An Underswap AU: A Tale of Seven Book 1

Entry # 12: PERSEVERANCE

"PERSEVERANCE: The seventh Human child who fell into the Underground. A clever young lady whose curiosity might get the best of her."

💜 🍇 💜 🍇 💜

"How many times have I climbed this mountain? . . . I already lost count."

Saturn heaved a tired sigh. Mt. Ebott loomed over her like a towering Grim Reaper clad in trees and grass, with barbed wire fences as slippers.

Normal people would avert their gazes and shudder at the sight of the mountain of monsters. The legend surrounding it is enough to give even the least superstitious of adults nightmares that can last for days. However, after seeing the same scenery for more than a hundred times, the black haired girl stood undaunted at the foot of Ebott.

Scratch undaunted, she looked bored.

Originally, she climbed the mountain out of sheer frustration and anger, at her so-called classmates, at her so-called teachers, at her so-called parents, at every single soul residing in that darned town, at herself. Because she wasn't good enough. Because she can never be good enough, no matter how hard she tried.

She was the daughter of the town mayor and the school principal. Saturn is expected to be just as impeccable as her mother and father. She failed miserably at that department.

She can deal with judgements, comparisons, suffocating pressure and emotional abuse, but the intense bullying she received was the last straw. To put it bluntly, she flipped out and had beaten the bullies senseless, leaving them traumatized for the rest of their pitiful lives.

The same events repeated over and over again with each RESET they did. Like every other human being, she was oblivious to this nigh eternal loop. Until the previous timeline. Then she earned a ripple proof memory she never wanted to have.

"This must be what Papyrus feels. Extremely unmotivated." Saturn mumbled as she opened the gates. She frowned at how easily she managed to pick the lock. "No wonder those uncivilized apes managed to shove Viorel in here." She locked the gates once more and hiked up Mt. Ebott.

The quicker, the better. And if she's lucky, she might meet Chara and give him a slap or two.

💜 🍇 💜 🍇 💜

So far, her journey towards the summit was peaceful. She hasn't seen one of the fallen children yet. Does that mean she was meant to fall down alone? Just like the original timeline?

No, this isn't like the original timeline. Or any other timeline for the matter. She actually climbed the mountain six months earlier than she should have. And she didn't managed to give her oh so amazing classmates a good thwack on the head with a chair either. Looking back, she should've given her parents a piece of her mind too.

At the sight of the large hole atop the mountain, she immediately dashed towards it and flung herself in.

Here goes nothing.

Saturn crashed on the bed of golden flowers with a quiet thump. The black haired girl sat up, confused. The flower bed is larger than before, forming a small hill that reminds her of a haystack. It looks like it was constructed to cushion a fall. Did Asgore built this?

She checked her lavender shirt adorned with four petalled flowers and tiny polka dots. Then she scanned her greyish blue shorts, black leggings and zipped up boots. No damage, to her relief. Saturn figured that if she were to die, she might as well die in her favorite clothes; unlike the previous timelines where she died in her stupid school uniform.

"Howdy!"

Good Heavens. . .

Saturn glared at the only sentient golden flower beaming at her angelically. If it were her first time, then that little cretin had her fooled. But she knew the monstrosity hiding beneath that innocent smile of his. He is a d*dirt*l in disguise.

"I'm Flowey! Flowey th–!!"

He didn't get to finish his introduction. Saturn stomped him like a shoe to a cockroach.

"And here I thought I have to shoot him. Again." Said a voice from the only entrance/exit of the room. There is a shadow figure around her height leaning against the doorway. He (she presumed that the figure is a boy), seemed to be wearing some sort of scarf, holding a pistol on one hand.

Saturn faced him, tilting her head out of curiosity. "Again?"

"Keeps on coming here despite our warnings. Very annoying, but very dangerous too." The figure stepped into the light. He is confirmed to be a boy, with light brown hair and skin tone. And he is wearing a triangular bandanna that matches the color of his piercing yellow eyes. "Doesn't look like it, but he nearly killed one of my siblings two years ago." He sheathed the revolver (not a pistol) on the holster attached to his belt.

Saturn knew him. The JUSTICE boy, Justin Mindaro. He fell down with her one time. This can mean his sister is just around the corner, or maybe he is looking for Jaede again and fell into the Underground by accident.

Either way, she hoped that the KINDNESS girl did not fall down first and gotten herself killed. She'd rather not have a repeat of Timeline # 170, thank you very much.

Justin scanned her for any signs of injury. Satisfied that the flower pile worked, he turned his back and gazed at her over his right shoulder. "Come. Dad is the caretaker of the Ruins. He'll give you a brief tutorial about this place."

"Straight to the point, as always." Saturn mentally grinned before following him wordlessly out of the room. The thought of seeing Asgore, and the other fallen children if there are any still staying in the Ruins, once more made her happier than she thought possible.