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Chara hated the barrier.
For one, it was sensory hell. Constantly changing from black to white and back again, the loud whoosh it made as it did so, the way it looked as though you were standing on nothing, about to fall into the void.
But of course, that was nothing compared to the whole thing’s purpose.
Chara’s biggest reason for hating the barrier was that it kept their family from being truly happy.
The Dreemurrs were content, to an extent—they had a functional, loving family, plenty of food to eat, and things to entertain them. Toriel made sure Chara and Asriel were well educated, not only in academics, but life skills as well. Recently, she had taught Chara to knit, and once they felt confident enough, they made a big pink sweater that said “Mr. Dad Guy” on the front for Asgore.
However, the fact that they were all trapped underground, never to see the sun again, hung over all their heads. Chara knew this because of how often they caught Toriel or Asgore looking out the windows in the Judgement Hall and sighing, and Asriel’s repeated queries of whether his parents thought they would be free soon.
Chara had always thought that if anyone deserved to be truly happy, it was the Dreemurrs. In fact, all of monsterkind deserved to be free. It was humans who should have to stare at that barrier every day.
It was almost a ritual for Chara to come and view the barrier every evening. It had never failed to make them angry, even after what must have been a hundred visits. They didn’t know why they did it. Their only explanation was that something about the anger made them feel… alive.
Tonight’s visit was no different than usual, except Toriel came to look for them.
“My child… you come here every night. Is there… something you are looking for?” she asked them quietly.
“No,” Chara answered after a pause. They didn’t elaborate.
“I know you must miss the surface.”
She was wrong about that. Despite the whole place being a prison, Chara had never been happier than they had been living in the Underground. It was the fact that everyone else wasn’t that made them wish this barrier never existed.
“Mom?” they asked suddenly. “Can you tell me how we’re supposed to destroy the barrier again?”
Toriel had explained it to them not long after Chara had first fallen, but the memory was starting to vanish.
“Well… we would need seven human souls, and together, that power would break the barrier forever.” Toriel paused. “But I sincerely doubt we will ever have seven humans in the Underground at once, let alone any humans who would be willing to give up their souls for it.” She sighed.
Chara would have given their soul in a heartbeat, but they didn’t say that, knowing it would upset Toriel.
“There is also a way to simply cross the barrier instead of destroying it,” Toriel continued.
This made Chara sit up straight. They had never heard this part before.
“You would need a monster soul and a human soul together. But I do not know what would happen to the monster and human after they crossed. It has never been done. The possibilities… are frightening.” Toriel shuddered. “Well, enough of that talk. It is almost time for bed.”
“I’ll come in a little bit, if that’s okay?”
“Alright,” Toriel agreed. She paused before leaving. “Do not let yourself become depressed over this, Chara. We must all stay determined.”
“I know, Mom.”
Chara stayed at the barrier for a while, their mind going a million miles per hour.
A monster soul and a human soul could cross the barrier.
That changed everything.
Chara’s heart beat fast as a plan started forming in their mind.
It wouldn’t be easy. Chara couldn’t just call forth their soul whenever they wanted. The only way anyone could physically get their hands on it would be if they died.
Death. It was something Chara had long wished for when they had lived on the surface, a desire that had slowly abated somewhat when they lived underground.
Now that the possibility was staring them in the face, Chara was scared.
They laughed at themself. If they wanted to break that stupid barrier and free their family, they couldn’t be scared. It was horribly selfish.
As the only human in the Underground, didn’t they have some sort of obligation to help everyone?
The plan was slowly coming together, but Chara would need more time to think through the details.
They took one last look at the barrier, and it only strengthened their resolve.
Chara would cross that barrier and retrieve six more human souls if it was the last thing they ever did.