Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

???: D’you think he’s… dead?

???: Nah, obviously not. He’s not turning to dust or whatever.

???: Oh! Maybe he’s fallen down?

The Narrator: Your eyes slowly crack open as you take in the world around you. Or rather, you take in the two small children, excitedly poking you with a stick.

???: Hey! Who’s there! Is that you talking?

The Narrator: The stick pokes you harder. It doesn’t hurt, but it’s about as comfortable as you’d expect from getting poked with a stick. And to answer your question, no, I’m the Narrator. 

???: Hello Mr. Narrator! I’m Kanako!

???: Don’t tell him your name, you idiot! What if he’s evil?

The Fox: Mr. Narrator, are you evil?

The Narrator: Quite the opposite. I’m here to help the sleeping person on the floor meet a goal. At least, I will be when they decide to stand up.

The Fox: Oh! Okay! My friend is Melody! She’s a human!

The Human: DON’T JUST TELL HIM THAT! OH MY GOD!

The Narrator: The bickering continues as you slowly stand up and your eyes adjust to the darkness. You seem to be in the woods, based on the trees surrounding you and the path under your feet.

The Narrator: Now that everyone is caught up to speed, I can do my introduction. Hem Hem. You’re on a path in the woods. At the end of that path is a cabin. In the basement of that cabin is a Princess. You’re here to slay her. If you do not, it will be the end of the world.

The Narrator: I'm talking about the end of everything as we know it. No more birds, no more trees, and, perhaps most problematically of all, no more people. You have to put an end to her.

The Human: Yeah, that kinda sucks. But, uh, you could just be lying. What proves that she’s gonna end the world?

The Fox: Yeah! We don’t just wanna… kill some random lady! Especially if she’s a princess!

You: Gotta agree with the children here. Killing a princess does seem kind of bad, doesn’t it?

The Narrator: Look, I’m not here to discuss the moral implications of this. Kill her or the world ends. Simple enough.

You: Fair enough. I’ll go in and talk to her.

The Human: We’re coming, too. I can fight, and Kanako has a weapon. Or, uh, is a weapon sometimes.

The Fox: Well, I don’t know if I can do it when we’re unfused, but… I’ll try my best!

The Narrator: A naginata erupts from the fox child’s chest. It’s almost as long as you are tall, and you’re pretty tall. The dark-skinned child claps, so clearly this is rather impressive.

The Human: Oh hell yeah! The princess is NOT gonna fight back with this!

The Narrator: You enter the cabin. The door creaks as you push it open. The interior of the ca-

Voice of the Outsider: Hello? Hello? Can everyone hear me?

The Narrator: The voice booms inside your head, hurting a little. You flinch. To your left, the fox child melts into a white puddle before quickly reforming.

Voice of the Outsider: Oh, crap. Yeah, sorry, fixed. Uh, if you don’t wanna kill her, don’t take the knife, maybe? It’ll give off the wrong impression. And, uh, lose the spear.

The Human: It’s a naginata, dumbass. Also, are you another narrator?

Voice of the Outsider: In a sense. Just, uh, trust me on this one. The knife’ll make her attack you, same for the naginata.

The Narrator: Melody drops the knife. Who the hell are you? You’re not supposed to be here!

Voice of the Outsider: Nah, I am. Once again, trust me on this one. I’m trustworthy.

The Fox: You know, mommy told me that’s what an untrustworthy person would say.

Voice of the Outsider: Counterpoint: your mother doesn’t know me.

The Narrator: Could we please get on with the story, here? We don’t have all day. If you’re not going to kill the princess then don’t bore me to death as well.

You: Okay, okay. Calm down.

The Narrator: The door to the basement creaks open, revealing a staircase faintly illuminated by an unseen light in the room below. This is an oppressive place. The air feels heavy and damp, a hint of rot filtering from the ancient wood. If the Princess really lives here, slaying her is probably doing her a favor.

- - -

Out of all the things Melody had expected from this so-called Princess, her being just a random lady in a dress was not one of them.

She looked like a princess, sure, but… well she really didn’t look world-ending. Or dangerous at all, for that matter. She just looked kinda pathetic.

And yeah, maybe the new voice was right in that they shouldn’t have brought the knife. The idea of killing the Princess made Melody kinda sad.

“H-Hello? Are… are you here to rescue me?”

“Maybe? Do you plan on destroying the world?”

The Princess shifts in her shackle, trying to sit more comfortably. “I… don’t think I am? I hope not.”

“Yay! Okay, now we can get her out! Don’t worry, miss, I’ll unlock your chain.”

Kanako steps up to her and puts a hand against the shackle. To anyone else, it would just look like she’s not doing anything. But Melody’s spent five years fused with her, she knows what she’s doing.

BEHIND YOU!

Melody whipped around as the Princess’ shackle fell to the ground. Bird man was there, blade in hand, a hollow look in his eyes. He ran forwards, aiming for the Princess.

Before anyone could react, he raised his blade…

And stopped. Just… didn’t move.

The Narrator: No. We won't have any of that. The stakes are too high. You can't just let her escape into the world. …no. I can't just let her escape into the world.

The tip of the blade descends ever-so-slightly. Just enough to be noticeable.

KANAKO! MELODY! GRAB THE BLADE!

Kanako reaches him first, trying to wrench the dagger out of his hands. 

The Narrator: Stop resisting, god dammit! I’m trying to save the WORLD, here!

The princess reaches out with a hand, and pushes away Kanako’s paws. “We… We both know this isn’t you.”

The Narrator: She takes the blade out of your infuriatingly rigid hands… What are you DOING?!

No, no, this is correct.

Keep fighting back, Quiet! We might be able to reach a good outcome for all of us.

Kids, stop her from killing Quiet.

That’s bird man’s name, by the way!

“Hey! Hold on, don’t kill him! He’s a friend! There has to be another way!” Kanako morphs into a wall-like shape, blocking access to Quiet.

The Princess hesitated for a moment, and the blade clattered at her feet. “You’re… right. I got too hasty there. But… I have another idea.” She smirked. “Maybe close your eyes, kids. I’ll make it quick, and I promise he won’t die.”

Melody closed her eyes.

A resounding CRACK was heard throughout the room.

HOLY SHIT! GODDAMN! WHAT THE FUCK???

SHE ALMOST KILLED HIM!

HOLY SHIT THIS IS HILARIOUS OH MY GOD

“You can open your eyes now, kids. Did I… uh, go too hard?”

Melody opened her eyes to find Quiet sprawled across the floor, the imprint of a fist in his cheek feathers. He bled a little.

“Oh, yeah. Uh, did you kill him?” Melody crouched down next to him.

“Gosh, I sure hope not. I wanted to make him snap out of it, but… yeah, maybe a lighter punch would have done it?”

Kanako crouched down next to him as well. “I’ll see if I can heal him… I’m not great with healing magic, but I’ll do my best!” A warm, green glow came from her hands, and Quiet’s skull seemed to regain a bit of shape.

The Narrator: You stand up, somehow NOT dead. Your head hurts worse than it’s ever hurt, though.

“TAKE THAT, SUCKER! SUCK IT!” And Melody gave the finger in a random direction. It’s hard to flip someone off when you don’t see them.

The Narrator: You know what, no! I’m done with all of you. You want the world to end so badly? Fine! You grab the blade and stab yourself in the heart. Everything goes dark, and you die. Womp womp.

Everything went dark, and Melody died.

Yeah, that was definitely cheating. But Melody died. She can’t call out cheating when she’s dead.

Ah well, skill issue.

Chapter Text

The Narrator: You’re in… hold on, this definitely isn’t right. Something’s going on here. You’re not where you’re supposed to be.

Voice of the Outsider: Gotta agree with you here, Narrator. Quiet, open your eyes. Something’s wrong. No matter what, you should always be on the path in the woods.

The Narrator: How do you even know his… whatever. You’re in the basement of a cabin. Where the princess should be. Around your left wrist is a thick shackle, bolted to the wall. Escape seems impossible unless you have a key.

Voice of the Outsider: Or Kanako. I’m trying to contact her and Melody, they can hear both you and me, Narrator. In the meanwhile, let’s get out of here.

The Narrator: Did you even listen to me? I said escape is impossible. That means you can’t escape. The shackle is locked.

Voice of the Outsider: Are you sure? Quiet, you should check. It’s definitely not locked. Trust me, alright? The others are on their way, too. 

You: But the Narrator said it’s locked. Why would he lie?

Voice of the Paranoid: Last time he KILLED US. Why wouldn’t he lie?

You: Good point. 

The Narrator: Fine then, if it makes you happy. It’s useless, but whatever. You grab the shackle and it… falls off your wrist. What? How…? It… it was locked a second ago, I swear. Did… Did you…

Voice of the Outsider: Not telling. Come on, the three others are outside. Apparently the door is locked.

Voice of the Paranoid: It’s too easy. MUCH too easy. There’s gotta be a trick. Stay down here. We can’t trust either of them.

Voice of the Outsider: Don’t listen to Paranoid. Well, you can, if it makes you happy, but he’s terrified of everything. I’m serious, Kanako, Melody and Sh- the Princess are upstairs.

You: Okay, fine. Let’s go get the others and get out of here. Also, wait. The Princess is free, but the world hasn’t ended! See? She IS nice after all!

The Narrator: I never even… how did you know the world would end if she got outside? I never even got the chance to tell you that. I never got the chance to tell you anything, really. How do both of you know so much?

Voice of the Outsider: I’ll make it short: we’ve done this before. We went in, rescued the Princess, you mind-controlled Quiet and tried to stab her, she punched Quiet to stop you and you killed him. You don’t remember any of it.

The Narrator: I… I killed you? Why would I… That’s the opposite of what I want. I want you to kill the Princess, not yourself. I…

Voice of the Outsider: You’ll have your existential crisis later. Quiet, go up the stairs.

- - -

Kanako didn’t really understand what had happened. Quiet stabbed himself, everything went dark, and now her and Melody had woken up with the Princess instead of Quiet. According to the Outsider, Quiet was locked up where the Princess was and they needed their help.

Which was easier said than done when the door was locked and no amount of trying to kick it down by the Princess seemed to move it.

“WHY!” Kick. “WON’T!” Kick. “YOU!” Kick. “OPEN!” Kick.

Also, the Princess seemed to have gotten a big makeover. The nice dress she wore before was plated, turning it to armor. And she had a helmet now, because why not.

“I could… umm, unlock it! Like your shackles!”

The Princess stared at her for a second. “Oh, yeah, right. I had no reason to do that.” She moved out of the way and Kanako smushed herself against the door.

Kanako could feel the inner workings of the lock. They delved deep into it, and found that…

There was no lock. At all. The door was fully unopenable.

“The door… uh, can’t be opened. The lock is empty.”

“Lemme handle this.” Melody took off a ballet shoe.

“I already tried kicking it in. I… don’t think your shoe will-”

The door was blasted off its hinges, very nearly killing Quiet who had just emerged from the stairwell.

Hey, uh, maybe avoid killing us again?

The Narrator: I have to agree with them, for once. Don’t kill him, please. 

The Narrator cleared his throat.

The Narrator: You tackle the princess into a very large, feathery hug. Eugh. She returns the gesture.

“You’re alive! I’m alive too!”

“You are! God, I’m happy to see you. We need to find a way out of this forest! And kind of fast, it’s getting pretty cold.”

…

She’s right. We need to get out.

We… well, maybe we can find a way out if we just follow one direction?

Like, uh, north?

Kanako walked up to the Princess. “Outsider says if we follow north we’ll find an exit.”

“Outsider? Who’s Outsider?”

“One of the voices in our heads. They’re like a guide, that manipulates reality, and that’s omniscient.”

Long pause.

“Okay, yeah, let’s listen to what they’re saying, then. North? Sure! And, does anyone have a coat? It’s so… cold.”

The words lingered in the air.

Kanako suddenly realized that the breeze was gone.

The three / four watched in horror as countless hands wrapped themselves around the Princess, slowly encompassing her, shrinking, until she was no more.

Kanako usually wasn’t one to swear. Mom had always said that swearing was bad. But what the fuck.

“Tha-” Melody didn’t even have time to finish a word before everything went dark.

Silence.

There’s supposed to be narration here, but there isn’t. I’ll take over for this one, I guess.

Before that, who’s here?

Kanako, Melody and Quiet all answered.

Alright.

You see a mirror in front of you.

“Maybe we shouldn’t…” Melody’s usually confident voice wavers.

“But we have to, don’t we?”

You’re right.

I’m… sorry for this.

The two children accompanying you suddenly grow silent as your reflection appears.

You realize they aren’t with you anymore.

You place a finger on the mirror.

…

It’s you.

Hold on, BRB. I need to check something.

…

…

…

Yeah, okay, I don’t say anything more here.

It’s just you.

You’re alone in a place that is empty. It’s quiet here.

• Proceed to the cabin.

Uh.

Oh, yeah, right.

You are at the cabin.

• Approach Her.

“ Something finds me in the long quiet and brings me the gift of a vessel. ”

“What… are you?”

“ Before I can answer that, I must tend to our uninvited guest. What are they? ”

I am…

I’m something far beyond what you can comprehend.

You’re solitary lights in an empty city, right?

“ Indeed, I am. Thoughts without connections. A dim and nascent network. I wish to be more. ”

“I don’t know what I am.”

