Chapter Text
Noelle was tired.
After eons of living in a world mostly engulfed by darkness one would think that being the Angel would be easy. Her servants of darkness, each overseeing a kingdom of their own, had the might of their Titans to enforce their power. Her Knights travelled free, nations falling under their might as they opened more and more Dark Fountains. The power the Holidays held over the world was nearly unopposed, and even if the responsibility so forcefully shoved onto her was terrifying, she trusted that at least she'd grow into the Angel everyone prayed every night for by the time she'd take the throne.
And then this hidden prophecy, this little fairytale foretelling impossible events...Came true. A Human, A Dragonborn, and a Prince from The Dark. They had travelled the Card Kingdom and recruited its citizens, getting through every encounter without lifting a finger to harm their opponents. It was so bizarre to Noelle, that these people could just...Talk their way into overthrowing King. The world didn't work like that, this wasn't a world where kindness always won, where choices mattered, where any fear can be overcome with a conversation. No, it only made sense that the rumours are true, that the Delta Warriors are silver tongued devils preying on the weakness in people's SOULs to make them do their bidding.
Her mother would never lie to her after all.
Noelle always knew there would be a day where she HAD to grow up. She would have to be strong enough to do things by herself, to do right by the people that expected so much from her. She was told so many times that if the prophecy was true, that she'd have to either Kill for them, Or Be Killed for them. She knew all of this, and accepted the reality that there was no escape from her situation.
She just wished she would've at least reached adulthood by then.
The world didn't work like that.
So here she was, looking out her bedroom window in the large Castle she calls home. The gentle moonlight shines through the window and into the bedroom, the light of the moon envelops her head like a halo, and that same light casts a shadow into the room. Despite her lack of physical wings, her shadow is sporting a pair, yet another sign of her divinity. Another of the many telltale branding marks the world has given her as a reminder of what she is, and what her place in the world is. Another reminder she has no control.
Noelle isn't awake at such an hour of the night just to feel sorry for herself however, no. She's waiting to see if the one good part of her routine will be fulfilled today.
Little stones knock against her window in a practiced pattern, like a song meant only for her. Noelle's SOUL pulses in cheer.
She opens said window. Standing in darkness is a Human the same age as her. They were tall for one of their species, and they were so thin she might be forgiven for thinking they were a skeleton at a distance. Despite the fact that the moon refuses to shine on them, their dark silhouette is immediately recognizable to Noelle. She reaches into her inventory, and places a rope for them to climb into her room.
They climb the tower with practiced efficiency. As they reach the window, the light of the moon begins to make contact with their pale dark skin. Noelle exhales in silent awe as she gets yet another peek into their red eyes as they climb through the window.
Noelle puts the rope back in her inventory. Kris is breathing heavily as if they're in pain, even though they didn't always have so much trouble making the climb. She wonders what changed, what Kris' condition actually is. She never asks, she's too timid.
Kris pulls out some food from their inventory, like they always do after climbing into her room, this time it's a slice of Toriel's famous Butterscotch-Cinnamon Pie. Noelle waits politely for them to finish their food like she always does, and then she asks the same question she always asks.
"Are you okay?" Her voice is soft and sweet. "You really need to let my Clerics look at you sometime."
She didn't want them to end up bedridden like her dad after all.
"I'm fine," They smile. Their face is a little too thin and their smile a little too wide. Their curly tangled mess of hair hid their eyes, everything about them screamed "creepy". "If I let a Cleric check on me that means I lost our game."
She always liked creepy things.
"Your safety is not a game, Kris," She rolled her eyes. She sat down on her bed. "I care about you."
"Still? Damn, you're really stubborn then," They say, with nothing but fondness in their voice. They sit against the wall. From their inventory comes a plate with a full Pie- well, full except for the slice Kris took. "You got the stuff?"
"Don't say it like that!" She laughs. "You're making it sound like we're doing drugs!"
"Wait we aren't?" Kris gasps in theatrical betrayal. "I can't believe you tricked me, what the hell am I doing here then?"
Noelle blows a raspberry. Kris sticks out their tongue. It feels nice to just be herself around her childhood friend, even with all this stuff going on. They had been acting weird all day too, she needs to ask about that.
But first, she walks to her chest and begins getting the game pieces.
Soultakers is a game Noelle and Kris made up a long time ago with Asriel and Dess's help. It involves a board, miniatures who's stats, movement patterns, and roles they assigned themselves, tokens and a twenty sided die. Eventually they started writing lore about each new miniature they crafted, as well as their faction, their relationships. They even started writing full stories and plays together, stuff nobody but them and their siblings have seen.
Without them around, they feel as if the tone of those stories have changed. Not in a bad way of course, but a story is always bound to change when the authors change.
There was a lot of history to each game piece and each character. Only two of the original four factions remained. They would always make new ones, experiment with new mechanics, but they would always come back to the ones they made themselves.
Kris played the Soulbinders. A group of Goatfolk that hunt down evil SOULs and make them repent by binding them to a magic item, where they shall be in service to the greater good. Despite the fact that the game ends when the faction leader is struck down, Kris made their Faction leader the main Tank. Togore Dreemurr, the first Soulbinder, the Shield Hero.
It was funny really, Kris was so creepy and very much against most rules....Yet they clearly yearned to play the role of a Hero.
Noelle had been meaning to ask them to be HER Knight. They would need to train of course, but she wouldn't feel safer with anyone else.
