Chapter Text
You sigh as you enter the Void once more, another day done. Geez that kid sure knows how to aim well. You shudder as you let yourself stretch, pouting at the marks on your form. Even if it didn’t actually hurt me it’s still rude! You huff. Damn kid.
“HOW WAS YOUR DAY? OR SHOULD I SAY DAYS?” A familiar distorted voice called out to you. You smile, your many eyes landing on the skeletal form of one Dr W.D Gaster. His form seems more stable today, less mysteryman gloop, more like his old self. Though you can still see the Void crawl and claw at him, bits of him Dusting. To most Humans and Monsters, this is a frightening sight. But not to you.
“Entertaining as always G!” You chuckle, letting yourself stretch around him like that of a snake. “This world is so amazing! I love the sights, the sounds! And the fights, ah it really reminds me of the old days! Though I certainly like the new controls! I’m ever so curious on what you and the Dog plan to do next!” Your smile stretches wide, almost as wide as Friend’s. He chuckles.
“THANK YOU. I AM PLEASED THAT YOU ARE ENJOYING MY DELTARUNE.” His bone brows shift somewhat, making the cracks along his face larger. “THOUGH I CAN’T HELP BUT SENSE SOME FRUSTRATION FROM YOU, NONE THE LESS.”
You shift into something smaller, your Vessel, though instead of grey it was white and red.
“I don’t get it! I’m doing everything right aren’t I?” You say, letting yourself pace. “Despite my curiosity, I have been good and not engage in violence unless I had to. I’ve been kind to both Lightners and Darkners! I have done my best to be as respectful of Kris’s life as I could! I didn’t choose to be stuck with them, and I know I know that they have a right to be mad, but still! What do I have to do to please the kid!? Or at least assure them that I mean no harm!? I was hit with a hockey stick G! A hockey stick! Seriously!!!”
Gaster hums, taking in your words with a trained patience. You felt a little bad, knowing this must be part of a bigger design- You trusted your old friend, truly. But a hockey stick!? Seriously?! It’s a silly thing to fixate on but it’s not like it happens often.
Getting hurt in battle?
Yes.
Dealing with awkward situations?
Yes.
Getting hit with a hockey stick of all things while your Human Host seems to despise your guts despite your best efforts to be peaceful to them?
No.
Frisk never treated me like that! You inwardly whine. Granted the child was far more grateful to your presence in such a strange place like the Underground. Is that the difference then?
“PERHAPS…YOU FEEL AS IF KRIS SHOULD BE GRATEFUL TO YOUR…MERCY.” Gaster notes, tilting his head, his smile widening, creaks of bone sounding so loud in the Void.
“Sounds…bad when you say it like that.” You huff. “I’m bad for wanting that?”
Gaster hums, his hands cupping your Soul as you shrink, gently holding you. “KNOWING YOUR HISTORY…NO. YOU ARE NOT LIKE KRIS, OR FRISK, OR EVEN THE DEMON WITHOUT A NAME. YOU ARE NOT A HUMAN. NOR A MONSTER. YOU ARE MORE. AND THE MORE YOU ARE, THE MORE YOU SEEK CHAOS. YOU CRAVE IT, DEEP WITHIN YOU, AND YOU HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO MAKE AND DESTROY WORLDS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS. KINDNESS IS NOT SOMETHING YOUR KIND ARE NATURALLY GOOD AT MY DEAR ANGEL. YOU PRACTICE IT CONSTANTLY.” His smile softens, the creaking of bones lessening. “IT IS NOT A BAD THING TO WANT VALIDATION FOR THAT EFFORT. BUT PERHAPS YOU ARE SEEKING IT IN THE WRONG PLACE.”
You pause. “You want me to…find a World.”
“YES.”
“I refuse.” You jump out of his hands, hissing. “I refuse to put myself through the pain again! I only agreed to be involved with your Deltarune because of-” Your voice falters, a rarity for you. “I only agreed because of how similar it is to my World. But I can’t- I won’t- go through the pain of losing them again. What? You want me to chase after some remnant of them? A variant of them? I’ve already done that a million times over, collecting each of them into my very Soul! I cut myself off from direct interference for a reason!”
Gaster stands before you, unfazed as you ranted and raved, merely keeping his dark sockets on you as you grow and grow, wings unfurling as you grow to your full size- fully monstrous and terrifying to anyone around. Multiple eyes sprout from your body, horns growing from your head, as your teeth grow sharper and sharper, your form never fully settling on one thing.
