ b︎o︎s︎s︎ m︎o︎n︎s︎t︎e︎r︎ m︎a︎g︎i︎c︎ i︎s︎ r︎e︎q︎u︎i︎r︎e︎d︎ t︎o︎ s︎u︎r︎v︎i︎v︎e︎ i︎t︎.︎ I︎ w︎a︎n︎t︎ t︎o︎ s︎e︎e︎ w︎h︎a︎t︎ t︎h︎e︎ h︎u︎m︎a︎n︎s︎ s︎e︎e︎.︎ I︎ w︎a︎n︎t︎ t︎o︎ kn︎o︎w︎ w︎h︎a︎t︎'︎s︎ i︎n︎ t︎h︎e︎ v︎o︎i︎d︎.︎ ''First paper found after the original:'' H︎e︎r︎ M︎a︎je︎s︎t︎y︎ h︎a︎s︎ r︎e︎q︎u︎e︎s︎t︎e︎d︎ I︎ c︎r︎e︎a︎t︎e︎ a︎ S︎O︎U︎L︎ r︎e︎pr︎e︎s︎s︎o︎r︎ t︎o︎ d︎u︎l︎l︎ h︎e︎r︎ c︎o︎n︎n︎e︎c︎t︎i︎o︎n︎ w︎i︎t︎h︎ h︎e︎r︎ S︎O︎U︎L︎M︎A︎T︎E︎.︎ S︎h︎e︎ h︎a︎s︎ a︎s︎ke︎d︎ t︎h︎i︎s︎ b︎e︎ c︎r︎e︎a︎t︎e︎d︎ w︎i︎t︎h︎o︎u︎t︎ H︎i︎s︎ M︎a︎je︎s︎t︎y︎︎s︎ a︎t︎t︎e︎n︎t︎i︎o︎n︎.︎ T︎h︎i︎s︎ w︎i︎l︎l︎ b︎e︎ d︎i︎f︎f︎i︎c︎u︎l︎t︎.︎ I︎ d︎o︎ n︎o︎t︎ h︎a︎v︎e︎ a︎ S︎O︎U︎L︎M︎A︎T︎E︎ t︎o︎ t︎e︎s︎t︎ t︎h︎i︎s︎ o︎n︎,︎ a︎n︎d︎ S︎O︎U︎L︎M︎A︎T︎E︎S︎ t︎e︎n︎d︎ t︎o︎ b︎e︎ o︎v︎e︎r︎l︎y︎ pr︎o︎t︎e︎c︎t︎i︎v︎e︎ o︎f︎ t︎h︎e︎i︎r︎ pa︎r︎t︎n︎e︎r︎.︎ I︎ a︎m︎ c︎o︎n︎c︎e︎r︎n︎e︎d︎ H︎e︎r︎ M︎a︎je︎s︎t︎y︎ w︎i︎l︎l︎ b︎e︎ t︎h︎e︎ o︎n︎l︎y︎ l︎i︎v︎e︎ t︎e︎s︎t︎ f︎o︎r︎ t︎h︎i︎s︎.︎ I︎f︎ I︎ s︎e︎v︎e︎r︎ t︎h︎e︎i︎r︎ c︎o︎n︎n︎e︎c︎t︎i︎o︎n︎ e︎n︎t︎i︎r︎e︎l︎y︎ b︎y︎ a︎c︎c︎i︎d︎e︎n︎t︎ I︎ a︎m︎ s︎u︎r︎e︎ H︎i︎s︎ M︎a︎je︎s︎t︎y︎ w︎i︎l︎l︎ t︎r︎y︎ t︎o︎ ki︎l︎l︎ m︎e︎.︎ A︎g︎a︎i︎n︎.︎ S︎a︎n︎s︎,︎ i︎f︎ y︎o︎u︎’︎r︎e︎ r︎e︎a︎d︎i︎n︎g︎ m︎y︎ n︎o︎t︎e︎s︎ a︎f︎t︎e︎r︎ m︎y︎ d︎u︎s︎t︎i︎n︎g︎ pl︎e︎a︎s︎e︎ b︎u︎r︎n︎ t︎h︎e︎m︎ a︎l︎l︎.︎ ''Second paper:'' Wingding: D︎i︎d︎ y︎o︎u︎ f︎i︎n︎i︎s︎h︎ b︎u︎i︎l︎d︎i︎n︎g︎ i︎t︎?︎ Sans: yes Wingding: A︎n︎y︎ c︎h︎a︎n︎g︎e︎s︎ t︎o︎ t︎h︎e︎ b︎l︎u︎e︎pr︎i︎n︎t︎?︎ Sans: no Wingding: D︎o︎ y︎o︎u︎ w︎a︎n︎t︎ t︎o︎ b︎e︎ t︎h︎e︎ o︎n︎e︎ t︎o︎ t︎e︎s︎t︎ i︎t︎ f︎o︎r︎ H︎e︎r︎ M︎a︎je︎s︎t︎y︎?︎ Sans: are you trying to kill me Wingding: I︎’︎m︎ pu︎l︎l︎i︎n︎g︎ t︎h︎e︎ o︎l︎d︎e︎r︎ b︎r︎o︎t︎h︎e︎r︎ c︎a︎r︎d︎.︎ Sans: i’m pulling the i want to live card Wingding: F︎i︎n︎e︎.︎ Sans: thnx Wingding: Y︎o︎u︎ o︎w︎e︎ m︎e︎ a︎n︎ e︎x︎pe︎r︎i︎m︎e︎n︎t︎.︎ Sans: i’m pulling the i want to live card again Wingding: Y︎o︎u︎ c︎a︎n︎’︎t︎ ke︎e︎p pu︎l︎l︎i︎n︎g︎ t︎h︎a︎t︎.︎ Sans: what are you going to do? kill me? in that case i’m pulling the i want to live card again Wingding: S︎t︎a︎r︎s︎ h︎e︎l︎p y︎o︎u︎r︎ S︎O︎U︎L︎M︎A︎T︎E︎.︎ Sans: stars help yours ''Third paper:'' Sans: obsessive nerd Wingding: Y︎o︎u︎ h︎y︎pe︎r︎f︎i︎x︎a︎t︎e︎ a︎s︎ o︎f︎t︎e︎n︎ a︎s︎ I︎ d︎o︎.︎ Sans: ye but on cool stuff Wingding: G︎e︎t︎ o︎u︎t︎ o︎f︎ m︎y︎ l︎a︎b︎.︎ ''Fourth paper:'' Sans: knock knock Wingding: W︎h︎o︎’s︎ t︎h︎e︎r︎e︎?︎ Sans: timefer Wingding: T︎i︎m︎e︎f︎e︎r︎ w︎h︎o︎?︎ :) Sans: timefer sleep you haven’t been home in a week Wingding: I︎ d︎o︎n︎’︎t︎ l︎i︎ke︎ t︎h︎i︎s︎ jo︎ke︎.︎ Sans: it’s not a joke, stop shortcutting out of the room when i enter otherwise i will fill the entire lab with sleeping gas. go home. ''Fifth paper:'' S︎a︎n︎s︎ w︎a︎n︎t︎s︎ t︎o︎ s︎e︎e︎ t︎h︎e︎ s︎t︎a︎r︎s︎.︎ P︎a︎py︎r︎u︎s︎ w︎a︎n︎t︎s︎ t︎o︎ f︎e︎e︎l︎ t︎h︎e︎ w︎i︎n︎d︎.︎ I︎s︎ i︎t︎ s︎t︎r︎a︎n︎g︎e︎ I︎ d︎o︎ n︎o︎t︎ c︎a︎r︎e︎ f︎o︎r︎ a︎n︎y︎ o︎f︎ i︎t︎? W︎h︎a︎t︎ d︎i︎f︎f︎e︎r︎e︎n︎c︎e︎ d︎o︎e︎s︎ t︎h︎e︎ v︎i︎e︎w︎ m︎a︎ke︎?︎ I︎ w︎i︎l︎l︎ w︎o︎r︎k i︎n︎ a︎ l︎a︎b︎o︎r︎a︎t︎o︎r︎y︎ o︎n︎ t︎h︎e︎ s︎u︎r︎f︎a︎c︎e︎ a︎s︎ I︎ w︎o︎u︎l︎d︎ u︎n︎d︎e︎r︎g︎r︎o︎u︎n︎d︎.︎ M︎y︎ i︎n︎t︎e︎r︎e︎s︎t︎s︎ w︎i︎l︎l︎ n︎o︎t︎ c︎h︎a︎n︎g︎e︎.︎ N︎o︎t︎h︎i︎n︎g︎ c︎h︎a︎n︎g︎e︎s︎.︎ ''Back of fifth paper:'' I︎s︎ t︎h︎i︎s︎ a︎n︎ e︎f︎f︎e︎c︎t︎ o︎f︎ m︎y︎ L︎V︎L︎ g︎o︎i︎n︎g︎ u︎p?︎ H︎i︎s︎ M︎a︎je︎s︎t︎ y︎ s︎a︎i︎d︎ y︎o︎u︎r︎ m︎i︎n︎d︎ c︎h︎a︎n︎g︎e︎s︎ t︎h︎e︎ m︎o︎r︎e︎ y︎o︎u︎ L︎V︎L︎ u︎p.︎ I︎ t︎h︎i︎n︎k I︎ u︎s︎e︎d︎ t︎o︎ w︎a︎n︎t︎ t︎o︎ s︎e︎e︎ t︎h︎e︎ s︎u︎r︎f︎a︎c︎e︎ w︎h︎e︎n︎ I︎ w︎a︎s︎ y︎o︎u︎n︎g︎e︎r︎,︎ b︎u︎t︎ I︎ c︎a︎n︎n︎o︎t︎ r︎e︎m︎e︎m︎b︎e︎r︎ a︎n︎y︎m︎o︎r︎e︎.︎ H︎i︎s︎ M︎a︎je︎s︎t︎y︎ s︎a︎i︎d︎ t︎h︎i︎n︎g︎s︎ c︎h︎a︎n︎g︎e︎ w︎h︎e︎n︎ S︎O︎U︎L︎B︎O︎U︎N︎D︎.︎ R︎e︎g︎a︎r︎d︎l︎e︎s︎s︎ o︎f︎ L︎V︎L︎s︎,︎ a︎ m︎o︎n︎s︎t︎e︎r︎︎s︎ S︎O︎U︎L︎ f︎e︎e︎l︎s︎ a︎t︎ 0︎ w︎h︎e︎n︎ w︎i︎t︎h︎ t︎h︎e︎i︎r︎ S︎O︎U︎L︎M︎A︎T︎E︎.︎ I︎ w︎o︎n︎d︎e︎r︎ w︎h︎a︎t︎ t︎h︎a︎t︎ f︎e︎e︎l︎s︎ l︎i︎ke︎.︎ I︎ h︎a︎v︎e︎n︎︎t︎ b︎e︎e︎n︎ 0︎ s︎i︎n︎c︎e︎ ''First discarded note:'' G︎o︎o︎d︎ d︎a︎y︎ ''Second discarded note:'' I︎ h︎a︎v︎e︎ w︎r︎i︎t︎t︎e︎n︎ t︎h︎i︎s︎ t︎o︎ ''Third discarded note:'' I︎n︎ r︎e︎g︎a︎r︎d︎s︎ t︎o︎ m︎y︎ l︎a︎c︎k o︎f︎ c︎o︎n︎t︎r︎o︎l︎ a︎n︎d︎ l︎a︎s︎h︎i︎n︎g︎ o︎u︎t︎ a︎t︎ y︎o︎u︎ ''Fourth discarded note:'' I︎ d︎i︎d︎ n︎o︎t︎ i︎n︎t︎e︎n︎d︎ t︎o︎ ''Fifth discarded note:'' S︎a︎n︎s︎,︎ I︎’m︎ s︎ ''Sixth discarded note:'' S︎a︎n︎s︎ ''Seventh discarded note:'' I︎ h︎a︎v︎e︎ f︎i︎n︎i︎s︎h︎e︎d︎ c︎r︎e︎a︎t︎i︎n︎g︎ a︎ h︎e︎a︎l︎i︎n︎g︎ s︎o︎l︎u︎t︎i︎o︎n︎ t︎h︎a︎t︎ w︎i︎l︎l︎ m︎e︎n︎d︎ b︎r︎o︎ke︎n︎ b︎o︎n︎e︎s︎ w︎i︎t︎h︎i︎n︎ m︎i︎n︎u︎t︎e︎s︎ s︎o︎ y︎o︎u︎ w︎i︎l︎l︎ ''Eighth discarded note:'' B︎r︎o︎t︎h︎e︎r︎ ''Nineth discarded note:'' M︎y︎ b︎r︎o︎t︎h︎e︎r︎,︎ I︎ a︎m︎ ''Tenth discarded note:'' I︎ a︎m︎ s︎o︎r︎r︎y︎ f︎o︎r︎ h︎u︎r︎t︎i︎n︎g︎ y︎o︎u︎.︎ ''Eleventh discarded note:'' I︎f︎ I︎ f︎i︎n︎d︎ m︎y︎ S︎O︎U︎L︎M︎A︎T︎E︎ w︎i︎l︎l︎ I︎ b︎e︎ h︎a︎ppy︎?︎ <<if (($wingbold eq 1)) or ($wingshy eq 1)>> [[Wingding - Judgment Hall Reaction]] (BONUS SCENE) [[New Lab]] (BONUS SCENE) [[The First Storm]] (BONUS SCENE) <<elseif $harem eq 8>> [[BONUS - The First Storm.]] (BONUS SCENE) <</if>> [[Author's Notes]]

[[Return|$return]] <<button "Stop All Music">><<masteraudio stop>><</button>> <<button "Menu">><<masteraudio stop>><<audio "menu" loop play>><</button>> <<button "Ruins">><<masteraudio stop>><<audio "ruins"volume 0.15 loop play>><</button>> <<button "Snowdin Forest">><<masteraudio stop>><<audio "Snowy"volume 0.15 loop play>><</button>> <<button "Snowdin">><<masteraudio stop>><<audio "Snowdin"volume 0.15 loop play>><</button>> <<button "Papyrus' Fight">><<masteraudio stop>><<audio "Papyrusfight"volume 0.15 loop play>><</button>> <<button "Waterfall">><<masteraudio stop>><<audio "waterfall"volume 0.15 loop play>><</button>> <<button "Undyne">><<masteraudio stop>><<audio "Undyne"volume 0.15 loop play>><</button>> <<button "Hotlands">><<masteraudio stop>><<audio "hotlands"volume 0.15 loop play>><</button>> <<button "Lab">><<masteraudio stop>><<audio "lab"volume 0.15 loop play>><</button>> <<button "City/Core">><<masteraudio stop>><<audio "corecity"volume 0.15 loop play>><</button>> <<button "Judgement">><<masteraudio stop>><<audio "judgmenthall"volume 0.15 loop play>><</button>> <<button "Castle">><<masteraudio stop>><<audio "undertale"volume 0.15 loop play>><</button>> <<button "Ending">><<masteraudio stop>><<audio "ending"volume 0.15 loop play>><</button>> [[Return|$return]]

