Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Everything was going according to plan, without any hitches.

Doctor. Gaster was quite pleased with how the experiments were reacting lately. And thanks to the help of human scientists, it had not been too difficult during these years to obtain the desired results.

The idea of merging together the magical abilities of monsters and the immense power of human souls would bring to life new, superior life forms!

Ever since Gaster was born, he has always felt within himself an immense strength given by his magic. Combined with his incredible intellect, they made him a very powerful and feared monster.

In fact, he was the only one on the entire island to have built a laboratory from scratch, using only his skills. Of course, some monsters helped him in his project to build a laboratory to be able to put his brilliant ideas to good use and improve the lives of monsters.

But when humans discovered the island and began to explore it, he realized how much humans were actually stronger than monsters.

Physically, they were not superior to them, but human souls proved to be almost indestructible. Unlike the souls of monsters, they did not disappear into a pile of dust along with their bodies but persisted, and the body also remained intact after death.

Seeing them at work, he discovered that humans, despite having no magic to help them achieve their goals, managed to create incredible things.

Gaster took about 5 years to build his lab! Sure, he was younger and practically alone, but humans quickly managed to build a structure that was 10 times larger than its space!

The other monsters retreated further and further into the heart of the island, hoping to stay away from the humans.

Some monsters tried to oppose their presence with brute force. Gaster also considered that plan, since he was one of the strongest monsters, they could chase them away by joining forces.

But deep down, he knew it would just be suicide, and his guesses turned out to be correct.

The humans swept away, without too much trouble, all the monsters they found in their path. Their technology compensated for the lack of magic in them. Not to mention their large number of units against a handful of monsters and their disorganization.

Then Gaster decided to use cunning to defeat the humans...

He knew that the humans were interested in the magical crystals found on the island.

They also craved the riches of fauna and flora, but crystals were the real deal.

So one day, seeing one of the human scientists outside the plant all alone, he decided to establish communication. Noticing the human's distrust, he began to divulge general information about the island and the crystals, and not wanting to miss such an opportunity, they welcomed Gaster and introduced him into their research programs.

Working closely with them, Gaster realized how know-it-all and, above all, presumptuous humans were. They took things for granted and claimed to know and have the answers to everything

The humans believed they had "tamed" him in the time he had worked for them... Far from reality, he pretended to submit. They could never break the spirit of a true Alpha like him.

He waited for the right moment, taking advantage of the humans' low guard, to propose his project with the promise that it would bring great benefits to the humans.

His experiment involved creating living beings that had monster magic with human souls so that they could be used for combat to suppress the monster riots on the island and thus obtain as many riches as possible.

The idea was to use his own monster DNA and fuse it with a human soul. With his skeletal body, the new subjects would not have had the opportunity to fear firearms too much and would have had a high magical charge.

At the end of the explanation, the human scientists laughed. Obviously, they had always laughed at him in all those months of his forced stay inside the structure. They kept him locked up like a petty beast, fearing that he would escape and spread information to benefit the monsters.

Gaster was losing his patience. If it weren't for the magical suppressants, which prevented him from using his magic, he would have killed them all by now. It would be a nice satisfaction for his ego to avenge the fallen monsters.

But if he had, the humans would have called for backup, and then he would have failed to carry out the plan.

He had to create these new monsters, so he could drive away the humans and future invaders!

Gaster was losing his mind, faced with the obvious refusal, when at a certain point, a human, a female, came out of the general confusion, saying loudly.

“How dare you insult a brilliant scientist like him like that?! Just because he's a monster doesn't mean we should dismiss his ideas out of hand!”

Incredibly, the human in question had not only defended him and praised his work, but could clearly feel the strength of his soul, even among all the other souls in the room. It was a soul of a color he had never seen before...Red

Gaster didn't have time to formulate another thought, before the female responded in kind to the scientists again:

“The idea of creating new forms of life… Never in the history of biology has anyone been able to achieve such a result, if we succeeded it would be an epochal turning point! Let's give him the chance to try, if he succeeds it would be a triumph for everyone."

This female had caught the attention of the room, the scientists seemed to really think about the idea now.

But at a certain point, a sound interrupted the moment of reflection of those present. A sound of hands clapping in a little clap, as if to get attention, caused by… A male who had been standing there in the background the whole time. Stepping out of the crowd, with an evil smirk and bravado, he spoke:

“What beautiful words from our beloved little teacher…and tell me, since when do we need the hand of fucking monsters to win!? Continuing at this rate it is quite obvious that we will be the ones to win and prevail, why should we rely on him?... It could be a trap to take advantage of us... It was already a bad idea to let him come in here with us, now do you want to work on it together too!? AH AH AH…what a shitty idea huh.

Gaster had never seen this male before, but if he had he would be sure to skin him alive, then throw him into the deepest pit on the island.

How dare he talk to him like this, as if he wasn't even there!?

Not to mention the very serious way he behaves towards the female. It was now clear that there were differences between their cultures. But in monster society, a respectable male would NEVER insult a female like that.

Perhaps because females in the monster community were rare, and the few that existed required only strong males who could satisfy their every whim.

Despite everything, even if there were more females in human society than in monster society, even a fool would have noticed the rudeness of this miscreant!

But the human female was not intimidated.

“Ok, answer this then Mr. Gecob Hunt…since when do game wardens have a say in what is determined by our scientific community?

Now Gaster understood why he had never seen this human before, he worked outside of science labs. And that explained his attire.

Fully dressed as if he were one of the soldiers who guarded the structure. But his uniform was all gray and dark green, his inseparable rifle behind his back, and at least a dozen knives, clipped on his belt.

Just from his face you could clearly tell how violent he was.

Hair as dark as night, a thick beard that framed his devilish smile... and then his eyes... The right eye was blue as ice, while the left was completely scarred by a deep scar.

Not to mention his imposing size and height… He could get to Gaster's face. And Gaster was 6.5 feet tall, normal for monsters, but rarer in humans.

Mr. Hunt continued his verbal assault on the scientist.

“One point for you Doctor…it's a shame that we are the guard who keep you all safe, risking our asses for you! So yes, it is our job to keep the situation under control, and how on earth could we do it, having the enemy around free to flitter in peace?

Damn this male, he was getting the scientists on his side, his very animated speech, he was making inroads into the minds of humans.

Pointing the finger at Gaster, to add further emphasis to his speech, Hunt continued to rail against him.

“And so far he's only managed to give us some basic information, about the island and the magic crystals, but we still don't really understand how they work, seeing as a lot of humans have been corrupted by them...I bet this bastard would know exactly how to make it work for us, but he keeps all the secrets to himself, because he's not actually on our side!”

Gaster had to give him credit, this human was smarter than he thought.

Deciding he didn't want to be taunted anymore, Gaster took a deep breath and responded in a sweet, calm tone.

“Precisely for this reason it would be a good decision, to accept my idea Mr. Hunt, you see... If we really managed to create this new type of monsters, not only could they perceive the magical essence of the crystals... but they will be my creatures, to do your dirty work for you, so they will fight the monsters for you, and it will save you the danger of having to fight them."

The room was filled again with murmurs and ruminations, but Hunt with a cold look and a shit-eating grin had the answer ready.

“Of course MONSTER, you will definitely be able to create other abominations like you, but tell me something... who gives us the guarantee that once created, you won't turn them against us?!”

At that moment Gaster swore he felt a trickle of magical sweat on his forehead...this male had made the point!

“Obviously it would be the perfect plan, since without our technology you couldn't do it, first you would use us, and then you would turn them against us to kill us and chase us away. Who do you think you're fucking with!? We can't trust the word of a MONSTER."

The air was so tense you could cut it with a knife. Gaster was in total panic, the human was right this was the plan... he would never have convinced them of this step...

“What if I were the one asking for your trust instead?”

The female raised her voice louder, with a sort of aura of supremacy.

“Believe me then, I have been in this field of biology, all my life, and each of you knows that I rarely fail at what I do. Give me your consent, I will personally follow the experiment, and I will take Doctor Gaster under my responsibility!”

Gaster could feel hope blossoming within him. He didn't understand why this human was fighting for him like this, but the sensation sent pleasant vibrations to his soul.

The female continued with her speech.

“Aren't you tired of continuing to collect crumbs!? With this plan we will speed up the process, and finally get what we want...The riches and glory we are here for! Let's make the leap in quality together, and show the world our strength!”

The scientists began to rejoice after those words. Not all of them voted in favor of the idea, but the majority voted yes.

His plan was made, it could really come true!

Mr. Hunt, enraged by the defeat, headed towards the exit with a sure step, but first he hit Gaster's shoulder with a firm blow, whispering close to his skull.

“I'll keep an eye on you, freak of nature”

The threat was real judging by his venomous and contemptuous tone.

He was brought back to reality by the human female, who gave him a knowing smile.

Gaster finally stopped, observing his "heroine"

She had a blue sweater with horizontal pink stripes and brown trousers. She wore small round glasses, from which dark brown eyes shone through. And despite having short hair, Gaster could smell her sweet aroma in the air.

The woman approached Gaster, offering her hand to introduce herself.

“It will be a pleasure to work with you Doctor. Gaster, I am Miss Frisk Tale, I will help you with every means at my disposal"

Gaster couldn't explain it, what was it about this female that made him so comfortable? He had just met her and already felt he could trust her.

He felt that his intentions were good and sincere. He decided to show off his brightest smile out of respect for the female, and delicately shook her hand.

“Thank you Miss Frisk, you will not be disappointed in my work, and please… Just call me Wingding.”

Chapter Text

(About 30 years later).

Darkness… Screams… Fire…. Skulls

This is all that your grandmother remembered after the accident that occurred in her "secret laboratory", or as she had defined it within her fantasy.

They had taken her to hospital with the hope that she could recover from her strange visions. She always had a vivid imagination, it's perhaps one of the characteristics you loved most about her.

But the doctors made it clear that his brain was now too compromised to be able to put together even a single thought that made the slightest logical sense.

From their analysis, it was clear that she would not live much longer. Understanding the gravity of the situation, you decided to go and visit your grandmother before it was too late. You loved your grandmother, she had been the kindest and most intelligent person you had ever met.

She had taught you everything you knew, it had been a gift from heaven, since your parents were practically non-existent in your life.

They only showed interest when their “second daughter” (Your parents liked to remind you often), gained recognition as a scientist.

Ironically, your parents thought you were a child with your head in the clouds who could easily be underestimated, that you would never accomplish anything in life.

But Grandma immediately saw the potential in you from an early age, and so she began to involve you in her research. She taught you not only the power of knowledge, but also of compassion, and the strength to never give up in the face of difficulty.

Grandma was your lifeline, and now seeing her there in the hospital bed sent waves of pain to your heart.

Once you entered the room, your eyes caught your grandmother's defeated expression.

Where once there was a beautiful, bright and kind smile, and lively and cheerful eyes full of life, now there was only a face full of apathy and eyes deprived of any light...

You just hoped you could cheer up your grandmother, you so desperately wanted to see that smile one last time, or at least be able to talk to her properly.

You had only one goal at that moment, to try to lift her spirits.

“Good morning to the coolest scientist on the planet, how are you old bastard!?”

You shouted with as much joy as you could put into your voice, grandma always liked to tease each other, and make jokes when the mood was ideal.

But grandma didn't even look at you, you had to insist again.

“Hey grandma, look, I brought you your favorite blue flowers, forget-me-not…and I hope you'll never forget me either!”

It was a bit of a painful joke, but you hoped it would work, but once again the grandmother stared impassively straight ahead, it was as if she were in a totally different place.

On the one hand you were almost happy that your grandmother wasn't there with her head, instead of looking at the depressing white room in which she was locked up, and seeing how everyone outside the corridors spoke badly about her, as if she were a crazy person who saw and made up “nonsense things”.

You were discouraged by your grandmother's reaction. You sat down on the chair to the left of the hospital bed, perhaps out of tiredness or desperation. You tried the last thing that came to mind, attracting your grandmother's attention.

You placed a hand on her grandmother's, and began to lovingly caress her, while singing a sweet melody.

Your grandmother often did this for you when you were younger, in moments of desperation when you sought comfort in your parents, or in the attention of your older brother, but often the latter, pretended that you did not exist, as if your entire existence was almost a spite for him.

No matter how much effort you put into making your family accept you, nothing ever worked.

Hell, you'd never even managed to make any real friends, no matter how hard you tried…no one ever wanted to deal with you.

But it didn't matter, your grandmother had always been there for you; and you would always be there for your grandmother, and so it will be until the end.

But at a certain point, a sweet voice called you out of your thoughts. Your grandmother was finally looking at you and humming along with you!

“Grandma…then you remember me!”

You had tears in your eyes, she finally recognized you...

“Who do you think you are dealing with, Erika? I will never forget my favorite grandchild.”

The grandmother spoke in that lively and cheerful voice, with a faint smile.

You were about to go crazy with joy, the doctors had told you, that your grandmother had not been able to speak to anyone, and that she had irreparable brain damage, which did not allow her to hold a concrete conversation, and that she would no longer recognize none, given the serious damage to her skull, but despite everything it was a miracle that she was still alive.

Yet there she was suddenly with her usual energy, as if nothing had actually happened...

Seeing her like this was a miracle.

You jumped up with the thought of having to run into the hospital lobby and warn your family; it didn't matter if your family didn't think of you as you deserved, you were too happy that grandma had finally spoken.

You didn't have time to take a single step when something suddenly stopped you.

Grandma had grabbed your wrist with a very firm grip, for an elderly person. You always knew that your grandmother was a strong woman, both in spirit and body.

But all this made no sense…how could an elderly person, with a probable ongoing concussion, have this strength…maybe the doctors had been too catastrophic with their diagnosis?

Grandma, what's wrong? I want to go and tell the others that you can talk, they're all so worried about you...

"Absolutely not"

Grandma spoke in such a low, shaky voice that you had to move closer to hear better.

The older woman, looked intently into your eyes; you could see concern and uncertainty in her eyes.

“No one should ever know, that I can speak or remember anything Erika, NO ONE!”

Strange... your grandmother didn't approve of the family's ways at all, but she always took care of everyone. With her research after all she had supported the family for a long time, she knew that their devotion was given by her successes as a scientist.

But she was a good person, one of those people who thought everyone could improve if they just tried.

And therefore she always helped everyone, especially from an economic point of view.

But the fact that she didn't even want to let her family know that she was okay was suspicious, also because she hated telling lies.

As your grandmother often loved to say: "Lies are like a boomerang, sooner or later they always come back, and if you are not ready to take it back, it will hit you on the head, and you will feel the consequences on your skin."

“Grandma, you're starting to worry me now. What's happening? Are you having those strange visions again?”

The grandmother lowered her gaze and, exhaling, began speaking again in a clearer voice.

“Sit down Erika, I don't want to raise my voice, you know I don't like doing it, and I don't want anyone to hear us. There's a reason I called you, and only you, to visit me first, with no one else to hear our conversation."

You were getting more and more confused. Your grandmother had always told you everything, what could be so important, that she couldn't wait any longer... that it concerned the question of inheritance?.

It was a rather possible hypothesis, given that as soon as the whole family entered the hospital, they asked if she was still alive and if it was worth calling the notary to start withdrawing her grandmother's wealth.

Ungrateful cowards, sometimes you seriously wondered, how you and your grandmother could be their relatives.

Grandma waved at you, telling you to come closer.

You calmly sat down in your usual chair.

You were so focused on the situation at hand that you didn't notice that, as you were sitting down, a strange “Click” sound echoed in the room.

And before you could ask any more questions, Grandma leaned over to you, pretending to touch your face, and whispered a simple command in your ear.

“Now don't speak until I give you the signal; just read the paper I will give you, read it out loud, and that's it...trust me Erika... Please.”

There was sweetness and firmness in her words.

Now that you were pervaded by strange vibrations, you didn't understand the reason for all that secrecy.

Part of you was extremely anxious about what would happen, but the other part was damn curious to see where this situation would lead.

You gave a small nod of your head to show that you understood, and so, the grandmother returned to that gloomy and apathetic expression she had had before.

Now that you thought about it better, it was as if the grandmother was deliberately playing the part of the sick old woman. You couldn't find any logic in this, but you obeyed anyway, hoping that the grandmother would give you an explanation later.

Grandma handed you the paper so you could read it.

(“Ok, do exactly what Grandma said; she will surely have good reasons for acting like this.”) You tried to repeat it in your head about ten times to justify the situation. And with a firm and confident voice, you began to read.

“For my family... I know very well that the relationships between us have not always been rosy, but I have always tried in every possible way to please everyone and guarantee you a happy and worry-free life. I have always been convinced that if I behaved well, you would love me and accept me as part of a cohesive group... But as I moved forward in life, I understood that there are people who, despite giving them everything, in reality will never be satisfied with what they have. They have and will always demand more. Like the countless times in which you always tried to enjoy my successes as a woman of culture. Having said that, I don't feel any hard feelings towards you, and I hope that what I leave behind can be a last gift so that you never forget me. Consequently, I will tell you my legacy for you to cherish, divided according to your skills and qualities"

You were getting more and more nervous.

These words were so strange coming from your grandmother. It was true that the family had always been a herd of greedy and outspoken people, but the grandmother was used to leaving everything behind...

Why was she only now at this moment bringing out such an aggressive temper? Why was she only now complaining about the weak family bond? And why all this secrecy now?!

You took another deep breath and started reading again.

“To Garrik, the patriarch of the family, I leave, my home, so our family will always have a roof over their heads, and will never have to suffer from the cold, or experience feelings of inadequacy ever again”

And yes, you remembered that part of your life well, even though you were little.

You remembered how the cold took hold of all of you during the nights, inside that shack where you all lived together, before your grandmother started working and became successful.

“To Lilian, the matriarch of the family, I leave my collection of jewels, found in my countless expeditions around the world. May these treasures enrich your life or help you in case of need in the future”

(“Well mom will be happy”) you thought to yourself. Your mother had always loved jewelry and shiny things. And you had often seen your mother secretly take them from your grandmother.

“To Marcus Tale, the eldest son, I leave my laboratory, and everything that is inside it. I recognize ambition when I see it, and I believe that with my laboratory it will be able to further cultivate its potential"

Strange.

It was the first word that ran through your head.

Marcus had ambition and an unbridled desire to succeed; he was also intelligent in his own way.

But you were convinced that grandmother would leave the laboratory to you, the granddaughter, with whom she shared the true spirit of science. Not that you felt envious of your brother, you already had your own laboratory by now, but Marcus wouldn't have used that facility properly.

He probably would have sold everything to spend the money elsewhere.

“And finally, I leave to Erika my entire country house, with adjoining agricultural fields, a garden greenhouse, an enclosure for the animals and my beloved Volkswagen Beetle. So that I can always have a place of peace and serenity to return to"

“For further information I will leave everything else to my lawyer, my colleague Mr. Finch Jonson, may you all live a happy, healthy life”

…..

Was this the end of the letter?! Seriously!? Your grandmother couldn't have actually written it!

There was no kind of love or affection in those words, it couldn't end like this!

Chapter Text

It wasn't like your grandmother to act like that.

Of course, you were happy that she had you and left her house in the countryside. You had always liked it when, as a child, she took you there in the middle of nature, in the fields, while your grandmother taught you to shoot with a bow and to learn the knowledge of biology in the basement of the house, which served as a laboratory.

But nothing mattered to you. You wanted answers! And you would have gotten them! You were too angry and confused at that moment. So out of it, that you almost didn't hear the "Click" for the second time, which rang faintly in the room. Almost…

Raising your head, looking in the upper right corner of the wall next to the television in the room, you noticed a small object that definitely clashed with the TV equipment.

You couldn't believe your eyes…that was a fucking camera!

In your grandmother's room!

It had to be a madman's joke... Who would ever spy in the room of a poor elderly lady, secretly in this sneaky way!?

Your brain was spinning at that moment.

Your instinct shouted at you to remove that abomination and destroy it into a thousand pieces to protect your beloved grandmother.

But a warm, ringing laugh interrupted your thoughts… And she was laughing with great gusto, judging by the emphasis of the moment.

“MHE HE HE HE! Did they really think they could fool me with such a simple trick!? They didn't understand who they were dealing with! AH AH AH!”.

(“I understand Grandma is not at the end of her life... She is as mad as a mad horse!”).

This was the only explanation that came to mind at that moment. And finally, you blurted out all your thoughts in grandma's face.

“What the fuck is so funny, grandma!? First, you pretend to be dying, you pretend not to recognize me, and you ask me to read a very stupid piece of paper where there is no affection or interest written for any of us, when you are perfectly capable of reading it on your own. There's a fucking camera spying on you in your room, and you're laughing!?!?”

If anyone had seen you at that moment, they would have thought you were literally about to explode, seeing your super-red face, disheveled hair and tense fists ready to punch and let off steam.

“Come on, Erika, let me vent now while I can. I just needed to buy time to remotely disable all the electronic devices in the room”

Grandma raised her left arm, proudly displaying her wristwatch.

On the surface it looked like a very simple watch, but knowing your grandmother, she had certainly modified it like a super spy would.

“You know… I already knew I was being watched, but I couldn't get caught, so I took advantage of your presence to be able to use my watch to disconnect everything in the room. View? Your grandmother never loses style."

Well, now your brain had gone completely haywire.

“What do you mean you already knew you were being spied on!? You pretended to be sick the whole time then!? So you also faked the accident!?!”.

“I only pretended to be stupid, but the accident really happened, Erika. As soon as you leave this room, Finch will be able to confirm my story because he was there with me too."

The grandmother had assumed her classic confident and proud pose.

By now, you could tell when your grandmother was serious, and this was one of those times.

“What do you mean he was with you? He's a lawyer; what does that have to do with your job... did you end up in trouble with the law by any chance?".

“Not in trouble as you would think, but yes, Finch has something to do with it, because he is also a scientist, but given the risks he would have run, I found him a cover as a lawyer to keep him out of trouble, so no one will look for him to extort information, about the island or the project”.

Here it is again… the island. Apparently, it was all about that place.

“Wait… A cover to prevent him from extorting information? You speak as if you had hitmen on your tail; who could make you disappear in an instant?”

So the grandmother was actually in danger...

You were hyperventilating now.

Your grandmother risked being killed at any moment, and you never realized it!? And now these said people were spying on her…that they were waiting, that she was alone to get rid of her?.

“Calm down, Erika; there's no reason to panic, believe me, I promised you I'd tell you everything, right? So now sit down and ask me anything you want, my super grandchild"

Your grandmother said in a proud voice, once again pointing to the chair next to her hospital bed, so that you could sit next to her.

You approached and followed your grandmother's command.

You had so many questions in your head that, in the end, you didn't even know where to start; there were so many things to ask.

Furthermore, you decided to start with the most practical question of the moment: cameras.

“Okay, grandma, first question, do you know who put the cameras in your room and who it could have been?

Grandma seemed hesitant in giving you an answer, you noticed it immediately. An aura of fear, but above all of sadness, hovered around the scientist. It was almost as if she wanted to avoid the question.

“What I'm about to tell you will shock you a lot, Erika, but I knew it would happen sooner or later; after all, we've never been a real family”

You felt like a brick had dropped on your stomach.

“What does family have to do with this?!”

“Don't yell, Erika; you know I hate it.”

Scream? You would have destroyed the whole room if you had the strength!.

“Look, our family has always been social climbers, so it didn't surprise me at all when I found out that they had made a deal with an overseer of the laboratory where we were working, to discover the incredible riches of the island. …”

“You didn't answer the question, Grandma, who bugged your room!?”

“My beloved Erika... I have already given you the answer to your question.”

It took you 5 seconds to register the information that had just been given to you, and you tried to put the pieces together... but you couldn't believe it.

“Are you telling me that the family secretly planted the cameras, without your consent!? You're definitely wrong, grandma. Maybe they did it to protect you; even from a distance, they would never go that far. And assuming that this phantom island exists, how do you know that they agreed with another person to spy on you?”.

“Simple Erika, think about it, what did the others tell you when I arrived at the hospital this morning? Think carefully..."

Turning your brain on at that moment seemed impossible, but you forced yourself to remember the events of that morning.

You woke you up late, around 11:00. You knew how to be an early riser if the occasion required it urgently, but you really liked sleeping.

Going down to have breakfast and peeking down the stairs, you noticed that your parents and your brother looked worried and panicked.

They were talking in low voices, checking around as if they were afraid someone might hear them. At that moment, you don't give too much weight to the situation; it wasn't the first time they behaved like this, excluding you from family matters. Often, they didn't even notice your presence, not considering you important enough.

About 10 minutes later, the moment was broken by an unexpected phone call.

Strangely enough, your brother Marcus didn't wait more than 2 seconds for the phone to answer.

Unusual; usually it was you who answered the phone first; it must have been a coincidence...

Once the call ended, your brother Marcus motioned to Lilian and Garrik to move into the room to continue the conversation, and checking that no one was in the room, he opened the doors ajar.

Seeing the commotion that was in the house, you decided to approach the doors to try to eavesdrop on the conversation taking place.

You didn't hear the entire conversation, but luckily for you, Marcus tended to have a very loud voice, and you were able to hear part of the phone call from earlier.

You spoke the exact words that you heard from your brother that morning, with a lost and defeated voice.

"Marcus, he said... that he already knew which hospital they would take you to, and that unfortunately you had a sort of memory lapse, but to be safe, they would continue to keep an eye on you, so as not to miss anything...".

“Here's the thing Erika, when you received that call, it was around 11:15; I hadn't arrived at the hospital yet. The accident in the laboratory had just happened... so how did Marcus know which hospital I would be taken to if I wasn't there yet? The answer is simple, because they had already organized to bring me here, preparing this room with microphones and cameras, when their infiltrator had informed them of what had happened."

You were paralyzed by the obvious realization of your family that, not only for the thousandth time, they had conspired behind your back, but even behind your grandmother's back!

“How do you know the exact time the accident occurred? And how did you know they had an accomplice?”.

“Come on, Erika, from scientist to scientist, you know very well that the clock is our best friend, given the many hours we spend in laboratories working, losing track of time. And it is essential to always have one within reach… Arm….HE HE HE”.

Grandma's attitude was starting to tire you, how could she be joking at a moment like this?

“Grandma, I swear to you that if you don't start taking matters more seriously, I swear I'll make you swallow the flowers I brought you!”.

Grandma was about to answer, when with obvious revulsion you asked another question, interrupting her abruptly.

“Why would they have to go this far!? What is it on this fucking island that they want so much to spy on you, and do business with a local guardian?”.

After minutes spent joking, to try to lighten the situation, the grandmother changed her expression, becoming serious and composed.

She seemed to have become one of those wise women, ready to turn your face upside down with just a few words.

There was an obvious tiredness in her eyes now. You felt very guilty for having pressured your grandmother in this way, but you needed to understand something about it.

“Well, Erika, since we don't have much time before those idiots realize they can't hear or see us and come to check it out, I'll tell you about our island plan.”

Anxiety, it was the perfect description of how you felt, but you also felt relieved because, from Grandma's face, you understood that she wouldn't lie anymore.

Grandma's determined look was more than enough to give you confidence.

“I won't go into detail now, but suffice it to say, about 30 years ago, I received a rather bizarre phone call from Finch, my lifelong friend and colleague. You've never met him, but in addition to being a brilliant scientist, he is also an inveterate explorer, eager not only for knowledge, but also for adventure. The day I received the phone call, I was working on a very important project. I was trying to perfect the mechanical prostheses that I would start providing in hospitals for people with missing limbs... You know how much I care about that project"

At that moment, you felt your heart soften, and a shy smile tugged at your cheeks. This reminded you of how incredible your grandmother was, that even though she had made a fortune and could stop working whenever she wanted, she continued undaunted to look for new ways to help people.

Her dedication to her work was commendable; it was not limited only to biology, but she also liked to experiment with projects relating to mechanics.

Grandma continued with her speech.

“So you can understand my astonishment when Finch called me and told me to drop everything I was doing and come with him. He had an unbridled emotion in his voice, like a child who had found a hidden treasure... and it was partly true. Knowing him well, I knew that for him to have inconvenienced me, it must actually be something very important, and therefore I decided to indulge him in his madness. He told me to pack my backpack with everything that might be useful for an incursion into an unknown area... and so I got ready, without asking any questions."

A heavy sigh left Grandma's lungs.

Judging by the way she was pulling at the sheets of the hospital bed. You knew the story would escalate, with the next words.

“Finch told me to be found in a countryside area far from home because the destination of the location was top secret. I know those words should have set off alarm bells in my brain, but by then I was too curious not to get to the bottom of it.”

If before your cheeks were pulled by a shy smile, now it had become a full-blown smile.

This was yet another thing in common that you had with your grandmother... curiosity.

Looking out the small bedroom window with dreamy eyes and a light voice, the grandmother continued the story.

“But I was surprised when, from the sky without warning, a helicopter landed near me without too much ceremony, with hooded men dressed in black on board. They took my luggage and took me to an unknown place, where shortly thereafter a modest-sized boat was waiting for me, with other scientists already on board who had been enlisted for this work."

Grandma was definitely enjoying herself now. The more she spoke, the more the vitality in her voice increased.

“Once on board, I tried to ask my future colleagues if they knew where we were going or what the project consisted of, such that we had to hire so many people. But all they knew was that Finch and other explorers had discovered a new island that had never been discovered or recorded on maps. My expectations grew dramatically at the idea of exploring the island, a place full of mysteries and who knows what creatures. Maybe I would have even found some new species... My mind was spinning at a thousand miles per hourwith emotion... but... nothing of everything I could have ever imagined would have come even close to what we discovered in that place forgotten by God…"

“Ok, grandma, so you have made a new discovery... It's great. I can only imagine the riches you will have found there, but I still don't understand why, after 30 years, they haven't made the existence of the island public. Everyone would have hailed you with glory and fame… So why all this secrecy?”

The grandmother replied firmly.

“Because in reality, Erika, the island... is not uninhabited”.

This is the reason for so much secrecy, that there were problems with the indigenous people of the area?

It would have been plausible; it was not the first time in history in which a part of humanity, thinking it was superior, attacked another population, to take over land and wipe out their culture.

You knew that your grandmother would never harm the people on the island, but not everyone had the same kind of morals.

“I understand, grandmother. Have you had difficulties with the people of the island? Is that why you don't want to make it public? I hope that everything didn't lead to a firefight...".

You thought you had understood everything at that point in the story.

Everything seemed clear now. It would also have explained the reason for the accident at the laboratory; perhaps there had been a fight at that moment and everything went to pieces... Seemed to fit together perfectly.

“Yes, Erika, there have been conflicts, and there still are, but the indigenous people of the island are not people like us…in fact, it is more appropriate to say that they are…monsters…”

You weren't sure if you heard your grandmother's last words correctly.

She said... Monsters?

You imagined that there were obvious differences in culture, given that this island had just been discovered, but calling them monsters was not a term you would have ever expected from your grandmother.

It sounded so wrong and unfair coming from her.

“Grandma, I understand that maybe you don't like those natives, but calling them monsters... seems somewhat exaggerated to me...”.

Grandma looked you straight in the eyes with extreme intensity.

“No, Erika, I didn't use the term to mock anyone; the fact is that in

that island...live some real...authentic... Monsters of humanoid and non-humanoid shapes, who

our difference... Use magic to live and to fight!”

Chapter Text

It must be a joke…a very imaginative joke, produced by a mind

brilliant, but very naughty…

But aren't jokes supposed to be funny? So why was there all of a sudden this overwhelming urge to scream and break everything?!

You had reached your limit, you had been patient until that moment, you were ready to listen to any kind of nonsense from grandma.

But this was definitely too much, there was a limit to everything, even to grandmother's bullshit, as much as you loved her you couldn't stand any more lies like that.

You stood up with a lot of emphasis, causing the chair to back violently causing it to fall and land with a loud thud, you quickly reached the door, and without even turning around, you responded with bravado.

“Well grandma, since you want to be a cryptic woman, and you will never tell me the truth, I will leave this room before I say things that I might bitterly regret.”

You were now at the doorknob, ready to walk out and leave this conversation behind.

Your hand was gripping the doorknob firmly, if you had more physical strength, you would have ripped it off the door.

But before leaving, you decided to give your grandmother one last jab.

"And in any case, I would have expected a better story from you... In short, since we are scientists, we both know... Magic doesn't exist!".

You highlighted the last sentence, just to make Grandma feel how ridiculous that idea of magic and imaginary monsters was, ultimately.

(“Really, who is the gullible person who would ever fall for this story-“).

“Magic doesn't exist!”.

The thoughts were abruptly interrupted. Turning towards the sound, you saw your grandmother holding a blue flower in her hand.

For the first few seconds you thought that grandma had taken one of the flowers you had brought her earlier, but looking closely, this was very different.

The flower in question was decidedly larger and was entirely colored blue from the bottom of the stem to the ends of the petals.

You didn't know if the stress was playing tricks on you at that moment, but for a split second, you swore you saw the flower glow.

Grandma rejoiced, now that she had regained your attention, not wanting to miss the moment, she decided to give you the final blow.

With a slow and elegant gesture of her arm, the grandmother closed the shutter on the window near her bed.

The room fell into a deep darkness. You thought it was yet another excuse from Grandma to keep you from leaving that room. With what bizarre trick had she reproduced her voice so clearly, without distortions?

But your every word died in your throat.

In the dark room now, there were blue and yellow flashes. They darted lively around their grandmother.

It reminded you of a scene you read in a book, of some fairies shining happily around the protagonist to guide him along the dark paths.

Grandma's amused face was now clearly visible. You found yourself too mesmerized by that sight; you didn't pay attention to anything else.

The grandmother broke the silence, speaking in a voice full of mystery.

“Here, Erika, this is what you are seeing; it is an example of an Echo flower. This is but one of the thousands of wonders we have found on the island. This flower only lives in dark areas without light, but as you can see, it is in the dark that it shows all its beauty."

It was far-fetched; how could such a flower exist? Never in all your years of study have you ever seen something like this.

Seeing the wonder in your eyes, Grandma gently ran her finger over the flower petals and was rewarded with your amazed and slightly flushed face.

“It is in the dark that it shows all its beauty.”

Instinctively, you raised your hands to your mouth, to avoid screaming.

That flower... Had it just spoken!?.

At this point, you seriously wondered if I was under the influence of some drug that was creating hallucinations.

Grandma giggled as she saw you collapse in front of her "magic show".

“As you can see, glowing in the dark isn't the only amazing thing it can do—it's not called the Echo flower for nothing. Every last word that comes out of your mouth, he will reproduce perfectly. Just touch it to activate it, and it will remember the last words until you touch it again."

You kept holding your hands over your mouth, afraid of saying something stupid. As crazy as the situation seemed, you didn't want to break that magical moment you were experiencing with your grandmother. It was beautiful to have thousands of those fireflies in the room. They seemed to reproduce a beautiful starry sky.

The grandmother, noticing your immobility, spoke very calmly.

“Don't you want to see it up close, Erika? Courage, come closer, and you will discover that all this is true."

Finally, you recovered, and as if under a spell, you confidently approached the flower. You really wanted to check to see if what was happening wasn't in your imagination. You took the flower from grandma, and you were only even more shocked when, touching the flower, you realized how soft and silky it was.

You kept looking at it from every possible angle. In reality, you were looking for any type of electrical cable or electronic device to verify that it wasn't just a staged act made by your grandmother to indulge her in her follies.

But your hopes remained intact. The flower was authentic!.

“Grandma, this…it's incredible…how… How is it possible that such a plant exists?” Your voice came out weak and sweet, like the speech of a child.

Grandma smiled widely at those words. She wanted to tell you about the other discoveries she had made on the island. She loved sharing passions and knowledge with you; she could have talked to you for hours.

But looking at her watch, the older lady knew she had to hurry. Damn, they had wasted way more time than they should have used. There was no more time; you had to leave now.

“Listen, Erika; unfortunately, we have to end our conversation here.”

You jumped as you heard your grandmother speak in a louder voice, thus breaking the moment.

“Before long, they will notice my sabotage of the cameras, and therefore they will come to check on me, to check whether I have actually lost my mind or not, to try to recover some information”.

Extending your arm, the elderly woman motioned with her head to take the magical blue flower with you. By now, you didn't know what was happening anymore; it was all so crazy and senseless. The only thing that came to mind at that moment was to listen to your grandmother's directives and to trust her as you always had.

You took the flower in your hands with great care, as if you were handling a precious stone, and waited for your grandmother's directions.

“Now, Finch was tutored by me personally. As soon as you leave this room, Finch will give you instructions on how to proceed to prepare for your mission on the island-"

You couldn't help yourself; the words just fell naturally out of your mouth.

“What… I have to go to the island? Why, grandma, is that the point of this mission?!”

If there had been a real accident on the island, it would have been dangerous to go there, since the base would not have been operational yet. But above all, seeing the flower, you couldn't deny that in that place there were things that had never been seen before. And if the blue flower was proof of the existence of something magical, it means that the creatures that lived on the island had to be real too.

The grandmother had referred to the local natives as…Monsters…

So on the island you would have found real monsters in the flesh, as you had always read in fantasy stories!?

Noticing the growing panic, the grandmother continued with her instructions; they couldn't wait any longer.

“Because the island and the creatures that live on it are in danger Erika, and only you can stop the madness that is now spreading in that place. And trust me when I tell you, you have something that few are privileged to own, and that will always help you come out on top."

(“Clearly grandma, she's not talking about my lucky stars, given all this mess going on”)

You were too mentally exhausted to talk back to your grandmother; you kept that thought to yourself.

“I know that said like this seems like a senseless speech, straight out of a science fiction film, but once you are on the island, you will understand everything. Just know that your mission will be to sabotage the humans' plans, and help the local creatures regain what they have lost."

(“All that's missing is the epic music in the background, and I could convince myself I'm in a movie”)

You were about to answer. Tell your grandmother that all this was crazy, that she should just call a professional or someone else to do the job. Or find any other solution that doesn't involve you personally.

You wanted to argue, but the sound of the door opening made you jump on the spot. Instinctively, you hid the magical flower behind your back, as best you could.

You were afraid that someone from your family might come in through the door, but to your surprise an elderly gentleman entered with his leg outstretched, instantly closing the door behind him.

The gentleman in question was thin and short in stature, with small charcoal gray eyes. He had a cute mustache with the edges turned up, and he wore a completely white lab coat that reached down to his knees.

You breathed a sigh of relief. It would have been impossible to explain to anyone about the existence of a magical flower, but as Grandma had said a few moments ago, Finch was the only one who knew everything, and judging by the looks, it had to be him.

Grandma immediately started talking again.

“Finally, living fossil, you should have been here 10 minutes ago... At least”

It had been difficult to hold back the spontaneous giggle. Grandma could be so bold sometimes that it left everyone speechless. From the grimace on his face, it was clear that Finch was not happy with the joke, and with an impassive look, he retorted to your grandmother.

“Yes?! Well if it wasn't for a dried up old prune like you… we wouldn't be in this mess now!”

You try to cover your ears; this man's voice was so shrill and high, he could have smashed glass if he wanted. Luckily, it was Grandma who made Mr. Finch tone down.

“Yes, yes, I know you're right, Finch, but now we don't have time anymore... you know exactly what to do now.”

Grandma looked over at you quickly, and nodded at Finch. That was the signal, and as if reading each other's minds, Finch straightened his lab coat and walked to the door.

“Very good old lady, I'll give you a few more minutes to talk, I'll wait outside for your granddaughter”

Finch was about to leave when tour grandmother stopped him, calling his name.

“Hey Finch, please, I entrust you with my precious girlfriend, watch over her and...”

The grandmother took a deep breath and with eyes full of emotion said:

“Thank you again… For everything, I don't know how I will ever be able to repay you, but I hope to see you again in the future, and to repay you as you deserve, my friend”

(“How sweet these two are”). It was clear that Finch and Grandma had been through a lot together.

Finch didn't even try to hide his smirk as he responded in a much softer voice to the grandmother.

“The only thing I can think of, my dear, is that 20 dollars you owe me for that old bet, because the rest... I did it all without hesitation.”

Taking one last look at your grandmother, Finch left the room and then immediately closed the door. You felt overwhelmed by an incredible sadness, it seemed that Finch had looked at your grandmother as if he was afraid of never seeing her again.

You turned towards your grandmother and then noticed the same expression that Finch had had a few moments ago; it was as if she too wanted to somehow imprint the memory of her friend in her mind.

The moment ended, and Grandma turned to you once more.

“Well, Erika, I'm afraid we're running out of time; it's time to say goodbye, my little one…”

“I don't want to go, grandma; I can't leave you alone now that I know all this”

You still couldn't understand why all this was happening to you. You should stay there with your grandmother to help her and make sure no one hurt her. Why couldn't she send Finch to resolve the situation since he already knew everything, why did you necessarily have to go there?

Grandma reached out and took your hands, until Grandma was close enough to give you a comforting hug. Grandma began to rub your back to calm you down. Until that moment, you hadn't even realized all the stress that was inside you; it was making you tremble. Concentrating on the warm embrace, your fear began to fade, and you were able to focus on your grandmother's words.

“I'll be fine, Erika; don't worry about me; I can handle myself. Remember to follow Finch's instructions, and everything will be fine; you are strong and intelligent..."

Grandma cupped your face in her small hands, forcing you to look her straight in the eyes.

“You can do it, Erika”

The strength that came from the grandmother's eyes was certainly great. But you felt you still had one last question to ask her.

“You said earlier that I have something that only a few have; what is it?”

Grandma smiled sweetly at you and replied.

“You will find out on my little island, because that is where you will discover your true potential, and finally, after so many years of unanswered questions… you will discover the truth about your past.”

You were frozen in place. Your past, you would finally have the answers you were looking for all your life. And were the answers on that island?

You were really confused; you didn't know where this whole thing was going to take you. There was definitely great danger around the corner. But you couldn't let this opportunity slip away; it was too important. You wanted to know.

Before you could move away, your grandmother kissed your forehead sweetly, finally saying,

“Remember, Erika, whatever happens... Stay Determined.”

And with one last look at your sweet grandmother, you left the room carrying the Echo flower well hidden under your coat with you. Outside in the corridor there was Finch waiting for you with the same composed air as before.

“So, are you ready to go, Miss Erika?”

You didn't need to hear anything else. By now, you were decided.

“Sure, Mr. Finch, lead the way.”

Now all that remained was to prepare and face the island.

Chapter Text

The country house. That's where you were now.

You were following Finch's instructions in the letter when you left the hospital; you didn't understand why you had to go there. You thought you would leave for the island immediately after your grandmother's numerous demands regarding that place. But Finch insisted on stopping by the house first, since Grandma had prepared everything you needed for your "adventure".

You had to give Finch credit; he was a smart man who knew what he was doing. He had managed to dodge the family's questions without too much trouble, while taking him time to sneak you out of the hospital. Seeing the indignant and unappealing faces of your parents and brother made you realize that everything Grandma had said was true.

On the other hand, seeing Finch, a man of about 5.41 feet tall, standing up to a much more imposing man like your father, Garrik, was exhilarating and impressive at the same time.

It took about 2 hours by car to get to the country house. The dirt road that led to the woods before the house made the route more challenging for anyone who wanted to get there.

And somehow, again, Finch surprised you in the most incredible way. Not only had the little scientist avoided the family's troubles in the hospital, but it was astounding when the little man led you to a much more secluded alley, where hidden was a large Jeep with a military motif painted on each side of the vehicle.

“With this one, it will take us less time, miss.” Finch said, swelling his chest with pride at your exaggerated reaction and at his creature of exploration.

It was truly a fun sight to see. Finch drove that beast like it was a go-kart. Caught up in the funny moment, you almost forgot about all the pressure of the mission you had to complete. Almost.

And now you were there in front of that house, with so many beautiful memories that you kept in your heart. It was exactly as you remembered. The red fence that surrounded the edges of the house, the beautiful, immaculate green gardens, and all those colorful flowers near the entrance adorned the three-story stone house.

You were overwhelmed by the moment. You would have liked to take a tour of the property to see if the animals were still present. It would have been nice to breathe that fresh air, uncontaminated by smog, and relax a bit.

But Finch was already at the door, waiting patiently. You immediately headed towards him, remembering why you were there. You would have postponed the walk until later, perhaps.

Looking at the house, it seemed that time had stopped in there. Nothing had been touched. The stone walls full of paintings, the dark wooden floor, and the old rocking chair on the right, strategically positioned next to the living room window for reading, where there was a comfortable green sofa, were in front of a large stone fireplace to heat the room. On the left, you could glimpse the kitchen, full of everything needed for cooking. Grandma loved cooking; it was a good way to relax as well as read. At the end of the room, there was also a small bathroom located on the opposite side of the staircase that led to the 4 bedrooms, each with its own private bathroom. And at the end of the second floor corridor, there were a pair of stairs, which led to the attic. And as the icing on the cake, there was the large carpet in the center of the room, which perfectly hid the round trap door that led to the cellar.

You were moving as if you were on autopilot, controlling every aspect of the house, so immersed in your thoughts that Finch had to raise the volume of his voice to be heard.

“Miss, as much as it saddens me to interrupt this moment, we have a deadline to meet.”

The man's voice, although authoritative, sounded sweet and reassuring, as he pointed with his gaze to the carpet in the room, clearly alluding to the cellar. He rolled up his sleeves and pushed the carpet aside, and lifting the lid opened the trap door. Grandma didn't like to be disturbed while she worked; that's why she created the trap door, to discourage snoopers, combined with the spiral staircase, which led into the darkness.

“There really isn't any breathing room for heroes, is there?”. A spontaneous snort escapes your lips. Surrendering to Finch's orders, you approached the trapdoor, turning on the hidden light so you could go down to the cellar.

“Why do we have to go down to the cellar? I don't think test tubes and microscopes are suitable for this undertaking”

"I can assure you, Miss, that there is much more down there than just some simple laboratory instruments. Believe me, you won't be disappointed." Finch had a big smile on his face as he walked down the spiral staircase. Fascinated by what you might find down there, you followed Finch up the iron staircase, reaching the bottom.

The cellar in that house was singular; apparently, it looked like a normal cellar, full of shelves at the sides full of wines of different qualities. There were some of the finest wines on display; the grandmother rarely drank, but on special occasions she made sure to get some good products to serve to other colleagues like her, per form, in meetings or with high investors to soften them up a little. . Another trick you learned from the grandmother, buying superficial people with gifts and nice things, usually worked.

But the real gem of this cellar was the secret passage that led to the hidden laboratory, which could be revealed by pulling a bottle of Italian Prosecco from the second shelf on the right near the end of the corridor.

You didn't even have time to finish your thoughts before the wall of the corridor opened before your eyes to reveal the laboratory, with Finch intent on carefully placing the bottle back in its place.

“After you Miss. Such". Finch replied elegantly.

The laboratory mirrored her grandmother, on one side all the documents filed away and placed neatly on the desk, the other side was a total mess of overturned test tubes, blobs of chemicals on the counter, potted plants hanging from the ceiling, and animal samples of different species scattered throughout the shelves.

The familiarity of the place brought to mind all the experiments you had done together, the animals found in the woods in difficulty that you helped and then studied their behaviors from a distance. The sandwiches and cups of consuming coffee after hours and hours of planning.

As nice as it was to be back there, you still couldn't see the point in going into the lab, there was nothing in there that could be useful in an exploration, other than the tools you also had in your lab. There was obvious confusion in you, hoping that he would give you a decent explanation, you turned to Finch, trying to contain your growing frustration.

“Excuse me, sir. Finch, I don't know what my grandmother told you, but there's nothing here that could be useful; am I wrong, or we shouldn't have wasted... time...".

You couldn't finish the sentence. Where there had previously been a cabinet against the wall, there was now a new door in the laboratory. Opening slowly as cold air poured out. A new room popped out of nowhere, pressing a tile into the corner of the floor. A room that wasn't there before!

“Your grandmother taught you well, Erika, but she didn't teach you everything.” Finch said with that smile he had, stretching those cute mustaches upwards. “You see… Halfway through the project, your grandmother had already taken into account a possible intervention on your part, and therefore, under her directives, I took the liberty of preparing everything you needed for your trip”. Finch reached out towards the table in the new "secret room" to take the bulkiest object and hand it to you.

But you were too intent on admiring the room you had never seen or heard about from your grandmother. Your mouth was completely wide open in amazement. Finch found himself very amused by seeing your face.

“Come on, my dear, don't you want to take a look at your faithful bow?”. The words woke you from your trance.

“My bow? How did you manage to find it?... I thought my brother had destroyed it...". Your brother didn't like his sister playing horsewoman at all, considering the attitude "unfeminine" or "in bad taste".

Yet there it is, in all its splendor, your faithful bow, with which you had always trained as a child to improve your physical abilities. The bow was a perfect weapon for you, light, easy to handle, and at the same time strong that offered the tactical advantage of distance without having to worry about close combat.

But upon closer inspection, your bow didn't look the same as it used to. Originally, it was built entirely of ash wood. But now it appears to have been reinforced with some type of metal.

“My little baby, how I missed you.” The satisfaction in your voice was unmistakable as you drew your bow to test its new comfort. “Thank you so much, Finch, for finding and fixing my baby.” You felt so excited that you forgot to speak formally to Finch, but he didn't seem to mind at all; after all, formalities were for strangers, and you weren't strangers anymore.

“Of course, Erika, it was a pleasure, but I'm afraid you'll have to pay the compliments to your grandmother; she was the one who found it; I just made some improvements,” Finch said, curling up his mustache.

(Ok, when I get home, I'll have to thank Grandma.) At least if you had to face an island full of monsters, you could have fought!.

You were about to grab your backpack on the table, curious to see what other surprises they had prepared for you. But before you could touch the backpack, Finch took your hand and gently turned you towards him.

“I admire your enthusiasm, but before we leave, there is one last thing we need to do in this room, and only you can activate it.” What was Finch talking about? Were there other unknown mechanisms you should have pressed?

Looking over Finch's shoulder, you finally noticed him. In the dark corner of the room, there was a heavy metal contraption attached to numerous tubes and wires, trailing up to the ceiling. The device, although bizarre, seemed to imitate the shape of an enormous window with a void in the center.

(Oh, and I thought I knew everything about grandma...) A thought that left a bit of a bad taste in your mouth. You reached out to touch the strange device. It was mostly made of metal, but there were other components you couldn't identify, like the strange stone embedded on top of the machine. It didn't appear to be like other known gems.

“That's a magical crystal, my dear,” Finch said, pointing to the stone. “We discovered them while exploring the island; seen like this, they don't seem like anything special, but if used correctly…” Finch connected the various wires to the machine's monitor, and after punching in a combination of numbers, the machine turned on with a loud screech.

Now the window was no longer empty; it was as if there was a thin film in the center. And the crystal now gave off a beautiful white light that flooded the entire room. The more you saw all those things, the more amazed you became. Every 3 seconds, your brain reboots to assimilate new absurd things.

“Okay, that's all very impressive, Finch. But what is this bizarre machine for?” You had no answers for something so absurd. You were discovering new ones all the time now, but that device was really strange.

“You must know that this machine, like the others we have built, is connected to other machines that lead to the island; it is thanks to these that we were able to move around, without anyone noticing anything”.

(No it can't be) Judging by Finch's amused expression, you must have been wide-eyed at that realization.

“So let me get this straight…basically…have you managed to build a teleportation machine!?” Your voice boomed throughout the room. “So it's thanks to these machines that I never noticed my grandmother's absence, and it's thanks to them that she arrived at the hospital in record time?!”

“Incredible right? Crazy how these crystals have given us such power; now you understand why, with all this interest on the island, these crystals will lead the world into a new era of technology..." Finch said in his ringing voice. But in the last words, his voice lost all cheerfulness. “But now imagine if these crystals were used for other purposes; can you think of anything creative and original, Erika?”

The first thing that came to mind, which unfortunately seemed so obvious and banal, but was also the most popular.

“Weapons… they would use the crystals to manufacture weapons, to wage new wars perhaps on a global scale; such a power would become dangerous in any inexperienced hand” You continued your speech, touching your chin with a finger, in a thoughtful gesture. “And if you managed to build some sort of teleported…who knows what other horrors they could build? They could be using these same machines at this very moment!”.

The thought of it all was chilling, knowing that so much power could end up in the hands of unscrupulously greedy people, totally uninterested in all the evil and destruction they would create. It made your skin crawl, such strong power would be really hard to get rid of.

“Don't be afraid, Erika,” Finch said calmly, pointing down at the machine. “These machines were deactivated at the same time as the accident occurred; thanks to a security protocol, both those on the island and their counterparts here have been deactivated; no one will be able to use them without special permission… and It just so happens that only you will be able to use them."

"Me?". There was not even time to think of something else to say before Finch had already taken your left wrist to attach a simple watch.

“As your grandmother always says, the clock is a scientist's best friend, right?” Finch's voice sounded playful as he said it.

“Oh my God, did he use this line on you too? Ha ha ha, grandma never disappoints." At first glance, there didn't seem to be anything special about that watch, but knowing grandma, you were sure she had hidden some super cool gadget inside; no matter what, it would be a comfort to you on the island.

Finch cleared his throat, wanting your full attention.

“Very good, Miss. I would say we have wasted enough time. Now that the machine has been successfully activated, please collect your backpack and walk to the machine at the back of the house; we will drive to the port with the one on the back road to attract less attention..."

“What now? I'm not prepared physically, let alone mentally!” You were yelling with your arms in the air; was it possible that no one could understand how much the whole situation was stressing you out?. “I thought I could at least relax for a few days before going; why all the rush?” You were definitely stressed at this point.

“Because right now innocent lives are paying for our mistakes, and the monsters need your help more than you know…(One group in particular).” You almost didn't hear Finch's last whispered words.

Was there a group of monsters you had to interact with more than others? Would they have been kind and peaceful to you? And now that you thought about it, what would they look like? Would they have been similar to plants or animals or would they have bizarre appearances, like in fantasy books?

(Well I guess I'll soon satiate my curiosity).

“Well Finch, as usual, lead the way.” And so you both came out of the secret cellar, putting everything back in its place, and without saying a word, you took the little beetle, and they drove towards the secondary road on the other side of the woods.

As Finch drove, watching the lovely house disappear into the distance, you took the opportunity to read the guide provided to the scientists for tackling the island. All the information contained in it would have been very useful. You were very struck by the size of the map of the island, and you began to imagine what dangers, but also the wonders you would find there. It would have been risky, but the idea of this new adventure excited you to the stars.

And while you found yourself lulled by your thoughts, there was someone on the island who wasn't doing so well. Actually, a whole herd of skeletons was furious at that moment.

In the heart of the island, they had reunited after a long time. In their old shared den, in front of the skull-shaped cave, they had all stood in a circle to devise a plan.

Sparks of electricity covered the ground, released by the most furious monster of the group.

“What are we doing? Let's go back and attack!”.

“I understand your anger, but attacking without a plan would endanger us all.” Said the skeleton with pink slippers on his feet.

The tall, orange-clad skeleton discharged more electric sparks as he clenched his fists in anger.

“They have my brother as a prisoner; how am I supposed to stay calm!?” His voice boomed as loudly as his electric shocks, startling the tall skeleton with broken teeth and the one with braces.

“Hey, if you really want to vent, do it where you can't disturb the fragile peace of our little brothers, idiot” He replied in a deep voice, the skeleton with the bottle of wine in his hand. (He had stolen the bottle of wine, before running away from the humans)

“Easy for you to say. Your brother is here with you, safe.” Now the skeleton in orange was gesturing contemptuously, with his hand towards the skeleton with braces on his teeth, who was trying to hide behind his older brother, even if lower.

“I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND YOU, DELAYED, THAT HE IS ALSO OUR BROTHER. WE ARE ALL BORN THE SAME WAY, REMEMBER? OR DID THEY SUFFOCATE YOU IN THE CAPSULE WHEN YOU WERE A BABYBONES?” This time it was the brother with the purple scarf who mocked him.

After that last sentence, the skeleton in orange went straight towards the shorter skeleton, with the aim of intimidating him. “Would you mind repeating that little creep? You know, I can't hear you from up here.” Finishing the sentence with an evil smirk.

Hissing, the one with the purple scarf replied threateningly. “I'M NOT A WORM; I'M A SUPER LETHAL POISONING SNAKE. MAKE SURE YOU REMEMBER THAT OR I'LL MAKE YOU TASTE SOME, YOU INSIGNIFICANT ELECTRIC HEATER!”.

Purple magic began to gather around the small skeleton, ready to transform to teach his taller brother a lesson, but a larger skeletal hand landed on his shoulder, stopping him. The very deep voice of the brother with the patch over his right eye broke through his angry mind.

“Hey, big brother, don't you think it would be a waste of energy now? And then if we messed up, humans could track us, and that would be a problem.”

Huffing, the smaller skeleton calmed down.

“WELL SAID BROTHER, IT WOULD BE A TOTAL WASTE OF MY GREATNESS-”.

“Em em, sorry, my darlings, we are in a stalemate, so what do we want to do?” The brother in the black crop top, with a teal heart in the center, replied.

“The little pussy is right; we have to decide; I won't wait for humans to bite me in the ass again-“ SLAP! The slap on the skull of the skeleton with the gold tooth rang out. “What the fuck, Boss!?”.

“SILENCE USELESS IMBECILE, AND CONTROL YOUR LANGUAGE IN MY PRESENCE!”. The powerful, sharp-edged brother's voice echoed through the trees.

“MY BROTHERS, LET'S MAKE LOVE, NOT WAR”. The skeleton brother with his pink stomach on display responded in a more playful tone as he enjoyed the show cross-legged in a nearby tree.

“LOVE FROM YOU? NO THANKS SELF-CENTRIC FLAMINGO”. The voice of the angular skeleton became mocking.

“I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND YOU, MY DEAR, THAT THIS “FLAMINGO” HAS CLAWS EVEN SHARPER THAN YOURS, OR WOULD YOU PREFER A DEMONSTRATION?. Although the pink skeleton's voice sounded saccharine, it hid a not-so-veiled threat underneath.

“MWAH HAW HAW HAW, OR PLEASE, WOULD YOU SCREAM LIKE A GOOSE BEFORE MY STRENGTH.” He continued to taunt the angular skeleton, snorting.

“Big words for a kitten with such matted fur.” The hoarse voice of the skeleton with golden canines broke the skirmish.

“WOULD YOU MIND TO REPEAT, YOU INSIGNIFICANT INSECT?!”. The angular skeleton taunted.

“Correction, buddy, I'm an arachnid, and you're an overrated kitten.” The skeleton with the golden canines seemed amused by the reaction of his brother, who, in anger, sported a crimson blush on his angular cheekbones.

“MHE HE HE HE, YOUR RIGHT, STOP RUSSELING YOUR FUR NOW KITTEN.” This time the shrill and shrill voice belonged to the small skeleton with the red boots in front of the one with the golden canines.

“I DON'T BE INTIMATED BY A NON-EXISTENT LITTLE ANT, LIKE YOU”. Tempers were slowly heating up, the skeleton in white armor taking courage, and red scarf spoke, with a heroic voice, before the brothers could slaughter each other.

“GUYS THAT'S ENOUGH NOW, WE MUST STAY UNITED IF WE WANT TO SAVE OUR BROTHER, BUT WE NEED A GOOD PLAN TO GET BACK INTO THE OLD LABORATORY IF WE WANT TO SUCCEED, HAVE ANY OF YOU NOTICE ANYTHING THAT COULD BE USEFUL?”

“Great idea, brother; you are the best.” The skeleton in pink slippers said fondly.

“I… I…MAYBE I COULD HAVE SEEN…. THE MAN WITH THE WEAPON...DRAG OUR BROTHER... INTO THE BACK ROOM.... TO THE DARK CORRIDOR”. As playful as the voice of the skeleton with the broken teeth was, it came out rather faint.

“How do you know they took him there, little brother?” The deep, booming voice of the brother with the hole in his skull interrupted the sentence, scolding his little brother, who was twisting his gloves in anxiety. “I wrongly told you to keep up with the group, do you know that they could have captured you too?.

The skeleton with broken teeth lowered his gaze to the ground, ashamed of that statement." Yes, I know, but I couldn't help it...I'm sorry."

“NOT ALL BROTHER, THANKS TO YOU NOW WE KNOW WHERE HE IS, GOOD JOB!”. The skeleton in white armor praised his younger brother, hoping to cheer him up, and apparently it worked, even the brother with the hole in his skull cheered up.

“THERE IS…PROBLEM…WITH…THE ROOM.” He had never opened his mouth yet, but finally his brother with braces on his teeth spoke in that shy and shaky little voice of his, in the hope of being able to help.

The brother next to him put the bottle of wine on the ground, and turned to him with a reassuring expression. She took his hand and began to massage it, to encourage him to speak. “What do you mean, little brother, did you see anything else?”.

Relaxed by the presence of his most trusted brother, he tried to put together a sentence, which he hoped the others would understand.

“ROOM…INACCESSIBLE…ROOM…BLOCKED”.

“What the fuck is room locked supposed to mean?! Can't you talk normally for once in your life, crooked canines?!”. The one with the gold tooth and the fur hooded sweatshirt seemed very irritated by his younger brother's speech.

“Don't talk to him like that! You know, he has difficulty expressing himself, but he's very intelligent!". The wine-loving brother finished with a light purr to comfort his little brother, who now seemed to want to curl up in a ball.

“HMPH, COMPLETELY USELESS.” The angular skeleton, he never tolerated weakness.

“Never as much as you, lazy cat.” The skeleton in orange began to speak again, now much calmer than before, thanks to the cigarette found in the pocket of his sweatshirt, which he now smoked with gusto to calm his senses.

“YOU CALL ME A LAZER, YOU USELESS PIECE OF-“*Poof*The angular skeleton couldn't finish the sentence; something hit him in the face. Even though the blow wasn't painful at all, the idea that a stupid pink slipper had interrupted him made him speechless in shock.

“Enough; stop it, or I'll keep throwing slippers at everyone.” Letting a sigh of pure frustration escape his teeth, the skeleton, now without one of his pink slippers, spoke. “I think what our little brother is trying to say is that to open the door, we need a password; that's why the door is locked, am I right?”

He turned to his little brother, now curled up in his wine-loving brother's arms. To confirm, the skeleton with braces raised his eyes and nodded his head as a sign of affirmation.

“WHERE THE PROBLEM IS, WE WILL JUST INFILTRATE THAT SECTION OF THE STRUCTURE AND BREAK THE DOOR LIKE WE DID BEFORE.” The skeleton with the red boots was sure he already had the solution in hand; you could guess it from his bold tone.

“And you forget that a few hours ago, someone opened the doors to help us escape, and we know who”. The skeleton with the hole in his head looked at his brothers with a look of melancholy, a look that was matched by everyone present.

……

“Well now we're on the dance floor, darlings; let's dance”. The skeleton in the black crop top with the teal heart drawn on it used his magic to make his strong wings appear on his arms, took a big leap, and took flight.

“RIGHT BROTHER, LET'S GO TO KEEP AN EYE ON THE SITUATION AT THE BORDER, AND IN OUR ABSENCE...TRY NOT TO DUST EACH OTHER, OK PUPPIES?” The skeleton said this with his pink stomach on display as he too summoned his magic and then took flight, following his shorter brother.

“I'm going too; it's night; he'll need my assistance”. The skeleton with the patch over his right eye said, using his magic to make his black wings appear. “And before you ask, yes, we will be careful; see you later.” And with a powerful flap of its wings, it rose into the sky, disappearing perfectly into the darkness of the night.

“I'm going to the forest; if we're going to stay here for a while, I want it to be safe.” The skeleton with the golden canines went into the trees; none of the brothers stopped him; after all, he was the best at making traps in narrow spaces in such a short time.

Taking a deep breath, the skeleton, after having recovered his pink slipper, looked at his remaining brothers, with his white lights slightly blurred, given the fatigue of the moment.

“Well, brothers, let's sit down and come up with a good plan together, remember what that person told us… We are stronger if we are a pack”.

None of the brothers could reply; each of them knew the importance of those words.

By now the skeleton in the orange sweatshirt had finished his cigarette, and as he sat with the others, confidence began to blossom in his soul again. His brothers might be annoying, but they were a sure thing when it came to protecting each other, together they could do it.

“Hold on, brother, we will soon come to save you…I promise”.

Chapter Text

Three days…

Three days on the ship, in total, to get to that stupid island.

Among the waves that increased as their destination approached, among the scientists hired at the last second, with whom it was impossible to say a word, and among the rudeness of the crew... You already felt tired without having yet arrived on the mainland.

The enthusiasm for the imminent adventure was beginning to falter. It didn't help either that the room they had given you was a hole in the wall. It is so small that it makes you feel claustrophobic, with just enough space to turn around between the suspended hammock and the locker in front, where only your bow and backpack fit. Not to mention the limited space of the bathroom and the little light in the room that didn't even want to work, shedding light in spurts, giving the microscopic room a disturbing atmosphere.

Your only distraction was the manual Finch had given you on the car ride to the dock, where the small ship was docked. Unfortunately, Finch couldn't make the journey with you at that time; he had been tasked with finding other replacements to send to the island. You quickly said goodbye with the promise that you would meet again on the island sooner or later, and you saw him disappear down the street with the antique pink Volkswagen Beetle.

