Just Cause
An Undertale Fanfiction
Chapter 16: Welcome to the Show
Table of Contents:
Chapter 1: Looking For a Bad Time
Chapter 2: What The Killer Gave Up
Chapter 3: A Dangerous Path
Chapter 4: Fatal Mistakes
Chapter 5: Surrendered Memories
Chapter 6: Revenge?
Chapter 7: The Person I Was
Chapter 8: Leaving Hope Behind
Chapter 9: Seeking the Source
Chapter 10: Uncertain Friendship
Chapter 11: Dating WTF?!
Chapter 12: I Don't Know How to Feel
Chapter 13: Mutual Protection
Chapter 14: Spear of Torment
Chapter 15: Saved by Fire
Chapter 16: Welcome to the Show (You are here)
Chapter 17: Nostalgia
Chapter 18: The Only Two I Thought I Had
Chapter 1: Looking For a Bad Time
Chapter 2: What The Killer Gave Up
Chapter 3: A Dangerous Path
Chapter 4: Fatal Mistakes
Chapter 5: Surrendered Memories
Chapter 6: Revenge?
Chapter 7: The Person I Was
Chapter 8: Leaving Hope Behind
Chapter 9: Seeking the Source
Chapter 10: Uncertain Friendship
Chapter 11: Dating WTF?!
Chapter 12: I Don't Know How to Feel
Chapter 13: Mutual Protection
Chapter 14: Spear of Torment
Chapter 15: Saved by Fire
Chapter 16: Welcome to the Show (You are here)
Chapter 17: Nostalgia
Chapter 18: The Only Two I Thought I Had
If there was one thing to be thankful for in this strange, traumatic day, it was that most of the Royal Guard didn’t seem to know what the humans they were searching for looked like.
The two armor-clad figures that blocked the path to the left made no move to approach them, and upon finding that the door to the giant building straight ahead was unlocked, Frisk was more than content to take that route and avoid getting close enough to be more easily identified.
The hiss of the door closing behind them drained a bit of the tension from their shoulders, even as the front of their body tensed up. There was no sound of inquisitive guards approaching the building, and it seemed that their back was safe for the moment, but there was no telling what could be lying in wait ahead of them.
A faint, rattling mechanical purr hovered in the air, and as they waited for their eyes to adjust to the dark, Frisk wondered if the sound came from the escalator that descended from some unknown higher floor, or from the giant monitor that dominated the room with an image of… Is that ME?
The sight brought the child to a halt, and their head angled from side to side, watching with a quizzical frown as the screen imitated their movements. Has someone been spying on me this whole time? Or is it just while I’m in here?
OH NO. Horror jolted through them, and they hastily bolted to the side of the monitor, only to find that their face seemed to linger on the screen no matter how far they went. It’s a security camera! Their guards know where I am!
Wait…
They already know where I am. The guards outside saw me. They just don’t know what I am.
I hope the camera person doesn’t know what I am eith-EEEEE!
A sudden, ominous hiss heralded the opening of a door ahead and to their left, and Frisk shrank back slightly, watching apprehensively as a pale figure emerged and started padding toward the wall on their right.
I don’t think it’s seen me; maybe it’ll go upstairs or – OR TURN ON THE LIGHT OH CRAP!
Sudden brilliance flared through the room, leaving the human and the source of their fear blinking owlishly, and it was only after the blur of white and yellow had taken several steps toward them that it seemed to notice their presence.
There were many things Frisk had been expecting. Murder. Torture. A call for security or the Royal Guard to burst through the door and haul them away. A demand for them to leave the building – preferably via the back door – if they were exceptionally lucky.
For their could-have-been opponent to throw her hands up with a horrified gasp of “Oh. My god” had not been on the list.
Neither had the way the reptilian monster began to frantically tap her feet, turning repeatedly from Frisk to the direction from which she had come and back, as if she couldn’t decide whether to confront them or flee.
I guess she’s as scared of me as I am of her. At least, she sounds like a she?
Hopefully this means she won’t attack me.
“I didn’t expect you to show up so soon!” the monster suddenly exclaimed, and Frisk’s mind jerked to a halt for several seconds before stuttering back into motion.
She was expecting me? I guess so; she was watching me. But why is she upset about me showing up too soon? Are her puzzles or attacks not ready? Is that why she’s scared?
Maybe I can escape before she gets them ready or calls the Royal Guard. I hope.
~*~*~*~
Omg, I can’t believe this!!!
For years, Alphys had adored nearly all things human. Their comics. Their culture. Their animated stories, particularly the Japanese ones.
True, the barrier was a blight on her people’s existence, but despite humans’ long history of atrocities, she’d always felt there was much to be admired about this strange, dangerous, creative species.
And then, that morning, one had appeared in the Underground. Passing by her cameras. Befriending her friends and their siblings. Having fascinating battles, and showing mercy to so many people who gave them reason to fight back.
Having an adventure that was so much more noble and exciting than her own embarrassment of a life – an adventure she longed to be a part of.
And now, here they were, standing in her home, staring at her nervously, and she… Oh, NO. “I haven’t showered,” she stammered, her face heating as her brain chose that moment to remind her of every source of embarrassment it could dig up. “I’m barely dressed, it’s all messy, and…” Why didn’t I think to get ready sooner? I could see them coming – stupid, stupid…
The small human relaxed slightly, a hint of confusion and sympathy watering down their fear. “Um, it’s okay; I mean, I, uh… I’m not your boss. Or your dad. And I’m not gonna get mad about the dirty dishes.
Their eyes darted up and down her body, and they seemed to gain momentum. “And, um, you look like you’re mostly dressed to me. I mean, you’re dressed more than any other lizards I’ve seen, though those ones weren’t monster lizards, so maybe that’s different? But a lot of other monsters are naked, so you’re dressed more than a lot of monsters, and it looks like your privates are covered, unless… oh.”
They turned away hastily, in a way that made Alphys wonder if her lab coat had suddenly vanished and left her standing there naked. A high, panicked “W-what?!” tumbled out of her mouth as she glanced down at herself, and the child seemed torn between making eye contact and keeping their gaze averted.
