You, Frisk, put your hands into a steeple and breathed deep.
What in the bloody blazes just happened? Somebody just paid a whole dang grand to deliver a death threat on MTT’s Feast of Fantasy livestream.
Big sister Cenna looked at you, then at the folded evening gown in her hand, and then back at you again.
“...Guess I ain’t gonna wear this.” She said. “I can’t be ballroom dancing while I'm going toe-to-toe with the lightningheads.”
Mom disagreed! “No. You are royalty now! A princess must look her best: especially in trials such as these. Besides, you are the sole candidate for the merger with Frisk’s father. A premature life-threatening skirmish should be the last thing on your mind. In the meantime, the Royal Guard is sworn to protect you at all cost."
“Er, right. Sorry.” She squeezed her hands, feeling super awkward. “I’m not used to that kind of first-class treatment.”
Heh. Hard to switch out from her usual front-line responder mentality, huh? Too used to the role of protector instead of the protected.
Nonetheless, you asked your sister to prepare her gun. Even if it won’t be used, it will at least deter some troublemakers.
“Eeeeeerrrr about that…” She chuckled with guilty discomfort. “I, uh, got suspended for getting physical with Mez.”
Riiiiiiiiiiiiight. Because the idiot Tsunderjudge couldn’t be honest about you falling into the mountain again! So, no gun either. Oh well, who needs a gun when you have EPIC Vanquisher magic!
Mom cleared her throat. Loud. Her matron glare reminded you that Cenna shouldn’t be anywhere near danger for all the reasons that she had just outlined earlier.
Point taken. Say, have Aiden and the Grandmaster arrived in town yet?
Cenna checked her phone. “Nope. Mez hasn’t pinged me about the GM just yet. But… your chatroom went wiiiiiiiild.”
It did?
You checked your group chat. It seems that Mettaton had already flipped out to everyone about the whole incident. Which means… Undyne will definitely have the border on a lockdown.
Right on cue, the official notification arrived in your inbox. It’s from the recently-reinstated Captain of the Royal Guard. Both Magi and Gungnir happened to arrive at the edge of town at the exact same place at the same time, she wrote. And neither side was willing to give way for the other.
That’s a deadlock alright: just as you thought. It’s time to go before things worsen.
Dad, the King, just finished potting a poisonous yet rare flower that he found at the school playground. He had to move it for the children’s sake. At first, he wanted to introduce it to Mettaton’s viewers… but it appears that plan will have to be postponed too.
As he walked towards the kitchen, he said: “Frisk, we can move the moment I’m done washing up.”
Okay Dad.
To be safe, you made a SAVE. A glowing red star appeared at your feet.
…………………
WAIT, WHAT?!?!?!?!
You had the Keys of Fate all the while?!? You didn’t give them back to the Tsunderjudge?!?!
Or… rather… he never asked for them. What happened??? Why didn’t he??? You went through his ‘Trial of Crimson Nightmares’ for a reason!!!
Think Frisk, think. He won’t just simply forget about something so major.
That’s right, you were holding onto the SAVES to undo Papyrus’ injuries. While waiting for the test results, Aiden showed up. Time resumed due to his meddling. You placated the Gungnir with your knife dancing and bought the monster citizens their precious time.
And here you are: caught in the middle of yet another sensitive diplomatic situation.
Welp. You are the ‘Golden Quiche’, Monsterkind’s Ambassador extraordinaire. This is your moment to shine. The Tsunderjudge is judging your judgement.
“Yo Frisky,” said Cenna. “Running into a problem?”
SAVE management, you said. There’s one autosave, one Papyrus save, and now one pre-border shenanigans save. You have… two more empty slots.
“Can ya clone your SAVES yet? Mez does that a lot. Especially if it’s an older one.”
Huh. You can. Also, the autosave was a few minutes before your most recent SAVE… roughly the moment when Mom finished her princess lecture. Knowing a few minutes could spell a huge difference, you cloned the older autosave.
Thanks a ton, sis!
“No probs.”
However, Cenna still looked troubled.
What’s up? You asked.
