Chapter Text
Chapter 1
A new beginning
Months have passed since almost the entire world vanished to allow for the rebirth of the new revolution.
Months have passed since Dimenzio was defeated by the three heroes.
Half a year has gone by, and Chara has settled well into Sunny Valley. She helped Frisk's family with their flower garden. Frisk spent more time assisting her father with medicine and patients, while Chara helped Frisk's mom with the flowers.
At first, Chara found it utterly uninteresting and exhausting, which didn’t sit well with Frisk’s mom. But over time, she grew accustomed to the work. She’s slowly learning the names of all the plants in the shop, though she still mixes them up occasionally.
Frisk’s mom gave her a flower and plant encyclopedia, but it’s been sitting in her room, gathering dust, ever since she received it.
When Chara decided to stay, Frisk’s parents began renovating Frisk’s room to make more space for her. Unfortunately, they didn’t have a spare room, so the two had to share. At first, it annoyed Chara, and it was a bit strange for Frisk, but over time, the two girls have grown used to each other’s company.
The village had slowly recovered from the shock of the apocalypse, and life was returning to normal. No one knew that it was Chara, Frisk, and Ink who had saved the world, but Chara didn’t mind. She wanted no attention on herself.
“Chara!” she heard Frisk’s cheerful voice calling behind her. Chara was busy planting new flowers in pots, her brown gloves already covered in dirt.
Over the past six months, Frisk had grown a bit taller. She used to be a few centimeters shorter than Chara, but now they were the same height. Hopefully, Chara would regain her edge soon.
“I got my allowance from Dad!” Frisk said with excitement. “How about we treat ourselves to something nice?”
“Shouldn’t you be saving it instead?” Chara replied, pulling off her gloves.
“Oh, come on! We deserve to indulge a little. Let’s go buy some clothes! It’s been ages since I’ve had anything new in my wardrobe.”
Chara rolled her red eyes. “You don’t even need fancy clothes. Nothing exciting ever happens here anyway.”
“You never know!” Frisk countered, grabbing Chara’s hand and pulling her out of the shop. She quickly called out to her parents, letting them know they were leaving.
A warm breeze brushed against Chara’s skin; it was the height of summer. Many people wore T-shirts and shorts during this time, but Chara was too attached to her green sweater to part with it.
"How are you not sweating?" asked Frisk, wearing a pretty pink summer dress. Her short, dark brown hair was tied into a small ponytail.
"I'm more of a winter person."
"That doesn’t mean you ALWAYS have to wear a sweater. I’m telling you, it’s time for some new clothes."
Before Chara could reply, they were already standing in front of the boutique. It wasn’t a fancy store filled with jewelry and the most beautiful dresses imaginable. Instead, it mostly sold work clothes and sturdy boots for the village workers, but it also had a small selection of simple, everyday attire.
As they opened the door, a bell chimed above their heads.
An elderly woman looked up at them immediately. She wore large, round glasses perched on her nose, and her gray hair was tied back in a braid. Dressed in a red shirt and long black pants, she also had a pouch filled with knitting supplies hanging from her belt. Her warm smile lit up her face when she saw them. Miss Dellarosa.
“Frisk! It’s so nice to see you here. And Chara, too. What can I do for you two?" she greeted them warmly.
“We’re here to buy some new clothes. Do you have anything for summer?” Frisk asked eagerly. The woman nodded in response.
“Mimi! Please bring out the summer dresses!” Miss Dellarosa called to the back.
Mimi? That name sounded familiar, Chara thought, and judging by Frisk’s curious glance, she felt the same.
Their questions were soon answered when a green-haired girl rolled out a clothing rack filled with colorful dresses.
“MIMI!” both girls exclaimed in shock at the same time.
The tiny girl looked at them, equally startled. “Ah, you,” was all she said, sounding more embarrassed than happy to see them.
“What are you doing here?” Frisk blurted out first. “I thought you were still in Babylon!”
Mimi smoothed down her yellow dress. “I was there, helping out a lot—working in the kitchen, gardening, cleaning so much... you wouldn’t believe how shiny we got those windows! I thought we’d get a worse punishment, like being thrown into a dungeon or enslaved,” she added with a nervous laugh.
Chara understood Mimi’s worries. After all, they had nearly destroyed the entire world. That wasn’t something anyone could easily brush off.
“But Hypno explained our situation to the queen, and I guess she understood. So, instead of harsh punishment, we just had to help out around the palace. After some time, the queen sent me here, probably because she noticed my interest in clothes.”
“She’s been a great help,” Miss Dellarosa added with a smile. “Even though there’s still much to learn, she’s doing well.”
Chara noticed how Mimi’s face lit up at the compliment. For years, she had been lonely, and now she had someone who accepted her for who she was.
“But enough talk. You’re here for new clothes, aren’t you?” Miss Dellarosa said, changing the subject.
“Oh, yes, please!” Frisk squealed excitedly.
They spent the entire morning picking out dresses for Frisk until her wallet was completely empty. Chara didn’t buy anything; she felt comfortable in her own clothes, even if the sun’s heat made her sweat.
After saying goodbye to Miss Dellarosa and Mimi, the two headed back toward the flower shop. Frisk carried her new clothes happily in her bag.
“What are your parents going to say when they see you blew all your money in just one day?” Chara asked, her tone teasing.
“My mom will probably forget all about it once she sees how beautiful these dresses are! And Dad? He won’t care—he just doesn’t get girl stuff,” Frisk replied with a smug smile.
Chara let out a sigh. “Girl stuff, right...”
Frisk glanced at her friend. “What’s up with you? What’s so bad about wearing a dress?”
“I just don’t like them. They’re too tight, and the bottom feels too airy.”
“Pfft, just wait until you fall in love,” Frisk giggled, opening the flower shop’s door.
Chara’s cheeks immediately turned red. “I’m not going to fall in love—” she began, but her words were drowned out by a loud noise.
A massive shadow flew over the village, drawing confused and frightened looks from the townsfolk. The noise sounded like a powerful engine roaring above them.
As quickly as the shadow had appeared, it disappeared into the forest beyond the village.
Before Chara could process what had just happened, Frisk grabbed her wrist, her face lighting up with excitement. “We have to check this out!”
And before Chara could voice her opinion, Frisk was already dragging her along in pursuit of the mysterious shadow.