One of the perks to dating Wingding Gaster is that you have access to his laboratory. As soon as he was set up on the surface, he made you a key and had you memorize the passcodes to get in. You understand this is a rare privilege. Wingding is naturally secretive about his work. Not out of shame, or fear of reprimand, but rather he doesn't like to share. He doesn't want people to try and help. He doesn't want anyone to go into his office or touching his things. He is very paritcular about this. //So// particular, in fact that in UNDERFELL he literally hid his office. That was why it had a layer of dust over it. He placed heavy magical enchantments to hide the entrance from the other scientists and Dr. Alphys. Those enchantments degraded over time, and after the lab explosion they shattered. Aside from you, only Sans and Papyrus are allowed into his office. On a warm day, you decide to visit your datemate after work. You pick up a drink for yourself and him to share. You both like the same things. You head over to the lab you use your special key card to open the door and head on through. You go through several check points until you reach his office in the far back. You cheerfully greet hi-- What the--? Wingding's office can get chaotic at times. He'll be working on one project, abruptly stop, and start another and leave his original project half-finished for a month. Papers are stacked, never filed, and weird contraptions are balanced precariously. He insists everything is where it should be, so you never offer to clean. Today, however, it looks like a tornado of mechanical parts blew in. Or, maybe, a robot exploded. Wingding and Sans sit in the center and tinker with gadgets you do not recognize. "Oh hello, my dear," Wingding greets you. . . . Hello. You pointedly stare at the messs. Wingding and Sans exchange a glance. Sans smirks. "Yeh gonna tell?" Wingding's eyesockets narrow. ". . . Do you remember the state of the laboratory?" How it was exploded and falling apart? “Hmm. Yes. Well. And you also know how I can get a little,” Wingding hems and haws. He waves his hand. “Tunnel vision?” “Obsessive?” Sans snarks. “Focused,” Wingding settles on. “As it turns out. . .” . . . ? “It may or may not have been one of my experiments left running and unattended for twenty years that, ah, caused the laboratory explosion,” Wingding says lightly. OH. “It’s nothing that can be concretely //proven//--” “Alph’s tapes say otherwise,” Sans mutters. “--//which are grainy at best,//” Wingding snaps. “Regardless. I have chosen to be a gracious boss and assist my fellow scientist by rebuilding some of what was lost.” “And that’s where I come in,” says Sans. “Because Wingding is smar’ but physically buildin’ mechanical shit?” Sans snorts. “He’s surprisingly squeamish with oil.” “It. Stains,” he hisses out. So. . . he's rebuilding everything that was lost? "Not everything," he says. "Merely the stuff that Dr. Alphys cannot replicate herself and would be devestated to go without." That's nice of him to do. "Nice," Sans repeats faintly in amusement. "I can be nice," mutters Wingding. "Yeh can be //threatened//," Sans corrects. "I was not threatened. She asked politely. I am being kind." Sans hums an acknowledgement. The skeleton monster continues to look deeply amused. [[Tease him.]] [[Believe him.]]

You coo about how scary Alphys must have been. Wingding cringes. "She--she was not." "It was Undyne," Sans slyly adds. "Threatened ta tell Paps." Oooo. "It. Was. Not. A. Threat. I do not get //threatened,//" Wingding insists. "I do the threatening." Yes, he is //so// terrifying. "I am," Wingding grumbles. "Simply because I do not scare //you//, my dear, does not mean I am not a scary monster." "Stuff of nightmares, right 'ere," Sans mocks. Wingding shoots him a glower. "Be quiet, babybones." "Shouldn't yeh be nicer ta someone helpin' yeh?" Sans teases. Yes, he absolutely should! You move to stand beside Sans with a grin. "Insufferable, the both of you," Wingding mutters. You hold up his favorite drink and raise an eyebrow. ". . . I love you, my dear," he says. You and Sans laugh as you give him the drink. [[The First Storm]] (BONUS SCENE) [[WD Notes Translated]] (BONUS LORE) [[Before The Void]] (BONUS SCENE) [[Author's Notes]]

That's right, Wingding is the nicest monster you know! Sans makes a noise of disbelief. Wingding smiles at you, pleased. "I knew you would understand, my darling." Of course you do. You move to take a seat beside him and offer out his favorite drink. "Ah. One of the many, many reasons I love you," he says. He takes the drink and gives you a kiss. <<if $wingbold gt $wingshy>> As he pulls away, you chase after him to keep kissing him. He chuckles as you pepper his face with kisses. <<else>> Your cheeks burn and you smile shyly. <</if>> "You truly are adorable," he says. "This project won't take too long, my dear." Promise? "Promise," he says. "And once we're done I'll take a night off and we can do whatever you want. Since I'm //such a nice monster.//" Sans laughs. "Yer both delusional." "Who wants reality if fantasy is so much better?" Wingding reasons. He gives you another kiss. You hum in agreement. [[The First Storm]] (BONUS SCENE) [[WD Notes Translated]] (BONUS LORE) [[Before The Void]] (BONUS SCENE) [[Author's Notes]]

You sit up from bed. Your $eyecolor eyes blearily look around the dark room. You hear a small grunt from beside you. Sans has crawled into your lap overnight. The short skeleton loves to sleep on top of you like a cat. He barely weighs more than a fat cat, too, so it's never bothered you. He hugs your midsection and has his face buried into your stomach. You reach over to turn off your alarm. A yawn escapes you. You rub your eyes with the back of your hands. "Go back ta sleep," Sans mutters into you. You remind him that it's not good to sleep the day away. "The fuck it ain't." You absently pat the back of his head. . . . ? It's hot to the touch. Sans has always been a small heater due to his magic, but it's never been uncomfortable to touch him. You ask Sans if he's feeling okay. "Tired," he mumbles into you. Your brow furrows. Do monsters get sick like humans, or is there another reason why he's so hot? You raech over to your phone--which still hasn't cracked!--and send a quick text to Wingding. When in doubt, consult a doctor! Although Wingding Gaster is not a traditional doctor, you still figure he's the best person to ask. He responds within a minute. ''Wingding: //Yes and no. Sans' magic is unique as the Judge. Sometimes it can turn on itself which presents itself with similar symptoms to a human fever. There's nothing you can do but wait it out.//'' Your heart tugs at that. You bend over and kiss the back of your datemates' head. "I'll be fine, angel," he says. He turns his head to look at you, his red eyelight wavers. "'S'okay." You ask if there's anything you can do for him. He squeezes you. "Stay in bed," he says. All day? "All day." You can do that. You scooch back down on the bed and lay on your back. Sans moves up to lay on your chest and tuck his skull between your neck and shoulder. You ignore the heat on your skin. You loosely hold him. Sans lets out a small sigh of content. [[You hear the low rumble of his snores within minutes.]]

Papyrus is the first to visit. It goes to show how out of it Sans is when he doesn't react to anyone entering your room. Sans is normally a very light sleeper, and the instant he hears someone approaching he's awake and glaring at the door. Not this time. He barely stirs when Papyrus opens the door to bring you both some water. "Are You Hungry?" he asks you. You can tell he's trying to keep his voice quiet to not wake Sans. You haven't had breakfast and it's approaching noon, so yes. You nod. "I Will Bring Back Pizza," he tells you. "Sans Loves That Crap." You smile at that. Pizza isn't something you normally feed sick people. "HE NEE--He Needs The Energy More Than He Needs The Nutrients //GOOD// Food Gives Him," says Papyrus. "We Will Have To Wake Him When It Arrives." Aww. You hold Sans closer, frowning. <<cycle "$wakesans" autoselect>>\ <<option "He's so cute and docile like this. You want to cherish it.">> <<option "He's so quiet and cuddly like this. You want to cherish it.">> <<option "He clearly needs the rest, you're reluctant to wake him.">> <</cycle>> Papyrus pulls the covers up further on both of you. "I'll Be Back." [[Wingding stops by before Papyrus returns.]]

And like with Papyrus visiting, Sans does not react. Wingding places a hand on the back of Sans' skull. "His magic is starting to settle. He'll be recovered by tomorrow." That's great! "How are you holding up?" Wingding asks you. You're fine! Legs are getting antsy from laying down for so long, but this is all very manageable. Especially if it's comforting to Sans. "Makes my life easier," he says. "Knowing that's he's with someone who will watch over him is. . . good." What did they do before you came along? "Carry him around," says Wingding. "I would take him to work with me and keep him in my arms." Wingding tilts his head. "I understand Papyrus did the same while I was. . . indisposed." You try to picture it. It makes a cute image in your head and you smile. The brothers are very close. . . it's plainly obvious how much they love each other. "Of course we love each other," says Wingding. "Stinky gremlin aside, he'll always be my baby brothers." "Shut the fuck up," mumbles Sans into your chest. "I'll kick yer ass if ya keep talkin shi' like that." "Mm-hmm," goes Wingding. He pats Sans' back and gives you a wink. "Ferocious thing, isn't he?" Terribly so! "Go play with the void again, dumbass." "You'd cry if I actually did that," says Wingding. "Only one way ta find out." Wingding swats the back of Sans' head. "Brat. I'll put anchovies on your pizza." "//Yum.//" "Disgusting." You snicker. Papyrus enters the room with several large pizza boxes stacked on top of one another. "GOOD, HE'S AWAKE. SANS, IT'S TIME TO EAT." "Fuck no, let me sleep," groans Sans. Wingding chuckles as Papyrus stomps over to the bed and uses his other hand to grab Sans' jacket by the cuff and lift him off you. Both you and Sans protest at being separated. "Eat first, then you may return to $name," says Wingding. "I hate you both," Sans mutters darkly. Wingding rolls his eyelights. "Mm-hmm." "SHUT UP AND EAT, OR I WILL SHOVE THE PIZZA IN YOUR MOUTH," warns Papyrus. "Fine! Set me down." Papyrus drops Sans back onto the bed. You move to sit up in the bed. Sans (shakily) moves to sit beside you. Wingding sits on the edge of the bed and Papyrus pulls up your desk chair. The pizza boxes are handed out to each monster. Wingding uses his conjured hands to pour everyone drinks. And the four of you enjoy a nice pizza session all the way up until Sans passes out again and starts to snore loudly. As he passed out in his pizza, when Wingding (carefully) lifted his head, you all realized that a piece of pizza was stuck to Sans' sleeping face. Wingding and Papyrus captilized on their Brother Rights and immediately took a picture of this before cleaning it up. Thankfully, Sans was all better the next time he woke up. . . . and blissfully unaware of what Wingdings' and Papyrus' new phone wallpaper is. [[Sans - Bad Day]] (BONUS SCENE) [[The First Storm]] (BONUS SCENE) [[Before The Void]] (BONUS SCENE) [[Sans' Proposal]] (BONUS SCENE) [[Author's Notes]]

You've finished getting ready for the day before Papyrus. This is. . . highly unusual. You and your datemate get up at the same time, but Papyrus moves quickly and is always ready before you. This morning, however, you notice how sluggish he moves. . . . Is he. . . sick? You ask Papyrus how he's feeling. “I Am Fine,” says Papyrus, his voice cracks. His red eyelights blink in and out, a true testament to how utterly exhausted he is. “YOU Do NOT nee--” Papyrus cuts off as he starts to cough. You frown and reach to cup his cheek. Papyrus always bends down for you to reach. He rests his head in your hand, his eyelights gone entirely as his eyesockets droop. “I am fine,” he repeats weakly. You tell him that he is not fine. He is sick. “I Cannot Get SIck.” You tell him he needs to go back to bed. “I Have Things To DO--” Can't he do it for you? He wilts. He already has a hard time saying no to you. His tired state does nothing to help. “For a //small// time,” he stresses. [[You nod along as you start to gently guide him back to bed.]]

“//Brief//,” he adds. He crawls into your shared bed. Thankfully, he hadn’t had a chance to get out of his pajamas before you noticed his state. You pull the covers up over him. You hold out both of your hands and he immediately rests his head between your palms again. You kiss his forehead once, twice, then thrice. With each peck you can distinctly feel how warm his skull is. //Poor Papyrus.// “There,” he says. “That Has Been Long Enough--” He moves to try and get up. You place both of your hands on his chest and push him back down. “I Do NOT want to hurt you, $name, Kindly Remove Your Hands,” he says and then starts to cough again. You refuse. “Love--” You hush him with more kisses. He sighs and relents. You tell him to not get up. “BUT--” You warn him that if he does, you'll get his brothers involved. Papyrus scoffs. “They Do NOT Scare Me--” You give him a look. His brothers don't need to be scary to be effective. Papyrus knows this. He grumbles and glances away. Papyrus but lays back down in bed. “Ten Minutes.” [[You'll have to do your best to make him stay put.]]

You know your datemate very well. You adore him, you really do, but Papyrus’ work ethic is supernaturally stubborn. He and Wingdings could hyperfixate to a dangerous degree; both frequently disregard their own welfare when focusing on something. It's something you and Sans have had to frequently team up to deal with. Papyrus is better than his eldest brother most of the time, but. . . well. Today he is not. Today he is being silly and stubborn. That’s okay. He has you! You know what to do. You leave the room to grab compresses, medicine, and heat up monster soup. Sans always keeps it on hand since Wingding gets sick semi-frequently. You return to yours and Payrus’ room scarcely five minutes later, and set everything on the end table. You pull over his desk chair to sit at his bed side. You ask if he's hungry. “NO,” he says. You point out that he hasn't eaten. Papyrus huffs. “Give Me The Soup.” You smile and hand him the soup. He hurriedly gulps it down. In between gulps, you place a cold compress on his forehead and have him take some medicine. “It Has Been Ten Minutes,” he says once he’s done consuming the soup. He starts to pull the covers back. You hold up your phone with a raised eyebrow. You display the messages in group chat. ''You: //Pap is sick.//'' ''Sans: //if he tries to get up i’ll gas the house// ''Wingding: //I have a new gun I want to test out. It’s supposed to knock monsters unconscious.//'' Papyrus grumbles. “FINE. BUT--” But? He scoots over. “--YOU Have To Stay With Me. If I must be stuck here. . . you Can’t Leave Me Alone.” <<if $shy gt $bold>> Your cheeks heat up pleasantly. Even though the two of you have been together for well over a year, you still get flustered when he's directly affectionate. <<else>> You beam. You won't say no to that! You smile and crawl into bed with him. He pulls you into his arms and tucks you against him. It’s a familiar position. You feel Papyrus smile against the top of your head. <</if>> You ask if he's happy enough to stay put now? "As Long As I Have You In My Arms.” [[The First Storm]] (BONUS SCENE) [[Papyrus - Judgment Hall Reaction]] (BONUS SCENE)

It takes you a long time to admit to Papyrus about your. . . ability. Your deaths. It's something you've held on not for your sake, but for his. You know he'll ask if he's ever hurt you, or killed you, and there's no way you could lie to him about it. //But.// It's too big of a secret to keep from him indefinitely. And so you talk to him about it. You explain your journey, your ability, and he listens. He listens quietly. He believes you right away. There's no need for him to double check with his brothers. He trusts you. "I AM SORRY," he says at the end of it. He hangs his head, his eyelights gone. "I AM. . . VERY SORRY FOR HURTING YOU." You tell him you forgave him long ago. You love him very much. "WHY?" he asks you. "YOU. . . PURSUED ME //AFTER// I KILLED YOU. WHY?" You liked him the moment you saw him. You knew he was special. "YOU COULD NOT HAVE KNOWN THAT," he says. You have very good intuition. He smiles faintly, but it feels forced. Your brow furrows. You reach forward to take his hand and ask him how he's feeling. "I FEEL MANY THINGS," he says. "I AM. . . ANGRY? ANGRY AT MYSELF. ANGRY AT THE MONSTERS WHO HURT YOU. ANGRY AT UNDYNE. ANGRY AT MY BROTHER. ANGRY AT ASGORE. BUT ALSO. . . RELIEVED? RELIEVED THAT YOU STILL CARE ABOUT ME IN SPITE OF THAT. AND. . . REMORSEFUL. I AM VERY SORRY I HURT YOU." You remind him that you're okay now. Everything worked out in the end. "THE ENDING IS GOOD, BUT THE JOURNEY SHOULD NOT HAVE CAUSED YOU SO MUCH PAIN," he says. He looks away from you. You remind him that you love him very, very much. "And I Love You, $name," he says quietly. "I always will." He looks back at you. "But I will also always be deeply sorry for what I did to you," he finishes softly. [[Papyrus is Sick]] (BONUS SCENE) [[The First Storm]] (BONUS SCENE) [[Author's Notes]]

Dr. Wingding Gaster is a brilliant scientist. This is a fact that no one can dispute in all of UNDERFELL. He is //the// Royal Scientist because no one can match his intelligence, nor his creativity. He has a natural charisma that draws others in. Many monsters flock to the laboratory for a chance to learn underneath him, or to work alongside him. In the beginning, he would indulge their requests. He lapped up the praise and adoration. But that got old. . . fast. These fellow scientists did little more than echo him. They sung his praises and always agreed with him. Useless. He kept them around to do busywork, but he did not care for their opinions since he knew they would simply repeat his. It took many years before he met another scientist he could respect. That would be Dr. Alphys Ig, a fellow genius who specialized in mechanical, electrical, and computer engineering. He promoted her to lead scientist barely a year into her first working at the laboratory when he realized how unperturbed she was of him and his work. If he has made a mistake, she is willing to point it out, instead of incorrectly believing he is some kind of //god// that could do no wrong. He respected her, and she respected him. That made them ideal coworkers. Certainly better than his //previous// second in command. [[Sans Gaster.]]

