Blinking my eye open, I stared at the dimly lit ceiling of the Skeleton brother's household. Slowly sitting up because of dull aches, I gazed around. Papyrus wasn't in my line of sight in the semi-darkness. Neither was Sans. Was I alone in the house?

They're probably just out either at Grillby's or working...

I collapsed on my back once again, feeling myself sink comfortably into the couch. It was just the right warmth under the blankets in contrast to the house, and the quiet was nice exempting the howling wind outside. I tuck the pillow between my head and my shoulder and shift onto my side facing the T.V.

The quiet gave me a chance to think back on what happened. If memory serves, I recalled that I went to look for Papyrus.

A snowstorm started while I was out and I got stuck. Eventually I found Papyrus....but I almost fell into a gaping hole. Twice.

Papyrus saved me the second time...bit who saved me the first time?

I mashed my head deeper into the pillow, creasing my eyebrows. It was disconcerting.

The person who pulled me up before I could fall was gone before I could even turn around. Nowhere in sight in the snowstorm. Maybe it was a ghost...hm.

Getting up, I reached for my backpack and shuffled the clothes I had in it. Finding a white turtle neck and a grey long sleeved oversweater with black pants, I changed quickly as to not freeze. Satisfied, I sat back on the couch and flung the cozy blanket over myself...including my head. I sighed and relaxed under the blanket.

.......

A loud knock at the door behind me jerked me out of my thoughts. With a yelp I tumbled off the couch into a heap of limbs and blankets. Untangling myself, the knock came a second time and I made my way clumsily toward the door.

Unlocking and opening the door, I shrinked back a little at the cold but opened it anyway so I could see.

"Hiya, mister!"

I looked down to see a short grey rabbit with adorable green eyes. She was wrapped up in a blue scarf and a striped dark blue and light blue coat. Everything she wore looked a little worn. In her paws held a basket of boxes.

"Would you like to buy some chocolate? It's all handmade and it's delicious! Only 7g a pack!"

I smiled at the child and thought about it. Chocolate, why not? I nodded and gave a hand gesture to say 'wait here'.

"Okay mister!"

I went back into the house and went to my backpack from the Ruins that sat against the side of the couch. Opening it and rummaging around, I found my stash of about 350g. I grabbed 21g and doubled back to the door.

I leaned down to give her the money with a goofy smile, holding up three fingers as if to say, 'I'll take three!'

The little rabbit looked shocked for a second but then returned the smile and blurted, "Thank you mister! That's so kind of you!"

How could I pass up chocolate from an adorable rabbit? Homemade, no less!

The child beamed, as she pocketed the money and grabbed three boxes out of her basket. I half noticed the sound of my money in her pocket didn't clang against anything. She raised her paw with the boxes and I gladly took them. I glanced back at the clock in the living room.

10:03 pm.

I turned back to the child. Why was she out so late? I grabbed my board from the end table and scribbled the question down. She read the sentence carefully, almost stumbling over the words. She probably can't read too well yet.

"I um..." The young rabbit looked down, "I'm trying to sell all this chocolate before I go home...your house is the only one with lights on right now..."

I looked at the basket, seeing it almost full. I'd bet she wasn't having much luck.

'Where do you live?'

"The inner city..." She replied quietly.

I reeled, recalling how far away that was from what Sans had told me.

'That's so far from here!'

"I know...no one wanted to buy chocolate there...they said it was crap they didn't want. That they'd rather get it from a beggar on the street."

I frowned while opening one box, looking at the adorable little faces she drew in white chocolate on milk chocolate. I scribbled, 'these look like nice chocolates. They can't see how much heart and work you've put into these..."

The young one smiled sadly, chirping, "I'm glad you like them, mister."

I looked back at the child, frowning. Now that I looked at her, she was shaking a little. She could barely stand up, her long ears drooping, and her eyes looked so tired.

I scribbled, then showed her the board.

She read what I wrote, the shot here gaze back up at me, wide eyed, "...really?"

I gave a genuine smile.

"T-thank you mister!"

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

Taking off my hat and knocking the stray snow off of my shoes, I entered the little shop with the young rabbit trailing behind me. I waved to the rabbit woman behind the counter.

She looked up from her book, surprised. She'd known me for my visits for cinnamon bunnies.

"What are you doing here so late, Reid?"

"Mister Reid said you'd be able to sell my chocolates!"

The woman went up to the counter and looked down at the rabbit I now knew as Lilac. She looked to me and I smiled at her.