“Is your tail private?” they asked. “I don’t know anything about monster private parts. If tails are private, I can wait until it’s covered up.”
“O-oh!” Relief flooded through Alphys’ chest and back, washing a way a bit of the tension that had frozen her spine. “N-no, it- that’s fine, my tail isn’t private, haha…”
They’re a lot more naive than I thought they would be. It’s kind of cute. Though, I guess they have no reason to know much about monsters. “Um, anyway,” she continued as the child turned toward her, “I’m Dr. Alphys. I’m Asgore’s royal scientist!”
Oh, no, that was the worst way to introduce myself! Now they look like they’re scared of me! Uh…
“B-b-but, ahhhh, I’m not one of the ‘bad guys!’”
Oh no, now they just look confused. I hope I can explain without making myself sound like a creepy stalker and scaring them again.
“Actually, since you stepped out of the Ruins, I’ve, um… been ‘observing’ your journey through my console. Your fights… your friendships… everything!”
The instant the words left her mouth, the image of a glitter-covered trash can named Alphys appeared in her mind. Ugh, no, I just told myself NOT to sound like a stalker! Um, quick, say something reassuring…
“I was originally going to stop you, but… watching someone on a screen really makes you root for them.”
“It does?” The child’s fear was slowly giving way to confusion, and much to Alphys’ relief, their face and voice began to lighten with a faint flicker of hope.
This is good. I mean, I made them feel hopeful, so that’s a good thing, right? If I don’t screw up, they won’t get hurt, and they’ll know someone wanted to help them, so they won’t feel as alone. And that’s a good thing, right?
I just need to avoid screwing up. “W-well, it does f-for me, at least. S-so, ahhh, now I want to help you!”
That encouraging spark of hope grew, along with the confusion and a jolt of surprise. “You do?” And then that visible uncertainty returned, dousing the small human’s hope beneath a wave of doubt and concern. “Are you sure you want to do that? I mean, won’t King Asgore get mad at you?”
Alphys’ heart backflipped. They’re really that worried about me? That’s so CUTE! Granted, they don’t know anything about me, which is probably why they care, but – Alphys, hurry up and answer the question!
“W-well, he… I don’t know if he’d be happy about it, but he w-won’t hurt me or anything, so d-don’t worry about that, haha…”
Actually, I might be doing him a favor, maybe even saving his life! I mean, I’m sure he doesn’t want to kill the human, and if they got past Undyne, the human might be strong enough to kill him. So if I can convince them not to try to fight him and leave, I might just save one or both of them!
Yes, this is definitely a good idea.
“Anyway,” she continued, her voice steadying into a satisfying semblance of confidence, “using my knowledge, I can easily guide you through Hotland! I know a way right to Asgore’s castle, no problem!” Wait, why are they looking at me like that?
In the course of two sentences, the child’s face had gone from nervously delighted to intensely anxious. “Uh, is… is something wrong?” the scientist asked, and the child glanced away and fidgeted, as if her offer frightened them somehow but they were afraid of offending her by seeming ungrateful.
“There, um… I don’t know?” they stammered. “I mean…”
Their eyes rose hastily to meet hers, and the words tumbled out with the anxious speed of someone who feared the consequences their explanation, and hoped to get the whole thing out before part of it could make her angry. “I appreciate you helping me, and I’m sure you’ll be very good at it, but is there a way I can get out of here other than through the castle?
“I mean, if King Asgore wants me dead, and no human has ever gotten past him, and he probably lives in the castle, don’t I need to find a way around him so we don’t fight? Or is there a back door or side door I can go in so he won’t notice I’m there?”
“W-well…” Shoot, they weren’t supposed to ask that question! If my plan works, they won’t even go to the castle, but I can’t tell them that, so… “I-I’m sure I can figure something out before you get there. So d-don’t worry! With me helping you, there should be no problem!”
Wait, I can’t say that! There’s a problem scheduled to happen a few seconds from now! Gotta fix it, gotta fix it… “Well, actually, umm… there’s just a tiny issue.”
The child’s nervous fidgeting, which had briefly abated during her attempt to reassure them, returned in full force. “Um… how tiny?”
“W-well… a long time ago, I made a robot named Mettaton. Originally, I built him to be an entertainment robot. Uh, you know, like a robotic TV star or something. Anyway, recently I decided to make him more useful. You know, just some small practical adjustments. Like, um… Anti… anti-human combat features.”
She’d never seen a face go from fascinated to frightened that fast. The sight sent an all-to-familiar flood of guilt surging up from her gut and pooling in her chest and throat, and she began to talk faster, hoping to erase some of the fear from the human’s face.
“Of c-course, when I saw you coming, I immediately decided… I have to remove those features! Unfortunately, I may have made a teensy mistake while doing so. And, um… now he’s an unstoppable killing machine with a thirst for human blood?”
Well, that just made it worse. Now their face had gone from slightly relieved to frantically terrified, and they were glancing from the door behind her to the entrance from which they’d come to her basement elevator and back, as if trying to decide which one to bolt to and whether it would be rude to do so.
An awkward, nervous giggle stumbled free from Alphys’ constricting chest, and her stomach tightened with guilt as she fumbled her way through an attempt at reassurance that she knew was hollow. “But, ummm, hopefully we won’t run into him!”
OK, Mettaton, hurry up and-
CLANG.
~*~*~*~
Aaand, that’s my cue. At least she remembered that much of the script she wrote.
As Mettaton slammed his wheel against the ground, jolting the lab slightly with the weight of his robotic body, he reflected on the conversation he’d just eavesdropped on from his hiding place in the wall.
As usual, the human had sounded young, uncertain, and concerned about the monster in front of them. It was a pity Alphys had been so adamant about silly charade; his unwilling costar seemed a bit underage for the role she’d scripted for them, and he’d always envisioned a more authentic performance for his first meeting with a human.
