The Underground's New Stand

Frisky watched as AM and PM, now Morning and Night, approached Chance in Sans' arms. She would need to get braver with holding Chance soon, but he was so fragile. His bones were as light feeling as chicken bones, and he wasn't able to move anything except his bony right hand.

"Uh. Wow." Night came nearer to Chance. "Um. Sorry? Congrats? I don't know which one to say."

Morning had a similar look as she handed Frisky a couple pairs of clothes. "Aunt Alphys brought this, so he could wear something?"

They were pretty good at speaking Monster. Toriel's new children didn't know it as well, but they were still there too. With the same look of oddity.

Frisky took the clothes, but she agreed with them. Losing six years of his life and reverting to the beginning? No matter how horrible life was, could that really be the good option? Being reborn? Chance was a good boy. A simple but good boy. No, no. I have to keep it together. Sans is right, this is his new beginning. And that was another thing. All of the stress of having another babybones was completely over, but somehow, Sans didn't want to let it go.

She thought she knew Sans. Understood him well enough. But, she was beginning to doubt herself. Sans was always a great Skeleton with a fun sense of humor that she liked being friends with. One that she felt terrible for having to put through GENOCIDE or the pain of the truth. Then he was gloomy. A smile that was plastered on but feeling miserable inside. That was the one she had been able to see almost daily, with a little bit of the first sneaking in on occasion.

"Come here, Faithful Frisk, I promise you won't hurt him." Sans tried to touch her arm. "Come on. Don't be scared, let us show you."

Frisky put the clothes on the table beside her and let Sans and Papyrus help maneuver his arms. So tiny and brittle. There was nothing but bones, and he couldn't move anything. As she held him though, she felt a gentle up and down motion. Breathing without breathing. Same thing Sans did. Chance. Bravest Frisk of all time. At least you seem . . . peaceful. No automatic wonder if someone would jump him or what they would do. No more memories of the cells. Everything just wiped away, like a reset that began at birth.

"Do you mind? It is traditional to check on new Monsters. Plus, since this one is half human, it would be good to see how it's soul is doing." Monster Kid's mother said as she laid her hand on the blanket. "It wouldn't hurt him, I promise."

"Mind what?" Frisky asked.

"She specializes in soul healing," Sans said. "You'll feel a little squeeze on your soul."

"Oh. Good to see you are knowledgeable." She opened the blanket and laid her hand just above Chance's rib cage. Frisky did feel a small squeeze, not much. It was a little unsettling though to see her soul just lying out in front of everyone. Sans did the same thing. There was even a tiny soul of Chance's, looming slightly above him. Grey. With. Blue. "Oh, that's . . . unique. Um, but he feels okay." She smiled at her and Sans. "MK is a little upset he just lost his playmate. If he's a bit bitter to you, that's probably why. But, they can play again together when he gets older I'm sure."

Yes, because they all had a long life. Centuries. And. Frisky glanced over toward Sans. He was being more reserved now, which was good. She wasn't used to him being so bold again. But, there was something else there too. It was like he actually put on a little weight, his bones had loosened up that much. Relaxed. He was so relaxed.

That did make sense. He had a second chance with Chance. Chance was no longer a deadly weapon someone could just jump. And they didn't have to do any sexual activities in the future. Which. She.

Had been in the middle of trying to wrap her mind around when all this happened. But, when he started walking toward her saying 'I like you, human'. That um. That was a little. Um. Creepy? No, not creepy but not . . . Monsters didn't get with humans. They were sooo different. Maybe it was Monster instinct? If Chance was just reborn, and considering how well he is adjusting to the daddy role, maybe that's what it is? Instinct to be near mommy? Maybe? Hopefully? Those words he said could be gone by bedtime. He might shyly touch his skull later and say 'sorry about that'. It could be. It should be.

But she felt his strong bony arm wrap around her waist as he grew closer to her. "You got him? You feel comfortable now, Frisky Faith?"

And the loving name. He kept mixing it with Frisky intermittently. "Yeah. I'm getting used to it."

"Great. Go ahead and sit down if you want. I need to talk to Pap for a second." Frisky sat down and watched everyone gather even closer as Sans left.

