Tuesday’s school was done. Like any other anime protagonist, your adventure finally resumed after the bell.

First stop, teatime at Alphys’ Lab. Your tiny growing body needed refueling for the second half of the day.

With the amount of people in the room, it had become quite a party. Your family and yourself already made up for four. Then there’s Grillby, Gaelic, Anise, Cenna, and Papyrus.

You thought it’s a bit odd to have pizza for tea, but you’re not complaining. Few foods top its comfort levels.

Two boxes arrived. The first box consisted of pineapple and chicken. You remember some kids in your old human school claiming pineapples on pizzas were a literal heresy. In your opinion they’re actually nice, provided the pineapples aren’t too sugary.

The next box had toppings of mushroom and pork sausages… with crunchy fried shallots? They were sealed in a separate bag to be sprinkled on at serving.

Come to think of it, the boxes were blank. They weren’t not from the usual joint you’d order from.

“Oh, about that,” said Dad. “Remember the Cinnabun Lady? She’s planning to expand her business soon, so she made these based on her husband’s recipes. A trial run, you can say.”

Really?! That means everyone here gets to be beta testers. Talk about being lucky!

Forget the common pineapple chicken pizza. You got to try the one with fried shallots!

Pizza, on plate.

Shallots, sprinkled.

Then you took a big, juicy bite. The onions added a slightly sweet, toasty, almost bitter crunch to the usual mushroom and sausage. It’s more familiar than you’d expect.

Papyrus commented, “THIS REMINDS ME OF RAMEN. SOMEWHAT.”

Oooh! That’s right! Dad, please tell the Cinnabun Lady that this must be on her menu. No matter what!

Smiling, he said: “I will.”

Papyrus placed down three plates and said, “I SHOULD TAKE SOME PIZZA TO THE BERENDINS. ESPECIALLY MISTER MAGUS. I DON’T THINK HE HAD ANYTHING TO EAT YET.”

Gaelic immediately stopped him. “Papyrus, nay! Ya cannae go near M’lord! Yer Eye’s wounded. There be no telling what that cur’s Corrupt Determination might do to ye.”

You asked Sna-- Gaelic about what he means.

“Wee bean, ‘tis fine. Ah like that nickname, Snakeface. Snakes gained the reputation fer being deadly. But in truth, many species be shy pest-killers. They keep the land healthy. That what ah aspire to be.”

Snakeface it is then! So, why can’t Papyrus go near Tsunderjudge’s room again?

“His Fire o’ Humanity can burn upon the detection o’ danger. M’lord made note o’ this. Persona’s blight be like oil droplets to flame. An accidental ignition may lead to a combustion.”

Taking out your magic-sensing phone, you pointed the camera toward the door. From the gaps, swirls of bright and dark red competed against each other in an intense, silent battle.

Wowzers. That looks bad!

If there’s that much Corrupt DT about, wouldn’t it also be dangerous for any monster then?

“Aye, it be so. M’lady has implanted shields in her being to withstand it. None o’ ye have any of that. Therefore, only a human may go deliver the food.”

You volunteer to do just that. Being a Triple Red yourself, you have the best resistance against whatever DEMON nonsense was going on in the room.

Cenna raised her hand. “I’ll go too. Come Anise, do your part as an Alchemist and brave the nasty DEMON aura.”

You noticed that Anise, the proverbial human Temmie, was trying her very best to hide in plain sight. She kept nibbling on her pineapple pizza without making eye contact.

You expected Cenna to poke and prod her into action… but instead she said: “Right, so I’ll just carry two plates then.”

A cheeky little idea popped up in your mind. You took one of the plates and flipped it on the underside. There, you pasted a Purple and a Blue Mark. You then fixed the enchanted dish on your head.

Tada! Now you can carry two people’s worth at once. Maybe even three. Remember, you balanced Sans’ head-dog tower before. A few plates of pizza were nothing to your enhanced skills!

Your antics managed to stir some cute chuckles, making you smile too. Maybe that’s how it feels to be a comedian?

“Alright, alright,” said Mom. “Do not dally any longer, my child. The pizza is getting cold.”

You grinned back, knowing that she actually liked your idea.

Pizza, plated. Plates, balanced.

It’s off to the delivery. Cenna led you to where the Tsunderjudge stayed for the night.

There was a dark, murky thickness in the air. It smelled of a hot, humid day beside a stagnant drain: unpleasant, sticky, and putrid.

Perhaps you had made light of the situation a tiny bit too much?…

You asked your sister if that’s the reason why she didn’t pressure Anise.

