Chapter Text
Is this the place? Kanako asked, arriving at a wooden house in Snowdin.
Yup. It's definitely in a better shape than when I last checked. Clover replied. Dalv's house has finally been fully constructed, no longer being a dilapidated shack.
Kanako knocked on the door and a few seconds later, someone answered.
"Hi Dalv!" Kanako greeted him excitedly.
"Kanako! I am so glad to have you here. Did you bring your own pencils and papers?" Dalv asked.
"Of course!" Kanako looked around Dalv's house. "Wow! Your house looks so pretty!" Kanako is awestruck by the ornate decorations of his house, from the gold details on the walls to the candles and lanterns that light up his house.
"Thank you!" Dalv smiled. "It may not be as spacious as my old house in the Ruins, but Pops and I both agreed that it is just as comfortable."
He took out his own pencils and papers. "So! Shall we begin?"
Dalv and Kanako started drawing on their papers. After a few minutes, Dalv finished his drawing. It is a picture of a Sweet Corn at a corn field. "What do you think of my art, friend?" he asked.
"I love it!" Kanako praised him. It looks amazing! You improved a lot. Clover said, impressed with Dalv's art.
"Clover likes it too! Said you improved a lot." Kanako relayed their compliment to Dalv.
"Thank you so much, you two! I guess those art lessons I took really paid off!" Dalv blushed, unable to handle so much praise. "What about you? What did you draw?"
Dalv took a peek at Kanako's drawing. It is a picture of Kanako and Clover holding hands. "You two look so adorable together!"
"Stop! You're gonna make me blush too..." Kanako couldn't help but blush in embarrassment. She could feel that Clover is embarrassed too.
They continued to draw in silence. After a while, Kanako spoke up. "I miss you so much Dalv, just...drawing, talking with you..."
Dalv agreed. "I missed this too. Drawing with you was always my favourite pastime."
Kanako said somberly, "I haven't seen you since...what happened...that day..." She couldn't stop the unpleasant memories from showing up in her mind.
That fateful day started out relatively normal. Kanako met Dalv when she accompanied her dad on casual business. She wandered off to play with him while Chujin was busy.
They were in the middle of building a snowman when they saw a few panicked monsters running past them. Dalv stopped one of the monsters. "What happened? Why are you all running?", he inquired.
"A-A-A human!! They were crazy! Started attacking every monster in sight!", the monster answered before running away.
"In that case, come Kanako! We must hide before-" Just then, they heard footsteps coming towards them.
The human...Kanako couldn't forget that horrible sight. They were wearing a tutu and ballet shoes, both items...coated with dust.
However, the human...looked frightened. Almost like they were scared of the monsters. They were taking huge breaths and shaking in fear.
Dalv attempted to soothe the human. "Human, please calm down! We do not want to hurt you." He reached out a hand.
The human backed off immediately. "Stay away from me! Don't come any closer, or else!", they screamed.
Kanako took pity on the human. "You don't have to be afraid, please! I can be your friend, if you want to!" Kanako took a few steps towards the human, before-
"Kanako, watch out!"
Dalv shoved Kanako out of the way, before the human landed a kick on his stomach. The force was strong enough that Dalv was thrown back a short distance before landing on the snow. "Argh!!" Dalv groaned painfully, holding a hand to his wound.
"Dalv!!! No!" Kanako couldn't stand seeing her friend hurt, but at the same time, she was powerless to stop the human.
They both watched fearfully as the human removed one of their shoes, slowly approaching them while raising the shoe above their head.
Dalv had to do something to protect his friend. With no other choice, he raised an arm, and fired several bolts of electricity at the human. The human let out a scream of agony.
Kanako shut her eyes tightly and covered her ears, trying and failing to block out the scream. When she opened her eyes, she saw the human lying on the ground, their skin scorched from the lightning blasts. Worse, some kind of red liquid was dripping from their nose and mouth.
"A-Are you okay?" Kanako asked, too afraid to move closer to the human. Suddenly, the human got up and quickly ran off. After that, they never saw the human again.
"I still remember that day like it was yesterday...I truly did not mean to hurt them that badly." Dalv shuddered.
"I want to feel bad for them, I really do...but then..." Kanako stared at the ground, more memories starting to resurface. "Kanako? What is it?" Dalv asked.
"After mommy gave me that extract...I blacked out. When I woke up, mommy wasn't with me. I was at a completely different place."
"At first, I felt great! But then..."
What's happening...to me? Why am I...?
"I was melting...it hurts so much...I called for mommy, but...but..."
But nobody came.
"It was so dark...so dark..." Kanako's breaths started to become more erratic.
Somebody! Hellllpppppp meeee.......h...elp.........
"I was so alone...but I saw other monsters...they were just like me..." Kanako gripped her pencil tightly.
Welcome to my special hell. Welcome to my special hell. Welcome to my special hell.
Welcome to my special hell. Welcome to my special hell. Welcome to my special hell.
sn...o...wy...
"There was another voice in my head, telling me to...k-kill them all...I didn't listen to them, but then..." Kanako hugged her legs close to her chest.
"My mom...she finally came...and then I...I attacked her...I-I couldn't control myself!"
