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Chapter Text

A desolate universe, a vast space with no time, no movement, appearing empty and solitary, yet it is Halted Sans's home. And the reason he bears this nickname is that his universe had its time and space paused unconditionally after the player followed the genocide route. Of course, this happened because Halted Sans intervened in the source code of his universe.

But at least this is the peace Halted desired after all his efforts to save everyone he loved, even though he knew it was all too artificial, and no one lived in his universe anymore but him...

Halted sat on an old wooden chair in a corner of Waterfall, his eye sockets half-closed, appearing as though he might fall asleep, yet in reality, his mind was in turmoil, far from peaceful.

His world, though a "dead universe," always gave him a sense of calm, no one to disturb him, nothing to worry about. There was no one to harm, no one to protect, just him and the eternity of stillness in space.

For him, this was both a blessing and a curse, a mockery of his own delayed, foolishness. He had to witness the losses and could do nothing to prevent them in time, and now he deserved to be alone forever.

Although he was determined, decided to close himself off and torment himself in this space, there are still fleeting moments, when he felt like a vagabond, a coward, or a ghost whose existence no longer had any meaning.

...Maybe he should just turn to dust like the rest of his kind and let the player finish the genocide route.

"Peace makes me think too negatively," Halted mumbled to himself, a sad smile flickering at the corner of his mouth. "But I sacrificed everything for this..."

Just as he was about to shut down his painful thoughts, perhaps even mentally tormenting himself before drifting into a short sleep, a voice broke the silence: "Oh, you're still here?"

Ink appeared suddenly, as naturally as ever, right behind Halted, like a wave always crashing onto the peaceful shore whenever it got the chance. The foolish, impulsive one smiled, his strange yet beautiful eyes constantly flickering to express emotion, bringing an energy-filled atmosphere.

...Though Halted didn’t appreciate it.

"You can’t just sit in Haltedtale forever," Ink teased, but there was a note of determination in his voice. "I'm sure one day I'll have to drag you out of here. I even wrote it on my scarf!" Ink added, cheekily.

Halted closed his eye sockets, at times Ink was a wonderful companion, but at other times, quite annoying, and those moments made him want to avoid Ink. And he always avoided Ink when he wasn’t feeling his best. Today was one of those days.

"It’s none of your business," Halted replied, his eye sockets opening again, looking directly at Ink, who had somehow crossed his legs beside him. Halted continued coldly, his tone clear: "And sorry, I’m not in the mood to listen to anything today, Ink."

Today marked exactly one year since he 'paused' his world... The anniversary of the ones he loved and knew. So wasn’t it reasonable to want to be alone…?

Ink was silent for a moment, then laughed loudly, in a silly and odd manner, but Halted didn’t care. He just needed silence. With a wave of his hand, Halted quickly opened a space portal. He planned to temporarily visit another peaceful universe to adjust his emotions before speaking with Ink later.

"Where are you going?" Ink teased but also seemed to understand the unspoken message: "Another trip to find peace? You won’t escape me. I’ll find you quickly, you know~ Or I’ll catch you real soon!"

Halted sighed and chose silence as a response to Ink. But just as he stepped through the space portal, a strong force suddenly pulled at him.

...Definitely not the pull he needed to get to Fluffytale or Farmtale.

Though the pull lasted less than five seconds, the portal suddenly became unstable, and Halted immediately sensed the change. Everything around him began to move like a colossal whirlpool, time and space seemed to be flipped. This wasn’t the safe travel he had hoped for; it was an uncontrollable storm of temporal and spatial instability.

"Damn it!" Halted shouted as he struggled to control himself, being swept up by the storm. He was pulled into a massive vortex, everything breaking apart, light and darkness intertwining.

Then, suddenly, everything stopped.

Halted fell to the floor, the sudden fall almost causing him to lose balance, but he managed to land safely on his feet. He looked around, his head spinning.

Where was this?

This place didn’t resemble his universe or either of the ones he had intended to visit. It looked like the basement of his house, but much larger. In front of him was a strange machine, making odd noises, and footsteps were heading toward the only door that led up somewhere.

Halted crossed his arms, looking at the door, waiting for whoever was behind it to come out. Depending on how they greeted him, he would decide how to respond… though he would likely stop time if he sensed any ill intent, and then leave for another universe.

"WHAT?? THIS IS WEIRD! IT IS JUST YOU HERE, A NEW ME!??" A cheerful voice rang out as the door opened.

Halted turned and saw a skeleton that looked like him standing there, but dressed more like his younger brother. Perhaps the personality was similar too. The skeleton looked at him with curiosity and suspicion.

...So this is the Underswap Sans that Ink was referring to? He really did resemble his younger brother.

"This guy is a bit more special than the others, Blue," another skeleton, one familiar to Halted, smirked and walked closer. "Hello. You can call me Comic, of course, a Sans like you should recognize… The parallel universe theory, you know it, right?"

Comic cleared his throat before continuing, "And sorry for the stupid machine that accidentally brought you here."

Halted just stood there, not saying anything, the light in his eye sockets dimming as he suddenly felt lost when seeing Comic Sans. He could barely breathe, feeling pain and nostalgia swelling in his chest, an overwhelming sense of haunting that he couldn’t avoid. Seeing a different version of himself, one from his past, only made him remember all his failures.

...He didn’t feel right.

"No..." he whispered, suddenly turning away from Comic. "I can’t stay here."

However, before Halted could open another space portal, he noticed another presence in the room, a presence more prominent than the three versions of Sans and two versions of Papyrus who had walked out from behind the door leading down to the basement. This, this... his younger brother! ...No, it was another version of his younger brother, one that definitely belonged to Comic.

"HELLO! WELCOME TO OUR UNIVERSE," the familiar voice rang out, the familiar appearance came fully into his view, but the look in his eyes was strange when he looked at Halted. "I'M... HEY, ARE YOU OKAY?!"

Halted didn’t respond. He just felt everything becoming unfamiliar, distant, and increasingly hard to breathe. The pain in his heart grew clearer. The memories of the losses flooded back, of him not being able to protect his younger brother.

...He couldn’t keep looking at them. He needed to get back to his own universe right now!

"No... I can’t keep looking at them," he murmured, his hands starting to tremble. "I can’t... I have to go..."

Halted quickly backed away from them, turned around, opened another space portal, and jumped into it. But once again, the shift was uncontrollable. The portal took him to the roof of a grim mansion’s room! Definitely not his Haltedtale!

"Again?!" Halted shouted as he hit the roof, a hard fall because he was too slow and disoriented to react, leaving his body aching. He sighed, suddenly too tired to sit up, lying precariously on the gray roof and gazing at the starry sky, where he could clearly see the stars moving, so much more real compared to the stillness of his universe.

...How he wished Ink would find him now. And take him back to Haltedtale. He would gladly listen to Ink ramble on for a few hours.

Chapter Text

Halted lay there, his blurry eyes staring at the vibrant starry sky above. The surrounding space felt so different from Haltedtale – a universe so still that even light didn’t move. This was a new movement, a starry sky he had once longed to behold, but now it only reminded him of the past pain, of a world where he couldn’t protect those he cared about.

A light breeze brushed past him, chilling his spine, and he silently thought about the solitude he had always yearned for. But now, in this uncertain moment, he found himself wishing for someone to be by his side – someone he could trust, someone who could understand him without needing many words. Maybe Ink would find him soon. But before that...

"Well, what's this pile?" A voice came from behind, startling Halted. He quickly sat up, his hollow eyes glancing at the one who had appeared. It was another skeleton – but not like anyone he had ever met before. This skeleton was entirely covered in a dark blue-black substance, a strange liquid, and it had tendrils like squid trailing behind it. The sharp, knowing smile on its face made Halted feel both wary… and a bit uncomfortable?

"A new face?" The skeleton sneered, folding its arms and looking down at Halted. "Not everyone can land on the roof of my castle so boldly. But you don’t look like an ordinary person."

Halted didn’t respond, his gaze still cautious. He quickly assessed the situation. This figure didn’t seem to have immediate intentions to attack, but that didn’t mean he could relax completely. The strange liquid and the air around this skeleton were not to be taken lightly. He was dangerous...

"Are you mute?" The skeleton asked, its voice laced with mockery, "Or are you just trying to figure out where you've ended up?"

Halted took a deep breath, a sense of helplessness rising. "I don’t know where this is," he admitted, somewhat annoyed, "And I don’t plan on staying here."

The skeleton’s smile grew wider. "So you're a lost guest, huh? But I advise you not to try opening any more gates. The space here... is quite unique. Who knows where you’ll end up next?"

Halted frowned but didn’t respond. He had no time for jokes or cryptic words. He just wanted to return to Haltedtale – a place where no one could disturb him, a place where he didn’t have to face this chaotic feeling inside him. Something about this strange skeleton made him deeply uncomfortable.

"Hold on," the skeleton said, stepping closer, "I’m Nightmare. And you’re in ‘my universe.’ If you don’t mind, I’d like to know who you are and why you’re here."

Halted sighed, sitting up and folding his arms. "Call me Halted. I’m not staying here long, and I’m not here to cause trouble. If you leave me be, I’ll find a way out as soon as I can."

Nightmare chuckled, sitting down beside him at a relatively close distance. "Sounds interesting. But I don’t think you’ll be leaving as easily as you think, especially with your magic… being so unstable."

Before Halted could respond, a small gate suddenly opened in the air, and a familiar laugh echoed: "Found you! Halted, you really know how to play hide-and-seek!"

Ink stepped out from the portal, his eyes bright with joy and mischief. However, upon seeing Nightmare, his cheerfulness quickly turned to caution: "Oh, I thought you wanted to go to a peaceful universe, Halted!"

Halted couldn’t hide his relief, but he didn’t show it. "Take me home," he said, his voice emotionless, "I don’t want to stay here another second."

Ink glanced at Nightmare and then back at Halted. "Alright, but you should be careful next time. Not every place is safe, my friend."

Nightmare merely smirked, watching as Ink and Halted disappeared through the portal. "That’s definitely Ink’s ‘new friend’ he’s been talking about so much," he murmured. "Maybe we’ll meet again soon."

The portal closed, and Halted was finally back where he belonged – the absolute stillness of Haltedtale. But this time, the emptiness in his heart felt even clearer. He sat down on his familiar old chair, closing his hollow eyes, but his mind couldn’t escape the chaos of his memories and emotions.

Maybe… he couldn’t run away forever.

And maybe it wouldn’t hurt to visit the past version of his brother to reminisce about him, right?

It would be fine…?

But whether or not to do it, he’d decide later.

Halted shook his head, pushing his tangled thoughts aside, and lightly tugged at Ink’s scarf to remind him to stop swinging in the chair while he was lost in thought.

"Hey, Ink," he spoke, his voice deep but with a hint of firmness.

"Huh? What is it, what is it?" Ink tilted his head, his legs still swinging as if not a care in the world.