“Ahuh. And also, I don’t want her to see her strong, unshakable boss being kicked down.”

Would Cenna say this sensation is similar to what she felt when Chara was stuck with you?

“Similar, but not the same. Each DEMON’s aura has their own nuances based on their life and death. It’s difficult to explain. Anyways, we’re here. Keep your feet planted.”

Cenna knocked on the door and waited. Not long after, Lady Lucy opened the door.

You detected a momentary lapse in Persona’s demonic aura. It seemed like her presence alone caused it to dissipate. That must be because of the shield Snakeface spoke about.

The Grandmaster had his staff anchored to the ground, focusing his holy magic to keep the corruption limited to this room.

Peeking behind the lady, you spotted the suffering Tsunderjudge. He sat at the edge of the bed, facing away from the entrance. He wasn’t wearing a shirt, showing his intricate magic tattoos for all to see. They glowed, pulsing between the white ‘on’ state and the black ‘off’ state.

There also was a portable electric fan gently blowing cool air straight at him. This sight concerned you. A lot. Summer hadn’t arrived yet, and the weather today was not warm enough to use a fan. For him to be like this… it had to be a fever.

“Frisky?”

Cenna’s voice snapped you out of your worried thoughts. It turns out that you had made your customer wait awkwardly for their meal.

You apologized and handed the stuff over. Head-pizza included.

“Thank you for the sustenance.” Lady Lucy said, “However, I request you to leave us for now. My husband prefers not to see anyone at the moment.”

You respected her request and reversed out of the room. She closed the door as soon as possible. Without doubt, she’s both stressed and anxious, yet doing her best to hide it.

The walk back to the dining table was grimly silent. It didn’t go unnoticed from the watchful eyes of your parents, vigilant from the super rough morning.

Dad beckoned you to sit by his side, which you obliged.

“Is there something wrong, my child?” he asked.

You explained that the Tsunderjudge was getting sicker from Persona’s influence. Everyone’s giving it their all… but… at this rate, the fever might kill him first.

If Mom had shorter ears, they would have been standing in high alert. “A fever?” She gasped. “Hold on. Did you not have a fever before as well?”

“Why yes!” Dad nodded. “It was not long before that fateful night of the exorcism.”

Huh…

Come to think of it, they’re right. You had a TERRIBLE fever! It was so bad you had to be hospitalized! Could there be a connection?

Anise Anise exclaimed. “Fevers happen as part of an immune system response. If a foreign invasion can’t be squashed out by your antibodies alone, the body raises the internal temperature in an attempt to weaken the enemy.”

Cenna then said: “An invasion is an invasion. It doesn’t matter if it’s bacteria, virus, parasites, transplanted organs, toxins, or DEMONs. The human body treats them all the same.”

“Yep yep!” Anise nodded. “But it’s a double edged sword. Fevers eat a ton of energy, and they can also kill your own cells. Speaking of double-edged. In cases of DEMON possession, it’s a sign that they’re gonna ramp up to their maximum power. But! That is also the time when a DEMON is at their most exposed!”

“They get either confident or desperate. Or both. Which means a Vanquisher like me can yank or zap them out whole. Don’t need to worry about little pieces getting left behind.”

Miss Alchemist groaned. “I haaaaaate it when DEMONS play hide and seek with their own particles. You thought your partner’s gotten rid of them, but no it was just an arm! Stupid nonsense like that!”

Right on cue, Cenna joined the worklife woes. “As the frontliner here, I hate that triple! A surviving bugger means that they know my moves and tricks. May even spread the news to their other DEMON buddies and their cultist underlings.”

That… was interesting. It made you realise how little you know about how a DEMON functions, despite once being a victim of one.

Back then -- about a month ago -- Tsunderjudge and Cenna exorcised Chara out of you. Their tireless efforts freed everyone from a hopeless time loop. Plus they finally gave you a silent head, devoid of genocidal urgings.

Now, it’s time to return the favour. You’re Determined to help. You asked if there’s anything needed to be done on your part.

Cenna glanced down the corridor leading to the Tsunderjudge’s room. “Well, I was hoping to at least give y’all one night of worryless sleep… but, Frisky is going to be integral to the plan. Details aren’t completely hashed out yet, so I’ll assume Lucy will brief you tomorrow.”

Tomorrow, huh? Where would this take place, though?

“The location will depend on the severity of Mez’s condition. If you ask me, I rather have it take place in the real world. Somewhere with flat, stable ground. Easier for everyone to defend themselves.”

