Trading One Life For Another

Kat's POV

Crammed into the couch, Kat was pressed against Teri on her left and Clover on her right. The couch jangled beneath them as they fidgeted. Monsters walked through the room, the wooden floor creaking obnoxiously beneath them.

"How long will we be here?" A little bunny-like creature asked.

A purple bunny looked down at them. "I don't know, honey."

Kat's stomach churned. "U-until they leave I guess…" But what will they do then? All three of them seemed intent on killing, no matter what the creature was… Would they…? Kat covered her mouth, trying not to throw up at the thought. She pulled her legs into her chest. Trying to stop herself from shaking, she fidgeted with the fabric of her pants. There was a large creak. Everyone paused, gazing at Sans, who had just appeared in the middle of the room.

"They're coming through town," Sans informed, his pupils missing.

"Close the blinds!" A monster shrieked. In an instant, Kat pushed herself off the couch, dashed across the room, and pulled the blinds down. Clover was at her side, twisting them shut. Teri did the same with the other window. Not a single drop of light from outside could pierce the room, the artificial light of the kitchen keeping them from being drowned in total darkness.

"Is the door locked?" Sans asked, glancing at the three kids.

"I locked it when I came in," the mayor replied, marching out of the kitchen.

"We should be good then," Sans sighed, though he continued to shake. "For now…" He made his way toward the stairs. "Paps! Bro! Stay inside!" Kat turned to Teri and Clover.

"You don't think they'll hear us, do you?" Kat murmured, fidgeting with the straps of her apron.

"They can't get in anyways," Clover replied, crossing his arms.

"I don't know…" Teri murmured, gripping the sides of her tutu. "They have found ingenious ways to get inside locked classrooms."

"That was through open windows," Clover pointed out. "These windows are locked and shut."

"Still… we should keep an eye out," Kat insisted, struggling to keep her arms still. Her eyes watered.

"PAPYRUS!" There was a banging on the door upstairs. Kat glanced up. Sans was knocking on Papyrus's door. He rushed down the stairs, his eye sockets empty. "Have any of you seen Papyrus?"

"I didn't see him come in," Kat admitted, her eyes widening.

"Look outside!" Clover gasped, pulling a small part of the blinds up to peek through. Kat rushed toward the other window, doing the same.

"Do you see him?" Kat asked, squinting her eyes. The town was completely empty.

"I don't see anyone!" Teri gasped, letting the blinds fall as she leaped back. Kat gripped her chest. Her heart was pounding so hard she could barely keep track of its beat. She struggled to breathe.

"They must've left town!" Kat gasped.

Clover dashed toward the door, fiddling with the lock. "And if Papyrus is anywhere near them, then he's not safe!"

"We have to find Papyrus before they do!" Teri agreed, rushing to Clover's side. Kat joined them as well.

"It won't do any good," Sans sighed, shoving his hands in his pockets. "If what I suspect is true… then we're already too late…"

"Don't say that!" Teri gasped, flinging the door open. "There's still time! Come on!" The three rushed out into the snow. Sans shambled after them.

"Someone close and lock this door," Sans called, pushing the door closed. There was a click as it locked and immediately, the four dashed through the snow.

Ray's POV

The three had walked right past the town, not caring what was there and now they shambled through the snow. The fog had only increased as they continued. Now it was hard to see past their own noses. Frisk skidded to a halt. Ray and Poppy did the same, squinting through the fog to see a tall figure standing up ahead.

"HALT, HUMANS!" Ray flinched as Papyrus's voice filled the air. Frisk took a few steps forward.

"HEY, QUIT MOVING WHILE I'M TALKING TO YOU!" He snapped, his fierce gaze visible through the fog." I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, HAVE SOME THINGS TO SAY. FIRST: YOU ARE FREAKING WEIRDOS. NOT ONLY DO YOU NOT LIKE PUZZLES, BUT THE WAY YOU SHAMBLE ABOUT FROM PLACE TO PLACE… THE WAY YOU ARE ALWAYS COVERED IN DUSTY POWDER. IT FEELS…. LIKE YOUR LIVES ARE GOING DOWN A DANGEROUS PATH…" Ray clenched his jaw, gazing down at the snow. He's right...

