I sat nervously awaiting the first question, feeling quite awkward when the crowd was silent. Mettaton just laughed loudly and putting a hand on my knee. "Oh look darling, don't be so nervous! It's just some questions? Why don't we hop right in, shall we?"

I nodded gratefully and gave him a quiet thumbs up. "Okay darling, here's our first question from here in the crowd: We all know your name is Cherry. Now that we've seen your hair I wanna know, is your name related to your hair?"

A sigh of relief passed over me and I grinned. Easy questions like that, I could handle. "Actually yes. My name isn't Cherry, from birth. It's something I developed before my parents passed away."

As if on a cue the crowd all sighed sadly at my words. Mettaton made the 'keep going' motion with his hand and I continued to elaborate. Clearing my throat, I said, "I was born, legally, under the name Sheryl. Growing up I didn't like the name so I went by Sherry instead, as sort of a gloss over the name. But as I got to around fourth grade, and people realized how off I was, they'd tease me with it. Calling out my hair and my horrible name, they started calling me, Cherry, and it just stuck to me, becoming my name."

Mettaton threw a hand over his mouth and gasped. "You mean the fact your name was once your tease doesn't bother you?"

I shrugged. "They're not down here are they? What can they do to me?"

Mettaton looked down at his phone and frowned. "They can send us pictures darling. I won't show them to you but I wouldn't check the Undernet if I was you."

I raised a brow in confusion, "How are you getting those?" I asked.

"Why, the humans must be watching!"

My entire face turned beet red and I looked at one of the cameras. In an moment of adolescent mind set, I flipped them off and stuck out my tongue. "Let's just continue here," I said, "It's better not to let them get to me. Besides, I know a few who would envy the fact I'm on the set of your show."

Mettaton blushed then laughed politely.

"If you say so darling!" Mettaton sifted threw his question blog looking for something that wasn't just dirt at me. "Oh, here we go, there are rumors that you and the skeleton Sans have recently become rival enemies. Care to explain?"

At the sound of his name I growled, "The facts are simple, I don't like that skeleton. We started off twenty paces from the right foot and have gotten worse from there. I won't say he's a terrible person, but I've only seen how he is when he's acting like an as- I mean jerk."

Mettaton nodded along. "So you two aren't enemies, but you still don't like him. How does that work?"

I grinned. "It's easy. To like someone, you trust them, at least to some degree. Mettaton. You for example, I trust that you won't pull me too far from my comfort zone, like showing me the pictures my bullies are sending you. Then in addition to that, you have to have at least one thing in common, I haven't found a solid one between us but I believe there is one. You also have to enjoy the other's company, feel safe around them. I feel safe here, even in front of a live audience."

I paused as the crowd cheered and whooed. Then I finished off my sentence. "You need all of those to like a person. I don't have any of those from Sans, and I haven't given those to him."

Mettaton took a deep breath and nodded like he was a psychologist. "I see Cherry, was it always like that with him?"

I laughed quietly and said, "Sorta and sorta not. The first time we 'met' was when someone tipped him off I was in his house. No! I wasn't stealing anything, but a couples days after I got here, a blizzard hit that snowy place, Snowdin I think, and I couldn't afford the inn, seeing as I fell in here with a total of three human currency. I would show you, but two went as a donation to a spider bake sale and the other I used on a jukebox after Sans had made me really mad. So when I saw his house, and the window view proved it was vacant, I climbed to the second floor balcony and got inside through that door."

Mettaton laughed. "You seem like quite the little ninja, aren't you?"

I snickered at his use of words but still nodded. "I can be stealthy if I want."

Mettaton pressed my story. "Okay, so if Sans heard about you from your staying at his house while he was gone, when did you actually meet officially."

I had to think back and rocked my head side to side, considering my options. "Well that's a bit tricky. I was sneaking out of the house and saw him as I was fleeing the scene. Then I saw him again later that day when I was eating with a friend, Grillby, before I left Snowdin. Both times I saw him first and he didn't physically see me. He did hear me though the second time. He saw me first when I was in Waterfall and I was talking to a friend. Right after my friend left he made a lame knock knock joke. And I came out of our private dome, then he teleported me and stuff happened. Really the best situations I've had with Sans around were the ones we didn't talk and I was hanging out with Papyrus or Frisk. Frisk if you're watching, hi Li'l' Nugget!"

The crowd 'awed' at your nickname for Frisk. Mettaton pushed me through some questions, the atmosphere becoming easier to be in. I was actually reclined in my seat laughing with everyone else. My phone vibrated and I pulled it from my pocket quickly to glance at the number.

It looked unfamiliar and you declined it, setting it down on the seat next to you. "So Cherry, I've been wanting to hold this one until you were more comfortable but I can't hold my curiosity. I'd like to know about the knife on your leg."

