If you could picture the most courageous person imaginable, what would you envision? Someone who fights despite the odds against them? Someone who stands up for what is right? A person who puts their heart and soul into each and every thing they do, no matter how miniscule the task?
All of the above, perhaps?
No matter your interpretation on the matter, I know we can all agree that a courageous person is someone to look up to, not a lot of people have the strength to know what exactly it is they want, much less fight for it.
And if a courageous person stood before you at this very moment, would you recognize them? Could one glance tell you everything you needed to know? Could you not simply stare into their soul and find the inner workings of their character? Their strength? Their will? Their determination?
Maybe you could. However, I don't think a person can simply be so easily figured out.
Maybe, just maybe, there's more than just what meets the eye...
•~•~•~•~•~
"Undyne!"
A shrill voice resounded throughout the empty classroom, only to be met with another string of soft snores. It wasn't until a ruler slapped the edge of her desk did Undyne finally bolt upwards, the fear in her chest tightening as she realized what had happened.
She had fallen asleep -
In class-
Again.
Not only that, but considering the fact that the desks surrounding hers were also empty, she had another problem to face.
She had slept through the dismissal bell, meaning the school buses were already long gone, and she was forced to walk 3 miles back to her house.
"Undyne." Her teacher said sternly, gesturing her ruler at the girl. "This has been the 5th time this week you've dozed off in my class. If I'm here to teach, then you're here to learn. Understand?"
Undyne nodded weakly.
"Good. Now I expect you to be bright-eyed tomorrow afternoon when you come to my class, or else detention will be in order."
Undyne furrowed her brows at the mention of punishment. However, not needing another reason for her teacher to yell at her, she simply mustered another weak nod and stood up to head home.
She had barely reached the doorway when she heard another word spoken.
"And Undyne?"
"Yes?" She replied, the word coming out more shaky than she'd anticipated.
"This is why students like you fail to see the light of graduation. If you want to see yourself in a bright future, then stop wasting it."
Undyne felt something bubbling up inside her at her teacher's comment, and she knew the feeling all too well.
Instead of letting it reach the surface, no matter how tempting, she simply pushed it down like she always did, and without speaking another word, shut the door behind her.
•~•~•~•~•~
It wasn't that Undyne was a pushover-
At least, that's what she always told herself.
She didn't like confrontation, fighting, arguing, or anything else of the sort. She was the kind of girl who tried to find a peaceful resolution to her problems, and in the case that there weren't any, she would smile and walk away.
Even if the smile was forced.
She knew who she was deep down, and she could describe her character as perfectly as anyone else could.
She lived by a philosophy that you choose what kind of person you want to be. And the Undyne she was -
Was the Undyne she chose to be.
It sounded confusing to anyone she tried to explain it to until she eventually just stopped trying to get people to understand.
No matter what she did, they always told her that her character, her being, and her very soul was predetermined when she was born. She couldn't have chosen who she was because that was already decided for her.
Whatever choice she made, they said, would crumble as it always did when someone was living a lie.
What did Undyne do in response?
She smiled and walked away.
The smile on her face was genuine this time. For she knew that they were all in the wrong, and that if she wanted to be something, then she could always achieve that goal if she simply tried hard enough.
But if that was the case, and Undyne was right in her decisions-
What was that feeling bubbling to the surface again?
•~•~•~•~•~
YOU ARE READING
Soul-Searching (Alphyne)
Fanfic"You really think you can beat me at my own game?" The girl went against her better nature and nodded defiantly in response. The air was thick with unspoken tension and electricity, and no other words were spoken for a good few seconds. Until, final...