"HOWEVER! I, PAPYRUS, SEE GREAT POTENTIAL WITHIN EACH OF YOU! EVERYONE CAN BE A GREAT PERSON IF THEY TRY! AND ME, I HARDLY HAVE TO TRY AT ALL!" Papyrus chuckled to himself. Frisk took a few more steps closer, Poppy at their heel. Ray froze in place.

"HEY, QUIT MOVING!" Papyrus snapped, his eyes narrowed. "THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT! HUMANS, I THINK YOU ARE IN NEED OF GUIDANCE. SOMEONE NEEDS TO KEEP YOU ON THE STRAIGHT AND NARROW! BUT WORRY NOT! I, PAPYRUS… WILL GLADLY BE YOUR FRIEND AND TUTOR! I WILL TURN YOUR LIVES RIGHT AROUND." Ray crossed his fingers, putting his hand behind his back. Frisk took a step forward.

"I SEE YOU ARE APPROACHING. ARE YOU OFFERING A HUG OF ACCEPTANCE?" Papyrus's face lit up with a smile. "WOWIE! MY LESSONS ARE ALREADY WORKING!" He spread his arms out, getting down on one knee. "I, PAPYRUS, WELCOME YOU WITH OPEN ARMS." Ray's heart skipped a beat when a slice pierced the freezing air. He glanced at Frisk. Their knife was clutched in their hand.

"NO!" Before Ray knew what was going on, he was in front of Frisk, slamming his fist against their face. "GET AWAY FROM HIM!" Frisk staggered back, falling on their back. The snow beneath them was tainted red.

"What are you doing?!" Poppy gasped, jumping backward and pulling out her notebook. Frisk wiped their bleeding jaw, glaring at Ray.

"I WON'T LET YOU KILL ANYONE ELSE!" Ray snapped, clenching his gloved fists so tight they burned. Pushing themself to their feet, Frisk lunged at Ray, slashing the knife through the air. Ray leaped to the side. He cast a glance at Papyrus, who stood frozen with wide eyes.

"GET OUT OF HERE!" Ray snapped, jumping away from another slash of Frisk's knife. Without another word, Papyrus dashed past them. Ray turned to Frisk. They lifted their knife into the air, to which Ray grabbed their fist, his muscles straining as he held Frisk in place. Both shifted in place, sinking deeper into the snow. Ray's jaw clenched. Poppy remained to the side, staring at them with wide eyes but made no move to help either of them.

Frisk grabbed the knife in their other hand. Ray leaped back, letting out a cry as the blade sliced through his arm. He punched Frisk in the face. They let out a grunt, staggering in place, giving Ray the chance to kick Frisk right in the stomach. They flopped into the snow again. The knife slipped out of their hand, staining the snow red and grey.

Ray lunged at Frisk, fists at the ready. Before he could punch them in the face, something sharp was shoved into Ray's stomach. Time stood still for a moment. Ray let out a gag, his eyes wide and blood dripping from his mouth.

"NO!" A cry pierced the air, but it wasn't Ray's. Frisk flung Ray aside into the snow as they staggered to their feet. Arms shaking, Ray gripped his bleeding stomach, rolling onto his side with a rasp as their blood poured against the snow. He gazed up at Frisk, who gazed coldly back at him. Then, without another word, Frisk marched away, bloodied knife clutched in hand as the snow crunched beneath them. Ray's entire body trembled, a mixture of cold and fear.

He struggled to keep his hand in the air. The entire world was blurring; his mouth was filled with the sharp tang of blood. Images of the fallen monsters seared through his mind… and then a pair of gentle blue eyes. Ace… Ray's eyes watered. I'm sorry… I should've saved you too… Ray's arm fell to his side and he let out on final breath.

