Royal Blue

It's Burning Up Inside You (Chapter Eight)

 Zero exited the lab with a sigh. He knew that in the upcoming fight that they desperately needed to know more about human souls... or at least for those in charge to have a credible source for it. Not just Sans, who would have to lie about where and how he obtained the information...
But still. He hated having to lay this burden on Alphys's shoulders.

"Hey Zero!!"

The voice snapped him out of his daze, and his head lifted to the familiar voice. Undyne stood, seeming obviously quite warm, but seeming as confident as ever. Hands on her hips, and a grin on her face.

Even if he could tell it was a fake one.

"I thought you were going back to get your armor." Zero continued walking as he spoke, forcing Undyne to jog a couple steps to keep up.

Damn, he had been really hoping to use a shortcut - he didn't exactly want to reveal that power as Zero yet.

But they were stationed to help evacuate Snowdin... and it was such a long walk...

Inwardly he grimaced. God he just wanted to be lazy.

"So... How'd it go?" Undyne asked with a smile.

Zero nearly laughed at how obvious she was being. Trying to gain information through coercion really wasn't Undyne's specialty.

"It was a delivery," he shrugged.

They walked in an awkward silence for a minute or so.

Honestly, Undyne didn't know how to feel. The first time they met, she accidentally tried to kill him; but he had been so cocky about it!

Of course, her reaction in the hall had been primarily instinct. She had no idea who he was; and really, she still had very little clue. Only that his name is Zero, and for some unknown reason, the King trusts him.

So that meant she should be able to trust him too... right?

And yet, there was something incredibly off putting about him. Something that made her scales stand on edge. Something in the way he moved, maybe. The movement always just a little too smooth. He seemed to exert no force, use no magic, no energy...

When they'd fought, he'd managed to dodge a volley of her spears, and somehow not spill a cup of water the whole time.

That, plus how he just seemed to have sprung into existence from nothing with no one?

No matter how mush she trusted Asgore; she couldn't trust that. Not until she had some more solid answers.

Not until she knew what he would do when in danger. What he would sacrifice; who he would sacrifice for.

"Uh... you okay?"

Zero's voice knocked her out of her thoughtful stupor.

She blinked up at him; realizing that they'd already gotten to the elevators, all while she'd been so incredibly lost in thought.

"Thinking hard about something?" He asked, almost... kindly. His concern as true as anything in front of her. It was as if, for that moment, he'd forgotten they were merely strangers.

They stepped inside the elevator, and the doors creaked closed behind them.

"I'm good," Undyne said, the words coming out icier then she'd meant them.

And just like that, the moment was gone.

A second later, the elevator began to rattle.

Undyne gripped the railing tight.