Understay - an Undertale Fanfic

Understay I - The King and the Human

"Come on, little guy." a fourth voice interrupted. Frisk recognised it and glanced up, grinning slightly. His grin, however, was nothing compared to that of Sans, who was resting against the doorway leading back to New Home. "Why don't you leaf him alone?"

"Ugh!" Flowey groaned, rolling his eyes. "Get lost, you second-rate jokester!"

"Sorry, bud, but I'm here for the kid." he grinned, but his pupils vanished, leaving eerie black sockets where they were. "Unless you want another lesson..." Flowey hissed, before sinking into the ground and vanishing.

-----

"Sans, your timing is perfect." Asgore smiled, clenching his fist. The fireball he had ignited was extinguished. "But what brings you here?"

"Like I said, I'm here for the kid." Sans relaxed, his pupils returning. "Someone like this, you don't wanna leave him alone. Trouble finds him if he can't find it."

"So it seems." Asgore glanced to Frisk, who had made his way over to the king. "Sans, do you know anybody who can care for the human?"

"Huh? Care for him?" the grin dropped a little in his confusion. "You ain't gonna take his soul?" The question sounded like it was aimed at Asgore, but Frisk noticed his eyes. Sans was looking at him when he asked the question...

"He has pledged it to us, but does not wish to die. He suggests waiting for him to age and a natural death."

"There's gonna be backlash, people want out now If we're gonna let the kid live, he needs a guard."

"The Royal Guard can be repurposed."

"And if another human falls?"

"It's been many years since the sixth human, and the Core proved enough to stop them. Should another human fall, we shall use their soul and this child may go free."

"I dunno about this, sir.."

"Nor do I, but..." Asgore sighed. "I believed myself prepared to fight this child, but his Determination surprises even me." He straightened up, a small smile hiding a single tear. "Human, do you know where you can stay?"

"Um, actually, yes, I have an idea..." Frisk muttered. His mind was elsewhere, amid fallen leaves and crumbling stones, amid ancient puzzles and forgotten paths, looking for a kind smile and an embrace he had never forgotten... "I know somebody in the ruins"

"In the ruins? Nobody's been there for years..."

"He fell down in them a couple of days back, headed to Snowdin. I caught him just as he left 'em."

"The... the Snowdin ruins...?" Asgore's voice grew quiet.

"Yup."

"... I will accompany you, child."

"I'll be at Grillby's." Sans nodded, walking back to New Town and out of sight. Frisk looked to Asgore, nervous yet relieved. He had been spared.

------

The walk back to the elevator was quiet, giving Frisk time to reflect. His family was gone long before he fell down, so that didn't concern him. The bullies and criminals of the human world didn't appeal to him either, so no loss there. Down here had everything he'd wanted; nobody stole from others, nobody harmed others... nobody killed. It was an ideal home for him

"Human, you must understand." Asgore cut through Frisk's thoughts. "Monsters have waited for centuries for you to fall. They will still demand your soul."

"I know..." Frisk muttered a reply, looking down at his feet.

"You must be adept at defending yourself if you made it here, but they will try harder now. We do not have a lot of resources-"