To Save a Life

by Infernity Zero

Justice and Integrity

After taking her hat off, Applejack wiped the sweat from her head and returned it to its usual spot. This place wasn't called Hotland for nothing. But it would take more than a little heat to bring Abagail Jacquline Apple to her knees. And that was good, because every monster she'd encountered seemed determined to make her sweat. First, she'd been attacked by two Pyropes that had nearly burned her alive. Then, a Vulkain had nearly cooked her by trying to heal her. Finally, a crazy plane creature had nearly blown her up. But somehow, she'd survived everything they thrown at her. Now, after finding and drinking an entire pitcher of water, she noted that her surroundings were changing from bright orange to a darker purple. Still, anything that got her away from the lava was a relief.

The first thing she noticed in that next room was that there were a ton of spider webs on the wall and floor. But none of them were occupied. She kept walking until her ears caught the sound of someone laughing.

"Did you hear what they just said?" Came a voice from above. "They said a human would be coming through here."

Applejack gulped and clenched her fist.

"I heard that they hate spiders." Came the voice again.

That wasn't true. She didn't have any strong feelings about spiders one way or the other. But somehow, she didn't think saying that would make a difference.

"I heard that they love to stomp on them."

She had stepped on the occasional spider, but she never went out of her way to do so.

"I heard they like to tear their legs off."

That was a bald-headed lie. A full-time farmgirl didn't have time to torture arachnids on a whim. Nor did she want to. But by this point, the spider webs had grown more numerous, making it a slog to even walk. Her body ground to a halt in the center of the room.

"But most importantly, I heard--"

The area next to her lit up, revealing a giant humanoid spider. She had six eyes, six arms, and a pair of fangs poking out of her mouth.

"--that they're awfully stingy with their money."

Her guard was up in an instant. "I don't know who told you I'd be coming through here, but they need to get their facts straight." She checked her pockets. "I just didn't have enough money for how pricey your food was. Miss Spider."

The spider simply chuckled. "Miss Muffet to you. You think your taste is too refined for our pastries, dearie? I disagree with that notion. I think your taste is exactly what this next batch needs."

A giant cluster of spiders surrounded her from all sides, and two of them charged her from each side. Trying to outrun them just got her bitten by the first one, but she was able to avoid the second by moving vertically on the web instead. She'd just regained her bearings before she looked over to see Muffet twirling a pair of doughnuts on her two upper arms. "I told you, I'm not hungry!"

"Oh no, I insist." Muffet grinned. It's on the house. Or at the very least, it's all over you!"

While two more spiders attacked her from the sides, Applejack found herself dodging pastries as well and groaned in pain when one of them glanced off of her arm. To her surprise and horror, she was bleeding, the doughnut sticking out of her arm like a throwing star. "What's in these things?! Needles?"

"Don't be ridiculous." The spider girl held a pair of croissants in her lower two arms. "The needles go in the cookies. Stingy customers don't deserve the best I have to offer. So you get my worst instead."

The croissants spun through the air like boomerangs, spinning past Applejack in one direction before spinning back in the other to nearly impale her back. While she managed to dodge them, two more spiders managed to strike her legs. A wave of dizziness washed over her as she put her hand to her head.

"Uh-oh." Muffet put a hand to her mouth. "Looks like someone's been poisoned." She licked her lips and leered at Applejack. "You really should have gotten a taste when you had the chance, dearie. Because once that venom knocks you out, we'd just love to have you for dinner."

More spiders attacked. AJ weaved in and out of their strikes as best she could, only to get clunked on the head by a croissant. Although, it felt more like she'd been struck with a lead pipe. "I didn't come this far to be breakfast. I gotta find my friends." She grimaced again, though from the poison or emotions she wasn't sure. "Specially, Sunset Shimmer. Got to apologize."

Muffet cocked her head. "Oh, how rude of me. I almost forget to introduce you to my pet. It's breakfast time, isn't it? Have fun, you two."

Without any warning, the floor dropped out from under Applejack. She found herself falling several feet only to crash into the bottom of a pit of spider webs. The spiders descended on her in mass, forcing her to dodge their attacks once more. Then without warning, a loud roar rang across the room as an enormous spider appeared underneath her!

"AAAAHHH!"

As Muffet's pet chomped at her feet, AJ shimmied her way up the spider-web. The other spiders swarmed her anew, clinging to her legs and arms and dragging her down. Muffet's pet lurched toward her. Only pulling up her legs at the last second saved them from being chomped clean off. By some miracle she managed to make it back to the top and fling the spiders off of her, only to collapse in a heap in front of Muffet. Her legs had turned purple from the venom. Her hands were swollen to twice their normal size. The spider web stuck to her body once again, but she lacked the strength to pull herself free. All she could do was reach into her inventory, pull out a spider doughnut, and attempt to eat it.

Muffet leaned down toward her, all six of her eyes widening. "Huh? Where did you get that? Did you steal it?" She gestured to her pet. "Oh my pet. It's time to show her what we do with thieves."

The giant spider climbed up to the same level as its master and roared at Applejack. But right as it leaned in to bite her head off, another spider crawled up to Muffet holding a piece of paper.

"Huh?" She picked it up. "A telegram from the spiders in the ruins?" Her eyes swept over the paper. "They're saying that they saw you and...you helped donate to their cause!" She waved her pet back. "Stand down. It seems this has been a big misunderstanding. I thought you were someone that hated spiders. Sorry for all the trouble."