“Just getting a real bad feeling about this. Wish I still had our family heirloom.”
Mhmm, yes. The Trap Harvester. Which got blown up by yours truly. Sorry, sis.
“Eh, it’s fine. You did what you had to do.”
Meanwhile Dad finished washing up.
“Frisk, I am ready.” he announced.
You thus waved goodbye to Mom and Cenna. Work calls.
* * *
You, Frisk, put your hands into a steeple and breathed deep.
What in the bloody blazes just happened? There was chaos, the feast got cancelled, and you’re in your EMPTY Hub. It was still undergoing renovations after the disaster named Megalovania.
Walking past the Ruin’s Gates, you emerged into Mezil’s jasmine gardens. Up ahead stood his big, fancy mansion.
At least your Hubs are connected…
Inside there the Tsunderjudge waited, having tea in the living room.
“Welcome, Crimson Keeper.”
You tell the old man that you have some serious questions.
“Does it involve the Keys of Fate remaining in your possession?”
…Yes.
“Then I think you already know the answer: you are the main character of this scenario. The people involved are directly connected to you, not me. I have neither the power nor the influence to make the required changes.”
So he didn’t just forget about the Keys.
“No,” Mezil replied. “I won’t be so absentminded over something so vital.”
What about the exorcism curry incident?
“That mistake was due to the overestimation of my health.”
…Surprisingly, that was a truthful answer.
Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.
“I advise you not to go alone, Frisk. Cast a Mark of Proxy on the Psychia of your chosen assistant. You must be within physical range to apply it. That’s what I did for Papyrus in order to have him rescue you.”
Papyrus did say something like that happened. Mezil attended your funeral to meet your skelefriend in person.
So, you need someone with knowledge of how both the Magus Association and Gungnir operate. Fortunately, there’s one such a person near you.
You told the Tsunderjudge that you’re gonna make your big sister, Judge Vanquisher Cenna Caraway, your proxy.
“A wise choice.” He nodded, “Now go forth, Crimson Keeper. Today, Frisk, you are the future of humans and monsters.”
* * *
You, Frisk, put your hands into a steeple and breathed deep.
How in the bloody blazes does one make a proxy?
Cenna explained: “Command your Mark to link my mind to your sense of time. Then, plant it on my SOUL.”
She ejected her jigsaw-esque SOUL and presented it before you. It shone in a bright marigold yellow.
After pumping yourself up, you touched the floating heart.
You’re Determined to link Cenna’s mind to your sense of time!
Unlike your usual Marks, the proxy spell took some time to materialize. It’s like watching a printer apply layer upon layer of ink.
Once complete, you sensed a pulse resonating in your chest. That must be proof that Cenna had become your time-travelling partner.
Mom watched with great wonder. You told her that this is the same power as the Tsunderjudge's.
“My human child, using magic like a natural monster, I never thought I would see the day.”
There she goes, radiating with Mom Pride.
Business first, though. You informed them about what happened in the old timeline.
You and Dad went out to settle the border dispute. By the time you arrived, Mettaton and Undyne were already butting their heads against each other.
Pretending to be Undyne, you yelled: ‘METTATOOOOON I’M TRYING TO WORK HERE!!!’
Then, you switched into one of Mettaton’s fabulous poses. ‘Darling, I’m trying to work too! My reputation as a celebrity hinges on this moment!”
Cenna facepalmed. “Yeeeeah I see how that went so very wrong. Two professionals at the opposite end of the spectrum… and it’s unfair to ditch either side.”
“Did you do anything, Frisk?” asked Mom.
You tried, but no one listened. The commotion attracted a ton of other media attention which further sullied the situation.
“What about Asgore?”
…Nobody listened to him either. Which meant that Aiden lost respect for the King of Monsters as well. He said: ‘What good is a leader who can’t control his citizens? Pathetic.’
HOWEVER! That was STILL not the dealbreaker!
Cenna said, “Wow, it got worse?”
Totally absolutely certainly got worse. Gungnir’s statements insulted Undyne to the highest degree. She snapped and accused them of starting the fire.
