Fonttale

Chapter Eleven: A True Hero Is Born

"That trial was bullshit, Asgore!" Undyne slammed her fist down on the king's dining table angrily. It had taken her a long time to get an audience with him; too long. Whenever she, the captain of the Royal Guard, had to make an appointment, it meant Asgore really didn't want to be bothered.

And the fact that he didn't want to be bothered now of all times, meant that he didn't want Papyrus coming in.

He wants Papyrus to get killed so the Resort Killer can run free and clean up the Underground!

No, no Asgore wouldn't do that...but then what IS he doing?

Does he just want the killer to keep crime at bay? Did he and Papyrus strike a deal or something...?

The king looked up from his paperwork nervously. He had been just finishing up the Resort area's missing monster reports. It was always depressing to see someone he thought was a good person, killed by the Resort Killer....

"What do you mean Undyne?" he asked nonchalantly.

"You know what I mean. Papyrus may be innocent, but you're not. I know you're hiding something; spill it."

The king sighed and rubbed his eyes wearily. This wasn't going to be pleasant. He needed a moment to find the right words, but with Undyne's limited patients, that would most likely be impossible. "My dear, what could I possibly be hiding, and why would I hide anything?"

Undyne tapped her fingers on the table. How could she put her suspicions without hurting his feelings? "I think you're stalling the investigation because you want the Resort Killer to do your job."

Nailed it.

"If you mean I'm stalling the investigation because I want the Resort Killer to do YOUR job, you are correct."

Undyne's eyes grew wide.

He did NOT-MMMMMHHHH!

"My JOB is to apprehend criminals, not kill them! Every monster deserves a trial!" Killing monsters without giving them a chance wasn't justice, it was murder. It didn't matter what their crime was, they should of all gotten a chance to explain themselves.

"That's true. Unfortunately, not every criminal can be caught. It may seem wrong Undyne, but the results speak for themselves."

Is he serious?!

"The results are a bunch of monster's weeping for their loved ones! What makes you think this psycho is only killing criminals? What makes you think they'll stop when they're all gone?"

"Nothing," Asgore replied. "but if a few are and have to be sacrificed to save the many, so be it. It's true, some monsters are grieving, but at least they live TO grieve."

Undyne shook her head. This wasn't the monster that trained her. Where was the cool hero that sought justice for all? Where was the fearless leader who was ready to fight a war they already lost once? "That's wrong. That isn't justice. That's cold and cruel..."

"Sometimes we have to do things that are wrong, to succeed in things that are right. Sometimes we must get dust on our hands in order to protect the people we love."

Do the wrong thing, to do the right thing...

Asgore put his face in his hands. He may have been covered in fur, but Undyne could see he was clearly different from the young monster she once knew.

He looked...old.

Old and tired.

"I've never wanted anyone to get hurt...I've never wanted to hurt anyone; but if I must kill someone, be it an innocent monster, or...human child, I will. You can't be a hero if you aren't willing to put your feelings aside and take a life when you need to."

"Really what? How am I suppose to figure out you don't need protection if you've always been a weenie? I've never seen you hurt anyone! Being a Royal Guard means protecting others, but you can't do that if you can't bring yourself to destroy your opponents when you need to!"

The guard captain frowned, remembering the words she spoke to Papyrus. They were exactly the same as what Asgore was telling her now.

Was he right?

Is putting my morals before the people I'm protecting, morally wrong?

It's the same as Papyrus not wanting to hurt anyone. He's putting what he wants ahead of what must be done.

Undyne sighed.

He was right.

It sucked, but he was right.

Being a hero didn't just mean having to take a punch every once in a while; there were more serious consequences. Eventually every hero would end up like Asgore: burdened with tremendous guilt and tired of fighting.

What separated a hero from a normal fighter was their level of selflessness. Asgore took in a human in order to bring monsters and humans together and avoid war, and was ridiculed by the prejudice monsters he swore to protect. He lost his actual son because of that human. He even gave up his own wife to bring hope to the Underground. Asgore tore his family and life apart for his kingdom. This tired old man was what a hero REALLY looked like.

"I...understand. Being a hero means doing EVERYTHING in your power to protect others," said Undyne solemnly, "Regardless of your own morals you must remember that it's them that matter, not yourself. Undyne raised her fist in the air, Determination flashing in her eyes, finally understanding. "I'll choke a baby if it means protecting the people, their hopes, and their dreams! I'll beat the hell outta that baby! I'll protect everyone with my life AND my heart! NOTHING will stop me! Not even myself! I'll set EVERYONE free! Just you watch!"

"Thank you Undyne. I trust you'll keep my stalling a secret then?"

"Of course sir! You can count on me!" exclaimed Undyne passionately.

"Wonderful! Now, could you do me another favor?"

"Anything."

"Get down from my table?"