I woke up abruptly when the morning light hit my eyelids. It's never been normal for me to sleep in past dawn, unless I was sick. This means the cold didn't cause me to be sick at least. I sat up on the couch and looked around, like I was expecting something to have changed.

The towel was still folded neatly in its place, so I left it there. I pat my hair down and walked up the stairs. The best way to leave, without leaving suspicion, would be through the balcony. I didn't want the police of the underground causing me any trouble. As I closed the door to the balcony, a chill went up my spine.

I pressed myself against the house and peered around the front. Two skeletons stood there: one, tall wearing a costume and a long sweeping scarf, the other, a shorter skeleton wearing slippers and a heavy blue hoodie. The short one held a key in his hand. He was speaking too softly for me to hear. As the door clicked open and the skeletons filed into the house, I saw a kid, around eight or nine years old, following them in. This must be the family that lives here. From what it looks like, two brothers and whatever the kid was to them.

Without prying further, I jumped from the balcony to the porch roof, then climbed down to the ground. As I stood to my full height, I felt eyes on me. I looked at the front window and saw the child looking out at me. I put my finger up to my lips in a hushing motion, but the kid shook his head. He put both his hands up and started to put his fingers down slowly, one by one. The child was giving me a head start.

I darted to Grillby's backdoor, the store was closed until 10am, and knocked lightly. Not much to my surprise, Grillby opened the door and looked at me questioningly.

"Cherry?" He said curiously. "What are you doing here so early?"

"May I come in?" I asked politely, but I was already on my way in.

He opened the door more and I was able to get into the restaurant more easily. "Thank you Grillby." I said.

He nodded in response and walked into the kitchen.

"Would you like something to eat?" He asked.

"If it's not a bother."

He chuckled. "For someone so cold, you are polite."

I rocked my head to the side in confusion. "Cold?" I asked.

He nodded. "You Cherry, if you don't mind me saying, are a very distant person."

I shrugged. "I've always been that way. I don't really notice anymore."

He placed a plate of scrambled eggs in front of me. We sat in the kitchen and ate quietly for about fifteen minutes before he spoke again.

"So, where did you stay last night?" He asked.

I didn't speak for a moment, not wanting to expose my whereabouts. "I slept in someone's shed." I said shortly.

Grillby nodded along, though it was clear he didn't believe me. I was almost 100% sure he knew I broke into a house. He, however, didn't press the subject, much to my pleasure. He instead followed another subject.

"Cherry, the Surface and the Underground are linked now, I could call your family if you like." Grillby offered.

"No family to call. No friends either. I'm a lone wolf." I said with a smile. It didn't bother me, not having a family. I had unlimited freedom. It's as simple as that.

"Well you have to have someone." Grillby said. "My daughter, she's on a school trip right now, I have her. And she makes me so happy, just being in existence. Don't you have anyone like that?"

I shook my head. The lapse in conversation after that was short lived. Soon after that, the front door swung open to reveal the residents of the skeleton home. Grillby stood and went to the skeletons with a disapproving look.

"Sans! Why do you always insist upon ignoring my hours?! Papyrus why didn't you stop him?" Grillby nagged.

I laughed quietly as the scene continued. "We were out of noodles so I couldn't make spaghetti. So Sans convinced me to come here and try your specialities!" Papyrus declared.

The child giggled at the three and sat at the bar next to the shorter skeleton, Sans. Grillby sighed and walked back to the kitchen. He gave me an apologetic look.

"Do you mind?" He asked.

I gave him the thumbs up and an approving smile. "It's your job. I'll help prepare it if you like."

He shook his head. "Those skeletons are particular about their food." I shrugged and moved my seat out of the way.

As Grillby prepared the food I watched intently. I'd never made a burger before so the process was more than interesting to me. The skeletons chat goodheartedly as they waited. However, it didn't take long for the subject to switch to their recent home invasion.

Sans was quiet for a long time before saying. "I know how it got in. I left my door unlocked. But how did it get onto the second story balcony anyway? Was it a ninja?"

"Her, Sans... her. Grillby specifically said it was a her named Cherry." Papyrus said.

"I don't care what if it's a he or a she. They broke in, moved our stuff, used our couch, and I don't like it."

A younger, sweeter voice answered this time. "Sans, we don't even live there anymore."

"It has sentimental value Frisk. Like that sock. It's been there for years! It was our leg-acy. An easy way to take a step into the past."

Papyrus roared in anger. "SANS NO!!!"

"Sans yes!!" He snickered.

I snickered myself, though quietly. He had been sly about the pun. Grillby sighed. "That skeleton and his puns..."

"Hey Frisk, why don't you go back and check on the food?" Sans said.

I felt myself panic a little at the thought. "No, Sans. I can't just go walking all over Grillby's restaurant."

