“YOUR MAJESTY!!” Undyne heard the Dog monsters call out before entering and the voices became rushed, hushed noises coming from inside. Undyne was still grumpy as she gently checked Sans’ bones to make sure his splints hadn’t been moved out of place when the Dogs had shoved him, as Frisk helped MK to get back up.

“What’s their deal?” Frisk asked, sounding worried at the amount of yelling and concerned tones coming from in Alphys tent.

“I don’t know…” Undyne furrowed, then she noticed the specks of what appeared to be soot on the ground leading to Alphys’ tent. Undyne lso saw as there was a fleck of it on Sans shoulder, she carefully dipped her index finger into the stuff, rubbing it in between her thumb and pointer and sniffed it. “One of them is injured….” Undyne mumbled quietly to herself so Sans wouldn’t hear, she then turned her head quickly towards the tent, her red hair whipping fast past Sans fast due to the whiplash, before settling over her shoulder, concern laced all over her face as she then turned to Frisk.

“Hey, kid, you don’t mind if-?”

But once again, Undyne didn’t really have to say anything as Frisk seemed to read her mind and gave her a thumbs up sign, willing to watch over Sans while she went to check on her fellow Guards and see what was going on inside Alphys tent. Undyne gave Frisk a toothy grin, gently letting Sans sit on the ground besides her and MK before standing. “I’ll be right back.” She promised before heading back to the tent.

“F-For no-no reason they just…. Why would they- DO THAT?! Why would they suddenly turn on us and without any warning?! Any sign that something was wrong, that we had-” Dogaressa was speaking fast and clearly distressed by the time Undyne had entered the tent, she saw Alphys and Dogamy in one end of the tent, as Alphys was putting Doggo down on a makeshift bed of covers and blankets, and shaving the fur off of his chest to inspect where he’d been shot as Dogaressa continued, “We… W-Went into the camp. They weren’t pleased, but they… they respected the white flag. We were talking with their leader when all at once this man seemed t-to…”

“His eyes became wild and fearful, and filled with desperation. He...H-He aimed his weapon. My mate was nearly h-hit, but Doggo, he-” Dogaressa stuttered out, tears forming in their eyes as they stared at their soot and blood covered paws as they shook in grief and worry. Asgore was right besides her, trying unsuccessfully to calm her down. 

“Pushed me out of the way.” Dogamy informed calmly for his wife, sadly watching as Alphys had found the wound and started digging around searching for the bullet and then to bandage him up as she searched through her many boxes for the bandages.

Undyne couldn’t believe her ears when she heard the news. “Wait, humans attacked you guys?!” She heard herself snap out before she could even stop herself, as she clenched her fists in anger. Taking in the pitiful sight of Doggo and then the worried and concerned expressions of her fellow Guards.

“Yes. Unfortunately. But, the humans… you say it was only one man who attacked you three? Why would one man fire upon our people when the rest of his race are willing to listen, if even grudgingly? Why in such a violent way? Whatever could have possessed him to-” Asgore inquired, still trying to comfort and calm Doggaressa down.

Undyne looked about ready to go to the human camp herself and beat up the man to had injured one of her guardsmen as she punched her open palm. “Why else? Why I bet it was that racist jerk who-”

“Whoever it w-was… M-Maybe S-Sans was r-right.” Alphys cut in, keeping her attention to the injured dog monster in front of her as she carefully got to work in bandaging the wound once she’d found the bullet and placed it on the table where she’d been working at not too long ago, “Myths and legends of u-us have been t-told and r-retold. It m-makes sense there would be f-fears to overcome before there can be peace. N-Not that that makes what the h-human did any l-less wrong b-but… It d-does explain...a l-lot.”

“Alph, are you seriously defending those humans?! After all they did?!” Undyne growled in anger but then her face softened after just one look at her girlfriend's sorrowful expression on the yellow lizard.

Alphys said nothing as she continued to finish bandaging the dog monster, then she reached for her scanner to scan his HP and sighed gratefully, “He’ll live.”

Alphys then turned her attention over to Asgore. “Th-They missed his soul. The wound is superficial. H-He’ll need healing, f-food, and rest. He’s lost a l-lot of s-silt, b-but he should m-make a full r-recovery. Grillby’s a s-strong h-healer. I-I’ll send for h-hi-” Alphys informed then suddenly stopped herself as she noticed how Asgore glum looked. Like all the life he had in his fur and body language had left him entirely and all at once. “Um..Your Majesty? A-Asgore…?”