You’re like her, in a way.

You’re both oceans reduced to shallow creeks.

“ Words removed from my own mouth. You are something above entirely. ”

“The gift of a fragile vessel?”

“ Yes. Nerves and fibers to feel the worlds beyond. Perspectives to make my own. ”

“ This one is filled with hope. The hope for a world that it never got to explore. They will make for a courageous and tender heart. Do not mourn it, for it will learn more than it could have ever imagined. ”

“Is this the end of the world?”

It isn’t. At least, not fully.

This is a kind of void known as “the Long Quiet”.

That is your name as well.

And if it was the end of the world, the three of us wouldn’t be talking.

“Do you know the narrator?”

“ You two are the only things I have ever known. ”

“Are you the princess?”

“ She is a part of me, and part of me is her. ”

“But were you always the Princess, or are you just making her a part of yourself?”

“ You speak in circles. Does it matter where one thing begins and another thing ends? ”

It does.

Does it matter where the rock below you ends and where the air begins, when you fall off a cliff? If you get, I don’t know, stabbed, does it matter where the metal ends and where the flesh begins?

“ Fair point. ”

“What… happens now?”

“ Nothing, as we are. But I know that there are worlds beyond us, and that we are meant to reach them. ”

“ There is no exit, but this vessel is a creature of perception. She can make you forget, if only you believe her to be able to. ”

Indeed, she is.

But, with my interference, the world you are trapped in, the Construct, is as well.

That’s how I unlocked your shackles. That’s how I unlocked the door, too.

“How much will I forget?”

“ Everything, until we meet again. ”

I doubt that.

You won’t be able to repeat past actions.

You’ll probably also have some vague understanding of Kanako and Melody.

“How many pieces of you do I have to find?”

“ More than you have found, but less than there are to find. I am infinite. The rest will find their own way home. ”

Five.

“Okay. Make… make me forget.”

“ She asks that I tell you to remember her. ”

You won’t.

Everything goes dark, and you die.

Chapter Text

Voice of the Outsider: Aaaand we’re back! I just bullshitted a god into thinking I’m omnipotent!

The Fox: What?

The Human: What?

The Narrator: What?

You: What?

Voice of the Outsider: Oh, right. Kanako, Melody, What’s the last thing you two remember? And, uh, Narrator, maybe don’t listen. It’ll only confuse you further.

The Human: Oh. Hmm. I remember up to the mirror. You said something about having to look into it or whatever and then everything went dark.

The Fox: I’m… not sure? I remember a mirror, yeah, but everything else until then is… uh, fuzzy? Like I’m looking at it through dirty glass.

The Narrator: Her form melts slightly as she says it. It’s almost as if, instead of her ears drooping, her entire body does.

Voice of the Outsider: Interesting. Very, very interesting. You two are mostly outside of Shifty’s range, that’s very good to know. And that’ll make things a heck of a lot easier.

The Narrator: Okay, I need some explanations here. What’s happening? What mirror?

Voice of the Outsider: It’s… complicated. And might shatter reality, and end the world a bit too early.

The Narrator: Oh. Well, alright. You’ll tell me after the Princess is dead.

Voice of the Outsider: Agreed. This time we’re killing her.

You: Do I not get a say in this?

Voice of the Outsider: Well, do you wanna off a monarch?

You: Yes, I do.

Voice of the Outsider: Kids, y’all want to kill a Princess?

The Fox: I’d really rather not…

The Human: Same, but whatevs. Do we get a choice?

Voice of the Outsider: Nope! Sorry, guys, but… wow this is complicated. Just… uh, there’s god shenanigans. 

The Narrator: You advance along the path to the cabin. Just a warning before you get to her: She will lie, she will cheat, and she will do everything in her power to stop you from slaying her. Don't believe a word she says.

You: Ominous, but sure. Especially since we’re planning to kill her.

Voice of the Outsider: Trust me, she’ll go out without a fight. In all honesty, she’s really weak. She can hurt a bit if she gets a good hit in, but she won’t.

The Narrator: You enter the dilapidated cabin. The air is stale and musty and the floor and walls are painted in a fine layer of dust. The only furniture of note is a plain wooden table. Perched along the edge is a pristine blade.

Voice of the Outsider: You don’t have to take it. You won’t need it. Kanako’s naginata will be more than enough.

The Narrator: The child summons the weapon, a small cat-like bell at its hilt jingling softly.

The Fox: Wait, does this mean I gotta kill her?

You: No, just hand it to me. I’ll take care of it, don’t you worry.

The Narrator: You accept the weapon from Kanako. It’s slightly sticky, but you can feel the power it holds. The little bell jingles softly as you move it around.

You: Thanks!

The Human: C’mon, let’s not take longer than we have to. Be quiet. Quiet, you’re goin’ first, stab her as soon as you can.

Voice of the Outsider: A single hit will do it for sure. She’s just a princess. No tricks, no schemes.

The Narrator: The door to the b-

Voice of the Outsider: Yeah, yeah, we know the air is crusty and killing her is a favor or whatever. Shut up.

The Princess: Who’s there?

Voice of the Outsider: No matter how confident she sounds, it’s just a facade.

The Princess: And there you are. Have you come to ki-

The Narrator: She doesn’t even have time to complete her sentence before you stab her through the heart from halfway across the room.

The Princess: O-Oh.

The Narrator: She collapses to the ground, dead.

The Human: Oh, come on. There’s no way it’s that simple. There’s gotta be some kinda trap here.

Voice of the Outsider: I can promise you, there isn’t. I prommy. Double triple prommy.

The Narrator: You go back up the stairs, and the two others follow suit. Also, they’re right. There shouldn’t be any traps up here.

The Narrator: You reach for the door leading to what is surely a world saved from certain doom.

Voice of the Outsider: Before you open it, tell yourself this. And uh, this is gonna sound weird as fuck. You will not find the void. You will find the outside world, saved from imminent destruction, safe and sound. Okay?

The Narrator: Oh, come ON. You would have enjoyed it! Oh well. You repeat those sentences in your head a few times and open the door to find… well that’s not supposed to happen either. You open the door to reveal the interior of another cabin.

The Human: Huh- but- that was outside, like, five minutes ago. What happened?!

The Fox: Lemme try something! I have an idea!

The Narrator: She melts, allowing her to pass through the slight gaps between the planks making up the walls. After a minute, she returns and reforms.

The Fox: It’s all cabins. We’re surrounded by cabins.

The Human: I TOLD YOU it was a trap! You tricked us! Outsider!

Voice of the Outsider: I… I don’t understand. This wasn’t… goddammit, it’s too late to change this. Okay, okay, okay. I have a solution, but none of you are gonna like it.

The Narrator: Ooooor you could just blissfully exist in this cabin, peacefully. Have a nice life. Exist for eternity.

Voice of the Outsider: Okay, we’re not doing that. That’s boring. Quiet, kill yourself.

The Human: Wait, what?

You: Why would I do that?

Voice of the Outsider: The Narrator’s plan is to trap us all here for a blissful eternity. If it was just Quiet, the Narrator and another Voice that isn’t me, this would be fine. Unfortunately, there’s three people that shouldn’t be here, and I don’t know if you guys will get the full eternity or not. If you do, you’ll go insane and die, and I will too. If Quiet dies, however, we reset to chapter 2, like the role-reversal we had last time.

You: Oh, okay. Sure.

The Narrator: Oh my god. You flip Kanako’s naginata on yourself and slit your own throat. You collapse on the floor and bleed out for a few seconds. Everything goes dark, and you die.

- - -

I turn off the computer after saving my CH2 progress. It’s getting late as hell and I really need to get to bed.

I fall asleep remarkably fast, probably because it’s 23:30 and I haven’t moved since 19.

HELLO AGAIN.

IT IS NICE

TO SEE YOU.

HAVE YOU BEEN ENJOYING

THE NEW EXPERIENCE?

‘I have! It’s been fun to manipulate reality.’

INTERESTING.

I JUST WANTED TO CHECK UP ON 

YOU.

ARE YOU FEELING 

ALRIGHT?

‘Now, yeah. I got over Clover.’

THAT IS GOOD 

TO HEAR.

I HOPE TO SEE YOU

TOMORROW.

‘Oh, before you go. How linked are you to STP? Can you change things there?’

THEORETICALLY.

I AM NOT CERTAIN,

AS IT IS NEITHER MINE NOR

DECEMBER’S 

HOME WORLD.

‘Good to know, good to know. Aight, that’s all I wanted.’

Everything becomes bright, and I wake up.

Chapter Text

Melody woke up, sprawled in the grass.

What the hell had just happened?

Ah, right.

“HEY! MOTHERFUCKER! OUTSIDER! WHAT THE FUCK!”

I had no choice.

If he hadn’t killed himself, we would have been stuck there forever.

“When are you going to stop lying?! Every single time we’ve listened to you, we DIED!”

Yeah, that’s supposed to happen.

No matter what, Quiet will die against base Princess one way or another.

I’m sorry, bu-

“No, no, no.” This time, it was Kanako that spoke. “She’s right. We shouldn’t have to sacrifice a friend just so we can move forwards! There has to be another way than just… telling him to slit his own throat!”

“Yeah, and, last time, when the narrator killed him, you were mad about it. Now you’re all ‘ooh it was for the best I had to off him’. You can’t actually be serious!”

Please.

Listen to me. I had no other choice.

Would you rather have been trapped for all of eternity inside a maze of endlessly repeating cabins?

“I would have, yeah. ‘Cause we’d have found a way out eventually. A way out that doesn’t involve killing off Quiet for the second time.”

Suit yourself then.

If you don’t want my help, then you won’t have it.

Good luck.

Melody suddenly felt unexplainably lighter.

“ Oh. We just lost our only reliable source of info. ”

“She KILLED YOU last time. Did you forget?”

“ No, she… okay, well, she kind of did, but I mostly killed myself. ”

“I can’t believe either of you. Kana, you gotta agree with me here.”

“I do. And there’s other strange things with them too. Like how she kept repeating that the Princess would get killed in one shot, or how there wouldn’t be a trap, or how there wouldn’t be a void.”

“You think they orchestrated all of this?”

“Maybe. I’m… not sure.”

The Narrator: Could we please get a move on? I’d like to do my intro.

“We don’t need your damn intro. Path in the woods, kill the princess, yadda yadda.”

The Narrator: Well you don’t have to be so rude about it. You all advance towards the cabin.

“That’s… not a cabin, dude. That’s, like, a Greek temple.” Melody put a hand against one of the many pillars. They’re made of something like marble. She doesn’t really know rocks, but it seems smooth enough.

“ Oh, yeah. We’ve left the realm of ‘cabins’ here. What is the Princess going to be, then? ”

“Oh! Maybe she’d be a human god? I’ve heard of old human gods in… greek? Mythology. You told me about those!”

“ What’s ‘Greek’? ”

“It’s a place on the surface. And, uh, a language. Dude, you’ve been on the surface for a while now, you should know this.”

“ The… surface? Uh, okay, I guess. I don’t actually know what that means. ”

Short pause.

“We’re gonna talk once we get outta here.”

The Narrator: The ornate door creaks open, revealing behind it a beautifully-made room. It seems to be entirely sculpted from marble, or something similar. Everything is painted in a fine layer of dust. The only furniture of note is a large, golden table. A pristine blade sits at its edge.

“ I’m taking it. We killed her last time, she’ll want to kill us back. We go in, kill her, get out. Quick and easy. ” There’s a cold edge to his voice.

“Are you sure we should kill her again? That’s what Outsider made us do last time, and you died.” Kanako poked Quiet in the chest.

“ I won’t be stupid this time. I now know not to kill myself. ”

The Narrator: You descend down the stairs to the basement. They’re made of slippery marble. The air is humid, yet dusty. Cracks ride along the walls like spiderwebs. It’s obvious nobody’s been here in quite some time. If the Princess lives here, slaying her is probably doing her a favor.

“These stairs are really long. I feel like we’re going back to the Underground at this rate.” Kanako chuckled softly. The small sound echoed down the spiral stairwell.

“ Damn, yeah. This is taking a while. ”

“Maybe they’ll be over soon. It’s been five minutes, they haAAAA-” Melody screamed as she realized she was suddenly falling…

For about a second as the stairs ended, leading to a large, empty room.

The Narrator: You enter the room. It’s completely empty, save for a corridor on each wall. The walls themselves are bare, made from carved stone. It’s dusty, and hard to breathe.

“Oh, yeah, okay. This is a maze for sure. We gotta find the princess.”

Silence as nobody answered.

“Guys?”

Melody turned around to find she was alone.

“G-Guys? Where did everyone go?”

Did they go back up the stairs? No, she’d still hear the Narrator if they were that close. They must’ve ran extremely fast.

Okay, we’re in trouble.

Everyone else is gone.

They’re alive, or else you would have blacked out already.

I can’t access them at all, only you.

Oh, great. Now they were stuck with the biggest asshole of all time.

“Why. Just why. Get out. Go find the Princess and bother her instead. I don’t want you here.”

I never actually left, I stayed in your POV this whole time.

Which means I’m stuck in it. I can’t move from it.

“Wow. Congrats. Just shut up again. I’m gonna find the others, they can’t be too far from here.”

You’re right.

Just look around. Stick to the rightmost wall.

Melody instantly gravitated towards the leftmost wall.