Halted paused for a moment, his gaze shifting to the innocence in Ink’s eyes. He was about to say something, but then simply shook his head, his voice softening: "I… nothing. Just... thank you. Today’s been pretty messy for me... I’m glad you’re here."

Ink blinked a few times before grinning widely, his smile almost glowing: "Ah, no big deal! We’re friends, aren’t we? I even wrote it on my scarf!"

Halted was a bit surprised by Ink’s carefree and cheerful attitude, but it made him feel lighter inside. He didn’t reply, just gave a faint smile. The small laugh, almost swept away by the wind, was enough to warm the atmosphere.

After a long while, he absentmindedly spoke, his voice still deep but gentler now, as though afraid to break the peaceful moment: "Do you want some pastries?"

Ink almost leapt out of the chair, his eyes lighting up as though he’d just heard the most magical thing ever. "Yeah, of course! Do you have any? Are they strawberry? Or chocolate? Do you have them already, or do we need to go get some?"

Halted chuckled softly, pulling Ink’s scarf a little tighter around his neck to keep him from getting cold, even though he knew this bright Creator wasn’t easy to chill: "I bought a few from Ccino. They’re at my place. There’s both strawberry and chocolate. But after we eat, can you stay still for a bit? I’m not in the mood for more chaos today."

Ink nodded eagerly, though his legs still swung as he skipped after Halted’s steps. "Alright, alright, I promise! But you have to eat with me too!!"

"Mm," Halted responded, his gaze softer than ever. He looked at Ink, feeling much lighter. No matter how messy Ink could be, his presence was always something precious, and Halted cherished him even if he didn’t say it out loud.

Well… today wasn’t so bad, after all. Right, Paps, and everyone else?

Chapter Text

Halted stood on a small tree on Mount Ebott, where he could see an entire peaceful village with humans and monsters living together harmoniously at the foot of the mountain. This was Undertale #961, a universe he had accidentally stepped into a week ago when he was caught in a time storm. Unlike Haltedtale, where everything was held back by the stillness of stagnation, this world was full of life, even the peace he had always longed for. The laughter of children echoed in the air, the warm light from the houses' windows cast a glow, and the bustling noise of life was everywhere. And there, a Papyrus identical to the little brother he once had, was busy fixing something outside home to a monster in the form of a sheep, probably his friend.

Papyrus in this world was just as he remembered: tall, full of enthusiasm, and always occupied with endless ideas. Halted stood from afar, feeling the growing contradiction inside him. He couldn't stop comparing this Papyrus to the version of his brother he had lost in Haltedtale—a brother he had lost due to his own helplessness.

He closed his eye socket slightly, unwilling to remember the final image of his brother. But when he opened them again, Papyrus’s figure remained there, vivid and full of energy. A feeling of both tenderness and pain rose in Halted’s chest. He just wanted to watch a little longer, even though he knew he shouldn’t stay here for long.

Papyrus looked up as if sensing something. “AH, IS SOMEONE HERE?” His voice echoed in the space. Halted flinched and stepped back instinctively but then stopped. Papyrus couldn’t see him, not when he had hidden himself so carefully.

However, Papyrus continued searching, stepping out of the yard and looking around. “SANS, NO, I MEAN COMIC! ARE YOU HERE? IF YOU'RE HIDING TO AVOID HAVING TO HELP ME REPAIR THE GATE THAT RED AND EDGE BROKE, DON'T THINK I'LL LET YOU GO! I’LL FIND YOU!” Papyrus called out loudly, as usual, but there was no anger in his voice—just determination and a bit of the familiar helplessness.

Halted stayed still, watching the figure of his brother from another world. He was still the same, still full of optimism and enthusiasm. Part of Halted wanted to step out, wanted to say something, even if it was just a simple sentence. But he couldn’t. This wasn’t his world, and this wasn’t his Papyrus. He had no right to disrupt their peace. And he feared he might panic if he met him directly...

But before he could turn to leave, another voice rang out from behind: “Aren’t you going to say anything? Or are you just going to stand there and watch like a ghost?”

Halted turned around, realizing Ink had been there the whole time, holding his large paintbrush, his eye sockets filled with mischief but also a bit of reproach.

“I have nothing to say,” Halted replied in his usual deep tone. “I just wanted to watch him for a bit. Then I’ll leave. Like I’ve done every day for the past week…”

Ink walked closer, glancing at where Halted was looking towards Papyrus, who was now returning to fix his gate. “Papyrus in this world looks pretty great, huh? He’s like a bright light in the dark night. Well, most Papyruses are like that!” Ink tilted his head, his eyes blinking thoughtfully. “But you know, Halted? You don’t have to stay away like this. Any Papyrus will welcome you.”

Halted closed his eyes again, trying to hold back the lump in his throat. “This isn’t my Papyrus. I don’t want to disrupt his life. That’s the last thing I want to do.”

Ink fell silent for a moment, then chuckled softly, but without the usual mischief. “I understand. But you also know, don’t you? Every Papyrus would want to help you. No matter who you are or where you come from, he’ll always open his arms to you.” Ink turned to face Halted, his eyes full of sincerity. “You deserve that, Halted. You just need to be braver.”

Halted didn’t answer, but his eyes betrayed his internal conflict. Finally, he lowered his head, his voice barely a whisper. “You don’t understand, Ink. I’ve failed. And it’s hard to... I just can’t.”

Ink said nothing more, silently standing beside Halted, both of them watching Papyrus from afar. After a while, Ink sighed and pulled out a typical ink gate with his brush. “When you’re ready, we’ll go back. But remember, Halted, you don’t have to be alone. You don’t have to punish yourself forever.”

Halted watched Ink step through the gate, then turned to look at Papyrus one last time. After that, he stepped through the gate, leaving the peace of Undertale #961 behind. But in his heart, a small spark of hope quietly began to grow—perhaps, someday, he would have the courage to get closer, to not just watch from afar, but to do more, it will be a 'battle' for a better future.

Not long after Halted and Ink left, two blue-colored Sans quickly emerged from the bushes near where they had been earlier.

The skeleton wearing a blue hood shook off the leaves from his body and said, "Hey, that’s the strange Sans we met in the basement, right, Blueberry?"

“YUP, DANCER!! IT’S HIM!” The smaller skeleton, Blueberry, responded excitedly with a nod. “HE EVEN WENT WITH ANOTHER FRIENDLY SANS TOO!”

Dancer nodded, his voice turning more serious. “Hm… Did you hear what they were saying, Blue?”

“Oh, SORRY, I DIDN’T HEAR!” Blueberry scratched the back of his skull, embarrassed and apologizing.

“It’s okay, it’s okay, I didn’t hear it either…” Dancer waved his hand quickly, then paused for a moment before speaking with excitement and anticipation. “But I think next time, we should talk to them. They might be able to travel across universes…”

Blueberry spun around happily, then said quickly, “SURE! AND WE SHOULD TELL EVERYONE ABOUT THIS DISCOVERY TOO!! TODAY IS A GREAT DAY, A GREAT WALK, AND GREAT IDEA AS USUAL, DANCER!”

In response to Blueberry's excitement, Dancer just shook his head with a smile and said, “No, no need to thank me, Blue… I’m glad you liked it. Now, let’s head back, it’s almost lunchtime.”

“YEAH, LET’S GO! BLUEBERRY IS REALLY HUNGRY TOO!” Blueberry said, running off towards the village below the mountain, leaving Dancer calling after him in vain, “Wait up, slow down, buddy!”

Chapter Text

Halted stepped out of the portal. While everything outside appeared calm, inside, his heart felt filled with hesitation and conflict. He had been standing from afar for a while now, and part of him knew it was time to face his own emotions.

...Maybe Ink is not wrong, he couldn't be afraid forever.

Halted took a deep breath and took each step carefully towards the foot of Mount Ebott, where the familiar figures of the past, ones he had avoided a week ago, awaited.

But as he passed by the trees near where he had observed Papyrus- Comic's younger brother two days ago, a gentle breeze blew, carrying the sound of footsteps approaching him. Halted turned around, his eyes meeting the two Sanses he had encountered in the basement before—one that Comic had called Blue, and another with a blue hood he didn't recognize.

"FINALLY, WE MEET AGAIN, ANOTHER VERSION OF ME! WE THOUGHT YOU WOULDN'T COME HERE! OH, AND HELLO, MY NAME'S BLUEBERRY, BUT YOU CAN JUST CALL ME BLUE!" Blueberry shouted joyfully, his face beaming, his eyes even sparkling like stars… it reminded him a lot of Ink.

The skeleton standing beside Blueberry reacted more calmly: "Hello, I'm Dancer. You left so quickly last time, we didn't get to introduce ourselves... Not sure if you're back here because of something, but what brings you to this universe?"

Halted stopped, the sense of conflict rising in his chest. He had planned to meet Papyrus, but now he was being stopped by these two Sanses. He didn't know what they wanted... Clearly, the last time, they had let him and Ink be.

"Just… I'm going to meet an old acquaintance," Halted replied, his voice calm and steady, but there was a clear tension.

Dancer studied him for a moment, then shook his head: "Don’t worry, I’m not pressuring you for an answer. It’s up to you. So, what should I call you?"

"Halted..." Oh… this was the first time he introduced this name to anyone. With Ink, Halted had only asked what the universe he was in was called, and then Ink gave him this nnickname… What an ironic name.

Blueberry bounced up a little, his face full of excitement: "AWESOME, HELLO HALTED! WE'RE REALLY HAPPY TO MEET YOU! REALLY!! And WE'RE REALLY EXCITED YOU'RE HERE, HALTED! SO DON'T HESITATE TOO MUCH!!"

Halted couldn’t help but feel a bit warm inside when he heard Blueberry say that. He wasn’t used to being welcomed like this, especially from strangers. But… he wasn’t sure if others here would be as welcoming as Blueberry, or as friendly as Dancer and Comic… The pair of Sans and Papyrus from earlier, which he had briefly seen in the basement, seemed intimidating and not very friendly.

"If you want, we can take you to the mansion where we and other versions of Sans and Papyrus live. It's easier to interact there, as we have a lot we'd like to talk to you about, Halted," Dancer said sincerely, then smiled kindly and added, "Don’t worry, no one will harm you. And I know they’re looking forward to meeting you properly. Last time in the basement doesn’t count!"

Halted hesitated, looking down at the foot of the mountain where he knew there was a Papyrus just like his brother and a Sans just like his past self: "I'm not sure if I'm… ready for this," he whispered, then looked at Dancer and Blueberry: "But I think it'll be okay. Ink, a friend of mine, wants me to go there today, and I don’t want to disappoint him…"

"YOU DON'T NEED TO WORRY, NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT, HALTED! HOPEFULLY, NEXT TIME YOUR FRIEND CAN COME PLAY TOO!!" Blueberry shouted, his eyes sparkling.

Dancer nodded, adding, "Let's go, Halted. If you have any issues, just let us know." Then his voice softened and became more understanding: "I guess you've already been through enough in your past…"

After a long silence, Halted nodded in agreement, trusting these two skeletons, though there was still an uneasiness he couldn't shake off. Still, he followed them.