The second impact of his wheel on the ground prompted a nearly convincing “Did you hear something?” from Alphys, and Mettaton inwardly shook his head.
This was going to be a sad vanity performance by the royal scientist, but she’d promised that if he played his role, she would prioritize finishing his new body. That glamorous, handsome, human-like form that would enable him to truly feel like himself for the first time in his life.
That makeover would be more than worth a few bad episodes in his show. And preventing the genocide that would no doubt ensue if the weak wanderer reached Asgore was worth even more than that, if Alphys’ untrained acting skills could pull it off.
Sure, the human would probably get hurt, but that was just show business.
A series of rapid impacts was followed by a slightly more convincing “Oh no,” and as he prepared to lunge through the wall, Mettaton reflexively fell into the familiar showman persona that had come to feel just as real as his everyday interactions.
At least one of the participants in this charade had to be a decent actor.
An intense light flared from his screen display as he burst through the wall, simultaneously transmitting a signal to the building’s light system. As the glare from his body faded, the room was temporarily plunged into blackness, and he had to speak loudly to drown out the human’s startled, terrified cry.
“Ohhhh yes! Welcome, beauties…”
Now for a spotlight on me, just as it ought to be… “…to today’s quiz show!!!”
The sudden blare of his show’s opening music made the child jolt violently, and as he slowly turned the lights back up to full brightness, Mettaton noted the tremor in the small human’s hands.
Splendid. At least one of his costars could provide some authentic, audience-riveting emotion for this ridiculous farce. Just as long as they didn’t wet themselves; he did try to avoid the toilet humor one of his hotel’s comedians occasionally stooped to.
Confetti and disco lights rained from the ceiling, leaving the victim of his upcoming performance blinking in sudden confusion as he gave an amiable wave. “Oh boy! I can already tell it’s gonna be a great show! Everyone give a big hand for our wonderful contestant!”
The human glanced at Alphys, as if silently asking which of them he was referring to, and Mettaton made a point of facing them more squarely as he continued. “Never played before, gorgeous? No problem! It’s simple!”
The child was looking hopeful now, and Mettaton basked in the effectiveness of his compliments and reassurance.
There truly was no better feeling than the ability to invoke any emotion he chose whenever he wanted to, and to know that his performance was stirring the hearts of his audience and costars in exactly the way he wished it to. “There’s only one rule.”
And now to turn that hope spot into a terrifying plot twist… “Answer correctly… Or you die!!!”
As anticipated, the flicker of hope was instantly drowned by fear, and the human glanced toward the back door as if they were thinking about bolting through it.
On the one hand, that would certainly be more interesting than what Alphys had planned. On the other, he didn’t have a script prepared for a chase scene, and he didn’t want to endanger his chance to get his new body before the season finale.
The battle box’s restraining glow raced around the human, blocking their escape, and Mettaton wondered if his audience would appreciate the irony of a human being trapped in a magic barrier by a monster.
If nothing else, it would work as a ‘genius bonus’ in his next Mettaton Moments quiz.
This time, his assurance that they’d start with an easy question did nothing to encourage his contestant. As he scooted to the side of the room, their eyes followed him with terrified fixation, and they gave no sign of looking toward Alphys.
It looks like her plans to help them with this quiz are about to bomb. That’s what happens when you bring in a guest star without giving them a script.
Pulling up his first flash card, Mettaton waggled a finger in the air and announced, “Let’s start with an easy one!! What’s the prize for answering correctly?”
Unsurprisingly, their eyes skimmed quickly past the “money” and “new car” options. Alphys’ urgent attempts to form a “D” with her hands went unnoticed, and Mettaton suspected that the same could be said of the corresponding “more questions” answer.
The child was naively, desperately quick to chose the “mercy” option, and the reward for their optimism was a crowing “HAHAHA, YOU WISH! WRONG!”, along with a torrent of electricity.
His victim spasmed with a shriek of panicked agony, and as he half-killed the human in one hit, Alphys’ hands clamped tightly over her mouth.
As if this wasn’t all her fault. And as if she didn’t plan to let this cruel charade continue.
This is the script you wrote, darling. If you didn’t want your protagonist to suffer, you should have been a better costar.
~*~*~*~
For a few encouraging, delusional seconds, Frisk had started to think Alphys’ claims about Mettaton’s violence were exaggerated. The charismatic fountain of compliments hadn’t seemed anything like an unstoppable killing machine with a thirst for human blood.
Now, as a searing surge of electricity tore half of their HP out of their soul in a single merciless strike, Frisk’s optimism left their body along with an agonized scream. The pain faded but didn’t fully leave, and their chest heaved as they stared at the damaged heart shape in horror. He half killed me… that was half of my health in just one hit… if I get one more wrong, I… I…
I’ll come back to life outside the lab, and next time maybe I’ll get it right.
The robot’s voice blurred back into focus, and they braced their legs wide, listening carefully as he asked the second question: “What’s the king’s full name?”
That’s easy enough. But I’d better look at all the answers this time, just to be sure.
To their relief, there was only one answer that looked right, though they wouldn’t be surprised if the rest of them were nicknames that this strange dichotomy of a ruler had accumulated.
Mettaton’s cheerful reply of “Correct! What a terrific answer!” sent a surge of relief through them, and their spirits rose further as he offered another easy question.
If the rest of the questions are as obvious as that one… then… WHAT.
“Two trains, Train A and Train B, simultaneously depart Station A and Station B. Station A and Station B are 252.5 miles apart from each other. Train A is moving at 124.7 miles per hour towards Station B, and Train B is moving at 253.5 miles per hour towards Station A. If both trains departed at 10:00 AM and it is now 10:08, how much longer until both trains pass each other?”
“Uhhhh…” Their uncertain filler noise climbed in pitch until it became a semi-panicked whine, and their eyes darted wildly among the options, struggling to filter the plausible from the implausible.
I have no idea how to calculate this! I can’t do math in my head! If Dash was here, he… Dash… NO, no, don’t think about him, I can’t start crying now! If I do, my eyes will get blurry and – AAAH, fifteen seconds, it’s counting down faster than seconds! That’s not fair!