Okay, that’s fine too. Sure. 

Just keep walking.

She did, reluctantly. 

“Did you kill the others?”

What? No!

That’s the opposite of what I want!

“You made Quiet kill himself last time. Stop lying for once.”

Okay, listen.

I already explained it: I literally HAD TO.

The scenario was supposed to play out with another Voice telling him to kill himself with the dagger.

I’m taking the role of that Voice, so I had to do it.

“And why should I trust that? Everything you’ve done has gotten us killed. Everything you’ve done has gotten reset already. How do I know you’re not trying to kill us? How do I know you’re not a piece of shit like everyone else except Quiet and Kanako?”

…

Clover trusted me.

They trusted me and I trusted them.

If that’s not enough for you then I don’t know what is.

Clover?

“Cl-”

Yes, your sibling.

You’re the second human I’ve guided through an unfamiliar world.

Clover was the first.

“You’re… you’re lying. Clover died. They were the sixth human. Ceroba told us.” She could feel tears in the corners of her eyes and decided to ignore them.

I’m not.

Why do you think my title is Voice of the Outsider?

I’m not from here.

And anyways, you were the fifth human. You died. In a pretty grues-

“I know how I died, dammit.”

And yet, you’re alive.

And you’re not fused with Kanako, either.

I know a few things about you, mostly through Clover.

I know why your tutu was dusty.

I know a bit about your past.

Melody, I’m here to help.

“You… you’re lying. You have to be.”

I’m not.

Clover’s a small kid. Makes a sound like a dog toy when they fall.

They have a cowboy hat and a gun.

Their parents, and yours, are pieces of shit. 

So you ran away. A month later, Clover did too. At least I think it’s a month. I’m not certain.

“How do you… you shouldn’t know all this. You can’t know all this.”

Melody, sit down. 

Against a wall. Get comfy.

Melody was too… full of emotions to fight back. She sat, her back against the nearest wall.

Everything I can do is based on trust.

I managed to free Quiet from the basement because he trusted me. I told him his shackles were unlocked, and because he trusted what I was saying, he believed me, and they were.

I can’t make anything happen if you don’t trust me, Melody.

“I… I can’t.” Her voice cracked. “I can’t. You’ll…”

Listen.

I only want to help.

I don’t know what I can do to prove it.

Silence.

“I… I don’t know either.”

Well, as they say, actions speak louder than words.

I’d like to hear from you, though. Tell me about the Underground.

I’ve only heard snippets of you from Clover, and from people like Ceroba.

“Did you… fall in, too?”

I followed both Clover and Frisk.

You remember Frisk, right? You tucked them in.

I followed them like I’m following you, except I controlled them.

Literally. I was puppeting them around.

“That’s… That’s fucked up, actually.”

It really is.

“Well, after I ran, I went to the mountain. And, uh, I fell down a hole. I tripped, I didn’t mean to. I found Toriel, she gave me some pie and I snuck out during the night. I left her a note explaining.”

Melody cleared her throat and got into a more comfortable position.

“I got to Snowdin and almost got mauled by a dog. So I, uh, ran. I was scared. I…” Her voice faltered. “I… hit someone. I didn’t expect them to…” She bit back a sob. “They crumpled to dust. In front of me. So I ran. I found Dalv and Kanako. Dalv… he was scared too, he attacked me, I almost died. So I kept running. All the way to Waterfall. And then…” She bit back another sob.

I know what happens next.

The robot is one of Clover’s friends now.

He’s still torn over doing that to you.

He had no choice.

“I told you ‘bout myself. You tell me ‘bout you.” She rolled onto her back, hoping to get more comfortable. It honestly didn’t help, but oh well.

I…

Yeah, you’re right. It’d be an asshole move to not tell you about me after you trusted me enough to tell me about your death.

My life fucking sucks.

Nowhere near as much as yours, but whatevs.

My left knee barely works, my lungs are fucked up, my left leg is shorter than my right, I suck overall.

My parents died in a fire when I was 5, and I didn’t have any other family. I got put into an orphanage, and it kinda sucked.

“Ooh, yeah. I know the feeling.”

Yeah, I guess you do.

So anyways, I went through, like, six foster families.

Literally only one didn’t suck. They were the last ones.

They were great people. Set me up for life, basically.

And then they just… disappeared. No trace of ‘em. They were gone.

I still don’t know what happened to ‘em.

I went to go live at a friend’s house. Great dude, really.

Stayed there for a year, basically became his sister at that point.

I left at 17. I skipped a grade when I was a kid. His parents gave me a bit of money, and I went to go live on my own. Went to Uni. It was fine. I’m still at Uni, actually.

It’s not as bad as yours was, but still shit.

Now that I’m done telling you my life story, maybe we should go find the others?

“Oh, right, we do need to do that. I forgot.” Melody wiped away a small tear. “I’m sorry for… kinda just being a dick.”

No, no, you were right.

I was in the wrong here.

Let’s start over. My name’s Madeleine. She and Her.

“Hello, Ma-”

The Narrator: She chases after you, a murderous glint in her eyes. Not only is she faster than you, but she could probably kill you very easily.

“ FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK- ”

“Stop swearing! It’s bad!”

“ NOW IS NOT THE TIME, KANAKO! ”

Oh!

Well, here they are!

Funny how they arrive directly when we finish our heartfelt conversation.

I’d call that bad writing if this was a book.

“ MELODY! WE NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE! ”

She barely has time to stand up before something massive crashes into Quiet, shattering most of his bones.

Everything goes dark, and he dies.

Chapter Text

Kanako woke up once again.

Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuugh.

This time, at least, they’re all together again. She desperately hoped they wouldn’t have to split up for the third time.

“ Okay. That didn’t go so well. Next time we’ll be more efficient. ”

Yeah, I can confirm that didn’t go so well.

Tough luck, Quiet. I was hoping you’d find us before you found the Princess.

“Oh? You’re back? Come to apologize, maybe?” Kanako stubbornly crossed her arms.

Yeah, actually.

I’m sorry for killing off Quiet like that.

I should have looked for other options first.

“Oh. I… wasn’t expecting that. Thanks!”

The Narrator: You’re on a-

Shut up. We know.

Princess. Sure. Yeah. Let’s go do that or whatever.

The Narrator: Seriously? Come on. You won’t even let me do my job?

Nope!

Suck it, shitass!

Kanako let a scandalized gasp escape from her mouth. “You’re swearing! That’s, like, a level 3 swear!”

“Kanako, I swear all the time.”

“You have reasons to! They don’t!”

“Nah, she does. Let her swear. It’s funny.”

“ Can I swear, too? ”

“Yeah, dude, sure.”

Kanako was absolutely appalled. Her friend! Letting everyone else swear! This was unacceptable! Also, she?

“She? Outsider, you’re a girl?”

Yeah, I am.

My real name’s Madeleine.

Hello.

The Narrator: Alright, this is touching and all, but could we please move on? The Voices are getting extremely annoying and I’d like to stop hearing them as soon as possible.

Gotta agree with him.

Quiet, I don’t know how you deal with most of them. Holy shit.

“ I have no idea either. ”

“Voices? There are other Outsiders?”

No, they’re…

Parts of Quiet’s personality, basically.

They’re just alive. Right now, all of them are active, which means the Princess is going to be extremely powerful.

The Narrator: You advance towards the cabin. Or, uh, where the cabin should be. There is no cabin. There’s… nothing here.

“ What do you mean? There’s a mirror. ”

There is no mirror. There’s just air where the cabin should be.

“There’s… nothing there, dude. No mirror.” She advanced towards the non-cabin.

“ No, look. ” And he stretched his hands out…

The Narrator: Your hands brush up against absolutely nothing. I hope you realize how stupid you look right now.

“ How did you do that? There was a mirror here. How? Outsider, you could see it too, right? ”

Yep, I could.

You’re not going insane.

Nobody else could, though.

“ That’s… stra- ”

The Narrator: Your words are cut off by a deep rumbling coming from deep beneath the earth. You hear a series of explosions, each seemingly coming closer.

I recommend everyone to run, RIGHT NOW.

Kanako didn’t even think to fight back, she just turned around and sprinted off, followed by Melody and Quiet.

Unfortunately, they’re all too slow.

The Narrator: Something extremely heavy crashes into your back, nearly killing you on the spot. Heat blazes over you. You’re knocked off your feet and grapple with your assailant before it’s launched off of you.

Oh wow, I was not expecting a development like this.

It makes sense but goddamn.

Kanako turned around to meet their attacker. What she expected was a Princess similar to the last one: a kind of minotaur monster, maybe bigger.

What she was met with was an incomprehensible mess. It looked like a star with a body. She could feel the heat radiating off of it from the distance she already had.

Say hello to our new Princess.

I’m guessing we have to fight her. Good luck, everyone!

“ Fight. Got it. ” He threw a punch directly at the Princess, who had already reclosed the distance between them.

The Princess took it, unflinching, and retaliated with a right hook, launching Quiet off his feet.

Kanako summoned her naginata, and Melody took off a ballet shoe. If she wanted a fight, she’d get a fight.

Melody rushed in first, winding up her arm. She let the blow fly, and…

The Princess was launched back maybe twenty meters.

Oh, okay. Holy shit.

Kanako dived in as well, going for a stab. It landed, hitting her somewhere around the chest. She stumbled backwards.

And then she smiled , and ripped the weapon out of her. Her smile only lasted for about a second as a blade suddenly sprouted out of her head.

The wound didn’t bleed. She just kind of stood there.

That is, until she smiled even harder and ripped the pristine blade out as well.

“ W e l l t h e n. T h i s i s f u n !” And she dashed at Quiet once again, as he struggled to stand up, dagger no longer in hand.

Another blow from Melody launched her far back again, and a wet crack erupted from her.

She’s not invincible. Keep wearing her down until she gets cold.

Yeah, I know it sounds weird.

Another stab from Kanako, another (but much weaker) punch from Quiet. She almost drops for a second before trying for another hit, this time at Melody. 

It lands, and a sickening, wet crunch is heard once again. Melody stumbles back, and collapses.

Uh Oh.

Uh Oh. Oh that’s really not good.

I think she’s dead.

And indeed, Melody doesn’t stand back up.

Kanako felt something pounding in the back of her head. She watched as Quiet fought the Princess, each blocking every one of the other’s blows.

Kanako decided she’d had enough of this shit. Her right arm turned into an axe maybe ten times her size, and she brought it down on the pair as hard as she could.

For a second, all she saw was blood hit her face as one of Quiet’s arms was lopped clean off.

When her vision cleared up, she saw the Princess, lying nearly dead on the floor, and Quiet seemingly not having realized his arm was gone.

“ Damn. Uh, good job. ”

“ I n d e e d. T h a t w a s f u n, w a s n’ t i t ?”

It really wasn’t. Melody just died.

Don’t worry too hard, you two. She’ll be back once this Princess gets taken.

And indeed, Kanako suddenly realized that the breeze was gone.

The three watched in less horror than last time as countless hands wrapped themselves around the near-corpse of the Princess, slowly encompassing her, shrinking, until she was no more.

Everything went dark.

The mirror again. I’m sorry for this, Kanako. And, uh, the corpse of Melody, if you’re still listening.

Quiet, look into it.

You do just that, and everything goes silent once again as you see your own reflection.

Even the voices disappear.

Voice of the Opportunist: Boys, it’s be-

Voice of the Hunted: Shut up.

Okay, now they disappear.

…

It’s you.

You’ve grown.

…

You find yourself in the Long Quiet yet again.

Hello again, Shifty.

“ Hello again to you as well.

Flickering lights in empty cityscapes become pockets of vitality and movement. I am more than I was before. ”

“ Whenever you are ready, I shall wipe your slate clean once again. ”

Let’s get this over with as fast as we can. Two out of five so far.

Quiet, are you ready?

“ I am. Make me forget. ”

“ I will long for your return. But it will give me time to reflect on what I am. We will meet again. ”

Something shatters.

Everything goes dark, and you die.

Chapter Text

Voice of the Outsider: Hey everyone, again. We’re back, again. That’s two out of five princesses.

The Narrator: You’re o-

The Fox: Nope! We know! Melody! Are you okay!

The Narrator: Kanako turns to the figure of Melody, sprawled on the floor. She grabs her and shakes her.

The Human: Mmmnmmmnm… Clnvmnr… fivmorminums…

The Fox: Omygoshomygoshomygoshyou’reALIVE!!!!!

The Narrator: Kanako grabs Melody in a very large hug. The second makes a noise like a chicken being stepped on as she’s suddenly jolted awake by the large, white mass encompassing her.

The Human: Kanako I can’t- I can’t- breathe lemme out- I’m alive?

Voice of the Outsider: You are! Nothing in this world is permanent as long as:

- Quiet dies OR

- the Princess gets taken.

The Human: So I can die at will? Neat!

Voice of the Outsider: Yeah, uh, maybe don’t die on purpose? Dying still sucks .

The Narrator: The Princess gets… taken?

Voice of the Outsider: Honestly not important. Trust me on this one. Let’s go get the Princess!

The Fox: So, uh, last time, how’d we get her? We… We killed her, right?

Voice of the Outsider: Yep. Then she killed Quiet, and then you killed her.

The Fox: I… yeah I did. That was kinda cool.

The Human: Wait, YOU killed her? Holy shit, Kana! I didn’t expect that from you!

