#Undertale is such a precious game

[lilybug-02]

(via)

Happy Super Late Undertale Anniversary!

This song has been stuck in my head for weeks and I just think Frisk singing it to the monsters after the Pacifist Ending is a really beautiful fit.

Without text.

[superiorwindmaker]

Ive loved Undertale Yellow with all my heart, so here is a little animation with Starlo. I loved the fight with all parts of my soul even though i died once or twice.

All the characters are precious and done reeeally well! I want to make more animations and maybe even animatics, so stay tuned

[inbarfink]

One common Undertale misconception that really frustrates me is when Sans is portrayed with a strong innate sense for RESETs and alternative timelines. Like, that he remembers the RESET timelines better than the other characters who only have occasional feelings of deja vu or even that he can sense when a timeline is RESET.

And that’s, like, almost the opposite of the actual text of the game. While pretty much every main character can have slightly-different dialogue in a Not-True-RESET, especially if the Player had previously befriended them, based on the idea that they have lingering memories/feelings from before the RESET - 

Sans has no real dialogue changes based on this conceit. All of his changes are based around noticing Frisk has different reactions based on their memories of the precious timelines. 

Other characters do also make observations like that about Frisk, like Mettaton and Toriel. But Sans is distinctive because this is the only way his comments change between RESETs and there are a lot of them from him.

Because that is what really frustrates me about this misconception. People mention it as one more thing that makes Sans cool - but the actual truth is far more badass. Sans is one of the people in the Underground who remembers RESETs the least. I think memory-resistance to RESETs is probably tied to Determination. Flowey, the second-most Determined person in the Underground after Frisk, can remember everything perfectly.

Everyone else has some vague feelings and deja vus. And Sans, he’s the least motivated person in the Underground - both in the sense he’s lazy and in the sense he’s fucking depressed.

That probably means he has very little Determination. Thus, he doesn’t remember anything that happens between RESETs.

And yet, he is still the character most aware of them. Because he has the technological know-how to read and analyze timelines.

And because he has the observation and analytical skill to notice a RESET from other people’s reactions and behavior. Whatever it’s Papyrus thinking he recognizes someone or Frisk’s behavior implying that they know something they shouldn’t have. Sans main RESET-related skill is just being able to identify these moments and come to the correct conclusion about them. And with that he manages to be the most aware character in the entire Underground.

Like, the one point where it might seem like Sans remembers something from a previous Timeline is the Fake Spare scene during his boss battle. 

But it’s all pretend. Unlike the previous lines from other characters that I mentioned, this dialogue plays even if the Murder Route is the first time the player touched the game. Sans isn’t remembering anything in this scene. But he makes an educated guess that the Immoral Time God probably tried using their powers for good at first, so they were likely ‘friends’ in a previous timeline. And in most cases, his guess is right on the money - tricking many players into thinking this is another case of the game actually reacting to their past actions.

And as always, Sans can only tell if his lil’ trick worked or not based on the expression of the Player Character.

Arguably, Sans even uses his lack of Determination and cross-RESET memory to his advantage in his boss battle. After all, the whole point of this fight isn’t to kill the Player - Sans understands this is impossible. This is a war of attrition, trying to get the Player so frustrated and annoyed with the unfair fight that they just ragequit or RESET the Timeline. And this war of the Player’s patience versus Sans’ stamina and will is infinitely easier for him when he doesn’t actually perceive all the Player’s previous attempts against him.

Like, for the Player this might be the billion time they go up against him, they’re aware of some of his patterns and tricks now but they’re probably also frustrated and angry and exhausted. Meanwhile, from Sans’ POV, this is still the first time this is happening. He knows it’s not from the Player’s behavior and Frisk’s expression - but he doesn’t feel it like the Player does. 

He doesn’t feel the frustration and repetition of the endless stalemate. So he’s always as fresh as a daisy no matter how rugged the Player is getting.

And that’s part of why Sans is so cool in the first place, like, in general. He’s technically the weakest person in the Underground, lacking in every standard evaluation of power in the setting - no ATK, no DEF, no HP, no DETERMINATION. But he’s darn clever enough to overcome these weaknesses and even use them in ways that make them into strengths, enough to be one of the most dangerous and most aware guys in this whole setting.

Sans can’t remember anything, and that makes him awesome.

[haveyouseenthisskeleton]

a sweet prompt because it's my birthday tomorrow hehe. it's their s/o birthday! what have the skellies planned?

I hope it was a fun birthday :D

Undertale Sans - Something intimate just for you and him. He's not a big fan of parties. He actually bakes a cake all by himself, gives you your present, and then you spends the rest of the day doing nothing on the couch, watching funny movies while cuddling. Sans likes simple things.

Undertale Papyrus - Big surprise party! Well, you kinda guessed it was a surprise party because when he's excited, Papyrus can't really hide it lol. And he acted really suspicious all day long, randomly dragging you across the town to avoid seeing people and stuff :')

Underswap Sans - He takes you to where you first met for dinner. He prepared everything and took a telescope so you could look at the stars once the night fell. He can be romantic when he really wants to.

Underswap Papyrus - He wakes you up at 5 a.m. and asks you to drive the car (because he can't lol) to the place he wants. You're confused until you see you're at Disneyland! Honey is as excited as you are.

Underfell Sans - He tried to bake a cake for you. It looks horrible and it tastes even worse, but he tried lol. You kiss him on the cheek as a thank you, even though he's all grumpy because he failed. You're too good for him.

Underfell Papyrus - He takes you to a fancy restaurant for dinner and acts like a true gentleman all day long, refusing to let you do anything in the house. It's your day, you sit on the couch and let him do his thing. He bought you a nice dress and everything for the restaurant, and red roses.

Horrortale Sans - Willow forced him to wear a suit, and now the poor guy looks constipated lol. Oak wanted a simple day at home with gifts and cakes but his brother insisted he go outside with you. So you went... Uh... Outside??? Oak took it literally. You kinda wandered the streets aimlessly for two hours before Oak sent a text to his brother to ask if they could come back in now xD He then returns to his initial plan: cuddles on the couch, cakes and gifts.

Horrortale Papyrus - Willow cooks a five-star dinner just for you. He really worked hard on it and was excited to show you all he did. He even dressed nicely and put rose petals on the bed and everything. He wanted this dinner to be perfect!

Swapfell Sans - He worked on a beautiful handmade necklace for you, with some of his most precious rocks. He's a little shy when he gives it to you, playing it cool, but you can tell he spent several months on this piece and that he's a bit emotive finally giving it to you.

Swapfell Papyrus - He hid a thousand birthday singing cards in the house. Whenever you open a drawer or a wardrobe, they start to sing lol. Some of them also have recorded messages of Rus screaming and so there's a chance out of two you're getting jumpscared. Rus is very proud of himself.

Fellswap Gold Sans - He says he loves you so much he went to steal the Crown Jewels for you. You laugh, saying he's cute, until he actually gifts you the Crown Jewels he stole during the night. Uh... You're both going to be in trouble, are you?

Fellswap Gold Papyrus - He made a cute painting of you. He put all his love for you inside. He's happy you like it. Other than that, you spend the rest of the day cuddling in bed and playing video games because that's all you need to be happy in life.

[mysteriousbp]

While I'm on break I decided to play a game that I found out a few days before... And that game had me cry... It's been a while since a game made me cry... And that game was Undertale Yellow. A goddamn master piece!

... Of course... I ended up drawing some stuff... And had a few ideas... About my favorite character in that game... And that's Kanako (the precious baby deserved so much better!)

So... The idea is simple. After the events of pacifist undertale, Clover soul decides to go find Kanako and "save her" so she could return to her mother. With the help of his best flowe... goat friend? Clover finds where Kanako is and helps her. Then Kanako absorves Clover soul and returns to "normal", but now she has a ghost sibling that only she can see. And she returns to her mother and they live happier in the surface. Over the years Kanako grow up and became a teen.

Kinda have this idea that when Kanako gets a panic attack or something her body stars to melt like a amalgamate but when she calms down she returns to normal.

I like to believe that Starlo and the gang still do their cowboy acts in the surface and teen Kanako joins has the deputy of the Feisty Fi- I mean Feisty Six later down the line.