The woman rose a brow at me, then gave a toothy smile to Lilac.

"I certainly would be able to sell chocolates."

Lilac and the woman talked for awhile, I zoned out for a bit, but I came back into reality when I heard Lilac excitedly bursting, "Thank you so much, lady!"

"You're very welcome honey. I'm sure Snowdin residents will love these."

Lilac came back from around the counter with her basket half empty.

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

'You went through Hotland, right?'

"I did."

'Did you try the Royal Scientist's door?'

Lilac sweated a little, replying, "that place looks really scary...I didn't..."

Recalling what Papyrus said about a lizard named Aplhys, I scribbled, 'I'm sure the Royal Scientist would love some chocolate. Are you able to walk to the Riverperson with me?'

She read my sentences, then nodded, "yeah, it's on the way home anyway."

Nodding in response, she grabbed onto my left hand and we started walking through the snow.

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

I rapped my fist on the door. Turning to Lilac, I saw an unsure look on her face. Seeing this, I shot her a smile. She smiled back.

We took off our coats and scarves when we went into Hotland, so the coats were draped over my right arm. Lilac's looked so small compared to my big red one.

I heard papers being scattered and mumbling behind the door.

"Why would someone be knocking this late? I hope it isn't another one..."

The door slid open to reveal a tired yellow lizard in a white coat and huge round glasses. She seemed surprised to see Lilac, but even more surprised to see me.

"Wh-what--?"

I flipped my board to Alphys to read. She looked at me, then the board, then took it carefully out of my hands. She scanned the writing scrawled on it.

'I heard of you through Papyrus and Sans. Please, for this moment, don't mention I'm a human. I'll be back soon to talk.'

She looked to me with a calculating expression.

Lilac piped up, "Mister Reid said you might be interested in my chocolates! Would you like to buy some?"

Alphys paused for a moment, then turning to Lilac she gave a smile, "W-why yes! I l-love chocolate!"

Aplhys gave me my board, then went back into the lab for a minute. With money in hand, Alphys came back and proceeded to buy the rest of the chocolate out of Lilac's basket.

Alphys nervously bid us good night and let the door slide closed. I turned to Lilac and her empty basket, but filled pockets.

I wrote, 'all ready to go?'

She read and beamed, "Yeah! Thank you Reid! You're the best!"

She launched at me and gave me the most sincere hug I have gotten around my waist. I leaned forward and hugged back, patting her soft head.

Lilac let me go and I scribbled down on my board, 'you should probably go home now, you need rest.'

"Yes...I should...but..." Lilac looked at the red colored ground. I gave her a questioning look.

She looked up guiltily, just above whisper she told me, "I don't know the way back..."

I stood there dumbfounded. She just wandered up here and she had gotten lost trying to sell candy? Sounds like something a kid would do...and she's a kid. Huh.

Still feeling a bit energized, and I had so much time to kill, I wrote on my board, 'I know the direction of the inner city. The least I can do is get you there.'

Lilac gasped quietly, "You'd do that mister? For me?"

I smiled kindly, and for a second I thought of Toriel. My heart twisted achingly, but I ignored it the best I could as I took Lilac's hand and walked with her. I had time, plenty of it. I didn't have much else to do, anyway.

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

I ended up walking around Hotland until we found the entrance to the inner city from a strangely secluded area not on the puzzle paths. The young rabbit insisted I walked with her, since there could be some dangerous people in town.

I just shrugged and went with it. What harm could it do?

It was a strange place, but Lilac and I soon found ourselves on busy streets of many monsters of all kinds. Lilac was pulling on my hand as we walked, knowing where she was going now and I tried my best to keep my skin out of sight by covering my face with my hat and hood. It was quite cold in the underground anyway.

The inner city gave the impression of a rock city that's a downtown of the Big Apple. It gave off a...per say...Prince of Persia or Assassin's Creed Greece. To top it all off, this place was huge.

My eyes scanned through the people we walked by, completely uncomfortable. I hated crowds, always have. I certainly didn't like being the only human down here, either.

My eye caught a group of shady monsters, glaring almost directly at me from under their low brimmed hats. I quickly glanced away as if I was scanning the crowds and didn't spare a second to stare.

That was unsettling...

Lilac led me down a couple more roads until we got to a very cramped looking apartment building...of sorts. It looked like everything else.

The small rabbit opened the door without knocking and shouted inside, "I'm home! And I brought a friend!"

I stood outside the door awkwardly. Should I go inside? I didn't want to intrude.