There were obviously not many babies born around the Underground as much. And if there were, baby bones were probably the rarest. Everyone that had ever even known Sans or her had come. Including Mettaton, who as Sans put it 'was a cool guy but couldn't come anywhere near Chance.' Frisky waved at him from outside where he was waving.

"OooooOOooOOh, Monster babies are sooo rare and precious! Awwww, it would make one fantAaaAaaAAastic shooooow! If only daddy would allow it." Mettaton just waved. "But how does the new human mOoooOOoommmmy feel about this exciting new development?"

Frisky shook her head. She already knew not to talk.

"Hey, no. Shoo," Undyne said waving him away. "Sans said when he gets older, you can see him. He won't even let anyone else hold him except him, Papyrus and Frisky. And we aren't a megaton of metal."

"Mettaton? It's okay, really. When he gets older and it's safer," Alphys insisted.

"Well, we'll just see how things go! I am having my first crossover show out in Snowdout tomorrow!" He announced joyfully. "And I can't wait! They are even going to give me my wonderful full body back!"

"Yes. With assistance," Alphys said. "Some." She looked toward Frisky. "There's a lot more technology out there." She said it with a happy, yet sad look. "This Royal Scientist doesn't even have the knowledge of . . . a-anyhow. Congratulations. Um, or sorry? I suppose. I don't know?"

"Thanks." Honestly. Frisky didn't know either. She just looked down at him. Only his right hand twitched again. "Don't worry. You'll get the hang of it. Just like you did the ball." Except, now his whole body was the ball.

"It's. So. Precious!" Dogaressa said, leaning upward higher onto Dogamy. "Soon, we will have our own puppy."

"Uhh. . . yes." One thing Sans never lied about. At all. Sex really was no big deal to Monsters. Nobody cared a lick and she herself just focused on Chance while Dogamy mounted Dogaressa. For . . . at least thirty minutes now. In. In their style. Of course. It started simple enough, like when they thought FRISK was a puppy. But, FRISK never hung around to see what happened afterward.

It was a good thing FRISK never hung around to see what happened afterward.

Upstairs in Sans and Frisky's Room . . .

"The Great Uncle Papyrus! How do you feel?" Sans said, gesturing to him.

"Quite Wonderful, Sans. I mean, I will miss Chance, but this is still Chance. It's a new chance for Chance," Papyrus insisted. "And you are doing so much better. Look at you. Your skeleton has not been that loose since . . . since . . . well, days since we met the whole FRISK."

"Yep. I feel like a new Skeleton." There was something behind it though, and Sans didn't bother to wipe away his manifested tears. "It's not fair to him. You know? My Kid was a good kid. He shouldn't have lost his whole being like that. But. I . . . it's like . . ." He just let his tears roll down the sides of his cheekbones.

"Oh, Sans. It's okay, I know!" Papyrus bent down and wrapped his arms around his brother. "I am really happy for you, Brother. You get to start learning to be a father at the beginning, and you are already doing a very good job."

"Thanks, Pap." Sans finally wiped the manifested tears off his cheekbones. "Now he's not a weapon anyone will try to destroy. He's a baby Skeleton. And, um, I don't have to do anything with Frisky anymore."

"Yes, that's right. You can just remain friends now," Papyrus agreed. "Quite agreeable."

"But I don't want to do that. I don't have to do anything, but I want to." Sans pulled away from Pap. "I felt something with her today. It was the best feeling ever, Papyrus. I made her laugh, really laugh. At a fart joke."

"At a what?" Papyrus couldn't believe that. "You mean Frisky, the one who took out PERSEVERANCE and saved the Underground multiple times . . . likes fart jokes? Really? Oh. Well shoot, I thought she was kind of cool."

Sans looked out his window. "Flowey was right, but I totally didn't get it. It's not about marriage or a baby or recreating some weird past, Pap." He shoved his bony fingers in his coat. "When we were in Waterfalls, I found that something special. And . . . and I'm not saying that feeling would make me jump toward marriage or anything. But, knowing me, I'd sure be giving her hell to date me."

"Yes!" Flower shouted triumphantly. "You finally got it, Sansy! I was beginning to think you'd never figure it out."

"Well? I don't get it." Papyrus looked utterly confused. "She laughed at a fart joke and now you want to date her?"