[tainbocuailnge]

undertale.... undertale good.... there was tons of art depicting mettaton neo as cool and powerful back in the day and probably still today and i loved it but do yall ever think about how neo is a hastily cobbled together piece of shit that dies in one hit with a theme that's only a few seconds long and doesn't even use his own leitmotifs in the leitmotifs game because the one who actually could've stopped you was undyne and mettaton is throwing himself at you with as much disorienting bombast as possible knowing he doesn't stand a fucking chance just to buy a precious few extra moments for others to escape. and for all his capricious selfishness that's who mettaton is when it matters.

[darqee]

New chapter up!

Soul Collector Chapter 4 Preview:

Your brows only furrow deeper as you try to comprehend what the monster is accusing you of. "I do not understand." You mutter lowly, not particularly pleased to be bothered, and by monsters no less.

After discovering this town was littered with monsters, you tried your best to avoid encountering more. You didn't know how to feel being in their presence, especially not after what you had experienced before arriving here.

You still had bigger problems to think about, and you didn't want monsters to be a part of it. You also wanted to honor your friend's wish, and right now, the only way you knew best was to avoid encounters with the monsterkind.

The skeleton's eye lights darkened at your words, his hands clenching into fists. "OUR SHED! WE CAME UPON IT RUINED! ALL OUR PRECIOUS TOOLS ASKEW AND DEFILED!" The skeleton yelled, his arms shaking in anger.

You flinch at his sudden outburst and take a step back as the monster inches closer. Ah, so that's what they were angry about. You briefly remember the shed you took shelter in on your first day, which was also the shelter that led you to meet your lookalike. You do have to thank them, though, for you would not be in your current position had you not found it.

"That was your property?"

The skeleton had a look of disbelief on their face. "YES??? DON'T PLAY A FOOL WITH ME, HUMAN!"

You put a clenched hand on your chest and bow your head. "Thank you."

A faint snicker came from the taller skeleton, his shoulders twitching as he attempted to stop his sudden laughter. "I- WHAT?" The shorter skeleton paused, a look of complete confusion on his face.

[fictionz]

Time loop video games and why we love (or hate) them

Some essays about time loops in video games:

“Time Loop Narratives Are About Love” by katy (cw: incest)

“Growth is a genuine change in you. Growth is seeing the world differently than you did before because you’re someone different now.”

Games highlighted: The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask, DEATHLOOP, Twelve Minutes, Oxenfree

“Time loops are a weird genre for an anxious time” by Jenna Stoeber and Polygon

“Part of why they’re regaining popularity is because the world is a mess and we either don’t know how or don’t have the power to fix it.”

Games highlighted: The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask, Elsinore, Outer Wilds, Undertale, Inscryption, The Stanley Parable, The Forgotten City, Twelve Minutes

“Time Loop Nihilism” by Jacob Geller (cw: graphic violence and incest)

“I eventually came to realize, if I’m going to do this all again, if there are few real consequences for failure... why would I play in a way that’s so boring?”

Games highlighted: DEATHLOOP, Dishonored, Hitman 3, Bloodborne, Twelve Minutes

"Clockwork Games and Time Loops" by Game Maker’s Toolkit

“Every decision you make matters because you’re always spending your most precious currency: time.”

Games highlighted: Outer Wilds, Dead Rising, The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask, The Sexy Brutale, Elsinore, Minit, Vision Soft Reset, Twelve Minutes, DEATHLOOP, Hitman 2, Deus Ex: Human Revolution

"Why Time Loops Work Best in Video Games" by Extra Credits

“Failure doesn’t feel like an inconvenience or a punishment, but is instead a natural and necessary part of the story.”

Games highlighted: Elsinore, The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask, Undertale, DEATHLOOP, Returnal

"The Problem with Time Loop Games | 12 Minutes Analysis" by Ozzy II (cw: graphic violence and incest)

“This is the point I was talking about earlier, where the first half of the game is just worthless.”

Games highlighted: The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask, Outer Wilds, Twelve Minutes, The Sexy Brutale

“Dying Rules in Time Loop Games” by Inside Gaming

“When the sun began to glow and implode, I knew I had no choice but to put down whatever I was doing and accept what was about to happen.”

Games highlighted: Outer Wilds, Into the Breach, Minit, Twelve Minutes, DEATHLOOP, The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask

"The Best Time Loop Games" by The Gadget Show

“Its black-and-white design and funny writing make this one memorable way longer than the minute it takes to complete a loop.”

Games highlighted: DEATHLOOP, Outer Wilds, The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask, Minit, Elsinore

[aylish91]

You! You beautiful, creative, amazing person! It's your fault I got back into the fandom and now I'm hyperfocused on Leviathan!Tale, again! (No but seriously your works are amazing and you should be proud of yourself!)

I have a request for Leviathan!Tale, (if you have the time) when did the reader join the shiver? And how? Were they wondering alone? Maybe almost killed off for being different? How did the others react to reader joining? Were they scared and refused to eat unless Nightmare or Dream was near?

Hello beautiful Anon! I deeply apologize for how long this has taken me to get to. I have kept it and hoarded it like a dragon with its precious treasure. It has brought me such great joy every time I reread it.

I have made this for you, dear friend. I hope you are still with us undertale folk, and thank you! May you find answers within these chapters!

For those looking for the new/fresh chapter:

or below

~~~

New awakenings

Ugh.

You did not feel quite right. Your body was heavy and ached like you were coming down from a fever, lungs and throat burning and agitated. Guess it serves you right for going out on such a stormy night. Shrine Rock was sketchy to traverse on the best of nights, what possessed you into thinking you could do it with no moon and turbulent seas?

Uuuugh. You could be extremely reckless sometimes, but at least you were alive. A bit worse for wear, but alive.

Shifting, you contemplated opening your eyes. Despite your condition, you were starving and needed to get up and ready. It would be the last morning in your childhood home on the island and you had to get to the ferry by nine if you were going to make the bus into the city. You could tell by the muted bickering of your neighbors that it was already far past time you should have woken.

Groaning, you rolled to reach for your phone, blanket tangling around your legs uncomfortably. Shifting again, you weren’t expecting your bed to move or something else to wrap around you. Eyes snapping open, a frightened gasp left you breathless.

You weren’t in a bed at all. You weren’t even in your house. Wrapped around you were absolutely massive tentacles boxing and encasing you within their mass. They were a deep black, hints of bioluminescence giving them an iridescent sheen.

Warm.

Alive.

R e a l.

You would have thought you were in some sort of dream if you couldn’t physically feel every panicked movement. It made you roll and squirm, trying to bring your legs up to brace yourself against them. It also made you realize why the blanket had been so uncomfortable.

There was no blanket. And there were no legs…

In place of your legs were a mass of bunched and tangled tentacles, much like the giant ones surrounding you. They were curled up close to your center, winding amongst themselves. Out of reflex, you pushed away from them, only to have them unfurl and chaotically flail around. It was uncanny how you could feel each individual limb as they whipped around.

Then, everything tumbled and moved, the larger tentacles sliding away to open to the outside. There was a drastic drop in temperature as water flowed around you. Your breath hitched. Hunching into yourself, you frantically looked around.

To your horror, an animated skeleton seemed to climb or slide over the top of one of the tentacles, black trailing down from its sockets with a shark’s lower body. The connection of bone and body was seamless from the lower ribs down, some sort of glowing energy in the shape of a target above its bony chest.

You couldn’t move as it spoke.

“Finally! Would ya look at that. You made a little you boss.” It swam closer. “How interesting.”

Another, larger, voice vibrated the water. “Killer—"

To say you had a bit of an overreaction was an understatement. Adrenalin swamped your systems when the creature came forward with an outstretched clawed hand. Crying out, your first reaction was to kick it away. However, without legs to kick, your tentacles were the things that lashed out.

Two smashed into the face of its skull as a third and fourth wrapped around their arm. Startled, the creature jerked backward with a yelp, pulling you further into the open. Your limbs tightened, the rest flailing and grabbing anything they could reach. In the end, you grappled both of its arms and the majority of its torso.

You both made undignified panicked noises as tentacles and fins thrashed about, each of you doing your best to simultaneously free yourself while attempting to maintain some sort of hold on the other. The glowing target pulsing above his sternum continued to glow brighter and more erratic. One of your tentacles almost made contact with it but the creature managed to grab the appendage with a desperate snarl before it could.

“Boss! Nightmare!” A different tentacle found an opening around an upper rib causing a choked gasp. “A little help!!?”

You were so preoccupied unwillingly wrestling that you missed the laughter building around you. It took the rising rumbling chuckle vibrating the water again before you noticed it all.

Why was it so familiar…

Water swirled around you before large dark skeletal hands gently took hold of you, slowly removing your offending appendages from their target. “Calm yourself little fish. Do not fear. You are safe here among my own.”

You stilled, eyes wide.

The great Guardian Nightmare, thought to have been nothing more than a dream, held you in his hand, his fabled servants hovering not too far past the edges of his great limbs.

His shiver of loyal sharks.

Skeletal Mer sharks…

All the stories and warnings your grandmother had ever told you swarmed your mind. Everything simultaneously made sense and didn’t. You had heard many stories of the guardians saving wayward travelers and those loyal to them. But you were regular old you.

Had you really been judged and chosen?

…

Your thoughts were interrupted by a skeletal mer with shimmering golden fins and eyelights appearing over Nightmare’s shoulder, their subtle glow stunning you into stillness.

Their voice was as soft and smooth as you had once imagined…

“We’re glad you are finally awake. We were beginning to worry.” Gliding closer, he smiled, just close enough to be friendly. “I’m Dream. It is lovely to finally meet face to face. Nightmare was quite quick to hide you away.” His eyelights brightened with a sly look back. “My brother seemed to think you were quite agreeable.”

The giant hand you were in pulled away, another coming to shield you from view. “Brother. Perhaps you could be more useful and take the others to fetch some nourishment. Their sleep has been unexpectedly long.”

Circling your living barrier, Dream chuckled, playfully twirling his body as he went. “Of course. This is quite the occasion. If I must, I will keep the others busy while you get them comfortable.” Flicking his tail, he slipped past the shiver to call over his shoulder. “Come along then. We wouldn’t want anyone else spooking them and ending up like Killer.”

The circling mer erupted in laughter once again, the mer from before giving an indignant squawk as he darted after the mischievous guardian. It wasn’t long before the sound of their teasing banter faded into the distance.

The tension in your shoulders and… limbs eased, your fears fading away. Settling into the palm, you idly wrapped around the large bony fingers as you processed. Despite how far down you seemed to be, the world seemed clear and bright. Sunken ships of various ages littered the open expanse around you, your host casually sprawled atop an old wooden vessel elevated atop a rocky platform.

You knew beyond shrine rock was referred to as the depths, but still. How had something like this never been discovered? None of this felt real. You didn’t feel real, but the subtle twitch of tentacles and the feel of the cool water around you kept you grounded.

Your Grandmother’s stories didn’t do any of this justice.

You took a breath and looked up when you felt everything shift, Nightmare’s low calming voice bringing you back to him. “You must be full of questions. It is not very often a mortal finds themselves within our realm.”

You did have a lot of questions, but they all swirled and meshed together until they stuck in your throat. What was appropriate to ask? How should you address such a being? What did he expect of you?

Looking into the dark skeleton’s singular eyelight, A sense of calm overtook you. You had already talked with him before. There was no need to be so afraid. No questions had been wrong and there was no proper way to speak with him. Simply being yourself had been enough.

He had been so curious, kind, and alluring…

Regaining your courage, you attempted your voice. It cracked and burned, but you managed. “I had thought all of this was a dream, but… If this is true, I offered you my… Shouldn’t I be…”

He hummed, socket lidding. “Dead? Indeed. But I did warn you. When you offered me your soul, I took it for myself. You live, because I breathed life back into it.”

You could feel the sting around your eyes. “Why?”

“You intrigue me. It is rare to find someone such as yourself and you had already proved your loyalty. Sometimes, for a being like me, that is all that is needed.”

You mulled that over as you fought your emotions. “You are a Guardian. A king of the deep abyss. You chose to save me, grant me one of your gifts, because I was Interesting?”

That same deep chuckle vibrated the water, his body moving to lean against the mast. “In a way, little fish, yes.” He paused, grin turning solemn. “As I said that night beneath my raging storms. I am a greedy and selfish creature. I found you upon that rock, worshiping a being you had never seen and who had been silent for a great many years. You were not angry or pleading when you witnessed my approach. You did not beg or demand anything of me. We spoke cordially, as if we were equals. And when I then offered you my most coveted of gifts, you instead offered me that which was most sacred of yourself.” Tilting his head, he delicately ran a clawed bony finger under and along a few of your tentacles. “For that, you have earned my favor. Whether from my own greed or your appealing nature, it matters not. I have already claimed you as my own.”

Just like the night you died, you found yourself in utter awe of him, a warmth spreading through your chest from his admission. You couldn’t help redirecting away from yourself and your bubbling mix of feelings.

With a shaky chuckle of your own, you playfully looked up. “You might regret this later, you know. Look at me, I don’t even know how to tentacle properly.” As if by fate, one immediately jerked back to smack you in the face, making you grunt and quickly shove it back down.