The three of them started walking, down narrow paths leading to the foot of the mountain. Through a village some distance away, they reached the mansion of the Sanses and Papyruses, located near a lake, peaceful yet full of life. When they arrived, Halted felt the warm and peaceful atmosphere of the place. The sounds of laughter from the Papyruses and Sanses only proved how wonderful the environment was.

Halted stopped for a moment, his gaze following the peaceful scene before him, his thoughts wandering between the contrasts of the peaceful Haltedtale of the past and present... But before Dancer and Blueberry could notice, he found his footing and walked alongside them.

"HALTED. YOU'RE REALLY LUCKY!" Blueberry’s cheerful voice rang out as he opened the door to the mansion: "WE'RE HAVING A PARTY TONIGHT, WE’VE BEEN PREPARING FOR A LONG TIME! IT'S GOING TO BE REALLY FUN HAVING YOU JOIN US!!"

"That's right, everyone’s really eager to meet you," Dancer added with a friendly smile.

"...Why?" Halted tilted his head, genuinely not understanding where this kindness was coming from. What did they want? He knew they needed to talk to him about something… but did it really need to be this enthusiastic? This party didn’t seem very coincidental. He remembered when he observed Papyrus from Undertale #961, the Papyrus hadn’t mentioned anything about it… Clearly, this wasn’t normal.

"Huh?" Dancer stopped, looking at him with a slightly understanding and worried look: "What do you mean? You don’t understand… You’re asking why we’re having a party? Or is it because you feel we’re being too friendly?"

Blueberry also stopped his jumping and turned to look at Halted for a moment, the realization clear on his face: "AHA! YOU’RE NOT COMFORTABLE WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING, ARE YOU? I’M SORRY, WE JUST WANTED YOU TO FEEL WELCOME HERE!!"

After a moment, Blueberry spoke again, his tone more sincere and serious: "LAST TIME… LAST TIME DID WE CAUSE YOU TO PANIC? WE'RE REALLY SORRY FOR THAT… BUT I PROMISE EVERYTHING WILL BE FINE THIS TIME! WELL, IF YOU STILL DON’T FEEL RIGHT, YOU CAN LEAVE, WE CAN ALWAYS WAIT FOR YOU. REMEMBER, YOU’RE ALWAYS WELCOME HERE!"

"That’s right, Blue said what I wanted to say too…" Dancer gently patted Blueberry’s shoulder, then looked straight into Halted’s eyes, who seemed stunned and confused. He gently spoke in a sincere tone: "And you know, Halted? We all carry a lot of unresolved issues inside… But in the end, we've learned to accept and love each other. I hope you’ll feel that way too… And don’t feel forced to do anything. This kindness and welcome aren't worth it if it makes you uncomfortable. Take it easy, alright? Is that okay, Halted?"

...He decided to leave at that moment. Halted raised his hand, and a portal appeared behind him. He stepped into it and fell into his bed back in Haltedtale.

He thought he needed some time to think about what they wanted him to understand, and he just wanted to run away a little longer, just a little while more. After all, he was truly a coward… The feeling of being cared for was really too difficult for someone like him. And he’d apologize to Ink later for disappointing him… He wasn’t as brave as he thought. Always like this…

Chapter Text

Halted stood still in the dark room, the faint light from the moon outside reflecting off the walls. He had returned to Haltedtale, a place that had once been a 'home' far warmer than it was now, but now it was only a dead land, silent with no laughter, no warmth. He sat at the edge of the bed, his hands gripping so tightly that his knuckles trembled lightly, his head bowed as though trying to escape even from himself. Inside, a feeling of guilt rose, a constant internal struggle between running away or facing those who had once welcomed him with open arms. Once again… He reacted the same way he did when Ink first appeared in Haltedtale and wanted to be friends with him…

"Why can't I just trust them?" Halted wondered, his gaze wandering to the open window where the fake moon Ink created for him shone brighter than ever. He remembered Blue and Dancer’s words – the kindness, the care, and the promise that he would be welcomed. He could tell they and the others truly meant it… But how could he trust that? He had trusted before, had once placed his heart into protecting what mattered most… and then failed. The image of Papyrus from the past flashed in his mind, his little brother’s bright smile, those trusting eyes… and then the moment of ashes in the snow.

"Everything will be fine… I trust you, big brother." Those final words cut deep into Halted’s mind, causing him to torment himself, both in the past and present. He couldn’t protect Papyrus. He let his whole universe 'die' and sink into the stillness of time. So… How could he deserve the care of others? Ink alone was already too much for him… (He ignored the fact that Ccino had been checking on him, and the kind concern of Farm, or the worried and friendly gazes from others he’d met while walking in peaceful universes.)

As the nostalgia (and denial) weighed heavily on his mind, a familiar voice came from behind. "I knew it, my friend. I predicted you'd do this," Ink stepped through the portal, his tone light and teasing, but immediately carrying an unspoken understanding and concern. "Halted, why do you keep punishing yourself like this? Why can’t you let others help you for once?"

Halted didn’t answer, continuing to avoid Ink’s gaze by focusing on the still and familiar scenery outside the window. Ink took a few steps forward, sitting down in the chair beside Halted’s bed, and gently asked, "Halted, why do you always run away? Why can’t you let others help you for once?"

Halted still didn’t respond, his vacant eyes staring out the window.

After a long silence, he finally whispered back, his tone mixed with a pain he didn’t want to reveal further in front of Ink: "I’m not worth it… I tried my best, but in the end… I just brought pain to everyone. I know I’m not the cause, but a player, a cruel rule of fate, of the creator of Haltedtale… I… I just feel like I don’t deserve the good things."

Then, he fell silent again, and this time Ink did too.

Eventually, what seemed like a very long time passed, and Halted finally voiced his greatest fear in a flat tone, like someone detached recounting another’s fear: "I used to trust. Believing I could protect the ones I loved. And in the end, that only led to failure. Trusting again means betting once more… I’m not sure I can handle failing again. Or maybe I’m just too weak, like I’ve always been."

Ink moved closer, sitting down beside him: "Hey… I’m not here to argue about your past, Halted. I just want you to know that failing doesn’t mean you don’t deserve help. Not everyone expects you to be perfect. And above all, I want you to know you don’t have to carry everything on your own. You deserve happiness and peace after all that’s happened to you."

Halted turned to look at Ink, and Ink met his gaze with sincerity and seriousness unlike his usual self… Halted’s eyes flickered with a slight tremor. But he still couldn’t respond. Halted just stared at Ink, knowing his eyes were filled with conflict, and in that moment, he realized that his fear wasn’t because of the others being untrustworthy (they were all trustworthy), but because he couldn’t trust himself anymore.

Ink finally sighed, stood up, and gently placed a hand on his shoulder: "This door won’t close, Halted. Whenever you’re ready, they’ll still be there. And you always know how to find me! I’m always waiting for the day you step past your own limits." With that, he left, leaving Halted alone in the dark room.

Halted watched as the ink portal slowly faded, leaving a small ink stain beside his bed. He was sure he would ask Ink to clean it up…

…He wasn’t sure when he would return. But deep inside, a small spark began to flicker, as though Ink’s words had left a faint but deep impression. He knew, even if it was just a small step, he would have to learn to face the darkness within himself.

And maybe, next time… he wouldn’t run away anymore…

"I guess I have to try trusting again," Halted whispered, his gaze following the faint light of the moon as it slowly disappeared beneath the horizon. He wasn’t sure when he would return, but at least next time, he wanted to try taking one more step – even if it was just a small one. Running away all the time is too shameful, his little brother wouldn’t like him like that…

While he remained lost in his tangled emotions, in Universe 961 of Undertale, the people he had just run away from were discussing the events with Halted in the living room after Dancer and Blueberry had shared the story.

Blueberry couldn't hide his sadness when Halted disappeared without saying a word. "MAYBE HALTED THINKS WE'RE TOO NOISY… OR DID WE DO SOMETHING WRONG?", he muttered to himself, his previously bright eyes now dimmed: "I JUST WANT HIM TO FEEL WELCOME..."

The skeleton sitting next to Blueberry, tall and thin, wearing an orange jacket, known as Stretch, placed a hand on Blueberry's shoulder, his voice calm but full of sympathy: "It's not your fault, bro. Maybe Halted just needs more time. I can tell he's not in a very stable mindset... No offense."

Blueberry nodded in understanding and smiled faintly at his brother: "I KNOW, I UNDERSTAND, BROTHER..." Then his voice became more worried and sad: "IT'S JUST... I FEEL SO BAD FOR HIM! I REALLY WANT TO HELP HIM!!"

Next to Blueberry, Dancer leaned on his younger brother Tango's shoulder, who was currently there, and sighed, his eyes filled with concern but without blaming anyone: "You're not the only one who wants to help Halted, Blue, don't put too much pressure on yourself. Stretch is right... Sometimes people just need time to face themselves. Halted didn't reject us, he just rejected facing what he's been through. I can see that too..."

Just like how I used to be embarrassed to dance in front of others... Dancer thought briefly in his mind but didn't say it out loud.

Tango sighed and nodded in agreement with his brother's words: "DANCER IS RIGHT, THERE'S NO NEED TO BE TOO SAD, BLUE! EVERYTHING WILL BE FINE. EVERYONE NEEDS TIME..."

Comic walked over, sat on the sofa opposite, and picked up the glass of orange juice that Blueberry had specially prepared for Halted, placing it in front of Blueberry's seat, his voice steady but full of understanding: "Halted has been through a lot, we can see and feel that since the first time we met him, when he panicked upon seeing me and Papyrus. But none of us truly understands his pain. We can only empathize and give him space to work through it on his own."

Another skeleton, leaning against the sofa beside Comic, with a large crack on his skull, known as Axe, slowly added: "Just like how we and many others have done..."

Pyrus, this is the nickname of Papyrus of the Undertale universe #961, and Sugar, Axe's younger brother, both entered the living room from the kitchen, still holding plates of cookies they had intended to offer Halted as a welcome. Pyrus said: "RIGHT! HALTED MAY BE FEELING PAIN AND FEAR, BUT IT'S NOT OUR FAULT. WE JUST NEED TO KEEP WAITING AND OPEN OUR ARMS WHEN HE'S READY!"

Pyrus set the plate down on the table, shaking his head strongly, his big eyes shining with determination as he continued: "WE SHOULDN'T BE TOO PESSIMISTIC! WE JUST NEED A CHANCE. HALTED IS DEFINITELY GOING THROUGH A LOT! HE CAN'T SHOW IT, BUT I BELIEVE HE WANTS TO BE HELPED!"

Sugar nodded in agreement and moved to stand next to Axe, his brother smiled at Sugar and continued listening in silence.

"Wait again..." Red, who was mentioned earlier (Chapter 3), smirked, crossing his arms as he sank deeper into the sofa: "How many people have we waited for already? Always waiting, always empathizing. But not everyone comes back. We're betting too much on someone who might never return."