“Truest fact with the crappiest timing. Bet the lightningheads cried foul.”
Yep. They in turn got mad about being treated like criminals, leaving with the whole entourage. What's more, all of this happened on multiple live media channels.
That’s when you realised that you reached a massive GAME OVER. And here we are, one RESET later.
“I see…” Mom pondered.
The present time King Asgore once again finished potting a poisonous yet rare flower that he found at the school playground. He still hadn’t told you why he thought it was such a danger to the children.
He said, “Frisk, we can move the moment I’m done washing up.”
Okay, Dad.
You told Mom that you need to bring Cenna along for this round. She can help Undyne to calm down while you sort things out with Mettaton. Besides, the Magi would be happy to see her. Should time run short, she’ll change into her dress at school.
Mom nodded. “If that is the situation, then I shall allow it. Hurry you two. The sooner you get there, the better.”
At the border, everything went according to plan. Cenna’s additional presence helped Undyne feel supported, and in turn reduced the chance of a metaphorical underwater volcanic eruption.
Meanwhile, you managed to convince Mettaton to adopt a new premise: ‘keep it natural’. Let events unfold while staying at a distance like a nature documentary. That way he can comment all he wants without interfering with official business.
Though skeptical at first, he eventually accepted your proposal. “I suppose THAT is a valid genre too. Very well my shining star, I shall do as you say!”
Thanks a ton, Mettaton.
You watched him wheel away to about one metre from you. There, he stopped. It’s kinda close… but it’s better than nothing.
That’s one problem solved. You went back to the border’s roads to see if new issues cropped up.
Two security guards approached Dad. One wore a bodyguard’s uniform, the other wore a tribal cloak and a cloth mask.
“Your Majesty, the Magus Association should enter first. The Grandmaster is here with delicate cargo for the feast. We must make haste before it perishes!”
“Denied! Gungnir enter first. If Warlock go ahead, they double back to capture our chief!”
“What? Had we wanted to arrest you, we would have already done so! Besides, how can you guarantee that you won’t try to attack us instead?”
Looking at the bottleneck, Dad asked out loud: “Is it not possible for both to enter at once?”
“NO.” both answered in unison, followed by exchanging awkward glances.
Well, there’s a simple solution to this. You proposed the following: why not ask the big bosses themselves for what they think?
Cenna then walked up to you, keeping cool despite the situation. “Frisky, let the Gungnir in first.”
Huh? What about the Grandmaster? What about his cargo???
“I know he won’t mind. It’d be worse if we continue to argue here.”
She does have a point…
Okay, it’s decided: Gungnir will proceed first, followed by the Magus Association. The Royal Guard shall travel in between the two groups so neither side gets any funny ideas.
“What?!” the Magus representative exclaimed. “I implore you to rethink this decision!”
On the other hand, the Gungnir representative bowed in gratitude. “Thank you, Royal Child. We prepare right away.”
The Magus representative was left in shock. Cenna tapped her colleague on the shoulder for a quick chat.
“If you have any objections, bring them up with me. Meanwhile I’ll help you escort the GM.”
“…Yes, Judge Vanquisher...”
“Heh, for now it’s better to call me Princess Cenna.”
“No offence, but I thought that was a joke?"
“Looooong story. I’m as baffled as you are, really.”
You watched her get into one of the three shiny black cars. Cenna chose to sit in the frontmost one. Maybe the Grandmaster is in there?
While both sides prepared to mobilize, you noticed that Undyne herself looked unhappy. You asked if she’s okay.
“…I hate this,” she said. “It’s like, we’re letting those jerks walk all over us. We know what REALLY happened at The Spire. Without us, tons of people would have died a horrible death.”
She’s right. Unfortunately, this is not the right time to bring up that subject. It sucks but The Dreemurr Nation has to bear with this pretense for the time being.
“I understand. I had a feeling that I’d cause a disaster if you didn’t intervene. Thanks for saving my fishsticks.”
You decided that you won’t tell her about the previous failed timeline. Undyne’s judgement was accurate, and you don’t want to kick her down any further.
