Chapter Text
Kris laid in bed, contemplating the day’s journey. They had made two new friends, discovered a hidden world of magic and hopes and dreams. But that wasn’t on their mind—how could it be?
They’d heard her voice.
The first time was just a whisper, so soft as to be mistaken as just a rustle of the paper on the floor of the supply closet as it was flung with them into the Dark World.
“...Kris.”
The second time had been unmistakable.
“It feels like we stumbled into something really important… didn’t we?”
Kris approached the fountain, the soul in their chest rising to meet it. There was a… shift in the world, then a blinding white light and-
“Kris… can you hear me?”
Kris heard the voice again, more clearly this time. But it was more than just a voice—Kris knew that voice the moment it first whispered their name at the beginning of their journey. It was a voice they hadn’t heard in years, that they thought they would never hear again. Tears began to roll down Kris’ face as they opened their mouth to shout
“Dess!”
December.
It had been… Well.
Kris never had the heart to keep track of the anniversaries past the first. It had been years since she… died? Kris liked to believe that she was only missing, that one day she would knock on the Dreemurrs’ door like when they were children to chew them out for putting fake mice in Noelle’s shoes.
An impossible dream. They had been there, after all, when it happened.
But Kris heard what they heard—they knew a voice in their head and it wasn’t that. Dess had spoken to them. Was Dess… a ghost? Why now? What about the Dark Fountains was able to pull her voice from the abyss, from wherever she went after-
Kris felt sick.
They needed something. They needed to think, truly think without the constant presence in their chest and threat of words in their head. Kris wriggled in resistance before jumping out of bed.
Kris? Kris don’t do this, you know how much it hu-
Kris cut off the words with a searing pain and victorious tear, the soul clutched in their fist. They flung it into the well-used birdcage before brandishing their knife and stumbling downstairs, a disconcerting grin of freedom on their face.
Kris needed this. They needed to think. They needed to eat their mother’s pie—albeit shakily and with a slowly growing tremor in their chest—themself, without the ever-present strings that bound them. As they ate on the dark dining table, Kris closed their eyes, and pictured a different time…
The eight of them sat around the same table, the setting sun casting a warm glow on their faces. Mom sat next to dad, head on his shoulder, a content smile on her face. Under the table, Asriel not-so-inconspicuously held Dess’ hand in his own, a dopey grin and slight blush on his pristine fur. Seated next to Dess, Noelle looked different that night, all those years ago, but Kris’ memory glossed over what she’d rather them not remember. Dess and Noelle’s parents sat together as well. Rudy was smiling at his wife, not a hint of…
Oh.
It was… it was all gone, wasn’t it. After Dess, Asriel never seemed quite the same. He threw himself at school, his smiles fake and far-between, before sweeping off to college. He couldn’t seem to get out of Hometown fast enough. Too many memories, Kris imagined.
Mom and dad… Kris never did find out exactly what happened between them, but they knew that mom wouldn’t ever again smile like that in dad’s presence.
Noelle had come to Kris first. They knew why she would, but it didn’t make it any easier to hear the deep truths which Dess should’ve heard first, and through choked sobs on their shoulder how Dess would never know her sister. Kris held her, but their face never changed—it rarely did anymore.
And now Rudy…
Kris would do anything. They would do anything to hear that voice again, to see that face again, to again be scolded for some juvenile prank.
But that night, as their breathing shallowed and heartbeat weakened, all Kris could do was trudge up those stairs, put their heart on its chain, and let it guide them to sleep.
It was happening again.
Oppressive darkness spilled from the computer lab and onto the library floor.
Susie looked worried, so maybe it was best that Kris wasn’t in-control enough to grin.
“Kris, you don’t think this could be…”
Kris wanted nothing more than it to be. Entering Castle Town that morning had yielded… nothing. No words, no ghostly presence. It had to be a new fountain, a new world. Then surely…
“You know. Kris. If there’s a Dark Fountain in there, you can seal it…”
Kris’ incredible enthusiasm at the prospect prompted their mouth to move.
“Let’s go! Let’s go!”
Well, they weren’t words Kris would’ve chosen, but they’d do. The friends leap into the fountain and-
“Kris!”
Dess’ voice had become a shout.
“Oh my god I can talk to you Kris! It’s these rips! I can talk to you thr-”
Her voice cut as promptly as it began. Kris knew better than to yell after it in front of Susie, especially since she hadn’t seemed to hear. Kris heard a voice in their head already and kept that much under wraps. Two? Yeah, that would stay a secret for now.
Kris?
Speak of the voice in your head…
Kris you seem… really happy? You know I can’t hear your thoughts, but I know when you feel really sad and this is the opposite, isn’t it?
Kris sighed out loud, drawing a confused side-eye from Susie.
If you didn’t hear it, this one’s not easy to explain, Voice. It’s what I didn’t want to talk about yesterday, why I yelled her name, Kris responded.
Well… Voice hesitated. Voice may be my gift, but I can make a good listener…
So the two of them walked alongside Susie, and Kris told him everything.
