I was almost running as I left the lab. After feeling so renewed I didn't want to deal with Sans' dick-ery. The thought of him irritated the hell out of me. He just hated me for no reason!

People like that pissed me off. My stitches were starting to fall out, thankfully. Though Alphys' machine couldn't close my wound around the inorganic material, so my side was around 89% healed. My pack was filled with supplies and I was ready to just be done with this whole venture.

After about an hour or two of walking, I stopped to examine my bag for a snack. I nearly screamed in delight when I found a slice of pie. It looked odd and smelled different than any pie I'd ever had, but it tasted like a slice of heaven. I recognized cinnamon over the other vaguely familiar flavor of Butterscotch.

Before I got up to leave, a familiar voice greeted my ear. "Howdy Cherry!"

I looked back and saw my flowery friend waving at me. "Oh, hey Flowey. Where've ya been?"

Before he answered, he wove a dome over us like he had the last time we met. I guess it was for privacy.

"Well, I've been around, ya know, trying to prepare for the whole, 'getting to the surface and getting souls' thing. I'm very excited. When I have a soul again, maybe I'll get my form again."

I sent him a questioning look. "You've had a form other than a flower?"

He nodded enthusiastically. "Yep! I used to be a monster like any other, but an accident knocked the soul outta me and sent my consciousness into a flower."

"Oh, that sucks. What was your monster form like?" I asked.

"I can't remember. It was a long time ago."

I shrugged and sat back down criss-cross-applesauce. (Who else feels old after hearing that?)

I looked at the dome around us and a question popped into my mind. "Flowey, how are you growing anything here?"

"Volcanic soil is very fertile actually! I can grow anything here as long as I can find water." He responded, his expression looking intrigued with my question and his eyes giving me a feeling that he thought I was an idiot.

I shrugged and began to get up until a vine wrapped around my wrist. "Flowey?" I asked.

He looked at me with a fake expression. I couldn't even tell what he was trying to copy. "Flowey, is there a reason you found me?"

He nodded slowly. "Yeah.... Cherry, I'm being followed. Someone's trying to kill me."

I felt my chest quiver with sympathy. "Who?" I asked.

"It's a skeleton. His name is Sans."

A gasp spilled from my lips and I pulled Flowey into a half hug. "I know the skeleton, and he's a dick, so I understand."

After a pause I spoke again, "If you're trying to avoid Sans, you probably need to get outta the Hotlands. He's only a little bit back from where I came from."

Flowey frowned at me and his head sank. "Okay, I'll get out of here. I promise I'll come get you if something happens with our deal, okay?"

I nodded and pat his head twice before he left. Like the first time, he left me in the vines. With a groan of annoyance, I pushed around in my pack until I found the blade. To be honest, I'm glad Chara hadn't taken the blade back. It was going to come in handy.

After unwrapping the blade carefully, I dug in through the wall of the dome and brought it down. The vines cut more easily here than when I had faced the same situation in Waterfall.

Shortly after leaving the dome, your cellphone vibrated in your pocket. Removing it carefully, you checked the number and saw a picture of Alphys appear. "Hello Alphys. What's up?"

"W-Well I-I'm here with Sans and we, uh, wanted to ask you a question."

I held back a groan at the mention of Sans but instead sighed and said. "Yeah, okay. Shoot."

Alphys cleared her throat and said extremely quietly, "w........ f...... ..........."

"Sorry Alphys, I couldn't hear. Say that again."

"Wh..... was the fl..... ta..... to......"

I sighed and said, "Alphys you keep fading out. You have to speak up."

Seconds later a harsher, more annoyed voice came on to the voice. "Who was that flower you were talking to?!" Sans snapped.

An actual growl escaped your throat. "That flower was none of your concern. He's a friend of mine and you should stay away from him." I hissed.

Sans laughed. "Cherry, do you really understand what's happening around you? I mean really understand. For example, do you know the sins that have happened at the blade of your knife? Do you even know who it belonged to? Can you tell me the acts of evil that came from it?" He asked accusingly.

It filled you with smug pride to know the true answer. "I'm well aware that a child named Chara owned it before me. And based off what I saw of Chara, my blade probably killed several monsters before coming into my possession."

He didn't speak for a long time. "You've met Chara." He said in a haunted tone.

His disbelief filled me with smug determination. "Yeah, I did. In fact, it was earlier today. Sorry to burst your bubble but I know more than you think I know." I hissed.

"Cherry, do you know who that flower was, what he's done?" Sans said quietly.

I grit my teeth as I heard him speak about one of my only friends in such an accusing manner. "I know him better than you do! You're just out to kill him for a reason he can't even understand! Flowey understands what its like to be like me. He spared me when I fell down here. He was the first to show me any form of kindness! He didn't look at the knife and think 'Oh she can't be trusted.' No! He understood my right to it. He trusts me and that's more than I can say for you. Flowey is a goddamn flower that got stuck in a sticky situation.

Flowey is my friend and if you even try to hurt him, I'll hurt you tenfold. You can't even comprehend how much I hate that you're so willing to hate him when he can't even think of the reason himself! Leave him alone why don't you!?! Because as far as I know, he's the only person I can talk to about not having a soul. And sorry to not include you in that oh-so-minuscule group, but not having a heart isn't the same thing as missing a soul!"

