“For a millionth time, Freya, you are not going back out there!”

“But just for a sec…”

“A sec?! Freya you told me the same thing yesterday, and I’ll relay back to you the same answer; NO!”

“All I wanted was to apologize and thank him, that’s all.” The princess frowned.

“Are you even listening to yourself right now? He should be the one apologizing, and why the hell would you thank him after chasing you to death?!” the specter shrieked in frustration.

“Because he also saved me from falling off a tree, Chara. Sure he tried to kill me at first, but he did help in preserving my life. And he too, spared me, giving me back to Mother.” She stated, adding an eye roll, “Plus, it seemed as if the two of them have this connection to each other. Oddly, they looked close.” She added, placing her hand on her chin in wonder.

“You don’t suppose he’s her… secret lover?”

“Maybe. I don’t know, I couldn’t tell.” She shrugged, “But we’re not talking about that right now. If you won’t agree with me, then… Don’t agree! I’m going there myself.” She announced, adjusting her dark purple cape after changing into much more comfortable clothes; a blue and magenta-striped sweater, a pair of denim shorts and brown leather boots.

“Fine! It’s not like I could do anything about it.” Glared Chara, starting to disappear in sight, before sighing, “Good luck escaping from here.” Then gone.

Freya only huffed, opening her bedroom’s golden window pane, then examined her surroundings. Her chamber was located only at the second floor of the Ruins, so it won’t be too difficult to climb down. She grabbed her lavender leather backpack and readily-made rope out of tied-up blankets, harnessing herself expertly.

I fell a much steeper height than this. This won’t be too much.

She exhaled, “Here I go…” then climbed out, heading to the buttercup bushes below. As she landed, she was careful not to alert a sleeping Royal Guard dog beside the bush she landed on.

“DOGGO! SLEEPING ON THE JOB AGAIN!?” a highly familiar voice boomed just as she swiftly ran the opposite direction, unnoticed.

As she ran, she frowned at the thought of going against everyone’s word in order to ensure her protection. She knew they only did that to keep her safe, but no. She never wanted to be stuck inside that castle forever. And at least giving a sign of kindness towards someone who tried to kill her, and saved her at the same time could give her the peace of mind.

Before proceeding to exit Lux, however, she thought of why not give a gift? A peace offering? She glanced at a nearby restaurant, alit despite the darkness of night brings, and the coldness due to being near the freezing surroundings from the Border, its winter wind escaping through tiny gaps from the barrier.

The letters G-R-I-L-L-B-Y’-S were found inscribed just above the old-fashioned western-themed restaurant. She smiled, remembering the owner of the said diner. She usually came here, trying to cool off her troubled mind from all that’s happening back in the Ruins. Oh yes, this wasn’t the first time she escaped from the dreaded castle, mind you.

“Ah, Frisk. I see you’re here. Trouble again?” a voice warmly welcomed. She grinned at its owner; a flame monster dressed as a sophisticated bartender. His flames lit up upon seeing her, as he adjusted his pair of thin-brimmed rectangular eyeglasses, before continuing to wipe a wine glass with clean white cloth.

No one is around the diner, which was normal, since rules in Lux states that nobody is allowed to go out during the nightly hours.

“Yeah, the usual issues.” She beamed once more, recalling her name. Yes, Frisk. The first time she met Grillby, she did not introduce herself as the princess, even until now. Not that she doesn’t trust him, but for ‘safety’ reasons. So instead, hid herself by the name Frisk, yet only he knew of her existence.

No one knew Frisk being here at Grillby’s, since she only comes by during the night, which surprised the bartender back then, only to understand after her explanations.

And certainly, no one will know why she hid herself behind such a uniquely unfamiliar name.

“But this time, it’s different.” She sighed, sitting down on one of the counter’s leather stools, “I’ll take two of your fine burgers, fries, and make sure to put some ketchup at the side. I’ll be taking it out.” She ordered, placing the right amount of G on the counter.

He arched a flaming eyebrow, before nodding, preparing her order. After waiting for several minutes, the scent of a familiar delicious aroma came out of the kitchen, its source all packed inside one large paper bag, which was held by Grillby. For some reason, it didn’t go up in flames.

“Why the sudden rush, Frisk?” he asked skeptically, eyeing her closely as she quickly shoved the paper bag in her backpack, “Visiting an ill friend perhaps?”

Ill friend, alright. An ill-mannered one!