The Guardian, much to your embarrassment, did a good job holding back a laugh, only letting out a quick rush of air… water?... before hiding behind an amused smile. “You will learn in time. You are still young and new. A pup does not learn everything in a single day.” He turned his head. “Isn’t that right, Cross?”

Your entire body twitched when you followed his gaze. A skeletal shark mer with one red and one white eyelight hovered a little away from the mass of Nightmare’s tentacles. The thing that struck you the most, however, was the jacket and belts he wore despite being underwater. The jacket was black and white with a fine amount of floof around the edges while two belts criss-crossed on what would have been his waist. The next thing that got your attention was his tail. Purplish in hue, it darkened around the tips of his fins and reminded you of a thresher shark’s tail. It especially gave you that impression when compared to the first mer, Killer’s, mako-esk body. When he looked up in greeting, there was a small scar beneath his right socket.

He looked uncomfortable, sending subtle glances your way as he fidgeted with something in his hands. “Um, yeah...” There was an awkward silence until he coughed. “I uh… Dream sent me back with something light while he helps the others. They went topside closer to the reef.” He held out a small mesh bag with what looked to be two crabs moving about inside.

Nightmare sighed. “I see. Let us take it elsewhere then.”

You had to brace yourself when everything around you began to move. Bringing you near his chest, Nightmare slipped down from the ship towards the bottom of the rockface. Once there, he ever so gently extracted you from his palm and fingers to set you down amongst a soft pile of seaweed and sand. Backing away, you watched in awe as he maneuvered the bottom half of his body into the curved opening of a cave. Even though it wasn’t very deep, it was enough to get his tentacles snugly within. It allowed for a better position next to your resting place more at your level. While you watched, Cross hesitantly swam down to join you, staying closer to Nightmare’s elbows a safe distance away. He didn’t relax until the Guardian had settled.

Loose sand clouded the water where the leviathan lay. “There. Now, if you would Cross.”

The mer scrunched into his jacket, looking anywhere but at you. “Yes sir.” Ever so carefully, he swam close enough to hand you the bag. “It’s not much considering, but they still taste good.”

…

Yep. Live crabs. You now had a big bag of crabs, and it wasn’t even market day. You suppose you were going to have to put them in your mouth.

Heh… Focus.

You had never eaten a crab raw before and they were still moving. Would the meat come out the same if it wasn’t cooked? Were you still susceptible to seafood poisoning now that you weren’t technically human? You were starting to get nervous.

Just staring…

Cross didn’t know what to do with that, becoming visibly more distressed. “I mean, I could go get urchins or oysters or something?”

You felt just as awkward. “No, no. This is fine. I mean, the other two things sound wonderful too, but I can just… Uh… I’ve never eaten it raw before? And they are still alive so… Um…”

You were floundering.

Nightmare chuckled when understanding dawned on Cross’ face. “Oh. Yeah. I forget humans like to cook their food.” Your tentacles curled when he came forward again, this time getting close enough to reach inside the bag. “They should be fine to eat. None of us have any problems. Here.”

Taking one of the crabs, he turned it over before jabbing the underbelly down the center with a crack. With it now limp, he grabbed all the legs on one side, pulling the entire chunk away from its body to hand to you. You tried not to grimace.

You had seen the fisherman at the docks and market do something similar (although either with a sharp knife, pick, or bang) so you weren’t surprised. But it was still raw, and he made killing it with his fingers seem so easy.

Cross was watching with such hopeful attentiveness now though. Quietly thanking him, you gave him a gentle, yet uneasy, smile and did your best to separate meat from the base portion connecting the legs. Using your newfound sharpened nails, you were able to get some just fine, and the smell was actually quite nice.

You still hesitated.

“Go on, little fish. You need it. Others before you have questioned. They too found their way. You will find your taste in food has changed alongside you.”

You couldn’t really argue with that. He was an ancient being after all who had undoubtedly gone through this with countless others. You wondered if Cross was one of them.

Nodding, you took a breath and made the plunge. It was startling how different it tasted compared to when it was cooked. Or when you had been human? It was good! Better than plain, although, you wished you were able to dip it in butter. Your stomach was at least ready to accept more if nothing else. The single taste was not enough.

You were suddenly aware of just how empty your stomach was, quickly digging, mashing, and pulling more from your meal. Cross graciously passed over the other half during your ravenous display, taking the time to prepare the second crab for you as you ate. You were so focused on eating at the time, you almost didn’t catch the dopey grin spread across his face as he watched. Nightmare grinned down from the palm of his hand. Your mind was too overcome by the frenzy to care.

They were kind enough not to mention it.

By the time you had finished, your stomach thanked you. However, you were far from satiated and your body still ached.

You sighed.

Tidying up your mess for Cross, you quietly thanked him when he took it and swam off to dispose of it. Nightmare looked on, eyelight sharp and focused.

Feeling self-conscious and uncomfortable, you sank into yourself and took a tentacle in your hands. If you focused on it instead, perhaps you wouldn’t feel so much. There were a few things you were curious enough to ask about too…

“You are in pain.” One of Nightmare's bony fingers startled you as it brushed against your limbs. Unconsciously, you willed one of them to wrap around it for comfort.

You had to look away. Cross was in the distance heading upward and towards something.

“Y/N.”

Something in you shivered at your name, but you never got the chance to answer him. A shout along with other voices announced the return of the others, Killer making a particularly quick approach. Circling the patch of seaweed, he smirked at your flinch.

“Wooow. Movin pretty quick Boss. Only the first day and ya already got em—”

You didn’t know tentacles could move that fast. One moment Killer was circling above, the next he was wrapped up tight enough to clamp his jaw shut. Nightmare was no longer as relaxed, spilling out of the cave enough to effectively sit among his agitated limbs, a couple looping around your little area.

“That is enough teasing for the day. Behave yourself. I am hardly in the mood.”

Killer didn’t seem affected by his predicament in the slightest, nodding with a muffled reply. As soon as he was released, he let himself sink to the ground with a wink. Dream, Cross, along with two others soon joined him with their spoils.

You ignored the pain and the suspicious eye of Nightmare in favor of looking over your new companions. Everything was strange and new. Only time could tell what was ahead of you.

You only hoped you were worthy of it.

Grand Master Post Leviathan Au

[lilybug-02]

TS!Underswap is such a good game. Every time I boot it up to continue to play, I laugh so much. It’s so silly! And it doesn’t take things too seriously which is such a breath of fresh air. Mini Chara is so precious. I want to take them on a trip to the zoo. 🦒

Undertale Fangames be some of the best games I’ve ever played. I want to HUG THEM.

[ask-dcf]

Meet Clover!!!

MY MUM JUST DROPPED THE BIGGEST GIFT ONTO ME WHILE I WAS GETTING OUT OF WORK AAAHHHH! LOOK AT HEEEER!

So story about her. Originally she was called George but after hearing her story. She was from a litter of two with a very young mom. There were a lot of complications from her and her mother. They had to be bottle fed. Get a lot of check ups. But now they pulled through and can eat normally and play normally. So I named her Clover cuz she was ever so lucky qwq And yes Undertale Yellow was also the inspiration since she came before I could play the game lol.

Welcome to the family clover. Let us hope the other two are ok. But for now. You are safe. You are home. Precious little one. QwQ

[angelbitezzz]

YOU’VE BEEN SO NICE WITH THE ASKS SO

💕💕⭐️⚫️👂

*claps hands together deviously* hooray!

First cute song: Hold on, I'm Coming, cuz it's very superhero and I think it works both ways for them. And it's funky. They both end up kind of becoming eachother's rocks.

Next cute song, Golden Hour by JVKE, because I'm predictable and two people falling in love simultaneously is a really cute thing to write okay

Augh, another favorite huh? This is gonna come out of nowhere: Someday, from the hit videogame series The World Ends with You (I'm putting the Neo version down because the lyrics are clearer, but definitely listen to the og! In fact, go play the game. is good.). The actual song itself is sung from the perspective of a girl who is maybe having some relationship issues? Or at least, the person she is spending time with is someone who doesn't understand how she could be so positive. And I know from an outside perspective this doesn't make a lot of sense from what we've seen of these two, but I'm still thinking of this version of Sans as someone who is pretty cynical? My friend put it best as he's "someone who hopes for the best and expects the worst", and admittedly Angel is in a similar boat. At least attitude wise, she tries to be optimistic even with her own inner conflict. So there's that goading "let's go!" I guess, lol

