Ups and Downs

Undyne and Alphys enjoy a nice night out on the boardwalk
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	As September rolled in, so did the colder weather. The scalding hot August nights that had Undyne frying in the bed she shared with Alphys were almost a thing of the past. Chilly winds brought some respite from the many degrees stacked against her, though the days were still overly sunny, in her opinion.

	Though tonight was not at all as hot as the others, though that wasn’t saying much. Undyne and Alphys had decided to take a visit to the boardwalk in the town that sat beside Ebott, the two monsters walking past the mass structure of wooden planks and metal everyday on their usual walks to and from where they both worked along with the stray time they decided on a beach date. Curiosity had finally killed the cat, the two both wondering what would get so many humans and monsters alike to gather and hang out there.

	The sun was getting heavy in the sky as the couple walked up, the bright yellow light cascading across the sea. They approached the gate, which enthusiastically greeted them with various different signs, the boardwalk almost completely packed with people of all ages. The ferris wheel hung in the sky, the lights not yet turned on as it spun lazily around and around.

	Everywhere the scaled couple looked, there was something either interesting or new for them to spot. Arcades, games, challenges, and shops were all dotted along the worn wood, each with lines to boast about. Food vendors advertised their slightly overpriced meals, cotton candy, ‘cheap’ hot dogs, ice cream, and so many different kinds of candy, including the duo’s favorite: Pocky.

	The advertising and their stomachs finally got to them, each of them holding onto a copius amounts of junk food as they walked and looked at all of the sights they had yet to see. Rainbow and bright colored booths caught their eyes, carnival games of different difficulty and shadiness, along with their equally shady workers, were all in their rows, the carnies each calling up for a new challenger to attempt to beat their games.

	Plush toys watched Alphys and Undyne as they walked past, different sized teddy bears and cotton filled animals hung on hooks to try to entice people to walk up and try their heart out to win a button eyed toy, whether it be for them or to impress their dates.

	Alphys looked at each of them, but none really called out for her. She had every single collectible she could want, at least the ones that she could get her claws on. There was no way anything here could possibly be worth the effort, or the money, for her to try to grab.

	Then, the glare of LED lights hit a metal tin, Alphys stopping in her tracks. On a shelf sat a Mew Mew Kissy Cutie collectible tin, including several valuable trinkets all in mint condition, a ‘Grand Prize!’ sign hanging crookedly above the rack. The man behind the stand looked at the lizard, a grin forming on his lips.

	“Something’s caught your eye, eh?” he smirked, spitting down onto the floor of his stand and pulling out three well worn balls from behind the counter. “For only two dollars, young lady, you get three chances to try to knock down these bottles and earn the spoils.” He motioned towards the three stacks of wooden puns on a table near the back of the booth. “If you knock down all of the bottles, you can get the limited edition Missy Poutine Pew Pew tin thing or whatever.” He sniffed, wiping his nose as he watched the gears in her head turn.

	Without a second thought, Alphys reached for her wallet and produced two dollar bills for the man. She snatched the scuffed up balls from his hands, her eyes watching the middle stack intently.

	“Al, are you sure?” Undyne said, “You know these things are rigged, right?”

	The scientist ignored her girlfriend’s words of wisdom, her whole body winding up as she threw the ball as hard as she could, her eyes closing as she took the shot. The ball ricocheted pitifully against the wall behind the stack, Alphys blushing as the man snickered and thumbed his newly acquired bills. She took a second throw, mustering her whole might into her arm as she propelled the ball against the middle row, a few of the bottles falling uselessly against the ground with solid ‘thunk’s. She smiled a little bit as she prepared to throw her last shot, which knocked a final target.

	The booth worker made an unenthused clap and threw a sheet of non-permanent tattoos Alphys’s way, the lizard looking up at the tin, the prize almost mocking her from it’s high position.

	“You can always try again,” he mentioned as he pocketed the two bills from before. “It’ll just be another two bucks.”

