The sun rose high into the Spring sky. It was almost noon. The heat of the surroundings rose together with the tempers of the protest.
Hordes of humans -- numbering in the thousands -- had crowded the marketplace since morning. They waved their placards around as they chanted the following words:
“No more magic! No more magic! No more magic! No more magic!”
A long row of police blocked the road, armed with riot shields, protective gear, and gas masks. Magi lined up behind them, ready to lend magical support whenever necessary.
Grillby stood together with the human mages. The police had returned his armour and glasses at House Berendin, as it was arranged. They were then delivered straight to his home with Lady Lucidia’s help.
Today, he had chosen to don this gear more for its symbolism. It made a statement that Monsterkind was not afraid to defend themselves. At least, that was the initial idea.
His heart sighed in weariness.
…Monsters without magic… What would we become?…
He felt a light tap on his shoulder. Turning his head, he saw Undyne. The human police force had lent her a gas mask to filter out the inevitable toxic fumes.
Half-muffled under the mask, the fish Captain asked: “Hey, you alright?”
“…I’m fine…” he replied “…How about you?…”
“I’m okay too. Well, as much as I can be in this damn situation! At least I got a nap earlier. You on the other hand… you haven’t slept, have you?”
“…I couldn’t… Especially after what happened last night…”
By the time Grillby arrived at the border, the damage had already been done. Angry humans brawled on the streets. Frightened monsters fled deeper into the town. The pandemonium rose high into the night sky alongside the smoke of burning buildings.
Although he had prevented further spread of the inferno, the properties that were lost once belonged to monsters of Ebott Town. They had spent their resources to migrate to The Surface. Now, that investment vanished overnight.
The worst of all had to be the wailing of crying children. Those lives were so young, yet they experienced such terror at an early age. Would they grow up with bitter resentment against humanity? How did the future look now that the seeds of darkness had been planted? Could they ever be nurtured in a positive manner?
To add insult to injury, the humans were not completely driven out. They were instead given a compromise. No enforcement would occur as long as they stayed inside the designated boundaries.
Since then, the humans continued to taunt them by making piles of effigies. Most of them were made from cheap Halloween props. Grillby was reminded of Gaster’s distaste for the holiday. Perhaps he had a point after all.
A new mound was just completed, doused in kerosine and set alight. Some youngsters turned towards Grillby and started to jeer.
“You! You’re that big shot fire dude right?!”
“Rescued all those little mages!”
“Saved all those burning buildings!”
“Oooh look at me I’m so cool~”
“Now you’re just standing there like a douchebag!”
“Is this fire too small for you?”
“C’mon! Suck this fire! We dare you!”
The temptation to lash out was great, but he stayed his hand despite the mockery. Commissioner Eldin had already warned that attempting to extinguish the fires would be seen as active oppression against their cause. It would push more bad press on monsterkind, painting them as ‘undiplomatic’.
As long as the pile stood within the designated zone, nothing could be done to stop it from burning.
“Coward!”
“You’re all talk and no action!”
Undyne whipped out her megaphone and yelled towards the crowd: “Cut it out, kids! Personal attacks are not allowed!!!”
They jeered back at her.
“Yes teacher! Whatever you say, teacher!”
“OOOOOH I’m soooooo scared! Hahaha!”
Although she lowered her megaphone, it shook with a suppressed rage. Any more pressure, and the plastic case might shatter from her grip.
…Undyne… I’m worried about her…
He knew that a sense of fragility hid under her usual bravado. Since she set such high standards for herself, she had trouble accepting failure. Without doubt, she must be cursing herself for letting the border fall.
Undyne glanced at him. “I know what you’re thinking, Grillby. We’ve gone through that moon maze from hell. You’ve already seen me at my worst.”
Indeed, the Megalovania Incident had tested the strength of everyone involved. “…True…”
“So,” said Undyne, “I’m gonna admit, right here, right now, that I DO feel awful for failing to protect the border. But… I’ve learned that I can’t let setbacks push me down. The REAL shit starts now!”
Hearing her new mindset put Grillby at ease. “…You’ve matured…”
“Heh. Thanks. Gotta learn something, somehow.”