For our angst ⚫️ prompt, I really had to think cuz i dont actually listen to much uh...relevant music? But I think Little Lion Man works? Sans is defined by his lack of action in undertale, and granted he is taking an actual stand in ts underswap if you decide to go for a ruthless route, but he doesn't commit. He fucks off at the end of your battle if you're trying to kill him, leaving the underground to think that he's dead. ANYWAYS this is only a little relevant given that this au is not tied to a ruthless route. I think he's just. bad. at commitment. especially if he's is aware of the existence of the timelines. just saying.

And for the vibes 👂, we have Fall, by Chenader. I think it is also relevant lyrically but you can make your own decisions about that :)

PHEW okay another long one. uh. my bad. have some more art as an apology.

Stick a puerto rican in a hole in the groud, you're gonna be hard pressed to find proper enrichment, I think

[itsladykit]

Chapter 43 - Sunshine and Rainbows

CW: Sexual innuendo.

-

Fang let out a soft mrew when Edge picked him up. The one-eyed, ragged-looking cat immediately started purring as he cradled him to his chest.

Everything else he wanted to keep in their safe house was packed away, but he simply wasn’t sure what to do with Fang. On the one hand, if they had to abandon Underfell and take up residence in Underswap permanently, he didn’t want to leave the cat behind. On the other, he couldn’t imagine continuing to live in Underfell without him. More than that, though, bringing him to Underswap would feel too much like giving up on his own ‘verse.

He pressed his mouth to the top of the cat’s head, as he’d done when he was a child. “You’ll stay here with us,” he murmured to the cat, “But make yourself available if we need to evacuate. I don’t want to leave you behind.”

“boss, are ya givin’ instructions ta the fuckin’ cat?”

Flushed, Edge turned his head to glare at Red. “He’s certainly more likely to listen to them than you.” As if on cue, Fang started to squirm, tired of being held, and Edge released him to prowl the house. Red watched him race away.

“so, he’s stayin’ here?”

“He stays with us,” Edge said placidly. “It wouldn’t be right to keep him in an empty apartment, all by himself. And I can’t ask Paps and Blue—”

“yer bonefriends, ya mean.”

“—I cannot ask Paps and Blue to look after him,” he said, talking over Red even as the flush across his cheekbones darkened. “Are you ready, or do you have a stash of mustard to collect from somewhere?”

He patted a nearby box. “nah. got it here. ‘s a good vintage.”

Edge sighed, deliberately withholding a smile. He could not let Red know he found that stupid joke even slightly amusing. “And Slim?”

“last i saw, he was makin’ a backup ‘a his new collection.”

Edge nodded. It had taken weeks—and plenty of help from their softer counterparts—to acquire not only an mp3 player, but the equipment he needed to digitize any physical media he managed to find. Thankfully, the music files themselves were much easier to bargain for in the softer ‘verses, and he’d already managed to amass a respectable number of songs. Nothing like what he’d lost, but it was a start. All of his equipment would be stored in their safe house, but Rus had agreed to house a backup of his collection as well. Just in case. “Let me know when he’s—”

His phone pinged. ready, it said. Slim came down the stairs shortly after, hood pulled up and head down, so they could only catch glimpses of his skull and eyelights. At the foot of the stairs, though, he lifted his head just enough to meet Edge’s gaze and give a little nod.

Edge looked from one brother to the next, hands on his hips. “Let’s get started then.”

The belongings they treasured but didn’t need on a day-to-day basis were few in number, but Red and Slim needed to take several shortcuts to transfer them from the house to the machine. For his part, Edge was kept busy ferrying them from their cave to the Swap brothers’ basement. He managed a few boxes on his own, but when he paused to stretch his arms after a particularly heavy box, Blue came bounding down the stairs with an excited, “You’re early!” and nearly threw himself at Edge.

With a soft oof, Edge caught him up in a hug, then gave him a quick kiss. “I am. Where’s your brother?”

Paps cleared his throat then, making his away down the stairs at a more sedate pace. “here. heya, precious. we weren’t expecting you until noon.” He paused in front of him, arms spread. “do i get a kiss too?”

Blue pulled away, grinning while Edge eyed Paps. “That depends. Are you going to help, or—”

Paps pulled him in, and Edge allowed himself to be kissed. He looked between the two of them, soul warm and eyelights soft. He could hardly believe he’d been so lucky. Still in Paps’ arms, he reached for Blue, running his fingers over his coronal suture. Before any of them could say anything, though, the machine activated behind them, and Red stumbled through, arms full. He sighed loudly, seeing them. “so that’s why the boxes are pilin’ up. cripes, boss, can ya keep it in yer pants fer five minutes?”

Scowling, Edge pulled away from them to bicker with his brother. Between the five of them, though, they made quick work of the boxes, and soon enough, everything had been transferred to their new safe house. It wasn’t much. Just a studio-style apartment in Hotland. The kitchen was barely large enough for a microwave and a hot plate. For now, a mattress and a few scattered pillows were the only pieces of furniture present. It wasn’t a living space, but if everything went as intended, it would never have to serve as one. And, after several weeks of searching and bickering and falsifying paperwork, it was finally, officially theirs.

Paps’ arms folded around his waist, and he rested his chin on his shoulder. “happy, edgelord?” Blue took his hand, his fingers warm.

Edge looked between the two of them. “It’ll do,” he said simply. To Slim and Red, he said, “Can the two of you find something to do for the rest of the day, or do I need to think of something to keep you occupied?”

They exchanged a look. “yer kiddin’, right? after that many shortcuts, i’m due fer a nap. how ‘bout you, bro?”

In response, Slim flopped dramatically onto the mattress, arm folded over his sockets as if he’d fainted. Edge snorted. “Fine. I suppose you’re entitled to some rest. It was a busy morning, and you were both up early. For once.” Pulling free of Blue and Paps, he urged them toward the door, following behind them. “I’ll be back later, then. Keep me updated,” he said over his shoulder.

“on our nap?”

“You know what I mean, runt.”

“uh-huh. an’ where’re you goin’—” He pulled the door shut on his brother’s question, as if he hadn’t heard it.

Blue grinned at him, and Paps tried to silence his laughter. “What?” he asked.

“nothing. nothing at all.”

“Just glad we can finally have you to ourselves,” Blue added, falling into step beside him as they walked away from the safe house.

“yeah. considering we’ve been dating for nearly two months now, we haven’t actually had many dates.”

Edge winced. “Apologies. It’s been…” A nightmare. “…busy. In my ‘verse.” And any spare time he had had been sunk into finding the apartment.

Blue caught his hand and pulled him forward, away from Paps. “But you’ve got time now?”

“I cleared my schedule. Barring an emergency, I’m all yours today.”

Blue’s smile went impossibly wide, and stars danced in his eyelights. “Yeah?”

Paps cleared his throat. “that’s the plural ‘yours’. he’s mine too, bro.”

“Can I have him first?” Edge snorted but couldn’t find it in himself to even feign offense.

“sure. i think i’m due for a nap too, actually. i’ll see you two back at the house?”

“Perfect!” Blue took his hand and started to lead him back toward Snowdin. Paps snickered and offered Edge a teasing wave as he was pulled away.

Noting Blue’s pace, Edge smirked and asked, “Are we going to be late for something?”

“Hmm? No?” Realizing he’d been pulling Edge along at a near-jog, Blue blushed and slowed. “Sorry. I’m just excited, I guess.”

The naked admission—that Blue was excited just to spend time with him—made Edge’s soul warm. “I see.” He edged closer, freeing his hand so he could put it around Blue’s waist instead. “Well, if you have nothing specific in mind, then we’re already on our date, and we can simply…enjoy.”

A soft flush spread across Blue’s cheekbones, and he swallowed. Still, he smiled. “Right,” he said, leaning into Edge’s hold. As they walked—more sedately, now—Blue lifted his head and asked, “Hey, Edge—you’ve never really seen our ‘verse, have you?”

He quirked a brow-bone. “Of course I have. I’ve been all over the place the last couple months, searching for a suitable dwelling.”

“No, I mean…you’ve never just taken a walk through Waterfall and listened to the echo flowers.”

Edge cocked his head at the mention of echo flowers. “Why would you want to listen to the flowers? All they do is—” He stopped, realizing that these flowers probably didn’t mostly scream and beg for mercy. “Never mind. I think…I think I’d like that. Will you show me?”

A broad smile spread across Blue’s face. “Of course!”

Like his Waterfall, this part of the Underground was cool and dark, but there the similarities ended. It smelled of cool water and water lilies and cattails, clean and sweet and earthy by turns. The soft drip of running water echoed through the caverns, and the waterfall itself was a distant roar. Phosphorescent fungi and moss lit the space in shades of blue and green. It lit Blue beautifully, his magic and color scheme perfectly suited to their environs. Edge was tempted to steal a kiss but refrained. Though the space felt dark and private, he couldn’t help but feel there had to be eyes on them.

Blue seemed unconcerned by the possibility. Stars danced in his sockets as he tugged Edge along the path. “This way!” In another time, Edge might have found his openness disquieting, but now he couldn’t help but find it charming.