If asked, Wingding would freely admit that he loves his brothers. If asked, Wingding would also admit that sometimes he just wants to throw them across the room. This is //especially// true with Sans. Sans Gaster is clever in many ways. He has a natural intuition for mechanical engineering and can build just about anything with the provided blueprints. When Sans worked at the lab, he was Wingding's second in command. Wingding could always count on his brother to give him a straight answer, and to correct him when he (very rarely) made a mistake. He trusted and respected Sans as a scientist. Wingding even enjoyed working with his brother. //Enjoyed.// Past tense. He does not anymore. Sans had to step down from his role when his powers as the Judge emerged, per King Asgore's orders. That was fine. What was not fine, however, was Sans suddenly getting the idea that maybe working 24/7 at the laboratory was "unhealthy". That a "standard sleep schedule" would be in everyone's best interest. That, //ugh//, "work should not be Wingding's entire life." Nonsense. Inane gibberish. Dr. Wingding Gaster is a //genius.// He knows exactly what he's doing. He calculated the precise minutes of necessary sleep to function. He followed that guide to a //t// all of the time--sometimes--er--maybe--okay not really. Sleeping a full eight hours in the day? What a waste! Wingding has work to do. Work he enjoys. Work he looks forward to. He loves his job, gore and all. [[It's aggrevating that Sans doesn't appreciate that.]] (Route One) [[It infuriated Wingding.]] (Route Two)

//One evening. . . // Dr. Wingding studies the beaker in front of him. The clear liquid has no reaction to the tiny bit of ''SOUL'' he dropped in earlier. He makes a note of that. He and Dr. Alphys are working tangently on a joint project regarding transfusing ''SOULs'' into energy. Wingding is tackling the more organic side of things, while Alphys experiments with the inorganic perspective. Sans shortcuts into the testing room. Dr. Alphys is the first to notice him. She looks up from her computer and idly says, "Sans, you are no longer a scientist here. You should not be shortcutting in." Sans drags his eyelights over to her and scoffs. "Suck my dick, nerd, yer a damn enabler." He turns away from her. "Wings, yeh haven' been home in a week." Wingding remains oblvious to Sans, wholly absorbed in his work. He pulls out another beaker and starts to mix the fluids together. Alphys' gaze narrows. She can't refute Sans' claims. She's not close enough to Wingding to reproach his awful (i.e. //nonexistent//) sleep schedule, and frankly she doesn't care. As long as Wingdings' work is accurate and doesn't hinder hers. . . he can do whatever. Unlike Sans. Who is now clearly interrupting their work. "Bro, stop workin," Sans says. Dr. Alphys coldly rebukes him, "Sans, Judge or not, you cannot be in here without permission." Sans scoffs. "Are ya gonna stop me? No? Then--" Dr. Alphys sneers. "Security, activate." The ceiling tiles shift. Several guns are lowered from the ceiling and point to Sans. He gives her a look of blatant disbelief. "Wow." Dr. Alphys cocks her head. "Leave, Sans. We are working." He flips her off with one hand as he grabs the back of Wingding's coat. Dr. Wingding Gaster seizes, now noticing Sans. He glowers. "Do //NOT// take me home, Sans. I am in the middle of something //extremely// important--" Sans shortcuts both of them home. He throws Wingding onto his bed. Wingding's eyes narrow, even as his entire body sags into the bed. "You are dead to me." "No I ain't," he says. "Get to sleep." "I hope you get shot by the guns next time." "I hope ya get sleep, ya fuckin' idiot." <<if $sanslove eq 6>> [[Sans - Bad Day]] (BONUS SCENE) [[Sans is Sick]] (BONUS SCENE) <<elseif (($wingbold eq 1)) or ($wingshy eq 1)>> [[Wingding - Judgment Hall Reaction]] (BONUS SCENE) [[New Lab]] (BONUS SCENE) [[WD Notes Translated]] (BONUS LORE) <<elseif $asrielrom eq 6>> [[Asriel - First Date]] (BONUS SCENE) [[Asriel - Judgment Hall Reaction]] (BONUS SCENE) <<elseif $papyruslove eq 6>> [[Papyrus is Sick]] (BONUS SCENE) [[Papyrus - Judgment Hall Reaction]] (BONUS SCENE) <</if>> [[The First Storm]] (BONUS SCENE) [[Author's Notes]]

His head hurts. It’s not enough to stop what he’s doing, but it’s an annoyance. His fingers ache. Not to the point where he’ll tend to them, but it’s an annoyance. His back throbs. He won’t do anything about it, //but it’s an annoyance.// He stares at his findings, displeased by the results. The experiment into the void was another failure. Human ''SOULS'' can enter it freely--why can’t he? Why do //they// get to experience it, but a powerful monster like himself can only glimpse it? Humans are weak. Pathetic. Squishy bags of meat. His eyesockets narrow as he glares at the results, his mood dropping faster than a human tied to an anchor and tossed into a lake. He rubs his temple. It's not fair. He tries to think of what to do next--of where to go-- --but nothing comes up. His thoughts fall short. He can't think straight. Black dots edge his vision. He can feel his entire body fighting against him. How long has it been since he slept? . . . It doesn't matter. He can't afford to rest. Not now. He's close to something, he is, he just, he just, //he just//. . . He hears Sans shortcutting into the room. Not now. //Not now,// Wingding silently begs. He can't handle the interruption now. His frustration has been building for days at this point and he feels like he's on the precipice of something grand. "Not now," he says quietly. He does not turn to face Sans. "Too fuckin' bad," says Says. "Ya said that last week and I let ya go. It's been a month, Wings. Time to go home." "No. Not now, Sans. Leave me alone." "No," says Sans. //I can't do this now.// Something inside Wingdings. . . snaps. The constant failures over his void project, coupled with his exhaustion pushed him over the edge. Pure, unbriddled, burning rage shot through him. His magic flares to life around him, chaotic and unstable. "I said not ''now''," Wingding growls lowly. He whirls on his brother, fists clenched at his side. "Not. Now. Not. //Ever// again. I am tired of you interrupting my work." Sans' eyesockets narrow as his eyelights disappear. "//Yer// tired? I'm tired. I shouldn't have ta fuckin' babysit a grown ass adult." "Then. Don't." "If I don't, ya won't take care of yerself at all," Sans snaps. "I DON'T NEED YOU TO TAKE CARE OF ME," Wingding explodes, his magic unintentionally lashes out and shatters every beaker in the room. "I am fine without you Sans. I am FINE without anyone. I don't need you. I don't need Papyrus. I ESPECIALLY do not need your damn interruptions." Wingding sneers. "Go back to that greasy little pub and wait there for a human like a good Judge. That's all you're good for." Sans' expression darkens. "Ya don't mean that." "I. Fucking. Do," Wingding snarls. "You're a worthless monster outside your ability. Without it, you'd be nothing. You accomplished //nothing// in your time here. You contributed only through physical labor. When people think //Gaster// they think of //me.// When people think of Sans. . . they think of a pathetic, foul-smelling, cockroach that is nothing but a nuisance wherever he goes." All is quiet for a minute as Sans processes what Wingdings said. //This will make him leave,// Wingdings thinks. //I can finish my work--// "Ya don't mean that," says Sans quietly. "Yer exhausted. C'mon, bro. Time to rest." Sans calmly walks forward and reaches for Wingding's arm-- "''I SAID NO!''" [[It's not intentional.]]

It's not done with malice. Wingding just wanted Sans to leave, that's it, that's all he was thinking. He used his words to shoo him away, but when that didn't work. . . His magic has always been reactive to his emotions. It's why he does his best to remain calm and collected. As a child, his magic used to lash out whenever he cried or threw a temper. Sans was much the same way, albeit Sans' explosions were a lot more destructive due to his budding Judge ability. In Wingding's state, he lost control of his magic. He hadn't done that since he was a child. He didn't. . . he didn't mean to. It almost happened in slow motion. The instant he felt his magic release, he knew, //he knew// what was happening but he couldn't stop it. An eruption of pure, destructive power pushes out of him and throws Sans back. Wingding hears a sickening //crack// of bones breaking. Sans slams into the magically re-inforced concrete walls. Sans could take getting thrown through walls just fine. But Wingding is a Boss Monster, and his magic is particuarly destructive. Sans is strong. But not strong enough to face-tank a volatile eruption of Wingding's magic. Cold horror makes Wingding freeze. For a split second, he is immobile with terror over what he did. Then he runs, scrambling and weak-legged, to his brother's side. Sans' skull is splintered. He's unconscious. Wingding checks his neck--cracked, but okay--and checks his ribs-- --covered in cracks. Pieces of it are missing. "No, no, no, no," Wingding whispers. "No, no. Babybones, no, no. I'm--I--" His hands are shaking as he tries to think, tries to process. He doesn't know healing magic. He doesn't-- Who--Who-- //Her Majesty.// Wingding promised to help keep her secret from His Majesty, but he can think of no one else who can heal like her. Wingding bundles his brother into his arms and he shortcuts to Toriel's safehouse in the Ruins. The seal on the Ruins' door is special. It's hidden to all except the casters. The casters being Toriel, Sans, and Wingding. It can be opened from Toriel's side so anyone can leave, but it cannot be opened from the other side. Unless by the caster, of course. Wingding phases through the seal and completes his shortcut into Toriel's home. "Your Majesty?" Wingding's voice cracks. "Dr. Gast--Oh Stars," breathes Toriel when she notices Sans in Wingding's arms. "Please, Your Majesty," says Wingding. "Set him on the table," she instructs. He does. Wingding swallows roughly. "Is he--Will he--" Toriel's hands glow green as she begins to mend Sans' skull. "I will do my best," she says. "I owe you that much, Dr. Gaster." Wingding stares at his younger brother for several, long, seconds of silence. //. . . I . . . did that to him.// Guilt and shame claw at him. They tear at his mind and force him to look away. ". . . I. . . I should go," says Wingding. Toriel glances at him. "Are you certain?" "I don't think I would be a welcomed presence," whispers Wingding. Toriel looks back at Sans. "I won't keep you. Do what you want. I'll send your brother through the door once he's healed up." "Thank you, Your Majesty." "A favor for a favor, Dr. Gaster. Consider my debt for suppressing my ''SOULBIND'' to Asgore repaid." "Yes, Your Majesty." Wingding shortcuts back to the lab. He hangs his head his hands, his body trembling from the waves of horror over what he did. He tries, several times, to write an apology. He hates it every time and throws it out. He chooses, then, to return his focus to the void. . . . Only that time. . . his experiment was a success. Dr. Wingding Gaster was not seen again for twenty years. [[It's aggrevating that Sans doesn't appreciate that.]] (Route One) <<if $sanslove eq 6>> [[Sans - Bad Day]] (BONUS SCENE) [[Sans is Sick]] (BONUS SCENE) <<elseif (($wingbold eq 1)) or ($wingshy eq 1)>> [[Wingding - Judgment Hall Reaction]] (BONUS SCENE) [[New Lab]] (BONUS SCENE) [[WD Notes Translated]] (BONUS LORE) <</if>> [[The First Storm]] (BONUS SCENE) [[Author's Notes]]

You didn’t step on anything that could make that sound. You look around. “Yeh seem a lil' spooked, human," drawls a deep, gravely voice. [[You jump and gasp in surprise. You quickly turn around to face the owner of the new voice.]] [[You let out an eep and turn around to face the owner of the new voice.]] ♡ [[You turn around to face the owner of the new voice.]]

“SANS! THERE YOU ARE, YOU LAZY--” There is a //loud// voice ahead of you. You see a skeleton in red and black clothes march across the snow covered plains. Even at a distance, you can see he is tall. Taller than any human you have ever met. He strides across the snow with ease and stops short when he notices you. There is good bit of distance between you and the new skeleton, but he is close enough you can see his appearance. He has semi-closed eyes with two scars on his right eye, and sharp teeth like Sans. He wears a red scarf-cape, a pointed black shirt, black trousers, and long red gloves. <<cycle "$firstimpression" autoselect>>\ <<option "He looks cool.">> <<option "He looks intimidating.">> <<option "He looks like best friend material.">> <</cycle>> “Sorry for missin’ our meet up time, boss,” says Sans, his tone a touch nervous. You notice there’s beads of red, glistening sweat on his skull. “I was escortin’ this human.” “I CAN INFER AS MUCH, SANS. HELLO, HUMAN,” says the skeleton. You introduce yourself with a smile. The skeleton tilts his head. “A HUMAN WHO KNOWS BASIC MANNERS? WILL SANS ACTUALLY TELL A FUNNY JOKE NEXT?” Sans immediately protests that. “HEY!” “HUMAN, I WILL GIVE YOU THE HONOR OF KNOWING MY NAME. I AM THE GREAT PAPYRUS OF THE ROYAL GUARD. IT IS MY DUTY TO CAPTURE OR KILL ALL HUMANS WHO TRESPASS INTO OUR KINGDOM.” That’s not good for you. You consider how to respond. Papyrus does not give you much time. “HUMAN, YOU HAVE CAUGHT ME AT A GOOD TIME.” Oh? Does that mean he won’t try to kill you? His expression lightens to that of amusement. “MWAH HAH HAH HAH. DON’T BE ASININE. INSTEAD I WILL GIVE YOU A CHOICE. SURRENDER HERE AND NOW, AND I WILL CAPTURE YOU INSTEAD OF KILLING YOU. OR YOU MAY TRY TO PROCEED AND DIE IN A HORRIBLE MANNER BY MY TRAPS.” Traps? Like puzzles? “YES, HUMAN—” Oh you love puzzles! You enthusiastically agree to try out the puzzles. “OH?” Sans stares at you dubiously. “What, seriously?” Yes, you were so disappointed that none of the puzzles work in the ruins. It's hard to get a read on Papyrus's mood. His face is difficult to read and his body langauge is stand-offish. Your gut, however, tells you he feels hesitant. Uncertain. Perhaps even unsettled. “THESE ARE NOT TOYS, HUMAN. THEY WILL KILL YOU.” Maybe. Or maybe not! Regardless, it’s better than fighting Papyrus now. And who knows? These puzzles might be fun. Papyrus smiles at you. You wonder to yourself if he is putting on a front? “VERY WELL, HOW COULD I REFUSE SUCH ENTHUSIASM? COME HERE, BROTHER.” Sans gives you a wink as he walks over to Papyrus. “See ya later, $sansfirstnickname.” <<cycle "$flirtwithsans1" autoselect>>\ <<option "You blush. Sans looks pleased with himself.">> <<option "You wink. Sans immediately coughs and turns his head away from you.">> <</cycle>> Papyrus watches the exchange with a narrowed gaze. You can’t tell if he’s unhappy, or if that’s his normal expression. “ARE YOU PREPARED, HUMAN?” You jubilantly beam. Yes! You are! You can do this. <<set $diedinthemaze = 0>> [[The idea of getting to conquer monster puzzles fills you with DETERMINATION.]]