As a final piece of advice, Finch encouraged you to read the manual carefully because the island would not spare the unprepared.

The manual contained a generic map of the island and a list of some magical plants and foods (at least those discovered so far). Species of monsters known so far, and the names of the most important human employees of the main laboratory, located on the West coast.

And then there was the flash drive. Finch had called it top secret, because only you could read its contents.

“Be careful Erika, follow all the instructions we left you on that flash drive, and don't let anyone see it, especially other humans.”

Finch's words were fresh in your mind, and throughout the 3 nights in your hammock, you couldn't help but ask yourself more questions.

“(First the secret of the island, now a USB stick that I must not show to anyone, and they specifically told me not to show it, especially to humans... Will I really have to interact with the monsters? What if they were hostile toward me? What if I can't solve the situation? What if I can't find out anything about the truth about my past? After all, it's just me)”

With all those questions in your head, you never managed to sleep properly in those 3 days. And the presence of the other scientists and the crew made you more nervous, you had to keep your eyes open, they could have found the flash drive.

If it was that important, there could have been potential data and blueprints inside, which needed to remain hidden, like the “teleportation” windows you saw in the country house, incredible technology, but potentially disastrous. Even if you had to thank the existence of those devices, it is thanks to them that the grandmother was able to get to the hospital so quickly; Without it…maybe he wouldn't have made it.

And so, taking advantage of your insomnia, you tried to learn as much information as possible from the manual.

You were curious how on the island there were magical plants, like the Echo flowers that your grandmother had shown you in the hospital, and at the same time you could find plants that came from the human world.

“(Perhaps the plant seeds were carried by the wind to the island a long time ago)”

A plausible scientific explanation, but you didn't ask too many questions about it.

But not only plants; different types of animals had also been recorded, coming from the human world.

The island also presented aspects that were singular to say the least. The whole island was obviously bordered by the sea, but in each area there was a completely different climate!

In the western part of the island, where the main base was located, there was a climate with mild and comfortable temperatures during the day, even if the daylight hours were not as long as those in the south or east, and inside the forest there were ancient ruins that apparently were being studied. The monsters called that area Ruins in honor of those ancient works.

To the south, however, there was what the monsters called Waterfall, an entire area made up of wonderful waterfalls of pure water, which supplied the entire island with drinking water. And because there was so much water, the area was marshy at the epicenter of the waterfalls and green and lush outside the large water currents. Expansions of green reigned at the border of this area, where most of the plants were born and where most animals were found.

Then there was Hotland, the fire zone. Named so by the monsters because it was an arid region covered in red-orange earth that rose above the lava below, there was always a warm atmosphere, and thus it proved to be an environment where only certain species of plants and monsters could survive at those high temperatures. It had completely black areas due to eruptions on that side of the mountain in the center of the island, which caused large quantities of volcanic ash to be deposited on the ground.

To the north of the island there was Snowdin, which, as the name suggested, was entirely covered in snow that perpetually fell in that area. Coniferous trees, snowfields and small cave systems populate the dense Snowdin forest. It also included a large river that started from the south, crossed the eastern part, and reached the north of the island. Apparently, some monsters use that river to transport ice and bring water even to the most remote corners of the island.

And finally in the center of the island, where it towered over all areas, was Mount Ebott. Still unexplored by humans for the moment, but by hypothesis, the mountain seemed to be some sort of safe haven for monsters.

In fact, Mount Ebott is currently considered unemployable due to all the intricate tunnels that crossed inside it. Only monsters managed to navigate those tunnels, following the stripes of magic, until they reached the center. It is suspected that inside, there is one of the largest monster nests on the island.

In the manual, the mountain was described by humans as "The Labyrinth of Death".

Every human sent to investigate inside the mountain was reported missing, because the explorers... They had never returned.

The last part made you shiver. It was clear that the humans were to blame; perhaps the mountain was considered sacred to the monsters? But who knows what those explorers must have felt, getting lost in those tunnels, knowing that they certainly wouldn't be able to return to their home...

“(Ok, I will avoid that mountain of horror at all costs!)”.

But even after reading all this, you found yourself more and more fascinated by the description of the island, and it was only at the beginning of the manual! And even though you were scared, by all the crazy things you read, you wanted to know more.

And the fascinating part was a few pages later.

One topic in particular in the island manual struck you, right in the first chapter of the section dealing with monsters, "the hierarchy of monsters". According to the manual, in the monster world, there was a so-called “dominance hierarchy”, which was divided into “Alpha” for the dominant, “Beta” for the neutral, and “Omega” for the submissive.

The manual, however, specified that our way of thinking about this hierarchy was totally different from that of the monsters. In fact, there was not a big difference between "Alpha" and "Beta" in physical and magical power factors.

Simply put, the "Alphas" by nature were those monsters who demonstrated an excellent aptitude for command, in making decisions, and more likely to attack if provoked. Studying some "Alphas" it was noticed that some of this category possessed the so-called gaze of intention, that is, an "Alpha" monster, through a very concentrated magical influence, through his eyes, was able to subdue a creature without the use of force. Other monsters simply express their intent by issuing orders or directives. The monster with the strongest intent won.

The “Betas” on the other hand, were monsters who proved to be more shy and intent on scaring strangers rather than attacking them. However, from the data collected, it had been demonstrated that, in the absence of an escape alternative, even the "Betas" would have attacked without fear to defend their lives, but above all, those of their pack mates. In the Packs, in fact, the "Alphas" were the protectors of the nests, keeping guard over them, while the "Betas" were usually the ones who took care of the nests, kept them clean and comfortable, looked for food and water, or placed traps as a defense for the nests.

But the real difference in the entire hierarchy of monsters lay precisely in the last category, the "Omegas", which in this case concerned especially the females.

In the monster civilization, the number of females was much lower than males, in fact females in terms of percentage constituted only 20% of the population, compared to 80% of males. The term "Omega", however, should not have been associated with our classic term. The Females, although calm, could become extremely dangerous in some situations, especially to protect their young from possible dangers, or repel males who were not to their liking. The term "Omega" comes above all from the smell, because the "Omega" had a particular smell that attracted males towards them. And using this smell, they always looked for packs of faithful and strong males to preserve themselves.

Unfortunately, in the manual, there was still little information about the females; apparently, no scientist had yet managed to capture one, given the low number of individuals, and the fact that, usually, the males did everything to protect them.

The manual also specified why there were more male scientists in the laboratories; they feared that even human women could release a smell that could attract monsters; in fact, in the past, they had tried to use some human women as a diversion, to attract monsters. Monsters, but it would seem that only some of them possessed a scent that could be interesting to monsters...

“I can't believe it; they really used women as monster bait?!”

The concern grew to the stars; not only were you traveling to an island that seemed to have come out of the wild imagination of a child, full of monsters with magical powers, formed by a hierarchy in which females were competition prizes... But after this informant, it was clear that these people did not value life.

They had devastated the lives of monsters, capturing them for study; they sacrificed explorers as if they were pawns; and they used women as cannon fodder to set traps for the monsters...

“(Now I understand why Mr. Finch warned me not to trust these people).”

During the first day, you tried to "make friends" with other scientists and also to try to calm your mind full of doubts and worries. Meal times in the collective canteen seemed the most appropriate to try. And trying to stay positive, you steeled yourself by approaching some boys who looked your age. You really hoped that young minds would be more open-minded.

“Hey, hello everyone, can I sit with you?” You hoped the fake smile you put on didn't look so fake.

The table consisted of two guys, who looked to be in their 30s or so, and a girl around 25-26 like you.

A skinny guy hunched over, who looked more or less a little shorter than you (or maybe it was the hunched posture that deceived you), with raven hair and very large round glasses that covered most of his face, hiding his eyes bottle greens; the other was a confident red-haired boy, with lots of freckles on his face and brown eyes, with a decidedly more athletic physique than the dark-haired boy, and even though he was sitting, you could tell he was much taller. And finally there was the dark-skinned girl of softer shape, with fluffy afro hair and eyes as dark as night, and judging by her posture, this girl seemed to be much shorter than the two males. Turning out to be as cute as a doll.

The two boys didn't even answer the question; there was an obvious indifference in their expressions.

“Yes p-please go ahead.” Fortunately, the girl turned out to be much friendlier than the other two. With renewed enthusiasm, you took a seat next to her, trying to start a conversation while trying to enjoy your slice of pizza. Frozen food wasn't the best, but better than sitting on an empty stomach.

“So are you excited for our upcoming adventure? I bet it will be a nice fish to hook... eh eh eh...". Nobody was laughing.

“Wait, now that I look at you better, aren't you the granddaughter of that famous scientist? Yes, the one who won all those prizes for biology studies?” The energetic voice of the red-haired boy broke the silence.

"Actually…". The raven-haired boy's voice didn't make you finish your sentence in time.

“Do you mean the one with the tanned skin or the one with the palest skin?” The boy tried to observe your face more carefully under those large glasses.

"Your face…". The raven-haired boy always responded with that disinterested tone, but with a slight hint of curiosity. “You look almost identical to both of them—same dark eyes, same dark hair…and the same bad jokes.”

“(Well great, I haven't done anything yet, and they've already targeted me..."). This also seemed like a funny joke. But you didn't understand who the other woman they were referring to was.

“Hey, he's not n-nice, and even if she were r-really the g-granddaughter of one of them, you know very well that she c-can't tell you.” Despite the Afro-haired girl's obvious stutter, her statement seemed very convincing.

“Yes, never divulge information about your private life, information about the island to the outside world, and about the escaped experiments and blah blah blah…” The red-haired boy replied mockingly at the composure of the dark-skinned girl, who now puffed up her eyes. Cheeks, like an offended child.

“I'm so sorry, little devil; what do you mean, the experiments have escaped?”. This was some juicy news for you. Had the experiments escaped? Maybe you could find out more from these guys.

“My name is Dave, not little devil, but I admire the cheek... Jungle Girl.” Dave finished the sentence in that pestilential voice of his, typical of a boy who is always in vogue to want to do antics.

“What? Is that what they call me on the ship?!” Great, they had already given you a horrible nickname, despite keeping a low profile!

“Well, I haven't seen many scientists traveling with bows and arrows on their backs; only the crew are allowed to keep weapons...but you seem to be a special case, or they wouldn't have let you keep it, jungle girl.” The raven-haired boy finished the sentence by straightening his glasses with his index finger. Unlike Dave, this one had the voice of an absolute know-it-all.

“And why should they prevent scientists from carrying weapons? We are going to an island full of monsters, it would be useful to have something to defend ourselves with."

Of course, you didn't rule out the fact that some scientists might be unsuitable for wielding a weapon. Most of the people present there did not show the physical prowess capable of facing a potential attacker, let alone monsters who used magic. Or there could have been people who would have gone crazy, and making them pick up a gun would have been a disaster for everyone. But wouldn't it have been better to take risks despite those hypotheses and try to protect the researchers in any case? If someone had attacked them, how would they have defended themselves in case of need?

“Y-you see what Anton is trying to s-say is that t-there won't be any need for it.” You mentally thanked the Afro-haired girl for saying the boy's name; it would have been complicated to call him Mister. Sympathy, all the time.

“Mimi is right; we will remain indoors in the laboratories all the time; we won't need weapons; the local guards will defend us”. And thanks to Dave, you now had the last missing name.

“And how should we do our job if the experiments you were talking about have escaped?” You knew that there were many things that still needed to be studied about the island; you were more than certain of it, but your curiosity was all about the experiments that had been carried out. There was something fascinating and mysterious behind it all.

“Well, I specialize in Botany” Anton pointed out to himself with evident pride in his profession. “Dave specializes in geology, and Mimi specializes in Ethology, each of the scientists you see has a role, they will probably have us study and collect data on the samples they find from the island, but whatever happens I doubt they would ever let newbies in the same room of one of the experiments, those monsters they created are one of a kind."

“Wait created? Do you mean they managed to create monsters from scratch in the laboratory?”. How the hell did they do it?

Clone experiments were so rare that you found it hard to believe that humans had managed to create new lives for a new species that they had never seen before. Maybe it was because the monsters, as the manual said, were made of magic; maybe that's why they managed to create them?

“And yes, jungle girl, it took them 30 years to grow and train them, as the researchers hoped, but after all the mess that happened, we can consider the whole experiment a failure-“. “Pik!” The snap of Anton's fingers silenced poor Dave and left a light red dot in the middle of his forehead.

“Idiot, just because the subjects rebelled doesn't make this process a failure; it's just a hiccup.”

“Yes, certainly an accident that could kill us all, given that they will surely be furious and will seek revenge as soon as possible”. Dave replied in a rough tone as he rubbed the spot on his forehead where he had been hit by Anton.

“What do you mean, Dave?” You tried to push the topic as much as possible, but it was clear that Dave was the one in the group who liked to talk the most and was therefore the best at spilling the beans first.

“Not a-all the e-experiments m-managed to e-escape the accident.” Mimi had shifted her gaze to her plate now, refusing to meet the others' gazes. Mimi had just touched her piece of pizza on the plate; perhaps she preferred to eat little... Or perhaps she was nervous about the topic that had been raised?

“Do you mean that the accident occurred because of the experiments?”. All the clues pointed there; it was easy to think that the experiments had found an excellent opportunity and, creating a mess, had run away.

“In reality, no one knows how it happened; it seems that a fire broke out in a part of the laboratories suddenly, and the experiments, we, used the opportunity to escape, since there was no one left to control them. All personnel in any laboratory on the island are closely monitored, and none of the personnel appeared to have had a hand in the security systems." Anton began to melt more and more.

“But let this stay between us.” Anton waved everyone at the table closer so they could talk quietly and with confidence.

“It is assumed that among us... There is a spy.”

Shock, you were frozen in place now. Did your grandmother send you here to help the undercover monsters who were already suspecting you and your grandmother? Did the others already know they were being double-crossed?

“How melodramatic of you, Anton; these are just suppositions; not half the proof of the sabotage you speak of has been found.” Dave gave Anton a bored look as he said the next words, trying to keep his voice low, and hearing his voice, you could tell he was having a hard time.

“Either the saboteur is a phenomenon and managed to fool everyone, including those at the top... which I doubt, or someone underestimated the intelligence of those creatures, which is strange to think about how beings with empty skulls managed to to screw everyone."

“But if they are brainless, how could they escape then?”. Either they were overestimating those creatures, or the scientists were idiots apparently. How did mindless monsters outsmart all those scientists?

“Y-you don't k-know so?”. Mimi's voice was little more than a whisper; it was tender, hidden under that beautiful afro hair.

You looked between the boys at the table in confusion; it was clear that Mimi wasn't going to say anything more, so pleading with your eyes, you tried to get more answers from the boys in front of you. This time, it was Anton who spoke, beating Dave to the punch.

“Because the monsters created in the laboratory are the representation of death itself”.

“In the sense that they are horrifying to look at, and scary?”. They are called monsters for a reason, or so you simply thought. In the stories of fantasy books, there were beautiful and fascinating creatures...But also horrible and ruthless.

“Well yeah, unless you count cute, cuddly walking skeletons, jungle girl.” Dave seemed genuinely amused by the reaction he gave you.

You could feel your eyes blinking a dozen times in amazement. Did they say skeletons!?

“And I am sure that as soon as we land on the island, we will find everyone on alert, those living Halloween decorations, they will definitely return to free their kidnapped brother.” Dave emphasized each word, tapping his fingers on the table.

“You said they'll be back so, are there more than 2?”

“T-that's sixteen s-subjects in t-total.”

From Mimi's expression, you could tell she wasn't being funny.

Sixteen experiments?! So out somewhere on that island there were a whole bunch of living skeletons ready to make a mess, about to unleash all their fury to get their missing brother back?.

What could be worse!?

“And you haven't heard the most interesting part, jungle girl.” Dave said it with a grin, as if he were telling a horror story. “It seems that inside each of those skeletons, the DNA of animals and, above all, of deadly and dangerous species has been combined, if we also consider that the monsters in question have been defined as imposing... Now can you imagine what kind of beasts we will be dealing with ..."

Here, the beautiful adventure you had imagined was destroying you before your eyes. Yes, you knew it would be dangerous, but you expected something simpler, like putting down a simple riot between two different species who just needed to find a point of agreement. But now that fairy tale that depicted you as if you were the heroine of the story had transformed you into a mess of fear and insecurity.

What kind of trouble did you get into?

“Don't worry, ladies, as we said before, we will stay safe in the laboratories, it will be highly unlikely for us to communicate with the monsters”. Anton looked strangely reassuring now, and a serene look graced his pale face.

“R-right we have to have faith, and if we w-work as a team, we can do it!”. Mimi had finally looked away from the table and was looking at everyone with a shaky smile.

“Well, I'm happy to have met you; you all seem like nice people, and among all these decrepit people, I find it a relief”. Dave placed his arm outstretched in the center of the table, fist clenched, and urged the others to do the same. “Let's give it our all, guys, and remember we're here to make a difference, and if any of us need a hand, we'll try to cover our backs. Are you up for it?”.

Anton seemed bored by Dave's performance again, but he matched the gesture with his arm anyway. “Of course you talk nonsense Dave, but not this time, my compliments you are making progress”.

“Hey, I'm trying to give a motivational speech here; don't put me down like this…”.

Mimi laughed heartily at Dave's antics. She took the example of the other two and stretched her arm across the table. “I also p-promise to do my m-best, and to help if I-can.”

You had to admit, now that you got to know them better, that these guys seemed like fun and, above all, good people. You just hoped your instincts wouldn't betray you now. Of course, you had to continue to be careful, but the idea of having friends you could count on the island seemed nice. There was no harm in giving humanity a little hope, right?

So you stretched out your arm and bumped your fist with the other three.

“I, too, promise to work to the best of my ability, and to help others with everything I have at my disposal... O, and call me Erika from now on.” How embarrassing! You only realized at that moment that it wasn't presented to you as you should have.

“N-nice to m-meet you, Erika.” Mimi looked happy as she said this.

“Welcome to the weirdo team.” Anton didn't seem so bored anymore.

“For me, you're still a jungle girl, it's more fun.” Dave spoke with a toothy grin on his face.

The rest of the day passed more peacefully than it had begun. You found yourself together with Anton, Dave and Mimi for the next 2 days, getting to know them better. And you had to admit that even though they were chaotic as a group, it was pleasant to be in their company.

Even if the other scientists and the rest of the crew looked at you like you were a bunch of weirdos, you would still never give up spending time with your new friends. Apparently indifference seemed to be the priority for many there.

You were still troubled by what you would find once you arrived on the island, but thanks to your new friends, a faint hope continued to shine at the bottom of your soul. Thanks to their presence, the sea voyage turned out to be more peaceful, and on the evening of the 3rd night, you desperately tried to absorb more information from the manual, but your mind continued to think about the escaped experiments.

“(Who knows what living skeletons will be like in real life… Well, I hope I don't have to find out too soon.)”

What you didn't know, however, is that in reality, that thought would come true much sooner than you could imagine.

Just that evening, that specific pack of skeletons was completing the final preparations to attack the laboratory where the kidnapped brother was locked.

“Humans won't expect an attack from us so soon; it's the best time.” The skeleton with the pink slippers on his feet could be cold and calculating when he wanted.

“ALREADY TOMORROW THEY WILL BRING MORE RECRUITS HERE TO MAKE UP FOR THE LOSSES AT THE LABORATORY, I HEARD THE HUMANS TALKING ABOUT IT THE DAY AFTER OUR ESCAPE.” The skeleton with the purple scarf completed his brother's sentence.

“FINALLY, I WILL BE ABLE TO GIVE A FREE RELEASE OF MY POWER!”. The angular skeleton seemed elated about the impending battle.

“Remember the shaky kitty plan; only attack if necessary; same thing with kills, and keep innocent souls out of this.” The skeleton with golden canines growled to get his message across to his angular brother.

“AND YOU THINK ABOUT YOUR COBWEBS SINCE YOU DON'T KNOW ANY ELSE-”.

“That's enough; we can't waste time arguing; we should rest and save our energy for tomorrow”. The skeleton with the patch over his right eye was already hanging upside down on the cave ceiling, ready to take a nap.

“I agree with him; we all need a nap. Come on, little brother.” The skeleton with the hole in the skull stroked the crooked-toothed skeleton's back to encourage him to walk, and together they headed towards the bottom of the cave to sleep.

"SLEEP…?" The shy skeleton with braces asked his older brother.

“Of course, little brother, let's go together” The warm and reassuring voice of the wine-loving brother calmed the shy skeleton, and together they headed towards the den dug underground.

“LET'S GO TOO; I WANT TO BE IN TOP SHAPE FOR TOMORROW”. The brother with the red boots beckoned to the brother with the golden canines, also heading towards their shared den.

“GOODNIGHT BROTHERS, REST WELL FOR OUR QUEST TOMORROW!”. The skeleton in white armor was always full of positive energy. And literally, taking his lazy brother in pink slippers by the arm, he set off to go to sleep.

“Goodnight, sweet darlings; tomorrow will be very interesting.”

“O STARS, IT WILL SURELY BE BROTHER.” The two most enchanting skeletons headed towards their nests in the trees.

“What are you doing, friend? If you don't rest tomorrow, you will look like a dead man... Eh eh”. The gold-toothed skeleton tended to make fun of everyone. He was already half a foot out, ready to go to sleep with his edgy brother.

“When my brother is safe, then I will sleep peacefully.” Anxiety devoured the skeleton dressed in the orange sweatshirt. To try to dispel some of that anxiety, he headed towards the nearby pond, hoping that the sound of the water would calm him. Both he and his brother loved being near the water.

The plan they had come up with was good and very promising, but the unknown of the sealed door could prove to be a big problem, they just hoped that by trying everything they could do it, and time wasn't on their side either, every second would be precious, they didn't have to err.

But even if it had taken years, they would never have given up.

No matter what happened, the pack would always be united!

Chapter Text

Earth! Earth!

The shrill screech from the lookout on the highest point of the boat rang out loudly through the speakers that expanded its voice to every possible corner, so that everyone could hear.

Finally, after a whole day of preparation in the country house and three days and nights at sea, in a claustrophobic room, you could finally see the island on the horizon.

Even if the accumulated hours of sleep had been few, between the anxiety for what awaited you and the paranoia of hiding the USB stick, you could feel the euphoria mixing with all the other sensations that were assaulting you.

Taken by euphoria, you ran towards the outside of the small ship, joining your friends who were already outside trying to see the island from afar.

“Hey jungle girl, it took you a long time and?!”. Dave raised his voice, and started waving his hands in the air to get your attention, making himself noticed by the other scientists, who weren't too happy with the boy's loud volume.

Probably because almost all the people present, apart from the crew, were older people like Finch and his grandmother, and therefore loud noises were not welcome, even during meal times not a fly ever flew. The older scientists hadn't said many words, not even to each other.

“The hell are you already on the bow of the ship?”

“To admire something incredible, you need the right place, right?”. Anton answered you in a fascinated tone without turning around, continuing to look at the horizon, he seemed completely absorbed by the view in front of him.

As soon as she saw you, Mimi turned in your direction, shyly walked towards you, took your hand and led you to the others. “C-come with us, Erika. L-look, we can s-see Mount E-Ebott from here.”

Mimi's sweet words were whipped by the wind coming towards the ship, but no words were needed to describe the incredible vision of what they had in front of them.

And there it was Mount Ebott, it stood out with all its majesty in the center of the island, dominating everything that surrounded it. Seeing it from afar already seemed impressive in its own right, seeing it in person must have made people feel like insects compared to it.

Unfortunately the mountain was the only thing that could be seen at the moment, the island was completely enveloped in a thick fog which seemed to want to hide the existence of the island from the rest of the world. The people on the ship seemed a little disappointed that the fog somehow ruined the view by showing nothing but the mountain. But in your humble opinion, that haze made everything even more interesting; the fog gave a feeling of mystery to the island, making your emotions increase even more, not to mention the cloudy sky that seemed intent on giving a fair amount of rain to the area.

Of course, you were still scared knowing that once you landed you might encounter monsters, but everything mixed together gave a cocktail of unique sensations you had never felt before.

“Em em land call jungle girl…are you still with us?”. Dave's hand moved placidly in front of your face, bringing your mind back to the present.

“Sorry, I think I was enchanted, I've never seen anything like it in my life”

Anton turned to head towards the interior of the ship, placing his hand on your shoulder in a comforting manner. “Hold your enthusiasm, Erika; I'm sure we'll see some good things once we disembark.” Anton finished the sentence with a small smile. He had the expression of someone very sure of himself, as if he knew what they would find once they got there, or maybe it was just his ego coming into play at that moment; you didn't know for certain.

“S-shall we go eat g-guys?”. Apparently, Mimi also needed to somehow distract herself from the situation.

Apparently you weren't the only one who was anxious, as the four of you were heading together, you noticed how Mimi kept wringing her hands to release the tension, or how Dave tried to fix his red hair, but ended up messing it up instead everyone, and Anton was talking to himself all the time.

They talked for a long time during lunchtime; each of them had some basic information about the main laboratory, and they already had tasks assigned for when they disembarked. You had not received such directives; you assumed that they would have given you information on the spot.

Once lunchtime was over, you split up to each go back to your own rooms, to prepare your things for disembarkation. You checked everything meticulously so as not to forget anything on the ship, the island manual, the backpack, the bow and obviously the USB stick. Everything seemed fine as you had left it, luckily.

There were a couple of hours left before landing on the island, and you couldn't do anything. You had tried to rest a little more before arriving, but nothing. You had tried to reread the manual, for more information, everything you read entered your mind and then slipped away after 3 seconds. You had even tried to do some muscle exercises to keep yourself occupied, but nothing.

Your stomach was churning, your mind was empty, your eyes were tired, but the euphoria of the moment was more than enough to keep you going.

And while you were trying to imagine all the possible and imaginable scenarios that you could have faced, the sound of an alarm rang in your little room.

In other cases an alarm would have meant imminent danger or failure of the ship, but in this case you knew it really meant only one thing.

You had arrived on the island, and were about to disembark... Finally!.

You took all your things and went out onto the deck of the ship where your friends were already waiting for you to get off.

The ship took several minutes to settle, to allow everyone to disembark. The sea was rough and deeply dark, it was useless to try to see the seabed, not even the ship's lights were sufficient to see anything underneath. It was disturbing to think about what could have been lurking there, at the bottom of that dark ocean. The coast was also dotted with large and rather sharp rocks, some of which had been smoothed to allow the ships to get as close as possible.

Once stabilized, the crew lowered a bridge to let everyone off. Dave was the first of the group to get off the ship, apparently he was as impatient as many, Anton followed close behind, while you held Mimi's hand encouraging her to walk with you.

They passed through an aseptic corridor, where each person was sterilized with gas, probably to prevent germs from being brought into the laboratories.

And at the end of the corridor an external section awaited you that you had to walk through to get to the main laboratory.

And there it was…it was huge!

It was definitely a cutting-edge structure with a futuristic look, you couldn't see the end of the laboratory, it probably extended across almost the entire west coast of the island. The manual did not do justice to the structure, it was much bigger than I could have imagined. It was a massive structure reinforced with iron and steel, which made the laboratory an almost impregnable place.

However, as you looked around, you noticed the presence of many armed guards dressed in heavy armor patrolling the area. It was strange to think that such a well-built facility needed all these guards for security, but looking in front of the laboratory, the landscape made you remember why all those guards.

Beyond the safety net that marked the edge of the laboratory, there was the forest that led towards the interior of the island, the forest seemed very dense judging by the large number of trees.

The safety net and the guards reminded her that the island was not for humans, all this protection was to repel the monsters.

You were staring at the forest, you couldn't explain that feeling, but something in that place attracted you, looking into the darkness of the trees... was it a hallucination or not? There was something down there in the thick of the woods, you began to squint to see better...

What was that ball of blue and yellow light in the distance? It looked like an eye... Why did you feel like someone was watching you?... That light was looking at you so intently, as if it was trying to look into your soul.

You found yourself paralyzed by that vision, and it seemed that not even that eye wanted to look away.

That eye wasn't looking at the guards and their rifles, it wasn't looking at the huddled scientists walking together towards the entrance, it wasn't looking at anyone else... it was looking at you, and only you...

(Why are you only looking at me…)

“Hey, hurry up, you're blocking the line!”. The scolding of the scientists behind you brought you back to reality.

“Jungle girl, we just arrived, and you're already getting noticed?”.

“I-he wasn't d-doing anything b-wrong.”

"You're wrong Mimi, the elders are right, the less time we stay out here in the open the less we will be exposed to various dangers."

(Man, the situation is really serious, if no one wants to stay out of the laboratory even for a moment). You began to sweat, and at that point you felt you could no longer blame the humidity that hung in the air.

As you started walking again next to your friends, you turned to look at the spot where the luminous sphere had been until a moment ago. But there was nothing left there, and the strange thing was that only you seemed to have seen it, not even the guards seemed to have noticed that strange presence, was it a manifestation of some kind of magic?

If no one was on alert, then there was nothing to worry about…right?

Leaving that worry behind, you finally walked through the armored doors of the lab. Inside, too, there were guards patrolling up and down the corridors, along with other scientists who, judging by their quick steps, had a lot to do.

You felt ready to start, and you hoped that at least they had assigned you a decent laboratory, preferably close to your new friends, working 24 hours a day in such a monotonous place could become a challenge without the right company.

“I'm so e-excited, w-what do you think we should s-study first?”. Mimi seemed genuinely excited to get started as much as you were.

“Wait Mimi, first there's orientation, remember? We read it on the letter of invitation for the job." Anton never missed a detail, it seemed.

“Let's hope the colonel explains quickly, I don't really want to listen to that crazy bomber”. Dave emphasized the last word with great fervor.

Apparently not many people liked the colonel at the base, if the tense faces of everyone present were any indication. They led you all into a large circular room, it looked like it was used for meetings or something.

As soon as everyone finished standing in a circle inside the room, the lights went out, and in the center, illuminated by the only light in the room, a corpulent-looking man appeared.

The man had dark hair shaved on the sides; on the right side of the head, you could see a scar made of a series of 5 claws, which started from the top of the head up to the jaw, and even if seen from afar, it was clear that they were deep. The full beard framing a smile you could only describe as devious; the right eye was a very light blue, while where you should have found the left eye, you instead found a deep scar that had permanently marked it.

His gray and dark green uniform highlighted his large frame, showing off the muscles of his body. Behind his back was a full-scale assault rifle, judging by the appearance of the weapon it seemed to be suitable for taking down large creatures. And as if that wasn't enough to complete the look, a number of large hunting knives hung prominently on his belt, some of them appearing to be sharper than others.

But the shocking thing is that embedded in the handles of the knives, there were stones that you recognized immediately.

(Those stones are identical to the ones used to operate the teleportation windows Finch showed me! Have they started using them to make weapons yet?!)

This wasn't good at all, you didn't believe they were that far ahead in using magic like that. You didn't yet know the effects of those stones used as weapons, but given into the hands of people like that colonel, nothing good could come of it.

Your thoughts were interrupted by the call of the Colonel, who cleared his throat to address the new arrivals.

“Good morning, all ladies and gentlemen. I am Colonel Gecob Hunt, and I welcome you to our main operating base. At the moment we are working to improve the laboratories in other areas of the island, but you know how it takes time for things like this, but I'm sure that by collaborating together we will be able to do great things, right?”

(However, from a person like him, I would have expected a megalomaniac speech, not a girl scout speech.). That kind of behavior wasn't very befitting of a man who had no qualms about walking around with weapons, as if they were souvenirs. The colonel continued speaking in a warm, calm voice.

"We are going slowly after the accident that occurred a few days ago, in fact some sectors of the base will be inaccessible for at least a few more weeks... but you already knew this."

The colonel's tone seemed to have deepened on the last words. You were in the back row with your friends, but even though you couldn't see him directly in the eye, you clearly heard the sound of a blade being pulled from its sheath. The action made you very anxious. The colonel continued his speech while swinging the drawn weapon in his hands.

“Now let's get straight to the point, of course most of you will remain safe inside here, but external missions may occur to continue the research... our goal is simple my dears, to find the magic crystals and steal the secrets of magic from this godforsaken place."

*Blink* the delicate noise spread throughout the room, as if something had activated, and immediately after a delicate light began to shine on the handle of the knife pulled out by the colonel. It wasn't just the hilt of the weapon that was glowing, but the entire blade was now covered in a thin veil of light.

Mimi's firm grip on your hand made you notice the general reaction of the room, everyone was mesmerized by this little magic show.

Dave had a smile that stretched from ear to ear. Mimi tried to expose herself more beyond the people to get a better look; the only one who looked the same was Anton; maybe it wasn't such a great sight for him. You, too, would have found it impressive if you hadn't already seen the Echo flower shown by your grandmother in the hospital, but you still pretended to be impressed to keep up the game.

The colonel brandished the weapon proudly, walking in a circle to better show it to everyone.

“This is why we are here the power radiated from these crystals gives immense powers, not only does it enhance weapons, but we have recently discovered that they can be used to heal some wounds; let me give you a demonstration…”.

Without warning, the colonel rolled back the sleeve of his camouflage jacket, brought the knife to his left arm and without hesitation, cut his skin.

The general dismay of the room was cohesive, they were all shocked and horrified by the colonel's action. Someone in the room shouted to help him, others to look for bandages to treat him, they were all paranoid seeing the colonel's arm as he was losing a fair amount of blood from his arm.

Poor Mimi had turned away so as not to see the scene, Anton had a face of complete disgust and Dave had turned pale.

(But why did he do something like that?-)

As the thought finished crystallizing in your mind, you saw how the light emanating from the knife began to shine more fervently.

And as the colonel brought the blade closer to the wound, a real concern for him came over you, the fear that he might cut himself again. But instead, what happened was incredible.

The blade was closing the wound!

“You see ladies and gentlemen, on this island the impossible becomes possible if we manage to grasp it!”. Colonel Hunt shouted those words with glory, as he raised his arm in front of everyone, showing the healing power of the crystal.

Of course, the blood that had fallen to the ground was still there, but the magic of the crystal had truly mended the skin and left no scars!. It would be a blessing in the medical field, but you already knew that knowledge wouldn't be disclosed, at least not right away.

Judging by the man's sanity, you had little hope left.

But Mr. Hunt wasn't finished yet, he took out a previously dirty handkerchief and used it to clean the spilled blood from the knife, but strangely the handkerchief seemed dirty with... dust. He continued with the speech.

“You're surprising, aren't you? But here comes the difficult part, now I would like everyone to keep their eyes open, it is true that you will have few opportunities to see them, but as you know on this island we are not alone, know that every abomination on this island that flies, swims crawls or waits in the mud it will do nothing but jump at your throat, and devour your body and soul as if you were the main course of a nice menu.

(Liar!). Grandmother would have warned her about all this if it had been true, and then it was the humans who were wrong, the humans had invaded this place first, not the other way around.

You couldn't believe that man, with the demonstration of a few moments ago, he had proven that he was crazy. And as if that wasn't enough, his speeches were slowly becoming sicker and sicker.

But unfortunately, you still hadn't really seen how far this man could go.

“Now the other scientists and the big shots at the top think that my methods are a bit exaggerated; well, I don't agree, and the only way to warn you is to actually show you what kind of monsters we will have to face... Turn off the light!”.

And with those words, even the last light in the room went out, the colonel disappeared into the darkness, and everyone was more confused than ever.

“W-what i-is h-happening n-now?”. Mimi's stutter had gotten so much worse since she entered the room.

“I don't know but I have a bad feeling.” Even Anton, who until now had always been careful not to let any emotion show, now seemed really worried as he looked frantically around, trying to see something besides his round glasses.

"View?! I told you he was crazy! We should turn around now!” Damn Dave was freaking out as he tugged at his unruly red hair, which now looked like a disastrous bird's nest; you couldn't blame him this whole situation was strange and starting to seem very macabre.

What could be worse than that disgusting display of blood earlier?

The wait didn't last long, and while those present tried to understand what was happening, an inhuman growl reverberated in the room.

*GROOOOOOOWWWW!*

Silence fell in the room; everyone was too scared to even dare take a step.

Noises of what seemed to be chains were ringing in your ears, the air was getting thicker, thoughts were disconnected, panic was slowly creeping up inside you. And then squinting in the dark, you saw it.

The creature in question seemed to have come out of the worst of nightmares.

It had a height of at least 4 feet, considering its shape, which designated it as a sort of animal. The creature's legs were long and tapered and ended with 3 sharp claws on the bottom; the fur was entirely brown from the neck to the small tail and black going down towards the legs. On their slender body, there seemed to be a sort of frayed sweater. It was strange to think how a monster could serve a sweater, given that his back was covered in spikes, ruining the item of clothing. But the most disturbing part of the creature was its face.

They had a sort of black mane around their face that framed 2 pairs of ears, 2 round on the sides, and 2 more pointed on top of his head. Their face was shockingly round and completely pale, like that of a corpse, and to make matters worse, their eyes were literally empty. There were no pupils in those eyes; there was only a void, framed by a half-open mouth that revealed its small, pointed teeth.

You tried to look into the eyes of the creature, but nothing, it seemed there was nothing alive inside those eyes, and as if it knew that you were staring at it, the creature with an even louder growl, rushed towards you

Everyone's screams were instantaneous, in a few seconds the creature had launched itself without hesitation with fangs bared towards the people, ready to attack whoever it found first.

In those few moments you remembered that you had the bow with you, but the creature was now too close to use it, you instinctively tried to block it with your arm as best you could. Even though deep down you were fully aware, that it wouldn't really protect you against the attack.

You really thought that eyeless being would bite you, but luckily for you, the creature never got that far. The chain tied around the neck prevented the creature from getting close to them, and as if the chain wasn't enough an electric shock came from the creature's collar, causing a strong shock, stunning the creature, which fell to the ground with an agonizing sound.

The light from before came back on, showing Colonel Hunt holding a remote control in his hand. Mr. Hunt began to laugh, evidently finding the sight before him very amusing.

“Ah ah ah ah, I apologize…ah ah ah…maybe I should have warned you about the little jump scare coming, I'm sorry, but these little guys are always so energetic…”

“But what…” Your whispers were inaudible, no one could hear you, you had to contain yourself. The man in front of you was totally crazy!

What sane person could ever find something like that funny!? Using a poor creature who shouldn't have been there chained in the first place as if he were worthless, and then being used as a freak, to scare normal people who had come here to do a job.

Now you understood that Dave wasn't joking when a few moments ago he had called him "a crazy bomber". And speaking of Dave… Why was he in front of you now?. Until a few moments ago, he was behind…

Had he stood in front of you to protect you from the creature? His body was turned completely towards the creature, his arms were raised, and his fists clenched, it looked as if he was ready to fight back. Apparently he must have gotten in the way during the general confusion. And he wasn't the only one. Anton had also apparently grabbed Mimi, trying to get her to retreat, to take her to safety with him, and seemed to have helped a lot of people get away.

(They tried to help as much as they could…these guys are amazing!).

Despite the fear and anger of the moment, you felt even more protected thanks to these guys, it was nice to see that there were still people who weren't just thinking about themselves.

Anton had brought Mimi to the back row of the room, probably to make her calm down, you could almost hear Mimi's short breaths out of fear, while Anton tried to reassure her as best he could.

Dave, on the other hand, had his whole face contorted with anger, he was clenching his fists more and had started to gnash his teeth, he seemed to be struggling to hold his tongue so as not to blurt out in the colonel's face.

You had no words, and maybe it was for the best; if you had opened your mouth, you weren't sure what would come out. You probably would have started insulting the colonel without any restraint.

The colonel resumed speaking in a condescending tone, as if nothing had happened, without even waiting for the people in the room to recover from their fear.

“The monster you see in front of you is part of the “Temmie” category; this is the only specimen we managed to capture, and it is only a Beta, but I can assure you that there are many others where we have captured this… and If you think this little monster is scary, well, I want to remind you that monsters are almost all over 6 feet tall, not like this little dog here.” The colonel ended by pointing to poor Temmie, who, apparently due to the previous shock, was now lying on the ground unconscious.

Wait, the colonel said... little dog!?. This terrifying creature was related to dog breeds!?.

(How can I hope to help the monsters, as grandmother said, if even simple dogs on this island can tear me to pieces!?)

“And in this regard, since we are now on the subject of monsters, I would like to show you one of the most abominable monsters ever seen, even if, in a certain sense, we should be proud of it…since we created it”. Hunt finished the sentence, smiling even more at the general dismay.

“Wait, he want to show us?!”. Although Dave usually had a rather high-pitched voice, this time the words came out as a faint hiss. Luckily, having him in front of you, you were able to hear him.

But you needed clarification; you leaned close to Dave's ear to whisper to him.

“Hey Dave, what are you talking about? Why is everyone panicking more than before?”.

The people in the room had started making more noise than before, you didn't miss the confabulations of the other scientists.

“Are they talking about the captured experiment?” Said a lady with a bun in the third row.

“Incredible! We could see a one-of-a-kind creature!” Another woman said this to a colleague next to you.

“God, if he's as abominable as the one before, I hope they chained him up properly.” This time, it was a much older man's turn.

He heard many other phrases such as: "Have they tamed it?", "Will we be able to study it?", "It's a shame they only recaptured one subject", "I wonder if they will allow us to touch it"...

A nausea-like feeling now lingered in your throat. How could they be thrilled to see a poor creature chained and mistreated? What was so beautiful about humiliating and subjugating, when they could have been admired and respected? If you were speechless before, now you wanted to scream at all those bigots.

You could feel your face heating up with anger, you were ready to explode, but just before you could open your mouth, Anton's hand shot forward over your mouth. You didn't expect an intervention from Anton, you thought he would stay at the back of the room with Mimi, but looking carefully behind him, you noticed that Mimi had now also joined you in the front rows.

“Calm down Erika I know it's hard, but please let's avoid doing or saying something stupid, we're not in a good place right now, so try to resist”. Anton spat out the words quickly, he just hoped you were smart enough to take his advice.

You could see Anton's pleading eyes behind those big round glasses of his, and he looked just as tense as Dave and Mimi. You had never seen him like this, not even in those days on the ship, but what Anton said was true, you couldn't let your feelings overwhelm you, at least not yet. But as you tried to take a deep breath to calm yourself down, a metallic noise could be heard in the background, which alerted everyone again.

The light went out a second time and the room began to shake, the noise increased inexorably, and the floor moved along with it. It was as if the floor below was opening up from the center, and machinery from the new bottom lifted chains thicker than the Temmie monster from before, and a case filled with what looked like water, but it was too dark to see anything else. Once the floor shaking stopped, everyone turned their attention to the colonel, apparently he was a guy who liked to put on shows, playing with other people's lives.

“Well, ladies and gentlemen, we have arrived at the pièce de résistance! Look at it carefully because you won't have any other opportunities, I'm afraid, the present subject belongs to our hybrids made in the laboratory, based on the combination of the magic of monsters with the strength of human souls, unfortunately this too is only a Beta, but as soon as we manage to persuade him we are sure that we will obtain the position of the other escaped subjects."

“(Or on this guy said, let him be persuaded; it means they are torturing that poor monster to find out where the other brothers are!)”. It was horrible, just horrible, that whole situation.

“Having said that, folks, I would ask you not to scream or make too loud sounds; we don't want the creature to wake up, or we would have to sedate him again.” A poisonous hiss accompanied the colonel's words as he touched the glass case full of water.

And just a few seconds later, the light came back on once again in the center of the room, revealing what everyone had been waiting for.

The glass case lit up showing the clear water of the case, it was a beautiful blue color even if given by the opacity of the glass, it was clear that it had not been changed for several days, but what moved inside the water captured everyone's attention.

Tentacles. Eight large, sinuous and hypnotic tentacles moved placidly in the water, appearing almost immobile. They were a soft beige color, dotted with what looked like cyan circles. You couldn't deny feeling insignificant in front of those gigantic tentacles, you could only imagine the enormous power of those appendages if they could unleash themselves at will.

Traveling up the tentacles was the creature's upper body, and as Dave and the others told her on the boat, the body did indeed belong to a living Halloween decoration.

The monster's upper body was nothing more than the body of a skeleton!

It was connected to the tentacles by some sort of cyan-colored gelatinous body, like the tentacle rings. However, its bones did not seem to be the same as those in the human body; they almost seemed to fuse together, forming a completely new type of bone. You could define the body of that creature as round; the bones seemed to belong to a person who was not fat, but still soft-boned. You could see all of his bone structure, the exposed ribs, that gelatinous substance that seemed to form a slightly soft belly, his arms pointing upwards because of the chains, and the round skull, but unfortunately the face of the skeleton was facing downwards, and from that position you were not able to see it well.

“Oh good God, but this is repulsive…”. “What abomination have they created?!”. "It's really disturbing, they should lock it up and throw away the key!"

The scandalous words of the people around you were disgusting.

How could they call an incredible creature like that disgusting and repulsive? You certainly weren't stupid; you knew what such a creature could do with that body if it decided to take action, but seeing it like that, it just looked like a poor, mistreated half-octopus.

The only ones who didn't have any hurtful words for the monster were your friends. Mimi, who until recently had hidden behind all of them, had exposed herself more to admire the monster in the glass case and seemed amazed by the vision in front of her. Even the impassive Anton seemed impressed; he tried to move his glasses as if he were trying to zoom in on the skeleton, and Dave had gone from a chatterbox to speechless.

The colonel kept swinging the remote control in his hands; it was probably used to control the monster's chains, and he seemed so proud to hold that power. If it were up to you, you would have made him swallow it.

“Well, folks, this is just one of our experiments, and even though it seems harmless, I can assure you, it wouldn't hesitate for a moment to kill you without mercy-“. The colonel kept talking, trying to incorporate even more fear into those present, but you weren't listening to him anymore; you couldn't believe a madman like him.

You remained staring at the skeleton; you didn't know why, but you found that creature so incredible. And looking at him, he had obvious wounds on his tentacles, as if someone had cut him in several places, and the bones of his arms and ribs had small cracks in some places. He seemed to be in a lot of pain.

“How could they do this to you, you're gorgeous-“.

"HELP ME…". The small voice rang inside your ears.

“HELP ME...I...I BEG YOU". That voice again…

You started to look around, but no one was talking to you, they were all busy listening to the colonel's megalomaniac speech, not even your friends had said a word, but then... who was he?

"HELP ME PLEASE…". Wait, the voice sounded like it was coming from… it can't be.

With determined steps, you stepped out of the ranks of scientists to approach the glass case. As you got closer, you noticed that the skeleton was not unconscious as everyone thought; no, he was awake!

A pair of small cyan lights greeted you faintly along with a set of flat teeth pointing downwards as if in a sad face, the lights in his eye sockets were so dim from all the pain and sadness he must have felt up until that moment.

Looking at him in those gentle lights, you could almost feel the skeletal pain radiating throughout your body, he was truly in pain.

“YOU CAN HEAR ME…PLEASE HELP ME…I FEEL LONELY…I JUST WANT TO BE WITH MY BROTHERS” *Sig* The skeleton sobbed in despair, and a cyan colored liquid like his eyes flowed down his skull. Were they tears?

“Please don't cry.” You spoke in the sweetest voice possible; you couldn't bear to see the skeleton cry. Something, deep inside you, was screaming for you to reassure him in any way you could. “You'll see that everything will be fine; we will find a solution.” You held out your hand towards the skeleton; if he hadn't been chained, you would have taken him by the hand and led him outside. Judging by the skeleton's voice, he just seemed like a poor, scared little boy...

"You there! What the fuck are you doing, not approaching that demon, you hear me?!” The colonel's furious voice echoed in the room, only now everyone realized that you were no longer in line. But as you looked into the pleading eyes of the skeleton, you suddenly forgot all sorts of restraints; you were tired of staying silent.

"Demon? Does this poor, defenseless and abused creature seem like a demon to you!? You are the bastards who made him like this, you should all be ashamed for choosing to rail against this poor defenseless boy! Especially you, you ugly asshole!”. Now you definitely felt lighter at that moment, you were clearly getting into trouble, but you didn't care anymore.

“Ah ah ah, I get what you're like, you're an arrogant little bitch who thinks she can come here and be a goody-goody and save monsters like this because it's not morally ethical.” The colonel walked confidently towards you, holding one of his knives in one hand.

(Ok Erika calm down it's definitely a bluff, it can't really hurt you right?). The thought began to crumble in your mind, the colonel continued to advance with an evil grin on his face, he looked like he couldn't wait to use that knife.

“That's why we prefer to hire older people, they tend to be more cooperative than thugs like you.” A whisper so diabolical that it seemed to have come out of hell.

Without warning, Hunt grabbed you by your hair, pulling you closer to him. Instinctively you tried to remove Hunt's hand from your head, but the man's grip was too strong, you couldn't move without him tugging at your scalp. A groan of pain escaped your lips at the sensation of your hair being stretched.

But Hunt wasn't done with you.

He took the knife in his other hand and placed it on your cheek, grazing your skin with the sharp blade. You were frozen in place, you could hear the people being terrorized by the Colonel in the background, but you also heard the screams of your friends as they begged Hunt to let you go.

“Colonel stop! She expressed her point of view, we understood that she is in charge here, let her go...". Dave had shown courage with the crazed Temmie from before, but now he seemed petrified seeing you like that.

“Or he will be responsible for the failure of a brilliant biologist. And no one wants to let the higher ups know, right?”. Anton was smart, he had used the only possible card that would stop Hunt from doing something stupid, or at least so you hoped.

“P-please l-leave m-my f-friend.” Mimi was crying like a waterfall in full force.

Hunt looked all three of you in the eye, and after a mean laugh, he turned to look you in the eye.

“Don't worry, I don't intend to get too angry with her... or at least not too much”. Hunt's deranged lunatic smile was like that of a serial killer now.  With another firm tug on your hair, he made you scream in pain. Hunt seemed delighted by the agonizing sounds.

“I think this little girl deserves a punishment to remind her that she belongs, but what a shame to ruin such a cute little face-“. Hunt pressed the blade more against your cheek, you were starting to feel the first drops of blood running down your face.

“Please stop-“

*CRRRIIIIIIIAAAAAAAAA!*

A super high-pitched scream interrupted the moment, forcing everyone present to bend over on the floor and try to cover their ears to relieve the pain in their eardrums.

The scream was so powerful that it was starting to break the glass case, water began to flow into the floor. Numerous soldiers burst into the room to take everyone present out. The inhuman scream slowly stopped and even though you were stunned you could hear the skeleton's voice, speaking softly to you.

"ARE YOU OK? I DIDN'T MEAN TO HURT YOU…” Damn this skeleton was so sweet, looking up from the floor you looked into his eye sockets, did he seem worried?

Wait, did the scream come from him? Had he done it to help you?... Ok, a debt is always repaid; you didn't know how yet, but you would have helped this sweet boy no matter what the cost!

You were finally out in the corridor; the room had been cleared, and the glass case containing the hybrid skeleton had returned to the vault room on the floors below. Colonel Hunt had been summoned by his superiors, and apparently the previous stunt had not gone unnoticed.

You were still shocked, you had challenged the head of security head on, and you had literally almost lost your face, if it hadn't been for the skeleton and its powerful screech, you would have had a nasty scar on your cheek.

Mimi came over with a handkerchief, ready to try and clean the wound on your face. As luck would have it, Mimi had a touch as delicate as that of a feather.

“A-are you ok, Erika?”.

“Well I could be better, but all in all I managed…”.

“Fuck, it was all so crazy. Dave was ruffling his hair furiously. “At first I thought the monster would eat you, but instead it seems he saved you, so I thank him very much.”

“Yes, it was enlightening.” Anton looked at you with admiring eyes, but soon went back to wearing his expressionless mask. “I'm afraid there will be consequences for you, Erika, but we'll deal with that later-“

“Right, Anton, I wanted to ask you where I can find the room where they took the skeleton?”. You only had one thing on your mind, freeing the cute skeleton from his metal prison.

“Lower your voice Erika, that area is top secret and is controlled by several guards and the room is blocked with a Titanium reinforced door, what do you hope to do?”. Anton seemed shocked that you were so reckless.

“Because one way or another, I'm going to save that poor boy. I don't know how to explain it, but inside me, I feel that I have to help him”. It was instinctive, you placed your hand where your heart was, something inside you encouraged you not to stop.

“Very noble of you jungle girl, but you will never make it only a few people have access to the top secret locations, and those guards won't magically move on their own.” Dave had a frown on his face, he too wanted to help the monster.

“(Maybe I can attack them using my bow or create a diversion to make them move somewhere else, but I'm alone, and they have guns).” Despondency was starting to break down your courageous temper.

“Come on, Erika, I'm sure t-there will b-be a w-way to-“

*KABOOOOOOOOMMMMM*

A large explosion damaged the wall at the end of the corridor. Alarms rang throughout the facility, and soon after an electronic voice blared from the speakers.

*ALARM! ALARM! DANGER, DANGER...INTRUDERS IN THE MAIN PERIMETER OF THE LABORATORY ALL ARMED FORCES ARE PLEASED TO CONVERGE TOWARDS THE OBJECTIVES, SCIENTISTS TAKE SHELTER IN THE EMERGENCY LABORATORIES!*.

“Look, they've come to kill us all!”. The screams converged towards the opening created in the wall by the explosion. Out of curiosity, you ran towards the broken wall to take a look outside. Behind you, you could hear the protests of your friends telling you to stop.

When you reached the destroyed wall, you saw the main square of the laboratory. You realized when you looked outside that it was now dark outside, how much time had you wasted inside that infernal room?!

The electric fence was destroyed, the guards were already all ready with their rifles tense and loaded to shoot, the turrets outside the laboratory, which had previously been off, were now active and ready with their heavy weapons to fire on the intruders, and every weapon was equipped with crystals that would probably have strengthened its blows.

It was strange but there was no one to be seen, no threat in sight.

But in the depths of the darkness, a skeleton about 6 feet tall emerged calmly. He was moving forward without paying attention to the soldiers in front of him, he had a huge smile on his face and small white lights shining delicately in the dark of the night.

You couldn't believe it, they were really here they really came to save their missing brother!

A voice spread throughout the area; it was Colonel Hunt, who was on one of the turrets with a megaphone in his hand, and apparently his target was the skeleton.

“Hi Sans, I didn't know you'd miss me so much. Do you want to get pounded again so badly?” .

Sans? It must have been the name of the skeleton; you would have loved to know the name of the sweet skeleton held prisoner.

“He he he he he, well, man, I just thought you would appreciate a few extra bones for the party.” Sans' voice was warm and deep; he was joking with the colonel as if he wasn't a dangerous guy to worry about.

Of course, from his clothing, it was clear that he was a particular type. He had a blue sweatshirt on with a hood, underneath a white t-shirt with several stains on it, short black shorts with white stripes on the sides, and finally, to complete the look... pink slippers on his feet... Okay, the monsters had rather particular style concepts.

“Ah, if you have come for a party, take a seat; we have plenty of bangs for you and your cowardly brothers!”. The colonel was clearly trying to provoke Sans, but from the colonel's words, it seemed that they had already noticed the presence of the other brothers. "What's up? Too cowardly to attack head on, you bonehead?!”.

Sans remained composed in his place; it was clear that he had something in mind.

“And come on, man, relax, because I can assure you that at the end of this night, you will all feel dead tired." As Sans spoke, something moved in the trees behind him. There was something hidden inside the beret.

“How about we give back our dear little brother, so no one will have to face this sleepless night?”. Sans didn't want to fight? Was he trying to be diplomatic? You were amazed. Until now, you had been told several times that the monsters were violent and bloodthirsty, of course you would never have believed Hunt's words, but seeing Sans speak in such a refined manner, it meant that the monsters were endowed with great intelligence.

“O Sansy, I would have a better idea...”. The colonel didn't seem at all intimidated by the situation, on the contrary, he seemed elated and ready for the fight, as he spoke loudly from the microphone. “Why don't you all stay here with us, we need more pathetic guinea pigs like that mollusc in there-“.

*Aaaaaaaacriiiiiiii*

Oh my, that sound was even worse than the octopus skeleton from before!. That line was so shrill and high-pitched that it could make your ears bleed if listened to for too long. Everyone had to cover their ears in front of that relentless screech, even Sans who, despite being a skeleton, had brought his hands to his skull to cover the sides of his head; where his ears would have been if he had them.

The half-dazed scientists began running towards the emergency shelters, moving away with all the energy they had in their bodies, but not you, you wanted to continue seeing.

Suddenly another skeleton appeared jumping down from the trees and landed with a large thud on the ground. This skeleton was much taller than Sans, and while Sans and the octopus skeleton appeared to share the same round skull, this one had a more elongated skull shape.

He was wearing a long orange sweatshirt, black shorts with white stripes on the side that reached mid-knee, and orange sneakers.

But the disconcerting thing about this skeleton was the powerful electric sparks that came out of its hands. The electric sparks increased as the skeleton got closer to the guards, he was about to overtake Sans, when the latter grabbed him by the arm, stopping him.

You were too far away to hear them, but the taller skeleton's angry face suggested they were arguing about something. No time to think about anything else before the colonel's thunderous voice was heard shouting at the top of his lungs.

“Shoot these bastards, and remember, we want as many of them alive as possible!” The shots of the firearms went off in bursts, the rifle bullets shone in the darkness of the night, thanks to the magical crystals implanted in the weapons.

"Now stop!!!" . The tallest skeleton threw himself against the guards, increasing his electric discharges beyond belief, the electricity was so much that it reached the clouds, urging the clouds which finally freed themselves from the rain they had been holding inside all day.

“No Stretch stop, remember the plan!”. Sans tried to call his brother back, but the sound of gunfire drowned out everything.

You couldn't stand by and watch anymore. Those men were roasted by electric shocks, as if they were gnats on an insect lamp. The cause of all this was the kidnapped brother, and since you already had plans to help him, the solution became obvious. The monsters had attacked to free him, so all they had to do was give him back to make it all end.

“Anton, tell me where they keep the skeleton!”. Your friends hadn't moved, they had remained next to you the entire time.

“You crazy jungle girl, we have to go to the shelters, or we will be literally fried!”.

“I-I didn't imagine my first day at work like this.”

Mimi and Dave were right; it was too dangerous for them to stay out there in the open.

"Right, you go and get safe; I'll go and free the skeleton; those monsters are here for him; if we give it back to them, they'll go away!". You were determined; you knew the plan would be effective if you could get to the sweet skeleton.

“You're right, Erika. If we give it back to them, they'll stop fighting. I don't intend to die because of these crazy people, but the door won't open by itself; maybe we could tamper with it remotely while we're in the shelter. I still have my laptop in my backpack... ”. Was Anton really encouraging you in this? You thought he was going to tell you that your plan was horrible and senseless, but apparently you felt the same way!

“Damn, you're impossible…” At this point, Dave seemed resigned. “Okay, we'll try to help however we can; remember to keep communications open, with that weird jungle girl watch!”. Grandma's watch also served as a telephone, which was very convenient if you needed free hands, as in this case.

“I will. I promise I will stay in touch no matter what.” Your friends seemed calmer after that information.

“Well, Erika, the room is on the fifth floor below this one. At the end, you will find a long corridor with a few lights. Go to the end, and you will find the armored door. When you get close, you will contact us, and we will try to tamper with it... Good luck, Erika”. Anton showed a worried face towards you, but they all seemed to agree with the plan.

“S-be careful Erika!”.

“You guys too!”. You waved at your friends as they ran in opposite directions. As you ran down the stairs of the various corridors with your bow ready to be used, the situation outside was rapidly escalating.

There were now 10 skeletons on the field!. And they were unleashing themselves without too much restraint against the guards; in their animalistic hybrid forms, the other skeletons were waiting in the middle of the trees, the most opportune moment to try to infiltrate the laboratory, taking advantage of the confusion created by their brothers.

Colonel Hunt fought the skeletons head on, managing to push them back thanks to the greater number of humans and enhanced weapons, but Sans would be a difficult opponent to take down, Hunt knew it.

“Come on, Mr. Comedian, let me see what you can do!”.

“Eh eh eh eh…ok man… Do you want to have a bad time?”.

Chapter Text

You weren't running down the halls, you were flying!

At that moment you were regretting not having continued your physical exercises, as your grandmother advised you, if you had remained trained you would have already arrived at the armored door in a short time. But now you were scrambling to get through all 5 underground sections of the facility.

The first two underground sections were easy to get through, there were few guards left to monitor the floors. You just had to wait for the right moments, and stay hidden to get by. It took you a while to find the entrance to the third floor, but with a little luck on your side, you found it.

The third floor was more complicated, however, there were more guards and fewer blind spots in which to hide. You had to use your bow to distract the last two guards, located at the end of the third-floor corridor.

You used one of his arrows to make a noise across the room, breaking the glass of a door on the floor. Using the bow you had noticed Finch's obvious changes to the weapon, it was now much more stable, you were able to shoot the arrows without having to worry about stabilizing your body too much. Furthermore, the arrow quiver was larger, allowing you to have more shots available.

Too bad I wasn't wearing the right clothes for a mission like that.

Your tight jeans were starting to get in the way of your movements, and your dark Linkin Park t-shirt was in danger of getting ruined with all the sweat that stuck to it. Luckily, your dark blue padded jacket offered you a little 'protection for your shoulders and arms, and the hood managed to cover most of your face. At least if they caught you, they wouldn't have seen your face. At least your black converse were comfortable for running.

But you'd think about the rest later, you still had to face the fourth floor.

As you went down the floors, the corridors became less and less lit. Finding your way in those corridors was starting to be a real challenge. The corridors all looked the same, with the same aseptic white color, and the positions of the rooms were always different between the floors.

“(Hell, the architects of this place, they had no design imagination).”

You felt like you were inside a labyrinth with no way out, but you couldn't stop, you had to free the sweet skeleton, many people's lives depended on it, including the lives of your friends.

And as you walked down those corridors to find access to the fifth floor, the skeletons outside were trying to enter the laboratory.

A disaster. The whole plan had gone to pieces.

Sans had thought of all the possible scenarios, to predict the humans' every move. He was not a fool; he knew that even though humans were physically weaker than them, their numerical superiority would still overwhelm them.

Regardless of the strength of their souls, most humans continued to get up even when injured. Generally, once monsters were subdued, they lost the will to fight. It became difficult to block the soldiers without having to kill them, and some of them were real bastards.

Even after years as a laboratory guinea pig, Sans was able to remember the faces of many of the soldiers present, they often used them to check them both inside the laboratories and when they had the opportunity to go around the island. And they enjoyed torturing them in various ways, but Sans didn't want to think about that now.

He would have liked to give his brothers the go-ahead, to give an exemplary lesson to those individuals, they deserved to be punished for all their sins. But unfortunately he couldn't do it and his brothers knew it too. Striking indiscriminately would have meant also involving the souls of innocent people.

And then, there were the soulless humans.

Humans who had removed every inhibitory brake on magic lost their characteristic soul trait, and lost the right path. The corruption given by the magic crystals led souls to oblivion, Sans knew this well, he had already seen on other occasions monsters, desperate or unconscious, trying to absorb as much power as possible.

And now those soulless beings were attacking them. It was a recurring tactic of the humans, making them attack and using them as a shield. Once a soul was corrupted, nothing remained of what it was before. It was as if living corpses were attacking them.

After Colonel Hunt gave the order to free them, the soulless rushed at them without fear, Sans could not do anything else, he had to give the signal for the joint attack to his brothers if they wanted to have a chance of entering the laboratory, they had to act now!.

“Hey guys, as I haven't said, get on with it, we have to attract the soulless if we want to get in!”. Sans had to raise his voice to be heard amidst the chaos of bullets, screams, and pouring rain.

Stretch didn't respond verbally. I just increase the power of his attacks. It was clear that he had heard, Sans' voice. He was so enraged that the only thing that came out of his mouth were wild growls and high-pitched shrieks.

“I finally couldn't wait to start chewing on some of these fucking turds!” Damn, Red's animalistic instincts took over in these cases, but thanks to his heightened senses, he often managed to get out of trouble. Its teeth easily tore through the soulless.

“Are you wasting your time chewing those bags of rotten meat Red? You suck!". Money's ability to fly silently among enemies was always useful, especially at night, as he grabbed enemies without them realizing it. Unfortunately, due to too much noise, his shots sometimes went amiss. Loud sounds were one of his weaknesses.

“LISTEN, WHO'S TALKING ABOUT DISGUST, THE FLYING LEECH!”. Edge never missed an opportunity to have his say, especially now that he felt called into question. He had made a bet with Black and Berry before arriving there to see which of the three could defeat the most enemies. It was eager to use its long, sharp claws.

“Brothers, come on, don't you see how much of an audience we have today? Let's give them a good show!". Even in the midst of chaos, Nova, with those splendid and colorful feathers, always managed to shine at any moment. He could see that his brother was holding back with the blows, probably because he didn't want to ruin the feathers he was so proud of.

“I'M FOLLOWING YOU, BROTHER!”. Charm darted at full speed, hitting the soulless, as if he were a train without an emergency brake. Those long, sturdy legs gave him a quick stride and incredible leaps. And the claws he was equipped with at the ends of his feet would have left no escape for anyone.