They stopped at a secluded pool of water, off the beaten path and surrounded by Echo flowers that only murmured back the sound of cave crickets and croaking frogs. Blue kicked off his shoes and sat at the side of the pool, allowing his feet to dangle in the water. Edge eyed the pool skeptically, but Blue just grinned up at him, waiting. With a sigh, he sat beside him and unbuckled his boots, setting them to the side. He rolled up his pant legs, giving Blue a look as he did, and dangled his feet in the water. It was warmer than expected, probably fed by an underwater stream that ran close to the lava pools of Hotland.

Blue leaned against his side, looking up at the ceiling. Edge followed his gaze. “Do you think that’s what the stars look like?” Blue asked.

Edge was quiet for a moment, looking at the phosphorescent fungi high on the ceiling. “…no.”

Blue laughed. “I’ve seen pictures. Papy has an astronomy book. I just…I can’t really imagine it. Looking up and seeing….” He trailed off.

After a moment, Edge said, “I’ve always wondered what it would be like to see the sun rise.”

“Really?”

Edge had been braced for teasing, but Blue’s smile was open and eager. His shoulders lost some of their tension and he nodded. “Yes. I’ve heard it’s…nice.”

Blue’s hand found his, squeezing. “I want to see the sky.” The subtle tremor in his voice caused Edge to move closer and drape an arm over his shoulders. Blue curled into his side. “Do you think…one day…?”

Edge’s sockets shut and he rested his chin on Blue’s skull. “I don’t know,” he said, voice soft. “Perhaps.”

Blue didn’t respond for a moment. “Thank you,” he finally said.

Edge blinked. “For what?”

“Being honest.”

Edge pulled back so he could meet his sockets, wondering how many times someone had offered a comforting lie in response to that question. He ran a thumb over Blue’s cheekbone. “It’s good to have hope,” he said, “but false hope is another matter. I won’t lie to make you feel better.”

“Good.”

They sat in silence for a while, just gazing up at the false stars, their feet dangling in the water. Blue was warm beside him, and Edge was stunned at just how comfortable this felt.

But, being who they were, they could only remain still for so long. “C’mon,” Blue said, standing. “There’s more I want you to see.”

They followed the meandering path, hands brushing with every other step. Soon enough, the cool of Waterfall deepened to a pervasive chill. Edge smirked a little, looking down at Blue. “I believe I’m well enough acquainted with Snowdin.”

Blue just grinned. “Are you?” He pulled away to walk backwards in front of Edge.

Distracted—worried Blue might trip over something—Edge replied dismissively, “Of course. I appreciate the differences every time I come here.”

“But you’ve never taken the time to enjoy them.”

“I don’t even know what that’s supposed to mean.”

“Have you ever built a snowmonster or made snowangels? Gone sledding?”

Edge stared at him. He knew the words—they were common enough references in the human movies and books that made their way underground—but the question still stunned him. “I….” He cleared his throat. “I can’t say that I have, no.”

Blue beamed. “Can I show you?”

After a beat, Edge nodded.

That’s how Edge found himself running through one of Snowdin’s clearings, deep in the pine forest outside the town, dodging snowballs while he scooped up enough snow to make his own. Blue ducked behind a tree to hide from him, but his muffled giggles gave him away. Grinning savagely, Edge added more snow, until it wasn’t so much a snowball but the beginnings of a snowmonster, then crept to the tree. He stood silent, waiting, until—

Blue peered from behind the tree, and Edge dropped the massive ball of snow on his head, earning peels of laughter. “I win!” Edge said, still smiling wickedly.

Blue shook the snow from his sockets. “Not yet, you don’t!” He dodged away when Edge tried to grab him, coming to stop on the other side of the clearing. Edge went to follow but slowed when he saw the blue bone floating inches above Blue’s hand. It spun in lazy circles while Edge’s steps slowed and finally stopped. His bones felt chilled, but Blue’s smile hadn’t changed at all.

“Blue?” he eyed the bone, not understanding.

The twirling bone slowed its spin while Blue regarded him. “Don’t you ever fight for fun?” he asked, head cocked. “It’s not all kill or be killed, is it?”

His knee-jerk reaction was denial, but in fact, he and Undyne regularly wrestled with each other and that wasn’t always for training. Slowly, he nodded. “Sometimes. Never with magic, though.” He eyed the bone.

Blue brightened. “You’ll like it—I promise!” The bone started to spin faster once more. “It’s about showing the other monster what you can do—without hurting them.”

Edge smirked, starting to understand. “So, you want a chance to show off, is that it?”

A faint flush colored Blue’s cheekbones. “I mean—a little.” The blush deepened. “But I want to see what you can do too.”

Warmth flooded Edge’s soul. “Do you, now?” Slowly, Edge eased into a fighting stance and watched Blue track the movement. For the first time, he was aware of the grace in it—the beauty of it, as well as the power. From the way Blue watched him, he seemed well aware of—and appreciative—of both. Edge’s soul swelled, preening at the attention.

Blue’s grin was broad and open. “I’ll go first,” he said.

“First?” Edge cocked his head, confused, until he remembered Paps’ first experience with Fell-verse combat. “Right,” he agreed, “you first.”

The bone twirling above Blue’s hand spun faster now, then—with a little twist of his control hand—it flung forward, whirring toward Edge. It was simple enough to dodge to the side, but the bone didn’t dissipate. Instead, it hovered at a distance behind and above him. He waited for it to complete its arc, but Blue cleared his throat. “It’s your turn.”

“Your attack isn’t finished.”

Blue beamed. “It’s a two-part attack!”

He said it with enough enthusiasm and pride that Edge knew he was meant to be impressed, so he offered an appreciative nod. “And you’ll just…wait to use it until I finish mine?” Blue nodded, and Edge hummed in thought. On the one hand, it was impressive to hold an attack like that. But on the other, it was a very poor strategy for a fight. “Why not just use it now?”

“Because it wouldn’t be fair.”

A fair fight. His soul twisted strangely. “I see.” He didn’t, but he was trying to learn. He raised his control hand, but all of his regular attacks were meant to take an opponent down with brutal efficiency. He had nothing crafted in the spirit of fair play.

So he improvised, pulling his control hand up and into a fist—as if scooping something out of the air—and summoned a line of red bones. They rolled through the snow, rising and falling to give the illusion of wave-like oscillations. Giggling, Blue leapt high; the bones passed under him harmlessly, fading out just a fraction of a second before he hit the ground. Edge had a moment to appreciate the grace of it—how perfectly they’d coordinated their movements—before he heard Blue’s attack cut through the air toward him. Without looking, he summoned a bone club, twisting to strike the attack from the sky in a shower of red and blue sparks.

His soul beat hard, feeling the power of the blow vibrate through his phalanges. Blue pumped the air with his fist. “That was awesome!” The stars in his eyelights spun, and he readied himself for Edge’s attack, bouncing on his toes.

Edge was beginning to understand the appeal of Tale-verse combat.

He drew himself up tall and straight, preening. “You’ll have to do better than that if you want to best me,” he said, flexing his control hand.

Red bones appeared at Blue’s back, ends sharpened to points, spinning lazily. The buzz of his magic was just loud enough to catch Blue’s attention, and just as he turned, Edge crooked his fingers, sending the barrage straight at him.

Red bones buzzed just past his skull as he dodged to the side, missing him by millimeters. Another slid just past his nasal aperture as he bent backward, and a third he caught in one hand, using it to swing himself up and over the remaining projectiles. He caught himself on his hands, using his momentum to spring backwards and land on his feet. He struck a pose, grinning broadly. It was a stunning display, and Edge found himself appreciating the flush of magic splashed across Blue’s cheekbones. But he only had a moment, before Blue returned the volley of bones, and it was his turn to dip, dodge, and deflect. As he readied his next attack, he took a moment to appreciate the way Blue’s eyelights traced over his body, lascivious and admiring.

It felt good. To use his magic—his combat magic, no less—cooperatively. It seemed more like a dance than a fight, each of them leading and being led by turns. Both of them crafting their attacks to showcase their strengths and to give their partner the opportunity to do the same. It was heady, and Blue clearly felt it too. Their “fight” brought them closer and closer each turn, until Edge found himself close enough to catch Blue by the waist and pull him close.

Blue grinned up at him, hands pressed to Edge’s chest. Stars danced in his eyelights, and his mouth was flooded with mana, the node at the hinge of his jaw glowing brightly. Edge cupped his face in one hand, smoothing his thumb over Blue’s mandible. He bent down and kissed him, mana lines prickling.

He broke away, murmuring, “Thank you.”

“For what? The kiss?”

“No.” He gestured to the clearing, to the mounds of disturbed snow, the glimmer of spent magic still in the air, sparkling. Everything clean and clear and dust-less. “For this.” If he’d ever taken joy in his magic, it had long since been overshadowed by horror. Blue had done something he’d never even considered possible and returned some of that joy to him.

Blue’s smile widened and his hand found Edge’s. He laced their fingers together as they started the walk back to Snowdin. “So it was a good date?” he asked.

