[center][h1][color=67a4e0]The Fallen Child[/color] Vs. [color=darkgreen]The Skullgirl[/color][/h1][/center]

[center]Word Count: 1613[/center]

[center][color=67a4e0]Level 2[/color] - (7/20) + 3[/center] 

[center][color=darkgreen]Level 10[/color] - (35/100) + 3[/center] 

[center]Location: Frozen Highlands ~ Snowdin [/center]

[i][color=67a4e0]Frisk[/color] [@Majoras End]  [color=skyblue]Albedo[/color] [@Lugubrious], [color=b34141]Papyrus[/color] [@Dark Cloud] [color=darkgreen]Linkle[/color] [@Gentlemanvaultboy][/i]

[hr][hr]

Healed up or not, Frisk was only [i]slightly[/i] worried about hurting Linkle too badly. But from what they've seen, she was pretty freaking strong. And besides, there was no ill intentions with a quick practice spar. Their eyebrows rose when the Skullgirl mentioned she had her own way of healing people, and their eyes widened when she pulled out a... Ah, so it wasn't a soul. Right. The "powered by friendship" thing sounded kinda cheesy.

 Once they found a good enough area to stop, the child set down some of their things so it won't be a hinderance, and hurried over to Linkle once she called them over. Soon as she pulled out her crossbows, their soul answered the call of an approaching battle. They playfully shook their head at her suggestion of pretending she was a bad guy. As she began firing at them, instead of immediately bringing out their shield, Frisk simply went on the evasive. They took their time, watching closely for patterns in the Skullgirl's attacks, and building up a sort of rhythm to their dodging. They won't attack [i]yet[/i].
 
 In response to Frisk's daredevil decision to dodge bolts instead of taking them with their shield, Linkle focused a little more on the child. To see just how agile the child really was Linkle slowly ramped up her game, increasing the number of bolt volleys and decreasing the length of time she left between them as the child danced around her attacks. Impressed, Linkle reached down and added her other crossbow to the mix to instantly double the difficulty. 

Frisk smirked, seeing as they drew Linkle's attention enough for her to increase the tempo. To and fro through volleys of arrows, they began their approach towards the Skullgirl, doing their best to keep up with the pace. Though they did get nicked by an arrow here and there, causing them to lose focus for a second. Once they were close enough, they aimed their gloved fist at Linkle's head, and swung.

Never in her life had Linkle seen [i]anything[/i] come at her through one of her volleys by dodging. Things that did tanked through them, and ended up with far worse than a couple of nicks for their pursuit. Those nicks, though, also put Frisk on the attack. As the child swung at her face Linkle retreated, rolling backwards into a crouch before putting one hand on the ground and lashing out with straight kick. 

 [color=67a4e0]"Tch!"[/color] Frisk clicked their tongue, seeing as their attack failed to hit. And seeing Linkle switch to a more melee approach, they decided it was time to try a bit of kindness. Their soul clicked green, and the pale blue barrier that formed from it took the blow for them, nearly knocking the kid off their feet from the impact.
 
 Linkle didn't let up. Deciding to see just how much the shield could take she darted forward and didn't stop kicking it, bringing the flat of her boot against the surface over and over again. 

Their boots slid against the snow, their focus solely on keeping the shield up as long as possible. Admittedly, it was taking a good bit of energy against someone as strong as the Skullgirl. She wasn't the only one who wanted to know how durable Frisk's magic was, even they didn't know! And with enough blows,

 [color=67a4e0]"Ah!"[/color]

 The shield shattered like glass, catching Frisk by surprise, and their soul returned to it's original color.
 
 As Linkle took another step forward, she grimaced from what she was about to do. Taking advantage of the child's surprise at their own broken shield she drew her leg back and let fly with all her strength right into the side of the child's head. The blow was enough to lift Frisk up into the air, but Linkle was already moving fast. She tapped her chest to pull out a Friend Heart and, snatching Frisk out of the air with one arm, pushed the heart into their chest to bring both their influence from Galeem and the no doubt splitting pain in their skull to a quick end. 

 “Sorry I had to get that rough, Frisk. Are you okay?” She asked, still holding the child and giving them a concerned once over before setting them back down.
 
  Of course, the quick chain of events left Frisk feeling a bit disoriented. They were kicked in the skull, caught, then healed, right? Only, it didn't just heal them. Their eyes remained widened as Linkle asked if they were alright. The youth looked around. At their current party, at their surroundings, at themself. They looked down at their soul, and dismissed it.