Hold on, isn’t this supposed to be a transfer? We’re supposed to give Persona back to his son, Aiden. Why then did Anise and Cenna behave as though it’s going to be an extermination?

Sighing, she said, “Unfortunately, that bugger intends to give Mez hell on the way out. Not to mention that he’ll be testing his son in a duel. We gotta take account of the worst case scenario.”

Ah, you get it. Persona is the biggest doodoobutt of all doodoobutts. Yes, it certainly fits his modus operandus.

Dad suggested, “How about The Underground? Nobody lives there anymore.”

You heard a unanimous exclamation of ‘Noooooooooooo!!!’

Anise said, “Your Majesty, The Underground is way too overcrowded with Ebott Goldenflowers! I heard they’re starting to grow in the less temperate regions too.”

You warned Dad that the annoying scumbag would easily escape to the nearest seed and come back to haunt everyone later.

“O-oh… Sorry about that.”

Not a problem. He couldn’t have known.

You asked if there’s anything else to discuss. If not, then you want to at least visit The Core.

Mom disagreed: “Frisk, my child, I believe you should rest early today. You have been pushing yourself lately. Without a good night’s sleep, you might grow too weary for what is to come. We still have to greet the handyman later in the evening to install a new window.”

From the corner of your eye, you spotted Snakeface lowering his head in guilt.

You tell Mom that the town’s electrical grid had fizzled out for a good number of hours. In addition, both Goopdoc and Alphys have been awfully silent throughout the day. It’s getting rather worrying.

“That Gaster…” She muttered under breath. “He really ought to have stayed in his Snowdin prison…”

It seems that she regretted roping Goopdoc into the science team. All the more reason to make sure he’s not doing any weird dubious experiments.

Besides, you don’t HAVE to go there alone either. Cenna could come too. Or anyone else, really.

“…She’s a good candidate…” said Grillby. “…This will allow your parents to take care of their errands too…”

Exactly. Plus it’ll be fun! Sibling bonding, yeah!

Unable to counter your tag-team logic, Mom gave in. “Alright, my child. As long as you do not come back home too late.”

Can do. You proceeded to finish your meal.

After putting the plates in the sink and washing your hands, you prepared to leave for The Core. Your sister went out ahead of you.

On the way out of the kitchen, you noticed Mettaton and his camera crew were busy interviewing Papyrus.

You were curious. But, you heard a car horn calling to you from outside. It appeared that your sister had arranged for transport while you were away.

Well, fast wheels are always welcomed. You did promise Mom to get home early. The sooner you meet the scientists, the sooner you can end the day.

Cenna was already inside the car, waiting. So, you climbed in and fastened your seatbelt. The driver turned back to look at you.

He’s a young bloke with a perpetually unimpressed impression. You feel a certain kinship with him for sharing a stoic visage.

“Judge Caraway, are you sure the Labour Office guys are not gonna harass our butt over this pint-sized Crimson Keeper?”

Mildly annoyed, Cenna crossed her arms. “Frisky will be fine. Their position is closer to a student intern than that of an actual employee. Besides! If child actors get to act, then there should be no problems. It’s not like it’s hard physical labour.”

“Yeah, but the ethics around their involvement is still really dubious. Even to this day. Lord knows how those artsy bigshots overwork the staff.”

Huh, he dealt with child actors before?

“I used to be a stuntman,” said Mister Driver. “Quit that job and became Judge Thyme’s chauffeur.”

Woooow. That’s so cool!

But why did he stop? It’s not because of an injury, is it?…

“Hey, thanks for the concern, but I’m fine. It’s just that I didn’t get fully paid for my last job. Production got cancelled halfway. So, I wanted something with a more regular salary.”

Oh. Okay. But there’s ONE question that you must ask. Has he ever got into crazy movie-style stunt driving with Judge Thyme in the backseat before?

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“If it ever comes to that, I would rather give Judge Thyme the wheel. I’m just here to save his stamina.”

Eh? W-what does he mean?

“From what I've heard, that man can drive, sail, and pilot anything under the sun. He’s either a genius, or he’s had a hundred’s years worth of training. I saw a glimpse of the rumours when he borrowed a segway to rush to the library. He zipped around every obstacle like it was nothing.”

Both of you Wanderstar siblings tried their very best to hide their internal chuckling. You know that the Tsunderjudge must have practiced endlessly in The Hub for all that to be possible.

“Anyhow, enough chit chat from me. Sit tight and enjoy the ride.”

And so, you were on your way to the foot of Mount Ebott.