For a moment I sat confused until I remembered the knife I'd tied to my leg. Raising my brows in understanding, I stood and carefully removed it from its spot. "This knife I presume?" I asked happily.

Mettaton looked at it nervously. "Yes, that one. We'd like to know how you got it. Or maybe your history with it."

A grin hung from ear to ear across my face. "Yeah sure!"

Holding the blade gingerly, I looked at Mettaton. "I'm not gonna lie to you Mettaton. This knife is beyond dangerous. It's seen some terrible things."

Mettaton raised his perfect brow. "Care to explain."

I shook my finger, "It may not be all appropriate for family television."

He sighed and let his shoulders fall, but asked me to continue. "Well, the previous owner of this knife, it hurt people. I found it in his old home when I was exiting the Ruins. When I first held the knife I knew it had an eerie past to it, but I believe in change. It is my belief that no matter what this blade did in the past, it didn't matter as long as I don't repeat it in the present."

Mettaton nodded in agreement. "That's a wise way to look at it. But if not for self defense, I can't see you the type to hurt someone, what do you use it for?"

"It's mostly just a tool to get me outta binds. I've cut myself before with it but that was an accident. It's main use has been cutting me outta places."

Mettaton nodded and looked at the blade. I took one of his hands in mine and put it over the blade. "You can trust me. I wouldn't hurt a living soul, even if it was the bullies from above ground."

Mettaton seemed to relax and he pat the blade twice, showing his trust. He looked at the glow-in-the-dark clock and sighed. "Sadly folks, that's all the time we have. Give a hand to Cherry, everyone!"

The room thundered with applause and I performed a dramatic bow before putting the knife back in its spot. As soon as I was off stage, Mettaton swept me up in a sweeping hug. "OMG DARLING! YOU WERE FANTASTIC!!!!"

I giggled quietly as he put me down. Grabbing my phone from me, he dialed his number so I'd have it. "You MUST come back on the show sometime! The crowd loves you!"

I blushed lightly and folded my hands politely across my lap. "I actually had a lot of fun Mettaton." I said happily, "I promise I'll call you soon."

He clapped his hands giddily and pushed me through the flow of people coming to take the stage. "Come Cherry! We are going to my resort!"

A laugh spilled over my lips as I took up my own walking pace. Mettaton went on and on about my performance under pressure and how my adaptability made me great for comedy. I'd never been complimented so extensively before and it felt really good. It didn't take long before we appeared to the entrance of a restaurant.

"Welcome to my restaurant!" He said loudly, like he was introducing a WWE
match. "Oh darling you'll love it!"

He walked us in and sat down immediately. "So let's talk money."

I blinked twice and almost did a spit take. "Let's talk money? Why? I didn't do anything!"

"But of course darling! It wasn't acting but making an appearance on my network means you get paid for your time!"

I shook my head aggressively. "No, no Mettaton. I couldn't."

He laughed. "You could. You said it yourself, you don't have a penny to your name."

"But I have a tab at Grillby's! I can sleep anywhere so shelter is covered and there's free water at Waterfall. I don't need money."

Mettaton. "Sweetie, a tab means you're in debt. I'll pay you and you can do what you please with the money, but that's final."

I groaned and put my head in my hands, Mettaton snorting in laughter. "Oh Cherry you are too cute!"

A plate of piping hot chicken appeared in front of you. "When did we order?" I asked.

"They know what to bring when I'm here."

"You can't eat, can you?" I asked.

"No darling, but we can talk as you eat!"

As I ate the extremely good chicken, Mettaton discussed payment. The only times I spoke it was to lower my income. Soon the chicken was gone and I was ready to go. Mettaton left some gold and left with me, turning as I exited the restaurant. "I'm sorry darling, I have to go. I'll be sending you your payment soon, so be expecting it. Until later, ta ta!"

I giggled to myself as he left. Mettaton was certainly a character I couldn't wait to be to know better. As I walked back into the resort, a cold voice stopped me in my tracks.

"It's nice to finally know how you feel about me." He said coldly.

I turned slowly and looked at Sans with as little enthusiasm as possible. "You really are the stupidest person I've ever met." I snarled.

He laughed, his head turned away. "I was watching, you know." He said quietly.

I crossed my arms and waited for him to continue. "And what? Did I hurt your feelings?"

He sighed and shook his head. "I don't want to believe it, but you seem to be gone."

"Gone? What's that supposed to mean? I'm the same person I was when I fell down here, am I not?" I said with a snap.

He laughed. "We both know you're not Cherry. Even if you can't tell, you know you've changed. And I feel like deep down you know that."

I snorted. "Funny, I didn't know you had feelings."

His grin turned into a sneer as I spoke. "You should wisen up kid, you're gonna get yourself killed."