What Red didn't say was that Halted might leave just like Murder because we intervened too late and they were already 'scared'...

"RED." Edge, Red's younger brother, snapped, his sharp eyes now full of understanding as he stared directly at his tough older brother: "WE'RE NOT BETTING, WE'RE GIVING OUR TRUST." He continued, although somewhat reluctantly, but still sincerely: "IF HALTED COMES BACK, HE NEEDS TO KNOW HE'S NOT ALONE. IF NOT, AT LEAST HE'LL KNOW HE WAS WELCOMED, EVEN IF JUST FOR A MOMENT."

Blueberry nodded strongly, his eyes filled with a little hope and expectation: "EXACTLY! WE DON'T KNOW WHAT HALTED HAS HAD TO FACE, BUT WE KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO BE IN PAIN. THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE! TO MAKE A NEW FAMILY FOR THOSE WHO HAVE LOST EVERYTHING AND FOR THOSE WHO HAVEN'T!! EVEN IF IT ALL STARTED WITH AN UNFORTUNATE ACCIDENT."

After seeing everyone smile and agree with Blueberry's summary, Dancer smiled more gently, his voice warm, like a final affirmation: "We don't need to understand all of Halted's pain. We just need to let him know that, here, there is always a safe and peaceful place he can return to – anytime, whenever he's ready."

With those words, everyone fell into silence, but the atmosphere seemed less heavy and became peaceful as it usually was. Dancer looked toward the window, gazing farther to the area where Halted's portal had once appeared. In his heart, there was no rush or pressure. Just a faint glimmer of hope – that one day, Halted would have the courage to return to this universe.

Chapter Text

Halted’s hand tightened slightly around the small gifts as he hesitated, his eyes drifting over Ink’s paintings, the bag of produce from Farm’s ranch, and the two boxes of sweets from Ccino’s café. “Why did I listen to Ink?” he muttered, feeling utterly ridiculous. But in the end, he took a deep breath and lightly knocked on the door of the mansion in front of him. Halted still felt unsure about whether he should be doing this, but Ink’s words kept echoing in his mind: “Just go, apologize, and let it go. They’ll definitely understand! I’m sure everything will be fine for you, Halted.”

As the third knock sounded, the door slowly creaked open as though it had been waiting for him for a long time. A familiar figure appeared before Halted. Blueberry stood there, wide-eyed with surprise as he saw Halted standing at the door, arms full of gifts.

Ah, Halted had forgotten he could use magic. Blueberry would think he was even more foolish—no, that was nonsense. That didn’t matter. What mattered was focusing on the present… He could deal with his embarrassment after being “home”...

“HALTED?!” Blueberry exclaimed, nearly jumping up in surprise and delight. “YOU… WHY ARE YOU HERE? I THOUGHT YOU WOULDN’T BE COMING ANYTIME SOON! THIS IS AMAZING—WHAT BROUGHT YOU HERE?!”

Halted fidgeted but quickly thrust the gifts into Blueberry’s hands, catching him off guard with the abrupt gesture. Halted’s eyes deliberately avoided meeting Blueberry’s gaze. “I… I came to apologize. I left so suddenly last time without explaining anything, and I know that was rude.” He bowed his head slightly, trying to convey his sincerity as he’d seen Ccino do when apologizing to others. “These gifts… consider them my apology. I hope you, Dancer, and everyone else can accept them… And thank you for welcoming me. I truly appreciate it.”

Blueberry stared silently for a moment, then his eyes lit up, sparkling like little stars. It wasn’t because of the gifts or the apology but because Halted had actually come back, and because Halted liked their welcome, even though he hadn’t even seen the party they’d hastily prepared for him…

“HEY, HEY!! YOU DIDN’T NEED TO DO THAT! NONE OF US WERE MAD AT YOU, REALLY! I’M JUST HAPPY—REALLY HAPPY YOU’VE COME BACK!! THAT ALONE IS WONDERFUL.” Blueberry beamed brightly, almost as if he wanted to hug Halted if his arms weren’t full of gifts. “BUT THANK YOU! THESE GIFTS ARE AMAZING, HALTED. YOU REALLY KNOW HOW TO PICK THEM!”

Halted scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. “I just thought… they’d suit everyone. They weren’t entirely my idea. My friend suggested it…”

In truth, Ink had rambled on for hours when Halted sought him out in The Doodle Sphere for advice. Halted had pieced things together after Ink had to run off on some adventure with his friends. Essentially, Ink’s advice could be summed up as: “Just showing up is a gift, Halted! Well, okay, if you don’t feel that way, you can give them things that make you feel good! Whatever makes you feel comfortable and great! Normal stuff, of course~ Don’t give them the universe—or me, haha.”

Alright, maybe Ink had been a little more energetic than usual that day, and it had rubbed off on Halted in the form of these ideas… Though he wished he could inspire that energy in Ink himself; it seemed his friend’s other companions always brought it out. All Halted seemed to do was make Ink worry…

“–ALTED! HALTED!! HALTED!!!”

Blueberry’s voice snapped him back to reality, leaving Halted embarrassed as he muttered, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to ignore you… I was just thinking about a friend.”

Blueberry tilted his head slightly before suddenly grabbing Halted’s hand and successfully pulling him inside, as Halted didn’t resist. “IT’S FINE, HALTED. WELL, COME ON IN NOW! DON’T JUST STAND OUT THERE. I MADE SOME TACOS NOT LONG BEFORE YOU ARRIVED. IT’S SUCH A LUCKY COINCIDENCE THAT WE CAN SIT AND CHAT WHILE ENJOYING THEM TOGETHER!”

Halted hesitated for a moment before nodding. “Alright, if you don’t mind…”

After Blueberry pushed him to sit on the sofa, he dashed off somewhere, presumably the kitchen, and returned with a plate of tacos, setting it on the table. They sat together on the cozy sofa in the mansion, chatting about small, mundane stories—mostly Blueberry recounting cheerful, chaotic daily events. Halted occasionally nodded, sometimes responding with short remarks, but deep down, he felt a surprising comfort in the light conversation without any pressure. The atmosphere was so pleasant that Halted relaxed, even leaning back into the sofa—a thing he only did in places where he felt completely safe.

However, the peace didn’t last long. The mansion door suddenly burst open with a loud bang, startling both of them. A skeleton—presumably some Sans, Halted didn’t recognize he—stormed in, his outfit dominated by red and gold. His expression was filled with irritation and anger.

“That idiot Murder! Damn it!! Why does he always have to mess things up?!” the skeleton hissed, fists clenched as though he wanted to punch something. But then his voice trembled, hinting at some hidden pain: “Everything was going so well…”

Halted shifted uneasily on the sofa and intended to leave immediately, feeling as if he was intruding on someone else's private moment. However, Blueberry noticed his discomfort and quickly offered a reassuring smile to Halted. Then, Blueberry immediately stood up, raising his hands as if to calm down the skeleton Halted had briefly seen in the basement earlier.

"RED, CALM DOWN! DON'T BE TOO ANGRY, YOU KNOW MURDER BETTER THAN WE DO... I ALSO THINK HE DOESN'T HAVE ENTIRELY BAD INTENTIONS. AND WE HAVE A GUEST HERE!"

Halted remained still, his gaze calm but unable to hide a trace of curiosity. Red glanced at him, seeming to finally acknowledge the presence of a stranger.

"Oh... You're Halted, huh?" The skeleton, or rather Red, spoke in a strained voice, but it wasn't as harsh as earlier. There was recognition in his tone… He already knew Halted's name? It must be from Blue and Dancer… Who else knew? Did this mean he no longer needed to introduce himself to anyone?

Instead of voicing his curiosity, Halted just shrugged and replied briefly, "That's right, Red."

The three of them fell into silence for a moment. Their eyes (mostly Halted's and Red's) occasionally glanced at each other, the atmosphere thick with awkwardness for a few short seconds. Finally, Red looked toward the staircase leading upstairs. He sighed, his tone softening, no longer abrasive. "Sorry... I might have gone too far." With that, he disappeared in an instant, clearly using a shortcut to go upstairs. The room was left in silence.

Blueberry stared for a moment at the now-empty doorway where Red had just stood, then sighed and turned to Halted. "SORRY ABOUT RED. HE'S NOT ALWAYS LIKE THAT. IT JUST SEEMS LIKE TODAY IS HARDER FOR HIM THAN USUAL."

Halted shook his head, his tone carrying a note of understanding: "It's fine. I understand... I—"

He suddenly stopped speaking because he could feel the Source from Haltedtale calling him back. Immediately, Halted stood up, his gaze toward Blueberry turning serious, with a hint of hidden urgency he masked well. "And I think I've stayed here long enough. I should return to Haltedtale..."

Blueberry looked at him, his sockets glimmering with a mix of sadness and worry. "I SEE… THEN… WILL YOU COME BACK?", he asked, his voice shifting to a tone of melancholy and expectation. "THERE'S SOMETHING I THINK WE NEED TO DISCUSS MORE THOROUGHLY BEFORE ASKING FOR YOUR HELP... JUST THAT... I WONDER WHAT YOU THINK? WE DECIDED TO WAIT FOR YOUR OPINION BEFORE DIVING INTO THE ISSUE..."

Halted tilted his head slightly, pondering for a moment. Finally, he nodded and spoke in a rambling manner: "I’ll come back. Don’t worry, I’ll help if you need. I’ve known from the start that you all are struggling, being stuck here. This universe of yours is gradually destabilizing, but it’s not urgent yet. If anyone wants to take time to say goodbye to this place, go ahead. When you're ready, let me know—"
(He rambled when overly anxious, and now only Ink knew about it—a sign he realized he shouldn’t stay away for too long—they—he needed to return to Haltedtale urgently—strange figures were troubling his ‘home’—)

Blueberry couldn’t hide his emotions and rushed forward, wrapping Halted in a tight hug, his voice brimming with excitement and gratitude: "THANK YOU, HALTED! THAT MEANS SO MUCH TO US!! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH!"

Halted stood frozen like a statue, unaccustomed to such warmth and affection. His body stiffened slightly. It had been a long time since he had hugged anyone. Halted had only hugged Ink once in the past year, and that was an accident lasting half a second!
(He was letting his thoughts wander to distract himself—wasting time—he knew he needed to check on Haltedtale urgently—but he didn’t want to leave rudely—he didn’t want to hurt Blueberry emotionally like someone else had—he was always such a coward—)

Noticing his stiffness, Blueberry quickly pulled back, his expression glowing a slightly embarrassed shade of blue: "OH, SORRY! I DIDN'T THINK ABOUT YOU NOT LIKING HUGS… REALLY SORRY, HALTED!"

Halted stepped back slightly, shaking his head and speaking gently: "It’s fine. I’m okay."
(Not fine at all—Haltedtale was in danger, and he was delaying here—)

Blueberry nodded, relieved: "IF YOU SAY SO, HALTED… WELL, SEE YOU AGAIN THEN! WE’LL ALWAYS BE WAITING FOR YOU!!"