“Hey Frisky, mind if I ask something?”

Go ahead.

“I’ve noticed a change in the way Mom and Dad behave. When I first met them, they felt more like polite town residents. Now, they’ve become closer to real royalty. That title ain’t for show, huh?”

Believe it or not, they tried to become normal civilians by adopting modern mannerisms and stuff. They wanted to abdicate and dissolve the nation, integrating it into Surface society. But that plan has been thrown completely out of the window by now.

“Ahuh. I don’t think they can afford to quit any more.”

Even if they try to drag Dad to court?

“Honestly? I would be PISSED if they did! If anyone wanna drag him to court, they should go arrest the other world leaders first. Good lord, they’re sitting on their thrones even with a million coffins to testify against them. They’re pressing Dad’s case only because monsterkind doesn’t have the same kind of clout.”

“I don’t know how to make things right. But, I do know that if Dad loses his throne, it will never be in the name of justice. It’ll just be a show of power and control from human society.”

…Did Cenna become Tsunderjudge for a moment there? That was definitely what that cynical tsun would say.

“Politics, man. It saps all hope out of your soul. I don’t wanna touch it with a ten foot pole if I can help it.”

Heh. You understand how she feels.

While checking your phone, you wondered out loud if Undyne was alright.

Cenna patted you on the shoulder. “Don’t worry. Ol’ Roger didn’t kick her out in the first few hours. I’m sure they’re just too busy to reply.”

How does she know?

“A notable lack of slang-filled ranting, for one. Dude goes overboard when he gets annoyed. Ol’ Mez somehow understands that jargon. Lucy? Not so much. I’ve seen her get snappy over it before.”

Ahuh. Yep. Lady Lucy’s the actual scary person, not the Tsunderjudge.

“Haha! You think so? Why’s that?”

It’s because nobody expects Lady Lucy to have any fighting spirit. She always carries this air of delicate dignity, so it’s easy to think she’s perpetually gentle. BUT the moment she snaps, POOF! When those huge curls start floating, she becomes the motherbrain of nightmares!

“Heh. That reminds me. I’m due for a haircut at my uncle’s saloon.” Cenna brushed her long, straight, well-kept hair to prove her point. “Promised Lucy my luscious locks, y’know.”

You tried to imagine Lady Lucidia with long, straight hair. You shook your head. Nope! Not suitable! Does not fit her posh ojou-sama aura. At all!

“Hey, hey, hey, that’s speaking too soon. Style them up like the Far East nobles if you want the same air.”

Hmmmm maybe. Just maybe. She could definitely carry the clothes. But you’re still doubtful about the hairdo.

“Only a ‘maybe’?” Cenna playfully begged to you. “Aw c’mon, give it a chance. Channel your inner weeb and see the possibilities.”

Try as you might to imagine it, you can’t. Sure, it might be pretty. But it wouldn’t be Lady Lucy. Trademark coin-crushing, phone-cleaving, gravity defiance and all.

Talk about an impasse. “Let’s agree to disagree then. So what about Mez? How is he any less scary?"

Tsunderjudge… he’s unapologetically edgy. Sharper than a sushi chef’s knife, always putting his scariest face on the front. And that’s why you won’t get blindsided by unexpected danger. The surprises would instead come from his fair kindness, which would give relief instead of terror.

“Not everyone would agree with ya there either, Frisky. Let me tell you how one of Mez’s long-time friends described him.”

Cenna cleared her throat and put up the best impression of a serious yet witty man. “‘Well, you see, Judge Thyme’s eyes are like brake lights. When you see them glowing red, you stop what you’re doing and pay attention, or you’ll be regretting it real fast’.”

You burst into a snorting chuckle. That man’s sense of humour was spot on! You’re imagining it now! The Tsunderjudge -- in all his youthful vampireness -- sitting at a big desk. His expression screams: ‘I just exterminated a Kaiju. Don’t Mez with me’.

“Upping your pun game, eh? Yeah, I can tell you’re gonna make fast friends with his friends.”

Actually, you’re shocked that our lovable vampire has any friends at all. Who were these fabulous chums that you’ve never seen or heard of?

“As much as I wanna tell, I can’t. Identity protection and all. They’ve been working in the intel business looooong before he joined the Magus Association.”

How long was ‘long’?

“Believe it or not, he was at your age when he first met them. They watched HIM grow up!”

Holy smoking fiddlesticks! That has to be… at least 40 years??? That’s a crazy long time!

“Bingo! For Mez's sake, I hope we get to have one last meetup before the big battle. It’ll do him some good."