If I was a scientist or something, maybe I could do math this fast, but I’m just a… ALPHYS!
Their panicked inner rambling suddenly crystallized into a name, and their face snapped toward the royal scientist, silently pleading with her.
Her anxious eyes locked with theirs, then jolted downward. Then she resumed eye contact, then glanced down again, and Frisk followed her stare. She’s moving her hands weird? The shape kind of looks like- “D!”
The countdown stopped at an ominous two, and confetti rained from the ceiling as Mettaton put a incredulous hand to his head and Alphys’ hand sign turned into an encouraging thumbs up. Even as the robot warned them not to count on their victory, hopeful confidence rose in their soul, mingling with gratitude and relief.
She’s signing again. I can’t count the flies in the jar, but- “A?”- oh, good, she was right.
It looks like if I just keep following her signals, it’s going to be all right.
Maybe there are grownups I can trust, after all.
~*~*~*~
As seemed to be the case with almost everything in the Underground, the show had been weirder than they’d ever thought possible.
Aside from that first brutal jolt, Mettaton hadn’t attacked them, which seemed strange for a robot who was supposed to be driven by unstoppable bloodlust. Granted, some of his questions had been obvious attempts to cheat, and they’d nearly been tempted into ignoring Alphys’ signals in favor of choosing obvious answers, but it seemed even killer robots had their own sets of rules, and as long as Frisk answered the questions correctly, they’d been safe.
Alphys, on the other hand…
“Well, that was certainly something.”
…seemed to be coping surprisingly well, despite the way Mettaton had humiliated her when Frisk admitted to not knowing who she had a crush on.
The child padded toward her, their mouth opening to ask if she was all right. But before they could speak, the lizard’s nervous voice preempted their question. “Th-that last question… He wasn’t s-supposed to ask that one.”
“Huh?” Frisk blinked, taken aback by the unexpected confession. “You mean he was supposed to ask the other ones?”
Terror avalanched across the scientist’s face, and for a moment, she stood frozen as small, uncertain vowel noises sputtered from behind a smile that suddenly looked fake. The sight sent a trickle of doubt creeping through Frisk’s mind, a muddy intrusion in the once-clear waters of this fledgling friendship.
“Well, not right now!” Alphys’ voice suddenly exploded from her mouth, her words tripping over each other in their haste to get out. “I-I mean, he- he was supposed to ask those questions to another c-contestant, someone who isn’t you, in a show I scripted before the programming accident, but after the a-accident, I guess he just… uh, kept that programming, and decided to use it on you?”
Her voice trailed off in a nervous giggle, and the murky trickle of doubt wound its way deeper into the pool. “I… I guess.” I guess that sounds plausible, but she doesn’t sound convinced.
“Y-yeah, that has to be what happened – I mean, there’s no reason f-for me to want him to give those questions to you, haha…” Alphys was smiling again, but this one looked almost as forced as the one that had preceded it. “A-anyway, in case he comes back, let me give you my ph-phone number.”
A small blush crossed her nervous face, and her smile began to seem a little more authentic. “Th-then, maybe… if you need help, I could…”
Surprise jolted through the child, and warm spring of hope bubbled to life, pushing back the tendrils of suspicion. “You… want to keep helping me?”
“O-of course! I said I wanted to, didn’t I? I mean, I’ve been helping you so far, right?”
“Yeah, I… OH!” Two wires suddenly connected in Frisk’s mind, and their eyes widened. “The puzzle in Snowdin! The tile one you gave Papyrus! Did you make it easy on purpose?”
“Y-you noticed? I mean, you remembered?” Delight gleamed in Alphys’ eyes, spilling all over her face, and the overflow trickled into Frisk.
She looks really happy.
I made her happy.
She’s happy because she helped me.
“Y-yes, that… that was me. You were looking nervous, so I thought I’d help you out a b-bit.”
“Thanks!” The warmth in their chest rose to burn the backs of their eyes, and with an effort, Frisk forced it down. “I- I was starting to get scared, because the puzzle sounded really hard. Thanks for saving me from the electricity and piranhas.”
Alphys’ eyes grew even brighter. “Y-you’re welcome! Anytime you need help again, just give me a c- oh, right, I haven’t given you my number yet. Here, can I s-see your phone for a second?”
“Okay.” The child handed over the device, then frowned as they watched Alphys’ face. “Um… is something wrong?” She looks weirded out by my phone.
“Wh… where’d you get that phone!? It’s ANCIENT! It doesn’t even have texting.”
“I g-”
“W-wait a second, please!”
Okay, I guess she doesn’t want to know where I got it that ba- WHAT?! An avalanche of hideous sounds was suddenly tumbling from Alphys’ workshop, and Frisk froze. Is she hammering it? Is it fighting back? Was that her screaming? Are Alphys and my phone killing each other?!
…Oh. She’s coming back.
To their relief, the lizard didn’t look hurt, despite the array of pounding, drilling and shrieking noises that had emanated from her workspace. The phone, too, looked intact as she handed it back to them. “Here, I upgraded it for you!”
“Thanks, Alphys. Does it have texting now?”
The scientist nodded enthusiastically. “It can do texting, items, it’s got a key chain… I even signed you up for the Underground’s number one social network! Now we’re officially friends! Ehehehe!”
“We are?” The child’s eyes went round. “Just like that? That’s how you make friends? You upgrade their phone, or let them upgrade your phone?”
“Huh?” Now it was Alphys’ turn to give a startled, confused blink. “N-no, I mean, we’re friends on the social network. See?” She pressed a few buttons on the phone, then pointed to the screen. “I made you an account, and then sent a friend request from your account to mine, and accepted it in my account.”
“And that’s how you make friends?”
“W-well… online, it is.”
“Online?!” Somehow, their eyes managed to get even wider. “This is online? I’m on the internet?!”
“K-kind of, I mean – it isn’t the human internet, because internet signals can’t escape through the barrier, so we can’t send any requests from our devices to outside servers, but we’ve set up our own version of the internet in here.”
