VOXISTALE: Novel Edition

Chapter 34

Quiet . . . Calm . . .

Nothing else better described the last few days.

Whatever was going on at Alphys' lab wasn't shared with Frisk or any of her friends, much to her annoyance. Instead, Undyne had told her to return to her normal day-to-day, so reluctantly, she had.

The school bus picked her up from Asgore's, which was dreadfully dull without him around, and she did her best to care for his multitude of flowers and cacti in his absence. It had been three days since the first showdown with these people, this . . . "Messiah." She was still worried about it but her friends had done the same as Undyne; advised her to act like things were normal for a while. It was hard, but not impossible. She'd helped Sans take a quiet girl to Alphys' lab that he'd tied up, but he didn't exactly share anything with her, and she didn't get a good look at the captured individual. All she knew was that the girl was part of the Messiah.

So here she was, on a Monday, sitting in the cafeteria with her growing group of friends. Not much was said. There wasn't a lot to be said. They ate the soggy sandwiches as best as they could, occasionally casting glances at one another, or glancing toward activity from other tables, or trying to ignore a few girls staring at Rian and Terrence, much to Frisk's annoyance, though Sadie appeared indifferent.

Terrence was the first to break the silence, "So . . . did anybody catch the game last night?"

"What game?" Greg asked blankly.

"The football game," Rian answered. "It was good. We won 10-1. Voxis Vultures are doing good this year. You saw it too?" He asked Terrence, who shrugged.

"Nah. Was just trying to make conversation."

"That's a shame," Sadie told him, taking a bite of her salad, which had some questionably pale looking lettuce. "You missed a great game."

"You were asleep," one of their peers scoffed from a few seats away, who'd evidently been eavesdropping.

"Doesn't mean I wasn't paying attention," Sadie gave a wink, and Rian only smiled at that. You didn't have to follow the football season to know that he was the team's MVP; one look at Rian, and you could just tell that he was a monster on the field. He didn't brag often, or flaunt his achievements around . . . in other words? Completely different from the rest of the football team.

Frisk didn't seem to realize that she wasn't eating much, even by gross cafeteria food standards. Terrence gave her a gentle nudge, probably trying to ask if she was alright without saying so verbally. She felt around under the table until she felt Terrence's hand, and quickly entangled his fingers in her own. She admittedly wasn't doing great—she was worried about her friends, and she missed having Asgore around the house.

The king was close to leaving the hospital. His wounds had healed for the most part, and he'd be home by tonight, according to the doctors. Frisk was excited about that, but also so she could start prying Asgore for more information. Everything he'd discovered on that drive. Also to convince him to let her help more, because Undyne certainly wasn't changing her stance any time soon.

"So how long has this been going on? Remind me," Sadie asked Frisk, who'd been so lost in thought she was completely confused.

"What?" she asked.

"Don't be coy," Sadie grinned. "We all know you and T got a special thing going. How long now?"

Frisk immediately felt her cheeks heat up with embarrassment. Did she really have to ask that while they were surrounded by friends and peers? "Um . . . well, not very long," she admitted. They'd been together a while back, sure, but as of right now, they'd only been together for perhaps a week or so. That answer luckily seemed to satisfy Sadie, but now Frisk felt like all eyes were on her.