Before either of you knew it, you arrived at the foot of Mount Ebott. This was as far as the car can take you.

Taking out his portable gaming console, the driver said: “I’ll wait here until you come back, Crimson Keeper. Heard the Queen wants you home early for a good night’s sleep.”

You thanked the driver for his time, waved goodbye, and began your journey up the mountain.

It was quite a nice evening. Yesterday’s rain added some extra oomph to the usual refreshment of the mountain air. Perfect for more mundane chit-chats. You haven’t had that in a while with all the busy chaos.

So you asked your sister a question. Cenna has an uncle? And he’s a hairdresser?

“Oh, I forgot I only told my sob story to Captain Undyne. Child protection services contacted my bio dad’s brother after I ended up in hospital. He wanted to keep me, but his old business failed. His wife then contacted her better-off cousin, who would one day become our Mama. So, I guess he’s your uncle too?”

Huh. That made you wonder if you had other long-lost relatives out there. And that in turn made you wonder if your goteparents have their own long-lost relatives somewhere. Maybe their own cousins survived the war and went to Lemuria? Would be nice to have a bigger fuzzy family. More soft fluffiness. For everyone! GOTTA HUG THEM ALL!!!!!

Cenna threw her head back and cackled like a witch. “That’s SUCH a Frisky thing to say!”

It’s been a deceptively long time since you’ve seen her laugh that hard. You pointed both finger-guns at her, smirked, and cheekily wriggled your eyebrows. Your name is not Frisk for nothing!

Throughout the rest of the way, the both of you chatted about the pleasant little topics. Nothing serious, nothing vital. It’s a nice change of pace.

That is, until you arrived at the main entrance into the Underground. You will soon approach the patch of Goldenflowers. Cenna hated those due to their connection to DEMONS. She’d rather get flung across the chamber than wade through them.

Isn’t it a bad idea to have their sticky seeds on your clothes right before Tsunderjudge’s big terrible night? You considered immediately soaking your clothes in soapy water the moment you got home.

“That’s always a good idea. Demon flowers are DEMON flowers for a reason.”

They’re not all bad, though. They make awesome tea. Also, they saved The Six from prematurely vanishing into nothingness. And Flowey. Can’t forget about Flowey. The flowers are just like any other tool: it matters how it’s used.

By the way, you’ve been thinking of wanting to do something for The Six. Maybe start with calling their surviving families to give their keepsakes back. You’re sure they’re out there somewhere, just waiting for closure.

Originally you wanted to make that memento-returning ceremony a public show. Build a stage, have Dad make a speech, while you tell the story of Chara and Prince Asriel. But after today, you start getting second thoughts. Maybe it’s better to settle the matter behind closed doors…

Sighing, you asked if this was why the Magi were so secretive?

“Yeah…” Cenna leaned on one leg, “But if you ask me, keeping everything a secret is backfiring on us too. How can anyone know the truth if we leave them in the dark?”

Damned if you do, damned if you don’t, huh…

You’ve arrived at the chamber right next to the throne room. You remember waking up here with your friends. There, you noticed a makeshift signboard blocked the way. It’s a traffic cone with a cardboard arrow pointing to the wall.

Oh! There’s a new elevator! How super mega ultra convenient!

“Eeeh?!” Cenna exclaimed, “Since when did they have that? I don’t remember seeing an elevator the last time I was here!”

Judging from how shiny it looks, you guessed that it was installed yesterday. Probably when they were repairing The Core. Alphys must have installed it to bypass the Goldenflower DEMON hazard.

“I heard the gal works fast, but not THIS fast!”

You pushed the ‘down’ button. After waiting for a while, the bell rang. The both of you entered, ready to be whisked away into the deep.

Halfway through the journey, you smelled something weird. Every breath you took felt slightly tingly, like you’re breathing in dry ionized air.

“W-what the?” Cenna rubbed her arms. “I’m sensing mana. LOTS and LOTS of mana! I’m getting goosebumps!”

When you checked your own skin, you didn’t find any goosebumps. You asked your sister if the air smelled weird to her?

“Looks like you got more in common with Gael than I’d thought. When it comes to mana, some people lean to one sense more than the other. I feel it on my skin. You smell it.”

Wow. Interesting. So, what is mana according to the Magi? You had an idea based on all those RPG games, but you’d like to know the official definition.

“It’s more or less the same. You can consider it as the popular term for ‘Magical Energy’. Stuff’s rare outside of monster territory, though. Finding natural springs of magic is a huge deal to any magic practitioner, Magi or not.”

