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They wake to the sound of water, and for a moment they can’t remember where they are. There’s a pungent smell in the air and they reflexively scrunch their nose up at the stench. Things definitely didn’t smell this bad a moment ago. They’d been… dreaming…
You awake yet? a voice speaks in their mind. Frisk tenses up, hands clenching into fists and heart hammering quicker in preparation to run away, before they recognise it.
Chara?
What, you have other voices in your head? Of course it’s me, dumbass.
The insult is familiar and comforting more than it is hurtful. Frisk lets themself relax again, cracking their eyes open just a bit, making sure it won’t be bright enough to hurt their eyes. When they move their head something soft brushes against their cheek - a golden flower, like the ones back in the ruins. Their whole body aches.
What happened? they ask.
Undyne happened, Chara says tersely. Don’t you remember? Please tell me you haven’t suddenly contracted amnesia. There are very few things that could possibly make this situation any worse but that is definitely one of them.
No, I’m fine, I just… They try to gather their thoughts, piece things together. Undyne had been chasing them through waterfall, and they were so tired of running and then they must’ve been too slow because she’d caught up, and then… I… fell?
Yes.
Frisk takes a moment to ponder this.
You know, you really need to stop falling from high places, Chara remarks, light and careless, but with something sharper simmering underneath. One day there’s not gonna be any flowers there to break the fall for you and then you’ll really be in trouble.
There’s a flash of something - a memory? - with a shattering pain fading into a dull, persistent one, a leg that’ll take weeks to heal properly - and then Chara shoves them out.
Stop that, they snap. That’s none of your business. Snoop.
Sorry, Frisk says automatically before their indignation catches up with them and they reproachfully add, It’s not like I do it on purpose, you know.
Which part, the falling or the snooping?
Either. Whichever. Both.
Whatever, Chara scoffs. Get up, let’s keep going.
Frisk very pointedly does not move. Instead they open their eyes properly, trying to see where they fell from. They wonder how high up it is.
Not as high as your first fall, Chara says impatiently. Frisk doesn’t pay them any mind.
Do you think she’ll come after us? they ask.
Yes, which is why you should move , Chara says, relenting almost immediately. Not right now, maybe. I don’t think she’ll jump down after you, if that’s what you’re asking.
Maybe she’ll give up and leave us alone? Frisk thinks, with empty hope.
No way, Chara objects. There’s no way she’d ever give up on catching you. Did you see her? Their voice is tinged with something that sounds a lot like admiration. Frisk rolls their eyes.
It figures you’d get attached to the only person down here who’s actively trying to kill us.
Not my fault she’s amazing, they say breezily. Now seriously, go. I don’t know how long you were out for, and she’s gotta know another way down here.
The thought of being found by Undyne again this soon sets a spark of fear in them and they get moving, patting down the flower bed in search of their stuff. When they push their hand against the ground it gives a painful twinge.
Ow. Frisk looks down at their palms and grimaces. They’re all scratched up, and there’s dirt and bits of gravel stuck in the scratches. There’s a splinter in their left hand. They try to pick at it with their fingers, but their nails are too blunt and short to actually move it. Mainly it just hurts a lot.
Knock it off , Chara says with annoyance.
Sorry , Frisk thinks back. They get up from the ground and step away from the flowers. The water sloshes into their shoes, and then up over their clothes, soaking the bottom of their pants, and then the top of their pants, and then everything else up to their elbows. The fabric clings uncomfortably to their skin. They sigh wistfully. I’m never going to be dry again.
Hey, not fair, Chara says, decidedly more at ease now that Frisk is once again, albeit slowly, making progress. I’m the gloomy cynical one. Stick to your own role.
I didn’t realise we had roles.
Too bad. You must’ve missed the announcement. You’re the hero, which means you’re required by law to be unnervingly optimistic at all times so that I, the antagonist, has something to despair at.
You’re not the antagonist, Frisk says, rolling their eyes even as a smile tugs at their lips. You’re like… annoying anti-hero sidekick, at best. You wish you were the antagonist.
I am not a sidekick , Chara gasps in mock-offense. Just you wait, Frisk. I’ll reach the appropriate levels of anime villain soon enough. This isn’t even my final form.
Frisk gives up on trying to stifle their giggles and laugh for real, wading through the water towards the exit. There’s a wave of satisfaction mingled with some sort of pride from Chara’s corner of their mind. Frisk returns it with unbridled affection.
Chara bristles, but before Frisk has time to try figure out why, or Chara to gather themself enough to push them away again, something shoots up from the surface right in front of them, blocking their path and splashing water in Frisk’s face.
It’s a training dummy.
It seems upset, Chara muses as it launches into a vitriolic rant about its cousin, who Frisk apparently mistreated terribly.
You don’t say, Frisk bites out in between dodging attacks. Advice? Please?
Fight it, Chara says immediately.
Frisk tells them no.
Let me fight it, Chara suggests instead.
Frisk’s answer is still ‘no’. Instead, they try to strike up a friendly chat.
It doesn’t seem much for conversation, Chara remarks. The dummy only grows more angry. No one is happy with this.
I don’t see you having any better ideas! Frisk says indignantly, somewhat clumsily throwing themself out of the way of yet another attack.
It’s obviously looking for a fight, I say we give it one! Come on , Frisk, they wheedle, you heard it, it’s a ghost - it’s impervious to physical attacks. It’s not like we’d be able to hurt it anyways…
To Chara’s great surprise, Frisk seems to actually consider it. In fact, they do more than that.
If I let you, they say calculatingly, will you stop nagging me to fight everyone we meet?
I’m not nagging , Chara protests, and then the rest of the sentence sinks in. Wait, seriously? I mean- yeah, sure, I guess?
Do you promise? Frisk earnestly persists.
Cross my heart and hope to die, Chara says solemnly.
I thought you were already dead?
Wow, rude.
You say it all the time!
Well, it’s different when it’s me. They pause for a second. You’ll really let me fight it?
You’ll really stop telling me to fight everyone else?
Yeah.
Then, yeah, Frisk shrugs, pulling away so that Chara can step forward. Have fun, I guess.
Chara clenches and unclenches their hands, use their teeth to pull out the splinter without even wincing, and then face the dummy with a wide grin. The kick they get from the adrenaline is contagious and Frisk finds themself smiling right along with them. This is simple; this is easy; this is harmless, and Chara is gearing up to have the time of their life.
Oh, I will.