"I tried to...k-kill...she would've...d-d-di-" Kanako couldn't speak anymore. She is having a panic attack.
"Kanako!! Please, you need to calm down!" Dalv panicked. Oh no oh no! What do I do?
Dalv rubbed his hand gently through Kanako's back. "It's okay, friend! You are safe now. You are safe with me. Deep breaths, friend. Deep breaths."
Kanako started to take deep breaths, but still couldn't stop trembling. What else can I do? Dalv looked at their drawings. Oh! I know!
Dalv held up his drawing. "Kanako, look at this! Can you count how many corn cobs I have drawn?"
"O-one...t-two...three..." Kanako pointed at the drawing, trying to count each of the corn cobs.
"Four...five...six..."
...
"Seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty."
"Do you feel better now?"
Kanako relaxed, slumped against her chair. "I...feel a lot better now. Thanks."
Dalv breathes a sigh of relief. "That is nice to hear. Kanako, I can't imagine what you've been through...you are just a child. Nobody deserves to suffer like this."
"It's okay, Dalv. I'm...I'm free now, thanks to..." Kanako held out her SOUL. "Clover...you had to give up your life, for me..."
Kanako, it's fine. As long as you get to be with your friends and family again, I'll be happy. Clover comforted her.
"But it's just not fair!" Kanako cried out.
I know, but I wouldn't have lived for long anyway if I stayed. Clover insisted. This...is the best outcome for everyone.
"I...I'm so sorry."
"Kanako? What are you and Clover talking about?" Dalv couldn't hear Clover, but he can tell that Kanako was having a conversation with them.
"It's nothing, just that...Clover's fine with being a voice in my head while I get to live my life. But I think that's unfair! Clover should get to draw with us too! They don't deserve to be stuck with me forever!"
"Hmm..." Dalv looks like he is deep in thought. He stared at Kanako's SOUL for several minutes before finally opening his mouth. "Now that I think about it, since your and Clover's SOULs are inhabiting the same body..."
"Doesn't that mean your body belongs to you just as much as it belongs to Clover?"
Kanako is puzzled. "What are you talking about?" Dalv eyes begin to widen. "Clover, there is a chance that you and Kanako share control of the same body. That means you might be able to take control of Kanako's body! Why don't you give it a try?"
Kanako gasped. "Really?! I never even thought about that! But...how does this even work?"
I have no idea either, but...maybe you should just close your eyes and relax. Clover suggested. "Okay..." Kanako did as she was told.
...
A few seconds later, Kanako opened her eyes. However, instead of their usual gold color, her eyes shone a bright yellow glow.
"Clover? Is that you?"
"...Dalv? I can't believe it worked...I'm here...I'm really here!" Clover teared up, still in a state of disbelief. Clover?! You're...you're speaking with my voice! Kanako said from within her mind.
Dalv is overwhelmed with joy. "Clover! Oh, I'm so happy you can speak to us again!"
Clover stood up, wobbling on their feet. They looked like they are about to fall on the ground. Watch out, Clover! Kanako warned them, but thankfully Dalv rushed to help them up. "Watch out, friend! You're still getting used to having a body again."
Clover wrapped their arms around Dalv. "Thank you, Dalv. I couldn't have done it without you." They buried their face into his shirt, staining it with tears.
Dalv hugged them back. "Clover, it's nothing, really. I just made a silly suggestion that I wasn't even sure would work, ha ha..." He laughed awkwardly.
"No, Dalv. You helped us out a ton today. I can't thank you enough." Clover lifted their face off of Dalv's shirt, wiping off their tears.
Dalv gave them a warm smile. "Well, after all the help I got from you, it is only fair that I return the favor." Clover smiled back before letting Kanako regain control.
Kanako's eyes returned to their normal color. "Clover, I-I can't believe I went from thinking you're g...gone to having you back alive, in a way." She pumped her fists in the air. "Today's the best day of my life!"
"I agree with you, Kanako. This truly is a miracle! Our drawing session may have gone horribly wrong, but it all worked out in the end." Dalv said before noticing the clock. "Oh my! Would you look at the time! You should go home now, it is pretty late already."
"Aww...already?" Kanako wanted to stay a little longer. "Kanako, we should go. Mom will get worried if we don't go back soon." Clover reminded her.
"Oh, right! I can't wait to tell mommy about this!"
"I can't wait to tell EVERYBODY about this!"
"Yeah! You can join the Feisty Five again!"
"Actually, I think you should join them too!"
"That's a great idea! I've never used a gun before though..."
"I can teach you how to use one."
"You'll just shoot the gun for me! That would be cheating!"
"No, I won't! I promise!"
As Dalv watches them talking back and forth, he couldn't help but chuckle. Seeing them bicker like children makes Dalv happy that their traumatic experiences hasn't completely tainted their innocence.
As much as he doesn't want to though, he had to get them home as soon as possible. "Sorry to interrupt you two, but shouldn't you be going home now?"
"Oh, sorry!" "We just got too excited!" "Bye, Dalv!" Kanako waved goodbye, taking the drawings with her.
"Goodbye! And please, if there is anything on your mind, don't be afraid to tell me. I am always willing to hear you out." Dalv said before closing the door.