Undertale: Reason to Live

Chapter 90

"Are we really going to do this?" Burgerpants asked nervously as the trio continued talking while walking back downstairs to the studio.

"YES" Calibri signed quickly.

"We could all be fired, Calibri. I'm 19. I can't afford to start a new career path."

"I'M 25. I DON'T CARE. METTATON DESERVES IT."

"Oh, I didn't realize you were that old. Maybe there's hope for me after all."

Calibri and Frisk paused and stared at Burgerpants incredulously before Calibri simply whispered, "Rude."

"Burgerpants, this is gonna be amazing," Frisk said. "There's nothing to it. All I have to do is lull the audience into a false sense of security until Mettaton leaves me alone, I play some offensive songs, and then boom! The audience hates me, Mettaton doesn't want me anymore, and I'm free to return to my family."

"We can't go through with this," Burgerpants said. "Why can't we just sneak away and hide somewhere?"

"That hasn't worked any other time we tried it," Frisk snapped. "Has it?"

Calibri signed, "HE HAS A POINT."

"Look, I have already texted Sans and the others and they agree with me," Frisk said turning around in front of the others and stopping the two in their tracks. "Even if I hide somewhere, Mettaton will not leave me alone. I have to find a way to stop him from wanting me and this is the best we know how to do it. I know it's risky, but if we don't do anything, nothing will change. I am not going home with Mettaton tonight. Come on, Burgerpants. Please."

Calibri turned to Burgerpants and signed, "I PROMISE WE'LL BE CAREFUL. COME ON. FRISK NEEDS A DRUMMER."

Burgerpants sighed and said, "I suppose I do owe ya for not bein' able to help ya earlier, kid. We just have to be smart about this, alright?"

Frisk smiled and nodded.

"OKAY," Calibri signed. "WE ALL KNOW THE PLAN. YOU TWO DO AS MUCH DAMAGE AS YOU CAN WHEN METTATON THINKS HE CAN TRUST YOU AND I'LL GO RETRIEVE THE EXTRA INSTRUMENTS FROM MY EVIL TWIN."

"Hey, Calibri?" Burgerpants asked. "How did you know I could play the drums?"

"I WAS A TEACHER'S ASSISTANT IN YOUR MIDDLE SCHOOL BAND CLASS WHILE I WAS STILL IN HIGH SCHOOL. REMEMBER?"

"I thought that was River."

"NO, MY DAD WAS STILL A FINANCIAL CRIMES LAWYER. REMEMBER?"

"Wait, is your Dad's name River?" Frisk asked.

"YEAH, WHY?" Calibri signed.

"Holy crap! Is your dad the ferryman?"

"YES, THAT'S WHAT HE DOES NOW THAT HE'S NOT WORKING FOR METTATON ANYMORE. YOU DIDN'T KNOW WE WERE RELATED?"

"No! How is your Dad? I never found out what happened to him after I ran away."

"He ran off to take that Temmie home and never came back!" the all-too-familiar flamboyant voice responded as he put his hand on Frisk's shoulder.

Frisk turned around to see Mettaton back in his normal EX form without clothing again. Frisk could not suppress a glare.

"How are you, darling? Feeling better?" Mettaton asked.

Frisk wanted to unleash his anger on Mettaton more than anything, but he had to remember their plan, for his sake, for the sake of his family.

So, Frisk took a deep breath and said, "Yes, I'm better."

"Splendid," Mettaton said. "The commercial break is almost over if you're ready to go back on-stage for your live performance. You'll be playing the piano. How does that sound?"

Frisk glanced back at his buddies, shared a knowing smirk, and said, "That sounds just fine. Is it okay if my friends perform with me?"

"Of course, Calibri is our studio's greatest musical talent," Mettaton said. "Isn't that right, Calibri?"

"Yes," Calibri said while giving Mettaton a thumbs up.

"Calibri, dear, I can barely hear you," Mettaton said. "Why aren't you using the MTT speech-generating device I gave you?"

Calibri looked askance and signed, "I LOST IT."

"Again?" Mettaton asked raising a metaphorical eyebrow. "Honestly, Calibri, you should be keeping better track of your equipment. After all, you were its poster boy during the campaign. Luckily for you, I have the newest version right here."

Mettaton reached into a side compartment, pulled out the MTT-brand speech generating device, and handed it to the mute skeleton.

Calibri faked a smile and signed as he reluctantly took the device from his boss, "THANKS."

"No, no, use the device," Mettaton said. "I want to hear you use it. I need to know how it works for marketing purposes."

Calibri took a deep breath, flipped the device on, and held it to his throat.

"Thanks!" Calibri said in a voice that was mechanical and exactly as flamboyant as Mettaton's was.

Burgerpants and Frisk couldn't help but cringe as Calibri grimaced at his new device.

"Splendid, it works perfectly," Mettaton said. "Now, all the mute can have my voice! Isn't that great?"

"JUST SWELL," Calibri signed sarcastically.

"Good," Mettaton said completely missing the sarcasm. "Now, Frisk, are you ready to go on-stage?"

Frisk smiled in determination and said, "Readier than I've ever been."

Mettaton smiled and said, "That's my boy! Let's go!"

Frisk and his buddies smiled at each other as they followed Mettaton back to the stage.

When they arrived, there was a piano on the stage waiting for Frisk.