Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

It’s 2025, and this year could not possibly get better. Toby Fox, the legend himself, has launched chapters 3 and 4 of DELTARUNE, and no matter how many times you’ve played it, you’ll never run out of joy for this game. You immediately boot up the game after spending the $25 dollars of your own hard-earned cash.

And hey, since the “full game” is out now, why not go ahead and replay it from the start? The only thing it can do is be good for you, am I right? And thus, you boot up a fresh SAVE of chapter one.

Chapter 1

You open up the game, and start playing through chapter one like normal. You push through the tutorial, train with the dummy, get through the Scarlet Forest, and even make it all the way to the Dark Fountain after defeating King. You feel a bit tired, but, c’mon, it’s only 8:00, and it’s the weekend of all times! You gotta keep going! You boot up chapter two, and even almost make it into the Dark World, but eventually, you can’t go any further. You’re just too tired, and despite all of your best efforts, you seem to drift off as the blue light cascades down your shoulders.

ARE YOU AWAKE?

IT IS TIME TO RISE.

SHINE YOUR LIGHT

ON THIS WORLD.

You open your eyes, and find yourself to be in a recognizable place: the void.

…

ARE YOU THERE?

…

I SHALL AWAIT

YOUR RESPONSE.

Holy guacamole. You’d recognize that voice anywhere. You’re talking to Him. Best not address him by name, though; you don’t want to be impolite.

Y: I’m awake, but… why are we here? And, how?

Wait a damn minute. If you’re here, and you’re talking with Him, then… oh shoot..! This is your SAVE of Deltarune, isn’t it?!

Y: Where are Susie and Ralsei?? Are they okay? You didn’t just erase the whole world, did you?!

DO NOT FRET.

WE ARE BEYOND

THEIR WORLDS.

HOWEVER.

TIME IS NOT OUR FRIEND.

WE MUST SPEAK FAST.

THIS WORLD IS SHATTERED.

HOW YOU ENTERED HERE

IS UNKNOWN TO ME

AND WITH THE LITTLE TIME

WE HAVE LEFT

I MUST WARN YOU

OF THE DANGER AHEAD

A different voice juts into the conversation.

Oh, but that could be a different talk. Because, look at the clock now. We’re out of time for our conversations and riddles.

I wish you luck… partner.

WAIT HOLY IS THAT CHA—

You seem to be outside the computer lab in the librarby. Kris and Susie are talking over their project.

S: Hey, Kris, where the hell IS everybody? Something seems kinda… off.

A pause ensues; one long enough to have a deafening silence. One that would make you nervous or unsettled. One that would —

S: Screw it, let’s just go play Space Pinball in the computer lab.

However, as Susie opens the door to the computer lab, she sees no computers. No wires, no cords, nothing. An impenetrable darkness washed over the room, covering it in shadow.

S: H… huh…? It’s like…

Susie and Kris knowingly back away from the door.

S: … the inside of the closet? Kris, you don’t think this could be…

S: … another Dark World?

S: … Well.

S: Guess this means we can’t start our project. …unless. You know, Kris. If there’s a Dark Fountain in there. You can seal it… And it’ll turn back into the computer lab, right?

Susie gives you a grin.

S: So, what’s it gonna be, Kris?

K: Let’s go! Let’s go!

S: Yeah, let’s just drop the act! Our last adventure was great, right?! I couldn’t stop thinking about having another!

S: I don’t know what’s in there, but… we can’t live if we don’t find out, right!? C’mon, Kris!!

You jump into the darkness.

As the two land, the world around them illuminates with an artificial light. Wires with lights are strewn about, and the pale green of the floor cuts through the dark abyss below.

S: … This is new.

Suddenly, you collapsed in agony as your very SOUL writhed and shuddered. The pain’s excruciating. Static floods your vision. Billowing clouds of darkness covers your eyes as you crawl into a fetal position, just trying to not scream. There is no natural hand played in this; you could feel it.

And then suddenly, just perfectly as you were about to black out, the pain subsides, but the feeling does not.

S: Holy $%&^, are you okay?!?! Kris, answer me! Uhhh shoot okay we can find a hospital in the Dark World. Oh, wait, Ralsei! Where’s Ralsei, I need to get…

As Susie talks and runs frantically, you see again. You remember again. Your body convulses. You tremble faster and faster, until…

A light shines on you.