"Nah, it's more than that. I can't really describe it past that. It wasn't even that hard to find. I've just been concentrating on everything else. Marriage, Chance, new hours, keeping them safe, learning nutrition, yada, yada, yada." Sans just winked at Pap. "Whatever it is though, I'm not letting it go." He kicked up his slipper. "I want to be Her Legendary Fart Master."

"Her what?" Papyrus asked.

"Her loving name for me." Sans turned around in a circle around Papyrus. "I don't know the first thing about girls, and as a human, it's going to be really hard. I'm not impressive to them at all. In fact, I'm supposed to be a little creepy I think."

"Well. Monster and human usually don't go together. Like, ever. Like, ever, ever," Papyrus said. "Like nowhere ever except in a forgotten timeline."

"Not anymore. I saw it. I saw possibility." Sans gave him a thumbs up. "Don't worry, Pap. I know what I'm doing."

"But?" Papyrus sighed. "Look, Sans. I am sure you and the human could one day maybe make it? It was bad enough putting a three-month goal on it, but if you are the one who starts to pursue? Uh? Aren't humans scared of Monsters enough?"

"Not Frisky. Undyne's killed her many times and she's fine with her still."

"Okay, well, there could be different classes? She handled murder attempts, but this is a different kind of attempt."

"Don't worry so much. I do have to talk to her a bit though later tonight. I think I kind of came on too strong."

"Wait. You mean you already told her?!"

"It was just the moment, Pap. I couldn't hold back."

"Without at least reasoning this out? You have a brand new babybones to raise? A terribly strong Balancer to fight? And . . . okay that's it now, but still?"

"Papyrus." Sans rolled the lights in his eye sockets. "You have to trust me. I know what I'm doing. I know I messed up what I knew about Frisky before, but I know I'm right on this one. Frisky doesn't look for battles, they come to her. She isn't just going to walk up and say 'I love you, Sans', or even 'let's go on a date, Sans'. I won't chase her down for an all-out brawl. I'll just lure her in the best way I can." He winked. "With comedy."

"Oh, come on. She'll run away for sure!" Papyrus begged Flowey. "You are supposed to be a smart flower! Tell me this isn't right? He's not on the right track, right? It wasn't really just comedy, right?"

Flowey just bopped his petaled head lightly. "What about Farrisk?"

"Oh yeah. I'm meeting him at seven." Sans stared at Flowey. "But, individually, the Frisks aren't FRISK. How's he supposed to get good enough to fight me without me accidentally killing him?"

"Because, Silly!" Flowey winked. "You won't be Sans the Skeleton anymore."

King Asgore's Castle . . .

"I . . ." King Asgore looked at the lists and the diplomatic leaders in front of him. A monster Goat, like him. A monster fish, similar to Undyne, and a monster . . . jelly bear? He had never seen anything like that one before. "I don't understand."

"The official way to say it is quite rude, but it is legally required," the monster Goat began. "You see, the area henceforth known as The Underground did not require a specific set of laws or permissions that were up to date since it was technically under the Classic Monster Natural Preservation Act. Now, what this means is that you are technically an illegal area. Nothing has been made officially for you. Any kind of legal actions that have been performed here are no longer valid."

"I still don't understand," King Asgore reasoned again. "The Underground is my Kingdom."

"Well, we don't use Kingdom anymore? Or the word King. These are all terms that are no longer recognizable. You see, what you truly are, the leader who creates, destroys and rules, is now called a District Leader. DL for short, so you are DL Asgore. And the word Kingdom is actually just a District. You are a very tiny district, a small area with your own policies and leadership thus far."

King Asgore blinked. "What exactly are you wanting?"

"Peace and compromising," The Fishy monster announced as he pointed to the papers laid out before him. "The territory of Snowdout has made itself a welcoming territory for more than a decade, ready to help this neighboring district if the time ever came forward. Now, that is an option if we can't work an agreement out. Not saying anything will be hard to work out, just stating for the fact that it is an option. Legoli, your presentation?"

"Yes," The strange Jellyshaped bear began. "We need to get you out of this illegal loop that your District is now in because it's not your fault that you fell out of your Natural Preservation Area. Nor does anyone agree that it was right or wrong."

"It was wrong!" King Asgore slammed his fist down. "It. Was. Wrong."