"Th-Thanks." Applejack slurred. Eating the doughnut had healed her a bit, but some of the poison still lingered in her body.

"No problem. You can come back anytime, and I'll wrap you up and let you play with my pet again." Muffet laughed. "I'm just kidding. I'll spare you now."

All out of items, Applejack hobbled her way out of the spider den. She had just brushed off the last of the webs from her clothes when Flowey's face popped up in front of her.

"Howdy."

"Oh no."

---

"OH YESSSS!"

As a blue spotlight shined down upon her, Rarity froze in place in the middle of a dramatic pose. When the light moved away and she could move again, she finished the pose with a grandiose flourish that drove the audience wild. "Look upon me, citizens of the Underground. For I. AM. RARITY!" As the crowd erupted into applause, she dropped into a split to avoid a blast from her opponent, the equally fabulous Mettaton EX.

"That's all well and good, darling. But I'm the start of the show around here. So, I suggest you fall in line."

Rarity scoffed and pointed at him. "How can I fall in line when I haven't even fallen down yet? In fact, your next attack shan't leave a scratch on me."

Mettaton smirked and gesture to the crowd. "Hear that, Hotland? We've got ourselves a challenge." His heart popped out of his body. "We've grown so distant. How about another Heart-to-Heart?"

His heart rained down laser beams from above while the spotlights swerved across the battlefield. But Rarity simply smiled. Dodging underneath the blasts, she swept Mettaton up in a passionate pas de deux. She led and he followed, timing their movements to avoid the attacks as well. Whenever he tried to counter or evade, she turned his movements into another step of the dance. At long last, Mettaton's heart returned to his body, but the force of their passion was so violent and hot that his very arms were flung from his body. He went in for a kick only for her to dip him and drop him to the floor. And with her opponent already downed, she pinned his body under her shoe. As she pressed down on his heart, Mettaton's legs flew off of his body as well.

"So much for the star of the show. You've been disarmed AND upstaged, Darling." She jabbed a thumb at the screen. "But on the bright side, your ratings have never been higher."

Once she removed her foot, Mettaton popped upright. "Oh, look at those ratings! This is the most viewers I've ever had!"

As if to drive that home, the phones starting ringing off the hook. Monster after monster called into the show to gush about how spectacular the show had been, how much they loved Mettaton, or how much of an impression Rarity had made. All the while, the two of them simply sat on the stage and took everything in. When it finally died down, Mettaton gave Rarity his blessing to keep going onward to the capital. After gaining the reassurance that he could be repaired, she went off towards the capital.

"Well, that was exciting. Now, I'm the star of two worlds. I wonder what will happen next."

She got her answer as soon as the elevator reached its final stop.

"Howdy, Rarity."

"P-Pinkie Pie? What in the world happened to you? Is that some kind of nature costume you're wearing? I thought it was Fluttershy who wanted to be a tree."

Pinkie coughed a couple of times, spitting up a few leaves in the process. "It's not a costume. I got...roughed up by a tree monster."

Rarity scratched her head. "I see. Well never fear. I'm sure there's an inn somewhere at the capital. Just one little nap there, and you'll be right as rain. You haven't seen Sunset Shimmer by any chance. I hope she made it as far as we did."

"Haven't seen her."

Rarity's face fell. "Oh phooey. Well, might as well press onward regardless. We'll find her sooner or later."

Pinkie nodded and gestured for Rarity to walk past her. "After you." She waited until Rarity had walked far enough ahead before muttering under her breath. "You Idiot."

Author's Note:

Yes, because I'm the only person ever who's made the comparison between Mettaton and Rarity. The high fashion, the flamboyance, the same catchphrase, and the pursuit of popularity. Mettaton is basically what a male version of Rarity would look like. Complete with a heart of gold underneath his stand-offish persona.

For Applejack, I just wanted to have a chapter with Muffet since the former didn't really seem to mesh with any of the other bosses well. Muffet and Mettaton are two of my favorite Undertale characters.

Only one Humane 6 member left. And then....

Comments

[Wild Stallion]

The spider simply chuckled. "Miss Muffet to you. You think your taste is too refined for our pastries, dearie? I disagree with that notion. I think your taste is exactly what this next batch needs."

Ah Muffins! You finally show your cute and crazy face!

"Look upon me, citizens of the Underground. For I. AM. RARITY!" As the crowd erupted into applause, she dropped into a split to avoid a blast from her opponent, the equally fabulous Mettaton EX.

I highly doubt that. No one outclasses Rarity, and her femininely wiles.

Pinkie coughed a couple of times, spitting up a few leaves in the process. " It's not a costume. I got...roughed up by a tree monster. "

So wait is she possessed by Flowery? How does that work if Applejack just ran into him?

Also, poor Pinkie Pie. She's always given the role of the killer.

[Infernity Zero]

11427000

So wait is she possessed by Flowery? How does that work if Applejack just ran into him?

Considering how much he follows the player through the underground, how long his vines are if he can tie everyone up at once in the True Pacifist playthrough, and he can apparently tie down puzzles without any issue, I just figured that Flowey's roots run a lot deeper than the player can actually see and that he can stretch himself a lot.

...

Or maybe these encounters aren't happening in chronological order. Who knows?