Land of Magic and Make-Believe

Mettaton's Show . . .

Minimal ACT. In this case, the ACT had it's best chance of working if it remained on the low end. Toriel was even there, making sure the charade of her being pregnant worked. There was one more thing Frisky could have added to ensure a win, but after talking to Toriel, she only kept it on standby. It was a last resort secret weapon because to use it too casually with Sans . . . well, it wouldn't be right. There was ACT and there was cruelty.

"Awwwwwww! It's soOoOoo cute!" Mettaton said looking closely at Chance in Sans' arms. "Can we get a closeup of this? It's just precious! And so rare, not another Classic Monster baby Skeleton even exists anymore! One of a kind. Like me!"

"Well, yeah, sort of." Sans shrugged, also knowing to stay on the low end was key. They would have a couple high moments, but mainly keep it low key since this charade had to last past the camera. It had to last until the Crossing territory was established.

"What do you mean sort of?" Mettaton asked. "Isn't he the only one?"

"Um. Yeah, kind of."

"Well, what do you mean by . . .oOoooOOoohh! You're kidding me?!" Mettaton rolled over to Frisky. "Are you carrying another Monster baby?"

"Um." Frisky stayed silent but caused herself to blush, thinking of the line Sans gave her last night. It was the best way to blush on cue.

"It is," Toriel said as she approached Frisky. "She is still getting used to the idea again."

"Wowwowowow! Saaans the Skeleton? You are going to have two baby Skeletons soon?" Mettaton cried out.

"Hey, it's not my fault." Sans shrugged again. "King Asgore gave me three months before he okay'd Chance there as counting."

"Goodness. It's usually sooo tough," Mettaton said. "How did you manage that?"

"Oh, it was tough!" Sans gestured to Frisky. "Humans are awful shy of their bodies. It took my friends to help her get comfortable getting undressed in front of me. But, it was way worth it." Sans winked at Frisky. "Wasn't it Faith?" He looked back toward Mettaton. "After that, it was super easy because sex was really enjoyable. She couldn't keep her hands off me."

Frisky walked over behind Sans. "Sans," she chuckled. "My husband is the funniest Monster in Snowdin. The truth is while the enjoyable sex helped, it's his humor that sets him apart from anyone else. He . . . kind of has a way to bring about my inner Friskiness. No one else can do what he does."

"I am number one there," Sans agreed.

"The only thing is, I wish he'd wrap some of the jealousy up. He already has me." She leaned against him softly. "There's no reason to be jealous anymore."

"Oh?" Sans chuckled softly. "Yeah, you and Friskarino, huh?" That was a little too hard. "Past that."

"What do you mean?" Frisky asked him. "Sans, I never had a thing with Friskarino."

"Then who?'

"Farrisk. I was young and naive, still learning the ropes. He was all about action and taking charge. But, don't worry." She patted his bony hand. "That's a thing of the past." There. Part of the Act complete. Although, Sans was very good at his role too. Very good. "Um?" She looked to Mettaton. "Only a few days of marriage. These things take time. I guess, that's why marriages take so much work."

"Tori, take Chance." Yeah. Sans was really good at ACT. That would make the next part easier.

"Yes, it's great to hear the sex is easy and enjoyable but all those past things tend to sneak up making it complicated," Mettaton agreed.

"Did he see you naked?"

"What?" Okay, they were past that part. It was time to move on. "Of course not. Passing Fancy." She hugged him on the side and touched the top of his skull delicately. "You know that no one makes me feel the way you do. No one has ever held or kiss me the way you do." Good, he was holding her back. Hugging her actually. "And I will never allow anybody to touch me the way you do, Sans."

"Awww. Oh, you have to smooch! The audience is dying over here!"

Bingo. "Sans? Close your eyes and open your mouth." He didn't though. Instead he wrapped her firmly around the waist and dragged her closer in, stealing her already opened mouth for a kiss. Okay, she was good at ACTing and could work with that. She wrapped her arms tighter around the fuzzy collar of his coat and leaned in ever closer. She felt his bony finger on her jaw, trying to open it more. Which was new. She usually only let him in part way. But, it was an ACT. A complete ACT. Why does he always have to be such a good kisser? His tongue was always a little curious, probing here and there. But, whenever he had kissed her, it felt more like he was searching. This time it didn't feel that way. There wasn't a desperate calling to it, it was more like a gentle wave of pleasure, simply taking it easy and enjoying the ride . . .

