Chapter Text
A creaking rang out, a result of old mechanisms going too long without a check in. Still, the door to the diner opened all the same.
Inside was the same old locals and regulars filling in the red cushion seats. They matched the door in condition, falling apart at the seams, but well-loved all the same. The monsters certainly didn’t mind. A froggit taking an entire table to themselves. A little rodent with a hat almost reaching the ceiling sat at the counter, sipping an oversized mug of coffee. And an empty table in the corner of the building.
Kris took a tentative step in. Their head glued to their feet, not budging an inch upwards to see where they were going. It was a miracle they made it to the empty table without knocking into anyone or thing.
Perhaps it was the fact that they’ve known this place for their entire life. Or the fact it was quite small to begin with. Either way, Kris slid all the way to the window.
Seems like the bunny owner didn’t pay any mind to them. Which was just fine for Kris. Putting a hand against their cheek and resting it there.
Allowing themselves to fall into thought with a heavy sigh.
So much in so little time has transpired and not a single chance to understand any of it. Dark worlds only seen by those who seek it out. Or fallen into by accident in their case. It made Kris either too tired to think or they were thrusted into the next turn of events. Madness was an apt description for it. Yet at the same time he couldn’t deny the fun he was having, a break from the mundane of hometown. Before years felt like days, but now days started to feel like years. It left them with an emotional whiplash of the third degree they were surprised their neck was still attached.
Kris looked towards their reflection in the window and found themselves staring back. The reflection was drenched in a blue hue while wearing the pristine armor of a knight. Everything around them was a void of blackness shrouding them. At the edges of the glass frost started to appear, yet their other self stayed unaffected. Their expression changing into a smile as the frost approached them like hands.
Staring at it head on, they could not make sense of the sight. Were they still in the other world? Did they ever truly leave? Were they lost?
Kris locked eyes with their reflection, but they could not truly see the other’s eyes, nor did they want to. Trying to avoid it by looking at the table. However, they could not kick away the feeling of being stared at. Of being judged for something only they knew.
One of their legs began to shake up and down at a quick pace. A bead of sweat running down the side of their face. Their fingernails digging into their palm.
They were spiraling.
The reflection was of them, and it was that very fact they terrified them the most.
“...Are you going to order anything?”
Everything cleared away in an instant, but it came with a jolt. Their leg hit the underside of the table, and the immediate impact filled their face with embarrassment.
Kris must have been more tired than he thought, because at the end of the table there was a gothic presence not felt for a long time.
“Spooked you?” Her voice was monotonous, with an undertone of playfulness, but something about it was off. Like it was forced in a way.
Kris turned back to the window only to find an ending day and a normal reflection. They turned to who asked the question.
Standing there was Catti wearing her work uniform. A somewhat old apron and a small notepad in her hand where her phone usually is. Despite the different attire from her usual black decal shirt and neon pink pants, she still had something about her that said goth one way or another.
It was either the pink streak in her hair or the gold rings in her ears. Or most likely a combination of both. But Kris knew her goth ways went deeper than appearances. A tinge of nostalgia struck them as they finally answered.
Kris nodded their head, embarrassment still trying its best to hide away.
“Good…now…are you going to order anything?”
Kris thought about it, but their appetite has been gone for some time now, so they gave her a simple shaking of their head.
“…Then why sit here?” It was less a question asked out of annoyance, and more out of concerned barely recognized.
They didn’t say anything, but it was more of the fact that they didn’t want to say anything related to the truth instead.
“Relaxing.” Kris’ voice came out raspy and forced. To the point that even they could hear it in their own voice. The sweat peeling off their chin didn’t help either.
“...Hm.” Catti purred with curiosity. Only staring at them for an uncomfortable amount of time.
All Kris could do was lock eyes in return. In any other situation the awkwardness would be too much to bear, but staring into her eyes, it wasn’t there anymore.
It was like everything felt before melted away in those almost glowing yellow eyes. Sharp as a cat’s eyes should be, yet beyond them they were soft as her own fur. Those diamonds eyes were like stars.
Were…were always that pretty? A different shade of embarrassment hit them.
Her eyes sharpened as Kris stared right back into them with an awe only to be cut short with a sigh.
Catti let her notepad fall to her side before flicking her head towards the big clock on the wall nearby. She turned back to stare a little more, the process of decision making turning in her head.
“Qc…I’m taking my break.”
“Alright, hun!” The bunny behind the counter replying a bit too loud for the space of the building.
Kris watched her let out a small sigh before scooting into the other side of the table. Placing her notepad down and resting her head on her hand the same way Kris had down before.
“…So…what dark forces plague you?”
They blinked, almost freezing in their seat before rational thought came back to them.