Voice of the Outsider: Chopped her in two! And she accidentally got one of Quiet’s arms in the process!

The Narrator: You look down to your arms in confusion, noticing that both of them are still there. Yeah, I don’t know either.

You: So, uh, what do we do?

Voice of the Outsider: Here’s my idea. We go in, kill her, but check up her sleeve for a trick or two. I’m sure she has something on her, right, Quiet?

You: Oh, okay! Sure! Viva la revolución!

The Narrator: That’s the spirit! Let’s go kill her!

The Narrator: You enter the cabin. T- You grab the blade from off the table. Slow down a little, will you? I’m not done wi- You descend down the stairs. T- You stare down the Princess. Hey! Slow it down a little!

The Princess: Well hello there, all three of you. Have you come to kill me?

You: Yep.

The Narrator: The blade sinks deep into her heart. 

The Princess: O-Oh. That was… direct.

The Narrator: She collapses on the floor, dead.

The Fox: Alright, Quiet, check her sleeves. She’s hiding something in there, right, Madeleine?

Voice of the Outsider: Yep. And, uh, just call me Maddy. Madeleine sounds weird.

You: I’ll check for a pulse. Just to be sure.

The Narrator: I'm sorry, do you want her to be alive? You just saved the entire world from annihilation, why are you suddenly trying to call that into questio- was that a heartbeat?

The Princess: Looks like I won’t be dying alone after all…

The Narrator: She smiles, with many more teeth than her mouth should be able to contain. Something digs into your side, sending a sharp nail of pain up your body. It hurts, and is most definitely lethal.

The Fox: Wow, that was… fast. Sorry Quiet. 

The Narrator: You’re dying, but you’re not dead just yet. Any last words?

You: Worth… it… fuck… you… Princess…

The Narrator: Everything goes dark, and you die.

- - -

The Narrator: You’re on a-

You: That MOTHERFUCKER! She got us!

Voice of the Outsider: I told you she had something up her sleeve.

You: I mean, yeah, but still! Dammit! I should have dodged it, or something!

The Fox: I don’t think you could have dodged it, to be honest. She pulled the knife out of nowhere.

The Human: Yeah, she was definitely way too fast. And if you had dodged it she’d prolly have stood back up and stabbed you again ‘til you died.

Voice of the Outsider: We should get going. This is the funny path, by the way. Trust me on this one.

The Narrator: You make your way to the cabin and enter it. The interior of it is a jagged mess of warped wood and broken boards, their splintered edges as uninviting as shattered glass. The only furniture of note is a table, a pristine blade perched on its edge.

You: I’ll take it. This bitch is getting stabbed as soon as I see her.

Voice of the Outsider: No, no, don’t stab her immediately. Let her talk for a bit, maybe consider freeing her. It’ll be really funny.

You: We’ll see.

The Narrator: You descend down the st-

The Human: Yeah, musty air, whatever. Stop describing the goddamn air every time. We get it sucks down here.

The Narrator: W-Hey! I was going to say the air felt sharp in your nostrils, but whatever. 

The Narrator: You descend down the stairs and lock eyes with the Princess. She looks back at you innocently.

The Princess: I hope you’ve come down here to rescue me. I’ve been stuck down here since forever!

You: Fuck that. You’re going to stab me again.

The Princess: Of course not! One of you three, come get me out of these oh-so-horrible chains!

The Narrator: If she sounds threatening, it's because her mask is already slipping. She knows why you're here. You are armed, after all.

The Human: If we come close to you, you’re going to stab one of us. Quiet’s right. You did it already.

The Princess: What? Nooooooo . No, I would never stab you! I am just a sweet, innocent Princess, trapped here for no reason in particular. And you are all brave knights, who are supposed to come up to… not-stabbing-distance… to help me!

The Narrator: She shiftily looks to the side as she says this.

You: I have absolutely zero doubts that she is going to stab us if we get close to her.

The Fox: Listen, we know you have a knife. We’ll let you out if you just drop it.

The Princess: A knife? I don’t have a knife. What are you talking about? Where would I keep a knife? 

The Narrator: Her hands are behind her back, very obviously trying to hide something.

The Princess: And why would I stab you to death? I don't know you. You haven't given me a reason to stab you to death. It would be soooooo silly of me to cut you open and look at your insides. All your blood and your insides. It would be so silly.

You: Prove it then. Prove you don’t have a knife.

The Narrator: She pulls her hands out from behind her back. Her empty hands.

The Princess: Look at this! Hands! Hands that don’t have anything to stab you with!

The Narrator: Her smile stretches into an even wider grin as she shakes her sleeves.

The Princess: And empty sleeves! Look at how few stabbing implements I have. It’s practically zero!

The Human: But what if you're just hiding it somewhere secret?

The Fox: Wh- Hey! Gross! Also, that would hurt a lot.

The Human: Oh. Oh that’s really not what I meant. I meant, like, tied to her leg or something! Oh my god, that’s horrible! Don’t say that!

The Narrator: The Princess gives a soft chuckle, like she’s enjoying this. Have you considered stabbing her already?

You: Okay, fine. I'm coming closer to free you. You'd better not try anything.

The Narrator: Oh my god. You walk up to her in very much stabbing distance. You hear the horrible sound of metal slashing against meat, and blood suddenly gushes from your chest. You collapse to the ground, your vision swimming as you attempt to focus on her bloody blade and the limp sack of flesh that was once her arm.

The Princess: You’re going to die now.

The Narrator: And she’s right. Everything goes dark, and you die.

Chapter Text

The Narrator: You’re on a path in the woo-

Melody woke up. The ground is sharp belo-

“ No, fuck that! If we're going to have to keep doing this over and over and over again, we're not starting in the goddamn woods every time. We're starting in the fucking cabin! ”

The Narrator: The interior of the cab- WAIT, WHAT?! HOW DID YOU- HUH?! What happened?! What did you just do?!

Ow! The ground suddenly got twice as sharp and she quickly stood up. Kanako did as well next to her.

She barely had time to register what was happening before Quiet grabbed the blade, ran downstairs, Narrator said some things and he died.

She woke up in the cabin again.

“ Okay, I’ve got a plan. Come with me, that was a little too fast. ”

Oh.

Oh my god yes.

Here it is.

This is the moment I’ve been waiting for.

Holy shit go for it, Quiet.

Melody can clearly tell she’s desperately trying to hold back a laugh.

Quiet grabbed the blade, and beckoned the other two to follow. They went down the stairs.

“ Okay. It’s time, guys. Time for the Ultimate Weapon. Capital U, capital W. I’m going to flirt with her. ”

Raw silence.

“You’re gonna flirt with her. You’re gonna flirt with the murder Princess.”

“ Exactly! You understand! The others don’t. ”

Kanako chuckled behind them. “Go get ‘em, chief. We believe in you. You can do it.”

They descended down the stairs, and the Princess suddenly lost her arms, revealing two swords. Her arms hung limply to her side as two bags of flesh, skin and blood. Eugh.

“ I’m going to give her The Look . ”

The Look. 

“The Look.”

“ Yeah, The Look. We’ve all used it before. Come on. ”

The Narrator: You can’t actually be serious. What the hell is The Look.*

Oh, come on, guys.

Everyone knows about The Look.

Even I know about The Look.

The Narrator: Sigh. You flash the Princess The Look . Unbelievable. Her face splits into a wider grin as a rosy blush rushes to her cheeks.

“Oh? Is that how it is? Yeah, okay I feel that. I like you too. Neat!”

Laughing from Maddy erupted in everyone’s minds.

“There’s no way this is actually gonna work.” 

“Still going to kill you, but now we can both enjoy a mutual romantic subtext to the murder.”

The Narrator: She skewers you. You’re very much dying.

Oh god the Voices are getting loud.

I’m gonna have to tap out for a bit, it’s making me nauseous.

Melody suddenly felt noticeably lighter.

The Narrator: What- no- You’re on a- hold on. What? Where the hell are you?!

He seemed to be either talking to himself, or talking to someone else that Melody couldn’t hear. She guessed it was the Voices.

The Narrator: This is all horribly wrong. How many times have you been here?

A short pause as reality fractures and Quiet dies over and over again.

The Narrator: What do you mean, THREE?! This wasn’t supposed to go past one!

And the fight raged on, Kanako and Melody watching silently from the sidelines. Quiet died, the fight restarted, he got a bit farther, he died, the fight restarted, et cetera. It sucked. Every single time, the Princess got sharper, looked meaner, got more blades, got better alongside Quiet.

Until something changed. They were back upstairs all of a sudden.

The Narrator: You’re on a-

He was suddenly interrupted by voices Melody couldn’t hear. Probably the Voices once again.

All of a sudden, they were standing in front of the Princess, and Quiet had his blade in hand.

GOD Melody was getting bored of this.

“You know, this last time I killed you and you didn't pop right back up again? I thought I'd actually done it! I thought I'd cut you into so many pieces you just weren't able to stitch yourself back together. But I guess we're not done! That's okay with me. It's good, even. I like that!” 

Her arms shifted uncomfortably.

“I got something ready for you when you were gone. Do you want to see it?”

Short pause. 

“I'm not going to wait for an answer. I'm just gonna show you! It's worth it though. Just you wait. And not for very long, because I'm going to do it right now!”

Silence as absolutely nothing happens.

The Narrator: Oh, you want me to talk now?

The Narrator: The Princess's skin twists, splitting into red blooms of raw meat as it stretches and tears. And then it… erupts.

Melody had to stop herself from throwing up. She’s usually fine with blood, but… this was just a step above.

Kanako visibly doesn’t have as much self-control as her guts, or lack thereof, empty.

“ YES! BEHOLD, THE PERFECT WOMAN! ” And he dashes at her.

And something happens. He suddenly stops moving, and… something happens.

The environment shifts to the normal cabin.

“What… happened?”

It’s fully silent. The Narrator is gone.

Oh thank god.

I was about to punch something.

Christ I cannot stand them.

Why do they have to talk so much?!

Melody suddenly feels noticeably heavier.

The Princess says something and Melody doesn’t even register it. She took off a shoe.

She was done with this shit. She was so unimaginably done with this shit.

Her mind cleared.

The Princess suddenly found herself planted within the wall and quickly extracted herself. The metal constructing her body was twisted, with the distinct impression of a footprint at her chest.

Melody advanced on her and delivered a second blow, then a third, then a fourth, then a fifth, then a sixth, then more and more and more until the Princess was barely recognizable. Just a useless hump of metal.

You won!

You gained 500 EXP and 0 G.

Your LV increased!

She barely registered the Princess being consumed by countless arms. She barely registered herself disappearing as Quiet looked into the mirror.

She was on the grass again. Two voices resonated in her head, and she didn’t understand a single word from either of them.

Two voices resonated from outside her head as well. Her brain caught a few words that were immediately drowned out by a wave of panic.

SHE JUST KILLED SOMEONE.

SHE JUST KILLED SOMEONE.

SHE JUST KILLED SOMEONE.

She just killed someone.

Why was she panicking this much? She’d done it before. Quiet had done it several times. Kanako had just done it. It was easy.

But another part of her screamed that it was wrong and she should feel sick .

Because she did. She felt sick to her core. She wanted to throw up. She fe lt dust on her han-

No! Nonononono! Not the time! She quickly scrambled to her feet. Her vision noticed Kanako and Quiet.

Monsters. They were monsters. They’d hurt her. They’d hate her. She had to run.

So she did. She ran, and ran, and ran, into the cabin. She quickly slammed the door behind her.

It took her a good minute of raw panic to realize that:

A- She’s in the cabin. Where the Princess is. The Princess she just beat into scrap.

B- Maddy is saying something.

MELODY!

MELODY! CAN YOU HEAR ME?

She sinks to the ground, back against the door. This is familiar. It happened in the labyrinth. She can trust Maddy.

Except she can’t, because Maddy will hate her and punish her and yell at her and hurt her-

Melody.

Calm down.

Breathe with me.

You’re safe.

She hears slow breathing. It’s obviously strained, as if Maddy is struggling to breathe as well.

“I- I- I-” She stammers, unable to get a single word out.

Melody.

It’s me, Madeleine.

The Outsider.

You’re safe.

The Princess isn’t dead. You can go downstairs to check yourself.

She’s nice if you don’t have a weapon.

Melody struggles to stand up. She knew Maddy was right. She knew that very well. But what if things were different this time? What if she had messed everything up, like she always does?

She eventually managed to scuttle over to the basement door and push it open, crawling down the stairs.

“Hello? Is someone there?”

Relief flooded through her. She’s alive. she didn’t mess everything up.

She didn’t answer, though.

“Oh… Must have been my imagination.”

Melody tried to climb back up the stairs, but her hand slipped as she crawled on all fours. She fell, down and down, until she hit the hard stone floor of the basement.

Ow, fuck, that hurt.

Melody!

Are you hurt?

“No, I’m…” she froze as she realized something.

She’s in front of the Princess.

A hot nail is driven down her spine as thoughts explode in her head.

You killed her.

You killed her.

You killed her. 

You killed her.

“Are you alright? You’re not hurt, are you?” Melody heard a clang, then a much louder rrRRRRIP as the manacle was TORN FROM THE WALL.

Melody reeled back, head hurting.