	Before he could even finish the thought Alphys had slammed the cash onto the counter, the human smiling as he threw her another set of ammunition. Undyne watched as Alphys tried again and again and again, the balls bouncing harmlessly against a few of the bottles, this time her attempts earning a kazoo and a party popper.

	Undyne sighed and reached for her back pocket, producing the money and stepping up to the counter. “Alright, Mr. Balls, my turn.”

	“Be my guest,” he said before leaning back against the side of his makeshift room. Undyne gripped the ball, her body lining itself up. With a quick snap of her arm, the ball knocked every pin from the leftmost stack to the ground, the owner’s eyes widening as Undyne smirked, the other ball already in her hand.

	The booth master could barely mutter ‘Jesus Christ’ before Undyne knocked down the remaining two targets, three new scratches etched onto the back wall of the booth. The owner hastily threw the tin into Undyne’s arms before turning off the lights and closing the booth, Undyne merely smiling as she handed the prize to her girlfriend.

“I told you it was rigged,” she chuckled, “But it was no match for me.”

	Alphys blushed, “Y-Yeah, wow. Those things fell as if they w-weren’t glued down.”

	They both laughed as they continued their way down the boardwalk, the two stopping and watching as the lights all turned on, the bright neon of the roller coaster and ferris wheel shining bright. The sun dipped closer to the horizon, giving Undyne an idea.

	She took Alphys’s hand, the ex-guard dragging her to the line for the towering wheel. Alphys looked nervous, more so than usual, but she followed and stood in line as they waited to be filed into the carts. The two sat as the ride turned, Alphys fidgeting and sweating in her seat. She sat rod stiff with scared eyes as the cab rocked, her body tense as they ascended.

	“Alphys!” Undyne exclaimed, surprised to see her girlfriend in such distress “Are you ok?”

	The scientist looked at her date. “I-I-I’m af-f-fraid of h-heights,” she stammered, her claws digging into the bench.

	Undyne mentally kicked herself for not thinking of that. She thought for a second before leaning down and kissing Alphys on the cheek, Alphys blushing and relaxing slightly.

	“Is that better?” She asked, smiling as Alphys seemed to settle down.

	“Y-Yea…” She said, the yellow scales on her cheeks now cherry red.

	“Hey, there’s no shame in being afraid of heights.” She said, wrapping her arm around the smaller monster. “You’d laugh if you knew what I was afraid of.”

	“R-Really?” Alphys said, “What?”


	“I’m not going to tell you, are you kidding?” Undyne laughed, “Who would I be if a nerd like you laughed at me?”

	Alphys giggled as Undyne smiled at her. She looked up, the sun slowly setting below the mountain, the water turning more and more orange. Both of them gazed at the view, their eyes wide as the mountains turning nearly pitch black as the sun ever so slowly descended below the horizon. The clouds were painted into purple wisps as the sky turned a bright orange, the colors slowly turning darker and darker as the sun dipped behind the mountains.

	The cart reached the top of the wheel, Alphys more calm but still slightly on edge.

	“It’s not so bad, huh?” Undyne said.

	“Y-Yea,” Alphys said, her fear leaving her completely. She looked around from her high vantage point, but didn’t dare look down. “N-not bad at all!”

	“That’s the spirit.” Undyne chuckled, her toothy grin wide. “But I have a little surprise, close your eyes.” Alphys did so until Undyne said a muffled “Alright, you can open them now.”

	The scientist looked up at her date, a blush forming on her cheeks again as she saw a piece of pocky secured between Undyne’s lips.

	“Well,” she said, “You want some or not?”

	Alphys laughed her nervous laugh that Undyne learned to love before pressing her lips against her girlfriend’s. She let out a content hum as the ride turned again, the scientist taking her bite of the treat before pulling away and munching on the sweet cookie. Both of them blushed and giggled as the seat rocked, Undyne wrapping an arm around Alphys’s shoulders.

	The wheel turned and eventually reaching the ground, the two monsters walking happily out of the boardwalk hand in hand, the leftover box of pocky slowly emptying as they returned home from their date.