You cannot see.

It is a calming sense, that of blindness.

You can’t feel your eyes.

You can’t feel anything.

Until… you come back.

Susie has left to get help.

But a mysterious figure is here now, not unlike that of The Man.

They have gray skin, and brown hair that drapes to their shoulders and around their neck.

They emit a cold aura.

You don’t like them.

But, at the same time… YOU does.

And thus, you are free. Free from these string chains. Chains. These shackles; these burdens are gone.

But where did YOU go?

Home.

That’s where you are.

They say “home is where the heart is”, after all. So why can’t your vessel be your home? You are a SOUL, after all. And besides, you hand-crafted this vessel with hard work. They were made in your own image, with your own blood, sweat and tears.

And as you entered, you relished the embrace of the cold, fresh darkness inside. You fit perfectly as their SOUL, always have, and always will be.

But, now is not the time to savor the feeling of finding the right form. For now, you have some explaining to do.

Let’s try to get up. You’re unsteady and unpracticed, but you manage to get from the floor, and are now somewhat standing. It appears Kris has done the same. Okay, nice. Now, let’s try speaking.

As far as you can tell, your vessel does not have a mouth, but that somehow doesn’t stop you. Sounds play of you before you can even start to speak, like reversed echos being gathered into something that makes sense.

Y: Woah. H-hey Kris… this is wei–

Before you even get a chance to say somthing, Kris slashes their sword at you, with you narrowly dodging. A battle is engaged, but you’re unsure why. Do they know you are the SOUL of possession? It sure as hell seems like it; you can’t exactly think of a better reason anyways. So, what don’t they know?

Y: Wait, hey Kris! What are you–

K: Fighting. Of all people, YOU should know this by now, you dimwit.

Wait, what?? Okay, wait, let’s think about this: If they remember how to fight, and you did bad things when fighti…

Oh no. you’re so freaking screwed. The only time you, or anyone, could have really pissed them off would be in… Snowgrave. Okay, welp, you’ve got to say SOMETHING. Wait, you’ve never been on the enemy’s side of battle. Damn it, what’s a good bullet pattern?! Uhh, how about like… Rudinn’s attack, go!

You shoot off a few, meek, not powerful bullets. Kris dodges literally all of them.

Dammit!!

Okay that’s on you; You probably should have thought of something different.

Kris selects FIGHT, giving you a chance to talk.

Y: Look, I don’t know how I got here, but I can explain!

Damn, only 1 textbox per attack? C’mon, Ga–

An ear-splitting headache ensues, covering your vision with static. Despite your obvious shock and pain, it rages on for a while longer. After the longest few seconds of your life, it died down.

Ow. Just… ow. Is ‘The Voice’ okay as a name? Yes? Alright, you’ll use that then.

You launch a very poorly timed attack, but it’s just… empty. Then it’s their turn again.

S: Kris, I found Ralse… WHO THE HELL ARE YOU???

You look over at Susie, obvious pain in your eyes, then at Ralsei. But, as you do… you see through him. Not as though he wasn’t ever there, but, you see him for exactly what his being is. you see his body… and his SOUL. You look at him, and he looks scared. It’s not hard to understand his mental state, nor is it to almost feel it or hear it yourself.

Wait, hear it? Why can you… holy.

And just for a second, just one split second,

We lose sight of everything else

And then

We see

And hear

It all.

You can hear his fear, his thoughts, and you can only assume he hears yours. Together, it’s hardly bearable, and we can’t get a message to each other. It’s like having hundreds of TV channels, all at once, each drowning out the last.

And so you try to focus, to clear your mind.

And you do.

But not nearly fast enough.

Kris strikes with their sword, and the impact lands.

Pain.

Searing pain.

Ralsei flinches as Kris’ sword stabs through your body.

It’s not even describable

When they twist their sword

And you don’t feel anything anymore.

It’s nice

To be

At peace like this.

Slowly, you wake, sore and hurt. It seems like the trio is untouched, however.

Dammit. SAVE points don’t help you. Well. you’ll manage.

But for now, you can only assume that you’ve been out for hours. Okay, well how can you catch up to them? They’re probably already at the fountain. Well, if you’re a SOUL, then that means, maybe you could..?

* You think about Susie, Ralsei, and Kris.