"Wait, where's Ralsei?," Noelle realized one of Kris' Game Pieces was missing. "Can't have Togore without Ralsei!"
"I'd never separate them, relax," They chuckle, serving another slice of Pie onto a separate plate for Noelle. She was quietly thankful for that, it's nice that they thought about it before she asked. "I got him right here."
From their inventory comes a little game piece, it's Ralsei! Kris' favourite healer.
"Is that a new mini?" She tilts her head. "He had black fur before.."
"Yeah, changed some stuff around," They place him down on the board. "He's not gonna hide himself anymore."
"But the old miniature was so cute!" Noelle is a little upset. "He's not as cute anymore, it's a little inconsistent with the previous one too."
Kris scoffs.
"Don't talk to him that way, he can dress how he wants."
"So-sorry! It was just some criticism!" Why do they look genuinely upset?
Kris doesn't emote, but Noelle doesn't take this to mean they're mad. She never really got why other people thought Kris was hard to read. Sure, they didn't emote much, their eyes were covered, and they were quiet a lot of the time...But that didn't mean they didn't have thoughts or opinions. It certainly didn't mean they were unreadable, Kris was like an open book to her, even when they don't mean to be.
For example, Kris saying nothing right now means they don't have a comment to make, and want to move on to the next topic.
She's now setting her own game pieces. Her faction was called Angel's Heaven. Her Faction Leader was, of course, The Angel, who she built and minmaxed specifically to deal the most damage possible in the game....At the sacrifice of her defensive capabilities. To make up for this, she made an army of Holy Knights, they defend, raise her Tension Tokens, and allow for her to deal damage. It was a way...Scummier way to play the game, she'll admit, but it's so much fun. Especially when Kris is always coming up with new strategies to try and overcome her, and changing their army around. It truly felt like she was playing some sort of terrible force to be reckoned with.
Maybe she just liked the power fantasy.
The Angel had no name, she didn't need one after all, she was a force of nature that the lore of their stories revolved around. One of The Angel's servants DID have a name though, and that was Eve, who's entire purpose is to banish for one turn, then reappear next turn next to any of her own pieces. Eve The Immortal, The Angel's sister and guardian.
It didn't matter how far away she went, she'd always come back...Yeah.
"There, all set up," Noelle smiled. She took a bite of her pie with her bare hands. Around anyone else she'd be embarrassed and ashamed to do that, but it's Kris, so it's okay. "This is so good! I can't believe you stole the entire thing, isn't your mom gonna be mad you didn't save any?"
"Nah, at most she'll lock the oven again," They looked to the window, clearly pensive. "Weird day today."
It's good that they brought it up themself.
"Yeah, tell me about it..." Noelle sighs. "I can't believe I...I can't believe I have to fight a war."
"I can't believe I'm alive to be honest." They shiver a little.
Kris was sent to lands close to the Card Kingdom to get a package then deliver it back, with Susie acting as their bodyguard. It was supposed to be a small job, it was supposed to be in and out. Noelle can only imagine what horrors they saw..
To think they might've seen those Delta Warriors, maybe even had an encounter with their Leader.
"Are you okay?" Noelle frowns. "You were acting pretty weird when you got back, you didn't have the package and..You were walking around like you were seeing it all again for the first time- you even visited my dad."
"I sure fucking did, didn't I?" They sound bitter.
"What happened out there? Did you...Did you meet them? The Delta Warriors? Did anything happen? Are you okay? Is Susie-"
"Cut the chitchat, Angel," They groaned. "You know I'm no good at conversation."
That was a lie if she ever heard one. Kris would rather not talk most of the time, but it was clear to her that they were good at getting what they want out of a conversation. If only they had some initiative..They'd make a great leader.
"Sorry," She sighs. "I'm still worried."
"I'm okay, I'm alive," They look down. "Don't worry about me."
They said that a lot, and everytime they did Noelle worried more. Why? Why was Kris so insistent on being forgettable? On isolating themself? On living in a world where they're invisible and no one cares about them?
"Noelle," They raise their gaze to meet Noelle, clearing some of the hair from their face. A single red eye peeks out to greet her. Even one is enough to communicate Kris' intensity. "If..If I start acting like someone unrecognizable to you, if I start doing stuff that ends up hurting you or anyone we care about..I want you to know that I don't have a choice in the matter, okay?"
Noelle felt as if her entire body was freezing.
"What?" Shaky. "What?" Now firm. "Kris what's wrong? You can talk to me, I won't tell. It'll be just you and me. It'll be our secret, like these meetings. We can- we can-.."
She steadies her breathing.
"I'll care about you, and no one has to know...Would that be good enough?"
Kris looks genuinely surprised. They're shaking, and look as if they might faceplant on the floor..Then they take a bite of another slice of pie, and everything's fine.
Were they gradually losing HP for some reason? Were they injured?
Were they ALWAYS injured? They always brought food after all.
"Hey, I'm not leaving you any time soon," They look to the side for a moment..Then back at Noelle. "We...We're always gonna stick together, always. We lost too much to lose each other too."
Noelle can feel tears coming on, she cleans them before it's too late. She gives Kris her best smile.
"Oka-okay....We're gonna...We'll be okay, yeah."
Or she will be, once she finds out what they're hiding.
"Let's play the game now then," They leaned over the board, reaching for their favourite blue d20. "Let's roll Initiative..."
She was planning to win.