Work Text:
Hometown was quiet. Many were asleep, awaiting the day to come. The dreemurr house was no different, except for the single figure still awake.
Kris had questions for the being that used them like a puppet. They ripped the soul from their body, as they had done several times before in an attempt to free themselves.
It never worked.
“How do you know everyone in my life? Why do you make me talk to them?”
It emanated a soft crimson glow, providing the darkness with light.
The soul is silent before finally answering.
”Because they were once my friends. In a manner of speaking.”
Kris asked for the soul to explain themselves further, and it did.
“I was once in a world much like this one. Filled with faces you would find familiar.”
Kris was curious to what the soul meant. They ran through names.
”Miss Alphys?” Their teacher at school.
”A brilliant scientist. I helped her confront her fears and find strength.”
”Chief Undyne?” The police chief who knows Kris’ father.
The soul’s tone carried the slightest hint of reverence. As if describing a mythic tale.
”A true hero of the monsters. Despite our differences, I helped her look past her hatred of humanity and see there was another way to peace.”
Undyne, a hero? That wasn’t too surprising. Hating humanity? Kris hadn’t seen enough humans to judge.
”What about the skeleton who works at the convenient store?”
”A friend and my judge. I was close with his brother too. I helped him find hope in his world and gave his brother the friendship he craved.”
Kris paused before giving their final name.
”Did you know my mother?”
The soul sighed wistfully. One could almost notice a hint of nostalgic sadness.
”She was once my mother too. I cared for her. The same for your father and brother, although I did not know it was him in our first encounter.”
Kris was silent, thoroughly enraptured.
“Leaving her was what hurt the most.”
”If that world was so perfect. If you had all these friendships. Why are you here?”
Kris’s eyes glared daggers into the soul.
”Why don’t you just go back?”
Kris’s hand clutches their bedsheets.
”Because I made a promise not to return, and I intend to keep that promise. This world gives me some small chance to see them again. Do you understand?”
”And so that gives you the excuse to puppet me?”
”I did not mean for any of this. Were it my decision, I would never steal your autonomy for my own gain.”
Neither of them spoke. The soul rippled as of it was sighing.
”Whatever becomes of us, I hope you and I can become friends too.”
Kris rolled back into bed, ready for this conversation to be over.
”We’ll see what happens.”
And before the darkness of sleep took them, Kris heard the soul sigh deeply.
"That we shall."