"I agree with the human Sans. That's bad manners!" Papyrus concurred.

Sans laughed. "Relax! I'm teasing."

Grillby walked past me with three plates of steaming fresh food, a bottle of ketchup, and two cups of hot chocolate. I found a spot so I could watch unseeable, and Grillby handed out their food. Frisk and Papyrus each took a hot chocolate merrily, while Sans took the ketchup bottle. It took me by surprise as he took off the cap and drank a mouthful of ketchup. As the thought processes of doing that myself, I gagged audibly. All of them looked in my direction, though only Grillby could see me.

"Who ya got stored back there Grillbz?" Sans asked.

I darted from my position farther into the kitchen. The oven was big enough to hide me so I swiftly curled down next to it. Grillby was soon there as well and he laughed at me.

"Cherry, don't hide from the skeletons because you broke into their house. Just be honest with them." He said.

I shook my head. "That's just gonna stall my trip. Dealing with them now is gonna slow me down and I need to keep going."

"Then ask for their help instead."

I laughed. "You really think shorty wants to help me, after he got so mad about me just sleeping on his couch. That's literally all I did!"

Grillby sighed. "Fine, finish your food, then leave out the back entrance."

I nodded and stood from behind the oven. There wasn't much left on my plate so I finished it quickly and put my plate in the sink.

"Thank you Grillby." I said and smiled sweetly at him.

He nodded towards me and I left promptly. As I left, the cold didn't seem to bother me as much as it had the previous day. I walked on past the house and soon left the snowy environment, exchanging for a place with lots of water falls and blue glowing flowers. Water lotuses littered the water as I passed. They were swaying gently on the pond, filling my body with a sense of determination.

Monsters were few in number and few wanted to fight, much to my surprise. Based on my schools teachings, monsters challenged almost anything that moved. Apparently that wasn't the case, anymore. It didn't take long for me to find a populated area. I explored this area, grateful this time that it wasn't buried in snow. I found only two houses and the ashes of another. I knocked on the door of the first home, a droopy looking house. The door creaked open and I found a ghost inside, bent over with headphones.

I looked at it curiously and walked towards it. "Hello?"

It looked at me suddenly and I found it to be in a glum mood. "Oh, are you okay?"

It didn't answer immediately. "Oh, I'm okay. I just didn't think I'd have any guests. I would have tidied up. I'm sorry."

I snickered. "You don't have to apologize. I just walked in. I should be apologizing. What's your name?"

"My name is Napstablook. Sorry for making you want to apologize. Do you want to lie on the floor with me?" He asked.

I giggled and laid down. "Yeah, why not?"

I sat quietly and stared at the ceiling. Neither of us said a word. Then, just as I was about to speak, our surrounding drained away. The cosmos surrounded us in a beautiful whir.

"Wow...." I said in astonishment.

"Yeah, I like it too." Napstablook said.

I grinned and sat up, the cosmos quickly dissipating. "Sorry Napstablook, I have to go."

"Oh, okay..." He said.

I hugged the ghost, feeling like he'd need it. As I left, I heard him mutter something about calling someone. Probably a friend of his.

When I closed the door behind me, I felt chills rip through me, and I turned to find a singular door in a lit hall. This was definitely new. I walked to the door and opened it, peering in. From where I stood, I couldn't see the contents of the inside, but garbled speech echoed in my head.

"A girl visits me..... Oh she's peculiar... Come here girl..... What is your name?"

I walked into the room and the owner of the voice came into view. It was another skeleton, though this one seemed broken. A line extended from each eye, one more open than the other and his two hands had holes in his palms. He wore long black robes.

"Hey dear? Come to me. I want to look at you."

I took a few steps closer and crossed my arms. "Okay, look at me quickly so I can leave."

His form glided around me. As I waited, my eyes surveyed my surroundings. It seemed we were standing in a void. I couldn't see a distance any farther than this newcomer.

"Young girl, where is your soul?" He asked.

I shrugged. "I don't have one as far I'm aware."

He laughed at my statement. "Child, everyone has a soul. It's just a matter of finding it." He offered a hand to me. "My name is Gaster, let me help you."

I stepped away from Gaster and shook my head. "No thanks, I have no interest in looking for something that doesn't exist. It's like looking for the Fountain of Youth. A wasted effort."

The expression on Gaster fell and he pulled back from me. "Very well. Go then. I'll be here if you want to take me up on my offer."

The door reappeared behind me and I turned to leave. "Goodbye, Gaster."

As I stepped out of the door, I stretched and a yawn escaped my lips. It hadn't occurred to me how tired I was. Hours had passed as I was exploring and I hadn't eaten anything since morning. It was no wonder I was tired.

I found a small area away from the path and sat down. Nothing a short nap couldn't hurt. As my eyes closed, I heard whispers in my ear.

Just like me.... You're just like me...