They’re not talking about the dark world.
“I’m…not sure.”
A single black cat claw found its way pointed towards them across the table.
“Lair.”
Oh.
“One such as yourself does not come here randomly…you walk with intent. So…what dark forces pulled you here?”
This time Kris was the one to let out a deep breath. She always had a certain way of saying words, most stolen from various old horror books from the library. Still, Kris was used to it by now, even after a couple of years. They even missed it.
“Why?”
Flashes of everything that happened in the dark world started to appear again. The countless battles chasing after them like it was their fate. Although most of them ended in peaceful resolution, it still took its toll. Some fights couldn’t be resolved, and danger was quick to fight without holding back. Kris was certain they would still be in the dark world, or worse, if it weren’t for two friends standing right by them.
They let out a short laugh.
“Noelle and Susie.”
“Then dark forces truly do plague you then...especially that Susie.” She retracted her claw with a slight glare.
“She’s not that bad, Catti.”
Her face somehow became even more deadpan.
“We’ve dealt with those dark forces before…a long time ago.” She was reserved with those last words. “Why do you not see it now?”
“I think it’s because I have dealt with those forces head on that I know she isn’t apart of them. I’ve looked past it. I think you should too.” Kris extended their hand back to her.
While staring at the hand pointed at her, she softened her glare faintly. Skeptical still.
“Perhaps...yet my reasons for being wary won’t be undone easily.”
“You called Noelle a dark force too you know.”
“She has the potential for it. If only she would truly convert again.”
“Her mom got mad when you put all that makeup on her.”
Kris remembered Noelle looking like a snowball afterwards with all that white foundation. Maybe Catti was lucky with already white fur, only have to put on black eye shadow to complete the look.
“Some people just don’t understand, unlike you.”
“Going to put makeup on me then?”
She looked down with joy barely visible on her face though still there all the same.
“Tempting…very tempting.”
“I could pull it off.” Kris said with a voice full of confidence.
“That is why it is tempting in the first place… you already dawn the mosque quite well. White foundation...red eyeshadow...to bring forth a new Kris…a goth Kris.”
That thought seemed to really entertain her as the look in her eyes sparkled with imagination. A more pronounced smile on her face.
Kris couldn’t help a smile tugging at their lips either. A small blush struck their cheeks as well.
“…A little better?”
Kris nodded their head.
“Good…you look scary when rumination has its hold on you…I do not mind, but you will scare the customers.”
The pair let a comfortable silence fall over them for a moment, before Kris had to make something clear.
“They’ve been more helpful than detrimental just so you know. Noelle and Susie.”
“I believe you…be careful however.”
The air went still. That comforting feeling snuffed out like a candle flame.
“You think I’m going to go back to how I was?”
Catti grew even more troubled, like she can sense something always behind Kris ready to pull them back into the darkness again.
“You…did not speak…for years.” The words to me were left out, but Kris heard them all the same. And it made their heart twist on the inside.
“I should have helped.”
“We were kids. What could have you done?”
“Been there.”
They locked their eyes with each other and Kris could see it. All her sharpness made in forgery, all what built up her persona as the unemotional goth.
Gone.
Replaced by a single emotion of remorse drenching her eyes. Softening them into something, Kris was sure no one else had seen. So fragile he dares not breathe in fear of breaking it.
“I feel…responsible.” She sunk into herself and the seat.
Kris had no choice other than to break the fragility now.
“Don’t. You don’t need to put that on yourself.” Their voice was firm enough to make their point but restrain enough to not come off as angry.
Catti clasped her hands together on the table, playing with the tips of her claws to try and calm herself.
“We summoned that demon…Dess went missing right after…I do not like to think of the…connection.”
There it was. That name.
Dess.
They were skirting around that name. Everyone in this town did in some way or another. Kris was no different.
How could they?
They remember everything about Dess. The countless outings with her, Asriel, and Noelle all over town. Days that blended together during a time where time didn’t matter. The smaller moments of Dess teaching them music on a cold autumn day. Looking up at a figure that was nothing like anything else in town, just like them.
Kris remembered everything.
Everything but her face.
They could feel their heart sinking slowly. Drowning beneath unseen waves within them.
Despite that, Kris did their best to wrangle it. There was a far more pressing matter to them at this moment.
“Like I said before, don’t blame yourself. All that happened…was an accident. Nothing more. We had nothing to do with it. Us playing around with that stuff couldn’t have caused it. So please, Catti…don’t blame yourself when doing so does nothing.”
She turned her head to look out the window. Kris was tempted to see what she was looking at, but all they wanted to do was look at her.