There are other mages out there who’re not Magi?

“Of course! The world is a huge place. One way or another, human society is going to discover some form of magic. Like how they discover ways to smelt metal.”

So, are the Magi friends with them? Or are they enemies?

Cenna shrugged. “Depends. Mez ain’t keen on getting too close to most of them. You know how he is.”

…Yeah. He’s not very sociable. But, once he becomes a friend, he’s a true friend. They’re missing out on a good contact.

“Woooow! High praise you have there. Even after dealing with his tsundereness too.”

Puffing your chest with pride, you tell Cenna that you have an eye for quality.

The elevator stopped moving and rang its bell again. You’ve arrived at your destination. You stepped out into a section of The Core that you’ve never visited before.

Makeshift seats and tables were scattered about everywhere. It looked like Alphys had brought tools from her Lab too.

Alphys hurried to greet you. “Frisk! Cenna! T-there’s something I have to show you! A-A-ASAP. Follow me.”

That does NOT sound good. You followed her lead.

Along the way, you passed by Doctor Gaster and …Goner? Rhymer? Shortie? Even the mudhead! Although they’re transparent ghost-like entities, the whole gang was here. You didn’t get to see what they were working on, but they were very, very busy.

Alphys took you to a viewing balcony. It appeared that you’re on the top floor of the facility. Looking down, you saw nothing but a sea of white glow.

Wait a minute. Nothing but white? What happened to the other floors? Isn’t this the same substance from Mu’s reactor that could vaporize things beyond realities?!?

“P-please calm down,” she said, “I-it appears that The Core didn’t have a proper outlet for this much waste. Well. Um. It didn’t have an outlet at all, actually. W-which explains why The Core had this white glowy substance everywhere.”

You stared at Alphys and blurted out a deadpan ‘what’.

Even Cenna couldn’t believe her ears. “If Lucy hears this, she’s gonna flip.”

“U-unfortunately, she already knows about this. And she chewed Gaster out over the phone for having ‘abysmal safety standards’. I-it was inevitable. She already had huge suspicions after she ripped the Lab’s floorplans apart.”

From the corner of his work table, Gaster doth protest: “That woman is harsher than she lets on! Don’t be fooled by her kindness!”

Them’s fighting words. And to no surprise, Cenna was provoked by his statements.

“You fucking say what?!” She yelled, “YOU built a goddamn reactor without a waste disposal system?!? I thought you’re the guy with foresight!”

“I can’t foresee impossible events! Argh, why am I wasting my energy yelling here? Doctor Alphys, I’ll leave the science class to you! I’m off to fix the pump. Again.”

Doctor Gaster’s team packed up their tools and rushed off. Not long after, then, you heard the great roars of machines from the entire facility. It reminded you of a gigantic vacuum cleaner.

Alphys tried to explain something, but the noise was TOO DARN LOUD!!!

The level of the white sea did appear to be lowering. You’re relieved Doctor Gaster’s plan worked.

…Then you heard something screech. And everything fell silent.

In the far distance, Goopdoc cursed: “You blasted infernal machine! How dare you fail your creator!!!”

Someone’s having a bad day, alright. Just like you in the morning.

“Eherm. Where was I?” Alphys adjusted her glasses. “Right, systems. We may not have a waste disposal system, but we do have an emergency lava pump in the basement. In the case of an accidental flooding, these pipes would drain the lava off to the facility’s containment chambers. Since the glowy stuff is cooler than lava, the pipes have no problem sucking them in. But there’s something about its magically charged nature that’s causing the pump to break down, hampering our progress. Gaster-sensei and I have been doing repairs as required since last night.”

Impressive! You told Alphys that you don’t think humans have discovered a way to pump out lava like water yet. It’s too hot for mundane Surface materials.

“Oh, I see. That’s interesting. Anyways, about the white glow, Lady Lucidia explained that they’re ‘Spirit Gate Particles’, or SGP for short. Think of them as a magical electron cloud, chock-full of mana. Do you know about the four states of matter?”

Four? Your school only taught you about solids, liquids, and gasses.

“There’s actually one more state: ‘plasma’. Ionized gases that are extremely electrically conductive. There are many examples of plasma, such as lightning, fluorescent lights, televisions, and even the interior of the sun! SGPs are pretty much that, except in magic form.”

Cenna blurted out. “Wait, we know all that? Ugh, sorry. I’m real bad at science.”

You patted your sister’s back, consoling her. Such was the tragedy of the Wanderstars: one child terrible at math, the other child terrible at science. Neither of you had the brains of your cool Artificer parents.