"By who, the dead kid Chara, the six inch flower or the skeleton."

He grinned slowly, setting the hairs on my neck standing. "I don't know yet."

As a wave of silence passed over us, I looked at Sans. From one pocket I saw paper sticking out. He seemed to be tired, despite my only knowing him as a lazy bum.

"What's with the papers? Ya got a hit on me or something?" I teased.

Sans looked at the papers and pulled them out gingerly. "Oh, these are your drawings. Alphys let me keep them."

"Why did you want them in the first place?" I asked.

He unfolded the two papers and looked at them. "They're actually quite good. I'm surprised you got my likeness."

I frowned as I remembered the drawing of him. It seemed I had forgotten to throw that picture away. It means the other was the picture of the girl. He turned and showed them to me. My eyes latched on to the picture of a girl and I gasped. The girl resembled me in all my likeness, but I looked evil and sad.

"It seems you're aware of your evil. I'm actually surprised you didn't bring it with you."

I walked to him and ripped the paper from his hand, shredding it afterwords. The paper looked terrible as you stamped it into the ground. "That's not me and it never will be," I said in a low growl. Sans laughed.

"Cherry, do you think it's a choice? With the way you're living, this is almost guaranteed. But I'm guessing you don't care. I'm guessing you're not afraid of that happening, huh?"

I stilled as he addressed one of my greatest flaws. My back turned to him, I balled my fist. Chara's voice rang in my ear.

Kill him Cherry.... He can't taunt you if he's dead....

I smack a hand against my head forcefully. "Get out of my head you little shit."

Sans laughed quietly. "I'm not surprised at all really. I had a feeling this would happen."

My hand was dangerously close to my blade, but I held it away. "Will you shut the hell up?" I hissed.

"Why? Does it bother you hearing that?"

"Can you just shut up you smiling trash bag?!"

He shook his head. "Flowey already has influence over you. You're practically a lost case."

My nails dug into my hand to the point blood dripped into my palm. An airy laugh rang in my throat. "You are a fucking idiot." I said quietly. "You really are."

"Heh, how so?"

My voice started as a low hiss, slowly growing louder. It didn't matter where I was, I was done.

"You, Sans, are the biggest idiot on the face of this earth. You act like you see every thing in this world. You act like you're some higher being to me. Well guess what Sans, you're not. You haven't trusted me once since I got to the Underground because I have a knife with me. You've never seen me hurt a single soul and you still don't trust me. Do you have any idea how much I want to trust you? I want to be friends and to stop this stupid fucking thing we have! But do you know how difficult you're being? I only have so many friends, Sans. Everything I said on stage today, it was true. Not a single goddamn person up there cares about me. The only people that came close were my parents and I couldn't even love them! My entire life I've been dealing with the world by myself because no one was like me. No one had my problem. And then I fell down here. I came down here and I found monsters that actually chose to talk to me over beat me. And that, that made me happy. And then there was you. You literally wanted to kill me before you met me. I was cold, homeless, lonely. I wasn't welcome. And now I have friends, all you can do is call me a monster. I don't understand why you hate me! I don't understand why you feel the need to make me suffer!"

Sans growled and cut me off. "It's because you're not normal Cherry. The first time I saw you I saw the people you let in. You have a demonic spirit attached to your hip, literally, and a soulless flower as a best friend. Cherry, you don't know how much I've seen. I've seen thousands of timelines, some great, some where that knife you have caused me more pain than I'd ever care to feel. Seeing you waltz in and accept that evil like an old friend, that's scary. You are a terrifying thing I'm not even sure should be alive."

"Is that why you hate me?! Because I remind you of some bad memories?!"

"I don't hate you Cherry!"

"Cut the shit Sans! Here's the facts: I'm friends with Flowey because he showed me kindness. I'm not friends with you because all you do is make me feel hated. To be honest, I'm surprised you haven't killed me!"

Sans growled. "Maybe I should. You don't have a soul anyway, it'd be interesting to see what happens!"

My heart felt like it cracked in two and my face fell. Tears streamed down my cheeks like small waterfalls. I walked away from Sans, crying into my arms as I walked straight towards a wall.

"Cherry I-"

"Don't talk to me Sans. I've lost hope for you." I said coldly.

I planned to keep walking until I realized someone might actually be able to help me. In a quiet tone, between sobs, I said, "Gaster?"

Sans seemed to stiffen at the word. A door appear in the wall in front of me, swinging open like a set of arms opening for a hug. I saw Gaster sitting inside, a ghostly grin on his skeletal face. "Come child," Gaster called, again offering his hand.

"Cherry don't! You can't trust him!"

I laughed quietly and looked back at Sans. "And I can trust you?"

The doors closed behind me and I collapsed, sobbing into the darkness.