Lilac giggled and grabbed my coat sleeve, "You're silly Mister Reid! Come inside! Pops won't mind, oh, he won't mind at all!"

She almost dragged me inside and she closed the door behind me, setting the empty basket down on a rickety table. Lilac shrugged off her jacket and happily told me it was okay to take mine off too. With nervous hoarse laughter, I did so quietly.

I took a moment to survey the area as I hung my red coat. It was rather cramped-looking on the outside, but it was quite spacious. A stood in what looked like a hall, brightly lit and with a couple of handmade panitings from a four year old aspiring artist. I took another step inside and glanced around the corner though a doorway and saw the living room. A leather couch stood proud behind a mohagony table that was scattered with newspapers, stray bottles, scraps, and...a gun?

I froze when I saw that, starting to get a vibe. I turned to see where Lilac went.

I saw her fuzzy tail disappear around the corner of another doorway down the hall. I heard a low conversation until Lilac entered the room beyond, and smelt something of a cigarette.

"I'm home pops!" That was Lilac in her cheery voice. A couple of voices quieted down.

"Ah, hello dearest! Did you sell all of your sweets? And what's this I hear of a guest?" A gravely voice, not someone small for sure. I began to sweat a little. He sounded...experienced? Is that the right word? And...is that a Brooklyn accent?

"I brought a friend who helped me sell my chocolates! His name is Reid!"

Maybe intimidating was a better word.

I awkwardly stood, looking at the intricate patterns in the basket Lilac had set down.

"...Reid, hm? Where is the lad?"

"Oh! He must still be standing in the hallway. He's a silly man!"

Lilac appeared again around the corner and ran right up to me with a childish smile.

"Pops wants to see you!"

I nodded quietly and let her walk me down the hall by the sleeve once more. When I walked around the doorway, I expected to see a big hare with glasses, a cigar, and sitting at a nice desk filled with very improtant looking papers.

Well, I got just that, except I didn't know there were at least seven other monsters in black suits standing around him like he was an employer.

"Pops, this is Mister Reid! Mister Reid, Fladell Haren, my Pops!"

I sweat dropped at the hard glares the suited monsters gave me. Lilac let go of my sleeve and looked at me with a big smile. She seemed okay in the very tense room, so I took her example.

I mentally slapped myself to get myself together. Act a little tougher, like my...dad always said...I inwardly cringed, but straightened my back and stood a little taller.

"A human, hm?" Pops, now named Fladell, mumbled but I could still hear. I gulped.

Fladell turned to his daughter slowly. Lilac didn't seem fazed in the slightest. Oblivious, even.

"You have a human friend, dearest?"

"Yep! He's really nice! Mister Reid led me to a shop in Snowdin and let me talk to the shoplady to sell the chocolates. He even let me talk to the Royal Scientist!"

A couple of gasps echoed in the room the new information. Apparently that was a big name around here.

I stood quietly, trying my best not to show any fear. I heard a louder whisper amongst the rest.

"He has ties to the Royal Scientist!"

I must've been doing a good job, for a couple of the suits took a slight step back from me. Fladell turned his cold eyes to me. He had the air of sophistication that made me want to shrink back a little, but I shakily stood my ground. To hide my shaky hands, I put them behind me and clasped them casually. The man continued to stare into my soul as he addressed his daughter.

"Lilac, dearest, why don't you go into your room and rest? You've had a long night. I'll just...chat with Reid for awhile."

"Okay, pops!" Lilac replied, turning to me and giving me a big hug on my side. I returned it, and she went down the hall with a skip in her step.

The silence afterwards was deafening. I turned back to Fadelle Haren. I knew exactly what 'chat' meant.

"How are you still alive this far into the Underground, Mister Reid?"

I reached for my marker in my pocket to answer, but cursed at myself silently when I realized I left my board next to the basket down the hall. I heard a couple of clicks and I looked back up. I reeled a little to see a couple of handguns pointed at me. Struck with icy fear, I froze solid.

"If you were hoping to reach for a weapon, don't bother. You won't be quick enough for the bullets of my men to peirce your body."

My eyes were wide, a panic flooding my limbs making them shake. That's not good. They mistook my movement.

"Now...I won't ask again..."

Fladell stood slowly, his chair scraping backwards on the wooden floor. The air was so thick you could cut it with a knife. I also noticed two men blocked the doorway out behind me. It was as if Fadelle's blues glowed and peirce through my grey eye.

"...answer my question."