Clover's POV

Clover, Teri, Kat, and Sans dashed through the snow, struggling not to sink into the massive footholes. A cloud of fog rolled in as they continued. The air was deathly still. Clover skidded to a halt, scanning the blurry landscape.

"Are we too late?!" Kat gasped, looking around.

"SANS!" a familiar voice pierced the air. Up ahead, Clover spotted a tall figure in the fog.

Sans' eyes filled with tears. "PAPYRUS!" The two brothers ran toward each other. Falling on one knee, Papyrus flung his arms around Sans, who hugged him back immediately. Clover let out a sigh of relief. They pulled out of the hug, Papyrus's hands still on Sans's shoulders.

"Did the humans attack you?!" Sans demanded, his pupils disappearing.

"ONE OF THEM TRIED TO," Papyrus admitted, wiping away a tear. "B-BUT THE MALE ONE, HE PUNCHED THEM AND TOLD ME TO RUN." Clover's eyes widened. Ray… "I RAN AWAY WHILE THEY WERE FIGHTING!"

"We have to get to them now!" Clover exclaimed, bolting through the fog. The others trailed after him. He squinted, spotting an orange light in the distance. Closer and closer… Clover skidded to a halt, letting out a gasp.

"What is i-" Kat paused to gasp, covering her mouth with her hand. The other stopped beside her. Ray's body laid bloody in the snow, his limbs sticking out in odd directions and his orange soul floating above him. Eyes watering, Clover fell to his knees.

"Ray…" His voice trembled. "No…" Clover wrapped his arms around his friend's body, allowing tears to stream down his cheeks. Teri and Kat kneeled beside him, sniffling.

"There was still good in him," Teri murmured, resting her head on Clover's shoulder. Clover moved his head sideways to rest it on Teri's head. Kat clutched Clover's other arm. All three of them sobbed and whimpered, unable to stand up. Footsteps crunched behind them. Sans stopped inches in front of Ray's body, his eyes wide.

"Take the soul," he murmured, simply. Clover reached out, clasping the soul in his hands. Orange light shined through his fingers. Kneeling down, Sans scooped Ray's bloodied body into his arms.

"Should we…" Clover paused to gulp. "B-bury him?"

"Probably," Sans admitted, scooping some snow aside with his hand. Kat and Teri joined him. Clover turned away, clutching Ray's soul in his hands. His heart ached with longing. He had hoped Ray would turn himself around, but not at the cost of his life… And now… now two of his best friends were dead… Because of someone else he had once called a friend. Clover rested a hand on his chest. Why…? Why would Frisk want to do this? I thought they cared...

"Let's go," Sans sighed, pushing himself to his feet. Clover and the others followed, their heads hung low as they shambled through the snow.

Sans knocked on the door. "It's us," he sighed, his fingers tracing the doorknob. "Let us in." Moments later, a click pierced the air and the door was pulled open. Teri shut the door behind everyone when they made their way inside. Clover marched past everyone. Marching toward the kitchen, he tuned out the chatter as he pulled out another jar. He put Ray's soul inside it, sealing it. Then pushed it to stand beside Ace's soul. His eyes watered.

"They're going to Waterfall next," Sans informed, his eyes empty sockets.

"THEN WE MUST INFORM UNDYNE!" Papyrus gasped, grabbing his phone.

"You can try," Sans replied, dialing some numbers into his own phone. "In the meantime, I'll call Alphys. She's bound to have a solution." Both of them called their respective friend, going to separate ends of the room. Everyone fell silent, gazing expectantly at the skeletons. The ringing noise stopped.

"No response," Sans grunted, pocketing his phone. He glanced at Papyrus. "What about you?"

"NOTHING EITHER," Papyrus sighed, placing his phone on the table. "SHE MUST NOT HAVE HER PHONE… SHE OFTEN FORGETS TO BRING IT WHEN SHE'S OUT PATROLLING."