Halted nodded in farewell before stepping through his spatial portal to return to Haltedtale. Walking the familiar roads, the landscapes of lifeless space and timeless stillness greeted him once more, a sense of emptiness creeping back to envelop him. Finally, he stopped before a small, simple but clean grave tucked deep in Waterfall, near the wooden bench he often sat on.
(What was he doing—he needed to patrol—clearly there were intruders—)

Placing a hand on the roughly carved yet clumsy inscription on the stone tombstone, Halted whispered, his voice blending into the wind. "Little brother... Today, I’ve been less of a coward." He chuckled softly, sitting down and gazing into the cavern ceiling painted clumsily by Ink. "I think… I’m making progress. I won’t let you down again… I promise. Things are getting better… Even if there’s trouble, I swear it won’t be too big…"
(He needed to talk to his 'brother' to calm the panic that the Source was pressing onto him—he was an idiot—)

The wind blew softly, like a silent reply. Halted closed his eyes, finding a moment of solace before standing up to continue his patrol of Haltedtale as usual. Even though he knew that just a slight anomaly in Haltedtale's atmosphere would be enough for him to sense it—because his Source Code had become an integral part of this universe. That’s the reason he could still survive without a SOUL…

However, no matter how strong that connection was, no matter how much it influenced his thoughts to align with the Source Code, he still couldn’t entirely prevent certain unauthorized intrusions. For example, the strange skeleton he encountered on the rooftop of that grim castle before… And that one even brought along three other skeletons.
(This was surely why the Source wanted him to return as quickly as possible—though returning sooner wouldn’t have changed much—)

His left eye flickered with its faulty green glow as he prepared himself for confrontation, ready to counter if they posed any threat to the 'peace' of Haltedtale.
(This is what the Source—what he demanded! He couldn’t falter—)

"Oh? Meeting again, Halted, aren’t we?"

He didn’t respond. Even though Nightmare acted friendly the last time they met, or even now, it was clear that, in the end, Nightmare and his accomplices — especially today, with their presence in Haltedtale — did not have good intentions. His Source was never wrong when evaluating the level of threat someone posed to his ‘home’… and he trusted what Ink had said. Just like the relentless warnings from the Source…

(Attack them now—it would give him the best chance of victory—)

And so, Halted struck before the knife-wielding skeleton could make his move—

Chapter Text

Halted didn’t allow these intruders any chance. The green light from his eyes flared brightly, a symbol of his interference with the system, and in an instant, the space around him malfunctioned, and time itself froze completely. Everything within range came to a halt: no movement, no sound. (Haltedtale had always been this quiet—It should be this way-)

He looked at each silhouette in front of him.

The skeleton holding a knife still had its arm raised but couldn’t take another step. The one with a large crack on its skull was forced to remain frozen, while the skeleton wearing white and black clothing couldn’t move either.

The only ones able to move here were Halted and… Nightmare, who, as Ink had mentioned recently, was a Sans with the power of a God. No surprise, then, that the effect of Halted’s basic time magic didn’t last long on him... This was going to be troublesome. (But he would defeat them—They couldn’t have any ill intentions towards Haltedtale—they must learn a lesson they won’t forget for doing so-)

"I wonder what you guys want from me?" Halted said, his voice lower than usual, calm to the point of indifference. "But I’m afraid I’ll never agree to any nonsense you throw at me. Please, don’t ever come to Haltedtale again. I’d really appreciate that."

After saying this, he turned to face the other intruders beside Nightmare. The three strange skeletons were still frozen in the space held by Halted’s spell, and it would certainly be easier to eliminate them now. (Why not—He should just wipe them out once and for all—No, that’s wrong—He can never do that—He’s such a coward-)

But Halted knew, even though he could easily end this confrontation, he wouldn’t do it. Killing wasn’t his choice, and he always found a way to stop before crossing the line of destruction. (Like what happened with the eighth child’s genocide path in Haltedtale—So foolish-)

Nightmare, still standing opposite him, wore the same calm and detached expression: "What if we don’t? And you’re sure you won’t listen to my offer?"

Halted kept his gaze fixed on Nightmare. The green light in his eyes still blazed fiercely, keeping the space around them frozen. The tension between the two sides grew, as if any small movement could ignite the confrontation. It lasted only a few brief seconds but was thick with tension…

"I’ve already said," Halted replied, his voice as sharp as a knife: "I don’t care what you want, and I’m not interested in any ‘offers’ from you. It’s best if you and your lackeys go back to where you belong, before I lose my patience." (He had lost his patience—That’s not like him—but who cares, right-)

Nightmare grinned wider, his black eyes glinting with a dark gleam: "Lost your patience, Halted? Interesting. But do you really think you can stop us with this trivial magic of yours? You know, your power… isn’t invincible."

"Is that so?" Halted raised an eyebrow, quite an impressive feat for a skeleton, and replied to Nightmare with no fear or hesitation: "Want to test your luck? I don’t mind."

In response to the provocation, Nightmare touched the ground, and a wave of dark energy spread out, breaking the 'frozen' space around Halted's spell. The three skeletons behind Nightmare began to regain their ability to move. Immediately, the skeleton holding the knife lunged forward at an incredible speed, the blade aimed straight at Halted.

"Such a hassle." Halted muttered quietly, quickly raising his hand. A green light formed into a magical barrier, blocking the strike. The knife collided with the barrier, emitting a high-pitched screech. The skeleton holding the knife jumped back, him eyes gleaming with malice and excitement… Definitely a dangerous and crazy one. But strangely, Halted felt like that skeleton was acting like a player... (He’s just obsessed again—)

The skeleton waved the knife back and forth with one hand, grinning widely, and his jet-black eye sockets seemed to be looking straight at Halted. He licked him lips and let out a laugh that sounded overly fake to Halted. "You are really interesting! Good, I’m starting to like you. No wonder Boss has taken an interest in you~" The voice sounded somewhat improper, and as he shifted, he became more excited and cold when the skeleton lunged at Halted again with the knife, once again, "But we’ll see if you can keep your cool when facing us!"

The other skeleton, wielding a large axe with bloodstains on the blade, spoke in a hoarse voice, as if he hadn’t spoken in years: "Shut up, Killer… Just finish this fight quickly…"

And he rushed to attack with his axe, slower than the knife-wielding one but with great power, coordinating quite well with the agile movements and knife slashes of Killer -oh, so that's the skeleton's name- creating some pressure for Halted to avoid both.

The remaining skeleton raised him hand and created several magical daggers, launching them at Halted. As he did so, the skeleton spoke while watching Halted from a distance: "Halted, you should understand that no one rejects Nightmare and ends up with a good experience…" Him voice was complicated but resolute as he continued: "Don’t resist, or the price you’ll pay will be much more painful later—and there’s much more to come."

Halted didn’t respond, but part of him took note of this. He focused on the battle, the light in his left eye causing another malfunction, freezing time again. Immediately, Killer and the larger one were frozen in their attacking stances. Halted seized the opportunity and created several bone attacks, sending them flying into the trees behind them.

"That’s enough," once again Halted said, indifferently, dodging the close combat attack from the black-and-white skeleton with a shortcut, and then becoming more hostile as he added: "I don’t have time for you. If you don’t leave here right now, I’ll be forced to send you off—one way or another."

l But before anyone on the other side could respond -which he assumed would only be Nightmare's response- or continue any attacks, Halted suddenly startled and used a shortcut to teleport a distance away from them… Because he realized something was off with his emotions.

Amid the fight, an unfamiliar feeling had crept into Halted’s mind. It wasn’t the calm and resolve he usually felt when facing dangerous intruders. It was like a wave of unusual emotions, blurring his usual composure. He felt emotional and even excited about fighting them, even about eliminating them... (It took him too long to realize that—He’s such an idiot for not thinking things through as always—)

Halted furrowed his brows, his eyes glowing with green light, and more glitches started appearing in them due to the confusion creeping in.

Clearly, this wasn’t his feeling. He had recognized that. Something... or someone... had interfered with his emotions the moment Nightmare’s group stepped foot in Haltedtale.

He... has even become so uncharacteristically flustered. And why does it want him to be hostile towards them? He's even sure that he's slowly starting to have dangerous thoughts... This isn't like him at all. This only happens very rarely when he's having a truly bad day. Everything seemed fine today until these guys infiltrated Haltedtale.

Even the source code of his universe has been affected, turning more malicious than usual towards those outside of his universe. It's hostile towards him, which is normal, but for it to be this hostile towards those it just met... It's still making those suggestions— (You should eliminate them— Why hesitate— They’re a bad influence on Haltedtale—)

"Strange," Halted muttered, dodging a strike, the sharp axe barely grazing him. Halted took a few steps back and glanced at the group of enemies: "Something's wrong..."

Nightmare was still standing where he'd been since Halted first saw him, wearing a calm smile, but this time it was clearly full of deep, hidden meaning. "You're sensing it now, aren't you?" he said, and the three companions with him immediately stopped attacking, slowly standing and watching. Nightmare's voice continued, dripping with sarcasm and self-satisfaction: "That feeling isn't yours, but it's deeply embedded in your mind. The power I bring is no longer just darkness, it's also chaos. Give up, Halted. Struggling will only make you sink deeper into emotions you can no longer control."

Halted clenched his fist, trying to keep himself from becoming strangely angry and rushing at Nightmare. He couldn't let this shake his resolve... But for safety, he needed help—immediately. (He should have done this long ago-)

His gaze drifted to the small ink bottle that Ink had given him not long after they became close. He’d always considered it a last resort, but this situation was beyond expectations. There was no other choice...

Halted quickly took the ink bottle out of his pocket and slammed it down onto the ground before him. The bottle shattered, and ink splattered everywhere, forming strange swirling patterns in mid-air. In an instant, a multicolored light burst forth, filling the space around them.

"Oh? What the hell!?" Killer spoke, stepping back as the light suddenly appeared.

Immediately, a familiar figure emerged from the black ink patterns. Ink appeared, holding a large brush, and his mischievous smile quickly turned into one of caution and concern. Ink’s eyes were constantly moving, as he surveyed the entire situation in just a few seconds.

"Halted, do you need help?" Ink asked, his tone soft but serious. He tilted his head, his gaze now fixed on Nightmare and his three companions. "Ah, I see now. Looks like you’ve attracted some uninvited guests."

"Not just that," Halted said, his voice dropping slightly: "Something’s wrong with my emotions... I can feel the instability in my feelings, clearly not like me. This… even affects many important things in my universe." (He’s hiding the Source Code from his friend- How selfish of him- Or is he afraid-)

He watched Ink immediately become more alert than ever the moment Halted spoke. Ink turned his head to look at Nightmare, his smile disappearing, replaced by a serious and angry expression.

"Nightmare," Ink said, his voice colder than usual: "What have you done? Answer me now!"