In the meantime, Alphys awkwardly attempted to continue her explanation. “A-as their name suggests, SGPs serve as the base components for Spirit Gates. Doctor Gaster’s grand plan is to build a giant Spirit Gate using what we’ve gathered here. And then apply Sans’ FUN theory to permanently separate the Ocean Amalgamate into individual entities.”

Spirit Gate?

Sans?

FUN?

You feel as out of the loop as Cenna right now.

“FUN is an acronym for ‘Functional Universe Number’. Think of it as the ID-value for the dimension that we currently live in. Sans -- using his Eye to analyze the Philosopher’s Stone -- discovered that every living entity with a SOUL has a ‘Personal Universe Number’, corresponding to their Hub.”

Personal Universe Number?… P. U. N.

PUN.

You furrowed your brows.

Really… Did FUN really just become PUN? That’s such a cringey Sanscronym.

“I cringed too when I realised that. Anyway, I don’t know when exactly he completed his analysis, but Gaster-sensei confirmed it.”

You informed Alphys about what happened to that failed timeline. She seemed uneasy knowing that a successful assassination attempt once took place.

“Oh. Oh dear. I thought Sans got injured in this timeline, not before. I didn’t realise he went that far to gain this information. He… he really doesn’t look out for his own health. I’m beginning to understand why Undyne gets so mad at my poor diet.”

You got what she meant. Tsunderjudge is really struggling against Persona at the moment. You feel like you want to help, yet you’re not sure how or what to do. It’s very concerning. Worrying. Nobody would be ready to take up his responsibilities if he dies.

…Damn, you must have stressed everyone out so hard. You used to be the one holding the Keys of Fate hostage together with a raging murderous misanthropic kid! That’s one heck of a doomsday scenario!

Cenna snickered as she cheekily nudged you. “Realising the trouble you caused is part of growing up, kid.”

The three of you enjoyed a teasing chuckle together. After that, Alphys went quiet.

“Um…” she fiddled her claws. “Y’know. I’m actually excited? I-I’m learning so many new things. Every day. It’s overwhelming, but I’m managing better than I ever expected.”

“L-l-like these SGPs, for example. Last night, my mind was racing a million miles a minute just thinking of all kinds of possible applications. What if… we could separate the Amalgamates? Give people their loved ones back in proper pieces? Also, if we can convert them into a stable solid or liquid state, our magitek potential will soar to sci-fi anime levels! We’re talking about cyborgs being real! It’s like making robots all over again, and I love robotics!”

Her excited ramblings were once again cut short by the roars of the pump system. Goopdoc had finally managed to get it working…

…Or so you thought. You heard a crack and a snap, followed by a complete shutdown. Screams of ‘egads’ and assorted aggravated ranting echoed across The Core.

“Oh, dear. That sounds like a shattered pump.” Alphys rolled up her sleeve. “I should go help sensei.”

Wait! You grabbed her by her claw. Has Goopdoc heard about the skelebrothers’ surgery?

“He does. I’ve told him about it.”

Then Doctor Gaster should take a break from The Core’s repairs and come home with you. Won’t the skeleparents want to be by their children’s side at their most dangerous hour?

Besides, you don’t believe his supply of spare parts to be endless. Maybe Alphys can get better ones back at The Lab?

“Y-you bring up a good point. E-excuse me for a moment! I’ll go ask him.”

And so Alphys scuttled off.

Meanwhile, Cenna asked you: “Is this a good idea? You heard Mom earlier: that dude is supposed to be in prison.”

You can’t bear the thought of having him miss out on the surgery. As long he’s escorted out by a trained professional, it should be fine.

“I see…” She proceeded to rub your hair. “You’re a sweet kid.”

You hope to stay sweet from now on. Going sour can have rather dangerous consequences.

Goopdoc accepted your offer, on the account of kind thoughtfulness. He had his ghostly grey assistants watch over The Core for tonight. The system itself was already stable enough to feed the town. As long as the power isn’t overdrawn, it should function just fine.

Your stomach started to rumble by the time you reached Mister Driver’s car. He looked up at you with the same nonchalant face as ever.

“Fetching a friend home?” he asked.

You nodded. While getting into the car, you asked if he could drop the two Doctors at their Lab first. After that it’s onward to the Dreemurr residence.

“Sure thing. The Lab is where I picked you up earlier, right?”

Yep. That’s right. Thanks, Mister Driver.

Cenna, being the closer colleague, sat shotgun with the driver. Meanwhile you settled in between the two adults in the back.