“YOU STILL PLAYING…MWAH HAH HAH! I'LL SHOW YOU WHO A REAL PREDATOR IS!". Black had wasted no time, he was the first to transform into his animalistic form, he believed that this way he would beat Edge to the punch. Its serpentine shape allowed it to crush its enemies and then sweep them away with its powerful tail. And his poison wasn't a joke either, but they were all trying not to use poisons so as not to involve innocents.

Their poisons would not have given humans a chance, especially due to the intent of fury they would have injected into the poison.

“DO ME A PLEASE, YOUR PATHETIC CRAWLING IS NOTHING COMPARED TO MY STRENGTH!!!”. Berry was undoubtedly strong, often resorting to brute strength to overcome obstacles. It was thanks to him that they had managed to create those breaches in the laboratory wall, before the humans noticed them. Only he could have thrown an 8 ton boulder as if it were a pebble.

His animalistic ant shape gave him monstrous strength along with lightning-fast sprints, thanks to his fine legs that allowed him to dodge with ease.

Just as Berry was preparing to throw another boulder, caught up in the euphoria of the moment, Ax ran at full speed towards him, to stop his crazy gesture.

“YOU'RE WATCHING THE MEATBALLS NOW….AAAAAAA AXE, WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING!?”. Berry started bawling like a child, causing the giant boulder to fall to the ground. Even in the midst of thousands of walking corpses, he did not stop turning his indignant gaze on his brother.

“Remember…don't take…EXP…protect your…soul.” Ax was aggressive and wary of strangers, but would do anything to protect his brothers, especially Butch.

Sans knew well that Axe's loyalty to the pack was unquestionable. But due to his mental instability caused by the hole in his skull, and his considerable size, Sans had repeatedly had to remove him from battles.

And this time would be no exception.

“Good job, Axe; go back and tell Rus and Wine to be ready to come in; we'll try to lure them all towards us!”. It was so unnerving to have to raise his voice to be heard while these dead faces tried to bite at his bones.

Luckily for Sans, his animalistic side provided him with almost total protection, even against bullets.

But they had to hurry, the soulless continued to charge steadily, the soldiers who were in the rear were shooting wildly, and the rain was making the ground muddy and slippery, it was starting to be difficult to manage everything.

Ax ran back into the trees, while Black and Charm covered his retreat.

The plan was simple.

Axe would have offered support to Rus and Wine in entering the breach. Axe would then go back to protect Papyrus, Butch, and Coffee. Papyrus had expressed a desire to fight alongside them, and his brother was intelligent and brave, but his kind nature would have gotten him killed.

He preferred not to risk it by assigning them the final task, to cover their retreat with traps placed in the trees, and to keep their clothes while they were in their animalistic forms, so all three would stay out of the fight.

Once inside, Rus and Wine would have looked for the room with the armored door. Rus had had the opportunity over the years to study the functioning of human technology. If Wine, with his strength or poison, had failed to break the door, then Rus would have tried every trick possible to open it.

It was a risky plan, but it was the only thing they could have done.

“Hey Sans!” Nova's voice boomed across the field above their heads as she soared. “Axe, Rus and Wine are ready, shall I give the signal?”.

It was time, it was now or never.

“Now, Nova, give the signal!”. Nova began to circle above the field, emitting a shrill and annoying caw, but loud enough for any of them to hear.

Hearing the signal, each of them began to deliver his best blow.

Stretch, now that he too had transformed into his animalistic form, had increased his power, his electric shocks incinerating the soulless in seconds. Of course, he was forced to crawl, something he didn't like to do on dry land, but the rain had turned the dry earth into mud, making his movements easier.

Red pounced on the corpses with his sharp teeth, tearing and throwing limbs in every direction. His golden fang shone with every attack.

Edge sliced ​​his enemies to smithereens. He too, like Red, loved using his fangs, but not with the soulless ones that he called his own, they left a moribund taste in the mouth.

Money caused very high frequency sounds to stun his enemies, and thanks to his perfect camouflage in the dark, he was able to grab any prey he wanted.

Black swept everything away with powerful tail attacks, gathering those who escaped him by curling his tail and crushing them, as if they were soda cans.

Berry began throwing every boulder or object in the vicinity, attempting to crush his opponents like insignificant worms. The thrown boulders, combined with his cytotoxic toxin, became enormous toxic projectiles.

Nova also decided to get serious by not caring about the well-being of her feathers. It landed furiously in the midst of battle, using its long tail feathers as if they were sharp spears, impaling the soulless on the spot.

Charm ran relentlessly throughout space, trampling corpses with his bony crest on his skull, and slicing enemies in two with his dagger-sharp claws.

Sans gathered the last remaining soulless, attacking with great ferocity with his claws, not caring about the walking corpses and bullets that continued to rain down on him.

The enemies were gathered and kept busy, they just had to hold on now.

Axe, noticing that the moment was opportune, launched himself at full speed, throwing away the few obstacles in his path. Behind him, Rus and Wine, in their respective animalistic forms, tried to stay as close as possible to Axe.

They were now close to entering the breach, but when Captain Hunt unfortunately noticed them, he ordered a crossfire against them trying to hinder them.

Sans panicked and tried to warn them, he couldn't bear the idea that one of his brothers could be seriously injured or worse killed.

Being the older brother, he always felt the duty to look after the well-being of his brothers on his shoulders, especially in situations like this. But it was already too late, a powerful barrage of bullets hit his brothers.

“DO YOU REALLY THINK YOUR MISERABLE BLOWS CAN SCRATCH ME!?” Wine promptly placed himself in front of his two brothers, shielding them thanks to his armor. Bullets bounced off him as if they were made of paper, his armor giving him constant protection.

While Wine took the brunt of the shots, Rus threw his webs from behind him to jam the rifles, rendering them useless and pinning as many guards as possible to the walls. As soon as they had a moment of respite, Ax took advantage of it by throwing himself at the soldiers, who, in a desperate attempt to not let them pass, ran towards him en masse.

“Hurry guys, we won't have any other opportunities!”. Sans watched the whole scene from the back of the field, if Rus and Wine hadn't managed to get through now, it would have been a disaster. They wouldn't have a chance like this again.

Axe was at the end of his strength, but it was clear that he would not give up, and encouraged by Sans' words, he gathered all his energy by standing up, asserting his 6.6 feet of height on the soldiers. Obviously the soldiers were scared by him, who could have stopped a tall and intimidating bear like him?.

The tension could be cut with a blade, his brothers were close they just had to pass the last block of soldiers.

Rus jumped over the heads of the soldiers. Wine ran among them, sheltering himself with his armor and his claws…

…

Yes they had entered! They had managed to enter the laboratory breach!

“(Great now all we have to do is hold on as long as we can…).” Sans knew it would be a challenge to resist with all these enemies on the field, but they would try anything to resist. They were so close to freeing Blue. Now all he had to do was pray to the Goddesses, and trust in the abilities of Rus and Wine.

Inside the shelters, the situation was unnerving.

Dave, Anton and Mimi found the rooms without too many problems. The doors to the security rooms were reinforced with titanium, making them the safest rooms in the facility. They were made for occasions like these.

But all three knew that nothing would happen to them anyway. The monsters that were attacking them were there to free their little brother, and the safe rooms were on the opposite side of the facility. It was highly unlikely that the monsters would come in their direction, as their target was the vault on the fifth floor underground.

And then there was you.

Anton didn't want to show it, but he was very worried about you. If the monsters had managed to get in, not only would you have to face the soldiers guarding the blocked door, but you would also encounter the monsters.

Anton had read reports about these hybrid skeletons.

Even though the colonel and other humans continued to say that the monsters were furious beasts without restraint, Anton knew that this was not the reality of the facts. Monsters didn't particularly like to resort to fighting, especially against humans. They fought mainly for territories, and for females.

The monsters knew that humans had stronger souls than them, which is why attacks on structures were so rare.

The only serious accident was triggered by the skeletons to escape from the laboratory.

The wait was destroying them. They were just waiting for your signal to tamper with the door, although Anton was convinced that it wouldn't take too much effort to do so.

Each of them had a task.

Anton had to use his computer to connect to the central system network, to control the ports. He already had a program installed on his computer for that kind of thing.

Dave tried to shield Anton with his body, so that no one could notice Anton. Dave's broad shoulders were very useful on that occasion.

Mimi, on the other hand, had to stay near the security door to keep watch, if any of the soldiers had noticed what they were doing... they would never have gotten away with a simple scolding.

They were risking a lot, but it was worth it. What the humans were doing on this island was abominable. If the knowledge of magic were spread throughout the world, it would bring countless catastrophes.

While Anton fiddled with the laptop, Mimi fumbled her way through the scientists. It must have been difficult for her given her small stature.

“G-guys, I h-heard from the g-guards that two s-skeletons m-managed to get in!”. Mimi was in a panic. She had only just known you, but she was used to becoming attached to people who treated her kindly. And you had been nice and kind to her.

“Man, I thought we had more time than this… Maybe we should give jungle girl a message? Dave also seemed nervous after this news, but tried not to show it so as not to be noticed.

“You know Dave, that's a great idea, nice to know you're not a total waste of oxygen.” The relationship between Anton and Dave might have seemed almost unhealthy at first glance. But they had known each other for a long time, they always used to tease each other.

“You're welcome… Four eyes.” Dave's teasing tone made Anton laugh internally.

“Ok, Mimi, return to the door and keep us informed if you hear anything else, we are counting on you.” Anton didn't usually encourage others, he was convinced that everyone had to get by on their own strength to become stronger. But as he got to know more and more people, he noticed that they needed much-needed praise to express their true potential.

“Y-yes guys, I-I won't miss anything.” Mimi ran back to her station near the door.

Dave whispered to Anton so as not to be heard. “Hurry, Anton, some scientists are starting to look at us with suspicion.” He looked like a mechanical puppet as he turned his head in all possible directions.

“Yes I know Dave, let me work…”. One thing at a time, the first thing to do was to warn you immediately. The skeletons had been born there, so it was obvious that they knew the place well. They wouldn't have wasted too much time finding the room with their brother locked inside.

And if those monsters were going there... They would surely have found you too.

They had to hurry. Axe had tried to hold back as many soldiers as possible, but some of them managed to get through. And now they were all after them.

They believed they could outrun them, after all, their animal forms gave Rus and Wine a huge advantage.

It was easy for the two of them to travel the corridors with their many paws.

There was a problem, however, that they hadn't taken into account.

They didn't know how the humans had done it in such a short time, but the layout of the rooms had changed!

The paths they once knew so well were no longer there.

“Damn Wine, we're taking too long!”. Rus felt very discouraged by the situation. The corridors all looked the same!

Wine seemed to think the same thing. “You're right, Rus, our brothers can't last all night.” Wine was a strategist like Sans. It was another reason why Sans had sent him in with him. Regardless of Money or Stretch, Wine was usually able to keep his temper at bay and therefore think more clearly. It was rare for Wine to lose control.

Rus could see the frowning face on Wine's skull, he was thinking about what to do.

“Well, Rus the only thing to do is divide us. I know it's risky, but we would cover more ground this way…Careful!”. There was not even time to stop to talk before, and in an instant, the humans had already arrived, unloading their rifle magazines on them.

Wine promptly covered both. “Go ahead, Rus, the first of us to find the door will call the other in his direction, the old-fashioned way, ok?!”. The bullets that ricocheted off Wine's armor crashed and landed, creating magnificent confusion.

“Perfect, I'll move on!”. Rus leapt at the humans and ran past them, blocking some of them with web balls. He knew Wine would be able to handle the soldiers, there was no time they had to hurry.

Rus continued running through the corridors, looking for the entrances to the next levels. But also, thanks to his adhesive legs, which allowed him to stick to walls to shorten distances and pass obstacles, he was wasting time. He was stuck in those corridors that humans had voluntarily made all the same, to confuse the directions.

“(Fuck, I'm not up to anything, so, if Berry could see me now, he'd throw me in the air like a torpedo!)”. Rus had to stop, he was starting to go in circles without realizing it.

He took a few seconds to calm down. The pressure of this mission was beginning to crush his soul. He couldn't leave his brother in here. The Goddesses alone could know what kind of torture he had been forced to undergo.

“Ok Rus, everyone is counting on you… Take a deep breath… And clear the cobwebs from your bony skull…”. *Fuuu* a heavy sigh escaped his fanged mouth.

Rus had a theory brewing in his skull now. The humans had changed the place, but in so few days…how much could they actually change it?

The room from the dark corridor before was on the third underground floor, and when they entered, Rus had glimpsed a sign indicating two more underground floors.

They must have inaugurated two new sections of that part of the laboratories. And if previously the third floor was the most guarded, it was very likely that they had moved Blue, to a place even more difficult to reach. The reasoning left only one solution, Blue had to be on the top floor!

And if the new floors had just been inaugurated, there was a good chance that they had left the old identifying marks on the walls.

Rus climbed to the ceiling, intent on looking for the familiar red signs, announcing the imminent end of the corridors.

And finally after a few minutes he found them. They immediately led him to the second floor. There were few soldiers keeping guard, it was enough to shoot a few cobwebs at them to immobilize them.

Following the same logic, he quickly found the third floor. The third floor was darker, there were a few guards there too, but when he reached the end of the corridor, for the next section, after knocking out the soldiers, he saw an unusual thing stuck in one of the doors... Was it an arrow?. He seemed to have broken the glass on purpose.

“(Strange, I've never seen soldiers use retrograde weapons like bows, only in books…)”. Getting a little closer to the arrow, Rus couldn't help but smell that smell on it.

It was a sweet and sparkling perfume at the same time... It seemed like the smell of a monster... Indeed, it seemed like the smell... of a female!

Couldn't he believe what a female was doing in here? Was she also locked up in the laboratories?

From the smell in the air it seemed that she was headed to the fourth floor, perhaps she would meet her on the next floors. Hypotheses about meeting the female were already forming in his skull, he had never smelled a female with a scent that attracted him in this way.

Now he was even more motivated to get to the bottom of it.

If he had hurried, he would not only have saved his brother, but he could have won the good graces of this female by showing him how strong and courageous he was.

The noises at the beginning of the third floor brought him back to reality.

He could hear gunshots behind him in the background. Surely it was Wine, and judging by the sound of the shots, it couldn't have been too far behind him. He had to move now!

The fourth floor was much more complicated. Less and less light and more and more confusion, but this time it was much easier to find the entrance to the fifth floor.

Rus just had to follow the unmistakable sweet scent he had smelled before.

And at the end of the last corridor to the main entrance on the fifth floor, he found the guards unconscious on the ground.

“(Looks like this female knows how to fight…exciting).” A smirk appeared on his teeth at that thought. Rus liked cute and spicy things.

It seemed that this female was determined, to save her brother. There were no other reasons, no being who wanted to escape from this place would venture down there.

And Rus would have been very happy to help her with this, and maybe if she wanted once out of here, even in other more pleasant ways...

He shouldn't be thinking about these things now! He was close, he could feel it.

He had reached the fifth floor, what were actually minutes seemed like hours to him lost in that place.

The top floor was illuminated by a few lights scattered along the corridors. Humans used sections like this to study plants and monsters in dark environments. As he walked down the final corridors, he noticed a large room filled with Echo flowers and glowing mushrooms.

Because of humans and their depredations on the island, they now grew mostly underground.

Continuing to move, Rus realized that on the top floor, the soldiers had already been defeated!

They had collapsed on the floor; they hadn't died, they were just stunned. To avoid taking risks, he used his cobwebs to prevent them from getting up again. He didn't need more soldiers on his tail. And above the bodies of those soldiers, there was still that smell.

How had one female alone managed to take down all these humans? Usually, the females let the males fight, after all, it was their duty as protectors to fight for their safety. But this female seemed to be an exception. A magnificent exception. And from the sparkling note of that smell, he even seemed young!

“(Well I would be happy to let you knock me down darling)”. All Rus had to do was follow the scent as before.

Two more corridors to cross and finally, the last corridor was there.

At the end of the dark and dark corridor, Rus saw the armored door, that was where his brother was locked up!

As expected, Rus made low frequency sounds to alert Wine to his location, they had developed this technique since they were baby bones, so humans couldn't hear them communicating. Not even walls could stop those frequencies, the connection of their souls went beyond the barriers.

Once the signal was sent, he started running in joy, he had found it now he had to get to work on the electronic panel of the door to try to open it.

But when he got closer to the Rus gate, he had to stop suddenly...

There was a person at the door!

The human in question was already using the door control panel, his back was turned and hooded, he didn't seem to have noticed him, he just had to catch him from behind and get to work.

But the situation was too calm. What was a human doing alone down here, the soldiers were shot down, why not this one? Was that human there to reinforce the security of the door? And where was the female he should have already met?

The smell was stronger now, she must have been close... had she been captured too?

If it was a trap he shouldn't be discovered, he should attack without being heard.

It crept closer in the darkness, its spider-like legs imperceptible to movement, walking slowly like a silent predator.

In a few steps, he was behind the human, his figure looming over the small human in front of him. This one seemed smaller than the others, it was definitely not a soldier, it was definitely a scientist. There was no reason to kill him, he didn't sense any bad intentions in that human.

“(I just need to immobilize him, maybe he knows how to open the door, he could be useful to me)”.

Rus stretched out his arms surrounding the human, he just had to trap him between his limbs and make him talk, he had an intimidating shape it wouldn't be difficult... but as he approached the human, that fantastic smell hit him full in the face.

The lights in Rus's black eye sockets grew dramatically, his spider-like body began to slowly vibrate, his soft paws stamped repeatedly on the floor. He couldn't control his body movements, and all this just from smelling that smell.

He took a deep breath to take in more, he was trying to figure out where that wonderful scent was coming from.

And the scent seemed to come from…from… From the human in front of him!

It couldn't be, he had smelled some human women having smells that could be considered as nice, but never in his life had he ever smelled such a scent, even among monsters!

“(Disgusting human beings surely invented a fake perfume, to confuse us).” Like all monsters on the island Rus hated humans, they had ruined their existence, if not for their strong souls, and the risk of increasing the level of violence, they would have already chased them away.

Now Rus was angry, he wanted to teach this human a lesson.

He approached the side of the human being's head, and with his hoarse voice hissed into the silence of that dark corridor. "Hey hey, look at this, what is a lonely soul like you doing down here?" *Hik!* Oh yes, the human's adorable squeak of fear was music to his non-existent ears.

The human tried to quickly turn towards Rus, pulling a weapon from behind his back, he now recognized it must have been the bow that had shot the arrow at the third floor.

But no human could match his speed. He took the human by the arms and slammed his back, pinning him to the wall. Thanks to the sudden movement, the human let the bow fall to the ground.

Rus lifted him from the floor, making the human hover at his face level, if he wanted to have information, he had to make him feel helpless.

Even though the human was blocked, he tried to kick him away with his legs, but the human was too small to reach him, his blows ended in vain.

Rus felt pleased by that vision. He squeezed the human arms to hold him even more still. He had to be careful, but if he had used too much force, he would have broken his bones. And Rus needed it whole...for now. It was a shame, though, that he couldn't see the human's scared face, it would have been fun to watch.

“Stop struggling, little guy, or I'll get furious and believe me-”. Rus pulled the human close to his body, growling in his face. “You don't want to see me angry, so start talking otherwise-“. Rus transformed his two golden fangs into his sharp spider quills. He knew that this is how the human would speak, who would challenge such sharp fangs? “I will try my fangs on your soft skin.”

The human froze completely. Rus could hear the human whimpers and labored breathing.

“I… I… I was trying… To open the door.” The human couldn't finish the sentence without stuttering. This was the information he was hoping to get, so the human knew how to open it.

“Oh what a coincidence, I would also like to open that door, how about we make a little deal?”. Rus felt victory was within his grasp, he just had to give the human an ultimatum to make him do what he wanted, like a good puppet.

She purred cutely to soften her voice. “You open that door for me, and help me and my brother get out of here-“. And now the fun part. A spontaneous growl came from his non-existent throat, to reinforce the point. “And I won't tear you apart like the single piece of meat you are.”

He was sure that the human would speak, knowing that if he didn't do as he wanted, he would lose his life.

The curious thing, however, was that the smell of the human had changed, it was no longer as inviting as before, it seemed duller and less incisive.

After a few seconds, the trembling human replied. “I can try…but I don't know how to open either…“. Rus crushed the human even more to silence him. He didn't want a pathetic apology, he wanted his brother back!

*GRAAAAAAAWWW* “Don't bullshit me, if you didn't know how to open the door, why would you come down here!?”. The strength of his grip strengthened on the human with every word spoken. He wasn't noticing how the human started kicking again, trying to free himself.

With the little voice the human had left, Rus hoped he would give him a more convincing answer this time. She loosened her grip to let him get some air, coughing hoarsely. “Please *Cof…Cof* I only arrived today, I don't know how this place works*Cof*, but a friend of mine was telling me *Cof* how to do it”.

This made sense. That's why this human, who wasn't dressed like a scientist, had to be one of the new recruits who landed today, as he had heard from his brothers. How unfortunate, it would have been more useful to capture a local veteran. But maybe he could make it enough. While he was thinking about what to do, the human interrupted his thoughts.

The human's voice was calmer now. “I can only imagine what you're feeling, your brother helped me before, and I would like to return the favor-“. The human's voice sounded soft and gentle, his breathing was calm, and it didn't seem like he was telling a lie from his tone.

But that wasn't what was affecting Rus. The smell in the air was slowly returning to that good aroma from before.

Rus was shocked now. The females' scents served to indicate their intentions to the males, and they were therefore able to change aroma spontaneously. If a female felt threatened, the scent tended to become stronger, or if frightened, to weaken so as not to be found and remain safe.

And here the same thing was happening. There was no way humans could have recreated a fake scent, the change in aroma was a natural thing that no one could replicate.

“Please, if you leave me, I promise I will do everything I can to help you…*Sir*but I can't promise I will succeed.” Now that he listened better, such a sweet and delicate voice could only belong to a female. Even the way she cried seemed adorable. He hadn't noticed it at first, due to the clothes covering her body, but all the signs were telling him that the perfume belonged to her.

The scent continued to penetrate his nasal cavities, calming him more and more. Seeing the little human so helpless wasn't giving him so much satisfaction anymore, he felt like a bully now. It was vile and cowardly to treat a female like that, monster or not. And he even made her cry!

He took the human and let her slide onto his right arm, making her sit on the balance, while he held her back with his other hand. The human seemed more panicked than before, Rus owed her at least an explanation.

He lowered his voice to make himself less aggressive towards her. “Look, baby, I'm sorry, okay? I… I… Shit, I'm panicking, my sweet brother has to come home with us and…” Rus was in trouble; he didn't know why, but now he couldn't find the right words.

He could feel the shame of his earlier actions towards her, there was no need to scare a good soul like her like that. But to his surprise, it was the human who finished the sentence for him.

“I understand that you are angry… Your brother saved me before, I wanted to return the favor by letting him out…”. The human kept her head lowered under that hood, tried to avoid Rus' gaze at all costs, tried to relax her by gently massaging her back. “I came down here to try to free him, he deserves freedom.” She seemed to have melted now, thanks to the caresses on her back.

Rus felt so calm now, while talking to the little human, why was it so pleasant to talk to her?.

The sound of bullets in the background made him look in that direction. He had wasted too much time, and now the soldiers were close!.

He lowered the little human to the ground, and with one of his hands gently took her by the chin. And patiently he spoke to her.

“Ok, listen little one we don't have time anymore, if what you said is true, then please… Help us”. Rus' voice came out almost pleading, now the human would think he was weak, and feared she wouldn't help him.

“I'm here for this Mr. Spider…". The human quickly turned around and returned to the control panel.

“(Mr. Spider?... Now I feel old...)”. It was nice, though, that he didn't mock him for his scary appearance, from his intent, he wanted to be playful.

The noise of the shots increased inexorably, Rus was ready to fight, his only hope is that this human could open the door. Anyone who saw him at that moment would have thought he was crazy for trusting himself like that with a human he had just met. But strangely he felt he could trust her, as he trusted his brothers.

He just hoped he wouldn't have to regret it.

You were desperately trying to reconnect with Anton through your grandmother's watch. In front of that control panel you couldn't understand anything. And the fact that behind you there was a rather strange skeleton spider that had scared you to death didn't help your tense nerves.

You had received the message at the end of the fourth floor, warning you that two of the skeletons had made it inside. And that they would surely come in your direction to find the same armored door.

You had started running even more than before, you really didn't want to meet those angry skeletons.

The sweet octopus skeleton, he had only been nice towards you, he had saved you from that crazy man Hunt. But it wasn't a given to think that the other brothers would also be as kind as him.

The fifth floor had numerous guards, but the good thing was that they were all gathered in the same spot. Judging by their chatter, they seemed unsure of what to do, whether to go out to help or stay there.

Your bow wouldn't be enough for all of them. Luckily my grandmother was a true marvel. In the wristwatch she left you, the crafty old lady had inserted a taser inside to stun enemies.

So instead of distracting them like the guys on the third floor, you used an arrow to create a diversion and then hit them repeatedly with the taser, taking them all down.

You felt invincible after beating so easily, all those well-trained soldiers with a trick like that.

“(From here on it will be a walk in the park, all that's missing is the door to unlock!)”. You felt confident.

The last corridor was really disturbing, only two small lights were present on the sides of the armored door.

You couldn't waste time; you got to work using the control panel. The connection with Anton was already starting to work. The clock made Anton's face appear on the dial.

“Hey Anton, I'm at the door, what should I do now?”

Anton wasted no time. “Well Erika, start the clock connection and connect to the panel, once done I will try to force its block via my computer, in the meantime you try to see if there is anything useful inside the system”.

You tried to use the panel, but you had no idea where to put your hands, but you concentrated on trying to make something out of it. You were really focused.

So focused that you don't notice the dark presence behind you.

A dark, hissing voice made its way into your ears behind you. “Hey hey, look at this, what is a lonely soul like you doing down here?”

Panic shot through your body. You tried to use your bow to fight the attacker, but with an iron grip the attacker blocked your arms and made your back hit the wall, the pain disorientated you greatly.

You couldn't understand what was happening, but suddenly you felt yourself being lifted off the ground. “(What kind of person can lift me up so easily?!).”

You looked in front of you, and what you saw froze you.

The skeleton in front of you was very tall, and from the ribs down attached to his skeletal body, was the body of a huge spider!. You tried to free yourself by kicking towards him, but you couldn't reach him. And his deadly grip on your arms took your breath away.

And in addition to being strong and scary, the skeleton had a deep voice full of danger.

“You open that door for me, and help me and my brother out of here- “And I won't tear you apart like the single piece of meat you are.”

Oh God, he wanted to kill you!. You knew the skeletons would be angry about their brother being kidnapped, and they had every reason to be. But why you!?

Even if you were in danger you couldn't lie. Lying would have made the situation worse. But apparently the truth wasn't what the spider skeleton wanted. The skeleton crushed you even harder; you were having serious trouble breathing. But the scariest thing, and because you were helpless you couldn't do anything to stop him, you were at his mercy.

“Please *Cof…Cof* I only arrived today, I don't know how this place works*Cof*, but a friend of mine was telling me *Cof* how to do it”. You hoped that by explaining yourself well you would convince him, it was your only hope, there was nothing else you could do.

“Please, if you leave me, I promise I will do everything I can to help you…*Sir*but I can't promise I will succeed.” It was the truth, it was all you had to offer him.

Inside, you felt like you were done for, an excuse like that wouldn't be enough to calm the furious skeleton. You were convinced he would tear you to pieces with his sharp fangs.

But hope did not want to die; you just hoped that the sincere words would resonate with him. And suddenly the skeleton slid you onto his right arm, making you sit on the balance while he held your back with his other hand.

You panicked at this sudden change on the monster's part. Now the skeleton spoke in a different voice, he seemed calm and mortified.

“Look, baby, I'm sorry, okay? I… I… Shit, I'm panicking, my sweet brother has to come home with us and…”  He seemed genuinely sorry and apologized to you…

This wasn't enough to erase the awe you had towards him, but now you understood that his actions were driven by desperation.

He put your feet back on the ground and grabbed your chin to look at you through the hood. The skeleton's hand was so big, it could have crushed your head if it wanted. But his cute gestures calmed you down enough to listen to him.

Sounds of gunshots were now audible at the top of the fifth floor. The soldiers were coming, and even the skeleton knew it.

“Ok, listen, little one, we don't have time anymore. If what you said is true, then please... Help us”. His raspy voice was pleading now.

After everything he had done to you, he had no right to ask you to help him. It had been violent and scary though… You still wanted to free the sweet skeleton. The best idea was to help him.

And now you were there in front of that control panel, with senseless codes in front of you. The skeleton behind you had turned towards the corridor, and seemed ready to fight. You didn't want to rely on him too much, there was no guarantee that he would defend you if the soldiers arrived.

Fortunately, Anton was able to reconnect immediately.

“Hey Erika, what happened, why was the connection with you gone?”

You lowered your voice so the skeleton spider behind you wouldn't hear you. You didn't want to trigger a bad reaction; Showing you up with another human might have made him more angry. “There were still some soldiers nearby, and I had to knock them out, I'm sorry.” Telling Anton and the others that one of the skeletons was with you at that time would have made everyone panic, and now they had to stay focused.

"Well Erika, I entered the system in a few seconds a new screen should appear, where it will ask you for facial recognition, go ahead and the door will recognize you as one of the scientists who have access to the room".

Never before would you have felt more grateful for having made friends with Anton, Dave and Mimi. If you were succeeding in all of this it was thanks to their support.

The control panel suddenly changed, and as Anton had announced, a security screen had appeared requiring facial recognition.

A loud noise behind you made you whirl around. There were several lights that were getting bigger as they approached the corridor, the shouts of the guards were clearly distinguishable.

“Hurry up, the other monster will already be in front of the door, forget about the one left behind!”. The soldiers were dangerously close.

“Hey baby, whatever you have in mind… Do it now!”. The skeleton no longer responded with malice, but his impatience unnerved you further.

“Yes, yes, I'm here, but I need a few minutes for the last step”. It was a little lie. You didn't know how long it would take you to open that damn armored door.

“Well, then continue, I will take some time”. The skeleton catapulted towards the soldiers, who had now arrived in the corridor, and began shooting wildly as soon as they saw the monster.

You had to move, or they would have shot you too; if they had seen you helping him, they would have branded you as a traitor.

Sure, the security cameras could have blown your cover, but Anton had reassured you that they would take care of keeping you safe.

You immediately brought your face closer to the electrical panel, moving the hood aside a little to allow the scan to see you well. An intense green light illuminated your face, blinding you for a few moments.

The scan seemed terribly slow, you could hear the sounds of bullets behind you and the soldiers cursing as they tried to fight the skeleton and its webs. The corridor was filled with his wild growls.

An electronic sound rang loudly through the hallway.

*FACIAL SCANNER COMPLETED; ACCESS AUTHORIZED; DOOR OPENING IN PROGRESS...*. Fantastic, you did it!... Too bad the alarm had alerted the soldiers, who now had their full attention on you and the door.

“The door is open, shoot that traitorous bastard!-”.

All rifles were ready to fire at you. But the shots never came.

From down the hall, a new growl tore through the corridor. It had to be the other skeleton!

The soldiers were thrown away without too much ceremony, the new skeleton pounced on them with its powerful... Claws!?

The lower body of the new skeleton was composed of two enormous reddish claws on the front, 8 long and sharp legs, and a shiny black armor that shone even with the few lights present in the corridor.

At first, it seemed like it was a subspecies of spider like the previous skeleton, but looking at it better at the end of the armor, you noticed the detail, which made you understand the animal assigned to it.

“(That skeleton has a long stinger at the bottom of its body… It's not a spider, it's a scorpion!)”

Great, now you had not one but two killer skeletons behind your back!.

You had to hurry to get in, the door was completely open, and from the back of the room, you could see the sweet octopus skeleton, still chained inside the glass case like before. You would run into the vault to get to work, you had to find a way to free him from the chains first.

You ran up the stairs on the side of the display case to get closer. The sweet skeleton perked up, feeling the touch of your hands on him. His cyan lights were dimmer than before, they must have sedated him heavily.

“Hey sweetie, do you remember me?”. You had to show yourself to reassure him, you pulled your hood down momentarily to let him recognize you. The lights of the skeleton moved trying to get bigger in its sockets, it was like it was trying to focus on your face.

The apparently confused skeleton started sniffing the air, trying to orient himself, and as if he had finally managed to remember you, his lights grew bigger, filling his black eye sockets. Those large cyan orbs were hypnotic, it felt like you could look into a clear lake.

The smile on your face was pure and sincere, now you could keep your word, even if the skeleton didn't know that you would actually try to free him.

"YOU ARE YOU…". God, he was so cute and innocent.

“Ok, hold on, we'll get you out, your brothers are here for you!”. Your fear of skeletons wouldn't go away anytime soon, but you were sure that the news would cheer up the sweet skeleton.

You admired how the sweet skeleton's tired and depressed face quickly transformed into a face of joy and hope. He didn't have much breath in his body, but the enthusiasm could be felt in his words.

“MY BROTHERS…ARE THEY HERE!? I CAN GO BACK…HOME! THE MAGNIFICENT BLUE COMES HOME!”.

And there's his name, Blue? Like the color of his eyes and body?.

Even cuter!

Blue began to wriggle happily, flapping his tentacles all over the case. You loved seeing him happy, but Blue would have to do the victory dance later.

“Haha calm down Blue or I won't be able to get your chains off.” Removing those chains was proving difficult, the connection with Anton was lost. Probably due to the devices inside the room, which caused the signal to be disturbed. So now you had to fend for yourself.

You had tried with the taser to short circuit the system, but nothing. You had tried with a few of your arrows, but nothing, the chains were too thick to do any real damage. You had tried removing the magical crystals to weaken the structure, but nothing was adamant. You had also tried to break the glass case by throwing everything you could find at it... still nothing.

“Hey Magnificat Blue, could you do a scream like the one you did before?”. The scream from before was powerful enough to crack the glass, maybe you could try again.

“I'M SORRY…THE CRYSTALS DRY…MY ENERGY.” Blue tried to wriggle more, perhaps to try to break the chains or the case, but from the convulsive and imprecise movements, it was clear that he had lost much of his strength.

You needed more power if you wanted to free him, and the only ones strong enough to do so were...the two skeletons outside the armored door. You had no choice, you needed them. You ran to the now wide open door and shouted at the top of your lungs, so you could be heard over the rifle shots.

“Hey Mister. Spider, Mr. Scorpio, run into the room quickly! You felt stupid shouting like that at two rabid monsters like those, but the spider skeleton hadn't killed you yet, maybe the other one wouldn't either.

Both skeletons apparently heard you from down the hall, and amid the protests of the scorpion skeleton, the spider skeleton dragged him towards the door, blocking the beginning of the corridor with a large web to buy time.

You moved out of the way just in time as the skeleton spider threw his scorpion brother into the room.

As soon as they both passed, you rushed to press the control panel button for the door, and closed it, leaving the soldiers outside in the corridor.

The titanium door protected you now, the soldiers would have to fetch one of the scientists authorized to enter if they wanted to pass. But now you were locked in a vault with two violent monsters, and much stronger than you. You had an emergency plan, if things got bad you would take refuge in one of the ventilation ducts and go outside.

A soft growl from behind you made you turn around. “What the hell, Rus, could you have warned me of your plan instead of pulling me so roughly!”. This skeleton-scorpion's voice was warmer and croakier than the other, and from his physical shape he seemed shorter. At least now he knew the name of the spider-shaped one.

“Sorry bro, the truth is that I didn't even know what to do”. Rus rubbed his head, charging into the room he hadn't noticed the glass case, he hadn't had time to stop before slamming the skull into it.

“RUS…WINE…IS IT YOU!?”. Blue's voice echoed through the walls, not a single second passed before both brothers jumped on him, hugging him tenderly.

“Little brother, I'm happy to see you again, my favorite squid!”. Rus seemed like the typical prankster brother with a heart of gold, the way he teased Blue was tender.

“Now we take you away from this unclean place.” Apparently, Wine was a quick guy with words. “Stay back, I'll break the chains with my claws.” And as if they were made of cardboard, the chains were cut with ease and fell unceremoniously to the floor.

Blue must have been completely exhausted, his body immediately dropped without the chains to support him. Rus grabbed him under the arms and pulled his entire body out of the water, placing it on the stairs at the top of the shrine.

You were watching everything from a dark corner of the room, you tried not to be noticed, you didn't want to interrupt the moment... or be attacked by Wine or Rus while you were opening the air duct on the wall to prevent it.

Suddenly Blue's tentacles became smaller, and began to slowly dissipate, Rus was using a magical crystal on him. It seemed like the crystal was absorbing the magic from Blue's lower half. Where there had once been eight large tentacles, there were now a pair of skeletal legs.

“(Carrying a giant octopus out would have been difficult, so they will transport it faster!).”

Rus wasted no time covering Blue's body with his fluffy jacket. After which she took him in her skeletal arms like a bride. They were ready to go out.

You went back to the control panel to reopen the door. If the skeletons wanted to get out, they would have to use the door again. Judging by the silent corridor, the soldiers were not there yet, they could leave undisturbed.

“Hey, who opened the door?”. Boy, did they notice you in the end.

“A human in here?!”. Wine's voice sounded alarmed, apparently your sudden presence had disturbed him. With a single leap, he crossed the room, landing in front of you. He wasn't as tall as Rus, but these skeletons surpassed your height. And those claws and stinger weren't friendly at all. And now that you had him so close, you could clearly see how sharp his teeth were.

“Hey, calm down, brother; that girl helped us by opening the door; you don't need to-“. Rus didn't finish the sentence in time.

Wine leaned towards you, smelling the air. He, too, smelled that sweet scent coming from your body. You were already afraid of what would happen now. There was an ugly scar above his left eye; the light in that orbit was blurrier than the one on the right. But the moment he leaned in to take in your scent, both lights in his sockets grew larger.

“Mmmmmmm yes, you're right, Rus this is a female *Grrrrr*, and she looks delicious…”. Wine began to growl; if Rus hadn't eaten you, this skeleton surely would have!

As soon as you noticed the movement, you moved in time to dodge Wine's claws by sliding under him. You couldn't go straight out the door they would have caught you, the fan was already open in the corner of the room you just had to reach it!

But even with a short distance, it was not possible that I could outrun an eight-legged creature.

Wine grabbed you from behind, you felt your back hit the skeleton's ribs, once again you were trapped, but at least he wasn't holding you back with his claws, but with his skeleton arms.

Rus tried to bring his brother to his senses by continuing to talk to him. He was saying something about his smell and how it was affecting him, how it wasn't like him to lose control like that, and that they had to leave. You couldn't catch the words, you were too busy trying to free yourself from Wine's grip. You could hear Blue's whimpers in the background.

“Don't worry, brothers, I don't want to do anything to her… I'm just curious”. Wine signed in your ear. The gesture made you shiver, it was all horrible. How the hell did you end up in that situation? Sure, Rus had been rude, but in the end, he left you alone. Why on earth would Wine have pounced on you like that without warning? It could have knocked you out; instead, he was interested in you. Something about your smell evidently confused them.

Wine approached your neck, starting to rub against your skin. He slowly opened his jaw, gently running his sharp teeth over your exposed skin. His hot breath was making you panic.

“(He wants to bite me with those sharp teeth, I will die!)”. You wanted to speak to make him stop, but fear had taken over your body, you couldn't pronounce a single syllable. You thought you were done for.

“IF YOU HURT HER… I WILL NOT FORGIVE YOU WINE!”. Blue looked so tired as she begged Wine to leave her alone.

Wine was distracted by Blue, who was now looking at him with heated eyes and a faint growl between her teeth. He had to take advantage of it. You managed to free one arm from Wine's loose grip and jam your hand into its socket. It would have been useless to attack him in other ways, both the armor and his bones would have been too hard to hit without getting hurt. The only weak and exposed points were the eye sockets.

The move worked, Wine released you instantly. A scream of pain filled the room, their eye sockets must have been as sensitive as human eyes. Without looking back, you threw yourself into the vent, sliding out of the room. Luckily, you had already thrown your backpack in earlier, and as you continued to move without looking over your shoulder, Wine was recovering from the pain.

“Well, the little one taught you a good lesson, brother”. Rus was amused by that scene. A flea like her had managed to cause him some miserable damage, but she had succeeded. She was ingenious, she had to give it to her.

“Arrrrgggg that hurt!!! It's all the fault of that infernal smell! Wine rarely lost control, but that smell they smelled was truly intoxicating.

Blue was squirming in Rus' arms, continuing to look at the place where the human had entered and disappeared from their sight. Did he seem sad? Maybe because he too had smelled that good smell on her, and was curious. After all, he wasn't very familiar with females.

“Well, why are we standing here, let's move, our brothers are waiting for us!”. Wine was clearly disturbed by the human's action, but he couldn't blame her, the defense was legitimate, he had attacked her first.

But they could finally go back. Rus couldn't wait to see Stretch's face when he saw Blue again.

And they had to hurry, the situation outside was desperate. Everyone fought with extreme tenacity. Rus wondered if he would see the human with the incredible smell again.

And Rus didn't know that the human would see her again in a few moments outside in the square, because that was where the fan that was leading you, outside where the battle was raging, and you were unaware of walking into it.

Chapter Text

Moving in those ducts was real agony.

Adding up the fright you got from Wine, plus the narrow space plus not knowing where that conduit would take you, it was making your poor mind fall apart.

Before entering the fifth floor, Dave through Anton informed you of the existence of these air ducts from the third floor down, which circulated air from outside.

Mimi informed them that being so deep underground the signal could go away at any time, luckily the signal had been strengthened at the entrance to the armored door to transmit any problems to the other floors. Useful for avoiding trouble, but even more useful for an "outlaw" like you.

The ducts were large enough for a normal person to pass through, in case of failure anyone could have entered. And the monsters being generally bigger, they wouldn't have been able to pass through it anyway.

Crawling through the vent was becoming difficult. You didn't stop panting, you hadn't yet caught your breath from the initial scare, you wanted to stop to get as much air as possible to fill your exhausted lungs. But the fear that one of those monsters could enter the vent to catch you again was too great.

Inside the duct it was hot, suffocating heat. You must have still been far from the exit, you couldn't feel the slightest draft of air coming towards you. Without the hood, you had slightly improved the situation for your burning face. But the sweat caused by your exposed skin created a pall of additional heat in the air duct.

The palms of your hands were sweating like crazy, making you slip in some places, slowing down your run for the much desired way out. Even the bow in your hands didn't help you move better, but you preferred to have it available, if someone entered the vent you could prepare to launch a blow, or for when you came out. You couldn't know if there would be guards where you would come from.

It felt like you were crawling for hours in that narrow conduit, it would have been nice if at least the watch's connection had continued to work, you could have talked to his friends to get more information... or even just to distract yourself from everything.

Too many things had happened in such a short time, it certainly wasn't how you imagined your first day on the island. You thought you had a lot more time to prepare.

In the space of a few hours you had been threatened by a mad colonel, forced to watch the mistreatment of poor creatures, risked being shot by policemen and risked your life by a couple of murderous skeletons, who had mistaken you for a stray chocolate.

Besides the fact that if they had recognized you, you would have been declared a traitor, and they would have interrogated you to understand your true goals. They could have gone after your grandmother once they realized they were in cahoots, and so could Finch. Anton, Dave and Mimi were also risking big for you, the least you could do was not get caught.

Continuing to crawl, you reached the end of the shaft. Waiting for you was a staircase leading to a grate at the top. You couldn't look up for too long as the water from the storm passed through the grate and fell on your face, giving you a feeling of relief from the heat stuck to your skin.

You couldn't see if there were any guards outside, but you could hear the screams of the bullet soldiers, and the aggressive growls of the monsters as they fought each other.

Before climbing the ladder that would lead you outside, you took some long, deep breaths to regain the much needed air in your lungs.

Once outside, you should have run as fast as possible to get back into the laboratory so you would be less suspicious; you could always have gotten away with little if you had returned to the lab without being caught. You put the hood back on your head, tightening it well with the strings to make it fit well on your head, you put the bow on your back making sure it was well attached to your backpack. And you prepared to go up.

The metal ladder creaked under your weight, the water had made the steps slippery, you shouldn't be in a hurry, falling from there would have caused damage to your legs or ankles, and you needed them to run.

The grate at the top of the stairs was easy to break through using only one hand, rust had eaten away at the bolts on the grate making it weak.

Before taking it off, you looked around to see that there was no guard on lookout. Luck was on your side, there was no one there!

Once out of the duct, you realized that you had arrived at the concrete roof of one of the laboratories. You crouched down to stay in the shadows now you had to find a way to get down from there without being seen.

Your thoughts about your escape plan were interrupted by loud noises in front of the building, you were too curious, you wanted to see what was happening out there. Remaining crouched, you approached the edge of the roof, and leaning your head out slightly, your eyes caught the great ruckus that was breaking out there.

It was a real war, there were soldiers everywhere shooting wildly, the control turrets were now active, with snipers positioned above to strike with precision. And of course there were Blue's other brothers fighting, they were so fast you couldn't make them out well.

You recognized the skeleton in the orange sweatshirt from before, who continued to evoke electric shocks from his hands and… his tail!. That skeleton appeared to have a tail, and it wasn't the only one. Another skeleton with a rounder skull like Sans and Blue was throwing the soldiers away with a huge tail!

Two more skeletons pounced like wild beasts on the guards, one using his super-sharp teeth to tear off pieces of the body with ease, the other was slicing them with claws as sharp as blades that cut through butter.

Another skeleton was running in all directions hitting the unfortunate ones, another was throwing boulders and large objects at a distance, there seemed to be another one that occasionally appeared from the darkness striking at unexpected moments.

And then you recognized Sans. He was no longer as calm and composed as you had seen him before he left. No now it was a wild creature with teeth bared and claws in the air. The curious thing was that now he no longer had the blue sweatshirt from before, he had taken it off, and there seemed to be fur behind his back.

Much of his body was covered in shaggy black fur, behind his back was a stripe of silver hair that seemed to reflect a beautiful blue color under the lights of the turrets.

You were mesmerized by those monsters, they were scary, but they showed incredible determination and ardor. And it was all to free their beloved brother.

“They may be wild monsters, but they seem like a wonderful family.” A veil of jealousy had settled in your soul now, they were so close, unlike your family.

But there was no time to daydream, you had to find a way to get off that roof. Remaining in the darkness, you searched along the edge of the building. It was likely that if there was an air duct in this roof, then there would also be an escape route down.

Checking the last side of the building, you finally found a way down. There was a convenient ladder hanging on the side of the wall. You just had to get out and run at top speed, and you would be able to get back; perhaps without letting you see.

The euphoria played a bad trick on you though. You barely reached the ladder when someone behind you yelled at you.

“Hey, stop there, what the fuck are you doing out here?!”. The guard was already holding his rifle against you, he was already ready to shoot you. “Shit, you must be the infiltrator who helped the monsters.” Hell, they had given the weapon of your presence. Apparently you hadn't been as discreet as you hoped.

You tried to slowly turn towards the guard, the fear that he might shoot you making you move in slow motion. “Look, I don't know what you're going to do, but put the gun down.” You hoped that a plea would make the soldier give up.

“I'll never let you go, asshole, do you know how long it took us to create and capture those beasts of Satan!?”. It was sickening how they kept talking about monsters. Despite having had little interaction with monsters, you were already convinced that monsters deserved more respect than these bastards.

The soldier continued to approach, you had no escape route now, lucky you had at least put your hood back on your head. Even if they had raised the alarm, there was a small chance that they hadn't seen your face yet. "But you're right, killing yourself wouldn't be a good idea...". You thought you could get away with it somehow, but the soldier's sadistic face didn't bode well. “But I think I will shoot you in the legs and take you to my superiors, they will give me a nice reward for catching you.” This was even worse.

You were frozen in place, the only thing you could do at this point was trying to attack before him, and hope to dodge the blow. But first you had to distract him. There was a silent shadow flying above your heads for a while, you didn't know if it was an animal or a cloud with a strange shape, but maybe you could exploit it.

You turned your head upwards and pointed at the sky with a finger. “Oh my god, what is that!?”. A third grade tactic, but at that point you had nothing better to try. In fact, the soldier didn't fall for it. “Did you really think you were going to screw me like this-“. But the unexpected really came from heaven.

A dark presence fell onto the roof from nowhere, pounced on the soldier, who out of desperation fired all his shots at his attacker.

You fell to the ground screaming in fear, you didn't expect that the thing you pointed to in the sky earlier was real.

The large creature pinned the soldier to the floor, and in one swift motion bit him on the neck. Blood flowed profusely from the soldier's neck as he struggled to free himself, without success. The guard's movements cease as his body slowly spills onto the floor before long.

You wanted to celebrate, the soldier was no longer there, and you no longer risked being captured. But now there was a new problem; and the problem at hand was a big one.

The creature slowly turned towards you, the dead soldier's blood dripping from its strong mandibles, making it even more gruesome. A pair of large ears were attached to his head, but the most impressive thing were his large black wings that started from his hands and ended on his bony feet.

That in front of you was another skeleton!

You didn't think you'd catch the attention of another of Blue's brothers. But from how he killed the soldier, it was clear that this one was even more aggressive. Even the eye patch made him intimidating. But strangely, the skeleton didn't move.

He wasn't lunging at you, he was still and still, he was just looking at you. You expected him to attack you, you were a human, and they hated humans, or the way his brothers had reacted to other humans, they certainly didn't have much sympathy for your kind. But no, he was stuck in place, the large skeleton wasn't moving.

The menacing skeleton leaned forward, sniffing the air in front of him; more precisely, towards you.

“(Or not, the other two had also done the same thing, and then they jumped on me!)”. You had to get out of there. You quickly got up and without looking back, you grabbed the ladder ready to go down like a torpedo. In less than two seconds, you landed off the ladder, landing on your butt on the muddy ground.

Perfect, now all you had to do was run towards the entrance...

And you would have, if the great skeleton hadn't followed you there.

How had he done it? You hadn't even seen him move as you went down the ladder, and there hadn't been any noises to announce his arrival, how had he managed to move in front of you in just a few seconds?!

The large skeleton leaned his face forward, to smell you again. You didn't know what to do anymore, if this monster could reach you in a few seconds, how were you going to get away now? You were literally cornered as the monster loomed over you.

He would surely bite you, and drink your blood, exactly as he had done with that soldier; you were sure of it… But the skeleton did nothing of the sort. He kept smelling you, and still hadn't touched you in the slightest.

On that night, the darkness was the ruler of the moment, but something purple shone in the darkness... the color came from the monster's skeletal face. The color extended from both bony cheekbones into his nasal cavity. Of course, there was also light in the only exposed eye socket to give color, but it didn't shine as brightly as on his bony cheekbones.

It was difficult to hold back the amazement, even with all the rain, the color was more than evident. “Are you blushing?”. You didn't know why you said it out loud, maybe because no one had ever blushed for you. You almost felt flattered. The skeleton was taken aback by your bluntness, straightening his back in a flash.

“You are in danger here, little flower.” A raspy voice similar to Rus's came from the skeleton's mouth, but much calmer and quieter than his spider brother.

You jumped when you heard the skeleton's voice; did he call you little flower? What was with all these skeletons calling her these absurd nicknames. Your eyes met the skeleton's single uncovered eye, the purple light in its socket was large and white, it wasn't looking at you with malicious intent, it looked as if the skeleton had just met a lost puppy.

That peaceful look was relaxing you, but when the skeleton reached out to touch you, you went back into panic mode. There was no way you could trust him after what had happened.

Despite being covered by the hood, the skeleton seemed to have noticed the growing panic inside you. He started making funny noises to try to calm you down.

*Click* Click*”… Let me take you away from here…”*Click*. Soft, gentle noises were hypnotizing you, your body felt light as a feather, your mind was going blank. You were so relaxed that you didn't notice the skeleton's hands, which were grabbing your shoulders and pulling you closer to him.

You were in the arms of a dangerous monster, but your body didn't want to react, the awake part of your mind knew this wasn't good, you didn't know him, how could you trust him?. This was definitely a trap to kill you while you were semi-conscious.

You squirmed as you tried to free yourself from the skeleton's grip, but his soothing sounds had drained your strength, and now he was hugging you. “Relax, little flower, I'm not your enemy.” Long, sharp fingers stroked the long dark hair that stuck out from the hood, relaxing you even more. It's been a long time since someone pampered you like this. You wanted to give in to temptation, but your alert mind prevented you.

If you were calm on the outside, inside you were screaming.

“(I have to react, or I won't be able to defend myself, because my body doesn't want to move?!)”.

The skeleton was apparently enjoying the moment, even rubbing your back in soothing circles. Too bad you both had forgotten that you were in the middle of a battlefield in full swing.

And one of the skeleton's brothers called attention. “Hey Money, what the fuck are you doing over there, we have Blue, we have to leave now!”. The soft ticking of the skeleton's sounds ended, and you quickly recovered from the hypnosis.

Gathering your strength, you pushed the skeleton away and ran towards the lab, only to find another skeleton in front of you.

This skeleton was walking on four legs, it was growling like a hungry beast. The gold tooth shone in contrast with the other sharp white teeth. Furry pointed ears moved constantly, along with the fluffy tail.

He was looking you up and down, and he leaned in to smell you too.

“(Or no not again, not another skeleton fixated on my scent, no!)”. You were exasperated you couldn't run towards the laboratory, the way was blocked by the growling skeleton. And he wasn't looking at your face…he was looking at your arm.

You looked at the offending arm, the sleeve of your jacket was torn and blood was coming out of it, your blood! Money must have tried to grab you when you pushed him away. Money's hand was stained with blood, and he was exchanging a strange, ambiguous look with his brother, who was now drooling in front of you. But in his defense, the skeleton with the dark wings seemed sorry for hurting you.

But now the smell of blood had attracted a new monster... if you couldn't escape to the laboratory, you would have escaped the other way then!

There was no choice, you had to run towards the forest, but the skeletons apparently didn't want to let you go. Money tried to grab your arms again, in response you pointed your watch at him and fired a shot. An electric dart sticks in Money's black wings, causing him a small shock, stunning him.

“(Great now I just have to move on)”. Going straight into the woods was a basically bad idea, you didn't know that woods, you could get lost in there, but you couldn't go back.

You were almost to the edge of the trees when a rough hand grabbed your ankle and pulled you down. You tried to claw at the muddy ground trying to get away, but that hand's grip was unshakable. “Hey, where do you think you're going, little insolent one?”. This skeleton's voice matched his cry, it sounded like a deep growl coming from his rib cage.

“Hey, those monsters are shot from behind!”. The soldiers must have heard the loud voice of the gold-toothed skeleton. And in a moment of distraction, you kicked him in the face. The skeleton let go instantly, raising his hands to his face as a reflection of the pain.

The rifle shots began to roll towards them, you had to move if you didn't want to be shot! You staggered to your feet and ran behind the nearest tree, at least you would be safe from the blows.

The gold-toothed skeleton seemed undecided whether to chase you or not, but Money stopped in front of him. “Stop Red, we have to leave, we don't have time for this”. Red took one last look in your direction, and then nodded at Money.

It had to be a sign. Money flapped his wings as he lifted himself off the ground, using his feet to grab his brother from behind. He took another good push, and they soared, disappearing into the darkness of the night, under Red's irascible protests.

They were gone, you didn't know how you did it, but you had beaten them somehow. You took one last look towards the square, the tree trunk that hid you was large. All the skeletons had gathered in the same place from where they had come. While some of them formed a perimeter, the others were checking on little Blue.

The skeleton emitting lightning from his hands, ran crawling to hug Blue, he didn't seem to want to let go of him, he almost lifted him from Rus' arms. The other brothers also approached, happy and relieved to have their sweet brother back, rubbing their skulls against Blue in loving caresses.

The moment, however, did not last long, Sans called his brothers back, they ran away, leaving the battle square behind, and running away from where they came from, chased by the guards who tried in vain to keep up with them, trying to dodge the traps that the monsters they had split up to escape.

You didn't know why, but Money seemed to have said something to Rus. From afar, you saw their jaws open, not understanding what they were saying to each other. But a second before they got too far away, Rus shot a ball of his webs towards you, but the shot wasn't aimed at you. The webs connected together between the trees, creating a barrier between you and the fighting ground.

“(Did he do it to protect me from the soldiers? Why?). The idea of ​​having a barrier like that behind you was very reassuring. Not even the time to look at them, that the skeletons had already disappeared.

It was over, silence loomed around you, only the sound of the rain was present, no more growls, screams or stray bullets. Of course, the soldiers were still present in the square and were gathering together the many bodies lying on the ground. Others, however, were taking strangely dressed humans into a sort of underground cellar. They weren't soldiers, they looked like civilians, but they moved as if their joints weren't totally right. You looked away, not wanting to think about anything anymore. You just wanted that moment of peace.

Pure and simple peace…*Dlin* *Dlin*…

It was the ringing sound from the watch, it was Anton trying to contact you!

You had to hide well behind the tree, so that no one could see you; the guards were still out there, you couldn't risk it.” Hey Anton, mission accomplished, I freed the sweet skeleton, and he ran away with his brothers." You felt so satisfied, you were sore and shaken from all the events of that day, but now that you had done everything, all you had to do was go back to your friends.

“I'm glad to hear that…” Anton replied in a not too convinced tone of voice, something was wrong. “What's the matter Anton, I thought you would be happy to hear it, why do you seem so tense?”. Anton sighed on the other end of the call, it wasn't a good sign.

"The point, jungle girl, is that despite all the precautions taken...they saw you, they know that it was you who made the monster escape from the strong room." This time it was Dave who answered, he looked terrified compared to Anton, you could hear Mimi's incoherent babbling in the background.

Had they seen you... No... You had been paying attention to everything, how could it have happened in such a short time!? Of course, you hadn't been discreet; not like a real professional spy, but not so unprepared either. Your mind foundered at that moment, filling your head with ugly, worrying thoughts.

If they had discovered you it means that you would not have been able to return to the laboratories, or they would have captured you instantly; they knew your name and surname and even if you had wanted to leave they would have tracked you down... and now they would have found out about your grandmother too! They would have gone looking for her and kidnapped her!

“(No, no, no, no, no! This wasn't supposed to happen! Anything but my grandmother!).” All you could think about now was saving your grandmother.

Erika was focused on her primary goal, to tell her friends to help her save her grandmother, she didn't know how yet, but somehow she would have to do it, and she hoped that her friends would give her some good ideas.

“Guys I… I… You have to help me-“

Unexpectedly, Mimi spoke from the clock. “Don't w-worry Erika, we won't l-leave you a-alone!”. Strange given the situation, Mimi seemed rather calm, you were anything but calm. “No guys, not for me… My grandmother is the one who sent me here to help the monsters, I know it doesn't make sense-“.

“Don't worry Erika… We already knew it”. Anton had a firm and confident tone that left no room for doubt, but you couldn't understand. “What do you mean you already knew...? Are you spies?” No, you trusted them, and they already knew about your grandmother?! It was clear from the conversations we had at sea that they might know who your grandmother was, but they didn't seem to have any actual information. But perhaps you had made the most serious mistake by trusting them.

Dave wasted no time, he knew your silence wasn't a good sign, they knew you needed reassurance. “Hey, hey easy jungle girl. I know that suddenly it sounds like we are traitors, but in reality we are here to help you! Dave's voice was ringing, he was back to the positive and chaotic boy you had met on the ship.

“What do you mean you're here for me?” You couldn't understand anything anymore, and being out in the dark, in the cold and in the rain, while the soldiers were still around wasn't helping you. You had to move deeper into the forest to make sure you weren't seen, as you took small steps to orient yourself and tried to keep up with the conversation going on." The only ones who knew about this thing were my grandmother and one other person. ..."

Luckily, Mimi managed to dispel any doubts from your confused mind with her next words. “You're t-talking about Finch r-right?. Mimi was calm again. “As you know, Mr. Finch?” Since he was an attentive man, you found it strange that boys who were much more inexperienced than him had discovered him so easily.

Anton seemed exasperated on the other end of the call, but also calm as he spoke. “Of course we know him, after all…he's my uncle.”

"What!?!?". The reaction was explosive. Finch had never mentioned anything to you about him, he was undercover, so it was normal that he didn't want to talk to you about private things. But the heck, Anton was his nephew? It was the last thing you expected to hear. “Are you kidding me, Anton? If it's a joke, now is just not the right time."

“I know it's upsetting, and it may seem suspicious to you, but I assure you it's the truth, we wouldn't have risked so much to help you if we weren't sure we were all on the same side... But since your doubts are more than legitimate, I will give you further proof of our loyalty." A map appeared on the face of your watch depicting the surrounding forest, and among the trees in the heart of the forest a red dot flashed proudly in a precise point.

Anton gave you some directions. “You can't go back to the laboratories, because they discovered you, but both my uncle and your grandmother saw this coming, and left it to us to guide you to your true base of operations.” The map of the forest enlarged further, thanks to the zoom you could now make out a very large tree with a strange external metal scaffolding.

Dave spoke up, tired of Anton's professional words. “That will be your base of operations jungle girl, your grandmother left it for you, so you can fulfill the mission without having any hassles in the way.” Dave's enthusiasm was through the roof.

Even Mimi was more excited now. "The USB s-stick that you have with you will a-activate the structure that you will f-find inside the tree, and will g-give you other useful i-information." You had never heard Mimi talk so much, it seemed like she was making an effort to show that she was truly on your side.

“Exactly, all you have to do is go there now, find the tree indicated on the map, activate the structure with the key and everything else will be clear to you... And don't worry about your grandmother, my uncle has already taken care of covering her shoulders, they will never trace it back to her through you." Anton was like a machine, the speech was well prepared, confident and decisive, it couldn't have been an improvisation.

You had no words left, then you could really trust them. There was no way they could be spies, they had too much information in their hands, and they could have already sold you to the guards the moment you set foot on the island. Instead, they had helped you free the monster and had done everything to cover your back. They knew Finch and Grandma, and they also knew about the USB stick, you were sure no one knew that information existed.

You didn't know what to say. “Guys, I don't understand why you risk so much for me?”.

“Because everything they do here is wrong, jungle girl.” Dave was convinced.

“Because people like your grandmother and my uncle fought for this, and it's right that we do our part too.” Anton was resolute.

“And b-because we're friends!”. Mimi was so sweet. “We're still r-right?”.

You didn't know if those flowing down your cheeks were tears of joy, or if it was the rain that continued to wet your face. “Of course we are friends, you are the best friends I could hope to have by my side, I really don't know how to thank you”. If you had them in front of, you would have embraced all three with great emphasis.

“Do you want to pay us back? So get busy, jungle girl, and get to that location as fast as you can.” Dave was trying to send all his energy to you.

“Y-yes the s-soldiers are l-looking for you e-everywhere you better g-go before they f-find you out”. Mimi was right it wasn't wise to stay there, you were a wanted man now.

“I will erase all traces of our conversations, so we can continue to pass information to you from here. Without proof, they will never understand that we are communicating with you, we will try to stay in contact as much as possible. Remember Erika, we are a team, now you can count on us and... Good luck." Anton apparently had the situation under control. He seemed really prepared.

And after all three of them together greeted you warmly, the call stopped, the red dot on the map was brighter than ever. Other information I learned that day, you felt like you were in a hurricane being tossed left and right, without a moment to breathe, but you had your friends watching your back.

And your grandmother, although she was far away, had prepared everything to help you as best as possible. You thought she had somehow sent you on a suicide mission, but she had actually prepared well enough to help you while staying at a distance. Finch had also been incredible, coordinating everything that was needed; he had even involved his nephew and two other kids, to make sure you had enough help to make it through. They were all counting on you, and you didn't want to let them down.

“Well I have an objective, I have to set off if I don't want to be seen by the soldiers, and it's dark better not to delay any longer”. You walked through the depths of the forest, careful with your every step. You tried not to make any noise or stumble to the ground with all the mud that had settled on the ground.

With renewed vigor you walked with your head held high, it was scary to think that you were alone in that woods at night without ever having been there before. But your friends had given you the determination you needed to continue.

You walked with a sure step, without noticing that yellow and blue eye that was floating hidden among the trees, which continued to stare at you without losing sight of you. And he wouldn't lose sight of her... at least not before arriving at his destination as planned. There was a promise to keep, after all.

That eye would always watch over you, even when you couldn't see it.

Chapter Text

You were exhausted, it had taken you almost two hours to get to that damn tree. The muddy ground had slowed down your steps; the fatigue of that night had exhausted you; you were even missing several hours of sleep, added to all the accumulated stress... Well, it had tired you to the limit.

But by continuing to follow that damned red dot on the clock, you finally arrived at your destination. The tree in front of you was gigantic! It had an enormous trunk, and the height must have been around thirty meters above the ground!

It was certainly one of the most imposing trees in the forest, not all the other trees reached the height of this one, it must have been a very old tree. The ivy grew powerfully, climbing up the trunk of the tree, forming sinuous figures upwards.

At the top of the tree you could see an iron structure hidden by the thick branches of the trees. It looked like a great place to hide it was high off the ground, it would be safe too. But there was a problem, there was no ladder in the tree to climb up, and you highly doubted that your grandmother would always climb the tree, it was too much for a person to climb such a tree.