“So I’m really on the internet? I mean, your internet?”
A hint of confusion was starting to tug at the edges of Alphys’ smile. “Um, yes? Though, the way you say it, it sounds like you’ve never been on the internet before.”
A small shiver ran through Frisk, ominous memories dampening their excitement. “No, m- I wasn’t allowed on there. I…” My throat’s starting to hurt again. No, I can’t cry now! “I maybe shouldn’t talk about it. I… I’m sure you’re really busy. And Mettaton might come back, so I should probably go before he does.”
The scientist’s bright-eyed curiosity gave way to resignation, and her eyes strayed to the floor beside her. “Y-yeah, that w-would probably be a good idea. But, don’t hesitate to call me if you need help!”
That flicker of warmth was back, and Frisk clung to it like the lifeline it was. “Thanks. I will.”
The two armor-clad figures that blocked the path to the left made no move to approach them, and upon finding that the door to the giant building straight ahead was unlocked, Frisk was more than content to take that route and avoid getting close enough to be more easily identified.
The hiss of the door closing behind them drained a bit of the tension from their shoulders, even as the front of their body tensed up. There was no sound of inquisitive guards approaching the building, and it seemed that their back was safe for the moment, but there was no telling what could be lying in wait ahead of them.
A faint, rattling mechanical purr hovered in the air, and as they waited for their eyes to adjust to the dark, Frisk wondered if the sound came from the escalator that descended from some unknown higher floor, or from the giant monitor that dominated the room with an image of… Is that ME?
The sight brought the child to a halt, and their head angled from side to side, watching with a quizzical frown as the screen imitated their movements. Has someone been spying on me this whole time? Or is it just while I’m in here?
OH NO. Horror jolted through them, and they hastily bolted to the side of the monitor, only to find that their face seemed to linger on the screen no matter how far they went. It’s a security camera! Their guards know where I am!
Wait…
They already know where I am. The guards outside saw me. They just don’t know what I am.
I hope the camera person doesn’t know what I am eith-EEEEE!
A sudden, ominous hiss heralded the opening of a door ahead and to their left, and Frisk shrank back slightly, watching apprehensively as a pale figure emerged and started padding toward the wall on their right.
I don’t think it’s seen me; maybe it’ll go upstairs or – OR TURN ON THE LIGHT OH CRAP!
Sudden brilliance flared through the room, leaving the human and the source of their fear blinking owlishly, and it was only after the blur of white and yellow had taken several steps toward them that it seemed to notice their presence.
There were many things Frisk had been expecting. Murder. Torture. A call for security or the Royal Guard to burst through the door and haul them away. A demand for them to leave the building – preferably via the back door – if they were exceptionally lucky.
For their could-have-been opponent to throw her hands up with a horrified gasp of “Oh. My god” had not been on the list.
Neither had the way the reptilian monster began to frantically tap her feet, turning repeatedly from Frisk to the direction from which she had come and back, as if she couldn’t decide whether to confront them or flee.
I guess she’s as scared of me as I am of her. At least, she sounds like a she?
Hopefully this means she won’t attack me.
“I didn’t expect you to show up so soon!” the monster suddenly exclaimed, and Frisk’s mind jerked to a halt for several seconds before stuttering back into motion.
She was expecting me? I guess so; she was watching me. But why is she upset about me showing up too soon? Are her puzzles or attacks not ready? Is that why she’s scared?
Maybe I can escape before she gets them ready or calls the Royal Guard. I hope.
~*~*~*~
Omg, I can’t believe this!!!
For years, Alphys had adored nearly all things human. Their comics. Their culture. Their animated stories, particularly the Japanese ones.
True, the barrier was a blight on her people’s existence, but despite humans’ long history of atrocities, she’d always felt there was much to be admired about this strange, dangerous, creative species.
And then, that morning, one had appeared in the Underground. Passing by her cameras. Befriending her friends and their siblings. Having fascinating battles, and showing mercy to so many people who gave them reason to fight back.
Having an adventure that was so much more noble and exciting than her own embarrassment of a life – an adventure she longed to be a part of.
And now, here they were, standing in her home, staring at her nervously, and she… Oh, NO. “I haven’t showered,” she stammered, her face heating as her brain chose that moment to remind her of every source of embarrassment it could dig up. “I’m barely dressed, it’s all messy, and…” Why didn’t I think to get ready sooner? I could see them coming – stupid, stupid…
The small human relaxed slightly, a hint of confusion and sympathy watering down their fear. “Um, it’s okay; I mean, I, uh… I’m not your boss. Or your dad. And I’m not gonna get mad about the dirty dishes.
Their eyes darted up and down her body, and they seemed to gain momentum. “And, um, you look like you’re mostly dressed to me. I mean, you’re dressed more than any other lizards I’ve seen, though those ones weren’t monster lizards, so maybe that’s different? But a lot of other monsters are naked, so you’re dressed more than a lot of monsters, and it looks like your privates are covered, unless… oh.”
They turned away hastily, in a way that made Alphys wonder if her lab coat had suddenly vanished and left her standing there naked. A high, panicked “W-what?!” tumbled out of her mouth as she glanced down at herself, and the child seemed torn between making eye contact and keeping their gaze averted.
“Is your tail private?” they asked. “I don’t know anything about monster private parts. If tails are private, I can wait until it’s covered up.”
“O-oh!” Relief flooded through Alphys’ chest and back, washing a way a bit of the tension that had frozen her spine. “N-no, it- that’s fine, my tail isn’t private, haha…”
They’re a lot more naive than I thought they would be. It’s kind of cute. Though, I guess they have no reason to know much about monsters. “Um, anyway,” she continued as the child turned toward her, “I’m Dr. Alphys. I’m Asgore’s royal scientist!”
Oh, no, that was the worst way to introduce myself! Now they look like they’re scared of me! Uh…
“B-b-but, ahhhh, I’m not one of the ‘bad guys!’”
Oh no, now they just look confused. I hope I can explain without making myself sound like a creepy stalker and scaring them again.