From the back, he heard someone cry out the following words:
“The royal goats are at Town Hall!”
All it took was one person to suggest a course of action and the sentiment began to spread. People started checking their devices for the shortest path to Town Hall.
It was almost as if the mob had a hive mind. Perhaps when it came to acting as a group, humans had more in common with monsters than anyone would like to admit.
It was then that the wind started to pick up, changing directions. It blew the thick, noxious smoke straight through the line of defense. Even though the defending force came equipped, the smoke still hindered their sight.
…This is a bad omen…
Emboldened by the change of wind, the mob began to march forward. Shielders braced for impact, while the Magi charged their SOULS.
The megaphone got deployed again, louder. “BACK! OFF!!! Stay in your zones!!!”
In response, the crowd pushed harder. Their voices rose along with the tension.
“FUCK! OFF!!!”
“We want answers!”
“You don’t get to tell us what to do!”
“Bootlickers!”
Undyne chose to withhold any further screaming. She kept her frustrations in check and remained decisive in her actions.
“Grillby,” she said, “Go to the Town Hall and warn everyone there. I’ll hold the line for as long as possible.”
“ …Alright… Good luck…”
He utilized the cover of the black smoke to slip into a nearby alleyway. Letting the mob know of his retreat may cause undue interruptions.
Once in the clear, he started to dash. The Town Hall was close-by. Too close. The mob’s march would reach there in no time.
When he arrived, he found another group of humans with placards. At first, he thought that some of the protesters had circumvented the official zones… But this group shook hands with the monsters. The more emotional ones even reached out for hugs.
Grillby walked forward and asked: “…What’s going on?…”
The red bird monster, a regular patron in his former bar, answered to him like usual. “Hey Grillby! Don’t worry, these humans are on our side. Pro-magic humans just like the Magi. They’re gonna help us defend the town.”
Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
“…E-excuse me?…” Shaking his head, he disagreed, “…No, you must evacuate…”
One of the monsters exclaimed, “What do you mean ‘evacuate’? The Royal Guard is outnumbered!”
And another. “We’re not gonna sit around and cower anymore!”
“My sister’s house burned last night!”
“Those goons trashed my friend’s shop!”
“My workplace is gone!”
“The time for us monsters to hide is over: we’re gonna HELP! We’re gonna FIGHT!”
Before long, the whole crowd started chanting ‘FIGHT!’, ‘FIGHT!’, ‘FIGHT!’, over and over and over.
…It’s too late… The citizens have reached their boiling point… At this rate, not even the King could convince them to back down…
He then heard the strings of a lute strum behind him. Standing beneath a nearby tree was the mysterious Oriental bard. ‘Hajikami Hua’ was the name given: the sole person who remained awake when Gaster gassed the Lab.
…This man can’t be human… Yet he doesn’t have the aura of a monster either…
“Knight,” said the bard, “If you wish to be of assistance to these people, follow me.”
Although skeptical at first, Grillby realised that he had hit a dead end with the Town Hall situation. So, he decided to follow the man.
Further and further they went, away from the source of chaos. The steps did not stop until the rowdy voices had become distant and faint.
There was no hidden backup to be seen. Irritated, Grillby asked: “…I don’t have time for japes…”
Hajikami replied, “There’s nothing you can do to prevent the coming disaster. Therefore, you should prepare for the next attempt.”
Pointing the head of his lute to Grillby’s chest, the man continued: “You still have that child’s Mark, do you not? The symbol that protects you from the clutches of rewound time.”
He understood what the musician meant. “…I see… Then, I’m guessing… You have useful information…”
“That depends on what you consider ‘useful’.” Three notes, plucked. “There are many events outside of your control. Such intel is fleeting like the wind. Instead, I shall teach you something more concrete.”
The moment the bard played his tunes, the outside world seemed to fade into irrelevance. He had Grillby’s full attention, whether he liked it or not.
“A seed has sprouted within your soul, planted by your King and Queen in the other realm. Alas, the proper nourishment has yet to be provided. It languishes in woeful stunting, at risk of collapsing.”