“It was a very good date.” Though he didn’t have much experience with dating, he couldn’t imagine a better one.

As they walked, though, and as they drew closer to Snowdin, Edge started to feel a touch of unease. Blue was obviously strong and skilled. He’d known that before, but now he was sure of it—the kind of cooperative combat they’d engaged in required more skill, not less, than the brutal matches he was more familiar with. So, again, he wondered why this ‘verse’s Alphys wouldn’t allow Blue to join the guard. What, exactly, did Alphys believe she was protecting him from?

"Blue.” He stopped abruptly, and Blue slowed to look at him.

“Edge?”

He shut his sockets, taking a deep breath. And cursing himself for this. “Will you promise me something?”

Blue’s brow-bones lifted. “Um. Okay?”

“If anyone ever tries to hurt you, don’t fight fair. Fight to win.”

“…Edge…”

“It’s only a fair fight if both parties are playing by the same rules,” he said. Blue just looked up at him, unconvinced. “Please,” he added after a moment. “Indulge me.”

Blue sighed. “This isn’t necessary, but—if it will make you feel better—then, okay. I promise.”

Some of the pressure on his soul eased. “Thank you,” he said, and they resumed their walk.

Blue’s hand caught his, and Edge squeezed it, affirming the hold. “You know,” Blue said, smiling sweetly, “I think I like it when you ask me for things.” The words were casual, but his tone was teasing. “And you know I’m happy to indulge you.” Blue squeezed his hand, and mana flooded his cheekbones. Memories rose up—of that night in Rus’ kitchen, of Blue’s hands on him while he tended his wounds. Feeling warm and languid and—well. Indulged.

 He cleared his throat but didn’t let go of Blue’s hand. “I will. Keep that in mind.”

Giggling, Blue simply said, “Good,” as they stepped into Snowdin proper. It was snowing lightly, and Edge held out his free hand, admiring the purity of it as flakes collected in his palm. Not a spec of ash or dust to be found.

A moment later, Paps appeared at his side, hands stuffed into his pockets. Blue leaned around Edge to get a better look at his brother. “Papy, you’re here!”

“am i too early?”

“Actually, your timing’s perfect! I need to go to Alphys’ for training.”

Edge glanced at him, suspicious. “You didn’t mention that earlier.”

Blue just looked up at him and shrugged. “I forgot,” he said, which was definitely a lie. "Anyway, she said she found a new anime series she wants to show me and I told her I’d show her how to make cinnamon rolls, so I probably won’t be back until late.”

Edge made a soft sound at the back of his throat. “How…convenient,” he said, crossing his arms. Blue just grinned, again walking backward so he could face the taller skeletons.

“you gonna have dinner with her, then?” Blue nodded. “okay, we won’t wait up for you. have fun!”

“You too!”

Edge snorted as Blue started jogging toward Alphys’ house. Paps glanced at him. “what?”

“Nothing. He’s just very…considerate.”

Paps stiffened a little, but then his shoulders eased and he snickered. “he is being a little obvious, isn’t he?”

“There isn’t a trail of rose petals leading to your bedroom, is there?”

Paps laughed. “no. that sounds like….” He paused. “wait. would you like that?”

“No,” he said, voice choked by laughter. “I don’t want—of course not!” They walked together for a few steps, chuckling with shared amusement. Then Edge said, “Though I do hope you put fresh sheets on the bed,” and Paps stumbled.

“i. uh. yeah. i did. not that i was expecting—i mean, we don’t have to use them or—”

Edge chuckled again and slipped his arm around Paps’ waist. “And was that the only preparation you made for our date?”

“no. i, uh…i showered.” He rubbed the back of his neck, looking at Edge.

Edge nodded. “I can work with that,” he said loftily. “Since you made no other preparations, I propose—”

“little early for that, don’t you think?” Paps grinned.

Ignoring him, Edge said, more firmly, “I propose we do something simple. Dinner and a movie. Does that suit you?”

“yeah, that ‘suits’ just fine,” he said, echoing his words as he relaxed into his side. “you got a place in mind?”

Movement caught his eyelight, and he looked up, to see Muffet staring at them from a few houses down. Paps followed his gaze and went still and stiff beside him. He swore softly as she started purposefully walking their way. Edge turned toward him. “Are you alright?”

“yeah. i just. i haven’t seen her since….” Underfell. Of course.

“Do you want to go?” he asked. It wasn’t fair, of course—this Muffet had done nothing wrong, Paps had no reason to be afraid of her—but Edge had more concern for the comfort of one his partners than for a stranger’s feelings.

“no,” he said, voice small, “she’s a friend. i….” Edge just tightened his grip around Paps’ waist. Part of him would prefer to keep his hands free, but this confrontation called for him to provide comfort rather than protection.

They quieted as she drew closer, and Edge searched her features, trying to prepare himself. But her expression was difficult to read. She stopped a few paces away, looking between the two of them, noting the way Edge kept his arm firmly around Paps’ waist. Then her gaze settled on Paps, and she raised her hands to sign, “Is this why you’ve been avoiding me?” One of her hands not occupied with signing gestured to Edge. “Did you think I’d be jealous? Or hurt?”

“i.” Paps swallowed. “hi, muff. this is….” His voice faltered.

“Edge,” he said, holding out his free hand. It was the wrong hand for shaking, but he wasn’t going to let go of Paps. Not now.

She eyed his hand, then took it in two of hers. With the other pair, she signed, “It’s good to meet you. I’d have loved to meet you earlier.” Turning back to Paps, she signed, “Papyrus, you didn’t have to hide this from me. I know what we were. I—” Her hands stuttered, then with both pairs—for emphasis, he imagined—she signed, “I’m happy for you. Really. I hope…I hope you don’t feel as if you have to choose between your relationship and our friendship.”

Paps shifted beside him. “i. i’m sorry,” he said, “i know. i knew you wouldn’t be upset. i don’t know why i….” He bit off the words. Edge understood; it was difficult to lie to a friend, even when the truth would be impossible to explain. “i’m sorry. i hope…i hope you can forgive me.”

She sighed, one set of arms crossed over her abdomen. With the other set, she reached out and grasped them both by the shoulder. “You’re a very silly man,” she said to Paps. To Edge, she signed, “I hope you know what you’re getting into.” Her chelicerae softened. “And I hope you appreciate him. We’ll have to get together, you and I; I want to know more about the man that charmed our Papyrus.” She eyed them. “Now, I’ll forgive you—if you come to my café for dinner. Too skinny, both of you.”

“we’re skeletons—”

“And too skinny. I won’t bother you on your date—I have work to do. And no time for silly men.” Her chelicerae were relaxed, and her signs were loose and flowing, softening the insult. “You’ll come?”

Edge looked to Paps, giving a little nod to show that he was willing, if Paps wanted. The tension had leeched from his bones as the conversation continued, and he nodded. “okay. yeah. we’ll come to the café.”

“Good! Bring G. Your tab is suspended until you’re back in my good graces.”

Edge snorted, covering his mouth to muffle a laugh. “aw, c’mon, muff—that’s not fair.”

“You don’t see me for months and have the gall to talk about ‘fair’? Ha! You come to the café, you eat my food, and you pay your bill. What’s unfair?”

Paps looked to Edge for help, but Edge just cocked a brow-bone. “Seems fair to me,” he said.

“you haven’t seen her prices.”

She just shrugged. “I have a family to support. You want me to take food out of their mouths to give to you? No. You pay your bill. Now—” She clapped one set of hands together, as if signaling the end of the argument. “—I have things to do before we reopen for dinner. I hope this little misunderstanding has been cleared up?” She looked to Paps, waiting.

After a moment, he nodded. “yeah. yeah. it’s all cleared up. again, i’m so sorry—”

She waved away the apology. “Our world is too small to hold grudges.” She touched him on the humerus, squeezing. “I’ll see you later, Papyrus. You and your new beau.” With that, she raised her hand and wiggled her fingers in farewell, slipping past them with a bounce in her step.

When she was out of earshot, Edge asked, “Are you okay?”

Paps was still watching Muffet’s retreating figure. He nodded. “yeah. i am. i…it was easier talking to her than i thought it would be.” Then his sockets widened. “what about you? are you—?”

Edge waved away his concern. “I’m fine. Actually, she reminds me of Slim’s Muffet.” Seeing Paps’ expression, he said, “She was…very helpful tracking him down. I couldn’t have done it without her help.”

“how was it?” Paps asked after a moment, “working with her?”

“Tense, at first.” Fell-verse partnerships always were. “But it was obvious she cared for Slim, and that made it easier.”

“and you’re really okay going to the café tonight?”

Edge snorted. “I’d like to stay on her good side, if it’s all the same to you. We’ll need a very good excuse if you don’t want to attend.” He glanced at Paps, brow-bone cocked.

“no excuses. i think…i think i’d like that, actually.” His hand found Edge’s. “but i might need a smoke break or two.”

Edge nodded in understanding as they resumed their walk. “Take as many as you need. And if you need to leave entirely, just say the word.”

“thanks.” He squeezed his hand. “hope you brought plenty of g, though. i wasn’t kidding about her prices.”

Edge snorted.

  -

  Hours after the artificial lights had started to dim and the streetlights had come on, Red checked his phone. No new messages. He sighed, sharing a look with Slim, who just offered a small smile. Frowning, he texted Edge. status?