“SANS! THERE YOU ARE, YOU LAZY--” There is a //loud// voice ahead of you. You see a skeleton in red and black clothes march across the snow covered plains. Even at a distance, you can see he is tall. Taller than any human you have ever met. He strides across the snow with ease and stops short when he notices you. There is good bit of distance between you and the new skeleton, but he is close enough you can see his appearance. He has semi-closed eyes with two scars on his right eye, and sharp teeth like Sans. He wears a red scarf-cape, a pointed black shirt, black trousers, and long red gloves. <<cycle "$firstimpression" autoselect>>\ <<option "He looks cool.">> <<option "He looks intimidating.">> <<option "He looks like best friend material.">> <<option "He looks smoochable.">> <</cycle>> “Sorry for missin’ our meet up time, boss,” says Sans, his tone a touch nervous. You notice there’s beads of red, glistening sweat on his skull. “I was escortin’ this human.” “I CAN INFER AS MUCH, SANS. HELLO, HUMAN,” says the skeleton. You introduce yourself with a smile. The skeleton tilts his head. “A HUMAN WHO KNOWS BASIC MANNERS? WILL SANS ACTUALLY TELL A FUNNY JOKE NEXT?” Sans immediately protests that. “HEY!” “HUMAN, I WILL GIVE YOU THE HONOR OF KNOWING MY NAME. I AM THE GREAT PAPYRUS OF THE ROYAL GUARD. IT IS MY DUTY TO CAPTURE OR KILL ALL HUMANS WHO TRESPASS INTO OUR KINGDOM.” That’s not good for you. You consider how to respond. Papyrus does not give you much time. “HUMAN, YOU HAVE CAUGHT ME AT A GOOD TIME.” Oh? Does that mean he won’t try to kill you? His expression lightens to that of amusement. “MWAH HAH HAH HAH. DON’T BE ASININE. INSTEAD I WILL GIVE YOU A CHOICE. SURRENDER HERE AND NOW, AND I WILL CAPTURE YOU INSTEAD OF KILLING YOU. OR YOU MAY TRY TO PROCEED AND DIE IN A HORRIBLE MANNER BY MY TRAPS.” Traps? Like puzzles? “YES, HUMAN—” Oh you love puzzles! You enthusiastically agree to try out the puzzles. “OH?” Sans stares at you dubiously. “What, seriously?” Yes, you were so disappointed that none of the puzzles work in the ruins. It's hard to get a read on Papyrus's mood. His face is difficult to read and his body langauge is stand-offish. Your gut, however, tells you he feels hesitant. Uncertain. Perhaps even unsettled. “THESE ARE NOT TOYS, HUMAN. THEY WILL KILL YOU.” Maybe. Or maybe not! Regardless, it’s better than fighting Papyrus now. And who knows? These puzzles might be fun. Papyrus smiles at you. It doesn't look sincere. You wonder to yourself if he is putting on a front? “VERY WELL, HOW COULD I REFUSE SUCH ENTHUSIASM? COME HERE, BROTHER." "M'kay, boss," says Sans. He walks over to Papyrus without sparing you another look. "STOP CALLING ME BOSS." "M'kay, boss." "SANS!" Papyrus's fists clench into fists. He looks away from Sans in disgruntled disgust. “ARE YOU PREPARED, HUMAN?” You jubilantly beam. Yes! You are! You can do this. <<set $diedinthemaze = 0>> [[The idea of getting to conquer monster puzzles fills you with DETERMINATION.]]

<<type 135ms>>🕈︎♏︎●︎●︎ ♎︎□︎■︎♏︎📪︎ ♍︎♒︎♓︎●︎♎︎<</type>> A shudder goes through you. <<type 135ms>>W E L L D O N E C H I L D<</type>> [[You blink away the darkness.]]

''You have died.'' GOODBYE, HUMAN. [[Let’s try this bridge again.]]

You see the top of your head slide off in front of you. It hits the ground before you finally die. ''You have died.'' <<type 135ms>>//LOSE SOMETHING, HUMAN?//<</type>> [[HERE COMES PAPYRUS|HERE COMES PAPYRUSTry Again2]]

''You have died.'' <<type 135ms>>//I DON’T WANT TO DO THIS, HUMAN. WHY DID YOU COME HERE?// <</type>> [[HERE COMES PAPYRUS|HERE COMES PAPYRUSTry Again2]]

It splits your head open in one clean swipe. ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> <<type 135ms>>//it was an axe-idient. heh-heh-heh//<</type>> [[Enter Snowdin]]

You bend over, unable to handle the nausea. Blood pools out of your mouth, burning your throat as it comes up. Your abdomen is on fire, as if you had swallowed lava. Your world blurs as you sway. Your vision goes black before you even hit the ground. You have died. <<set $deaths += 1>> <<type 135ms>>//Yer so fuckin’ stupid.//<</type>> <<set $sanshotdeath = 1>> [[It’s time to carry on.]]

''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> <<if $harem eq 7>> <<type 135ms>>//. . .//<</type>> <<else>><<type 135ms>>//Sweet dreams, $sansfirstnickname.// <</type>><</if>> [[You stumble out of the elevator with wide eyes.]]

Red, sharp, jagged bones are conjured in the air around him. They shoot straight at you and impale you through the head. It’s another instant death. ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> <<type 135ms>>//I actually like $favoritegenre too.//<</type>> [[You clench your hands into tight fists and march with a purpose when you step off the elevator.]]

When you step off the elevator this time, you clench your hands into tight fists and march with a purpose. “Stars above, stop comin’ back!” he complains. No! He needs to stop killing you. You aren’t a threat. “THE HELL YEH AIN’T. YER A HUGE THREAT.” You feel a strange sensation grip your ''SOUL''. It’s like there’s a tight hand around you and you are lifted off the ground. [[You barely have time to gasp when you are slammed with incredible force against the ceiling.]]

You are turned to goo and instantly die. ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> <<type 135ms>>//STAY DEAD.//<</type>> [[NO!]]

You REFUSE! You will not die! You will not attack! You shout that at Sans the second you step off the elevator. “FINE!” he snarls back. “We doin’ this the hard way, babydoll. Yeh wanna know how I stop //special// humans from comin’ back? I. Break. Them.” Your ''SOUL'' is ripped out of your chest and you are [[slammed into the ceiling again]]

''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> <<type 135ms>>//Please stay asleep.//<</type>> [[You won’t sleep yet.]]

You are impaled straight through the head ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> <<type 135ms>>//Fuck yeh fer makin’ me do this.//<</type>> [[You take a deep breath when you step off the elevator.]]

''You have died.'' <<type 135ms>>//Go ta sleep.//<</type>> [[You sprint out of the elevator and roll to avoid the bone attack.]]

It is the first time you have managed to survive his opening attack in. . . . . . many, many deaths. He makes an annoyed noise. “Stars above, yeh ain’t makin this easy.” <<cycle "$theaudacity" autoselect>>\ <<option "You give him a look of disbelief at his audacity.">> <<option "You exclaim you certainly hope not.">> <<option "Your face pinches up in annoyance.">> <<option "You stare flatly at him.">> <<option "You give him a tired look.">> <</cycle>> You tell him you don’t understand why he’s doing this. You aren’t a threat. You would never hurt him, or any other monster. “That ain’t the issue,” he says. “Yer belief is what’s dangerous.” . . . ? “Yeh think ‘cause //yer// nice the other humans would be too? That ain’t how it’s been goin, $sansfirstnickname. Over a hundred humans have fallen in here, and //yer// the first one to not attack or scream at us,” he says. “Yer the exception, not the rule. That barrier comes down it’s gonna lead to another war.” He can’t know that for sure. “And yeh can’t know it //won’t// happen,” he says. Yes, you can! You know it won’t. “That there–that there is why yer so damn dangerous,” he snaps. “That propaganda is lethal. Out there givin’ me–//them// hope when there ain’t any.” Yes, there is! There is always hope for a better tomorrow. And that better tomorrow has finally arrived. Humans and monsters can live in peace–together. “Bullshit. Humans have been livin’ and growin’ and fuckin’ for centuries, but us monsters? We’ve become stagnant. We ain’t got the space to expand our population, so we stopped. We know humans outnumber us a hundred to one. Yeh break that barrier it’ll be a slaughter.” You argue that won’t happen. Humans have changed! “It’s cute of yeh to think that,” he says. “Stupid. Real fuckin’ stupid. But cute.” You feel the grip on your ''SOUL'' tighten. You can’t move an inch from his magical grip around your ''SOUL''. “Stop. Comin. Back,” he hissed out. He impales you through the head. ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> [[You linger in the elevator for a minute.]]

''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> <<type 135ms>>//. . . who’s there?//<</type>> [[Please be you who’s there.]]

You only see a glint yellow in his right eye when you are suddenly impaled through the head. ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> <<type 135ms>>//Not you.//<</type>> [[HERE COMES SANS.]]

Thankfully, it only lasts a minute. ''You have died.'' <<type 135ms>>//Welcome to hell.//<</type>> [[Welcome to hell.]]

There is a tight grip around your ''SOUL''. You are lifted off the ground. In your place a dozen red spiked bones shoot up from the ground. You are slammed into the bones with enough force to turn you into a pile of mush. ''You have died.'' <<type 135ms>>//Welcome to hell.//<</type>> $Curse. When you get off the elevator You tell him you don’t want to fight. “I know,” he says. “That’s the fucking issue.” You are about to respond but you see him raise his right hand. Red, sharp, jagged bones are conjured in the surrounding air. They shoot straight at you, instantly impaling you through the head. It’s an instant death. ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> . . . You exit the elevator. “Ugh,” he says when he sees you. Well that’s just rude. You tell him you don’t understand why he’s doing this. You aren’t a threat. You would never hurt him, or any other monster. “That ain’t the issue,” he says. “Yer belief is what’s dangerous.” . . . ? “Yeh think ‘cause //yer// nice the other humans would be too? That ain’t how it’s been goin, buddy. Over a hundred humans have fallen in here, and //yer// the first one ta not attack or scream at us,” he says. “Yer the exception, not the rule. That barrier comes down, it’s gonna lead to another war.” He can’t know that for sure. “And yeh can’t know it //won’t// happen,” he says. Yes, you can! You know it won’t. “That there–that there is why yer so damn dangerous,” he snaps. “That propaganda is lethal. Out there givin’ them hope when there ain’t any.” Yes, there is! There is always hope for a better tomorrow. And that better tomorrow has finally arrived. Humans and monsters can live in peace–together. “Bullshit. Humans have been livin’ and growin’ and fuckin’ for centuries, but us monsters? We’ve become stagnant. We ain’t got the space to expand our population, so we stopped. We know humans outnumber us a hundred to one. Yeh break that barrier it’ll be a slaughter.” You argue that won’t happen. Humans have changed! “Yer delusionally biased,” he says. “I’m done talkin’. This was yer last courtesy since yeh didn’t hurt anyone.” His sharp-tooth grin glints in the golden light. “Bye, loser.” You are impaled from behind. ''You have died.'' <<set $deaths += 1>> [[ACT: You have died.]]

You rolled directly into an awaiting bone that impaled you like a knife in butter. ''You have died.'' <<type 135ms>>//I’M SORRY.//<</type>> [[HERE COMES PAPYRUS|HERE COMES PAPYRUSTry Again2]]

You tell Papyrus you don’t want to fight. “YOU DON’T HAVE A CHOICE. IF YOU WILL NOT COME TO ME, I WILL HUNT YOU DOWN.” You take a step forward and tell Papyrus you have no intentions of hurting him. “THAT’S GOOD. BECAUSE YOU WON’T HAVE A CHANCE.” <<if $papdeath eq 1>> [[You anticipate the bone beneath you and quickly step back.]] <<else>> [[The ground rumbles between your feet.]]<</if>>

Sans likes routine. Since moving to the surface and settling down into a new house and job with his brothers, he's established a routine. The Judge role is not needed in a peaceful world, so he retired it in favor of his previous job as a mechanical engineer. He works alongside his brother and Alphys at a human-monster laboratory. He gets along well enough with his coworkers--scientists, and two of the last mages--and their projects are usually focused around vital infrastructure, energy, and fusion between magic and technology. He works five days a week, a regular seven-to-three job. He doesn't do overtime, unlike his eldest brother, and if he finishes a project early he'll leave early. Evenings are spent with you, and if you're too busy he goes to Fellby'z. Fridays the two of you always went to Fellby'z. Saturdays he'll tinker in his workshop, or spend time with his brothers. Sundays are dedicated solely to you. He doesn't deviate from this routine often. You know when he'll arrive at the ambassador office to pick you up, down to the minute. You know when he'll start to get tired in the evenings. You know when he'll wake up in the mornings. He likes his routine. He built his routine around his interests, his brothers, and you. So when he's late to pick you up from work on a Friday evening, you know something is remiss. Sans pops into existence beside you, a solid half an hour late from his normal pick up time. There's a couple beads of red magic gathered on his skull, and his grin is abnormally sheepish. "Hey angel. Sorry fer makin' yeh wait." You ask him if something happened. "Eh--nah, nah, jus', uh, lost track of time. Won't happen again, $sansfirstnickname." You let it go without issue then. You have no reason to doubt him, after all! He's your datemate, you trust him. Everyone is bound to make mistakes. Sans offered his red gloved hand and you accepted it for the quick teleportation. He folded the space around the two of you, and in an instant you were both at Fellby'z. Grillby re-opened his bar on the surface and named it Fellby'z. It's a popular bar because of it's excellent magic-infused food and unique drink selection. Its regulars are a mixture of humans and monsters; a lot of the Snowdin residents were eager show their new human friends the wonders of Grillby's burgers and special beverages. When you and Sans show up, it's almost always jammed pack and loud. Grillby saves you both a seat up at the counter, and once you're done eating the two of you will stick around and either play pool, poker, or darts with the other regulars. That evening, however, it was completely quiet when you two teleported in. You see all the regular guests--the dog and rabbit monsters, many human friends, and--Alphys? Undyne? Papyrus? //Wingding? Outside of work?// ASRIEL WILLINGLY IN THE SAME AREA AS SANS WITHOUT YOU ASKING? This is far out of the routine you've come to know and love. You shoot Sans a questioning look. "Wanted ta make it private, but, uh, Paps got involved and here we are," Sans mumbles, a red hue dusts his skull. The short skeleton monster scratches the back of his skull. "Uh, not, uh, the best with words 'n all, but yeh should know. . . yer real special, $name." Sans lowers himself to one knee. He pulls out a black box from his jacket pocket and opens it up to reveal a $chaincolor colored ring. "And I'd be awfully happy if an angel as special as yeh agreed to be mine." //Yes!// You can't get the word out fast enough. The bar erupts into thunderous applause. Sans' grin stretches widely over his face as he puts the ring on your left ring finger. "CONGRATULATIONS!" Papyrus is the first one to shout above the claps and stomps. You pull Sans into a tight hug. His arms wrap around your waist. "Well done to both of you," praises Wingding. "Nice! You two look great together," laughs Undyne. The dog pack begins to howl as their tags wag. "Congratulations to both of you," says Dr. Alphys. "Oh darlings, I've got it all on camera!" gushes Mettaton. "As long as you're happy, my friend, I'm happy for you," adds Asriel. You kiss the top of Sans' head, happier than ever. [[Sans - Bad Day]] (BONUS SCENE) [[Sans is Sick]] (BONUS SCENE) [[The First Storm]] (BONUS SCENE) [[Before The Void]] (BONUS SCENE) [[Author's Notes]]

