Boned

[Kagami]

"If there's no risk, there's no reward and besides, what good is there by playing it safe? In fact, if everyone played it safe, there wouldn't be the things out there in the worlds that would change anything at all for the Crossroads as there wouldn't be any progress done." she scowled before she continued, "Another thing, if I'm constantly being treated as a little child, how would that help me out? I told you that I could handle things better without being told what or what not to do and I should have the freedom to do what I want instead of being restricted!"

She added in a downright hostile tone. "As for Booker, he's downright overprotective, Sans, he doesn't know what's best for me when he, himself, doesn't want to confront his insecurities. He's a liar behind his vision of so-called morality and he doesn't respect me or anything like that!"

There was not only anger and despair in her tone but one of bitterness as she believed that she is in the right of this situation regardless. However, despite of what's happening, there were tears as she was subtly trembling. Was it hurt? She didn't even know but this unhealthy swirl of emotions was clouding her reasoning.

"If you could atleast listen to me instead of constantly trying to restrain me because of Booker, then maybe we wouldn't be in this situation!"

 

[Sans]

* if people played it safe, there would be less problems in the world, kid. far too many people like to play with fire as it is.

His tone sounded increasingly bitter as well, but also oddly uncertain too.

* i’m not restraining you, kid. that’s too much work. i’m just telling you the score. and…

For the first time, he narrowed his eyes at her, almost hiding the white glow of his dotted eyes and replacing them with the inky blackness of his eyeholes.

* i dunno what you and booker are like, but from what i can see, all he wants is to keep you safe, and he wanted me to do the same. i’m not gonna let his little bean sibling get hurt. you could at least appreciate him for that.

He winked at her. * and hey! you’re unharmed, so clearly, i’ve been doing my job well too.

 

[Kagami]

"He's not related to me! He's not family!" she exclaimed as while she would go over to attack Sans, there's a part of her that refused to.

However, she didn't know what to say next as she felt cornered, lowering her head remembering the first time she met Booker years ago. She didn't want to accept it but the reality was there, it's just while she despises him, he has helped her out before.

"So, I guess that's just it, huh? How this comes to a conclusion?" she asked. "Nobody gets hurt, nobody gains anything, all is well with the exception that my time has been wasted."

She would look towards another direction within Waterfall and just stare out there.

 

[Sans]

* well…

He sighed.

* has it? i mean, who made that quiche? we don’t know that. that’s…

He couldn’t believe he was even going along with this, but if whatever entity that had been in the shadows apparently only wanted to give some food to them, then there wasn’t any real harm in trying to search for it, right? He hoped so. He didn’t want to regret this.

* that’s something we can find out.

 

[Kagami]

She only put the crystal away inside her hoodie pocket as she would take her seat on the nearby bench afterwhile.

"After a bit, I..I need some time." she sighed as she would use the sleeve of her hoodie to wipe off the tears, even from underneath her glasses.

Her normally green coloration on her face was already red from being emotional as of late and it felt like she already exhausted some of her energy because of the brief tantrum from earlier. After all, while she was close to fighting Sans, she couldn't do it as that would mean for more time lost in this situation so either way, it's lose-lose for her at the end of the day or whatever time it is right now.

"They're probably mad at me smacking you on the face with the quiche though. I dunno. I was just..you know.."

Her tone was tired if not also calm..for now.

 

[Sans]

* this meant a lot to you. at least you didn’t try to kill me, heh.

He winked at her. * besides, it ain’t the first time i’ve had a pie thrown at my face. you should’ve seen me at MTT back in its hey-day.

He walked up towards her, noticing her wiping away tears with the rim of her hoodie sleeve. He lifted a hand and patted her on her shoulder.

* sorry, kid. but hey, this place has been cool, hasn’t it? you haven’t even seen the history plates yet!