The red dot was still flashing on your watch, still encouraging you to move closer to the tree. You folded the bow behind you along with the backpack and approached the trunk of the tree. It looked like a normal log, nothing strange about it.

The clock disproved your thoughts in a few seconds, the red dot disappeared from the dial on the clock, and a red light turned on inside the trunk, illuminating a specific point. From the trunk came out an electronic panel very similar to the one you had seen in the armored room where they had locked little Blue.

“All very natural…”. Why on earth would an electronic panel appear from the trunk? You carefully approached the screen in the tree, and your grandmother's voice came out of the microphone. *FACIAL RECOGNITION REQUIRED, PLEASE COME CLOSER*.

Your grandmother's voice was so soothing to hear, and nostalgic too. You wondered if she would truly be safe, as your friends had assured you. You had to have faith, you couldn't have done anything from there anyway. Following your grandmother's voice, you approached the panel, removed the hood from your head, and stood in front of the screen.

The wait didn't last long. *FACIAL RECOGNITION EXECUTED…HELLO, MY LOVELY ERIKA!*. Grandma's cheerful voice was a balm to your ears, you could hear the happiness in her recording.

The control panel disappeared back into the tree. And a loud noise shook the tree from inside. The bark of the tree was moving!

The branches were changing position to adapt to the new iron structure, which was coming out of the bark. Where there had previously been nothingness, there was now a metal staircase that comfortably led to the laboratory located high up in the tree. Small lights along the staircase turned on to welcome you, as metal poles rose from the ground, surrounding the tree, forming a perimeter.

The poles lit up, creating a thin crystalline patina connecting the poles together. And in those poles there were magical crystals stuck inside, like the one you had seen on the portal in the country house.

“(It appears the poles have created some sort of magical barrier).” At least that's what you hoped, having a protected place would be idyllic. One less worry to think about.

As you admired the surrounding creation, a rustling sound from a bush caught your attention. For a second, you saw something yellow and blue at the bottom of the trees, but in the blink of an eye, it was gone. You didn't give it too much importance, you had to go up to the laboratory now, and you still weren't sure if the surrounding barrier was really a barrier. You could have been wrong.

The iron ladder was cold and creaked, but it seemed very sturdy. You climbed the stairs with renewed vigor, the situation becoming more and more interesting.

You found yourself inside a tree house. Behind a sturdy iron door, you thought you would only find scientific instruments, but there was much more in there. The house in question was built on three floors, on the first floor, there was a circular-shaped room. There were all the comforts of a normal home, a kitchenette, a fridge, a dining table with a few chairs, and an electric heater to heat the room. The room faced the jungle, with two holes in the tree to see the outside.

On the upper floor, there was a bedroom. The room was draped with ivy that flowed across the ceiling as if it were the grain of a tree. A beautiful bed was placed at the end of the room. Next to the bed, there was another electric heater. On the opposite side of the wall, there was a bedside table next to a wardrobe closet, where inside was a full-size mirror. At the end of the room, there was a small terrace that led directly to the highest point of the tree, where hidden among the branches was a telescope to look at the whole area.

“Damn, grandma, you left me a super tree house.” The entire structure was impressive, but the top floor of the house remained to be seen. The top floor was deeper in the tree, it seemed to be placed deeper to keep it more secret. And down on the top floor, where you found some dirt under his feet, you thought it was located right where the trunk of the tree began.

And there it is, the secret laboratory. Turning on the lights, you saw the entire laboratory, there was everything you could need, test tubes, diagrams of botanical plants, catalogs of animals and monsters present on the island, and several first aid kits. And then there was another teleporter window in the far corner of the wall. It was identical to the one you saw in the country house, same shape, same size, with the same crystal already set in the top center. But the thing that caught your attention was the computer in the room.

The screen was on, and it had a large text on the monitor. *INSERT USB KEY*. The instructions were clear; just as Mimi had said, the flash drive would reveal more information.

You took your backpack off your shoulders and placed it and your bow on the table in the middle of the laboratory. The flash drive was hidden in the deepest pocket of the backpack, a small compartment that you had designed to hide it as best as possible.

With the USB stick in hand, you're prepared to insert it into the appropriate slot. “Here we go, show me what you have in store for me, grandma.”

The USB stick immediately connected to the computer, and a recording made by your grandmother appeared on the screen. You could also see Finch walking past her occasionally while she was recording, it was nice to see him again too. Grandma seemed to be in one of those white labs in the human lab.

The recording started, and you could hear the joy of the grandmother's voice even through the recording. “Hi Erika, if you are seeing this video, it means that you have reached the laboratory inside the tree, which we left so you can continue the mission on the island. You've probably already met Mr. Finch and the guys we sent to help you, I'm talking about Anton, Dave, and Mimi. They should have already explained some things to you, and I want to reiterate that both Finch and I sent them there to help you, so don't worry, you can trust them. And don't worry about where you are now, there's a safety barrier around the tree that will protect you while you're in here."

Grandma was convinced of her words, even through the screen, you could clearly see them. Even Finch peeked into the video, making a small wave towards the camera while placing some papers in front of Grandma. “Your mission is to help the monsters chase away the monsters. Humans from the island, so that they cannot get their hands on its magic crystals. They have already used them in the laboratories to build weapons to defeat more and more monsters. Imagine what they could do if this power was spread throughout the world, but you knew this already." The grandmother seemed heartbroken by those words, but rechecking the cards in front of her, the video started again.

“I know you are eager to find out what this island has in store for you, because I confirm to you, my beloved niece, that the information about your origins is hidden on this island, and I am sure that the runes left by the monsters scattered around the island, contain the answers you are looking for.” An image of some ruins appeared on the screen. There were some half-destroyed pillars scattered around that part of the forest, but there were many others scattered around the island. The writings engraved on those stone columns looked ancient and very strange, probably written in some kind of language that monsters used.

“So it's thanks to them that I will be able to get information about my past? Why should the answer be here in the midst of monster civilization?” You had wanted answers your whole life, but the fact that the answers were here troubled you quite a bit.

The video continued playing. “It seems that your origin is connected to a distant ancestor of ours who found this island thousands of years ago. Studying those runes, we noticed clear signs of humans who had already been here before us. Unfortunately, we couldn't decipher those writings. We assume that only the older monsters on the island know how to read those symbols... And as I said before, he was our ancestor, and I'm sure of it because... He had the same type of soul as us." In the video, the grandmother put her hand in the center of her chest, you thought she was pointing to her heart. But the soul was something different from the heart.

At a certain point, another image appeared on the screen, making the image of the monster ruins disappear. The image showed a cartoon heart, just like a child would draw. “What you are seeing is a human soul. Human souls present themselves in this form when exposed, and each soul has a soul trait that distinguishes it. There are seven different types, and each of them has a different color associated with it."

The image enlarged showing all seven soul types: Blue for Patience, Blue for Integrity, Orange for Courage, Green for Kindness, Purple for Perseverance, Yellow for Justice, and finally Red for determination.

Everything you were seeing sounded absurd in your head. You were overwhelmed by all that information, but you were on an island inhabited by monsters, so souls could exist too, right?

Grandma continued speaking into the recording, while listening to Finch's suggestions in the background. “Every human soul has one of the following colors, although they do not represent the total person as a whole, the soul is the culmination of our being. And I'm sure that one of our ancestors has already been here because, in some ruins, we found drawings of a particular soul. The red one, which also happens to be our type of soul, Erika, is that both you and I possess the soul of determination. I will leave all the information we have inside the USB stick, so you will have plenty of time to read it on your own." The flash drive downloaded the data to the computer, dividing the files into neat folders.

“Thank you, grandma, you know how much I hate putting things right.” Sometimes you could turn into a real queen of clutter if you weren't careful.

Once the file transfer was complete, Grandma continued. “I would like to stay here and talk to you about everything, Erika, but my time is limited, and they continue to watch us even in this private room. Without further ado, I'm going to introduce you to our kids created in the laboratory. Only they can lead the monsters to revolt and fight the humans. When we started the project to create these hybrid monsters, we used the DNA of an island monster, but there was a problem. The monsters' souls couldn't be created without an additional push, and that's when we decided to use the 'energy of human souls, combining them with the magic of monsters.'

It was clear Grandma was talking about the skeletons that had escaped from the lab, but how had they gotten permission to create them? Had no one thought that they might rebel? As if your grandmother could read your mind in advance, she gave you the answer to your question.

“We managed to convince the scientists and the men at the top that by creating creatures of this type, they would be able to find more magic crystals in a short time, and that by also combining animal DNA inside them, they would have an overwhelming force, which, alongside the humans, would have defeated the monsters of the island. But I, Finch, and the monster who worked with us had already taken precautions, so the monsters would not grow up as slaves to humans but as allies of their species. This is how our special kids were born, and believe me, each of them is unique, even if they may be similar to you in some respects. And since you will have to help them on their journey, I will now give you a basic description of each of them."

Grandmother took the first of the sheets that Finch had placed earlier on the table. Grandma was professional, but from her expression, you could tell that she took immense pride in her creations. One of the skeletons appeared on the screen, and you already knew who it was, you had seen him, even if only briefly. It was Sans.

“Let's start with the firstborn; Erika, meet Sans. Sans, like all his other brothers, is male, creating females would have been impossible due to their particular flows of magic. Sans features a rounder skull with softer, smoother bones. If you have read the guide, you will know that in terms of strength, alpha and beta are not that different, but it is the behavior that is different. Sans is a lazy guy who loves to sleep...a ​​bit like you now that I think about it...Eh eh". A cute smile appeared on Grandma's face. It was cute to think that you and Sans already had something in common.

“His laziness sometimes pushes Sans into moments of apathy, which leads him to isolate himself from others. And being the firstborn in the monster society, he is responsible for all the rest of his brothers. In fact, he is very attentive to the needs of his brothers and will do everything to protect them, but even if sometimes he can become a little mischievous, he tends to be considerate of those he cares about. He quickly made friends with some of the island's monsters while they were away at the workshops. But don't be fooled by his laziness; he's very perceptive and cunning. Don't think you're making fun of him, he'll catch you instantly."

“Okay, keep your guard up on Sans, got it.” Even during the attack, you could tell that Sans was the one who made the right moves. You already understood last night that he was smart and intelligent.

Another image appeared on the screen next to Sans' normal skeletal form. In the next one, he was covered in fur, like you had seen before they ran away from the battle.

The grandmother looked into the camera with a worried look. “I must warn you, Erika, that to make sure they were strong enough to fight both humans and monsters, we decided to use almost exclusively DNA from animals that were lethal or dangerous to humans, but as I already told you, you will discover that although they have an immense advantage, they are much better than many of us... Usually. But I will explain to you later how to deal with them...". You jumped back, almost hitting the table behind your back.

“Were they all created with DNA from lethal animals? How am I supposed to come into contact with creatures like that? Couldn't you have chosen a ladybug or a bunny to start with, grandma!?”. You tried to push back that whirlwind of questions; your grandmother had told you that she had a solution for that too; all you had to do was follow the flow of events.

“Since Sans was the first to be created, before he was pulled out of the cylinders, we had to pick an animal to attribute to him, and since we didn't want to risk it, we selected one of the most particular animals on the planet. In fact, the animal associated with Sans is the honey badger. You are a biologist like me, and I think you already know each of these animals well, but I will give you a little information about each of them.”. Another small image of a honey badger appeared next to the beastly image of Sans.

You knew that animal well; it was known for being a fearless animal with very sharp claws for digging into the ground, and for having a tough, thick skin; even Savannah lions had difficulty taking one down.

The grandmother continued listing the qualities of the animal. “The honey badger is one of the toughest, most aggressive, and most fearless animals in the world. Honey badgers are stocky and powerful and have thick, rugged skin. The jaws have powerful and sharp teeth. Honey badgers are surprisingly agile and fast. They are also incredibly strong and can easily take on animals much larger than themselves; they are immune to venomous snakes and can even kill cobras. Since Sans was the first in the litter, we wanted him to have the DNA of an animal who was able to fight back against his brothers to keep them in line. But Sans doesn't like using his animalistic form, he only uses it if he feels threatened, plus animalistic transformations drain some of their magic. I'll leave more details about him and his brothers on the flash drive, so you'll know how to deal with them."

A small card with Sans' data appeared at the top of the screen:

Sans, alpha category monster: 6 feet (1.83 m) tall-honey badger animal — medium level subject danger.

“Ok, so Sans is in possession of the DNA of one of the toughest animals on the planet, but he only uses it in case of need, he seems more inclined to discuss it before the fight, fortunately”. Knowing that the older brother of all those skeletons would be a little more cooperative and ready to communicate before attacking reassured you a lot.

“Now we move on to the second-oldest brother, the brother who grew up with Sans in the early stages of his life. Meet the great Papyrus. Papyrus is a beta, he is a skeleton with a more vertical and geometric skull than Sans. Papyrus has a flamboyant personality that presents a confident and charismatic image of himself. He is optimistic and courageous, and he is thoughtful and forgiving. But be careful; the fact that he sometimes appears a little naive doesn't make him an idiot; in fact, both he and his other brothers are very good at building puzzles and traps. He likes to demonstrate his strength to others, but only if forced would he actually use it to harm someone. And because he has such a kind nature, Sans always watches over him for fear that others might take advantage of his little brother." Grandma spoke cheerfully as she talked about Papyrus, she seemed to like that skeleton.

“Well, from the description, Papyrus seems like a very calm and peaceful guy, it will be easier to deal with him.” You, too, felt sympathy for that skeleton, he seemed like a nice guy.

Sans' images were replaced by those of Papyrus. You didn't get to see him last night on the battlefield, but from the first images, you could see that Papyrus was a sunny guy. A radiant smile graced his perfectly white teeth. And next to his image, one in bestial form also appeared.

“With Papyrus, we chose to use an animal that was calmer to prevent them both from growing too aggressive. And seeing the analyses, we noticed that Papyrus would have grown taller than Sans, so we attributed him to a less aggressive animal who, however, compensated with great intelligence and perspicacity. The animal attributed to Papyrus is in fact the red fox."

You felt even more relieved by that information. The red fox was a less aggressive animal than the honey badger, and also cute.

“The red fox is the largest of the existing foxes, they have a refined sense of hearing and can locate small prey in the tall, thick grass by leaping into the air and landing on them. It is a stealthy and silent animal that attacks with rapid sprints to pounce on its targets. It is not an aggressive animal and rarely attacks, except to obtain food. The dentition is typical of canids, but the teeth are smaller and tapered. But the most famous characteristic of the fox is its intelligence, it is able to face ever new situations, developing particular faculties to adapt to different conditions and make the most of them. As I said before, Papyrus doesn't like violence, and is definitely one of the calmer and more peaceful brothers."

Another tab appears to show more data about Papyrus:

Papyrus, beta category monster: 6.2 feet (1.89 m) tall—red fox animal, subject danger level low.

"Perfect, I won't have any problems with either of them, if I could make friends with Papyrus, his brother would probably leave me alone too, I hope." You promised yourself to check Papyrus' files, becoming his friend would mean mollifying everyone else.

“The next brothers that I will show you were all created from the DNA of Sans and Papyrus, which is why they resemble each other so much, except for some particularities and their personalities. The other brothers were created a month after the classic, and they would be the couple made up of Sans and Papyrus. And since they had been a big subject, the guys at the top decided to create more of them."

The grandmother was visibly tired. You would have really wanted to hug her to cheer her up, judging from the video and the date of recording, it seems that they had shot the video a few months before the accident. The grandmother had probably calculated that too.

“We named the next couple Fell. For this pair of brothers, the use of DNA from aggressive animals with fangs and claws was required. Perhaps due to animal DNA, this pair of brothers were born with sharper teeth and pointier ends of their hands. And they were trained to be ferocious. The first older brother is called Red, and has the same bone conformity as Sans. Red can be harsh and gruff at times. He often gets tired, but doesn't get agitated, he tries to be cool and collected. Like his brother, he believes that the best way to live is to defeat and subjugate others. And even though he is a beta, he shows very aggressive behavior, and becomes protective of his more calm brothers, even if he sometimes teases them. In reality, he treats him roughly, he has shown several times that he cares about his pack."

Images of Red were transmitted in the computer monitor, you recognized that skeleton, it was the same one that had grabbed you by the ankle, that you had kicked in the face. “I hope he doesn't know it was me, or he'll make me pay dearly!”. Having a skeleton that was aggressive and ready to fight was not a good prospect.

But seeing the images, it was now clear which animal they had attributed to him.” The leaders at the top wanted more aggressive animals that behaved like predators. And that's why the DNA chosen for Red is the gray wolf. The gray wolf's limbs are longer than those of other canids. This gives him the ability to move faster and with greater agility. Strong, excellent runner; trots, gallops, jumps, and can swim; makes considerable movements in search of food. The gray wolf has the ability to hunt both day and night, as it is guided by a keen sense of smell and perfect vision, even in low light conditions. Wolves move and hunt in packs, practicing strategies. And perhaps because of his DNA, just like a wolf, Red doesn't like to attack when he's alone, he prefers to attack when he has some of his brothers with him. Be careful with him, Erika, because, Red doesn't like strangers and doesn't tend to trust anyone, only his pack, and especially listens to his younger brother's orders."

Red's data sheet appeared next to his image:

Red, beta category monster: 6 feet (1.83 m) tall — gray wolf animal — danger level of the subject medium.

“Great, both of these brothers seem to love the idea of ​​making fun of others.” This is one pair of brothers you should watch out for. And Red was just a beta, his brother was supposed to be the alpha of the couple. The grandmother in the video continued to read the papers meticulously, while Finch continued to check the room.

“And now I will introduce you to the younger brother of the Fell couple, he is the terrible Edge. Edge has the same bony conformity as Papyrus, but is more angular and sharper. Edge is an alpha, is a very confident guy, and can come across as haughty and arrogant, never letting weakness or insecurity show. He cares a lot about Red, even if he will never admit it openly, and it was he who pushed Red from an early age to become stronger like him. They don't hate each other at all, they actually really care about each other. He always tends to seek conflict, even over small things, so that he can demonstrate his strength to others and then subdue them."

New images replaced those of Red to make room on the warning for Edge.

“Edge, like Red, also received the DNA of a very powerful carnivore, and one of the largest and most solemn in nature. The animal attributed to Edge is the Siberian tiger. The Siberian tiger is by far the largest species among the felines. In fact, it is a mighty feline that has a very powerful build. It has sharp eyesight both day and night. It has long and sharp canines that it uses to tear prey to pieces in just a few seconds. Its paws are equipped with five long retractable claws, and it is capable of carrying out ambushes in total silence. Edge often uses his animalistic form, the only time he doesn't use it is when he feels safe in his lair with his brothers. But by nature, just like Red, he doesn't trust strangers, the only way to get into his good graces would be to prove your worth to him."

Another tab appears to show Edge data:

Edge alpha category monster: 6.4 feet (1.95 m) tall — Siberian tiger animal — subject danger level high.

Now you were starting to sweat, and the room closed inside the tree trunk didn't help. “Great, I'll have to avoid this pair of brothers like the plague if I don't want to fall apart.” The film still didn't want to stop, and judging from the papers, the grandmother had many other brothers to introduce her.

“Next in line are the Swap brothers. This time we used DNA from marine animals, to broaden the choice of other creatures available in combat. And we tried mixing the original Sans and Papyrus DNA a little, to see what would happen. This pair of brothers has maintained the features of the classics, but studying their behavior, it seems that these two brothers have reversed their personalities. Meet the older of the two; here's the magnificent Blue. Blue is a beta; he has a personality similar to that of Papyrus; in fact, the two of them get along very well. Blue is energetic and a very cheerful guy, he enjoys training and building puzzles and traps together with his brothers. He can't stand the idea of ​​his brothers being taller than him, so he has developed more magical power to magnify his animalistic size. He loves to test himself by fighting against others, but he does it just for fun without causing injuries."

And there it was; Blue's images, along with the animalistic ones, appeared on the computer. You had already seen Blue in his beast form, but you still didn't understand what species he was. Seeing him on the screen again made you feel sweet feelings for the good Blue.” Blue's DNA comes from one of the most venomous animals on the planet. The animal in question is the blue-ringed octopus. A species famous for its venom, a deadly neurotoxin, is considered fatal even for an adult man. Its venom is 10 times more lethal than that of a cobra, its small size being balanced by the lethal venom. Like other octopus species, it can change color to camouflage itself or to express its intentions. Octopuses are eight-tentacled cephalopod molluscs that usually live in shallow waters. Blue loves making friends with others and is always looking for people to notice his awesomeness, he has a deep bond with his younger brother Stretch."

Blue's data card appeared on the screen:

Blue beta category monster: 5.7 feet (1.74 m) tall — blue-ringed octopus animal — subject danger level low.

You were happy to have met Blue, but knowing that he had one of the most poisonous animals on the planet inside him made you a little uncomfortable, he could have used it against you or other people; but he hadn't. “You're right Grandma Blue is magnificent, he has so much power in his hand, but he decides not to use it so as not to hurt, he almost seems like a brave knight”.

This time it was Blue's brother's turn. “Erika meet Stretch; He is the alpha of the couple and Blue's younger brother. Stretch is a relaxed and irreverent guy, he likes to joke and take breaks. His laziness is a combination of nihilism and apathy. In fact, his personality is similar to that of Sans. Stretch is usually pleasant, it can be serious in particular events. He is also an observer; he can read other people's facial expressions to understand whether they are lying or not. He's not usually a violent type, but if he senses even the slightest deception on someone's part, he will get in the way to protect his pack, especially Blue."

Stretch's images whizzed by on the computer as Grandma continued. “Come Blue, The animal DNA used for Stretch comes from an aquatic animal. The animal entrusted to him is the electric eel. The electric eel is an extremely fascinating animal which, as its name suggests, is capable of producing an electric shock through which it stuns its prey or defends itself from attackers. It does not have a dorsal fin, but on the other hand, it has an anal fin that extends the entire length of its body. Stretch has perfected his form over the years, managing to adapt to crawling on the ground when needed, even though he hates doing so. Unfortunately, this animal has a vascularized respiratory system with gas exchange: specifically, this means that the animal must rise to the surface to breathe. Stretch perfected his breathing, at Blue's insistent request."

The Stretch data appeared on the screen:

Stretch alpha category monster: 6.3 feet (1.92 m) tall — electric eel animal — medium level subject danger.

“Now I remember you; you ran to hug Blue first; how to blame you.” Blue was a treasure, and you were sure Stretch knew how lucky he was to have him.

“Next on the list are the FellSwap pair. We experimented with insect DNA of various types. This time we mixed the DNA of Red and Edge with a component of the Swap brothers. These brothers retained more angular shapes, like the Fell brothers, and the behavior was more associated with the Swap brothers. The older of the two is the fantastic Berry. Berry is an alpha, he is authoritarian, expressive, and decidedly not shy. He always tends to say what he thinks, without holding back. Like Blue, he has a lot of energy to expend, but he usually uses it to fight or make trouble. Berry is a combative type, he often tends to clash against Edge or Black to demonstrate his brute strength. He can't stand it when others laugh at him or make fun of him. In fact, he typically doesn't understand jokes, and even if said in jest, he might take them as an attempt to put his authority in a bad light. He loves to train with his brothers, and feels gratified when others praise his mighty strength.”

“So this Berry guy is like a little attention-seeking tyrant, at least I know where to start with him.” You would have to be a little foot-licking with this one, but nothing impossible. It was better not to go against such a hot-tempered guy.

Berry's images appeared on the monitor, while Grandma drank what looked like a cup of coffee, to continue reading. “As explained before, for this pair of brothers, we used animals from the mini world of insects. The animal assigned to Berry is the drone ant. This animal, although small, can become very hostile. They are called fire, because they are quite aggressive, and their stings cause a strong burning sensation. It can inflict painful stings by injecting a cytotoxic toxin through the sting. Its sting, in fact, is quite painful and irritating and can cause allergic reactions, which can occasionally lead to anaphylactic shock. Berry has perfected his toxin, so he can use it in different situations. Like other species of the ant family, it is capable of lifting 100 times its weight, thanks also to its firm grip."

Berry's data appeared before you:

Berry alpha category monster: 5.8 feet (1.77 m) tall — fire ant animal — subject danger level high.

“I'll have to be careful with Berry, he'll melt my face.” For now, there were three skeletons on the list to avoid, you hoped there weren't any others, but there were many brothers. It was incredible to think that they had managed to keep them all at bay all that time.

Now it was the other brother's turn. “Erika, this is Rus; he is the beta of the couple. Rus is a lazy guy, like some of his brothers; he usually doesn't talk that much with others; he only strikes up a conversation with those who catch his interest. He tries to be very careful when his brother Berry is with him, if he says something the wrong way, he risks being reprimanded by his fussy brother. He enjoys creating pranks to play on other monsters; he likes to laugh in the company of Sans, Red, Stretch, and Money, but he will always be very careful not to be seen while laughing; his brother forbids him as he would show weakness in front of the other monsters, and this could make him a target. Likewise, he acts a bit reserved and is overprotective of his brother Berry.”

The images of Rus appeared on the computer, and the grandmother adjusted her glasses while recording.” The animal DNA used for Rus belongs to a small animal like Berry's, an arachnid, to be precise. The animal entrusted to him is the Sydney funnel web spider. It captures prey by building a distinctive funnel-shaped web, the same web from which it takes its name. They are very aggressive if they feel threatened, and they are very likely to feel threatened. The bite of this spider is very painful and prolonged, and it derives primarily from the mechanics of the bite. The fangs are large and capable of very strong pressure. Poisoning spreads very quickly, in fact, this animal is among the most poisonous in the world. Berry urged Rus many times to refine the use of his poison. No one would have attacked him with such a poison."

Rus' data appeared on the screen:

Rus beta category monster: 6.3 feet (1.92 m) tall — Sydney funnel web spider animal — subject danger level medium.

“God, I remember you, Rus; you scared me to death the first time; strange though that after threatening me he apologized”. Rus was also worth keeping an eye on, even if he left you alone, he was a potentially dangerous monster. He was also equipped with a very dangerous poison, but apparently he didn't like to use it, just like Blue, or at least he didn't do it on you.

“Next up are the SwapFell couple. This time we started with the DNA of the Swamp brothers, using a small percentage of the Fell brothers. This pair has maintained softer shapes like the Swap brothers, but with the aggression of the Fell brothers. The older brother is the evil Black. Black is the alpha between the two, he is a violent and problematic type. Terrorize the island's monsters by fighting any potential adversary. For this reason, he is greatly feared by monsters and has managed to make a name for himself among monsters across the island. Black also has a lot of energy in his body, which he spends fighting and training his magic day after day. Although Black is a troublemaker, he shows a lot of self-control, even if fighting him means leaving the fight like a rag, he has repeatedly shown mercy for those who surrender, declaring him the winner. Black and his brother get annoyed at each other, but they still care about each other.”

“Ok, Black is also a violent guy, but he's similar to Berry; if I make them feel important, they should leave me alone...maybe”. That too was a skeleton not to be angered. And as Berry liked to fight, perhaps you should have played the submission card with them, but it wasn't your style to do so.

The images of Black appeared on the monitor, in the video, the grandmother cleared her throat to continue speaking, while Finch gave her another cup full of coffee. “For these skeletons, we used dark animals, animals that camouflaged well in the dark and were silent to carry out lightning-fast attacks. The animal assigned to Black is the black mamba. It is one of the most venomous animals in the world. The black mamba is commonly called “seven steps” because the extreme rapidity of the effect of its venom would not allow its victims to travel more than seven steps. Without adequate care, the fatality rate of one of its bites is 100%. This snake is also able to move easily on any terrain, can lift a quarter of its length off the ground, and is also a skilled climber. Black often uses his animalistic form to compensate for his height, as does Blue, to intimidate others.”

And finally, Black's data appeared on the screen:

Black alpha category monster: 5.8 feet (1.77 m) tall — black mamba animal — subject danger level high.

“Why grandma? Why did you create so many of them, with poisons that leave no escape!?”. At this point, you were hoping that Grandma had left you some antidotes for poisons. It would have been impossible for you to get close to them, without taking precaution.

Now it was the other brother's turn. “Black's brother is called Money. Money is the beta of the pair. Money is seen as a very greedy being, he likes to rob other monsters of their treasures and annoy them until he gets what he wants. He likes to tease and make others feel embarrassed, he also uses the same tactic with the other brothers, especially to annoy Black. At times, he may seem a bit shy, but he melts very easily with those who give him shiny objects or personal gifts. His brother Black urges him several times to become more active during the day, but often with poor results. He hates being woken up, and he hates loud sounds even more. He seems to find his brother very annoying, despite this, Money takes great care of Black.”

“You are the skeleton of the roof! Strange hearing the information about you, you seem like a great opportunist...But then why did you save me?”. Maybe he did it, because he smelled a good scent on you, mistaking you for an actual monster. Possibly, you could have bribed that monster, with some precious object, to keep him quiet.

The images of Money appeared on the monitor. The papers in Grandma's hand became fewer and fewer. “Like Black, Money also received the DNA of an animal that literally lives in the dark. The pet assigned to Money is Azara's real vampire. This bat feeds on the blood of other vertebrates, but Money has adapted over the years to also eat fruit and vegetables. It draws blood through bites inflicted with its very sharp teeth and avoids coagulation through an anticoagulant glycoprotein known as draculin, contained in its own saliva. These bats possess a keen sense of smell and large eyes. This species is very agile and stealthy when rapid accelerations are necessary, this bat makes use of leaps and leaps."

Money's data flashed across the monitor:

Money, beta category monster: 6.4 feet (1.95 m) tall — Azara's true vampire animal-medium level subject danger.

“Well, Money definitely seems calmer than Black.” Money had been nice to you, maybe you could have communicated with him. But the memory of him with his teeth stained with blood worried you quite a bit.

Grandma cleared her throat to announce the next pair of siblings. “The next siblings are the Lust pair. For this pair of skeletons, we thought of using DNA from more elegant animals, because these monsters were designed, as an attempt at reproduction, to continue studying mating methods between monsters. The first brother is Nova. Nova is the alpha between the two. Nova is a very friendly and charismatic guy. He occasionally likes to flirt with monsters who catch his interest. He likes to take care of himself and his siblings. Likewise, he is very proud of his aesthetic appearance; sometimes he takes care of it obsessively; however, it does not reserve the same treatment for its nest. Nova is a very territorial type, he can become aggressive with strangers, but becomes protective with those he cares about. Nova really likes physical contact, it's the first thing she looks for in others, but in any case, she would never do anything inappropriate to anyone without their full consent."

“Perfect, there weren't enough dangerous, poisonous and deadly monsters, now there were also perverts!?”. Nova certainly didn't seem dangerous from her grandmother's description, but the fact that she sought physical contact made you a little uncomfortable.

Nova's images appeared on the monitor. “For Nova and her brother, we used elegant but strong animals, which were not able to fly too much, so that they could not fly away from the island. The animal assigned to Nova is the peacock. This galliform bird is known above all for the spectacular plumage of the male, characterized by a lively iridescent blue-green, and for the long train of feathers that he opens like a fan to court the females. The other function of the wheel is purely defensive, Nova uses it to scare other monsters and disorient enemies. The eyes drawn on the plumage and the grandeur of the spread tail, in fact, make it appear much larger and more fearsome. Nova has also refined her technique, transforming her tail feathers into sharp spears at will, which she can throw from a distance, impaling her enemies. It has good power on its wings, it is not able to fly in the open sky, but it can remain in flight for at least 20 minutes. The peacock also has strong legs, which allow it to make large leaps. Nova loves flying in the company of Charm and Money”.

Nova's data appeared on the screen:

Nova, alpha category monster: 6.1 feet (1.86 m) tall — peacock animal — medium level subject danger.

“At least this time it is a less dangerous animal than the others”. You thought you had a good chance of becoming friends with that skeleton; he didn't seem that dangerous, you hoped that Nova's brother also had a more docile animalistic form than the others.

Now it was the younger brother's turn. “Nova's little brother goes by the name of Sparkling Charm. He is very sweet and caring, and he tends to become emotionally attached to those who show interest in him. He is an overly kind soul, and the other monsters tend to make fun of him for this, but he doesn't care too much. He is very respectful towards other monsters, implying that he always asks for their consent to approach when necessary. Like Nova, he loves physical contact, and seeks it a lot in his brothers. He doesn't like fighting despite being fully capable of it, as much as all his other brothers; in the event of a clash he prefers to intimidate with words before resorting to violence. He has rarely been seen attacking monsters with malice, in the rare times when it happened it was to defend himself and his pack."

“Charm seems to be a real gentleman, he really inspires trust” The Lust couple seemed the most peaceful at that moment along with Sans and Papyrus.

Images of Charm's appearance appeared on the computer. “With Nova, we used a more docile animal; with Charm, we decided for another type of bird, but this time we used the DNA of an animal that can be defined as prehistoric. The animal assigned to Charm is the cassowary. The cassowary is the second largest bird on earth, after the ostrich. On the front of the head is also a sort of very resistant helmet, with which Charm charges against his opponents. The basic cassowary doesn't fly, but Charm still managed to upgrade his wings, allowing him to stay in flight for about 15 minutes; he is very skilled at running due to his marked agility. The cassowary is also able to swim with extreme skill, in fact, it manages to cross rivers even in the most difficult situations. But the real weapon used by Charm in his animal form are the claws that are created on his feet, each nail becomes a sharp and lethal blade that he uses with deadly skill. Furthermore, his claws are equipped with poison to immobilize prey".

Charm's data flashed across the monitor:

Charm, beta category monster: 6.5 feet (1.98 m) tall — cassowary animal — subject danger level low.

“Lucky Charm is a good guy, all we needed was a subspecies of dinosaur on our tail…”. You were so exasperated at that point. You wondered how your grandmother had gotten her hands on the DNA of such an animal, but apparently these soldiers had no scruples. And the skeletons weren't finished yet!

Grandma cleared her throat to announce the next pair of brothers. “The next brothers are the Gold pair. These skeletons were designed to take on the DNA of armored animals, so they could be used as a shield for soldiers or other skeletons. The big brother is the incredible Wine. Wine is an alpha. Wine can be very diplomatic, usually preferring to reach an agreement before having to resort to violence. He has enough patience to get along with each of his brothers and other monsters, always trying to put them at ease. He is a tidy and elegant guy, he never shows himself in unseemly conditions. It takes a while to get him to lose his temper, but when he gets to his breaking point, it becomes impossible to calm down. He is very good with his brothers and friends, but ruthless against the enemies of the pack. He cares very much about his little brother Coffee, he is always patient and loving with him."

“I remember you too, you're the scorpion who held me back! Curious, Grandma says you are calm and diplomatic, but in that laboratory you were completely different.” Maybe your smell really had a strange effect on monsters, as you had read in the manual, towards some human women.

Wine's images appeared on the monitor. “Wine and his brother Coffee have DNA from animals famous for their super resistant armor, and with the two of them, we wanted to vary by testing DNA from two animals of different categories. The animal assigned to Wine is the emperor scorpion. The emperor scorpion is one of the largest scorpions. It is a nocturnal predator that finds its prey by locating them using the vibrations of the ground; once it has captured the prey with its claws, it pierces them with the sting, injecting poison. The venom of the emperor scorpion would not normally be too lethal, but Wine has managed to enhance it over the years. This scorpion's most lethal weapons are certainly the enormous claws it uses to trap and crush its opponents. The scorpion's armor makes Wine immune to bullets and many other types of weapons; Wine often uses his armor to protect his brothers by acting as a shield, his armor providing him with nearly impenetrable cover.”

The Wine data appeared on the screen:

Wine alpha category monster: 6.1 feet (1.86 m) tall — emperor scorpion animal — subject danger level medium.

“Well, maybe if I could hide my scent, I could have a civil conversation with him.” You hoped that your grandmother had a solution for that too, hiding the smell from animals was already difficult, let alone with monsters with more acute senses than yours.

Now it was the younger brother's turn. “Coffee is Wine's little brother. Coffee is a beta; he is very shy, he barely talks to his brothers; he doesn't even try to communicate with strangers. Coffee suffers from a mild form of selective mutism, and since he has difficulty forming complete sentences, he often carries a notepad with him so he can write down what he wants to say. Sometimes he starts drawing with Butch, enjoying his brother's company in peace. Although quiet, Coffee is much more mature than many of his brothers. He hates being scolded, and when someone does, he withdraws into himself even more. He loves his brothers, but he can't handle the lively and explosive characters of some of them. Wine never leaves him alone, and always runs to his brother's aid, encouraging and reassuring him as best he can."

You felt yourself melt at that information. “Piccolo Coffee seems so adorable and innocent. Wine might be violent, but being able to calm his little brother down is really thoughtful of him.” Selective mutism was not a condition to be underestimated, he knew this well. It must have been really difficult for Coffee to interact with others.

Pictures of the sweet Coffee appeared on the computer. “As I said before, Coffee and Wine have DNA from animals of very different categories, but the animal attributed to Coffee is also an animal known for its armored body. The animal assigned to Coffee is the pangolin. Pangolins are unmistakable among mammals, thanks to the protective covering formed by large, horny scales that resemble those of reptiles. To defend themselves from predators, these animals are capable of curling up into a ball and hiding their belly and head under their armor. When Coffee wants to defend himself, he rolls up, forming an unassailable sphere, and charges his enemies, throwing himself at them, as if it were a bowling ball. Coffee can also use his long, scale-covered tail to knock enemies away. Pangolins have large claws with which they dig into the ground. Coffee has strengthened his claws and managed to use them even to break very thick rocks, at Wine's request to convince him to hide better underground."

Coffee's data streamed across the monitor:

Coffee, beta category monster: 6.5 feet (1.98 m) tall — pangolin animal — subject threat level low.

“I don't think I'll be able to talk to Coffee, at least not at first.” Shy people with similar problems needed more time to be able to trust others. But maybe kindness could have helped you break down those walls.

The registration was almost finished, the grandmother only had two sheets of paper in her hand now, and the last two brothers were missing. “And finally, we have the last pair of brothers, the Horror couple.” The grandmother let out a deep sigh, pronouncing the name of that pair of brothers. The Horror call sign didn't bode well.

“Since we were quite sure that these would be the last skeletons and to be created, the big guys with the money, had called for a category of animals evens more aggressive and bigger than the others. This pair of brothers has within them the DNA of cruel and implacable carnivores. The older brother is Axe.

Axe, the alpha of the couple, loves psychological humor and enjoys scaring his victims. He suffers from retrograde amnesia, caused by a laboratory accident that caused the hole in his skull, and rapid mood swings. You need to choose the words you use with him carefully, or he might misinterpret other people's intentions. The only ones he doesn't hurt are his brothers, especially Butch. Ever since he was born, he and his younger brother have been trained to attack anything in sight except their own siblings. Precisely due to his aggressive nature, his brothers never let him fight, for fear that he might lose control. Sometimes, to recognize who is in front of you, you need to recognize their smell."

“My… God… This couple really looks like they stepped out of a horror movie!” If you previously thought that Edge, Red, Black, and Berry were the baddest, now you were changing your mind.

The images of Ax appeared on the monitor...and they were disturbing even seeing him normally, even the grandmother's voice had become heavier.“ Ax and Butch have the DNA of large, aggressive and relentless animals. The animal chosen for Ax is the grizzly bear. Of all the brown bear species, the dominant one is undoubtedly the grizzly bear. Grizzly bears are smaller than polar bears and kodiaks, but they are much more aggressive and above all have more developed claws. They have a very powerful bite, you cannot free yourself from its grip unless it lets you go. Despite his large size, he is a fast runner; trying to escape from these animals is almost impossible, one of the few ways to survive these attacks is to either pretend to be dead and stay still, or enter some hiding place that is too small for him. Ax really likes to chase his prey and scare them, it makes him feel imposing and more confident in his role as protector of his pack."

Ax's data appeared on the screen:

Axe, alpha category monster: 6.6 feet (2.01 m) tall — grizzly bear animal — subject danger level high.

Looking at that image, you decided that you should avoid this pair of brothers, and be very careful about the words you spoke. You felt so tired with all that information to digest, but there wasn't much left until the end.

From the video, the grandmother also seemed very upset by the whole situation, both she and Finch continued to check the door to not let anyone in. "And finally, we have the last of our Butch skeletons. Butch is a beta. Butch is a very cheerful and friendly monster in his personality and behavior. Since he was a child, he never liked to use violence, on the contrary, he always tried to make friends with everyone who showed him affection. Like Papyrus and Blue, he likes to build puzzles and place traps around to catch prey for the pack. He is very insecure because of his imposing appearance, and because of his crooked teeth; apparently, like Axe and his other brothers, some accidents happened in the laboratory that distorted his appearance. Like his brother Coffee, he has difficulty speaking; sometimes it takes him a little time to speak correctly. Axe also has a similar, less incisive problem. He likes to go running with his brothers, and even though he's a beta, he likes to go hunting to let off steam."

You were undoubtedly intimidated by these skeletons, if you had seen either of them that day in the laboratory, you probably would have been shocked by that pair of skeletons. In addition to being aggressive, they were also the largest physically.

Butch's images appeared on the monitor. “Butch, like his brother, has within him the DNA of an extremely aggressive animal. The animal assigned to Butch is the wolverine. It is precisely the claws of this animal that inspired the iconic blades of the film character Wolverine. It is a very intelligent animal, capable of making a virtue out of necessity regardless of the situation in which it finds itself. It has developed very safe hunting techniques with guaranteed success, but it doesn't take much to reawaken its ferocity. Butch generally stalks his prey and waits for the right moment to attack. It has learned to take advantage of wounded prey, which it removes from traps placed along its territory, to obtain safer meals with minimal effort. Thanks to the animal's DNA, Butch is protected from bites, even from poisonous snakes, and from superficial wounds. But even if he receives a serious wound, he does not stop, he continues to attack until he has overcome it. Voracious, stubborn, tireless, and implacable, these are the main characteristics of the Wolverine. Butch doesn't like to use his animalistic form to attack others unless necessary."

Butch's data appeared on the screen:

Butch, beta category monster: 7 feet (2.13 m) tall — Wolverine animal — medium level subject danger.

They were finished, grandmother had finished listing all the monsters created in the laboratory. All hybrids were truly dangerous killer machines, you still had to recover from the last pair just introduced. You were shocked; you didn't believe they would create such dangerous creatures. And now you also understand why the grandmother insisted so much on sending the skeletons against the humans, they had a deadly force on their side.

Grandma gave all the papers back to Finch. She was tired, but the video still had a few minutes left to play, there was more information to absorb.

“I introduced you to all our kids, Erika, and I bet you're more than a little scared hearing all this, and I totally understand. And that's why Finch and I thought of a solution that could make it easier for you with monsters in general...". The grandmother extracted another crystal from the desk where she was, another crystal similar to the one that was on the windows of the teleporter. But this one shone with a thousand different colors all at once, it was nothing short of hypnotic.

“What you are seeing, Erika, are very particular magical crystals, we have found many with different effects, but only you will have this particular type of crystal in your possession. Right there in the same room where you are now, there is a secret drawer that is full of these crystals." You had already spotted the drawer the moment you entered, even that required a face scan to open.

Grandma straightened her glasses on her face, focusing her gaze on the camera in front of her. “If you have read the manual, you will know that some human females can be endowed with a smell that attracts monsters. Having encountered this problem myself, I fear that the same thing could happen to you... and so I have left you an alternative to get around this problem.”

Great, if grandma had found a way to get around the smell problem, she was done! Once the smell was out of the way, they wouldn't attack you anymore.

“The crystals I am showing you will act on your body, temporarily transforming you into a monster with features very similar to those of our humans. And since we want to avoid the problem of perfume, it will transform you… Into a male monster; don't worry, your genitals will not be changed, only your external appearance will change."

Was this another one of his pranks? To deal with monsters, you would have had to disguise yourself as a male, like Mulan?!

Grandma must have predicted your reaction; his expression became soft, trying to calm you down through the monitor. “The choice is yours, Erika, you will choose how to do it, but I warn you that whichever options you choose, there will be consequences to face. If you decide to go out there in your female form, the monsters will hunt you by your scent, and may mistake you for prey…or a potential mate, but I fear they may kidnap you anyway. Or if you decide on the male cover, your scent will be hidden, and the monsters will not pay attention to you. But if they were to discover you, they would be furious. Monsters hate liars, and our skeletal boys are no exception. There is no right or wrong remarriage, it's up to you to choose. I'll leave you everything you need to know here. And remember, Erika, it all depends on you... I love you, my darling, and I will always be with you." Finished, the video ended with those words.

You thought about that option all night, you didn't know what to do, but one thing was certain, whichever way it would go... It would be a chain of events. You had to decide because, in the days to come, you would meet them again.

What was the right choice to make?

Chapter Text

You hoped the night would bring you counsel. That you would be able to clear your head somehow. But unfortunately that wasn't the case.

Your grandmother had given you lots of new information that you could work with, but instead of helping you, it had only confused you more. You were torn on whether to use the crystal to create cover as a male monster or not.

On the one hand, it would have been convenient to use it to hide from the humans who had already discovered you in the laboratories. And no monster would have persecuted you, as they no longer had your natural scent on them. Apparently, many monsters relied on smell to find females. In addition to indicating the location to find one, you had read in the files left by your grandmother that the more intense the smell, the more compatibility there was between the two parts.

But on the other hand, the idea of ​​pretending to be someone else, acting as if you were the opposite sex, and deceiving those you met wasn't very appealing to you.

“Maybe if I try to relax, I will be able to clear my head.” It was a start, and getting to know the treehouse well would be more productive than sitting there brooding.

The shower you took before going to sleep was a healthy touch for your body. After all the previous night's adventure, you desperately needed it, the mud was stuck to your skin, leaving you feeling dirty. It was a truly great surprise, finding a nice spacious bathroom inside the tree house, and it was also equipped with hot water; The solar panels on the tops of the tree provided power for everything, even heating the water to some extent.

The bed that your grandmother had left for you in the house was really comfortable and comfortable. The heater had released a pleasant heat inside the room. And inside the wardrobe, there were already some simple clothes, which you could already use in case of need. There were also some more particular men's clothes inside the wardrobe; your grandmother had probably left them in case you really required them for your disguise.

You headed downstairs to the kitchen. You really hoped that grandma had been so foresighted, to leave you some food to calm your upset stomach; you didn't expect to find much, probably some food vacuum-packed or in jars to be preserved for longer. But the fridge instead was full of fresh food, and not only that!

The kitchen drawers were filled with bottles of: ketchup, mustard, maple syrup, honey, beer, barbecue sauce, whipped cream and wine.

“I didn't know you liked dressing sauces so much, Grandma.” Those ingredients were very bizarre, you didn't know how you could use all those ingredients to eat. Luckily, there was much more in that kitchen.

Grandma had a special passion for Italian cuisine; there were many other ingredients for dishes marked in the book in the kitchen, which you would never have expected your grandmother to write down: spaghetti, lasagna, tacos, pasta, and farfalle with sauce; Japanese noodles; stuffed ravioli; tiramisu and saffron risotto ?

Sure, they were more than enjoyable dishes, but you had never seen your grandmother prepare some of those foods. There had to be an explanation, until that moment, nothing had been left by chance by the grandmother.

You had some time during the night to learn more useful information about the island. And you wanted to give it a try outside the house now. Fear was still lingering in your soul, but curiosity trumped everything. It was really a risk, you hadn't yet studied the woods around the house well; and there could be monsters nearby, or humans around. But you had to give it a try.

You put on some clean clothes, still covering your face with the hood of another sweatshirt, you tied your hair in a ponytail, you took your backpack with what you might need, and you also took your bow with you. You were about to enter a dense forest full of dangers, you needed to have a weapon with you now more than ever.

The security system was as reliable as you had read on the files. Apparently the crystals embedded in the metal poles around the tree house provided constant protection to the house if activated in time. Not only did they protect you, but it made the house invisible to outside eyes. Magic distorted reality, making the house unfindable to outsiders. At least inside the treehouse you knew you were safe.

And only you could pass through it, since the magic responded to your DNA.

You had decided not to use the crystal the first time. It was unlikely that humans had ventured into the woods after the destructive attack the night before. Sending soldiers into the middle of the forest would have left the main laboratory defenseless.

With all those circumstances, you were quite comfortable not using the monstrous disguise.

Your steps were slow and deliberate. You had to pay attention to every step you took; some files on the computer mentioned traps left around by humans to keep monsters from approaching their areas. On the contrary, the further you went into the depths of the forest, the more you could find traps made by the monsters, which they used to protect their lairs.

You also had to follow a linear path; it would have been a disaster if you had gotten lost in the middle of the forest. To stay calm, you decided to mark the route, cutting into the bark of the trees, to make sure you took the right way back.

The forest was thick and very lush. The further you went into the woods, the more humidity increased. And the reason was clear. Walking for about 15 minutes, you found a beautiful stream full of clear, fresh water. That was an excellent discovery, having a stream of fresh water close at hand would have been useful in case of need. In order not to lose the location of that discovery, you marked the place on the map inside your watch. That way, you wouldn't have to mark the bark of the trees again in the future to find the same path again.

As you continued walking, you also managed to notice some fruit trees scattered along the road. Some were trees you knew, others had strange fruit; probably monstrous plants of the island. To be safe, you also noted that position, but before eating some strange, unknown fruit, you had to make sure through the files that they were not dangerous for your health.

After about forty minutes of walking, you decided to return to the tree house. You didn't want to push your luck too much, the day had been fruitful, and you hadn't heard or encountered any monsters or humans on your patrol.

“Better not push your luck; I got a lot of useful information; better go back and rest.”  Running seemed like the best option, and by now you had established that that part of the route was safe.

The next day was also quiet. You pushed even deeper into the forest, walking for more than an hour. Even if no danger had been sighted, you didn't have to be too reckless. Walking carefully was the best option. There hadn't been any major changes, apart from a few rabbits running around the forest and some mischievous birds that made the branches of the trees move, scaring you a little.

But the third day was not as peaceful as the first two. You had let your guard down, you felt too sure of yourself. You weren't stupid, you knew that monsters inhabited the island, but you certainly didn't expect to run into some of them during a fight!

You were walking calmly when very loud growls made you jump on the spot. You reflexively hid behind the nearest tree. If the monsters had seen that you were human, they would have attacked you. You tried to lean out of the tree to see the monsters who were arguing; the monsters had the features of giant dogs. They did not belong to the Temmie category, these looked more like humanoid wolves. But judging by their attitude, these monsters belonged to the category of the underdeveloped.

There were three categories of intelligence on the island. The category of common animals, which were nothing other than normal animals. The underdeveloped, who were monsters, did not fully develop cerebral. And finally, the sentient who were the real pure-blooded monsters, with real magical power and more developed brains.

You could only make out a few words amidst their wild growls.

“This….my territory… Now!”. The gray wolf's voice became loud to scare the other two wolves.

“Ugly….half-breed! Apparently, the other two smaller wolves were working together, to fight the gray wolf.

“No….smell…. Female here. Territory…. This is ours!”. The brown-coated wolf replied next to the other dark-brown wolf.

It was a peculiarity of underdeveloped monsters; primitive speech was a characteristic that most of them shared.

The uncoordinated words of those beasts immediately filtered into your head. “(Did they say the smell of a female? It can't be me… I also used aromas from different plants to cover my natural odor).” What were the chances they were talking about you?

You hadn't seen any other monsters while walking in the woods, but perhaps you hadn't been attentive enough not to notice other monsters, or perhaps another female had passed by there on those specific days.

It was difficult to find a decent answer; there were many coincidences. And while you were looking for some kind of internal reassurance, the gray-furred wolf stopped arguing with the other two wolves and started sniffing the surrounding air with interest.

“Mmmmmm right… There is a female… here… Very close…”. The gray wolf was drooling from his mouth, apparently the smell in the air was very enticing to him. And he wasn't the only one; the other two wolves also raised their faces to absorb the smell in the air.

“It seems… Among trees.” The young wolf began to look around frantically, starting to wag his tail like an excited puppy.

You didn't need to know anything else, they were sniffing you without any problems, even being hidden by the trees, and you weren't that close to them. The wolves' sense of smell was one of the most excellent in nature, you were not surprised that they had discovered you in less than a minute. Maybe if you had used the disguise, they wouldn't have discovered you.

“(I have to get out of here, or they will find me).” All three wolves seemed absorbed by the smell that reverberated in the air, the brown-furred wolf even began to rub himself on the bark of the trees, in an attempt to mark his territory. It didn't take a genius to figure out, that these wolves were planning on trying to flirt with you!

Several animals have the habit of spreading their scent, to be found by females, and making it clear that they are ready for mating. And because monsters had a much superior sense of smell to humans, they were likely to behave like common animals in that sense.

Very calmly, you began to back away, being careful where you put your feet, the slightest noise would have alerted the monsters. And the longer you stood there, the more impatient the wolves became.

“Come out, puppy… I'm a real male… Come into my den… I'll ride you as you deserve…”. The gray wolf had warmed his voice, raising his tail and whipping it into the trees to show off his strength.

You were starting to hyperventilate now. “(He said ride me… These depraved people want to take advantage of me!)”. You couldn't take it anymore, panicking, you started running back home. Too bad, the way was blocked by the smaller wolf, who was now letting out little growls at you. He must have snuck past you, as you backed away a few seconds ago. He was looking you up and down as if he were ready to pounce on you.

You didn't waste any time, you knew what that ravenous wolf was about to do. You bent down, taking some dirt in your hands, very slowly so as not to alert him. The wolf must have thought you were submitting to him; the wolf lowered his muzzle further towards you, wagging his tail more than before due to your submission.

“Stay away from me!”. You jumped up in an instant, trying to make yourself big to try to displace him, taking advantage of the moment you threw the earth in the wolf's eyes, blinding him. You took out your bow and shot an arrow at the other brown-furred wolf in the middle of the clearing where they were fighting, piercing his paw on the spot. Without wasting time, you prepared to shoot another arrow at the gray wolf. Unfortunately, the smaller wolf reacted sooner than expected, lunging at you and causing you to fall.

The young wolf seemed enraged by your actions, now growling at you and foaming at the mouth. The wolf's jaw was slightly open, a few centimeters from your face. From that position you could see the wolf's fangs, they were definitely larger than a normal wolf, but less sharp than a pure blooded monster. The weight of the wolf had blocked you from the ground, you couldn't get him off you.

“(Or not, if I don't move now, I'll be in trouble).” Your mind couldn't calm down, it couldn't think of anything to get you out of that situation, and as if that wasn't enough, the wolf started rubbing itself on your body. The wolf was burying his nose in your neck to pick up on your particular scent even more. He was letting out much hotter growls as if trying to seduce you, and he had lowered his pelvis to rub against your covered legs. The sensation was terrifying.

You should have sent him away immediately! Trying to free your left arm. If you had succeeded, you could have used the taser in your watch to stun it with an electric shock. You moved your legs apart and made the wolf lose stability, for a moment you managed to free your arms; you were ready to shoot.

Unfortunately, out of nowhere, the gray wolf grabbed your hands, pinning them above your head with extreme ease. The paws of these wolves were not like those of ordinary animals, they looked like a cross between a human hand with longer fingers and a wolf paw that ended in claws at the ends. The gray wolf only needed one hand to block both of your small hands.

The gray wolf, from his position, leaned towards you to examine you. The hood had slipped off your head, and now the wolves could see your face. The gray wolf grimaced in disgust at the sight of your human-like face. “She's human…disgusting humans…but…she smells nice…”. The gray wolf moved closer to your face, making your blood run cold with discomfort. “Fighting type… Let's see if you can resist.” The wolf's muzzle, full of sharp teeth, arched upwards, assuming a maniacal expression.

“Sharing…good idea”. The brown furred wolf limped towards them, he too had an evil look on his face.

You were terrified; you were pinned to the ground by three wolves bigger and stronger than you, and they had every intention of using you as they pleased; and you were alone in the middle of the woods. You couldn't ask any of your friends for help; they were far away, your grandmother wasn't there with you, and neither was Finch. You were completely alone. The thought made you sink into despair.

You had been reckless, your grandmother had warned you that your smell would be a problem, but in some files it was written that not all monsters could appreciate the smell of a specific female. But the number of females was initially lower than that of males, and with the arrival of humans on the island, there were even fewer females. Maybe having fewer females had forced the males to seize any kind of opportunity, and unfortunately for you, now you were the opportunity for those depraved people to seize.

Not to mention that the underdeveloped were driven by many more primitive instincts than pure monsters. Pure monsters were attracted to smells, but they could be very selective when it came to choosing a mate. Picking the right companion was essential to maintaining the harmony of the pack. For the underdeveloped, no, for them, there was no difference.

The gray wolf rested his wet nose on your cheek. You reflexively turned away, the feeling of nausea for that underdeveloped monster was too much. To try to put distance from his face, you were pushing your other cheek further and further into the dirt; you were really starting to feel bad. The other two wolves also began to smell you, touching the skin on your neck and shoulders. They seemed to quite enjoy the feeling of your soft skin. You, on the other hand, were petrified; you couldn't even speak to try to ask for help; maybe some human on patrol could have helped you if you had made yourself heard. But nothing, your mouth was sealed. You couldn't make a single sound.

“(Help… Please… Someone help me!)”. You screamed internally as the smallest wolf of the three was using one of his paws, trying to take off your pants. While the brown furred one licked your neck, leaving behind a trail of disgusting drool, which made your skin crawl.

The stress was too much, that scene was bringing back a bad memory. Only once in your life had you found yourself in a situation like this, but that time there was only one man holding you back, and he was drunk. Much easier to manage. This time, it was three against one. But the feeling of helplessness and humiliation was the same.

Your strength was drained from fear, but something inside you told you not to give up. Exactly, like that time, if they wanted to impose themselves on you, you would have at least fought until the end!

You began to squirm, using one of your legs to kick the smaller wolf on top of you away. The kick landed, knocking the smaller wolf away, who yelped at the pain in his stomach from the kick. You did the same thing for the other two; that sudden action distracted both wolves. Did they think they had you subjugated with so little? Well, they were very wrong!

You used your right leg to push yourself backwards onto your back and to kick your left foot straight into the gray wolf's nose. The wolf immediately let go and brought his paws to cover his nose in pain. One of the weak points of many animals was the nose, and wolves had a very sensitive nose, the pain must have been very intense. You whirled around and, with your right hand, used the taser inside your wristwatch, hitting the brown wolf, who was trying to bite you. The taser hit the wolf in the throat, knocking him to the ground.

With adrenaline pumping, you got back on your feet and ran away towards the tree house, passing the smaller wolf, who was still on the ground, basking in the pain he had received. You were too intent on running as fast as you could; you couldn't go anywhere else; you only knew the house where you would be truly safe. Your feet were burning from how much energy you were putting into your escape, but you couldn't stop.

As you ran, however, you heard the sound of something running at a fast pace behind you. A howl echoed from the trees behind you; it was the wolves from before that were still chasing you. You didn't look back, you were afraid that if you were distracted, you might trip. You couldn't get captured again, this time they wouldn't let you fight again, and they would not have been more merciful.

The quick footsteps of the wolves were inexorably approaching. Another strength of the wolves was their agile legs, which allowed them to run for kilometers without getting tired. But you didn't want to give up, you didn't have to, or everything would have been in vain.

You could hear, as you ran out of breath, the enraged voices of the wolves who were much closer. “You bad bitch…we'll make you…Pay-“ *BAM!* A deafening sound ripped through the earth, the noise was so loud it made you fall to the ground. You staggered to your feet, your head spinning from the sudden movement, as you pulled your hood back over your head to stay calm. If humans had arrived, at least they wouldn't have recognized you right away. You were about to start running again, when you heard the moans of the wolves behind you, and the cry of a new creature that had sprung into action.

The wolves were fighting a monster that was much taller than them. Its body was entirely covered in black feathers; and he had some kind of protuberance on his head that he used to knock the smaller wolf away, causing him to hit a nearby tree. He had long, sharp claws on his feet, he had already knocked down the brown wolf under his claws; he was crushing him to the ground with minimal effort while the wolf squirmed helplessly beneath that feathered monster.

You were in disbelief at that scene. The strong and proud wolves that, until a few seconds ago, had attacked you with such confidence, now seemed like scared and helpless puppies in front of the bigger monster.

But looking at it better…that monster seemed familiar. The new monster's body was covered in feathers, but the monster's legs were skeletal…

“(This is one of Blue's brothers!)”. You didn't think you would meet one of them so soon, and in such a situation. But at that moment, you felt relieved that he was on your side.

The skeleton caught the brown wolf in his claws and threw him at the gray wolf, causing him to fall to the ground. But the wolf didn't give up, throwing a boulder at the skeleton's face, distracting him. The gray wolf circled the skeleton, trying to attack it from behind; you saw clearly the wolf was aiming for one of the monster's wings.

You should have minded your own business and run away, it might have been your best chance to run away, to make yourself safe; but the idea of ​​leaving one of Blue's brothers alone made you turn up your nose. If it hadn't been for his intervention, the wolves would surely have taken you. You wouldn't have been able to match their running prowess; his arrival was truly providential.

The words slipped effortlessly from your mouth. “Watch out, behind you!”

The skeleton immediately caught your words, turning and flapping one of its wings at the wolf. The blow was so strong that the wolf bounced on the ground several times before coming to a complete stop. The wolf tried to get back on his feet, but the skeleton wouldn't let him, getting in his face and speaking in a honeyed voice, but full of strong intent.

“IF I SEE YOU AGAIN IN OUR TERRITORY, I WILL MAKE YOU REGRET YOUR OWN EXISTENCE…DO YOU UNDERSTAND?”. The skeleton's voice, although gentle, was full of resentment for those wolves. The message was clear.

If I meet you again, you're dead.

And with desperate yelps, the wolves ran at top speed to the opposite side of the woods, disappearing into the dense vegetation.

You could breathe a sigh of relief. They were gone, it was over… At least with them.

The skeleton slowly turned towards you; Orbs dark as the abyss appeared before your eyes. This skeleton was much taller than you were, and despite having flatter teeth compared to the wolves before, he had a bestial grin on his face. It was as if the monster deliberately wanted to scare you at all costs. The calm you had felt from the wolves' escape had now dissipated from your soul again.

You were still, you didn't know what to do, the abysmal gaze of that skeleton prevented you from moving; the skeleton lowered its head towards your chest as if it were examining you, and like all the others it began to sniff the air.

“(Please don't jump on me too).” Your mind was sinking into despair, you couldn't bear another attack, and not from one of the skeletons. You had never tried before, but you were pretty sure that if he wanted to attack you, you wouldn't be able to beat him. Not only did he have physical prowess on his side, but he had very sharp claws and powerful wings; your bow and bolts could do little against such a monster.

The monster continued to growl as it reached towards you, when suddenly giving one last sniff at the air in front of it… The skeleton recovered from the apparent confusion, in its skull hovered a much more serene face than before. Pink lights accompanied by a small smile greeted you hesitantly. Now that he was calming down, you were able to look at him better, and the name of this skeleton came to mind.

“(This must be Charm, by the Lust brothers duo)”. The skeleton with cassowary DNA; it explained why it was mostly covered in black feathers. And why he had that bizarre bony crest on his head.

Charm was watching you intently, his pink lights widening and narrowing as he attempted to peek past your hood, he was definitely intrigued judging by the effort he was putting into wanting to see your face.

But you didn't want to risk it. You still hadn't had enough time to recover from the initial scare; as soon as you noticed Charm trying to take a step towards your figure, you ran away towards the house. You didn't turn back, if the skeleton had suddenly changed his mind and attacked, you wouldn't have been able to fight him off.

You didn't hear any footsteps behind you, which was a good sign he wasn't following you. Even as you ran, you wondered why the feathered skeleton had started making happy, deep sounds. Was he calling his other brothers to hunt you down? You hoped not.

After an exhausting run, you were finally home. You were devastated, still wondering how the hell you survived. In a single day you had suffered a sexual assault, by not fully thinking monsters driven only by instinct; Fought against the aforementioned monsters only to be chased; and finally saved by one of the skeletons.

Charm's behavior had confused you a lot. Every skeleton you had encountered had confused you a lot. First they threatened you, and then they felt sorry for you? Very strange. It seemed that only thanks to your smell had he regained control of himself. Of course, he was definitely angry at having found monsters in his territory, or at least he was, as he said.

Who knows what would have happened if I had used disguises as my grandmother had suggested; maybe you should have given it a try, maybe without your smell the monsters wouldn't have noticed you. Who knows what Charm would have done if you had let him get close to you. You didn't want to risk it anymore, you felt so weak and dejected; you couldn't stand others taking advantage of you just because you were a female. You didn't want other skeleton brothers to treat you like that, thinking they could overpower you with some strange trick or use of their strength.

The hot shower was doing wonders for your daze. Now that you were safe, you could think more clearly. You put on some clean clothes, putting the others to wash, ready to go to bed under the covers for some kind of comfort. It had been a decidedly difficult day, but thanks to that day, you were convinced that in the following days you would also try the crystal, maybe it would change your situation. At that point, it was worth a try.