"That was a pathetic ACT, Frisky."

That wave of pleasure instantly stopped though once Conner appeared in front of her. Not him.

"Cute. Hope you can do that little thing with me later too." Conner winked at her and held up a paper. "So, Sans the Skeleton? Is your wife really pregnant? And you better tell the truth."

"Of course I am." He must have known about the various ways and was performing his own ACT. Stepping on hers in the process. "Queen Toriel checked."

"Great. Fantastic. That means this little contract Sans the Skeleton signed takes effect if you are lying," Conner said, waving a small paper. "Ya see? Sans?" Conner winked. "Forgotten timeline contracts still matter if they are taken out of it."

"What?"

"Read it and weep little dude." Conner tossed the paper to them. It awkwardly hit the floor. "You made that deal in a forgotten timeline so you could marry her. Not that you remember. Besides, you probably thought you'd be real careful on the second. But, that is a Compromising contract. And once the Underground goes under Compromising? Yeah, I'll be watching."

"I would never sign this." But, it was his signature. Half lazy at the other end, barely making it to the word Skeleton.

"If you wanted Frisky bad enough from me, you would have. And you did." Conner pushed some buttons on his MP. "Don't bother engaging a fight. I'm just letting you know the score. Once Compromise comes, and if Frisky's darling second Skeleton doesn't come to term-"

"You get Chance and her back?!" Toriel shouted. "Impossible!"

"Ridiculous!"

"Hey! Welcome to reality, Monsters. You want freedom, learn to pay the toll. Any contract made in any Compromising District must be honored. In fact, I won't even fight you Sans the Skeleton. Contracts will include heavy hard Balancers, and as many as it takes to get what is mine. So, I really hope you're carrying Frisky, and hope it comes to term. But if not? Go ahead and keep practicing stuff with your husband. Because I'll be yours soon, and then you can practice with me."

Sans made to strike, but apparently Mettaton wasn't pleased with him either. He couldn't get near him though. His MP made some kind of shield around him.

"Honor ain't shit outside the Underground. It's contracts that rule the world. In fact, I'll probably just put Frisky under contract of Concubine. So I can screw her over and over, along with whoever else I want. Cheers!" He pressed a couple of buttons on his MP and left.

"Well! That was, that was, that was, sooooOOOOoooOOoooO horrible!" Mettaton shouted. "How do you all feel about that? A Compromising District doesn't have any honor at all. Such vicious . . . oOooHOOoh! I can't take it. This show is over until I get my must kill humans self back under control!"

"Wait?" Toriel looked at the contract again, but Frisky swiped it. She glanced at it. "Why did that-"

Frisky briefly looked at it and crumbled it up. As she thought. There is winning and there is cruelty, Conner! That is the reason I would never go to you. She looked toward Sans.

Heartbroken. Confused. His little eye lights were darting all around in wonder, not understanding any of it. Sans. The one whom the Underground's games hurt the most. Who was just starting to learn to live again. No. Risky or not, she didn't care. This was no longer for an ACT.

Frisky walked over, picked up her secret weapon, and hugged Sans. Mettaton was gone now, the cameras probably weren't even on. There was no one to display a show for. Just him. Just comforting him, that's all she wanted to do. "That's why Conner's a higher soldier," she whispered next to his skull. "His ACTing is brilliant. I do what it takes to win. He does what it takes to annihilate. Don't give away anything, okay? Our ACTs still count, he just added a sicker top to the cake. His MP changed an old tab of Grillbys into an illusion piece. Everything is fine. Okay?" She felt him nod. "It will be okay. Chance and I are not going anywhere."

She felt Sans hold her tighter, and knew from the bony fingers she felt in her hair, he recognized it. Maybe it was stupid. Maybe it wasn't. Sans just pulled something different out of her than anyone else did, and smart or not. The right ACT or not. She just . . . had to. "My Legendary Fart Master, it was all one big trick and everything will be okay dokay, okay?"

Anything. Some kind of word that he understood Conner's position was his own ACT to get the monsters to pick Solo. Conner knew so much more than she did, was trained so much better in so many aspects. He knew the pride of Monsters and how to make them bend to command. He knew how to act like an idiot to avoid fights and suspicion. And he knew the worst tactic of them all and used it.