Nightmare grinned wider than ever, fully satisfied and pleased as though this was exactly what he was expecting: "I’ve simply brought a little chaos. This world is too quiet. I thought a little emotional disturbance would make things more interesting, don't you think so, Ink? Your friend seems ‘quite lively’ more than I thought."

Ink frowned, his eyes sharp and angrier, strangely looking at his friend in that way, Halted idly thought as he listened to Ink speak: "So this is what you call ‘interesting’? Nightmare, you’ve crossed the line. It’s better for you to leave before I have to defeat you and your team, along with Cross!"

...Huh? Cross? Who’s that?

Halted shook his head, concealing his confusion and decided to stay silent, merely keeping a watchful eye on Nightmare's group. He saw Killer and his two companions move closer to Nightmare, ready for any situation. But Nightmare just kept smiling, still unmoving, showing no intention of backing down from Ink's warning.

"Then let’s see what you two can do," Nightmare said, his voice full of challenge: "Try it."

Ink turned back to look at Halted, giving a small nod: "Alright, my friend, hold your ground. We’ll end this—our way!"

Halted took a deep breath, the green light in his eyes flaring again, this time stronger, as if powered by Ink's presence, and the signs of malfunction within it faded considerably.

"Of course, Ink," he said, his voice full of determination: "And I’ll end it at any cost."

Ink nodded, raising his giant brush, drawing a circle in the air. The ink from the brush spread, creating solid black lines, and in an instant, they turned into a series of black magical shields surrounding them both. His and Halted's gazes never left Nightmare's group, even as they spoke or as Ink did this...

Nightmare still wore his smug smile, but the black light in his eyes flickered dangerously as he extended his hand, conjuring a series of shadow tendrils to attack. The dark tendrils rushed with terrifying speed, but as soon as they hit Ink’s ink shields, they were repelled as if blocked by an indestructible wall.

"I didn’t think things would be that easy, Nightmare," Ink said, his voice cold as ice.

"Is that so?" Nightmare retorted, his voice low and more threatening: "You know, Ink, I’ve always enjoyed a challenge."

Halted stepped forward Ink, raising his hand, and large magical bones appeared, their green glow surrounding the enemy group from above. With another hand motion, Halted sent the bones crashing down, aiming for all three skeletons and Nightmare.

Killer, with astonishing agility, jumped up, dodging the attack while throwing the knife in his hand towards Halted. The knife flew at a terrifying speed, but Halted quickly created a green light barrier, causing the knife to bounce back. Unfortunately, one of the bones—definitely a trap set by Killer—slipped through and hit him, leaving a light cut across his shoulder.

Meanwhile, the other skeleton with the massive axe slammed it down onto the ground, creating a shockwave that spread. Ink reacted swiftly, using his brush to draw a long line in the air, transforming it into a black ink wave that completely absorbed the shockwave.

The skeleton in black and white just stood observing, his eyes glinting with sharpness as he analyzed every movement of Halted and Ink. Suddenly, he extended his hand, summoning dozens of light knives to strike at them.

Halted quickly opened a shortcut, pulling both him and Ink out of the attack zone. The light knives impaled the ground, causing a series of small explosions.

"Not bad," Halted said, sighing as he stood firm after the attack, his strength quickly waning: "But I won't let you push me any further."

As soon as he finished speaking, Halted raised his hand, freezing the space around them once again. Killer and Horror immediately 'froze', and taking advantage of this, Ink used a Gaster Blaster to blast them away... But Nightmare wasn’t as affected, and Cross, who was further away, could still move—albeit more slowly—so he rolled to dodge Ink’s shot.

"You two are just stalling," Nightmare said, his voice full of challenge: "We won’t back down just because of this. Or are you waiting for reinforcements?"

Before Nightmare could finish, a brilliant golden light suddenly flared from afar. Everyone, including Nightmare, turned to look at the source of the light. A skeleton with a laid-back aura appeared, his golden eyes shining like sunlight... A stark contrast to the feeling when Halted met Nightmare, this skeleton made him feel much more at ease…

"Dream..." Nightmare frowned, his smile disappearing, replaced by seriousness and disgust.

Dream stepped forward in front of Ink and Halted, his sharp gaze sweeping over Nightmare and his companions: "Nightmare, I'm not surprised to find you here. But causing trouble for an innocent Sans is a huge mistake."

Nightmare sneered, but it was clear his confidence had diminished seeing his own teammates injured from the previous attack: "Dream, you always show up at the wrong time."

Ignoring the remark, Dream stepped closer to Halted and Ink, raising his hand to create a golden light aura surrounding them all, driving away much of the negative effects of Nightmare’s power.

"You have two choices," Dream said, his voice low but commanding: "Leave now, or face me, Ink, and Halted all at once. I think you know how this will end, Nightmare. Especially when your teammates are already injured."

Nightmare looked around, his eyes flashing with anger. He turned to his teammates, then laughed mockingly at the three: "We’ll meet again soon," he said, before opening a portal...

Killer, and the two others stepped into the portal, and finally, Nightmare left, but not without leaving a parting remark that echoed in the air: "Halted, Dream, Ink... Prepare yourselves. This is not the end."

As Nightmare’s group disappeared, the space seemed to grow quiet and comfortable again. Halted sighed in relief, the green light in his eyes dimming as he slumped onto the cold ground of Snowdin, feeling the exhaustion building up inside him... He hadn't used this much power in a year, and honestly, his stamina was never great. (He's really weak and lazy- But he did drive them away- The Source Code will accept that he's useful too-)

Dream smiled gently as he looked at him, somehow making him feel less tired: "You did well, Halted."

"You know my name, uh, Dream?" Halted asked, his eye sockets still glimmering with a greenish light, but the color had faded somewhat and was almost gone, just a few more minutes and it would return to the normal color of a Sans like him.

"Yes," Dream nodded, his golden eyes shining with warmth. His voice was gentle but sincere: "Ink always talks about you. He’s very proud of you. And let me introduce myself properly… I’m Dream, the Guardian of Positivity in the multiverse. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Halted."

"Uh… Pleased to meet you?" Halted replied, his voice dry but not too distant. He looked at Dream for a moment, as if trying to gauge whether this person was truly trustworthy…

"Hehe, of course I always talk about my friend!" Ink interjected, breaking the tension in the air – mostly one-sided from Halted – as he casually sat down next to Halted. The bright smile on Ink's face lightened the atmosphere and made him feel more at ease. He gave Halted’s shoulder a friendly pat and cheerfully said, "Halted and I are really close! He’s a bit gruff, but actually really likable."

Halted glanced at Ink, giving a slight smirk: "If you’re going to blabber about those fake compliments, I don’t need them, Ink."

Ink chuckled, not bothered by Halted's jab. But soon after, he crossed his arms, his face turning to a slightly pouting expression mixed with reproach: "Hey, it seems like you’ve really improved a lot with your powers. I won’t deny that. But next time, remember to call me a little earlier, okay, Halted? You always do everything on your own without letting me know. Do you know how worried I get?"

Halted gave a small nod, a tired smile appearing on his face. Though unspoken, there was a warmth in his eyes as he looked at Ink. "I’ll remember that," he replied, his voice soft but no longer as cold as before.

Dream stood beside them, silently observing their exchange. He smiled softly, sensing the deep bond between Halted and Ink – a connection of darkness and eerie stillness in Haltedtale.

"You two really seem to understand each other," Dream spoke up cheerfully, "That’s a good thing. In a place like this, hope is the most precious thing."

Halted shot a sharp look at Dream, his gaze returning to its usual edge, but not with hostility: "So… are you here to help, or just to say a few kind words and leave?"

And what does he mean by speaking like he understands Haltedtale? Ink… Ink never shared any of Halted’s past with anyone, he promised. So this skeleton might be good at observing and making judgments… He furrowed his brow, staring at Dream.

Dream just smiled softly, his eyes unwavering, filled only with sincerity: "I’m here to help, of course. But helping doesn’t mean doing things for you. I believe you have the ability to protect this universe, Halted. I just want to make things easier for you, if you allow me. I also apologize for barging into Haltedtale. Ink told me you don’t like that… But I came in after seeing Ink leave in a hurry and sensing Nightmare here. Truly sorry…"

Halted sighed, turning his face away from Dream as if not wanting to show his true emotions. He smoothed out the wrinkles on Ink’s scarf while saying, "I don’t need anyone making things easier for me. But… if you really want to help, then do your part. Don’t get in my way. You too, Ink…"

Ink laughed lightly, one hand giving Halted’s back a soft tap while the other fiddled with the collar of his coat: "See, I told you, Dream. Halted’s the type of person who doesn’t easily accept help. But don’t worry, he always does his best."

Ink then tilted his head, looking at Halted with a mix of pride and concern, continuing: "Still, I’ll stick with you, Halted. You can’t escape, my friend."

Halted just shrugged, but the corner of his mouth curled into a rare smile in front of someone other than Ink: "How can I escape when you’re this noisy, Ink? And you’ve been following me for almost a year now?"

Dream watched the scene before him, his smile growing gentler: "Perhaps I wasn’t wrong to come here. You two are another reason I believe that even in the darkest corners, there is always light."

Halted glanced at Dream when he heard his words, his sharp eyes seeming to weigh each word carefully. He didn’t respond immediately but instead turned to Ink, asking nonchalantly: "Ink, did you drag him along because you thought it was appropriate, or just to stop me from being alone? I know you can stop Dream from following me."

Ink leaned back even more this time, resting his hand flat on the ground, looking at Halted with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "I always have a reason for everything, Halted. But this time, everything you said is true." He shrugged, his smile soft but carrying concern: "You’ve been alone for too long. I couldn’t let you carry everything by yourself. I think Dream’s better at convincing people than I am."

Halted didn’t answer right away. He looked down at the ground, as if mulling something over. His voice dropped, softly resonating: "Loneliness is my choice. And I’m fine with it… You’ve done enough for me, I don’t need any more friends."

Dream watched the two, his golden eyes sparkling as if he understood the emotions hidden beneath Halted’s cold exterior. He took a step closer and sat down on the ground beside them. "Halted, I’m not here to change the way you live. But I believe even the strongest people need a support, even if just for a moment. Ink and I are both here for that, not to make you feel tied down."

Halted looked up, his gaze sharp with a familiar edge, unable to convince himself to trust anyone: "Really? You just met me, Dream. How can you be sure I’m worth trusting like that? You… you’re too good to be true."

Dream just smiled, his voice gentle yet firm: "I’m not sure about anything. But if Ink trusts you, that’s enough for me. Trusting and helping others don’t always require a logical reason, Halted. Sometimes, trust is the only thing that connects us and helps us get through difficulties. And kindness makes it easier for us to enjoy the beautiful life around us."