Asriel loves to hold you. The big monster can't get enough of it. His white-fur covered arms envelop you every chance they get. The only thing that could deter him was if you asked him not to. Not that you had much reason to. He's warm, fluffy, and always fun to be around. Not only is he your dear datemate, but he is also your best friend. Your work as the ambassador between humans and monsters, and him acting as the new King of Monsters means the two of you work closely together. A lot of your work day is spent in meetings, talking to other politicans, or planning national events. It was hectic in the beginning when monsters were still integrating, but years into it every monster had a home and spot on the surface. The Royal Guard has shrunk in size, with many of the guards moving to help the mages around the world. There's rarely a conflict, and those conflicts stem from misunderstanding or cultural differences that you work to smooth over. As everyone has adjusted to the new society, your workload has leveled out to comfortably manageable. Things can pick up around holidays or national events (the military tournament is always a big one, especially since the monsters have been added in), but in general life is smooth. Comfortable. Even more so in Asriel's arms. Sunday mornings the two of you sleep in. He'll get up to make breakfast--he's very fond of pancake soufflés--when he's ready, but that's always after a solid hour or two of cuddling. He pulls you into his chest and nuzzles the top of your head. He absently trails his clawed fingers down the back of your head to your waist, following the spine. The bed is the right mixture of firm and softness to ensure you always get a good night's rest, and his body heat keeps you pleasantly cozy. Your face is tucked into his chest, and with each inhale you breathe in his familiar scent. You keep your $eyecolor eyes closed as you relax and savor the moment. "I never want this to end," he murmurs softly. You nod in agreement, snugly burying yourself further into him. "I really mean it," he says. "I. . . I never want you to leave. I never want to let go." Asriel is silent for a moment. ". . . Will you marry me?" What? Asriel's eyes bulge and he abruptly sits up. He lets go of you to cover his snout. "Wait--no! That's--That's now how I wanted to do this! I--I--I just felt so overwhelmingly happy and I realized I never, ever want you to leave. I want to spend every morning with you. Every night. Every day. I want to come home to you, and you to come home to me. I--I love you, $name. I love you. I want--I want be with you forever." He groans and hangs his head. "Can you just. . . forget I said all that?" You shake your head. "$name. . ." You smile and reach forward. You pull his hands down to keep from covering his face. You love Asriel, too. You want to spend every day and night with him, too. You want to spend forever and ever with him. So. . . yes. He gapes at you. "W-What? Really? I--//Really?//" Really. "First thing in the morning I'll--I'll get the perfect ring! A-And I'll do it again. Properly." You bump your nose against his. Your answer won't change. [[Asriel - First Date]] (BONUS SCENE) [[Asriel - Judgment Hall Reaction]] (BONUS SCENE) [[The First Storm]] (BONUS SCENE) [[Author's Notes]]

"Hello, human." The voice comes from behind as the doors are shut behind you. It's another goat monster. He is massive in stature with gray fur, a black beard, and dark armor that glints golden in the light. His red cape flutters behind him as he strides closer to you two. On his head is a three-spiked gold crown. Your eyes widen. You greet the king of monsters and politely introduce yourself. He stares at you with golden eyes and red pupils. He looks away, dimissing you. "I know." You give him a tentative smile. "Do you wish to leave?" he asks. "The barrier is behind the castle. I won't stop you." . . .? That surprises you. Pleasantly. Your smile widens and you thank him. "Sans spared you for a reason," he says in response. "If I do not trust my Judge's ruling, I would make for a foolish king. You are clearly not enough of a threat to kill." That is. . . nice. . . you suppose. You don't think you are a threat at all. "Perhaps not in direct combat," he says. "Go on. Leave." . . .? Something does not feel right to you. You hesitantly ask the king what he thinks of this world. "It's kill or be killed," he flatly states. So why spare you? "You are not worthy enough to expend the energy," he says. Your brow furrows. You do not think this is the complete story. . . . Is there. . . something wrong with the barrier? Is it //possible// for anyone to cross the barrier? The king shrugs. "It has never been designed to detain a human ''SOUL''. Humans can pass freely through it." You point out that monsters could too, if he destroys it. "Something that will not happen." You ask him why. "Why?" he repeats back to you, coldly amused. "Why does a mother protect her children? I am King Asgore of Monsters. I must do what I can to protect my kingdom." But humanity is no longer a threat to that kingdom. "So //you// claim," he says. "Your words are pretty, human, but that's all they are. Do not waste your breath. Leave before I change my mind." <<if ((($torielhug eq 1))) and (($friskhasstick)) eq 1 and ($shyrenspared eq 1)>> [[. . . No.]] <<else>> [[. . . Fine.]]<</if>>

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[[Music Selection]] & [[Help]]

This is a fandom game based off of Toby Fox's //Undertale// and Vic the Underfella's created AU of the game //Underfell//. All characters belong to their respective creators. Papyrus' theme was created by Neveroff titled //Royal Knight/Evil Papyrus Theme// Sans' theme was created by _JACK_ titled //UnderFell Sans M.E G.A.L.O.V A.N I.A// There is no monetization for this game, it is a game made only with love for love of this fandom.

If you're stuck or need help navigating a route, all walkthroughs all available on the itchio page. Walkthrough link: https://darkpetal16.itch.io/if-underfell/devlog/504345/complete-walkthrough If you're encountering technical difficulties, you are welcome to join the IF-Cord discord and report a bug in the #if-issues channel. Discord link: https://discord.gg/sXZ3SMh9MM [[Return|$return]]

<<type 135ms>>❄︎☟︎✋︎💧︎ ✋︎💧︎ 💣︎✋︎☠︎☜︎ //TH I S I S M I N E// ✋︎ ☼︎☜︎💣︎☜︎💣︎👌︎☜︎☼︎ ☠︎⚐︎🕈︎ //I R E M E M B E R N O W// ✋︎ 😐︎☠︎⚐︎🕈︎ 🕈︎☟︎⚐︎ ✋︎ ✌︎💣︎ //I K N O W W H O I A M// ✋︎ ✌︎💣︎ 🕈︎✋︎☠︎☝︎👎︎✋︎☠︎☝︎ ☝︎✌︎💧︎❄︎⚐︎☼︎ //I A M W I N G D I N G G A S T O R//<</type>><<timed 30s>> That's wonderful! Does this mean he knows how to escape? <<type 135ms>> 💣︎✌︎✡︎👌︎☜︎📬︎ ☹︎☜︎❄︎ 💣︎☜︎ ❄︎☟︎✋︎☠︎😐︎ ✋︎❄︎ ⚐︎✞︎☜︎☼︎📬︎ //M A Y B E L E T M E T H I N K I T O V E R//<</type>><</timed>><<timed 40s>> All around good news! You are relieved to leave the void, both because it's a horrible place you hate, and because Wingding might be able to escape. Ah. $Curse. You want to throw up. You brace yourself against your knees and take many deep breaths. <<set $wingdinggetssaved = 1>> You really hate that place. [[You start to wander around the city, you want to walk off the feeling of being in the void.]]<</timed>>

"Mettaton!" exclaims the volcano monster. "Oh my stars, it's such an honor!" "Can we get your autograph?" asks the bat monster. "Of course, of course," says Mettaton. "But it'll have to be later, dearies." Mettaton turns to you and winks. "I've got plans for this human." He does? "You do?" asks one of the Royal Guards. "Yes, I do!" Mettaton comes to stand beside you and places one of his arms around your shoulders. "You don't mind, do you?" The Royal Guards shake their head. Welp. Looks like you're going with this new monster. [["Fantastic!" he says.]]

"Mettaton!" exclaims the volcano monster. "Oh my stars, it's such an honor!" "Can we get your autograph?" asks the bat monster. <<set $mettaton = 1>> You think you want an autograph, too. Your heart thumps in your chest, as you stand star-struck by this new monster. "Of course, of course," says Mettaton. "But it'll have to be later, dearies." Mettaton turns to you and winks. "I've got plans for this human." [[Your face turns bright red. He does?!]] [[You grin. Widely. He does, does he?]]

You nervously begin to tidy your appearance, feeling shy about your (understandably) dishevelled state. <<set $mettatonbold = 0>> <<set $mettatonshy = 1>> "You do?" asks one of the Royal Guards. "Yes, I do!" Mettaton comes to stand beside you. He places one of his arms around your shoulders. He might as well have wrapped you in a steaming blanket with how warm he's made you feel. Woo goodness. Get it together, $name. You've literally //died//. Surely, //surely// you can find the courage to talk to the unfairly hot monster. Surely. "You don't mind, do you?" Mettaton drawls out. The Royal Guards shake their head. [["Fantastic!" he says.]]

You straighten up, instinctively tidying your appearance. <<set $mettatonbold = 1>> <<set $mettatonshy = 0>> "You do?" asks one of the Royal Guards. "Yes, I do!" Mettaton comes to stand beside you. He places one of his arms around your shoulders. "You don't mind, do you?" The Royal Guards shake their head. You also shake your head, even though he didn't ask you. You want to convey that you //absolutely// do not mind //at all.// [["Fantastic!" he says.]]

<<set $mettaton +=1>>"Aren't you sweet as pie?" Mettaton coos. <<if $mettatonshy gt $mettatonbold>> Your cheeks burn. You demurely lower your gaze. "Oh, how precious," he says, his tone oozing saccharine sweetness that makes it hard to tell if he's genuine or not. "Feeling shy, too? I get that a lot. Ever so, try your best to keep your chin up. The camera needs a face." You fidget where you sit as you lift your chin. "There you are, darling. Are you ready?" For what? <<else>> You don't know about //sweet// but you know how to spot something special. <<set $mettaton +=1>> "Oh, I like you," he says with a flawless smile. "You'll do great." At what? <</if>> “It’s simple,” he says, “I want to ask you questions. You answer them all without issue--or lying--then I let you go and you’re free to leave.” He winks at you. “Isn’t that easy? Think of it as paying me back for helping you.” <<if $mettatonshy gt $mettatonbold>> [[You feel too shy to ask Mettaton any questions.|You have no questions.]] <<else>> You’d be happy to answer his questions when put that way. But you have some questions of your own first, if he’s okay with that? “I //always// have time to talk about myself. Ask away!” [[You’d like a formal introduction. Who exactly is Mettaton?]] [[What is tea time, and why was everyone so disappointed?]] [[What is this show?]] [[Does he really not intend to attack you?]] [[You have no questions.]] <</if>>

You //would// like to know what’s going on. “It’s simple,” he says, “I want to ask you questions. You answer them all without issue--or lying--then I let you go and you’re free to leave.” He winks at you. “Isn’t that easy? Think of it as paying me back for helping you.” You’d be happy to answer his questions when put that way. But you have some questions of your own first, if he’s okay with that? “Ask away!” [[You’d like a formal introduction. Who exactly is Mettaton?]] [[What is tea time, and why was everyone so disappointed?]] [[What is this show?]] [[Does he really not intend to attack you?]] [[You have no questions.]]

"Does the sun shine alone?" he playfully asks in return. <<set $mettaton +=1>> [[Then you hope he won't mind you going blind looking at him.]] [[A beautiful. . . but lonely existence.]] [[Ah, then you'll have to be careful not to get sunburned.]]

He propped his chin into the palm of his hand, his eyes flick up and down as he assesses you. "Blind, on top of that outfit? Don't be so cruel to yourself." Ah, but it'd be worth it for the view. He chuckles, lowering his arm as he leans back. <<set $mettaton +=1>> [[You’d like a formal introduction. Who exactly is Mettaton?]] [[What is tea time, and why was everyone so disappointed?]] [[What is this show?]] [[Does he really not intend to attack you?]] [[You have no questions.]]

"A human poet. How quaint," he dryly remarks. "Any-who!" [[You’d like a formal introduction. Who exactly is Mettaton?]] [[What is tea time, and why was everyone so disappointed?]] [[What is this show?]] [[Does he really not intend to attack you?]] [[You have no questions.]]

"Naturally, darling. It's a small price to pay though, don't you think?" You nod. [[You’d like a formal introduction. Who exactly is Mettaton?]] [[What is tea time, and why was everyone so disappointed?]] [[What is this show?]] [[Does he really not intend to attack you?]] [[You have no questions.]]

<<set $mettaton = 0>>“Not just any human. I know many of you have heard a little about this human already--especially those with connections to Snowdin.” Mettaton winks at the camera. “Those who do- you know this human is special; a rarity, if you will. Which is why we’ll be using $her to answer some of our most pressing questions. Questions not only //I// have wondered about humanity, but questions //you// all have sent in!” Oh that sounds like fun. You wonder what the monsters will ask you? “One thing before we start our questions,” says Mettaton. “As we all know, I have connections everywhere--including with the royal scientist, Dr. Alphys. I asked dear little Alphy to whip up something fun a few years back and today I finally get to test it out. Human, darling, summon that ''SOUL'' of yours for me, won’t you?” Uh. “You can do it, can’t you?” Mettaton presses, his smile widening. “I saw it. It’s $soulcolor. You know what they say about that soul color?” You shake your head. <<if ($soulcolor eq "green")>> “Green like spring, a ''SOUL'' built around kindness. From what I’ve seen, it suits you. Do you disagree?” <</if>> <<if ($soulcolor eq "red")>> “Red like fire, a ''SOUL'' that will never give up. The very definition of DETERMINATION." <</if>> <<if ($soulcolor eq "purple")>> "Purple for patience. You’d have to be to make it this far. Right?” <</if>> <<if ($soulcolor eq "blue")>> “Blue like sapphires, a ''SOUL'' full of integrity. Is that how you would describe yourself?” <</if>> <<if ($soulcolor eq "pink")>> “Pink--my favorite color--for a creative ''SOUL''. Maybe you and I could even become friends! Aren’t you honored?” <</if>> <<if ($soulcolor eq "yellow")>> “Yellow and filled with a burning justice. Ooo. Aren’t you tough?” <</if>> <<if ($soulcolor eq "orange")>> “Orange like the setting sun, a brave ''SOUL''. You’d have to be, in UNDERFELL.” <</if>> <<if ($soulcolor eq "white")>> “White like a monster’s ''SOUL''. Maybe you belong with us instead of the surface.” <</if>> <<if ($soulcolor eq "black")>> “Black like shadows. That’s a color not seen before. What do you think it means?” <</if>> You had never considered your ''SOUL''’s color represented some kind of trait. When you think of yourself, the first trait that comes to mind is your <<cycle "$soultrait" autoselect>>\ <<option "stubbornness">> <<option "integrity">> <<option "patience">> <<option "creativity">> <<option "kindness">> <<option "sense of justice">> <<option "bravery">> <<option "honesty">> <<option "loyalty">> <<option ". . .">> <</cycle>>. [[A curious thought process.]]