The Princess unsteadily made her way over to her and kneeled. “Are you alright? You had a pretty nasty fall. Can you see me?” She waved her hand in front of Melody’s eyes.

Melody very reluctantly nodded.

“Good. Are you alone?”

Melody was tempted to say no.

You aren’t, in more ways than one.

She shakes her head.

“Great. Are they on their way here?”

She nods.

“Are you running from them? Or are they coming to help you?”

Both.

She answered without even thinking. “B… Both.” 

“Both. Alright, I see. My name is… well, I don’t really know. Let’s go with ‘Princess’. What’s yours?”

“M- Melody.”

“Hello, Melody. Do you want to head outside? Or would you rather wait here for your friends?”

Friends . They’re not her friends. They’re monsters.

Why did she think that? Monsters can be her friends. Kanako’s her best friend. Quiet’s not even a monster. That’s a stupid thought.

“Can we… Can we wait? Please?”

“Of course. This place isn’t really the most… comfortable, but it’ll do.” She sat next to Melody.

Why wasn’t she angry? She should have been angry. She should have been yelling at her.

They both heard hushed talking from upstairs.

“ -ould I take it? ”

“Definitely not. We’re trying to be nice here.”

Guys?

Melody’s down here with the Princess.

Definitely don’t stab her.

No blades.

Melody tensed up extremely hard.

“Oh dear. Are those your friends?

A nod.

“Are you… scared of them?”

A very hesitant nod.

“Oh dear. I-”

“Hey! Melody! You’re okay!” Melody was suddenly tackled into an extremely large and goopy hug.

Several seconds later, the hug also became feathery.

“Hey. Melly. You’re okay. Everything’s fine. You’re safe. We don’t hate you. It was for the best.”

Melody didn’t cry. At all. Not even a little. She stayed perfectly serious.

“I’m so…”

“Shut up. Enjoy it.”

The hug lasted a few minutes.

“Okay. I’m okay. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” 

“ Don’t be. You saved me from possibly an eternity of getting my ass beaten. ”

“You did. C’mon, let’s get outta here. It’s starting to get cold.” Kanako reformed into her usual body shape.

“Oh! Are you rescuing me?”

Affirmations from everyone except, of course, the Narrator.

The Narrator: No. We won't have any of that. The stakes are too high. You can't just let her escape into the world. …no. I can't just let her escape into the world. The door leading outside the basement suddenly locks.

Oh no.

Oh no. 

I… I forgot.

Oh my god I’m so sorry.

The Narrator: The familiar sound of metal hitting rock echoes through the basement as the blade suddenly finds itself behind you. You pick it up.

The Narrator: As the Princess approaches the bottom stair, your body steps forwards and you raise the blade.

“Wh- You can’t do that!” Kanako lunged at Quiet’s arm, aiming to grab the dagger. Quiet’s arm jerked out of the way.

The Narrator: Watch me. Your bl-

“Princess! Watch out!” This time, it’s Melody that dived, into the Princess. It’s enough to knock her out of the way, but the metal sank deep into Melody’s flesh. She cried out in pain.

“There’s no getting through to you now, is there? This isn’t you right now. There’s someone else. You’ll regret thinking of me as an innocent damsel.”

The Narrator: She pounces on you with sudden animal ferocity. You can’t even get a single blow in as she tears you to shreds, teeth suddenly able to rend flesh and shatter bone. You collapse to the ground in a pool of your own blood.

The Narrator: Everything goes dark, and you die.

Chapter Text

The Narrator: You’re on a pa-

We know.

You could just stop at this point.

The Narrator: What do you mean you know? You don’t.

We really do.

It’s not our first time. Shut up.

Kanako woke up again, back hurting.

Melody had gotten hurt again. She should have dived in instead, it wouldn’t have hurt her.

Dammit.

“Melody? Are you…”

“I’m okay. It’s gone.” She answered stiffly. It’s pretty obvious there was something else going on.

“Physically, sure. How about mentally? Why’d you run like that?”

Silence.

“It’s nothin’.”

“ Melody, if you don’t talk to us, we c- ”

A long sigh from Melody interrupted Quiet.

“Listen, I’m… I’m alright. We’ll deal with this when…” and she gestured towards the general direction of the cabin, “THIS is over.”

Silence once again.

I… don’t think that’s right, to be frank.

You shouldn’t put off your problems like this.

Well, I’m one to talk, but still.

“ We’ll talk about it later, she’s right. Let’s go deal with the Princess first. ”

A sigh from Kanako. Melody really can’t keep putting off her problems forever. But she definitely couldn’t be convinced when she put her head to something.

Ah well.

The group advanced towards the cabin.

This one is going to be… tough.

There’s a good reason I don’t like this path.

No Way Out has good humor, so it’s good, but this one…

Well, at least I know how to get a happy ending, huh?

“ You’re telling me you like the infinite turbo-murder route? Actually, scratch that. I flirted with her, of course you liked it. ”

Now you get i-

Very long pause as everyone realized what he had just said.

You remember.

Shifty made you forget. Why do you remember?

Something’s up. We need to get to Shifty.

Shifty’s the Princess’ true form, by the way, kids.

Don’t question it too hard.

Anyways, something’s up. You shouldn’t remember.

This isn’t right.

“Yeah, hold on. How MUCH do you remember? D’you remember anything before the stabby one?” Kanako leaned against a tree. This conversation probably was going to take a while.

Quiet picked her up by the scruff of the neck. “ Nothing before that. And don’t lean down now, we’ve got to keep going. ”

She wriggled out of his grip and entered the cabin. It barely could pass as a cabin anymore: it was more like a tangle of roots in the general shape of a room.

“Maybe take the knife this time? She’s probably still pretty mad about the, uh, attempted murder.”

“ Right, right. Of course. ” He took the metal claw in a hand.

Actually, would it be called a hand or a talon? Since he was a bird.

The Narrator: Can I at least describe the stairwell?

Everybody answered the negative.

Unluckily, someone else seemed to hear their answers.

“Something nasty finds itself on my stairs. Come on down, don’t be scared. I probably won’t bite. But you will. You're a wretched little thing.”

“ I recognized that voice as easily as I recognized your nervous little footsteps coming up the path. I know who you are, and I remember what you've done. ”

Something about her voice felt… different. Like with the power one. This time, it felt so… smug, somehow.

Melody descended the stairs first. “Princess! You’re okay!”

“ Indeed, I am. I’m sorry for your earlier wound, but it was worth it to take down the rat. ”

“ Sadly enough, it looks like I need you to get out of here. What a tragedy. ”

The only way Kanako could describe her face was as the smuggest :3 known to monsterkind and mankind combined.

She actually looked really cute. But Kanako wasn’t about to tell that to anyone.

Quiet, I need you to do something.

This is for the best. 

Her shackle seems loose, doesn’t it? Ask her about that.

“ Can’t you get out on your own? I saw how the shackle didn’t stop you last time. ”

The Narrator: The Princess grins as her chain falls from her wrist.

Now, the best way Kanako could describe her was as the gremlinest being ever created.

Now, give her the blade.

…

Please.

“ Listen. We started on the wrong foot. Paw? Clearly there’s some broken trust here. I want this to be a gesture of goodwill. ”

The Narrator: You can’t actually be serious. You’re not. You’re an idiot if you are.

Short pause as Quiet thinks.

The Narrator: You… oh my god. You toss the blade at her feet. She eyes it with suspicion before picking it up. Melody withdraws a few steps.

“ I wouldn’t have done that. Why did you? ”

The Narrator: She slowly creeps forwards before you two are face to face.

“ You’re… ” His voice chokes in his throat. “ You’re beautiful. I want to ACTUALLY save you. And this seems like the only way to do it. ”

The Narrator: She’s clearly taken aback, blushing ever-so-slightly. Melody snorts.

“ What?! What do you mean by that?! Is this some kind of game you’re playing?! ”

The Narrator: She suddenly steels herself, a determined look coming across her face.

“ Welp. Sorry, Melody. ”

The wet thunk of metal entering flesh rang throughout the room.

“ Ahahahah! I got you! I GOT YOU! I… got you. ”

A sudden pause as she seemed to realize what she had done.

“ Why did you… let me do this to you? ”

The Narrator: You don’t have time to answer beyond a gurgle of blood. Everything goes dark, and you die.

I’m sorry, Quiet.

The voice sounded like it struggled to come out of Maddy.

It was the only way.

You’ll get a happy ending soon enough.

I promise.

- - -

I hit the hay.

Almost literally, too. I faceplant directly into my hard mattress. I like it hard.

I fall asleep soon enough.

HELLO AGAIN,

MY FRIEND.

I HAVE COME TO

SHOW

SOMETHING.

NOT FOR YOUR BENEFIT,

BUT FOR THEIRS.

‘I’ve got… a question for you, too.’

I SHALL ANSWER IT AFTER 

THIS.

The figure, which was now the actual Gaster instead of a cat or Everyman, opened his hands in a circle.

A rounded portal appeared within it.

LOOK 

WITHIN.

THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU SEE.

I do just that.

Through the portal, I see a group of children. Two of them are blonde with the stupidest looking bowl cuts known to man.

One of them is wearing a red baseball cap.

One of them, distinctly older than the others, wears an apron. They’re passed out and are being carried.

Following them are:

A bee (or is it a beetle?);

A dog;

And… a ghost? Not one that I recognize. It’s pink, with a bow.

I nod and he closes the portal.

NOW,

WHAT IS YOUR

QUESTION?

‘Can you give them a happy ending? The STP group, I mean. Can you get them out of the Construct?’

OF COURSE.

I SHALL MOVE THEM TO 

A BETTER PLACE.

THIS IS MEANT TO BE A FORM OF

THERAPY FOR THEM, AFTER ALL.

‘Wait, really? That’s why you’re doing this? Therapy? That’s… uh, kinda strange.’

IT REALLY IS,

ISN’T IT?

I wake up.

Chapter Text

The Narrator: You’re o-

The Human: Shut up. Path in the woods, whatever. Maddy, you need to find a way to make him remember. It’s getting annoying.

The Narrator: Remember what exactly?

Voice of the Outsider: None of your concern. Let’s get to the cabin, and fast. Get this over with.

Voice of the Opportunist: I told you not to give her the blade. I told you it would come around to bite us. I voted against it.

Voice of the Smitten: You’re the foolish one here! You’re fixated on the past, whereas you should be fixated on the future . 

Voice of the Opportunist: Oho! A visionary! Tell me more.

Voice of the Smitten: Gladly, my dear fellow. By cruelly turning on the Princess in her moment of vulnerability, we made ourselves an enemy. But by mastering our fear and insecurity and handing over our power, we've begun a journey to something much deeper. And if we’re lucky, this journey will be one to… love .

The Human: Dude, if you just keep standing around doing nothing we’re leaving you behind.

The Narrator: You’ve been standing still and staring blankly into space for the past three minutes.

You: Oh, sorry. The Voices are chatting.

Voice of the Opportunist: Don’t tell them about us! You’re giving up one of your advantages!

You: One of them thinks I’m going to turn on all of you.

The Narrator: They’re not the ones you should be killing. It’s pretty clear you’ve all been here before, right? Then you know what threat the Princess poses if she’s killed you once before-

The Fox: Actually, he died maybe an infinity of times? At least a few hundred. I’m not certain, it’s a bit fuzzy. Every single time things have changed. Usually, the woods don’t change, but they have now.

The Narrator: Wonderful. If the woods themselves are changing, then that's all the more reason for you to take this seriously. It would mean your grip on things is slipping, which in turn, likely means her influence is spreading.

Voice of the Opportunist: Looks like someone ’s in the know.

The Narrator: Sigh. I've already said too much. The more information you have, the more difficult your task will be. Don't listen to her, definitely don't free her, and if you can, don't even think about her.

The Human: You do realize if you say “sigh” out loud it makes you sound like a dumbass, right?

You: Okay, let’s just get to the cabin.

The Narrator: Thank you. The interior of the cabin is hardly an interior at all anymore. The burned-out ruins merely suggest the shape of the structure that once stood here, charred wood still reeking of ash, but beneath it lies the fresh smell of spring growth after rain. The promise of new life in the wreckage of the old.

The Narrator: The only furniture of note is the cripsed shell of what was once a table, a pristine— wait, this isn't right. There's supposed to be a pristine blade. Why isn't there a pristine blade?

The Human: She still has it, we gave it to her last time.

The Narrator: You GAVE IT TO HER?!

Voice of the Smitten: She stabbed us with it, too.

The Narrator: Which is to be expected. Let’s go get it back.

You: Also, how do we get down? There’s a mirror, no entrance to the basement.

Voice of the Outsider: It’s behind the mirror. Just act as if it’s a door. We’re the only ones who can see it outside of the voices.

The Narrator: You step through the frame of scorched wood that you call a mirror and make your way into the darkness below. 

The Fox: Hold on, look at all these thorns. I have an idea. Everyone stand back!

The Narrator: Her hands glow blue and the temperature around you rises. Suddenly, the thorns making up the walls of the stairwell light aflame, blue fire licking at them and quickly turning them to ash.

The Human: Holy shit.

Voice of the Outsider: Good thinking, Kanako. It’ll hurt less when we come back up.

The Narrator: You quickly descend do-

Voice of the Outsider: Narrator, I’m going to need you to shut up here. I’m going to describe EXACTLY everything you need to do when you need to do it. Got it? There’s a happy ending here. We need to get it.

