Long ago, two races ruled over earth:
Humans and Monsters.
“<Papa! Papa look!>” the little cat girl yells to her father as she materializes her bow. She
turns to face the forest they sit next to, and notches a magic arrow. Taking aim, she fires, her
arrow flies true, and hits one of the trees farthest away. She turns back to her father and his
friends, smiling. Her father, Tensen, and his friend, king Asgore, both clap. Tensen laughs, “My
little archer,” he says to Asgore as his daughter runs up to him. “<Your aim is getting much
better,>” he says to her as he picks her up. “She is quite the little warrior,” Queen Toriel says,
holding baby Asriel. She jumps down from her father’s arms to stand in front of the king and
queen, “<One day I will be as great as my father!>” she says with as much pride a four-year-old
can. Toriel and Asgore look to each other as Tensen laughs. “<Yes you will, my little princess,
but they did not understand what you just said,>” he says, still laughing. He turns to translate, but
is interrupted by Gerson.
One day, war broke out between the two races.
“Forgive me for interrupting, your majesties, but a large group of humans have entered
our lands, and their leader demands to speak with you,” Gerson says as Dr. Gaster makes his way
up the hill. “Your majesties,” he says with a bow, a bit out of breath. “Gaster, could you take
Asriel home and take care of him until we return, please?” Asgore asks. “Of course,” Gaster
says, taking Asriel from Toriel. “Could I ask of you to take my daughter as well?” Tensen asks.
“As you wish,” Gaster says, shifting Asriel to one arm. “<Papa?>” she says looking to her father.
“<Go with the good doctor and help him take care of Asriel until I return. Can you do that?>”
Tensen says giving his daughter a smile. She nods and takes Gaster’s outstretched hand. She
can’t help but look back to him until he is out of site.
After a long battle,
Asgore and Tensen fight back to back. Blood and dust fill the air and cover their armor.
The monsters fight bravely, but being a peaceful race, they are no match for the humans. As
Asgore fends off a human, he sees his friend charge another, but just before he reaches them,
another impales him with a spear. The roar of pain and sadness from Asgore, as he watches his
friend turn to dust, is so loud that everyone stops fighting.
the humans were victorious.
They sealed the monsters underground with a magic spell.
Dr. Gaster, with the two children, stands as close to the entrance inside the mountain as
they can, waiting for the royal families. All the surviving monsters had been herded into the
mountain after the surrender of the king, and the royals would be the last to enter. The “little
princess” as he called her, was tugging on his arm. “<What is going on?>” she asks, looking up
at him, then looking to the entrance of the cavern, “<Where is papa? And the others?>” He
doesn’t know how to answer her, but then notices the stream of monsters has stopped. Everyone
in the underground feels the magic of the barrier, an oppressive force, as it seals the mountain.
Moments later, king Asgore and queen Toriel enter the cavern. She tugs on his arm as she tries to
get to them. He makes his way to them, her pulling on his arm the whole way, until they finally
reach the king and queen. He lets her go and heads to Toriel. As Toriel takes Asriel, he sees her
run up to Asgore. “<Papa?>” she says looking past the king. When her father doesn’t appear, she
looks up to Asgore, “<Where is papa?>” Asgore kneels down, and with such sadness in his eyes,
he reaches into his cloak and pulls something out. A sword. Her father’s sword. She steps back,
eyes wide, shaking her head. “<No. No no no no no!>” she yells as she runs past Asgore and
down the hall he had come from.
Asgore slowly walks down the passage to the barrier. He hears her screaming and crying
before he sees her. Tears stream down her face as she pounds and claws at the barrier to no avail.
He stands there, watching, until she lets out all her anger and slumps to the ground. Asgore sighs,
“Little one?” She looks up at him, “<Why?>” she asks. He kneels next to her and scoops her into
his arms, “I am so sorry little one,” he says, hugging her as she buries her face into the crook of
his neck, “He was very brave, and I know it will not bring him back, but he fought valiantly.” He
stands up and carries her back the cavern, letting her cry.
…………..
Home
Toriel digs around the living room trying to organize it. It was a few days after the barrier
had gone up, and her and Asgore had found an area to set up a new home. Hearing a noise behind
her, she turns to see a disheveled cat girl. “Well hello there my child. How are you feeling?” She
looks up at Toriel, her hair and fur sticking out in odd angles, and her stomach growls. Toriel tries
to stifle a giggle, “I see,” she says kindly, “How about we make something to eat.” She reaches
out her hand and the little girl tentatively takes it.
Toriel watches her eat, smiling to herself. ‘What are we going to do with you,’ she thinks.
She finishes her slice of pie and looks up to Toriel, “<May I have more please?>” she asks. The
look of confusion she gets reminds her that they don’t understand her. She fidgets as she tries to
find the right words. “More, peas?” she asks, not quite finding the right words, but does the best
she can. Toriel smiles, “Would you like more?” She nods, and Toriel giggles as she cuts another
piece. “Well, now that we have you feed, let us address the next problem,” she says, cutting a piece
for herself, “I am not entirely sure if your father ever told us your name.” Her shoulders drop, and
she stops eating. “Do you want us to call you by your name?” Toriel asks. She slowly shakes her
head. “Hm? Then what to call you,” Toriel says, thinking, “He did call you his ‘little archer’…
How about that. Archer. What do you think?” “Archer,” she says, thinking about it, then nods,
“Archer!” “Then it is settled,” Toriel says with a laugh.
…………..
