UsTale - Pacifist Route (Undertale AU)

Chapter 1: Your Best Jester

Long ago, two races ruled over Earth: Humans and Monsters.

One day, war broke out between the two races.

After a long battle, the Humans were victorious.

They sealed the Monsters underground with a powerful spell.

It's been years since you've been told that tale, the bedtime story that never seems to end happily. Mt. Landing looms far above your village, forever taunting you with its promise of adventure. Yet everytime you venture close, you are reminded of the warning your caretaker gives you.

"Those who climb Mt. Landing never return. Please, never venture there, child, unless you wish to suffer a gruesome fate."

Looks like it was a good thing this time around that you aren't exactly the best listener, huh?

~-~-~

Ears ringing and back aching, you forced your eyes open only to see blinding sunlight above you, framed by a hole. Your fingers flexed, feeling nothing but fragile flower petals below you. It seems you landed in a bed of flowers, which probably broke your fall. It's the only reason you aren't dead right now.

You sit up, observing your surroundings. You had fallen into a cave, the entrance far above you. The walls were strangely smooth and flat, with no holds on the sides. It made climbing back to the surface nigh impossible, unless you had brought a grappling hook and rope with you. You check your pockets, however the only items you had on you were a stick you had found earlier on your trek up the mountain and a bandaid covering a small scratch on your cheek.

You can't help but pout at this unfortunate set back. Still, there does seem to be a way out of the room. A pathway that led to a doorway. You stand and dust yourself off, before heading off on your way. The doorway leads to a black room. There was a tiny crack in the ceiling, which allowed sunlight to sneak through and illuminate a tiny patch of grass.
You can't help but feel a bit uneasy upon noticing that someone sat in the grass.

It seemed to be a young man, with tan skin and poofy orange hair that was just barely hidden under a red and black jester hat. His outfit seems to follow the same color scheme, red and black stripes accented by bright blue gloves. However....green vines have wrapped themselves around his arms, the thorns digging uncomfortably into his arms. Flowers had begun sprouting in clusters, tiny and swaying with every movement he made. You take a step forwards, causing the man to turn.

He stares up at you with one citrus eye, as he seemed to be blinded in the other. The abundance of bright yellow flowers (you recognized them as the ones that had broken your fall) that completely covered the right side of his face sort of gave it away. He examines you, looking you up and down and paying no heed to how uncomfortable you grow. Instead, it seems it made him frown.

"....What the hell do you want." His voice is deeper than you expected, making you flinch a small bit. "Oh, wait. You're a human, aren't ya? You've fallen a long way down, buddy." With a grunt, the strange flower man stands, folding his arms across his chest while rolling his eyes. "Well, the name's Don. Don't make me repeat it. Think of me as your guide to this place. For now, at least. I ain't a babysitter."

You thank Don in advance, before you ask where you are. He simply stares back, a smirk just barely grazing his face for just a second. You notice it quickly disappears before you could get a better look.

"Right. You're in the Underground right now, kid." Don continues, shrugging. "A human like you isn't gonna last long 'round here. Which is why you've got me here to show you the ropes. You ready? 'Cause here we go." You tilt your head, preparing to ask what he means by that, when you're stopped by a red heart suddenly appearing over your chest. You reach a hand up to touch it, only to witness your hand pass through it like it was nothing. "See that there? That's your SOUL, the very culmination of your being and all that. It's a pretty weak SOUL if you ask me."

Don raised a hand, pointing towards the ceiling. Tiny white pellets exploded up from the ground, causing you to whimper pathetically. That almost makes Don crack another smile, but you can tell he's just barely holding it back.

"But, there is a way to make it stronger." The explanation continues. "All you need to do is increase your LV.." You put on a puzzled expression yet again. "'Fore you ask, LV. stands for LOVE down here. I'd be happy to share some with ya if you'd like. Looks like you honestly need it." Again, you find yourself thanking Don. You also ask what the pellets are for. "That's how LOVE is shared 'round here. They're called 'friendliness' pellets by the way, so don't worry."

The pellets slowly began to float closer to you. Something about this makes you feel uneasy. But you can't put a finger on it. Reluctantly, you step in the way of one of them. It hits you.

And it hurts.

You're sent backwards onto the ground, breathing heavily from the attack. Don's laughter rings in your ears, maddening and almost mocking. He's enjoying this, clearly.

"God, you're such an IDIOT!" He laughs uproariously, watching as you struggle into a kneeling position. God, why does everything hurt so much? How powerful do you think that attack was? "I can't believe you actually fell for that stupid act. Didn't your mommy ever tell you not to trust strangers?"

You bite back a snappy response, teeth clenched hard. Don only finds this more amusing. More of those pellets burst out of the ground and form a ring surrounding you.

"You're in the world of monsters now kiddo, and down here? There's only one rule." He continues. "It's KILL or BE KILLED! It's been nice knowing you, kid. But I really hate long, stupidly emotional goodbyes. So," the pellets began closing in, as Don smiles sadistically, "DIE."

You start crying, calling out for help. Don only responds with more laughter. It seems no one else is around to hear your cries. The pellets move in closer, closing off all forms of escape. You call out for help again. No re--

No, there is a response this time. There was a bright flash. And when it cleared, the pellets were completely gone. Don had vanished too, but you swore you could hear him yelling out in pain just a few moments ago. Tears still streaming down your face, you look up only to see a hand reaching out for you.

"Oh dear, what a miserable creature for attacking a child of all things!" This new person says, their words accented by an accent you couldn't recognize. "You don't need to worry about that bully anymore, child. I'll personally make sure of that."

The kind person is a man, just barely older than Don. He wore a set of white and purple robes, emblazoned with a unique symbol of what seemed to be an angel rising above a mountain. The nails on his hands were unusually sharp, but gentle as your fingers clasped around his. He looked at you through big, round, and thick glasses, blue and black hair hanging slightly in his face. Your eyes widen a bit once you notice his oversized gray ears, framed by white horns on the very top of his head. There seemed to be patches of similarly colored fur that covered his neck and hands.

"Oh! I've yet to introduce myself, haven't I?" The man asks, resignation flashing in his eyes at your surprised expression. "You can just call me UNi, and I am the caretaker of the Ruins. I come here everyday to watch out for fallen humans, much like yourself, actually." He straightens, still holding onto your hand. Not that you really want to let go. His hand makes you feel safe.

"Come with me, I'll show you the way through the catacombs. Maybe then we can get you fixed up, hm?" UNi suggests. He turns and begins leading you to the other end of the room.

The doorway there led to the front of a giant purple building. Stairs led upwards to the entrance, framed by old runic messages you can't understand. You found your hand slipping from UNi's as you stopped to stare up at the old structure before you. There seemed to be beds of roses planted in between the two staircases as well, with equally red leaves littering the smooth concrete around your feet.

Seeing the mighty building before you and imagining what it once looked like fills you with DETERMINATION.