"Then we'll have to find her…" Sans replied, walking toward his brother. "And talk to her face to face."

Clover raised his hand. "I'll do it! I'll go and find her!" Sans and Papyrus stared at him, their eyes wide.

"I don't think that's such a good idea, kid," Sans replied, shaking his head.

"UNDYNE… ISN'T THE FONDEST OF HUMANS…" Papyrus's hands shifted awkwardly.

"She'll kill you on sight," Sans added, his pupils disappearing again. Clover took a step back. "Especially if she's caught word of the… human threat…"

"Well, I have to try!" Clover insisted, stepping closer to the skeletons. "Poppy and Frisk will kill any monster on sight but Ray and Ace…" Clover bit back tears. "Frisk only killed them because they were in their way." Surely that was why? "It's less risky if one of us humans were to go, and I want to go! If Undyne can stop them, then we need to find her!"

Sans let out a sigh. "If you insist, I guess I can't stop ya… Good luck, kid."

"Thanks," Clover nodded. "Uh… what does Undyne look like?" he asked, biting his lip.

"OH, SHE'S TALL, HAS BLUE SCALES, PINK AND BLACK HAIR, WEARS GREY ARMOUR, AND USES SPEARS," Papyrus answered, beaming as if there wasn't a threat of genocide hanging over them.

"Thanks," Clover replied, nodding. "I'd better go then." Kat and Teri gazed at Clover as he made his way toward the door.

"Be safe!" Kat insisted, tapping Clover's shoulder.

"Good luck!" Teri added, looking away. Clover nodded to them. Turning away, he unlocked and pushed the door open, closing it directly behind him. He marched through the snow, his eyes narrowed. Time to find Undyne. Casting one last glance at the house, he continued onward. I promise I'll be back soon...

Poppy's POV

Poppy and Frisk had shambled through a cave, passing several waterfalls and a small yellow monster. She allowed tears to pour. Ray's death replayed in her mind over and over again. His eyes wide with horror, the blood pouring from his stomach and mouth, and the bright orange soul appearing above his unmoving body. He was only eight years old… Same with Ace… Poppy cast a glance at Frisk, only catching a glimpse of them through her hair. Why would they do it? Poppy clenched her fists. Ace had wanted to die but Ray… I mean, he did fight to save that monster...

"Eighteen…" Poppy's eyes widened.

"Eighteen what?" she asked, glancing at Frisk.

"There are eighteen monsters in this area," Frisk informed, marching forward, knife clutched in hand. Poppy nodded, trailing after them.

They kept going, skidding to a halt in the middle of some reeds. The cave was deathly still. Poppy flinched when a pound echoed off the walls. Then again… and again… Almost like the footsteps of a large, metallic being. Poppy looked up. Upon the cliff, a metallic figure was indeed gazing down at them, their face hidden beneath a huge helmet.

Poppy and Frisk stood still. A light blue object appeared in the figure's hands: a spear. They looked around briefly before taking a few steps back, fading from view. Only then did Frisk move. They made their way out of the reeds, skidding to a halt as more footsteps echoed behind them. Poppy glanced over her shoulder. The monster kid from earlier had scurried from the reeds, spinning in circles.

"Yo… did you see the way she was staring at you...?" They asked, their eyes wide with awe. "That.... was AWESOME! I'm SOOOO jealous! She was just standing there waiting FOREVER, and then you just…! C'mon! Let's go watch her beat up some bad guys!" The monster kid tripped, falling on their face before pushing themself up with their legs and taking off again. Frisk paused for a moment before continuing onward. Poppy followed. They walked through more empty, quiet caverns, only stopping to face monsters. Poppy watched as Frisk sliced them all apart. The odd looking creatures split into dust after a few strikes, staining the cave walls and sticking to Frisk's knife and hands. Some of the dust drifted toward her, even as she stood to the side.