Ink nodded in agreement, chiming in with a playful tone: "Exactly!! Dream makes a lot of sense! And don’t think too much about it, Halted. We’re all here for the same goal, right? We’ve already defeated Nightmare and his minions! Protecting Haltedtale and you!! And besides, whether you like it or not, I’ll stick with you like glue~~"

Halted couldn’t help but laugh out loud, causing both Dream and Ink to look at him in confusion for a moment, then Halted sighed. This sigh was no longer one of frustration but of acceptance, tinged with helplessness and a bit of amusement: "You’re really troublesome, Ink. But fine… I’ll temporarily accept this ‘support’ you guys keep talking about, at least for now. Until I’ve fully dealt with the mess Nightmare caused with my emotions… And make sure those bastards never return to Haltedtale."

Dream and Ink exchanged a joyful look. Dream nodded slightly, feeling that, even though Halted didn’t say it directly, he had opened up a little more. A glimmer of hope, however small, was enough to start the journey of helping Halted realize that sometimes real strength isn’t about battling alone, but knowing how to share the burden.

Of course, for Dream, this was also a belief for defeating Nightmare in his new plan. Because clearly, his arrival in Haltedtale had a deeper agenda… Nightmare’s emotional chaos in Halted was undoubtedly part of a bigger scheme.

Ink, as usual, quickly shattered the serious atmosphere. He flopped down onto the snow-covered ground, smiling brightly: "Great! Let’s go, Halted, Dream!! We’ve got so much to do, and I don’t want to waste a second! Let’s head to my place to discuss things further!!"

Halted stood up, brushing dust off his coat, glancing at Ink with suspicion: "Are you sure you know what you’re doing?"

Ink immediately sat up, winking playfully: "If I don’t know, I’ll just make up the way! You should be used to that by now, Halted."

"Ha, thanks, I should be grateful for that habit of yours," Halted grumbled as he reached out to pull Ink up.

Dream stood up and chuckled softly at Ink’s wit, and Halted’s helplessness, then the three of them began walking through Ink's portal to The Doodle Sphere, each with their own thoughts but heading down the same path ahead…

And Halted thought, he felt like he was getting caught up in a very troublesome mess, all starting with that time vortex. Ha, hopefully, it won’t end badly…

Chapter Text

As the three of them stepped through Ink's ink portal, the space in front of them quickly shifted. Though it wasn't Halted's first time here, he still couldn't help but feel the strangeness of the place each time. The Doodle Sphere, a place where universes and timelines intersected, always carried an indescribable atmosphere and a unique sense of mystery...

Halted looked around, sensing the stillness in the space. Then, he locked eye sockets with another skeleton besides the three who were also present. It was as if it had been arranged beforehand, this figure, somewhat familiar to Halted, stepped closer. He was definitely another version of Sans from Underswap... Oh, this suddenly reminded Halted of Blueberry from Undertale #961. He thought absentmindedly. I wonder what Blueberry is up to now?

The skeleton smiled upon seeing Ink and Dream, then quickly shifted his gaze to Halted. “HALTED, RIGHT? HELLO, HELLO! I’M SWAP.” The cheerful skeleton spoke, his voice full of energy, just like his bright smile.

Halted nodded lightly, greeting him softly, “That’s right… Hello, Swap.”

Swap laughed, his friendliness seemingly spreading throughout the space. “SO HAPPY TO FINALLY MEET YOU! INK’S TALKED A LOT ABOUT YOU. REALLY A LOT…” He glanced at Ink, who was currently chatting with Dream, but still waved at them when he noticed Swap’s gaze.

Halted hid his slight grimace, but Ink hadn’t told him much about Swap, nor had he mentioned Dream to him, yet had shared so much about him with them. Halted sighed, keeping his usual calm demeanor as he shrugged and replied, “I can be sure that’s something Ink would do. Dream said something similar to you too…”

Upon hearing this, Swap laughed even harder. His bright smile seemed to ease some of Halted’s tension. Ink must have had his reasons, Halted thought quietly, then mentally scolded himself for focusing on such trivial things… Damn Nightmare, his emotions are definitely still being affected.

Swap tilted his head, his eyes sparkling as he heard Halted ask, “By the way… Are you, Ink, and Dream a group?”

However, before Swap could answer, Ink suddenly stepped between them, “That’s right, Halted!” His excitement was evident on his face. “You finally asked. The three of us are the Star Sanses! But there are other members too. They come from all over the multiverse! We all gather together to protect peace and bring positivity to the multiverse, as well as fight against the evil forces, like the Nightmare group you’ve met!! Cool, right?”

“Hmm… Sounds great, Ink.” Halted shrugged, then furrowed his brow. “But then, I guess the Nightmare group has a name too, right?”

“YEAH! YOU’RE RIGHT, HALTED!! YOU GOT IT RIGHT!” Swap excitedly responded, while Ink pouted beside him. “THEY’RE CALLED THE BAD SANSES!!”

Dream nodded, his voice soft but firm as he slowly moved closer: "Bad Sanses are the Sanses who work under Nightmare... They tend to do evil and dangerous things to the multiverse. Since Nightmare is the Guardian of Negativity, he always wants everyone to sink into negativity… There are many reasons that make them evil like that, but I won't excuse any reason that leads to hurting others. A bad past doesn't give anyone the right to negatively affect someone else's life!"

"THAT’S RIGHT!" Swap quickly chimed in, his eyes shining with determination: "AND TO STOP THE BAD SANSES, WE'LL ALWAYS DO OUR BEST TO PROTECT EVERYONE!!"

Ink smiled, but seemed to get a little too carried away, dramatically waving his hand: "Exactly—ugh…" He suddenly froze, gagging and spilling ink onto the ground of the island they were on, then scratching his head: "Sorry, that got too dramatic."

"Ink…" Dream laughed helplessly, while Swap shrugged and giggled.

Halted stared at them, feeling quite out of place. They seemed so full of energy… And optimism.

Halted shook his head, pushing his wandering thoughts aside, his expression becoming serious as he spoke: "So, can we deal with what Nightmare did to my emotions quickly? I think I still need to 'clean up' Haltedtale." His voice was calm but carried a hint of exhaustion that was hard to hide.

Ink looked up, his eyes unusual as he responded. "Ah, sorry," he said, his voice tinged with a bit of guilt. "I got a bit caught up in introducing the group… Let’s focus on your issue now."

Dream nodded, his expression full of concern: "Halted, I’m really sorry for what Nightmare did to your emotions. He often exploits even the smallest weaknesses of people to achieve his goals. But don’t worry, we’re here to help."

Swap also nodded enthusiastically: "THAT’S RIGHT! NO MATTER WHAT, WE'LL GET THROUGH THIS WITH YOU!"

Halted looked at them, feeling hesitant for a few seconds. Used to handling everything on his own, he wasn’t sure if he should rely on others’ help. But then, a part of him—perhaps the part influenced by Nightmare—urged him to push everyone further away… But hey, he had promised his younger brother that he wouldn't be cowardly anymore. So he gave a small nod. "Alright, if you want to help, then help quickly. I don’t want to waste any time."

Ink smiled, pulling out his brush and drawing a glowing circle in the air. "Let me check your codes. Nightmare definitely left some negative energy in them."

Halted frowned slightly, not liking anyone touching his codes, but if it was Ink... He nodded and stepped into the circle that Ink had created.

The glowing circle slowly spun, emitting soft beams of light that swept across Halted's body. Within a few seconds, Ink noticed something unusual. "Here it is," Ink said, his expression more serious than usual. "There’s a patch of extremely dense negativity attached to the deepest part of your code. Nightmare tried to turn that negative emotion into something that could control your actions. However, I don’t understand how he did it… You’ve only met him twice."

"Nothing surprising," Halted replied, his tone indifferent. "If he’s obsessed with spreading negativity like you all said, then it’s not strange that he discovered a new way to use his power. And it’s even more normal that he’s using it so subtly."

Dream spoke slowly, the soft golden light around him radiating a warm feeling: "I can cleanse that energy, but it might make you feel a little strange for a while. Your emotions will need time to balance out on their own. Also, it could cause pain... I’m also sure it will leave an uncomfortable ache for a few days."

Halted stared at Dream, not saying anything for a few seconds, then gave a slight nod. "Do it. I don’t want that thing lingering on me any longer."

Dream looked at Halted for a moment before closing his eyes, extending his hand toward Halted. A pure golden light appeared, gently enveloping Halted. The warm sensation spread throughout his body, but it also brought a dull ache, as if something was being reluctantly pulled out of him... But the pain was still bearable.

"Done," Dream said after a few minutes, the light fading. "You’ll feel lighter, but you might feel a little drained and emotionally sensitive. Your emotions will need time to fully recover. The pain will soon dissipate faster if you don’t use magic or get emotionally triggered too much. It’s best if you rest and don’t think too much..."

Halted took a deep breath, feeling as though an invisible weight had been lifted, although the accompanying pain still lingered. "Thank you..." he said quietly, bowing his head.

"It’s nothing!" Dream softly replied, while Swap excitedly said: "SO WHAT SHOULD WE DO NEXT? GO EAT SOMETHING? I HEARD THERE'S A COFFEE SHOP IN THIS UNIVERSE THAT'S AMAZING! I HEARD IT’S JUST AS GOOD AS CCINO BREWED COFFEE!!"

Halted looked at Swap, feeling confused by his rapid mood change. But instead of complaining, he simply shook his head: "I still have to go 'clean up' Haltedtale. If we're done here, I’ll go ahead."

Ink grinned mischievously but also with a hint of seriousness, winking at Halted: "Don’t forget, we’ll always be here if you need help. Don’t try to carry everything by yourself, Halted. And be careful of the Bad Sanses' meddling! Good luck, my friend~"

Halted nodded slightly, then looked at Ink: "Ink, next time we meet, we need to talk... Just the two of us." There were things he didn’t want to keep from Ink anymore, and he also wanted to ask Ink a few things. He then turned and walked away, ignoring Ink’s answer, which he was sure would be an agreement to what he said. Halted jumped into the portal to Haltedtale…

Halted stepped through the portal back into Haltedtale, the blinding light from the portal gradually fading, giving way to the familiar yet desolate image of his world. Standing amidst the ruined landscape, where the battle with Nightmare’s group had taken place, he slowly surveyed everything around him. Cracked roads, destroyed buildings, fallen trees, and the space filled with a gloomy atmosphere, undoubtedly left by the lingering power of Nightmare.

Halted took a deep breath, his hand reaching out as a stream of greenish light slowly emanated from his palm. He closed his eyes, allowing his power to merge with the fragments of the world, then gradually connected with the Source Code. Memories of what this place once was flooded his mind, every detail: the peaceful roads, the tidy houses, the lush trees… And the laughter that once echoed here from the residents of Snowdin. (Things that would never return unless he-)

"Focus..." Halted whispered, his voice hoarse from exhaustion, but still filled with determination.

The light from his palm spread out, touching everything around him. The fragments slowly lifted, reassembling into their original shapes. The roads began to fill in, the buildings that had been destroyed returned to their original state. The trees grew lush again, and even the sky became clearer.