Grillby recalled the odd concern from the royal couple. Not to mention, his own inner fire had started to burn differently.
“…Hmm… You seem to know something about my condition…”
“The tales of your astuteness are truths be told. A nice change from the usual blurry confusion. But I’m sure that you have also noticed your own emotions changing. You’ve started to take action in the face of hardships, a far cry from your days in that dingy bar.”
“…Teach me, then… What do I need to do?… How do I make… uh… this ‘inner plant’ grow?… Whatever it may be…”
Hajikami Hua’s eyes glowed in reddish amber. His gaze intense, burning, like flames of the earth itself.
“Knight, this is your final test. Banish the insolent flames lit by the rabble. The more you exert your Determination, the stronger you will grow.”
The might behind those words made him shiver. It reminded him of the other Reds.
“Command flame as you command men. Unite your voice with your will. Only then shall you gain the power of authority.”
“Should you fail this test, I shall possess you as my vessel. Your body will be nothing but a waste hosting a faltering heart.”
Alarmed, Grillby raised his guard. That was no ordinary teaching. It may be more accurate to call it a borderline threat: a challenge.
The music stopped. The red glow faded. Just like that, the tension loosened and the atmosphere returned to normalcy. The musician turned to the side, making his disengagement clear.
“You should return to where you came from. Meanwhile, I shall wait here until the cosmos turns…”
After all of that, Grillby didn’t want to spend an extra second around this mysterious being. He gave a polite bow before retreating.
Only a few steps later, he heard Hajikami mutter out loud.
“Undyne. With a suitable teacher, her magic could rule the streams, rivers, lakes, and oceans. Yet, her love is tied to the land. Is it better for her to ascend to her fullest potential, or to live in humble content? Which is the more fruitful existence, I wonder?…”
It made Grillby think about his own life for a moment. Then, he cut it short: an attempt for any philosophy was put aside due to the pressing issue at hand.
…Apologies… I can’t answer that for you…
…You’ll have to ask Undyne herself…
He could already hear the chaos and see the smoke. The yelling intensified, the chanting feverish: escalation upon escalation.
But, the whole incident was interrupted by a whole lot of fearful screaming, followed with plenty of splashing water.
He arrived to find Sans standing right between the two camps, utterly drenched. Remnants of disposable bottles and plastic bags were scattered all over the road. In between the flames stood a single patch of wetness.
Meanwhile, Grillby overheard some of the anti-magic crowd talking among themselves.
“W-why isn’t he burning? Holy water works on skeletons, right?”
“We were saving that for those satanic goats! Water against fire, holy against dark!”
“Told ya acid works better.”
Queen Toriel yelled for Sans from the entrance of the Town Hall, but the King and the police pushed her back into the building. It’s too dangerous for her to interfere.
The monsters and pro-magic humans started to burn with anger. They yelled back:
“Watch out, they might have chemical weapons!”
“We’ve had enough of your violence!”
“THIS IS WAAAAARRRRR!!!”
Monster magic of all shapes and forms tore through the anti-magic crowd, while the pro-magic humans charged forth as a shield.
The pandemonium repeated itself. Humans brawled on the streets. Monsters materialized their grief outwards. Molotovs started to fly around indiscriminately. Fire magic from the citizens exacerbated the problem. Flames bloomed at every place they could latch on to, wilting and charring the leaves of nearby greenery.
Sans was nowhere to be seen anymore. He must have slipped away while no one was looking, most likely returning to Frisk to inform them of the bad news.
…If that’s the case… I’ll have to test this authority concept right now…
…Remember Judge Thyme… Remeber Persona… Remember Frisk… Remember the quality of their ‘voice’…
Towards the flames that threaten the town, Grillby focused his Determination into his words.
“…Stop…”
A failed attempt. His voice came out normal: just a breath without power.
Again, he tried. “…Cease!…”
Another failure. A part of Grillby started to doubt, thinking that maybe this was all a ludicrous prank.
However, Hajikami was not Sans Serif. And Grillby had already witnessed this power in action multiple times. If not from the Reds, it was from his own King.