“Kind of.” She smiled, rushing towards the door, “Sorry to leave so soon, Grillby. Time doesn’t wait. Thank you for the food!” she gasped, running away, leaving a slightly dazed flame monster, before he only shrugged, continuing his work.

------------------------------------------------------

Reaching for the golden handle of thy humungous golden gate that separated Lux to the Border, she paused, gazing back at the Ruins, located at the far center of the kingdom. She was worried someone will find out, but there’s no turning back. She went out anyways, leaving any regret behind, stomping them away with the crunching sounds of every step she took through the snowy landscape.

“So you really did go for it.” Someone groaned from behind her, the voice echoing with such irritation.

“I knew you wouldn’t just leave me, Chara.” She rolled her eyes, turning back to smile at the grumpy specter behind her, “Since you’re already here, come along!” she pointed out, before skipping through the snowy pathway. The spirit only sighed in exasperation before following the giddy princess. 

Now that she came to know the true wonders of such a gloomy forest, she could only smile, it wasn’t that scary after all when you come to think of it. If only she could go out at daytime to see what the Border really looked like with broad daylight. However, she wouldn’t risk getting caught by her mother.

“How are we supposed to find a smiley trash bag skelly boy here in the middle of the night? It’s too dark!” Chara couldn’t help but complain.

“Said the one whose eyes are all peeled open.” She rolled her eyes in thought, “Besides, it won’t be that hard. If I sense any light, I know he’s up close.”

“Stygians don’t have any light, Freya.”

“But this one has. Strangely, I could feel it within him.”

Soon enough, they came upon the fairly familiar shack they once tried to pass, only for her to actually sense light coming from it. The two quickly hid behind a conveniently-shaped and placed lamp, after catching a glimpse of the skeleton, snoring peacefully right outside the said shack.

When you look at him this way, he didn’t actually look intimidating at all, although she recalled seeing him terrifyingly creepy yesterday. But now, he’s here, sleeping his skull off, seeming to not notice their presence, much to the girls’ surprise.

Silently, she took a step forward, careful not to awake the skeleton. But after taking only five dead silent steps, arriving in front of one of the trees, an unnoticeably well-hidden rope caught her ankle off guard, sending her hanging upside-down on the pine tree. She let out a small squeak of shock.

“well, well, well. looks like listening to one of my brother’s nonstop rants had actually paid it off.”

A soft crunching sound of snow being stepped on was heard, as she slightly squinted at the skeleton who now stood in front of her.

“hello, little firefly. what’s up?” he asked, his smile growing wider to an amused one.

“It’s either me, you, or the gems plastered to the ceiling above us.” She snorted, half-jokingly. He was taken aback by the unexpected retort, but soon laughed in hilarity.

“i see ya’re quite a humerus one.”

“Tibia honest, I thought the same of you to.”

Silence followed after she said such statement, but soon enough, both all bubbled-up in laughter, realizing how the two made out a pun despite an unlikely situation.

“So come on, don’t leave me hanging!” she squealed, earning yet another chuckle from the skeleton.

“alright, sorry.” He muttered, before helping her down with the use of his magic.

“Thanks!”

“no pressure, sunshine.” He shrugged, smiling at the cold snowy ground, “what are ya even up to now?”

“Nothing much. Just thanking you for saving my life.” She smiled at the now scowling skeleton.

“what?! ya only came here from the light side just to tell me that? not smooth. are ya tryin’ to lose my job here?” he exclaimed, a bit irritated.

“I hope not. Having a sentry like you could be a huge advantage, don’t you think so?”

“not to me. having a luxian human around here means bad news to me. and besides, ya’re not allowed here!”

“Nope. You said, ‘when I lay my feet on the grounds of darkness’. This isn’t the darkness, just the mere Border.” She pointed out ‘as-a-matter-of-factly’.

“close enough.” He shrugged, leaning on the pine tree beside him. Pausing for a few moments of silence, he finally introduced, “the name’s sans. sans the skeleton.” He said, offering his bony hand.

She was taken aback all of a sudden, eyeing his hand warily, recalling the last time she shook it. And his sudden suspicious chuckling only worried her more.

“ya know, it’s kinda rude to leave a friend hangin.” He smirked.

“Nu-uh. Last time I bled just because of trying to act ‘nice’ towards someone who seemed ‘nice’.” She refused in a polite way.

“no worries.” He snickered, “it’s different this time, i could guarantee your safety.”

“Don’t do it.” Warned Chara, who suddenly appeared beside her, glaring at the skeleton in mistrust.