Honor. Contracts replacing honor, replacing the ability to fight for a Monster's family or honor.

"Just a word?" She asked. "Please, Sans. Please?"

"Yo, hey, it's okay."

Finally! She squeezed him harder but felt his bony finger wipe her cheek. Hmm?

"Sorry, Frisky Faith, I kind of went to another spot there for a second. Monster instinct can be kind of tough sometimes. But, don't do that." He pulled her away from him a little bit to look more at her. "Don't get all sad. I was closer to trying to think how to find that little twerp and kill him for that ACT more than I was sad. So don't be sad."

Her breath just came all out at once. Thank goodness he understood. "You're okay?"

"How can I not be?" He pulled her closer and whispered in her ear. "You finally used my loving name. You're even wearing our wedding's echo flower wreath. Boy! You just landed yourself in some deep trouble."

Apparently. "I couldn't think of how to ACT exactly right. I just wanted to . . ." His little eye lights were so calm and cheery. "I just wanted you to feel better. You looked so lost. I didn't want you to think any of that was actually true. Like I said. Conner's a schmuck. Chara probably leaves him alive just to do . . . her . . . not so wholesome work."

"Speaking of getting dirty, we better clean up this ACT. King Asgore is coming," Sans whispered to her, holding her tighter. While they were hugging though, she noticed he said something peculiar that she didn't understand.

"Why'd it take years?"

"Why'd what take years?" Frisky asked until King Asgore approached. Behind him was Mettaton.

"That. Was. Horrifying." King Asgore appeared beside them. "That is what I am leading the Underground into just to be free? Sickening contracts of trickery where anything is possible?" He lowered his head. "Enslavement is bad enough, but, to take our very essence. Our will of fight and honor and-"

"There is another option, later in four months," Toriel said to him as she came over. She took a deep breath. "Let's talk, Asgore. Not as wife and husband, but as King and Queen of the Underground."

King Asgore looked over toward Sans. Almost . . . jealously. "You used to wear your wreath every day for our first 500 years, Tori."

"Asgore," Toriel said firmly. "Let's talk. Now."

At Sans' Post, One Week Later . . .

Being a Solo territory was the best option, but work was more boring than ever. After King Asgore and Queen Toriel told the populace they would be Solo because of the extremely dishonorable things inside a Compromise territory, hardly anyone left. A few months wait and then they'd be Crossing territory.

Great. Back on track. Chance was still maturing, able to move both hands now. The only real good thing was that he could work on jokes with Frisky. Her laughing always brightened up his day.

She was holding Chance gently, rocking him. They had his safety crib beside him too. Always did, just in case her or Sans didn't want to hold him. At least, that was the excuse he used.

Frisky was so perfect there all the time. She was getting more used to Chance's new change. She looked perfectly natural.

"Hey, Sans! Thought I'd stop by and see what it's like to get paid watching snow?" One of his friends said as they waved. "Haven't seen you down in Grillby's in a little while. How are things going with your wife?"

"Good. Great. Never been better." His friend still looked a little concerned. Monsters tended to share much more than that, but it wasn't happening. What was he supposed to say? "Money's a little tight right now. Maybe later. Frisky's a good cook though, way makes up for it." Sans winked. "Tonight we are having pork fajitas."

"Really? What's a fajita?"

"Fajitaing up later for lunch tomorrow too." He heard his friend laugh and looked toward Frisky. Cracked smile. Arg.

Sans just waved bye at his friend but went over to Frisky. "Frisky Faith? How's it going?"

"Fine."

Ah, usual response. "You are. Too bad you're stuck with me."

"Hm?"

Sans jingled his bony hands in his coat. The human lust drive and Monster drive had been at war with each other ever since he saw her put on their wedding wreath. He'd been working her over for at least a week and he should be able to bag a date soon, but it wasn't what either drive was wanting. Date. Go for the date. Don't be stupid, she's human. So what if we're married and by now we really should be sleeping with nothing between us. Who cares if no other couple in the history of the Underground still keeps their clothes on between each other at night. He tapped his slippered foot. Her against me. Me against her. That's how it's supposed to be, and it drives the Monster in me crazy.

He turned his attention back to the snow. That human drive though too. Sex was supposed to be more of a chore between Monsters. It was just being near each other that was the bonding that made sex great, but his human drive just wanted to clamor for her already.