"Oh." The Jellyshaped bear blinked. "That's why you were the King I see. Okay, let's start this way? You want to get all your rules followed and your District worked out before you start . . . relations with nearby areas?"

"Now, now, what Legoli is saying. Terribly sorry Legoli. Some history should probably be covered." The Fishy monster approached Asgore closer. "Balancers, or monsters will a little 'm', they control a very, very large portion of everything. There are literally billions of monsters now, with thousands of territories, districts and District Leaders. Such as yourself. We find that we tend to do better if we . . ." He gestured his hands. "Do some things together like humanity did prior, but still let our . . . natural tendencies get carried out. There are places for the most vile of beasts who want to just eat a human every day, and there are places for the tinest and smallest of sweet little Monsters who may just want a fly. Everyone has their place."

"But in order for that balance to stay, there needs to be 'some' agreement. Once you have officially declared your territory into it's own proper area, then you can begin on the finer areas. So, that is where we are now. Once it's all established, properties, marriages, things of that nature can be made legal outside of just your District."

"It's really very simple. We make it very basic so that all monsters can make this kind of communication between their own Districts. After this, you probably won't hear from us again."

"Well." King Asgore folded his paws. "I'm listening then. How can I make my Kingdom have peace with other areas?"

The Jellyshaped bear began again. "Well, first of all, you need to decide who you are. You can be a Solo District. That is technically what the Underground had been before, except you would be made aware of it. You would also not have any rights to resets, saves, or continues. You would have the right to run anything the same way as you have since your Kingdom began, but if someone wanted to leave your District, they would have to go through a lengthy process before they would be allowed to enter into a new District."

The Fishy monster pointed to the first set of papers. "Almost all communication is shut off. You have only the most basic of rights in case you want to change your mind in a Solo District. Not, um, not many choose it," he said honestly. "Isolation is, as you know, tough."

"The second option is Compromising District. Most oh say . . . seventy percent? They prefer this. Compromising Districts are not allowed to have humans brought into them unless they are classified as a slave, or children are part Monster. The residents are usually much more friendlier, human body parts are not carried around within it, and it's overall much more pleasant."

"Oh. Well." Asgore shook his head. "We have humans trapped within our barrier. That would not work."

"The third option is a Barbarian District. This District, well, it allows anything. They are usually set up between the safety of human civilization districts. And uh . . ." The Jellyshaped bear paused.

The Fish monster continued. "They are good districts for monsters who crave human flesh. It's very easy to get, you can do anything with humans, there's no 'I can't carry a human head for a snack later' awkwardness or anything. There's no censorship of any kind, you can do whatever the fuck you want. I'm from a Barbarian District."

"I am from a Compromising District," The Jellyshaped bear took over.

"And I," The unnamed Monster Goat, "am from a Compromising District. There is no representative for a Solo District because of the nature of . . . well, being solo."

"Where are the humans?" King Asgore growled. "You have not gone over anything dealing with the actual humans. I admit, I am not the fondest. But. Where are the humans?"

"The rodents are used for experimentation, missions, you know things that you wouldn't want a monster being involved in because it's dangerous. Either that or kept in little barriers to grow and reproduce."

"Into Conduits? Into Re-resets?" King Asgore asked forwardly.

"The human civilizations don't, they just reproduce the vermin. Not much of it though, the pace is slower. We prefer Conduits and re-resets since they have a purpose."

"Now, you are free to choose whichever choice you want. Or, the one that's the least despicable," the Fish monster said. "But, if you don't make a choice, you will . . ." He cleared his throat. "There are billions of monsters out there. You don't want to put up a battle, you'll die in seconds. It's usually a good idea to talk to your residents about the choices laid before you. They will have a 24 hour grace period to decide the action they want to take."

"Twenty four hours?!"

"Yes, it's best not to let these things trundle on. Any Monster who prefers not to go the way you are going, well, Snowdout already has policies and immediate homing ready, and there are more than enough jobs to find out there too. Especially for Classic Monsters. Quite made that way."

"Immediate homing? For how many?"

"All. If every single resident wanted to leave, they could."

"Go." King Asgore said softly. "I will . . . I will look over these papers and address my residents soon. Go!"

"Don't forget that you can add your own laws within the very basics of what is allowed in each District."

"I said leave! You may come back for your answer soon."