A sadden cat girl trying her best to hide away a guilt still visible through her eyes. Someone who would rather strike themselves down as some vain attempt to take guilt away from Kris.
All of it sank Kris’ heart even further.
“…how…has it been working here?”
It was stupid. A question like that during a time like this, but Kris had nothing else to play.
It took a moment, enough time passed to make Kris think they’d made a mistake, but she did answer. Voice still dejected, however.
“…Qc is nice enough…it pays me…dealing with people is the worse part.” Her head didn’t move as she spoke.
“Then why do you do it?”
“...Being goth requires money sometimes.”
Kris couldn’t help but let out puff of air before clamping a hand on their mouth. They wouldn’t be surprised if she sat up and walked away right now.
She didn’t do that as luck would have it for Kris. Deciding on letting their transgression go with a glare.
“You can laugh…but I am not joking about it.”
“I don’t doubt it. I see you with new ear piercing every now and again.”
“...You noticed?”
“...Um...yeah.”
It was hard not to. A small change to someone they had known for years. And even though they haven’t talked in a while, Kris still saw them during class almost every day. Peaking over their shoulder to catch her discretely tapping on her phone. It was there that they would notice those rings in her ears. One day, gold as always, another day, perhaps a nice purple sliver, or ones with little bats on them. Those ones were Kris’ favorite as they thought it went well with her eye shadow.
I’m getting off track. Kris caught themselves.
They came back to their senses to see Catti’s ears twitching and her avoiding eye contact.
“Besides this place I don’t see you anywhere else...don’t you get...lonely?”
“How can I be? I have my parents cheering me on every second of every day whether I ask for it or not.”
“Besides them?”
She perked up a little.
“Jockington…I suppose.”
“Good company?”
“Good noise…and hula hoop if need be.”
A small smirk on her face brought so much relief to Kris.
“I’m assuming Noelle doesn’t talk to you much anymore?”
“Not outside of class…no.”
“Did…did you want me to talk to you more?”
Her eyes sharpened to a knife’s edge.
“What do you think…greatest dweeb?”
Dweeb? Different, but I like it.
“I see…so…”
“So…”
“Do you still do occult stuff?”
Her ears switched from twitching every now and again to standing straight up, whiskers matching them at the same time.
“I conduct my studies at the library...texts are uncommon...but still. My practices are done with care now.”
“Anything come of it?”
“Nothing…but that is what I asked for.”
“What do you mean?”
“I am the unseen protector of this town…wards in every corner. I strengthen them at the end of every week.”
“You do that?”
A proud smirk appeared.
“Someone must take up the duty.”
“Anything else?”
She clammed up almost immediately and Kris could have sworn they saw a slight tinge of red in her cheeks.
“…nothing out of the ordinary for me…a hex for those who deserve it…wards as fore mentioned…reconnection…”
“Reconnection?”
“Nothing...an act of a personal matter.”
“Are you putting hexes on me without telling me?”
“Kris...I am goth...not evil.”
Kris raised an eyebrow with doubt.
“The only hex I ever put upon you was a silence hex, but I quickly removed it when you didn’t talk for a week...a prank gone too far even for you.”
Kris looks around for a moment before letting out a quick bark.
All Catti could do was stare at them with deadpan expression, like she was frozen by some ice spell from a video game.
“I can still hex you into silence and do it right this time.”
Kris let out a little chuckle and Catti couldn’t help herself from smirking ever so slightly.
Catti glanced past them at the clock on the wall. and that smirk disappeared back into its usual mold.
“My break is almost over.”
Kris nodded. Through the window they could see the sun starting to sink beyond the tree line. Toriel gave them some leeway last time, yet something in them didn’t want to see what would happen if they pushed it too far.
Catti got up from her seat, but instead of heading right back to work, she came around to Kris’ side. Standing at the end of the table like before.
“Your newfound appearance had made me realize how your presence stirs up old spirits.”
They could see Catti staring at them for a solid moment, stirring with something inside her head.
She placed a hand on the table, getting their attention completely.
“Want to speak to them after my shift is over?” A small smirk on her face.
A crimson’s blur flashed through Kris’ hair before disappearing into shadow. They were stunned for a moment but soon nodded with exaggerated vigor.
“We’ll speak, learn their forgotten knowledge, become one with occult once more.” Her voice was still spoken in a deadpan tone, but there was the ever-slight flicker of excitement behind the words.
“Exciting.”
“As it always was. We will conduct it like older days.”
They left each other with genuine mirroring smiles.
“See you later...dweeb.”
With that, she left Kris alone. The tail behind her filled with an extra perk that wasn’t there before, wagging away until it disappeared behind the door in the back.
Kris looked back out the window and only found a normal reflection staring back. Not a knight to be seen anymore.