Halted struggled to maintain his power for a while to ensure everything was exactly as it had been in his memories, even though his body began to tremble from exhaustion… The process of restoring Haltedtale’s landscape not only drained his magical energy but also forced him to confront the painful memories he had tried to bury deep within. But he would not allow himself to stop, not when this place was all he had left.

Finally, after everything had returned to its stable and original state, Halted collapsed, his knees hitting the snow-covered ground. Sweat streamed down his skull, and his breath was heavy. He raised his head, looking around, seeing Haltedtale seemingly come to life once again, though not entirely as it was before. (Only the landscape lives— The people here do not—)

"Done... Maybe I should rest now," Halted murmured, his voice tired but also carrying a hint of relief... Fortunately, it seemed the Source Code finally understood that he truly wanted to rest, staying silent and allowing his mind to find some peace from it.

Returning home, Halted stepped into his familiar living room. Everything here was the same, but its silence seemed to swallow him… Even after nearly a year, it was still hard to return home without hearing his younger brother greet him. Halted sighed and sank into the sofa, his eyes heavy with exhaustion and bored.

He tilted his head back, staring at the ceiling with his empty black sockets. He turned off the light in his eye sockets to conserve a little magic. Dream was right, using magic wasn't good for the pain he was feeling… And the uncomfortable emotional stimuli were the same…

But the chaotic thoughts still swirled in his mind, especially now that he was alone: Haltedtale, Undertale #961, Bad Sanses, Star Sanses, emotions being manipulated, and the lingering question of his own purpose… Halted often wondered if things could have been better for Haltedtale if he hadn’t been so stubborn and had given 'Frisk' a chance? But didn’t that mean he would no longer be 'Halted' and just be 'Sans'?… And he missed Papyrus so much, the bustle at Grillby's bar, the old lady behind the door, and everyone else… He really did want 'a happy ending'... Was Haltedtale now the real ending he wanted?

He sighed again, his body wanting rest, truly tired, and the dull pain didn’t help at all, but his mind refused to stop. He closed his eyes, hoping to fall asleep, but still, he couldn’t relax even a little.

Then, for some reason, a tear slowly rolled down his cheek. Halted didn’t try to wipe it away, just lying there, ignoring everything, until after who knows how long, exhaustion finally pulled him into a restless, dream-filled, and uneasy sleep…

Halted woke up with a start after what must have been a very short sleep, looking up at the dim light from the door he had forgotten to close, a faint reflection of the struggles in his mind.

He knew he had done everything he could to bring 'eternal peace' to Haltedtale, but the memories, the painful emotions, still hadn't been cleansed even after almost a year… The things that happened in the past continued to linger, swirling in his head like ghosts that couldn’t be shaken off. Add to that his worries about the future, the troublesome situations he had been caught up in, none of it helped him…

Halted closed his eyes, trying once again to find some peace in the silence, just as he always did… But the feeling of emptiness and detachment still remained.

Even though there were people like Ink, Ccino, Farm, Blueberry, Dancer, the others in Undertale #961, Swap, and Dream, they all helped him in their own way, Halted couldn’t avoid the feeling that he was just living alone with his burdens in a destroyed world. And the harsher truth was that Haltedtale had already become a 'dead universe'…

A silence passed. The chaotic thoughts, the indescribable pain from both body and soul, and then, within it, a part of Halted’s mind realized that he couldn’t keep going like this forever. Whether he wanted to or not, he needed to find a way to break free from the constraints of 'everything.' But could it be done?

It could... No matter how tired he was, he still couldn’t give up. He had promised 'Paps'...

After a deep breath, Halted slightly wobbled as he sat up on the sofa, thinking he should go to Undertale #961 to rest rather than stay at 'home'… Once he had made the decision, Halted waved his hand, creating a space portal that seemed smaller than usual, but still stable, and then he slowly stepped through.

What he didn’t expect was that he’d be attacked by a sudden bone being shot toward him… Fortunately, Halted managed to dodge in time.

Great, his luck lately was definitely in the negative… He looked up in frustration, then froze in place. It was a skeleton, no different from his past self, but this skeleton had a lot of dust on its jacket… That explained its LV, Halted thought calmly as he checked part of the skeleton’s code. His eyes returned to normal, no longer glitching.

"Who are you?" The skeleton asked cautiously, with eyes flashing with magic, and a stance ready to attack if Halted took another step forward.

Halted remained silent, staring at this unfamiliar skeleton for a moment before looking toward Red, who was annoyedly pulling the skeleton behind him. He asked, "I didn’t know this was the 'welcome' here... Anyway, would it be too much trouble for me to pass by you and meet Blueberry or the others?"

"…Please, go ahead." Red said embarrassedly, stepping aside, still holding onto the unfamiliar skeleton’s jacket to pull them aside and make way for Halted to enter the mansion.

Halted nodded, saying, "Thank you," before quickly entering and closing the door behind him, ignoring the noise from the two skeletons as they talked.

Walking into the mansion's living room, where the dim light of a chandelier created a strangely warm atmosphere. Even though this was the second time he had been here, Halted still felt a bit awkward.

In the middle of the room, Comic was sitting on the sofa, holding a thick book but looking rather casual… And Comic's Papyrus was standing next to a table, looking like he was about to give an enthusiastic presentation.

As soon as Halted entered, both of them turned to look. Comic immediately set the book down, speaking gently, "Long time no see. You look exhausted..."

Halted gave a slight smile, waving to the two skeletons in front of him as he sat down on the sofa opposite Comic. "Just a pretty troublesome day. I thought this place might help me rest better than my own," he replied, his tone quiet but not cold. His gaze quickly flickered to Comic's Papyrus, who was still looking at him happily and excitedly… Halted’s eyes momentarily flickered with a bit of pain before it vanished, replaced by indifference as he looked back at Comic speaking.

"Oh, then you’ve come to the right place." Comic nodded, understanding, respecting his privacy regarding the issue and not probing further.

Then, right after, Comic flashed a mischievous smile and said, "So, my friend, you’re looking for... bone-chilling peace, huh?" He grinned slyly, emphasizing the word "bone" intentionally.

Oh… A classic skeleton pun. It’s been so long since he last heard one… Halted thought, briefly lost in the moment as he gently nodded at Comic.

Comic’s Papyrus – as soon as he heard the first pun – sighed loudly, his hands clutching his head. "OH MY GOD, AGAIN? COMIC, PLEASE STOP WITH THIS LAME JOKING. YOU'RE GONNA DRIVE EVERYONE INSANE!"

Comic raised an eyebrow, clearly proud of his joke. "Hey, Papyrus, I’m just trying to make things humerus, alright! Not everyone likes to take life so seriously."

Comic’s Papyrus immediately turned away, crossed his arms, and looked as if he was trying to ignore anything else. "I KNOW THIS IS YOUR 'ENTERTAINMENT' BROTHER! BUT I’D RATHER WATCH BLUEBERRY COOK HIS SPECIAL TACOS THAN HEAR ANY MORE OF THESE JOKES."

Halted, though initially a little stunned by the familiar atmosphere in the room, couldn’t help but let out a soft chuckle. And he can see the Comic brothers are enjoying trying to cheer he up... They were truly wonderful, Halted looked tenderly, and he was lucky.

Comic winked at Halted, completely unfazed by Papyrus’ 'displeasure.' "I’m just taking the opportunity, man, because I know not everyone gets my witty humor. Besides, don’t you think this makes everything less... dry? Right, Halted?"

Halted smiled –so he guessed right, these two people also know his name – and shook his head. "I think you’re right – sometimes you need a little joke to break the ice. But I’m sure your Papyrus wouldn’t agree."

Comic’s Papyrus immediately raised his hand, as if swearing an oath. "EXACTLY! I ABSOLUTELY DO NOT AGREE. AND IF YOU STAY HERE LONG ENOUGH, YOU’LL UNDERSTAND MY SUFFERING."

Comic just laughed louder. "Oh, Papyrus, you know you can’t stay mad at your brother forever. Don’t you always crack up when he jokes?"

Papyrus turned away, clearly trying to suppress a smile. "NO! I DO NOT LAUGH. IT’S JUST A REFLEX OF MY FACE. PAPYRUS NEVER LAUGHS!"

Halted raised an eyebrow, chuckling again. After a moment, he said, "I think I’ll be fine here," his tone a bit softer. "You know how to lighten the mood, Comic. Maybe I should learn a bit from you."

Comic slapped Halted on the back, nodding vigorously. "Of course, Halted! Don’t worry, I’ll help you become pun-derful in no time!"

Halted smiled faintly, not responding. He quietly watched Comic continue rambling about the art of wordplay, while Comic’s Papyrus did everything he could to ignore him, but to no avail.

"Alright, Halted, try this one." Comic leaned forward, his eyes gleaming mischievously. "If a skeleton wants to go on a date, how would they bone up on their communication skills?"

Halted looked up at Comic, one of his sockets twitching slightly, but there was a hint of amusement in his eyes. "I guess… practice a lot?"

Comic immediately burst out laughing, slapping his thigh. "Exactly! But they might also rib-tickle a little to impress!"

Comic’s Papyrus jumped up from the couch, unable to take it anymore. "SERIOUSLY, I CAN'T STAY HERE ANY LONGER! COMIC, IF YOU KEEP GOING, I’LL..." He stopped, clearly unable to come up with a threat strong enough. "I’LL COOK SPAGHETTI AND NOT LET YOU EAT ANY!"

Comic shrugged, completely unfazed. "Fine, but you know you’d still feed your brother, right?"

Papyrus grumbled humorously and quickly walked out of the room, leaving Halted and Comic behind.

Halted watched Papyrus leave, then turned back to Comic. "Aren’t you going after him?"

Comic laughed, shrugging. "Oh, don’t worry! He complains all the time, but he loves me. He just doesn’t like admitting it. Give him some time. What about you? Got any brothers?"

Halted hesitated for a moment, his eyes briefly showing a pain that was hard to name. He shook his head lightly. "No. But I once had… someone like that."

Comic seemed to sense the shift in the atmosphere. However, he didn’t seem overly curious or pitying, unlike some people Halted had encountered. Instead, he calmly shifted the topic. "So, why are you here? It seems like you’re not just here to rest, right?"

Halted nodded, his gaze seemingly more thoughtful. "Yes. I wanted to find a little peace, but I also wanted to make sure everything here is still... okay. It seems like this place is... quite lively."

Comic laughed loudly. "Oh, definitely. With us skeletons, and now you too, this place’s never boring. You’ll see, sometimes the chaos is what makes the peace here so special."

Halted exhaled deeply, the corners of his mouth lifting into a fleeting smile. "Maybe I should get used to that."

"Exactly!" Comic said, giving Halted a friendly pat on the back. "Now, let me take you to meet everyone. I bet Blueberry and some other people will want to show you some of the new dishes they’ve come up with."

Halted stood up and followed Comic out of the living room, ignoring his own fatigue and desire to sink into the sofa. He had been wanting to meet the other skeletons he didn’t know the names of for a long time…