6 years later
“I’m going to find you,” Archer says in a sing-song voice. Walking around the halls and
caverns, she hears the faint giggles of her brother. She tiptoes to the side of a bolder, smiling.
Jumping on top of it, she leans over and shouts, “Got cha!” Asriel shrieks and jumps away. The
two of them look at each other for a moment, and burst out in laugher. “Told you I’d find you,”
Archer says, jumping off the bolder. “How do you do it?” Asriel asks, still giggling. She wiggles
her ears. “Helps that MY ears don’t flop over,” she says, ruffling the top of his head. “Hey! Stop
that!” he says. She stops. “What was that…” he starts. “Shh,” she shushes. He tries to hear what
she does, but hears nothing. “Come on,” she says, running down the hall.
The two of them reach the end, a large cavern. “What the?” Archer says seeing the little
human lying on the ground. “They’re hurt,” Asriel says, rushing forward. “Azie!” she hisses
reaching out to grab him, but misses. “Are you ok?” he asks, helping them up. He hears a low
growl from Archer, and sees her run back up the hall. “My name’s Asriel. What’s yours?” “CChara,” they say. “Let’s get to my mom, she can heal you.”
They don’t have to go far when they meet up with Toriel and Archer. “Oh, my child!”
she says, rushing up to the human, “Here, let me help you.” A faint glow of green comes from
her hand as she places it on their head. Their wounds heal in an instant. “There we go,” Toriel
says with a smile, “Now, come with us and we will get you something to eat.” Archer waits and
takes up the rear of the group, watching the human closely.
…………..
Over the next few weeks, Archer does her best to avoid Chara, spending most of her time
with Dr. Gaster.
“Archer. Would you come help me with the garden, please?” Asgore asks, gathering up
his tools. “Sure!” she says, bouncing after him.
Asgore’s garden was his pride and joy, next to his family, and had the most beautiful
bright golden flowers. Asgore and Archer set up to water the flowers, and after some time,
Asgore asks, “I cannot help but notice that you and Chara do not get along. Why is that?” She
freezes, her ears folding down, “She’s human,” she says, lowering her head, “Humans are
dangerous, aren’t they?” Asgore sighs, “Some are,” he says, putting down his watering can, and
sitting down next to her, “But not all. Plus, she is no older then Asriel and could not have been
part of the war.” Archer flinches. Asgore sees this and puts an arm around her, “All I ask is that
you try to give her a chance. Can you do that for me?” She looks up at her dad, her bright green
eyes meeting his deep red ones, and sighs, “I’ll try.” He pulls her into a hug, “That is all I can
ask. Thank you, my little one.” He lets her go, “Go on now,” he laughs. She scrambles to her feet
and kisses him on the forehead, “Love you dad,” she says before running off. “Love you too,” he
says after her, getting up to finish tending to his garden.
Archer comes into the house and sees Asriel and Chara on the living room floor, drawing.
“Hey Asriel… Chara. What ‘cha doing?” she asks, awkwardly. “Hey Archer,” Asriel says
looking up. “Drawing,” Chara answered quietly. Archer’s ear twitches, “Can… can I join you?”
Asriel looks over at Chara, when she doesn’t object Asriel looks up at Archer, “Sure.” Archer
sits down next to Asriel and grabs a piece of paper and a crayon. After a few minutes Asriel
looks up, “I’m going to get something to drink, you two want something?” “Thanks, Azie,” both
Archer and Chara say. Asriel giggles as he gets up, “Be right back” he says running off to the
kitchen. When he is out of site, Chara asks, “You don’t like me do you?” “It’s… it’s not that I
don’t like you,” Archer sighs, “I just don’t know what to make of you.” “Asriel said you lost
someone when everyone was trapped,” Chara says, looking up from her drawing. “My father,”
Archer says, her ears starting to fold. “Sorry,” Chara says, “Humans can be cruel.” Archer’s head
tilts, “You’re not. I watch you and Asriel, and you’ve never done anything bad.” When she
doesn’t answer, Archer scoots closer, smiling, and puts out her hand, “Hi, my name is Archer.”
Chara looks at her, confused. “Chara?” she says taking her hand. Archer shakes it, “Want to be
my friend?” Chara looks at their hand, and then to Archer. She smiles, “Yeah, friends.”
Asriel and Toriel come into the living room with cookies and glasses of milk to see
Archer and Chara laughing and pointing at their pictures. “Sorry that took so long, but mom
made cookies,” Asriel says holding a large tray of chocolate chip cookies. “COOKIES!” the two
say, then look at each other and laugh.
Later that night Toriel and Asgore sit and watch their three children play together. “I do
not know what you told her, but whatever it was, I think it worked,” Toriel says. Asgore smiles,
“I only told her what she needed to hear, but I am glad it worked.
…………..
Archer comes home, after spending the day with Dr. Gaster, to hear crying. “Mom?” she
calls out, “Dad? Anyone? Are you ther…” She freezes when she sees Asriel crying, “Azie?
What’s going on?” “I’m sorry,” he cries, “We… we just wanted to surprise him. W-we didn’t
mean to make him sick.” Archer’s heart drops, “Dad?” she whispers as she runs to his room.
“DAD! No, no not again,” she cries, kneeling next to his bed. He places a hand weakly on hers,
“I will… be alright,” he says, trying to reassure her.
Chara lays awake that night, an idea forming in her head.
…………..
For the second time that month, Archer comes home to the sound of crying. From
Chara’s room she can faintly hear Asriel say, “I don’t like this plain anymore.” Archer gets a
feeling deep in her gut.