Undertale fanfic : Stories From the Surface (33)

Chapter 33 : Mama




“Oh, yeah, there have been stories before, of course”, the guide said. “But it’s only since the last hundred years or so that these were labelled ‘cryptids’ and became some sort of tourist attraction. If you can even call it that.”
Hernandez nodded and peeked outside her team’s tent again. Evening was starting : now it was clear that even if they left now, they wouldn’t be able to reach the valley before nightfall. A couple people were currently standing outside in case anything happened.
“Hey, that wasn’t there before”, she heard the other guide say.
Her gaze followed the direction they were pointing to. Farther away, a child-sized hooded shape stood precariously on a rock formation. Hernandez and two of her teammates approached it.
“Are you lost?” she asked.
A gust of cold wind brought the hood down, revealing only ice in the shape of a featureless human head.
“Who left that statue here?” asked one of the teammates.
Then the “statue” started moving, albeit very slowly ; all three humans took a step back. As the creature moved, they noticed there was still some unfrozen water beneath the icy surface.
Nearby, a large snow-covered rock no-one expected to move was quickly pushed aside, losing its snowy blanket and revealing a monster taller and bigger than anyone else present.
“Bubbles! Where are you?!” they shouted, voice fast with a hint of panic.
This monster seemed to belong to the same species than the famous Asgore and Toriel. A patch of black fur covered most of their face and hands while the rest was almost as white as the snow.
Everyone froze in stunned silence until who was previously mistaken as an ice statue spoke :
“Mama? You ok? Who are these people? Are they…?”
“Get. Away. From them.”
Hernandez wasn’t entirely sure whether the goat-like monster was speaking to them or to the child ; she took another step back and held her hands up just in case. The other two humans followed her example.
“We- we come in peace”, she stated. “We’ve been looking for any sign of- Well, ok, let’s start at the beginning. Ebott monsters are free.”
“…I beg your pardon?”
The adult monster picked up the child and held them close in one arm.
“Monsters of Mont Ebott broke free over two years ago now”, Hernandez explained. “And, you know, they’ve been doing pretty well, living alongside humans and all… so we’ve been trying to find other monster settlements, right? My twin brother’s team actually found another, but, hum, there wasn’t anyone left in it, so-”
The boss monster slowly stepped back and delicately put her child down behind her, never breaking eye contact with the human woman. She then pulled a sword from under her robes.
“W-wait!” Hernandez exclaimed. “You won’t even need that, I promise! Monsters and humans are already getting along elsewhere! You have to believe me! My brother was even in contact with the former king of Ebott monsters recently, and- well, he looks kinda like you…”
The sword was slightly lowered.
“Well, same way these two look like me”, the human woman continued, pointing at her companions. “I mean we’re the same species. And I think Asgore might be the same monster type as you?”
“If this is a trap…” the monster started, raising her sword again in her left hand.
“It’s not, I assure you. He’ll be thrilled to know that monsters still live outside the Mount Ebott area, I’m sure! You- you want proof? I can try and contact him. But he’s pretty far away right now so it’ll take some time, and… my friends and I might need shelter from the cold while we wait…”
“I cannot let your kind know where my people live, human. If you enter, you may never leave.”
“Oh. Well, my kind already sorta know where you are. We wouldn’t have found you otherwise. We couldn’t find the entrance though… Listen. When I can finally prove everything I just said, will you let us go?”
“Mama?” the child called from within the cave entrance. “What’s going on?”
“Truthfully, I’m not entirely sure myself”, their mother admitted.
She focused her attention back to the humans and hesitated for a painfully long moment before sheathing her weapon. She agreed to the deal and let all the humans inside and under the surveillance of her guards.

There was no reception in the cave, so to be able to send her message, Hernandez had to be escorted outside by the monster lady, who had introduced herself as queen Lorena Cholymn.
“You said there was another boss monster?” the latter asked as both women were looking for a place from which the phone would work.
“’Boss monst’- Oh, you mean like Dreemurr? Yes. There’s at least two of them, actually. They’ve adopted this human kid who serves as ambassador…”
Lorena was staring into the distance, barely listening. She stopped walking. The human did too.
“Hum, your majesty? Are you ok?”
“…I have not seen any other boss monster since my parents passed away. Hearing I might not be the last of my species sounds too good to be true.”
“Oh, that’s so sad- I’m so sorry!”
“Is your device still not working?”
Hernandez shook her head. They both walked a bit farther down the mountain. It had stopped snowing so the human hoped that getting a signal would be easier now.
“So, hum…” she said, phone in gloved hand, “what about that child from earlier? They called you mama so I’m guessing they’re yours?”
“I adopted Bubbles a few years ago. She managed to get past the guards, but then froze outside.”
The human nodded then focused her attention back to her screen to see she had finally found what she was looking for. The signal was weak but it would have to do. Though, it was too cold to take her mittens off so texting was right out. She had to call and leave a voicemail. She hated leaving voicemails. She had recently started voice training but still felt she sounded too much like her brother.
She took a deep breath.