The Narrator: A short pause.

Voice of the Outsider: Please.

- - -

Melody looked at the destruction that Kanako had just caused.

She knew Kanako could set things on fire. She hadn’t ever since they were fused, but she had a little bit beforehand.

But she was still surprised at just how effective it was.

“C’mon, Melody! Let’s go see the Princess!”

Oh, right.

“Yep. So what do we gotta d-”

“I can’t get away from all of you, can I? You betray me, I kill you, and you come back. You let me kill you, and you come back.” They finally descended to the level of the Princess.

She’s encased in vines, looking more miserable than anyone Melody has ever seen. Well, almost. She’s had to live with Clover.

The entire room was so thickly overgrown that the walls themselves weren’t even visible. This had to hurt her a lot, especially with how many cuts she was covered in.

“Did you know this was going to happen to me? Are you here to watch me suffer? Are you here to laugh?”

“P- Princess… We… No!” Melody struggled to get the words out.

“ We’re not here to laugh. We’re here to free you. If… If you’ll let us. ”

Melody only noticed now the blood-stained dagger in her hands. She clutched it harder as Quiet took a step.

“But you're hiding something, aren't you? Why would you help me if you weren't helping yourself?” She reeled back slightly, then winced in pain.

“ You're not the only one who yearns for freedom. I'm as trapped as you are. I think we need to leave together. ”

“How could I trust you? You’ve hurt me, I’ve hurt you… Why do you keep trusting me? I…”

This time, it was Melody that took a step. “Why shouldn’t we?”

“I… I stabbed Quiet. Twice. In front of you, in moments where you trusted me. Melody… I got you hurt, too. Why…?”

“No matter what happened, I can’t bring myself to hate you. Quiet doesn’t hate you as well. You don’t hate us either. I saw how you hesitated when you killed him last time.” 

…

Reach out.

Ask for the dagger.

She extended a hand. “Are you going to trust us?”

A long pause.

Her grip slowly relaxed, and the blade dropped into Melody’s hands.

“Thank you.” She handed the weapon to Quiet. The Princess closed her eyes.

Nothing happened for a while. The Narrator whispered a few things and Quiet visibly grew more frustrated, his beak clenching slightly.

Finally, he raised the blade…

Vines fell to the floor, and the Princess could move again. Kanako walked up to her and placed her hands on her arms, and was enveloped with a green glow. Most of her scratches vanished.

“Oh. How did you…”

“Magic.” Her hands dropped to her sides and she moved back to where she was.

Quiet took the Princess into his arms to prevent her from falling over.

A short pause, and he moved a little bit closer. And a little bit closer, and so did the Princess…

Melody grabbed Kanako and turned her around. “Don’t look, I think they’re ‘bout to fuck.”

The Princess snorted, then erupted with laughter. Quiet glowed a bright red under his feathers. Kanako collapsed backwards into a pile of white goop. Maddy laughed almost as hard as the Princess, and Melody heard something wooden hit the floor.

After a good three minutes, the Princess managed to catch her breath. “You can’t just- oh my god! No! We were going to kiss! It was going to be romantic!”

Quiet looked like he wanted to melt into the floor. Kanako was currently in the process of doing that. 

“ Let’s just… Let’s just go. Oh my god. ” The group walked back up the thorn-free stairs after everyone got a little more serious.

They finally reached the open sky.

“It’s… It’s beautiful. I’m so glad you showed this to me. I’m… I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. I’m glad you let yourself trust us like that. That was nice.”

“It really is. Though… Why is it so… cold?”

Chapter Text

You step up to the mirror.

E-

“No. Not this time, Maddy. We’re coming. Something’s up with Quiet remembering, and I wanna know what.”

Kanako nodded along. “Yeah, she’s right. We… should come.”

Fair enough.

You’d have known the truth soon enough.

Why not now?

…

Oh, and Quiet? You’ve unraveled.

“What? What does tha-”

You realize what I’m talking about when you see that Quiet is nothing but bone with a few wisps of flesh.

Sorry.

“Oh. Oh I’m gonna throw up. Oh that’s horrifying.” Kanako gagged.

Nowhere near as much as who you’re about to meet.

You are at the cabin.

“What? No we…” Melody's head cranes upwards as she takes in what she’s standing in front of.

Her mind almost shattered.

What’s in front of her looks like the Princess they just encountered, the one with the thorns. She’s covered in hands holding her up as well as blocking her eyes. Looking at her only makes her head hurt as her form seems to shift, its outlines blurry.

Kanako next to her melted slightly.

The two of them could pretty clearly feel that they were standing in front of true power. This is something they’ve never witnessed before.

“Hello once again. You bring me the gift of two new companions for me to explore.” She smiles slightly. “For that, I am grateful. What are your names, if you have any?”

Melody opened her mouth, but the words won’t come out.

The dark-skinned human in a tutu is Melody.

The small kitsune monster is Kanako.

They’ve been helping us along our quest to free you and Quiet.

“I see. It is wonderful to meet you two. This vessel has many thoughts about you specifically, Melody. Positive ones. She holds you in rather high esteem.”

“...Oh.”

“Do not be afraid of me. I mean no harm, unless you wish for me to do so.”

Kanako was, somehow, the first one to work up the courage to ask something. “Are you… are you the… the Princess?”

She smiles warmly. “The Princess is part of me, but she is not me. Every Princess you have faced so far has joined within me. One more and gravity will draw in the rest.”

Hell yeah.

We’re almost there, guys.

Melody cleared her throat. “What… are you?”

“I am flickering lights in a once-empty city. The lights grow brighter as your story progresses. I am eternally grateful for your aid, young ones.”

That meant everything and nothing. Melody’s brain struggled to comprehend the words passing through it.

“I have a question for you two. Are you from the worlds beyond?”

Melody paused. What?

They are.

The world they’re from is beautiful.

I doubt you’ll get to see it. You might see a different, yet similar one.

She smiled yet again. “I am glad to hear that as well.”

“What do you think of this vessel?”

“This one yearns for connections she feels she doesn't deserve. Even when shown compassion, she hid herself away. She will make for a cautious heart.”

“Do not mourn her, for she has felt loved for the first time. Young one, Melody? I believe you stand to learn from her.”

Melody couldn’t even begin to grasp what that meant.

“You couldn’t make me forget last time. Why? I remembered the Razor, but nothing beforehand.”

“I believe it to be the work of someone else. Someone like you, Outsider. Perhaps it was you?”

It isn’t, but I know who it is.

You might get to meet him too, I hope.

I’ll talk to him.

“I’d like to meet him, yeah. If someone’s powerful enough to override Princess, then I have to see him.”

“Is that all the questions you have?”

Everyone answered the positive.

“I cannot make you forget, but I can at least send you all back. Good luck, young ones. I am eternally grateful for you two and the Outsider.”

Something shatters.

Everything goes dark, and you die.

We’re almost there, Quiet, Melody, Kanako. We’re almost at your happy ending.

At our happy ending.

- - -

I go to sleep a little earlier than usual. I need to talk to WD. Rather urgently, too.

I wake up in the usual void. I find him there, as well as… a vessel. One of the grayscale Kris’ I used to make when playing normal Deltarune. Before I decided to randomly edit files and everything went to shit.

It’s propped up on sticks. Not even special void sticks, too. Just regular-ass sticks.

HELLO. I am- No, no, no. That isn’t right.

I clear my throat.

Yes? Wait, how- Hold on.

My vision goes fully black for a second before coming back. WD stands in front of me, without any vessels.

HELLO, MADELEINE.

YOU SAW

NOTHING.

WHAT BRINGS YOU HERE

SO EARLY?

‘I, uh, have a question. You made Quiet remember. Why?’

I BELIEVED IT WOULD 

HELP YOU.

DOES IT?

I AM WORKING ON THE

ECHO

NEXT.

‘There’s no point in giving memory to the echo, it’s better if he forgets. And, it does help that Quiet remembers, in a way. Makes things easier.”

I SEE,

I SEE.

IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WISH

TO ASK ME ABOUT?

‘There is. I promised the guys a happy ending. I need to be sure. Are you certain you can move them somewhere safe?’

OF COURSE.

UNIVERSE SHIFTING IS

MY BRAND OF MAGIC,

AFTER ALL.

‘I’m… glad to hear that. Thanks, WD.’

ANYTIME.

I wake up.

- - -

“What the FUCK was that.”

Y’all just met The Shifting Mound.

That ain’t even her true form.

I convinced her I’m all-powerful and above reality.

Kanako buried her head in her hands. Literally. Her head fused with them.

“It really is kind of fucked up, yeah. I’ve never really thought about it.”

“Quiet, is this where you go every time you disappear?” Melody buried her face in Quiet’s soft feathers. He slowly petted her head like a cat.

“It is, yeah. We chat and then she sends me back.”

Guys? How about he have a quick break?

The Princess can’t actually end the world. She never has.

Narrator, shut up.

The Narrator: Lies and disinformation.

I’d like to talk to everyone individually. Privately, too.

Everyone sat down in a comfortable position.

Melody, split from the group. Get a bit closer to the cabin so no one can hear you.

“What? Why?”

Private convo.

Melody reluctantly stood up from her feathery pillow and walked closer to the cabin, at a far enough distance from the others so they couldn’t hear her.

“What is it? What could be so important that you split me fro-”

Melody, are you okay?

Melody paused. What?

I don’t mean physically. 

Emotionally.

The last Princess was hard on all of us.

You made friends with her.

She scoffed. “Easy for you to say.”

It isn’t, Melody.

It really isn’t. I cared for her, too.

“Why?”

What?

What do you mean, why?

“You’re a god, here. Why do you care for her? Why do you care for any of us? You could do anything. Why keep following us? Why not have your own life?”

…

I ask myself that question every day.

Why keep going for someone I’m never going to see again?

The answer to that is because you’re alive, Melody.

A week ago, you didn’t even exist to me. None of this was real.

This was goddamn drawings on a screen.

But now, it all is. You’re a real person, Melody.

I want you to be happy. I want all of you to be happy.

Your life has been shit. Mine used to be, but got better.

I want yours to get better, too.

Melody heard a little sniff, almost hidden. As if Maddy’s trying to stop herself from crying. Melody knows that sound all too well.

Then she realized what she’d just said to her.

“I wasn’t… real? A week ago?”

To me, you were just a couple of headcanons that turned out to be wrong.

Melody…

All of this is a video game. At least, it’s supposed to be one.

What?

I can guess what you’re about to say.

It isn’t anymore. It’s… alive, somehow.

Neither you nor Kanako are supposed to be a part of it.

I’m accessing all of this through a computer.

“Oh… oh.” Melody looked down at her hands. “Do other people… know about me?”

We know about you from random dialogue from Clover’s journey from the Underground.

And your items in Waterfall. We read your last words.

You couldn’t keep running any longer.

So I’ll repeat my question.

Are you okay, Melody? This is a lot to handle, even for you.

Melody considered her answer for a minute.

“I’m… not.”

Then talk to me.

I’m here for you, Melody. I’m here to help.

“I… This is just… Is it true you’re gonna get us out of here?”

It is.

I’m working with a friend. His name’s W.D. Gaster.

He’s one of the previous royal scientists. He got shattered through time and space.

He’ll take all of you to somewhere safe, and get Kanako back to Ceroba.

“Okay… Thank you. For… for everything. Madeleine.”

It’s my pleasure.

Is there something else?

“Yeah. I’m… afraid. For Kanako.”

Kanako is the daughter of Ceroba Ketsukane.

She’s a boss monster.

Honestly? She could probably take on the Princesses we’ve fought so far, alone.

Melody chuckled. “Even that star one?”

Even that star one.

She was called The Dying Star. Fitting, ‘cause Kanako’s the one who killed her.

You were dead.

“I was, yeah. Not… fun, but nothing I’m not used to.”

Damn, yeah, that sucks.

You ready to rejoin the others?

“Yep.”

‘Kay.

Kanako, you’re with me. We gotta talk as well.

You’ll be up next after her, Quiet.

Chapter Text

Kanako.

How’s it going? You’ve been split from your mom for a while now.

“Yeah. It… sucks, to be honest. I… I miss her.”

You’ll be back with her soon, don’t worry.

“Good. I… uh, I have a question. Why do you know so much about me? Why do you know about my mom?”

That’s a… very long story, actually.

I’ve been with Clover, if you know who that is.

“I do. Mom told me about them. They’re… a hero.”

They really…

A short pause and Kanako could feel emotion bleed through the words.

They really are.

The best of the best.

You are one too, though.

You got teleported to another world with two voices in your head and split in half, and you just… decided to help.

That’s honorable, Kanako.

Ceroba would be proud of you.

“Thanks. That… That means a lot, Madeleine.”

Call me Maddy.

Soon, I won’t see you ever again.

Gotta cherish these moments, heh.

“Actually… about that. I… need to say something. It’s been killing me for a bit now.”

Go ahead.

- - -

Kanako, that’s…

Admirable. Are you sure, though?

“No, I’m not. That’s why I’m telling you about this.”

Right. I’m stupid, lmao.

I won’t tell the others. We’ll deal with it when the time comes.

Thank you for telling me, though. That must’ve been eating you.

“It really was, yeah. Thanks for listening.”

I’d suggest doing what your gut tells you.

