An Underswap AU: A Tale of Seven Book 1

Entry # 51: Let's Pretend That This Chappy Has A Catchy Title

"Sorry Lux, looks like won't be able to attend your tea party tomorrow." Monster Kid thought as he closed his eyes with a sigh.

Humans. His new friends are humans. And yet they didn't fit the description of a human at all. In what little literature his kind managed to salvage before they were sealed within this cursed mountain, Humans were often portrayed as ruthless, hostile creatures bearing an intense hatred for Monsters. With souls devoid of love, compassion and hope, they don't need to feel such things to exist.

This particular group of Human children had pretty much proven that statement wrong; they are anything but hostile and ruthless. Sure, Justin and Alice are quite cold, but they aren't outright mean. And Jaede and Chara are two of the nicest people he's ever met. Whatever information he heard about Humans doesn't seem to match the personalities of the ones he met at all; unless their kindness is but a facade of their true nature. . .

An arm wrapping itself around his waist snapped him out of his reverie.

Monster Kid's eyes opened in an instant, greeted by crimson red irises and a warm smile.

"Got him!" Chara cheered, hugging the reptilian monster close.

Monster Kid's vision trailed upwards, and his jaw dropped in disbelief.

The brunette DETERMINATION boy is hanging onto Justin's hand, whose other limb is being held by Gerard in a firm grip. It's like a short chain, but with Humans instead of metal.

"WAY TO GO, C!" Gerard lauded. A beam enough to melt all the ice in the North Pole split his face into two, fiery orange irises sparkling with joy and relief. At that moment, the BRAVERY boy's expression resembled his brother's so much that Chara had to look away to recompose himself.

"Give us a warning before you hurl yourself over next time." Justin chastised, unaware of the younger's brief shift in mood. Though relieved that Chara managed to catch Monster Kid in the nick of time, he's not exactly pleased that the youngest member of their group decided to screw life and jump over the edge like some player in a video game with an infinite number of lives.

On the other side of the bridge, Viorel looked up at his sisters apologetically, feet dangling over Jaede's layered shields. The two girls grasped both of his arms like a vice, Alice on the right and Saturn on the left.

The blunette feels like the most useless person on the planet right now. He slipped and lost his focus, nearly turning him and Monster Kid into flesh bags of blood and broken bones (Okay, maybe he's exaggerating a bit. Jaede's shields are definitely not the softest stuff to land on, but between that and the stalagmites, hers is obviously the lesser of two evils); nearly disrupted their plan to break the barrier; nearly impeded their aim to free their father figure, newfound friends and Monsterkind as a whole from this thousand year old prison.

And yet you doubt that. A part of you still wondered if the Monsters deserved to be freed.

None of his siblings berated him for that though. Come to think of it, none of them ever rebuked him for holding their group back a couple of times, at the Ruins, in Snowdin, and now here, in the Waterfall. Only offered him geniune reassurances and understanding smiles, just like what Alice and Saturn had done even though the former is anything but comfortable when it comes to showing fondness in public and the latter being unable to express sincere affection most of the time.

Viorel found himself unable meet their gazes out of shame.

Why is he such an inconvenience to everyone?

Why don't you trust the plan anymore?

Breathing in through his nose and breathing out through his mouth, he steeled his nerves and stared up at his sisters, only to find out that Alice is the only one staring back at him, the blonde's countenance etched with concern. Saturn's attention seemed elsewhere, her nightshade purple irises narrowed in spine chilling animosity. He shuddered and looked down again. Somehow, the stalagmites below are less scary.