 [color=67a4e0]"What happened?"[/color] They asked, then looking back up to Linkle with renewed determination. [color=67a4e0]"What [i]really[/i] happened??"[/color] They bore no ill intent, only a wish to know the truth.
 
 "Okay." Linkle replied, squatting down for a real chat. Even though they were still shut, the childs eyes were open wide now. "Sorry for lying, but you wouldn't have been able to believe me before now. That heart isn't really a healing thing, that's just something else it does. Without it, you would never have been able to remember the bright light, right before all this happened. Do you remember the bright light?"

 [color=67a4e0]"Bright..."[/color] Frisk pushed their bangs back as they looked back to before their arrival. And they shuddered. [color=67a4e0]"Y-Yeah. Yeah! Me and my friends, we were ambushed by this jerk of a flower, but something else; something terrifying took us out before he did, even him!"[/color] They frowned, looking back to Papyrus and Albedo, who was hopefully trying to help him like Linkle did. As much as the child didn't like any of their friends get hurt. They looked back to the Skullgirl. [color=67a4e0]"Well, guess since things really have changed, I can tell you the other power I have."[/color] 

 Frisk smiled, walking back to their things to grab their trusty stick. [color=67a4e0]"You know how I said determination lets me adapt my soul trait? My magic??"[/color] 
 
 Linkle cocked an eyebrow, not quite done explaining but super eager to see what else the Child had in store. She leaned forward, nodding, "Yeah, yeah! Were you about to break out some super move on me?"
 
 They scratched the back of their neck with a nervous giggle. [color=67a4e0]"I wish, but this is something a bit more complicated."[/color] Frisk walked over to a clear patch of snow, and drew a four-pointed star on the ground. [color=67a4e0]"The short version is back in my world, with enough determination, you can manipulate time. These little stars here kinda act as foci for that. They usually appear in safe areas like Snowdin, or when danger's around the corner."[/color] They started to explain. [color=67a4e0]"Though I guess no one else saw them, huh? Anyways, traveling through the Underground with non-violent intentions wasn't easy. I got hurt. And in some cases, I died. But when that happened, I end up back where I last saved my progress, no wounds or anything."[/color] One of their cheeks puffed out in thought. 

 [color=67a4e0]"I don't know if I'd be able to make it this far without it. With my second and third or so attempts, I guess it gave me the experience to survive. But since I ended up here, my powers have been a bit weird, and these became more of a checkpoint than anything."[/color] Frisk looked back to Linkle, and Albedo in fact. [color=67a4e0]"You may have seen me blink away back at Treat's old home? That was me going back to a checkpoint. It kinda works like teleportation now. Doesn't heal me and all that stuff.[/color] They shrugged. 
 
"Whoa, like the Hero of Time?" Linkle asked in amazement, scooching over across the snow to check out the symbol Frisk had carved in the ground before the next part of the Child's statement hit her. "Wait, so you went on your adventure without fighting? Geeze, no wonder you're so agile! You must have had tons of practice." That did lead into the second part of her explanation. "Unfortunately, I don't think that's an option here. If anyone with red eyes, like you did, gets into a fight they have to keep fighting until the fight is finished. That's the way things are in Galeem's world."

Linkle pointed up, drawing the child's attention to the artificial sun hovering in the sky. "That's what got everyone with its light. Me and my friends have been trying to fix everything back to the way it was, but to even open the way to that thing we've got to defeat all these guardians down here. That wild man is one of them, which is why I have to face him so bad."

Frisk frowned. [color=67a4e0]"That's-!"[/color] Awful. They looked up to the artifical sun, the reason why they're all in th in this mess. Galeem.[color=67a4e0]"...I know. As much as it sucks, I know the game's changed."[/color] They glanced back to Linkle. [color=67a4e0]"I know I have to rebuild my strength, and get stronger after that. For everyone's sake. I might not be much of a fighter, but I can support everyone who can! Atleast until I can be just as formidable."[/color] They pumped their fist with a determined smile.

Linkle smiled back. "You're a real hero, you know that?" She said, standing back up and placing her hands on her hips. It was a weight off her mind that the child was so mentally tough, not to mention that they could dip out if they were in mortal danger. She entended a hand to the child. "Welcome to the Seekers of Light, Frisk."

With no further delay or restraint, Frisk shook her hand with a grin.