My face was flushed and contorted beyond recognition. I felt so mad I wanted to break that skeleton in half over my knee. Immediately after I finished snapping at Sans I hung up. Soon after sending a text to Alphys saying 'Sorry Alphys. I was about done with Sans and snapped. I hope I didn't scare you. ;P'

My temper was so high you could boil water on my forehead. I ran a hand through my hair and sat down. The knife sat lazily in my hand as I looked at it. I hadn't really noticed, but the message from Chara, 'Acts of Evil cut deeper than that of an accident,' was probably referring to my wound.

If it's true the blade was cursed with evil sins then that would explain why what I thought to be a shallow nick became a deep bleeding mess. If it's true that's how the knife worked, it would be coming in very handy if someone crossed me, like Sans.

I cut the knifes makeshift cover into strips and tied them together, making a long string. With the knife pressed against my thigh, I secured it with my makeshift string. Easy access. My backpack over my shoulder and knife a two second grab from being able to kill, I was on my way through the Hotlands again.

It took me a bit but I soon walked into a conditioned building. It was teeming with laser and traps but the lasers were easily diverted by a reflective surface and having a knife made it easy. As I galloped through the building, making the creatures of the traps cringe at my lazy answers through, I soon found a web covered area.

Walking through, I saw spiders covering every inch of the webs. A cute snicker filled the air above me and I looked up to see a spider lady spinning in like a rope dancer.

"Huehuhuhuhu! What have we here? A new human? The spiders tell me you left a tip in the ruins, but it was only a nickel. Why is the human so stingy with her money?"

I laughed. "I'm not stingy. I walked into this mess with two pockets full of lint, a quarter, a dime and a nickel. The nickel was the first thing I grabbed."

The lady scuttled down towards me and looked at me intently. "You had no gold for a poor bake sale?"

I snorted in laughter. "If I had gold I wouldn't have a tab at Grillby's right now."

The lady crossed her sets of arms. "Well what can you donate to the cause?"

I took a moment and patted my pockets, coming up with a dime. "I've got a dime on me, but that's it."

The lady sighed and took the dime in hand. "Thank you for your donation." She said glumly.

I felt sad and followed her as she tried to walk away. "I'm sorry I can't offer more. Maybe you could test something on me? Like a labor kinda tip?"

The lady turned around and grinned, her fangs glistening despite the lack of light. "That's a wonderful idea!" She said delighted.

Grabbing my hand, she led me away from the webs into a small kitchen. In it thousands of spiders were at work creating pastries and other treats. As she sat me at a table, immediately spiders started bringing me plates of different things to try. Before I started she opened a fridge and asked, "what would you like to drink Ms..."

"Cherry." I supplied.

"Yes Ms. Cherry."

"What do you have?"

"Well we have water, milk, tea, soda, spiders, juice and almond milk?"

My thoughts glazed over the option of spider with a snicker and I considered the options. "I'll have a water please Ms..."

"My name is Muffet."

"Ms. Muffet."

She set a bottle of water and motioned for me to start trying. A cupcake looking monster scurried to the table next to me and sat patiently like a dog waiting for its person to drop food. I took a cautious bite of the first thing and immediately gagged. After three hours of eating gag worthy treats and giving fair feedback, Muffet was satisfied.

"Thank you human for helping my bake sale!" Muffet chirped. "You're always welcome at my establishment."

Grinning as I left the kitchen, my mood was considerably better now. After screaming at Sans, helping a baking project, and taking a shower, I felt invincible. Nothing was gonna stop me! Except a pink robot man.

As I was walking out of Muffet's little room of webs, I found myself facing a recording place. Posters hung neglected on the walls and people were all bustling around. It was amusing to see everyone pushing everyone around until someone was pushing me. I tried to twist around and looked at the person behind me but all I found was a glass stomach and impossibly shiny legs.

"What the f-"

"Family television darling. No cursing." He said. "You're on soon, I'd get into position!"

I shook my head. "Nope, there's been a mistake. I just got here, I'm not supposed to be on tv."

The person whipped me around and I immediately recognized the face from the world's most watched network. Mettaton, himself, was ushering me around. He looked me up and down and shook his head. "You are the right person. Your name is Cherry right?"

I nodded, bewildered. "Yeah, but..."

"Great! Then it's you. Alphys called me a little bit ago and said you had a major fight with Sans, so she asked me to comfort you! And what better comfort than being on television with the world's best network!"

I groaned and hid my face behind both hands. "Please no! I don't want to waste anymore time on these things."

Mettaton flipped his hair and grinned. "Well make time darling because you're on camera in five seconds."

"What?!"

He shoved me on to a stage and disappeared behind stage. I looked out from the stage and saw a sea of monsters looking back at me, all expecting something grand. Suddenly, Mettaton burst from two curtains and the crowd cheered.

"Hello my darlings! Welcome to today's interview with Underground's newcomer, Cherry Saken!"

He motioned towards me and clapped as I moved closer to him. I mouthed the words 'what do I do' to him and he pointed to the cards. I guess I'm answering questions.

Mettaton motioned for me to sit and I followed. "Well hello Cherry, I have to say, you look stunning tonight."

I raised a brow and looked down at my sweater and shorts. Trying to make a funny, I responded with, "That's because I showered today."

There was an uproar of laughter and I felt my cheeks dust in a blush. Mettaton laughed and almost instantly calmed himself. "Well Cherry, I have some questions I hope you won't mind answering."

I itched my head and sighed. "I guess not. It's not like I can refuse on television."

The crowd whooped in response. As Mettaton grinned, I felt myself do the same. This was going to be fun.