“Actually, since you stepped out of the Ruins, I’ve, um… been ‘observing’ your journey through my console. Your fights… your friendships… everything!”
The instant the words left her mouth, the image of a glitter-covered trash can named Alphys appeared in her mind. Ugh, no, I just told myself NOT to sound like a stalker! Um, quick, say something reassuring…
“I was originally going to stop you, but… watching someone on a screen really makes you root for them.”
“It does?” The child’s fear was slowly giving way to confusion, and much to Alphys’ relief, their face and voice began to lighten with a faint flicker of hope.
This is good. I mean, I made them feel hopeful, so that’s a good thing, right? If I don’t screw up, they won’t get hurt, and they’ll know someone wanted to help them, so they won’t feel as alone. And that’s a good thing, right?
I just need to avoid screwing up. “W-well, it does f-for me, at least. S-so, ahhh, now I want to help you!”
That encouraging spark of hope grew, along with the confusion and a jolt of surprise. “You do?” And then that visible uncertainty returned, dousing the small human’s hope beneath a wave of doubt and concern. “Are you sure you want to do that? I mean, won’t King Asgore get mad at you?”
Alphys’ heart backflipped. They’re really that worried about me? That’s so CUTE! Granted, they don’t know anything about me, which is probably why they care, but – Alphys, hurry up and answer the question!
“W-well, he… I don’t know if he’d be happy about it, but he w-won’t hurt me or anything, so d-don’t worry about that, haha…”
Actually, I might be doing him a favor, maybe even saving his life! I mean, I’m sure he doesn’t want to kill the human, and if they got past Undyne, the human might be strong enough to kill him. So if I can convince them not to try to fight him and leave, I might just save one or both of them!
Yes, this is definitely a good idea.
“Anyway,” she continued, her voice steadying into a satisfying semblance of confidence, “using my knowledge, I can easily guide you through Hotland! I know a way right to Asgore’s castle, no problem!” Wait, why are they looking at me like that?
In the course of two sentences, the child’s face had gone from nervously delighted to intensely anxious. “Uh, is… is something wrong?” the scientist asked, and the child glanced away and fidgeted, as if her offer frightened them somehow but they were afraid of offending her by seeming ungrateful.
“There, um… I don’t know?” they stammered. “I mean…”
Their eyes rose hastily to meet hers, and the words tumbled out with the anxious speed of someone who feared the consequences their explanation, and hoped to get the whole thing out before part of it could make her angry. “I appreciate you helping me, and I’m sure you’ll be very good at it, but is there a way I can get out of here other than through the castle?
“I mean, if King Asgore wants me dead, and no human has ever gotten past him, and he probably lives in the castle, don’t I need to find a way around him so we don’t fight? Or is there a back door or side door I can go in so he won’t notice I’m there?”
“W-well…” Shoot, they weren’t supposed to ask that question! If my plan works, they won’t even go to the castle, but I can’t tell them that, so… “I-I’m sure I can figure something out before you get there. So d-don’t worry! With me helping you, there should be no problem!”
Wait, I can’t say that! There’s a problem scheduled to happen a few seconds from now! Gotta fix it, gotta fix it… “Well, actually, umm… there’s just a tiny issue.”
The child’s nervous fidgeting, which had briefly abated during her attempt to reassure them, returned in full force. “Um… how tiny?”
“W-well… a long time ago, I made a robot named Mettaton. Originally, I built him to be an entertainment robot. Uh, you know, like a robotic TV star or something. Anyway, recently I decided to make him more useful. You know, just some small practical adjustments. Like, um… Anti… anti-human combat features.”
She’d never seen a face go from fascinated to frightened that fast. The sight sent an all-to-familiar flood of guilt surging up from her gut and pooling in her chest and throat, and she began to talk faster, hoping to erase some of the fear from the human’s face.
“Of c-course, when I saw you coming, I immediately decided… I have to remove those features! Unfortunately, I may have made a teensy mistake while doing so. And, um… now he’s an unstoppable killing machine with a thirst for human blood?”
Well, that just made it worse. Now their face had gone from slightly relieved to frantically terrified, and they were glancing from the door behind her to the entrance from which they’d come to her basement elevator and back, as if trying to decide which one to bolt to and whether it would be rude to do so.
An awkward, nervous giggle stumbled free from Alphys’ constricting chest, and her stomach tightened with guilt as she fumbled her way through an attempt at reassurance that she knew was hollow. “But, ummm, hopefully we won’t run into him!”
OK, Mettaton, hurry up and-
CLANG.
~*~*~*~
Aaand, that’s my cue. At least she remembered that much of the script she wrote.
As Mettaton slammed his wheel against the ground, jolting the lab slightly with the weight of his robotic body, he reflected on the conversation he’d just eavesdropped on from his hiding place in the wall.
As usual, the human had sounded young, uncertain, and concerned about the monster in front of them. It was a pity Alphys had been so adamant about silly charade; his unwilling costar seemed a bit underage for the role she’d scripted for them, and he’d always envisioned a more authentic performance for his first meeting with a human.
The second impact of his wheel on the ground prompted a nearly convincing “Did you hear something?” from Alphys, and Mettaton inwardly shook his head.
This was going to be a sad vanity performance by the royal scientist, but she’d promised that if he played his role, she would prioritize finishing his new body. That glamorous, handsome, human-like form that would enable him to truly feel like himself for the first time in his life.
That makeover would be more than worth a few bad episodes in his show. And preventing the genocide that would no doubt ensue if the weak wanderer reached Asgore was worth even more than that, if Alphys’ untrained acting skills could pull it off.
Sure, the human would probably get hurt, but that was just show business.
A series of rapid impacts was followed by a slightly more convincing “Oh no,” and as he prepared to lunge through the wall, Mettaton reflexively fell into the familiar showman persona that had come to feel just as real as his everyday interactions.
At least one of the participants in this charade had to be a decent actor.