“Not just any human. I know many of you have heard a little about this human already--especially those with connections to Snowdin.” Mettaton winks at the camera. “Those who do- you know this human is special; a rarity, if you will. Which is why we’ll be using $her to answer some of our most pressing questions. Questions not only //I// have wondered about humanity, but questions //you// all have sent in!” How wonderful! He's so creative and clever! “One thing before we start our questions,” says Mettaton. “As we all know, I have connections everywhere--including with the royal scientist, Dr. Alphys. I asked dear little Alphy to whip up something fun a few years back and today I finally get to test it out. Human, darling, summon that ''SOUL'' of yours for me, won’t you?” You blink in surprise at that. “You can do it, can’t you?” Mettaton presses, his smile widening. You nod, and well . . . you've no reason to refuse him, so you do exactly that. His flawless smile is radiant. He takes a moment to admire your ''SOUL'', and you do as well. It is very pretty after all! He asks, "You know what they say about that soul color?” You shake your head. <<if ($soulcolor eq "green")>> “Green like spring, a ''SOUL'' built around kindness. From what I’ve seen, it suits you. Do you disagree?” <</if>> <<if ($soulcolor eq "red")>> “Red like fire, a ''SOUL'' that will never give up. The very definition of DETERMINATION." <</if>> <<if ($soulcolor eq "purple")>> "Purple for patience. You’d have to be to make it this far. Right?” <</if>> <<if ($soulcolor eq "blue")>> “Blue like sapphires, a ''SOUL'' full of integrity. Is that how you would describe yourself?” <</if>> <<if ($soulcolor eq "pink")>> “Pink--my favorite color--for a creative ''SOUL''. Maybe you and I could even become friends! Aren’t you honored?” <</if>> <<if ($soulcolor eq "yellow")>> “Yellow and filled with a burning justice. Ooo. Aren’t you tough?” <</if>> <<if ($soulcolor eq "orange")>> “Orange like the setting sun, a brave ''SOUL''. You’d have to be, in UNDERFELL.” <</if>> <<if ($soulcolor eq "white")>> “White like a monster’s ''SOUL''. Maybe you belong with us instead of the surface.” <</if>> <<if ($soulcolor eq "black")>> “Black like shadows. That’s a color not seen before. What do you think it means?” <</if>> You had never considered your ''SOUL''’s color represented some kind of trait. When you think of yourself, the first trait that comes to mind is your <<cycle "$soultrait" autoselect>>\ <<option "stubbornness">> <<option "integrity">> <<option "patience">> <<option "creativity">> <<option "kindness">> <<option "sense of justice">> <<option "bravery">> <<option "honesty">> <<option "loyalty">> <<option ". . .">> <</cycle>>. [[You give it some thought.]]

<<if (($soulcolor eq "green")) and ($soultrait eq "kindness")>> It’s embarrassingly accurate. You are reluctant to say it out loud, but you do see yourself as a kind $gender. <<elseif (($soulcolor eq "red")) and ($soultrait eq "stubbornness")>> It’s embarrassingly accurate. You are reluctant to say it out loud, but you do see yourself as a kind $gender. <<elseif (($soulcolor eq "gold")) and ($soultrait eq "honesty")>> It's. . . surprisingly accurate. You are an open and honest $gender. <<elseif (($soulcolor eq "blue")) and ($soultrait eq "integrity")>> It’s surprisingly accurate. Your SOUL is blue because of how highly you value your integrity. <<elseif (($soulcolor eq "purple")) and ($soultrait eq "patience")>> It’s srprisingly accurate. You have always been called a patient $gender. <<elseif (($soulcolor eq "pink")) and ($soultrait eq "creativity")>> It’s surprisingly accurate. You love to stretch your imagination.<<elseif (($soulcolor eq "yellow")) and ($soultrait eq "sense of justice")>> It’s accurate. You have been one to sit on the sidelines when you see an injustice. <<elseif (($soulcolor eq "orange")) and ($soultrait eq "bravery")>> It’s surprisingly accurate. You have always faced your fears without hesitation.<<elseif (($soulcolor eq "white")) and ($soultrait eq "loyalty")>> You feel there’s a lot of accuracy. Although you have only known the monsters in UNDERFELL a short time, you feel an immediate sense of loyalty to them. <<elseif (($soulcolor eq "black")) and ($soultrait eq ". . .")>> Huh. Actually, nothing really comes to mind about //one// overarching trait. You think you are a mixed bag. There are a lot of wonderful things about you. You don’t want to pick one. They say black is a fusion of all colors. Perhaps that’s what you are. You are as stubborn as you are kind. You are as patient as you are brave. <</if>> Mettaton gives you a bright smile. “Wonderful, darling! Everyone listening in, I’m looking at this human’s ''SOUL'' right now. It’s a beautiful $soulcolor!” Mettaton extends one of his hands and hovers it beneath your ''SOUL''. His palm lights up a soft pink and you hear some dings. “Now--what’s your name?” You tell him your name. “Right, right. $name, I want you to tell me a lie. Any lie.” You tell him he's ugly. He snorts at that, and as he does, his whole palm lights up in red and there is an alarm sound. Mettaton's smile curls like a cat who caught a canary. The lights in his eyes brighten to convey plain giddiness. He pulls his hand away. The lights and sounds immediately turn off, and then he moves another hand underneath your ''SOUL''. “Those listening in, that was a lie detector!” Mettaton says with all the excitement and smugness of a child in a candy shop. “It has a 100% accuracy when reading off a ''SOUL''. Isn’t it marvelous?” That’s very neat! You excitedly nod your head. “Aw, aren’t you precious,” says Mettaton. “Now that we have had our little demonstration, let’s move on. $name, darling, how long have you been in UNDERFELL?” You explain you fell down earlier that day. “And you have met monsters?” Yes. “Did you attack any of them?” No. Mettaton’s smile is so wide it looks unnatural. “Yes. That’s the kicker. Viewers--we have ourselves a human who has faced Papyrus and Undyne, //lived//, and did not fight back. This human, according to our videos, has not attacked once.” Videos? “Yes, darling,” he says. “Alphy has security cameras all over UNDERFELL and I have access to most of them. Your journey has been recorded, and I’m currently playing over some of my favorite parts. For those listening on the radio instead of watching--I highly encourage you to head to our webpage where I have posted a few highlights.” Was your journey that interesting? “Interesting,” he repeats with a little laugh. “You’re the only human who has survived without hostility. In a kill or be killed world, your pacifism is fascinating. That’s why I wanted you here. I want to understand.” . . . He wants to understand you? His smile turns lopsided, a momentary lapse of performance to reveal teasing amusement. "Of course, darling. . . and. . ." . . . And? The moment is over and he's back to beaming. He gestures to the camera. "I want //them// to understand.” . . . . . . //. . . !// You realize what this could mean. The opportunity! You sit up straight and you plainly say that it does not have to be a kill or be killed world. Peace is an option. That seems to be exactly what Mettaton was looking for. “Convince us,” he says. [[You take a deep breath and then you tell them about the Great War.]]

“Tell me, darling, is there anyone in UNDERFELL that has caught your attention?” Mettaton coyly asks. [[You playfully look away and tap your chin in thought, side-eying him with a knowing look.]] [[The sun?]] [[You wink and point to him.]]

<<set $mettaton = 0>>You take a moment. You let it go. Mettaton casually asks, "You know what they say about that a soul that is $soulcolor?” You shake your head. <<if ($soulcolor eq "green")>> “Green like spring, a ''SOUL'' built around kindness. From what I’ve seen, it suits you. Do you disagree?” <</if>> <<if ($soulcolor eq "red")>> “Red like fire, a ''SOUL'' that will never give up. The very definition of DETERMINATION." <</if>> <<if ($soulcolor eq "purple")>> "Purple for patience. You’d have to be to make it this far. Right?” <</if>> <<if ($soulcolor eq "blue")>> “Blue like sapphires, a ''SOUL'' full of integrity. Is that how you would describe yourself?” <</if>> <<if ($soulcolor eq "pink")>> “Pink--my favorite color--for a creative ''SOUL''. Maybe you and I could even become friends! Aren’t you honored?” <</if>> <<if ($soulcolor eq "yellow")>> “Yellow and filled with a burning justice. Ooo. Aren’t you tough?” <</if>> <<if ($soulcolor eq "orange")>> “Orange like the setting sun, a brave ''SOUL''. You’d have to be, in UNDERFELL.” <</if>> <<if ($soulcolor eq "white")>> “White like a monster’s ''SOUL''. Maybe you belong with us instead of the surface.” <</if>> <<if ($soulcolor eq "black")>> “Black like shadows. That’s a color not seen before. What do you think it means?” <</if>> You had never considered your ''SOUL''’s color represented some kind of trait. When you think of yourself, the first trait that comes to mind is your <<cycle "$soultrait" autoselect>>\ <<option "stubbornness">> <<option "integrity">> <<option "patience">> <<option "creativity">> <<option "kindness">> <<option "sense of justice">> <<option "bravery">> <<option "honesty">> <<option "loyalty">> <<option ". . .">> <</cycle>>. [[A curious thought process.]]

You can't do this. You stand up abruptly and apologize. You turn on your heel and rush out of the city. "Wait!" Mettaton calls out to you, but you can't. . . . <<set $neutralroute = 1>> You run, and run, and run through the city. [[You run all the way to the end of it.]]

''END OF CORE/CITY'' <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "menu"volume 0.15 loop play>> ---- Are you Cinderella? [[You are alone when you step off the elevator.]]

"Oh, you are //adorable,//" he laughs. ” Mettaton looks out at the crew behind the spotlights. He squints his eyes briefly. “Oh dear, looks like we’re out of time today. $name, darling, thank you for coming on.” <<set $snowflake = 0>> You say you were happy to. “Such a dear.” Mettaton pulls your head down and gives you a kiss on top of your head. It feels like a small static shock. The spotlights and camera turn off. You rub at the top of your head, your scalp tingly from the kiss. He says, “As promised, you are now free to go. Although I do recommend looking around the city before you head up.” Is he offering to show you himself? He chuckles. "I wish, darling, but perhaps another time." That's fair! Mettaton winks at you. “Break a leg, darling. Stay safe.” [[Yes. You’ll stay safe!]]

<<set $mettaton +=1>>"Oh, I like that," he laughs. Mettaton looks out at the crew behind the spotlights. He squints his eyes briefly. “Oh dear, looks like we’re out of time today. $name, darling, thank you for coming on.” You say you were happy to. “Such a dear.” Mettaton pulls your head down and gives you a kiss on top of your head. It feels like a small static shock. The spotlights and camera turn off. You rub at the top of your head, your scalp tingly from the kiss. He says, “As promised, you are now free to go. Although I do recommend looking around the city before you head up.” Is he offering to show you himself? <<if $mettaton eq 4>> He chuckles. "Why not? I've got a break. Take a lunch everyone. Be back in a bit." [[He offers his hand out to you.]] <<else>> He chuckles. "I wish, darling, but perhaps another time." That's fair! Mettaton winks at you. “Break a leg, darling. Stay safe.” [[Yes. You’ll stay safe!]]<</if>>

You slip your hand into his. The glove feels cool to the touch, and has a smooth texture. And off you go! The city has grown darker. There are less people out than before. The streetlights are dimmer than when you first entered. You have no idea where to go, but Mettaton does. He pulls you along the sidewalk. Many monsters notice both of you, and they wave. Mettaton always gives them a smile in return--and sometimes he'll use a free hand to wave at them. Walking with him certainly feels like you're walking with a celebrity with how many people call out to him. As he takes you down one pathway, you hear the faint cries of battleshouts and screams. You reflexively turn your head and notice a large dome building in several blocks away. "Curious?" Mettaton asks you in a teasing tone. "Don't be, darling. It's nothing interesting." What is it? "The fighting arean," he says. "There's a current season of pole pusher--where the biggest and dumbest of brutes try to knock each other off tiny poles into pits of magma." His golden eyes roll back. "It's violent, brutal, entirely unnecessary, and worst of all //boring.//" Oh. "Humans don't have anything like that above, do they?" He asks. You shake your head. Nothing so //genuinely// dangerous. "And that's why I'll always take an hour long conversation with a human, than watching a single second of that garbage," Mettaotn sniffs. He waves one of his free hands dismissively. "I can't blame them, though. Before I happened, the kingdom's culture had stagnated." What does he mean? Mettaton lets out a small //hmm.// "Well. . . You said your favorite genre was $favoritegenre, right?" You nod. "Imagine that being the //only// genre." Your face pinches. "The others //exist// but they're so niche that nothing substantial was ever made out of them," he gripes. "Every form of entertainment for decades--//decades//, darling--is the exact same, just dressed differently than the last." You can't imagine living like that for so long. "You would be an anonomly here," he says with a lop-sided, wistful smile. How did the other monsters take to his change? "Like claws on chalkboard," he laughs with delight. "Oh they //hated// it. Fought against every change I tried to implement. I had to fight--literally--for even a chance to air a nonviolent show. You what was my first show?" You shake your head. "A cooking show. I had to fight Royal Guards for the legal rights to host a //cooking show//," Mettaton uses two of his hands to rub at his temple. "Even when it was--unsurprisingly--popular since it's debut, I had to fight for every season renewal." [[You sympathetically squeeze his hand.]] [[You can't imagine. That must have been terrible.]] [[But! He overcame it! He's amazing!]]

<<timed 1s>> He <</timed>> <<timed 2s>> hopes <</timed>> <<timed 3s>> you <</timed>> <<timed 4s>> enjoy <</timed>> <<timed 5s>> the<</timed>><<timed 6s>> sunlight.<</timed>> <<timed 10s>> Do you? NEUTRAL ENDING - ASRIEL ROUTE. <<click "Restart">><<script>>Engine.restart()<</script>><</click>> [[Help before restarting - what did I miss?]] <</timed>> <<timed 15s>> //You forgot him, didn't you?// <</timed>> <<timed 18s>> //That's okay.// <</timed>> <<timed 21s>> //He'd forget himself too.// <</timed>>

Wouldn't that be nice? //Click.// There is a clicking sound from the locket. You unfurl your hands and it pops open. Oh! It //is// Mettaton! His eyelights twinkle like stars. He looks dazzlingly happy. Your heart warms and you hold the locket close to you. Your lips turn up in a smile. //How heart-warming.// You startle from the whisper. You look around but you don't see anyone. . . . You. . . <<cycle "$charagoodbye" autoselect>>\ <<option "You thank them. . . for the chain, and the locket.">> <<option "You quietly thank them.">> <<option ". . .">> <<option "You mumble a thanks.">> <</cycle>> You think it's time to leave the most definitely haunted room now. [[You head back out into the hallway.]]