D
E
“...when I said this city makes my head spin…I didn’t mean it in a bad way… you know?”
C
“I always wanted to go someplace new, you know?”
“...And Dess… always told me she’d take me.”
She glanced at Kris, but their face remained a mask. Noelle chuckled.
E
“...don’t you miss exploring, Kris?”
Back before-
“Back when the four of us were kids?”
M
“Gosh, remember that night we explored the forest behind the graveyard?”
Noelle knew they did. Back when Kris’ expressions were more than just blank masks, before-
If they were anything like her, moments like that night would never leave their memories.
“Ha, I know we never found anything interesting back there…”
“I mostly remember… crying because I was scared”
B
“But for some reason…” She knew the reason. “I feel… nostalgic thinking about it.”
E
The last adventure they had. The last time-
“Dess wiping away my tears with Azzy’s jacket…”
Noelle really did try not to think about it, most days.
“...with warm sleeves that smelled like cinnamon.”
But Kris… something about Kris, since this adventure began…
“I guess I didn’t mind being scared if it meant…”
R
“Someone would comfort me.”
Someone. Not Kris. Not Azzy.
Sigh…
She shouldn’t dwell on her.
Kris marched forward, Noelle following closely behind.
“Kris… it’s your turn.”
They marched forward towards the fountain. This is it, again. They needed to talk to her this time, find out what they could do.
The soul rose up to the fountain, and Kris didn’t waste any time.
“Dess!”
Hopefully Susie couldn’t hear at this point.
“Dess what can I do‽ How can I help‽”
There was a pause, to Kris, an eternity, then-
“It’s these rips, Kris, whatever they are. Every time you pass through them, I can speak to you for a moment. And… those crystals in your pocket… you had one before, but I- I was too elated to really notice… Kris! You need to find mo-”
Silence.
Oh no, Kris.
Voice knew them too well, but… had he heard her this time?
You heard what Ralsei said about the fountains.
Kris didn’t respond.
Kris, I don’t know what’s happening with Dess but you can’t risk this…
Kris didn’t respond. In fact, they didn’t respond for hours. No matter how much Voice marched them around Hometown with Susie, how much he tried to convince them to reconsider, how long he tried to keep them away from the house. Eventually, it was time.
…
It’s making a lot of noise.
Kris please! You don’t know what you’re deali-
A familiar pain. At least this time it would be for something that mattered. They climbed through the window…
Susie had to be there for this—their party couldn’t succeed on these journeys without her, no matter Voice’s leadership. Kris slashed their mother’s tires.
“...sorry, mom,” they rasped with a grimace. Well, it’d keep Susie here. And it would be worth it—it had to be worth it. Kris stumbled up to the kitchen window, mom’s eyes catching their figure before they stumbled away and back into the house.
Well, no use delaying this. Kris reached into the bathroom cabinet and plunged the now-still soul into their chest…
Silence.
That was… unlike him. Well, it would make the next part easier.
“Hey Kris, hurry up next time,” Susie said with a smirk. “We’re already almost done.”
Mom walked back into the house, clearly shaken from the slashed tires, and recommended Susie stay over for a sleepover.
“That… sounds good to me! Yeah!” Susie sounded elated.
“Splendid! I will make sure everything is in order,” Mom said, walking away. “Just… call your parents, will you not?”
“Yeah, of course!” Susie made a show of walking towards the phone before speeding away the moment Mom walked upstairs.
Oh no, Susie… Voice’s first words since the bathroom dripped with empathy.
…yeah. I noticed that too. Kris responded, face blank as ever.
“So what the hell, a sleepover?” Susie failed to mask her glee, unaware of the brief conversation. “Damn, I haven’t had one of those in forever, heh…” Her face fell, but only a little.
They both plopped on the couch. Susie and Kris talked for what seemed like hours. Voice stayed out of the way, letting Kris speak for themself.
Eventually, Susie fell asleep, and Kris followed…
Kris… I can’t stop what you’re planning, nor can I take part, Voice began as Kris stirred. But I… I want you safe, okay? Please be safe Kris. When it comes to December… it’s not just the fountains that worry me…
Kris paused, Voice, what does that mean? Voice?
But he was silent. Kris ripped him out.
They opened the door. If Undyne comes by, they don’t want her breaking it down. Would be harder to convince her it’s a dream that way.
They turned on the TV. Well… no real reason for doing that, but they figured that a TV-themed Dark World would be up Susie’s alley.
Trudging to the middle of the room, Kris held their knife.
Dess… wherever you are…
Determination coursing through their body and their arm, Kris plunged the blade into the carpet…
I’ll bring you back.
A blinding white light, then… pure black. A new Dark Fountain formed.
Kris trudged back to the couch and held the soul in their hand.
You… have secrets, Voice. Promise you’ll tell me, soon.
Kris placed the soul more gently into their chest. Silence, then–
Kris, I don’t think I’ll be able to hide them for very long if I tried. I’ll tell you, soon. I promise.
Kris didn’t respond, except by settling back into the couch, and waiting for the fountain to take them.