An intense light flared from his screen display as he burst through the wall, simultaneously transmitting a signal to the building’s light system. As the glare from his body faded, the room was temporarily plunged into blackness, and he had to speak loudly to drown out the human’s startled, terrified cry.
“Ohhhh yes! Welcome, beauties…”
Now for a spotlight on me, just as it ought to be… “…to today’s quiz show!!!”
The sudden blare of his show’s opening music made the child jolt violently, and as he slowly turned the lights back up to full brightness, Mettaton noted the tremor in the small human’s hands.
Splendid. At least one of his costars could provide some authentic, audience-riveting emotion for this ridiculous farce. Just as long as they didn’t wet themselves; he did try to avoid the toilet humor one of his hotel’s comedians occasionally stooped to.
Confetti and disco lights rained from the ceiling, leaving the victim of his upcoming performance blinking in sudden confusion as he gave an amiable wave. “Oh boy! I can already tell it’s gonna be a great show! Everyone give a big hand for our wonderful contestant!”
The human glanced at Alphys, as if silently asking which of them he was referring to, and Mettaton made a point of facing them more squarely as he continued. “Never played before, gorgeous? No problem! It’s simple!”
The child was looking hopeful now, and Mettaton basked in the effectiveness of his compliments and reassurance.
There truly was no better feeling than the ability to invoke any emotion he chose whenever he wanted to, and to know that his performance was stirring the hearts of his audience and costars in exactly the way he wished it to. “There’s only one rule.”
And now to turn that hope spot into a terrifying plot twist… “Answer correctly… Or you die!!!”
As anticipated, the flicker of hope was instantly drowned by fear, and the human glanced toward the back door as if they were thinking about bolting through it.
On the one hand, that would certainly be more interesting than what Alphys had planned. On the other, he didn’t have a script prepared for a chase scene, and he didn’t want to endanger his chance to get his new body before the season finale.
The battle box’s restraining glow raced around the human, blocking their escape, and Mettaton wondered if his audience would appreciate the irony of a human being trapped in a magic barrier by a monster.
If nothing else, it would work as a ‘genius bonus’ in his next Mettaton Moments quiz.
This time, his assurance that they’d start with an easy question did nothing to encourage his contestant. As he scooted to the side of the room, their eyes followed him with terrified fixation, and they gave no sign of looking toward Alphys.
It looks like her plans to help them with this quiz are about to bomb. That’s what happens when you bring in a guest star without giving them a script.
Pulling up his first flash card, Mettaton waggled a finger in the air and announced, “Let’s start with an easy one!! What’s the prize for answering correctly?”
Unsurprisingly, their eyes skimmed quickly past the “money” and “new car” options. Alphys’ urgent attempts to form a “D” with her hands went unnoticed, and Mettaton suspected that the same could be said of the corresponding “more questions” answer.
The child was naively, desperately quick to chose the “mercy” option, and the reward for their optimism was a crowing “HAHAHA, YOU WISH! WRONG!”, along with a torrent of electricity.
His victim spasmed with a shriek of panicked agony, and as he half-killed the human in one hit, Alphys’ hands clamped tightly over her mouth.
As if this wasn’t all her fault. And as if she didn’t plan to let this cruel charade continue.
This is the script you wrote, darling. If you didn’t want your protagonist to suffer, you should have been a better costar.
~*~*~*~
For a few encouraging, delusional seconds, Frisk had started to think Alphys’ claims about Mettaton’s violence were exaggerated. The charismatic fountain of compliments hadn’t seemed anything like an unstoppable killing machine with a thirst for human blood.
Now, as a searing surge of electricity tore half of their HP out of their soul in a single merciless strike, Frisk’s optimism left their body along with an agonized scream. The pain faded but didn’t fully leave, and their chest heaved as they stared at the damaged heart shape in horror. He half killed me… that was half of my health in just one hit… if I get one more wrong, I… I…
I’ll come back to life outside the lab, and next time maybe I’ll get it right.
The robot’s voice blurred back into focus, and they braced their legs wide, listening carefully as he asked the second question: “What’s the king’s full name?”
That’s easy enough. But I’d better look at all the answers this time, just to be sure.
To their relief, there was only one answer that looked right, though they wouldn’t be surprised if the rest of them were nicknames that this strange dichotomy of a ruler had accumulated.
Mettaton’s cheerful reply of “Correct! What a terrific answer!” sent a surge of relief through them, and their spirits rose further as he offered another easy question.
If the rest of the questions are as obvious as that one… then… WHAT.
“Two trains, Train A and Train B, simultaneously depart Station A and Station B. Station A and Station B are 252.5 miles apart from each other. Train A is moving at 124.7 miles per hour towards Station B, and Train B is moving at 253.5 miles per hour towards Station A. If both trains departed at 10:00 AM and it is now 10:08, how much longer until both trains pass each other?”
“Uhhhh…” Their uncertain filler noise climbed in pitch until it became a semi-panicked whine, and their eyes darted wildly among the options, struggling to filter the plausible from the implausible.
I have no idea how to calculate this! I can’t do math in my head! If Dash was here, he… Dash… NO, no, don’t think about him, I can’t start crying now! If I do, my eyes will get blurry and – AAAH, fifteen seconds, it’s counting down faster than seconds! That’s not fair!
If I was a scientist or something, maybe I could do math this fast, but I’m just a… ALPHYS!
Their panicked inner rambling suddenly crystallized into a name, and their face snapped toward the royal scientist, silently pleading with her.
Her anxious eyes locked with theirs, then jolted downward. Then she resumed eye contact, then glanced down again, and Frisk followed her stare. She’s moving her hands weird? The shape kind of looks like- “D!”
The countdown stopped at an ominous two, and confetti rained from the ceiling as Mettaton put a incredulous hand to his head and Alphys’ hand sign turned into an encouraging thumbs up. Even as the robot warned them not to count on their victory, hopeful confidence rose in their soul, mingling with gratitude and relief.
She’s signing again. I can’t count the flies in the jar, but- “A?”- oh, good, she was right.
It looks like if I just keep following her signals, it’s going to be all right.