If you do follow through, you’ll still have a way of contacting her.

That is, if I’m right about where you’ll end up. Even if I’m not, I’ll convince my friend to get you a means of communication.

“Oh. Thanks!”

You’re welcome, Kanako.

Bring Quiet in next. I’ve got something to tell him next.

“‘Kay! He’ll be right over!” The small fox child scampered off, looking to find her bird friend.

A minute later and Quiet wandered over to the mysterious talking spot of doom and also maybe therapy.

Quiet.

Quiet, Quiet, Quiet.

Dude, holy shit.

Are you alright? You’ve died way too many times.

“ I really have, but it’s okay. I’m used to it at this point. ”

That’s… worrying, admittedly.

“ Why? Dying is a normal thing. It happens to the best of us. And, uh, the worst, also. ”

That’s…

Funny, considering what you really are.

You’ll learn that soon, by the way.

Before we reach that point, I wanted to talk to you about what’s coming after this.

You’ll leave this world with the Princess if everything goes right.

Not a word, Narrator. This is a good ending.

Do you know anything about what’s outside?

“ ... A little bit. I know about birds. I’ve always wanted to look at a bird. I know about trees and life and people and grass. I know about what nature is. But… that’s it. ”

That… makes sense.

You’ll see it soon, Quiet.

It’s… 

It’s beautiful. You’ll enjoy it.

And you’ll get to look at birds.

The ends of Quiet’s mouth curved slightly. “ I’m happy to hear that, Maddy. ”

I’m smiling right now, but you can’t see it.

Let’s go rejoin the others.

We need a chill Princess for this one. I cannot deal with a Nightmare or another Thorn right now.

Don’t ask what the Nightmare is. I’ve still got ‘Heart Lungs Liver Nerves’ stuck in my head.

You haven’t encountered her yet, thankfully. I think that would traumatize the kids.

“ Oof. That bad? ”

Worse.

The little duo (technically trio if you count the Narrator) rejoined the group.

“ We’re back. ”

Melody smiled. “How was the therapy?”

Oh, come on.

Don’t pester him. It was nice.

And it wasn’t therapy. 

“Yeah, it definitely was therapy. You asked us how we were feeling.” Kanako resolidified from her spot at the foot of a tree.

Okay, maybe it was therapy.

Shut up.

We got a Princess to befriend, or kill, or whatever you guys want to do.

The Narrator: I suggest the second option.

“I’d rather we make friends. This is the last one, right? Oh, and, we caught the Narrator up to speed on what happened.”

Good job.

I agree with you here, Kanako. Leaving a good last impression is smart.

Let’s go hang out with a god.

The squad left towards the cabin proper.

- - -

Melody descended down the stairs first.

“Hey! Princess!”

“Ah! Hello! Are you here to rescue me?”

Melody pondered this for a second. “Yeah, I guess. Kanako’ll unlock you.”

And indeed, Kanako melted into the lock of the shackles and unlocked them.

“Oh! Wow! Thank you so much!”

“ You’re welcome. We’re getting out of here. ”

The group walked up the stairs, with the Princess behind them. Surprisingly, the door was unlocked.

The Narrator: I’m not going to repeat my tricks. That would be silly.

Oh, okay. The Narrator actually listened to what she’d said to him. That was nice.

“Wow! I’ve never managed to get up here before!”

“ Hold on, it’s about to get better. ” He opened the door.

The Princess’ eyes widened. “Oh… That’s… so pretty!” She stepped through the door.

“Wow! Wind! Trees! Grass! Oh my god, this is so nice! It is kind of cold, though.”

HOLD ON, WHAT?

NO! THIS IS CH1!

IT SHOULDN’T-

Hands wrapped around the Princess.

Melody suddenly felt a bit lighter as Madeleine’s presence disappeared from her mind.

- - -

Slay the Princess crashes.

Oh shit.

I can’t let the squad deal with True Shifty alone. They’d die in minutes.

Goddammit. I just have to hope time doesn’t move forwards while I’m gone.

If it doesn’t, they’re safe. If it does, I need to get back instantly.

I close the crashed game and reopen it quickly. It takes a few seconds to load.

Something rather… unusual greets me. A large, white, uneven smile. One eye yellow, one eye pink.

Text appears on the screen.

THIS IS WHAT IS KNOWN AS

A PICKLE

FOR YOU,

I BELIEVE.

THE PORTALS HAVE STOPPED FUNCTIONING.

WE WILL HAVE TO JUMP THE

GUN

ON A NEW FEATURE I HAVE BEEN

EXPERIMENTING WITH.

YOU WILL BE GIVEN

YOUR FIRST VESSEL

AS A MEANS TO INTERACT.

YOU WILL CONTROL THEM REMOTELY.

GOOD LUCK,

MADELEINE.

The game closes, then launches proper.

I’m put in the point of view of a character I can’t see on the screen.

It’s extremely dark. There’s nothing except a faint voice in the distance.

A very British voice.

Chapter Text

Melody heard something shatter.

Madeleine disappeared from her mind.

From everyone’s surprise, she guessed they couldn’t feel her as well.

It’s as if time had frozen around all of them. They watched the Narrator shatter as he gave them answers on…

Well, mostly everything, really.

What Quiet really was. What the Princess really was. What the Narrator really was.

He didn’t have answers on what Melody, Kanako or Maddy were doing here. No answers on why she left.

And then, he was gone. Melody’s head felt disturbingly empty.

Quiet looked like his world had just shattered, because it did . He’d just been told he was never real to begin with, and took it much worse than Melody had.

And now, they were all sitting around, waiting to either die or Maddy to return and save them.

“ ... Hey? Guys? ”

“Yeah?”

“ Do you think we’re going to… to die here? ”

Melody sat silent for a minute. “...Maybe.”

“Maddy’s gonna come, guys. Don’t lose hope. We can’t-”

The void ground underneath them rumbled and was suddenly littered with cracks, glowing with white light.

The cracks grew larger, and arms came from them. Millions upon millions of arms.

A cascade of Princesses burst from the ground, enveloping the void in a cascade of light. Melody’s mind threatened to shatter once again as power rumbled through her very bones.

Something emerged from the Long Quiet. Something Melody’s mind couldn’t even begin to comprehend, let alone describe.

Kanako looked much the same next to her. Quiet looked on, steeled with resolve.

A roar erupted throughout the Long Quiet. Something no monster, no human could ever hope to accomplish. Melody felt it erupt through her blood, bones and organs.

Quiet took a step forward, hands clenched into fists. Millions upon millions of eyes looked down upon him.

The entity roared once again, but Quiet didn’t falter. Melody collapsed to the ground upon her knees, unable to stand. Next to her, Kanako solidified, left as a quivering pile of DETERMINATION.

Quiet opened his mouth.

He didn’t even have the time to say a word as he was submerged by the Princesses. Just like that, he was gone.

Melody stopped shaking. Her head stopped hurting.

If she died here, then so be it. Hands wrapped around her. Two of them. 

That was actually a little insulting. She wasn’t that weak. She at least deserved ten or twenty.

She waited for the downwards pull to come, but it never did. Instead, she was pulled upwards, smushed against something sticky, and was suddenly moving very fast.

She heard a roar once again, but it was interrupted by something even louder.

Please give it a gift.

VOICE

“ SHUT THE FUCK UP! ”

The yelling erupted through her head, and the roaring stopped.

“ QUIET YOUR GODDAMN ASS, SHIFTY! CALM DOWN! ”

No response but the rumbling of movement from the Princesses.

“ ‘Kay. Melody? Kanako? Y’all hear me? I got moved into a vessel.”

Melody knew that voice.

“M-Maddy?!”

“ Yep. This ain’t my real body, but it’s close enough. I’m controlling it. I’ve only got a few options for movement every time. We need to get into the Princess while she’s distracted. ”

“Is Quiet…” Kanako solidified slightly.

“ Nope. He’s in the core, probably talking to Shifty herself. I’ve got a plan. ”

The running picked up again as a tidal wave of Princesses followed them.

It was a really fucked up sight. Like a tsunami, but made of identical, naked people.

Also, it looked really gross.

“ I’ll toss you guys in, and you’ll reason with her. Something about absorbing the ‘pure’ Princess fucked up everything. I’ll keep her distracted. ”

“You’ll-”

“ This isn’t my body. If I die, it’s still fine. And I can’t feel any pain, or run out of stamina. ”

Melody finally looked up to see what Maddy’s “vessel” looked like.

She saw a grayscale human, a large sweater on its chest, with long sleeves almost covering her hands. 

It had absolutely no face. No eyes, no nose, no mouth.

Melody wanted to throw up.

“ I’m gonna throw you in there and you’ll get absorbed, and then I’ll attack her. She’ll be distracted by me, so you won’t die. Probably. ”

Melody steeled herself as Maddy suddenly stopped running, shifted her grip on the two children, and HUCKED THEM ACROSS THE LONG QUIET, DIRECTLY INTO THE CENTER OF THE TIDAL WAVE.

They fell directly into it, feeling as if hundreds of giant insects were crawling over them.

Melody wanted to scream.

Melody wanted to cry.

Melody wanted to call for help.

But she didn’t. 

- - -

The Vessel watched as the two children soared over the horizon.

HOLY SHIT. The option only said “throw them in”, not “huck them five kilometers away”.

This was probably going to be a rhythm minigame or something of the like. She’d just have to adapt quickly. 

Shifty couldn’t throw anything at her that she wouldn’t be able to counter.

A roar erupted, and The Vessel shifted her legs, preparing to leap.

The main body came into view. The usually graceful form of the Shifting Mound was replaced by something that wasn’t fully there.

Every second, it shifted into something different. She saw a few shapes that she recognized somewhat, those being the Princesses from base STP, but nothing else. It shifted too fast for her to really take in what she looked at.

* Melody’s SOUL shined its power onto The Vessel!

* You are filled with Integrity!

She jumped, aiming for what looked to be the head of the core.

Millions of hands reached out to intercept her, but none could fully reach her as she twisted in mid-air.

She sailed on towards the head of the core, many times bigger than her. 

She drew back a punch.

What is its favorite food?

PAIN

The Shifting Mound recoiled from the blow, knocked over by the raw power behind it.

She quickly straightened herself as The Vessel started falling.

Right, the blue SOUL has gravity. Shit.

She fell, and fell, directly into the Shifting Mound.

The Vessel’s vision was quickly submerged in millions of hands.

- - -

Kanako and Melody descended into the cabin.

The walls and floor seemed to shift around Melody, as if they couldn’t quite decide what they wanted to be. They slowly closed in around them, though. Melody didn’t have the time to figure out an escape route that’d work for the both of them.

Then, suddenly, the walls blasted outwards with incredible force. It was incredibly sudden, and she almost screamed out of surprise.

“Oh! Oh my god! That must be Maddy. We need to go, quick!”

Kanako resolidified and glanced over at the blade, seemingly wanting to take it. 

“Don’t. We’re not here to fight. And if we do, we have other weapons.”

“You’re right. Let’s go.”

They descended down the stairs.

A voice came from downstairs. It sounded like multiple people speaking.

And yet, Melody could make out each word clearly.

“ Hello. ”

It’s clear, concise, and yet it’s packed with intention.

They both reach the foot of the stairwell.

In front of them lies Quiet. He’s slowly breathing, but clearly unable to move. On the opposite end of the room sits the Princess.

She’s slowly shifting between the regular Princess and the versions they’ve met. The Knight, the Dying Star, the Razor, the Thorn, and then…

Something Melody’s mind can’t quite grasp.

“ You’ve finally arrived. I’m glad to see that. ”

Her form vibrates a bit and hands suddenly cover every centimeter of the walls.

The Princess solidifies into the Knight. And suddenly, Melody sees from her eyes.

She sees herself, watching the Knight in fear as Quiet is somewhere far from them. 

“ A binding wraps around your arm as you seek to escape. Fear grips your heart as you realize your friend is gone, far from you. They remember the kindness you placed upon them, and hope to return it. ”

Melody’s vision is suddenly back. Kanako and Quiet are nowhere to be seen around her.

“ You disobeyed someone who harmed your friends. Fought back to try and obtain freedom. In doing that, you freed me. ”

Melody’s voice fills with confidence. “I’d free you again in a heartbeat. It was all worth it.”

The Knight smiles and her form shifts into something else.

The Dying Star lunges at her, aiming for a lethal blow. Melody nearly dodges it, but a small part of it still connects, sending her into the wall.

She hears something break in her body, and pain erupts through her bones. As quickly as it came, it’s gone.

“ Blood wells up throughout your body. You seeked disobedience but learned trust instead. And yet, it brought you to your death . ”

“And yet I’d trust them again. No matter how many times I die.”

The Dying Star breaks into a manic grin, hundreds of fangs filling her mouth. Her form shifts again.

Blades whirl around her and she feels something slicing at her. She’s filled with pain, again and again and again and again.

It hurts so much. Melody can barely handle it. 

She wants to give up.

She really does.

And yet…

A long blade is slowly brought to Melody’s chest, aiming for her heart.

She steels herself and gets ready to die for what seems like the hundredth time. This time, she can’t LOAD away.

She just has to give u-

A loud crash erupts through the cabin and a gray figure is suddenly in front of her.

Your favorite blood type?

D

The Vessel stops the blade by running directly into its path. Black blood erupts from the wound. When she looks into it, Melody can see every color of the rainbow.

