Dueltale Chapter 1: Awakening Underground

Awakening Underground is the first chapter of the YGO-Undertale crossover commission story, Dueltale.

Chapter
Long ago, two races ruled over Earth: Humans and Monsters. Times could be tense, so in order to settle any disputes, the two races developed a solution: A card game, once played between people as friendly competition, would be used as a decider of the stakes. Tournaments of this game would be held, and the winner would be the one who emerged victorious in these disputes. However, the humans refused to simply accept defeat; they had a secret, special power within them that allowed them to tip the scales in their favor, quickly giving them the upper hand with the monsters being none the wiser. Eventually, having taken many victories for themselves, the humans eventually cast the game aside and directly engaged the unprepared monsters. The monsters were sealed underground by a magic spell, giving the humans free reign over the planet. Many years later, in Year 201X, a legend circulates around a mysterious peak called Mt. Ebott, said to be the site where the last breach to the monster world is located. The legend states that those who climbed the mountain would never return, being dragged down to the realm of the monsters. One day, two brave young souls chose to take on that venture. The path became treacherous, but the two were determined to see their quest to the end. Within a clearing near the top, a gaping hole could be found, almost beckoning them to investigate. When the two approached to see if anything was below, the ground gave way, causing them both to plummet into the dark abyss below. It would seem that the legends were true after all…

-Underground-

“…t u… Ge… p… Get up…” The voice came to his ears as fragments, but slowly became clearly as the 13-year-old boy began to regain feeling in his body. His fingers moved when he tried to, and he slowly began to try opening his eyes, barely getting them open at first. Then…

“Get up, ya dingus! Quit layin’ there!”

The sudden shout sent a shock through the boy’s body, causing his eyes to fully open. “Huh…? W-What…?” His voice moaned out as he slowly rose to on his hands and knees, moving the fabric of his blue-and-purple-striped shirt and blue pants. His neck-length brown hair had some pieces of dirt in them, but otherwise looked well-groomed. For whatever reason, he felt no pain around his body despite having taken such an immense fall. Looking down, he saw that he had landed in a pile of yellow flowers. “I’m… alive…?”

“Of course you’re alive. If you weren’t, I wouldn’t be alive either!” The voice that spoke to him said. The boy turned to see another boy around his age staring at him with a mixture of concern and annoyance in his green eyes. His skin was paler than his slight tan, and his spiky red hair was slightly matted. There were a few petals and dirt bits on his gray-and-green shirt and yellow shorts, likely from the landing.

“…Machi.” The boy said, moving to sit on his rear end, having a small smile. “I’m glad to see you’re OK, too. Where do you think we are?”

“Try looking up.” Machi replied, pointing up. The boy looked up, finally noticing a beam of light shining on the flowers, and saw where it was coming from: A hole that was visible through a VERY tall “ceiling” of rock. “We fell from all the way up there. We’re underneath Mt. Ebott right now.”

The boy gulped. “All that height… How do we have no injuries?”

“Probably the flowers. Plants always did make a good cushion.” Machi said before getting to his feet, brushing plant debris off his shirt. “There’s no use sitting around here, Frisk. We should try and see if there’s anyone around.”

Frisk nodded, getting to his feet as well. “Good idea. Someone might be able to help us get home.” Machi nodded before the two began walking down a nearby corridor, going further and further into slight darkness, albeit still bright enough to see where they were going. “Machi?”

“Yeah?”

“Legends say that monsters live down here… Do you think we’re in trouble?”

Machi exhaled through his nose. “Not if I have anything to say about it.” Eventually, the two came across a doorway framed by a large stone arch, a symbol that looked like a winged flower emblazoned on it. Glancing at each other briefly, Frisk and Machi headed through the arch.

On the other side was a dark area, but the two of them saw a spotlight in the middle of the room, a patch of grass illuminated by it. Then, from within the grass, a small plant quickly grew from it, booming into a small yellow flower… with a face, which startled the two humans. “Who… Who are you?” Frisk asked.

The flower smiled at them. “Howdy! I’m Flowey! Flowey the Flower!” It said to them in a young-sounding voice. “Hee hee hee… Why’d you make me introduce myself? It’s rude to act like you don’t know who I am.” Frisk and Machi each rose an eyebrow at this. They were supposed to know this… thing? “Someone oughta teach you some proper manners. I guess little old me will have to do.” Flower dove back into the grass before reappearing further back in the patch. Then, a set of 28 rectangle-shaped leaves grew in front of him in four rows of seven, the second and third rows having a bit of a gap. “You there, with the brown hair. Come on over here.” “M-Me?” Frisk asked, startled.

“Yeah, you! I wanna have a Duel with you!” Flowey chirped, still keeping that unfaltering grin.

“A Duel?” Frisk wondered.

“He’s talking about Duel Monsters, Frisk.” Machi said. “That game that’s been around for who knows how long?”

Realization clicked with Frisk. “Oh… right.” He looked at Flowey. “Um, sorry, Flowey, but… I don’t have a Deck. I never actually played Duel Monsters.”

“Oh, no worries! I can teach you how!” Flowey said before another plant rose from the ground, opening to reveal a deck of cards. “Here, you can use this Deck to practice with!”

Frisk was hesitant, looking over at Machi. “What? Go with your gut on this one, Frisk.” He told him. “Gotta build up a little more nerve somehow.”

“Y… Yeah. You’re right.” Frisk replied, looking back at the Deck. Gathering the same determination that got him to Mt. Ebott’s peak in the first place, Frisk walked over and took the Deck from the plant, which receded into the ground.

“Good! Now place it on the bottom-right leaf. That’ll be your Deck Zone for this since I don’t really have a Duel Disk.” Flowey told him. Taking a spot opposite Flowey on the leaves, Frisk sat down with his legs crossed, placing the Deck on the correct leaf. “I’ll just grab my Deck here…” Another plant grew next to Flowey, producing a Deck on his own Deck Zone leaf. “Ready?” Frisk nodded. “Here we go!”