Freya observed him properly, before deciding to trust him just this once. After all, they clearly shared the love of puns earlier, so why not? Though she knew, it was a stupid reason.

“Frisk. Frisk Dreemurr.” She smiled at him warmly, reaching for his skeletal phalange.

Pffffttttt…

Went the sound of uncouth farting. She was silent at first, but then laughed in response, whereas the specter only rolled her eyes in frustration. He, on the other hand, his grin grew to a genuine smile at her bubbling reaction.

“frisk, eh? ain’t ya a frisky one.” He winked, causing the girl to let out another small giggle, “but i thought your name was freya? freya licht mercy dreemurr? princess of light? does that rings a bell?”

“Umm… I, that’s…” she stammered, caught off guard upon hearing the name.

“why are ya tryin to hide yourself?”

She sighed, sitting down before motioning him sit too. A minute has passed before she finally explained. Well, lied in an attempt to hide the truth again. “Freya’s nice, but it’s just not me. So I decided to name myself Frisk, since I thought it suits me better?”

He nodded knowingly, “yeah. freya licht mercy dreemurr, a million g name! heck, just saying it makes my tongue twist already, if i have one that is.” He chuckled, “but frisk. i like that one better. suits ya best to that frisky nature of yours.”

Damn, if she could, she’ll be blushing at this point, but for some reason, she couldn’t. It was like something’s stopping her, holding her back. But she shrugged that off anyways.

“You think so?”

“eh? yeah, of course! i could sing that name all day. frriiissk!~~~” he horribly sang, which actually sounded as if he shrieked the life off him, causing Frisk to cover her ears and laugh.

“Oh please, no!” she cried under the sound of her own laughter.

“what do you suggest i call ya then? mine?” he smirked flirtatiously, wiggling his non-existent eyebrows. She blushed underneath her deceiving light, as she only cleared her throat, realizing something.

“Oh, I almost forgot!” she rummaged through her backpack, revealing the paper bag in her hands, “I bought these for you. A token of truce. You know, a peace offering?” she smiled, handing it to the surprised skeleton. He eyed the bag warily, opening it in caution, till his eye sockets widened in such excitement.

“oh, gee. thanks.” He grinned, quickly eating the burger. After his first bite, he hummed in delight, savoring the flavor, before once again, reaching out to find something in the bag. As soon as he got a hold of the two ketchup packets inside it, he quickly ripped them open, gulping down the sauce in one sip.

She and the ghost beside her couldn’t help but gag at his sudden action. He quickly took note of that, apologizing, “sorry, haven’t eaten a thing since, umm… a month?”

“I could understand that, but not the ketchup.” She said rather politely.

“i drink ketchup.” He said, his cheekbones forming a light blue hue in embarrassment, then frowned, looking at the empty packets on his hands, “but i guess that’s the last of it.”

She was about to reply, when Chara suddenly warned her of the time.

“Oh no! It’s getting late, I gotta go before Mother realizes I’m not there.” She exclaimed in worry, hurriedly standing up to leave.

“mind if i escort ya?”

“Mind if I escort you?”

She frowned, remembering the same thing the man from the party had asked her. She gritted her teeth in pure angst, balling her fists tightly. She didn’t want to think of someone as shallow as him. The deep smooth voice coming out of the skeleton in front of her thankfully broke her thoughts.

“ya know, I usually don’t ask anyone for me to escort them, but since ya’re some sort of my friend-ish, i’ll make an exception.”

“What if I wasn’t your friend?”

His eye sockets’ pinpricks disappeared, as a menacing sinister grin escaped from his now crazed smile, the same look he had yesterday that kind of scared the girl a lot.

“i would’ve either left ya to die through these woods, or…” he paused, leaning to whisper, “chased ya to death instead.” He chuckled darkly. She gulped in response, not saying anymore, before deciding to continue walking with the skeleton towed beside her.

The two never talked a single word to each other. His statement earlier kind of made the atmosphere a little awkward to handle.

“It suits you…” he heard a soft gentle voice murmured. He looked back to see her looking down on the snow as she followed on behind him.

“what’s that?”

“The color. Your jacket. Blue suits you better.” She admitted after realizing his change of attire.

“ya think so?”

She nodded in agreement before pointing out, “Yesterday, you wore a black one. I know dark things look good on you, but then I noticed you wearing something different. You actually look better in lighter colors, especially blue, since it gives out that hidden cheerful side of you.”

“hmm… these are my everyday clothes, firefly.” he smiled, “but i’m glad ya like it.”