You closed your eyes to relax. Phone? Phone can wait. You’re tired from this long day. Maybe Mom’s right: you should hit the hay earlier. Rest while you still can.

The ride was quiet until…

“F-Frisk?” Alphys tapped your arm. “T-t-t-t-there’s a lot of people in front of the Lab.”

You snapped wide awake. Humans or monsters???

“Monsters,” she said. “I see flowers!”

Nani?!?!?!

The moment the car stopped by the porch, you hurried out as soon as possible. As Alphys had said, there were many monster visitors, each bringing their own bouquet of flowers.

You held your breath. Did… did Sans… die while you were away?!

Dogamy noticed you. “Woof! Frisk, you’re back. Woof!”

The Cinnabun Lady and her husband were there too. “Frisk,” she said, “Are you here to send get-well wishes to the skeleton brothers too?”

Get-well wishes?

“We just heard about the news this afternoon. Those poor boys! Especially Sans. Papyrus said he’s in critical care. Put in a coma after losing an arm.”

You remembered seeing Mettaton with his crew earlier today. They were talking to Papyrus. Interviewing him, to be exact.

And this was the result…?

Needing to know more, you excused yourself and squeezed past the crowd. You need to speak to Papyrus. Pronto!

You found him addressing the visitors, thanking them for their care and concern. Grillby helped him accept the gifts. By now, they have amassed a sizable pile of bouquets and get-well cards.

“OH HELLO FRISK.” He waved at you. “THANK YOU FOR DROPPING BY. BUT, I THINK QUEEN TORIEL WOULD WANT YOU BACK AT HOME. DON’T WORRY ABOUT ME. I’LL BE FINE.”

You announced that you’re going to borrow Papyrus for a while. To do so, you turned his SOUL Blue. It’s his old trick turned back around.

Then, you lifted him up over your head and dashed to the quietest part of The Lab.

Breathe in, breathe out. Calm down first.

Once you’re settled, you asked Papyrus the following questions:

Who let the cat out of the bag?

Wasn’t this supposed to be a secret?

Did Mettaton convince Papyrus to break the news?

“NO,” Papyrus replied, “IT’S THE OTHER WAY ROUND. I ASKED METTATON TO COVER OUR STORY. SANS AND I, THAT IS.”

Your head started to spin. Why? Isn’t this too dangerous? A powder keg for riots?

“IT’S OKAY, FRISK. I -- THE GREAT PAPYRUS -- WILL TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR HIS ACTIONS. I WANT THE COMMUNITY TO KNOW WHAT SANS DID TO PROTECT US. AND… I WANT HUMANS TO KNOW THAT US MONSTERS ARE NOT INVINCIBLE. WE CAN GET HURT TOO.”

“DON’T WORRY! ALL INFORMATION DISPENSED IS SAFE FOR THE EARS! I TOLD THEM THAT HE WAS ALREADY INJURED IN THE SPIRE FIRE, AND THEN HE BECAME EXTRA INJURED YESTERDAY.”

You’re in utter disbelief. You wanted to trust his decisions. Yet, he made THIS decision! You’re scared of the possible butterfly effect. Politics! Social media! Race relations!

“I SEE YOU’RE STARTING TO THINK LIKE SANS AND MISTER MAGUS. I UNDERSTAND YOUR WORRIES. BUT LIKE I SAID, THE GREAT PAPYRUS WILL TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY. EVERYONE HAS A PART TO PLAY… AND I’M DOING MINE.”

He got down to your level and placed a hand on your shoulder. “FRISK, YOU DON’T HAVE TO FACE THE WORLD ALONE.”

You started to tear up from panic.

But what if Papyrus had to face the world alone? What if he becomes a walking target of hatred like the Tsunderjudge? It’s everything Sans feared. And now, it’s your fear too.

Papyrus smiled at you. “IT’S A BIT TOO LATE TO WORRY ABOUT ME. WHY, THE GREAT PAPYRUS HAS ALREADY GAINED INFAMY BY COOKING THAT SUPERB FEAST! NYEH HEH HEH! BESIDES, I WON’T BE ALONE. I WILL NEVER BE ALONE. I TRUST THAT YOU WILL BE BY MY SIDE.”

Whether you could accept it or not, he didn’t stick around to wait. He knew you’d need time anyway. Papyrus returned to the well-wishers of his own volition.

It appeared that you’re not the only one who grew up. Everyone around you, little by little, had changed to face new challenges. This served both a source of relief and anxiety.

After all, the world had yet to change…