And Charm had said they were in their territory, they weren't far from your tree house. It was time to get closer to skeleton territory.

And while you drifted smoothly into a deep sleep, Charm was returning to the den with his brothers.

Charm didn't understand why Sans asked them to patrol the borders of the territory. To maximize his efforts, he had asked him and Nova to split up to cover as much ground as possible, and he had asked Money to make night rounds and chase away any possible threats.

It was unusual to see Sans so anxious, he was usually one of the most in control. But Charm didn't ask himself too many questions, he trusted his brothers blindly, even if sometimes they enjoyed messing up his feathers. Maybe Sans was afraid that the humans would try to attack them, while they were in their lairs healing from the last battle.

Their territory had always been relatively peaceful; It was a surprise to him to find a new smell he had never smelled before as he soared through the trees. The smell was sweet and sparkling at the same time, it seemed to attract him like a helpless being. He was too taken by that smell; he changed his trajectory by being guided by that sweet smell.

But just as he got closer to that smell, he felt others around him, which ruined the harmony of that aroma. Having arrived at the exact place, he saw three adult male wolf monsters who had stood in a circle; perhaps they had captured prey and were about to end the hunt. Charm didn't like the idea of ​​fighting, he preferred to resolve things through dialogue before resorting to violence, perhaps he could talk to them and make them give up.

Although, he doubted that underdeveloped monsters would actually listen to him.

He was about to show himself to them, when suddenly that inviting smell from before reappeared, however, much weaker than before. Following the scent, Charm realized that it was also coming from where the wolves were.

And then he saw her. A human had been captured by the wolves, he lay stuck with no way out, at their mercy. Strange that they didn't kill him straight away, monsters like them driven by instinct tended to kill anything they found. Charm leaned further out of his tree to see better beyond the tree canopy.

And he understood the reason for so much interest on the part of the wolves. The human was a female! Long hair, big eyes and that good smell came from her. He had to find a way to free her; he hated humans, but he couldn't leave that poor thing at the mercy of those crazy people; they would probably abuse her!

And Charm couldn't turn away. He knew all too well how horrible it was, to be used as toys, for the pleasure of others.

While thinking of a plan to help her without involving her in the fight, the human began kicking all three wolves one by one. From the first smell, it seemed that she had surrendered to them, but instead the female showed off a crazy determination.

After kicking them all, she started running in the opposite direction, unfortunately the wolves took little time to recover to chase her. But she didn't have to fear, today was her lucky day, he was ready to save her.

And this time Charm really wanted to stretch his legs, he liked the idea of ​​teaching these insignificant cubs a lesson.

He rushed among them with a powerful thud on the ground. Charm loved entrances on stage, and his always had to be impressive. The imposing roar created by his entrance made the earth tremble; his presence surprised the wolves. No monsters were to enter their territory, and no one would take them seriously. Their safety would have been at risk. Without much effort, he defeated the wolves, giving them one last warning before dealing with humans.

Of course, she definitely didn't realize she had entered their territory; she wasn't dressed like a guard; maybe she had been sent there to study something… Or maybe they used her as bait. But it didn't matter, no matter how good this human smelled, he had to chase her away from there. They couldn't afford to let their guard down, especially with humans.

It would have been enough for him to scare her so she wouldn't come back to them again. He turned slowly to increase the anticipation, made the lights disappear from his eye sockets and put on his face a cruel smile, which he had learned to do over the years. His theatrical skills were always very convincing, Mettaton was an excellent master at this.

The human was immediately frightened at the sight of his figure. Charm quickly peeked into the human's soul, finding nothing dangerous in it. He wouldn't have done anything else; he wouldn't have touched her; she was an innocent soul, she didn't deserve to be attacked.

He was trying particularly hard to scare her, after the attack on the laboratory they all felt stronger, after having beaten them on their own ground. But while he was enjoying the human's scared expression, the smell from before hit him square in the face. Absorbing it well, even if scared, her smell was relaxing him, bringing him into a state of bliss and tranquility.

Charm couldn't keep that show up any longer. His face softened, the pink lights in his sockets brightening again as he tried to peer beneath the hood at her face. He couldn't understand; why did this human have such power over him? Why couldn't he resist that smell? Why did he feel sorry now that he saw her scared in front of him? That's what he wanted, to scare her away… But now he wasn't sure if that was really what he wanted.

He wanted to see those beautiful, big, fighting eyes again. He took a step forward to try to get closer to her, but the result was not as hoped.

The human ran away from him, probably having scared her too much for him to let him get close to her. Instinctively, he used his animalistic calls to make her understand that he would not harm her. But none of her calls worked, it was logical she was human, she couldn't understand the intent in her actions.

And now as Charm returned to his tree nest, near the tree where Nova was, he found himself sighing heavily. “Hey little brother, are you okay? I see you are a little tired, has something happened?” Nova, like the other of her brothers, was very perceptive.

“NOTHING IMPORTANT BROTHER, TOMORROW I'LL TELL YOU EVERYTHING, PROMISE”. Charm didn't want to hide anything from Nova, but he didn't really want to talk at the moment.

Nova walked over to Charm, brushing some ruffled feathers. “Sure, go ahead and rest, little brother, and go get yourself cleaned up, get rid of all the ruffled feathers…for once I'm not the lazy one”. A spontaneous smile appeared on Charm's face; usually he was the one telling Nova to tidy up her nest and her always messy feathers.

Hugging his brother Charm, he reached his comfortable nest, ready to get a good night's sleep.

If only he hadn't been so reckless, perhaps he would have been able to see the human's face clearly, perhaps he would have understood something more about her. He just hoped she was safe now.

Deep down in his soul, he hoped that sooner or later he would meet her again. No female he had ever met had intrigued him as much in a short time as she had.

Chapter Text

The crystal in your hands shone with all those magnificent and sparkling colors, they enchanted you with great delight.

After yesterday's events, you had convinced yourself that to get closer to the monsters, you would have to try to be one of them. Going out as a human had only brought you trouble, at least in the monster territories you should have tried the other alternative. You just hoped that the crystal wouldn't change your body too much. Fortunately, your grandmother left you instructions for using the crystal.

The crystal would transform you into the most human-like monster, a Tiefling. Tieflings were described as a mix between humans and "something else" with the implication that the medium-sized non-human ancestors came from the evil demon gods. Tieflings are an almost extinct race on the island; no one knows why, but they were described as shy and solitary creatures. In the past, the monsters of the island greatly respected the Tieflings, although they had human appearance they were endowed with great strength and dexterity.

The sizes and shapes of Tieflings varied from subject to subject, so it was not possible for you to discover what appearance you would end up with. But some details yes. Searching for information on the computer left by your grandmother, you found some images discovered by the researchers. Apparently there were several drawings depicting Tieflings in the ruins of the island. And taking up those drawings, the researchers tried to recreate a probable aesthetic appearance.

All Tieflings possessed horns of varying thicknesses and styles on their heads, prehensile tails approximately 4–5 feet long, pointed teeth, and their eyes were like solid spheres of red, black, white, silver, or gold. Tiefling skin ranged across common human shades, from shades of red to shades of blue and purple. Tiefling hair, which began behind the horns, ranged from dark blue to purple to red, as well as more normal human colors. Tiefling ears were also larger and tapered, often ending in points.

Thanks to those images, you now had an idea of ​​what your monster look would be. But despite the disguise, you still should have done more to avoid being discovered as a female.

The disguise would have covered your smell, with the smell of a male not yet sexually mature; no monster would bother you like that, not considering you a threat to other people's territories.

But cross-dressing wouldn't erase your feminine curves.

You should have covered your breasts with the bands found in the bedroom closet, and used two pairs of shorts together. If normal clothes were ruined, you couldn't be without them, males would immediately notice... That a fundamental part of a male body was missing; the male genitalia.

“I hope the transformation doesn't hurt as much as the instructions implied.” In the instructions it was specifically written that the first time, you should use the crystal inside the treehouse, where you would be safe. The body would have reacted to the transformation, burning from the inside. Needless to say, you were scared of that part of the plan, but you had no other options available.

You double-checked that the barrier around the tree was active, closing the bedroom door and all drafts to be sure. You lay down on the bed to be more comfortable, and as instructed, you carved the crystal into the top. Likewise, you had to drink the contents. The anguish was great, and the worry about what would happen to you once you drank that liquid made you tremble. It was all crazy, you never thought you would have to go to this length to fulfill your task.

But you were too far gone to stop right now. You were filled with determination, and grabbing the crystal with both hands, you opened your mouth and drank the entire contents in one go. The liquid had no taste, and for the first few seconds, you felt no change in yourself.

Placing the now empty crystal on the nightstand next to your bed, you began to observe yourself for any kind of change in your body. A color change, a change on the head or maybe something on the hands. “I don't see anything different about me, maybe I did something wrong, maybe I should go and reread the instructions.” Was it possible I had missed a step? As you stood up from the bed, you felt an intense burning sensation wash over your body.

You fell suddenly onto the bed, bringing your hands to your chest, to find some kind of comfort. The intense burning seemed to start from your chest and spread to every inch of your body. Your heart rate increased inexorably, your breaths increasing rapidly. However, every breath wasn't enough for you, you felt suffocated, you tried to take in as much air as possible, but the pain and panic over what was happening to you was devastating, and all too strange.

Your skin burned, and your bones ached. The bottom of your spine throbbed, and your fingers and toes itched all the way to the ends. Your gums throbbed, your vision was blurring, and even your ears seemed to be tearing at the sides.

The torment mixed with panic worsened all the symptoms. It had been less than a minute, but it felt like hours to you.

Finally, letting out a very loud scream to vent, it all ended. You fell unceremoniously onto the bed and fell asleep again on the bed. The nap didn't last long. Once you woke up, your body no longer had pain, not even in your brain could you remember the sensations given by the transformation. Maybe your brain was protecting you, so you wouldn't relive that moment.

Struck by the daze, you found yourself staggering towards the bottle of water you had left near the wardrobe. You took a big sip to soothe your dry throat, it had probably strained your vocal cords a lot. Your hair was all messed up and scattered in front of your face. You reflexively brought a hand to your face to push your hair away from your face.

The vision of red brick filled your vision.

That color was all over your skin. Raising your head, you realized that you were in front of the mirror that was placed inside the wardrobe, and now you could see yourself clearly.

Your transformation was complete. Your skin was no longer pink, but brick red on every bit of your body. Your eyes were no longer dark brown, but were golden and seemed to glow against the light. Even your hair had changed color if before it was dark like dark chocolate now, it had taken on red shades on most of your hair. His fingernails and toenails had become sharp, like pins. Even the teeth had become somewhat sharpened.

But the most significant changes were undoubtedly the horns and the tail!

A pair of horns grew proudly in the middle of your hair, extending upwards, they were dark brown. When you touched them, you realized how sturdy they were. And as you touched the horns curiously, somehow your tail also reacted by sticking up in the air in surprise. The tail seemed to actively react to your emotions, like so many animals do in nature. It was long and tapered, reaching the end.

“This is incredible, I really look like a monster now!”. The appearance itself amazed you, and in some strange way you felt at ease even with those features, perhaps because the Tieflings were similar to humans. "Ok, first of all I have to change, it's really uncomfortable to hold my tail like that." The tail was forced to come out at the top of the trousers, now you understood why the trousers in the wardrobe had a removable piece at the bottom of the back, they were designed to fit a tail through!

With renewed emphasis, you began to dress in the appropriate clothes. Before putting the shirt on, you took the bandages to bind your breasts as tightly as possible; no one was supposed to notice the swell of your breasts. The men's look shirts were looser to hide the curves of your body. The shorts were also two sizes too big, so as not to show any pattern on your lower back. You had to use a sash as a strap to tie them tight at the waist.

The real change in the look was in the shoes. There were no shoes in the closet for the monster look that grandma had designed for you. Checking your feet, you realized that wearing shoes would not be possible. The sharp nails in the feet would have torn the material of any shoe.

And the diversity was not only on the nails, but also on the skin itself. Not only had the color changed, but your skin now seemed somehow thicker and more resistant, compared to human skin. You could feel it by feeling your feet against the hard wood of the room; even the sensation of cold was attenuated.

For anyone else to see themselves that way would have freaked them out at first glance. But not you; you were eager to get outside to test the changes in that new body. You wanted to see what a monster could be capable of.

You took everything you could need for that new exploration. Bow and arrows, along with the wristwatch, and you were ready to face the forest again. You only left your backpack there in the house, so if you met the skeletons it would be strange for them to see someone similar to them with a backpack on their shoulders. You could camouflage the watch on your skin, and weapons were sometimes used by monsters, but there wouldn't have been much explanation for a backpack.

Still not sure if the disguise really covered your original scent, you decided to advance through the forest calmly and carefully. It was painful having to walk so slowly, you immediately wanted to test your new look. But last time your impudence had cost you dearly.

Up to the river, everything was fine. There was no noise in the area, except that of the normal animals, which went about their everyday lives. Walking through the ground, you realized how your new Tiefling skin was protecting you from the rocks and soil. It was as if you were actually still wearing shoes. You didn't even feel cold in your feet; the sensation of the earth and grass was pleasant. Your skin was also protecting you from the sun's rays and the humidity in the air.

Even sight, hearing and smell seemed more amplified than before. Your body sometimes clicked into position automatically, as if it already knew what to do. It was reassuring to know that that new body would give you additional advantages, and not just in terms of aesthetics.

Several minutes later, you found yourself still in the spot where you had been attacked a few days ago. The memory of the wolves' attack ran through your mind. Your body seemed to recognize the place, but it was becoming difficult for you to continue walking. You were afraid that at any moment, those cursed people could pounce on you.

Proceeding with even more caution than before, you crossed that piece of woods checking in every direction, trying to notice any type of movement. Your pointed ears perked up along with your tail out of instinct. You also put your nose to work, to detect any suspicious odors.

Nothing, there was no one there, fortunately or at least it seemed so. But one thing remained in that area, a masculine odor lingered in the air around the trees. You didn't know how to explain it, but the smell seemed familiar. Your mind was registering him as someone you already knew.

“What is this good aroma that I smell in the air. Where have I heard that before?” You kept pointing your nose up, but you couldn't figure out whose it was. Maybe it was because of the transformation into a monster that you could smell that smell, as a human you would certainly never have noticed it.

But the inviting smell seemed to be heading towards skeleton territory, and it was worth following.

You were attracted to the smell in the air. You had never smelled such an enveloping scent, not even the most beautiful flower in the world had such a good and calming scent. You would have gladly let yourself be lulled by that sweet aroma. Maybe this was how monsters felt when they smelled you.

The problem was another, though. You weren't paying attention anymore, you were hypnotized. You were automatically walking towards that smell, not caring about all the precautions you should have taken. Curiosity pushed you into the heart of the woods.

Huge cobwebs decorated the trees in various places. There were also strange ropes and traps on the ground. But they were good signs, it meant you were close. Fighting the smell was tricky, as you juggled not to end up in any of the traps.

The traps must have been the famous puzzles, which you had read about on the skeletons. The monsters used these tricks to protect their territories, and in the skeleton pack several brothers took care of these types of lair protections.

Most of them didn't seem like dangerous traps, though. They served more than anything else to block possible intruders on the spot. Others, however, looked like real hunting traps. There were pieces of metal stuck together on the ground, fused together as if they were bear traps designed to hurt prey.

If you were in human form, you would definitely have been afraid of those dangerous traps. They could have cut off a few limbs without too much difficulty. But in your monster form, everything changed. Somehow each trap was connected to a specific type of smell, by managing to pick up those smells, you managed to get past them without looking where to put your feet.

Dodging the cobwebs was also easy; it was as if, in your mind, those smells showed you the right path to take.

You were doing great, up until that point you hadn't had any kind of problem that could discourage you. As you continued walking, another type of smell took your attention away. The new smell was terrible!

It was a strong rotten smell, as if you had found yourself in front of a huge pile of food scraps left to rot under the sun. The smell was so disgusting, it drowned out the other tempting smells that had helped you up until that point.

You stopped in place, using your nose to detect where the smell was coming from, and a dark feeling came over you. That horrible smell reminded you of death, cold, dark and lifeless. You had carefully analyzed the information on the computer left by your grandmother, and in the files there was no known type of monster that had a smell like that.

The smells could be more or less good, they varied from monster to monster. The smell was an indicator of affinity, if a smell was found to be uninteresting, the monsters would simply ignore it. But no one could ever possess such a horrible aroma.

Your golden eyes darted everywhere to see where the smell was coming from, you couldn't see anything. Your ears were enough to warn you of imminent danger. The anguished, gurgling sound echoed around the surrounding trees.

A lanky body came out of the bushes to reveal itself to your eyes. “(He's not a monster, he's a soulless person!)”. That's why you didn't register the smell as that of a monster, it was the body of a human who had lost control of his soul. He must have heard you walking. The soulless followed the waves of energy emanating from the souls, they were attracted to both those of monsters and those of humans. It made no difference to them, whatever soul they took, they would absorb it to try to get back to what they once were.

But it was all useless, once they reached that level no power derived from souls would ever bring them back. And the same thing went for monsters, if they lost control of their soul.

The body in front of you was all gray and lanky, it almost seemed as if the joints of that body were out of control and had lost the use of some of the limbs present. His clothes were all ruined, his hair was almost non-existent, his eyes were bulging out of his skull and his mouth looked as if it had been split in two. Anguished gasps came out of the mouth of that putrid being.

Even though we had him in front of us, it seemed that the so-called “zombie” hadn't noticed you. Checking the eyes of the soulless one, you realized that that foul body was blind. Without sight, he was probably forced to use his other senses, but now you were still there. And you were surrounded by so many smells. The soulless one was circling you without spotting you.

“(Luckily this is just a human, I can get around it).” If the body had belonged to a monster it would have been terrible; the monsters, even without a soul, remained more ferocious than humans.

You took a nice deep breath, to calm yourself and also your body, which was no longer responding as you would have liked. Your long ears had popped back, your tail was straight and alert, and without meaning to, your tongue darted out to nervously touch your sharp canines.

You had to calm down, with your concentration focused on that deceased beast, you could no longer rely on the pleasant smells from before. Now it was really challenging to dodge all those traps. Every step was calculated, every movement was controlled, if you had made too loud noises the living dead would have jumped on you instantly.

Bad luck seemed to haunt you. That wasn't the only soulless one in the area, you had identified two others thanks to the precision of your sense of smell.

The webs had been placed in strategic points, to push the invaders into the traps on the ground. You were trying hard not to touch anything. But it was all in vain when, for a moment of distraction, your tail flicked upwards, cutting a suspended rope, triggering one of those hateful traps.

A rather large pile of rocks were fired in your direction. Luckily, with your new monster body, you were able to move faster than normal, dodging the stones. But you had made a lot of noise; the wild screams of the soulless reached your face. They had spotted you and were already in position to attack you.

There was no time to think, you could only run as fast as you could. The soulless ones were now five! There were more and more traps as you ran forward, cobwebs catching on you, slowing you down. The soul-hungry growls of those deceased were at your heels.

Taking the bow on your back, you shot the first arrow. Keeping your aim while running was difficult, but the first shot hit, hitting two of the five gouges and pinning them in a tree. The arrow pierced their hands. The other three continued to chase you; avoiding the next trap, you climbed higher onto a rock, and shot another arrow from it. This hit the soulless man full in the forehead.

The body of that being seemed to bounce back slightly from the blow, but the disconcerting thing was that the thing was still moving! The soulless one started running towards you again, not caring at all about the arrow in his face. You had found no information on how to break down those dead bodies. In the files, the methods of killing those gouges were top secret, apparently the big shots didn't want to reveal information on how those things could be killed to the scientists. The usual unhealthy idea of ​​those brainless people.

You had to continue your run, but by turning too quickly, you didn't realize the enormous mistake you had made. You had entered a tunnel made entirely of cobwebs. The only escape route was where you entered. The web had been built among the trees and ended in a dead end. The bottom of that web was too thick to try to break it.

“(I'm trapped)” You felt like weak prey now, your only option was to fight. You wasted no time, still using your bow, you shot another arrow into the chest of the first soulless one, who was closest to you. The shot hit, but just as it had before, the arrow did not kill the walking corpse; it only slowed down its progress.

You were overcome with fear now; you had no way out, you didn't know how to kill these beasts, and nothing you had tried had worked.

One of the soulless ones lunged at you, ready to bite you in the face. The impact made you fall on your back, gasping. You used your bow to protect yourself from the teeth of the living dead man. The stench that came out of that being's mouth was vomiting, you were losing consciousness because of that smell. Having a more developed sense of smell in monster form at those times was not a good thing.

“Go away, go away, leave me!”. There was no point in screaming, they wouldn't stop until they ripped your soul from your body. But deep down in your heart, you hoped that someone could help you. Charm had intervened the last time, and he was close to their den, maybe some of the skeletons could have heard you.

Another soulless grabbed your ankle, trying to drag you away; every one of those corpses wanted your soul. The feeling of dead flesh on your skin was gruesome. Even though your skin in monster form was thicker, you could feel like their bodies were made of soft, cold flesh.

The other three corpses were also approaching, extricating themselves from the cobwebs. If I hadn't done something, you would have been blown to smithereens.

A shrill, high-pitched noise made all the surrounding cobwebs vibrate; the sound was so powerful that you had to resist the temptation to let go of the bow, which was shielding you. You just wanted to cover your long ears. Apparently, even the soulless were bothered by the noise; they weren't suffering like you, but the sound was distracting them.

It all happened in a fraction of a second. A large shadow hung over everything. A body with multiple legs ran, at full speed, towards the spider web. Sharp hands cut through the cobwebs, grabbing you, by the collar of your shirt, pulling you out. Your body was literally thrown away. You got stuck in another spiderweb higher up in the trees.

Your head was spinning, the sound combined with the launch had disoriented you. With your vision blurred, you couldn't see around you well. You could only watch as the large creature was tearing itself apart, the soulless ones caught in the web. The ungainly screams of the corpses were diminishing, the monster must have killed almost all of them. Too bad I wasn't able to see the fight from that position. It would have been useful to know how to kill those gouges.

Silence. Not a fly flew anymore. The soulless must-have been killed permanently. You tried to detach yourself from the web, but without success; those threads were too sticky. The sun on your face had been blocked out, turning your attention straight ahead. You were greeted by an elongated skeletal face, and a pair of golden fangs, which gleamed in contrast to the sun.

“(Rus, no wonder since he's half spider).” It was clear that he was the one who put all those cobwebs around. Seeing him up close again made you remember how small you were compared to him. His spider body kept him suspended on the webs without any effort.

He was looking into your eyes. Rus wasn't saying a single word. The lights in his eye sockets narrowed to pinpricks. Maybe you should have said something to take away that awkward silence. “Hey, thanks for helping me-“. Rus' hand shot towards your mouth, covering it so you wouldn't finish your speech. Rus' hand grip was strong and firm; Rus' hand was so big it covered half your face.

Rus brought your face closer to him, still intimidating you with his unfriendly gaze, and then he started smelling you. “(Oh god, please make the disguise work).” You just hoped that the smell you had now would make Rus understand that you weren't a threat. Rus took deep breaths of air in an attempt to detect the surrounding smell.

You could feel Rus' warm breath on your skin. Not satisfied, Rus moved towards your neck to make sure who was in front of him. Having those sharp teeth near your neck sent you into panic, if Rus had decided to bite, you wouldn't have had a chance. Rus seemed conflicted, perhaps he didn't know whether to define you as a friend or an enemy. Rus' spider-like body began to make ticking sounds as he rubbed his spider-like legs. It sounded like he was dialing some sort of Morse code.

You didn't know what to do. Rus wasn't speaking, he hadn't uttered a single syllable since he appeared. It was different than you remembered. It's true he had scared you to death when you first met, but he had apologized and in some strange way he had helped you. Now the only things that came out of his jaws, were breaths and soft grins at you.

You were still thinking about what to do when suddenly, Rus decided to grab you roughly by the shirt, and then put you on his shoulder. You wanted to scream, but you realized you couldn't. Your mouth was sealed with a spiderweb, and your wrists had also been tied in front of you by a cobweb. Instinctively, you tried with all your strength to break them, but nothing could free you. Rus moved nimbly through the trees. The sudden movements were giving you severe airsickness, no matter how fast he was moving.

The uncomfortable journey lasted a few moments. Rus catapulted himself into the center of a clearing; there was a huge cave there in the center, but you didn't have time to see better. Rus flew into what looked like a hole under the ground. Darkness greeted your senses, and before you knew what was happening, Rus caught you and dropped you to the ground, like a sack of potatoes.

The earth felt so hard on your skin, if you were in human form you would have hurt yourself. Being in Tiefling form, the tougher skin protected you from falling, and thanks to your new golden eyes, you could see shapes even in the dark. You would have spent hours experimenting with your new night vision to understand how it worked, but now was not the right time. Rus was behind you; you could hear how the spider legs were clicking quickly on the spot behind you. It was as if Rus was anxious about something.

A pair of crystals lit up, giving the den a pleasantly soft light. The ceiling was now colored red and blue, and the crystals greatly improved the aesthetics of that hole in the ground. With the light now present, you were able to see at the bottom of the den a pile of large furs; on the opposite side, fruit and other foods stored in baskets and crates. Squinting, you noticed another hole at the bottom of the den; it seemed to continue deeper into the ground.

“WELL, WELL, WHAT DID YOU BRING ME TODAY, RUS?”. The voice in question came from the back of the cave, from the darkest corner. A high, shrill voice that exuded authority in every syllable uttered, echoed in your sensitive ears.

“Actually, I don't know what Berry is, but I thought you might be interested.” Rus looked so proud of himself, showing you off like you were exotic prey to his brother.

A round skull appeared before your eyes; lights as blue as the sky shone mischievously in the little skeleton's eye sockets. On the right side of the eye socket, a scar with three gashes decorated Berry's skull; combined with a haughty smirk full of sharp teeth, it made him intimidating. A red scarf with holes fluttered behind the steps of a pair of red boots on the ground. He had long red gloves that extended to his elbow. Berry had an untapped black T-shirt, which showed off part of his spine; a pair of ripped black shorts completed the look. Another detail of Berry's look was certainly a whip rolled up on the side of his trousers, held up by a belt made of bones. With quick and confident steps, he went straight for your face.

Berry wasted no time, starting to examine you. “(At least I won't have to worry about his claws).” It seemed that several skeletons had sharp ends on their hands, not having to deal with those was a relief in itself. But it all seemed so absurd.

In just a few minutes you had gone from walking calmly through the woods to having to escape from the soulless. And now you were tied up and trapped in a lair underground, with two skeletons all too curious about your current appearance.

Berry grabbed your face and yanked it towards him. Even though he had gloves on, Berry had a firm grip on your head. If he wanted, Berry could have snapped your neck in a few moves. He kept turning his head over and over, scrunching up his face, trying to figure out what you were. He leaned toward your neck, sniffing the air. “(I hope the disguise works for him too).”

Rus hadn't recognized you by smelling you, there was a good chance Berry wouldn't have either, but the doubt was always in your head. After long gulps of air around your body, Berry pulled back to get a better look at you. “YOU'RE RIGHT, RUS, IT'S DEFINITELY INTERESTING... I'VE NEVER SEEN A CREATURE LIKE THIS...WHAT DO YOU THINK IT COULD BE?”.

Rus was already ready to respond, like a good little soldier. “I don't know Berry, maybe Sans and Papyrus could tell us-“. Berry stopped Rus cleanly. “ABSOLUTELY NOT… THEY WOULD SEARCH US IF THEY KNEW WE WERE HOLDING SOMEONE, WITHOUT SAYING ANYTHING TO THE OTHERS… AND I WANT TO HAVE A LITTLE FUN.” Berry finished the sentence, bringing his attention back to you.

Panic hit you within moments. Desperate to get away from him, you tried to crawl further back, colliding with Rus' spider legs, which promptly stuck to your sides in warning. “DON'T EVEN TRY, KID, RUS NEVER LETS A PREY RUN AWAY...OR ONE OF MY TOYS.” You didn't think it was possible, but Berry's smirk grew even sharper. “(Did he call me toy?!)”

“SO I GET FROM YOUR SMELL THAT YOU ARE JUST A KID, BUT I HAVE NEVER SMELLED OR SEEN ANYONE OF YOUR KIND BEFORE; SO THE ONLY QUESTION IS WHAT ARE YOU?”. Rus made room for Berry who was now circling you, looking you up and down. “THE SHAPE LOOKS LIKE THAT OF A HUMAN BEING, BUT IT HAS MANY DIFFERENT CHARACTERISTICS…HORNS, TAIL, CLAWS, RED SKIN, POINTED EARS…”.

Berry continued to circle in frustration, it was clear that neither of them knew what kind of monster I was. “He has horns, brother... Maybe he's a devil.” Rus leaned over, casting his large shadow over your small body. What a great humiliation you were feeling; first they called you prey, then toy, and now they called you devil.

Berry apparently found Rus's remark very hilarious, as the big, ungainly laugh erupted from his mouth. “MEH HE HE HE, FOR ONCE YOU MIGHT HAVE SAID SOMETHING RIGHT RUS… YOU REALLY LOOK LIKE A LITTLE DEVIL.” Berry grabbed you by the horns without any restraint, lifting you off the ground. It hurt, it felt like Berry was yanking your hair all at once. The antlers were tough, but under Berry's steely grip they felt like jelly. You screamed in pain, but only faint gasps came out due to the cobwebs in your mouth. “OR COME ON, DOES ONE PULL IS ENOUGH FOR YOU TO GIVE IN? YOU JUST LOOKED WEAK, BUT THEY DIDN'T THINK YOU WERE THAT POOR BOY." Berry finally decided to brush the cobweb away from your mouth. You could finally inhale some healthy oxygen; the tug on your horns had made you waste your breath.

You were scared, you didn't know what to do. You had never met Berry before, but remembering the files read on the computer, he was one of the more violent skeletons with a lot of energy to expend. The files underlined the fact that he was a real troublemaker, always ready to bully others to get his way. And apparently, from his overly smug face, he liked scaring others. “(Do you like seeing others scared? I won't give you that satisfaction).”

Consequences be damned, you wanted respect. You didn't deserve this, you hadn't done anything to deserve all this wrath from Berry. You were tired of being treated like a rag doll. “Do you really think I'm weak? Why don't you free me, and we'll find out right away... Unless… You're afraid of losing to a kid.” You put all your contempt into your words. It was a risky move to make him angry like that, but you had a plan to get out of this situation.

Berry obviously didn't like the brazen response. “DO YOU REALLY THINK THAT AN INSIGNIFICANT INEPECT LIKE YOU…CAN BEAT ME!?”. Berry tightened his grip on your horns, making you groan in pain; that bastard was giving you an incredible headache. “MEH HE HE HE VERY GOOD, IF A LESSON IS WHAT YOU WANT, YOU WILL GET A LESSON.” Berry didn't wait any longer, suddenly releasing you. He grabbed your wrists, cutting away the cobwebs that imprisoned you.

You jumped up from the ground, remaining helpless for too long in front of a dangerous monster was not a good strategy. Rus behind you, he seemed ready to grab you again. “NO, RUS, YOU STAY OUT OF IT. THE KID WANTS TO FIGHT ME, I DON'T WANT INTERFERENCE, CLEAR?”. Rus stopped instantly, moving towards the wall, then climbing onto it. He began to observe everything from the top of the ceiling, looking upside down. He threw the bow towards you, and until that moment he had held it tightly in his clutches.

Berry took the gloves off his hands. Now there was no protection from his claws anymore; he intended to use them against you. “WELL KID, YOU ARE LUCKY, YOU ARE MAKING MY DAY. I WILL NOT USE ALL MY STRENGTH ON YOU, OR MELT YOUR FACE OFF. I AM SO MAGNINIUM… I WILL ONLY USE MY EXCELLENT SKILLS AND MY WHIP.” Berry reinforced the point by grabbing the whip of his pant strap, cracking it in the air.

You had to keep your nerve. He was stronger, faster and more intimidating. Luckily, however, you knew a weak point. Reminding you of files read on the computer, Berry used to lose his temper easily. And if there was one thing that could have made him lose his mind, it was the teasing toward him. Catching your breath, you straightened your back, put your bow back on your back, and took one last look towards the exit. “(It's all or nothing now).”

“Of course you are strong without a doubt, I bet others fear and respect you.” First phase of the plan, to distract Berry while you slid towards the entrance, to get out of that hole underground. You knew that, flattery would work on him.”MHE HE HE EXACTLY BOY, EVERYONE RECOGNIZES MY STRENGTH.” Berry was falling into a trap, the flattery was distracting him; you had already slipped back far enough to see the sky out of the hole above.

Even Rus who had always been alert, now slept peacefully on the ceiling upside down. Berry had told him not to interfere, and perhaps he had taken it as an excuse to sleep, or he was trusting in his brother's strength. It was an added bonus for you. You just had to maneuver Berry the right way. “It's absolutely impressive how much stronger you are than me, you don't have to fight to know that. Let me go, and I won't bother you anymore.” Before taking action, you tried to submit to convince him. But Berry's smug face clearly told you that he wasn't going to let you go anytime soon.

“I'M SORRY BOY, BUT YOU ENTERED OUR TERRITORY WITHOUT PERMIT, AND THE RULES MUST BE RESPECTED. BUT DON'T WORRY, TODAY I FEEL GOOD, I WON'T HURRY TOO MUCH ABOUT YOU...”. Berry cracked the whip around your body, not caring about your sudden reactions. He didn't really care about how he was treating you.

“(O, well, I tried)”. Talking to Berry hadn't helped, and you weren't about to let him beat you. Now you were finally under the entrance to the den. Berry probably wasn't worried, the hole was high up, and it would take a considerable leap to climb out. But you knew how to do it.” I didn't know I was entering your territory, maybe if you had shown yourself at the border instead of hiding here like a coward and sending others to do the job for you, we would have already solved everything."

Berry froze in place. The lights in his sockets shrank to pins and needles, threatening to disappear from their sockets. His smile became even more maniacal. He began to tremble on the spot, making his bones rattle against each other. He wasn't shaking from fear, but from anger. “COWARD?…YOU ARE CALLING ME A COWARD…”. A resentful roar rumbled inside his ribs, you could have sworn you felt the earth shake.

“YOU REALLY NEED A PUNISHMENT…INSULTING AN ALPHA LIKE ME IN MY LAIR, IN MY TERRITORY…UNACCEPTABLE!”. Berry instantly lunged at you. If you thought Rus was fast, well, you hadn't seen Berry in action yet. With a single leap, he was upon you. Despite the fear of being torn to pieces, you remained composed and ready to move. This is what you wanted.

Thanks to the lightning-fast reflexes of your transformation, you managed to get ahead of Berry. Berry slashed the air in front of him with his whip, convinced that in one swing he would get you. At the exact moment, you jumped back, dodging the blow at the last second. The air emanating from Berry's whip made your hair ruffle back, and a pile of dust rose from the ground. The shock wave from that blow was powerful.

But now Berry was just below the exit point. Taking advantage of that moment of poor visibility due to the dust in the air, you jumped on top of Berry. Berry was caught off guard, he couldn't block you. He certainly didn't expect that you would use him as a step to jump up. You used Berry's shoulders to pull yourself up. You used the sharp nails on your hands and feet to climb up the tunnel that would take you out.

“WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING, YOU DISGUSTING BRAT?!”. Berry stretched out his arms, attempting to grab you by the ankles. You had to do something, or he would get you. Digging into the ground, you grabbed a handful of dirt and threw it into his eye sockets. Striking in their orbits always proved to be a good move. Berry put his hands on his face in an attempt to clear the dirt from his eye sockets.

Angry, painful grunts escaped its sharp jaws. You were almost out, you didn't have much left, and then you would have run away. “YOU USELESS IDIOT, WAKE UP AND GET IT!”. Berry's thunderous voice still shook the earth. A dull noise followed the thundering fury of Berry's voice. “(He must have woken Rus up from the ceiling, to chase me. I have to move!).” You used all your remaining strength to pull yourself up.

The sunlight hit you full on. It would have been nice to enjoy some rest in the sun, but that would have to wait. You ran like crazy, hoping to reach the woods and then disappear among the vegetation. You were right in the center of the clearing, when a superhuman roar broke the quiet.

The roar itself was enough to make you fall to your knees, making your legs shake. Your heart was pounding, there was like some sort of invisible force that prevented you from moving. Neither your arms nor your legs responded to your will anymore.

Heavy footsteps approached you with elegance and confidence. Even without looking, you felt the powerful presence of someone close to you. Another shadow loomed over you, putting your figure in the shade. You couldn't raise your head, your instincts were screaming at you not to look into the eyes of whatever beast was there with you. Your ears were folded back, and your tail was curled around your legs, as if seeking comfort within yourself. Your golden eyes darted from side to side on the ground, trying to take your thoughts away from that bad situation.

Whoever it was growling at you from above your head, you could feel their hot, heavy breath on your horns, and in your hair. The growls deepened the longer you remained in that position. As if your body knew what to do, you leaned further towards the ground to make yourself even smaller. The growling had stopped. “MWAH HAW, EXACTLY, BE AFRAID OF ME LITTLE ONE…BUT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, HOW DID YOU GET THIS WAY?”. The hoarse, growling voice of the skeleton next to you penetrated your ears.

Trying to respond to the skeleton next to you, you made the mistake of trying to lift your head. The skeleton caught you and, with one hand, lowered your head. “WHO TOLD YOU, THAT YOU COULD RAISE YOUR HEAD, MICROBE?”. Like Berry, this skeleton also had a powerful grip.

Judging by the roar, the growls, and the angular, bony cheeks, you had seen... That skeleton had to be Edge.

“STOP THERE, THAT LITTLE GUY IS OUR PREY AND I MUST TAKE VENGEANCE!”. Berry had come out of his lair with Rus in tow ready to recapture you, to take revenge for the shame he had suffered.

Edge turned to his brothers, ready to respond. “TAKE VENGEANCE? ABOUT THIS LITTLE WORM HERE? MWAH HAW HAW, DID YOU GET FOOLED BY SOMEONE LIKE THAT?”. Edge laughed out loud, seeing the brothers' pissed-off faces. “HOW PATHETIC ARE YOU BERRY TO BE FOOLED LIKE THIS? I AM A TRUE ALPHA, I HAVE ALREADY SUBMITTED HIM TO MY WILL.”

How much you wanted to scream. You didn't want to submit to him! You would never have done it if you hadn't been in that bad situation. This wasn't how things should have been. But you couldn't take chances, you couldn't make another skeleton angry; if this too had decided to attack, you would have had no hope.

Edge's words reignited the fury in Berry and Rus. “Step aside, kitty, or we'll teach you a good lesson, too.” Rus was defending Berry with his sword drawn, he was pounding the ground nervously with his spider legs. “GIVE US THE KID AND I WON'T HURT YOU, BROTHER.” Even with your head bowed, you could hear the familiar crack of Berry's whip in the air. Was he really that determined to engage in a fight against his brother, just on a whim?

“What the fuck is going on here!?”. A new voice joined the debate, and it wasn't the only one. "What did you catch there, boss?"

The sound of many more footsteps caught your attention. Skeletons were gathering around you and asking, “WHAT'S THE MEANING OF THIS MADNESS? MONEY AND I WERE RESTING.”

Berry, now annoyed by the situation, tried in vain to send his brothers away. “GO, IT'S NOT A MATTER THAT CONCERNS YOU.”

Growls and hisses echoed above your head, the skeletons never seemed to want to give in, every single one of them wanted to be right.

“That's enough!”. A deep voice boomed in the surrounding area. You recognized that skeleton just by its voice. That was Sans. “(Thank goodness he's here, if there's anyone who can stop this madness, it's him)”.

Sans walked placidly towards his brothers, judging by the slurred words, the brothers had woken him up from a nap. “What's all this mess?...”. Sans shifted his gaze towards Edge, finally noticing your bent figure beneath him. “Who is that, and why is he here?”. Pointing their finger at you, the other skeletons also noticed your presence. They were too busy with the discussion to notice you, but now that they saw you, all their attention was focused only on you.

This wasn't how you imagined your first encounter with skeletons. You knew it wouldn't be easy, but becoming the subject of a dispute… That was a thought far from your mind.

The hand that was previously holding you with your head bowed abruptly moved away. “WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING, OVERGROWN CANARY?!”. Apparently it wasn't Edge who voluntarily freed you. “Come on, Edge, if you keep subduing him, how can we talk to each other?”. This new voice was deep, but much more honey-laced than Sans's. If you had to describe it, you could have defined that voice as a constant flirtation.

Skeletal fingers rested gently under your chin, urging your head to rise. You were still afraid to look in front of you, but this skeleton seemed to be good. Or, at least, you hoped so.

You found yourself in front of a pair of fuchsia-colored lights, which shone peacefully, calming you down instantly. A genuine smile graced that skeleton's face. You found yourself staring at him, absorbing that aura of peace around him. The skeleton seemed to notice your mischievous look. “Oh my, my, you are such a cute little boy… Why don't you explain things to us a little to start?”.

You were still groggy, but you were sure of who you were looking at. Nova had been described as territorial, but also friendly. Thanks to him, you felt more comfortable speaking now.

Soon the other skeletons also approached. Now you had all their lights on you. There were those who gave you unfriendly looks, those who seemed indifferent or annoyed, and then there were those who were composed and curious.

Explaining things... would have been difficult among all those skeletons. But hey, you had to start somewhere.

Chapter Text

“Come on start talking brat, I don't want to waste my day hearing bullshit-“ *SBAM*. Red hadn't been able to finish his sentence. The slap to the back of his skull from Edge silenced him.

“HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU TO CONTROL YOUR LANGUAGE IN MY PRESENCE, YOU IDIOT?”. It was amazing how much Edge could raise his voice so much. You had to resist the urge to cover your long ears; Edge was short-tempered and might have taken the gesture as a sign of rudeness. And you didn't want to make him angry.

Red immediately closed his mouth, apparently being one of the brothers wasn't enough to be able to challenge Edge's authority. Red stood there silently, covering his face with the fur-lined hood of his sweatshirt. Among his sharp teeth stood out a golden one. He had a similar outfit to Sans except that Red had worn out sneakers on his feet. And obviously, almost all of her look passionately showed off her favorite color, red.

You were grateful for the disguise; Red certainly wouldn't have forgotten about you after the kick you gave him in the face that night. At least you didn't have to worry about attracting more wrath from him, even though he was a Beta he was still a monster ready for a fight.

Nova's presence in front of you reassured you a lot, luckily at least he and Charm seemed more curious than angry. “Will you stop shouting? I'm talking to a new kid here.” Nova already seemed exasperated by the Fell brothers' attitude. It must have been tiring to talk to someone while others made a mess. Yet he hadn't lost his warm and playful tone.

Pushing you slightly towards the ground, he put you in the correct position, to let you sit on the ground with them. The skeletons had formed a circle around you, all standing to show you how much taller and bigger they were. They were very cautious of you. Surrounded like that, you had no chance of escape. You should have measured your words carefully.

Your only luck was that not all the skeletons were present there. Only eight of them were present, from what you could see. But even if it hadn't been all of them, just one of them would have been enough to tear you to pieces if they wanted. You had to be careful with the words and gestures you made. There were many things you didn't yet know about monsters; you really risked making them angry with little.

And Red already seemed annoyed by your presence. His raspy voice sounded like a deep, constant growl, perfect for a half-wolf like him. “Since when are you so good to strangers, mangy chick? You are usually among the first to send away potential threats from our territory.” Red had his lights trained on you, he kept circling around to get a better look at you, still staying at Edge's side. Red's lights shone a powerful red.

Nova leaned towards your figure, smelling the aroma; he closed his eye sockets as if he were concentrating, “(it's strange to see a skeleton close his eyes like that…)”. You were trying to normalize everything without panicking more.

At least you were calmer, though, the disguise worked, and the unpleasant encounter with Rus and Berry had been proof enough. And your appearance had convinced them, too, that you were a monster like them. You just hoped that Nova wouldn’t find your smell bad or threatening. Judging by his calm look, the outcome was positive.

“Yes, Red, strangers potentially dangerous to us...But what we have in front of us is just a kid. A young, lonely male who isn’t even sexually mature. How is he supposed to be a threat to us?”. If you had been closer, you would have jumped into his arms to give him a big hug to thank him. Sure, you weren’t safe yet, but he had described you as harmless; it was a good start compared to all the mean things Berry had said.

Nova sat cross-legged in front of you with a cute smile on his teeth. He spoke to you calmly. “Ok, boy, how did you end up here with us?”. You found yourself distracted by the skeleton’s bizarre attire. Nova was wearing a black t-shirt with a little heart drawn on it; only the heart was upside down. The shirt hung loosely, exposing his collarbones. The most provocative part, however, were his shiny black pants, which fit like a glove on his legs; he had them low on the waist, and you could see part of his spine and the top of his tailbone exposed to the air! A pair of blue ankle boots completed the look.

You remembered reading that both Nova and Charm were flirtatious and into physical contact, but you didn’t think they could be so explicit. In the images in the files, all the skeletons were wearing white lab coats. But when you looked closer, each of the skeletons were wearing human clothes. It was strange to think that monsters hated humans so much, but still wore their clothes for comfort.

Nova noticed your mischievous gaze as you roamed over his body; a mischievous look appeared on his face. “Do you like what you see, boy? I’m flattered, but I reserve this bodywork for the females.” Nova said while winking at you.

Good thing you were red now, or they would have noticed your cheeks burning with embarrassment. “Sorry, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to... Stare, but this is the first time I’ve seen monsters like you-.”

“QUIET, LITTLE ONE, LOOK AS MUCH AS YOU WANT.” Charm leaned over his brother, showing off his look…even more provocative than Nova’s! Charm had all of his ribs exposed; there was only a ridiculously tight black t-shirt covering his arms and collarbones. He, too, was wearing tight, shiny black pants along with a pair of yellow boots. Charm unlike Nova had bright pink lights in his eye sockets that matched up with… His stomach?!

“(Oh dear God, since when do skeletons have stomachs?)”. None of the other skeletons showed a stomach. You were convinced that they were made of bones only, but apparently you were wrong. Judging by the color, you thought it was made of magic, it was the only plausible explanation. You couldn’t explain it, but somehow you felt embarrassed looking at all those exposed bones in front of your eyes. It was as if they were half naked!

Luckily, Sans butted in. “Hey, take it easy, little brother, give him time to answer”. Sans had a lazy smile plastered on his face. His voice was warm and reassuring, even just from his speech, you could feel his confidence despite his somewhat sloppy manner. He had a relaxed expression; he too, like Nova, sat down next to you. Sitting down, he seemed less threatening, he must have noticed that too. Sans was wearing the same outfit as the day of the lab attack. His Blue hoodie had some stains, as did his shirt, and he still had those funny pink slippers on his bony feet.

You shouldn't have lingered any longer, you had to start talking, or they would have become suspicious. “Here, I was walking in the woods to gather information about the place-”. Berry rushed forward, approaching you, until now, he had remained behind the other skeletons, glaring at you. He already had the whip ready in his hand to use it against you again. “YOU WERE GATHERING INFORMATION ABOUT OUR TERRITORY TO CATCH US BY SURPRISE, RIGHT?! I KNEW IT! I WAS RIGHT TO PUNISH YOU”. Berry was growling, snapping his sharp teeth together. He was looking at you as if you were some incredible threat. Rus no less than his brother, starting to growl, making annoying tics with his paws.

“CATCH US BY SURPRISE? LOOKING AT THIS LITTLE GUY, I THINK IT’S HIGHLY UNLIKELY UNLESS HE’S IN COMPANY…BUT I’VE NEVER SEEN ANYONE OF HIS KIND UNTIL NOW.” Another raspy, but calmer voice than Berry’s came from the back of the circle; another skeleton moved closer to you in the center of the circle. “(He said earlier that he was disturbed… He was resting with Money… Must be Black).” It was important that you were able to recognize the skeletons in front of you; at least that way you could try to speak without attracting further ridicule.

Black was just as intimidating as Edge and Berry. He resembled Berry in appearance but was more elegant, like Edge. Unlike Berry, Black had a scar with two claw marks running across his left eye socket. Purple lights shone fiercely in his sockets as he meticulously examined everything. His teeth were as sharp as those of his brothers. Black wore a gray metal plate on his chest that served as armor, accompanied by gray pants that folded inside sleek black boots. Black wore a scarf the same color as his lights. The purple scarf was folded neatly around his neck, even if it was torn in some places, it seemed to be important to him.

“(Awesome, another alpha skeleton, and dangerous too)”. It wasn’t enough to have Edge and Berry there in the same place, only Black was missing to complete the trio of the most bastards. And now having his authoritative look too was putting you in crisis.

Sans however, ran to your aid. “He is a Tiefling; it is normal for them to travel alone; they are shy monsters, and not much is known about them. But it is said that they are among the oldest races on the island”. You were shocked by the various pieces of information he had. Sans was the oldest of all his brothers and was the first to gain knowledge in the laboratories while they were being educated. But you didn’t expect him to be so knowledgeable, especially on such a topic.

Sans’s information was enough to calm the skeletons down a bit. Black has reduced his grin considerably now. “SO IT’S NORMAL THAT THEY LOOK LIKE HUMANS… AND THAT THEY CARRY HUMAN WEAPONS?” Black still seemed a bit skeptical of his older brother’s answer. Your bow was lying on the ground, having fallen from your hands when Edge had stopped you earlier. Apparently, Black could be a very observant guy, examining all the details in front of him.

But Sans was ready to give everyone an interesting lesson on Tieflings. “Yes, this is what they actually look like. They have become rarer to see because, due to their shapes, some people mistake them for humans, but they are not. Their shapes and colors can change between individuals, and since they prefer to avoid fights, they sometimes make use of weapons made by themselves.” Sans reached down to pick up the offending bow, showing it to everyone present. “They use weapons like bows, knives, slingshots, and even blowpipes to strike from afar. This one in particular was made from pieces of magical crystal fused with metals from the caves found in Winterfell.”

The bow deflected the sun, while Sans continued to admire the workmanship of the weapon. Even you couldn’t figure out what kind of metal the bow was made of, and Sans explained it. It came from Winterfell, an area with perennial snow but full of underground passages and caves. You were convinced that there were only magical crystals in those caves. Since they were difficult to find in the middle of that snow, the idea of ​​being able to find such a resistant material was really tempting for the humans. “(That’s why scientists are trying to expand to other areas)”. If the humans got their hands on those metals, they would build stronger weapons and barricades. It would be a real disaster for the monsters.

“A very well-crafted object... You should be careful not to lose it, boy. Whoever left it to you must have worked very hard for you”. Sans gave you the bow back, sliding it gently into your hands. As the hand-over between your hands was completed, you noticed a strange light in Sans’ ​​eyes. For a moment, his white lights seemed to blur at the edges, and he had a strange expression on his face. You found it pleasant to watch.

You had been distracted by Sans’s peculiar expression, he seemed somehow nostalgic. The surrounding air had changed, and thanks to Sans’s words, the skeletons seemed to have calmed down more. Nova and Charm were the same as before, there had been no malicious intent in them from the beginning. Black still had a small frown on his face, but his shoulders were more relaxed. Red was still grunting, but he seemed to have lowered his guard considerably.

But Edge and Berry still hadn’t; their older brother’s words hadn’t convinced them. Edge had remained silent with the little patience he had left, but judging by how he was growling in the background, his patience had vanished. “THIS IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. WHY WERE YOU IN OUR TERRITORY; DID YOU NOT SMELL OUR SMELLS, OR DID YOU PURPOSELY IGNORATE THEM, THINKING YOU WOULD MAKE US FEEL PITY TO GET SOMETHING FROM US?”. Edge had straightened to his full height. You paled at his 6.4 feet of height. Edge’s broad shoulders blocked the sun and your body, casting a large shadow that swallowed you whole.

The magenta lights burned with pride and contempt for you. Now that you saw him standing, you could see his look. Edge had an angular face, and his bony cheeks ended in sharp pins. His teeth were as sharp as his words. He too, like his other brothers, had a scar over his left eye; he was one of the most aggressive; probably he had gotten those scars fighting other monsters. He was wearing a black shirt that covered his ribs but was not long enough to cover his spine. He was wearing black pants, held up by a belt made of thicker bones. His shiny red boots shone in the sun, along with his perfectly clean scarf and gloves.

Without warning, Edge reached out and grabbed you by the collar of your shirt. Apparently, the other brothers hadn’t expected such an impulsive move from their brother either. Nova and Sans jumped up; Sans even started growling back; Charm had his hands up, unsure of what to do; he looked like he was about to take you out of Edge’s hands.

Berry and Rus stood there, Black, on the other hand, seemed unimpressed by Edge’s display of strength.

You felt his hot breath on your face, at least his breath smelled clean and not gross like the soulless ones. “(Why does he have to have such sharp teeth too?!)”. Up until that point, only the skeletons with the sharpest teeth had threatened you; not that the others had been weaker, but at least some of them didn’t have razors for teeth. Your feet kicked in the air, reminding you how much bigger he was than you; he held you in the air like a rag doll.

Savage growls erupted from Edge’s rib cage, they were truly the sounds of a dangerous tiger about to pounce on its prey. You couldn’t look away, Edge’s eyes had you mesmerized, and Edge’s scent had become stronger and more incisive. His whole body began to shake with fear. The feeling was the same as before, when he was subduing you before the brothers arrived. How could he have that kind of power over you? How did he do it?.

“LISTEN TO ME, YOU LITTLE INSIGNIFICANT MICROBE…” Edge’s usually high-pitched voice was now little more than a bloodcurdling whisper, even if he hadn’t lifted you off the ground, you would still have felt terrified. “YOU’RE LUCKY I’M WEARING CLOTHES, OR I WOULD HAVE ALREADY TRANSFORMED TO TEACH YOU A REAL LIFE LESSON.” That made sense.

Only Rus was transformed into his beast version, none of the other skeletons were transformed. Maybe the clothes were an impediment? Perhaps they would tear up once they became beasts? But then, what was the point of that strange belt of straps and long leaves that Rus wore just below his ribs? You would think about that later… If you could get back to the treehouse in one piece, with Edge angry, your chances were getting slimmer.

“LISTEN UP, IF I SEE YOU AROUND OUR TERRITORY AGAIN…” Edge leaned in even closer, his eye sockets darkening like oblivion. A feeling of pure evil traveled through your body. “I WILL PERSONALLY MAKE SURE TO SPREAD YOUR DUST-“

“That’s enough, Edge!” Sans stepped in; he grabbed your shirt, yanking you down. The sudden movement tore your shirt; a piece of your collar remained in Edge’s hand, his grip never faltering. Sans pushed you behind him, where Nova was already there to catch you so you wouldn’t fall. Now that you were no longer in Edge’s merciless clutches, you felt free to breathe. Being trapped by Edge was like being held by Berry and Rus. But Sans, Nova, and Charm exuded a positive aura that was in complete contrast to the other brothers.

Sans matched Edge’s deep growls, both of them looking like they were ready to jump at each other’s throats. Even though you were still scared from the previous situation, you wanted to intervene. You had come here by mistake because of his brother, but it wasn’t fair that Sans would risk a fight over you.

Nova seemed to read your mind. Pinning you in place, he pushed your back against his ribs and leaned close to your head, whispering softly in your ear. “Calm down, kid, this time stay in your place… Remember the hierarchy, you never interfere in a fight between two alphas.” Once again, you were grateful that your skin tone was red, it would have been impossible to hide the color on your cheeks otherwise. Nova had a very soft voice.

You had to trust him, you had no choice. You still didn’t know what the monster hierarchy was all about, especially the things you could and couldn’t do. Nova was an Alpha like Sans and Edge, so he knew how power struggles worked within a pack. “(If he wanted to hurt me, he would have done it already)”. He had been kind and friendly so far, it was worth listening to.

Sans was furious, even though he was shorter than Edge, he didn’t seem to be intimidated by his taller brother in the slightest. Somehow, Sans’ ​​fingers that were soft and rounded before were now razor sharp. You couldn’t see very well, but it seemed like his teeth had become sharper too, compared to the simple round teeth they had been before.

Maybe this was another thing about skeletons? Perhaps they could use teeth and claws without having to transform completely. You couldn’t ask that right now, but maybe you could have asked Nova and Charm if they had stayed nice to you. Edge was making deeper and more powerful growls, while Sans was making high-pitched, shrill sounds. Red was right behind Edge, he didn’t seem to want to intervene, but he had his eyes on the situation. Berry and Rus didn’t move either, they were standing aside, enjoying the scene. Black was irritated, from the deep frown on his face, you could tell the situation was getting on his nerves.

Sans was the first to verbally interrupt the skirmish. “Don’t forget who’s the eldest here, Edge… I’m the eldest, I evaluate decisions, and I decide what’s right and wrong… Got it?”. Sans’s speech didn’t reveal any kind of doubt, there wasn’t a shred of irony in his words. His lazy and calm boy temperament was gone.

You knew this, though. The firstborn pups had a sort of privilege. Even outside the pack, the elders had to be respected, their word became law among the younger members. The older a monster was, the more respect they had to be given. And this was true regardless of whether they were Alpha or Beta. Not respecting this rule brought great dishonor.

Edge seemed to deflate a little hearing those words, but he hadn't finished speaking his mind yet. “WHY ARE YOU GOING SO MUCH FOR THAT MICROBE? HE'S WORTHLESS. WE NEED TO PUT AWAY THE WEAK ONES, OR WHAT WILL THE OTHER PACKS THINK OF US?” You couldn't follow Edge's speech, was it always a constant power struggle for him? Apparently so.

Sans was about to reply, but Black, unable to stand the brothers' bickering any longer, stopped them. “LISTEN EDGE. NO ONE WILL THINK WE ARE WEAK FOR HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH A BOY WHO IS NOT YET MATURE. NO ONE NEEDS TO PROVE ANYTHING…AT LEAST NOT THIS TIME. I THINK THE BOY UNDERSTANDS HIS PLACE…AM I RIGHT?”. Black turned to you, waiting for confirmation.

Again, all the lights of the skeletons were turned towards you. Black had not been aggressive like Berry and Edge, but something inside you told you not to tempt fate with Black. Black was as active and violent as Edge and Berry, but he was capable of showing self-control. And Wine had proven to bewilder, as described in the files. You should not have challenged him, you would not have come out of the discussion without a few bruises on your body.

With all the courage you had, you tried to keep your voice steady. “Yes, sir, I understand.” To further satisfy Black’s ego, you finished the sentence by lowering your head in a small bow to show respect. Black seemed pleased by the answer, puffing out his chest with pride. “(It must be satisfying to bend others, even if you don’t have to lift a finger.)” You hadn’t seen them in action yet, and you had no intention of finding out, not while you were still this close to them.

“I STILL FIND IT ABSURD.” Edge didn’t let go.

“COME ON, BIG BROTHER, CAN’T YOU SEE THAT LITTLE BOY HAS SUBMISSED LEAVE HIM ALONE.” Charm leaned over Nova’s head while Nova was still holding your shoulders, leaning you against his bony chest.

“I SAY HE SHOULD BE PUNISHED, RIGHT, RUS?” Berry was still angry about the humiliation he had received, and obviously Rus agreed with his brother.

“Then let’s put it to a vote.” Sans was visibly tired of all this, he launched this last idea with the hope of making his brothers stop that senseless argument. “Since the others are not here, we will vote among ourselves to establish whether the boy deserves a punishment or not.”

You were not calm. They wanted to put to a vote whether to leave you alone or give you a punishment without you having any say in the matter?! Absurd! It wasn’t fair, you didn’t even want to be there in the first place! You could only hope in the good soul of the skeletons, who, until that moment, had been merciful towards you.

“Whoever wants to punish him, raise your hand.” Sans wasted no time, evidently he didn’t want to continue that scene anymore.

As expected, Edge, Berry, and Rus raised their hands. You were waiting for Black’s reaction, but strangely enough, he didn’t do anything. You expected a different reaction. Furthermore, you thought he would raise his hand, supporting his more daring brothers. That your show of respect had impressed him? You hoped with all your heart that it had.

Even Red who had been by his brother’s side until that moment, refrained from raising his hand. Much to Edge’s disappointment, “RAISE YOUR HAND, YOU GOOD FOR NOTHING, DO YOU WANT THAT PATHETIC MONSTER TO RIDE WITH US?”. Edge was obviously counting on Red to get the vote, but Red just seemed bored with the whole situation. Edge glared at his brother. Red started to lose small red drops from his skull. “(Is that sweat? How can a skeleton sweat?)”. So many mysteries that you still couldn’t answer.

Red recoiled in place, making himself smaller in front of his older brother, but he didn't seem to want to argue. “It's just that you've already subdued him, boss, and it's obvious that a loser like him can't hurt anyone... And then maybe interacting with a different monster could be useful to impress the other monsters-”. “SHUT UP YOU IDIOT, I'VE HEARD ENOUGH, I PREFER YOUR SILENCE”. Edge was really arrogant towards Red, but Red wasn't the least bit upset by his older brother's reaction. In fact, he almost seemed to relax. In this way, Red had skipped the vote.

Sans seemed to perk up, seeing only three hands raised, on the other side Edge and Berry were very upset about the final outcome. Sure, someone could have abstained from voting so you wouldn't go away without consequences, but three was a low number.

“(I still have hope)”. You wanted to believe it until the end.

“Who votes no?” As he finished his sentence, Sans was the first to raise his hand, followed closely by Nova and Charm. And to your surprise and that of his brothers, Black raised his hand too!

“WHY WOULD YOU WANT THAT PATHETIC LITTLE BOY AMONG US, SNAKE?” Edge was clearly annoyed by Black’s decision. Sans, Nova, and Charm had satisfied smiles plastered across their skulls, they looked truly satisfied. They had beaten Edge without physically fighting. It was still a victory over the overbearing ego of the prickly brother. Apparently, they had taken a liking to you.

Berry wasn’t happy with the end result either, going into Black’s face and matching his posture. “WHY DO YOU OF ALL EVER SHOW MERCY FOR THAT LITTLE SKULL? YOU, WHO ARE THE FIRST IN THE WHOLE DAMN ISLAND THAT YOU WOULD KILL, FOR SOMEONE WHO STEPS ON YOUR FAVORITE ROCK TO SCALES YOUR SCALES IN THE SUN”. Berry snapped her teeth in Black’s face, clearly still wanting to stir up trouble.

Black took a deep breath to calm himself. It was clear that he didn’t want to fight, but his brother was really getting on his nerves, judging by how his purple lights had sharpened. “AS I SAID BEFORE, THE BOY DOESN’T APPEAR TO BE A THREAT, AND IF WE WANT TO TELL THE FULL STORY…”.

Black grabbed Berry's arm, sniffing Berry's gloves. Looking back at his brother, his smile grew as Berry began to lose composure. "I FIND IT STRANGE THAT THE BOY'S SMELL, NO MATTER HOW FADED IT IS, WAS SO STRONG ON YOUR GLOVES...AND NONE OF US NOTICED HIM AS HE ENTERED OUR TERRITORY...BUT YOU AND RUS COINCED TO CHASE HIM FIRST, EDGE FOUND HIM ON HIS PATH BY CHANCE, WHICH IS WHY HE WAS SO AGITATED. BUT YOU TWO ARE THE ONLY ONE WHO DIDN'T SEEMED SURPRISED AT ALL, AT HIS UNEXPECTED PRESENCE."

Berry pulled his arm from Black's grip, stumbling over his steps as he backed away. Even Rus who had been composed like a statue until that moment, now slowly backed away under the shocked gaze of his brothers. The only one who was not impressed was Sans. "I thought you would get it too, little brother, you are always very perceptive". Sans seemed proud of his scowling brother, and Black looked away from his older brother to remain composed.

Nova and Charm also recovered from the much news they had learned, and leaned over to smell your clothes. Charm was the first to notice the multiple odors on your body, now that he could concentrate better. "HOW DID WE NOT NOTICE THAT BEFORE...OH MY STARS, THERE REALLY IS THE SMELL OF BERRY AND RUS ON HIM". Charm turned a glare towards the brothers, who were distancing themselves from them.

"And not only that, your ankles smell like...no-soul!" Nova finally noticed the unpleasant odor on your ankles; the same spot where the soulless had grabbed you while you were in Rus' trap. "What the hell happened..." Nova also seemed very confused about the whole situation.

You were ecstatic! Finally, for some justice, Sans and Black had understood that something was wrong from the beginning. You wondered what the whole fight was about and why Sans hadn't caught them right away. But that was okay, now Berry and Rus were in the wrong. Edge and Red also seemed as confused as Nova.

"What the fuck does it mean that he smells like a soulless. If he was near our territory..." Red froze in place. You hadn't been the one to bring the soulless there, but you imagined that it wasn't normal for those dead bodies to be so close to their lairs.

Sans interrupted Red's thoughts by putting the pieces back together. "Easy, who was guarding the traps today? And who would have raised the alarm if there were intruders? And why does the entrance to Berry and Rus' den look messy, and it just so happens that's where the boy escaped from?” Sans had a shit-eating grin, he knew he had nailed his little brothers, who apparently thought they could get away with it.