 

[Kagami]

"Sorry is only a lame excuse because you want to keep little secrets about this place to yourself and another thing, I don't want your apology until you mean it." she replied with a harsh tone before she sighed, "Anyways, I'll still go and view those plates because I wanted to see them for awhile anyways."

She would eventually stand up on her feet again and this time, intent to keep quiet for awhile. She was still calming down but at the same time, upset.

 

[Sans]

* right…

As Kagami walked off, Sans shook his head, his smile slowly drooping down with Kagami no longer looking at him. She really was like them, in a way. She was headstrong, confident, believing she was capable of anything so long as she set her mind to it. The human child was much the same way. Their DETERMINATION was similar, in that sense.

He couldn’t help but worry, though. The human child was special; it wasn’t every day you found a human that traveled through the trials and tribulations of the underground and came out just as pure and spotless as when they had fallen into it. Their integrity was stronger than anything that any monster threw at them, and as a result, the monsters came out as free beings in a free world.

He didn’t get that from Kagami. Something darker drove her every move. Her comment about “morality” didn’t sit well with him. She wanted to prove herself, to prove she wasn’t what she was: a kid, and still so young too. He had to admit to himself that her complaints rang true, but what was he to do? Tell her everything he knew about the mountain just because she asked? If she did know, she would never be the same.

Gaster hadn’t been the same himself when the Tall Man came. With all fairness to Kagami, she was no Gaster. He was of stronger mind than she was, and even he succumbed to something darker as the days went by.

Maybe that was why the experiment kept going in spite of everything. Maybe that was why he was here now instead of back in his world, his timeline, where he was supposed to be. Kagami couldn’t understand the sheer scope of that. He wasn’t sure anyone could.

Continuing to shake his head, he slowly trailed behind Kagami, watching her every move.

 

[Kagami]

Kagami was silent. Who does this bonehead of a skeleton think he is to keep such secrets from her to impede with her investigation? It would be so easy if she can just read his mind but since Booker told of her powers to him, well, along with some recent displays of power, she had to keep things on the down low. All she wanted was to find out about this strange place yet she got denied?

Not in her book!

The Beanish didn't know how to take NO for an answer. If she wants it, she wants it and nothing else especially when she didn't want any lip regardless! While she is aware that actions have consequences, she equally defies it as she only says it at say face just so nobody suspects something. Yes, she's a hypocrite but she doesn't care too much as she would refuse to fess up.

However, what she noticed is that both he and Booker share and that is overprotective. After all, didn't Sans say that he has a younger brother? That's right! He does!

Perhaps she could make for some psychological jabs at him if Sans refuses to listen and perhaps she could have fun that way. She has done it before with messing with the valleygoers and she can do it again.

However, as Kagami was walking along down the area of Waterfall, she would eventually stopped and look back as she would notice Sans lag behind her and crossed her arms.

"Hey, you're kinda being slow. Can you hurry along?" she asked. "Time's ticking away."

 

[Sans]

* why? don’t ya wanna be here longer?

Sans winked at her, a sardonic tone to his voice as he continued walking behind her, observing her reaction. He had to admit that goading her further was probably a bad idea, but at the same time, the opportunity for japery had presented itself and he simply had to take advantage of it.

 

[Kagami]

"Don't. Just stop with the nonsense Sans and plus, I'm not in a mood for more shenanigans." she sighed as she tapped her foot impatiently but this time, her hands were on her sides, "Let's just hurry up, read the plates, see what they have to say and get outta here to the next area."

They had been in this place long enough and she further agitated that she couldn't enjoy it because this place is very beautiful and she enjoyed it the most out of the Underground.

 

[Sans]

Sans didn’t reply. He simply continued on, remaining quiet the whole while.

Eventually, as they passed through the long, dark caverns, they came across a long corridor filled with metal glyphs implanted in the walls. Large, bulbous crystals jutted out above each one, illuminating their silver words for Kagami to see.

She looked to the first and closest plate of them all. The words were as follows:

* The SOUL is unbelievably strong, possessing qualities far beyond what any normal being could match. Anyone with a SOUL could match the power of an entire army all by themselves. We set to work on making our own.