You feel strong enough to walk as soon as you smell the fresh air. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "sweet"volume 0.15 loop play>> Asriel gently sets you down. He keeps a paw on your shoulder in case you need help. You are not left alone with your friend for much longer. Mettaton saunters up to you, a casual swagger to his steps. His dazzling smile pulls out a reflexive grin from you. "Well, well, color me surprised darling," he says. "You really are something special, aren't you?" Takes one to know one. "Cute," he chuckles. "Um," goes Asriel. "I think, uh, I should. . . go talk to my mother. See you, $name." Yep! See you later, Fl--er--Asriel! You and Mettaton watch Asriel sheepishly (and quickly) move away. Mettaton places two hands on his hip as he cocks it to the side. "Take a moment, darling. Enjoy the spotlight. You've clearly earned it." It's a spotlight to be shared. He shakes his head. "You're too sweet, darling. Don't be so modest." Well, //someone// has to be between the two of you! Mettaton chuckles at that. "A wasted trait." You smile and hold out your hand to him. "Brazen as ever, aren't you?" He teases. "Though I suppose you have to be, to fight our king and live." He takes your hand with one of his own. As a group, the monsters leave the mountain. It's dark outside, yet brightening with every second. You hear gasps from the monsters around you. You hear choked back sobs. You hear //ooohs// and //ahhhs// and whimpers and hiccups. You hear them whisper and speak to one another as they all exit the underground to stand on a ledge overlooking Mt. Ebott. The barrier had been at a cave entrance. There is a wide overlook that showcases the forest at the bottom of the hill. . . and the city that rests at the edge of that forest. Tall skyscrapers climb into the sky, each building bright with light. The monsters notice and point to look at it, their voices getting louder. And then all goes silent when the first crack of light peaks out from the horizon. No one speaks. No one moves. It is their first sunrise, and they watch it in complete silence. When you look around you see many of them openly crying, their tears falling down their faces. Some have collapsed to their knees, holding their hands over their mouths to keep from weeping aloud. You smile, your own eyes burning. Yes. . . This is it. It's not a kill or be killed world. It's a save or be saved world. And you saved them. You turn to look at your companion. Mettaton watches it in plain awe, uncharacteristically humbled by the majesty of seeing a sunrise in person. You ask Mettaton if he understands now. He blinks. “Pardon, darling?” You tell him if he understand what you mean. That compared to the stars above. . . Mettaton shines brighter. You could never forget him. His eyes widen, his mouth opening to a let out a faint //oh//. He stares at you in incomprehsion, his thoughts in plain disarray from your words. . . . Then he smiles. Not a showman smile. Not a dazzling one. But one was bright, and as warm as the sun rising beside you. "I think I do understand now," he says, pulling you into an embrace. "Thank you, $Name." [[TRUE HAPPY ENDING - METTATON ROUTE]]

With the re-entry of monsters into society, humanity rejoices. The governments that remain after the Great War all fly in to secure an alliance with the monsters. <<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "ending" play>> The monsters are met with overwhelming joy and positivity–they are borderline hailed as saviors. The wizards are particularly ecstatic, all of them flying to Mt. Ebott to enthusiastically welcome the monsters and offer their help with the transition. You are hailed as a hero and receive a neat little award. You'd think your time helping the monsters would end there, but no. It is almost unamiously decided by the monsters (and the wizards after they hear your story) that you are to be their ambassador. You don't really have a chance to say no. <<cycle "$ambassador" autoselect>>\ <<option "Not that you'd want to.">> <<option "You'd rather not, but they really need you.">> <<option "You'll see if you can find a substitute in a few years. You know they need you now.">> <</cycle>> While it is a happy transition, it is not easy. There are many cultural nuances that both sides have to adjust to. But! All of the governments are passionate about helping. They want this to work as badly as you do. The day the monsters re-enter the surface was officially declared an international holiday. Thousands of humans volunteeredtheir homes to be shared with monsters who want to integrate into society. Many of the monsters accept this and they fly out to far off places and see things they would have never even dreamed about. It really seems like everything is working out for the best. Your journey. . . your struggles. . . None of it was in vain. You saved them. All of them. And you didn't make it out of it alone. The Gaster family moves to the surface, right next door to you and your new home (as a VIP ambassador you had to move into a magically-secure home of your choosing in the city). You and the Gasters see each other daily. You're on your way to becoming fast friends with them. Of course, you also see Mettaton //very// often. The Underfell idol became a sensation overnight with the human populace. By the end of his first week on the surface, he had his own talk show and was working on a contract to be a host of a new game show. Both of you were swept away into busy work schedules, but you both managed to make time to go on dates. He delights in taking you to posh restaurants he's found, or to parties with A-list celebrities. It's amazing to watch him make friends so quickly! When he walks into a room, all eyes go to him. Everyone adores him--and you can't blame them. And he adores you. . . . and well, you can't blame him for that! You are pretty amazing. He and the Gasters aren't the only new constants in your day to day. Most notably, Asriel has become a huge part of your life. He became the new king of monsters and helps you integrate the two societies. You are dear friends at work and outside of it. He also gives the second best hugs! Grillby wins first place by default. You spend time with Toriel and Asgore every so often. Toriel bakes you a special pie and loves to give you hugs. You hang out with Papyrus and Undyne. You attend all of Shyren's concerts and are the first to buy her new album, //<<print "$shyrenlyrics">>//. You visited the school in Ebott City where the monster kids started to attend. They enthusiastically introduced you to their new human friends. <<if $jump eq 1>> You may or may not have done a very ill-advised field trip with them and jumped off another waterfall while screaming "$battlecry." <<else>> You had to talk them out of trying to jump off another waterfall with their new friends. Multiple times. <</if>> You meet up with all the dogs from Snowdin every month for a game of poker. <<cycle "$poker" autoselect>>\ <<option "Which you suck at. A lot. Mettaton is endlessly amused by this.">> <<option "Which you excel at. Mettaton loves showing you off at parties.">> <<option "Which is always a fun time! Mettaton makes the cutest faces when he has a bad hand.">> <</cycle>> Everything is as it should be. Everyone is happy. And you're the reason for it. ---- Thank you, $name. Thank you for falling into UNDERFELL. Thank you for showing them kindness. Thank you for staying DETERMINED. Thank you for being ''you.'' //''THE END''// [[Author's Notes]]

He squeezes back. You and Mettaton stop outside a bustling restaurant with a sign that reads //Snowflake// out front. Someone opens the door for you both. Mettaton guides you inside. The Snowflake is a white and blue themed comedy club. The lighting is dimmed in the dining area. It is a crowded club. The bar is full, and there are only a couple of empty tables. There's a small line of people waiting to be seated, but the waitress takes one look at you and Mettaton and ushers you over to one of the free tables. She sets down a menu for you both. "Help yourself, darling," he says. "You deserve a little treat." You look at the menu. [[Order the Razzle Dazzle.]] [[Order the Screwdriver.]] [[Order the Molotov.]] [[Order the Legendary Hero.]] [[Order the Bottoms Up.]] [[Order the Dastardly Duo.]] [[Order water.]]

He shrugs. "No more terrible than what you've endured, I'm sure." . . . Point. You and Mettaton stop outside a bustling restaurant with a sign that reads //Snowflake// out front. Someone opens the door for you both. Mettaton guides you inside. The Snowflake is a white and blue themed comedy club. The lighting is dimmed in the dining area. It is a crowded club. The bar is full, and there are only a couple of empty tables. There's a small line of people waiting to be seated, but the waitress takes one look at you and Mettaton and ushers you over to one of the free tables. She sets down a menu for you both. "Help yourself, darling," he says. "You deserve a little treat." You look at the menu. [[Order the Razzle Dazzle.]] [[Order the Screwdriver.]] [[Order the Molotov.]] [[Order the Legendary Hero.]] [[Order the Bottoms Up.]] [[Order the Dastardly Duo.]] [[Order water.]]

<<set $mettaton +=1>> His showman smile dazzles you. "That's right, darling. That's what I do best. No matter the odds, I'll overcome it." He winks at you. "And I've a feeling we're cut from the same cloth." You and Mettaton stop outside a bustling restaurant with a sign that reads //Snowflake// out front. Someone opens the door for you both. Mettaton guides you inside. The Snowflake is a white and blue themed comedy club. The lighting is dimmed in the dining area. It is a crowded club. The bar is full, and there are only a couple of empty tables. There's a small line of people waiting to be seated, but the waitress takes one look at you and Mettaton and ushers you over to one of the free tables. She sets down a menu for you both. "Help yourself, darling," he says. "You deserve a little treat." You look at the menu. [[Order the Razzle Dazzle.]] [[Order the Screwdriver.]] [[Order the Molotov.]] [[Order the Legendary Hero.]] [[Order the Bottoms Up.]] [[Order the Dastardly Duo.]] [[Order water.]]

"A good choice," he says. "You won't regret it, I'm sure." <<set $drinkchoice = "Razzle Dazzle">> You won't regret anything here, you've already got the best company available. He smirks. "Your taste is truly //dazzling//, darling." He glances over at the waitress. "I'll have the same, sweetheart." She smiles and nods. The waitress takes back your menus before she leaves. "So," he says pointedly, "I got to know all about you. It's only fair I offer you the same courtesy out of the //kindness// in my heart." [[How is he so handsome?]] <<set $mettatonq1 = 0>> [[What made him want to be an idol?]] <<set $mettatonq2 = 0>> [[What's his favorite show?]] <<set $mettatonq3 = 0>> [[What does he do in his spare time?]]<<set $mettatonq4 = 0>> [[What is his favorite spot in the underground?]]<<set $mettatonq5 = 0>>

"Ooo yummy," he coos. He glances over at the waitress. "I'll have the same, sweetheart." <<set $drinkchoice = "Screwdriver">> She smiles and nods. The waitress takes back your menus before she leaves. "So," he says pointedly, "I got to know all about you. It's only fair I offer you the same courtesy out of the //kindness// in my heart." [[How is he so handsome?]] <<set $mettatonq1 = 0>> [[What made him want to be an idol?]] <<set $mettatonq2 = 0>> [[What's his favorite show?]] <<set $mettatonq3 = 0>> [[What does he do in his spare time?]]<<set $mettatonq4 = 0>> [[What is his favorite spot in the underground?]]<<set $mettatonq5 = 0>>

"Ooo yummy," he coos. He glances over at the waitress. "I'll have the same, sweetheart." <<set $drinkchoice = "Molotov">> She smiles and nods. The waitress takes back your menus before she leaves. "So," he says pointedly, "I got to know all about you. It's only fair I offer you the same courtesy out of the //kindness// in my heart." [[How is he so handsome?]] <<set $mettatonq1 = 0>> [[What made him want to be an idol?]] <<set $mettatonq2 = 0>> [[What's his favorite show?]] <<set $mettatonq3 = 0>> [[What does he do in his spare time?]]<<set $mettatonq4 = 0>> [[What is his favorite spot in the underground?]]<<set $mettatonq5 = 0>>

"An //excellent// choice," he praises. "You won't regret it, I'm sure." <<set $drinkchoice = "Legendary Hero">> You won't regret anything here, you've already got the best company available. He smirks. "You have //legendary// taste, darling." He glances over at the waitress. "I'll have the same, sweetheart." She smiles and nods. The waitress takes back your menus before she leaves. "So," he says pointedly, "I got to know all about you. It's only fair I offer you the same courtesy out of the //kindness// in my heart." [[How is he so handsome?]] <<set $mettatonq1 = 0>> [[What made him want to be an idol?]] <<set $mettatonq2 = 0>> [[What's his favorite show?]] <<set $mettatonq3 = 0>> [[What does he do in his spare time?]]<<set $mettatonq4 = 0>> [[What is his favorite spot in the underground?]]<<set $mettatonq5 = 0>>

"Brave one, aren't you?" He chuckles. . . . You have no idea what you just ordered. But you smile and nod anyway. <<set $drinkchoice = "Bottoms Up">> "I'll have the Razzle Dazzle," he says. She smiles and nods. The waitress takes back your menus before she leaves. "So," he says pointedly, "I got to know all about you. It's only fair I offer you the same courtesy out of the //kindness// in my heart." [[How is he so handsome?]] <<set $mettatonq1 = 0>> [[What made him want to be an idol?]] <<set $mettatonq2 = 0>> [[What's his favorite show?]] <<set $mettatonq3 = 0>> [[What does he do in his spare time?]]<<set $mettatonq4 = 0>> [[What is his favorite spot in the underground?]]<<set $mettatonq5 = 0>>

"Brave one, aren't you?" He chuckles. . . . You have no idea what you just ordered. But you smile and nod anyway. <<set $drinkchoice = "Dastardly Duo">> "I'll have the Razzle Dazzle," he says. She smiles and nods. The waitress takes back your menus before she leaves. "So," he says pointedly, "I got to know all about you. It's only fair I offer you the same courtesy out of the //kindness// in my heart." [[How is he so handsome?]] <<set $mettatonq1 = 0>> [[What made him want to be an idol?]] <<set $mettatonq2 = 0>> [[What's his favorite show?]] <<set $mettatonq3 = 0>> [[What does he do in his spare time?]]<<set $mettatonq4 = 0>> [[What is his favorite spot in the underground?]]<<set $mettatonq5 = 0>>

"Brave one, aren't you?" He chuckles. . . . Why is water. . . ? <<set $drinkchoice = "water">> "I'll have the Razzle Dazzle," he says. She smiles and nods. The waitress takes back your menus before she leaves. "So," he says pointedly, "I got to know all about you. It's only fair I offer you the same courtesy out of the //kindness// in my heart." [[How is he so handsome?]] <<set $mettatonq1 = 0>> [[What made him want to be an idol?]] <<set $mettatonq2 = 0>> [[What's his favorite show?]] <<set $mettatonq3 = 0>> [[What does he do in his spare time?]]<<set $mettatonq4 = 0>> [[What is his favorite spot in the underground?]]<<set $mettatonq5 = 0>>

"Oh you've noticed?" Mettaton teases. "This body was designed by myself, but lovingly built by my dear friend Alphy. Of course I've added some additions here and there." //This?//<<set $mettatonq1 = 1>> "Tha-a-a-t's right," he says proudly. <<if $drinkchoice eq "Legendary Hero">> "That drink you ordered--the //Legendary Hero//--was modeled after my previous body." Oh! You're even more excited for the drink now. "As you should be," he says with a wink. <<elseif $drinkchoice eq "Razzle Dazzle">> "That drink you ordered--the //Razzle Dazzle//--is modeled after this body. They made it the day I shed my old one." What happened to your old one? "The last human I met wasn't as sweet as you." He winks. "Or as cute." Your cheeks feel warm as you smile. <</if>> <<if $mettatonq2 eq 0>> [[What made him want to be an idol?]] <</if>><<if $mettatonq3 eq 0>> [[What's his favorite show?]] <<set $mettatonq3 = 0>> <</if>><<if $mettatonq4 eq 0>> [[What does he do in his spare time?]] <</if>><<if $mettatonq5 eq 0>> [[What is his favorite spot in the underground?]] <</if>> [[Your drinks have arrived.]]

"Isn't it obvious?" he asks. "Wouldn't you want to be an idol?"<<set $mettatonq2 = 1>> [[Yes.|Yes to an idol.]] [[No.|No to an idol.]]

"My cooking show," he says. "It was my first one." Does he have a favorite recipe? "Mmm. . . Lava cookies. Spicy chocolate with a gooey, fudgy center." Yum. <<if $mettatonq1 eq 0>> [[How is he so handsome?]] <</if>><<if $mettatonq2 eq 0>> [[What made him want to be an idol?]] <</if>><<if $mettatonq4 eq 0>> [[What does he do in his spare time?]] <</if>><<if $mettatonq5 eq 0>> [[What is his favorite spot in the underground?]] <</if>> [[Your drinks have arrived.]]