How was he supposed to express his Monster need to be near her so close, without the human side interfering? "Lovely day outside for humans to be freezing to death in. Makes me feel so alive." He looked back toward her. He had set his mind on an automatic joke, but just realized what he said. "Ooh, backfire." He chuckled nervously. "Sorry, I used to get my stuff checked first. Aaaah, how could I have said that one without thinking?!

"Yeah. Sorry. King Asgore can't make you do anything against your will anymore, Sans. You should go see her," Frisky insisted. "She was always much better at puns and things. Mine just come during trouble." She rocked Chance some more. "He's using each hand even more today."

"Right and left hands. He should be starting his feet soon. Right foot, left foot. Unless he's got two left feet, that could make everything awkward." No. Too wordy. She didn't even sense the joke in that one. Come on, Sans! You're the funniest guy in Snowdin, land this! Get this and then maybe . . . "So, Water you doing later? Cause I was thinking we could Fallow each other around in Waterfall tonight?"

"But? Don't I usually go with Friskarino and Friskay, and you hang out with Farrisk for sparring?" She asked.

"Um. I'm not sparring tonight," he said. "Eight, after you hang out with the Frisks. Papyrus can watch Chance for the night."

"For the night?"

"Um, hour. For the time we're gone." Smoooth, Sans. Geez. "Come on. One night off to get it on. I mean, with each other! No, one night to have fun with each other. Where the weather's not freezing your skin and you are cuddled up over in the corner all the time trying not to die."

"Um. Doesn't that make you feel alive?" Frisky asked.

Damn. Damn. Damn. "Off, I am so off today. I am just not real on the ball today. Sorry."

"Oh? Oh." Frisky sighed. "Really, you should see Toriel. She's much better at turning you on."

"Much better at what?"

"At . . . at joking back with you," Frisky said. "Um." She rocked Chance again quietly.

Joking back with . . . Hang on, missing something. Wait. "I don't need you to joke back with me." How did he not see that?

"Yeah, but, you're always joking with me," she insisted. "I can't joke back real good. All I can do is smile."

"Not always. Sometimes you laugh." He came around her on the other side. "That's all I really need. Do you go and make Grillby burgers or do ya just eat 'em and tell Grillby they are good?" He touched his skull. "Wow, I'd burn a house down figuring that one out. Or Mettaton? He doesn't want someone as loud and brash and entertaining as him. He wants his audience clapping for him."

"So . . ." Frisky stopped rocking Chance. "You don't mind that I'm terrible at jokes?"

"Nah, makes it better. I don't have to one up you." He reached his bony fingers out toward her chin. "All I need is your little laugh to get a big kick out of you." He pulled his bony fingers back. "So. Waterfall?"

"Sure. Waterfall."

"And then . . ." He couldn't get her confused that it was a thing between friends. Not this time. "Maybe we could split a burger at Grillby's on the date? I got paid today. On this date. For the date." There. There we go, she had to have gotten that one.

"Oh. Um."

Blushing! Turning his favorite color of pink. Or it suddenly got extremely cold. Or a little colder. Was it colder or was she blushing?

"Okay," She agreed. "After I see the Frisks tonight. Um." She rocked Chance again. "It's . . . a date."

Waterfall with the Frisks, one hour before date . . .

"Oh my, noooo!" Friskay grabbed her head as Frisky told her about what happened. "Okay? Reality calling? He's a Monster!"

"He's . . . he's my husband and the father of my child," Frisky came back on her. "I know it's a little strange, but I can't help it."

"Hello? I mean, at least if a human goes after a Monster, they wouldn't go after a bare bones Skeleton! You know how those things are! They are the worst, Frisky!"

"He's a Classic Monster, not a Balancer." Frisky touched an echo flower delicately. "He isn't like the others."

"Difference?"

"Funny for starters," Friskarino stood up for her. "Not, you know, trying to destroy everything he touches. Sans is a good guy."

"Uh." Farrisk nodded. "I've been sparring with him for a week. Just like when we were FRISK, he never attempted to kill me."

"Oh not you too," Friskay scoffed. "Farrisk, you're supposed to be the most normal of all of us!"

"And there are some good Balancers. Skeletons are also registered monsters on the allied ships," Frisky reminded her. "Not everything is . . ."