Trying to put some order in their minds, you decided to open your mouth. “If you allow me, I can explain what happened.” Berry turned his head towards you, he and Rus looked very angry but also scared of what you would say. “ARE WE GOING TO LISTEN TO A PATHETIC MOLLUSK LIKE THIS?”. Berry tried to belittle you to make you shut up, but apparently the other little brothers thought otherwise.

“Shoot, boy, tell us what happened.” Sans had the situation under control. Without wasting any more time, you explained how you got lost in the woods and how the soulless had chased you to the edge of their territory. And how Rus had found you, killed the soulless, and then brought you to his and Berry’s lair.

Black, who had been silent the whole time, but now had a sarcastic smile as he looked at Berry with a victorious expression. “SO NOT ONLY DID YOU NOT RAISE THE ALERT OF A POTENTIAL DANGER FOR ALL OF US, BUT YOU CAPTURED A HELPLESS BOY, BROTHER AND TAKEN HIM INTO OUR TERRITORY WITHOUT TELLING US ANYTHING? WHAT A FALL IN STYLE.” Black’s amused tone shone through in every word.

“SO WE WASTED OUR TIME WITH THIS SHRIMP FOR NOTHING?” Apparently Edge realized his mistake, he had hit the wrong target. You were still angry at them for the undignified treatment they had reserved for you, but you were relieved to know that they no longer considered you so dangerous.

Red had already turned away to leave. “Someone better go double-check the area, since someone forgot to do their damn job…” The jab was clearly aimed at Rus who broke the silence.

“Shut up, you overgrown puppy, go back to howling in the forest”. Rus was clearly anxious, even Red could tell, judging by the good-natured smile on his usually snarling face, as he watched his brothers sweat more and more. Edge also turned away without saying a word. He would probably leave the rest to the brothers. “(The bastard didn’t even apologize)”. Not that I thought he would, but it would be nice considering he had threatened to kill you!

“I’d say everything is fine here. Do you need my assistance, Sans?”. Black made himself available for his older brother, the rule of hierarchy was really important among monsters.

Sans smirked evilly as he looked at Berry and Rus, who were shaking in place. “No, little brother, I already have the perfect punishment for these two troublemakers.” Music to your long ears, your tail was now dancing behind your back placidly, knowing that these two bullies would receive a punishment. Black turned his back, giving you one last look. He nodded to his brothers and headed towards the trees, disappearing into the vegetation.

Berry was already ready to respond, just like an agitated brat, but Sans raised his hand in the air, not allowing him. “That’s enough, Berry, you both broke the rules of the pack, and you know it. The boy may have gotten a little too close to us, but he had no malicious intentions, nor was he here of his own free will. So as punishment, you will both be doing double shifts on guard for the next few days…”

Berry and Rus’ faces sank at that news. You didn’t know how long the shifts were, but judging by their destroyed faces, it didn’t seem like a nice thing to do. Maybe it was mean of you, but boy did you feel so powerful now that they were in the opposite position.

But Sans apparently wasn’t done with them, somehow his smile grew even bigger, his lights shining maliciously, as he gave the brothers the final blow. “And since you attacked this boy for no reason...Now he’ll have a favor to ask of both of you to repay the damage you’ve done.”

…

“WHAT!?” The reaction was explosive, neither you nor Berry nor Rus expected something like that. “You mean I can collect a favor from each of them whenever I want? Great!). Fantastic! This punishment gave you a nice advantage over them.

“Of course he can’t ask for anything that will put you in danger or something impossible, but you will have to repay the offense sooner or later. And before you say anything, Berry, the favor will only be accepted in my presence, so I can vouch for the boy. Am I clear, brothers?” It wasn’t a question, Sans wasn’t allowing any kind of debate.

Berry and Rus must have understood, and with a loud huff, they ran towards their nest without another word.

It was over, the whole charade was over. And not only had you survived the entire thing, but you had also come away with two favors to ask of two of the tougher skeletons. It seemed like the perfect happy ending to the day.

“Hey kiddo, I’m sorry about everything, it must have been pretty hectic, right?” Sans had that relaxed look on his face again. Reaching out his hands to place them on your shoulders, he held you in place. Sans’ ​​grip was firm but not painful. What else was there that Sans wanted to tell you?

The lights in Sans’s eye sockets were bigger and brighter, whatever it was didn’t look bad. “I hope you can forget about this unfortunate inconvenience, but since you’re here, I have a small favor to ask of you.” Okay, maybe the favor was because you had walked into their territory without paying attention; you just hoped it wasn’t something too complicated.

“Since you’re still young and have no interest in fighting for territory or females... I was wondering... Since there aren’t many monsters, you can talk comfortably…” Sans looked a little awkward as he spoke. Nova and Charm, however, seemed excited about their brother’s speech, perhaps they had already figured out what he was about to ask you.

Receiving confirmation from the Lust brothers, Sans perked up. “You know, my younger brothers have always wanted to befriend other monsters, but with the heated rivalry for territories and because of the presence of humans and soulless, it has become difficult to talk to others outside our pack.”

Possibly you were starting to understand where Sans was going with this, but you couldn’t believe it, you didn’t think it could happen so easily after all the chaos that morning.

“And since some of them are shy and doubtful, and you seem to be the quiet type... Would you like to meet my other brothers and try to be their friend?”

It had happened. You couldn’t believe it, it was what you were waiting for. A chance to get closer to them, to be able to help them like grandma wanted, and now Sans was offering it to you!? You didn’t think twice. “Yes, I would like to have some more friends!”. You were exuding happiness from every pore, and not just you.

Nova and Charm also had huge smiles on their faces, they seemed very satisfied with their older brother’s proposal. Sans gave you a reassuring squeeze and then released you. His smile was somehow sweeter now. “How careless! I asked you a favor, and I didn’t even ask your name, boy. What should we call you?”

Luckily, you had already thought of a name to use for your monster alter ego. Holding out your hand to Sans, you introduced yourself firmly. “Nice to meet you, Sans. I’m Erald.” A simple name to remember, but strange to be associated with a monster.

Sans gently shook your hand. “Nice to meet you, Erald. So, would you like to meet the others now? I’m sure we’ll find them around here. You know, if I introduce you, they’ll be able to recognize you in the future, and we’ll avoid any more unpleasant episodes.” Sans winked at you in a friendly way.

You were more and more elated, it had started badly, but now there was a good chance you could get to know them better. Apart from the mix-up with the more daring brothers, they seemed nice and certainly interesting types. This was a good opportunity to get to know the others, it was right to seize the opportunity.

“Sure, Sans, lead the way.” Sans started walking towards one side of the woods, he was convinced that his brothers were still out looking for supplies. Nova and Charm waved at you nicely as you walked away through the green vegetation.

Chapter Text

Sans walked calmly as he led you through the trees and bushes of the forest. His permanent smile had never disappeared, the white lights in his eye sockets shone cheerfully, and he seemed really relaxed despite being in the presence of a stranger. He hadn’t spoken much since you had left the other brothers.

You felt slightly disappointed. You would have liked to stay a little longer to better admire that strange skull-shaped cave in the center of the clearing. But the idea of ​​staying in the same place where the other skeleton brothers remained to cool off after what had happened made you walk faster to quickly get away from there.

Black and Red were obviously annoyed by your presence, but all in all, they let it slide. The same couldn’t be said for Edge and Berry. Those two were really walking volcanoes, always ready to activate. You would have to work hard in the future to regain some trust.

Not that you were in a hurry to do so. You didn’t like the way those two naughty skeletons treated you. It wasn’t even your fault! You moved on with your thoughts, you didn’t want to dwell on them too much at that moment. The collar of your blouse was a reminder enough to remind you of the aggressiveness of some of them.

Nova and Charm had been more cooperative than you could have hoped. You still wondered if they had met you in your original female form and if they would have jumped on you like Charm did a few days ago. You had thought a lot about how Charm had behaved that day.

One thing was for sure, pretending to be a monster had a different effect. In our first meeting, it seemed that your human appearance had disturbed him, but with the appearance of a monster, he hadn’t batted an eyelid. There was also the matter of the smell, which had a big effect on monsters. But staying undercover had certainly given you a much broader view of the behavior of skeletons.

As you kept up with Sans through more and more trees, you also remembered what happened with Rus.

He had also changed his attitude when he mistook you for a male monster. He had become just as the files suggested. Disconnected. He had never spoken directly to you. Sure, your interaction started out as an argument, created for Berry’s amusement. But the files were right; Rus only spoke to those he was interested in. He didn’t even smile in Berry’s presence.

You were starting to understand the pressure that came with a command from an alpha brother, but it just seemed strange. If Rus wasn’t inclined to talk or be interested in strangers, why did he stop talking to you so much that night in the lab? Even as they ran away, Rus stopped to help you in some way.

Was it just the smell? You couldn't conceive how a simple smell could trigger such a reaction that would break someone's typical behavior.

In the animal kingdom, smells were essential for reconciling partners. Smell allowed animals to find each other even at long distances. But according to laboratory studies, monsters could not be considered animals. They had the same intelligence as humans, even if many bigoted people claimed otherwise. The fact that they had bizarre shapes did not diminish their intelligence.

Maybe it was considered backwards to think that monsters behaved as if they were more like tribes. A distant concept, but still present in some parts of the world. The magic they possessed was scary, though. It is typical of humans to attack before at least trying to know what is in front of their eyes.

Underdeveloped monsters followed more instinct, but not pure monsters. Sans was a good example.

You couldn't help but look at him as he walked in front of you. He walked with a confident step, as if he knew the forest like every single bone in it. You were so distracted by him that, as you walked, you forgot about how your horns were so cumbersome that they got stuck somewhere. Bushes, and the lower branches ended up in the middle of your horns, stopping you suddenly.

“Or come on…”. You didn’t really know how to move with that new body. It was so awkward that you actually got stuck between a couple of branches with your Tiefling horns. Sans immediately turned around, intrigued by the noise behind him. A melodious and spontaneous laugh came out of him. That sight calmed you at least a little; you were dying of embarrassment under those playful white lights. “Damn, kid, I didn’t mean to hang you by your horns”.

Sans approached you, his hands suspended in the air, unsure of what to do. “Do you need a hand?” You wanted to make a good impression on Sans, since he had been one of the most cooperative, but now he wouldn’t really take you seriously. You definitely needed help, though. “Yes, please.” Your voice came out small and soft; at least you could thank your red skin covering your probably red cheeks from embarrassment.

Sans perked up at those words, delicately untangling the wild branches stuck between your horns. “(Even though he’s made of bones, he has a really soft touch).” You wondered how bones could be soft, almost as soft as a human’s skin. The hands of the other, more impetuous brothers weren’t so gentle with you.

“You have to be careful with those. They may be tough, but you have to take care of them.” Sans’s light tone was reassuring. The more you got to know him, the more you understood why he was the alpha leader of his pack. He was calm, a good listener, and a great mediator. “Thank you, sir, I’ll be more careful.” You thought being respectful in front of him was the right thing to do, but from Sans’s shrunken face, you feared you’d done something wrong. “Stars, no sir with me, kid, I’m not that old. Just Sans.”

It was nice to know he had Sans, no matter the hierarchy etiquette. “You sound like you’re familiar with this kind of situation.” You’d been trying to find a way to learn more about him since the beginning of the walk, but Sans had been cryptic as hell. “When you have fifteen brothers to look after, you always have to be willing to throw in a bone or two to help,” With a simple shrug, Sans broke from his stiff stance.

With his words finished he turned on the spot, intent on continuing through the forest. “Stay close to me boy, we’re almost there.” You didn’t need to be told twice; being more careful not to get stuck like before, you followed Sans with a quick pace. Another thing you were grateful for Sans; he didn’t stand as high up as the other brothers had done with you.

The trees in the forest were thinning out to make way for a more open area, where the colors of autumn shone at their best. The trees were taking on shades of gold, orange, yellow, and all shades of brown. Where before the forest had appeared dark with very tall trees, now the forest was filled with beautiful colors. Numerous leaves swayed gently, lulled by the light breeze in the air. The leaves that had fallen to the ground felt comfortable underfoot. For you, the idea of ​​walking without shoes was still absurd. But the feeling of your bare feet touching the soft leaves was soothing.

You had no idea what a strange ride you had taken. Sans had taken a strange route to get here. Maybe he had done it to show you the beautiful colors of autumn? You just hoped the other brothers weren’t too far away. You didn’t want to wander too far into areas you didn’t know.

Sans reached out of his hoodie pockets, motioning for you to stop. “Wait here. Don’t say or do anything until I introduce you properly to the others, okay?” Sans’s voice was warm, but serious. That was a command from an alpha; a simple, non-aggressive command, but a command nonetheless. You didn’t know how to explain it, but you could feel the firm intent in the words.

With a simple nod of your head, you signaled Sans for confirmation. Satisfied with the gesture, Sans left you further behind as he approached the center of the trees. He took a deep breath, head tilted upwards. Sans let out a high-pitched, powerful sound that reverberated off the trees. Unlike the other calls you had heard from the monsters, this time the sound did not disturb your more sensitive ears. It was not a challenge or battle cry, it was a call to someone.

For a full minute, silence filled the two of you. Only the quiet sound of leaves blowing in the wind kept you company. For that minute, you began to wonder if anything would actually happen. Nothing was happening, not a sound, not a smell, and nothing in sight.

Gathering courage, hoping Sans wouldn’t get angry, you tried to open your mouth to ask him what they were doing there. You were supposed to meet other brothers, but none of them had been seen or heard from around. With your senses heightened, you were convinced that by now you should have heard something. It was risky to stay there still; what if other soulless ones jumped out at that moment and attacked you?

You still hadn’t figured out how to kill them; and counting on Sans’s help was out of the question. Yes, he had been friendly, but you weren’t part of his pack, you were an outsider. It wouldn’t have made any sense to him, protecting you from any potential dangers.

“Don’t worry, kid, they’re coming. Just to be safe, remember to be respectful. Not all of my brothers know how to be patient.” Sans interrupted you before you could say anything. How had he managed to sense your discomfort? Was it because of the smell? Apparently, the call from earlier was indeed a call to the brothers.

As you tried to relax in place, Sans began to change. Light wisps of blue magic swirled around him. The gentle magic smelled like fresh rain, an interesting fragrance to you. But the most surprising thing wasn’t the smell itself, as good as it was, but the transformation.

A pair of small black ears sprouted from the top of Sans’ ​​skull. Fur made of shaggy hair grew on the back of his head, continuing to grow under Sans’ ​​hoodie and white t-shirt. The fur ended in a black tail, with a white stripe down the middle; the messy tail poked out from his black shorts, pulling them down a bit.

You were mesmerized by the little magic show. Sans wasn’t completely transformed. The night Sans and his brothers attacked the lab, he looked different, much more complete. You remembered it well, as Sans darted nimbly between the soldiers and the soulless, through the mud while running on legs that weren’t just made of bones. They were more animalistic and robust legs, complete with claws on the ends. Even his arms were no different, and you could have sworn you saw a lot more fur on him that night.

Could he be capable of a partial transformation? To do that, it was easy to guess that Sans had a high level of magical control. Maybe other brothers could do it too? It would be useful for you, if in the future he could do that instead of transforming completely!

But you weren’t really a monster. It was very likely that the trick wouldn’t work on you.

Sans’s tail swung placidly, stirring up the leaves on the ground. “(In a way, it’s really cute to see.)” The wagging of a tail always made you happy, you found it really cute.

The playful wagging increased even more. Faint noises in the distance echoed from the trees. Otherwise, you would have been scared; chances were they could be humans, they walked through the woods too after all. The more cheerful wagging of Sans’ ​​tail chased those thoughts away.

A faster wagging of his tail could only mean one thing. His brothers were coming.

Your heart was beating faster. Part of you was excited to meet the other brothers, but part of you was worried that they might bully you. But you and Sans had made a deal. And he wanted you to be friends with his brothers; especially Papyrus.

Sans had been clear about the deal. Become friends with his brothers, and you will get help from them. Or at least from Sans, given the uncooperative nature of the others. Apparently his brother Papyrus was really eager to have a friend outside his pack, other brothers had the same desire, but Sans thought Papyrus was the easiest to start socializing with.

At this point you could only hope, that the files on Papyrus were true, since they described him as a cheerful and joyful guy.

The footsteps got heavier, and there were more than one. And suddenly they stopped again. Still silent, but they weren’t that far away, where had they gone?

Sans took a deep breath, his voice dripping with amusement with every word he spoke. “Hey, Papy, you can come out, it’s not a bad warning call.” Sans started making low, cute sounds to encourage his younger brother to come out.

A larger bush slowly moved, its leaves rattling together. A pair of orange lights peeked out from it. Papyrus revealed himself to his full height, as he slowly stepped out of the bush. He was wearing a strange white suit of armor that covered his ribs and shoulders. A light red scarf swayed with each movement. He was wearing light blue shorts, which kept his long, skeletal legs exposed. Scarlet red boots shone even among all the colorful leaves.

Like his brothers, Papyrus was unique. And although you found a lot of similarities between them, each skeleton had a distinct style and personality. You were convinced that Papyrus would turn to Sans first, after all, you were much further behind them.

But he wasn’t paying attention to Sans. He was looking at you.

Something passed between the two of you. You lost several seconds of looking at each other. Papyrus seemed very surprised by the presence of another monster behind his brother. He moved closer to Sans, while never taking his eyes off your figure.

“SANS…WHO IS THAT PERSON BEHIND YOU?” Papyrus’ voice was as high as his other brothers’, but much more cheerful and energetic. You felt more and more nervous; you felt the benign aura around Papyrus, you could tell he wasn’t dangerous. But his presence was really overwhelming for you. You hoped that such a sudden introduction wouldn’t be shocking to him. Apparently, not even Papyrus could figure out what kind of monster you were.

You were reassured, though. He had called you a person, and not a monster like him. There was something comforting in knowing that maybe Papyrus didn’t really care about the appearance of those who might be in front of him.

Papyrus pointed his skull towards you, to sniff the surrounding air. His face was creased in doubt. Small, delicate and bubbly whimpers came out of Papyrus’ nonexistent throat, as he stubbornly tried to frame you as a monster.

Sans seemed very amused by his brother’s expression, “Ooo do you mean this little guy behind me?”. Sans turned towards you, coming back closer to where you had stopped. He took his hands out of the pockets of his blue hoodie and urged you to move closer to his brother. As you walked forward, Sans leaned into your ear and whispered softly, “Let him take in your scent, and then introduce yourself gracefully.” You were mentally grateful for the little pointers Sans had given you.

Masquerading as a young male gave you the advantage of recklessness. Maybe Sans thought you weren’t old enough to think you knew the etiquette of the monster world. Either way, you were very happy to have him on your side.

You were a few steps away from Papyrus, Sans had stayed behind to give you enough space to interact. Papyrus didn't waste any time.

He knelt down at your face level, starting to smell you and look at you carefully. And the more he looked at you, the more those beautiful orange lights grew bigger and brighter than before, in the skeleton's sockets. He was careful with you, he was doing all this without touching you.

Now that you had him closer, you also managed to catch the skeleton's scent "(Sweet, he smells like cinnamon!)". It was a pleasant smell; Sans's smell reminded you of a calm and peaceful rainy day. Papyrus's instead reminded you of the sweet cinnamon cookies you ate at Christmas with your grandmother.

Your body also reacted to the smell. Your pointed ears popped up in the air to attention, your long tail fluttering gently behind you. You couldn’t help but raise your nose to catch that scent on his face.

You seemed very absorbed in each other. So absorbed that you didn’t even notice the soft whimpers that involuntarily escaped your mouth to match Papyrus’s.

With a final sigh, Papyrus once again addressed his doubts to his brother, “SANS, WHO IS HE? WHY I CAN’T IDENTIFY HIM?”. Papyrus was calm, but strangely cautious. You had read that Papyrus was a super lively and cheerful skeleton. But right now, you were seeing none of that in him.

He was polite and calm, but not cheerful. You thought he would explode with joy at the sight of you. The reaction was far from what you expected.

“Well, Papy, it’s because this kid is not mature yet. He is neither a beta nor an alpha.” Sans was now approaching Papyrus’ side. It was logical that he was trying to reassure his younger brother. Sans wasted no time, dropping the bombshell to clarify everything. “He is Erald. A little Tiefling all alone, and he could really use some awesome friends to hang out with…” Sans turned to you, winking, still with that typical smile of his.

“(He wants me to play along.)” If you hadn’t read the files left by your grandmother, you would never have understood that bizarre move, by the skeleton in pink slippers. In reality, it was now clear what he was doing. Papyrus was recognized by the other monsters, as strong but naive and clueless due to his calm nature.

Putting it that way, it seemed like you were the poor girl in need of company, and not her innocent little brother.

Sans continued his speech, now that he saw the interest on his brother's face. "And since I and the others understood that he wouldn't be a threat to our territory, I thought that he really needed someone as incredible as you, to help him grow better."

Papyrus straightened up upon hearing those words, he continued to look between you and Sans continuously, taken by the amazement of the moment. Caught up in emotion, he took your smaller red hands, his soft red gloves. "YOU LITTLE ONE, ARE YOU SERIOUSLY LOOKING FOR A FRIEND?!". The skeleton's voice became so shrill that your poor ears twitched from the noise.

You were in a strange situation. Everything was unusual with those skeletons. But Papyrus’s enthusiastic face was something absolutely precious. The lights in his eye sockets were filled with that bright orange color, and he had a gigantic smile that stretched all over his skull. There was even a light dusting of the same orange as his eyes on his bony cheeks.

“(Damn, he’s really sweet and enthusiastic then)”. You really couldn’t say no in front of such enthusiasm. “I’ve heard that you are strong and brave. It would be a great honor for me to be your friend, and imitate you to become better, Mr. Papyrus”. With a small bow of reverence, you believed you had done the right thing.

As soon as you finished the bow, a pair of long and strong arms grabbed you from under the armpits and lifted you into the air. Before you knew it, you were spinning in the air, while Papyrus was spinning in place with you, holding you like a child. “NYE EHE HE HE, THIS IS AWESOME! A NEW FRIEND TO MAKE FRIENDS WITH is AWESOME!”.

Papyrus’ energy was amazing, but it was destroying you at that moment. The spinning in the air, combined with his loud voice, was making you feel sick. Luckily, Sans came to your rescue. “Hey, hey, calm down, Papy, not everyone can handle your greatness, you know.” The overly lively skeleton stopped in place, gently setting you down on the ground.

It was hard to recover from the energy skeleton’s scenic spin, but at least he apologized for the action, “I’M SORRY, MY LITTLE FRIEND, MY GREATNESS IS SO MUCH, IT’S HARD TO CONTAIN SOMETIMES.” His voice sounded sorry, but still cheerful.

You had to take a moment to get your heads together. The colors of autumn were mixing in your disarrayed head. But despite the sudden move, it was nice of Papyrus. It had been a long time since anyone had hugged you like that. Aside from the support your friends had given you before the attack on the main lab, no one had ever comforted you.

“No problem. Your energy is incredible, Papyrus!” You were sincere, and you liked the liveliness of that funny skeleton. And there was a good chance that by becoming friends with him, you would be able to get along with the others too. It wouldn’t be hard to get along with Papyrus, if he acted like this all the time, you could handle it. It was nice to have a friend who gave you so much vitality.

Sans’s smile grew even bigger, satisfied with the answer and seeing his brother’s reaction. Papyrus couldn’t stay still, he kept stomping his boots in the same place. His excitement was so great that even his orange magic began to manifest.

The magic swirled around his head and back, creating small fragments of fur between the bones. A pair of orange pointed ears, along with a fluffy tail, seemed to compose itself, where the magic accumulated the most. “(Papyrus is transforming?)”.

It didn’t seem like a voluntary action. It was more like Papyrus couldn’t contain his magic through emotion. Even though that sweet cinnamon scent was increasing, you didn’t know what such behavior entailed, but it certainly wasn’t something an adult monster should show.

Sans was quick to quickly reprimand his overly excited brother, and with a soft but firm voice, he ordered Papyrus to stop. “Easy, Papy, you’re getting too emotional. Remember, you have to be in control.”

Papyrus came out of his feverish state, composing himself by closing his eye sockets to concentrate on dispelling the magic. The intense smell, along with his ears and tail, vanished into thin air. Opening your eyes again, you noticed the embarrassed look painted on the lively skeleton’s face. You felt sorry that he thought he had done something wrong.

“Hey, no problem, Papyrus. Apparently, you’re so strong that your magic can’t help but show itself.” You hoped that this would be enough to calm him down. “(Papyrus is much cuter when he’s happy)”. It was a shame not to see that beautiful, carefree smile on his skull.

Papyrus was happy to hear your positive speech. Sans on the other hand, still seemed rather stiff after that fact. Sans took a deep breath, then went back to his usual lazy and calm demeanor. The sudden change in the shorter skeleton made you think.

“(Sans isn’t the type to lose his temper for nothing. There must be a good reason why he got so stressed out, seeing his brother like that)”. Not having enough information about monster culture yet, you decided to move on, forcing your hand now would lead to nothing good. “Hey Papyrus, how about we do something together to start? Friends help each other out, right?” Directing the conversation elsewhere was the best solution.

“TRUE FRIENDS ARE THE ONLY THINGS THAT ARE DONE TOGETHER. HOW ABOUT HELPING ME COLLECT SUPPLIES? I WAS COLLECTING THEM WITH BLUE AND STRETCH…”. Papyrus’ playful tone swarmed again as he said the name of the last brother, Stretch.

Sans seemed to read his brother’s mind. “Don’t worry, brother, I don’t think Stretch will have too many problems with Erald. You can take him with you if he agrees”. Sans turned to you to seek confirmation of his words.

At least Sans had given you a choice, if you wanted to back out, he wouldn’t have stopped you, maybe. But the idea of ​​meeting Blue again was an overwhelming feeling that you couldn’t say no to. And your Tiefling body didn’t seem to be any less. The long tail rose and swayed in the air, the sharp tip swinging upwards, while the ears popped up in the air, tinkling at the tips. You were excited!

“I would like to meet more of your brothers, I trust you, great Papyrus.” Now you were the one who didn’t know how to contain your excitement.

Sans approached and, placing a bony hand on your shoulder, whispered one last command before leaving. “Listen to everything Papyrus says and show respect to Stretch, he’s a rather problematic alpha these days. So don’t make him angry, and don’t leave Papyrus’ side… Ever.” His gaze wasn’t mean, but he was definitely giving you a warning.

Be careful what you do.

With a final goodbye to his brother, Sans walked away, disappearing into the autumn trees, leaving you and Papyrus alone.

“(Another alpha command, it was like Edge’s commanding voice, but less aggressive)”. You could feel it inside you, the command creeping into your mind and not leaving.

You were back alone now. You could rest easy with Papyrus, you could feel it. But without Sans watching your back, it would be hard to get out of trouble. Especially with Stretch since he was an alpha.

You didn’t have time to recover. The energy skeleton took your hand without hesitation, starting to lead you through the woods. The skeleton’s loud voice continued to echo through the trees as you walked. The walk turned out to be much more pleasant than you thought it would be. You were glad to have company.

“I CAN’T WAIT TO MEET MY LITTLE BROTHER BLUE. HE’LL BE SO HAPPY TO FIND SOMEONE AS TALL AS HIM. NYE HE HE!”.

A nice way of telling you indirectly, that both you and Blue were considered short among monsters. But Papyrus was so innocent that the statement came out as if it were a joke.

“Ah ah ah, I can’t wait to meet him.” It was impossible to blame Papyrus.

Chapter Text

“SEE LITTLE ONE? THOSE ARE BLUEBERRIES, DEEPER INTO THE FOREST THERE ARE BLACKBERRIES….AND NEAR WATERFALL THERE ARE ALSO GOJI BERRIES!”

Papyrus' voice was so high and shrill, you had to be careful with your tiefling ears. Keeping them down was hard for you still, you couldn't control your new body well. It certainly would have taken you more days to get used to all the new changes.

The rising and falling ears, along with the tail, were your main problem for the moment. Those two new extensions of your body moved without your consent!

And they followed the state of your emotions a lot. “(When I return to the tree house, I will have to check these new aspects more thoroughly)”. You should have carried out several tests to understand how to behave.

But at the moment, your only priority was to stay focused and keep up with Papyrus' long legs. It was clear that he wasn't doing it on purpose, but staying close to his figure was truly a feat.

But Papyrus' renewed excitement was giving you more energy than ever. You had finally met at least one of those skeletons who was kind and polite. Not that Nova and Charm hadn't been nice to you, but their way of flirting didn't allow you to express yourself the way you wanted.

And you wanted to avoid any kind of misunderstanding, given the stormy precedents of that morning.

Ever since Sans had walked away, leaving you alone, Papyrus had launched into an animated explanation of what was in their territory.

He began to talk about food, plants, animals that inhabited the area. It was really cute to listen to him in that animated voice of his. But the thing that surprised you most was something else.

Papyrus shouted this with great pride, gesturing around the trees “YOU KNOW LITTLE ONE, GIVEN OUR RECENT VICTORIES AGAINST HUMANS, WE ARE BEGINNING TO EXPAND OUR TERRITORY. SOON THIS FOREST WILL BE ENTIRELY OURS!”.

An entire forest just for them?!

Of course, the numbers were on the skeletons' side. From the information you found in the island guide, the herds usually consisted of a maximum of five or six males.

The larger the pack, the greater the risk of aggression. The largest packs never lasted very long, as through study it was noticed that each monster tended to prevail over the others, regardless of whether they were alpha or beta.

Arguments could break out for many different reasons. For the territory, for the food, for what type of smell should prevail in the territory, since each monster had a specific smell. And especially on females; that was definitely the most sensitive issue of all.

But with these skeletons, every prediction collapsed. Not only were they one of a kind, but they managed to stay together as a pack despite being sixteen!

“(Perhaps being brothers, they are inclined to tolerate each other more)”. They weren't even regular monsters, as they were created in a laboratory.

Seeing Papyrus' great energy, you decided to take advantage of it. There were no other skeletons around to argue, it was the right time to ask some questions.

“Wow, Papyrus, that's really impressive! I'm not surprised that you are succeeding; you are many, and you are strong. A well-composed team, I would dare say." Papyrus liked compliments, and you couldn't blame him; everyone liked them.

And that big smile he gave every time he got one was really cute.

“NYEEE HE HE, I THANK YOU YOUNG ERALD, I THE GREAT PAPYRUS AND MY NOBLE BROTHERS, ALWAYS GIVE THEIR MAXIMUM!” Papyrus was caught off guard by your fiddle, his orange magic starting to flutter between his gloves again.

Once again, his magic seemed to activate unconsciously, without him having any control over it.

He noticed it immediately, dissipating his magic. Apparently that was a problem for him. Papyrus tried to change the subject, to distract you from his unexpected magic show.

“WE ARE REALLY STRONG TOGETHER…BUT WE CAN'T ALWAYS GET AGREEMENT…”. Now Papyrus' playful tone was starting to swarm.

Until that moment, Papyrus had looked you in the face while remaining ahead of you; he had now turned his attention to the vegetation in front of him. He looked troubled as he crumpled his soft gloves. Was it because he was anxious about what he was about to say?

“I REALLY SHOULDN'T TELL ANYONE...BUT SOMETIMES I FEEL A LITTLE LONELY.”

Oh, dear, this was a sad thought you never expected from someone like Papyrus. You had just met him, so you couldn't really tell if he was joking or not.

Up until that point, you had walked for several minutes together, and he had been really kind and so cheerful about everything he told you. It seemed that nothing could bring down that lively skeleton with the splendid eyes.

But the tone in which he said it... He sounded bitter and doubtful.

“(Apparently, there are some obvious conflicts within their pack).”

At your expense, you had the opportunity to see for yourself what some of his brothers could be like. And the only other skeleton you had seen behave decently was Blue. But you preferred to wait a few more minutes to confirm your hypothesis at the end of the day.

And suddenly while you were walking barefoot through the woods, while the autumn colors left you behind to make way for brighter vegetation, a thought came to your mind.

What the hell would happen if a despotic guy like Berry got into a fight with Papyrus? Or someone like Edge, who is aggressive and uses few words? Or with Black, cold and detached?.

A person like Papyrus could never hold his own. In this, you and him were similar; you weren't the type to fight. You prefer to avoid confrontation unless strictly necessary.

And then there was Sans. Reading the files, it was clear that Sans was the brother Papyrus had the most affinity with. And Sans seemed like the most impactful alpha of the pack. In the event of a fight, he would have faced anyone for his beloved little brother, including the other alpha brothers who were his equals.

And if the other alpha brothers started arguing with each other, the beta brothers would intervene too. Was this why they had separate lairs?

Too many questions with too few certainties, you couldn't lose the thread of the conversation. Papyrus was opening up emotionally, it was time to let him know he could trust you.

Increasing your steps towards him, you stepped in front of his tall figure so he could look at your face; you wanted him to notice your genuine thoughts. “I know we just met Papyrus, but you don't have to feel guilty about that. Even the greatest can fall under the weight of emotions sometimes."

Papyrus' bright orange lights were focused on you; that genuine look could have melted you on the spot.

But apparently your words were working; Papyrus was stopping, wringing his gloves in embarrassment. “DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE THAT? I AM NOT AN ALPHA LIKE MY BROTHER SANS, BUT I STILL WANT TO GIVE MY MAXIMUM...BUT EVERY TIME THERE IS A DIFFERENT MISSION, THEY ALWAYS EXCLUDE ME...".

You knew that feeling too. Your family had always left you aside, you had been used to doing everything alone. The only one who really helped you was your grandmother...

“THEY ALWAYS LEAVE ME BEHIND, EVERY TIME THERE IS TO FIGHT THEY FORCE ME TO STAY APART. AND THAT'S RIDICULOUS! I AM THE SECOND OLDEST IN THE PACK.” Papyrus still didn't seem sure what he was doing. You would never have expected that such a playful guy like him would have difficulty expressing himself... Or maybe there was something else underneath.

“They probably do it to protect you. I got to know some of your brothers this morning, and I can say that they are always ready when you have to watch each other's backs." Hell, it was hard to have a heart to heart conversation while you were walking backwards in front of him.

But it was nice to be able to converse with someone without being afraid. With the other brothers you felt you had to be careful; whereas with Papyrus you didn't feel like you had that kind of need.

“AND I REALLY APPRECIATE IT…BUT I DON'T WANT TO FEEL LIKE THIS FOREVER. YOU SEE YOU'RE STILL SMALL, YOU DON'T HAVE A DEFINITE SMELL, BUT WHEN YOU BECOME BIGGER, LIKE THE BIG PAPYRUS, YOU WILL UNDERSTAND WHAT I MEAN!”.

It was fun to see Papyrus pose whenever he wanted to reinforce a point. But you could also understand Sans and the other brothers. Surely one of the reasons Papyrus wasn't allowed to fight with them was because he was too good-natured.

In the files, you were, in fact, one of the least dangerous skeletons. No one in those laboratories thought he was dangerous, and to fight, you had to attack with everything you had at your disposal.

And on that island there were other equally strong monsters, more aggressive underdeveloped monsters, the soulless and now even humans!

That island was full of dangers. A good, gentle soul like Papyrus would have no hope against all that evil... but maybe a little advice wouldn't hurt him.

Putting on your best smile, you planted your feet on the ground, imitating Papyrus' hip pose; you wanted his full attention now. “So there's only one way to make them think again. Get stronger!”.

It seemed like trivial advice, but it was one of your grandmother's favorites. In bad times, we had to react to change the cards on the table. Sitting around crying and complaining never accomplished anything; trying and trying again was the best solution.

“Train, improve, and maybe your brothers will see how great you actually are, and they will have to start respecting you more.” The sun shining behind you made your speech even more epic. Now you really looked like a heroine, from a fantasy book.

Papyrus was all trembling, the lights in his eye sockets had become enormous, his already radiant smile was even more dazzling. His orange magic swirled profusely from various points on his body; those adorable orange ears and that fluffy, fluffy tail were in danger of materializing.

But you didn't say a word; it was too nice to see him so happy, and you didn't want to ruin the moment. And before you knew it, your tail and long ears also began to dance lively in reaction to the sunny skeleton's smile.

Apparently you weren't the only one who had problems with control; it made you feel a little better that even Papyrus, despite having had magic since he was born, still didn't know how to use it to the fullest; it means that there was hope for you to learn too.

Papyrus stopped in place, starting to tap his red boots on the ground, and for a few seconds you swore you saw a couple of little stars twinkle in his eye sockets; it was probably just a reflection given by the light behind you.

“THIS IS A GREAT IDEA, LITTLE ONE! BLUE AND I HAD THE SAME IDEA A LITTLE TIME AGO, BUT WE HAD NEVER IMPLEMENTED IT BEFORE…BUT MAYBE WE SHOULD TRY AGAIN.” Papyrus' enthusiasm had returned, stronger than before. So strong that his tail and ears ultimately materialize.

Foxes were fascinating animals. Colorful, soft fur, fluffy tails and cute ears. Not to mention their great intelligence… And the adorable squeaks they made.

Combined on Papyrus, the fox look made him even friendlier than before. Those delicate pointed ears on his skull continued to vibrate along with his excitement. And that beautiful bright orange fluffy tail, it looked so fluffy!. You really wanted to touch her to quench your curiosity.

Papyrus had started confabulating on the spot, unaware of his aesthetic appearance at the moment. You were tempted not to say anything to him; he was so cute, and you would have liked to see him so at ease with his animalistic goal... But thinking back...

Sans was immediately alarmed when he noticed his brother's out-of-control magic. The way he immediately told Papyrus to hide his power from your sight should have been relegated to an issue.

You were disguised as an immature male, but perhaps Papyrus' precarious power was a problem. That Sans was afraid that other monsters saw his brother out of control? Would others think he was weak and an easy target?

Or maybe he didn't trust you, and was afraid that you would take advantage of this to attack the solar skeleton? “(Unlikely, he wouldn't have left us alone if Sans wasn't sure I wasn't a threat).” Sans was a careful guy; he would never risk like that if he wasn't sure.

So no matter how adorable Papyrus was, you had to rouse him from his internal confabulations. “Sorry Papyrus, I don't want to interrupt you, but your appearance has changed…”.

Papyrus froze in place, the lights in his eye sockets narrowed to pinpricks, and small orange droplets began to drip from his white skull. A truly sudden change. “(What happened? Why does he seem so upset now?)”.

Clearing his throat, the jovial skeleton dismissed your question with a more arrogant tone, which didn't suit him at all. “OF COURSE, LITTLE ONE, I AM SO BIG THAT I STRIVE EVERY DAY TO MAKE MYSELF LESS THREATENING IN FRONT OF OTHERS!”. Papyrus posed in front of you again, passing you and taking the lead again to lead you into the woods.

That moment was very strange, it really took you by surprise. Why had Papyrus acted like this? Why had he had to put on a little theater like that? What did he mean by trying to make myself less threatening?

None of this made any sense.

You set off again, walking faster to keep up with him; apparently, the sweet moment was over. Papyrus quickly went back to talking about lots of other random things; even though we didn't know him well, we could tell that he was intelligent enough to divert a conversation where it was necessary. But why do it…

Papyrus' last words were a constant contradiction. He had said he wanted to be strong, so why did he have to hide it from others? Was he convinced that he would be threatening if he transformed into animal form?

You didn't mean to be rude, it was just ridiculous. Foxes were among the animals you found the cutest in nature. How the appearance of a fox would scare others. His brothers were definitely scarier than him.

Heck, his brothers had abilities given to them by deadly animals, which made them aggressive and dangerous to deal with. Papyrus had no venom; he had no wings, and he had no sharp teeth. Certainly, the fox's DNA gave it light steps and, therefore, great stealth. You had only noticed him because it was Sans who had called out for him.

You were sure that if Papyrus wanted to, he would never let you notice him.

So why did Papyrus seem so broken down, unable to contain his magic? Another piece of information you should have learned about later. Grandma said, these monsters needed your help. Was it a problem with their magic?

You would work on it later, when you returned to your treehouse to look for more clues. Your thoughts were cast aside; Papyrus stopped in front of you before letting you continue.

His jovial tone was back in full force, “WELL LITTLE ONE, BEHIND THESE PLANTS IS OUR PERSONAL POND. HERE ARE MY TWO BROTHERS MOST RELATED TO WATER."

Because of the plants in front of you, you still couldn't see the elusive lake, but damn... Their territory even included a lake?! The map of the island really didn't do justice to that huge place.

“(Makes sense since both of these skeletons are half aquatic animals).” It was really convenient for them to have a lake at their disposal to be able to exhibit their animalistic side without fear.

You could already imagine the graceful Blue, swimming gracefully in the calm waters of his personal lake, together with his brother. You hoped that Stretch was at least calmer than the other alphas.

“MY BROTHER BLUE IS TRULY MAGNIFICENT, I THINK HE WILL LIKE YOU WITHOUT TOO MANY DIFFICULTIES…BUT STRETCH CAN BE COMPLICATED SOMETIMES…”. Papyrus' smile sagged a little at the mention of his alpha brother. It wasn't a good sign.

Sans had already warned you to be careful with Stretch; Blue had been captured a few days ago, and was surely still on the lookout for his brother. And now there was Papyrus who, in a not very veiled way, was telling you that he could have a difficult character. “(I better take Sans' advice).”

Staying close to Papyrus was your best option. "Don't worry, Papyrus, I'll stay further back to respect your brothers' spaces." Polite and respectful, it seemed enough to get you out of trouble.

Papyrus quickly straightened up hearing you speak; remaining in the pose, he regained more conviction. “EXCELLENT LITTLE ONE, I SEE YOU KNOW HOW TO BEHAVE. WELL THEN FOLLOW ME, BUT REMEMBER, DON'T GET TOO CLOSE TO THE WATER. MY BROTHERS ARE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT CLEANLINESS, ESPECIALLY BLUE".

Clean water, better conditions, you were happy they were okay after all they had been through.

Papyrus turned on the spot, passing the dense trees, and climbing over the tallest bushes. Because the plants were too thick, you had to crouch and crawl under them to get through; the dense vegetation offered beautiful privacy to the lake.

At that point the ground was dry and there were no more fallen leaves, at least you wouldn't get too dirty. There was little I could do about the clothes now, with all the trouble you'd had that morning. At least the horns didn't get caught in the branches this time.

The vision that greeted you was truly heavenly.

Pure, crystalline waters shone joyously under the sparkling rays of the sun. The lake was like a large perfect mirror, without stain, without dirt, without anything that could contaminate its beauty. The trees and rocks provided a wonderful backdrop to the lake, making it even more picturesque. The thick branches and trees did not allow anyone to violate the privacy that that magical place offered.

But the really beautiful thing that struck you was the waterfall.

Beautiful, strong and lush, the waterfall brought fresh, clear water to the sweet lake; the sound of flowing water was balm for your long ears. As if it were a sweet melody, which had the power to relax you instantly.

You had no idea how tall she might be, but she must have been at least 100 feet tall. The fact that she was tall made her even more spectacular.

The sun behind the waterfall made it shine, giving the place the right light to admire the place.

And behind the great waterfall, squinting against the sun, there was a great mountain; it seemed to be in the center of the island, judging by the position...

Wait… Was that Mount Ebott?

It was quite far from there, you could see. But the grandeur and central position of the mountain left no doubt. That was the mountain that stood out across the island.

Seeing him from that position had a different effect on you than seeing him just from the boat. You got lost looking at everything around you; Papyrus was pleasantly impressed by your genuine reaction, “NYEE HE HE I SEE YOU CAN APPRECIATE BEAUTIFUL THINGS. BLUE WILL BE VERY HAPPY!”.

Papyrus was way ahead of you; it was almost close to the lake shore. His voice was so shrill that it made the water near him ripple.

Wanting to take Sans's advice into account, you started to approach him, but as you walked towards him, you caught movement in the bushes on the opposite side of the lake. Instinctively, you froze. If you had made the wrong move, escaping from there would have been difficult; it was better to be cautious.

A pair of small blue lights looked suspiciously your way. The small lights shone placidly, hidden by the branches of the bushes. Those lights observed the surrounding area carefully. First, they focused on the tallest brother... but when they noticed you...

“COME OUT, BROTHER, I BROUGHT A NEW FRIEND!”. Papyrus started making cute noises towards the bush, exactly like Sans had done for him. Cheerful chirps urged the hidden brother to come out into the open while his orange magic swirled around his bones.

Small tick-like sounds responded more faintly to the happier verses. And finally, laying eyes on you, the skeleton came out into the open.

It was just as you remembered it; blue lights, this time much brighter. Round skull, with a genuine smile on his face. His light blue shirt matched his eyes perfectly, along with a soft blue scarf around his neck vertebrae. Dressed in simple white shorts, his boots were similar to Papyrus, only blue in color.

And there he was, after all the chaos of the past few days, you were there with his brothers, and he was fine! Blue was finally safe.

It was really a shame that you couldn't reveal yourself to them. You were really pleased with yourself; you promised you would help him, and you did. Of course, you needed indirect help from others too, but the result had been achieved.

Blue had the same reaction as Papyrus; he wasn't looking at his brother; those blue lights were just for you. The fact that you were almost the same height made eye contact immediate.

Little Blue crossed the lake, jumping from rock to rock, to reach you on the other side of the bank, without ever taking his eyes off you. He held his head up, trying to catch your scent, but to no avail, and that made him even more curious.

In no time, he was ahead of his taller brother. They greeted each other lovingly while still making cute noises to each other. The interaction was adorable, too bad you couldn't understand what they were saying. Judging by the way they both turned to you, the topic of conversation must have been you.

Papyrus motioned with his hands for you to come closer to them “COME INTRODUCE YOURSELF LITTLE ONE”. The taller skeleton's gentle smile did wonders for your shyness; you didn't really know how to deal with monsters, and you didn't want to look bad in front of Blue.

The claws of your feet scraped along the ground, to show more respect towards Blue, you looked down, paying attention to your horns. And to prevent your tail from playing tricks on you, you stuck it between your legs to control it better.

You thought that Blue would take his time, to check you out better like the others had done, but instead he went straight to you "QUIET LITTLE ONE, YOU CAN RAISE YOUR HEAD YOU DON'T NEED WITH ME MHEEE HE HE!". The euphoria in Blue's words was great.

Encouraged by such energy, you looked up, only to find that Blue's face was only a few centimeters from yours. The blue lights in his eye sockets, had filled as much space as possible, shone brightly on your face. Needless to say, the little skeleton was nothing short of entranced by your presence.

Blue broke the silence with his typical shrill voice “WOW I'VE NEVER SEEN A MONSTER LIKE YOU! WHAT KIND OF MONSTER ARE YOU? WHERE DO YOU COME FROM? ARE YOU REALLY OUR FRIEND NOW?...". Blue fired off all those questions while spinning you around like a fan-girl.

You would have responded if it weren't for his eccentric behavior. Without warning, he took your hands in his and looked again at your eyes with extreme attention. “YOUR HANDS ARE MUCH SOFTER THAN OURS...AND YOUR GOLDEN EYES…YOUR EYES…”. The more Blue looked at you, the more his face twisted in doubt.

You had forgotten that the color of your eyes had also changed with the transformation; they were no longer dark brown, but golden with the pupil sometimes becoming vertical. “(Maybe the color of my eyes bothers them? Is that bad for them?).”

If the color of your eyes bothered them, it would be difficult to approach; you didn't know if there was a way to change the color. In fact, you had not yet seen, either in the files or in person, a monster with golden eyes like yours. Maybe it was a side effect of being a human?

You couldn't have known, but there was a frown on Blue's face now as he looked into your eyes. The blue lights grew and shrank like magnifying glasses; the non-existent smell didn't bother him. Why did your eyes, then? The other skeletons hadn't cared about that detail at all...

Blue said something that made your ears perk up in shock.

“SORRY ME LITTLE...BUT YOU AND I...HAVE WE ALREADY SEEN EACH OTHER SOMEWHERE?”. A simple and harmless question, perhaps not even Blue realized what he was asking. Papyrus couldn't understand either as he watched you two interact.

But for you, it had a completely different meaning..."(Wait... Isn't that Blue... Does he remember me?!)". It was crazy to think about, but he had been staring into your eyes for too long, with that look that wavered between doubt and curiosity.

Is it possible that even with your disguise, he could recognize you!?. The first thing he noticed about you when you first met were your eyes. You remembered the feeling when you both tried to look deeply into each other through your gaze, to try to understand each other.

A strange connection, which perhaps had no explanation whatsoever. Yet he was there in front of you, in all his honesty, as he patiently waited for your response.

Your throat tightened from the lie you had to tell. “I'm sorry, but I don't think we've ever met before.” What a shame! You would have wanted to tell him the truth! You had a feeling that, human or not, Blue would welcome you happily. His friendly temperament was a confirmation of your first meeting. In that sense, Papyrus and Blue were very similar.

At your response, Blue went limp slightly. Was he expecting a more forceful response? Or maybe because, deep down, he hoped it, was you? His doubt lasted only a few seconds. “I UNDERSTAND I'M SORRY, FORGIVE MY QUESTION, I WAS JUST CURIOUS, GHEE HE HE”. Blue was embarrassed; you could tell by the light blue color on his bony cheeks. He walked away to give you back some of your living space.

You were happy, though; you felt calm among them. Even though they were clearly stronger than you and even more numerous. Papyrus and Blue had turned out to be good guys, as described in the files.

And as Blue was about to ask you more questions to get to know you better... Something in the water moved. It was only for an instant that small ripples approaching the shore, right behind Blue.

In other contexts, you would have been worried about a possible attack by an enemy, but that clearing was surrounded by thick vegetation. And both skeletons were calm, if there was danger nearby you would have noticed.

“(It seemed to me that there were two skeletons, relegated to the category of water…)”. Your thought was legitimate, perhaps the one in the water was the alpha brother...

Your suspicions were well-founded, and within seconds a large cloud of water engulfed you, taking you by surprise. The two skeletons looked confused, but unimpressed by the situation.

And within moments something grabbed you. You found yourself lifted off the ground, someone holding your arms down with just the right amount of force to leave bruises on your skin. You at least hoped that your tiefling form would protect your skin more.

Your hair got wet and stuck to your face; the creature that was blocking you had actually popped out of the water suddenly. You were stunned; all you could hear were the shrieks coming from Blue and Papyrus, who were panicking. Only one other noise was present there with you, the sound of a growl.

Your blurry eyes struggled to focus, but the sight of more bones in front of you, made it clear to you who the monster in front of you was.

Stretch, the alpha brother with whom Blue was closest. His elongated skull was wrathful with rage towards you, every bone in his body was enraged at you. Stretch's tangerine lights lit up in anger as he tried to identify you. His eyes were narrow and dangerous; you never dreamed of making him angrier.

You were incapable of looking anywhere other than his eyes, something told you that if you looked away, you would make him angrier. But in your peripheral vision, you could just make out his tail.

Stretch was an electric eel, and his tail was a single mass of muscles, designed to move fluently in water. But even out of the water, he demonstrated that he was able to stay on land without too many difficulties. Even during battle, he could slide through the dirt almost as well as Black could.

Stretch's flat teeth were drawn into a grin, and the sounds of his growls reverberated inside his ribcage, jarring his ribs. The only thing keeping you from colliding with his hard bones was his orange sweatshirt. You had no idea why he had kept it while remaining underwater, but at that moment, you were grateful that he had it on him; it made him appear less threatening.

Unlike Blue, Stretch's voice was low and raspy, much like Russ's. A perfect voice to intimidate, but you wouldn't necessarily need it; you were already scared from the start. “Who the hell are you… How did you get here?” It wasn't a real question; it was a more unwelcome novelty for him.

“STOP, BROTHER, HE'S OUR NEW FRIEND; PUT HIM DOWN!”. Blue had become hysterical; he was trying hard to calm his brother down. He hadn't stopped screaming since Stretch attacked you.

But Stretch didn't seem to want to hear too much. “What friend? I only see an intruder trying to make us lower our guard to take advantage of us!". He yelled at Blue to be heard, but he never took his eyes off you.

Papyrus was also in a panic, “IT'S ALL A MISUNDERSTANDING. SANS AND THE OTHERS HAVE ALREADY CHECKED HIM AND HAVE ESTABLISHED THAT HE IS HARMLESS. HE WANTED TO TRY TO MAKE US KNOW HIM AND LEARN HOW TO TALK TO OTHER MONSTERS. BUT HE'S JUST A HARMLESS BOY!” Papyrus was speaking more rapidly than ever.

You had noticed from before, that he was a guy who liked to talk a lot, but at that moment he was unrestrained. He spoke so fast that not even Stretch could silence him.

What he said was strange, though. What did he mean by learning to talk to other monsters? Sans had said that his brothers had no friends; it was just them among brothers. But considering their characters were so different from each other, it must have been difficult to speak freely. Not to mention the whole issue of hierarchy. Because alphas were naturally bolder, Stretch was an example of this.

Unlike Blue who was curious and eager to get to know you, Stretch, without even having spoken to you, had already decided that you were a burden to be lifted from his shoulders.

So the reason Sans jumped at the chance to welcome you was to help his brothers open up to strangers? Was this really the reason? But why? They were monsters like the others, why did they need you to get to know each other?

Your attention was brought to reality by Stretch's heavy tone, who had had enough of his older brother. “Don't tell me what I should or shouldn't do in my territory, Papyrus! You know the rules. And I have every right to teach a lesson to anyone who dares to come in here without my permission!” Stretch's shrill growls added emphasis to his words.

Small bolts of electricity were starting to rise from its tail; if the situation had continued to escalate like this, you would have been toast on the spot.

But Stretch's iron grip had made the words die in your throat. And apparently he had no intention of listening to Blue or Papyrus, even though he was older than him; not respecting the hierarchy was a manifestation of arrogance for the monsters.

Lucky for you, Papyrus had apparently had enough of his brother's disrespectful attitude "PUT HIM DOWN STRETCH NOW, OTHERWISE I'LL GO AND TELL SANS AND THE OTHERS, THAT YOU WENT AGAINST ALL OF THEM!".

Upon hearing those words, Stretch stopped suddenly, lowering his arms and letting you fall unceremoniously onto the shore of the lake. The small pebbles on the ground scratched your red skin; but the real pain was the numbness in your arms.

You were free now, but Stretch was still furious. He focused all his attention on his older brother, with electrical charges swirling around his tail and even gathering in his hands. Lights reduced to pinpricks glared, the skeleton more cheerful, while Blue had run next to you to help you get back on your feet and take a few steps backwards to move away from the shore.

“You would threaten me… Your brother?! Why are you doing this for a stranger? After everything we've been through, now you want to lower your defenses? How can you all be so silly…” Stretch turned to you; he felt anger at how Blue was actively helping you.

He clearly saw the displeasure in Blue's face, but he was only protecting him. Why did Sans and the others have to behave like this… Blue had been captured precisely because they hadn't been careful, and he wouldn't allow it a second time.

Stretch apparently quickly became fed up with the situation; using his long tail, he made you fall again, but this time he grabbed Blue, pulling him to safety in the scales of his tail. She didn't want him near you.

He rose to his full allowable height. Compared to you, he seemed like a giant, and you were like a scared little flea. “Listen to me carefully. I don't care if you're small or if you have a nondescript odor; I don't want you here in our lake." His speech was all growls, ever present.

Blue tried to wriggle out of his brother's grip, but Stretch held him firmly in place. It was a strange scene to see. You could understand the sense of protection, towards the brother who had been kidnapped, but treating Blue as if he was incapable of defending himself seemed exaggerated.

The light behind Stretch put him in dim light, highlighting the tangerine lights that glowed with anger towards you. “If I fish you back here, I will make you regret it… Did you understand correctly?”.

You had no words and were too distraught to respond. Apparently your looks alone were enough to satisfy Stretch. Your long ears were lowered as much as possible, your tail was curled between your legs as if it wanted to hug you to comfort you. Your gaze was now directed towards the ground with your head lowered.

Stretch began to crawl away, amid numerous protests from Blue, who was not at all happy with how his brother had handled the situation. Blue's face was somewhere between angry and bitter as he looked at you before Stretch led him the furthest away from you.

“COME LITTLE ONE, I'LL TAKE YOU BACK”. Without warning, Papyrus took your arm, lifting you up to carry you out of the lake.

Once outside, he apologized profusely for the misunderstanding Stretch created, and that he would tell others about his behavior towards you.

At the very least, both he and Blue seemed really excited to have you around them.

That you would have thought about how to resolve the situation later. As soon as you got back to the tree house, even though it wasn't that late yet, you fell asleep straight away on the bed. As the magic in your body was absorbed, to allow you to transform back into your human form, without you realizing it.

That night, however, Papyrus was restless. He liked the idea of having a friend outside the pack who wasn't his brothers. And he was sure that Blue felt the same way, and surely other of his brothers would too.

He couldn't stay silent. This time he would make himself heard.

Chapter Text

While sleep enveloped you in the blissful darkness of your safe and comfortable tree house; the skeletons had decided to gather, to discuss the whole matter.

Papyrus felt frustrated like never before. Sans' idea of ​​trying to make friends with another monster was really a good one. Because of their situation with humans, other monsters tended to stay away from them. Socializing outside their pack had become almost impossible.

And the monster in question was not only smaller, and apparently tamer than them. And you didn't even have a set smell! This meant having to deal with a monster, who would never seek a fight with them, to take over their territory. A perfect situation to break that damned routine.

Papyrus adored his brothers, they were everything to him, but because of their very different characters, they often pitted themselves against each other. Between those who were outspoken and too lively, and those who were too shy or too aggressive, even just to carry on a simple conversation.

Obviously they were monsters, not humans. Conversing civilly was something humans did more often. If the monsters found themselves in unwelcome situations, they simply growled. Not that there was anything wrong, from a few lines or gestures you could understand many things. The signals were very important to the monsters.

But having been raised primarily by humans, Papyrus and his brothers had developed much more complex interests than the other monsters.

Unwelcome and understood interests. But a young monster like you wouldn't raise any issues with that. From what little he had guessed about you, you were a smart and respectful monster, but also very inexperienced.

You clearly didn't know how to look for food, you didn't understand how to best orient yourself, and you also seemed confused about the right behaviors to adopt, between alpha and beta.

Maybe he could have come to some sort of agreement with you, to convince you to be their friend again. Blue was really upset about Stretch's overly protective behavior towards you. There was no reason to treat you so badly.

Anger at his alpha brother's behavior spilled under Papyrus' red boots. It was not a safe way to vent; he needed to stay calm to speak in front of his brothers.

A pack meeting after all, it was serious business. They rarely did this; it was unlikely that they should argue about something so serious. The last time was done to prepare a plan to free Blue from those damned laboratories.

This time it was a lighter topic; but still important.

Finished escorting you out of their territory, Papyrus walked briskly towards their mother den. And first, he looked for Sans.

Sans was always there for him, at all times papyrus knew he would help him. And Sans was the alpha par excellence in the pack, he was the one to talk to if there was a problem to solve.

And thanks to Sans, all his brothers were now gathered in the skull-shaped cave. At that moment, the night had claimed the entire island, and no one would disturb them. And it being the middle of the night, all his brothers were awake. He would apologize later to those who were deprived of sleep at night.

They were all sitting in a circle, relaxed and composed. The cave was large enough to accommodate them all. They were perhaps a little too close, but it was welcoming. They were used to their personal spaces.

None of them were transformed; there was no need. It was just a discussion. And the rule prevented any of them from attacking or harming during those meetings.

Papyrus took a deep breath to mentally prepare himself; they were all already inside, waiting for him. Having rediscovered his formidable conviction, he resolutely entered the cave.

“GOOD EVENING, MY BROTHERS-“

“TURNS DOWN THAT EXAGGERATED TONE OF YOURS, YOU OVERGROWN PUPPY!”. Great, he had just started talking, and already Edge was yelling at him. And he wasn't the only one.

Apparently most of his brothers were annoyed by that unusual summons; for the others, however, there was only confusion.

Sans, walking to his beloved brother's side, began to growl in clear warning. “Hold your tongue, or I'll bite it off.” Sans instantly summoned his sharp honey badger teeth; he couldn't let Papyrus be treated like that. He was the second largest and deserved respect.

Edge looked like he was about to retort, but Wine stopped him before he could say anything else offensive. Making Sans angry wasn't a good idea; and he was honestly curious, he wanted to know “Rather, I am very curious about the reason for this meeting”.

Black continued, “YUP, WHAT COULD BE SO IMPORTANT TO INTERRUPT OUR IMPORTANT ACTIVITIES?”, The annoyance in Black's voice was really evident. Probably stressed by his lack of sleep.

A very high-pitched laugh bounced inside the cave, it was Berry "MHA HA HA, POOR SNAKE HE NEEDS A NAP TO WORK DURING THE DAY", Berry never missed an opportunity to retort with Black and Edge. The rivalry between them was really annoying for the other brothers.

“The little ant spoke… Am I wrong, or do you need to sleep too, otherwise you risk becoming a shriveled twig?”, Money would not allow anyone to speak badly of Black.

And not even Rus, with Berry "Accepting advice from someone who is always upside down?…Nha thanks, I'll pass." There was no malice in Rus' words, he didn't want to pick a fight with Money. But not intervening would have made Berry sad. And she didn't want to see him sad.

The situation was quickly getting out of hand, and they hadn't even started having a proper discussion yet!

Sans noticed poor Papyrus' frustration; he had to take matters into his own hands, or they wouldn't have accomplished anything. “Good, everyone, now. The reason in question is Erald.” It had to start somewhere.

Confused lights greeted him, with an embarrassing silence.

… “Who the fuck is Erald?”, obviously Red hadn't bothered to introduce himself to you properly, like the other skeletons.

Luckily, at least Charm and Nova knew who he was talking about. “OR DO YOU MEAN THE ADORABLE LITTLE ONE, WHOM BERRY AND RUS BROUGHT HERE THIS MORNING?”, At the mention of the little monster, some skeletons perked up.

Obviously Berry and Rus were not among those “STILL WITH THAT STORY? WE HAVE ALREADY SERVED PART OF THE SENTENCE, WHAT ELSE IS THERE STILL!?”. Berry was angry, everyone had turned against him after that stupid thing. At his side, Rus was sweating, for a new potential punishment.

Not only would they be scheduled to take extra shifts to guard the territory, but they would also have to clean other people's dens! And there was still the favor you could ask of them. They didn't want to serve any more punishments.

Sans smiled heartily as he noticed the growing panic of his younger brothers; lucky for them that this time there would be no punishment. Or at least for them.

Sans' voice lowered a lot, ready to talk to the one who had caused the problem, "So Papyrus told me that someone here, went hard on the boy…". He didn't want to bring up the culprit yet, he wanted to create some suspense first.

“I DID NOTHING, I HAVEN'T SAW THAT SHRIMP SINCE THIS MORNING!”, Berry wanted to get out of it right away.

“I WONDER IF I CARE ABOUT A PATHETIC MONSTER LIKE THAT”, Edge didn't want to deal with you either.

The brothers immediately looked at Black suspiciously. Only an alpha could have taken such an aggressive attitude towards a stranger. There was no reason to doubt the beta brothers. And Nova had expressed her approval of you.

As for Axe... Well, maybe if you had met him, you wouldn't have just walked away with a scolding. Ax wasn't bad, but he had terrible self-control. He, too, was excluded from the case.

Wine was a possibility, but he was too staid and diplomatic to throw himself at an immature monster. He wasn't known for being aggressive, or at least not without good reason to be.

The only alphas left were Black and Stretch… But none of them knew you had been at the lake yet. Black growled at everyone present, he was already angry at his lack of rest, he didn't want to take blame that he didn't have. “HEY WAKE UP, I VOTED MY VOTE IN FAVOR OF THE BOY, IT WOULDN'T MAKE SENSE FOR ME TO ATTACK HIM WITHOUT REASON.”

The brothers looked at him skeptically; they looked at Money to confirm his words. Money could always tell if one of them was lying.

Butch, timidly speaking from the back of the cave, spoke in a faint voice. The cave increased its tone “SORRY...WHO ARE WE TALKING ABOUT?…AND WHY BLACK…WOULD IT BE BLAME?”. Butch was indeed a giant among the tallest monsters on the island, but he was truly like a sweet puppy inside.

His question was more than legitimate. He hadn't had a chance to talk to others about you. When he returned from the woods, they had already left the central clearing. Many of them enjoyed hunting, even just for fun. Others, however, just wanted to be on their own.

Only those present in the morning had had the opportunity to meet you. Thanks to Papyrus, Sans now had the perfect opportunity to explain everything.

This new news surprised his brothers. Most of all, the beta brothers. Coffee and Butch seemed really interested in you. The idea of ​​being able to make friends with someone... They've wanted it for a long time. And hearing about your docile and meek behavior, they only cheered up more.

All in all, it seemed that each of them had a minimum of hidden curiosity about wanting to face that new type of experience. But they hadn't finished yet. "BUT IF IT WASN'T BLACK... IT SCARED HIM... WHO WAS IT?", Butch was more curious than ever, he hadn't been able to see you yet, but the idea that one of them had made you run away without him having the chance to introduce himself made him very sad.