Undyne left to perform her duties. What’s up with Mettaton? He’s still filming from afar. You appreciate his obedience.
Did you manage to solve this scenario? You sure hope so! Because, if you’re honest, you’re excited to try Papyrus’ ascended cooking.
But to your utter dismay, you heard glass shatter from the Magus Association’s entourage.
It’s from Cenna’s car. That can never be good.
You dashed straight there, ignoring the warning yells from Undyne or Dad. You must know what happened.
The bodyguards then whisked you away. They told you not to look. They told you to hide.
You screamed for your sister’s name…
…But she could no longer reply.
* * *
You, Frisk, put your hands into a steeple and breathed deep.
Why in the bloody blazes does this keep on happening???
That’s it! You’re done! You need a break! You thus went over to Tsunderjudge’s Hub discouraged. The moment you saw a couch, you plopped face first into the cushions.
A calloused hand rubbed the top of your noggin. “Hey Frisky, cheer up. I’m not double dead yet.”
Yeah, that’s good. But it still gave you a heart attack. It hurts to see her die.
The Tsunderjudge huffed at you. “Where is your determination? This is just the second round.”
“Oy, Ol’ Mez! You forgot the trouble YOU caused last week? Frisky’s been feeling the job since you grilled them in the Crimson Hall! Give them a break.”
Thumbs up. Nice one sis.
“No probs, Frisky. High five.”
You lifted your hand and she returned a gentle high-five.
“Hmm, but why now?” Mezil asked. “You handled Gaelic quite well. Not to mention you had more fire in the past.”
You sighed out loud. The last time you felt this frustrated… it was when you were trying to revive Asriel. When that failed, you went down a dark, dark path.
Afterwards you were told many times that your Determination was the problem. Sans did. Tsunderjudge did. That’s why you don’t dare to get yourself too hyped now.
“Which means you’re intentionally limiting your options?”
It’s definitely not a wonderful idea to betray Aiden at this point. The old you might have tried that out of curiosity, but… let’s just say that you have grown wiser.
…You’re worried that you’re just going to make things worse. Again.
“In my eyes, it will only get worse if you don’t get involved. They need you. And I understand that’s frightening.”
You asked what the Tsunderjudge would have done.
“Me? I wouldn’t even host the feast at all. I do not trust men like Aiden to understand the values of the Dreemurr Nation or the Magus Association. Hence why I think you’re a much better fit for this mission. I’m not known for being pleasant.”
Wow. Why so cynical?
“Perhaps this is not the right moment to explain. It’s not like you’re in the mood for any more serious business. So, go ahead, catch a break.”
What? Nani?
“When you’re in the Hub, the physical world remains in stasis. You can take your time to rest and recover.”
You sprang up from the cushion, unable to believe your ears. Is he serious????
“Do I look like I’m joking?”
It’s hard to tell when he’s serious 24/7!
“To prove my point, I shall leave. Use any facility as you please.”
The Tsunderjudge actually went up and left!
A miracle happened!!!!!!!
Cenna tapped you on the shoulder, starting to get giggly and excited herself: “You know what this means? We get to do the fluffy!”
Yeah! Like, a pillow fort? Blanket fort? Pillow fight??? Wait, those need more people for maximum fun. Let’s try an activity that’s just right for two people.
“Pray tell, what is it?”
Video Games. To be specific, SHMUPS! You asked if she knew anything about them. You had a feeling she does, judging from how she maneuvered in that Sans Serif fight.
Cenna slapped her forehead and laughed.“Oh man, that’s Papa’s FAVOURITE genre! Can’t believe you inherited his taste too! Sometimes he would get soooooooo deep into ‘the zone’ Mama had to nag him to bed. Otherwise, he might not sleep.”
You can imagine it now. Tsunderjudge the eternal nocturnal, and your biological dad the shmupper running on minimal sleep. Quadruple the nerd power. Utterly hilarious!
“Don’t forget the wives complaining to each other.”
Ooooooooooh yes indeed. You can totally imagine sighing at their husbands’ quirkiness in the background.
You really wanna draw that someday. But first! You and Cenna shall have a jolly good time in the games room!