"Should have gone to Conner. I knew you should have gone to Conner." Friskay walked back and forth. "If I wasn't so kind, I just would have offed you. Do you have any idea what you could be doing?"

"Everyone already believes I am carrying a natural Monster," Frisky said as she sat back up. "It's been a whole week since then, and nothing has happened."

"Because you're contained in a Solo Territory. It won't stay that way." Friskay shook her head. "No, geez! I am not going to go down this road with you!" She grabbed Frisky's hand. "Stop it right now you idiot! He's a freak! He never opens to talk and-"

"-and I don't care!" Frisky pulled her arm back away. "I just don't care anymore. I don't know if I ever really did. I mean, I've been down here I don't know how long. Even Chance always wished he was a Monster. I've never met any nice guys as good as Sans. You introduced me to Farrisk and Friskarino, but that's it, and they are great. But?" She watched Farrisk pat Frisakarino's back almost tenderly. "What is that?"

"That's . . . that's nothing." Friskay looked toward Friskarino. "Right?"

Friskarino took a step away. "Don't go there, Friskay. Sans and her have belonged together since the beginning."

"What are you talking about?" Frisky looked between the three of them.

"We got MP 20's before we met you as the fake Mettaton," Friskay said, "and, Friskarino unlocked them to find something new-"

"Friskay!" Friskarino shouted. "Stop. Things have changed."

"The more things change, the more they stay the same." Friskay shrugged. "Fine, go ahead. Get romantic with the little bonehead. Just promise us one thing? Don't ever have sex with it."

"Uh?" Frisky took a step back. "I am really at my wit's end with you, Friskay."

"Nah, you really should listen on that one." Farrisk got closer to Friskay.

"What?" She watched Friskarino even more on the other side of Friskay. "Friskarino? You never side with Friskay."

"I'm not. I think you and Sans will be great together," Friskarino said. "Monster and a human and a baby and a caring brother all living under one house. You know, even some-some romance. Hey, that's fine. It's just that . . . you don't want to go creating another baby, Frisky."

"In fact, I still think we all agree," Farrisk said to her. "We would have rather been enslaved by Sans then you make that ACT on Mettaton's show. You should have told us."

Friskay just grabbed her head. "Friskarino thinks I can be romantic, but not be with him. Friskay is against him, just calling him creepy like always. And you guys keep telling me we chose the wrong option to try and save ourselves. But you won't tell me why!" She had no ACT left but to shout. "Why?"

"You don't want to know." Friskay tried to touch her. "Why? He's so creepy? Little flashing lights and you're such a freaking weirdo, why couldn't you just ever-why can't you just ever . . . just listen to me?"

"Because all three of you. I know you are hiding secrets. I don't know what you guys know, or what you think you know." Frisky pointed at Farrisk. "I don't know why you are sparring. I'm going to assume that Sans is trying to defend against what could come after me. But why you are agreeing with these two is beyond absurd." She pointed at Friskay. "He's not freaky or creepy. I don't know what you see but . . . he's always been kinda cute. With his teeth and his lights. When he's calm especially, it's almost like the natural bug lights around the echo flowers. Not that any of that matters. I mean, I know it's tricky to get used to the idea but?" She shrugged. "We're all just souls. Monster, Balancer, human. The only thing that really counts, down deep, is the soul."

She walked over to Friskarino. "You have been on my side since the beginning, Friskarino. You helped Sans get back to me. You were the one who helped during the Soul Bearing. Why are you saying this too?"

"Look, just . . ." Friskarino looked away. "Friskay's lying. I didn't find it." He looked toward her. "She did. It was an accident. She didn't share it for a long time."

"Find what?" Frisky looked over toward Friskay. "What?"

"Look, you know there's just a curse Underground between a Monster and a human. It's just that way. You know that. We've all known that. You've seen all the records, reports, and findings. Seriously, it never turns out well," Farrisk said to her. "You've got Chance. He's safe now. Right? He's not, like, he still has black in his soul, right?"

Frisky looked away a moment.

"Oh. Wait. Does he have?" Farrisk stared at her. "Does he have grey with blue?"

"What the HELL?!" Friskay shouted. "And you were going to tell us this when?!"