…Do I have to make it louder?…
He tried to force himself to yell like Undyne. What came out of it was a painful, choking mess: ending in a pathetic chain of coughs and wheezes. How demoralizing.
…This is impossible… How does he expect me to do this… with this damaged voice of mine?…
Then, he started to think. Mezil never had the tendency to scream at Undyne level. The volume stayed the same, yet it shook the hearts of the unprepared with ease.
…Volume has nothing to do with it…
…Be certain… Have faith…
…Unite my voice with my will!…
The balance of might, magic, and soul swirled into a spark. A sleeping power reawakened.
And thus this was his command:
“…Banish!…”
Upon that instant, every flame within his sight was instantaneously extinguished. He was both amazed and frightened by the result.
Unfortunately, the effect extended to any combustion-based magic among the monster citizens. They became completely confused in their powerlessness.
Both humans and monsters raised their questions.
“What happened to my magic?!”
“Who used magic?!”
“We’re being suppressed!”
“We’re being oppressed!”
‘Oops’ wouldn’t be enough to express the internal panic rising.
While the crowd was confused, Commissioner Eldin yelled through his own megaphone: “Cap! Flush ‘em!”
The ground beneath rumbled from a liquid churning. The nearby fire hydrants started to pop their covers. That could only mean one thing: it’s time for Undyne to act.
Grillby thought that he should flee the scene before he got swept up with the rest of the crowd.
Upon the ruthless villainess laughter of ‘fufufu’, great geysers answered her call. “It’s time for you all to COOL OFF!!!”
And then a huge stream of water flushed through the whole crowd, knocking them off their feet and forcefully dispersing them. Everyone ended up flat on the ground by the time the liquid drained, sustaining mild scrapes and some watery airways. People started to cough and sneeze while sitting in chilly exhaustion.
…I see… no wonder Hajikami thought she could rule all bodies of water…
“Yooooooooooooooo!”
At first, he thought that exclamation came from Kid, the lizard from Frisk’s class. But it sounded too feminine and grown-up to come from that child.
Looking around, he spotted Cenna. Judging from her expression she must have witnessed everything.
“Holy heckos of nine levels,” she exclaimed, “Did I just see that?! Did I really??? That was a Boss Monster power, right???”
Next to her was Lucas, the newly appointed Crimson Keeper. He’s trying to be the calm, straight man of his current duo.
“…Uh…” Grillby rubbed the back of his head. “…Hajikami Hua gave me some tips… More of a challenge… Otherwise I… would somehow be possessed by him?…”
Cenna attempted to compute the weirdness for one second before chucking it aside. “Okay, that’s cree-eeepy. Anyways, hear us out first. Luc and I got an idea that should solve half of our problems when the next loop starts.”
Pointing upwards she proudly announced: “We’re gonna try to rain on the parade!”
Looking upwards, it didn’t look like there were nearly enough clouds in the sky.
Furrowing his brows, Grillby commented, “…I don’t think the weather is on our side…”
It was then Lucas spoke up. “Don’t worry about that, Sir Grillenn. We’ll pull them together. Also, Captain Undyne will direct additional moisture to the sky as required. ”
“…It sounds like you’ve thought things through…” Grillby asked, “…But is that enough… to fully douse the flames?…”
Cenna flashed a finger gun towards him. “That’s where you come in with your new skill! Get it, yeah?”
The details clicked together. No wonder she was so excited. “…Understood… How much time do you need?…”
Lucas replied, “Unfortunately, we don’t know how long this will take. We need you to be on standby at Point Gamma throughout the whole operation.”
Frisk’s Mark started to resonate from within, a sign that they’re almost ready to rewind.
“Here we go,” said Cenna. “See ya on the flip side!”
One second later, Grillby found himself back at the market area. The scene was… a little different than his recent memories. After all, the burning mound created to taunt him had yet to exist.
From the corner of his eye, he caught a shimmer of blue jewels. There Grillby found Hajikami Hua. That man had watched from the shadows since the beginning, observing his every move.
Despite the discomforting pressure, the fire elemental didn’t let it bother him.
…Whatever your true intent may be… I’ll retain ownership of my body… No matter what…