“Tell me, Alphys. Undyne… What am I to do? All we want is peace, but those with the ability to give it to us fear us too much to give it.” Asgore proclaimed, his voice was serious and deep, yet full of sorrow with each spoken word. “It is exactly like the days of the War. Nowhere to turn, no right answer. We cannot turn back, we cannot appease. There is only fear, and hurt, and uncertainty before us. Sans truly was right in what he said. Of our being here prompting the humans to engage us like they did in days of old. Fear is the fodder that feeds the belly of this situation… It truly does feel like a repeat of history.”

Asgore shut his eyes, his face grave as he placed two furry hands over his face, pressing his forehead hard into his open palms, “But how can this be undone? When the future is tainted, and the past stained with mistakes- how can one change this path towards disaster? I cannot make the same choices I once did… but then what choices are right?! Which choice do I make is the one I must follow to save my people if none of them are right?!” Asgore asked desperately.

Undyne had gone silent, as she sensed Asgore's pain filling up the atmosphere of the tent. She saw how Alphys had opened her mouth to say something but then quickly shut it when she too, didn’t have any kind of answer for the kind King. 

Outside, Undyne and the others could hear Papyrus calling out looking for Undyne and the others that food was ready finally. And Asgore placed a furry paw to the Captains' back. “You guys should all go and join them. I shouldn’t keep you all from eating and replenishing yourselves with my problems…” Asgore said curtly, gently motioning Undyne out of the tent to go join the other Monsters.

“But- your Majesty I-”

“This is a King’s business. Not yours. And not Alphys. You already have much to think about regarding this Surface Sickness and I will not trouble either of you any longer. As for Doggo, Undyne could you perhaps fetch Grillby as Alphys had suggested to aid in healing him once he’s finished. I shall be in my tent coming up with a new plan to protect all of us.”

“But, Asgore-” Undyne tried again but Asgore had brushed her off.

Asgore said nothing more as he left the tent, just as Papyrus had gone to the tent of Alphys carrying his brother once Frisk had told him where everyone was.

“AH THERE YOU ARE!” Papyrus called out, keeping a firm hold on his brother, who looked much more relaxed and had apparently eaten and was now sound asleep on his shoulder. “I-I Mean. There You Are Undyne. Greater Dog And Lesser Wanted To Grab Your Attention But Had No Idea Where You Were. They, Er, Had Something Important To Talk To You About.” Papyrus stated, lowering his voice to as close to a whisper as he could manage, not wanting to wake his brother, now that he was finally resting.

“Greater? Alright, I’ll be right on over.” Undyne declared, debating whether she should tell Papyrus about what was happening, as she saw the quizzical look on his face seeing Doggo was injured and the red spot appearing through his bandages. “Uh, Doggo...was shot. By the humans.” Undyne informed, deciding some way or another he’d figure it out anyways, and also reminding herself he was a full fledged Royal Guard Member now. And was no longer to be treated as someone stupid. “Could you….maybe talk to Asgore? He sounded like he needed help...regarding them .”

“Oh,” Paps gasped, surprised by that and then, for a moment, determination filled his eye sockets as he nodded. “Yes. Of Course! You Can Count On Me Undyne!”

Undyne smiled, gently noogying Papyrus' skull who laughed. “I knew I could count on you Soldier.” She grinned then she waved back to the dogs. “I’ll get Grillby to take care of Doggo too babe while I'm on the way there okay?!” She called to Alphys as she ran, taking off in a sprint near the entrance of the camp where the two remaining dog monsters were stationed.

“I-I got to-to get b-back t-to working on the S-Surface S-Sickness too.” Alphys informed turning to Dogamy and Dogaressa, “Y-You’re welcome to stay and-and watch over your c-companion if y-you l-like, j-just please...no n-noises okay?”

“You Should Get Something To Eat First. There’s Still Plenty of Food, Before You Get Back To Work.” Papyrus informed, gently patting his brothers back tenderly. “Maybe It’ll Make You Feel Better.”

“Maybe...th-thank you Papyrus.” Alphys thanks the taller skeleton monster as her stomach growled a bit. She blushed, wrapping her scaly tail around her legs shyly. Papyrus smiled and made his way to the Kings tent.