"He's fine. He's a baby. A baby Skeleton, can barely move his hands," she said, stepping backward. "Really. There's nothing to fear. You guys know he's not natural. It's just something strange that happened when he changed into a Skeleton. Nobody can predict what happens to a Conduit."

She moved away slightly, but then quickly barreled toward Friskay, shoving her finger into her face. "Don't come after Chance! Sans would kill you, and in this case, so would I! Chance is my son. He's not natural, and he's not a danger to anyone!"

"Frisky, you should know-"

"No!" Friskay turned around and gut punched Friskarino. "Don't even start! It doesn't make a difference at this point. Leave it be." She wiped her nose. "We won't come after Chance. Have fun on your date."

"You better not. I mean it. He's fine, it's just a Conduit thing," she tried to make them understand. "And, really. Stop worrying about Sans so much." She just shook her head. "After this many thousands of generations, do you really think a Monster and a human could have a baby naturally without some kind of scientific help?" She turned away. "It would need heavy, heavy magic help. And with that kind of power interference, it shouldn't matter either."

"Yeah. Just a little magic. Not a whole lot. Just a little." Farrisk looked between them all. "Have fun, Frisky."

Waterfall, The Frisks, without Frisky anymore . . .

"Should have told her. Gut punch?"

"Shutup! I am KINDNESS." Friskay's throat was deep but dry. "This is the kindest thing we can do for her. Chance is freed. None of us have the heart to kill him. Just let her live it up with the little guy."

"We know Chance," Farrisk said, shrugging and coming closer to them. "It's probably fine. The kid's been great so far."

"As a human. With a limited soul, unable to repair itself," Friskarino said back to him. "I liked Chance. He was great. Best Frisk ever. But, when he starts to get mobile?"

"Sans and Frisky are going to raise him just fine," Farrisk said again. "Look. Okay, maybe we should talk to Sans. If we don't want to break Frisky's heart, then we should tell him."

"Oh yeah? I'm sure he's going to destroy his own son," Friskay rolled her eyes.

"I don't think he has too. He just has to guide Chance through the delusions. That's all." Farrisk looked at both of them. "Sans handles a lot of stuff. I think he could do this. If he doesn't, 04823 will get inside Chance's head, if he hasn't yet."

"04823 takes him over and brings him back home to him, forcing mommy to go after him and snatch her up again. Or, Chance goes on a GENOCIDE rampage. Sounds like a ball. I did not want to root for the bad guy," Friskay said.

Friskarino looked toward the sky. "This . . . this just really sucks."

"The fact that Chance is about to destroy the world, or the fact that you just let the girl of your dreams leave to probably get screwed by your best friend in a new timeline again?" Friskay teased.

"You are so evil sometimes!" Friskarino shouted at her. "Forgotten timelines don't matter! The both of you, shut up about it." He ruffled his hair. "We've always just been friends in this timeline, and that's all that matters. Shoot, we even shared the same body for over ten years. I just couldn't. And I wouldn't." He sighed. "Not many missions left before I'm out of here, in a civilization, where I can meet new girls."

"Yeah. Hope you find a girlfriend before we all die," Friskay cheered him on. She looked over toward Farrisk. "What do you think? You think Sans can actually reach Chance in time if we warn him? And, will the little funny guy be able to keep his hands off of Frisky for an eternity if he knew the truth?"

"Honestly?" Farrisk shrugged. "He broke FRISK once. It's the same concept. If he can save Chance, he'd handle any other one just as well. He is getting strong. I mean really strong. And, if we can get past the first natural generation gap, then maybe this whole thing will be over. The conduits, re-resets, and humanity. It'd all be wiped out eventually. The future would just be natural from this point on. No more experimention on the soul. We'd all just be happy souls again, all united. True peace with true love like it was thousands of generations ago." He looked toward Friskarino. "Sorry, dude."

"For the last time. Forgotten timeline. I don't even remember it." Friskarino walked away from them. "I think our only option left is to tell Sans. He stopped FRISK before, he can do it again."

"I second that opinion," Farrisk said.

"I think that if we just kidnap Chance mere seconds before GENOCIDE and teleport him over on the other side of the lab, a lot of shitty Balancers would at least get wiped out instead of the Classic Monsters or the okay ones of Snowdout before the end of it all." Friskay looked at them both. "Or I can leap into the imaginary land of magic and make-believe with you guys and say true love conquers all?"