* A monster with a SOUL… a horrible beast with unfathomable power. The humans, afraid of our power, declared war on us. They attacked suddenly and without mercy.

* Not a single human was slain and countless monsters were turned to dust. In fear, we fled into the earth, and seven of their greatest magicians sealed us underground with a magic spell.

Sans gazed at the same plates, a somber look on his smiling face.

 

[Kagami]

"Hmm, sounds like a big case of fear on terms of the humans, possibly envy and several other factors. Though, a SOUL.." she paused after reading the first history plate as she asked Sans, "Wasn't that something you were talking about earlier? You know, when we first got here in the Underground and that? You know, with how 'I was a bean after your own SOUL' remark when you were talking to Booker before we left to Hotland?"

 

[Sans]

* yep. the plates talk mostly about how powerful it makes you, but a SOUL is more than that.

He shut his eyes. * think of it as more like the essence of your being concentrated into a capsule. whatever makes you who you are is whatever your SOUL is. patience, bravery, kindness… DETERMINATION.

He looked to the next plate.

* Trapped behind the barrier and fearful of further human attacks, we retreated to the cavern’s end. This was our new home, which we named “Home.”

* Fearing the humans no longer, we moved out of our old city, HOME. We braved harsh cold, damp swampland, and searing heat, until we reached what we now call our capital city: NEW HOME.

 

[Kagami]

Kagami couldn't help but to be curious for a bit as she asked, "I wonder if I have any of those types that you mentioned or anything, I dunno, but anyways, this I got because you briefly explained about it and the fact that King Asgore wasn't exactly the best at naming things."

She snickered before she shrugged, "Ah well, better to have a name than none at all even if it's not the most creative but maybe he was caught in the spot and be like 'Oh we'll call this place this random name because I literally have no idea what else to call it so this will do for now.' and over time, it became the norm for everyone else down here."

She wondered for a bit about the two plates she has read so far before she would go to the next one.

 

[Sans]

* heh. ain’t that the truth. he was never the greatest at names.

Assuming, of course, it was Asgore that actually named them and not… somebody else. He wasn’t sure at this point, but with all the changes that Kagami had told him about, combined with that picture he had found… it was quite hard not to let the idea simmer in his skull that he was not where he was supposed to be.

The next plate read as followed:

* There is a prophecy of Delta Rune. The Angel, the One Who Has Seen the Surface, will return, and the Underground will go empty.

A diagram sat etched into the rock next to the plate, looking like a circle with two wings by its side and three triangles, the middle inverted, underneath it.

 

[Kagami]

Kagami wondered about this plate as she approached it as the symbolism of the Delta Rune was something that she had noticed when they were in the Castle but she didn't know what it was actually called.. until now that is.

"Talk about literal symbolism here as you already told me before, but regardless, it looks cool." she mused. "Though, it was still nice to get to see it, though, I can't help but to feel bad for the monsters just because humans had issues with them but the past is the past. All you can do is to look forward and keep on with head held high."

 

[Sans]

Sans shrugged. * yep, it is. thankfully, the story has a happy ending.

He winked. * a human child came down and freed us from our torment. that’s why this place is abandoned now, save for explorers and researchers and such.

 

[Kagami]

"Well, if they aren't scared off." she shrugged casually. "However, some people are stubborn to just come along anyways despite of what's hiding behind the scenes as they want to know. I'd say outsiders more likely because I'm sure the locals know more of this place as I'm sure their families had been living here for who knows how long. Probably generations since that war."

She has calmed down considerably and before long, she would stretch her arms and legs for a moment before she paused up, feeling something.

"..ah great."

 

[Sans]

* more than likely, yeah. some monsters built villages right outside of the mountain rather than move away from it. i went to arcadia myself for a while.

He was about to continue on his own little backstory when he noticed Kagami stiffen up.

* uh… you okay?