Maybe there are grownups I can trust, after all.
~*~*~*~
As seemed to be the case with almost everything in the Underground, the show had been weirder than they’d ever thought possible.
Aside from that first brutal jolt, Mettaton hadn’t attacked them, which seemed strange for a robot who was supposed to be driven by unstoppable bloodlust. Granted, some of his questions had been obvious attempts to cheat, and they’d nearly been tempted into ignoring Alphys’ signals in favor of choosing obvious answers, but it seemed even killer robots had their own sets of rules, and as long as Frisk answered the questions correctly, they’d been safe.
Alphys, on the other hand…
“Well, that was certainly something.”
…seemed to be coping surprisingly well, despite the way Mettaton had humiliated her when Frisk admitted to not knowing who she had a crush on.
The child padded toward her, their mouth opening to ask if she was all right. But before they could speak, the lizard’s nervous voice preempted their question. “Th-that last question… He wasn’t s-supposed to ask that one.”
“Huh?” Frisk blinked, taken aback by the unexpected confession. “You mean he was supposed to ask the other ones?”
Terror avalanched across the scientist’s face, and for a moment, she stood frozen as small, uncertain vowel noises sputtered from behind a smile that suddenly looked fake. The sight sent a trickle of doubt creeping through Frisk’s mind, a muddy intrusion in the once-clear waters of this fledgling friendship.
“Well, not right now!” Alphys’ voice suddenly exploded from her mouth, her words tripping over each other in their haste to get out. “I-I mean, he- he was supposed to ask those questions to another c-contestant, someone who isn’t you, in a show I scripted before the programming accident, but after the a-accident, I guess he just… uh, kept that programming, and decided to use it on you?”
Her voice trailed off in a nervous giggle, and the murky trickle of doubt wound its way deeper into the pool. “I… I guess.” I guess that sounds plausible, but she doesn’t sound convinced.
“Y-yeah, that has to be what happened – I mean, there’s no reason f-for me to want him to give those questions to you, haha…” Alphys was smiling again, but this one looked almost as forced as the one that had preceded it. “A-anyway, in case he comes back, let me give you my ph-phone number.”
A small blush crossed her nervous face, and her smile began to seem a little more authentic. “Th-then, maybe… if you need help, I could…”
Surprise jolted through the child, and warm spring of hope bubbled to life, pushing back the tendrils of suspicion. “You… want to keep helping me?”
“O-of course! I said I wanted to, didn’t I? I mean, I’ve been helping you so far, right?”
“Yeah, I… OH!” Two wires suddenly connected in Frisk’s mind, and their eyes widened. “The puzzle in Snowdin! The tile one you gave Papyrus! Did you make it easy on purpose?”
“Y-you noticed? I mean, you remembered?” Delight gleamed in Alphys’ eyes, spilling all over her face, and the overflow trickled into Frisk.
She looks really happy.
I made her happy.
She’s happy because she helped me.
“Y-yes, that… that was me. You were looking nervous, so I thought I’d help you out a b-bit.”
“Thanks!” The warmth in their chest rose to burn the backs of their eyes, and with an effort, Frisk forced it down. “I- I was starting to get scared, because the puzzle sounded really hard. Thanks for saving me from the electricity and piranhas.”
Alphys’ eyes grew even brighter. “Y-you’re welcome! Anytime you need help again, just give me a c- oh, right, I haven’t given you my number yet. Here, can I s-see your phone for a second?”
“Okay.” The child handed over the device, then frowned as they watched Alphys’ face. “Um… is something wrong?” She looks weirded out by my phone.
“Wh… where’d you get that phone!? It’s ANCIENT! It doesn’t even have texting.”
“I g-”
“W-wait a second, please!”
Okay, I guess she doesn’t want to know where I got it that ba- WHAT?! An avalanche of hideous sounds was suddenly tumbling from Alphys’ workshop, and Frisk froze. Is she hammering it? Is it fighting back? Was that her screaming? Are Alphys and my phone killing each other?!
…Oh. She’s coming back.
To their relief, the lizard didn’t look hurt, despite the array of pounding, drilling and shrieking noises that had emanated from her workspace. The phone, too, looked intact as she handed it back to them. “Here, I upgraded it for you!”
“Thanks, Alphys. Does it have texting now?”
The scientist nodded enthusiastically. “It can do texting, items, it’s got a key chain… I even signed you up for the Underground’s number one social network! Now we’re officially friends! Ehehehe!”
“We are?” The child’s eyes went round. “Just like that? That’s how you make friends? You upgrade their phone, or let them upgrade your phone?”
“Huh?” Now it was Alphys’ turn to give a startled, confused blink. “N-no, I mean, we’re friends on the social network. See?” She pressed a few buttons on the phone, then pointed to the screen. “I made you an account, and then sent a friend request from your account to mine, and accepted it in my account.”
“And that’s how you make friends?”
“W-well… online, it is.”
“Online?!” Somehow, their eyes managed to get even wider. “This is online? I’m on the internet?!”
“K-kind of, I mean – it isn’t the human internet, because internet signals can’t escape through the barrier, so we can’t send any requests from our devices to outside servers, but we’ve set up our own version of the internet in here.”
“So I’m really on the internet? I mean, your internet?”
A hint of confusion was starting to tug at the edges of Alphys’ smile. “Um, yes? Though, the way you say it, it sounds like you’ve never been on the internet before.”
A small shiver ran through Frisk, ominous memories dampening their excitement. “No, m- I wasn’t allowed on there. I…” My throat’s starting to hurt again. No, I can’t cry now! “I maybe shouldn’t talk about it. I… I’m sure you’re really busy. And Mettaton might come back, so I should probably go before he does.”
The scientist’s bright-eyed curiosity gave way to resignation, and her eyes strayed to the floor beside her. “Y-yeah, that w-would probably be a good idea. But, don’t hesitate to call me if you need help!”
That flicker of warmth was back, and Frisk clung to it like the lifeline it was. “Thanks. I will.”
Author's note:
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