Papyrus didn't miss a beat, this was the moment he'd been waiting for; a bit of healthy revenge all for him. “ASK THOSE WHO CAN'T STAY IN HIS GOOD AND QUIET POND, WITHOUT SCREAMING LIKE A SAVAGE WITHOUT A REASON!”, finally his undisciplined brother would have had the lesson he deserved.

Papyrus' words left no suspicion in their skulls; it was obvious who was in the wrong.

Stretch sat on a rock, smoking what was his fifth cigarette of the evening. He knew he would need it. It certainly didn't take a genius to understand where they were going. And whenever Papyrus was involved, there was always Sans to deal with.

Stretch couldn't blame him, he did the same thing for Blue. But this time he wouldn't give in; it wasn't his fault. They had brought an intruder into their home! Blue was so agitated, she had to confine him to their underwater lair to calm him down. She didn't even let him come to that meeting; he knew this would send his innocent brother into confusion.

And now he had to justify himself for this... Absurd. He didn't miss the numerous glances from his brothers. Among those who were surprised, those like Papyrus snorted with disapproval... And among the calmer brothers, who looked at him with displeasure. The same look with which Blue had looked at him in the last few hours.

The next question came from the quietest of skeletons, “WHY…”. Coffee was afraid of strangers.

After everything they had been through, he had lost the desire to get close to any being other than one of his brothers. Some of them were rough, but he could be safe with them.

However, the idea of ​​being able to meet a new monster seemed…nice. Maybe talking to someone else would have helped him unblock himself. Some of his brothers had approved of your presence, so why would Stretch go against everyone?

Stretch took a deep breath, he was too tense and risked responding badly. Wine would have been very angry. “Are you seriously asking me why?”. His frustration oozed with every word spoken, “He's a stranger! Have you already forgotten what happened the last time we trusted someone?...".

Anger rose in his bones, while other warning growls from the alpha brothers added to the previous ones. “Everyone betrays us sooner or later. We can only count on ourselves, and then everything will be fine!".

Usually Money was a quiet guy, he got along very well with Stretch. And he could understand all her concern. If they had kidnapped Black instead of Blue, it would probably have done even worse. But this commotion wasn't doing any of them any good.

He had to make him think, "Calm down, bro, let's put together everything we know about this little guy, ok?". His deep, hoarse voice calmly punctuated each word. “To recap. This new monster is much smaller than us and weaker. It does not have a fixed odor, which does not yet make it a real, tangible threat to our territory. Furthermore, it is highly unlikely that someone else welcomed him into an already formed herd. Am I missing something?". A small, ironic laugh slipped between his pointed teeth.

Beside him, Black felt proud of his lazy brother. He liked to fight, but in these cases being reasonable was the best choice.

Stretch apparently still wasn't convinced. “Since when did you all become so reckless?!” He didn't want to give up; they were wrong, why was he the only one who could see it?

“WHAT IS IT? ARE YOU AFRAID THAT THAT LITTLE GUY WILL BEAT YOU? SMALL MOLLUSC OVERGROWN?”. Edge had no fear. And he was more than happy to remind everyone of it. A little monster would certainly never have been able to put them in a crisis. Especially him, since he considered himself the most expert hunter. He had already submitted you with extreme ease; they wouldn't have to worry about it anymore.

Sparks of electricity shot out of Stretch's hands. He was used to his brothers' teasing, but at that moment he didn't feel like joking. “I'm not afraid of anyone. I've already put that cheeky little one back in his place-“.

“Then I would say... Everything is fine…”. Axe had not yet made himself heard. And he very rarely spoke. He earned amazed looks from everyone, even Butch. He knew how tiring it was for his brother to talk, but above all, to remember things. The hole in his skull had always put him in difficulty, even with other monsters.

Apparently, however, he was not worried about this new change taking place. “Let… Let him… Come here…it will be enough…to keep an eye on him.” Axe's deep voice made all those who were not yet convinced stop and think.

Following logic, Wine spoke simply, “Indeed, considering all the information we have… There is no reason to worry.”

Stretch wanted to argue. Were they seriously taking all this in stride?

Rus was faster than him. “In fact, the little tiefling was very easy to catch. He didn't even attack us directly when we captured him. He just tried to escape." For better or worse, it was true. You hadn't done anything bad, not even in moments of possible danger.

“You're kidding-“, Stretch was interrupted again; from Sans.

If Sans wanted to win this argument, he needed to be smarter. “I would say let's put it to the vote again.” Sans looked confidently at each of his brothers. It was right that they could decide spontaneously; and this time individually.

He wanted to be sure, how many of his brothers actually had the desire, to meet you and befriend you. It wasn't right to impose your presence on those who weren't in favor. He had been reckless with his initial decision.

Without waiting for any further interruptions, Sans started the vote, "Everyone who wants to try dating young Erald, raise your hand." This time, the type of voting was more specific. They weren't going to vote on whether you could enter their territory. They were voting for who would like to meet you. Each of them would have had full control of the situation.

And those who would not have been in favor could simply have turned the other way. But all this, without disturbing those who were in favor.

The skeleton brothers glanced at each other several times. Butch and Coffee seemed the most undecided. But that was a unique and perhaps unrepeatable opportunity. The two shyest brothers raised their hands first, quickly followed by Ax and Wine.

Sans wasn't surprised; Ax and Wine never left their little brothers alone, due to their overly docile nature. They would keep them safe.

Edge and Red didn't raise their hands. Even at the last vote, they went against you. Not anything new.

Nova and Charm happily waved their hands in the air. You seemed like a pleasant person, to be friends with. And then you were so little and adorable! They saw you as a little lost puppy.

Surprisingly, this time Berry also raised his hand; consequently also Rus. Nobody said anything, but even Edge was surprised by that change of direction, by his crackling brother. Apparently, many of them found you interesting.

Black and Money also raised their hands. Dialogue with you would have brought excellent benefits. And the reputations of each of them would have softened more towards the other monsters. Being recognized as strong and ruthless was pleasant and advantageous… But only up to a certain point.

Papyrus felt elated; almost all of his brothers wanted you as a friend! Not only had he beaten Stretch fair and square, but he would still have his friend.

He raised his hands as fast as a rocket, and Sans, chuckling beside him at his brother's happiness, raised his hand himself.

Stretch, although angry, said nothing. He was shocked, Sans with one simple move had beaten him. It was clear that the brothers would vote in favor. They were all too busy with this new change to notice the potential dangers.

The rules applied to everyone. The votes had to be respected, it was a sacred rule of the pack. Not respecting it would have taken away the importance of dialogue. And it couldn't all be resolved with growls and scuffles.

Nonetheless, he didn't want to give them the satisfaction "Good, but since Blue isn't here, I'll take his place. And will that louse never be allowed to enter our clear lake?”. They each ran a specific area, and if Stretch couldn't stop the others from getting involved, he would at least keep Blue safe from trouble.

Papyrus immediately became sad. He knew how much Blue wanted to meet you; they had both wanted it for a long time. Stretch was like Sans in this sense; very protective. But after the incident with the humans... Stretch had become obsessive towards his shorter brother. He meant well, but did he really not realize how complicated he was making Blue's life?

Other brothers also looked at him askance; He wasn't the only one who thought he was exaggerating.

Sans sighed in relief, it was done. Now everything could follow its natural course. And finally they could go to bed; because of everything that had happened during the day, he hadn't been able to get any rest.

He was about to get up like everyone else to go to their own dens, or go out to hunt, or keep watch. Charm decided to take the moment to tell everyone… Who he met in the woods a few days ago. Now that they were all there, he had to take advantage of it.

“WAIT EVERYONE. THERE IS ONE THING I HAVE TO TELL YOU."

It was strange to hear Charm talk so seriously; it had to be something important. Red was running out of patience "Well spit it out, songbird", he managed to contain himself only because, there was Edge right next to him. Or he would have chosen heavier words; he just wanted to go for a nice run in the woods.

Charm wanted to take his brother, and make him hover above the forest, hanging like a salami, as punishment for his teasing. And he would… When the arrogant little wolf would never have expected it. But he shouldn't get distracted.

He raised his voice to make sure everyone heard clearly, “A FEW DAYS AGO I WENT OUT FOR MY GUARD SHIFT-“. “IF YOU THINK THAT COMPLAINING WILL MAKE YOU LOWER YOUR GUARD SHIFT, YOU ARE WRONG! WE WON'T BE THE ONLY ONE TO PAY.” Seriously, Berry could be so annoying sometimes.

“NO, THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT TO SAY, GUYS-“. His voice was dying out, due to the brothers' constant interruptions.

“Let me guess, you want to go back to the woods alone, to get more…inspiration?”. Money pressed, and he knew Charm was meeting with Mettaton in secret. A fortuitous discovery. The two were very good at not being noticed. Charm believed that Mettaton was an expert conqueror and that he would help him in his courtship… To Money, he was just a clown made of bolts and metal. But he wouldn't say anything to anyone.

Charm almost jumped on the spot at Money's little insinuation. But it didn't seem like Money knew much; he would deal with it later. He should have said it before he lost his temper!

“NO, GUYS, I FOUND SOME MULTI-BREED MONSTERS, VERY CLOSE TO OUR TERRITORY-“.

“TYPICAL OF THOSE DISGUSTING BEINGS…”, Edge didn't want those half-breeds near them. They weren't too strong, they could be handled, but they had to stay in place.

“TELL ME THAT YOU GAVE THEM THE LESSON THEY DESERVED. AND YOU DIDN'T JUST TALK TO THEM,” Black was uncompromising on this. No one entered their territory without permission.

Charm was becoming more and more hysterical. And now Black was also insinuating that he wasn't capable of fixing things properly? It made him nervous. “YES I HAVE SORTED THEM GOOD, AND I'M SURE THEY WILL NEVER COME BACK BUT THERE'S MORE...". Sans was tired, he wanted it to be over and go to sleep. He didn't want any more dark circles under his eye sockets.

“What more can there be? We threw out some half-breeds, some soulless people, and got a little monster out of trouble. I'd say we've ticked everything off our list." He hoped that the list of unexpected events was over. And like the others, he headed towards the exit.

What more could there be that they hadn't already addressed?

Finally, Charm was forced to shout at the top of his lungs, “THERE WAS A HUMAN IN OUR TERRITORY!”

…

Silence and wide eyes for everyone. They slowly turned towards Charm, as the magic began to overflow, from the hands of the more aggressive brothers. Slowly, each of them let out small growls, as if the human in question was there with them.

Nova had remained silent the whole time, patiently waiting for his brother, but now he wanted answers, "Where... Would you have met him, little brother?". Nova was getting worried, her brother had met a human who could have hurt him, and he wasn't there to help him!

Charm took several breaths to compose himself. It wasn't easy to speak in those conditions. All the Alpha brothers, except Sans, were getting angry at that news. Sans, Rus, Red, and Money just grunted in annoyance... But the real problem was the others.

Papyrus began to twist his gloves in anxiety, Nova was there at Charm's side, and kept looking at him as if he was about to turn into dust at any moment...

And then there were Butch and Coffee… They were shaking on the spot, as they tried to comfort each other. They knew how to fight, and they had been standing on the sidelines watching the battle the whole time. But knowing that a human had come so close to their home… It made everyone more nervous and insecure.

He had to stay calm; he didn't want to instill more fear in their souls, "I MET THEM A FEW DAYS AGO, ON THE BORDERS OF OUR TERRITORY". He hoped that keeping his tone calm and relaxed would make them calmer.

“What the fuck was a fucking human doing near our lairs?!”. Nothing, with Red, it wasn't possible to find a way to keep him calm.

And his brothers weren't joking either. Stretch, who was already furious about the previous vote, was now struggling to contain the electric sparks that flowed freely between his bones. “How did he find our territory… Humans don't have as developed a sense of smell as we do.”

Charm had asked himself the same question. It was a mystery how you had managed to get so close. Thanks to their magic, they had created distorted odors; odors capable of distracting potential intruders. Smells capable of misleading those who were not of the pack. Other monsters also did this to protect themselves from humans.

Humans were unable to perceive their specific odors; only monsters could. “MAYBE IT WAS THE FAULT OF THE HALF-BREED MONSTERS-“.

“Hey, what are you talking about, bro? What do mixed breeds have to do with humans?”, Rus couldn't put the information together. The whole situation didn't make sense… But ever since they attacked the humans, everything had suddenly changed.

At least they were listening, Charm continued, “BECAUSE THE HUMAN WAS STOPPED BY THE HALF-BREED, MAYBE HE SAW THE MONSTERS AND OUT OF CURIOUS FOLLOWED THEM TO US. BUT WHILE HE WAS TRYING TO RUN AWAY, THE HALF-BREED HAD CAPTURED HIM-“. Another interruption.

Berry pumped his fists and yelled like a rebellious brat, his high-pitched voice infiltrating their skulls unpleasantly. “WHAT BS IS THIS!? WHY WOULD SOME HALF-BREED CAPTURE A HUMAN WHEN THEY COULD HAVE EATED HIM?”. As annoying as Berry was, he was right.

Humans had souls, damn strong ones. They were gifted with an incredible magical well, their souls were overflowing with power. And the half-breed monsters often looked for ways to become stronger, to overpower the pure monsters. And what better opportunity than to devour the magic within their souls.

And now came the most interesting part, “IN OTHER CASES I BET THEY WOULD HAVE ATE IT. HE WAS AN INNOCENT SOUL AND THEREFORE FULL OF MAGIC BUT THE HUMAN THEY HAD CAPTURED WAS SPECIAL...". Charm was trying to say it delicately.

“As particular as what, Charm? Speak, dammit!”, Sans rarely lost his temper, but it was all getting crazy.

Well, it was time to spill the beans, “THE HUMAN THEY HAD CAPTURED, WAS A WOMAN…”.

…

“SO WHAT? WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH HALF-BREED?”, Edge didn't understand. Why should the sex of the human have any influence on anything?

Charm opened his lights in surprise. Stars, none of his brothers seemed to understand what he was referring to!

Lucky for him that Nova caught his words immediately. Nova's bony cheekbones turned slightly lilac. He had no problem talking about this with Charm, but with the other brothers… The situation was about to get really awkward. “My boys, think about it carefully. How else can a monster get more strength from a female?” He just hoped they would get there, without having to explicitly say so.

The brothers looked at each other confused, searching for answers. They didn't understand what connection a human could have with monsters. Nobody, there couldn't be!

Humans and monsters were incompatible...

Suddenly, it seemed as if all their thoughts had focused together. Realization dawned in their bony skulls. Lights widened in the eye sockets, and the cheekbones of each of them were tinged with their corresponding color of their magic.

Red entered the topic straight away, with the same delicacy of a drunk rhinoceros, “Shit, they wanted to fuck her?!?”.

“THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR DELICACY, DEAR…”. Nova snapped instantly, it was a sensitive topic, and Red shouldn't have brought it up so unexpectedly.

Damn, Charm had been so good, at speaking without lapsing into vulgarity in front of his more shy brothers. He cupped his hands and rubbed his skull in shame as his cheekbones turned pink. He didn't have the courage to look at his shocked little brothers, about something they barely knew about!

Butch and Coffee pulled up the respective hoods of their sweatshirts, so as not to hear anything else. They tried to hide their blushes in vain. Sex was a somewhat taboo subject for monsters; and certainly not something to take lightly.

“IF YOU HADN'T NOTICED, YOU UGLY IMBECILE, WE HAD ALL INTUITED IT, WITHOUT YOU HAVING TO POINT IT OUT. IDIOT!". Edge was getting more pissed off than normal that night. He could feel his skull heating up with shame at the whole situation.

Papyrus continued to twist his gloves in embarrassment, he didn't want to ask, but he wanted to be sure "BROTHER PLEASE, TELL ME YOU HELPED THAT POOR SOUL". The idea that someone could take advantage of a defenseless female… It was horrible, at least in pure monster culture.

Charm immediately came back to attention, putting a hand to his chest, “OF COURSE PAPY, I WOULD NEVER HAVE ALLOWED IT! EVEN IF IN REALITY, SHE WAS ALMOST SAVING HERSELF...". His voice became more composed again, trying to remember every detail.

“AT THE BEGINNING HE SEED TO BE IN DIFFICULTY. THERE WERE THREE AND SHE WAS ONLY ONE. ALL THREE BIGGER AND SCARIER. BUT IN A FEW INSTANTS, HE REACTED BY KICKING THEM ONE BY ONE, WITHOUT FEAR! Charm wasn't realizing it, but he was talking about you like you were a super heroine.

They all looked surprised and even slightly satisfied. They hated humans… But stars, you seemed really tough.

Butch and Coffee leaned closer to their brother, encouraged by the lively words from your feat. They were curious about you. Butch spoke first, “SO…THE LITTLE HUMAN…BEAT THEM?”. It was the first time they had heard of a human female acting like a female monster. Human females tended to be less physically likely to face danger.

“HE JUST GAINED TIME TO BE ABLE TO RUN AWAY. I HAD TO INTERVENE TO THROW AWAY THE HALF-BREEDS, DEFINITELY. AND IN ACTUALITY, I WAS TRYING TO SCARE HER, SO AS NOT TO MAKE HER COME BACK SO CLOSE TO US, BUT...". He had reached the end of the story, but he didn't know how he could explain to them the strange sensations he felt in your presence.

“Is there more?... Good...or bad?”, Axe had gotten as close as he could, without causing any discomfort. He was the biggest of all, moving in such narrow spaces was difficult for him.

The pink color brightened more on his skull; Charm was looking for the right words to use, without sounding like a crazy person. “I…HESISTED.”

Sans didn't know what was going through his little brother's head, but judging by the increasingly bright color on his skull... There was something important underneath, that he wasn't saying. “You know you can tell us everything, right?”, Her tone became softer and warmer, to encourage him more to talk.

“Yes, you're right, tell us everything little brother”, Nova didn't want to go to bed without first being sure that everything was okay.

Charm sighed loudly; at least he was getting to the end. “I HESITATED BECAUSE…HIS SMELL WAS, LIKE, BEWITCHING ME.”

Each brother frowned in confusion, but strangely, they all remained very calm and listened. Rus, Money, and Wine leaned closer to listen. This detail about the smell… On a human... It had already happened!

“Did she smell like spring?” Money's usually mocking and disinterested tone disappeared, giving way to his warmer, more comforting voice.

“WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU SAYING?”, Black was rarely taken by surprise, but this time he was. It was very unusual for Money to use that gentle tone of voice.

Even Rus couldn't stop himself from talking about you. “Were her eyes dark and big like gems?” He didn't realize he was using the same soft tone as Money.

Berry turned sharply towards his brother with wide eyes, “WHAT ARE YOU SAYING YOU LATCH?!”, What was going on in the heads of those two pranksters?

“And she had soft skin and long hair…”, Wine, got lost in the vague memory of you. He didn't want to grab you in such an awkward way, but he remembered well the soft skin of your neck, and your hair waving in the air.

Coffee sat down properly in front of his shorter brother. He was getting scared, Wine never lost confidence in himself “ARE YOU…OK?” speeches. He took his brother in his arms to hold him close to him.

When Wine looked up at his distraught little brother, a sweet little smile adorned his teeth. “Yes Coffee, I'm fine.” He didn't want to worry his sensitive little brother... But it was true that he seemed to have lost himself, for a few moments.

Listening to his brothers, Red also seemed to remember you "Are you talking about that girl, who kicked me in the face?", the only human in the whole fucking night of the attack, who had hit him so close.

Edge mocked him mercilessly “FFU DID YOU GET HIT, BY SUCH A SMALL FEMALE?”, Edge believed he had trained Red well. What he wouldn't have given, though, to see that scene.

Stretch shot along with some of his lightning, luckily it poured towards the top of the cave, “Are you listening?! It's all a trick. The humans used this girl as bait, and probably created an attractive smell to attract us!” Now more than ever he wanted to go back to his lair at Blue's.

Charm, like the other brothers who had met you, wasn't too convinced of this "IT SEEMS REAL TO ME...", now he felt like a fool. It was absurd to think that a human could have any kind of compatibility with monsters.

Nova, noticing his taller brother's confused tone, urged him to leave the cave. Too much had happened, they needed to rest. “Let's go to bed, darling, so we can clear our minds.”

“You're right, we all need sleep.” Sans needed to have a clear head, to think about how to deal with all this new information. It was all happening too fast.

As the first alpha of the pack, he still had to set some rules for safety. "New rule therefore, if any of us ever see this human again, we will have to warn the others and stay away from her, until we understand how to better manage the situation." He still had other things to worry about. Settling their territory was the first thing to do.

The brothers nodded in unison, not saying another word. They had all had enough for one night.

They began to relax only after they had slipped into their dens, safely ready for a good night's sleep. Except for Red, Money, Edge and Rus, they had their guard shifts to complete.

A myriad of conflicting emotions writhed within each of them. They were afraid of humans; and this attractive smell of yours could have turned out to be a charm for them. They couldn't let their guard down. And then there was the curious side.

Each of them wondered what you looked like in the sunlight. Only a few of them had seen your appearance, and even for those who had seen you, they still had little time to look at you properly. Was it true that you had beautiful eyes? Was it true that you were so small and delicate, but at the same time so strong?

One thing was certain, for better or worse, they would want to find out.

The next day, each of them resumed their activities. But that morning, something changed.

It wasn't like Coffee to leave the den, he usually waited for Wine to return from hunting, and then together they ate what his brother had brought them. His job was to stay safe, and keep the den clean. Wine didn't want his little brother to risk running into anything. He was too shy and emotional to defend himself properly.

That morning, however, Coffee decided to make an exception to the rule. He had noticed how Wine hadn't been sleeping as well as he should have. Coffee didn't talk much, but he knew how to listen and understand. He had already understood his brother's problem.

Wine felt embarrassed. It wasn't like him to lose control; he had a reputation for being composed and calculating. He put a lot of effort into keeping up appearances. And that night in a few moments every brother had seen him, insecure and irrational. He didn't want to see Wine in that state.

While thinking of a way to help cheer up his older brother, Coffee remembered a place where delicious raspberries grew near their territory.

A small clearing hid the aforementioned bushes. It was difficult to get in, but because he had long arms, he could do it.

As soon as Wine left, Coffee waited for the right moment to emerge from the den. He didn't want to be seen by anyone. For once, he wanted to do something with his own strength.

He adjusted his sweatshirt properly, and put the hood over his head to protect himself from the sun. Lately he was unaccustomed to the bright rays of the sun. He slipped quickly into the woods, pushing slightly out of their territory.

It was just a few steps away, it wouldn't be a big problem… So he thought.

In a few minutes he arrived in front of the small clearing surrounded by brambles and vines, and behind those forests he would find his much desired prize.

He carefully lowered himself into the bushes. To stay more comfortable, he should have left his sweatshirt at the den. But he couldn't do it, that sweatshirt gave him comfort and security, there was his brother's smell on it. A nice reminder of how much Wine cared about him.

His arms and legs trembled with the effort, trying to get around the brambles, to get to the other side. Its bones scraped the branches, to create enough space for its arms to pass through.

Just one more effort and he would have made it! There was so little left…

Coffee, tipping forward in impatience, fell forward ungracefully into the bushes. The brambles scratched his jacket and overalls as he struggled to try to get out; only to get more stuck than before.

He pulled desperately to free himself at any cost, but he couldn't. He tried to use his magic to transform. Its sharp claws would have easily cut through all those damned plants. But it had been too long since he last used it, he couldn't control it well anymore.

In the end all his struggle was in vain, he was stuck. He could almost no longer move, every attempt to rebel was in vain.

Coffee panted heavily from the effort, magical sweat mixed together with many golden tears, moistening the sweatshirt and his face. The tears stopped for a few moments above his braces before sliding to the floor.

He was in total panic. It should have been simple! Why couldn't he do anything without the help of others? Why did he always have to feel so weak and useless… And no one knew he was there!

The surrounding noises took him by surprise. It wasn't far from their territory, but technically, it was outside. Maybe if he shouted loud enough, some of his brothers would hear him. If he had been calmer, perhaps he could have used the low frequency call, but with his damaged voice, he could no longer do so.

His voice was high, but unfortunately after the accident his voice had become croaky. Disjointed, stuttering noises came from his trembling teeth as the noises around him grew louder.

Something was getting closer and closer.

Despair was taking over his soul. He continued to scream, but nothing stable flowed from him.

The creature in question was making a lot of noise as it closed the distance. It seemed to be running towards him.

“HELP…SOMEONE…”, he felt weak and helpless. Unable to even run away. “I AM A…FAILURE…”. He cried even harder, afraid of what he would have to face.

They could have been soulless, or even reckless half-breeds. His brothers had seen them both. Maybe he was a monster, if he was, he just hoped he would smell his brother on him as a warning.

But the creature that came out of the bushes was none of those… It was a human.

“NO…NO…”, anything but a human! He hated humans, humans had only hurt him; to him and his brothers. They were mean and scary, even more than the soulless. And more out of control, even than mixed breeds.

And now one of them stood there before him. The human stood hooded and observed him, without saying a word. Coffee was desperate, he was at the mercy of this evil and dishonest creature, and there was nothing he could do. They could enjoy torturing and humiliating him. In the worst case scenario, even kidnap him, as they had done with Blue.

The human slowly moved towards him with their hands raised; Coffee lowered his head to the ground so as not to see. He didn't want to see what it would do to him. His body visibly trembled with fear, unsure of his fate.

He clenched his fists tightly in fear, trying to prepare for the worst... When suddenly, a strange smell suddenly hit him. The smell in question was… Unlike anything he had ever smelled in his life. It was good and sweet and soothing, like a nice fluffy blanket on a cold, dark night.

His tremors gradually subsided as the comforting smell filled his distraught senses until he calmed them.

A soft and reassuring voice was whispered against the side of his skull, "Don't worry, I'm not here to hurt you." Coffee didn't know how to explain it, but somehow deep down in his soul, he knew the voice was telling him the truth.

Now that he was calmer, fear gave way to curiosity. He decided to raise his face to try to see who was in front of him. He still couldn't see the creature's face, there was too much sun behind the human, putting their face in shadow. His mind was confused and uncertain. He didn't believe that a human could actually be capable of anything good.

Soft, gentle touches, they moved around his arms, trying to help him extricate himself from his cage of thorns and vines, “Please, let me help you.” Stars, their voice sounded so tender and gentle. It reminded him of Wine's way of speaking when he tried to calm him down.

With the little courage at his disposal, he spoke, "WHO...ARE YOU?". He hoped that the fragility of his voice had not betrayed him.

The soft, comforting voice responded with grace and confidence, “I am a friend.”

… Now Coffee was officially curious, to know who this unknown creature was. He just had to wait for them to free him to find out. And for the first time in his life, he realized that he didn't feel in danger in front of a stranger.

Chapter Text

The faint rays of the sun entered weakly through the window into the room, thinning out between the vines outside the treehouse. There were a few birds singing happily outside. A nice wake-up call for you. Your bed had provided you with a good rest; just what you needed.

After what had happened yesterday, you needed time to regain your energy. After Papyrus had kindly accompanied you to the edge of their territory, you continued walking back home.

Stretch hadn’t actually hurt you, but the blow from his throw had made your legs numb. It was really uncomfortable, walking back with your legs all aching from the pain. Not even the Tiefling transformation could protect you one hundred percent from any harm. But surely if you were human, it would have hurt a lot more. At least he hadn’t broken your bow in the process.

As soon as you returned to the treehouse, you immediately threw yourself into bed. All you had to do was sleep. It had all been so stressful. First chased by the soulless, then captured by Rus and Berry, and then ended up in the middle of their clearing and being judged. Sans had been much more understanding than you could have imagined, and Nova and Charm had been nice too. You still didn’t know what to think of Black, but at least he had given you a chance.

And then there was the meeting with Papyrus. You liked that big, cheerful, and playful skeleton. He had even confided in you because of how much you had liked each other.

Seeing Blue again was definitely pleasant. You were happy to see him calm and safe in his territory. Too bad you couldn’t tell him that you had been the one to save him, but at least you had kept your word. It was a really nice moment… Until Stretch showed up.

Reading your grandmother’s files, you didn’t expect him to be so aggressive. Sure, he was an alpha, and they had kidnapped his brother, but he had appeared much more dominant than you would have ever expected. “(Think if he had known that I am actually human…)” He would have gone crazy.

All that commotion had drained all your energy. Once you got to your room, you threw yourself on the bed, without even taking off your clothes and without even noticing your transformation into a human.

That's why that morning, you weren't so surprised to still have your clothes on. “Eh, I managed to sleep despite everything. You must have been really K.O not to notice.

With great reluctance, you slipped out of bed. It was difficult to leave that nice, warm, and soft refuge. Inside the tree house you were safe, and no bizarre being could have attacked you there, “Thanks grandma for the barrier”.

It was a real pleasure, though, to see your human body back to normal. The mirror in front of the bed gave you a good overview of your current appearance.

No more red skin, no more claws and horns, and no more strange eyes. Getting up to go to the mirror, you searched the closet for a pair of clothes that were more comfortable for your human body. Having pants with a hole above your butt wasn't very comfortable for you...

And the clothes you had used were definitely in need of washing. You didn’t care if it wasn’t customary to wash your clothes for monsters; you wouldn’t go around smelling like a wild creature. And your hair also required the right amount of attention.

You took your dirty clothes and threw them in a nearby basket, ready to be taken downstairs. In the other arm, the clean clothes to wear after the shower. You went down the wooden stairs to get to the first floor of the house. On the right side, at the bottom of the stairs, there was the door that led to the bathroom.

You didn’t bother doing anything else; the desire to wash yourself was your priority at that moment. The shower left by your grandmother was really impressive for being above a tree house. There was a nice sink in front of the shower, all made of the same wood as the tree. A small circular window at the end of the room, and under it the necessary sanitary fixtures for your human needs.

The hot water, produced by the solar panels, flowed smoothly on your dirty and battered skin. Your muscles began to loosen, thanks to it. The steam from the hot water spread around the bathroom, leaving the room blissfully warm.

While you were bathing, you noticed how your body, despite having returned to its normal state, still had small remnants given by the Tiefling form.

Your nails were stronger and sharper than usual, both on your hands and feet. Using your tongue, you noticed how your teeth also seemed more pronounced. Your head seemed fine at first glance, but running your hands through your hair, you noticed the two small protuberances hidden in your hair. Right where the horns had been. And the lower part of your back throbbed slightly, where the tail had been.

“Maybe it's a temporary effect given by the crystal, it was not written anywhere, of any side effects left by the transformation. Perhaps they would disappear once you stopped using the magic of the crystals.

Only the first crystal you had used was made that way. The only one that shone with all those beautiful colors; the other magic crystals kept the same bright white color. In the instructions of the grandmother, it was written to continue taking them for a while.

After getting out of the shower, you took a large towel to dry yourself. You took your normal clothes and calmly changed. You arranged your hair in a braid to let it dry, while you prepared to prepare something to eat.

You still didn't have the mental stability necessary, that morning, to think of anything else. You wanted to go back downstairs to the lab to look for other useful information. You could leave the skeletons alone for a while and start focusing on your personal research on the island.

The shower had been a real treat, but your attention fell entirely on the food. Without eating, you couldn't do anything.

The kitchen of the house was really big, with several pantries and a big fridge to hold a lot of food. The beautiful table in the center of the room seemed really comfortable. If Afton, Dave and Mimi had been there with you, you would have gladly invited them to eat together in peace.

“By the way, I’ll have to inform them of new developments later.” You had agreed to text each other sometimes. You couldn’t call them yet; it would have been too risky for them.

The human base had been attacked a few days ago; they were still all on alert. The military was checking everything carefully. Seeing young scientists secretly talking to someone would have been terribly suspicious. The text messages were much more discreet.

You wanted to hear their voices so much. You were starting to miss them, even Afton’s know-it-all tone. Dave’s energy would have definitely motivated you more, and Mimi’s sweetness would have calmed your nerves. You hoped to get back to them as soon as possible.

A heavy sigh escaped your mouth, trying to release all the accumulated stress. “Okay, one thing at a time. First breakfast.” You had woken up damn early that morning. You were usually a lazy person; you were able to sleep until lunchtime if you were feeling particularly tired.

Apparently the island had other plans for you that morning. You still managed to sleep well all night. Waking up with the sun about to come out was a good feeling. It was somehow giving you a new kind of energy.

You weren't very good at cooking; not like your grandmother at least. You had helped her several times, but it was rare for you to cook alone. You decided to make yourself something simple to start.

Looking through the shelves, you found a box of chocolate biscuits. You liked chocolate; it gave you a lot of energy and was simple and tasty. Opening the fridge, you were surprised by the amount of products inside. They were all long-life products and therefore not exactly fresh. But they would last much longer!

And since you had woken up so early, you would definitely need some coffee. You found a lot of them on the lower shelves of the kitchen.

You took the milk to froth it using the milk frother. Finished with that, you prepared an espresso in a cup a little larger than normal. After all, you needed a lot of energy; the day would be long. Finally, you poured the frothed milk into the espresso and added a pinch of cocoa to increase its flavor.

You really liked the caffe latte, a great combination of the sweetness of the milk and the bitterness of the coffee. It was perfect to enjoy with those cocoa biscuits.

You took everything and sat at the table to enjoy breakfast. The biscuits were tasty and crumbly, and they soaked well in the caffe latte. You felt even more regenerated. The warmth of the drink was alleviating your residual anxieties.

As you relaxed, enjoying the silence of the morning, the thoughts began to flow freely from your head. “I wonder if someone at home is wondering where I am... How is grandma?…”. The first question wasn’t that important; you had never been close to your family. But the desire to be part of it had never disappeared. The idea of ​​being part of a family was always in your thoughts.

Probably none of them missed you. None of them had tried to contact you again. Finch must have been particularly convincing if no one was suspecting anything.

The one you were really worried about was your grandmother. You hadn't heard from her since you left. And after the attack on the lab, you were afraid they would find out. Afton had assured you that if anything happened, he would contact you immediately. He had a special channel to stay in touch with his uncle. Through him, you would know everything.

If he hadn't said anything, it was a clear sign that everything was fine... but remaining in the dark made you paranoid. “Enough; grandma expects a lot from me; I have to work hard.”

You had almost finished breakfast; while you were finishing, you sent a short message to your friends, to let them know that you were okay. You also briefly informed them of the contact with the skeletons. You would tell them everything later.

There were other things to do first.

You cleaned up everything and got ready to head to the lab downstairs. It was still early in the morning; you could have studied a lot. You put some biscuits in your pocket to munch on during your studies in the lab. It was going to be a busy morning.

…

“What was that sound?” There was something outside the windows that was making noise. The noise was strange and undefined. You had heard the cathar birds, and the sweet rustling of the plants. But that sound was new.

You approached one of the many windows of the house. The house was built on top of a tree; every crack had been transformed into a window to seal everything. Opening the largest window, you looked out, trying to catch what you thought you had heard.

The sounds of the forest were many and varied. The birds sang more and more. The fresh morning wind whipped cheerfully through the plants, making the trees move in a small, sinuous dance. There was also the river not far from there, which echoed clearly.

“Maybe I just imagined it…” With all those noises, it was difficult to concentrate on something specific. Your mind told you to lock yourself in the tree house and go back…

But inside you, something was wrong. Something told you to listen better. As if someone needed you to listen.

Following that strange feeling, you opened the steel door carefully. There was the barrier to protect you, but caution was the best thing on an island full of beings that could kill you.

The door creaked open, adding more noise to the whole thing. You closed your eyes, trying to concentrate on the noise…

Wait… There was actually something… It was a sound of some kind. It sounded like a call… “It almost sounded like a whimper, very faint.” It was almost inaudible, but for some strange reason you could hear it!

There was a creature nearby that was in pain! And it was crying for help. “What do I do? It could be a trap…” There was a good chance it was a trap. Maybe it was just soulless people roaming the island, making their own to lure someone to attack.

Or it could be half-breed monsters fighting and one of them was injured. In the least serious case, just an injured or lost animal.

But in the worst case, humans. Maybe they were doing it on purpose, to lure monsters out into the open. “What if they caught one, and that monster was trying to call for help?” Even if that was the case, it was none of your business. Venturing into the woods, without preparation, would have been madness.

The vision of a poor monster like Blue, being taken away from his pack by force, flashed through your mind. It was cruel and sad just thinking about it. Plus, that feeling didn’t go away. You didn't know why, but somehow you had to go and check.

You didn't have time to use the crystal, for another transformation. If they had really captured a monster, you had to run immediately. It was really risky to go out as a human without your bow to protect you.

At least you had knives in your belt, to use in case of emergency. But you were wearing the right clothes to run. The hoodie you were wearing was military green, and the pants were brown. Perfect for blending in with the vegetation.

You closed everything up tightly, checking that the barrier was working as usual, and started to head towards the strange sound.

The closer you got, the more distinctive that sound became. You didn't want to run anymore. The last time you started wandering around the woods, it cost you dearly. It could have ended very badly with those half-blood monsters. And Charm had come to your aid.

But this time you weren't in their territory, and there was little chance that one of them would come to your aid again. Especially now that you were human. You had to be careful.

As you approached, your steps became more awkward. You weren't going in the same direction as last time. It was an area you didn't know yet, you hadn't explored up to that point. You were making a little too much noise, among those bushes and branches, while you were walking aimlessly. All the more reason you should have remained at attention...

Instead, reason abandoned your body, for a few moments. “The moaning... is louder than before...”. Oh god, did someone hear you? Or was the monster in question dying?

Something inside your soul screamed at you to run. Like an unconscious child in front of danger, you started to run towards the point, where you thought you could hear the poor creature's painful cries.

The moans were unmistakable, you had arrived. You tried to mentally prepare yourself for whatever you were about to see beyond those bushes. You carefully stepped out of the bushes, trying not to make too much noise this time. Peering through the foliage, you noticed no other humans or soulless around. All you could do was jump and see.

Of all the things you had imagined finding, a skeleton in front of you was not among them.

There, tangled in the brambles and vines of the bushes, was one of the skeletons! One that you had never had the chance to see yet.

The skeleton, was wearing a mostly black hoodie, with yellow stripes along the sleeves. The hood of the hoodie covered most of his face, but under that hood there was something that shone thanks to the reflection of the sun. Something golden on his teeth.

“(Is that a brace?... That must be Coffee!)”. Now you knew who he was. Wine's younger brother, the skeleton that had attacked you in the lab, the one who held the genes of the emperor scorpion. Only he had that thing on his teeth, it was unmistakable.

And now that you looked at him better, you noticed how his face was all crumpled from crying and despair. Even though the skeleton was taller than you, he radiated an aura of helplessness and fear towards you.

“(Looks like he got stuck in the brambles.)”, there were no other monsters or soulless. The area seemed safe, and certainly not a trap set by humans. Maybe the skeleton had bumped into those brambles while walking. Or maybe he was running away from something, but the point was that he was stuck in place.

Coffee was bent all the way forward; his knees were bent on the ground, unable to get up. And his hips and arms were locked, one arm stuck higher and the other down towards his knees.

You approached carefully. You didn’t want to make the situation worse, and judging by his tremors, he was afraid of humans. You couldn't blame him, humans had only brought trouble to all the monsters.

To show him that you had no bad intentions, you raised your hands in the air to show him that you were harmless and unarmed. It wasn't a good choice for you, showing yourself weak and without any object to defend yourself. You just hoped that he wouldn't attack you. If the files were true, this was one of the most harmless skeletons, along with Papyrus, Blue, Butch, and Charm.

Coffee apparently didn't take your gesture well, instantly bowing his head. It was obvious that he didn't want to look you in the face. You saw him clench his fists tightly, probably a stress-induced action.

But you couldn't stop; it was risky to leave him there in that condition. It was already strange in itself that he hadn't freed himself yet. And if he had stayed, there was a chance that the soldiers would take him away! Or at least be attacked by other monsters, or soulless. Waiting for his brothers to arrive would have taken too long.

Still walking gracefully, you arrived next to him. You only hoped that he could calm down enough to let you help him. When you got close, his tremors began to disappear, maybe he was realizing that you were not a threat to him.

You wanted to reassure him, seeing him in that state reminded you too much of poor Blue, in the human laboratories. “Don't worry, I'm not here to hurt you.” Your voice became as soft and reassuring as possible. Anything to calm him down and not see him scared anymore.

Your encouraging words seemed to work. Coffee finally stopped shaking on the spot, and tried to lift his head to see ahead. Judging by the lights in his eye sockets, he was trying to focus his vision.

Your hands moved as if on autopilot. You didn’t want to touch him more than necessary, your movements were short and limited, just enough to start untangling him from those brambles. You were absorbed in trying to do everything precisely, when Coffee finally decided to speak to you, “WHO... ARE YOU?”. The skeleton’s voice vaguely reminded you of Papyrus, but not as energetic as him.

Coffee spoke like a small, insecure, and shy child. However, he had all the willpower to try to be civil. The other brothers would have surely growled at you.

The answer came out very spontaneously, “I’m a friend.” He hadn’t met you in your Tiefling form yet, but you were pretty sure that if you had the chance to meet him in the future, you could be friends. As a human, you strongly doubted it.

Removing those brambles from him proved more complicated than expected. Freeing him with your bare hands wasn’t easy. You didn’t want to take out one of your knives, it would have scared him. Even though he was stronger than you, he was stuck really well. The lower arm was easier to untie. Your hands scraped away everything they could reach.

Once you freed his arm, you jerked away from him. He had been good and composed, but you had no guarantee that he would behave once freed. Stretch’s lesson had been enough for you.

Coffee looked up at your sudden movement. You thought he would start to panic, but to your surprise, he didn’t.

He was looking at you. He was looking you up and down, looking confused. He cocked his head cutely to the side, his little golden lights glowing brighter than before. “(What is he waiting for? Why doesn’t he free himself?)”.

You thought that freeing one of his hands would be enough to make him run away. Judging by the way he looked at you, you expected more.

Your doubts were well-founded when Coffee pointed his golden lights at his other imprisoned arm, and then at his knees. “(Damn, does he want me to free him completely?)”. It was strange, why would he want a human to help him? He could free himself, he just had to transform, and he could do it.

You hadn’t had enough interaction with them to be sure, but you had no doubt that they were all stronger than you. Coffee would have only needed to use his free hand to pull the rest away. Was it a trap, to get you to get closer to him?

“(Oh well, I’m in the game now)”, it was simple after all. You would free him and then run off in the direction you had intended.

Calmly approaching again, you prepared to untie the other arm. This was a bit more complicated since you had to stand on tiptoe to reach well, to remove the brambles. “(How could he have gotten stuck like that?)”.

What was that shy skeleton doing to end up like this?

As you worked as fast as you could. Coffee stood there in absolute silence, still looking at you curiously. It was like watching a child see a new creature for the first time. But he already knew humans, you didn't understand why he was looking at you like that.

With a little more strength you freed your other arm. You were pleased with yourself, you were managing to do it without ruining his hoodie. Apparently some skeletons liked hoodies. Unusual, but you couldn't blame him.

Now you just had to free his legs. You knelt on the ground, to make it easier for yourself to move. You had to force yourself a little more, his legs were really so twisted.

As you worked, you hadn't noticed how Coffee was trying to observe you more closely. A soft hiss in the wind broke the silence, “YOU’RE… SMALL…”. It didn’t seem like a question directed at you, it was more like he let out a thought of his own.

You found confirmation by looking up at his face. Raising your head, your eyes immediately found his golden lights, and not only that. Coffee was blushing.

Not only were his lights shining bigger and brighter than before, but that beautiful golden color had spread across his bony cheekbones…”(For a skeleton, I have to admit he’s cute)”. It was strange to think that a skeleton could blush, out of shame.

You could partly understand that it was embarrassing, letting your thoughts escape to the wind in front of strangers. A small, spontaneous smile painted itself on your lips; it had been so cute. Coffee in response blushed more, looking away from you.

Apparently he didn’t want to be made fun of; it was better not to do it in case he turned violent.

“I’m almost there…”. It took just a few moments.

Free. Coffee was free now. You stepped back to give him enough space, to allow him to get back on his feet.

Coffee was a little awkward, and maybe you were understanding why you had never seen him before. Judging by the way he acted and moved, he seemed a little weaker than the other brothers. Being on an island full of monsters and things much stronger and more primitive, left little room for the faint of heart.

The shy skeleton, as soon as he was on his feet, immediately turned back to the bushes behind him. Apparently he had things to do. “(Perfect, I can leave now without him noticing)”. You couldn’t have had a better opportunity.

You quickly turned back to the road you had used, to get there. You were ready to return to the safety of your home. You had done your duty, you could leave there with a light heart.

Something inside you, however, was begging you to stay and check on him a little longer. Maybe your sixth sense was telling you to wait and check that he was not hurt, and that he was able to walk away on his own two feet.

Hiding behind the trees seemed like the best idea. You would observe him for a while, just to be sure…

But what you saw was not what you expected.

Coffee had already turned on the spot towards you. And he was looking at you. He already knew where you were hiding. Doubts and fears began to get the better of you. If he had already figured out where you were, he could have jumped on you and attacked you. He didn't seem like the violent type, but Charm had threatened you when you first found him. And being in front of a monster much bigger than you was terrifying.

The idea of ​​running away at that moment was the most tempting. He wasn't as athletic as his brothers, maybe if you ran enough, you would have lost him.

But once again, the shy skeleton surprised you. Almost as if he could read your mind, Coffee realized that you wanted to leave. He started to make cute noises towards you. Sweet and delicate squeaks danced gracefully in the air, to entice you to come out into the open again.

Your rational mind was telling you to run away as fast as you can. Your heart felt confused at that sweet and unexpected form of communication.

The real problem was your soul, it was telling you to trust. “Oh god, I already know I’m going to regret this…”, that you were going crazy without knowing it. It didn’t make any sense. How could you trust him without knowing him…

Your steps were shaky and uncertain, as you peeked out from your hiding place to get a better look. His golden eyes found you immediately, shining at the sight of your face hidden under your hood.

You had come out into the open, but you didn’t want to get too close, not yet. You just wanted to understand what he wanted from you. Coffee seemed to be happy, and with more confidence than he usually had, he walked towards you with his hands cupped in front of him.

By instinct, you took just as many steps back; it was too much the idea of ​​being close to a monster you didn't know, given the very stormy past. And Coffee was one of the tallest skeletons; he was almost 2 meters tall. And you looked like a doll compared to him.

Seeing your reaction, Coffee stopped instantly, he was sad and confused. He didn't seem to understand, why you were so hesitant to approach. He looked at what he had in his hands, and decided to move the contents into one hand.

Then he got on all fours. The only hand he wasn't using to walk, he was using to hold his precious contents. Somehow his skeletal figure, had adapted to walking like an animal. Maybe it was a skill they had learned thanks to the animal DNA in each of them. Or maybe it was the fact that they didn't really have muscles. Bending bones was easier.

Coffee advanced slowly, keeping his head more inclined downwards. Even though he was shorter, his face was still higher than yours. This was a typical behavior of many animals; you knew what he was doing.

He was submitting, “(He made himself smaller so as not to scare me…)”. Okay, this was all really incredible. In a few moments, the shy skeleton understood that you were afraid of him. And there was no hesitation in him, he did not want to scare you. A dangerous creature, he would never make himself smaller and harmless. And he would never lower his gaze; doing so could have been risky for him.

And now there he was, a few steps away from you. Still looking at the ground, Coffee held out his hand with the mysterious contents towards you, waiting for your reaction.

You leaned in just enough to get a better look at what he had in his hand. There in the center of his bony hand… There were raspberries!

The beautiful ripe fruits had a beautiful color. And they were perfect in appearance, not a single dent in those delicious and vibrant fruits. They looked really delicious to the eye. But the point was another “These… Are they for me?”.

It was impossible to believe, but you didn’t know how else to explain this unusual behavior. Coffee raised the golden lights to meet your eyes. There was tension in his voice, but also a lot of sweetness. “THANK YOU… FOR… HELPING ME…”. He looked like a puppy wanting attention.

It took your mind several seconds to register everything. You were offering yourself food, as a thank you for helping him! It was the first time in your life that someone had done this for you. Only your grandmother was capable of such sweet and generous gestures.

Coffee was afraid that you wouldn’t take the raspberries. You were looking at him strangely. Maybe you didn’t like raspberries? Or maybe you didn’t want anything from someone like him… He was about to pull his hand away, when you finally reached out hesitantly to take one.

Refusing a gift was rude, and Coffee was the first monster ever to give you a chance. With your hand still shaky, you reached out to take a raspberry. Coffee’s hand remained still and still, allowing you to take the fruit with all the necessary calm.

Before you could eat it, however, you had to thank him in return. You waved your hand towards his face without touching it, earning his full attention. He raised his face to yours, waiting for your words. “Thank you for the fruit. You are really kind.” You used all the sweetness you had to make him feel all your gratitude for him.

The shy skeleton blushed again. Apparently he was not used to praise, he tended to get nervous just hearing it. His reaction made you giggle, he didn’t know how to deal with you, but he was trying harder than anyone else.

Noticing his growing nervousness, you quickly ate the juicy raspberry offered. It was superb! The flavor was fresh and genuine, as you imagined. Your eyes were wide with pleasant surprise, as you savored it. Coffee was looking at you with interest, he relaxed, noticing your satisfied face.

A small smile pulled his teeth, making his device move with the movement. He didn’t know why, but giving you that fruit made him feel good.

Maybe you were feeling a little bold, but you wanted to see how far you could push yourself with that sweet skeleton. Something, inside you, assured you that he wouldn’t hurt you. You wanted to see if you were right. Putting on your best smile, you spoke cheerfully, “This is the best raspberry I’ve ever had. It was really kind of you to share them with me!”.

Maybe you shouldn’t have done that. Coffee became a babbling mess. Most of his skull turned that beautiful golden color, which was typical of him. The lights in his eyes, were huge and shone really bright. You could tell he was incredibly embarrassed by your cheerful outburst, but he never looked away from you, not even for a single moment.

His reaction was adorable to watch. You wanted to do something for him, but you didn’t know how. Then suddenly you had an idea. You had run out of the house really fast, you hadn’t brought anything with you… Except the cookies!

It was a perfect gift; he had given you the fruit, and you would repay him with a cookie. You didn’t know if monsters could eat the same food as humans. But the raspberry he had given you seemed like a normal raspberry. Maybe a lot tastier and more satisfying, but nothing strange.

Apart from the strange tingling sensation on your tongue, everything was fine.

Your hands immediately reached into your pants pockets, looking for the sweets. You calmly pulled one out, proudly showing it to the sweet skeleton. Coffee limited his stammering to pay attention to you, “Since you offered me one of your raspberries, can I offer you something too?”. You hoped he would accept; you didn’t want to leave there without feeling okay.

Coffee focused his attention on the cookie you were holding. He didn’t understand what you were offering him. “WHAT is… THIS?” he said curiously, pointing to the treat between your fingers. He was really curious, whatever you were offering him smelled good. And vaguely familiar.

Slowly, the euphoria was taking over your body. The interaction with Coffee had been the best so far, and you wanted to continue on that path. “It’s a chocolate cookie, do you want to try it?”. You weren’t sure what the skeletons in those laboratories had eaten, the files left by your grandmother didn’t indicate it.

The last thing you knew was that the monsters needed to eat, plants or animals of that island to stay alive. However, it had been confirmed, that they could taste human food without bad consequences.

Coffee leaned in closer, continuing to sniff the sweet reward for his kindness. You could tell he wanted to try it, but maybe you needed to make him feel more comfortable.

You moved calmly and patiently so as not to scare him, even though he didn’t do anything to show that he was afraid. You broke off a small piece of cookie, and brought it to your lips. “Mmmmmm you don’t know what you’re missing…”, you chewed with gusto to show him that you were sure.

Coffee took the cookie without touching you. He examined it for a few seconds, before biting into it. The lights in his eye sockets became tiny, and his skull moved to form a shocked expression.

In those few moments, you feared you had done something wrong. “(O no, he didn’t like it…)” Maybe monsters didn’t like chocolate, or sweets in general. Or maybe he found it disgusting. You just hoped he wouldn’t take it as a gesture of malice towards him.

“THIS…is…YUMMY.” Those simple words were enough to calm you down. Coffee resumed eating the cookie with renewed vigor, finishing it almost immediately. His expression made you happy, the lights in his eye sockets were huge and bright. A genuine smile tugged at his braces, while his body relaxed more.

Pleased with what you were seeing, you took out another cookie to offer him. The cookie disappeared from your hand without you noticing; Coffee was quick to eat that one too.

Once he was done, his skull colored again with embarrassment. He was probably embarrassed for letting himself go so much. Coffee straightened his posture, growing taller in your presence, but you weren’t afraid. He had already shown that he didn’t want to fight you.

“I can bring you more, next time. There are lots of things I can let you try, if you’re interested.” You were pretty sure that both Papyrus and Blue wanted to be your friends, but Coffee seemed even more inclined to want to get to know you. Maybe because there was no brother pressuring or confusing him.

Coffee beamed at you, his braces shining against the sun’s rays. It looked like his little smile was framed by pure light, “NEXT…TIME?”. Were you just imagining it, or was there some kind of expectation in his tone?

He seemed so hopeful, for your positive response, “Sure, I’d like to share so many more things. And I’d like to talk to you again, if you want…”. It was like talking to Papyrus, how could you say no to that bright smile?

Coffee was literally shaking with emotion. He was looking everywhere but at you, and gesturing in the air as if he wanted to say more. It was adorable. Your day had started out boring and monotonous, you never expected it to unfold like this.

Maybe grandma was wrong, maybe you could actually interact with them without the disguise. Coffee seemed to have already forgotten that he was talking to a human, and he didn’t seem to want to attack you. Sure, he was among the least quarrelsome of the siblings, but maybe you could convince the others too.

Somehow you seemed to intrigue them a lot. But that had definitely been your best interaction with a monster so far…

The light morning air was pushed aside as a gust of much heavier, warmer air settled over your head. The sun was blocked out behind you, as if a great mountain had suddenly appeared out of nowhere to throw you into darkness.

A deep growl shook your body, freezing you in place. Fear crept into your gut, making you shudder; you didn’t have the strength to look behind you. Instinct screamed at you not to, or you would regret it.

A suffocating and oppressive presence like Edge’s, but even more primal and dark, “Human…”. Was all you heard, before being thrown away.

Chapter Text

Everyone was much more frenetic that morning. Each brother was busy venting their frustrations in some specific activity. The sun was starting to emerge in the distance, announcing a cool and beautiful morning.

Several of his brothers had already gone out hunting. Edge, Red, Black, and Money often took advantage of the moments when the sun had not yet risen to go hunting or patrol the area.

Butch, on the other hand, loved watching the sunrise. Sure, he felt much more comfortable at night, where no one could see him and no one could judge him for his appearance or his actions. But watching the sun rise was always a welcome sight. Sometimes he found himself watching the sunrise with Charm.

The two birds of prey's nest was the closest to their lair. It was common for the four of them to pass each other during the day. While Axe wasn’t particularly keen on talking to his brothers, Butch knew that Axe was actually grateful for the gentle company they brought. Axe and Butch had always felt like they had trouble communicating.

Nova was just as lazy as Axe, and there was no way those two were getting up early in the morning unless absolutely necessary.

It wasn’t just their battered vocal cords; it was the eternal insecurity that was always hovering in their souls that made them falter. They had a hard time communicating with their brothers, let alone talking to other monsters…

The only comfort Butch could bask in was Coffee. It might be strange to think about, but Coffee had the same problems as Butch, maybe even more so. They were both terrible at socializing with others. They weren’t as bright as Papyrus and Blue; they weren’t as strong as Edge, Black, Berry, Wine, or Sans. And they certainly didn't have the endearing manners of Nova, Charm, Rus, Stretch, and Money.

Axe didn't care if the others didn't like him, but Butch did. And Coffee did too. They wanted to be seen and considered just like the others. That's why they often spent time together.

They regularly found themselves together, drawing in silence, inside one of their dens. It was nice and relaxing, and their older siblings felt at ease, knowing that they were together and safe. But being locked up all the time wasn't the best, and so they had decided a while ago that sometimes they would spend time together walking in their territory.

It took some convincing, but Butch finally managed to get Coffee to come out into the open. They didn't need to hunt like the others; Axe and Wine already did that for them. They could, however, enjoy gathering plants and water for everyone. Or double-checking the traps to be safe. They were simple but useful tasks. It made them feel better, knowing that they were somehow helping the pack, too.

And now that everyone was getting restless after the latest news going on, he felt like he had to go and comfort his little brother. “COFFEE WILL BE… SHOCKED AFTER ALL THIS,” the promise of having a potential monster friend outside the pack, was exciting. But it was still big news to digest.

The real problem was the news of that human Charm had talked about. Now that was news that Butch could do without. And strangely enough, when Charm talked about this mysterious human, he was surprised to hear how calm and collected his usually territorial brother was.

Immediately after the meeting, Butch was curious and asked for more information about the human Charm had seen. Initially he had asked what were the weak points to target, or the right strategy to escape. You could never be too careful with humans.

They had learned since they were little that they could not be trusted. They brought pain and destruction wherever they went. So it was fair to ask what to do…

Instead, Charm didn’t say anything like that. He said that it hadn’t actually been as bad as they thought, “Just between you and me, little brother, but that human, she’s the same one who helped Rus and Wine free Blue from the labs.” Butch was shocked by that news, it was hard to believe.

But it made sense. That’s why some of his brothers, had remained calm and not panicked like others. And that smell they said you had… It could be dangerous, it could lower their defenses.

Wine had been proof of that the night before. He had never seen the proud and composed Wine, soften like that. It was as if he was uncertain and more vulnerable. The mere memory of your meeting had been enough to make him so harmless. And Coffee obviously noticed it right away.

In fact, that was Butch’s mission that light morning. Go to Coffee to cheer him up. He knew how scary it could be to see drastic changes between brothers. And Coffee was the most sensitive of all, “TIME TO…VISIT THE LITTLE…PANGOLIN”.

The idea was simple, draw together in their den, then try to convince him to go out into the woods for a bit. Maybe he could convince him to spend some time with Blue and Papyrus, for some positive energy.

His steps were sure, as he hurried to the clearing where the large skull-shaped den was. As he suspected, many of his brothers were still asleep or had gone out; Wine was always one of the first to go out in the morning. Butch was sure he would find the shy skeleton alone. He had nothing against Wine, but knowing that the big scorpion was out venting about something reassured him; he would have all the time he wanted with Coffee.

There was one problem though… Coffee wasn’t in his den. Which was strange. Very strange. Coffee never left the lair, especially when Wine was out. It was their rule, if Wine went out, Coffee had to stay safe in the lair.

Of all the skeletons, Coffee was definitely the most exposed, both physically and emotionally. Even Butch was considered weak by the other monsters. But being one of the tallest creatures on the island gave him a good advantage. Many were scared just by the sight of him. Because of this, he couldn't interact with anyone; his appearance was unnatural.

Butch panicked. He couldn’t think of any reason why Coffee shouldn’t be in his den, and he hadn’t warned anyone!

He ran back to the den to Axe. He was sure his brother would help him. “WAKE UP…WAKE UP, AXE…!”. His brother’s deep growls echoed in their den, located under one of the thickest trees in their territory.

Axe replied still half asleep, as he shifted in his bed made of soft leaves, his voice raspy and deep as if he were an even bigger beast than he actually was, “Hey bro, go back to bed. We’ll do our promised tour later…”.

There was no time to waste, Butch was too anxious about his little brother. “NO, NOW AXE…COFFEE IS NOT…IN HIS DEN…HE CAN’T BE…OUTSIDE ALONE…”, it was hard for Butch to have to talk so much.

Axe raised his head, trying to focus his one good eye in the darkness of the den. He was clearly annoyed, but hearing his brother worried always made him feel guilty. A deep yawn came out of his big, sharp mouth, while he scratched his skull with his sharp hands. “Okay… Let’s go find the little troublemaker…”.

Butch screwed up his face in indignation; if Wine had heard him, he wouldn’t have been happy. But Axe listened. Together they searched for most of the morning. Coffee usually went to the usual places. Among the fruit trees, in the little plain where the animals were. Sometimes he approached Blue and Stretch’s lake.

Stretch was terribly touchy, with anyone who entered their lake. But Coffee was always welcome since he was quiet and sometimes kept Blue company, when Stretch ventured out to sea or other areas to hunt and patrol.

Coffee was not in any of those places. And the frustration of the two Horror brothers grew more and more. Not even Charm and Nova, had seen him yet. “Fuck...we have to find that twig...or Wine will get pissed at us...”. In other circumstances, Butch would have scolded Axe for his foul language, but he was too anxious to care.

“I NEED TO THINK...WHAT OTHER PLACES...WE KNOW...” They could only rely on their memory to be able to find him. “Hey bro...shall we eat something...while we search?” Axe's hunger was something surprising. They had only been up for a few hours, and he wanted to eat, his obsession with food had always been a constant. “BROTHER… THIS IS NOT THE TIME TO EAT…”. That suggestion made a light bulb go off in Butch’s head, “BROTHER… YOU’RE A GENIUS!...”.

“Eeeee… Thank you?...”, a happy rumble came out of Axe. Most of them had a weakness for praise; since they didn’t get much of it.

Butch hopped on the spot, getting down on all fours to move faster. Axe did the same, trying to keep up with his bulk.

Butch remembered a place on the edge of their territory, where raspberry bushes grew. They weren’t ordinary fruits, they were full of magic and therefore more delicious and nutritious. Wine particularly liked them, it made sense to think that Coffee had gone there to bring them to his brother. A little gift to cheer him up.

“WE’RE CLOSE… I SMELL…SWEETY…” Such a good smell could only belong to something sweet like a fruit… But that smell was different from usual… “BROTHER…”, “Yes… I smell it…”.

Butch’s sense of smell wasn’t as good as it used to be. He left it to the other brothers to find their prey with their nose. And the smell that was in the air was good, but it was too strong to belong to raspberries, even if they were magical.

Axe signaled Butch to stop. Without wasting time, Axe invoked his magic to transform. His thick bear fur appeared instantly, along with stronger and sharper claws, along with his tail and ears. Axe had left his favorite jacket in the den, to avoid ruining it further. He had also left his shoes behind, in general everyone preferred to walk barefoot on patrols.

“I’ll go… I’ll go first…”. His brother had gone into protective mode.

Whenever he noticed some kind of change of any kind, he became suspicious and aggressive. Maybe it was a good thing though, the threat of humans in the area was real. And they were far from their dens, in the middle of so much thick vegetation, without their traps to defend them.

Axe went into the woods, choosing to take a wide detour, to be sure that nothing escaped him. Butch, although inexperienced, decided to follow the scent in a straight line. That smell was different. It was sweet, but at the same time sparkling. Welcoming and reassuring; keeping his guard up was hard like this.

The smell in the air distracted him so much that he almost forgot that they were there to look for his little brother… They managed to find him.

Coffee was right in front of the group of bushes, and he still had his human clothes on. Even though part of his suit seemed torn in some places, Coffee was fine. He was even smiling… “MAYBE… HE FOUND… GOOD FRUIT…”. Surely Axe would have lectured him in Wine’s place, but Butch just wanted to go to his brother to help him with the harvest…

… Wait… Was someone already with him? Strange, you hadn’t smelled or heard any of his brothers there among the trees. Could it be a different monster? Maybe the new little Tiefling that Papyrus had spoken of? Curiosity took over.

Butch flattened himself towards the ground, sneaking closer. He didn’t want to risk scaring their new friend. They had told him he was young, and shorter than Blue!. The new monster would surely be scared, seeing his full height.

He only made a little noise as he advanced through the bushes, neither of them noticed; apparently they were very engrossed in their conversation. He stuck his head out just enough to observe the interaction in front of him.

But what he saw was not what he expected… There was no monster with Coffee. “A…HUMAN…!”. Butch panicked. What was a human doing so close to their territory, in the morning light and alone?!

And why was his brother calm and smiling at him? It had to be a trick, a trap to capture him and take him away, like they did with Blue.

Butch was petrified, he couldn’t move. All the bad things the humans had done to him came back to haunt him. He was unable to move to help his brother. One of the reasons he never took part in fights in general. But Axe was there with him, he felt it. He would intervene soon.

He had to stay alert, in case the human had taken Coffee away with trickery… But Coffee was still sitting there composed, and continued to smile. “ARE THEY… EATING…?”, he couldn’t see well. The human was with his back to him, but he had given Coffee something. Or not, he just hoped it wasn’t poisoned.

He saw Coffee quickly grab what the human handed him. Coffee ate it with haste and relish. He could see how her golden pupils dilated with delight. And he smiled more and more at the human.

And then the human spoke…” “I can bring you more, next time. There are many things I can let you try, if you are interested.” Butch could tell from the voice that it belonged to a female. A voice so pure and sweet could only come from a female… And her scent was sweet too.

Was this the human female that Rus, Wine, and Charm had spoken of? The same female with the good smell and the innocent soul? As he took in more of that smell, a new awareness flooded him, “MAYBE…SHE IS GOOD…MAYBE…NOT DANGEROUS?”. His soul was telling him to take courage, and come out into the open. If she was alone, it would be easy to send her away. After all, there were three of them…

Three… Or not… Where had Axe gone?

