victory_road | FILE 1 | [network/action for New Bark Town] adjusting to a new UI

[NETWORK]

[Frisk frowns into the camera, sitting a ways away from Elm's lab with their backpack in their lap and a worried looking Skiddo hovering over their shoulder. They chew on their lip and look back in the direction of Mom's house before finally speaking up.]

Does anyone know where Mount Ebott is? I...I think I'm lost.

Mom? If you're here, I'm by a lab right now...I made a new friend! His name's Buddy, lemme show you--

[The feed swings around, and now you all have a...very close up view of the Skiddo's face. It sneezes on the lens.]

He's really nice! I think you'll like him, too. He doesn't say a whole lot, though.

Um, okay, bye!

[ACTION]

[Frisk shuts off the feed, and slumps forward over their backpack, the cheerful facade falling away into worry. Buddy bleats and nudges their cheek, but Frisk doesn't respond outside of reaching up a hand to pet the Pokemon.]

[This is really bad. Nothing like this has ever happened before...it doesn't feel like a RESET, but Frisk can't think of anything else that would pull them away like this. And on top of that...]

[Again, Frisk closes their eyes and turns their mental focus inward, reaching and reaching and trying...but they're alone. Nobody came.]

[Frisk sniffles, and buries their face in their arms.]

...I wanna go home...

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Maybe not Christmas, exactly...]

[Frisk blinks and stares at the feed in confusion. There's something tickling at the back of their mind, like they're trying to remember...but the feeling passes, and they shrug.]

Um...I guess? ...how'd you know my name?

...Oh.

[That's...that's right. Jade didn't remember coming here before she arrived more permanently, either. Dave's face falls a bit, but then he shakes it off.]

We met in...another time, I guess you could say. My name's Dave. Dave Strider.

[That get a much bigger reaction. It's not quite fearful flinch, but Frisk is definitely startled, and nearly loses their grip on the Gear.]

Y-you can--?!

[They stop themself just in time, and fumble to mess with the comm settings before pulling this conversation to private.]

You're Determined? How did--wh-why can't I remember, too?

Uh, what? What do--oh, no no no, it's not like that. It's not the same kind of save and reset thing as you've got in your world. Or anything like what my world does, either. It's just--kind of a thing?

[WHY DOES HE SUCK AT EXPLAINING SHIT.]

It's more like...everyone's got their own personal save file, here? So sometimes shit gets reset at the individual level but it doesn't affect the other players.

[That...doesn't really make sense, but Frisk doesn't think Dave is lying. They make a sort of worried groan, rocking back and forth for a moment. Buddy sticks his nose into frame, snuffling at their face before chewing on a bit of their hair. Frisk doesn't bother to stop him.]

That's...that's weird. How can that work?

...we're in another world?

I dunno how it works, exactly, but yeah. Whole 'nother world. It seems to be a lot safer than most people's worlds, so you don't have to worry about that kind of shit. I mean stuff.

[He pauses, then says:]

Frisk, buddy, your goat is kind of nibbling on your skull there.

Oh. How do we get home? I gotta...there's stuff I gotta do.

[Frisk isn't sure how much Dave knows, but...well, if he has his own timeline to take care of, he must understand, right?]

[--wait, huh?]

What?

[Frisk turns and feels the tug on their hair, and Buddy goes stock still. The tableau is held for a few seconds before Buddy lets the hair fall back out of his mouth, and Frisk laughs.]

[Dave laughs a little, too, a voiceless "hehe" through the nose, but this is sort of an awkward thing for him to address.]

People, uh. Sort of can't get home of their own choosing. But it's okay, time doesn't move at all while you're here, I got several credible reports on the matter. It's like home's on pause while you play around here, you know?

...

[Frisk looks down at their bag again, a frown tugging at their mouth again as they process that. The idea of being stuck here, away from all their friends and family...being so completely alone...it's not a comfortable feeling. But...if the timeline won't move without them...]

...you're...you're really sure? It won't reset?

Promise. It'll be like you never left.

[He has his own theories about that, anyway.]

Other people from home might come through from different time points, but that's because of weird shit here, not there. Trust me, I know my way around this stuff.

[Frisk is quiet for a few more moments, then nods.]

...okay.

[They shift a bit where they're sitting, considering their words before they speak again.]

...does anyone else know? Um...'bout me.

Uh. I think you met my friend Jade, but I don't know if you two talked about...the stuff, you know? You could if you wanted to, though, she's crazy nice and understands about bad things happening even though you don't want them to.

[Jade might understand that better than any of them. Jade or Karkat.]

Other than that, 'fraid I don't really know. You were only here a couple days at a time, to my knowledge.

Okay. Um, can you keep it secret? No one's s'posed t' know 'bout it.

[Then Frisk perks up a bit, now that the really serious stuff has been worked out.]

Um, where are you right now?

'Course. My lips are sealed.

[He mimes zipping his lips shut, then settles back.]

I'm on a ranch in between Ecruteak and Olivine City. It's, uh...it's a ways out from where you probably are, but I can try to get back once we're done helping everyone catch their cows?

Yeah! I'll go s'soon as I can! Why do you gotta catch the cows, though?

There was like an earthquake or something and they got scared and knocked the fence down. We're trying to bring them back home and also make sure the right ones get to the right farms and stuff.

Oh no! They must be really scared...take good care of 'em, okay? I'll let you know if I find any!

[Child, you're on the entire other side of the region...]

[Dave just chuckles.]

Thanks, Frisk. You just concentrate on settling in and feeling safe, okay? There's probably other people to pal up with where you are, and generally this is a pretty fun, chill place to be.

Okay! I'll make lotsa friends, you'll see!

[Buddy bleats encouragement, jumping a few times next to them, and Frisk giggles before putting an arm around the little goat to hug him.]

Thank you for helping me, Dave.

Hey, no problem. Stay in touch, okay? And let me know if there's anything you need that a guy can send from a few cities off.

Okay, I will!

[It might be a little hard to figure out where the room divisions are around here, but they'll figure it out.]

See you later!

FILE 1 | [network/action for New Bark Town] adjusting to a new UI

[Video] i feel so bad for this rip my heart

[Video] IT'S FINE IT'LL BE FINE

[Video / PRIVATE AS SHIT HELLO]

[PRIVATE LIKE WE JUST STARTED BOOT CAMP]

[PRIVATE LIKE wait does this mean Undyne is training us now]

[PRIVATE oh god no Dave wouldn't survive]

[PRIVATE not even through one suplex? come on, man!]

[PRIVATE he has delicate bird bones Frisk]

[PRIVATE oh fine you big baby]

[PRIVATE thank u 4 understanding his deficiencies]

[Private ad infinitum]

[Private]

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