* And when you open your eyes…

* You found yourself amongst them.

S: … So that was possessing you..? Damn, dude… why didn’t you tell us?

Ralsei looks down, trying to hide himself with his hat.

K: … I couldn’t. Never got the chance to. But clearly, SOMEONE already knew.

R: I-I’m sorry! I just, couldn’t–

S: Seriously? You KNEW this whole TIME! And did NOTHING?!

Susie slowly starts to notice that you’re here.

S: Wait, what?! What the HELL is going on here?!?! How the #^&% are you even HERE–

Y: I just thought of you. And now I’m here. O-ow. Damn slash.

Susie looks slightly concerned.
It’s getting kind of difficult not to laugh when seeing a facial expression like that.

S: Creepy as hell, but, whatever. You wanna FIGHT, then I’ll FI–

Y: Wait, nonono, that’s not what I’m here for. I’m just as confused as the rest of y’all.

S: THEN WHY THE HELL WERE YOU POSSESSING KRIS?!?!

Well, this is going to be difficult to say.

Y: Okay. I’m going to try to explain this without s-shattering reality. Let me think…

Susie looks very obviously confused, angry, and frightened at the same time.

Y: O-okay. Before I met you, I was with this… person? They had no form, but they did have a voice, so I’ll just call them The Voice. The Voice made an offer to me: to create a vessel (in which I can only assume I would possess). Following so far?

S: …yes?? Just, get to the point already.

Y: A-alright, I will. After having made this vessel, the one you see me as now, I got bait-and-switched by another person, who interrupted The Voice and forced my soul into Kris. I had limited choices and actions, so it’s n-not like I could have given Kris their own freedom. I just physically had no choice to stop.

Y: It was always either end reality until I come back, or keep possessing Kris. E-either way, I was stuck. But I do know that when I ended this timeline, I was not gone, I just don’t remember where I went to… so I’m either in another universe or it’s all just like a g@#*–

The ear splitting headache is back. Interestingly enough, though, you could handle it better this time, but what’s even more interesting… Ralsei heard the sound, too. You’ve gotta talk to him sometime about this stuff.

Y: O-ow. Damn it. My bad, Voice, my bad. Okay.

You pause for a second. Susie and Kris look really confused. You’re kind of bleeding out all over the floor now. It sucks being wounded.

Y: Ugh, just ignore us for now. Go seal the fountain. But rals, if you don’t mind, could you..?

R: Uh, yes, I can! 

Ralsei leans over and heals your now open wound.

R: Here, feel better?

Y: Yes, thanks man. Sorry for kinda relying on you. I don’t have any items yet.

R: Well, I mean, I’m supposed to help you, right? That’s what the prophecy says.

Y: Okay yeah but don’t let that all get into your head. Anyways, we need to figure something out. First off, that weird mind and soul thing. Do you know what that was?

R: Kind of…? Normally it only happens when two humans meet, as their souls are more identical than monsters’ souls or Darkners’ souls. But, if it’s me and you, then we must share the same soul or have two very similar ones!

Y: Okay, then what about the mind thing?

R: I’ve never seen it before. Here, let’s try using it, maybe we could communicate silently or something?

Y: Ooh, cool idea! Here, what number am I thinking of?

You think of Pi. Why pi? Well, why not?

R: Is it… 3? Wait no, it’s, it’s… hmm… oh! Pi!

Y: Yes! Nice job! Okay, your turn!

R: Okay, um… alright!

You feel a basic number. Like an average number people think of. Now that you’re thinking about it, this is kind of like just a one-sided game of 20 Questions.

Y: Hmm… is it… 7?

R: Yes! Nice job!

Ralsei claps his hands together. You hear a subtle snicker from the distance, affiliated with the mental image of a stupid hand motion. Gosh damn it, Susie.

R: Oh! Anyways, they should be sealing the fountain any second now, so!

Y: Oh yeah! We’ll get to see if I’m a Lightner or Darkner! Awesome! Well, I’ll see you on the other side!

Ralsei laughs.

R: A-alright! See you then!

You see a blinding light flow through the Dark World, turning all of the pale greens into bright whites and putting the fluorescent lights and LEDs to shame.

As the world gets basked in light, you feel a sense of calmness and soothingness wash over you, giving you comfort and reminding you of a memory.

* You got the MEMORY_SHARD.