A deep growl shook the surrounding earth. The pressing presence of Axe’s magic was surrounding the place. Axe came out into the open right behind the human, casting his enormous shadow over the poor, unsuspecting female.

The human froze in place, feeling the weight of magic in the air. Humans were not in tune with their souls like monsters were. But even they were not immune to the presence of an alpha.

A single dark word escaped from Axe’s sharp jaws, “Human…”. If it weren’t for his brother, Butch would have curled up in a ball to escape his rage. Axe wasted no time in raising one of his large, clawed hands, ready to grab the human. Butch’s soul churned in panic. But who was he afraid of?… His brothers or the human?

It all happened in slow motion. As Axe was lowering his hand, the human tried to turn to face him. But there was no escape for her, she could never avoid Axe…

She would never have dodged him… If it wasn’t for Coffee.

Coffee was quick. He grabbed the human by the arm and threw her behind him. Axe’s attack missed. Coffee stepped forward, shielding her with his body.

Axe was shocked. What the hell was Coffee doing, protecting a human? Of all people, who were so afraid of them?! What kind of bullshit had the human made up to make him let his guard down so much?

“Move over…”, he didn’t want to argue with Coffee. Butch was such a good friend to him, and they were brothers who loved each other despite their bickering. If Axe had hurt Coffee, Butch would have been very sad. Not to mention what Wine would have done to him, if he had hurt his little brother. They were a pack, and the pack had to stick together, especially against humans!

Coffee didn’t move from his position. He was shaking in place, his eyes showing panic at the sight of Axe’s powerful figure. The Coffee he knew would have given up right away and wouldn’t have tried anything…

Never before had he shown such courage. His voice was as shaky as his bones.

“NO…LEAVE…HER…ALONE…”. “What…?”, Axe didn’t understand. What had that human done to him?

The vile creature was struggling behind Coffee, trying to get back on its feet. He could hear the disgusting creature’s rapid breathing, as he used his brother as a shield. He was satisfied with that. Yes, you should be afraid of him.

But that wasn’t enough, that human had to get out of there. They had to stay away from them, all of them! Axe pressed again, increasing his magic, channeling it into his eyes to make Coffee submit. It was the only method he could use without hurting him. He would apologize to his little brother later.

Coffee lowered his head to the ground, unable to meet Axe’s gaze. Perfect, now he could go ahead and fix the human… “WAIT…!”. Coffee had slipped to the ground, holding Axe by his legs. Axe’s fur weakened Coffee’s grip, but what he was doing was too strange. Axe tried to shake him off but to no avail. No matter how much he struggled, his little brother wouldn’t let go.

Axe was nervous and grabbed Coffee off the ground, grabbing him by his hoodie and pulling him towards his face. This was really making him nervous. “Stop it… Are you… Stupid?...” Why didn’t he understand? There was a human there, he was dangerous!

“BROTHER…ENOUGH…”, Butch came out of the bushes. He couldn’t stand by anymore. He understood the threat of the human, but there was no reason to treat Coffee like this.

Was everyone going crazy? Was Butch going after him now too? Axe was about to retort when something hit him in the side of his skull, where there was no crack. A small rock bounced off his bone and fell to the ground at his feet.

Who was that?... “Shame on you!”, a voice much more pleasant than his own caught his attention. Right behind him was the same human, who he was so quick to get rid of. Now that he was no longer hiding behind Coffee, he could finally see…

It was a female. And she wasn’t dressed in lab coats like all those women, who they had sent around as bait for them. Her hair was dark just like her eyes. Big, bright eyes, that were challenging him; and they looked more angry than scared.

Okay, he could admit you had guts to go against him. You were definitely a fly compared to him. Yet your voice didn’t falter, rushing to the defense of sweet Coffee. “How can you treat your brother like that? Leave him alone, you want to pick on someone? Then fight me!”.

Axe couldn’t believe his bear ears. Were you threatening him? You wanted to fight him?! If it was a joke he would have laughed heartily, but in reality it must have been serious.

Axe wasn’t the only one shocked, both Coffee and Butch were shocked by what you had done. Their jaws were wide open in shock, while their lights were wide open in surprise at your courage.

“Good… Little Lamb… Let’s see where it takes you… Courage…”. Axe released Coffee, causing him to fall to the ground. Butch wasted no time in grabbing his little brother, and dragging him along with him. “NO…NO…” Coffee continued to struggle, trying to free himself from Butch’s iron grip.

He didn’t want Axe to hurt you. You had been nice and kind to him. Even though you were human, you were a good soul, and something in his soul screamed at him to defend you.

Luckily, Butch didn’t want that either, “BROTHER…THE HUMAN…HER SOUL…”. By now, they had all gotten into the good habit of checking the souls of humans before attacking.

Hurting a good soul wasn’t pleasant, and it would compromise theirs. Axe waved his hand dismissively at Butch, without taking his eyes off you. “I know… Just a little… Lesson…” Hurting yourself didn’t seem like the right option, and apparently you hadn’t hurt Coffee. Axe’s sixth sense told him that it was Coffee’s fault in the first place…

But you had trespassed on their territory, and challenged him. You needed a little lesson, to know who you shouldn’t be up against.

Axe moved with slow and deliberate steps towards you. There was no point in rushing things, you were practically a doll compared to him. What could you possibly do to stop him? Human or monster, it didn’t matter, he knew he was stronger. After all, that’s what he was put into the world for… To be scary, to scare others. He could do it without lifting a finger.

But you were angry. Before you had been afraid, now it seemed like you wanted to bite his throat. If you had the power, you would have certainly tried. Even though you were backing away from Axe’s every step, your dark eyes didn’t stop challenging him… He found it intriguing. “Eh eh eh… Don’t try that little one… You bark, but… You don’t bite…”. You were just that little pest; cute but annoying.

Your steps stopped, when your shoulders touched the trunk of a tree. Stupid move, Axe thought, now running away would be harder for you. He could feel his smile widening, at that scene.

A cheeky human challenges him, unable to defend himself with his escape route blocked, and yet still looking at him bravely and impertinently. For some reason, the fact that you were looking at him so much incited him to continue to provoke you more.

Axe was a few steps away from you, but instead of running into you, he decided to stop and sit down. He was thoroughly enjoying the look on your surprised, but still not scared, face. He reached out a clawed hand towards you; he could smell a sweet scent in the air. He wanted to see what you had given Coffee, “Give me…what you have…in your pocket…”. He had seen that you had food with you, and he would never let a human waste it in front of him.

Your posture was all shaky; you were still in shock; you were just trying to stay calm. Axe had tried to attack you at first. You could understand that. He had seen a human near his little brother and reacted accordingly. Scary, but you couldn’t blame him.

And then you got angry. You didn’t really understand why, but when Axe called Coffee stupid, your blood went to your brain, filling your mouth with heated words.

And now he wanted your cookies?... A strange request, but maybe the food would calm him down. With a slightly shaky hand, you grabbed the cookie inside your pocket. A deep growl shook the surrounding ground, it was Axe again, and he seemed angry for some strange reason. “Throw away… The knives…”.

Your confused gaze went straight to the belt you kept on your pants. The same belt that contained some throwing knives, which you had brought with you that morning. You had forgotten you had them. With Coffee it had not been necessary to use them. They would have been useful against Axe.

But now that he had seen them, it was no longer an option for you to continue holding them. Axe’s face was a few steps away from you, his figure was nothing short of terrifying. He had the whole appearance of a large bear. The thick, dark brown fur covered almost his entire figure. Small, round ears protruded from his large skull. Each of his paws ended with thick claws. And his sharp teeth made no difference.

Even his large red eye made him menacing. The other eye socket was mostly black, the faint red light inside it almost extinguished. But the most disturbing part of all, was the crack on the side of his skull. It was deep and unnatural, stretching across part of his skull, revealing a dark void inside. “(So they don’t have a physical brain…)”. A useless piece of information, but one you could add to the long list of bizarre things about those skeletons.

Axe continued to growl. The rational part of your brain screamed in panic not to comply with his request, to hold on to those knives. They were your only defense. While your chest reassured you. Yes, he was being aggressive, but after saving Coffee he hadn’t tried anything violent again.

And Butch had said that weird thing about the soul… It had to mean something. You just hoped he would scare you, like Charm and nothing more.

You reluctantly unhooked the belt with the knives and let it fall to the ground. Axe remained still, enjoying your apparent uncertainty of his actions.

His large red eye was still pointed at your pocket. Taking that as a cue, your hand went back into your pocket and pulled out the chocolate chip cookie. Unfortunately, due to the fall, the cookie had broken into several pieces; you just hoped Axe wouldn't hold that against you.

Your hands cupped the skeleton's face, to show the broken cookie. Axe leaned his face closer to your hands, his dangerously sharp teeth were close to your hands. If he wanted, he could have bitten them off in a flash. Behind Axe, you heard the small protests of his brothers.

Both Butch and Coffee were making small moans. You had no idea what they were doing, but they looked as concerned as you. Axe moved slowly, reaching out with one of his paws, clawing at the pieces of the cookie. He was actually quite gentle, not even touching your skin.

Axe brought a piece to his face, examining it and smelling it, to see if it was safe to eat. He was examining the cookie as if he had never seen one before. “(Then I don’t know human food)”. Coffee had the same reaction, but with much less suspicion.

Something in the tops of the trees moved. The canopies above rustled briefly in a certain spot, causing your attention to turn to the trees above. You swore you saw something dark…

“More…”, Axe’s deep voice brought your attention back to him. The cookie in your hand was entirely gone. He must have grabbed it while you were distracted. Axe had little crumbs of the cookie around his mouth, and not only that.

Butch and Coffee were also eating a piece. Axe had probably thrown pieces to his little brothers, so they could eat without getting close to you.

Coffee was obviously happy to have another piece, but the real sight to see was Butch. The gray lights in his eye sockets were glowing with excitement, and his mouth of crooked teeth was turned up in a cute smile. It was like watching children get excited about sweets. “YUMMY…REALLY YUMMY!...” Despite his appearance, Butch was as cute and spontaneous as Coffee.

He had certainly made you jump when he came out of the bushes earlier. Even though he was on all fours, like Axe and Coffee, you could tell he was tall… The tallest. He was just as the files had described him. Literally one of the tallest monsters on the island. And while he wasn’t transformed into his beast self, Butch had very sharp fingers. The same couldn’t be said for his teeth, which were crooked and broken in some places.

But other than that, he didn’t have the face of someone who wanted to be scary. At least not on purpose like Axe was doing to you. And his gray eyes didn’t hide malice, just a genuine interest in you.

But you couldn’t stay there staring at your little brothers for too long. Axe was still in front of you with his hand outstretched, ready to take more… But you were out of cookies.

“I’m sorry… I don’t have anymore…” Your voice came out more hesitantly than you expected. “Liar…”. Axe had lost his sly smile. Now he seemed genuinely annoyed by your uncooperative behavior. “I smell… sweet coming… from you…”. You had no idea what he was saying, you were really out of cookies. And as you emptied the pockets of your hoodie to show him that you were telling the truth, you noticed how Coffee and Butch had stiffened at their brother’s change of mood.

Axe grumbled loudly, while with his face towards you, he continued to sniff. “My nose… is never wrong… Or maybe…”. Axe’s red eye became huge as a realization hit him in the face.

The inviting smell he smelled was coming from you. He was too curious to let such an opportunity slip away.

Axe moved closer, closing the little space that separated you. You were pressed against a tree, you couldn’t move back. Instinctively, you tried to move towards the path that would lead you home… Too bad, Axe was even faster and blocked you in place, using one of his large arms to block your path.

Now his clawed hand was resting on the tree trunk. With just a few gestures, he had you caged there with him.

Okay, now you were really worried. You had no way out, you had nothing to defend yourself with, and a large and potentially lethal monster had you at its mercy.

Your face was still turned towards his arm, you didn’t have the courage to turn towards him and face him. Axe’s hot breath was a great reminder of how close he was to you. You had his skull pressed against the side of your head, and he kept breathing in that scent he said he could smell from you.

Once again, that damn perfume thing had gotten you in trouble.

You were starting to feel sick and uncomfortable. You were too shocked to move a finger, your body felt like it was frozen. Axe didn’t seem to notice your discomfort, as his skull full of sharp teeth continued to rub against you, trying to savor that smell that so attracted him. In the background, you could hear Coffee and Butch’s stuttering voices, but you couldn’t understand what they were saying.

The stress was building up, making your head spin. Axe’s guttural voice was barely above a whisper in your ear, “If you really are…so sweet…maybe I should…taste you…”. You didn’t have time to understand. Something solid but slimy appeared in your vision.

There was a large red tongue sticking out of his sharp jaws. Axe used his summoned tongue to gather all the crumbs left in his skull. Your mind was too panicked to analyze the various reasons why a skeleton would have a tongue, but not a brain. You closed your eyes, not wanting to see how that angry monster would bite you, even just for fun.

The fact is that you didn't want him so close to you anymore. “Please. Leave me alone..." You were ashamed of how your words came out so pathetically, but you had no better idea to make him desist. Your only hope was to hang on the pleas.

The grunts above your head stopped. Axe only took a few sniffs before pulling back to give you space. Feeling lighter, you opened your eyes; he was still in front of you. But his evil smile was gone. There was no arrogance in him anymore, his face now screamed shame for what he had done.

He almost seemed shocked. At first, you thought it was because he realized he had treated a female badly; behavior that was seen very badly by monsters. Or maybe because he realized you were a good person.

“Your perfume… has changed…”, Not even Axe believed what he was saying, and now he had attracted the attention of his little brothers with those words. Axe was staring at you with even more interest, but this time he seemed like an insecure child. He sniffed the surrounding air again, while you tried to relax to regain control of yourself. “But you… who are you?...”.

The confusion made you insecure, and the fear he had caused you still ran through your skin. Yet, the guilty face of the skeleton in front of you gave you enough courage to answer. Just like you had told Coffee “I’m a friend. If you allow me,” was insane. How could you even think he would ever willingly accept your words, after what had happened moments before?...

And yet… “Friend…?”, it seemed like Axe was actually thinking about it. “I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE… A FRIEND…”, Butch had cautiously approached you, with Coffee happily following at his side. “SHE’S GOOD…SHE’S DIFFERENT…”, Coffee was literally dragging Butch towards you, still moving on all fours.

You had no intention of approaching the Horror brothers, but Coffee’s joy and enthusiasm would have convinced anyone. Axe stepped aside to let the brothers pass, who were now both with big smiles; ready to interact with you.

It almost seemed like a cute moment, even if Axe had ruined it with his strange territorial behavior.

Coffee was about to say something…but the noise of something abominable stopped him before. Sounds of heart-rending moans, followed by a rotting smell, were approaching you… You recognized that smell of death and decaying flesh.

The skeletons stood to attention, Axe in particular, growling and clawing at the ground as if he were charging for a fight. And he was right to do so; the soulless were already there with you.

Five rotting bodies burst out of the bushes, charging towards you with ferocity. These unfortunately had all their legs in place, and were able to move faster.

You had no idea how they had found you, there had been no noise of any kind around you. But there was no time for questions, you had to act.

Axe didn’t wait any longer, charging with his massive bear-like mass towards the soulless. The rotting bodies were swept away from you, hitting the ground hard. One of the walking corpses lost an arm from the blow, but like a real nightmare, he stood up again.

Butch and Coffee were frozen in place, even though they were bigger and stronger than the soulless ones, they seemed completely helpless in the face of their threat. Axe was trying his best to distract them all, but two of the corpses ran past him. The two corpses ran towards you, mouths wide open and drooling, eager for magic to try to quench their thirst for power.

“Come on guys, you have to move!”, you tried in every way to wake up the two brothers. You couldn’t just stand there, you were too easy targets!

You had no choice, you had to fight just like you did with those wolves. You quickly grabbed your belt of throwing knives; at least you would have a weapon to defend yourself with. You already had a knife in your hand ready to use, but one of the two corpses was on top of you.

The walking corpse threw you to the ground with the unrestrained force of its body. The soulless mandible was wide open, and it was growling at you as it tried to bite you. If it weren’t for the knife, which you had used to prevent its rotting mouth from biting you, you would have been hit by now.

Screams came out of your mouth as you struggled to throw the abomination off your inert body. Your legs tried to kick it away unsuccessfully. You could hear Axe’s menacing growls in the background as he tore more and more pieces off of those corpses.

The second corpse was approaching you, and it was a big problem “(I won’t be able to fight off another one like that!)”. You had to get out of there or the other corpse would kill you!

The second corpse was stopped in time. A large clawed hand grabbed the corpse by the leg, throwing it away from you. Butch pulled it as far as he could, but neither of the two brothers could attack. It seemed like they didn't know what to do, other than pull it away and keep it busy.

The corpse above you hadn't moved yet, you didn't know how it was possible, but their bodies were much heavier than you could imagine.

A high-pitched shriek echoed through the trees, your panicked mind was too busy to realize who had arrived there with you. A large shadow from above obscured your figure, until a large clawed paw violently grabbed the corpse, sending it flying away from you.

You were out of breath from the effort, but the threat had been lifted from you by…

“Charm…?”, His fuchsia lights were lit up with anger, but for some strange reason you knew that anger wasn’t directed at you this time. Charm didn’t turn to look at you. He immediately rushed to the brothers’ aid. Axe had already killed two of them, dismembering their bodies into many pieces.

Butch and Coffee stepped back to make room for Charm, while the latter mercilessly grabbed the corpses, splitting them in half with a few simple movements. The scene was horror-like, the corpses still had their internal organs in their bodies even if decomposed.

Yet the soulless were still moving. “(How the hell do you kill those beasts?!)” How could they still move in that state?

While Charm held the soulless open in two on the ground, you noticed a strange glow in the corpse’s chest. It was a dull glow, as if it were a battered light. Was it the heart somehow? You didn’t know, but Charm was quick to take that glow between his thick teeth, and then mangled whatever it was without hesitation.

The corpse stopped moving for good. Now it looked truly dead. You had finally witnessed an execution of those disgusting beings. But you still didn’t understand what had happened.

Charm spat on the ground in disgust, the remains of the corpse’s chest. Once he got over his disgust, he quickly killed the others along with Axe. Seeing their combined strength made your skin go cold. It was a good thing that the target of such fury, wasn’t you.

You staggered to your feet, hooking the knives back onto your pants. You still had a knife in your hand, in case of need… Maybe this time you should have used it against the skeletons.

Charm was there now with Axe, both dangerous and both two big monsters that had threatened you. Even if they had helped you at that moment, nothing could rule out the possibility that they could remain good to you.

Axe ran to his siblings to check if they were okay, he checked on them like a mother hen would do with her chicks. Axe relaxed, seeing that his siblings were okay. “What are you doing… Here?...”. The question was directed at Charm.

“MY DEARIES, YOU SAID THAT COFFEE WAS NOT IN THE NEST. AND THEN YOU RAN INTO THE WOODS, I RIGHT AWAY THOUGHT THAT YOU WOULD GO LOOK FOR HIM. AND SO I FOLLOWED YOU…”. Charm was looking at you, and this time he seemed very amused to see you there with them, “AND I FOLLOWED HER SMELL”. Knowing that Charm still remembered your scent made you feel uncomfortable.

It meant that he could find you at any time. Charm took a few steps to meet you, but stopped quickly when he saw that you were moving further and further away from them. “DON’T BE AFRAID, LITTLE CANARY. WE ARE BIG AND SCARY, BUT NOT VILLAIN,” his voice was warm and inviting. Much different from your last meeting.

Charm raised his wings in the air in surrender, lowering his figure to make himself smaller for you. His behavior was confusing you, the last time you met, he had been determined to scare you, just like Axe. “HOW ABOUT WE SIT DOWN, AND TALK CALMLY TO GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER A LITTLE BETTER?”. Damn, the way he was asking you, it almost seemed cute.

All the brothers present were surprised by Charm’s words; he wasn’t an alpha, but everyone knew Charm was the territorial type. And every skeleton hated humans… What was it that made them want to get to know you so much?

“I…”, “There’s activity over there in the next sector!”. A command like that could only come from soldiers. They had spotted you! “Go away, we’ll talk about this another time. Run!” were your last words to the skeletons, before you started running away, towards the road to the treehouse. You left behind, furious growls for the soldiers. And chirps and moans for your hasty departure.

Damn, those skeletons were confusing you more and more.

Chapter Text

You were safe in your treehouse. The run you had made to go back, avoiding the soldiers, had left you breathless. You still couldn't believe what had happened a few hours ago.

It was late afternoon, and the sun was setting. Outside the windows, you could only hear the small sounds of the surrounding forest. It was calming in a way.

The sweet sounds of nature were however interrupted by the frequent cacophony of sounds coming from your wristwatch. And it was no coincidence that the loudest noise came from there, since your friends were on the line.

Back at the base, your only concern after feeling safe was to blurt out everything that had happened to your human friends. You were starting to use the term human, since by some miracle you were managing to become friends with the skeletons.

As you told them what had happened, your friends were more and more shocked by what had happened to you. Dave who was the most energetic, was obviously the first to speak. His voice sounded frantic and hysterical, “Jungle girl, have you lost your mind by any chance?!”. Dave continued to rub his red locks in his head.

Anton managed to freeze you with his gaze even through the watch screen. “I hoped you were more smart like your grandma. Not as wild as my uncle, you crazy fool!”

“S-sorry Erika, b-but it wasn’t a g-good idea to go out w-without a p-plan like that…”. Sweet Mimi was just trying to help, but it was obvious that she was just as stressed as the others. And if even she had lectured you… Well that was confirmation of how reckless you had been.

You felt really embarrassed. “I know guys, I messed up pretty bad… But I’m pretty sure I made a good impression on Coffee and Butch…”.

“Just because you had luck with Axe…”. Anton blurted out the sentence with obvious concern. Dave and Mimi were silent, letting Anton do the talking for them too. “Erika, I don’t want to upset you more than you already are. But there’s a reason that pair of brothers are called Horror; they didn’t just give them that name because of their looks-”. Dave elbowed Anton in the ribs. Anton glared at him, gritting his teeth at the blow.

Dave’s face was as annoyed as Mimi. “What the hell, man, don’t tell her that! She’s stressed enough as it is; no need to burden her with more shocking information!” Dave and Anton looked like they were about to fight each other, while Mimi tried to bring the attention back to herself.

But they were about to say something important, and you wanted to know. Your voice was firm and decisive; it was enough to stop all the buzz coming from your watch. “Hold it all, guys, what do you know that I don’t know?” You didn’t mean to be mean, but you were taking a big risk, not only with the skeletons. You had an entire island against you between various monsters, humans, and soulless.

And you seriously doubted that Grandma had left you enough information to say that you knew everything enough. The truth… You were at high seas. You only knew a little about the skeletons, and a few things about the island, but nothing more.

And if your friends knew something, you had to know about it. Dave, Anton and Mimi looked at each other, as if they didn’t know what to do. In the end it was Mimi who broke the silence. “Y-you see Erika, these s-skeletons weren’t s-kept locked up, just b-because they’re m-monsters…” Mimi was stumbling more and more over her words, twisting her fingers through the screen. She was really nervous.

Anton, standing straight, finished the sentence for her. “The truth, Erika, is that these skeletons were so closely watched because… They’ve already killed humans in these labs.” Anton put a hand on Mimi’s shoulder, trying to calm her down a bit.

Dave continued. “We didn’t want to give you this kind of information, but you’re going a lot faster than anyone thought, jungle girl.” Dave looked enormously embarrassed as he said this.

You were still calm, though. “Yeah, I suspected that guys; it doesn’t surprise me that some of them did things like that…” Reading the skeletons’ files, it was pretty trivial to think that some of them, like Axe, Edge, Black, and Berry could have done things like that. It was chilling to think that your goal was to try to become friends with them, just so you could help them get rid of the humans.

“Plus, I already saw them fight that night, just like you. I don’t see how this information is of any importance”. Unfortunately, you were wrong.

Anton took a deep breath before dropping the real news. “That’s the thing, Erika. None of them are actually innocent. Every single one of them was killed. And we’re not talking about ruthless soldiers or those dead bodies we call soulless. No, I’m talking about scientists, nurses, or explorers… It didn’t make any difference to them. They killed humans just for the fun of it.”

You flopped down on the bed, looking for something to hold on to. This information was darker and more serious than you thought. Anton had said that every single one of them had killed… You couldn’t believe it.

How could someone as gentle as Papyrus do such a thing? Or Blue, who had gotten himself captured because of his calm demeanor. As scary as he looked, Butch didn’t seem like the violent type. And Coffee… It was impossible for your brain to imagine the sweet and shy skeleton while tearing someone to pieces.

You had to gather your thoughts together to manage your voice as best as possible. “Maybe they were attacked by scientists. Did you see how they treated poor Blue?” It was plausible since they considered monsters as inferior beings.

“Yes, you could be right, jungle girl. The fact is that the tests that were conducted on them, according to the reports, were simple routine experiments. Nothing that hasn’t already been done on animals. Before now.” Dave tried to be as brief as possible. It was clear that he wanted to leave that subject as soon as possible.

Emi tried to diffuse the situation with a firmer voice. Her stuttering voice was jerky, along with the interference in the video of the watch. “C-calm down, Erika. We will do more r-research on t-that.” His dedication to what he did was always appreciated.

And as if that wasn’t enough, Anton decided to give you the last piece of information of the day. “There’s one more thing you need to know, Erika.” Anton adjusted his glasses on his face, as if it were a way to focus more. “After the recent events, the higher-ups have decided to call for reinforcements to be sent to the island…”.

“Reinforcements?” It actually seemed quite predictable. One of the most important bases on the island had been attacked, and the precious skeleton monsters they kept locked in cages in their laboratories had escaped. Plus, they had attacked the base. Sending extra soldiers… It was honestly to be expected.

But the reinforcements Anton was talking about weren't what you thought.

Dave continued in a lighter tone of voice. “Don't worry, jungle girl, nothing too important... I think. They just called in a few more soldiers to guard the labs. And then we heard about this guy, who should be landing on the island in a few days. It seems like he's one of the people who invested money to support this whole farce-“. A distinct noise echoed behind your friends.

All three of them turned back to the doors to check that no one was coming in. And judging by their faces, time was running out. “Don't w-worry Erika. W-we'll gather as much i-information as we can. We'll try to c-contact your n-grandmother for you, okay?” Mimi flashed a reassuring smile. You were very grateful to her for thinking of your dear grandmother.

Anton quickly ended the conversation with a last glance at his watch. “Be careful out there, Erika. And remember what we said. I don’t know exactly what your grandmother did, but keep using her disguise… You can’t trust those creatures; remember that. Good luck.” Anton quickly ended the call; apparently they couldn’t stay and talk anymore.

Every time they made contact, it was a potential risk. Anton had to make sure that every call was on a protected channel so that no one could trace the signal. They were risking just as much as you by helping you.

After the call, you lay down on the bed, looking at the ceiling made of the trunk of the large tree. Watching how the climbing vines wrapped around the tree was almost hypnotic. The sun outside the windows was sinking lower and lower towards the mountains, giving the landscape a postcard atmosphere.

The sky was tinged with red towards the horizon. A vision that was nothing short of magical… Magic, when you thought of the word itself, the first thing that came to mind now were monsters.

You knew that the skeletons were not innocent; no one in the world was. But knowing that each of them had killed… It was a difficult piece of information to digest. Your grandmother had not left you that kind of information. Maybe she was afraid that you would be too scared to undertake the mission. It was crazy enough in itself.

The stress accumulated during the day was too much; you had to unload all that weight from your mind and body. You decided to take another hot shower. Maybe it was spoiled to use it so much considering that you had already taken it that morning… But you really needed it. The hot water made you feel like someone was hugging you and warming you up.

Once you finished, you immediately put on a t-shirt and shorts to be more comfortable. A quick study session in the tree lab, and then you would go to bed.

And while your brain was trying to accumulate as much information as possible from the computer, the brothers you had left in the woods a few hours ago had gathered to talk.

Or rather, Charm had forced them to talk.

After defeating the soulless, the brothers had all etreated to their dens. Of course, seeing them return, Sans couldn't help but ask what had happened, and why so many of them were out on patrol.

Sans was a great leader, it was thanks to him that their pack was still standing. They were strong, but so different from each other... Bickering was the order of the day. But Charm hated how careful her older brother could be. It was impossible to hide anything from him...

Of course, all the commotion was for Coffee. Wine was definitely worried about his little brother. After what happened to Blue, each of them feared the threat of humans. And Coffee was definitely among the most at risk siblings, along with Butch.

“WHAT HAPPENED COFFEE? WHY DIDN’T YOU STAY IN THE DEN? YOU DIDN’T WARN ME ABOUT ANYTHING. AND WHY ARE YOUR CLOTHES TORN?!”. Wine circled Coffee like a nagging mother. While she stamped her many scorpion legs on the ground.

Sans explained that since they hadn’t returned, some of them were getting ready to come looking for them. They knew about Charm; after all, he was on the lookout that day. But about Axe, Butch, and Coffee… None of the siblings knew they had gone out. And that sent Wine into a total panic.

Wine knew that Coffee usually hung out with them, but Coffee had never walked away without telling her brother before.

And when Sans started asking questions, Charm didn’t know what to say. It would have been easier to just talk about the soulless. Sure, they were in their territory, and it was a problem, but it was an easy inconvenience to get rid of.

The real issue was talking about you.

She didn’t want to include you in the conversation. The situation was already tense enough. Talking about the supposed human with the intriguing smell, who was in the same spot where Coffee was stuck… The same place where his brothers were attacked by the soulless… The same human they should stay away from, and so close to their territory to boot…

No, she couldn’t talk about you. A white lie couldn’t be too bad, right?

So before her brothers could explain, Charm jumped on the conversation. He explained everything that had happened, avoiding mentioning you. Luck was on their side. The putrescent blood of the soulless covered any possible scent of you on them.

And since Axe, Butch and Cooffe had a reputation for not talking much, it was easy for Sans and Wine to believe them completely.

Sans obviously wasn't happy about it, as were the others. There was too much going on lately. They couldn't afford to be caught off guard. And with the frequent attacks of the soulless in their territory, Sans increased the number of patrols. This would also discourage the humans in the area.

Luckily, Sans decided to let Charm and Axe off duty for a couple of days...Charm finally had the opportunity he needed. He had to talk to his brothers who had been involved.

He waited until night to call them back a little further from his nest in the tree. It was risky what he had in mind…but something in his soul told him to try.

Axe was the first to grumble, protesting for being dragged out of the den. Apparently they were all beyond exhausted. “What are we doing…here… Bird?”. Confusion reigned supreme in his brother’s chipped skull.

Butch sat silently next to a dejected looking Coffee. Surely Wine must have given him a good lecture; Coffee could be insecure but never this down.

Maybe the idea Charm had in his head would lift their spirits. He took a deep breath, gaining confidence for his speech. “SO BROTHERS, I CALLED YOU HERE TONIGHT TO DISCUSS WHAT HAPPENED TODAY-“.

“Awwww… I’m sleepy…” Axe’s huge, raucous yawn made him lose his train of thought. He could understand that Axe wanted to go to sleep… But this was important!

“I REALIZE THAT, BROTHER, BUT WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THIS…”. Charm was trying his hardest to keep his concentration on himself. It wasn’t easy with their constant interventions.

Butch stepped forward on Axe’s behalf. “WHY?…WE ALREADY TOLD…THE OTHERS…WHAT HAPPENED…”. Sure, they had told their brothers a lot of what had happened, but not everything.

“YOU’RE PARTLY RIGHT, BUT I WANTED TO DISCUSS THAT OTHER LITTLE THING THAT HAPPENED UNEXPECTEDLY…DO YOU REMEMBER, SWEETS?” Charm was trying his best to talk about you without being too explicit. He didn't want the others to hear him. Their sense of hearing was too developed to be discreet.

“SHE WAS NICE-.” Coffee had hit the nail on the head. Too bad Charm didn't want to talk about it so directly. He instinctively rushed to Coffee to cover his mouth, leaving the shy skeleton shocked by the unexpected action. Charm was forced to whisper, “DON'T SAY IT SO OPENLY LITTLE BROTHER…OR SOMEONE COULD HEAR US!”.

Coffee apparently had developed some sort of inner courage; he lowered Charm's hands and responded in kind, “IT'S YOUR FAULT…SHE WAS…NICE TO ME…”. The tenderness in his voice left the brothers shocked. Coffee had never acted like this.

Axe snorted loudly as he reiterated his point, “She’s human… Dangerous humans…” Axe’s deep voice was like a bottomless pit, but strangely, his tone didn’t have the same inherent contempt.

“BUT…SHE SMELLED…GOOD…AND HELPED…” Butch raised his voice a little higher, apparently talking about how you brought out parts of them that had been dormant.

And that was what Charm was getting at, “YES, SHE HELPED AND EVEN CHALLENGED YOU AXE! AND EVEN SHARED SOME FOOD WITH YOU. THAT MEANS SHE’S NOT THAT AFRAID OF US.” Charm was starting to vibrate, the excitement of his idea intoxicating him.

“What are you…saying…with…this?” Axe seemed annoyed by the reminder of your challenge to him, but you had shared food. Good food that they hadn’t had in a long time. Axe liked people sharing food with him and his brothers.

Charm smiled at her brothers; this was the moment she had been waiting for, “SEEING AS THIS GOOD-SMELTING HUMAN, APPEARS TO BE GOOD AND ALSO HARMLESS…LET’S SAY IT WOULD BE ADVANTAGEOUS FOR US TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT HUMANS…”. Her brothers listened to every word as if it were gospel. She had their full attention.

“SO WHAT I’M TRYING TO SAY…” She turned to them, puffing out her chest, ready to reveal her big idea, “WE NEED TO BECOME FRIENDS WITH THE HUMAN!”.

… A light breeze blew through the trees as Charm’s words settled in the brothers’ skulls. They were stunned by her words…And yet…

“I WOULD LIKE…TO HAVE A FRIEND…”. Butch repeated the exact same words, which he said that morning, to the human. Coffee at his side nodded vigorously and cheerfully.

Axe was shocked at the idea. “Dangerous humans… We shouldn’t!” His words sounded terribly conflicted.

Charm could relate. They had grown up thinking of humans as scum. Dangerous beings, always ready to attack you when you least expected it… And yet there was something about you that was different. “I UNDERSTAND YOU AXE. BUT DARLING, DON’T TELL ME YOU’RE NOT CURIOUS TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT HER. I MEAN… I’VE NEVER SEEN A HUMAN LIKE THIS BEFORE.” There was something special about you, but to really find out what it was, they had to find a way to get to know you better.

Axe lowered his head, trying to hide under his hood, almost ashamed to state his curiosity. But all four of them agreed; now they just had to figure out how to get close to you properly. “HOW… CAN WE DO…?”. Coffee regained his vitality.

Charm couldn’t wait; he had some ideas on how to do it. But they had to be discreet; if Sans and the others found out, they would be in serious trouble. But he was confident, “SO BROTHERS, I HAVE SEVERAL IDEAS FOR THAT. THE IMPORTANT THING IS THAT THIS LITTLE SECRET REMAINS BETWEEN US, AND EVERYTHING WILL BE FINE-“

A familiar rustling drew their attention in the trees above them. Their eyes widened as they heard the distinctive sounds of someone moving through the branches and leaves. Each of them went white, having realized that they had been discovered.

And unfortunately, Charm had figured out who it was, “SHOULD I PULL YOU DOWN BY YOUR WINGS OR WILL YOU COME DOWN ALONE, DEAR BAT?”. Standing up, Charm straightened his clothes, ready to try to dissuade his brother so as not to reveal to the other brothers of your presence that morning…

Too bad, it wasn’t just Money hiding in the trees. They probably hadn’t been careful enough because, along with Money, there were also Nova and Rus. All three brothers came out into the open in a few moments.

Only Nova wasn’t transformed. Money landed on the ground flapping his bat wings, while Rus came down from the tree, clicking on the trunk with his eight spider legs.

Nova was the first to approach the brothers. Both Coffee and Butch had guilty expressions on their faces. Axe seemed more annoyed, but Charm was starting to sweat. It was her idea to secretly meet without anyone else knowing. And now Nova had found out too.

And surely Money and Rus would go and tell their respective brothers… Maybe they hadn’t heard that they were talking about you. Maybe she could still deflect the matter.

Charm tried to flash one of her usual bright smiles “GOOD EVENING, SWEETS, TO WHAT DO WE OWE THE PLEASURE?”. She hoped that her saccharine tone would deflect the issue.

“Cut it out, Charm; we’ve heard all about your awesome idea, about the human…” Money’s sneering expression was the icing on the cake. They were screwed.

Rus positioned himself next to Money, looking at them with a smirk. “Damn, you guys are so predictable… Even a dumb as Nova could tell something was up…” Rus never missed an opportunity to tease his siblings. Nova and Charm had gotten the annoying reputation of having their heads in the clouds, no matter how high they tried to fly.

A matter of pride, where they often found themselves face down for being cocky.

Nova growled slightly at the reminder, but quickly let it slide. He was more concerned about what he had heard. “Guys, have you lost your mind?! Where did this sick idea come from? Humans are the enemy… Did you hit your skulls while you were out there?! I can’t even think about it…” It was rare to see Nova lose his usual flirtatious way of speaking. He was definitely stressed. If the rapid breathing and lights in his eyes were any indication… Nova was panicking.

Charm, worried about his brother, approached him and hugged him, starting to calm him down with gentle caresses on his back. “PLEASE BROTHER, I UNDERSTAND YOUR REACTION, BUT IT’S NOT AS BAD AS YOU THINK.” He hoped that his words would calm him down. Unfortunately, it was the opposite.

“Calm down? Calm down?! It’s worrying enough knowing that you want to get close to a human… Again… And on top of that, one with a scent that seems to make us lower our guard.” Nova pulled away from the hug, looking at Coffee, Butch and Axe as if they were crazy and wicked. “What if this human uses this to trap us? I bet she’s just waiting for this… To fool us with this fake trick, then call other humans and capture us.”

Nova’s worries were more than legitimate. But it was really unusual for him to worry like that. Maybe because Charm hadn’t involved him in this discussion? They used to tell each other everything… Or maybe it was because of what had happened to Blue… They had to admit that since that event they had all become extremely paranoid.

And then the unexpected happened. Money rushed to his rescue. “You don’t have to worry about this. The human isn’t using any tricks.” Money’s hoarse voice came like honey to Charm’s metaphorical ears.

All the brothers turned to Money, amazed by this revelation. Nova was still not convinced. “What are you talking about? It’s obviously a trick; did you hear our brothers? There’s no way a human could smell like a monster”. This smell thing had really confused them.

But apparently both Money and Rus had their minds made up.

Money continued sitting cross-legged on the ground, folding his wings into a more comfortable position. “I was next to her during the attack on the lab to free Blue. I know what I saw, and more importantly, what I felt. And nothing about her was fake.” Money looked up at the starry sky, thinking back to that night of chaos.

In all that confusion, you had been the only pleasant thing in that whole bloody night. “She was genuinely scared of me. But she still tried in every way to run away, without even resorting to violence. She had a weapon with her; she could have used it, but she didn’t. And then when I hugged her…”. Money closed his eyes, almost dreamily, as he tried to sum it all up in a few words.

“It was simply adorable. She’s not just a good soul. Her smell hit me, sending me a more than clear message…”.

Now all the siblings, including Nova, were looking at him in extreme awe. Rus stood next to Money, his smile softer than before. “The message was simple. She is good, she is sweet… She needs to be protected.”

Money opened his eyes, taking a deep breath of air dreamily.

Nova was the most shocked of all, but before he could argue, Rus spoke up. “She’s right. When I first met her, I had every intention of scaring her to death. But when I scared her, I could clearly smell her scent changing. A fake scent can’t change so naturally, and like Money said… There was something in my gut that told me to stop being mean to her. I’ve never felt bad for a human before.”

It was even rarer to see Rus so focused on matters of that kind. He was a lazy guy who never found anything interesting. Usually when he was bored, he limited himself to hunting, teasing his brothers, or playing with the other monsters…

A bit like he had done with a certain tiefling…

“I say we try Charm’s plan and try to get to know her better…”. But to think that Rus, one of the laziest brothers, was planning on dating a human… It seemed like the start of a sick joke.

Coffee and Butch smiled at those words. They were afraid that their brothers would run to spill the beans… And instead they seemed to want to take part in this crazy plan to get to know you. Charm, Axe and Nova were still with their jaws hanging open in surprise. Money was sitting there, enjoying their reactions.

Nova shook his head decisively; he was torn, but he still didn’t want to give up. “Darlings, what you are proposing is risky… And what should we do with our brothers?” It was his last chance to convince them to desist with that crazy idea…

Even though, deep down, curiosity was pounding like a drum in his soul, torn between reason and the unknown.

The deepest voice of the group spoke in a playful and conspiratorial tone, “Simple… Just don’t say… Nothing…”. Axe had all his sharp teeth on display as he smiled brightly at his brothers.

Nova looked each of his brothers in the eyes to search for any sign of giving up. There was none. A deep sigh escaped from his teeth as he turned to Charm again, realizing that he would not stop them. “Fine, if you really want to do this... What’s the plan?” He still didn’t agree, but he promised himself that he would always be present in all the meetings they would have with the human.

Aside from Axe, he would be the only alpha of the family present. Charm smiled widely, wasting no time in urging all the siblings to sit in a circle to discuss the ways they would use to meet you again.

They had to be careful, though. If anyone found out, it would be big trouble for everyone...

“So… I could make a web. So when she walks through it, she’ll get stuck in it, and she’ll be forced to interact with us.” Rus said as he contemplated absurd plans for the occasion.

Nova spoke disconsolately, “While we’re at it, why not use Axe again to give her a heart attack, right?”. Irony dripped from his disconsolate words.

Money and Rus hummed happily, “Well, that’s not a bad idea, so she’ll lose her breath yelling at us.” Money finished matter-of-factly.

Coffee and Butch looked at Charm for reassurance. Charm winked at them to make the more naive siblings understand the joke. The only one who didn’t get the irony was Nova.

…” This is going to be a total disaster…”. Nova snorted loudly, while the other brothers around him laughed at his overly theatrical seriousness.

Chapter Text

The night passed faster than you expected. You'd slept a lot, but to your confused mind, it felt like you'd only slept for a few hours. And having to repeat the transformation again wasn't helping your stress levels.

Feeling your body change so much, all of a sudden... It was strange. Not that it was all that painful. The first transformation had been tragic and overwhelming, but with the second attempt, it wasn't so bad.

Of course, having a completely different tail, horns, skin, limbs, and eyes was still too much for your poor little brain to assimilate so quickly. Not to mention the new abilities you possessed.

Jumping, running, seeing, and smelling more were proving useful... But also unpredictable. That morning, you almost knocked over the tea kettle with a sudden swipe of your tail. And your horns kept getting tangled everywhere; it wasn't easy to remember they were there on your head.

The sight thing was easier, but for some reason, you sometimes had trouble focusing on certain objects. Your claws were useful for opening jars... Too bad you'd already severed two of them while trying to eat breakfast... "Maybe it would have been better to transform after breakfast..." You'd kept that in mind until you learned to better manage your monster body; you wouldn't take any more risks.

In fact, you didn't venture into the woods for several days. "Enough risking your life in stupid ways. If I want to succeed, I have to learn better than this." Studying wasn't enough anymore; you had to practice.

At first, you tried the transformation around the invisible protection provided by the tree. Walking barefoot was becoming easier, but your speed hadn't improved much. At least, not from what you'd read about Tieflings. They were described as agile and swift. But apparently your two left feet just wouldn't run properly.

Your vision was put to the test for several days and nights. You'd read that Tieflings had the ability to zoom in on distant objects, allowing you to see in the dark...

The disappointment of discovering that not only couldn't you zoom in, but that you couldn't even see well in the dark was disheartening. And your sense of smell wasn't much better, either.

The monsters relied heavily on their sense of smell; it was thanks to it that you'd managed to avoid the traps of the skeleton brothers... But it just wasn't working perfectly. "(Why could I smell them so well, but not everything else?)"—you still didn't have enough information to draw any conclusions.

The manuals only said to concentrate and rely on the magic that resided within the soul to unlock its potential...

"To hell with the manuals, they're useless!"—your frustration reached a fever pitch. You decided to change your approach. You set aside your experiments with sight and smell and focused on hearing. Hearing would help you perceive any dangers, of all kinds.

It wasn't just monsters you had to keep under control, but also the soulless and humans... "I really ended up in an adventure story... They were better to read..."

In addition to hearing, you trained in climbing. If you couldn't run properly, then in case of danger you should at least know how to climb. The trees in those woods were sturdy and very tall; they would have been a good place to hide or escape to if your escape went awry...

… Your attempts, however, were nearly disastrous. Using your nails was easy; they retracted at your command, but climbing a centuries-old tree several meters tall was the worst idea by far. You'd thought that by trying to scale a large tree, you'd learn faster. You'd watched videos of professional climbers on your computer to give yourself a starting point.

But each of them had specially designed equipment. You had none of that, just very sharp nails that, if used incorrectly, would get stuck in the trunk at the wrong time.

At the end of each attempt, your ass never thanked you for the treatment it received. The falls on your bottom were numerous... and gross. If you hadn't had red skin, your ass would have been as red as a baboon.

And the remnants of bark under your hands and feet... left an incredibly uncomfortable feeling.

At least the transformations were less chaotic. Using the crystals, you'd discovered that each time you transformed, the discomfort and pain gradually disappeared. You had no doubts about what your grandmother had said, but having it confirmed was comforting.

And finally, you'd come to realize that the transformation lasted an entire day. Sometimes even a few hours longer. Realizing the limits of such magic was important. "That means I must always return to the tree before sunset." Not that your plans were all that different from before.

You still had the goal of returning to the safety of your current home. Papyrus was very kind in accompanying you to the edge of their territory the last time... Their treatment, thinking you were a male monster, was decidedly different from your encounters as a human female.

"I'm truly caught between two fires. If I were a male, perhaps my grandmother could have created a kind of magic that would have made me more like a female monster..." You would probably have solved most of your problems. Monsters treated females differently…

But the thought of running into other unscrupulous monsters made you shudder. You didn't think skeletons could actually do something like that. But then there were your friends' words. They had killed even innocent people.

Now, you weren't so foolish as to jump to conclusions so quickly. You'd seen how humans treated monsters; there must have been a good reason for each of them to go so crazy.

Conflicting thoughts swirled through your minds those days. You'd established a healthier sleep and exercise routine. Your climbing skills had improved slightly. You could hop from branch to branch now. But your movements were still really rough and imprecise; the surrounding leaves constantly trembled as you passed. And you couldn't distribute your body weight evenly as you moved from branch to branch. Luckily, you had your own tree to practice with.

But you couldn't stay there forever. Several days had passed, and you hadn't had any contact from your friends at the lab. And strangely, the human patrols had diminished… Could the growls and commotion you heard in the woods have something to do with it?

Whatever had happened, this time you decided to stay away. You'd already saved Coffee, and you seriously doubted the other siblings would leave their more placid siblings helpless and alone, with all the troubles that island was facing.

And whoever those noises were, they were doing fine, if the poor hearing your pointed ears had was any indication.

The growls stopped one sunny afternoon, the gentle wind the only sound in the air. The breeze wafted through the windows of your treehouse, the inviting scents of lush plants wafting in. And monsters, humans, and soulless creatures seemed to have vanished into thin air…

Of course, it wasn't true, but in your area, it seemed that way. "It's the right time to succeed again!" The days of quiet had done wonders for your mind; you were more alert and energetic than before.

This time, you wouldn't leave anything to chance, and damn it if the monsters thought you were weird. You'd bring your bow and knives. Even if the monsters looked askance at you for carrying those items, you didn't care. Your safety came first. You had to fight if you wanted to prevail, and that was the only way you could do it.

Apparently, going out in the afternoon turned out to be a great idea. With the sun high in the sky, most of the monsters had holed up in their lairs to eat and relax. From the computer reports, the monsters were more like animals in this sense.

They hunted, ate, and then rested for longer periods than humans. Some monsters had been captured because of that knowledge. Humans had realized that striking at certain times of the day would allow them to find the laziest monsters, those unprepared for action, and especially those without magic. And those without magic were usually the alpha monsters, since hunting the most substantial prey was their job.

Having a pack with tired alphas and without magic was almost certain defeat.

You'd found several useful herbs you could use. Plants that, with a little patience, could produce truly unique effects, along with other monstrous plants. And the water needed to be analyzed in a lab. If you had any water shortages, the river would be vital to your survival.

The cool water on your red Tiefling skin felt like a delicate cloth. The herbs you'd gathered were neatly tucked into the pockets of your shorts; you'd left your backpack at home to avoid unnecessary items. The knives were tucked tightly into your belt so they wouldn't make any noise. Your bow was hidden as best you could under your army green shirt.

Small flocks of birds danced on your horns, searching for the most comfortable position to rest. It made you smile; you almost felt like a princess... too bad you didn't have the right dress to feel like one. "What are you doing here, little ones? Are you tired of wandering around in circles too?" But the presence of the birds revived you... Until...

The water suddenly changed color. As you collected the water sparingly in your thermal flask, a streak of red made its way through the crystalline colors of the river. At that sight, you thought of some strange effect of your transformation. Your monster skin was red; perhaps you were shedding like a reptile or something?

You lifted your hands from the water to better inspect them. "Strange, I don't feel anything different." In fact, you were right; the problem wasn't you. You moved your face closer to observe better. The red color was gradually intensifying and seemed to be getting thicker.

You reached out to gather some of that color in your hands; perhaps it was some sort of magical substance you'd never seen before... Once it was in your hands, however, your body froze at the clear evidence of what was happening.

This time your nose really came in handy. “This… is blood…” The smell of iron slowly reached your nostrils. You hadn’t noticed its distinctive pungent odor because the water covered its aroma. Even in your red hands, the color was unmistakable. And as time passed, the blood flowed like an eternal red thread in the calm stream.

Your eyes followed its trail, trying to understand its source. But the river stretched into the forest; there was no way to determine whose it belonged to without entering the trees. A sense of anxiety grew in you, leaving your lungs suddenly empty of air. You sighed loudly to try to calm yourself a little, while your brain tried to piece together a logical sequence. “There are only two things on this island that can leave a trail of blood. Animals… And humans…”

You hadn't heard anyone talking, but you hadn't heard any noises in general... Just some growls in the morning. Maybe some monster or animal had succeeded in its hunt and was simply enjoying its food. "Maybe it's nothing important..." Your body told you to run away as fast as you could.

Whoever was there was nearby; the blood was fresh. It must have happened recently. If you had moved away immediately, there was hope that no one would have heard or smelled you. Your legs snapped to attention in a few moments, your whole body ready for a good about-face.

But then..."What if it was someone injured in the middle of the woods? What if he was so badly injured that he couldn't make it back to base?" It was a possibility. It wasn't out of the question that it could be a scientist. What if he was young like Dave, Anton, or Mimi?...What if it was one of them who was in trouble?!

Maybe it was paranoia, but the thought of leaving without knowing if anyone was truly in danger saddened your heart. "I shouldn't have, I've already made too many mistakes by acting like this," and perhaps you would have continued to make mistakes anyway.

"Just a quick peek and then off we go!" Your grandmother had taught you too well the meaning of compassion.

Your feet walked with more grace than usual, your Tiefling features allowing you to approach without making too much noise. You never thought you'd be so damned reckless and stupid as to follow a trail of death.

Your heart pounded like a drum, and the closer you got, the heavier the smell in the air became, and not just from the iron in your blood. Patches of red marked the path, like small pebbles, fast and close together.

Behind some large trees, you heard a very loud crack. The horrifying noise spread around you, giving you the impression it might have shaken the leaves. You were completely still, frozen in place by various images in your head. The noise resembled the sound of broken bones, torn flesh, and the panting of some hungry beast.

Okay, if duty had previously compelled you to check to make sure no one was in trouble, now you didn't want to go any further. "If no one screams, then it's already..." Dead, whatever it was was certainly dead, so there was nothing more you could do...

You began to back away, hoping your strange tiefling feet wouldn't give you away...

A hot, heavy breath reached your head, and a small, hoarse, mocking laugh reached your ears like a cold shiver. You couldn't move; your breathing quickened in anticipation of what was to come.

"Look, look who we have here..." You recognized the voice, even though you'd heard it so few times. On the one hand, you were relieved to discover it wasn't a stranger who had surprised you... But it was definitely one of the monsters you least wanted to encounter on that occasion.

Razor-sharp teeth whispered devilishly to you, your ears drooping. "We have a missing bird..." You didn't know what to do, but your instincts were screaming that running away wouldn't be the best option.

"You know, it's rude to infiltrate uninvited. I'll teach you some manners..." Without warning, you were lifted from the ground. Grabbed by your greenish shirt, your feet dangled a few inches from the ground, but the feeling of helplessness was enough to send you into a panic.

With a voice muffled by your shirt, the arrogant, sharp-toothed skeleton was leading you further toward the spot where you'd heard those horrible sounds. All your thrashing in a vain attempt to free yourself was for naught, only further amusing your bully of the day.

"Put me down!" Your exasperation spoke for you. The tremor in your voice didn't go unnoticed, but once again it only made it more hilarious to the mocking skeleton. "Here, I'll teach you how to introduce yourself!" Once you were closer, you were unceremoniously thrown like a sack of potatoes.

You rolled for several meters, scraping the ground, your head spinning from too many somersaults, and you couldn't immediately focus on what was in front of you.

What was certain was that there was another monster there with you, and judging by the deep growls, he wasn't happy with your presence.

But then again, with Red around, there could only be more trouble. "Hey, boss, look, there are some drunk sparrows around here, apparently..." Red looked you up and down with amusement, his sly smile spreading across his face, while the gold tooth in his jaw shone maliciously. His wolf form was already enough to put you in line. A thick tail of black fur with reddish highlights moved placidly behind him; his transformed legs were also covered in fur of the same color and were lined with nails even sharper than yours.

Two long black ears stood perched on his skull, ready to catch any suspicious movement around him. And his fiery red eyes never left you. At least this time he didn't have a mean look, more curious, actually.

In fact, perhaps the real problem wasn't him. "(He said boss, I've heard that nickname before...)" you turned your head to confirm your suspicions, and unfortunately, you found yourself stumbling upon the most chaotic of all the brothers.

Edge was only a few steps away from you, thanks to Red, who had thrown you there on purpose. And if Red seemed threatening...well, Edge was truly in another league.

His tiger form gave him an even more powerful appearance. Teeth even sharper than Red's, rivaling a lion's. Large, sharp claws that could slice you like fresh sashimi. A stunning coat of striped reddish-orange fur covered his entire body from head to toe. A thin but strong tail moved in time with his growls, while the small ears on his skull had flattened from the discomfort of your unexpected presence.

Now that you looked at him more closely... Edge was completely transformed. There were no clothes on his body, just a string of leaves tied with a dark string covering his lower abdomen. It was like seeing a superhuman tiger in one piece. Red, on the other hand, was wearing a jacket and shorts; surely there was a reason for that...

And perhaps the reason was the red trail dripping from Edge's mouth. Copious drops of fresh blood dripped from the teeth of the mighty skeleton, small pieces of flesh stuck in the corners. Edge was in the same position a tiger would recline to enjoy its meal.

The sight was shocking, but at least now you knew no humans had been harmed. The prey at Edge's feet was a large, well-built wild boar, and half the carcass had already been devoured. The poor beast's entire dismembered body was on display. You were a scientist and had seen similar scenes before... But not from this close...

"(At least he's already eaten; I doubt he'll want to eat me too...), a satiated predator wouldn't have wasted any more energy on a gaunt prey like you.

The fact was, though, that you had interrupted them. Edge growled loudly in a threatening, authoritative voice, "WHAT IS THE MICROBE DOING HERE?!" Edge stood up, making his presence felt, still keeping his eyes on you.

"I found him lurking around here, Chief. I'd be curious to know more, too," Red said, leaning closer to you, his smile growing as he enjoyed your astonished expression.

There was no time to think; you were in the middle of two of the island's most gruff monsters, and one of them had blood all over his face and neck! With a wavering voice, you decided on the truth. “I… I was just fetching some water…”

Edge roared deeply, the distinctive roar of a powerful tiger blasting in your face without warning. “LIAR! WHAT DO YOU THINK I AM, STUPID?! I BET YOU’RE HERE TO STEAL MY PREY!” His crimson eyes burned through you, the smell of blood hitting your nose, sending you into even greater panic.

And it wasn’t just the smell of blood but also the scent of their magic lingering in the air. Their tall, bulky forms reminded you how much smaller and insignificant you were compared to them. If they’d wanted, they could have snapped you in half like a breadstick.

Your tail had now curled around your legs in fear. “No… I swear, I didn't know you were here. I didn't expect to meet you so far from your territory…”

“Are you by any chance telling us what we can and can't do, shrimp?” Red asked, his tone deeper this time. Your explanation was making the situation worse. You had no other choice, as your grandmother had taught you in the past… You had to try to inflate their egos.

“Absolutely not, I know my place, gentlemen. I would never dare challenge you. I know greatness when it's right in front of me…” you said, lowering your head in respect.

Red's loud laugh made you jump on the spot. “Ha ha ha, do you think using that 'gentlemen' bullshit will change anything?” But Red didn't finish his sentence.

Edge slapped him hard on the skull. The thud made a sharp sound as Red raised his skeletal hands to massage the bruised spot. “What the fuck?!” Red was clearly annoyed by his brother’s rough treatment. And honestly, it surprised you, too.

“SHUT UP, THE BRAT DID THE ONLY SENIOR THING HE NEEDS TO DO IN MY PRESENCE. AND THAT IS, ACKNOWLEDGE MY GREATNESS!” Edge’s voice rang out through the trees with force. You could have sworn you could see a light dusting of red on his bony cheeks, but it was hard to tell with all that blood on his face.

Red continued to mutter sullenly, his cheerful mood fading, “That still doesn’t explain why he’s here. And how would you have collected water?! I don’t see any wooden vases or bowls, or are you so simple-minded as to try to collect water with your bare hands?” The question left you a bit stunned before you remembered that in their eyes you were a monster...

And so you shouldn't have shown them so many human objects... But how else could you have explained it better? Much more calmly than before! You grabbed the canteen tied to your side and held it up so you could show it to the two skeptical monsters.

"Humans call it a canteen. They use it to collect water or other liquids. This is a thermal canteen, meaning it keeps the water temperature as constant as possible. Here, you try it too. I've already drank it before, and it's good." You felt like a teacher in a kindergarten of children, seeing something new for the first time.

Both monsters had scowls on their faces, but incredibly, they'd listened without interrupting this time. Edge sniffed the canteen before picking it up with a pair of his long claws. Their eyes continued to scan, and their noses were working to detect any suspicious aromas.

Edge brought the canteen closer to his face, but Red didn't seem convinced. "Don't do that, Boss. What if there's something in there we don't know about?" Edge snorted. "I AM THE GREAT AND FEARFUL EDGE; NOTHING SCARES ME." It was curious to watch the two interact. They teased each other a lot, but they seemed to be watching each other's backs.

The gleaned skeleton took a large swig of water and gulped vigorously, causing some blood on his teeth to slide off his jaw. Edge finished drinking most of the water when he finally spoke. “WEIRD…it’s REALLY FRESH. ALMOST AS IF I DRINK IT FROM THE RIVER…”

From the stunned faces, you were starting to get a sense of something. “(They were raised by humans, but deep down, they know next to nothing about them…).” A truly peculiar situation.

Edge turned his attention back to you. “HOW DID YOU GET THIS?” There was curiosity in his decidedly lower-than-usual tone.

“What do you mean?...”

“Stop being vague, you brat.” Red jabbed a sharp finger in your face, narrowly missing your nose. “Everyone knows it’s damn hard to find anything human-related around here without risking your life. The weakest ones turn to dust in seconds if they’re not careful around humans.” This time Edge didn't hit Red for his rant. He was listening very carefully without exploding.

But Red hadn't finished. "So tell me, Erald..." At the mention of your made-up monster name, your ears instinctively perked up. The conversation had taken on a much more important turn than you'd ever imagined. "How did an immature monster, alone, small, frail, and without a pack to support him, find an object in such good condition without a fight?"

Okay, despite appearances, Red wasn't stupid. His crude, impertinent manner made him very irritating and intimidating, but he was very attentive to detail. You hadn't missed how the same inquisitive gaze was scanning the bow on your shoulder or the knives on your belt in great detail. They didn't seem worried; surely such basic weapons weren't a real threat to monsters as strong as them, but you could tell you hadn't created them from scratch.

Sans had said that Tieflings used to carry weapons, but a closer look revealed that it wasn't a makeshift bow fashioned from a simple stick.

“(What do I do? Lie and pretend to be stupid… Or take a chance and tell the truth?)” It wasn't a decision to be taken lightly. Edge had a reputation for being a ruthless and impatient monster, and he was an alpha. One look had been enough to bring you to your knees the last time. It was a miracle he hadn't attacked you right away.

The wrong decision could have made them so angry. Even if Sans had said not to hurt you and that other brothers wanted to be your friends, there was no guarantee they wouldn't attack anyway.

“I'M WAITING FOR MICROBE…”—Edge's patience was quickly wearing thin. Using your intuition, you settled on a half-truth.

You had to be convincing. Head held high, voice even, and words flowing, “Okay, you got me. The truth is, I often stalk humans, and when they least notice, I steal whatever items I can snatch without being seen. I’m often out checking out different areas of the island, but they’re often so distracted by capturing as many things as possible that they don’t notice what’s around them. I mean… Humans don’t have very powerful senses, so they’re easier to surprise…”

You thought belittling the humans would help your case, and judging by the two’s satisfied faces, it seemed to be working. But there was one last hurdle to overcome. “Why would you do that?” Red said, his voice strangely unconvincing.

Seeing your lost face, Edge did you the favor of calmly explaining it to you: “EVERYONE KNOWS THAT HUMAN OBJECTS SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN. IT’S PROHIBITED BY LAW…ONLY THE REAL TOUGH GUYS CAN DO IT BECAUSE THEY DON’T FEAR REPERCUSSIONS. LIKE US IN FACT!” Edge resumed his pose like the alpha he was.

But you were too focused on the new information to be afraid of his presence. “(Is there a law that prohibits monsters from using human objects? But why?)” Now, in the computer files, you had read that researchers suspected there was some sort of nest on the island. Most of the monsters had retreated from their old nests, too easy to find.

And so some claimed they were hiding in a larger, more spacious place, along with the older monsters on the island. It was suspected that they were the ones dictating the so-called rules… But then why were the skeletons wearing human clothes?

It was truly bizarre. As you lifted your head to try to learn more, Red straightened up in a flash, straining his ears and trying to pick up distant sounds. “What a nuisance, we have to go, boss; the humans are moving again,” Red growled darkly, as he approached the remains of the carcass, biting it unceremoniously on the spot. Seeing those sharp teeth in action was terrifying. As you sat down to talk to them, you almost forgot the fear factor.

Edge stood there, still contemplating you, muttering to himself, and finally caught you off guard with a totally unexpected question. “WHAT DRIVES YOU TO RISK SO MUCH? YOU ARE SMALL, FRAGILE, AND ALONE. YOU COULD STAY SAFE ON THE ISLAND WITHOUT RISK. WHY DO YOU STEAL ITEMS FROM HUMANS KNOWING YOU'D BE SCREENED BY OTHER MONSTERS?” Edge's voice became soft. It was almost unnatural to hear him speak so calmly… Almost sweet…

His face remained serious, but there was something more forgiving in those burning lights. It reminded you of Mutt's look that night when he discovered who you were, the same look of an undecided creature, yet eager to understand.

A small smile spread across your face. Your shoulders relaxed as your tail swung placidly on the ground. "Actually..." A strange sense of security hovered in your soul; in that moment, it didn't seem like such a bad creature was in front of you. "I simply imitated you; you inspired me."

Edge's eyes widened for a moment, surprised by your words. And this time, you didn't have to pretend. They were terrifying monsters, but they were fighting for their home and themselves. You could only admire their courage and commitment.

The corner of Edge's jaw twitched slightly, almost as if hinting at a smirk...

*BANG!* Several gunshots exploded in the air. They were still distant, but that meant the humans were back to wreaking havoc.

Edge roared angrily, snarling at the direction of the gunfire, "LUNCH TIME'S OVER, MOVE ON, YOU LABYRINTH!" The order was obviously for Red, whose face was bloodied from ravenously eating the remains of the boar carcass.

"HEY, MICROBE," Edge said, seeking your attention, raising his voice. "...AS A FAN OF MY KIND, I EXPECT TO SEE YOU AGAIN IN OUR TERRITORY SOON. DON'T DISAPPOINT ME. AND DON'T DIE LIKE AN IDIOT." Without another word, Edge began to run in the opposite direction. In a few strides, you saw him disappear into the trees, followed by a Red with a look of surprise painted on his skull.

Without thinking too much, you also ran off, careful not to leave anything behind. The day had been much more productive than expected. And with that new information... Those two had left you with a lot to think about.