He waited. And waited. He drummed his fingers against his thighbone, still waiting. Finally, a message came through. S&R. Red sighed, but before he could reply, another message appeared. I’ll see you in the morning.

Reading over his shoulder, Slim pumped his fist, small smile blooming into a full grin. He held his hand out expectantly. With a huff, Red fished into his pocket, glaring at the phone. “yeah, yeah. here you go,” he muttered, putting 50G into Slim’s waiting palm.

A moment later, another message came through. Tell Slim he owes me half his winnings. And stop betting on my love life.

Red threw the phone across the room, while Slim laughed.

[chiperti]

some REALLY REALLY OLD ART for this fan fiction

(written by precious @anxi0usgh0st05)

[fourstarsoutofnine]

can i request a short fic with wind where him and reader get separated from the chain inside a dungeon so now they have to work together to make it out alive? i'm very happy to see ur back i love ur work <3

A/N:Absolutely, and thank you so much!! I love writing for Wind, he’s precious. Also, I’m taking a little bit from undertale as far as the puzzles go. I haven’t played many Zelda games with dungeons other than minish cap, but it’s been a hot minute since I’ve played that as well, a few months at least. I remember a great deal about the undertale puzzles however so I’ll be getting inspiration for the puzzles from that. Also that one episode of gravity falls, if you’ve seen it. The bunker episode. It also heavily shows here that my main Zelda games are botw/totk—oops.

Warnings:none really other than fear, obvious botw/totk favoritism, and heavily made up puzzles/traps.

Escape

(wind and reader)

You’d been walking in this dungeon for what seemed like hours, and with no end in sight. You and the sailor had long since lost the group, and were making a good hearted attempt to find them again, but things were looking rather grim.

“It feels like we’re going in circles…” you muttered. Your hand hurt from holding the torch, so you passed it off to the sailor, and put a hand on his back to bring him closer to you. You knew he was very capable of holding his own, but he felt like a brother to you and you didn’t want to risk anything. He was still just a kid, and if you could take any fighting off of him to protect him, you’d do it in a heartbeat.

“How long have we been walking?” He looked up at you, your face dimly lit by the fire.

“I couldn’t tell you.” You sighed. Finally you came upon a corridor you didn’t recognize, eagerly following it. It led you to a room with buttons on the floor.

“Oh hey, a puzzle!” The sailor said excitedly and moved forward to step on one before you pulled him back by his shirt.

“Wait! We don’t know what these do, we need to be careful!”

“Oh, yeah, right…” he looked it over. You took the torch in one hand, and one of his hands in the other.

“Okay, step on it carefully…” you said and he gently put his weight onto the button. There was an eerie silence before a click!, then suddenly the floor fell out under him. You snatched him up to you and backed up as fast as your legs would carry you. Just your luck, though. You stepped on another button. Your head whipped around you as all of the buttons sunk in and the walls started closing. You set the sailor down. “Run!!” You shouted before taking off, his hand in yours to make sure he kept up. You pulled him up ahead of you and shoved him into the exit so you were sure he’d be safe. You, however, had your foot caught.

“Y/n!!” The sailor shouted. He held his hand out for you and did his best to pull you. The prognosis looked dimmer and dimmer for you. That is, until you finally pulled your foot out. It left a big scrape on your foot, and you lost your shoe, but at least you were alive. There was no time to think about that now, though. You sprinted towards the exit, trying to ignore the sharp pain on the top of your foot. You landed with a big thud just before the walls closed completely. Both you and the sailor sat on the dirty, dusty floor of the dungeon, breathing heavy. You looked at him and laughed weakly.

“How much you wanna bet the others found a cool room with treasure or a hot spring or somethin?”

“That’d be our luck.” He laughed. He stood and helped you up before the two of you continued on. The next room you found yourselves in was almost worse than the last one.

“Whoa, candy!!!” The sailor said, looking all around. To you, there was no candy in sight.

“Sailor, don’t trust it.”

“But—it-…I’m so hungry…”

“I know, we’re trying to find the others… I don’t see any candy here, bud. It’s trying to trick you.” To you, it showed exactly what you wanted most. And naturally that looked very, very tempting, but you knew the illusion. You’d looked away for just a moment, and the sailor was making his way towards what to him was a bowl of candy. When he got closer, you saw a like-like extend itself out of the wall.

“Sailor!!” You pulled him back before it could swallow him whole. You pulled your bow out and shot it, the monster flopping onto the ground where you could kill it while it lay momentarily unconscious. The room’s illusion dissipated around you, revealing many holes in the walls with like-likes all within them and the two of you once again made a break for it, favoring your lives rather than anything in there.

The next room finally led you to what you wanted. Your group. They looked at you confusedly when you came in disheveled. Your foot was bleeding, you were missing a shoe, and the sailor didn’t look much better either. His clothes were slightly torn.

“What happened to you two?” The vet asked.

“Don’t ask…” you sighed. The group took a moment to rest while the traveler tended to the wound on your foot, and the sailor got a snack to eat. You were patched up, given other shoes, and while finally back with the group, you all made it out of the dungeon.

[deep-spaghetti]

my undertale act structure analysis post is getting traction all of a sudden and ppl in the tags have all sorts of ideas about what Specific Gamer Behavior undertale’s narrative is condemning and like that is the most lame way to interpret that narrative. if the emotional and thematic core of undertale revolved specifically around some gamer bros who really ground toby fox’s gears it would be a shitty story. if i were to pick A Condemnation or at least a concern undertale expresses it would be entitlement surrounding art and rapid consumption of it. it offers you its story, its compelling world and characters, its happy ending and then it’s done. at least internally, it doesn’t really guide you to anything but true pacifist. a no mercy run is not something flowey eggs you on to do at the end of neutral runs, it’s not an encouraged mode of play in “The RPG where no one has to die!” the entire no mercy run is about how it is your active, conscious decision to have gone out of your way to do harm, even when it is actively more tedious and difficult than any other option. if you engage with its narrative exclusivey through the lens of it being a meta spin video game tropes and mechanics and nothing more, then yeah, it does look like the thesis statement is “completionism is immoral” but i think an extremely critical thing that people miss is that no mercy is not an encouraged mode of play. there is an entire discussion around how implementation functionally is encouragement, “if it’s in the game on purpose, the developer didn’t put it there to keep it out of players’ hands.” but again observing through the lens of narrative and not activity (or activity as a means to communicate narrative) the implication is that feverish unconditional consumption of media is destructive. the player is literally given the agency to suck the life and joy out of a game about quirky characters and big cheesy emotions because that’s what happens when you are dead set on seeing as much as possible instead of appreciating what’s there. althought undertales [FIGHT] and [MERCY] buttons are functionally similar to a dialogue option to be nice or an asshole, undertale’s no mercy differentiates itself from other games’ “evil” routes because it actively discourages engaging with the evil option on a mechanical level. you have to tediously grind away literally every enemy through a small habdful of encounter configurations in every area and the game denies you as much of itself as it can at every turn, long stretches of tedious grinding interrupted by deliberately ludicrous difficulty spikes, trying to act as roadblocks so utterly insurmountable that you just quit. if you do succeed, your reward is a copy-tainting flag that makes a point of ruining your good endings if you every try for them again. it is an actively discouraged mode of play on every level above implementation. you are not supposed to play this way, and the only reason you would (and again this is from like the gameworld’s internal moral perspective, enjoying a challenge or wanting to experience an aspect of the narrative yourself is a perfectly valid reason to want to do it) is if you wanted to exhaust something you enjoyed of every last drop of stimulation it could offer. undertale is a game packed with secrets and even with direct messages to data miners. it was aware from minute one that it was going to be gutted and picked apart and given a million cover to cover skimmings across the world because that’s just what happens to art in the information age. i think it definitely does actively encourage paratextual engagement, everything to do with FUN values and gaster are absurdly rare random chance events that try to foster discussions about mysteries only witnessed by a precious few players, but i think it does resent that to some extent it cant truly have any real mysteries. so quickly was every code cracked and every secret shared to millions, because that’s just what people do to things they love, they shatter them into pieces so they can put them back together a thousand times.