“I DID NOT SAY ANYTHING ABOUT OUR MULTIVERSE, MY DEAR ANGEL. I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE REFUSED TO STEP FOOT IN THE OMEGA TIMELINE, OR INTERACT WITH OUR BRANCHES OF TIME FOR QUITE A WHILE. I DO NOT BLAME YOU, IN FULL HONESTY ANGEL, I BELIEVE YOU HAVE OUTGROWN US. NO…I BELIEVE A NEW WORLD TO SETTLE WOULD DO YOU GOOD.”
Your eyes roll, as the Void quakes under you. “Oh yes. Let me just get attached to a bunch of Humans/Monsters that in a blink of my eyes, will be gone! I have loved, mourned and lost many! I can’t put my Soul through it again! I can’t open my Soul to Love again, only to lose it to forces beyond my control, for all things die- even you Wingding Gaster.”
He bows his head, feeling the Void tear into him, awaiting to tear the last shreds of a forgotten man.
“I KNOW THAT. YOU THINK I DON’T UNDERSTAND YOUR LOSS? MY SONS…” You flinch at the reminder. “I HAVE LOVED THEM, LOST THEM, I HAVE BEEN ROBBED OF BEING THERE FOR THEM-ALL BECAUSE OF MY OWN FOLLY. I SEE EVERY MOMENT, ALL STRETCHED INTO A TIMELINE I CAN SEE, BUT CAN NO LONGER INFLUENCE. THEY ARE LONG GONE MY SONS, BUT I HAVE NOT LET THAT STOP ME FROM LOVING EACH VERSION I COME ACROSS, REGARDLESS OF THEIR ORIGIN.” He raises his head. “ANGEL, YOU ARE FULL OF LOVE. HIDING IT IS NOT YOUR NATURE. I IMPLORE YOU TO SEEK SOMEONE OUT WHO IS IN NEED OF YOUR LOVE.”
Right. You weren’t the only one who couldn’t go back, and had to build themselves into something new. Cowed, you shrink back down into a more manageable size, letting the Void be soothed as your presence is no longer agitating it. “Sorry.” You mutter quietly. You sigh, raising an eyebrow. “You…have a World in mind?”
He grins, knowing he has peeked at your curiosity. He gestures with a bony hand, allowing his Magic to teleport the two of you to a new space in the Void. A forest, with glimpses of new Worlds in the bark of the trees. He leads through the space, the grass untouched despite your steps. Then you feel it.
Determination.
“YOU CAN FEEL IT.” It wasn’t a question.
“Yeah. Holy shit, who’s creating this? It can’t be Human.” You say, frowning, trying to recall the last time you felt this amount of Determination before. Was it when Geno was made? Or when that variant of Sans took all those Human Souls? What was his Multiversal nickname again?
Gaster laughs. “ACTUALLY~” He teases, his green eyelights glowing in delight. “IT IS. A HUMAN THAT IS.”
“No way!”
“INDEED! I WAS SURPRISED MYSELF, WHEN I SENSED IT. BUT I HAVE TO ADMIT, I WAS CURIOUS.” He tilts his head, as one of his hands taps on the bark, lines and lines of World Code running through it. “SO I TOOK THE TIME TO EXAMINE THE WORLD, AND ITS HISTORY. AND WELL…THERE ARE TWO SOULS WHO I BELIEVE COULD USE YOUR LOVE. LONELY THE BOTH OF THEM ARE.”
You snort. “You think I would be able to help? I doubt I’m needed. I tend to drive people nuts. You know, spooky eldritch and all.” I mean, look at my track record. You think somewhat bitterly.
He looks at you with pity in his gaze. “I THINK YOU WOULD BE SURPRISED.” He shrugs. “I ADMIT ONE OF THEM…REMINDS ME OF MYSELF. A MAN OF SCIENCE, EVEN IF WE PURSUED DIFFERENT FIELDS, WHO IS CONSUMED BY HIS OWN CREATION. AND WELL… HE HAS SUCH A LARGE AMOUNT OF DETERMINATION, IT’S TRUE BUT HIS MIND…IT FADES FROM HIM.” He smiles sadly. “AND THE OTHER ONE? I THINK YOU WOULD FIND HIM VERY FAMILIAR TO YOU. IN A LOT OF WAYS.”
You stare at him, and stare at that lonely spike in the code. You see that familiar hopeful look and sigh. Fuck he and Papyrus can surely pull of puppy dog eyes.
“Let me get my shit together. Then we’ll see.”
He grins. “HOW DELIGHTFUL!”