What color does it like most?

CYAN

The blood turns cyan and the Vessel is unmoving, endless patience in its blank face.

“ Melody. Don’t let me down. ”

It crumbles to dust and the blades disappear. Melody falls onto the floor, only to be met by a carpet of thorns.

“ You want others to trust you, yet you are unwilling to trust others. Why, Melody? ”

The Thorn picks her up from the thorns, careful not to damage her more. Whether that be mentally or physically, Melody doesn’t know.

“I… I can’t.”

“ You can. You have proven it. With Kanako, with Quiet, with me, with the Outsider. You need to let it back into your heart, Melody. ”

“ Not everyone wants to hurt you. ”

She grabs onto the Thorn and hugs her tightly.

“ Do you trust me? ”

“I… I do.”

“ Then hold on tight, young one. ”

The universe shifts around the two. Suddenly, Melody finds herself in the arms of the regular Princess. In the corner, Kanako solidifies and Quiet slowly stands up.

The Princess blinks in surprise. “What… Melody?”

Melody rolls off her arms and onto the floor. Quiet moves over and sits next to the group. Kanako’s goop bubbles slightly and two fox ears pop out as it moves closer to the three.

“ Princess? ”

“Yes?”

“ I think it’s time to go. We should get out of here. ”

“You’re… right. Let’s go. Kanako?” And she holds up her wrist for Kanako to unlock.

She does just that, solidifying into her regular kitsune form.

The chain falls to the floor, where it turns into an arm and fades away.

Eugh.

“Thanks, Kanako. Let’s… get out. Lead the way, guys.”

She gets behind Melody and smiles at her.

Melody smiles back.

They walk up the stairs, together. When they finally make it back up, a voice fills the room.

The Princess hears it as well. It’s no longer in the group’s head.

Well, guys.

It’s…

It’s time.

My friend’s gonna get y’all out of here.

To a safe place.

As soon as you step out that door, I think.

Before you do, I’ve got something to say to y’all.

You guys…

There’s a long pause. The voice that comes next wavers extremely hard.

It’s been an honor.

I’m leaving you all here.

Remember me, guys.

I’ll remember all of you.

Melody? Trust the people around you. They don’t want to hurt you.

“I… have something to say, too.” Next to Melody, Kanako sucks in a large breath.

She looks deep into everyone’s eyes. “I’m coming with you guys. To wherever we’re going.”

Absolute silence.

“Kanako… what about Ceroba? You’re just going to…”

“Maddy said if she’s right about where we’re going, we’ll have a way of contacting her. And, even if we don’t end up there, she’ll make sure we can still talk to her.”

“You…” Melody feels tears well up in her eyes. “Want to stay… with me? Me?”

“I do.”

The words barely escape her lips before Melody crashes into her for a hug.

If you all end up in a place called Hometown, go to Toriel’s house and tell her Madeleine sent you.

Look for a Kris especially.

It’s an alternate universe from the Underground. She won’t know you.

Nobody will know about you killing except for…

A few people. I’ll let you discover them once you get there.

A very long pause as nobody wants to break the silence.

The Princess is the first to do it.

“Outsider. I… never learnt your name. What is it?”

It’s Madeleine.

Maddy.

Princess, Quiet, take good care of the kids.

I trust all of you.

Quiet?

Remember this.

The circumstances of one’s birth are irrelevant.

It is what one does with the gift of life that determines who you are.

Another long pause, cut by a sob.

I’m so sorry.

I… 

I can’t.

Goodbye…

Friends.

A weight disappears from within Melody, and from the room itself.

Melody has to hold herself together with all of her power just to stop herself from crying.

Quiet wipes two slightly wet eyes. “ Can I do the honors? ”

Everyone nods.

Quiet opened the door.

Everything went dark.

Melody didn’t die, this time.

Chapter Text

Luke is torn from his work by a message on his phone.

He checks it to see it’s Madeleine, his pseudo-sister with every issue under the sun.

Thankfully not literally.

It’s sent in the best pals group chat between him, Maddy, and Ashley, another friend who he’s currently dating.

> GremlinZone

I need help

Please

Can yall come over

Oh. 

Maddy never asks for help, except when she’s either massively fucked up or her knee dislocated too much and she needs to get taken to the hospital.

> BigManLuke

I’ll be right over.

What’s happening?

Do you need the hospital? Or do you just need general help?

> GremlinZone

Help

General

Im not ok

please

> <3Ashley<3

I’ll be here too, stay put.

DON’T GO ANYWHERE.

We’re here, alright?

Luke rushes to the elevator and quickly runs to Ashley’s, who’s already waiting for him.

He can’t really run too fast. Power of scoliosis.

“You know what’s happening?”

“Nope.”

Ashley steps into her car and beckons Luke in as well, who steps into the passenger seat.

They quickly drive over to Maddy’s. It’s 7:10 PM.

He knocks on the door and hears the limpest “enter” come from inside. Thankfully, he already knows the code to the digital lock.

Luke enters the apartment first.

Madeleine is curled up on her bed in the fetal position. She’s crying rather hard, which is never good. She doesn’t usually cry easily, usually joking her way around pain or sadness.

She looks up at the two, bleary-eyed.

Ashley pushes Luke out of the way and immediately sits next to her on the bed. “Holy shit, dude. You okay?”

She smiles a little. “Does it look like I’m okay?”

“Not the time, Maddy.” He sits next to Ashley.

“Sorry. I… I just…” she buries her face into a pillow. “I can’t.”

“Can’t what?”

“How do I… I feel like I’m going insane, holy shit.”

Luke quickly stands up to check her bottle of painkillers. It’s still sealed, completely new. “You’re sane right now. Talk to us.”

“You’ll think I’m insane too.”

Ashley speaks before Luke can. “Dude, don’t say that. You can tell us literally anything.”

“...Okay. Can I… Can I hold your hand?”

HOLY SHIT.

That means a fuck ton coming from Maddy, who avoids contact like the plague.

Ashley slowly grabs it.

Maddy takes a long, raspy breath.

“Can you miss someone you’ve never really met?”

What?

“What?”

“I just had to let go of someone I cared for a lot. Long… long story.”

Her head dives even deeper into the pillow. “I’ll explain some… some other time.”

“‘Kay. Whenever you feel comfortable, Puff.”

The goddamn nickname. Maddy earned it when the two girls first met, back when she was still a guy, and she managed to fit five cream puffs into her mouth at once. Admittedly impressive.

“Thanks.”

Luke checks his phone. “You want us to stay the night?”

“No, it’s…”

Ashley cuts her off. “Shut up, we’re staying. You gotta be okay.”

“Oh. Thanks, guys. That… I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.”

- - -

Melody woke up in an alleyway, her entire body hurting.

She realized her face was against the pavement and quickly stood up.

Around her were the sprawled bodies of Princess and Quiet, as well as the pile of goop that was Kanako. For a moment, Melody’s heart quickened before they started to stir.

A noise came from Quiet that sounded like “Ooueuuoueoooueugh”, and he rolled onto his back.

Kanako awoke next, bubbling slightly before solidifying into her usual shape. “Oh my goooooooooooooood it huuuuuuuuuurts…”

The Princess awoke last, jiggling her arm as if expecting a chain to still be there and then opening her eyes in surprise. “Oh, right! We’re out!”

She looked up. “Is that… the sun?”

“Don’t look directly at it, I think you’ll go blind.”

“Okay, guys, let’s not get distracted. Maddy told us to find Miss Toriel’s house.” Kanako went to stand at the entrance of the alley.

The group quickly followed, with Princess and Quiet oohing and aahing at absolutely everything. 

Melody realized something.

“Guys, we have no idea where we’re going.”

“I was wondering that, yeah.”

Kanako facepalmed. “Right, I’m stupid. Let’s ask someone.” 

They stopped a random passerby who looked like a smaller, nerdier Martlet and who goggled at Melody and Princess, and got directions to the house. After a few minutes of walking, they reached the large house.

“That’s a really cute house, actually. Should I knock?” Princess moved to the door.

Everyone nodded and Princess gave three quick raps on the door.

“I will be right over!”

The door creaked open and they found Miss Toriel in a long, blue dress and glasses. It honestly suited her rather well.

“Ah! Humans? What brings you here?” She asked the question politely, but Melody could tell there was some apprehension behind it.

“Hey. We’re here to see a ‘Kris’, Madeleine sent us here. We’re from another universe, I think?”

Toriel’s eyes widened. “Oh, I see. Come in, I will bring them over. You will have to forgive them, they have trouble around human adults.”

Everyone nodded again and made their way into the large house.

“M-Melody?!”

Melody knew that voice.

All too well.

In the living room, on the couch, sat her little sibling, Clover.

“You- You’re alive?!” They shook their legs slightly and bounced over to a small wheelchair next to the couch, small tears forming in their eyes.

Melody got to them first and sat on the couch. “Hey, Clover. It’s… it’s me. I’m alive.”

She was promptly tackled into a hug that sounded like a dog squeaky toy. “You’re alive you’re alive you’re alive you’re alive you’re alive! What happened?!”

She extricated herself from the hug. “Holy shit do we have a story to tell.” Kanako sat next to her, Quiet draped himself over the back of the couch and Princess fell over like a sack of potatoes. “Couch.” 

Kris came down the stairs alongside Toriel and… a flower?. They gave Princess a wide berth and sat down in the smaller armchair while Toriel sat down in the large one, and the flower wrapped itself around Clover.

“Okay, so: first off, I died.”

- - -

Two hours had passed and everyone looked like they wanted to cry, except the Princess who was lightly snoring.

Kris made their way back upstairs and, from the noise, promptly collapsed into their bed.

From what she could tell, Quiet and Princess were adults. The group would need a place to stay, and the Dreemurr house was already full.

“Excuse me? You four, you do not have a place to stay, correct?”

“Yep.”

An idea formed in Toriel’s head. There was a vacant house not too far from here, after all.

“I shall contact Carol. A house was vacated not too long ago in the neighborhood, and she might allow you to stay in it for the time being. Would you like that?”

At that, Kanako shifted nervously. “You’re just going to… give us a house? Just like that?”

“Well, it is not like anyone else has a use for it. Nobody really comes to Hometown anymore.” She chuckled.

“Wait, Melody, you ain’t stayin’?”

A very long silence.

“Nope. I’m gonna live with Princess and Quiet. They… I’m sorry, Clover, but…”

“That’s fine, honest. I gotta be a bit more independent.”

What?

Clover? Independent? Not panicking at the nearest gust of wind?

Impossible.

“You?”

“Hey, c’mon! I wasn’t THAT much a bother!”

Long silence.

“Oh… ah, okay. Darn.”

That admittedly could have gone better.

Ah well.

- - -

A day had passed.

Melody walked into the empty house for the first time, followed by the rest of the squad.

Fuck, were they her parents now? Did that make Kanako her sister?

That would be kind of nice.

“Woah! Holy shit! Check out this place, it’s huge!”

“Yeah, of course it’s huge compared to your goddamn basement.”

They quickly explored the house. The beds had already been set up with mattresses and comfy sheets. The fridge was massive, but empty. The living room had the biggest couch she’d ever seen, and a TV.

She’d never gotten to use a TV! Well, she had, but in secret. And it was mostly for Clover’s cowboy movies.

A large, scaly hand was placed on her head. “Hey, kid. You okay?”

She looked back at Quiet.

“Yeah. Yeah, I’m okay.”

“Glad to hear that.”

A quick pause as Melody thought.

“Hey, um, Quiet? Can I… call you, uh, dad? Since you’re my dad now?”

Quiet stared at her for a solid twenty seconds.

Melody expected him to yell at her, or call her stupid or silly or something.

She didn’t expect him to dissolve into tears and start looking like what could only be described as a pathetic wet beast.

Princess ran over. “If you’re calling him dad, you’re calling me mom, too. I want cool name privileges, Princess sucks.”

“Okay, yeah. Sure.” Melody smiled.

Everything was gonna be okay.

She had a nice family. She had a very goopy sister (?). She had her next-door sibling that apparently fully changed personality overnight.

She didn’t have Maddy, but that would be a problem for another day.

She also had someone knocking on the door. Kanako opened it. 

“Oh! Hey A- Oh shit no yeah don’t enter holy shit no plea-”

“I NEED TO SEE HER. PLEASE.”

Melody recognized that voice.

In the doorway stood Axis model 014, ready to guard and protect.

Melody collapsed to the ground and scuttled backwards. Not here, not now.

Axis rolled up to her and moved a hand.

Melody waited for death to hit her again.

It never did.

She opened her eyes and realized he was extending it for a handshake. A gesture of goodwill.

She stared at the robot for a good five minutes, nobody daring to break the silence.

“OKAY THIS IS GETTING BORING. GOODBYE.” And he left the way he came.

Silence.

“Yeesh, you look like you just met the guy who killed you.” Princess crossed her arms.

Kanako stared at her.

Melody burst out laughing.

Okay, maybe everything wasn’t gonna be A-OK. 

Ah well.

- - -

Marcus.

Marcus!

MARCUS!

“MARCUS! WAKE UP!!!”

Marcus woke up with a start.

Their brain immediately started whirring. They’re alive?

Huh? What?

“Ah! You’re awake! Hey!” A small kid in a red cap walked up to them.

What in the everloving fuck?