"Everything, darling," he says, entirely serious. "Anything and everything I can do here. I want to experience all there is to offer, and //more.//"<<set $mettatonq4 = 1>> Any particular experience stand out to him? He props his chin on the palm of his hand, leaning forward on the table. He slyly smiles at you. "This one." o h. <<if $mettatonq1 eq 0>> [[How is he so handsome?]] <</if>><<if $mettatonq2 eq 0>> [[What made him want to be an idol?]] <</if>><<if $mettatonq3 eq 0>> [[What's his favorite show?]] <</if>><<if $mettatonq5 eq 0>> [[What is his favorite spot in the underground?]] <</if>> [[Your drinks have arrived.]]

He laughs. "Oh! You won't be able to guess this one." <<set $mettatonq5 = 1>> Oh? "Try though," he says. [[Snowdin!]] [[Snowdin's forest!]] [[The flower field!]] [[The waterfall!]] [[Hotlands!]] [[The city!]]

<<if $drinkchoice eq "Razzle Dazzle">>The waitress sets down your drinks. The //Razzle Dazzle// comes in a long, thin glass. The drink inside is a gradient of hot pink, red, and yellow with an iridescent sheen like oil. There are so many sticks of sparklers sticking out of the top of the drink it's more than a fire hazard, it's an outright crime against firefighters. <<set $mettaton +=1>> You have to squint to look at it. "Amazed by it?" Mettaton coos. You nod, as it is certainly that. He beams. "Go on then. Have a taste of a showstopper drink." It takes you several seconds to find a metal straw amongst the sparklers. It is only just barely long enough to let you take a drink without shoving your face into the fireworks. You take a drink through the metal straw. You immediately taste raw, polluted oil. [[Your face reflexively scrunches in disgust.]] [[You force a smile (grimace) and make a noise as if you actually enjoy it.]] <<elseif $drinkchoice eq "Screwdriver">> <<elseif $drinkchoice eq "Legendary Hero">>The waitress sets down your drinks. <<set $mettaton +=1>> The //Legendary Hero// is a unique shaped drink. The mug is glass, and shaped into that of a square box, with a single stand in the center. It has arms bent on the side. The drink inside is a cool steel gray with red, orange, and yellow square candies inside. It sparkles in the light--glitter seems to be mixed into the drink. You //assume// edible glitter, of course. You stare at the drink for a few seconds, until you realize you've seen the image before. It's in shape of that statue at the fountain when you first entered the city! How neat! "Recognize it?" Mettaton asks, catching that look in your eyes. You nod. "Amazed by it?" You fervently nod. He beams. "Go on then. Have a taste of a showstopper drink." You take a drink through the glowstick-esque straw. You immediately taste hard, sterile metal. [[Your face reflexively scrunches in disgust.]] [[You force a smile (grimace) and make a noise as if you actually enjoy it.]]<<elseif $drinkchoice eq "Molotov">>The waitress brings out your drinks. . . . You weren't sure what you were expecting, honestly. It is indeed a Molotov. They have brought you a glass bottle filled with alcohol--it smells like rubbing alcohol--stuck a rag inside of it, and lit the rag on fire. "Do be sure to drink it before it explodes. Shards are always such a pain to get out of my crevices," Mettaton casually says. . . . You take the rag out and use your menu to smack the fire out. "That works too," he says with a smile. "Do try the cocktail." Reluctantly, you raise it up to your lips. It smells so strongly of nail polish remover your nose is burning. You take a tiny sip. It burns your tongue and throat. That is pure, unfiltered, rubbing alochol. [[Your face reflexively scrunches in disgust.]] [[You force a smile (grimace) and make a noise as if you actually enjoy it.]]<<elseif $drinkchoice eq "Bottoms Up">> The waitress brings out your drinks. . . . You weren't sure what you were expecting, honestly. And this is such a pleasant surprise. The waitress brings out a tall, thin glass with a primarily golden-yellow liquid. It has a faint gradient to the bottom. There's some kind of dark cherry wedged onto the side, and at the top of the drink is a scoop of ice cream. It looks delicious. "A popular choice," says Mettaton as he enjoys his own drink. You take a sip. Mm. Sweet, but not too sweet. Reminds you of a pineapple upside cake, but with enough tanginess to it that the sweetness doesn't overpower everything. Refreshing! [[You and Mettaton enjoy your drinks.]]<<elseif $drinkchoice eq "Dastardly Duo">>The waitress brings you your drinks. She places two glasses in front of you. They are nearly identical. Both of them are a glass mug with a dark, creamy liquid filled three-fourths of the way. Atop that is a lighter creamy liquid, and over that is some kind of marshmallow fluff. There's two sticks of chocolates in each mug. The waitress looks to you expectantly. "Pick which one, darling," says Mettaton. [[Pick the left drink.]] [[Pick the right drink.]]<<elseif $drinkchoice eq "water">>The waitress brings you your drinks. Ah. A glass of water. You take a gulp. Truly, refreshing. "Surprisingly dull for someone who's had your day," Mettaton remarks. Dull can be good. "Mm," is his only response. [[You and Mettaton enjoy your drinks.]]<</if>>

"And why is that?" Mettaton presses. [[You want the fame.]] [[You want the money.]] [[You love the attention.]] [[You want the power.]] [[You want the experience.]]

"What? Why?" Mettaton stares at you in surprise. [[You don't want to be in a position of power.]] [[You don't like too much attention.]] [[Fame terrifies you.]] [[You don't want the responsibility.]] [[The workload intimidates you.]] [[There's some things in life you can only experience by being ordinary.]]

"That's as good a reason as any," he says. Is it his? "No. I thought it obvious, but I see I gave you too much credit," he teases. <<if $mettatonq2 eq 0>> [[What made him want to be an idol?]] <</if>><<if $mettatonq3 eq 0>> [[What's his favorite show?]] <<set $mettatonq3 = 0>> <</if>><<if $mettatonq4 eq 0>> [[What does he do in his spare time?]] <</if>><<if $mettatonq5 eq 0>> [[What is his favorite spot in the underground?]] <</if>> [[Your drinks have arrived.]]

"Exactly, darling," he says. "There's some things in life you can only experience when you're in the right position to do so."<<set $mettaton +=1>> You nod in agreement. "See? Wasn't that obvious?" Mettaton teases. You sheepishly smile. <<if $mettatonq2 eq 0>> [[What made him want to be an idol?]] <</if>><<if $mettatonq3 eq 0>> [[What's his favorite show?]] <<set $mettatonq3 = 0>> <</if>><<if $mettatonq4 eq 0>> [[What does he do in his spare time?]] <</if>><<if $mettatonq5 eq 0>> [[What is his favorite spot in the underground?]] <</if>> [[Your drinks have arrived.]]

"It's good you know that about yourself," he says patronizingly. . . . <<if $mettatonq2 eq 0>> [[What made him want to be an idol?]] <</if>><<if $mettatonq3 eq 0>> [[What's his favorite show?]] <<set $mettatonq3 = 0>> <</if>><<if $mettatonq4 eq 0>> [[What does he do in his spare time?]] <</if>><<if $mettatonq5 eq 0>> [[What is his favorite spot in the underground?]] <</if>> [[Your drinks have arrived.]]

<<set $mettaton +=1>> Mettaton sits back at that, blinking at you. ". . .What? What do you mean?" An idol can't sit quietly in a café and enjoy a cup of coffee without interruption or someone staring at them. "Well," Mettaton says haltingly. An idol can't go offline for days or weeks at a time without facing severe consequences. "Okay, well--" An idol can't spontaneously do //anything// without worrying about their reputation or repercussion from fans. "//Well--!//" An idol can't live a quiet life. Mettaton sighs. Loudly. "All right, you got me there." You smile. "Don't be smug," Mettaton teases. <<if $mettatonq2 eq 0>> [[What made him want to be an idol?]] <</if>><<if $mettatonq3 eq 0>> [[What's his favorite show?]] <<set $mettatonq3 = 0>> <</if>><<if $mettatonq4 eq 0>> [[What does he do in his spare time?]] <</if>><<if $mettatonq5 eq 0>> [[What is his favorite spot in the underground?]] <</if>> [[Your drinks have arrived.]]

"With the hicks? Absolutely not." Aw. He laughs. "It's all right, darling. It's a surprise to everyone who finds out." Where is it, then? "Alphys' lab," he says. . . . Oh. "Surprising, isn't it?" Mettaton chuckles, glancing away in as memories come to him. "But I spent many, many years with her designing the perfect body. I wasn't happy with the one I was born with, and she took it upon herself to help me with that. I can't forget that kindness--not in a place like this--and after enough time it's become something of a second home to me. She might have more screws loose than I do, but she's got the best intentions for our people." That's so sweet. "Indeed," he agrees. "Besides, every time I pop in for a visit she's got something marvelous to show me. It's never dull there!" <<if $mettatonq1 eq 0>> [[How is he so handsome?]] <</if>><<if $mettatonq2 eq 0>> [[What made him want to be an idol?]] <</if>><<if $mettatonq4 eq 0>> [[What does he do in his spare time?]] <</if>><<if $mettatonq5 eq 0>> [[What is his favorite spot in the underground?]] <</if>> [[Your drinks have arrived.]]

"A beautiful choice, but no." Aw. He laughs. "It's all right, darling. It's a surprise to everyone who finds out." Where is it, then? "Alphys' lab," he says. . . . Oh. "Surprising, isn't it?" Mettaton chuckles, glancing away in as memories come to him. "But I spent many, many years with her designing the perfect body. I wasn't happy with the one I was born with, and she took it upon herself to help me with that. I can't forget that kindness--not in a place like this--and after enough time it's become something of a second home to me. She might have more screws loose than I do, but she's got the best intentions for our people." That's so sweet. "Indeed," he agrees. "Besides, every time I pop in for a visit she's got something marvelous to show me. It's never dull there!" <<if $mettatonq1 eq 0>> [[How is he so handsome?]] <</if>><<if $mettatonq2 eq 0>> [[What made him want to be an idol?]] <</if>><<if $mettatonq4 eq 0>> [[What does he do in his spare time?]] <</if>><<if $mettatonq5 eq 0>> [[What is his favorite spot in the underground?]] <</if>> [[Your drinks have arrived.]]

"Close, but no." Aw. He laughs. "It's all right, darling. It's a surprise to everyone who finds out." Where is it, then? "Alphys' lab," he says. . . . Oh. "Surprising, isn't it?" Mettaton chuckles, glancing away in as memories come to him. "But I spent many, many years with her designing the perfect body. I wasn't happy with the one I was born with, and she took it upon herself to help me with that. I can't forget that kindness--not in a place like this--and after enough time it's become something of a second home to me. She might have more screws loose than I do, but she's got the best intentions for our people." That's so sweet. "Indeed," he agrees. "Besides, every time I pop in for a visit she's got something marvelous to show me. It's never dull there!" <<if $mettatonq1 eq 0>> [[How is he so handsome?]] <</if>><<if $mettatonq2 eq 0>> [[What made him want to be an idol?]] <</if>><<if $mettatonq4 eq 0>> [[What does he do in his spare time?]] <</if>><<if $mettatonq5 eq 0>> [[What is his favorite spot in the underground?]] <</if>> [[Your drinks have arrived.]]

"A fan favorite guess, but no." Aw. He laughs. "It's all right, darling. It's a surprise to everyone who finds out." Where is it, then? "Alphys' lab," he says. . . . Oh. "Surprising, isn't it?" Mettaton chuckles, glancing away in as memories come to him. "But I spent many, many years with her designing the perfect body. I wasn't happy with the one I was born with, and she took it upon herself to help me with that. I can't forget that kindness--not in a place like this--and after enough time it's become something of a second home to me. She might have more screws loose than I do, but she's got the best intentions for our people." That's so sweet. "Indeed," he agrees. "Besides, every time I pop in for a visit she's got something marvelous to show me. It's never dull there!" <<if $mettatonq1 eq 0>> [[How is he so handsome?]] <</if>><<if $mettatonq2 eq 0>> [[What made him want to be an idol?]] <</if>><<if $mettatonq4 eq 0>> [[What does he do in his spare time?]] <</if>><<if $mettatonq5 eq 0>> [[What is his favorite spot in the underground?]] <</if>> [[Your drinks have arrived.]]

Mettaton bursts out into laughter. "Oh darling! You're too honest!" <<set $mettaton +=1>> You grimace. "You don't have to finish it," he laughs. "These drinks are made for monsters, not humans. Specifically, the kind of monsters who dare each other into absurd situations to prove their //toughness//." Mettaton rolls his eyes at the word //toughness.// "There's hardly any good drink on the menu." You gesture to his drink. "Oh you wouldn't like this," he says. "But it //is// made after me so I feel obligated to get it every time." He takes a sip. "Ah. Yes. Revolting as always." You laugh. [[A ding goes off.]]

"Oh honey," says Mettaton in a tone that's laced with pity. "You have a terrible poker face." . . . You wince. [[A ding goes off.]]

With your drinks finished, Mettaton gives you a wink. "Not a bad spot, hmm?" Not a bad spot, indeed! Mettaton escorts you out of the restaurant. "I hope it will make for a lasting memory, darling." Of course! He winks at you. “Break a leg, darling. Stay safe.” [[Yes. You’ll stay safe!]]

You pick the left drink. The waitress takes back the other drink. Mettaton toasts his drink to you. "Enjoy, sweetie. Hope you made the right choice." You hope so too. You take a sip of the drink on the left. At once you taste warm, thick hot chocolate with marshmallows. There's a slightly bitter note that cuts through the sweet milky goodness, keeping it from being too overpowered by its richness. Mmm. "Your smile says it all. Congratulations," Mettaton chuckles. [[You and Mettaton enjoy your drinks.]]

You pick the right drink. The waitress takes back the other drink. Mettaton toasts his drink to you. "Enjoy, sweetie. Hope you made the right choice." You hope so too. You take a sip of the drink on the right. You take a tiny sip. It's cold and so bitter it dries out your mouth immediately. [[Your face reflexively scrunches in disgust.]] [[You force a smile (grimace) and make a noise as if you actually enjoy it.]]

Mettaton glances at his wrist. You notice a panel has slid back on his wrist to reveal tiny screen. "Lunch break is over, darling," he says. <<set $snowflake = 0>> Oh. <<if $mettaton eq 8>> "But I can spare a few more minutes with you," he says. "There's something I want you to have." You hold up your hands in a gesture to say that it's not necessary, but Mettaton waves you off. He all four of his hands together. "Someone was bold as you deserves better than that tattered sweater, but tragically we don't have time for a proper shopping trip." He pulls three of his hands back to reveal a single pin in the palm of his hand. It's shaped like a broken heart--exactly like his belt. "I always keep a few on me," he explains to you as he carefully pins it against the collar of your sweater. "I know it's not enough to compensate for," he gestures to your dishevelled state, "but at least. . ." His smile twists to one side. ". . . something to remember me by." You tell Mettaton you could never forget him. . . . . . . ? His flawless smile strains to keep its shape; a moment of strange wistfulness. The moment ends as he stands up. He places a chaste kiss on your cheek--the static tingles. <</if>> "Ta-ta for now darling," he says as he prepares to leave. "Stay safe, won't you?" [[Yes. You’ll stay safe!]]

This is for testing. <<set $name = "Reneé">>Reneé <<set $gender eq "woman">>woman <<set $Curse = "Biscuits">>Biscuits <<set $alphyssaved = 1>> 1 <<set $helpedwing = 1>>1 <<set $friskhaschain = 1>>1 <<set $soulcolor = "green">> 1 <<set $mettaton = 0>> <<set $mettatonshy = 0>> <<set $mettaotonbold = 0>> <<set $snowflake = 0>> [[The Core entrance is pleasantly cool.]]